VOTOMS Ep. 34: Planet Sunsa

Several Snake Gunner armed trucks surround Chirico and Fyana’s truck. Chirico attempts to drive around them, but they step up their offensive driving. Chirico spots their anti-AT weapons and realizes they want the AT trailer and are trying to force them out of it. He tells Fyana to take over driving the truck while he goes out. The scavengers believe that Chirico has given up, but he launches in his Scopedog II and attacks them. Zophie Faddas cautions a driver named Lette to back off, but he tells her it’s too late for that now. Chirico fires his bazooka at Lette and destroys one of his tires, causing his truck to crash. He then goes after Zophie’s truck, and she’s amazed by how he can figure out the truck’s weaknesses so quickly. Chirico receives minor damage, and Fyana asks him to change radio frequencies to listen in on the scavengers. Chirico hears Gotho’s voice and identifies himself. Gotho tells Zophie and the others to stop attacking because Chirico is his friend. Chirico asks Gotho where he is, and Gotho says he’s in a cargo freighter flying right above him. In space, the Teltain‘s radar officers monitor the position of the Balarant ships. The Schmitel twins play chess on a 3D sphere, and Futtor tells him he is planning one last attack on Chirico, and that win or lose he plans on retreating after the next attack. They wonder how Killy would feel about that attitude, and Futtor blames Ypsilon for his constant failures. The twins tell Futtor the current situation is his own fault for panicking and attacking the Balarant. A medical technician examines data from Space Battleship X and concludes that Chirico can heal three times faster than a normal human being; Ypsilon is shocked by this news. Back on Sunsa, Chirico and the others fly in Gotho’s freighter. Zophie is impressed by Chirico’s skills, and he says he used to be in the Melkian army. Gotho explains that they are scrap dealers, but they prefer to think of themselves as Weapons Restoration Specialists. Chirico asks Gotho how he found them, and Gotho says he overheard Balarant communications and figures it out. He then calls Vanilla and Coconna on the radio to tell them he found Chirico and Fyana.

Gotho’s freighter arrives at Zophie’s freighter and docks inside. Once the crew exits the ship, Vanilla runs over to greet Chirico. Fyana thanks him for helping them escape Kummen, and he asks them where they ran off to. Coconna hangs back, and Gotho tells her to say something. She tells Fyana she’s pretty and storms off. Zophie offers Coconna a handkerchief and asks her if she was in love with Chirico. Coconna wipes away her tears and says that being a Red Shoulder must make someone hard hearted. At the Balarant command satellite, Zanjeny speaks to the Gilgamesh over the phone, and they officially deny sending any ships into the Nonaggression Zone. His officers tell him that Chirico has joined up with scrap dealers, and Zanjeny orders his forces to attack the Teltain because the Gilgamesh won’t interfere. In the fortress, Chirico works to repair his Scopedog II. Gotho tells Chirico that he’s changed because although he’s always been rude, he didn’t say anything to Coconna. Gotho says that Chirico is like a murder machine born only to fight who refuses help from anyone. Fyana steps in and tells Gotho he can’t understand what it’s like because Chirico used to be a Red Shoulder. The base’s alarm sounds when Ypsilon approaches with a force of 14 Standing Tortoises. He hails the base and says he won’t harm them if they hand over Chirico and Fyana. Gotho says he won’t hand over anyone and opens fire. The Standing Tortoises attack and blast their way inside, but Chirico attacks them in his Scopedog II. Zophie puts a gun to Gotho’s back and tells everyone to cease fire. She announces that Chirico is a Red Shoulder and reminds everyone how they destroyed Sunsa. She tells Ypsilon he can have Chirico, and Ypsilon promises not to harm her. Gotho asks Zophie to do him a favor, but she tells him he should know how much she hates Red Shoulders. Fyana tells Chirico she’ll help him, but he says he wants to fight on his own. She says she understands what Gotho means and sees that Chirico is alone because he shuns everyone. Chirico says he knows the best way to fight for himself and goes out alone to face Ypsilon.