Title: Soul of Steel
Client: Dr. Montague
Reward: 5000 Meseta
Quest: (Note that this quest is only playable on Japanese copies of Ver.2.)
This quest has two different endings. In order to see the extended "good" ending, you must first have
completed the Sue/Bernie subplot from the offline quests. That sequence can only begin after you've
told Sue your name in Dr. Osto's Research. Of course you forfeit your chances of getting a Soul Eater,
but isn't it worth it to see mecha-cutie Elenor happy? Also, this is the longest and most story-driven
quest yet, so make sure you've got a bit of time before you sit down to take it on.
Our old friends Dr. Jean Carlo Montague and his cute RAcaseal helper Elenor are in a bit of a fluster, and
with good reason. Ult, another of Montague's RAcaseal inventions and Elenor's "sister", has been kidnapped.
It also just so happens that the Galactic Mobile Infantry 32nd Squadron, aka WORKS, is currently
performing an operation underground and access is restricted except to military personnel. As you
walk out the Hunter's Guild with Montague and Elenor, the three of you are stopped by an angry-looking
HUmar named Sakon. Sakon recognizes Montague and Elenor, and it isn't too difficult to ascertain where
they must be headed. He issues a warning, telling the three of you not to venture onto Ragol while the
military operation is underway. When the Doc and Elenor confront this uppity HUmar with the issue of
the missing Ult, Sakon plays dumb but is clearly taken aback. Sakon leaves, but Montague doesn't seem
the least bit worried. He claims that all of WORKS' best men were lost on Pioneer 1, and the remaining
dolts will be easy to outwit. The Doc walks off toward the warp, while Elenor pulls you aside to give you
a special Mag Cell. She claims it's a baby Mag, and that Ult has one just like it... Disregarding Sakon's
warning, the three of you depart for Ragol. Make well sure to stock up on items before you leave, because
once you're down, you won't be able to come back up until the quest is finished.
You start your mission in Mine 2, fighting off a wave of powerful enemies. In the next room, you'll encounter
a WORKS goon, a chubby RAmar named Ukon. Ukon refuses to let you pass, going so far as to threaten revoking
your Hunter's License if you don't leave. While you and Elenor gab with the irate guard, Montague sneaks off.
Leave Ukon to wallow in his hatred of all things, and join Montague who has discovered a nearby transmission
terminal which he says can be used to distract the guard. The Doc rigs the terminal and the three of you sneak
away. When the terminal alarm goes off, Ukon goes to investigate, leaving the entrance to the Mines wide open.
The three of you sneak in. In the next room, you encounter another computer terminal from which Montague is
able to procure a bit of interesting information, although nothing that has any bearing on this particular
quest: it seems that the whole facility was formerly monitored by three separate computers. Each kept an eye
on the other, and balance was maintained in this way. The AI names of these computers were Calus, Vol Opt, and
Olga. Of course you should remember Calus from Knowing One's Heart, and you're already abundantly familiar with
Vol Opt. But what of Olga? No logs on Olga exist beyond the big explosion. Montague speculates that a similar
lab must exist elsewhere... As soon as the Doc finishes his story, the mag cell Elenor gave you starts moving.
Moving right along, you notice a tremor. Run back to see that Montague and Elenor have moved. Walk up to them and
you'll overhear a conversation where Elenor whines about not being able to have a mag like other hunters. Montague
explains to Elenor that she has, within her body, a very important baby mag that could possibly "change the world as
we know it." Ult also has one, and they can't have any other mags as it might harm the special ones. Unbeknownst to
the Doc, this "baby mag" is the one that Elenor bequeathed you with previously. The mag cell moves a second time.
While the Doc and Elenor hang back, you move forward and encounter a red and gray RAcaseal. It can only be Ult. It
doesn't seem as though she was kidnapped, because she's moving of her own will and delcares that neither the Doctor
or Elenor will stop her. At this point, you play a mini-game where you have to follow Ult through a small
obstacle course without falling too far behind. When the three of you catch up with the rogue RAcaseal, she doesn't
respond well to Montague and Elenor. Montague orders Elenor to stop her, but Ult disappears into thin air. The Doc
notes that there's something strange about the Photons in the area...
In order to continue following Ult, you have to sneak by a very heavily guarded area. Put on your Metal Gear gloves,
because you have to tip-toe through three rooms of patrolling Type:0 and Type:W RAcasts without being detected.
Successfully complete this mini-game and you'll once again run into the elusive Ult. Ult refuses to go home with
her creator and her sister, claiming that she longs to be free, to "evolve". She claims that someone is calling her
and she must follow the voice. Montague and Elenor run after her, but you fall behind. After another tremor, you're
cornered by Sakon along with a Type:0 and Type:W. Suddenly a group of Gillchics appears, and Sakon and his robot
flunkies attack. Defeat them and the fallen Sakon proclaims that the operation will succeed no matter what, so he
initiates a self-destruct sequence on the entire underground facility. The terminal for the self-destruct computer is
in Ruins 1, and you've got exactly 20 minutes to get down there and shut off the program. Run into the next room.
At this point, if you've cleared the Sue sub-plot and had the mag cell grow two times, you'll see a bonus cutscene.
It looks like Sue has encountered Montague and Elenor at the entrance to the Ruins. Apparently they're old
acquaintances, but haven't seen each other since the home world. After some small talk, Sue mentions to the Doc
that she found his name in Osto's research on Pioneer 1, meaning that he must be a target as well. Montague says
that Osto was a brilliant scientist, but tended to get too caught up in research, when he often made poor decisions.
An amused Sue tells Montague he has the same bad habit. After a bit more chit-chat, Sue brings up your name and
wonders aloud how much Montague has let you know. Elenor steps in to defend your good name, but Montague agrees
that sometimes it's better not to know everything, and says he's using you as an accomplice because he's interested
in an "objective opinion". Sue finishes up by recommending that Montague speak with "Leo Grahart" directly. As
Sue approaches the warp, Montague stops her and mentions that Osto conducted no research on the premises. The
facilities of the Mines and Ruins were used only for mining and refining. Sue makes it apparent that she is
already aware of this, and warps off along her merry way. The mag cell that Elenor gave you moves a third time,
and starts getting darker. Join back up with Montague and Elenor, and Montague speaks of an "Evolutionary Emotion
Device" within Ult...
After some running through the Ruins, the three of you reach the terminal and shut off the self-destruct program.
Montague finds another interesting program and mumbles some gibberish to himself. He seems surprised that the order
wasn't given by "Leo" (presumably the Leo Grahart that Sue spoke of). Suddenly it all becomes clear. The
self-destruct bit was a setup, and the three of you fell right into their trap. WORKS' objective is to release Ult's
true power by triggering the circuit Montague hid inside her. The Doc seems disgusted that the military thinks they
could control such power, power enough to alter the entire Ragol infastructure. While the three of you throw a tantrum
over your own collective stupidity, Sakon leads an antsy Ult to the "designated location". Ult starts losing control
of herself, much to Sakon's horror, and causes an explosion. Sakon is out of the picture, but Ult continues moving
forward.
Soon the three of you look down at the platform below to see Ult walk by. Now is the time for action: the three of
you split up, and in this final mini-game, you have to predict Ult's pattern and meet her head-on. When the three
of you finally succeed in cornering the elusive mecha girl, she regains her conscience, but it's too late. She's
already started fusing with the abnormal Photons. Montague commands Elenor to begin downloading Ult's data. Elenor
is hesitant, but complies. With her last moments of sanity, Ult bears her soul, about how she hated being in the
capsule at the lab and envied Elenor and the freedom she had. She says she received a telepathic call from Ragol, a
call from something else that wanted to be freed from its prison. She gave in and followed, although she now realizes
it was a huge mistake and asks for forgiveness. The touching scene is interrupted by another huge earthquake.
Montague drops a Telepipe and demands that you make an emergency escape to Pioneer 2, and that there is no choice but to
leave Ult behind.
Here, the story can go one of two ways: if you did not finish the Sue sub-plot or let your mag cell evolve three
times, you are helpless but to stand in awe as a bright light surrounds Ult. You awaken in the Medical Center. Talk to
the nurse and she says you've been asleep for days, and that Elenor came to visit alot to see how you were doing. If
you've acquired the Accessory item from the online quest Towards the Future, have it converted to a Marina's Bag and
move on to the Hunter's Guild. Talk to the busty Guild girl by the entrance and she gives you a message from Dr. Montague,
forwarded to your BEE system. The Doc assures you that Elenor is okay, and Ult may be as well. He's got some business to
take care of and will already be gone by the time you check out of the hospital. He concludes by saying that there's going
to be a "little trouble"... And that's the end of the quest.
If you did complete the Sue sub-plot and your mag cell grew 3 times, the scene is extended. As Ult begins glowing,
Elenor warps across to her despite Montague's protests. The two androids are surrounded by a glowing light, and Ult
collapses. Elenor, as she is mourning Ult's demise, starts going through her own growing pains: both the mag cell in Ult's
body and the one in your possession begin glowing. Elenor sprouts a rare Elnoa mag, and starts getting all schizophrenic
as another voice within her begins babbling out strange computer commands that seem to be affecting all the terminals in
the Ruins. Montague watches in awe at his work of art, "MOTHER". Scream in the Doc's face to rescue Elenor and he comes
to his senses, explaining that the abnormal Photons he observed earlier were coming from the runes. Elenor panics some
more, saying that she can't get away. But Montague isn't listening, because he's telling you the story of "MOTHER". It
was a secret project devised by government officials who wanted to extend their control of the military. MOTHER is the
name of a high-tech AI program capable of controlling any kind of computerized equipment, regardless of scale or complexity.
Because of its sensitivity, the project was hidden away on Ragol. Montague had been involved with the project from the
early stages, but it was more important now, as he views Elenor and Ult as his own daughters. He commands you to escape to
Pioneer 2, as there's nothing more you can do to help. Refuse three times, and you'll witness Elenor give her final
goodbye before exploding in your face.
As with the bad ending, you awaken in the Medical Center. As you approach the exit, you'll see another cutscene from the
Hunter's Guild. It looks like Sakon is giving instructions to Ash and Nadja, who are apparently about to embark on a
quest. Enter the Guild and all three have gone. Go up to the counter to receive your reward and end the quest. Now, if
you told Montague "no" all three times when he insisted that you escape to Pioneer 2, you can access a bonus ending by
playing the same quest again. This time, you're greeted by one of the Guild girls who has a BEE message from some
mysterious individual on Ragol who requests to meet you. Warp to Forest 1 and meet Elenor, who it seems is fine and dandy
with her Elnoa mag. You can ask her about the mag, Ult, and Montague. It seems that Ult is also alive and well thanks to
the backup data Elenor recorded back when things started getting ugly. As your conversation ends, Elenor mentions that she
and Montague are about to leave, although she doesn't say where they're going. She goes on to say that, during the
explosion of light, she was guided by a mysterious voice (either Ult, Montague, or you, she can't remember which) that kept
her hanging on. Just before she leaves, she stops to make sure that you're still taking care of your mag. Return to the
Guild and get your reward, an easy 5000 meseta, and end the quest.