By Anna thinks about how she’s experienced so many strange things in the 55 hours since she arrived on Mars. Danny’s space shuttle flies out of the Martian atmosphere and heads for the Astrohawk II. On the Grados shuttle, Karla reports to Gale that the Earthlings have weak weapons and pose no threat to them. Gale concludes that Dal was careless and underestimated the enemy, which cost him his life. Gresco calls Gale for a report, and Gale explains that they’re attaching space backpacks to the Dtols to use them with the Dimarges. When Gale puts Derro in charge, Karla objects and wants to lead the mission herself. At first, Gale explains it away as her looking tired, but she asks for a clear reason. He bluntly tells her that she goes off mission when Eiji shows up, so he wants her to take a break. Arthur is angry that he stayed behind, and Eiji assures him they’ll get to Earth somehow. David tells Eiji it’s not something he should worry about, and Rohan wonders if they can get home with the Gradosians around. He adds that Danny is overconfident and doesn’t understand the situation. Arthur adds that if the Gradosians weren’t around, they would’ve gone with Danny no matter if he was a soldier or killer. David says that even with a small chance of surviving they need to have hope, and Eiji is glad. Rohan picks up objects on radar approaching Danny, and David wants to save him. Eiji, David and Rohan leave and take off in Layzner, Baybull and Buldy. The Dimarges and Dtols attack the Astrohawk II and cause serious damage. A soldier named Killy tries to man the laser cannon and is sucked out into space. A Dimarge blasts the bridge and causes everyone to be sucked into space, except Danny. Danny activates the engines and heads for the atmosphere, with the SPTs continuing to attack. Eiji cautions David and Rohan to not get near the ship since it’s going to explode. Eiji tries calling Danny, who manages to escape in a Manipulator Suit. Derro doesn’t want to overextend the team since they accomplished their mission, so he orders a retreat.
In the observation base, Elizabeth patches up a sprain on Danny’s arm. He says that the enemy’s firepower was far greater than he imagined, so he asks for a full explanation of what happened. Elizabeth starts playing for him the report that Eiji recorded earlier. David thanks Eiji for saving Danny despite his ingratitude and notes that not everyone from Earth is like that. Simone tells Eiji that Danny wants to speak with him. Danny asks Eiji if everything in his report is true, and Eiji tells him that the Gresco fleet is probably heading to Earth. Danny thinks about the Gradosian plan and notes that they’re warlike too. Danny brings up Eiji’s accusation about solving things with violence and asks how a faraway planet attacking Earth out of fear is any different. Even if Earthlings are warlike, he angrily demands to know what gives the Gradosians the right to exterminate them. Danny declares that they’ll destroy the Gresco fleet no matter how much firepower it takes, and Elizabeth counters that this sort of thinking is why Grados is attacking Earth. Danny asks Elizabeth why she couldn’t solve things peacefully with the Gradosians, and she answers that it wasn’t possible due to a surprise attack. He asks what’s so threatening about Earth and explains that while he uses military means to solve problems, it’s not for personal gain. Danny angrily leaves the room and finds David and Rohan eavesdropping. He then uses the radio and tries to send a message out to space. Gale reports to Gresco that one survivor escaped, and Gresco cuts him off when an Earth fleet approaches the flagship. The ship activates its defense barriers and disappears from the American fleet’s radar. Gresco orders Gale to wipe out everyone on Mars and to try to kill Eiji before the Earth fleet arrives. Danny demands Eiji’s help at gunpoint, and Elizabeth asks why he has to solve everything with violence. Danny sticks the gun in her face and says that sometimes you have to risk your life for what’s right. Danny tells her she can stay behind and wait for the Earth fleet, but she wants everyone to leave. Karla wants to finish Eiji off, but Gale tells her that’s his job. Several Dtols and Dimarges launch, led by Gale’s Grimekaisar. Everyone gets into the tripod carrier, and Eiji notes that because of fuel consumption they can’t return to Mars. The tripod carrier takes off as Gale’s SPTs enter the atmosphere. Gale’s team opens fire on the tripod carrier, but it speeds by them and narrowly misses hitting the Grimekaisar. Gale orders his team to return to the shuttle for pursuit. Anna thinks to herself that they won’t reach Earth without trouble.
After 12 episodes of death and despair, the time has come for Layzner to leave Mars behind. The glimmer of hope provided by the Astrohawk II‘s arrival is quickly destroyed, but that comes as no surprise. The American ship was far outmatched by the Gradosians, so this outcome was never in doubt. Danny isn’t wrong about the Gradosian aggression not being any better than what they purport to fear about Earth, but he’s still a jerk who only knows how to threaten people. It goes to show how far everyone has come that they place their full faith in Eiji to survive rather than blindly believing in Danny. On the Gradosian side, Karla is succumbing to the mecha trope where an enemy pilot becomes increasingly obsessed with the main character after each successive failure. Gresco also manages to slip by an American fleet, which just further reinforces how technologically outmatched Earth will be once the Gradosians arrive.
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