Nadesico Ep. 7: The Song That You Will Sing One Day

At the behest of Inez Fressange, Ruri and Yurika (dressed as a rabbit, no less) star in ‘The How and Why of the Nadesico‘–a program which will explain the various scientific and technological advances behind the Nadesico–which is broadcast ship-wide. Ruri is in the middle of explaining the phase transition engines when Hoary arrives to break up the party. He reminds them that their battles have begun to take a toll on the Nadesico; the distortion field is weak and engine output is to low to reach escape velocity and leave Mars. Now is hardly the time for this kind of silliness. Yurika argues in defense of Inez’s show, as Inez was kind enough to not hold the deaths of the Martian survivors against her. To that end, Inez explains that she’s a bit odd when it comes to matters of the heart. She further postulates that having been found wandering alone in the Martian desert at the age of eight, with no memories of anything before that time may have had something to do with it. Meanwhile, Akito dreams about Yurika before waking up in a cold sweat and reminding himself that he has no interest in her. He then notices that his (or rather, Gai’s) diecast Gekiganger III action figure has gone missing. He rushes out of his room, only to collide with Admiral Fukube, and winds up having tea with the old man as an apology. Akito wonders if he’s going to be scolded, but instead Fukube offers him his whole thermos of iced tea. Akito’s confusion over his odd behavior is interrupted when he noticed that his Gekiganger figure has appeared in Inez’s production and is currently having water poured over it in a bizarre explanation of phase transition theory. When the show ends, Akito and Yurika scour the floor for Gekiganger’s right fist (which was lost after an errant Gekigan Punch), while Ruri asks Inez if she was the one who invented phase transition engines. Inez tells her that they didn’t invent it–they found it. Inez then chats with Akito about him being a former Martian resident, and tells him that looking at his face makes her oddly nostalgic. She’s also surprised that a Martian colonist would be on the ship, considering who else is there. Before Inez can tell him what she means by that, Yurika decides that he and Inez are getting a bit too close and orders everyone to report to the bridge. An IFF signal belonging to the battleship Crocus has been located nearby. Odd, as the Crocus was sucked into a Chulip and presumably destroyed on Earth. Inez reminds them that Chulips act as wormholes and thus it is no surprised that the Crocus wound up elsewhere. Yurika decides to check it out, but Akito bursts in, wanting to talk to Admiral Fukube. It seems that Inez told him that Fukube was the one who lead the First Battle of Mars. During that battle his actions resulted in the obliteration of Utopia Colony, and thus Akito blames him for the slaughter he witnessed during his last moments on Mars. Akito attacks Fukube, but is quickly caught and restrained. 

Mr. Prospector decides that they will head towards the North Pole research facility, which may have a spare phase transition engine they can use. Admiral Fukube orders the Aestivalis 0G Battle Frames dispatched. Ryoko, Hikaru, and Izumi move ahead towards the facility, but are attacked by a fast burrowing Jovian robot, which manages to get past Hikaru and Izumi to attack Ryoko, who is weighed down by a Heavy Armor frame. Ryoko is knocked over and, seeing that the Jovian is preparing a final blow, cries out for Akito to help her. Fortunately, her wingmen get there in time and manage to destroy the Jovian robot. Back on the ship, Admiral Fukube concocts a plan to retake the research facility by using the derelict Crocus. Oddly, he requests that Akito be the one to deliver himself and Inez to the ship. When they arrive at the Crocus, Inez notices that, though the ship has only been missing for two months, the amount of ice inside seems to suggest that it has been here far longer. Inez begins a long-winded explanation, but is interrupted when Akito knocks Fukube to the ground, saving him from a Jovian robot which drops from above. Fukube recovers quickly and manages to shoot the robot down, and tells Akito that he isn’t worthy of such protection. Akito angrily tells him he acted before he could think. When they make it to the bridge, Fukube begins powering up the ship, and sends Akito and Inez out to clear the ice out of the propulsion nozzles. Upon exiting the ship, Inez and Akito are shocked when the Crocus suddenly takes off and points its guns at the Nadesico. Fukube contacts the Nadesico and orders them to enter the nearby Chulip, or else he’ll fire. Akito assumes he is trying to cover up for his past misdeeds and escape alone. Inez is unconvinced, however. Suddenly, a fleet of Jovians descend, leaving the Nadesico with few other choices. Yurika orders Akito and Inez retrieved, and sets a course for the Chulip. Akito is not please with her decision, thinking that they’ll all wind up dead like the crew of the Crocus. Inez reminds them that, unlike the Crocus, they have the distortion field. Fukube follows the Nadesico to the Chulip’s maw, where he turns to face the pursing Jovian ships. Ruri reports that if the Crocus is blown up there, the Jovians will not be able to follow them. Yurika pleads with the Admiral to come with them, telling him that she still needs his guidance, but Fukube tells her she no longer needs him and that he does this to protect those dear to him. Akito angrily demands to know what he’s talking about, but Fukube cryptically states that they’ll find out soon. He tells them that he wasn’t a very good Admiral, and probably no better a man–forcing people to do what he wants even to the bitter end. But, the Nadesico is their ship, and all the feelings it contains belong to them. But before he can continue, the transmission is cut off as the Crocus is destroyed. Trapped by the Chulip, the Nadesico is forcibly pulled into a mysterious black void. Akito is rather unhappy about being saved by the man he hated. Howmei informs him that it seems that the Admiral’s thermos of tea contained a message for him–the only message he left to anybody. It seems that he was planning on dying from the moment he left Earth. Akito angrily states that he should have lived on with his miserable life for the sake of those who died on Mars. Howmei reminds him that that’s their job now. Back on Earth, at Nergal’s headquarters, a shadowy figure is informed that the Nadesico has left Mars after suffering heavy casualties. He suggests that it is time to move on to project B and places a call to the Earth Forces to make amends.