Tarascus

The **Tarascus** is a Berman pseudo-Juno weapon featured in *Fuga: Melodies of Steel* and *Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2*. It is piloted by Shvein Hax and it mirrors the Taranis in capabilities and appearance. In the first game, it acts as the final boss. In the second game, however, it becomes the new tank of the Children after the Taranis is hijacked.

## Structure

Due to its design being based on the Taranis, the Tarascus is an incredibly large tank that is capable of housing about 12 individuals at a time. It has multiple rooms that offer all survival basics for its inhabitants. This includes a workshop, bedroom, messroom, observation area, and a farming area that's capable of growing food & housing two livestock. Malt and his friends felt that the Tarascus' interior is nearly identical to the Taranis, which they found unsettling.

### Vanargand's Heart

The crystal heart/core of the Ace-class Titano-Machina Vanargand acts as the Tarascus' main power source. This allowed the tank to interface and merge with the Vanargand, turning into the Cor Tarascus. While in that form, the Tarascus' power was greatly enhanced and it gave Hax full control over the Vanargand. With that power, Hax sundered Gasco, turning it into its current archipelago shape. It also vastly enhanced the tank's damage resistance to the point it managed to survive a Soul Cannon shot.

### Managarm

The most powerful component of the Tarascus is the Managarm, a set of two cannons on the left side of the tank that requires the life force of a crewmate to be used. It works on a similar principle to the Taranis' Soul Cannon, but has a slightly weaker output, with the advantage of the sacrifice surviving the process.

To activate the Managarm, a sacrifice must give a small amount of their lifeforce. Once the sacrifice is chosen, the Managarm will begin to charge. The cannons, glowing red, have two firing modes: The normal firing mode, which simply shoots a red energy blast, and a full power version that fires a powerful dark red beam of energy while letting out a howl, but requires a longer charge time. Once the Managarm has fired, the sacrifice falls unconscious. A sacrifice with a strong endurance will be able to remain conscious, however, as Hax himself showcased.

When the Tarascus is faced as an enemy, the Managarm has a separate life bar and has heavier armor than the rest of the tank. If it fires and the Taranis doesn't defend, it will do enormous damage and will injure the children. If its health runs out, the weapon will be temporarily disabled.

Under the player's control, the Managarm lacks the Soul Cannon's boss-only restrictions, allowing its use in any battle. It will deal massive damage to its target, but in exchange, the child that charged the weapon will be knocked out until the next Intermission and no experience will be rewarded.

### Teleportation Manipulation

The Tarascus has the ability to access the teleportation power of the Taranis, this ability is used to retrieve the victims from Jihl's hijacking. It will only work if the two are in close proximity.

### Self-Repair Systems

The Tarascus is able to regenerate any damage it suffers, but the process is slow. This allowed the tank to survive its fight with the Taranis and regain enough functionality to move and fight again within a year.

### Shvein Hax (AI)

Shvein Hax's mind remains within the Tarascus' core after his body's death, as an AI. He has all of his memories and a similar personality, but lacks the ambition and coldheartedness he had in life. He does retain his ruthlessness and pragmatism, driving him to fight for victory at any cost. He also considers himself a separate individual from his fleshy self.

His main role is as an advisor to the children, sharing valuable and life-saving information when needed. However, in situations that threaten the tank's survival, Hax is able to retake control of the Tarascus if he deems it necessary.

## History

### The Bringer of War

The Tarascus was created by the Berman Empire, based on the Taranis. It was the spearhead of their invasion of the Free Lands of Gasco, and to awaken Vanargand once more. It is piloted by Shvein Hax who was manipulated by one of the AI Jeanne's fragments (Radio).

### Heart of the Resurrected God of Destruction

After the defeat of the Vanargand, the Tarascus was later retrieved by the Gasco Army. And eventually regenerated it's original form. It is now piloted by Malt and his friends, in order to stop the hijacked Taranis. Hax still remains buried within the Tarascus, but now as an AI that supports the children.

### Steel Demon with the Heart of a God

After finally retrieving the Belenos, Jihl fires its energy weapons, destroying the Tarascus and severely damaging the Taranis in its wake. A burst of light soon envelops both the Taranis and Tarascus, fusing both tanks into the evolved Exo-Taranis.

## Trivia

* Tarascus is one of the Latin names of the **Tarasque**, a mythological creature from France named after the Tarascon commune, where it was supposedly first sighted. The Tarasque was a six-legged beast that had a carapace like a turtle and could breathe poisonous fumes from its lion-like head.
* The Managarm is named after **Mánagarmr** (Old Norse for "Moon-Hound"), one of the names of Fenrir's son **Hati**, the wolf that chases and tries to eat the Moon in Norse mythology. According to the myths, Ragnarök, the twilight of the Aesir, would begin when Hati and his brother Sköll finally succeeded in their goal and swallowed the sun and the moon whole.