Merowlink Stage 11: Base

As the AT Fly approaches Coza City, two helicopters close in and fire warning shots. The pilots demand that they identify themselves or they will be attacked. Merowlink reaches for the radio, but Boyle takes it from him and provides his name and password. Down at the base, Keik meets with Helmecion and tells him that Merowlink is killing everyone involved with the Plan Bang Doll scandal. Keik believes that Helmecion is Merowlink’s last target. Helmecion yells at Keik and asks him what kind of proof he has. Keik mentions that an important delivery was made recently to Helmecion, and he asks if it’s the jijirium stolen from the Balarant on Miyoite. He notes that there haven’t been any records of big deliveries to the base in the last month. Helmecion says that Keik knows things he shouldn’t, and Keik shows him signed orders from Battentain. Helmecion laughs it off and believes it’s a joke from Battentain. Helmecion receives a call that Boyle has returned, and he tells Keik the problem with Merowlink has been resolved. After landing, Merowlink knocks out a soldier and gets into a jeep with Lulucy to drive to the beach. Helmecion tells Keik that the best way to make a scandal go away is to kill everyone involved. With people like Snook, Numerikov and Merowlink dead, nothing remains in regards to the Plan Bang Doll scandal. Helmecion then receives a call that Merowlink is on the base, Outside, Merowlink and Lulucy hide behind their overturned jeep as soldiers shoot at them. Lulucy notices that the jeep is leaking gasoline all around them, so Merowlink tosses a grenade at the soldiers. As the two run away, the grenade explodes, and a fiery fragment ignites the gas around the jeep and destroys it. Helmecion tells Keik he’ll destroy Merowlink with the AT forces and calls the local base commander. Keik draws his gun and tells Helmecion to do exactly as he says. Merowlink and Lulucy continue to come under fire from the soldiers and reach a hallway with several elevators. Merowlink tells Lulucy to stay behind, but she joins him anyway in front of the elevator. A soldier spots them and opens fire.

Held at gunpoint by Keik, Helmecion calls base commander Yuuman and orders him to halt the attack on Merowlink. Yuuman asks what the reason is, and Helmecion panics and says he doesn’t have time to explain. The soldiers withdraw, and Lulucyfinds that strange. The elevator door finally opens, and Merowlink and Lulucy ride it up to the 24th floor. Boyle is wheeled by on the way to the infirmary, but he gets off his stretcher when he sees the commotion. As Merowlink approaches the room, Keik orders Helmecion to greet him at the door. Helmecion asks them what they plan on doing, and Lulucy asks him the same question. Keik then tells everyone he wants to explain himself so that there’s no misunderstandings. He says he’s in charge of investigating the Plan Bang Doll scandal, but his real mission is to erase it completely. Merowlink says it’s only a matter of time before everyone finds out. He describes the situation on Miyoite when the Gilgamesh forces retreated. He says everyone knew there would have to be a sacrifice, and the members of the Schweppes Platoon accepted that. However, their sacrifice was turned into an opportunity for officers to plunder. Merowlink tosses his rifle into Helmecion’s hands and tells him that was their only weapon against Balarant ATs. Helmecion claims he didn’t know anything about that because it was all planned by Numerikov and the others. Boyle enters the room with a gun drawn and asks Helmecion if he planned everything. He says he knows the truth now, because Helmecion is always doing everything for his own gain. Helmecion uses the rifle to hit Boyle’s open wound and knock him away. He then points the rifle at Merowlink and attempts to fire, but there’s no bullets. He says that the jijirium is part of the PS project, which will change the face of war. Keik tells him he shouldn’t speak so openly about secret plans, but Helmecion says it doesn’t matter. Helmecion tells Keik to rescind his special order because too many people are involved now. Keik first aims his gun at Merowlink, but he instead shoots Helmecion in the head. He repeats Helmecion’s words about erasing a scandal and notes that Helmecion was involved himself. He then turns his gun at Merowlink, but Lulucy tosses a playing card at Keik and causes him to miss. Merowlink and Lulucy escape, and Boyle attacks Keik. Keik pushes Boyle away, and Boyle blocks the path, saying he owes Merowlink. Keik tells Boyle to move and shoots him multiple times until he’s dead.