Battle Mastery: Rhinoceros HP below 70% within 4 turns.
On the Mexican Plateau, Colonel Van Vat Tran is gathering DC remnants to “fullfil Dr. Bian's last orders,” which Archibald Grims mocks. They discuss the still-missing Elzam v. Branstein, whose support would greatly boost morale, but Archibald says his presence makes Elzam unlikely to join. The two commanders will soon be meeting someone from the Earth Cradle, a very well-protected base in Africa, whose commander Sophia Nate is rumoured to be a pacifist who went into cold sleep during the previous war. So who's in charge there now?
Aboard his Rhinoceros, Archibald receives word of a new shipment of supplies from “Rose,” and meets new pilots Yuuki Jaggar and Carla Borgnine, who have actual portraits and therefore must be important. The Shirogane approaches and runs into heavy fire. Lee decides to napalm the forest some DC units have retreated to. In the hanger, Bullet complains about having to fight fellow humans, and Lamia reveals she knows nothing about the Aerogaters. It seems she doesn't watch television.
On the map, Lamia recognizes the enemy planes and hover tanks, but Excellen and Kyosuke do not. Bullet tries to talk the DC pilots out of fighting since the aliens are a greater threat; no one cares. Yuuki says the EFA simply doesn't have the skills to take on the aliens.
To get the BM, you have to charge west over the mountains and forests. Bullet is the only groundpounder without the Accel spirit command, so he doesn't see much action this time. Anyway, I had everyone near the Rhinoceros by turn 3 except Bullet. Carla retreats at around 10K HP, which is quite a large bit of damage to do in one hit at this point. I suppose I could go back and upgrade the Alt Eisen and Weissritter's combination attack, but that would be really cheesy and possibly still not work. I only mention this because supposedly shooting down Carla in her earlier appearances will get a secret weapon. It's probably nothing special. Anyway, I smacked Archibald a couple times and the BM was mine along with a few thousand credits, while Archibald's group fled with the Boost Drive.
The Rhinoceros tries to ram the Shirogane on autopilot, and Lee shoots it down instead of climbing to avoid it or something. Dr. Cero meets Archibald on Mexico's west coast with a fleet of transport submarines, the ASRS ECM system, and two pilots. Archibald asks him to set course for Hawaii where the EFA is testing new mechs.
Kenneth and Lee snipe at each other over whose fault it is that the DC got away and Lee receives orders to pursue them. When he hears the Hagane is on the same mission, he reacts very strangely. It seems he has a past with Tetsuya Onodera, the Hagane's XO. The Shirogane is headed to Hawaii, just in case the DC tries to steal another prototype mech. Excellen has received a very daring swimsuit from Garnet and thinks Hawaii is a great place to try it out.
Excellen: I want to play a Kyosuke-lay, Lee.
Bullet: (I think she means a ukelele).
Lamia kill count: 17
