FLAG Ep. 8: XR-2 Longku

With less than two weeks until the signing of the peace accords, activity picks up at the UN base near Subasci as the search for the flag continues. At the SDC base, Beroqui and his mechanics work on repairing Nikkanen’s HAVWC and adjusting the new one. Olowokandi takes Shirasu for a helicopter ride and lands on a plain that is dotted by nomadic yurts. Shirasu films videos of a sheepherder working and children playing. She looks up at the sky and thinks about how pointless war seems because everyone shares the same sky. A lamb nervously approaches Shirasu before running away and she tumbles down the side of a hill trying to reach out to it. Back on the helicopter, Olowokandi explains that this area is normally under surveillance but all resources are focused on the flag, so they have to do these kinds of patrols. Shirasu is surprised that people are living such tranquil lives so close to the base, but Olowokandi reminds her that the people were here first and the base is the intruder. He then mentions that he heard her laughing earlier and that he’d never heard her laugh so loud. Back at the base, Shirasu films more videos, including neural link tests between Ichiyanagi and his new HAVWC. Because Ichiyanagi is operating an exoskeleton that’s much bigger than his own body, his senses have to correct for the size difference. Beroqui comments that it’s not as simple as taking a new car for a spin because they need to have the HAVWC and pilot match up. Beroqui grabs Shirasu’s baseball cap and tosses it up to Ichiyanagi, who is able to spin the cap on the HAVWC’s fingers. But when he tosses up a jug of juice, the HAVWC’s hand smashes it. Beroqui explains that the HAVWC pilot needs to use precise movement and controlled power and that Ichiyanagi could pick up an egg with his old HAVWC and not crush it. Shirasu shows her pictures of the nomads to one of the cooks and he comments that the yogurt the nomads make from sheep milk has an incredibly rich taste. He also praises the country’s unique tea that has butter melted into it and offers to make it for Shirasu sometime. A transformation test on Ichiyanagi’s HAVWC is interrupted when a lamb from the nomad tribe breaches the testing site. Multiple people give chase, but Ichiyanagi crouches down and successfully contains the sheep with the HAVWC’s hands. However, when he tries to stand back up the HAVWC falls on its side. In Subasci, Akagi is suspicious of the UN’s activities after learning of the desert operation. He tries to learn more about bipedal robots beyond what Shirasu’s disk has, but he finds nothing of use. At night, he meets with Naraya in an alley and learns that the Metazone Temple is a secret stronghold of the Ru Pou faction. Naraya says this is dangerous stuff and warns Akagi that he shouldn’t dig any further. He then says he wants no part in this and leaves. At the SDC base, Shirasu goes into the HAVWC hangar and Beroqui tells her to stay away from it because they’re uploading all the day’s testing data. Ichiyanagi exits the cockpit and Shirasu asks if he’s going to paint a moth on it. He answers that he only paints that on his machines and this one hasn’t accepted him yet.

The Gelut sect holds its Festival of Thanka at the Ru Pou temple. The temple is covered by a giant mandala that depicts the relationship between the Kufuras and Gelut. Akagi runs into Lisa and finds out that the daily UN briefing has been cancelled. Akagi feels that something is happening. At the SDC base, Beroqui explains to Shirasu that they’re overwriting the new HAVWC’s default settings with all their custom settings. Olowokandi asks Shirasu if she wants to join his helicopter patrol, which will cover the area the nomads have moved to today. Suddenly, an alarm sounds and is followed by a loudspeaker announcement that three helicopters are approaching the base and are not transponding IFF signals. The base’s Doppler radar picks up two attack helicopters and a cargo helicopter, all of which will breach the base’s defensive perimeter in 25 minutes. Aqbal tells Shirasu to be careful as she gets into Olowokandi’s helicopter. The base dispatches several anti-air vehicles to intercept the incoming helicopters. Olowokandi spots the cargo helicopter and reports that it’s dropping a vehicle similar to the HAVWC. The vehicle is identified as an XR-2 Longku and the base reports that it’s sending a HAVWC over. The Longku opens fire and destroys one of the anti-air vehicles. The Longku starts targeting Olowokandi’s helicopter, but Eversalt’s HAVWC arrives and draws its attention. Eversalt trades fire with the Longku and takes some damage, so Olowokandi tries to provide support fire. The Longku targets him again and is hit by fire from Ichiyanagi’s HAVWC. The nomadic sheepherder and his lamb are standing behind the Longku as the attack helicopters swoop in to provide cover for the cargo helicopter to retrieve the Longku. The HAVWCs destroy one of the attack helicopters, but the Longku escapes. Back at the base, Beroqui tells Shirasu that Ichiyanagi piloted his new HAVWC on default settings and compares it to using a camera without any auto controls or custom presets. Beroqui comments that only a pilot like Ichiyanagi could pull that off on the battlefield. Aqbal and Shirasu visit the infirmary where the injured sheepherder is recovering, and Aqbal is glad that he wasn’t injured by Ichiyanagi. Eversalt and Su-Ming discuss the implications of the enemy attacking with a Chinese-made robot, which means they have connections to the UN’s P5. In the hangar, Shirasu is surprised to see that Ichiyanagi has painted a moth on his HAVWC.