A Goodbye that Came Too Soon

Inside the UE's Supreme Headquarters, the top brass squabble over what to do about the Nadesico. Some favor its total destruction. Some feel that it is their only hope against the Jovians and wish to take it intact.

Yurika, via a transmission, interrupts the meeting. The Earth is protected by a series of defense grids. There are a total of seven defensive lines, with the one farthest from Earth composed of a network of nuclear fusion satellites which create an energy shell around the planet. Yurika kindly asks the UE command to drop the shield to allow her ship to pass. They refuse. Yurika tells them that she'll just have to do it the hard way. The UE informs the young captain that if the Nadesico crosses the "big barrier", she and all her crew will become outlaws. Yurika smiles and cuts the transmission.

Admiral Misumaru does little to mediate the situation.

The UE throws everything they have at the maverick ship. Their sixth defensive line, SCRAM-jet fighters, takes to the air. The fifth line, the UE's airborne battleship fleet, follows.

Jovian forces increase their assault on Earth with the UE's increased activity.

The fourth defensive line, surface-launched missiles, is released.

Aboard the Nadesico, Akito and Gai attempt to watch an episode of Gekiganger 3, but a barrage of missiles from UE installations rocks the ship. Gai explains how the energy shield around the ship counters energy weapons but only has a limited effect on physical blows. Akito asks Gai to go out there and stop the missiles. Gai immediately shakes his head, telling how giant robots only fight giant robots.

Yurika holds a meeting with the bridge crew, discussing their plans. To escape Earth's orbit, they must use the phase transition engines; however, the engines only operate in zero gravity. The Nadesico must continue to climb using conventional engines until until it reaches an altitude of 20 thousand kilometers.

Yurika decides to pay a visit to Akito. She comes to his cabin, shared with Gai. The nameplate reads "Akito Tenkawa" and "Jiro Yamada". The latter is crossed out, "Gai Daigoji" scribbled in above.

Yurika enters, finding the quarters darkened and Akito and Gai crying in each other's arms. Gekiganger 3 flickers before them, Jou having just given his life for his team. Gai cries, telling Akito that going in battle is the only way for a hero to die... sacrificing oneself to save one's friends.

Munetake and the rest of the UE personnel sit inside a dim cargo bay. Seiya, armed with a wrench, tells the hostile soldiers to keep quiet. After threatening bodily harm, he slams the door. Munetake laughs, cutting through his rope restraints with a shard of glass.

As the ND-001 approaches the third defensive line, Jun Aoi sits in a medical room, awaiting a nanomachine injection treatment. Admiral Misumaru tells the young boy that such a drastic step is not necessary, but Jun injects himself before the Admiral can finish. As the nanomachines settle in Jun's body, a mark appears on his right hand. It is the same mark Akito has. It is an IFS, allowing him to control virtually any machine.

Visions of Yurika flash through Lieutenant Aoi's head, his reason for all this.

Suited up, Jun rests inside the cockpit of a Delphinium mecha. With a squadron of similar machines, Aoi prepares to meet the Nadesico.

Gai struts through the hangar bay inside an Aerial Battle Frame, Seiya and Hory shouting at him. The Nadesico nears the third defensive line... the Delphiniums.

Gai laughs about Akito siting in his room crying like a baby, more bad robots of Gai to blow up.

Nine Delphiniums approach the ship, Gai rocketing toward them. At full burn, he weaves through a web of Delphinium-launched missiles. Gai calls out to Seiya for the "Space-Ganger Heavy Armaments Module". After a long wait and refusal, Seiya releases the B module, a weapons add-on to the Aerial Aestivalis.

Gai plots his actions. He will swoop down below the Delphiniums. They'll think he's defenseless, but the heavy armaments module will appear. Combining with the new unit, he'll be able to destroy the Delphiniums in a single attack.

Unfortunately, the B module is destroyed by missiles before Gai can merge with it.

Gai's not set back for a moment. Quickly, he attacks the Delphiniums with but his metal hands. He tears into the UE mecha, holding his own until surrounded.

Akito is sent out to rescue Gai.

Jun pleads with Yurika to turn back, but she refuses. She tells him that this is who she is.

Delphiniums quickly bind Gai's mecha, holding him still.

Jun, his eyes buried, informs Yurika that he will destroy the captured Aestivalis. Gai screams, not particularly liking the idea. Akito jumps in at the last second, freeing Gai. Jun and Akito spar, dueling for Yurika and the fate of the Nadesico. Akito resists, but Jun's assault only grows.

The Nadesico nears the second defensive line, the PT engines nearing 50%.

Akito and Jun grapple, their mecha tangled together. Akito pleads, not wanting to fight. Both are fighting for the same thing. Both are fighting for Earth.

The Nadesico enters into the second line's range, space-borne missiles locking on.

Akito screams at Jun, telling him to stop. Tenkawa slugs the soldier hard.

The fight with the Delphiniums take Gai and Akito farther and father from the ND-001, both mecha freezing. They have ventured beyond the maximum energy transfer point. The Aestivalis need to remain within a certain range of the Nadesico to remain powered as they have no internal energy source.

The second defensive line fires, a barrage of missiles headed toward the Nadesico. The Aestivalis frames are floating dead in space. The ND-001 is heading toward a wall of missiles. Jun is the only one who can act.

His arms outstretched, he awaits the onslaught, sacrificing himself for Yurika.

Yet, just before the missiles hit, the Nadesico closes the gap between herself and the Aestivalis frames. Powered up, Gai and Akito pull Jun away from the stream of missiles. With only moments to spare, they return to the Nadesico's hangar bay. The ship reaches a high enough altitude, and the PT engines kick in. The missiles crash against it, leaving the ship intact. Together, Gai, Jun, and Akito watch as the Nadesico plows into the big barrier.

United Earth High Command forces all their reserve into the first defensive line. The satellites overheat and burnout, the ND-001 forcing its way through the energy shell. Earth-side reactors must be drained just to keep the first line operational, causing blackouts over the globe.

Jun tries to apologize for his actions, but they are already forgotten. He fades into the background, Yurika rushing over to Akito. Gai goes over to the neglected pilot and comforts him. He tells Jun not to die looking better than himself and reveals a collection of Gekiganger stickers destined for his Aestivalis. Gai killed six Delphiniums, meaning six stickers on his mecha. Jun is luke warm over the idea, but Akito fully embraces it.

Back in his room, Akito continues to watch Gekiganger 3, Jou sacrificing himself in battle.

In the darkened hangar bay, Gai stands below his Aestivalis, looking up at the great machine. In the blackness, Sadaaki Munetake and the rest of the UE personnel run toward a shuttle. Gai turns away from his mecha, just looking at the fleeing shadows. A single shot rings out, dropping Gai to the floor. Surrounded by his beloved Gekiganger, Gai dies.

His final words are a whisper.

"I'm sorry, Miss Nanako, looks like I won't be able to take you to the beach like I promised."