Layzner OVA Act II: Le Cain 1999

The invasion of Earth by Grados resulted in the destruction of most major cities and the loss of a third of the population. In October 1999, a battleship arrives at the warp station in Earth’s orbit carrying Gresco’s son, Le Cain, and his elite Demon Squad. Gradosian military police raid an underground sewing facility to search for banned books and other contraband. A man who tries to stop them on the street is set on fire along with his books. Giula warns the Earthlings not to possess any banned materials if they want to live. He steps on a false panel and has his men open it, which reveals contraband. A young boy named Matthew and his dog Gaw attack the police as a distraction and manage to escape, but Anna and the other adults are arrested. The Gradosians come under fire from David and several other resistance fighters, but they’re surrounded by hovercraft and rounded up. David and Anna are imprisoned and encounter Rohan, who is now a Gradosian collaborator. He informs them that they’ll be executed in the morning, and David curses him for being a traitor. David tries to punch Rohan and shocks himself when he hits the force field. Anna cries over how people can change so quickly and wishes Eiji would return. The next morning, David, Anna and the other prisoners are hoisted up the side of a building for their public execution. Giulla has men in a building across the street open fire to toy with them before killing them. Matthew pleads with the crowd to help, but no one does anything. Before the police can shoot Matthew, Eiji appears and attacks them with his tonfas. He then beats up Giulla and holds him hostage as several unmanned Terminator Police arrive. Layzner then flies in on autopilot and attacks one of the Terminator Police so that Eiji can climb aboard. Eiji destroys the Terminator Police and swoops in to rescue Anna, David and the other prisoners. David asks Eiji where he’s been for three years, and Eiji answers that the came to New York to see them. Anna cries and hugs Eiji, and he apologizes for never contacting her.

At the Grados Tower, Gresco summons Le Cain and warns him that meaningless destruction only serves to alienate people. Le Cain mentions the gossip on Grados that holds that Gresco has become soft in the last few years because he allowed some of Earth’s culture to be spared destruction. Le Cain supports the full Gradosization of Earth and believes none of its native culture should be preserved. He then rounds up soldiers to attack the New York Public Library and torch all the books within it. The holy maiden of Cusco, who preaches nonviolent coexistence between Earthlings and Gradosians, draws a large crowd when she and her followers arrive in New York. Their path is blocked by the arrival of the Demon Squad and Le Cain’s Zakaal. Julia, the holy maiden, tells Le Cain that she wishes to speak with Gresco, but he refuses to grant permission. The Demon Squad prepares to fire on the women, but Dalujan pilot Gostello asks for permission to kill Julia since he bears a grudge against her. Gostello manhandles Julia and rips her dress off, but Eiji appears attacks Gostello. Le Cain asks Eiji if he thinks he can escape alive, and Eiji wants to bet on a fight with Gostello. If Gostello wins, Le Cain can do as he wishes, but if Eiji wins, then Julia is left alone. Eiji gets into Layzner when it arrives and is immediately attacked by Gostello. Gostello slams Eiji into a building, but Eiji breaks free and uses a knuckle shot to sever the Daljuan’s left forearm. In response, Gostello attacks with his lasered buzzsaw and chases Eiji. After a few more knuckle shots, Gostello is finally beaten down and tries to attack Eiji on foot with a knife, but Le Cain shoots at him for his shameful behavior. Le Cain orders the Demon Squad to retreat, and Julia tells Eiji that everything is in the past because she has something to do. David asks Eiji if he knows Julia, but Eiji doesn’t answer. At the Grados Tower, the other members of the Death Demon Squad toss Gostello into a jail cell and damage his cyborg left arm. Le Cain looks at a global map of resistance bases and decides to attack them all simultaneously.

At an underground factory, Eiji helps Elizabeth by test piloting the Earth-built SPT Doll. Elizabeth finds it ironic that a pacifist like her is building weapons, but Eiji points out that it’s for the sake of liberating Earth. However, he believes the day will come when Earthlings and Gradosians can understand each other. David arrives at a warehouse for a reunion with Anna, Arthur and Simone. Gaw chases Arthur and makes him fall in the water, while Simone slaps David for stealing her first kiss three years ago. Inside the warehouse, David teases Arthur about being a collaborator. Everyone has a toast after Eiji arrives, and the Gradosians begin their attack on resistance bases. David isn’t worried because news of the attack was leaked to them, so the bases were abandoned. Rohan is accused of being a spy, but he insists that he’s a loyal servant and dares Le Cain to execute him if he thinks otherwise. Le Cain fires his gun near Rohan’s face, but he doesn’t flinch. Rohan decides to demonstrate his loyalty by revealing the existence of the reunion. Anna wonders who sent them the invitations, but Eiji thinks it’s no coincidence that it’s on the same day as the Gradosian mop up. Rohan’s name comes up in conversation, and David denounces him as a traitor. Arthur mentions that he told Rohan about the reunion, and the warehouse is suddenly surrounded by hovercraft. Eiji sets off explosives to cover everyone’s escape into the sewer. Rohan rushes in with a machine gun and starts firing at no one in particular before beating up Arthur. At the Grados Tower, Gostello rigs his cyborg arm to grab the guard’s foot and electrocute him. He then breaks free and guns down multiple allies before stealing the Daljuan. Le Cain orders the Demon Squad to pursue, and Gostello kidnaps Julia. Matthew delivers the news to Eiji, and Gostello takes Julia to an abandoned rural diner. The Demon Squad arrives at Gostello’s location, but they decide to hang back and let Eiji do their job for them. Eiji fights at a disadvantage because Gostello sticks Julia in the Daljuan’s claw shield. Eiji uses V-MAX to rush and sever the arm, allowing him to rescue Julia. Mangello, Getty and Borne open fire and destroy the Daljuan, unaware that Gostello escaped.

Le Cain’s men overlay a map of America with known resistance bases. Eiji and the others start evacuating the incomplete Dolls to a new factory. Rohan’s data helps narrow down the rebel base to one location, so the Demon Squad sorties on Le Cain’s orders. The three smash into the underground factory, but Layzner blocks their path. Eiji is forced to contend with floating mines and a flamethrower while fighting in a narrow space. Gostello blasts his way into the factory and uses a bazooka to fire at the Dankova. Between that and accidental friendly fire from the El-Darr, the Dankova is destroyed after stepping on Gostello. Layzner escapes, while Karla and her men arrest Julia on Gresco’s orders. Le Cain demands to know why Gresco had Julia arrested, but he pretends to play dumb. Le Cain asks about her statements that Earth and Grados are connected, but Gresco again feigns ignorance. Le Cain knows that everything is somehow connected to Layzner and decides to find things out himself. Eiji heads for the desert on Arthur’s intel that Julia is being transported. However, it’s a trap set by Le Cain to attack Eiji. Le Cain refuses to answer Eiji’s questions about where Julia is, so Eiji activates V-MAX. He’s then shocked when Le Cain uses his own V-MAX to keep pace. Le Cain then uses the “red power” super charge, which allows him to inflict heavy damage on Layzner. After Layzner crashes into the ground, Le Cain asks what the connection is between Earth and Grados. Before Eiji can answer, he comes under fire from Karla’s Dimarge and several Bravers. Karla states that she’s acting on Gresco’s orders to eliminate Layzner and tells Le Cain to stand aside. Le Cain is curious about the secret that Gresco would go so far to keep from them. He blocks her path to Layzner and vows to kill her if she interferes.