Xabungle Ep. 8: The Miss Who Doesn’t Miss

The Iron Gear heads through a desert landscape and comes across a town, Yellow Hill Town. People are excited for the bazaar that will be there and the chance to rest and get supplies. A group of Walker Machines stand in their way and the Breaker leading them demands they leave, saying they’ll be setting up their own bazaar. Elchi claims this is Cargo’s turf. Jiron heads out in the Xabungle to attack and is nearly shot by the Breaker. The two do battle in their Walker Machines while Dyke and Rag head out in the second Xabungle. People in the village watch the battle from afar. Jiron successfully defeats the enemy Walker Machine, chasing off the Breaker. Meanwhile at a bazaar in the town led by Gavlet’s forces, a buyer argues with one of her men about computer parts, causing her to come out and make things up to him. The Breaker who Jiron was fighting arrives and tells her about the Iron Gear showing up. Gavlet heads back to where the Iron Gear is in a Walker Machine, telling them she serves under Bigman, controls this city and they should leave. Elchi claims this town is Cargo’s territory. Gavlet gets mad at them calling her “Madame” and “Granny” instead of “Miss Gavlet.” Gavlet asks if they went through the license transfer contract with the Innocent after Elchi’s father died. Upon hearing that they didn’t, she tells them the Innocent will come and take back the Iron Gear and they can’t open up a bazaar. Elchi agrees to pulling back the Iron Gear to everyone’s surprise. That night, Elchi looks through a book and has a hard time understanding it. Outside, the Sand Rats head into Yellow Hill Town along with some of the other crew members. Jiron is dropped off in the town by Lovely Rose, still looking for Timp. Meanwhile on the Purple Cat, one of Gavlet’s men, Galonne, extracts venom from a snake’s jaws then puts it on a knife. Jiron asks around for info on Timp, handing over money to a man who then reveals to not know him. Jiron gets into a fight with another man after stepping on his foot. The man is quickly killed by a thrown knife. Medick Helt looks at it, saying it is Blanco venom. He recognizes Jiron and gets upset at Jiron not having paid him before. Lovely Rose and Plopopieff have their dancers practice as people wait outside. Jiron heads into a bar and is told by the bartender he hasn’t seen Timp. Another knife is thrown and narrowly misses him. He runs outside looking for Galonne, almost being stepped on by a Walker Machine. It is piloted by the Breaker he fought earlier, who wants to take revenge. Jiron tries climbing up the Walker Machine, without success. Rag flies in on a Hovergy and in shooting at the Walker Machine enables Jiron to escape.

Elchi argues with the Breaker, claiming there is no rule against them setting up a second bazaar in this town. The Breaker simply leaves. Kotsett and Elchi argue over her interpretation of the rules. She complains about having to do such things at such a young age. The Breaker reports back to Gavlet and wants to send out their six top men to attack the Iron Gear during the night. She doesn’t want to lose her reputation in Bigman’s eyes. She has Galonne kiss her hand and he puts his bracelet on her cat. She agrees to him heading out. That night Fatman is knocked out by Galonne, who then breaks into a safe, looking for Elchi’s transporter license and is caught stealing it by her. He tosses Elchi aside but is quickly surrounded by the Sand Rats. Using an explosive gas he is able to escape, with the Sand Rats simply fighting each other in the confusion. The next day, the Iron Gear holds their bazaar, drawing a crowd with their dancers. The Breaker launches attacks at Rockmen vehicles in the desert. These attacks are soon blamed on the Iron Gear. The crowd gets upset and one of the men attacks Plopopieff. Jiron, in the Xabungle fires off a shot and demands they show proof if they claim their forces attacked Rockmen. The crowd says it is just rumors. Jiron thinks someone is being paid by Gavlet and some of the men quickly run off. Jiron says he’ll go out and find some proof. He later heads out on the Xabungle, in vehicle form, trying to hide it as a transport vehicle. The Breaker fires upon them, and the Sand Rats, hiding behind some tarps, head out on Hovergys. The Xabungle transforms into its humanoid form and they start attacking the Breaker. Dyke and Chill are knocked off their Hovergy but Jiron shows up and quickly defeats the Breaker. Later at the bazaar, with the Breaker captive, Jiron shows him as proof that Gavlet is behind things. The Breaker claims he was hired by Gavlet and is quickly crushed by a rock thrown from the cliff above. A Walker Machine piloted by Galonne jumps down and the Purple Cat soon shows itself as well, launching an attack on the Iron Gear. Elchi complains about the noise and not being able to concentrate on her reading. Chill questions why Elchi is reading at a time like this. Galonne grabs a hold of the Xabungle, but Jiron is soon thrown a rifle and shoots through the enemy Walker Machine. Rag shoots at the Purple Cat, yelling at Gavlet. Jiron yells at Galonne to escape, but he says he’ll take him down with him, saying he loves Gavlet before his Walker Machine explodes. The Purple Cat‘s bridge is hit and Gavlet orders a retreat. Rag says this isn’t the last they’ll see of her. Jiron thinks Timp is behind this. Elchi comes out, having read further and that she doesn’t understand the Innocent’s logic, making her think they are causing them to fight each other. Jiron says they have to make up for lost time due to the old hag’s attack. Gavlet meanwhile says she’s scary when she gets serious.