The sun is starting to set on Tenteres and the scenery turns breathtaking. The light dances off the reddening sands as the party's taxi zooms along. Shaft yells he's here to pick up the party and tells the trio who's been fighting on foot to get in. Mokdai thanks Shaft, and you either talk to Kalaski saying the cavalry is here or wave Alchiba over. In A, Kalaski says everything is going to plan, then thanks you and Shaft. In B, Alchiba breathes a sigh of relief saying you guys have great timing and jokes that you guys are on the same wavelength.
Behind you guys, one of the mercenary is shaking his fist and swears to not let you guys pass and ruin things for Vulpecula. Kalaski tells the guy to piss off, but since there's no time to say any more than that he tells Alchiba it's time to get going. Kalaski also waves to Mokdai to come along and get ready to jump into the car. Mokdai responds that he's coming and asks that you guys not ditch him. You and Shaft reach out to pull Kalaski and Alchiba in, and after you guys pull Mokdai in next, Shaft goes back to his seat.
Shaft yells that he's going to be driving full speed ahead to the monolith and asks everyone to hang on. He whispers next his hope that the car doesn't get a space flat tire. When the car starts revving, Mokdai starts yelling about the car shaking since planetary driving mode apparently turns off the gravity control. Kalaski is relatively unfazed as he comments on Shaft being more animated and wonders why. Shaft says he's finally opened up his eyes when you told him something. If what he can do can help you guys, then he'll put his all into it. And the thing he can do right now is take you guys where you guys want to go.
At that point your phone faintly glows, showing you the familiar path found window message, although the car hitting a bump or something causes you to drop the phone down. Shaft notices nothing as he asks you to come up to the passenger side seat and help him with his map display. You are taken by surprise by the request as you pop back up from picking up your phone, and when you look at it again the window from earlier has disappeared. And since you can't do anything about that you do as he asks and climb forward to fiddle with the map, commenting that you feel like there was a big waste just now.
Title card pops up, and this episode is called Space Taxi Chasers!
Back to the story, Mokdai is looking out the window and mutters to himself about you guys getting close to the monoliths and the showdown with Vulpecula. Kalaski can hear him and agrees, then notices something off in the distance. Way up ahead is a space truck, which looks to be more heavily armored than necessary if it's here to make a delivery. Kalaski thinks aloud that there aren't any towns on the planet to deliver too since most everyone evacuated to elsewhere, and the only thing up ahead is the monoliths. Alchiba adds that the warp gate is down for the day, so there shouldn't be a delivery truck to begin with. Based on how showy the truck is, he also observes that it's more likely to be from an organization's like an army instead of a private truck.
Kalaski says that the army stationed on the planet has been withdrawn due to a ceasefire, and he starts thinking about who's left on the planet that would still be that dangerous when the party comes to a realization together who it could be. Mokdai is the one to say the truck must belong to Vulpecula and says you guys can't leave it alone. Said truck starts behaving oddly, swerving around in a panic like it's noticed your approach and speeding up. The taxi's navi starts making an announcement too, and it tells you guys it senses a heat signature within the truck up ahead as it warns there may be something dangerous on board.
Kalaski is shocked that the car's nav system is giving a heat warning to you guys, so Shaft explains the warning tends to pop up a lot when he gets near military vehicles and fuel transports. The sensor goes off around rockets and stockpiles of firearms, and he remembers the manual saying it'd also react to bombs and missiles. Mokdai is alarmed at the mentions of the latter two things, and Kalaski is sure there must be something crazy on board that is meant to destroy the monoliths with. He asks Shaft to step on it, so Shaft says he will as he accelerates the taxi again. There are fewer and fewer ruined buildings as you all proceed, and eventually the one truck ahead of you guys is the only other thing out on the desert.
Kalaski figures if you guys can stop the truck then it'll stop Vulpecula's schemes. He asks Shaft to open a door so that he can go pin down its movements. He gets ready to go, but Alchiba stops him and brings up the possibility that Kalaski could end up setting off the bomb inside the truck. And with how big the truck is, a bomb inside it would be powerful enough that the blast would reach you guys too. Mokdai tries pointing out that it'll destroy the monoliths if it gets there before you guys do, and while Alchiba concedes the point, he feels it appeared way too conveniently.
Alchiba thinks to himself, and the rest of the party is tense while watching him. Alchiba says he must be overlooking something to be thinking something is wrong with the truck. He turns to you to ask for your opinion with the deductions like he has all event, and you either say it's moving too fast, say the truck is leading you guys on, or say it's baiting you guys into attacking it. Alchiba says you're right whichever option you choose, though the reason differs for each choice. In A, Alchiba reasons that if it does have a bomb on board, it couldn't be going that fast. In B, Alchiba agrees that it's trying to lure you guys away so it must be a trap. In C, Alchiba says it deliberately let you guys see it and is trying to get you to follow it when it zoomed off.
In any case, Alchiba deduces there isn't really a bomb on board the space truck. You however bring up you guys can't tell without opening it up and that you guys can't risk the possibility his reasoning is wrong. Alchiba decides to go along with your concerns and asks you guys to hang onto your seats. Kalaski attempts to get Alchiba to explain himself, but Alchiba ignores him as he opens a door and leans out. Alchiba comments on his disbelief that his old marksmanship practice would be helping him out here, but he asks everyone to believe in him and his deductions before firing.
The truck is somewhere between 10 to 20 meters away from the taxi at this point, and Alchiba fires twice. Kalaski freaks out at this and tells you to get down in case the truck is carrying a bomb, but Alchiba manages to burn off the two locks on the truck's doors. You are amazed at this, then note that the doors are opening. The truck turns out to be empty as Mokdai points out, and Kalaski says you guys would have had your names added to the memorials if Alchiba was wrong. Kalaski then has a thought and wonders why Shaft's car sensor went off then. Alchiba admits his hands were sweating a bit, but he declares that the truck has now been proven to be trying to lead you guys away, then tells Shaft to get away from the truck and push ahead for the monoliths.
Shaft responds affirmatively, though he's taken aback when mercenaries reveal themselves from the truck ahead and start aiming their guns at you guys. You yell out to Shaft to dodge them, so Shaft tells everyone to hold onto something. The mercenaries start firing at you guys in a shower of lasers, but Shaft manages to pull some evasive maneuvers and bank around them all without slowing down. Mokdai attempts to ask if the heat signature that set off the car sensor was the mercenaries' guns in between getting jostled around, and Kalaski is both amazed and baffled at how crazy Shaft is driving. Shaft says he can read the enemy's movements, meaning he can figure out how to misdirect their fire and find safe spots to drive through.
Shaft continues cutting his way through the laser beams, but eventually Alchiba is shocked to see at least 8 more space trucks flying around in the area both ahead and to the sides of you guys. The trucks are surrounding you and slowly approaching in. Kalaski curses that the villains have already set up their formation, and if you guys can't break out of it you won't be able to get to the monoliths. Mokdai points out the earlier ship is moving strangely again, which upon further observation is turning around to face you guys. You worry about them attempting to ram you and call to Shaft, and Shaft says an ex-pro rugby player has his tricks before calling himself a fighting taxi driver.
Shaft makes the smallest movement possible to counter the enemy truck's charge, then barely grazes his way past them all. He tells you it'll be okay as he compares their movements to tackles. Since he can read that he can avoid them, and he asks you to believe in him. Kalaski is impressed by how determined Shaft looks and comments he's found the thing he can do, then warns him enemies are coming from both sides. Shaft acknowledges the warning and quickly weaves the car past, barely slipping past the laser fire.
Kalaski says he's going to open the door and shoot back, then asks which way he should point at. Shaft thanks Kalaski and asks him to focus on the left side while the mercenaries are reloading. Kalaski does as asked, using his ultimate move to control the incoming laser fire. Mokdai starts cheering about there being less enemies now. Alchiba has been looking around thinking about something, and Mokdai's comment seems to trigger a realization in him. When he voices this, you ask him what he figured out, so Alchiba decides to set this up as another quiz style deduction for you. So, Alchiba noticed that there's been one truck in particular among the bunch that's always been slightly away in a safer spot and points it out to you off to the right. Now why would one of the trucks be off to the side like that when you guys have been pushing your way through?
You say that truck must have Vulpecula in it or the bomb in it, and either way Alchiba says you're right. Vulpecula's pulling the needle in a haystack trick, which Alchiba figures is because he didn't have the time for anything fancier. Case analyzed! Alchiba then yells to Shaft about Vulpecula being in that one truck over there and asks him to pull in closer to it, so Shaft says he'll do it and asks Kalaski to run interference. Kalaski says he can handle it, but since he's been spamming his ultimate so much he's running low on stamina, so he asks if five seconds is enough time.
Shaft says that's plenty of time and charges the taxi ahead. Kalaski whispers over to you to ask that you cancel out his hero form after he fires off his ultimate again so he can get some rest before facing Vulpecula. You agree to it and apologize for how much he's pushing himself. Kalaski waves it off, then fires his ultimate to delay the mercenaries' attacks on the taxi momentarily. Alchiba follows up using his ultimate to provide covering fire, and Shaft takes the opportunity to slip the taxi by.
Kalaski sighs after he reverts to civilian form, apologizing for taking a breather and saying he'll bounce back soon. Alchiba says he's done well and notes that that one truck is the only thing left. Mokdai asks Shaft if he can stop that truck without damaging it, so Shaft says he'll try. It's probably going to make people's heads spin, but he asks you guys try to keep steady. Shaft floors the pedal until the taxi is just under top speed, then cutting ahead of the truck and spinning the steering wheel hard.
Shaft's speed trick sends you screaming, and the truck swerves away to avoid ramming into the taxi while stomping on the brakes. Kalaski is surprised the truck actually stopped and compliments Shaft. Mokdai moans about his dizziness, but he compliments Shaft too. Shaft is glad everyone seems fine and admits he did overdo things a little. You either ask Mokdai if he's okay or tell everyone to stay on guard. A gets an extra line where Mokdai says he's hanging in there and can keep fighting.
Anyways, Alchiba says the truck doors are open and asks you to take command with the operation. Mokdai tells you to be careful and for you and Shaft to not leave the car. He'll be shielding you guys in the meantime. You nod and wish everyone good luck, and the party nods back before jumping out of the taxi. Kalaski asks you to transform him back again since he's okay to fight now, but a voice says he can't let you guys do that. Vulpecula warps in behind Kalaski and proceeds to knock him out with a karate chop to the neck.
You yell out to Kalaski in alarm, but Shaft stops you from leaving the taxi due to the danger. Vulpecula assures you he only knocked Kalaski out, then says he predicted Kalaski would have to push himself to stop the other trucks and cancel his transformation afterwards. Alchiba yells at him for attacking someone who isn't transformed, so Vulpecula responds that he'd be in his old cage if he could act in a mannerly way. He'd probably have chosen to disappear before that happens though. He'd have preferred incapacitating you as well, but fortunately for you you're in a tricky spot for him to try reaching.
Mokdai declares he won't let Vulpecula touch you and challenges him to a fight, moving to stand in front of both Kalaski and the car. He glares at him as he says he has something to say to him in Kalaski's place, which interests Vulpecula enough to lend an ear. Mokdai starts talking about how he doesn't know much about the planet, but he's learned from Alchiba how the people here live their days. He also learned how Alchiba felt in chasing after Vulpecula up to this point.
Mokdai takes a step forward, continuing his speech by talking about how he's only met him twice now but understands how much Vulpecula values living in the present. However, Mokdai feels that what Vulpecula is doing is harming others who are living in the present as well. He was surprised when he saw Kalaski's photos, and he concedes that there are a lot of people suffering in the moment. But there's also a lot of people trying their best to live their best lives right now, and the thing that supports these people is interpersonal connections. Even if those people die, that bond between them lives within others in the present. Vulpecula destroying cultural sites is harming those people living in the present, which makes them unable to live in said present. As such, Mokdai accuses Vulpecula of being contradictory.
Vulpecula stays silent at said accusation. Alchiba agrees with Mokdai, saying things filled with feelings and memories of the past bring support to people living in the present so they can walk towards the future. The past may being pain they might rather forget, he says as he looks over towards Shaft, but it is their right to choose whether the pain stops them or pushes them forward, not Vulpecula. Vulpecula is wrong to destroy things willy nilly, even if he's doing this to run from his own pain.
Vulpecula asks if that's all you guys have to say, calling your words ugly, empty platitudes. He calls Alchiba the one who's contradictory, protecting the past of others while hating his own, but Alchiba interrupts to say that's his past self now. That's why he's surpassed his past with this new form to stand against him, and he readies his gun against Vulpecula. Off to the side, Shaft is looking over at Alchiba and mumbles to himself what he said and asks if he's still lost himself.
Vulpecula dismisses Alchiba's argument as nonsense and challenges him to beat down his minions and capture him if he can. Vulpecula calls the mercenaries up, and the mobs all pour out of the trucks to stand in front of him ready to battle. Alchiba tells Mokdai that it doesn't look like they can talk Vulpecula to your guys' perspective. Mokdai concedes that's the case, so he asks you to handle the operating. You agree after a moment and tell them to be careful.
You do your best to command Alchiba and Mokdai and spot attacks for them, but Kalaski is still out cold. The mercenaries stay in formation and keep the pressure up on them, leaving no time to even catch a breath, and without a plan the two start wearing out. Vulpecula seems disappointed that the two of them can't fight back against superior numbers, leaving him no room to join in on it. As such, he flourishes his cape and tells the minions to handle it while he goes back to the truck to get the main show started.
Shaft asks you if there's really nothing he can be doing now, frustrated. You don't have an answer for him, and Shaft starts talking about understanding a little earlier that nothing he's done has been a waste up to this point. His time as a rugby player and time as a hero will help him as he is now, so he wants to help the party somehow. Your phone glows in response, brighter than it did before. Shaft doesn't seem to notice as he talks about suffering enough that he wanted to forget about it, but he says if he did forget it all his current self wouldn't be here. He's not cool enough to say he's broken free of his past, but he still wants to put everything he has into whatever he can do now.
Your phone lights up with the path found message window for Shaft, so you tell him this must be the future he's chosen. You see an unshakable determination in his eyes, and Shaft is surprised at the idea of becoming a hero again. He steels himself, looking like he's getting ready to play rugby again as a serious look fills his face, and he grabs your shoulders. He confirms he wants to be a hero again and asks you to change him, so you comply and hit the connect button on the command window.
A bright light covers Shaft, and Vulpecula is shocked by the sudden appearance of a new hero at this point. Mokdai is surprised as well and asks if Shaft is the one transforming. Alchiba notes that this is the light of a path connecting and says he was waiting for Shaft. The light flashes to reveal Shaft in his hero form, and he takes a moment to refamiliarize himself to the feeling of power welling inside of him. He recognizes that his power is to show the way for others, so he takes it upon himself to guide everyone. He tells you he can do this and says he still hasn't brought everyone to where you guys wanted to go, then jumps out of the taxi.
Mokdai notices that Shaft's hero form is different from his old Iron Man form, though his though is interrupted by gunfire. Vulpecula takes a moment to remember Shaft's name. Now that he's discovered his present self, Vulpecula says all he needs to do is cut away his past now. Shaft returns Vulpecula's interested gaze back, declaring he won't treat things like other people's problems anymore and saying Vulpecula is wrong. Everyone in the party had worried about him, so he as a hero will show them the path he believes is right.
Vulpecula sighs in disappointment, saying he'd have left him alone if he chose to discard his past. But since Shaft is standing against him now too, Vulpecula decides he'll beat his philosophy into you all even if it goes against his aesthetics. You tell the party to be careful and to stay focused, and Mokdai nods as he asks Shaft to work together with everyone. Alchiba says that this time you guys will make Vulpecula understand by force. Shaft says he won't lose his way anymore since he can't be that way as your driver. He swears to take you guys to where you want to go and to the future, and so the episode battle begins.
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