"Count Cruhteo?" "Yes, his eldest son inherited his title." "Klancain, eh?" "I have heard that he is intensely loyal to the emperor." "Those who have not yet submitted to me are essentially loyalists." "If we can sway him over to our camp, it would be possible to get them all to change sides at once." "Indeed." "The question, though, is whether he is a man who can be trusted." "Deucalion, lift off!" "All ahead dead slow!" "All ahead dead slow!" "We will now leave the atmosphere and make for the Satellite Belt." "Our staging area is Parnassos Base!" "Our attack target is the enemy's moonbase." "It is the main enemy fortress where Princess Asseylum is." "Given that the Landing Castle in the sector we are approaching is likely to serve as a shelter for Princess" "Asseylum in the event of an attack, it will be necessary to attack these two fortifications simultaneously." "Therefore, we will be splitting our forces into two for this operation." "Breton Company and the Deucalion will, at 2200 hours Earth Standard Time, commence their attack against the Landing Castle." "After we have confirmation that the enemy moonbase's forces have split off to defend the Landing Castle," "Trakehner Company will make use of the asteroids that litter the area." "They will conceal their approach of the enemy base and then strike!" "This operation is designated Operation Luna Gate." "Forgive me, Milady." "If I had not been so careless..." "No, any blame must rest with me." "This entire situation began with me." "Don't say such things, Milady..." "You are right." "If you were truly gone..." "If you had remained asleep, everything would have gone smoothly." "No one wept for you..." "And he would not have been corrupted..." "You care deeply for Slaine, don't you?" "And you?" "!" "What about you?" "!" "Who do you care for?" "!" "My heart belongs to the world of Vers and the people who dwell there." "That is what I was taught and how I have lived my life." "I feel sorry for you." "We will attack the Landing Castle along with Breton Company." "We are responsible for half of this two-front operation, the second being the attack on the moonbase." "That is the mission we have been given by headquarters." "A two-front operation?" "Basically, we're just here to get the enemy to divide his forces." "By using this ship as bait again..." "However, I have no intention of accepting that role lying down." "People, don't throw your lives away, and until we return to Earth," "I want you to do your best." "Dismissed." "All hands to your assigned stations!" "Captain." "I had a feeling you would speak with me." "I have something to discuss with you, too." "I apologize for the delay." "As I understand it, you have come all this way to offer your condolences over my father, Count Saazbaum." "We are quite a long way from Vers, after all." "That, as well as congratulations for your succession, are long overdue, Lord Troyard." "No, it is I who must apologize for failing to congratulate you on your own succession to the peerage, Count Cruhteo." "Klancain is fine." "I am still unaccustomed to the title." "As you wish, then." "Princess Asseylum was looking forward to seeing you again after so long, but..." "I hear that she has been feeling unwell." "It is nothing serious, but one cannot be too careful." "I am most indebted to your late father." "He was not hard on you?" "He was a man who was stern to a fault." "I learned a great many lessons from him." "I would not be the man I am today were it not for him." "I saw the Tharsis." "I am glad that it appears to be of some use to you, Lord Troyard." "I heard while en route here." "Something to the effect that you were going to found a new kingdom here?" "It was Princess Asseylum's wish." "Was it also His Majesty's?" "It is my understanding that he is not well." "Our top medical staff are tending to him with our latest medical equipment." "There is no cause for concern." "That is good news." "I am sure that when Princess Asseylum's wish comes true," "His Majesty will also be overjoyed." "One would hope so." "If you were to lend us your support, Lord Klancain, it would be most reassuring." "I look forward to it." "To seeing this new kingdom alter Vers' future." "Examination of rock clusters exhibiting unnatural behavior suggests objects of different mass behind them." "Camouflage, eh?" "The Stygis Squadron?" "Ready for launch." "See Count Klancain to a safe location." "Enemy force will be in firing range in 7 minutes." "We'll gradually move the line back as we engage them and separate the enemy force from the moonbase." "All hands to battle stations." "Now beginning launch sequence." "Connecting flywheel." "Starting catapult arm rotation." "Opening hatch." "Clydesdale Platoon, move to launch position." "Roger." "Clydesdale Leader to all units." "Move to launch position." "Anchors engaged." "Catapult arm rotation nominal." "Beginning acceleration." "Go for launch in 20 seconds." "Clydesdale Leader, cleared for launch." "Roger, cleared for launch." "All units, launch." "Blast off!" "And now Mustang Platoon, prepare for launch." "Breton Company and Deucalion, begin attack as planned." "Roger that." "Let's go, too." "Begin attack!" "Multiple enemy contacts detected in the direction of Libra." "Kataphrakts." "Intercept them." "It's begun." "Yeah." "Enemy defenses are pretty tough, all right..." "They knew that this was going to be a tough fight." "The reason it was necessary to push ahead with this operation in spite of that... was because HQ had a more important mission in mind." "The captain was right to be suspicious." "That's a covert infiltration by an assault team during an all-out offensive..." "For sabotage?" "No, there would be no need for secrecy then." "Their objective has to be... to assassinate Princess Asseylum." "Bastard!" "Fire!" "Next!" "90 seconds to closest approach." "Roger." "Let's stick to the plan, then." "Inko." "I had wanted to come alone." "It's going to be dangerous from here on." "So–." "Oh, come on..." "You're giving me that again?" "The captain assigned me to provide support out of recognition for my accomplishments." "For the fact that I've been fighting alongside you and the others." "Sorry, Inko." "All right, let's go." "This is close enough." "I'll make the drop from here." "It's too dangerous." "We're still too high." "Enemy units!" "Drop me!" "You can't return fire like this!" "It's okay!" "The wind's strong!" "I can dodge it from this range." "Inko!" "A little more!" "Yuki!" "I've got this!" "Thanks, Yuki." "It's safe to drop me, Inko." "Roger." "Be careful." "We'll split up here." "Each team will search their assigned route." "When the target is spotted, carry out mission immediately." "Dismissed." "Ambush!" "I was also expecting an infiltration team." "It is likely that the enemy has also infiltrated other zones." "I will dispatch guards." "The princesses?" "Being relocated to a more secure block." "Lord Troyard." "Your servant Barouhcruz has rushed over to provide assistance!" "Ah, you have come." "You have my thanks." "I will also send Harklight to your location." "What in the world is happening?" "I'll hold them off here." "The rest of you, locate the target!" "Importing base security feeds and generating map." "I'm using you too much, huh?" "I-I'm all right..." "Infiltration team position confirmed." "If I follow their path of advance..." "that's where Seylum will be." "We can do this." "The enemy is as good as wiped–." "Ultra high-tension monofilament wire spooled around a superconducting electromagnetic bobbin." "There is nothing that this blade cannot cut through!" "You see to the rats in the area," "Sir Harklight!" "Consider it done!" "Target located!" "Please get back!" "You two!" "Run, Highness!" "Milord Slaine, we've lost contact with the escorts!" "What?" "!" "Where are the princesses?" "!" "Making for the landing port, but enemy forces are heading there as well!" "Sending more personnel immed–" "I'll go!" "Why would you help me?" "I do not need a reason to save someone." "Such arrogance..." "The suffering of those you save never enters your mind, does it?" "Milady Lemrina!" "Leave me." "I will remain here." "We must escape at once!" "Escape to where?" "And from whom?" "I'm certain we can find safety–." "This place is my only shelter." "Go!" "Where are we?" "Do..." "Do another search." "Seylum... has to be nearby." "I didn't expect to see you here, Inaho Kaizuka." "Slaine Troyard..." "Calculate firing point from bullet path." "Thermograph." "Steam pipes..." "Where's Seylum..." "Where is Princess Asseylum?" "Don't get her involved!" "Get her involved?" "She is a means to achieving my ends." "Nothing more." "You're going to exploit her?" "If she is, do you have a problem with that?" "!" "You were an enemy all along!" "If that's all you were, there would have been no need to hate you." "Over there!" "After him!" "Let's go!" "Eddelrittuo!" "Are you all right, Eddelrittuo?" "And you, Milady?" "Milady!" "Seylum?" "Inaho!" "Seylum..." "I'm glad... you're okay." "Inaho!" "Milady!" "Inaho!" "Inaho!" "Ina–." "Princess Asseylum Vers Allusia, identity confirmed." "Inaho?" "Thought processes stopped." "Running backup program." "What's the matter, Inaho?" "Temporarily assuming control over Inaho Kaizuka's thought processes, awareness, and speech functions." "Who... are you?" "Even though this boy is aware that Princess Asseylum is a separate individual, he misidentifies her as a part of himself." "Part of himself?" "He therefore placed maximum priority on her safety and has acted to protect her." "He came... to rescue me?" "Will provide information in accordance with those behavioral principles." "Use communications line inside F3 gate airlock to contact Inko Amifumi." "The crew of the Deucalion..." "they are here?" "!" "Let's go, Milady." "I know where that airlock is." "But we can't leave Inaho here–." "There is no cause for concern." "In 420 seconds, help will arrive." "Then we should hurry all the more." "There is no telling if that "help" is on our side." "Please tell him something for me." ""Thank you from the bottom of my heart."" "Command confirmed." "And also..." "I also..." "I also think of you as a part of myself." "We need to leave." "Wait..." "I have one more favor to ask!" "This way!" "Just a moment, I'll get the transmission–." "Princess Asseylum, I presume?" "Prepare to die." "Are you unharmed, Highness?" "You are..." "Klancain?" "We last met at my father's commendation ceremony." "I am honored that you remember me." "Chance Meeting and Separation"