VOTOMS Pailsen Files Ep. 8: Frozen Prison

On Galeade, Gilgamesh soldiers delete computer data and prepare to withdraw from the M7 base. Wappe reports for duty and gives a status report on PRL to Logwood, the new base commander. Logwood promotes Wappe to second lieutenant, and Wappe is surprised at the news. Logwood then informs Wappe that he’ll have to stay behind and find out who murdered Yugunt and Fuller, since they suspect is was someone in the Barkoff squad. In his quarters, Wappe tries on his new uniform and gets a call to come to an empty room. When Wappe enters the room, a man from the Gilgamesh Purification Committee approaches him from behind and gives him a file folder with mission instructions. The man says they want him to find the criminal, and if he does he might get another promotion. Wappe runs back to his room and reads the file, which has dossiers on the Barkoff squad members. Elsewhere, the Barkoff squad marches through a frozen tundra to reach a frontline base. Barkoff is worried that their PRL will freeze since it’s -50 degrees outside, but Kochak assures him they’ll be ok even if it goes up to -100. On Kuzusk, Pailsen asks Wokkam what he wants, and Wokkam tells him that Chirico and the others are heading for a frontline base on Galeade where it goes to as low as minus 85 degrees. He says that’s nothing compared to what the squad has faced before, but he wonders how they’d survive an abnormal weather phenomenon. Wokkam explains that the explosion of the PRL tank has damaged Galeade’s poles, and Pailsen concludes that the explosion is blocking out the sunlight and creating extreme cold air masses at the poles. Wokkam explains that their forces are withdrawing, but the cold air masses are quickly strengthening and will have temperatures of -185 degrees, freezing everything it hits. Wokkam asks how they will survive this environment they created, and Pailsen answers that if they do survive, they are supreme survivors. As he flies toward the frontline base, Wappe reviews the files again and is surprised to find that Barkoff was demoted from first lieutenant. At the northern frontline base, Gilgamesh forces continue their evacuation as Wappe arrives. Wappe reports for duty and is informed that the Barkoff squad is four days late. The frontline base is also withdrawing, meaning the only ones left on the base will be Wappe and the Barkoff squad. Wokkam tells Pailsen that the interesting part of the weather phenomenon is that’ll give the illusion of things returning to normal after a while.

Later, Wappe tells the Barkoff squad to report to the hangar when they finally reach the base. Godan comments that the base seems quiet, and Kochak thinks that’s odd. The entire squad is surprised to see Barkoff, and Kochak says it’s not fair that Wappe got a promotion. He says he was sent there to straighten them out, and Barkoff asks who they’re supposed to report to. Wappe says he’s in charge, and when Chirico asks where the other soldiers are, Wappe tells him they’ve withdrawn. Zaki comments that it’s five-to-one now, and he says he hasn’t forgotten how Wappe beat him earlier. Wappe says Logwood knows they’re with him, so if anything happens to him they’ll all get court-martialed. Wappe comments that they must’ve done something to get stuck with him, and he intends to find out what it is. Wappe takes Barkoff aside to a computer data room and comments that Barkoff probably doesn’t want the others to know about his demotion. He tells Barkoff that he wants his help to find out who murdered Yugunt and Fuller. Barkoff looks at weather data being printed out and agrees to Wappe’s request. When Wappe leaves, Barkoff takes a closer look at the data. Later, Godan asks Barkoff what kind of deal he made with Wappe, but Barkoff lies and says they discussed recon data. The next morning, the entire squad launches in their Scopedog Snow Battle Specification units. Barkoff breaks off and tells everyone they need to get away as soon as possible instead of going to the Balarant base. Kochak points out that they’ll be court-martialed for desertion, but Barkoff contends that something worse is waiting for them than the Balarant. He explains that a powerful storm is coming their way based on the data he saw. He explains that a downburst is coming that’s cold enough to freeze an AT, and Godan realizes that Wappe was sent to the base knowing nothing about that. Just then, a squad of Balarant Chubbys closes in and attacks. The Barkoff squad fires back and digs into the snow to hide from the Chubbys. They manage to sneak up on some and destroy them while speeding through small ice trenches. The remaining Chubbys are eliminated, and Barkoff comments that the weather has gotten too bad for them to try and run. They’ll have to return to base, and Barkoff asks Kochak if he knows the polymer ringer mixture that would keep it active at minus 200 degrees. Godan points out that there’s a large Balarant force on the horizon, and Barkoff wonders what they could be up to with such horrible weather coming.