Let's play Star Ocean 3! Part 8

[paranoodle]

Content Warning: With context that the game is Rated 12+ or 13+ depending on region, there's some minor discussion of war crimes and a very short non-graphic torture sequence in this part.

This part is almost all cutscenes again aw yeah. Welcome to the Elicoor section of the game! We're going to have a little more to do here than on Vanguard.


Airyglyph XIII: Very well. Continue with your investigation, and step up the pace of the invasion of Arias. If the enemy has indeed brought a new weapon into active service, then time is of the essence.
Guard: Your Majesty!
Airyglyph XIII: What think you, Woltar?


Vox: Lord Woltar appears to lack confidence.


Vox: They stand no chance against our legions, Sire.
Vox: Their weapons have proven themselves little threat to us. Anything they throw at us, we return in spades.
Woltar: Pride comes before the fall. Surely a measure of prudence would do us no harm.


Woltar: If only things were as simple as you say...
Vox: Regardless, we have yet to see any evidence the object is a new Aquarian weapon.
Vox: My men have already begun to interrogate the crewmembers. They'll talk before long.
Woltar: The Inquisitor? He always seems to enjoy his work a bit too much...
Vox: He is the best.
Woltar: As long as they do not die before they talk. We are not barbarians - even prisoners have certain rights, you know.
Vox: You speak absurdities. Prisoners have no 'rights'. We'll hurt them until they squeal. If they die as a result, then so be it. You've grown much too soft in your old age, Woltar.
Woltar: Compared to you, that may be true. I'm willing to do what's necessary, but I think your men have a tendency to take things too far.
Albel: What's the big deal? Just find out whether they're enemies or not. If that's too much trouble, I'll be happy to take care of them.


Vox: We know what we have to do, m'Lord. Don't worry - if we do kill them, we'll make sure they cough before they croak, eh?
Woltar: I certainly hope so.
Airyglyph XIII: That will be quite enough. Now is not the time for us to haggle over such matters.
Vox: Indeed it is not.
Airyglyph XIII: Vox, continue your interrogation. Woltar and Albel, return to your posts. We are counting on your knights. You are the pride of our great kingdom.
Woltar and Vox: Yes, Sire.


Inquisitor: That thing you were riding - what waaaaas that? A new Aquarian weapon? Ehh?
Fayt: (Aquaria...?)
Inquisitor: Answer the question!

He hits Fayt.

Fayt: Oof!
Fayt: I... told... you... I... don't know...
Inquisitor: Suuuuure you doooon't! Aahahahaha!

He strikes Fayt several times in succession.

Fayt: Oooh...
Inquisitor: Hmm...?
Fayt: ....
Inquisitor: Damn, he fainted on me. And it was juuuuust getting fun! See you again soon, my little kitten! Hahahaha...






Fayt: Look who's talking.
Cliff: Well, yeah - but I'm more used to torture than you are.
Fayt: Because you're a member of an anti-Federation organization.
Cliff: You could say I've been around. Hey, you held up pretty well, though.
Fayt: What could I do? It's not like they'd believe me if I told them I came from outer space.
Cliff: Good point.
Fayt: Why'd you let them catch you, anyway? I mean, you could've gotten away, right?
Cliff: Hunh? Nah... it would've been too much of a hassle.
Fayt: A hassle?
Cliff: Yeah, a pain in the butt. I couldn't just leave you there, anyway, and I kinda wanted to see what was going on first hand.
Fayt: So? You find anything out?
Cliff: As a matter of fact, I did.
Fayt: What?


Fayt: Very funny...
Fayt: Say, do you know what Aquaria is?
Cliff: Aquaria?
Fayt: The interrogator kept mentioning it. He kept referring to the Eagle as a 'new Aquarian weapon.'
Cliff: Hmph, must be the name of their enemy.
Fayt: So, what - they think we're spies?
Cliff: I'm thinking you got that right.

Cliff starts wriggling in place and pulling at his restraints.

Cliff: These restraints are pretty solid. Damn... They're too tight, I can't move at all...
Fayt: Um... that's why they call them 'restraints'.
Cliff: Don't bother me with semantics, kid, how are we gonna get out of these?

The screen fades out and back in.

Fayt: Do you think Mirage got away okay?
Cliff: Aww, she'll be fine. Like I told you, she's a Klausian. I bet she snuck off into town a long time ago.
Fayt: I hope you're right. Grr... How'm I supposed to rescue my dad trapped like this? I don't know why the Vendeeni captured him, but I doubt they're showing him much hospitality.
Cliff: Hey, cheer up. Somebody'll show up to spring us outta this place soon enough. Then we'll be on our way, you'll see.
Fayt: And who would that 'somebody' be? You told Mirage she shouldn't bother coming in after us - and it's not like we know anybody else. And I doubt your leader's found out about what happened to us yet...
Cliff: They're here already.
Fayt: What? Who?




Red-Haired Woman: and die here. It's your choice.
Fayt: Huh!?
Cliff: What kind of options are those!?
Red-Haired Woman: The correct choice should be obvious.


Cliff: Our help?
Red-Haired Woman: That's right. You two were riding that lump of metal that fell on the town, correct? We want your technology.
Fayt: Our technology... We can't let you have that!?
Red-Haired Woman: Why not?
Fayt: Why not!? Well-
Fayt: (I can't tell her about the UP3... How am I gonna explain this?)
Cliff: And what would you do with our technology, if we gave it to you?
Red-Haired Woman: We'd use it to end the war that rages between this country and mine. With our side victorious, of course.
Fayt: Hold on a minute... 'your country'? So you're not one of the people that threw us in here?
Red-Haired Woman: No. I'm not from Airyglyph. I'm from Aquaria.
Fayt: Aquaria... The interrogator kept mentioning that name.
Cliff: Makes sense, now.
Red-Haired Woman: If you've been interrogated, I wouldn't think you'd have any particular loyalty to Airyglyph. Why not help me?
Cliff: Good point. We'll help you.
Fayt: What are you saying!?

Cliff looks down at Fayt, then back at the red-haired woman.

Cliff: Give us a moment, all right?

The woman stands back a little and crosses her arms.


Cliff: C'mon, you saw this civilization's level of technology. Look, all they need is a little college physics - and I don't know about you, kid, but I was paying attention in class.
Fayt: You're right about that - but what about the UP3!?
Cliff: Man, what a square! Then again, maybe that's your redeeming feature, huh? Straight as an arrow, just like... well...
Fayt: Just like who?
Cliff: Huh? Did I say something? Never mind, kid.
Fayt: I'm minding.
Cliff: Geez, forget about it! Listen - based on what she said, we must be in Airyglyph right now, and this place is at war with her country, Aquaria. You with me so far?
Fayt: Yeah.
Cliff: Good. Okay, both sides think we have some kind of unknown technology. Well, that makes sense - a big flying metal thing did land in the middle of a medieval town, what else could they think?
Cliff: Even if we don't cooperate with her, Airyglyph will want our help, too. I doubt their terms'll be any better.
Fayt: Yeah, but...
Cliff: So what I'm saying is, if we're gonna cooperate with someone, it might as well be that hot chick over there, know what I mean?
Fayt: I can't believe this. You're insane.
Cliff: Well, okay, let's say that was a joke. Either way, we can do whatever we want once we're outta this place. We'll just wait for our chance and make a run for it.
Cliff: We're not doing much better here in prison with our hands all in shackles. And if we die here, who's gonna rescue your dad, huh? I figured you'd want to meet him in this life, not the next.
Fayt: All right, you win, for now.
Cliff: Atta boy.


Red-Haired Woman: Then we have a deal. Step back from the bars.


Cliff: *whistle*
Fayt: (What did she just do!?)



Cliff: Yeah, thanks.
Red-Haired Woman: No thanks needed. I'm just doing my job.
Red-Haired Woman: But I'm going to hold you to your part of the bargain.
Cliff: Huuhh?


Cliff: Gah!
Fayt: Hey... She heard us.
Red-Haired Woman: I should thank you for calling me 'hot', though 'chick' I can live without.
Cliff: Sca-ree.
Nel: I'm Nel Zelpher - agent for the Sacred Kingdom of Aquaria.
Fayt: My name's Fayt Leingod. And this is...
Cliff: Cliff Fittir.
Nel: Fayt and Cliff... My pleasure. So - where are you from, and what is the metal thing you came here in?
Fayt: What do we tell her?
Cliff: Just follow my lead. I'll handle this.
Fayt: Y-yeah, sure...
Cliff: We're from a country on a continent far to the east of here. It's a pretty small country, so nobody's really heard of it, but we've got some pretty solid technology.
Nel: From the east? One of the countries in Greeton? Not the country that invaded Aquaria...
Cliff: That what you call it here? Yeah, that's where we're from. We're engineers.


Cliff: We were on our way to rescue him in this newly developed, uhh, vehicle, but it broke down on the way - and we ended up here.
Nel: I see...
Fayt: (Wow, he sure is a smooth talker... And not all of it is lies, either.)
Nel: So you are from Greeton. I thought as much.
Fayt: How so?
Nel: There is no country on this continent with that level of technology. It was an easy conclusion.
Cliff: Well, you satisfied?
Nel: More or less. What I am sure of is: there's no way we can let Airyglyph have you. You must cooperate with us.
Fayt: Nel... That's your name, right?
Nel: Yes?
Fayt: What do you mean by cooperate? What technology did you want, exactly?
Nel: Yes, well...!


Fayt: Huh? Why?
Nel: Because you're about to get some.
Cliff: Don't you worry about us. You could say we're above average.
Fayt: You might be able to fight with your bare hands, but I need some kinda weapon...
Nel: I thought this might happen. In there.


Cliff: Great. Thanks.
Nel: One more thing... ... Fayt - right? You can't go around dressed like that. I don't know if the size will match or not; anyway, put those on.
Fayt: Th-thank you.



We finally have control again \o/ And Fayt trades his autographed shirt and sandals for a real outfit this time, which we'll see more of in the coming cutscenes. There's very little we can explore (our cell, empty) and two fellow prisoners we can talk to, who tell us to be careful and not worry about them. As soon as we turn the corner, we run into the inquisitor and a pair of guards, who we quickly and efficiently dispatch.


Fayt: W-wait a sec...
Nel: Yes?
Fayt: How are we gonna get out? There are lots of soldiers outside...


Cliff: Looks like kind of a tight fit.
Nel: Don't complain. If we can get through there, it widens out a bit. We'll just have to squeeze through that first part.
Cliff: Yeah, yeah...
Nel: Fayt, you go first. I'll bring up the rear.


Cliff: Aqueducts, huh?
Cliff: Hey, it's all frozen over.
Nel: This comes as a surprise to you? It IS winter in Airyglyph. Didn't you see the snow falling outside?
Cliff: Hm, good point.
Nel: Careful. You're no good to us if you fall in the water and freeze to death.
Cliff: Sca-ree...
Cliff: Let's get moving. This way leads to the city, if we can make it through.

Next time: let's visit the Aqueducts (dungeon #2) and go back outside.