Episode 16 - That Day, Riot Force Six (Part 1)
Fate takes Vivio back to their quarters, and is getting them ready for bed when she gets a call from her mother, Lindy. They chat briefly; Lindy wonders if she should use the conference as an excuse to visit them, but Fate points out that they'll be too busy to socialize. Afterwards, Vivio (having noticed a picture of Alicia and Precia Testarossa) asks if Fate has two mothers like her. Fate tries to briefly explain her family without getting into the depressing bits.
At Ground Forces HQ, the Forwards pass an uneventful night shift. Teana brings some tea up to Vice, who's guarding the helicopter. Tea mentions she's discovered that Vice used to be a combat mage, and an expert sniper. Vice says that's all in the past, and not-so-subtly suggests that Tea mind her own business.
Dawn arrives, and it's time for Nanoha to head inside to help guard the dignitaries. Devices aren't allowed inside the conference, so she entrusts Raising Heart to Subaru. As the conference prepares to start, Hayate, Fate and Signum arrive as well, along with Carim and Schach. Everything seems quiet, but they're still uneasy. Analysis of the prophecy strongly suggests that the conference will be targeted; since Verossa couldn't find any evidence of an internal coup, any attack must come from outside. Scaglietti is the obvious suspect, but they can't see what he would gain by attacking such a heavily fortified target as Ground HQ.
The afternoon passes without incident.. but as the sun sets, Zest and Agito are revealed to be surveying the scene from a distance. Agito says she doesn't like cooperating with "those others", but Zest says it's a good opportunity to accomplish his own objective. Agito worries about Lutecia, but when Zest suggests he could join her, she says that he needs her help more. She promises to protect him until he can accomplish his goal... which, from the monitor Zest is watching intently, involves Regius Gaiz.
In Scaglietti's base, Uno reports that Numbers 3 through 12, plus Zest and Lutecia, are all in position. Scaglietti, clearly revelling in the moment, says that the time has come for him to change the course of history, and orders the mission to commence.
The Numbers immediately launch a massive coordinated attack on Ground Forces HQ. Quattro hacks the security systems, blinding them and shutting down communications Moments later, Sein phases through the walls into the security center and takes the operators out with knockout gas. At the same time, another Number, a diminutive girl wearing an eyepatch and the numeral 'V', breaks into one of the shield generating stations and destroys it. With the security shields weakened, Lutecia activates her mass summoning magic and teleports a large number of Gadgets to the site. Finally, Dieci fires her energy cannon at the building, blasting massive holes in the walls.
The Ground HQ emergency defenses activate, sealing all the entrances and locking down the conference chamber. At this, Quattro orders Gadgets to surround the building, where they combine to blanket the area with a vast Anti-Magic Field. Inside, Hayate realizes they've all been had — she and the other senior officers are now trapped inside with no means of communication, while the outside forces are surrounded by an AMF and at the mercy of the combat cyborgs.
The Forwards are about to head inside when Long Arch contacts them to report a powerful magical signature approaching HQ from the air: Zest and Agito. Vita and Rein enter Unison mode and take off to intercept. They attack Zest as he ignores their approach warning, but he is protected when Agito enters Unison with him in turn. Vita and Zest proceed to face off in the sky as Ground Forces HQ burns below them.
Inside, Nanoha and Fate, who were trapped on one of the upper levels, manage to escape through an elevator shaft and head for the designated emergency rendezvous point. Subaru, Teana, Erio, and Caro are heading that way as well when they are suddenly attacked by two of the Numbers: Nove and Wendi. Nove seems eager to fight; Wendi reminds her that they have three capture targets which they are supposed to bring back alive. Nove wonders aloud if a "Type Zero" can really be brought down that easily...
Uno contacts Lutecia and tells her to move to the next target: finding the "Vessel of the Saint". At Riot Force Six, Long Arch suddenly detects large energy signatures heading toward them, fast. Griffith orders the civilian staff to shelter, then sends out an urgent request for support.
From his base, Jail Scaglietti watches everything unfold, and laughs...
Tropes
- Batman Gambit: Regius refuses to evacuate the conference when the attack starts note and opts to rely on HQ's defense systems. This plays right into Scaglietti's strategy, as it means all the senior staff (including all of their most powerful mages) end up getting sealed inside the building by their own defenses.
- Continuity Nod: Fate's photo of Precia and Alicia is the same one she had back in the first season.
- Eyepatch of Power: Cinque wears one. Besides looking cool, it serves to immediately establish her as an experienced combatant, and a badass.
- Foreshadowing: Subaru mentions that Ginga has gone around to the other side of the building shortly before the attack happens. This will be important in the next episode.
- Giggling Villain: Scaglietti chuckles maniacally as he prepares to launch the attack, and again at the end as he watches it on the monitors. Uno smirks and remarks that he seems to be having fun.
- Magical Security Cam: Quattro can see and hear what Regius is saying to his aide inside HQ; presumably justified as she's hacked the building's security systems.
- Oh, Crap!: At the end of the episode, Griffith suddenly discovers that another attack force is heading straight for the Riot Force Six base... and most of their combat members are tied up at Ground Forces HQ.
- Spontaneous Weapon Creation: Cinque's signature magic is conjuring up magical throwing knives. Exploding ones.
- Unflinching Walk: Cinque makes her first appearance in style, destroying the shield generator with a snap of her fingers and then calmly walking away from the explosion.
- Unusual User Interface: The computer controls used by Uno and Quattro resemble floating musical keyboards. Organ music even plays while they're being used during the attack, although it's unclear whether this is a case of Source Music, Diegetic Switch, or just the soundtrack invoking Rule of Cool.
