This chapter takes place when Shion and her friends land at Second Miltia, at the beginning of the events of Episode 2. But first, we can see a discussion on a ship owned by the U-TIC.
Chapter 11 - Erde (Earth/Land)
Hermann: You called, Head Inquisitor?
Margulis: A very interesting phenomenon was observed within the Miltia solar system recently.
Richard: Really…? What kind of phenomenon?
Margulis: Something that resonates with the Animal Vessels. Do you know what this means?
Hermann: It can't be…the ES are reaching out to one another, aren't they!
Margulis: That is correct.
Richard: Wow, interesting.
Margulis: We have four ES machines here. There is a possibility that the remaining eight machines could be used by others, including Shimeon, in the posession of that URTV. Therefore, the time has come to wait for them to make their move.
Hermann: But, we have ES units too…!
Margulis: Chosen from the ranks of thousands of inquisitors, they* are “the ones with the factor”. We will wait for them to move.
Richard: We will swear on our honor…
Margulis: Then go.
Hermann: Sir!
Pellegri: …
Margulis: Are you unhappy? About me giving orders to your protege inquisitors?
Pellegri: I don't feel that way at all. They are still inexperienced trainees. It's out of the question for them to pilot ES units. And moreover, ES Gad and ES Joseph are still…
Margulis: I have no problems with using them, as long as it brings results. One such result could be that the pilots and ES units are lost, but the Animal Vessels remain. That would mean that what was unearthed at the same time as the Zohar would finally be restored.
Pellegri: …following that logic, would you grant me the use of ES Issachar as well?
Margulis: You are different from those children. You should know already that I am aware of that. …am I wrong?
Pellegri: …
Kukai Foundation
Gaignun: Judging from the situation, the U-TIC Organization's goal has to be on Old Miltia.
Helmer: “Old Miltia…”
Gaignun: Flawed ideas, stubbornness…even know, they swirl around that place. They're drawn to it, those guys…Albedo…he's also drawn by that.
Helmer: “Albedo? That's right, we received a report that there had been combat involving ES units, and that man survived…?”
Gaignun: He can't die…not until “that time” comes…
The Dämmerung (that is to say Vector's Headquarters)
Man in a red cloak: Was the contact between Shimeon and Asher successful?
Wilhelm: Yes, it didn't affect too many people. Albedo Piazzolla…he's an interesting one. Only he can open the door to Abel's ark, don't you think?
Man in a red cloak: There is still a possibility that he might contact U-do again as a “link”, but…
Wilhelm: That's rather unlikely. He doesn't have the strength for that. Playing the part of the key to the bitter end… Well, we need to prepare for a degree of local matter transmutation, and that's what you're for. However…his will is shining magnificently. Let's make sure not to overemphasize his minor role. …don't you agree?
The Elsa
Ziggy: …and that concludes my report.
Juli Mizrahi: …understood. I grant you permission to enter the spaceport in Second Miltia's capital city. As much as protocol allows, I extend your mission. [A bit unsure about the last part there]
Ziggy: Ma'am. … …Doctor Mizrahi.
Juli Mizrahi: Was there anything else? Mr. Jan Sauer.
Ziggy: I'm Ziggurat Eight now.
Juli Mizrahi: Indeed.
Ziggy: MOMO is…she's anxiously awaiting the day she'll able able to meet you again.
Juli Mizrahi: I see, I…I'm also looking forward to meeting you both. …that is all.
Jr.: Almost seems like she's scared of meeting MOMO.
Ziggy: In any case, she should get the chance to do so in a few days.
Jr.: Hey, old man, why don't you upgrade to a new carbon thread model? I think it'd be effective, using the technology developed for combat Realians.
Ziggy: I don't feel the need to use that kind of trickery to extend my lifespan.
Jr.: MOMO would be happy if you'd stick around for a while.
Ziggy: Let's drop it. I don't intend to live for a long time.
Jr.: Right…if you ever change your mind, just let me know any time.
Ziggy: …
MOMO: Um…you had a transmission from Mom…
Ziggy: I'm sorry, but we just finished it.
MOMO: …oh, I see. Ziggy, how was Mom…?
Ziggy: Well, she…seemed very busy.
MOMO: Really…?
Ziggy: She works for the Subcommittee On Close Encounters. That has to be an exhausting job.
MOMO: That's right, I have to work hard too and help Mom.
Ziggy: Hmm, oh and…it looks like she'll be visiting Second Miltia soon.
MOMO: Then, let's go meet her!
Jr.: Yeah, she said she was looking forward to it.
Ziggy: …
MOMO: Really! I'm so happy…
Hammer: Ah, I can see it now. There, 10,000 to the front…the capital of Second Miltia.
Matthews: Yes, that means our job is done!
Tony: That felt like a lot more than just one job!
Jr.: Don't say that. I was thinking about giving you a raise.
Matthews: Please do! [A bit unsure about this one] Honored customers, please assume landing positions!
Second Miltia
Allen: So this is Second Miltia. Aah, I'm just glad we're still alive…!
Jr.: I was really wondering if we were gonna make it there for a while, but we managed to land somehow.
Allen: Really, the chief's reckelessness is always making me scared, so…
Shion: …
Allen: …chief?
MOMO: Miss Shion, maybe…about the Kirschwassers…
Shion: ! …really, you know about…?
Allen: Chief…
Shion: I'm sorry, MOMO, Allen. Kira, she…in the end…she chose her own path, of her own will. [Might as well keep using this name for the player-named Kirschwasser, right?]
MOMO: …okay.
Shion: But I don't want to say it's all right, you know? Her only being able to express her will in that form…if she'd lived differently, she could have had another way to express herself, another kind of will…
Jr.: Yeah, Shion's right. We have to teach that to those guys, too…
Shion: Jr…
Jr.: Anyway, we're headed for the government building. What are you guys gonna do?
Shion: Umm…we need to hand over KOS-MOS, and then we're going to the Vector headquarters. Okay, KOS-MOS?
KOS-MOS: Yes, that would allow me to fulfill the instructions I have been given. I see no problems with this arrangement.
Jr.: I see, you have to think about your job, huh. Well, we'll be staying here for a little while. Come and see us later if you feel like it.
Shion: I see. That's settled, then. (It's not just Jr. who needs to put the past behind him. So do I.) Leaving anything to do with Second Miltia to me. I'll give you a tour, MOMO.
MOMO: Sure, I look forward to it.
Allen: W, wh, wh, what!?
chaos: This is…an alert to evacuate the whole area.
Jr.: What's going on this time? Hey, chaos, let's check with old man Helmer.
chaos: Yes, that's a good…! This is…
-
Jin: My, my, what a ruckus. …hmm. Two ES machines…? So you're making your move at last, captain.
-
Jr.: It's an ES unit!
chaos: Yes. It looks like those two ES machines are forcing their way through the lines of the Autonomous Goverment Army, and are making their way towards the city.
Jr.: Of course they are, normal weapons are useless against them!
Shion: ES…are these the same as those things we saw at Proto Merkabah?
Jr.: Yes, they're the same kinds of machine. You'd need the whole regional army of the solar system to deal with them. There's two of them so…Albedo's Simeon, and Asher…?
? ? ?: No, you're wrong. Those two are unknown machines. They were probably reconstructed by the U-TIC Organization.
Jr.: Canaan!
Canaan: It's been a while, Rubedo. chaos.
[Link: Side story 8: Canaan's chapter]
Jr.: That's Gaignun Kukai Jr.
Canaan: Old impressions die hard, it seems. Still, change your name all you want, it won't change your true nature.
Ziggy: (Names…this Realian's demeanor, there's something…)
Canaan: …is anything wrong?
Ziggy: No, nevermind. Excuse me. (There's still some kind of noise left in my memories…?)
Jr.: In any case, what're you doing here, Canaan? And that wound. …don't tell me you got it in battle at Proto Merkabah!?
Canaan: I think it would be prudent to focus on the enemy machines above us at the moment, instead of worrying about my health. That's my reason for coming here.
Jr.: What?
Canaan: When it came into contact with Simeon at Proto Merkabah, Asher stopped functioning.
chaos: Right, the Animal Vessel resonance phenomenon…
Canaan: Yes, that's it. When I was dragged into the atmosphere of Proto Merkabah, I launched from the machine and landed in the ocean. Apart from the ES units, I don't even think any fragments survived.
Jr.: What happened to Simeon and Albedo!
Canaan: I have no idea. They should have been dragged calmly into it along with me, but the only thing there are/were the ES units. [A bit unsure about this one, sorry]
Jr.: I see… …
Shion: …but how should we counterattack!?
Canaan: chaos, we need your strength.
chaos: …we have to retrieve the Animal Vessel, right?
Canaan: Asher was recovered by the Autonomous Government Army and brought to an underground base at point 2107. …hurry.
chaos: …
Jr.: chaos, what's wrong?
chaos: …no, it's nothing. Got it, let's go.
Shion: We're going too, KOS-MOS.
Allen: Huh, why!
Shion: What if something happened to them on the way to the army base? KOS-MOS, I'm ordering you to protect them. You don't mind if we're a little late to headquarters, do you?
KOS-MOS: Yes, in order to ensure the safety of Vector Industries-affiliated personell in this region, as well as any company assets, I have determined that I should make it a priority to follow this instruction on a temporary basis.
Shion: …so there's no problem, right?
Allen: Right. I'll come with you too, even if I probably won't be much use.
Canaan: It seems like we're done talking. Let's hurry up.
Jr.: Yeah!
Helmer's office
-
Helmer: …right, there's no need to throw away our military resources trying to defend against the ES units. I'm having them prioritize getting the citizens to safety. Ah, I apologize for keeping you waiting…
Wilhelm: Don't trouble yourself. I'm the one who should apologize for taking up your time in an emergency like this. Still, following their appearance at Proto Merkabah, this is an extraordinary occurence.
Helmer: Absolutely, and it also means the citizens are increasingly in danger.
Wilhelm: However, it could also be said that this crisis is fortunate for our prospects.
Helmer: What do you mean?
Wilhelm: The invaders are two ES units. To deal with them on an equal footing, we would need one ES unit as a minimum.
Helmer: Impossible!
Wilhelm: It's already entering the atmosphere along with a technical officer as we speak. I apologize for taking unilateral action without permission from the government, but I acted with the severity of the situation in mind.
Helmer: …
Wilhelm: I'm not saying this as a gesture of apology, but please use it to your heart's content. Thanks to the personell riding it, it should be more than sufficient to take on the U-TIC Organization's ES units.
Helmer: You have my thanks. (Right now I don't have any choice but to believe him. If I don't let him manipulate Vector's expectations…)
-
Canaan: The U-TIC Organization's soldiers keep wreaking havoc in the city. Be careful.
Canaan: chaos, you go on ahe…ugh.
MOMO: What an awful wound…!
chaos: Leave this to us!
-
Shion: Umm…
Canaan: …what is it?
Shion: Mr. Canaan, you're a Realian, right? But I've never seen that type at headquarters before, so…
MOMO: His memory module's been expanded, so maybe he's a Realian meant for gathering information?
Canaan: Hmm, well done, as I'd expect from the 100-series prototype. I've been on loan to the Autonomous Government for the last 14 years, and they adjusted me to work as an ES pilot. At the time, did Vector…
Shion: So, do you know Jr. and chaos from way back, then…?
Canaan: Yes. You could call us comrades in arms from the Miltian Conflict, or maybe allies bound together by circumstance.
Shion: (So 14 years ago, Jr. and chaos were somehow…)
Jr.: What're you doin'? Let's go!!
Shion: Sorry! (So apart from MOMO, I'm the youngest here…?)
-
Ziggy: Huh, did they catch up to us?
Jr.: Could these be unconfirmed ES…?
Ziggy: Well, it's not Albedo's machine.
Jr.: If it were him, he'd be more gentlemanly.
chaos: (Are those Gad and Joseph? No, it can't be, they can't have been recovered so quickly…no, that's not right! Those machines are…)
Richard: It's been a while, hasn't it? You look well.
Jr.: That voice…you're Richard, aren't you!
Richard: Good, good! You remembered me.
Hermann: Now that we have ES units, it won't be like last time. Hand over the 100-series prototype.
MOMO: …!
Jr.: Or you'll use your true strength, you don't have to say it. You really love going on about “using your true strength”, don't you?
Richard: …naturally. It's not been easy to be obsessed with desire for that from the beginning. [Unsure about this one, sorry]
Jr.: It's so easy to read people like you! (Hey, Canaan. Take everyone and slip away underground.)
Canaan: (Can you manage?)
Jr.: (As long as I don't have my own ES, it's not even close. So there's no way I can beat them, but I might be able to buy some time and get away somehow.)
Canaan: (Understood. Don't get yourself killed. Just hold on until we can get Asher activated.)
Jr.: (You never change, do you.)
Richard: Come on, cut the mission briefing already.
Hermann: Master Richard, there is no need for any further delay. …commencing attack.
Richard: Hermann, don't go acting on your own like that!
Hermann: Ugh!
Shion: KOS-MOS!
KOS-MOS: Shion, if the purpose of our tactics is to avoid enemy fire, I have judged that I am the one most qualified for the task.
Ziggy: You could say that.
Shion: But, KOS-MOS…the damage you sustained when you entered the atmosphere…
KOS-MOS: Naturally, my judgement takes that fact into account.
Richard: Ha ha ha, isn't it nice? I'll enjoy destroying you even more than that boy over there. [Slightly unsure, but should be something like that] Now let's see some smoking ruins here!
Shion: Got it. KOS-MOS, engage full mode to deal with this! Allen, you go with everyone! An engineer will probably come in useful!
Allen: Ch, chief, what are you going to do!
Shion: I'll fight alongside KOS-MOS! …hurry!
Allen: B, but…no, that's…understood, chief! I'll be back as soon as I can! Until then…
Shion: You have to stay alive! That's the most important thing!
Allen: Ma'am!
Richard: Let's go, Hermann!
Hermann: Understood!
-
MOMO: I wonder if Miss Shion and Miss KOS-MOS are okay?
Allen: You should focus on getting out of here as quickly as possible instead of worrying about them, MOMO. They're fighting right now to give you a chance to escape.
Jr.: He's right, MOMO. Just this once, Allen's got it right.
Allen: What do you mean, 'just this once'…
Canaan: What're you doing? Hurry up…!
Allen: Ah, yes!
Canaan: Has the U-TIC Organization even made its way here…?
-
Ziggy: This is an ES…
Canaan: Yes, it's the Autonomous Government's trump card…Asher. chaos, take a look at it, will you?
chaos: Yes…the Animal Vessel is definitely down. We have to fix it. (Actually, I wish you'd let me do this without using ES units and the like, but this isn't the time to protest. It's all proceeding according to your scenario, isn't it?)
Canaan: The takeoff gate can be controlled from here. Can you handle it?
MOMO: Yes, please leave it to me. …! There's some kind of damaged object in the sky! Ah, no, that's not right! I've identified it…it's getting closer!
Ziggy: Did they send a flying squadron here too?
Canaan: It's going to crash into the gate. Open it!
MOMO: Okay, I'm opening the gate! …it's too late!
Jr.: MOMO, get down!
MOMO: Kyaaaah!
Jr.: Are you okay, MOMO…
MOMO: Yes…Mr. Jr., that's…
Jr.: The shuttle? Looks like it had a rough landing!
Allen: Th, this is…a Vector shuttle!?
Miyuki: Here you go…a delivery from Vector Industries! Can I get a stamp on this? …just kidding.
Allen: Miyuki! Wh, what're you doing here!
Ziggy: What was the delivery?
Canaan: Can you open the cargo bay for us?
Miyuki: Ah, the stamp, I still…
-
Canaan: It's definitely an ES…!
chaos: Zebulun…
Allen: Miyuki, what's going on?
Miyuki: You'll have to ask Chief Uzuki to explain that to you. Since she's the recipient and all.
Allen: She's in trouble. We have to go help her!
Miyuki: What!? The CEO asked me to bring this, saying “it might come in handy to Chief Uzuki”, but…
chaos: (This is definitely…your will, isn't it…?)
Canaan: He doesn't know the circumstances, but he won't mind us using it. With this, it'll be two against two ES units. We might stand a chance now.
MOMO: Yes, we have to go help Miss Shion and Miss KOS-MOS right now…!
Ziggy: But what should we do about pilots? As far as I could see, the two of them were two-seaters, so…
Jr.: Canaan isn't in any condition to fight, I'd say.
chaos: That's right. We're the only ones who can do it. We're going to have to…use the ES units.
-
Shion: KOS-MOS, answer me, KOS-MOS…
KOS-MOS: Damage sustained…critical…continuing combat…im…possible…di…rec…tor…with…draw…
Shion: ! Your speech unit was damaged!? No, it's not an AI problem, the degradation is on the hardware side…KOS-MOS let me…let me hold you one more time…! [A little unsure about this one]
Richard: Eh, heh heh, such a nice little show of destruction. But I want more, more destruction, turn into an ugly pile of scrap!
Hermann: Master Richard, the Animal Vessels are reaction! ES units! They're below us!
Richard: They show up at a good time, but they're so crude! I'd have thought they were the same ones who appeared at Proto Merkabah, but there's just two of them! ES units would probably turn into even uglier scrap than the android here, don't you think? Let's find out!
Hermann: They're coming! Two more, right ahead!
Richard: Huh…double the scrap, that'll be great…
KOS-MOS: Sh…ion…with…draw…now…
Shion: KOS-MOS…!
Allen: Chief, you're okay. Over here!
Shion: Allen…? K, KOS-MOS, she's…
Allen: …! Come on, let's get KOS-MOS to safety. The fighting's about to start, so…!
-
Canaan: How are the Vessels of Anima doing?
chaos: I'm shutting out their resonance, so we're okay. But I'd like you to give the two people in Zebulun a little lecture.
Canaan: Understood.
Miyuki: Please leave the back-up to Mr. Canaan and me!
-
chaos: Keep the output of the Anima Vessel steady! We can't draw too much!
Jr.: Got it!
Hermann: Bah, these guys…they're used to fighting in ES units?
Richard: They sure are confident!
Ziggy: That's strange. This should be the first time they're operating one of these, so…
MOMO: It looks like they somehow took to it quickly…
chaos: Don't forget that feeling! Now, let's decide this!
(ES battle VS Scutum and Pilam)
Hermann: Master Richard, please withdraw!
Richard: I know, I'm not about to lose the ES! This game isn't over yet!
Ziggy: Did we…win?
MOMO: They're outside the range of my detection. I can't see any of their energy remaining.
Jr.: Yes, we did it!
chaos: (This victory…was it your favor, or possibly your disfavor…?)
Jr.: Shion…
MOMO: Miss Shion…
Shion: KOS-MOS…
KOS-MOS: … Sh, ion…I am…glad to…confirm that…you are…all…okay…
Allen: It's okay, chief. Her body is in a bad way, but her AI and black box didn't take too much damage. We'll get it fixed quickly…
Shion: But, KOS-MOS' body is…
Miyuki: It's just a body. [A bit unsure about this one, sorry]
Shion: Miyuki…? What're you doing here…?
Miyuki: I came to bring you an ES. I'm sorry I was late…
Shion: No, that's okay…it looks like you helped me quite a bit.
Miyuki: Chief…I, after bringing you the ES, I was ordered by HQ to do a back-up of KOS-MOS.
Shion: At HQ? Of KOS-MOS?
Allen: Looks that way, chief. KOS-MOS current body was originally meant for simulated combat, wasn't it?
Miyuki: They're finally going to complete it at HQ. A true combat body for KOS-MOS.
Shion: A true combat body, for KOS-MOS…
Allen: Let's go, chief. KOS-MOS is going to be reborn…or rather, get a new and different life.
Shion: … … …I understand. Thank you, Miyuki, Allen. Let's get going, to HQ. To bring KOS-MOS back to life…