SUPER ROBOT WARS W Walkthrough
Mark Neidengard, mneideng@ugcs.caltech.edu
Version 1.1, 1/22/08
This walkthrough is a text summary of the dialog and expository text in the
Banpresto DS game Super Robot Wars W.  Like other such FAQs I've written, this
is one-and-a-half steps removed from a true line-by-line translation.  I lack
the time to translate "system" stuff like menus or equipment properties; I
refer you to sites like GameFAQs.com where other enthusiasts have done such
work.  My hope is that this guide will let non Japanese speakers enjoy the rich
storytelling that makes the SRW series the ultimate in official crossover
(interactive) fanfiction.
Shouts out to the heroic, pulse-pounding music of DragonForce, whose epic
compositions could well serve as the soundtrack for parts of this game.
Special thanks to Hoshikage for taking the time to edit this massive document.
FOOTNOTES:
This game features no ewer than three characters named "Gai", all of which are
actual Japanese names and hence not legitimately romanizable in some other
fashion like "Gei" or "Guy" (the GGG character's name has a kanji, basically
invalidating Bandai's "official" romanization).  For convenience, I will use
Nadesico's "Daigouji Gai"'s real surname "Yamada", and Seed Astray's Gai's
surname "Murakumo", leaving Shishio Gai's given name in deference to how
awesome he is.
There is some confusion as to the gender of Abel from GGG.  To preserve the
Biblical allusion with the character "Cain", Abel should be male.  The voice
acting could be consistent with a child of either gender, and the character
design (especially loose-fitting costume) is not definitive either.  The
Japanese Wikipedia entry for Gaogaigar notes that the theory of Abel being
female was floated at the time of the show's airing - this phrasing suggests to
me it was a minority position that has not endured.  Absent any conclusive
evidence, I will continue to believe the show creators meant for the Biblical
allusion to stand, and use male gender pronouns; you the reader are more than
welcome to your own opinions about what's beneath Abel's robes. ^_^
0. Introduction
"Transitions in the Century Following the Establishment of the Federation Space
Calendar"
Earth, at the end of the last age.
As the cumulative effects of exhaustion of natural resources, environmental
decline and overpopulation reached their limits, the global economy and
established order were on the brink of collapse.  The regional violence
gripping the Earth Sphere grew worse with each passing day, abruptly
degenerating into World War III.
Terrified of the war it had wrought, mankind sought to end the fighting through
the unification of all nations, and all peoples.  Thus was the "Federated Earth
Nation" born, with dominion over all governance, all economics, and all
military matters.  With the subjugation of the independent lunar metropolis -
defiant to the very end - in the so-called "Lunar Campaign", the "Federation
Space Calendar" officially began.
The Federated Earth Nation sought to mend the scars of war through the
colonization of the new frontier: space.  This project drew its strength from
the quantum leaps in the fields of physics and energy achieved during the war.
Construction of the space colonies, redevelopment of the moon's surface,
development of Mars, surveys of outer space...
Space was not just the new frontier, but an ocean of hope.  Numerous asteroid
cities and space colonies were constructed in an astoundingly short span.  The
beginning of the Federation Space Calendar, with the influence of mankind
extended all the way to the orbit of Mars, could be called Earth's honeymoon
with Space.
However, that honeymoon paled with the passage of time.
As the heat of pioneering that had encircled all mankind cooled, the
dictatorial bent of a few humans sapped the Federated Earth Nation of its
willpower.  Resistance by the colonies, upon whom repression fell especially
heavily, was fierce.  The resulting war between OZ, the actual rulers of the
Federated Earth Nation, and those who opposed them, eventually gripped the
entire Earth Sphere.
This conflict, known as the "Revolutionary War", finally ended with the death
in battle of the Federated Earth Nation's president, Treize Khushrenada.  And
by his secret will, the world was reborn into a new order, where every nation
and people was valued alike.  Governance was returned to individual nations as
in the previous age, and the "New United Nations" was born as a means of
uniting their wishes.
This took place in Federation Space Calendar year 98.
However, from that point forward, the Earth and mankind were faced with the
perpetual menace of assault from space.
The failure of the "Cygnalite Project" to explore the constellation Cygnus, and
the crash landing of a giant, artificial object known as "EI-01", began an
invasion of mankind by forces believed to be of extraterrestrial origin.
What followed was the approach of life forms which came to be known as the
"Radam".  These beings took control of the Orbital Ring, greatly limiting
mankind's access to space.
Moreover, incursions from an alien culture situated somewhere near Jupiter,
termed the "Jovian Lizards", wrought the destruction of the city on the Martian
surface and indeed the total retreat of mankind from the Mars Sphere.
Meanwhile, a rash of terrorist incidents, fueled by the new technological
menace of robotics, struck the Earth's surface.
Mankind had but taken its first steps under the New United Nations when these
threats wrought terror and anxiety, making peace a distant dream once more.
Problems supposedly solved lingered instead with no hope of solution, building
a critical mass at the world's core that might never be removed.
Arbitrary divisions between men, such as between the "Coordinators" who had
undergone genetic engineering and the "Naturals" who had not, became a spark
which could ignite another conflict between mankind at any time.
In the Federation Calendar Year 99, the world is about to enter a new age of
conflict, in which even tomorrow is uncertain.
- Space Development Corporation, Historical Notes "Space Development
Report", excerpted from Chapter 1 introduction
"Trailer"
At the beginning of the Federation Space Calendar, the honeymoon of mankind and
space begat a new occupation, based on life in space.  Its members are known as
"Trailers".
They were tasked with constructing the colonies, terraforming asteroids, and
gathering raw materials - supporting the era of space development from behind
the scenes.  Their numbers grew in step with demand, and their duties expanded
from mere transport to the opening of new space routes and exploration of
unexplored regions of space.
However, their very existence became an obstacle to the Federated Earth
Nation's schemes to monopolize such commerce.  When a series of restrictions
robbed them of their dwelling places, they began a new life taking commissions
from a variety of other sources.  Some would contract them to protect merchant
vessels, while others would contract the theft of those same vessels.  Some
even lowered themselves to thievery of their own devising, or what became known
as "Space piracy".
Now, nearly a century after the institution of the Federation Space Calendar,
the majority of society thinks of the terms "Trailer" and "Space Pirate" as
synonymous.  However, it is an indisputable fact that some Trailers exist who
inherited the character and frontier spirit of the original Trailers.  These
true Trailers, from their dwelling on the hidden colony "Bit", pride themselves
as "spacemen" in accepting the most difficult and dangerous of jobs to this
very day.
- Encyclopedia Galactica, "Trailers"
1. Uchuu no Umi ni Ho wo Agero ("Set Sail for the Sea of Space!")
Kazuma (i.e. you) is working on his log entry for June 13, Space Calendar Year
99.  He's been cooling his jets on Bit for the past two weeks after finishing
his last job, and he's getting tired of hanging with the Junkmen and messing
with his machine.  He's heard that most of the proceeds from that job got
poured into mech modifications, and is afraid of declaring bankruptcy for the
thirty sixth time.  He notes that this will be the last day he enters a ship's
log without actually being at sea, since his father claims a new client is
coming - one with a mission requiring travel to the Earth!  Hopefully, glorious
tales of his exploits will keep the log interesting...
Meanwhile, Duo is waiting at Bit's dock, fuming over the fact that a little
shuttle trouble has forced him to hire the Trailers just to transport him to
Earth.  Quatre's there too, and has heard that the Trailers are specialists in
space transportation.  Duo knows the Trailers all too well, having crossed
swords with the Trailers many times during his days on the Sweeper Team.  He
tells Quatre that the space transportation bit went out with the end of the
space development era - now they're into pillage and plunder and black
marketeering.  If it's against the law, the Trailers are all for it - and the
term "space pirates" seems a lot more suitable these days.
Even Duo has never been to the space pirates' secret hideout before, and is
still amazed that Lady Une knew where to look, orders or no orders from the
Preventer brass.  It seems even Lady Une is not above dealing with folks like
these in an emergency, and these are troubled times indeed for the Preventers.
Add to that the fact that their mission isn't precisely above board either, and
Duo figures that the Trailers' shady ways suit them perfectly.  The information
they've gathered must be delivered to HQ at all costs, though there's little to
do except take things one step at a time.  And hey, if "they" try any funny
business, Duo and Quatre will just go deal with it "suitably", as usual.
Suitably, in Duo's dictionary, meaning a good old-fashioned spacejacking, of
people who deserve no mercy anyway.
But Duo's not expecting a limo ride, just a nice smooth, quiet ride to Earth
from the Valstork Family.  That would be Kazuma Ardygun, who hails Quatre
Labarba Winner and "Heero Yui".  Duo seems underwhelmed that the Family would
send a kid, but Kazuma warns him to watch his mouth if he doesn't want his long
hair chopped off at the roots and used as a lure for space whales.  This leaves
Duo totally unimpressed, and he supposes drily that he ought not to expect the
Trailers to talk the talk _or_ walk the walk.  Kazuma, born and bred to his
space trade, doesn't take kindly to being treated like a kid by someone
practically his own age.  Duo doesn't let up, telling Kazuma to shut up if he's
old enough to comprehend that Duo and Quatre are the customers here.
Before Kazuma's rage boils over, his sister Mihiro appears to smooth things
over.  It seems their father doubted Kazuma could handle these customers on his
own, pissing Kazuma off anew that his little sister is seen as more trustworthy
than him.  She is quite the contrast to her hot-headed brother, apologizing
before reminding him of the Trailer maxim to treat guests and luggage with
care.  A sudden transmission from the father, Bless, cuts through the
commotion.  He's in no mood to hear Kazuma's excuses now, and hustles him off
to prepare the Valstork's guest beds.
As Kazuma stalks off, Blessfield Ardygun makes somewhat more pleasant
introductions with Quatre, urging him and Duo to drop the "captain" formality
and just call him Bless.  Quatre is quietly impressed at the captain's
gentlemanly ways, but Duo's sure it's just an act - Bless's son is the very
image of a delinquent.  Bless then offers the two of them a meal of roast duck
as a good opportunity to introduce his staff and hear more about the mission
he's signed up for.  Mihiro is a big fan of her father's cooking, and Bless
tells her to have Shihomi fire the oven up.  Duo's still uneasy about all this,
but Quatre has a lot of trouble believing that these are bad people, including
the departed Kazuma.  He also questions why Duo is using an alias - and Heero's
name no less, and Duo sniffs that it's payback for Heero pulling the same trick
long ago.  Bless seems to have sharp hearing, and maybe isn't buying the alias,
and Duo wonders where the heck he's seen this guy before.
Dinner is served in short order, though Kazuma hasn't turned up yet.  Akane
tells her sister Shihomi not to wait lest the dinner go to waste, and Horis
concurs.  Mihiro and Quatre are more forgiving than that, but Galent wants to
ensure that his guests are properly cared for according to the maxim, and not
fed cold duck.  In this case, the maxim is "Strike while the iron is hot, and
feast while the food is hot!"  Quatre is a bit startled by the old-fashioned
use of "maxims", but Duo is more interested in devouring the feast, more than
good enough to justify hiring the Trailers for this job in his estimation.
Bless then finishes introducing the Family, starting with himself as captain of
the transport Valstork.  His daughter Shihomi handles sensors and comms, and
his other daughter Akane handles weapon systems.  Quatre sounds surprised that
the vessel is armed, but Bless delicately says that these can be dangerous
times, with one's own safety being one's own responsibility.  This is doubly
true with the Federation army out for Trailer blood.  Akane adds that it's her
job to brush the sparks off, but quickly gets flustered when Horis starts to
pun.  Horis Horion, for all his levity, is a highly skilled pilot - and not
related by blood.  He says lightly that he hopes to one day marry Shihomi or
Mihiro and join the family roster, making Akane wonder why her name got left
off the list.  Last up is the Family's resident encyclopedia, Galent
Gavelinario, who claims (none too convincingly) to be nothing more than a
retired old man.  Horis states that Galent, once known as the "Demon's Arm",
hasn't hit retirement yet, and along with "Hawkeye" Bless is still a legend
among the Trailers.
Those nicknames definitely get Duo's full attention, but before he can inquire
further, Kazuma blusters in and asks where his dinner is, as well as whether
his father has accepted the job yet.  Bless notes sternly that Kazuma needs
some serious reeducating in the Trailer ways, but Kazuma casually asks Duo to
tell him what the job's about.  Duo is still in shock (and not over any
culinary mistake), so Quatre answers in his stead.  As their superiors
explained to the Family, he, Duo, and their two containers' worth of luggage
are to be transported to Earth.  This seems to be music to the girls' ears, and
Quatre explains that the two of them indeed came from the Earth, though they
were originally born in the colonies.
Horis notes that the Family normally confines its activities between the
Lagrange Points and the moon, so none of them have been to the Earth for some
years.  In fact, Mihiro and Kazuma have never been there at all, and Akane
informs him that he's nowhere near a full adult yet for it.  He retorts that
her breasts are hardly those of a full adult either, earning him a rebuke from
his father for reacting to the taunt in classic half-adult style.  Kazuma
mutters that, as everyone seems to think, he's just the good-for-nothing son of
"Hawkeye" after all, and Shihomi has to remind both her brother and irate
father that their guests are watching.  As for why Quatre and Duo would hire
the Trailers for what should be a routine trip to Earth, Quatre says that their
luggage and their schedule mandate it... That, and the unreliability of the
Space Development Corporation, which is common knowledge among the Trailers,
for whom information means life and death.
Another thing Horis has heard is that making it past the Orbital Ring, with its
Radam infestation, is also a matter of life and death.  The Earth Federation
Army seems too preoccupied with its war against the Jovian Lizards to do much
about it, which is also not helping tensions between the Earth and the colonies
any.  Traveling to Earth via the colonies would pose many dangers, and the
Trailers provide a way to punch through all that mess.  Kazuma actually likes
that idea, and assures his guests that they couldn't have chosen a better set
of Trailers for the job.  He assures them that it's his Trailer duty to see
them and their luggage to Earth with nary a scratch.  Of course... it'll cost
them, and even Bless is privately impressed at his son's bargaining prowess.
Kazuma assures Quatre and Duo that for all the Valstork is a bit cramped, it's
also top-class speedwise.  Quatre and Duo, somewhat cowed by all this, agree to
the deal, and Bless invokes another Trailer maxim: "Make haste to do good, make
greater haste to do commerce." The plan is to depart first thing in the
morning, with accommodations all settled for the guests and the ship fully
provisioned.  Kazuma tells Galent to mind the farm in his absence, promising to
bring back some old fogey-style souvenirs from Earth.  Galent seems hardly
amused, vowing to bust Kazuma's head with a spanner if he so much as damages
his mech.  Kazuma's not worried, and seems very eager to finally prove to his
father how good his skills have gotten.
As the Valstork gets ready to depart, Kazuma says goodbye to his friend Lowe,
asking him to pass goodbyes along to the Professor and Liam too.  Kiri wishes
Mihiro and her sisters well too.  Kazuma explains that Lowe and Kiri are
Junkmen who happened to be setting sail at the same time; the Trailers and
Junkmen tend to help each other get by out in space.  Quatre is surprised by
this, letting on that he had heard that the Trailers engaged in piracy.  Kazuma
bristles at this, but Bless orders him to his station.  Kazuma is furious at
being thought of as a pirate, realizing that Duo's initial provocation probably
stemmed from that too.  Bless advises his son not to make his reputation with
his words, and won't hear any backtalk.
Quatre is surprised that Mihiro is part of the crew too, and she says that even
she and her brother have things they're in charge of on the ship.  Carret, the
ship's support robot, then shows up with coffee for the passengers.  He came
with the ship as a matched set, and can handle everything from washing dishes
to ship repairs.  Duo hasn't heard of this kind of pairing before, and Quatre
observes that this ship certainly doesn't look like a Federation vessel from
the outside.  Horis is about to explain why that is when...
The alarm sounds!  Liam has just radioed from the Home to report unidentified
vessels headed for the Valstork.  Horis is sure that it's "them" given the
timing, and Bless figures they must have planned the attack carefully indeed.
Kazuma informs Duo that the real space pirates he seems so taken with have
arrived, and Bless decides to outrun them by pushing the engine to the max.
Kazuma doesn't like simply turning tail and running, but Bless reminds him that
the Trailer prime directive is transportation of their customers.  Kazuma knows
that, but points out that "they" can't be left to run riot either.  Now that
they're targeting Bit, the result can only be more needless sacrifices.  While
he wants to protect his customers, he also wants to protect the name of the
Trailers from those who would besmirch it.  After a moment's thought, Bless
asks if his son thinks he can handle it, and the entire family sounds ready to
give it their best shot.  Bless orders the attack, in the name of the Trailers,
and Horis lightly reminds Akane that "Wasted bullets beget red ink".  Quatre
tries to stop Kazuma, but Kazuma tells him and "Heero" to just sit by and watch
what the difference between space pirates and real Trailers is.
The enemies are in Federation machines, which Bless sees for the army deserters
and black-market buyers they are.  He asks "Duo Maxwell" if the difference
between them and genuine Trailers is now clear, and as Duo gapes in
astonishment Kazuma and Mihiro boot their mech, the Valhawk.  In Airforce mode,
it's a lot faster than the space pirates expected, and Kazuma is just itching
to dish out some payback for sullying his people's name.  The pirates figure
that they'll be able to sell whatever this mystery machine is for a pile of
dough after they minorly scrap it and ship it to the Junkmen.  Kazuma is ready
to kick their ass and shifts to hand-to-hand Cross-Combat mode.  Duo and Quatre
marvel at the transforming Valhawk, and Horis and Akane set out to help in the
Valstork.
Two enemies have a Propellant Tank.  Two have Repair Kits.  Another has a
Cartridge.
When you ravage the bad guys, one pleads with you to spare his life.  Kazuma
may be hot-blooded, but he's a young man of principle, and doesn't blow the
evil-doer away, lest he be as bad as the pirates.  He sternly warns the
pirate that the Trailers value human life, and that people have to help each
other if anyone is to have a chance of survival.    The pirate, suitably
cowed, vows never to forget this good deed - but Kazuma informs him that he
and his buddies are in for some stiff punishment back at Bit.  Bless has
already made the necessary arrangements, and commends his son on a job well
done.
Before Kazuma can bask in any praise, a new foe shows up and starts blasting.
Several "unknowns", small and very fast, make their way onto the scene, and
blow the pirate away anyway.  They are like nothing Akane has ever seen
before, which would be why they're "unknown".  Amazingly, they're
human-sized; Tekkamen, perhaps?  Bless notes a superficial resemblance to the
Radam commanders, but Kazuma is less worried about who they are and more
worried that they're on the attack.  With little choice, Bless orders an
attack with maximum force on these unknown interlopers.  Everyone knows that
these vicious, hard-to-hit foes will pounce if you give up an inch.
Destroy one of the new enemies and Carret will warn that the container hatch
is opening.  Out pop two Gundams, of course piloted by Quatre and Duo.  Their
intent is of course *not* to flee, but to help out, and Duo apologizes to
Kazuma for misunderstanding him.  He's now seen what "real" Trailers are all
about, and reveals his real name: Duo "Grim Reaper" Maxwell.  Relations
repaired, Quatre notes that these unknowns may be yet another new menace
facing mankind, and urges a hasty disposal.
The last enemy unit attempts to flee, but before Kazuma can pursue, Tekkaman
Blade appears... or so it seems.  Something strange is going on, and whoever
it is pulverizes the bad guy after musing on its return to Earth.  This new
white unknown heads your direction, but flies right on past and quickly
leaves radar range.  Luckily it didn't mean you any harm, and Bless orders
everyone back to the ship.  Looks like Kazuma won't have any shortage of
fodder for his log...
Bless is very mortified that his customers ended up helping save his butt, and
doesn't want Kazuma pointing out that the Gundam pilots sortied on their own.
Quatre agrees with Kazuma, and Duo says he's feeling lucky even to have met the
legendary Hawkeye, much less fought by his side.  Horis is impressed that the
deeds of Bless's bygone youth are so widely known, and Bless informs him that
his youth isn't very bygone yet.  Quatre and Duo apologize again for confusing
these Trailers with space pirates, and there seem to be no hard feelings.
Kazuma allows that the true Trailers are very few in number nowadays, and there
are plenty of people who seem eager to rub the Trailer name in the mud with
their actions.  All that being said, Bless offers to ferry Duo and Quatre to
the Earth for free, as personal repayment for helping during the battle.  Duo
accedes to this, and Bless assures his people that an occasional vacation from
work is good for the soul.  Of course, being Trailers, they will have to find
other ways to profit from the trip along the way, but for now, Duo and Quatre
are getting the free ride action.
Kazuma asks Duo for more info about his father's famous deeds, since Bless
won't talk at all about the old days.  Bless still won't have the old days
discussed, especially since there's a schedule he wants everyone to hurry up
and realign to - after all, the Trailer maxim says that "Time is Money, and
Money is Time".  Duo and Quatre will be in charge of monitoring engineering and
subpiloting, since they're no longer customers but peers.  All systems check
out, and it's "Earth, here we come" for our heroes.
Meanwhile, some mysterious people (one apparently called Applicant), are headed
for the Solar System.  They muse over how this backwater system is nevertheless
the focus of a many-way power struggle, on a galactic scale.  The Radam, the
Mechanoids, and even the Eviluders are all in the mix, which would make life
easier for Applicant as long as what they're seeking is here.  For reasons of
their own, they must wait eight Earth months before acting in concert, but
Applicant is directed to wipe out the humans in the meantime, to keep things
from going awry.  The leader hopes that this voyage proves profitable, for the
sake of all knowledge and culture.
2. Shiroki Tetsu Kishi-tachi ("The White Knights")
Another day, another log entry.  A series of pirate attacks haven't dampened
the Valstork's crew's spirits, and Duo and Quatre are now like part of the
family.  The only problem worthy of the name is the fact that this trip is
gratis: that 36th bankruptcy is still looming large.  When Duo finds Kazuma
scribbling notes, Kazuma explains that his father instructed him to keep the
log.  It seems Kazuma's father is one sentimental guy and values memories
highly, though he doesn't like discussing them verbally for whatever reason.
As for why Kazuma's been saddled with the duty, it seems his dad is seriously
absentminded or some such.  Unfortunately for both of them, this little chat
means they're shirking their duties, and Shihomi isn't about to let them forget
it, in her pleasant way.  She informs Duo of the Trailer maxim that "Those who
don't work, don't eat", and encourages him not to miss the evening's tasty
menu.  Since Akane's the cook, Kazuma fears that everything will taste like
mayonnaise.  Quatre's already finished his chores and starts helping the two
out; Duo figures he's getting along with the mostly female crew thanks to being
brought up amongst so many older sisters.
While they clean, Kazuma asks them about their role behind the scenes of the
Revolutionary War.  He can smell an adventure from a mile away, and the name
"Gundam" is known far and wide.  Duo thinks a second and informs him that
theirs is a story unpleasant both in the telling and in the listening.  Wars
are like that.  Quatre adds that they did nothing more than fight on behalf of
the colonies that were being sacrificed for the sake of the Earth.  The new
government attributed to Treize is actually the result of much exertion and
much spilled blood from many players, and even Treize surely never expected the
Radam to arrive and disrupt the peace.  In fact, the humans themselves are once
again at the brink of war.  Absolute Pacifism is an easy enough ideal to grasp,
but living it is another matter, especially where Earth-colony relations are
concerned.
Kazuma saw firsthand how that war brought out the worst in people, and figures
even most of the space pirates would be leading normal lives right now if not
for all the fighting.  Quatre tells him that the war did do some good: even if
only briefly, it gave the people a taste of true peace.  And it gave him his
cherished group of friends, including the other three Gundam pilots.  Some of
them are off on other business, and others are missing entirely.  One of the
pilots is the eccentric Heero Yui, who Duo doubts Kazuma would like much.
Quatre sees that Duo's fallen idle, and tells him to get back to cleaning like
the Sweeper he is.
Neither Gundam pilot can tell Kazuma about their secret mission to Earth, so
they ask him instead where his dad got this ship from.  Duo knows it's not just
a customized Federation vessel from the unusual tech it bears, and wonders if
it's some late model Zaft cruiser.  Kazuma would love to answer, but he really
doesn't know much himself, beyond that it's on loan from his grandfather.
Despite a lot of major modifications, the underlying tech has stayed constant
all this time.  An astounded Duo realizes that that must make the ship at least
ten years old, and yet still far ahead of current Fed ships.  While Kazuma
doesn't know where the tech came from, he sure knows how to use and repair it -
and that fact alone should make the ship of human origin.  As the Trailers say,
"Use anything useful, especially if it's valuable."  This sounds like Black
Technology to the G boys, who are sure the Mithril crew would love to hear
about it.  In any case, the Valstork's crew never once considered selling the
tech to the Feds, preferring to keep it as the means to do their own work.  And
of course, certain jealous parties keep trying to steal it to collect the
bounty rumored to be hanging on it - making Duo wonder just why Lady Une sent
him to this ship in the first place.  Well, if worse comes to worst, the ship's
plans and all the Family's records are ready to be fired off in an escape pod.
The real problem isn't pesky space pirates, but the Radam lurking on the
Orbital Ring.  They're keeping the Earth under siege, and given they're some
kind of space monsters there's apparently no reasoning with them.  Kazuma still
can't figure out how they managed to take over the Ring so quickly in the face
of fierce resistance, and is glad to hear that the Federation has a
counterattack in the works.  The trick is reaching Earth first, dodging Radam
attack along the way.  Akane attacks first, showing up to see if the cleaning
is done.  She urges Duo and Kazuma to get back to work before calling Quatre
away to help make sure she's got the flavoring right.
Elsewhere, D-Boy is taking some flak from Noal for returning to his ship with
Radam still remaining.  Aki tries to come to his defense, but Noal blames her
and the Blue Earth's injuries on D-Boy's failure.  He vows to have D-Boy kicked
off the Space Knights as soon as this mission is over, and tells him to his
face that the only reason he's even on the Space Knights is because he's a
Tekkaman.  And if he can't fight, he's got no fucking business on the scene.
Aki's pleas get stronger, pointing out that D-Boy is helping them fight the
Radam despite having total amnesia.  Noal is unswayed, convinced that D-Boy's
only value is assuming the likeness of the Radam commanders and fighting the
Radam.  D-Boy doesn't offer a word of protest, and Noal tells him to get his
ass back out there and finish investigating Block 20.
The enemy show up quickly, and D-Boy thinks to himself that he's got to hurry.
With the initial enemies dead, D-Boy is glad he made it in time, but Noal
sniffs that the whole affair took too long.  Unfortunately, you're not done
yet: many more bad guys show up, and Noal realizes that you'll have to go on
fighting just to blow open a hole to escape through.  From the shadows, a
sinister figure wonders how Blade, an incomplete Tekkaman, will make it
through this fight.  The figure vows to watch Blade's pitiful end closely
indeed.
D-Boy's time is running short indeed, and as Noal wonders if D-Boy is faking
again, D-Boy yells at them to run while he holds the enemy off.  Noal is in
no mood to be in D-Boy's debt, but Blade warns them that if things go on,
he'll end up killing them too.  He explains that an incomplete Tekkaman like
himself can only maintain his own will for thirty minutes...  which is of
course why he pulled out of the previous battle.  He tells Noal that after
thirty minutes, the will of the Radam that had been transplanted into him
would take over, rendering him a demon that destroys everything in sight.
It's been 25 minutes since D-Boy sortied, and D-Boy pleads with them to hurry
while he guards their retreat.  Noal sounds less sure of what to make of
this, but tells Aki to haul ass.  Unless they can defeat the Radam, neither
they nor her precious D-Boy can be saved.  His interest in D-Boy is purely as
an anti-Radam weapon, but at least he has that much value left.  The plan is
now to wipe out all enemies within that remaining five minutes.  This enrages
the shadowy watcher, who decides to finish Blade off himself.
But a new unit appears in the battle: a Detonator from the Eviluders.  The
watcher is astounded that the Eviluders have come all the way to this planet,
and the Detonator wastes no time in wasting most of the Radam.  Only the
Tekkamen seem to have heard of the Eviluders before, and D-Boy tells his
companions that he'll explain later after they defeat the remaining Radam.
The watcher can't believe an Eviluder would side with the humans, and
withdraws in haste to report all this to his lord Omega.
Things seem to be going well until you kill enough bad guys, making a new set
of foes appear.  These new units are Eviluders too, and they're not friendly,
leaving the white Detonator no choice but to fight back against them.  About
that time, the Valstork shows up, recognizing the white mech from the
previous battle.  The Space Knights turn out to work for the Outer Space
Development Company, and Bless isn't opposed to paying Freeman back a bit for
his kindness.  He knows that the Space Knights are very much like Duo's
Preventers, and lets everyone join the battle.  Noal explains briefly that
there's only five minutes left, and facing both the mysterious Eviluders and
the Radam at once isn't going to be easy...
The enemy go down fairly quickly, but before Blade can be recovered, he crosses
swords with the white Eviluder, demanding to know why he saved your people.
The white mech vanishes, leaving only the word "Orgun" to linger.  That's
Heero-level cryptic.  In any case, the Trailers are happy to help the Blue
Earth, and enthusiastically offer to help make repairs.  Neither Noal nor Aki
have heard of the Valstork Family before, and Noal is rather skeptical of why
two Preventer anti-terrorist operatives are hanging out with a shipload of
Trailers.  The Trailers make quite a sales pitch for their help, and eventually
Bless says he'd like to speak to the Space Knights' employer, the Outer Space
Development Company's "Mister Freeman".  That's fine with Noal, since it takes
him off the bargaining hook.  As for D-Boy, Kazuma wants to know if he's the
"pilot" of Tekkaman Blade - Aki says "yes", not wanting to let the full truth
of the Tekkamen be known to a civilian.  Aki explains about D-Boy's amnesia and
his odd-sounding nickname, but when Noal translates the "D" as "dangerous",
Kazuma runs off to protect Mihiro from the oh-so dangerous dude, who is flat on
his back in sick bay.
D-Boy briefly mistakes Mihiro for his sister Miyuki, whose memory the shock of
battle has somehow restored.  He agrees to tell Noal about the Eviluders, which
makes Kazuma wonder just who he is, that he can pilot the same vehicles the
bug-like Radam commanders do.  D-Boy goes on to explain that his System Box, a
crystalline object, lets him transform into Tekkaman Blade.  This sounds like
the plot for some kind of anime, and Horis wonders aloud if D-Boy had gotten
his powers by being modified by some kind of evil organization.  No one is
sure, but what is sure is that they've fought the Radam many times, and that
the Tekkamen are somehow connected to them.  The important bits are lost in
D-Boy's missing memory.  About the best they've been able to tell is that D-Boy
is indeed an Earthling, with some indications of tampering by persons unknown.
His knowledge of the Eviluders as "enemies" is apparently thanks to some data
that the Radam must have input into his Tek System.  Enemies of some fairly
serious meaning, from what little D-Boy can recall - he cites a vision of a
large-scale war between the two sides.  They don't seem to be here to wipe out
the Radam though, and Bless fears the consequences if some vast foe of the vast
Radam were to come to Earth in earnest.  The white Eviluder who fought on your
side is a "Detonator" class, one of the military leaders - similar in both form
and function to the Radam's Tekkamen.  The only visions of the Eviluders D-Boy
can remember are of them invading planet after planet; he can't guess why one
of them would help save your butts.  There's no telling what it's really up to
yet, but you decide to refer to it as "Orgun" for now in deference to its last
word.
Heinrich von Freeman then calls in, chatting with Bless for the first time in
fifteen years.  Bless tells him that his wife Yuumi is ten years dead from an
accident, and tells Freeman not to worry about asking: it was thanks to Freeman
that they even met in the first place.  Freeman then offers Bless the job of
ferrying the Blue Earth back to the surface, with them temporarily under his
command.  This is great for avoiding bankruptcy, but comes with a condition
attached.  Yesterday, Nergal Heavy Industries finished a ship based on a
totally new concept at their Sasebo Dock.  The Feds wanted Nergal to hand the
ship over, but Nergal refused and the ship fled the Federation army into space.
Noal figures that serves the Federation right for being so stuck up all the
time, and Aki explains that the Space Knights report to the Federation Special
Forces bureau, independent of the regular military chain of command.  Kazuma's
been listening closely enough to realize that Duo and Quatre also report
through that parallel chain of command, raising him again in Duo's estimation.
Freeman's job is the destruction of this new vessel, codenamed Nadesico.
Elsewhere, a sinister figure receives the sinister minion's report of Eviluders
in the Solar System.  The minion figures he only saw advance scouts, but
expects the main force to appear in short order.  The boss likes the idea of
using Earth as the final battlefield between their two sides, and orders the
minion to call in the border forces as well.  He wants the domination of the
Earth to hurry, but the minion wants the elimination of Blade to happen first.
He's going to be emo until he chops Blade into bits over the facial scar Blade
gave him.  Using Interference Specter, he vows to guide Blade to Hell, and the
boss notes that all those born on Radam are fated to return there... and Blade
needs to learn that lesson well.
Meanwhile, Isaac informs Professor Kamizaki of a call from outside.  Very few
people could connect directly to Isaac, and Isaac can't pinpoint the pulsed
signals originator, though he knows its location: space.  Somewhere near Block
20 of the Orbital Ring, in fact.  It's from Orgun...
3. MISSHON "NADESHIKO HAKKAI SHIREI" ("Misssion: 'Order: Destroy the
Nadesico'")
Kazuma updates the ship's log with the latest events, including the
bankruptcy-averting mission to blow away Nergal's new boat.  He's sure that the
combined might of the Valstork and its passengers should steamroll whoever his
target is, and heads to the mission briefing with his tension in the red zone,
as it were.
Meanwhile, Corbett is taking Misumaru to task for letting the Nadesico escape.
Misumaru has sent his Far East forces in pursuit, but Corbett is hardly
satisfied and is adding the strength of some of the orbital forces.  They want
to stop the Nadesico before it can break through the Radam's orbital blockade
and escape the Earth sphere.  Corbett is adamant that the Nadesico's great
power be added to the Federations' forces, though Misumaru sounds rather
dubious that just capturing the ship will put its warpower at their disposal.
Corbett doesn't want to hear that, and asks if Misumaru isn't softpedaling
things just because his daughter is the Nadesico's captain.  Forreston then
points out that Misumaru Yurika was undefeated in strategic simulations at the
Federation academy.  Moreover, she's got the former Federation admiral Fukube
Jin aboard - that, plus the Nadesico's formidable armaments, make it a ship
*not* to underestimate.  Corbett figures no video game-playing girl can beat
him, setting his ass up for a colossal reaming down the road.
But he's not finished: he blames this whole mess on the fact that the GGG and
various civilian research facilities were allowed to possess their own mecha.
Misumaru points out that these are the Federation's first lines of defense
against the Zondar and Dr. Hell's forces: no one here has the authority to
order them around.  Corbett, furious, insists that that kind of thinking is
what let the Nadesico escape, until Forreston points out that Corbett hasn't
done a particularly good job of capturing the Tekkamen either.  He tries to
blame that on interference from Rose Abrovall, head of the home office, but
Forreston, who happens to be the director of the intelligence bureau, is rather
impressed with Rose's work.  He supposes she's quite the fly in certain army
folks' ointment, though he smoothly refuses to engage Corbett in a head-on
argument.  Corbett sniffs and dismisses Forreston for his lack of actual boots
on the ground, who can be dealt with with force if necessary.
In any case, Forreston says that what's key right now is the recovery of the
Nadesico and the subjugation of Nergal, lest their example lead to the collapse
of Federation government authority.  Given the rumored underground ties between
Nergal and the military-industrial complex, not to mention the Federation
government, something serious must be done.  Corbett is sick of this talk, and
tells Misumaru it's his responsibility to track down the Nadesico, and if it
resists, to shoot it down as an example to Nergal.  Misumaru slowly agrees, and
Corbett says that the brass will run negotiations with Nergal.  He orders
Forreston to give Misumaru the necessary info and signs off, confirming
Forreston's suspicions that the hawkish brigadier general has a hidden agenda.
Of course, Nergal probably has their own agenda too.
Misumaru thanks Forreston for minimizing the time he has to look at Corbett's
mug, and when asked slowly describes the Nadesico as a threat... that is, his
daughter's beauty and stunning figure are.  He's far cagier about the ship
itself, whose Transposition Engine could well turn the tide of battle in
Forreston's view.  Misuse of its power would not just be a loss for all
mankind, but might send shockwaves through the entire military establishment.
Misumaru is perfectly well aware of that, and Forreston will say nothing more
than to remind him not to lose sight of his mission.  Misumaru ends with a
haiku that "A parent's feelings / For an unknowing daughter / Nurture her
growing".  Even he isn't sure what his daughter is thinking...
Aboard said Nadesico, the crew has gathered to hear the captain speak about
their next moves.  Yurika starts by telling Akito to start being honest with
himself and just admit that he loves her - after all, he followed her aboard
the ship, didn't he?  Akito stoutly refuses, saying that he's only the cook and
warning that he'll leave the ship depending on what the plan turns out to be.
Yamada "Daigouji Gai" Jirou tries to hold Akito to some phantom promise to
defend the Earth he made when he piloted Yamada's "Geki Ganger" to fend off the
Radam... which only makes Uribatake yell at him not to call the Aestivalises
that.  This is all very puzzling, deriving as it does from the (fictional) Geki
Ganger 3 anime.  Minato's not very interested in anime, but Akito readily
admits to watching reruns of that fabulous, moving series over and over as a
kid.  Superfan Yamada figures that Geki Ganger is the inspiration for all
mecha, including the Aesti he pilots.  In any case, he's sure that Akito's soul
promised to defend the Earth, despite Akito professing no memory of any such
thing.  Yurika wants to hear the cry of Akito's heart too, but Ruri reminds her
that the Federation is in hot pursuit.
It seems the Nadesico is bound for Mars, and Akito badly wants to see Mars'
Utopia Colony with his own eyes.  Fukube looks sad at this, but the imposing
Gort informs Akito in no uncertain terms that personal wants have nothing to do
with the ship's direction.  It's the ship's owner, Nergal's will that dictates
its course - and no one really expects Nergal's on-site overseer to say any
different.  Of course, Minato knows more than most that Gort also has a soft
side...  Yurika, in accordance with Akito's wishes, orders the ship to head
straight to Mars with the mission of info gathering and recovery of any
survivors.  Of course, there's the little problem of the Jovian Lizards who
control all of Mars - enemies fierce enough that even the Federation gave up
trying to steal Mars back.  What good could there be in Nergal sending a lone
ship into the wolves' den?
Yurika has no clue, so Prospector explains a bit.  He's pretty much the power
behind every throne aboard the ship, and was directly responsible for
recruiting everyone aboard.  What is sending the Nadesico to Mars is Nergal's
"Scaparelli Project", named in honor of an old-school Italian astronomer who
studied Mars.  Simply put, there is a Nergal lab on Mars, and Nergal needs some
data, items, and a researcher or two from that lab for some of its plans.  He
is about to turn the mic back to Yurika to explain their detailed flight plan,
including a "certain matter", when the Federation forces catch up.
The Federation forces are quite formidable, including a mobile armor fitted
with Gunbarrels.  That the Federation sent in its aces is proof that they've
fully recognized the Nadesico's value.  Fukube notes drily that letting the
Nadesico escape here would be a serious loss of face, which seems rather unfair
to Minato.  Yurika has Meg inform the Federation that the Nadesico has no
intention to fight, and tell them to clear the way for her Departure.  Muu,
among the Federation troops, asks what to do now, and his commander says a
demonstration of the respect due the military is in order to these insolent
workers.  Muu had rather thought it was the military's job to protect
civilians, but hey.
Yurika won't slow down, and orders the Aestis sent out to clear the path.
Uribatake explains that the Aestis have been outfitted with Zero-G Frames for
space combat.  Like the other Frames, they'll lose power if they stray too far
from the Nadesico's gravity beam.  I.e., stick close to the Nadesico.  Poor
Akito... tangling with the Federation wasn't part of the cook job description.
The Federation commander tells his troops to sink the Nadesico if it keeps
resisting, settling things before the troops from the Far East base arrive.
Blow away a few Feds and a transport will arrive with some additional pilots
on board.  Those would be Subaru Ryouko, Amano Hikaru and Maki Izumi, the
latter being an expert in dreadful jokes.  Yamada plans to show these girls
what he's made of, but the girls are more than capable of fighting too.
Prospector won't make any guarantees about their personalities, however...
More Federation casualties and the reinforcements show up, and Akito wonders
why the hell they won't just let you go in peace.  Ryouko tells this newcomer
to act like a man, but Akito tells her he _is_ a man - a man with feelings.
She tells him to save the introductions for later - assuming there is a
later.  Izumi's serious mode is interrupted by a high-energy object streaking
into the area; Yurika has the Aestis dodge and has the Nadesico crank up its
Distortion Field.
It seems the Jovian Lizards are on the scene, and the Federation troops are
much the worse for wear for it.  But there's some good news(?): the Valstork
shows up too.  Bless muses over letting the Jovian Lizards do most of the
dirty work for him, but Kazuma is having none of it.  Not only does he want
to save whoever the Jovians are attacking, he doesn't want to earn his keep
like a thief at a fire.  In fact, neither does Bless, and for now orders
everyone to take down the Jovians.
Prospector has heard of the Valstork Family, and is counting on the
"spaceman" concept of helping fellows in need to carry the day.  Vessels
helping each other in times of need is a code as old as the sea, a line cool
enough that it ought to come from some piratical dude with a scar and an
eyepatch [any Matsumoto fans out there?]  The Federation troops, not really
spacemen worth the name, flee the Jovian Lizard wrath, leaving your people to
fight in peace.  D-Boy is somehow fired up at the long-forgotten sound of the
word "spaceman", and plans to repay the Valstork for keeping him fed all this
time.
After some mayhem, Muu La Flaga returns to support your troops.  He explains
this apparent change of heart by saying that it'd be far too uncool for
soldiers to run while civilians stay and fight.  All he asks is that you not
shoot him in the back once the fighting is done, and when Akito figures him
for a good man, he says that he's merely a soldier, doing what's right.  He