Let's play Star Ocean 3! Part 7

[paranoodle]

It's all cutscenes this time because we've got some STORY to catch up on!



Cliff: My ship's not so big, but it's packing a gravitic warp engine. ... It's quite the speed demon.
Fayt: Hey, Cliff...
Cliff: Yeah?
Fayt: There's something I've been meaning to ask you...
Cliff: What's that?
Fayt: Why does Quark's leader want to meet with me? I'm just a college student from Earth!
Cliff: Oh... um... 'no comment'? Heh.

[pause]

Cliff: That's... that's not doing it for you, is it?
Fayt: No, it's not.
Cliff: Let's see, well... I guess the biggest reason would be... Our leader wants to chat with you?
Fayt: Nice try, but that's avoiding the question. Why's your leader want to meet with me?
Cliff: Hey, how should I know? I just do what I'm told. There's probably something our leader wants to talk to you about.
Fayt: And that 'something' is...?
Cliff: Well- You'll just have to come with me and find out for yourself. Sorry, kid, but I don't know much more than that.




We get a pan over Whipple, and it zooms into Niklas and Meena's house specifically.




And we're off! Finally done with Vanguard III, and we can get back to our main quest of saving Sophia and Fayt's parents :D


Cliff: The rendezvous point is Beta-747-372-406. You got that, Mirage?


Mirage: Engaging conventional engines... Gravitic warp core, normal.

We then immediately fade into a flashback from a couple minutes ago. I have no idea why things are in this order, it took me ages the first time to realize it went present-past-present in the middle of this cutscene for no discernable reason.



Mirage: Yes. I knew right away. Nice to meet you, Fayt. I'm Mirage Koas.
Fayt: N-nice to meet you, too.
Fayt: (She's beautiful...)

The flashback ends here and we get back to Fayt zoning out in the present.

Cliff: Fayt, you okay?
Cliff: Oh, and listen, don't fall for her- She may look pretty but she's a Klausian. Any funny ideas, and yer liable to meet a swift, yet painful, death.
Fayt: Hey, w-wait a sec! Who said I was falling for anyone?
Cliff: Relax! I was just warning ya.

Fayt: I... was wondering. Just how long will it take till we get to your leader?
Cliff: Oh, we'll be there soon. It's about three hours to the rendezvous point. Mirage, I'm gonna go take a shower. I'm leaving you in charge.

Mirage nods, then looks back to her screen.

Mirage: Oh Cliff... It looks like you can forget that shower.
Cliff: Huh? What is it?
Mirage: I've just detected a gravitic space anomaly up ahead. I'm bringing us out of gravitic space to avoid it.
Cliff: You serious? You think it's hostile?


Mirage: Hold on.
Mirage: Connection confirmed... Okay, the link's open.
Cliff: Uhhh... This is the Eagle, a Klausian ship. We don't want any trouble with ya...
Mirage: You're wasting your time.
Mirage: The enemy ships are already prepared to attack.

Cliff shakes his head.

Cliff: Seems they know who we've got onboard. Escape's our only hope. It'll be tough without using gravitic warp, but we've got no choice... Reverse course! Conventional engines, full power!
Mirage: Roger.
Cliff: Full power to rear shields! And lemme see a chart for this region!
Cliff: Alright, course 116, mark 267! Activate auto-evasion program! Fasten crew safety harnesses!
Mirage: Roger.
Mirage: ... Course entry complete. Speed, maximum... Program activated.
Fayt: !?
Cliff: Hey, feeling lucky, kid?

The screen starts shaking a WHOLE lot for the next few minutes.


Mirage: Nearing objective point.
Cliff: All right, as soon as we're there, go into gravitic warp.
Mirage: Cliff, gravitic warp is currently nonfunctional...
Cliff: I got a hunch it'll function the moment we reach the objective point. Get us on a straight line between the ships and that planet, then pop us up starside - we'll open up the distance that way.
Mirage: Very well... but we won't be able to designate our warp destination.
Cliff: Well, we're toat if we stay here, Mirage! Anyhow, space is big, right? Our odds ain't that bad!
Fayt: You got a hunch?
Mirage: Roger.


Cliff: Four, huh? This is gonna be close. Either we enter gravitic warp first or we get pummeled. Now's the time to pray, gentlemen!
Mirage: Unfortunately, it looks like we might lose the race. Here comes the first round now, and we're seven seconds from objective point.
Cliff: Aaah, who cares if we take a few rounds? Warp our butts outta here!
Mirage: Warp engine damaged, but... still functioning.
Cliff: You bet it is! Activate gravitic warp!



Mirage: We've thrown off the Vendeeni ships.
Cliff: Phew... That was close.
Mirage: Yes, but now we're pretty far from the rendezvous point.
Cliff: Well, it can't be helped. Besides, it won't hurt to make her wait a little longer. Let's take our time.

Mirage nods.

Fayt: Wow, your hunch really paid off.
Cliff: Finally, some respect!
Fayt: Yeah, a healthy respect for your recklessness.
Cliff: What is that supposed to mean? A little more honesty would be nice- like 'Heey, that Cliff sure is something,' or 'You're a genius, Cliff!'
Mirage: Sorry to interrupt while you're having so much fun...
Cliff: What is it, Mirage?
Mirage: The gravitic warp core is overheating. We should reduce speed immediately. The engine will scram if we don't.
Cliff: Whaaat!?
Cliff: Didn't I specifically request that ya tell me these things sooner? Get back to conventional space, pronto!
Mirage: Roger.

The ship slows down and returns to conventional space.

Mirage: Bad news.
Cliff: Now what?
Mirage: Both the conventional and gravitic warp engines have scrammed. The backup engine isn't functioning, either. I'd say we have a problem.
Cliff: Damn it!

Cliff punches his armrest.

Cliff: Where're we now?
Mirage: We're currently within Elicoor II's gravitational field.
Cliff: If all our energy sources are shot, then we can't communicate either... Well, I'm sure she'll figure out something happened to us after we don't show up when we're supposed to.
Mirage: One would hope so.
Cliff: Well, Mirage, come up with something.
Mirage: I'll see what I can do.
Fayt: What CAN we do? Aren't all the engines scrammed!?
Cliff: For starters, we gotta land before we crash. Then, we wait to be rescued.
Fayt: Great plan.
Cliff: Look, my mission is to bring you to our leader. Until then, I'll watch out for you - trust me! You're safe as... as a turtle in its shell!
Fayt: A turtle dropping out of orbit...
Cliff: Huh? Did you say something?
Fayt: Nothing.
Mirage: We'll be entering into Elicoor II's atmosphere in another 30 seconds. Get ready for a bumpy ride, you two.
Mirage: And... keep wagging those tongues and you'll bite them off. I wouldn't want either of you to die of blood loss.
Fayt: Roger.
Cliff: Yes, ma'am!

The screen finally stops shaking.



Fascinated Girl: A star, fallen from the sky?
Panicked Man: Nonsense! It looks nothing like a falling star!
Fascinated Girl: Well, what is it, then?
Panicked Man: How am I supposed to know!?


Cliff: Not to mention we're outta power and the helm is outta whack. You should be happy to be alive.
Fayt: *sigh* ... I guess this is no time to be worrying about the UP3. What do we do now?

We're allowed to move around in the cockpit at this point, but the exit door is locked and all we have available is talking to our new "friends".

Cliff: All right, calm down. Panicking won't change a thing.
Fayt: How can I 'calm down'? We just crashed our spaceship into the middle of a city on an underdeveloped planet! This is more than just a simple violation of the Underdeveloped Planet Preservation Pact! Oh, man.
Cliff: You know what? You worry too much.
Fayt: And you don't worry enough!
Cliff: Yeah, you're probably right.

Fayt: Mirage, what kind of planet is Elicoor II?
Mirage: The second planet in the Elicoor System has an axial tilt of 32.6 degrees, and is 0.8 AUs from its parent star. The gravity is 0.9G. Other than the fact that its atmosphere is mostly comprised of noble gases such as neon, instead of nitrogen, it has an atmospheric composition which closely resembles that of Earth. According to my data, the technology level on this planet is near that of Medieval Earth, or around the 17th century. Although the planet is registered in the Galactic Atlas as an underdeveloped planet, it appears to be in a constant state of conflict, so there are no figures for the total population of sentient beings.
Fayt: So we're stuck on an underdeveloped planet...

Fayt: Do we at least have the information for our current location?
Mirage: Well, sentient life forms do live in this area. We don't have any detailed information, like government, but this is a pretty large city. External air temperature is minus five degrees Celsius. Both falling and deposited snow have been detected.
Fayt: A city...
Mirage: *nods* We also know that there are two major continents on this planet. There's the one we're on now, and another one to the east. The continent to the east appears to have a slightly higher civilization level.
Fayt: I see...

Fayt: Did you figure anything else out?
Mirage: This ship's database contains no other information.
Fayt: I see...



Old Soldier: One of Aquaria's new weapons?

He taps the hull of the ship with his halberd.


Cliff: Not much we can do with the Eagle scrapped like this. Fighting our way out isn't really an option... Well, at least we're still in one piece!
Mirage: For now, maybe...
Cliff: Oh well - let's just step outside and see what happens.
Fayt: Hold on just a second!
Fayt: Even minimal contact with the inhabitants of an underdeveloped planet will get us in trouble - besides, we've no idea what they'll do to us once we're out there!
Cliff: You got any better ideas? I hate to point this out, but I think we've already made contact, rather forcefully, anyway.
Fayt: Well, still...


Cliff: C'mon! Trust me! Didn't we make it here safely? I tell you, my hunches are always right!
Mirage: How about that time when we almost crashed into that asteroid because of a... hunch?
Cliff: Aw, but that was ONE time!
Fayt: One time!
Cliff: At any rate, I don't think we have any other choice.
Fayt: What do you think they'll do?
Cliff: Well, we'll probably be taken prisoner.
Fayt: You say it like you don't even care...
Cliff: Yeah, but only you and I will go out.
Fayt: Huh? What about Mirage?
Cliff: We'll have Mirage wait until later to make an escape.
Cliff: Mirage, stay until nightfall, then leave under the cover of darkness.
Mirage: Right. That shouldn't be a problem.
Fayt: But Mirage... All alone?
Cliff: You're forgetting she's a Klausian. She'll be fine - I pity the soldier that tries to take her in.
Mirage: Want me to come rescue you?
Cliff: Nah, no need. There'll probably be too many of 'em, anyway. We'll think of something... You scout around and find a way to contact the Diplo. Don't put yourself in danger trying to hook up with us. They should be able to home in on our position as long as we make contact. They can come get us then.
Mirage: Roger.
Cliff: All right, time to go.
Mirage: Fayt... Be careful.
Fayt: Thanks. You too, Mirage.
Mirage: Cliff...
Cliff: I said it'll be okay. ... I'm counting on you.
Mirage: Okay... Be careful.



Snooty Soldier: There's people in there!
Fayt: Uhh, umm... We...
Soldier: Get 'em!!!
Fayt: W-wait, please!
Cliff: Give it up, kid. Nothing we can do about it.
Fayt: Give up!?
Cliff: Look behind you.
Fayt: Huh?



It's been all cutscenes for this part but let's end on that terrifying face so we can start the Elicoor section of the game proper in the next part :)

Next time: more cutscenes, some politics, we get a new party member.