01x05 - The Best Defense

[bunniefuu]

I believe, I believe there's a reason

There's a breach in the hull

Started going under, loot and plunder

Cut 'em down, cut 'em
Down at the knees, yeah

Cut 'em down to the bone

Just a lesser evil, born unequal

You show them where they belong

Tear right through them,
tear right through them all

We pretend in the darkness

We pretend the night
won't steal our youth

Singing me the sweet songs of seduction

Let me be the fool, fool, fool

Who will live and die for you

We pretend in the darkness

We pretend the night
won't steal our youth

Singing me the sweet
songs of seduction

Let me be the fool, fool, fool

Who will live and die for you

You're not gonna get me like that again.

Hey.

Sleepyhead.

Leave me alone.

You missed breakfast.

Up now, or you'll miss training.

Cannae say I'd really miss it.

What is it with everyone pulling
all-nighters all of a sudden?

Have you ever seen me sleep?

All right, well, maybe you could tell me
why the Vanguard still doesn't have

any new info on our mystery mech.

We've been out a few times.

Union's never thrown
anything at us like that.

And then this one went straight

for the brain housing
like it knew what it wanted.

- Yes, I noticed.
- But no follow-up?

Nothing?

And is jumping right back
into training a good idea?

Remember how hard we had to push you?

She's been underperforming,
but she'll get there.

She has an incredibly flexible mind.

Her mind is still in her body.

Her body with ears that can hear.

I'd like to point out the irony
of hauling my arse out of bed

to make sure I'm on time
to have a lie down.

You're not gonna get me again.

You're not gonna get me again.

You're not gonna get me.

Oi.

Let's go. Another round.

Not gonna get me again!

Grr!

What?

Okay. Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hey! Match over.

Doctor.

Pull her.

Kazu, are you all right?

Healing is a process,
Cammie, not a slider setting.

I was just making some improvements.

Your improvements,

combined with your current
state of mind,

created a near-psychotic feedback loop.

Potatoes, potahtoes.

Speaking of tatties,
anyone else starving?

Rewriting yourself, shameful.

You shouldn't have to hack your code
to feel better.

The rest of us have fought before.

We can help if you let us.

We're really going to do this?

Look, dealing with that thing,

it was a wee bit intense, aye.

But isn't that the whole point
of going out in a Holon,

that you can take damage like that
and not have it matter?

Just 'cause
you don't take physical damage

doesn't mean you're not affected.

Dr. Weller stuck his neck out
so you could keep training

when the Vanguard wanted to ground you,

but you hide in the games all night

and you're nearly
useless during the day.

Who says I'm gaming?

Okay, fine.

When I can sleep,
there's this dream now.

Like, I cannae shake it.

- It's so weird.
- Is your human body

- big as a Holon and naked?
- Aye.

How'd you...

Wait, no. I'm not naked.

You're naked?

I wasn't naked in mine either.

What's up with that?

- Wait, you have 'em too?
- Yeah.

But, uh, tell us more about yours, Yaz.

Calm yourself.

Yes, I was a dozen meters tall,
and yes, unclothed,

but I didn't have any...

Hmm.

Interesting.

Valentina, you have any wild dreams yet?

You will have to be more specific.

I dreamt about having a robot body
long before I came here,

but those had all the right,
um, accessories.

- Why would a robot need...
- Because it's fun.

Baker Squad, Charlie Squad,

and gen: LOCK One
report to North Ready Room.

And on that note...

If you like, later, I can tell you more
about my...

No, that's all right.

I don't know how I feel about this.

It may be too soon to go out again.

Either your team is functional
or they're not.

Which is it?

If they're not, let me know
so I can transfer Chase back.

Hey, whoa now.

That's uncalled for.

Then let's get started.

I see how it is.

What was that about?

Vanguard, you should be proud.

You've run no less than eighteen sorties
this month alone,

rescued over four hundred...

You ever thought about it?

- What?
- Returning to the Vanguard.

But we're going to shake things up
a little with this next mission.

We're going on the offensive.

Intelligence has identified
another window

of significant satellite baffling
over this sector,

just at the edge of no-man's-land,

about four hundred miles to our east.

The Union really
doesn't want us to see what's there,

so we are absolutely going in.

Before they were compromised,

scout drones relayed images
of an industrial complex.

Layout and support facilities
suggest manufacturing,

perhaps even production of nanotech.

Lieutenant?

Like the Colonel said,
we're going preemptive on this one.

We'll slip in, wreck shop, and get out.

Baker Squad and gen: LOCK Team
will take out the air defense grid.

Charlie Squad will move
in for a quick look-see,

confirm our intelligence.

Then we take down the AA

and paint the joint
for an aerial strike.

And get the hell out of Dodge
fast as we can.

That's an affirmative.

After having held the line for so long,

we are going to cross it,
deal some damage back.

You leave at 0430.

Good luck, Vanguard.

You can do this.

Got a sec?

Ah! Man.

This brings back memories.

Yeah.

What if you could return
to the Vanguard?

Would you?

I don't know.

Didn't occur to me.

Coming back to us didn't occur to you?

It's not like that.

I can't fight if I'm not in a Holon.

What if it wasn't about fighting?

- You could go Command.
- Command?

Who's gonna take orders from a ghost?

There are other ways.

You've done your part
on the b*ttlefield.

You've got another sh*t at life.

You call this a life?

I don't know if they'll ever figure out
how to fix my body.

Maybe in a few years, maybe never.

But the w*r's happening now, right now.

The Union, everything they did,
everything they took from me, from us.

They gotta go away.

This mission tomorrow morning,

that's one more morning
I wasn't supposed to have.

And that's how you want to spend it?

My apologies
for having been so unavailable of late,

but you can finally reap the benefits.

My crew's been working around the clock

prepping Doc's new toys for you.

- "Toys"?
- Enhancements.

In light of recent events,

we have to up your game
as quickly as possible.

I have modified a variety
of hardware experiments

for their very first field application.

So I can't guarantee
perfect performance.

Story of the ESU.

But they'll give you an edge.

Yaz, I've already briefed you.

Cammie, Kazu, Valentina,
yours are pretty self-explanatory.

You can learn in the field.

- Really? Nothing?
- Nothing from me.

Migas already had it covered.

You just haven't been the same, man.

You were meant to fly.

I mean, I...

You're gonna make me wish
I could still cry.

Allow me.

I have eyes on the facility.

Small industrial complex,
and I see the defense grid.

Good, let's get this party started.

Anvil Control,
tell Airstrike to stand by.

We'll give the all clear
as soon as they...

Wait. New guests joining the party.

- Who the hell is that?
- Civilians?

Human shields?

Anvil Control, are you getting this?

Already on it.

- Colonel.
- I know.

- Wait, who?
- Polity scientists.

Thought dead since Canaveral was lost.

Who knows what they're doing here.

Or what they're working on.

Which means what? Clock's ticking.

Are we not gonna b*mb the joint?

Ah, we're still gonna
blow the hell out of it.

Hmm.

Oh no. No, no, no.

Whenever you guys get like this,

we wind up doing something stupid.

I always wanted a lab with a view,

some peace and quiet, focus on my work.

Never occurred to me to use
barbed wire and armed guards.

Nice touch.

Henry, would you shut up
before they k*ll us all?

You think they
kept us alive all this time,

dragged us out here,

if they were just gonna...

Okay, I take it back.

Wait, what?

Hey, what are those?

No, really, what are those?

What are the odds you'd actually go
let me get a better look at those?

Here you go, pal. Look all you want.

- Like what you see?
- I think I'm in love.

With your Mecha.

Who are you guys?

How come you can't
sh**t like that normally?

I think the Doc has got
the drone aiming for me now.

Tempest is away.

GL, let's wrap it up.

Ours is down.

Anvil Control, Drifter.
Angels are clear to target.

Light it up.

Everybody out.

Dragonfly One,
move in for Charlie pickup.

Hmm.

Huh?

- Whoa!
- Yes!

Whoa! Did you get heat vision?

No, they're in my wrists.

It'd be cooler
if they gave you heat vision.

Miranda.

What do I do?

Cammie, calm down.

- Somebody, help!
- Can't get a sh*t.

- He's gonna take her!
- Cammie, I can't see him.

Hey!

You shouldn't have messed with us again.

mu'dak bl'yaad!

Russian?

You think too loud.

You haven't shut up since your birthday.

Let the good times roll.

Copy. k*ll. Copy.