The Complete Mobile Police Patlabor Guide
                        Version 1.0 - November, 1994

     In the near future, large anthropoidal machines known as labors have
been developed, initially for construction, but as they have rapidly
become more sophisticated, their roles have expanded into the military and
police work. A special unit of the Toyko Metropolitian Police has been set
up in order to combat crimes and incidents involving labors, Special
Vehicles 2, or SV2 for short, also known as Patlabor for Patrol Labor.

     SV2 is divided into two sections, First and Second Unit. It also
contains a large pool of maintenance techs. Our story follow the officers
of Second Unit, who in general have a reputation with the press and public
of being more dangerous and destructive than any of the criminals they
fight.  First Unit, who we rarely see in action, is considered much more
professional and dependable.
     
     SV2 is stationed outside the city, on land reclaimed from the sea,
and consists of a large hanger containing the labors used by First and
Second Units and the massive labor carriers, and a dorm for the patlabor
officers on standby. Generally First and Second Units alternate weekly
shifts. Each Unit consists of two labors, and each labor has a pilot, a
command officer, and a driver for its carrier, with a senior officer
commanding the Unit. SV2 also has a ferry boat, generally used by the
maintenance techs to get to the city.

     Mobile Police Patlabor is an excellent action-comedy series, with the
emphasis on the interplay between the characters rather then on the
labors, as is usually the case in anime with mecha. Usually funny, it can
also be serious, and even moving at times. Originally a short OAV series,
it became a TV series with 48 episodes that was followed by a second OAV
series of 16 episodes and two movies. Arctic Animation has the entire TV
and second OAV series available fansubbed, and some episodes may be
available from other fansub groups (please see the fansubber list
maintained by Jay Harvey for current availability).

     This guide will eventually consist of descriptions of Patlabor's
characters and organizations, and complete episode synopsis of the TV and
second OAV series. At present it is complete up to TV episode 21.

     I welcome all comments, corrections, flames (as long as they're
coherent), and submissions of additional material. Please email
donald@bach.utias.utoronto.ca. 

Donald Simmons

-- 
* Donald Simmons - Grad. Student    *  'You get up, you pull on your     *
* Institute of Aerospace Studies    *  pants. Do you fasten then zip, or *
* University of Toronto             *  zip and then fasten?' - Garibaldi *
* donald@bach.utias.utoronto.ca     *  Babylon 5, 'Babylon Squared'      *




             Mobile Police Patlabor - Character Descriptions


Izumi Noa - A spunky young redhead with probably the biggest eyes in
anime. She joins Second Unit in the first episode, and becomes the pilot
of Car #1, which she calls 'Alphonse' (we find out in the first movie this
was the name of her pet dog when she was a kid). Sakaki mentions that she
is the type who melds with machines with her heart, and she truly loves
her labor, always worried about anything happening to her 'pat-chan'.
She's a caring and open person, but has a very hot temper when she gets
mad. While a dedicated police officer, she only received average marks in
the academy, and her career was undistinguished before she joined the
Patlabor unit (where it rapidly becomes infamous).


Shinohara Asuma - A slim, medium height young man with sort of
bluish-black hair. He's Noa's 'forward', direct commander when in the
field, and her best friend (there are hints of romantic involvement here
and there, but it never amounts to anything). His father runs Shinohara
Heavy Industries, one of Japan's bigger labor manufacturers, and makers
of the Ingram. Asuma is feuding with his father and was somehow shoved
into becoming a police officer by him. He nevertheless is a good officer,
with a great deal of knowledge about labors. Prone to running off on his
own to check things out when he gets an idea.


Isamo Ohta - A shortish, stocky man with dark hair and a scowl usually on
his face. He's the pilot of Car #2. Completely dedicated to his job, he
believes force is usually the answer to everything, and he who strikes
first wins. Despite his endless bluster, he is not an unlikeable person,
and is undeniably brave and honest. Loves his giant Ingram gun perhaps a
bit too much, as he tends to go into shock if anything happens to it.


Kanuka Clancy - A tall woman with straight black hair and intense eyes
(while she is Japanese-American, she's the most Asian-looking member of
the cast).  A sergeant in the NYPD, she has been assigned to Second Unit
for six months for labor experience, and is Ohta's forward, constantly
trying to keep him under control. While she is somewhat cool and
stand-offish to the others, she nonetheless gets involved in some of their
capers, or at least keeps her mouth shut about them. On occasion a
softer side of her appears. A dedicated officer, she graduated with top
marks, has a degree in electrical engineering from MIT, is an explosives
expert, speaks four languages, and parctises judo. Her only immediate
family seems to be her grandmother in Hawaii, who she cares for greatly.


Yamazaki Hiromi - A VERY tall and well built man, he drives the labor
carrier for Noa and Asuma. While his size is impressive, he is quiet and
gentle, perfectly at home with his chickens and tomato plants, but
pulls his weight (so to speak) with never a complaint. Fond of folklore
and legend, he is perhaps a bit too superstitious for his own good. He
comes from a small fishing village, but couldn't follow his father because
he gets seasick. In many ways probably the most reliable member of Second
Unit.


Shinshi Mikiyasu - A tall, thin man with glasses, he is the carrier driver
for Kanuka and Ohta. A rather shy and slightly fumbling man, he is the
only married member of Second Unit. While he usually acts like he is
oppressed, both by his job and his wife, he believes in his work, and is
capable of some surprising introspection at times. At least when Ohta
isn't screaming at him. However, under direct abuse he can go into
psychotic rages that surpass even Ohta's (you can tell when one is
imminent when his glasses start shining).


Goto Kiichi - A tall medium-built man in his forties, he is the head
of Second Unit. While he always looks and sounds bored, he is a VERY
clever man. It is implied that he was actually too clever for his
superiors, which is why they exiled him to the Patlabor unit on the edge
of nowhere.  He's an expert on tricking people (usually Asuma) into doing
things for him they ordinarily wouldn't do. He doesn't like the
double-dealing his higher-ups sometimes involve them in (especially when
their aim is to blame Second Unit for their mistakes) and usually manages
to turn the tables on them. His past is something of a mystery, and it is
also implied he is somewhat attracted to Shinobu.


Nagamo Shinobu - A tall, attractive woman in her late thirties with long
brown hair, usually tied back. She's the head of the much more elite First
Unit. A more by-the-book officer than Goto, she's usually critical of the
unprofessional antics of Second Unit, but nevertheless shares Goto's
distaste for the manuverings of their superiors, and is always ready to
help Goto with information or backup if he needs it. It is a matter of
annoyance to her that Second Unit got the Ingrams, which are rather more
advanced than the labors First Unit has.  A highly intelligent and
compentent officer.


Sakaki Seiichuo - A tall, aging man with receding gray hair, and is never
seen without his dark glasses and cap. A long-time engineer, he is the
head of the labor maintenance squad, and acts like a drill sergeant
whenever the dispatch alarm goes off, yelling orders to everyone. Also
known as the 'Old Man', he is often Goto's confident whenever he's uneasy.
Generally strict, but had been known to let Second Unit get away with
things from time to time.


Shibo Shige - Lanky young man with glasses, brown hair, white overalls,
and something of an overbite. The chief labor mechanic and assistant tech
to the 'Old Man', he is also the main programmer for SV2. He has a
tendancy to overreact when things go wrong. Usually stays around the
hanger, but gets out into the field on occasion. Can't stand anyone else
working on 'his' labors.


Goimoko - A tall, dark haired man, the perfect picture of a police
officer. The senior labor pilot for First Unit, he is an expert martial
artist, and a cool, consistent police officer. A quiet man with strong
loyalties to SV2 and its personnel.


Matsui - A short stout man with tiny eyes (for an anime character), he's a
detective-inspector for the Toyko police. He meets Goto during the
Teleport City incident and they become friends. He occasionally pokes
around for Goto and obtains information for him. A good detective with
good instincts.


Jitsuyama - A short, balding, elderly man, he's one of the chief engineers
for Shinohara Heavy Industries, and helped Asuma's father set up the
company fifty years ago. He's known Asuma all his life, and worries about
the strained relations between father and son.


Commander Fuwa - A medium height woman with glasses and closely-cut brown
hair in her late thirties. She's the leader of a labor-paratroop team for
JSDF, and also an old friend of Shinobu's. Willing to go out on a limb in
pursuit of the bad guys, she's very impressed by Noa's abilities.


'Kurosaki' - True name as of yet unknown, a tall, slim man with glasses.
He's the head of SCHAFT's operations to obtain combat data for military
labors by drawing out and fighting the Ingrams of Second Unit. Very cool
and calculating.



             Mobile Police Patlabor - Misc. Descriptions


Type-98 Ingram - A top-of-the-line labor, produced by Shinohara Heavy
Industries (Asuma's father's company), it's capable of taking on anything
short of a military labor, and even that happens from time to time. It
comes equipped with a giant six-shot revolver kept in a leg (a la Robocop)
and an electrically charged stun-stick, used to short out labor circuitry.
Ingrams have a neural-net type computer system, capable of learning over
time, and so become increasing capable as their pilots practise. This
movement data is kept on data disks and can be transferred between labors.
Second Unit obtains three of these machines in the first episode,
generally referred to as Cars #1, #2, and #3. Noa names her Car #1
'Alphonse', Ohta pilots Car #2, and Car #3 is kept for backup and
emergency spare parts.


JSDF - Japanese Self-Defense Force. The national army.


SCHAFT - A large multinational corporation, with heavy interests in
military labors and weapons. A recurring villain in the series, SCHAFT has
several times engaged in terrorist activities designed to draw out Second
Unit, in order to obtain combat data and specs on the Ingrams for their
own development purposes. Second Unit generally manages to fight them off,
but the instigators escape prosecution.


Project Babylon - A massive land-reclaimation project involving the
construction of huge dikes by thousands of labors, meant to solve Japan's
crowding problems for decades to come. A major leg in the current
government's platform.


House of Sea - A terrorist group opposed to the government and Project
-- 
* Donald Simmons - Grad. Student    *  'You get up, you pull on your     *
* Institute of Aerospace Studies    *  pants. Do you fasten then zip, or *
* University of Toronto             *  zip and then fasten?' - Garibaldi *
* donald@bach.utias.utoronto.ca     *  Babylon 5, 'Babylon Squared'      *




Episode #1 - Ingram Activated

     A construction labor crashes through Toyko, the driver drunk. Second
Unit confronts it, but while Asuma tries to talk the driver into
surrendering, Ohta charges in with less than successful results, thanks to
his obsolete labor, finally crashing with the drunk's labor on top of him.
Back at the hanger, Ohta's labor is barely repairable, but Goto tells
Shinobu that thanks to this incident he has managed to obtain the latest
labors for Second Unit, somewhat to her annoyance.  She comments that
Second Unit's problems are more personnel than equipment. Goto replies
that he has a prospective member undergoing testing at the factory today.
 
     At the factory a spunky young redhead arrives at the same time as
Asuma and Ohta, who learn about the new labor. On their way to see it,
they encounter the girl, who needs directions to the testing center. But
moments after they arrive at the hanger, the carrier containing the labor
races off! Immediate pursuit of the thieves is impossible, due to lack of
keys for the command car. The girl appears, still lost, and is aghast at
the loss of her 'pat-chan'. Determined to retrieve it, she grabs a motor
scooter and races in pursuit.
 
     Back at SV2, Shinobu inquires about Goto's plan of action, and finds
it is to do nothing. The thieves could just drive through any barricade,
so he is content for now just to track them and minimize property damage.
He does ask Shinobu's First Unit to be ready to help if needed, and First
Unit moves out, with Goto, Hiromi, and Shinshi heading out in Goto's car.
 
     In the command car, Asuma and Ohta report the truck's position, and
the presence of the girl to Goto and are surprised when he advises them to
help her if they can. Meanwhile, she tries to board the truck, and only
succeeds in losing the scooter. Grabbing a patrol car, she pulls the
carrier over, only to have it start up again and flatten the car. Really
mad now, she grabs onto the truck, and manages to pull herself aboard.
Asuma and Ohta come across the patrol car and report in again, only to be
assured by Goto that the girl was all right and to just keep following.
Goto then grabs a helicopter.

     The girl makes it into the cockpit of the labor and activates the
computer, christening the labor 'Alphonse'. A radio link also opens
between the labor and the command car, surprising Asuma and Ohta.
After she tells them she can handle the labor, Asuma advises her to wait
until the carrier stops, then raise the deck and climb off. Only moments
later, the truck does stop. The thieves plan to dismantle the labor, when
suddenly it becomes activated. As it steps off the carrier, it is
surrounded by three construction labors! Waving the empty gun doesn't
bluff them, and she is initially reluctant to fight, fearing damage to her
'pat-chan' but when the labors move in she trashes one easily, almost
squashing Asuma and Ohta who are just arriving. Using the stun stick, she
then disables the others. Goto's copter arrives, telling everyone the
show's over. Meanwhile, First Unit is stuck in traffic and Shinobu hears
Goto's message, much to her frustration.
 
     Back at SV2, the new Ingram has arrived, and everyone has turned out
to see it. It turns out that the thieves belonged to a rival labor
manufacturer.  Goto then shows up to introduce their new member. As
everyone stares, the redhead, Izumi Noa, introduces herself.


Episode #2 - Kanuka has Come!

     Second Unit is busy at training camp, when a helicopter arrives with
Goto and a young woman. At dinner, they rejoice that their two weeks
here are almost over and talk about the mock combat scheduled for their
final day, when Noa notices their visitor boarding one of the trainers,
which she expertly pilots. At a briefing, Goto explains that the results
of the combat will be used to assign positions in Second Unit, while
everyone eyes the woman. She introduces herself as Kanuka Clancy, sergeant
in the NYPD, there for hands-on training. Ohta reflexively leaps to
attention, as deference to superiors is the route to promotion, he later
explains to Shinshi. Noa and Asuma discuss the combat, he confirming that
Noa would have to win it to pilot the Ingram. As the Ingram's control
systems learn the habits of their pilots, the position of pilot cannot be
easily changed.  Noa really wants the job, and races off to mark the
Ingram as her's for luck, to the confusion of the newly-arrived Sakaki and
Shige.  Shinobu has also arrived, and meets with Goto and the camp
instructor, who confesses that Second Unit either has great potential or
are a bunch of screw-ups, he doesn't know which.  Shinobu has also bought
a SV2 uniform, Kanuka's request.
 
     At the combat, the gang notice Kanuka in the uniform, and also that
Gomioko of First Unit is there with his labor. An highly enthusiastic
woman yells encouragement to Shinshi, who confesses that she is his wife.
It is announced that Kanuka will join the combat, as will Gomioko.
Trainers will be used at first, with the Ingrams reserved for the final
round. Noa and Asuma are the first up, and Noa doesn't intend to lose!
They clash with much shouting and action, but Shinobu comments that there
is no tension at all between them. Asuma's trainer goes over as a leg
gives out, and Noa wins, while Sakaki correctly perceives that it was
intentional. After the fight, Asuma loudly blames bad design in the leg,
and Shige counters by telling him it was his father's company that build
it in the first place. Noa realizes that Asuma's family owns and runs
Shinohara Heavy Industries, and wonders why he is working as a cop.
Apparently it is due to feuding between father and son. 

     Shinshi faces off against Ohta, much to his misgivings, especially
when Ohta literally jumps the gun, plastering Shinshi with giant paint
pellets. When Ohta argues with the referee, claiming criminals don't
follow the rules, Shinshi builds into a rage, mindlessly attacking Ohta
over the referee's protests until he is disqualified. No one watching is
impressed by the performance so far. 

     The fight between Gomioko and Hiromi is defaulted to Gomioko when
Hiromi can't fit into the trainer cockpit. Noa then faces Ohta, but is too
quick off the mark for him, first stunning him by disarming him, then
finishing him off. Again, no one is very impressed by the less than
professional performance. As Kanuka prepares to fight Gomioko, Asuma
relates Gomioko's impressive qualifications to Noa, and argues with Ohta
over power vs. skill, when the fight is suddenly over in Kanuka's favour. 
 
     Noa and Kanuka prepare to meet in Ingrams for the final match, as
Shinobu comments that Kanuka is too good for Second Unit. Asuma advises
Noa that brains and guts are needed to win. The two face off, but it is
quickly clear that Noa is outclassed. She loses her gun and stun stick,
and has to resort to keeping her distance, resulting in a long drawn out
combat.  Despite all her efforts, she can't get past Kanuka's defense. As
her battery runs low, Asuma urges her on. Kanuka suddenly attacks, and
responding instinctively, Noa throws her down just as the battery runs
out. Kanuka is pronounced the winner, and she proves why by picking up
Noa's now helpless Ingram, scolding her for wasting power with inefficient
moves.

     Later, Goto announces the positions. Noa will pilot Car #1, with
Asuma as forward in the command car, and Hiromi as carrier driver. Ohta
will pilot car #2, with Kanuka as forward, and Shinshi as driver. As
Kanuka explains, she will only be here six months, and it doesn't make
sense for her to put any habits on the Ingram. She comments that it will
be a fun six months as Noa sighs.


Episode #3 - This is SV2

     Goto lip-reads Sakaki reciting poetry when Shinobu formally transfers
stand-by watch to Second Unit and immediately leaves, somewhat to Goto's
chagrin. In the hanger, Asuma lectures Noa on how the Ingram system needs
to be educated on the pilot's movements, becoming more skillful in time.
Kanuka needles Noa that by marking Car #1 as her's when it is the personal
movement data that personalizes the labor, she shows that she doesn't
really understand the labor system. As practice (and initiation), both
Ohta and Noa must manually board the carriers. Ohta does so confidently,
albeit roughly. Noa is nervous, especially with everyone watching, but
Asuma urges her on. She almost crashes, but just makes it, to the profit
of Asuma who has been making bets. Sakaki comments that Noa will work out
fine, she is the type who mesh with machines with their hearts.
 
     Second Unit  is now on 24 hour standby, but Noa finds they have
plenty do to while waiting for a dispatch, such as tending a vegetable
patch.  While Noa does so, Ohta trains under Kanuka's direction,
frantically aiming to her instructions.  Watching, Noa become entranced,
visualizing the cockpit and controls of the Ingram, and responds to
Kanuka's directions in a flash, giving Asuma and Shige a scare.

     Later, while fishing off the pier, Noa wonders why they are doing all
this gardening and fishing. Asuma explains that as SV2 is on the edge of
the reclaimed land, in the middle of nowhere, they must be
self-sufficient. Stores and restaurants are expensive, and not nearby.
While some food is stored in bulk, the only fresh food they can get are
the vegetables they grow themselves, eggs from Hiromi's chickens, and the
fish they catch.  Just then a boat cruises past, to the cheers of the
maintenance squad, and Asuma explains it is their ferry boat, as well as
the flagship of their off-shore fishing fleet, as Noa collapses in
disbelief.

     Sakaki heads off home while everyone else settles down watching TV.
Noa comments on how bubbly Asuma's 'tea' is, the reason why she
discovers when everyone races off to dinner. Suddenly one of the techs
races in. The ferry boat is aground due to over-loading. Shige begs Asuma
for help, and Ohta is dispatched in Car #3. Noa has some misgivings, but
is assured that Ohta is experienced, and labors were designed for this
work. However, he slips, and Car #3 lands head-first in the bay, while
Goto, eating noodles in his office, wonders what all the shouting is
about.
 
     Ohta lies as if dead, and Kanuka tells Noa to get Car #1. Noa
protests that Alphonse will rust, but relents reluctantly as Kanuka
reminds her that Car #3 will end up like that, inadvertently reviving Ohta
as she rushes off. Shige remarks how lucky they are that Sakaki isn't
there, and Asuma cracks everyone up with his imitation of him. However, a
tech spots a car coming, and it can only be Sakaki! Panic ensues, until
Kanuka yells for order. When Sakaki arrives, all is quiet, and Shige gets
rid of him, promising he will finish a forgotten report. Decals had been
used to disguise Car #1 as #3, and now another rescue is mounted, Shige
screaming at the worried Noa that they will clean Alphonse like new
afterwards.
 
     From his apartment, Sakaki sees all the activity and races back, but
a tech on his tail reports in, and Asuma heads off to intercept him. Noa
works frantically, but can't handle everything herself. Meanwhile, phony
drunk-driving checkpoints have blocked Sakaki's advance. Noa tries to fix
the grappling chains, but just as everything slips, Kanuka appears in Car
#2. Between them the boat is moved, and Car #1 recovered. Asuma returns,
and only 20 minutes remain until Sakaki shows up. Everyone races to clean
up, and Noa boards the carrier without a second thought, to Kanuka's
astonishment. 

     When he arrives, Sakaki methodically checks out the labors while
everyone watches from the shadows. He can't find anything until he notices
Car #3 dripping. He tastes the water just as Goto shows up and asks if
anything is wrong. As everyone cringes, Sakaki pauses, then smiles and
says not a thing. Everyone exhales, just as the phone rings and the
dispatch alarm goes off. Everyone races to prepare as Sakaki yells orders
and Asuma asks Noa if she understands what life there is like now.


Episode #4 - Head to the Mountain of Mystery!

     Four young hikers march through the forest, singing a school song
when one of them notices something, which their oblivious leader takes a
while to recognize. A path has been smashed through the forest by something
large. Dumfounded, they argue over what could have done it when a labor
suddenly appears. Decrying the intrusion of technology in the wildness,
they give it a good kick, and it falls apart. Animal howling is heard, and
two vast eyes appear as the hikers run screaming. The police are informed,
but initially are not interested, suggesting they call the JSDF. But it is
decided that they should keep this in their jurisdiction, and this should
be a perfect job for 'those guys'.

     Cut to Goto, who protests over the phone that they don't handle
monsters, but is hung up on. Shinobu comments that she's glad First Unit
isn't on standby. Goto tries to play the situation down to the troops, but
they immediately start speculating, Asuma certain it is a monster, Kanuka
that it must be a labor, Asuma countering with a labor in a costume, Noa
wondering if it can fly...

     Meanwhile, the hikers and a police officer explore the site. The
labor has disappeared, but some parts are scattered about, convincing the
officer that something must have happened here. This is reinforced by the
discovery of a knapsack covered with mucus. Suddenly animal noises are
heard from the forest, and as they try to leave, something leaps out,
smashing the jeep.

     Second Unit arrives and are briefed on the new events. Goto is asked
to try and catch the monster alive, in the hopes of making it a tourist
attraction. Goto negotiates for a stuffed specimen while Ohta fumes with
impatience. Noa reviews anti-labor procedure because, as Hiromi points out
it may be no good against animals, she has nothing better. Asuma comments
that the Ingram's advantage over other labors is speed, and that wouldn't
help against an animal. He tries to discuss strategy with Kanuka, who's
thoughts on the subject are 'experience and intuition', as it is
impossible to plan against the unknown. As for taking an offensive or
defensive posture, she reminds Asuma that Ohta is Car #2's pilot.

     A smashed hen house is found, suggesting a carnivorous animal in
search of food, and a witness reports a large creature. Ohta patrols the
forest, idly pulling down trees, to the dismay of some rangers following
him, and Kanuka, who tells him to stop attacking the forest. The others
are stationed along a road, in case the creature moves into the open.
Meanwhile, another labor also searches the forest... Kanuka tells Ohta to
try the thermograph and the scan picks something up. Ohta pulls his gun as
Kanuka tries to tell him it seems to be a labor rather than an animal but
he shoots anyway, six clean misses.
 
     Hearing the shots in the distance, Goto figures Ohta missed whatever
he was shooting at. Kanuka reports that they have picked up something
moving their way, and something extra she and Ohta were now after. They
prepare to meet the creature, the officer expressing concern over Noa, and
Goto replying that it's her job. Ohta catches up with the labor and
trashes it. Noa and Asuma encounter the monster, but it leaps on top of
the Ingram, and using it as a step-stool leaps off again. This gets Noa
mad, and she races off after it. The creature reaches the road, where it
is repelled by lights, and races back into the forest, vanishing. Noa
looks for it when it suddenly springs as her. She catches it just before
impact, and grapples with it on the ground, hitting it with the stun
stick. Asuma tries to call her off, but she keeps ranting at it for
kicking her 'pat-chan'. Ohta shows up with a tree, intent on trashing the
creature as well, but he and Noa clash instead.

     Later, it turns out that the creature was an experiment by a nearby
drug company. When it grew so large, they tried to kill it but it
escaped, the labors being sent out to quietly capture it. Noa worries
about the final fate of the creature while Kanuka wants to know what it
was anyway. Many possibilities are suggested, such as a bear, cat, mole,
rat, or panda, while the officer stares at them all. They leave, singing
the school song, while something in the forest growls...


Episode #5 - Runaway Labor HAL-X-10

     Young lovers wander through the forest, but are interrupted by a
giant labor, followed by helicopters. At SV2, Shinobu arrives as Goto
answers a call, removing a radio earpiece. As he takes a message, she
tries the radio, to find it's a horse race. Meanwhile, Hiromi tends the
tomatoes, as Asuma remarks that he might have made a better gardener than
police officer, but quickly backtracks when he sees his face. Saved by an
emergency dispatch, Second Unit moves out, but Goto has little
information, just a location to go to. Everyone finds this strange and
worrysome. 

     The military attack the strange labor with little success. Second
Unit arrives at a roadblock, but the police don't know anything more about
what is going on. Kanuka comments that their presence can only mean it is
a labor-related matter. Shinobu calls Goto, but she couldn't find out
anything from the brass. She does know that other roads in the area have
been closed, supposedly due to cracking pavement. The police officer says
he came through that area two hours before and didn't notice anything. 
Goto comments that whatever is happening, it must be top secret. 

     The attacks against the labor are getting nowhere, and the military
confer on the situation. The labor was designed to be unmanned, has a good
AI, and was running a program to attack a city when it malfunctioned. It
has no map of the area, but is likely to follow any road it finds. They
decide that they can't move openly anymore, so plan to withdraw and leave
it to the police. But before they pull out, they drop paint to cover the
labor's markings. 

     Goto receives new orders. They are to stop a runaway labor, which
will attack any other labor it sees. They realize that this means the
labor is unmanned, and could only be a military labor, what with the JSDF
training grounds nearby. Noa asks why JSDF isn't handling this, and Goto
replies that since they are here, JSDF must have tried and failed, and
they are the backup for this mess. At the roadblock, the police complain
about their lack of information when the labor appears, and begins moving
down the highway at high speed.

     Goto plans to lure the labor onto a construction site and fight it
there. When it appears, Noa and Ohta race off, and it follows them. Ohta's
shots are useless, and they have to frantically dodge its shots. Noa tries
to grapple with it, but it thrown off. In the fight, its marking become
visible, and Goto recognizes it as an experimental military labor, which
everyone must be trying to cover up. The fight does not go well, Ohta
managing to hold onto it long enough for Noa to try the stun stick, but
the armor is too tough. Asuma tells Goto that someone must get aboard it,
and he give Asuma the job. Ohta grapples with the labor again, while Asuma
rides on Noa's shoulder. He manages to get aboard and shut down the labor
just as it tries to attack Noa again. Second Unit heads home, everyone
ready to drop, but Goto leaves the labor in the site, commenting that it's
too tough to destroy like his orders said...
 

Episode #6 - The Tower, SOS

     Goto bemoans Second Unit's bad reputation with the press with
Shinobu, while Noa tries a new labor exercise. Ohta is loudly denouncing
it as demeaning for a police officer, but is shut up somewhat when Hiromi 
says it was his idea. Noa is making cat's cradles with the Ingram, using
fine control manipulators to control the fingers. 

     Meanwhile, a foreign minister is touring the construction site of a
new tower, to be 1000m high, when a fire breaks out on live TV, trapping
him and the news crew high above the street. Second Unit is dispatched,
and Goto tells the team that the people are trapped 200m up. The cause of
the fire is unknown, and the sprinklers were late activating for some
reason, failing to contain the fire. Their orders are to move in while
First Unit remains on standby.

     At the site, Goto confers with the fire chief. The building is slowly
filling with smoke, and the fire labors have their hands full removing
oxygen tanks to prevent further explosions. They are out of contact with
the trapped people as the intercom has failed, and the only direct routes
to them are too small for labors, blocked by fire, or are so debris
filled that the fire labors have become entangled and stuck in them. Goto
decides to go in using the roof crane when the brass call him over to a
tent they have set up. Goto explains his plan and to their questions about
the use of Second Unit replies that only an Ingram could do it. They warn
Goto that the labor unit has a bad reputation, and that this is a chance
to redeem themselves on TV. Goto realizes that this is why the press is
everywhere, which disgusts Shinobu when she comes to offer her help.

     Ohta and Noa move to the top of the building, while the trapped
people become desperate. Ohta has a bit of trouble with the height, as
does Noa, but Asuma reassures her to trust in Alphonse. Ohta is lowered to
an external cargo door, but debris blocks it. He tries to pull his gun,
but it isn't there, and he ends up slamming screaming into the building
raining debris down below. Asuma asks why he needs a gun to rescue people,
while Ohta continues to bash away. When Noa is lowered down, she finds
Ohta tangled in his cable, and he is raised back up. In the building, the
reporter tries to keep control of the situation, despite declarations of
love from the minister. 

     Noa makes her way through the building, and finds the fire door
everyone should be behind. It must be raised manually, but the controls
are too hot to touch, so she must use the fine manipulators. Nearby
explosions threaten to get Alphonse dirty, and Asuma has to promise to
help clean him afterwards. Noa successfully raises the door and evacuates
everyone to a lower level. Goto prepares to leave when Shinobu reminds him
of Ohta, still dangling above.

     Back at SV2, Ohta reads a newspaper account of the incident, but
can't find any mention of them, until he finds a picture of his tangled
Ingram and a commentary on the lack of efficiency of the Patlabor Unit. He
becomes enraged, especially when Kanuka comments that he should practice
cat's cradle like Noa.

     Goto and Shinobu discuss the aftermath of the fire. Apparently the
fire was meant to be a publicity stunt to combat budget cuts, but it got
out of hand, and they were called in to try and clean it up. But Goto says
they didn't come out it empty-handed. The minister presented them with a
trophy in gratitude, and Goto offers it to Shinobu, who accepts.
Meanwhile, Asuma helps Noa polish every inch of Alphonse.


Episode #7 - Glorious Type 97-K

     Goto prepares the perfect instant raman when Shinobu comes in,
surprised he's still there. He comments that she looks happy. A new
prototype labor is arriving that evening for First Unit to test. Despite
Shinobu's needling, Goto denies that he's worried about it, just concerned
about its effect on the others.

     In the hanger, Noa is happily waxing Alphonse, when everyone starts
wandering in in their civilian clothes, surprised to see each other as
this is their day off. It turns out that they are all there to see the new
labor, all except Noa, who knew nothing about it, and who is shocked at
the news that its specs are supposed to be superior to the Ingram's.

     The labor, an SRX-70 arrives, and Sakaki orders it raised and
activated with everyone looking on.  It looks impressive, but Noa is
skeptical. When Kanuka recites its weapons specs, Ohta nearly has a fit,
especially when she comments it could almost go up against a military
labor. Shinshi wonders if all the firepower is really necessary, prompting
another outburst from Ohta. Noa doesn't like it, and Hiromi agrees.

     Shinobu is pleased however, feeling that First Unit will now have a
chance to show what it can do, and is put off by Goto's rather more
reserved reaction. Ohta rushes in to ask Goto permission to test its
weapons, and when he is reminded Goto has no say in the matter, tries a
much longer and more formal request on Shinobu, only to be brushed off.

     Gomioko tests the SRX as everyone watches. Goto asks Sakaki if he
knows anything of the circumstances by which First Unit got the labor.
It seems that it was all very sudden, and the labor came straight from a
relatively new manufacturer with free lease and maintenance. Sakaki
promises to keep his ears open, and Goto comments that Asuma is likely to
sniff around as well.

     While Asuma waits for Noa to change, she continues to express
misgivings about the SRX. It seems too powerful for police use, and the
manufacturer is certainly not known for labors. When Asuma protests that
Shinohara used to make auto parts, she says she means that they have
little experience, especially with the weapons they are giving First Unit
to test. At this, Asuma starts, and is gone before Noa comes out.

     Meanwhile, First Unit responds to a fight between two construction
workers in labors. They ignore Shinobu's orders to halt, so Gomioko moves
in, easily handling them, and scaring them into stopping with a warning
shot. Shinobu is happy.

     Shige ask Gomioko about the dispatch, and is disappointed at first
that 'great' is his only response. Gomioko does admit that if he knew
that the Ingram was anything like this, he really would have been jealous
of Second Unit for having them. Just then a maintenance squad from the
manufacturer arrives, to Shige's displeasure. His protests that they can
do all routine maintenance themselves are ignored, and he yells for Sakaki
and Shinobu, only to remember they are both gone. Goto watches.

     Sakaki is upset by all this. He tell Goto that they didn't do any
maintenance, but just copied the movement data. Goto encounters Shinobu,
who accuses him of sniffing around behind her back. He denies this, just
as Asuma races in with information he's found, ignoring Goto's signals to
kept quiet. Asuma reveals that the labor manufacturer is actually in joint
development with SCHAFT, a huge multinational, and indeed might just be a
front for SCHAFT, known for military products. Asuma thinks they're being
used to gather performance data, and Shinobu storms out.

     She confronts a superior, who admits to knowing of SCHAFT's
involvement but doesn't see a problem. Shinobu protests that the movement
data involves combat and could be used for military applications. Gomioko
arrives outside, and overhears the conversation. The brass still doesn't
have a problem with all this, and besides, the deal is saving them a great
deal of money. Shinobu resents the fact they are being used, but she is
brushes off.

     She fumes outside when the dispatch alarm goes off. The SRX is made
ready, but she orders the old 97-K's to be used instead, to the surprise
of Shige, and the understanding of Sakaki. Gomioko agrees, saying he would
rather pilot labors that Shige and the others have worked on, rather then
some stranger's. Goto orders Asuma to get Second Unit to stand by, just in
case.

     At the site, a modern construction labor has been stolen by a
terrorist, who has barricaded himself in a warehouse. First Unit moves in,
but it is clear they are overmatched. Nevertheless, they fight on.
Outside, everyone waits. The modern labor walks out, only to fall flat.
First Unit emerges victorious to cheers. 

     Back at the hanger, the SRX is being hauled away. Goto can't believe
the brass caved in and wants to know what Shinobu did. She told them that
she planned to make Ohta the pilot of the SRX! Outside, Ohta screams in
the rain for his chance is try its weapons until everyone shuts him up.


Episode #8 - Illusive Green

     A patrolman pedals through the dark countryside when he hears a
noise, and sees a huge hulking red shape in the trees. He runs shouting of
demons.

     At SV2, Goto tells of sabotage at a highway construction site.
Asuma, Noa, and Hiromi are being sent to investigate. Noa wants to know
why only the three of them are being sent. Apparently this case has
circulated through the entire department before ending up here, and Goto
doesn't want to empty SV2 out. Asuma wonders why the local police don't
handle it, but Goto asks them to just go and check it out. Shige and some
others watch them go, feeling sorry for them for getting involved in such
a weird case.

     Noa notices that Hiromi seems worried. He knows of a legend about the
village they are going. Once demons lived there, attacking the humans, but
one day they found a girl, the daughter of the village head, tending some
animals they had hurt. They fell in love with the gentle girl, but she
was frail, and died shortly afterwards. The demons stopped attacking
people, and on New Year's Eve gather to sing songs about her. A giant
tree now grows where her grave was, and on New Year's Eve people stay
indoors and listen to the wind sigh the songs of the demons. Asuma
comments that he's never heard Hiromi talk so much before, and thinks the
story could bear on their case. Perhaps a curse is at work, a remark which
scares Hiromi half to death. As they approach, a girl watches from the
woods...

     At the site, everything is wrecked. The construction head cries out
about all his troubles and his wish to go home. Asuma figures someone is
trying to stop construction, and a labor would be necessary to do all this
damage. The construction head rants for a while about how a curse must be
involved, and he points out the tree in Hiromi's story. He figures a demon
now resides in it, as the mayor and priest of the village both died a few
years ago, and a patrolman saw something here a few nights ago. The
highway will run right through the tree, but none of his workers will now
touch it. He can't delay construction and collapses when Asuma suggests
they go around it, as they would have done that if they could. On top of
it all, the tree is too large to transplant. Asuma says they'll help, and
Hiromi confesses to being nervous. An old woman passes them, muttering of
a curse, and we later see the girl sitting by the tree...

     Asuma and the others search the site, and find evidence that a labor
was used to cause the damage. The intent sees to be to save the tree, and
make it look like the curse. Suddenly, a sporty red Italian labor appears.
Its driver sold the land to the construction company, and he had warned
them not to touch the tree. He tells Asuma he can sell them another piece
of land to route around the tree, but Asuma tells him that's not their
job.

     Later, Asuma and Hiromi have some tea while Noa works on Alphonse.
Hiromi is still worried about the curse. The lights go out, and Noa
detects two labors approaching. She chases them off, and Asuma and Hiromi
get a scare when they find a snake in the fusebox.

     Next morning, Asuma decides to flush out whoever is behind this, and
announce that they are going to deal with the tree. On their way up the
mountain, they are confronted by two labors, the red one from before,
and a construction model. They refuse to move, and when Noa approaches the
construction labor attacks. Noa is at a disadvantage on the soft ground,
but as she starts to get mad, a third labor piloted by the girl appears,
asking her grandfather (in the red labor) to stop the fighting. When Noa
demands they surrender in the name of Second Unit, they are aghast, and
immediately give up, citing all the disasters Second Unit has been
attributed for, much to Noa's embarrasment.

     The red labor pilot reveals that during the war, the mayor, priest,
and himself buried the village treasure under the tree. When they died, he
left it there in their memory. When the construction came here, he tried
to move the treasure, but was spotted by the patrolman. The treasure is
uncovered, but the girl feels the tree is more important than any
treasure, and asks if anything could be done to save it.

     Asuma asks Noa to use her labor to transplant the tree further up the
mountain, and the girl offers to help in her labor. The people of the
village approve of this, saying that the sight of it looks like the demons
returning to the mountain. Asuma wonders why the young girl needs a labor,
to be told that 'Hiromi-chan is rather frail...'


Episode #9 - Red Labor Landing

     A construction worker finishes his shift and heads home, receiving a
message on the bus to 'begin the operation'. He is then followed, but
turns the tables on his pursuer, knocking him out and taking off him a
Public Security ID and a gun. Hailing a cab, he instructs the driver to
take him to Sakata, a long drive away, and uses the gun to convince him.

     Goto and Shinobu meet with Takahata, an agent from Public Security,
and some of his men. It seems they had been watching a security risk, an
ex-JSDF labor paratrooper named Ichoku with possible connections with the
terrorist group House of Sea. Last night he had assaulted an agent and
hijacked a cab, stealing a motorcycle when it ran out of gas, and leading
the police on an all night chase. He later skipped out on a restaurant
bill, and was last seen in Sakata. Goto wants to know how this concerns
him. It seems a Russian labor is coming into Sakata on a freighter, on its
way to a Southeast Asian nation, and Ichoku may be out to hijack it.
Takahata requests Goto to send in SV2, but he refuses, citing lack of
formal request from the local police, and the necessary paperwork.
Takahata counters that he heard breaking rules was Second Unit's
specialty, which annoys both Goto and Shinobu. Goto refers him to JSDF,
which just makes Takahata mad.  Then one of Takahata's men whispers in his
ear, and he suggests that Goto just lend him a few men. Goto is reluctant,
but agrees after some prompting from Shinobu.

     After the agents leave, Shinobu comments that no matter how fishy
their story was, with a terrorist on the loose they have to help. But Goto
is just thinking about the sandfish they have in Sakata. Noa and Asuma
join the agents on a train to Sakata, Asuma wondering what this is all
about, Noa seeing it as a little vacation. Arriving, Noa goes shopping
while Asuma is concerned with their conspicuous presence in uniform.
Takahata assures him that their role is to let everyone know the Patlabor
unit is in town to prevent the theft of the Russian labor, and that
the marketplace is full of intelligence agents.

     At their hotel, Asuma and Noa discover they have to share a room,
much to Noa's discomfort. After a bath, she creeps into bed, but when
Asuma comes sneaking over to her, she clobbers him with a pail, screaming,
but he was just after a late snack. Goto calls, and Asuma fills him in on
what little has happened. Goto has found that Takahata is an expert on
Russian intelligence, an odd choice for a terrorist case. As Goto talks,
Hiromi salutes and leaves the office. He continues to give Asuma
instructions, ending in a reminder to get the sandfish.

     Ichoku attacks a guard outside the freighter and fights his way
aboard, unaware that he has been observed. As he tries to board the labor,
a Russian officer inside it knocks him out. The officer pilots the labor
off the ship as Takahata and his men arrive. The plan was to obtain a
Russian defector and labor, blaming its loss on the House of Sea and
Second Unit for failing to stop them.

     Suddenly a labor carrier rises with an Ingram and Asuma demands
everyone surrender, chiding Takahata for using them as a decoy. Noa is
worried that they might start shooting, but Asuma tells her labors under
transport never carry ammo. However, the Russian officer opens up on
everybody, believing himself betrayed. Noa tries to hide, yelling at
Asuma, who tells her that she can't handle a military labor. Takahata and
Asuma get into a shoving match, Takahata yelling that he ruined the plan
and Asuma yelling that he started this whole mess. Noa is trying to think
of something when a second labor emerges from the ship. It's Ichoku and he
takes on the Russian for hitting him. A firefight ensues, wrecking half
the dock. Asuma tells Noa to get in close and try the stun stick on the
Russian. She does so, but it doesn't work, and the Russian pins her. Just
as he is about to shoot, Ichoku knocks him into the harbor. Noa then gets
the drop on Ichoku, who calls her ungrateful. Asuma comments that it's not
surprising no one likes them.

     Goto later explains everything to Noa and Asuma. What with the local
police hopping mad, and both governments wanting to keep all this quiet,
Takahata had been demoted and shipped off far away. Shinobu comments that
a schemer had been ruined by his scheme, something Goto better watch out
for. Goto then asks about his sandfish, and get worried as Asuma and Noa
hesitate. We see everyone gathered around a giant kettle of fish, ready to
dig in.


Episode #10 - Eve's Trap

     The episode opens with black and white scenes of Christmas, and of a
woman resembling Kanuka with a military officer. He takes off in a bomber
while she watches. It was a dream by Kanuka's grandmother, Ray, who is
visiting with Kanuka for Christmas from Hawaii. Kanuka has to go out for a
few hours. As she walks through the streets, a mysterious man receives a
message from a street-side Santa.

     Second Unit is having a Christmas dinner outside, as Ohta wonders why
they are celebrating a Christian holiday, aside from an excuse to drink,
of course.  Shige bemoans the fact they can't be with their families, like
Shinshi or Kanuka. Goto arrives, warning them not to go overboard as they
are still on 2nd class standby. Kanuka had stopped by to drop off a
bottle, and Asuma takes off to catch up with her, Noa in pursuit. A tanker
enters the harbor, as the man watches.

     At Kanuka's building, Asuma asks Noa why she is there, and Noa asks
the same of him. He claims that as Kanuka is not familiar with Toyko, she
needs a guide to show her grandmother around. Noa isn't convinced by this,
but Kanuka enters to say her grandmother is gone, just leaving a message
about 'Christmas in 50s'. We see her riding a train, looking out.

     Labors rise from the harbor, monitored from a van by the man and
others. He confirms the landing of four Brockens and a prototype, the
Phantom. Back at Kanuka's, grandmother's baggage is still there, but
grandfather's picture is gone. Kanuka has a bad feeling, as if she isn't
coming back. Noa tries to reassure her as Asuma answers a call. It's Goto
recalling everyone, they are now on offical standby. Asuma just says
understood, but Kanuka figures out what the call was about and insists
they go in, responding to Noa's protests by saying she's proud to be a
police officer.

     On a lonely bridge a patrol car has radio trouble and encounters the
labors. The man watches and now expects Second Unit to come.

     Goto and Shinobu meet with Matsui, a detective-inspector who informs
them that all contact has been lost with Teleport City - phone, computer,
radio, the works, along with all traffic and trains. Goto has heard that
an anti-hijack squad had gone in secretly, but since Second Unit is now
being notified, they must have failed. He doesn't like the whole
situation, but Shinobu reminds him it's their duty. Matsui says that
JSDF is getting nervous because the radio jamming seems to imply military
presence, and they were looking for a reason to move in.

     At a JSDF base, troops are getting ready when their commander gets a
call from Shinobu, an old friend. Shinobu says she just called her to ask
about getting together on New Year's Day, and they chat for a moment
before hanging up. Shinobu realizes that her friend is moving in, and the
commander knows this, but is determined to do so anyway.

     Asuma and Noa fill in Goto. He can't spare Kanuka no matter how she
must feel, but asks Matsui if he can help. Next he asks Sakaki if he can
let Shige drive the carrier tonight. Sakaki gives his OK, and says he'll
hear the reasons for this later. Goto asks if 'Christmas in 50s' means
anything to him, and Sakaki replies that late 1950 was the start of the
Korean war. Kanuka's grandmother walks the streets.

     Shige boards Ohta's carrier, subbing for Shinshi, who has other
orders from Goto. Second Unit pulls out. Shinshi meets with Matsui, and
they begin looking for Ray Clancy.

     The military moves towards Teleport City, the commander thinking she
might meet Shinobu sooner than expected. First Unit has already arrived
at the bridge, and is defeated by unknown forces, Shinobu assaulted and
captured.

     Second Unit arrives at the bridge, having to use loud speakers to
communicate because of the jamming. Noa moves onto the bridge, Ohta
backing her up. The command van watches them.

     Matusi and Shinshi arrive at an American consulate and argue their
way in, Shinshi scaring the gate guards to do so.

     Noa and Asuma advance and finds a First Unit labor, empty.  They hear
Ohta shooting and head back. A labor has gotten the drop on Ohta and is
crushing the Ingram, having gone undetected by Kanuka. He breaks free, but
loses his gun. Asuma recognizes the labor as a German military Brocken.
Noa attacks but is knocked back, and a second Brocken arrives. Ohta grabs
his gun but a third labor appears. It fires a powerful laser weapon that
takes the right arm of Ohta's Ingram off.

     Matsui and Shinshi have obtained an old address on Kanuka's
grandmother when she was living in Japan, near an old American base. She
is there, watching aircraft overhead, holding the picture.

     Ohta is attacked again, and when Kanuka tries to help she crashes her
command car. Fade to black...


Epsiode #11 - Eve's Terror

     Noa continues to fight the Brockens and manages to disable one,
throwing it into the air to crash on the ground, and wrecks the monitor
of another with the stun stick. Asuma orders her to fall back and report
to Goto, while he gets Kanuka and Ohta. In the command van the status of
the Brockens is reported, and the man orders the Phantom's target
changed.

     Ohta is having a hard time even as Kanuka tries to urge him on,
blaming herself for this. Asuma tries to get her away, but Ohta falls on
his command car, crushing it. The Phantom moves away from Ohta, who gets
up, refusing to retreat, when another Brocken appears and knocks his
monitor off. Undaunted, he goes after the Phantom, but before he can try
anything, it freezes his Ingram with an ECM weapon. Ohta tries everything,
even asking if there's a self-destruct, while Asuma and Kanuka yell at him
to bail out. The Phantom strikes out, knocking the Ingram over. Asuma
tells Noa, blocked by a Brocken, to get going as the Phantom approaches
her. She tells him to be careful, and she smashes past the Brocken she
damaged earlier. Ohta is captured, but throws Kanuka the Ingram's boot
disk, telling them to avenge him. Asuma and Kanuka make a break for it in
Kanuka's command car and get away. 

     Noa approaches the end of the bridge and stops, looking around. Two
military labors appear, the commander asking Noa not to tell her chief
about them, but to go on with her duty. Noa warns them of the laser and
ECM weapons. The commander asks if she is First Unit, and Noa tells them
Second, wishing them luck.

     The command van monitors the military labors, considering them a
chance to get more data, and certain the Phantom can handle them.

     Noa arrives at the carrier and boards, asking Hiromi to recharge it.
She then heads off to find Goto, but Asuma catches up with her, and she
hops on the command car, grateful he's all right.

     Meanwhile, Shinobu, Gomioko, and about two dozen others are held
prisoner in a high-rise. Ohta joins them. 

     Asuma and Noa report. Goto figures the missing people are all right,
but blames himself for mishandling the case.

     Matsui and Shinshi arrive at the base, Shinshi pessimistic about
their chances of finding her here, Matsui telling him to have more
confidence. The military labors encounter the damaged Brocken and pursue
it.

     Goto figures this operation is being commanded from somewhere, and
sends what remains of Second Unit to find it, telling them to avoid
contact. The Phantom lies in wait for the military labors and fires at
them. Noa sees the blast and heads for it. Kanuka thinks that Ohta's
Ingram still might work, and they have the data disk for it.

     Matsui and Shinshi find Ray Clancy, sitting with a patrolman, who
they send to report in. Shige gets the message, but can't relay it to
Kanuka. The military confront the Phantom, but news copters are beginning
to approach and they can't use their sidearms without leaving evidence of
their presence. Noa joins them, and tells them to pull out, they will be
noticed if they stay. They do so, taking out the damaged Brocken on the
way, the commander saluting Noa, who faces the Phantom alone.

     Hiromi and Goto patrol, and notice the command van lurking. But the
bad guys have noticed the carrier, and prepare to pull out. The Phantom
fires at Noa, who dodges. She fires, but her shots are useless against the
armor.  It opens the ECM weapon pod, but when Noa fires at it, deflects
the shot with its arm. It moves in, but Shige shows up driving the
carrier, distracting it long enough for Noa to disable the ECM with her
final shot.  Shige yells out that Kanuka's grandmother is safe.

     Ray Clancy tell Matsui and Shinshi how her husband flew out on
Christmas Eve, 1950, never to return.

     Kanuka boots up Ohta's Ingram, and manages to get it going. Asuma
cautions her to take it easy, and she says he should worry more about Noa.
Noa grapples with the Phantom at the edge of the bay, while at the high
rise Ohta tries to work a discovered radio, and Shinobu notices the guards
appear to be pulling out.

     Noa continues fighting, but is blinded by the Phantom's lights,
striking out instinctively to damage its monitor. At the high-rise Goimoko
manages to knock the room's door open to find the guards are gone. The
Phantom gets the Ingram in a death grip.

     Over scenes of Kanuka and Asuma moving towards Noa, Ray Clancy tells
how she came to the airfield to finally say goodbye to her husband. She
opposed Kanuka becoming a police officer and indeed came to Japan to try
to bring her home. She says she doesn't want to lose any more family to
ideology, while the Phantom powers up for laser attack. Shinshi
interrupts her, saying he chose to do this job for his own sake, fighting
for himself, not for ideology, and he feels sure Kanuka feels the same.

     Asuma tells Noa to abandon the Ingram, but she refuses, and Kanuka
smashes into the Phantom. Noa tells her that her grandmother is safe, and
passes Kanuka her stun stick, which she uses against the Phantom. In the
command van, the laser is reported disabled, but they have all the data
they need. The man orders the Phantom to pull out. Goto and Hiromi follow
the command van, but when they round a corner they find it stopped. It
then explodes, and Goto says 'Not bad'. 

     The Phantom flattens Kanuka, and Noa throws herself at it, sending
them both over the edge, but Kanuka snags her just in time. The Phantom
goes into the water, and an explosion occurs. Some time later, everyone is
gathered around the labor carriers, and to Shinobu's statement that they
beat it, Goto says they lost, all culprits having escaped. Asuma puts in
that at least they forced the Phantom to self-destruct, but Goto feels
that must have been a trick. He mentions to Noa that she got all the
labors herself, and she laughs nervously. Kanuka stands apart, looking at
the sunrise.

     At SV2, Shinshi is asking Kanuka why she didn't go with her
grandmother to the airport, when she came to Japan for her sake. Kanuka
tells him it's none of his business. But as Ray Clancy's plane takes off,
she sees Kanuka watching the plane, and wonders if that is what she looked
like those years ago...


Episode #12 - Ohta's One Troubled Afternoon

     The news quickly circulates through Second Unit that Ohta is involved
in an 'omami', an arranged courtship, with, as Ohta proves with a photo,
an attractive woman. He meets with Fujii Ayano, who is indeed an
attractive and gentle woman, and is formal to the point of panic, which
his aunt apologizes for. They go for a walk in the garden (with some
difficulty as Ohta's legs are asleep) as their aunts giggle, and Ohta
manages to fall in the pond.

     Next morning, everyone tries to steer clear of Ohta. Noa enters and
tries to ask how things went, but Asuma intercepts her and fills her in,
adding that Ohta doesn't have any hope, and that they shouldn't say
anything that could possibly remind him of it. However, Noa and Shinshi
greatly add to the tension of the room by accidently using the words
'drop' and 'break'. Ohta gets a call from his aunt, listens and hangs up.
Shinshi and Noa try to comfort him, but it turns out Ohta and Ayano are
going out to dinner!

     Shinobu asks Goto what's going on with Second Unit. Everyone is
closeted in some big meeting. He replies it's a strategy session for a
special case. Everyone is trying to give Ohta dating tips on where to go,
what to say, compliment her dress, don't be late...
 
     He manages to arrive late, and spotting Ayano there already tries to
calm down, planning to first apologize and then compliment her. He mixes
them up, but she doesn't seem to mind. Afterwards, they are walking, and
he worries about the drizzle. She tells him she doesn't mind it, she loves
thinking of when it'll turn into snow, a remark that actually seems to get
through to Ohta. When a passing car threatens to splash her, he insists
she walk on the inside, resulting in her putting her foot in a puddle. He
tries to clean it up, but only spreads the stain, but she seems to
understand as he leaps to attention in a panic.

     Next morning, Ohta's on the roof looking out as Noa approaches with a
full pail, reminding him of a meeting. He insists on carrying the pail,
much to her surprise, and then asks her if she has ever been thrilled by
the signs of snow. She has no idea what he's talking about and nervously
exits.

     That evening, Ohta and Ayano have seen a movie, but Ohta is critical
of its depiction of labors. When he worries if she liked it, she replies
that she wanted to see it. She asks him to walk her to a construction
site, where there is a new model construction labor. She recites its
specs, telling Ohta she loves labors.

     At SV2, Ohta is giving everyone the creeps with the way he's acting.
Noa considers him completely lovestruck, but Kanuka asks what Ayano could
see in Ohta. After some thought, Noa ventures a straightforward
personality (more of a disadvantage according to Asuma), and Hiromi a
strong sense of justice. Shinshi jokes that this often gets out of hand
when Ohta suddenly appears and drags him off. He wants Shinshi's advice,
as a married man, if it means that Ayano likes him because she said she
liked labors. A flustered Shinshi manages to say at least it means she
doesn't hate him, at which Ohta rushes off. Goto pokes his head out and
comments that he's on a stampede.

     That evening at dinner, Ohta tries to tell Ayano how he feels, but
before he can manage it, she tells him she's sorry, and rushes off.

     Everyone tries to cheer Ohta up, offering him lunch, and even an
opportunity for live-weapons practice, but nothing works. Asuma says Ohta
flew high, so the fall was all the worse.

     Noa and Asuma confer on the roof, Asuma feeling Ayano must have been
put up to the whole thing by her relatives, Noa protesting that if she was
as nice as she seemed, she would have been honest about that in the
beginning. They see someone arrive. Ayano approaches Shige, who first
thinks she's lost, but then realizes who she is. Everyone tries to
eavesdrop on Ohta and Ayano, even Goto, who says he's just concerned for
Ohta, but they move outside out of earshot. While Ohta stands impassive,
looking at the sky, Ayano says she wants to talk to him, but stops when
Ohta suddenly says it might snow.

     They are interrupted by the dispatch alarm. Ohta finds Goto, who
tells him of a cave-in at a highway construction site. A new model labor
is trapped, the same type as Ayano and Ohta looked at the night before.
Ayano seems to recognize the name of the site, and asks to come along.
Goto, perplexed, agrees.

     At the site, things look bad. None of the construction labors can
help, and they have lost touch with the pilot. Ayano asks who it is, and
collapses when she hears the name. Ohta catches her, and insists she wait
in the command car.

     Ohta and Noa move into the tunnel, and dig into the cave-in. They
uncover part of the labor, but can't reach the cockpit. The roof begins to
collapse, but Ohta holds it, telling Noa to get the labor out. It's still
trapped, so he tells her to rip the cockpit out, and to hurry as the roof
is beginning to give. As she works, he contact Ayano, and asks if it was
the labor pilot she wanted to talk to him about. When she says yes, he
apologizes for disturbing her, and continues to hold the roof. Noa gets
the cockpit, but the roof comes down on Ohta. She makes it out and the
pilot is found to be alive. Ohta suddenly emerges from under the roadbed,
alive and kicking.

     Afterwards, it begins to snow as Ohta sits, and when Ayano bows to
him, he salutes. Later, Shinobu overhears Ohta arguing at the top of his
lungs with Goto about the training field being closed because of the snow.
Ohta follows an oblivious Goto, pleading for a chance for some shooting
practice.


-- 
* Donald Simmons - Grad. Student    *  'You get up, you pull on your     *
* Institute of Aerospace Studies    *  pants. Do you fasten then zip, or *
* University of Toronto             *  zip and then fasten?' - Garibaldi *
* donald@bach.utias.utoronto.ca     *  Babylon 5, 'Babylon Squared'      *



Episode # 13 - Gently, Your Highness

     At the airport, Second Unit is in dress uniform, racing to meet a
plane. A large formal welcoming party is present with the Ingrams to greet
a prince from a small, but oil-rich, Arab nation, but Goto doesn't look
impressed, as usual. As the prince disembarks, Asuma is confused, as he
understood the visit was supposed to be incognito. Afterwards, as Noa
supervises the loading of the Ingrams, another young boy and an older man
approach, the boy full of questions about the Ingrams, encouraging Noa to
answer. She, confused, first thinks he must have become separated from the
tour, but Goto informs her he is the prince, the boy before his cousin,
much to her surprise. Goto formally welcomes the prince to Second Unit,
but wonders if he can dress a little less conspicuously.

     At SV2, the prince, now in an SV2 uniform, is climbing all over
Alphonse as Noa watches and Shige wonders what this is all about. Kanuka
says apparently he is interested in setting up a labor unit at home. Asuma
remarks that his behaviour towards labors reminds him of someone. Shige
and Kanuka agree, and Noa wants to know why they are looking at her.

     Ohta, Shinshi, and Hiromi have discovered that one of their rooms has
been converted into a luxury bedroom for the prince. Goto says it's
unavoidable, but Ohta complains that this will affect morale and everyone
should be treated equal. He changes his tune after the prince arranges a
feast of a dinner for Second Unit. Everyone stuffs themselves, but when
Shinshi says how well he is eating on the phone with his wife, he ends up
in the doghouse. Goto makes the mistake of asking him if he enjoyed
the meal.

     When Asuma hears the prince is down in the hanger, he races down to
check on him, but Kanuka says matters are well in hand. The prince and Noa
seem to be bonding over a common love of labors, especially the Ingram.
The prince tells Noa she is the first person to really understand how he
feels, and she shows him inside the cockpit. Asuma appears irritated.

     Shinobu, Goto, and Sakaki meet. One of the Brockens captured during
the Teleport City attack has been stolen while being moved. Goto figures
it can't be hidden for more than a few days, and so may be connected with
the visit of the prince. But as long as he stays at SV2, he should be
safe.  Shinobu hopes so.

     Next morning, Ohta prepares some instant ramen, while the prince is
amazed that all he had to do was add hot water. He insists on having the
same, along with the cavier. Noa has gotten permission for the prince to
try piloting Car #3. Asuma is annoyed with the treatment 'this kid' is
getting, and in ignoring him is almost stepped on by the inexperienced
prince. The prince is having the time of his life, but Sakaki puts the
maintenance squad on standby, as Car #3 is going to need some heavy work
afterwards. Goto notices that someone appears to be watching from a parked
car.

     At lunch everyone is eager to see what has been prepared, only to
find instant ramen. The prince was so taken by the ease of preparation he
plans to try every brand on the market.

     They are saved from this fate by the dispatch alarm. The Brocken has
appeared. When the prince finds out where he asks Goto to go along. Goto
refuses, but the princes' cousin is touring near the site. Goto tells him
if he is a member of SV2 he must obey orders, but the prince rips off the
uniform and pulls ancestoral rank, saying he can't hide while his cousin
is in danger. Goto relents.

     The Brocken rampages on the edge of a wooded area, and Noa and Ohta
move in, but it dodges Ohta's shots and they give chase. A man lurking
under the trees radios the Brocken to keep drawing their attention while
he goes after the real prince with the labor unit. At the sound of more
shots, the prince leaps from Goto's car and races off, Goto radioing
Noa to find him. Ohta's shots don't stop the Brocken, which tackles him.
The prince arrives and is winged by a shot from the trees. Noa grabs him
while the Brocken flattens Ohta, who almost flattens the command cars. 

     Noa has the prince in the cockpit, but now can't reach the arm
controls and begins to retreat as the Brocken charges. But the prince
takes the controls, telling Noa to trust him. They charge, and flatten the
Brocken with one punch, the prince hitting so hard he damages the Ingram's
hand.  The Brocken gets up, but Ohta attacks again and is thrown off,
losing his stun stick. The prince and Noa grab it and tackle the Brocken.
They grapple, the Brocken almost getting the upper hand, but the prince
breaks an arm free and gets it with the stun stick. Kanuka relays the
situation to Goto, who has already captured the assassin. Asuma starts to
wonder exactly what when on in the cockpit, but backtracks, laughing
nervously, when Noa starts staring at him.

     It turns out that the assassins were from the princes' country, and
he must return immediately to help stop their forces. At the airport, Noa
presents him with a gift from the maintenance squad, a copy of Alphonse's
data disk. They also give him enough instant ramen for a month. Asuma
admits there was more to him than he thought, and Goto is glad they are
all just commoners.


Episode #14 - You Win!

     It's a police judo tournament, and Shige cheers on Second Unit, while
he watches with Noa and Kanuka. Asuma isn't happy about spending his day
off like this, but each section had to send a team, and First Unit is
on duty. It's Second Unit vs. the 4th Riot Squad. Shinshi goes up first
against a huge black belt. Shinshi and Kanuka expect the worst, and Goto
gives him three seconds. It's more like two. Asuma is next and bristles at
cat-calls about his white belt. He first tries using his head (literally)
and receives a warning from the ref, but Kanuka sniffs, saying if you
intend to cheat, make your first blow the final one. Sure enough, the riot
trooper proceeds to flatten Asuma, who has to be carried away on the
stretcher. Ohta is next, full of confidence, and also leaves on a
stretcher. Goto steps up, and Noa thinks he has a chance with his black
belt. Goto just stands ready, his usual sleepy attitude making the trooper
nervous, but just as he strikes, Goto answers his pocket phone. It's
Shinobu calling out Second Unit for assistance.

     First Unit's labors have been beaten up badly. A new model
construction labor is holed up in the public baths, the driver despondent
over his girlfriend dumping him, drunk to boot, and he has an old man
hostage. Meanwhile, Ohta has a sprained ankle and can't pilot Car #2, and
Asuma's throat was hurt and he can't speak. Goto orders Kanuka to command
Noa's Car #1, an arrangement which pleases neither Kanuka, Noa, or
Shinobu, who does not look confident.

     Goto goes into the baths and tries to talk with the driver, launching
on a long talk on how going out in a blaze of glory will not make his old
girlfriend sorry, she'll just get married and have kids and the newspapers
will say 'Idiot goes on Rampage'. The guy isn't in a mood to listen,
unless Goto can introduce him to someone else. At his response that the
police are not a dating service the guy starts swinging. Noa comes through
a wall, and the hostage goes into the water. Kaunka tells Noa to use her
gun to disable his leg, but she goes with her stun stick instead. The guy
breaks off a smokestack, but loses his balance and it falls over on him.

     Back at SV2, Kanuka accuses Noa of not following her orders for
personal reasons, while Noa counters that firing was dangerous in a
crowded area.  But damage would have been minimized, Kanuka insists, and
anyway she had no right to disobey. Goto steps in and tells them to each
write up a report.

     Goto and Shinobu discuss what happened. The problem as Goto sees it
is would Noa have disobeyed the order if it came from Asuma. Shinobu
notes that Second Unit has a problem with inflexibility, due to the
complex personal dynamics within it. This situation could happen again at
any time, and it's Goto's job to prevent that. He sighs, 'They're
delicate'.

     They overview Kanuka and Noa:

     Kanuka - Born in Hawaii, graduated with top marks, promoted to
sergeant in the NYPD.
     Noa - Born in Hokkaido, received average marks, but noted for pilot
ability.
     Kanuka - While at the academy audited courses at MIT, got top marks
in master's courses in electrical engineering.
     Noa - While at the academy worked for a private security firm. Got
along well with others, but quarrelled with superiors over their methods.
     Kanuka - Expert at judo, shooting, explosives, speaks German, French,
Mandarin.
     Noa - Plays basketball. Hobby, 'I love labor!'

     Kanuka comes out ahead of Noa in every catagory, but Goto says their
antagonisism is more complex than the arguing between Asuma and Ohta.
Kanuka is a perfectionist, and Noa's trial-and-error approach bothers her.
He has an idea to get them to open their minds, but first he has to hit
Shinobu up for a loan.

     He drags everyone to a bar/restaurant and encourages them to take it
easy and have some fun. He leaves Noa, Hiromi, and Kanuka alone and checks
up on Asuma and Ohta, Shinshi being on the phone with his wife. Asuma
wants to know why Goto is treating them, and he claims it's just gratitude
to his men. Asuma and Ohta are ready to start heavy drinking.

     Noa's throwing it back, and Kanuka notices. Noa explains her father
was a brewer, and she's learned to handle it. Kanuka has to throw it back
as well, and she and Noa get into a drinking duel, much to Hiromi's
discomfort. He doesn't drink.

     Asuma, who's had one too many, tries to convince Goto to have one,
even if he's driving, which gets Ohta on his case. He wonders where Noa
and Kanuka are, and wants to invite them over, and call Shinobu while
he's at it.  This starts Ohta off again, who believes in men drinking
alone.

     Noa and Kanuka are still at it, even as Hiromi tries to get them to
eat something as well, but they have to have one more drink. Meanwhile,
Ohta chides Asuma for always asking about Noa, which is why she can't
become independent. Asuma strikes back by saying he is henpecked all the
time by Kanuka. This starts Shinshi ranting about how they don't know what
henpecked means. Goto tries to slip away, claiming he wants to check on
Noa and Kanuka. Shinshi continues his ranting until the barmaid knocks him
out, asking Goto if he's his son.

     Noa and Kanuka are just barely awake, and Noa asks Kanuka if she is
ever homesick. Kanuka admits she misses her grandmother, just before
she passes out. Noa covers her with her jacket, and has just one more.
Goto finds them both asleep.

     Next morning, the dispatch alarm is going off, but everyone is hung
over except Hiromi and Noa, who tells Kanuka she had fun last night.
After a good night's sleep, she feels fine. Goto watches, while Shinubo
complains about the results of his night's work. Goto feels that mutual
respect can only come from seeing each other's faults. Shinobu asks if he
feels the night was successful. Goto thinks so, but he made one mistake,
he didn't have time to drink himself. Shinobu starts laughing while Noa
charges out of the hanger, ready to go.


Episode #15 - The Whale that Sang a Song

     Noa arrives at SV2, happy that she's beaten Asuma there. 'Gundam' was
on late night TV, and she stayed up watching it, causing an outburst from
Ohta that police work isn't 9 to 5. Hiromi has a postcard from home,
showing a whale, which excites Noa. Hiromi saw a lot of whales as a kid,
and shows her an old picture of himself with a whale in the background.
Kanuka mentions that humpbacks were once almost extinct, and Noa wishes
she could see one. Asuma comes in, calls police work a 9 to 5 job, and
turns on the TV. A humpback whale has entered Toyko Bay! Hiromi is
surprised, as humpbacks are generally cautious creatures, and is also
worried about what might happen to it. Kanuka is sure the animal right's
people will get on it, and Ohta snorts over them getting so worked up over
this, prompting Kanuka to turn on him angrily. Shinshi comments that their
lack of cases has Ohta frustrated. The news broadcast cites concern for
the whale's survival, and Hiromi looks upset.

     The whale had become big news, with everyone concerned over it. The
government is compelled by the outcry to do something, and there's a big
meeting of the concerned Ministries, with Maritime Safety taking the lead.
Hiromi and Noa are glad, but Goto wants to know why they were asked to
come. Second Unit is stationed at a crowded pier, filled with onlookers.
They are to remove any illegally parked cars. Ohta rants at the
'braindead' crowd. Asuma, Noa, and Hiromi look on as all boats not
directly involved with the rescue are ordered from the harbor, feeling
sorry that they are not more directly involved. A TV reporter explains
that ships will be used to guide the whale out, and announces a whale
trivia quiz. The operation starts, and Noa's disappointed no one's
watching her 'pat-chan'. She tries to relieve Ohta, but he can't move
because of the crowd. Then anti-government protesters in a rowboat start
in, yelling that labors are a waste of resources and calling for an
evaluation of Project Babylon. Ohta freaks and pulls his gun. Kanuka and
Hiromi try to calm him down, but the protesters dare him and he fires,
narrowly missing them and swamping their boat. Later, Goto hands out
reprimands to the three of them, but as Hiromi leaves, tells him it wasn't
his fault.

     On the news the whale is still in the harbor, and several underwater
crews film it. Hiromi sits on the dock at SV2, worried. Noa joins him. He
doesn't think the current efforts will work, but gets an idea when he
hears a foghorn.

     Maritime Safety tries again, using recorded whale songs to lure the
whale out (Hiromi's idea). It works, and the whale leaves.

     Next morning, the papers make no mention of Hiromi, but he doesn't
mind. But on TV, the whale's back! Now public attention has shifted away
from it, calling it a waste of money to try again. Goto tells Second Unit
they are returning to regular duties, and try to get their overdue reports
in. Hiromi's upset that everyone would just give up.

     A week passes, and no one's around to watch the whale anymore, but
now there's a baby whale! Even Goto wants to take a look. Second Unit has
now been assigned to whale rescue. Noa's elated, but Asuma's confused.
Goto asks if they know how people think of them, and Noa lists several of
the names, such as 'tax-wasters' and 'dropouts'. They aren't expected to
succeed, so it's better that they try and mess up, than another agency try
and fail. This gets them all mad, and ready to do the job.

     The maintenance squad has managed to get an old maritime labor
working, and Hiromi pilots it into the harbor, with Noa and Asuma
commanding from a boat and Goto overhead in a helicopter. Hiromi tries to
use the whale songs again, but he moves in too close and agitates the
mother whale, which rams him. He's all right, but the speaker is knocked
out. Asuma calls him back, but the songs are heard again. Another whale
approaches, the mate of the mother. The whales head out of the harbor
while Hiromi looks on.


Episode # 16 - The Unit Crosses the Sea

     At the International Snow Festival in Hokkaido, labors work at
constructing huge snow sculptures. Onlookers speculate about the presence
of Second Unit, and talk about how they destroy everything they touch.
Kanuka and Asuma worry about the effects of the temperature on the
Ingrams, but Goto doesn't think it's a problem. Second Unit is here to
help improve their reputation, according to Asuma, but Kanuka doesn't
think that's enough of a reason to leave all of Tokyo to First Unit. Noa
is asked to give a hand with the building, as Ohta seems to be really
getting into it. One of the workers says Noa should stay here and work, as
she is from Hokkaido. She laughs, but notices a young boy hiding, looking
up at her. Ohta is delivering a snow block when the boy slips plastic
sheets under his feet, casuing him to lose his balance. Noa tries to catch
him, but they both crash into one of the snow buildings.

     Goto has a call from Shinobu, and he complains about feeling like a
school teacher on a field trip, and when she chides him, tells her
frowning causes wrinkles. He wants to know why they are really there. A
terrorist group opposed to Project Babylon has issued a bomb threat at the
snow festival, and two labors at a nearby site had been stolen. Also, the
threat contained the message, 'Beware of L', supposedly for labor. Goto
thinks this could be a diversion, with the real trouble in Tokyo, but
this, Shinobu tells him, is why First Unit is still in Tokyo. 
     
     After the crash, Second Unit can't help with the building anymore,
and Ohta rants about finding who tripped him up, and that playing in the
snow is foolish. Kanuka, looking on at all this, comments that the 
Japanese like really strange things.

     A bunch of kids watch the patlabors, but one of them, the boy who
tripped up Ohta, recites all the specs of the Ingram. Their teacher notes
that Satoru moved here from Toyko, and must have seen all sorts of labors.
But the other kids say Satoru hates labors.

     Hiromi, perched on Noa's shoulder, points out Babylon Castle to Noa,
the feature building of the festival. Satoru throws a snowball at
Alphonse, and Noa reacts, sending Hiromi tumbling off her shoulder, and
catching him just in time. The teacher recognizes Noa. She's Kiyama, a
friend of Noa from her old basketball team. Noa's surprised she's a
teacher, and Kiyama's surprised she's a member for the notorious Second
Unit. She asks if all those stories, like Ohta dangling from the high-rise
are true. She also tell them that one of her students used to love labors,
until his house was destroyed by one. Noa tries to say that sometimes
these things can't be helped, not sounding very convinced herself, and
that they try not to make things worse. Then her and Asuma look at Ohta
and sigh.

     Suddenly, a bomb explodes! One of the stolen labors is found in
ruins, a bomb having been left in it as a warning. A new threat has
arrived, Kanuka reports, in the usual terrorist jargon. Asuma wonders if
there's some manual for terrorist letters. Goto figures it's likely they
will use the second labor in their next attack. Ohta claims the terrorists
must have caused him to slip, and climbs all over Noa when she tries to
say it may have been someone else. She gets Hiromi to hold Ohta while she
and Kiyama get away.
     
     Kiyama confirms to Noa that Satoru was behind Ohta's accident, and
Asuma comes out of hiding, telling Noa that 'Forward and back are two in
one'. They discuss Satoru and decide not to tell the others for now.

     That night, Noa goes out to Alphonse, upset about Satoru and all the
stories about Second Unit, and tells him that she's doing the best she
can. Asuma listens outside, and leaves her a hot drink. Going back to
sleep, he hears a labor moving among the sculptures. It's shown planting a
bomb! He gets Noa to go out in Alphonse and look. She finds the labor, but
is hesitant to fight back, afraid of damaging the sculptures. Ohta shows
up shooting, and the labor runs off while Noa tries to restrain Ohta. The
labor pilot and his partner leap into a getaway van, but the next thing
they know they are surrounded, and Kanuka is driving.

     The captured terrorists confess to planting a bomb to go off at noon,
but refuse to say where. They start checking out all the sculptures. It
looks hopeless, and they have less than two hours. All the tracks were
messed up by last night's fight. Time ticks on, and Noa and Asuma figure
that to plant a bomb with a labor, you would remove one of the snow
blocks, and this would leave distinctive claw marks.

     Kiyama finds Goto, wanting to have Noa talk to Satoru, and is
astonished that Goto would let her do such dangerous work. 'It's her job',
Goto replies. Ohta wants to trash the sculptures, but the bomb could be
easily overlooked in all the snow, and Noa swears they won't destroy
anything, this time. Goto, looking at Babylon Castle, realizes that
'Beware of L' could refer to the 'L' in the giant snow 'BABYLON' around
the castle. Satoru rushes out and spots the damaged block. Noa removes it
and finds the bomb with minutes to go. She must use the fine manipulators
to remove it for fear of losing it in the snow. She gets it and throws it
straight up. Ohta fires and for once makes a direct hit, destroying the
bomb.

     Goto tells Shinobu it's all over, and she's glad only one bomb was
planted, a possibility that obviously never occurred to him. When he
wishes she was there to see the festival, she says she can see the whole
thing. It's on TV, and it's showing Noa and Satoru hugging.


Episode # 17 - Target Chief Goto!

     A letter is mailed in the night. In the morning Goto examines an
envelope sealed with a heart sticker while Shinobu comments it must be
from his niece. Inside he finds a card with the message 'Die'. Shinobu
asks if Uncle was being asked for something, and he says 'Sort of'.

     Breakfast has just been delivered. Goto thinks his tastes funny, and
starts choking on it. Later, he sits at his desk, stomach growling, and
decides to check up on the visiting captain. Shinobu comments he better
wear his shoes, and that this evaluation of Second Unit could really
affect his career. However, a cat has done its duty in his dress shoes and
he can't wear them. The captain notices.

     On the roof, he tries to run over all the people who could have a
grudge against him when he senses something and spins around in a combat
stance, only to find Kanuka. He tries to cover by saying he was throwing
away a cigarette, but she isn't fooled. She tells him there's a meeting,
and watches him go.

     Later, she tells the others what happened, and asks what do they
really know about Goto, anyway? The others mention that he didn't eat
breakfast, or has been seen napping. Talking like a bad TV investigation
show, Noa and Shinshi propose they investigate the mysterious Chief Goto.
They all agree.

     As a unit activity, Ohta proposes to Goto he join them in 20 laps
around the building. At the starting line, Asuma complains about this
plan, but Ohta sneers that its the best way to check Goto out physically.
Goto quickly takes the lead, but out of sight he ducks into the hanger and
hides, telling Sakaki he wouldn't last long if he acted like them.
Everyone lies exhausted, wondering why they didn't realize he would cheat.
Kanuka has another idea, asking Goto to help her brush up on her kendo.
Shinobu's starting to wonder what's up. At the match, everyone watches as
Kanuka and Goto stand ready, but when Kanuka attacks, Goto doesn't move,
pronounces her the winner, and leaves.

     Finally, they force Hiromi to ask Shinobu what she knows about Goto,
but all she has to say is that Goto was known as notorious before be came
to SV2. Just then Goto arrives in his squad car, with a smashed flowerpot
on the roof. Someone threw it at his car, and he asks Shinshi to fix the
damage. Everyone is now sure something is up, and they discuss it at a
dispatch. The call turns out to be a hoax, and Ohta fumes about it as the
carrier deck prepares to lower, but it falls with a crash. The hydraulics
had been sabotaged, rather crudely Sakaki comments. Shinshi asks Sakaki if
he knows anything about Goto, but he's not saying.

     Kanuka is certain all these odd events are connected. Shinobu
comments on Second Unit's activity to Goto, saying they should all be
preparing for the evaluation, but Goto, who has received another letter,
isn't really listening.

     Later, Kanuka and Noa follow Goto around the marketplace, while a
rather clumsy man follows them. Kanuka chides Noa to be quiet several
times, while they record all his activities, when he suddenly confronts
them and takes them to lunch. Kanuka feels foolish, but Goto tells them
someone really bad was following him too, pointing him out. Noa wants to
confront him, but Goto tells her to leave it alone.

     Hearing Kanuka and Noa's report, Ohta is angry that they found out
nothing, and Kanuka is ready to drop the whole thing. Asuma wants to find
out who that man was, but Noa reminds him Goto said hands off. Ohta really
flips, ranting that proper procedure should be to haul him in and obtain a
confession.  Goto enters and asks them to clean the place for the
evaluation tomorrow, when the dispatch alarm goes off.

     At the site, two construction labors duel over who dropped the beam
that flattened a car. Noa notices the man who followed Goto and is
distracted for a moment, and one of the labors grabs her. As she grapples
with it, the man shoves a baby carriage at them. Trying to avoid it, Noa
falls on a house. The man exults on the phone to 'Dad' that he has gotten
Second Unit into real trouble.

     At SV2, the captain is upset by this incident, and with Second Unit's
record in general. Just when he is about to hand out reprimands, Goto
speaks up, showing the threats, and a handwriting analysis showing they
were written by the former commander of SV2, Sofue, who now runs a
maintenance shop with his son. Photos show the son was present at the
incident site. 

     Thanks to the prospect of an internal scandal, all charges against
Second Unit were being dropped, Goto tells everyone, who marvel at how
sneaky Goto is. But Sofue hears of this, and screaming for revenge on Goto
for unspecified reasons, he arrives at SV2 in a flatbed with his son
driving. Sofue pilots a hand-made labor off the truck, the machine
staggering at every movement. Goto comes out and to the astonishment of
all faces the labor. It pulls a gun, but it misfires, and its legs
collapse when it tries to step on Goto. He exhales, and everyone else just
stares, including the captain.

     Goto tsks over Sofue, without saying what he was so mad at him about,
while Shinobu admits to being impressed by the way he faced the labor
down. It turns out the Sakaki took one look at it and had told Goto it was
a useless wreck before Goto came out. Second Unit, listening outside the
door, are unanimous in their response, 'Cheater!' 


Episode # 18 - I Love Noa-Sempai!

     Second Unit stands outside SV2, Ohta holding flowers. He paces like
a madman as someone they are waiting for is late, and he tell Shige if
this is some sort of joke, he'll die! Shige protests he overheard it from
Goto. Matsumoto Kana, currently the #1 idol singer, is coming to SV2 for a
week. Noa wants to know why they have to put up with some celebrity.
Apparently she is going to head an upcoming labor safety parade and is
coming there for some training. This might help improve the reputation of
Second Unit, and improve their funding so they might not have to work the
speed trap at the end of the fiscal year. Ohta is ready to completely
freak when Goto arrives with Kana (a very cute young woman looking a lot
like Hikaru from Orange Road). The maintenance squad goes nuts with a huge
banner, and Ohta's besides himself. Kana is to be instructed in basic
Ingram maneuvers, and Noa will be her instructor. When she is surprised,
Ohta quickly offers his help, but is vetoed by Asuma as being too
dangerous.

     The carrier deck is raised, and Noa looks on nervously as Asuma gives
Kana, seating in Alphonse's cockpit, a quick run down of the controls,
assuring her she can board the carrier. Noa is worried that something's
going to happen to Alphonse but Asuma tells her things will be fine.
Besides, he had Shige activate the auto-boarding beacon, in order to give
Kana some confidence. Kana is trying to figure out the controls, and
accidently turns the beacon off. Asuma tells her to start and she walks
over the carrier without incident, turns, but then loses her balance and
falls, almost on Noa. She rushes to Alphonse crying, and Kana is the same
state. Asuma can't get her to stop, but Noa comes over and tears into her
to shape up and see to Alphonse's damges, and she regains control of
herself.

     Later, Noa and Kanuka are in the bath, Noa wondering why everyone is
being so nice to Kana. But even Kanuka is sympathetic about her, saying
it's only be a week, and besides, when she fell she protected the Ingram's
body with the arm. Maybe she has hidden talents. Noa sulks about her
having to use Alphonse, but Car #3 is down for maintenance, and Ohta's
Ingram is full of his own weird movements. Kana peeks in, and apologizes
to Noa, saying she's not good with machines, but she really wants to learn
to pilot the Ingram. Kanuka teases Noa, calling her 'sempai', and Noa
relents. Kana, elated, jumps in, tells Noa she knew she was a nice person,
and, blushing, says 'I like you'.

     Next day, Ohta is coaching Kana in target practise, and as a
demonstration blows a floating target out of the water. Kana takes her
turn, and dedicates the shot with love to Noa-sempai! Asuma asks what's
going on here, and Noa manages to say it must be one of the high-school
things. Kana fires, but the shot misses, skipping over the water far out
into the bay. Everyone stares, and Kanuka feels this is turning into bad
comedy.

     In Goto's office, Shinobu asks if this is all such a good idea. Goto
says they need to use up the bullets before the fiscal year ends. Shinobu
means is it wise having a celebrity around when they could be sent out on
a call. Goto replies that HQ places a lot of importance on the publicity
this will generate, and so they wouldn't send Second Unit out on any minor
case. And if a major case comes up? Then they certainly wouldn't send
Second Unit. Shinobu can't argue with that.

     Meanwhile, a man watches Kana training in the Ingram. He gets a
call, and we learn that the man, Ryu, had been hired to kidnap Kana.

     That night, Kana and Noa are out running on the highway. Kana's
flagging, but Noa urges her on, fitness is important. A car follows them
as Noa slowly draws ahead of Kana, suddenly realizing she's lost her. She
is blinded by car headlights.

     Asuma answers the phone, and is told that Kana has been kidnapped,
the kidnappers demanding an Ingram for her return. Just then Kana shows
up. Asuma yells into the phone that this is a stupid joke, confusing the
kidnapper. Kana asks if Noa is back yet, and Asuma realizes what must have
happened. Ryu has grabbed the wrong girl, and the boss chews him out, as
he doesn't believe they'll trade an Ingram for her.

     Asuma and the others are gathered around the telephone, and he plans
to agree to turn over an Ingram. Ohta's against it, saying Noa should have
killed herself rather then be captured. Kana blames herself for this mess.
A deal is made, Alphonse for Noa, with a meeting at a burger joint at
midnight. Hiromi wonders if they should inform HQ, but they would never
agree to giving up an Ingram. Even Kanuka agrees that they have to handle
this themselves, and Ohta agrees that Noa will come first. Asuma tells
Kana to stay put.

     The boss meets Noa and wonders how Ryu could have mistaken 'this kind
of girl' for Kana. Noa learns the trade is going ahead, and the Ingram
will be sold to an overseas country, and that including a pilot in the
deal should bring an even better price!

     At the burger place, Ryu is behind the counter, and while pretending
to take Asuma's order, shows him a series of notes, asking about the
Ingram and saying they will release Noa outside the country. He takes the
data disk, and then decks Asuma, racing off in the labor carrier. Kanaku
appears in her car, picks up Asuma, and they follow, radioing Ohta along
the way.

     They follow the carrier to a warehouse, and race in. Asuma tackles
Ryu and demands to know where Noa is, Kanuka stepping on his glasses and
threatening dire bodily harm. But the boss appears, holding a gun on Noa,
and demands their surrender. Ohta in Car #2 drops through the skylights,
and tells Noa her noble death won't be in vain. Noa yells back she isn't
dead yet! Ohta swings his stun stick, but a labor comes out of nowhere and
manages to pin Ohta. Ryu runs to board Alphonse. The carrier deck rises,
the tarpaulin covering is falling to the floor, and Alphonse steps off,
aiming the gun at Ohta while Noa cries out over what they are forcing
Alphonse to do. Alphonse fires, blowing the arms off of the labor holding
Ohta. It's Kana piloting! Noa bites the boss and runs to Kanuka and Asuma.
Hiromi appears, holding a bound Ryu over his head.  Kana demands they all
surrender, running after the fleeing boss, but trips on the tarpaulin
and falls, grabbing the boss at the last moment. Ohta trips the fleeing
labor with his stun stick, and then blasts it. Asuma sighs, now there
isn't much chance they can keep this from Goto, but he's glad Noa's all
right. The boss protests their dirty trick as Kana holds him high in the
air.

     At SV2 everyone is trying to sneak back in, and Kana tells Noa she'll
give up on her, as Asuma cares for her more. They both frantically deny
this. The others try to hush them, Kanuka telling them they have to hurry,
and then jumps as Goto whispers behind her. He's bought coffee for
everyone, as they nervously laugh, and he's got some french fries as well,
holding up a bag from the burger place the exchange took place at.


Episode # 19 - Shadow in Geo-City

     In a huge underground excavation, labors, well, labor when a wall
collapses, revealing a natural cavern. Above ground at a temple, a priest
hears howling coming from a small shrine, and fears the worst. Back at the
main control of the underground work, one of the foremen complains about
the work being stopped while the caves are checked out. The company hopes
to use them as a tourist attraction. The phone rings, and the men are
informed of the discovery of the largest cave yet at the base of the
excavation. A labor descends in the elevator, its occupant smiling,
moments before a series of explosions rock the area.

     Second Unit rushes to the scene, and Asuma fills Noa in on Geo City,
a huge complex of underground tunnels and terminals. The trouble is in the
central core. Noa is excited at the prospect of exploring the system,
maybe they'll find some treasure or a time capsule. Kanuka says nothing
like that will happen. 

     At the site, the fire department is sending in their Pile Busters.
Goto learns that the man trapped below is not one of the workers, as he
figured, else the fire department could have resuced him. He's a terrorist
who set off several small explosions and now is apparently planting a bomb
at the base of the site, which would wreck the project. On a map, Goto
notes the presence of the caves.

     Goto fills in Second Unit, warning them of the danger, that they
could go 'Kaboom' with the tunnels. Noa's nervous, but Ohta's full of
confidence, at least until Kanuka says she's going in instead of him. Goto
tell Ohta that Kanuka has explosives experience, they need a command
officer at the scene, and Asuma finishes with the situation calls for a
calm and cool hand. Noa will be under Kanuka's command.

     The Ingrams are lowered into the excavation. The terrorist sets one
bomb and, hearing the Ingrams coming, wades off through the caves,
dropping another bomb into the water.

     The Ingrams search, moving throughout the complex. Noa thinks she
hears an animal howling, but Kanuka sets her straight. This is not a Jules
Verne novel, and they are not going to find any treasure. They continue
searching, and Noa spots a bomb, Kanuka stopping her from touching a trip
wire just in time. She reports in, and begin defusing it. In the control
room, Asuma comments that things seem to be going well, not that he's
worried or anything. Ohta wants to go in after the terrorist. Goto agrees.

     Kanuka uses the fine manipulators to work on the bomb while Noa
stands watch, detecting nothing. Kanuka finishes, and Goto tells them they
can pull out now if they want, but Kanuka insists on looking for the
terrorist. Goto comments that she's pretty tough, and then asks about the
caves. He leaves, taking Hiromi with him, claiming they're going for a
walk.

     Kanuka and Noa find that the terrorist must have cut through the
watery cave. Noa thinks maybe they should pull out, but Kanuka reminds her
who's in charge, and sets off across the water. Suddenly, tentacles begin
to wrap about her Ingram's legs!

     The terrorist leaves his labor, whistling, but encounters Goto and
Hiromi, who gently knocks him on the head. They used the caves to get
ahead of him. Goto wants to look around a bit, and finds several skeletons
in old armor, and a ladder leading to the surface.

     Noa blasts at the tentacles, but Kanuka is pulled under. Then the
second bomb explodes!

     Goto and the others are on the surface, having emerged from the
shrine at the temple, much to the surprise of the priest, who thought for
a moment it was the Dragon Lord. He tells of a legend about a mighty
dragon who no one could slay, the skeletons belonging to men who tried.
The priests finally managed to seal him in the caves. Asuma calls in
reporting that all contract with Kanuka and Noa had been lost.  The
terrorist laughs, saying that the Mountain has failed, but the Sea will
succeed. From this, Goto realizes that he must have planted another bomb.
The earth excavated from the construction is carried by conveyor through
tunnels to a tower in the bay.  There it is used to create an artifical
island as part of Project Babylon.  An explosion on the tower would flood
Geo-City. The terrorist asks, stammering, how Goto figured all that out. 
Goto replies 'Was I right? I was just guessing!'. While Hiromi holds the
terrorist back, Goto worries that Kanuka and Noa could have stumbled into
the tunnel connecting the tower with Geo-City.

     In escaping the explosion, that's where they have ended up. The right
leg of Kanuka's labor is useless, and Noa detects the creature that
attached her approaching. Kanuka tells Noa to run while she holds it off,
but Noa refuses. Getting an idea, she hoists Kanuka up so she can grab the
moving conveyor. She follows suit, and they quickly leave the creature
behind. 

     They take refuge in a storage room, filled with liquid nitrogen
canisters. Noa has one shot left, while Kanuka has six. Suddenly, Noa
picks up the creature again. Kanuka gets ready at the doorway when a huge
tentacled creature with a dragon's head and neck appears and attacks!
Kanuka's shots do nothing, but Noa sprays it with liquid nitrogen. They
make a run for it, Noa supporting Kanuka's Ingram, and reach the end of
the tunnel, at the base of the mid-harbor tower, with the creature still
following. They start climbing, and Noa finds the last bomb, with 18
minutes to go. There is no time to disarm it, so Kanuka tells Noa to take
it with her, they can't let it explode here. 

     They make it to the top of the tower, but have nowhere else to go,
with only 2 minutes left on the bomb. They prepare for a stand, with
Kanuka telling Noa disobeying her was inexcusable, but thanks for saving
her. Noa tell her they're teammates after all, when the creature attacks.
Noa tries her last shot and stun stick, but realizing the bomb is their
best chance, extends the Ingram's arm with the bomb. The creature clamps
down on the hand, and Noa can't disengage with less than a minute left. In
trying to get free, she bumps into Kanuka's Ingram, nearly sending it into
the bay. Kanuka fires her last shot and crawls out of her Ingram, running
towards a construction crane. Noa falls, and as the creature looms over
her, Knauka knocks it into the water with the crane, the bomb still in
its mouth. It explodes, drenching everything, and Asuma arrives in a
helicopter.

     At SV2, Noa finds that Kanuka didn't mention the creature in her
report. No pieces of it surfaced, and so there is no evidence. She figures
that it was some ancient reptile that lived and mutated in the caves. Noa
thinks calling it a monster is more romantic. Kanuka tells her to stop
daydreaming. Noa counters by asking her to explain how it survived all
these years, and where are his wife and kids. To the question what if it
was female, she responds with it had a deep voice! The others watch,
wondering what is going on, and Goto remarks they must have seen the
Dragon Lord, which cause Asuma to runs out and join the argument. Ohta
tells Goto he shouldn't have said that, they have enough trouble telling
reality from fantasy already.


Episode #20 - Movement in Dark

     At SV2, Shinobu enters in the early morning with a newspaper and asks
Goto if he's seen it yet. He's afraid they're talking about Second Unit
again and Shinubo innocently asks if they've done anything newsworthy. A
security firm is advertising for labor pilots ,under 30, experience
preferred. Shinobu thinks this could be a problem. If security companies
with plenty of money start using labors, they'll be compared to them all
the time. Goto says it's not his problem, and anyway there's no reason to
get excited at this point. Then he asks what kind of labor they're using.
Shinobu admits that her labors are out of date, but she's not going to let
that bother her. She stops short when Goto remarks it could be THAT labor,
the SRX-70.

     On Ohshima, where the island training grounds of JSDF are located, a
man calling hmself Kurosaki from Holly Security Services (HSS) meets with
the military. It is the man behind the Teleport City attack. The military
is allowing HSS to participate in their labor exercises as they've bought
their own labors, and one of them is the SRX.

     At SV2, Noa in Car #3 boards the labor carrier, as Sakaki, Asuma, and
Jitsuyama watch. Car #3 is being taken back to Shinohara for some upgrades
that should improve the data processing, and boost movement speed 1.3
times. If all goes well, Car's #1 and #2 will get the same upgrade. Asuma
comments that this will leave First Unit's labors further behind again.
Sakaki says new construction labors have better specs now. This must be
tough on Shinobu. Jitsuyama asks Asuma if he's coming home, and that his
father is concerned about him in his own way, but Asuma says it's better
not to. Noa tells him that's not a nice thing to say, and that she's
worried about him, but he tells her to mind her own business. Jitsuyama
stops her from going after him. He tells her Asuma and his father are both
very headstrong people, and so don't get along.

     Asuma's lying on the roof when Noa joins him, making small talk at
first, and then trying to ask about his father. Asuma again tells her it's
none of her business. 'Aren't forward and back two in one?' 'Not in
private matters.' Asuma goes on to say she's being nosy, and she gets mad
and storms off.

     At lunch, it's obvious that they're mad at each other, and Shinshi
and Hiromi try to get them talking, but it doesn't work. Suddenly Ohta
drags Asuma off to the records room for a private talk. Ohta tries to tell
him if he's gloomy, don't spread it around, that's bad for morale and
efficiency. He, Ohta, had such an experience recently, but the certain
cure is shooting guns! But Asuma's vanished, and Ohta charges off to find
him, shouting that he's ungrateful. Asuma is elsewhere among the shelves,
looking pensive.

     Noa looks worried as well, and Kanuka tells her they really make her
frustrated. She'd rather return to the States with everyone in a better
mood.

     Noa and Asuma run into each other, and sort of start making up. Ohta
tries to charge out to them, but Hiromi restrains him. Noa tries to
apologize, but wants Asuma to admit he was acting insensitively as well.
He refuses to admit anything and Noa leaves angry again. Otha wants to do
something, but Kanuka insists it's between them alone.

     It's night at the JSDF base. Training is going on between the
military and HSS. 'Kurosaki' comments that training this elaborate is good
for experience and morale. Meanwhile, the SRX gets the drop on a military
labor, but is knocked down. It's one for the military, but suddenly radio
contact is lost. A helicopter is sent in. It spots shooting and then
sees both labors are down. A third labor appears, and fires at the
copter...

     Noa stumbles through SV2 in the early morning, and encounters
Shinobu, who tells her to fix her tie and hair. Asuma comes in, and tells
her the same. Noa snaps at him, regretting it afterwards.

     The paper has an article about an accident between the JSDF and a
security company's labor during training, and the photo shows the SRX, now
called the Saturn. Noa comments it's no wonder Shinobu was in a bad mood,
and almost speaks to Asuma before they avoid each other's look again. Ohta
is about to butt in, but Kanuka shuts him up without saying a word.

     Although she denies it, Shinobu's mad. She wonders if there could be
any connection between HSS and SCHAFT. Goto figures it's possible, but
it's almost inevitable that the Saturn will be used by some company once
it hits the market. He is more interested in the vagueness of the article.

     At the training grounds the Saturn is all right, but the military
labor is badly damaged, by what 'Kurosaki' identifies as a beam weapon. He
mentions the Teleport City incident, which involved a labor with a laser.
The military plan to continue the training, but only with their own
labors. If they find the intruder, it'll turn into real combat. However,
HSS can't leave because their boat isn't there. 'Kurosaki' checks his
watch, and so do others offshore in a boat. They pull into the harbor,
yelling about a labor underwater.

     Goto receives the report from the captain. The labor involved seems
to be the Phantom from the Teleport City attack. HSS is presently guarding
the shoreline of Ohshima, but Second Unit is to leave and take the job.
Goto is reluctant to go, but it is a direct order. As they prepare, Goto
tells Shinobu that the best thing they could do right now is nothing. He
feels this is a trick to get the Ingrams out there. He asks her if she
would get better at chess faster playing an amateur or a pro. She
understands, whoever is behind this may be be out to gain combat
experience. Beating the Ingrams would enable them to beat anything
currently on the market. And if the labor involved is the same one as at
Teleport City, it will be better prepared to fight the Ingrams, which is
why Goto doesn't want to go in until they've had time to think of
something. Shinobu comments that for the first time she sees there's a
problem with having the most advanced model, and Goto bemoans that he
always has problems. Below, Asuma and Noa look at each other, and stomp
away.

     At a paratrooper base, Commander Fuwa has her labors on standby. She
inquires about SV2 and is told that Second Unit has moved out, destination
unknown. She thinks she'll get a chance to see Noa again.

     The carriers are being loaded onto a ferry, but Goto is apprehensive.
Making up his mind, he tells Asuma to go and retrieve Car #3, and then
follow them. Asuma is reluctant to go, but Goto feels Car #3 could be
their trump card this time. Kanuka tells him not to worry about Noa, and
Asuma claims he isn't. He accepts the order.

     Hiromi's worried about the crossing, as he gets seasick. Shinshi
offers to give him some of his seasick medication and Ohta calls them
wimps. Noa finds from Kanuka that Asuma isn't coming, and she looks out at
him just as the doors close. The ferry pulls out, and Noa runs to the
upper deck, arriving just as Asuma pulls out. She shouts his name just as
the whistle blows, and he doesn't hear her.


Episode #21 - Phantom Again

     The ferry sails on. Ohta snores and grinds his teeth, to the dismay
of his roommates, Shinshi and Hiromi. Noa can't sleep, flipping her light
on and off. Kanuka tells her to get some rest, tomorrow will be a long
day.

     At the factory, work on Car #3 is going ahead at full speed, but it
will be another two hours at least. When it's ready, Jitsuyama tells
Asuma, it'll be moved down to the dock to a waiting cargo ship. Asuma asks
if the shipping is the work of his father, but Jitsuyama tells him he
can't complain about that now.

     On Ohshima, the police warn residents of the unidentified labor and
advise evacuation to shelters. Copters sweep the island. The military
worry that they may have to fight it off the training area, but 'Kurosaki'
offers to use his labors to lure the Phantom into the training area. The
paratroops radio in and ask to deploy but the commander vetos it, as they
don't have any clear idea where the labor is yet. 'Kurosaki' glances at
one of his men, who nods, and leaves.

     A fishing boat patrols offshore, a patrolman in it negotiating with
its owner to stay out a while longer, offering two bottles of saki.
Suddenly, the Phantom appears from the water. One of the HSS labors
reports a sighting to HQ, but it is cut off. The labor is found wrecked,
but the pilot survived. The patrolman reports that the labor headed
towards Sashikiji, and a heat trace confirms it. The commander orders all
labors to be assembled, and the paratroops called in. 'Kurosaki' says
he'll pull back to the harbor to await the arrival of Second Unit.

     Second Unit arrives, and Goto, yawning, runs into 'Kurosaki' who
introduces himself and formally hands guard duty over to them. Goto
thanks him for being so generous, and says they'll take over. 'Kurosaki'
says Goto reminds him of his own superior, and Goto responds that that's
unfortunate for him. 'Kurosaki' begins to leave when Goto asks if he's
seen this labor. Upon being told no, Goto also finds that unfortunate, he
has a personal interest in who made it.

     Hiromi's a bit shaky, but otherwise OK, and Ohta is ready to roll
after a good night's sleep. Stamina is the first, second, third, and
fourth most important thing to being a good police officer he tells
Shinshi. Goto tells them to avoid conflict wherever possible. By private
agreement the training ground is JSDF territory, and if possible, leave
all the fighting to them. Ohta doesn't like this at all, but Noa wants to
know who will command Car #1, and everyone is surprised when Goto offers
to.

     At the factory, Asuma worries, as Car #3 has only basic movements in
memory but Shige's voice suddenly pops up, saying no problem. Sakaki has
sent him with a copy of Alphonse's data disk. He tells Asuma the others
have arrived. Asuma wonders if he can make it in time.

     The paratroops move in, but as Fuwa and two troopers parachute, a
beam weapon destroys the chute of one trooper, who activates emergency
rockets to slow his descent. Fuwa yells for ground support.

     Second Unit sees the shooting, and Ohta and Noa prepare. Goto hopes
nothing comes their way. The first trooper hits the ground hard, smashing
his legs, but he's all right. Fuwa and the other trooper land safely.

     Kanuka, Shinshi, and Ohta race down the road, towards the training
grounds. Shinshi tries to say their orders are to stay out of there, but
Kanuka says they have to lure it onto the training grounds, and so have to
enter the training grounds. Ohta gleefully agrees. They charge through a
roadblock. The soldiers try to report in but their radios are being
jammed.  Kanuka spots the Phantom in the trees and it fires its laser at
Ohta, who dodges and pulls his gun. Kanuka tells him to get in close
rather than get in a gun vs. laser battle, and Ohta moves into the trees.
His monitors are being jammed, so he moves up in the cockpit to look
visually and spots the Phantom in front of him, dodging again just as the
laser fires. He rolls and shoots, to no effect. The Phantom opens the ECM
pod, but Ohta rushes in. He loses his stun stick, but manages to pin the
Phantom. Kanuka comments that even Ohta learns the second time around, but
so does the enemy, Shinshi adds. The Phantom suddenly send Ohta flying, in
what Kanuka recognizes as one of Noa's moves. It's about to finish Ohta
off when it suddenly retreats into the trees. Fuwa and the trooper appear
and chase after it.

     Kanuka reports in. Ohta's all right, and Goto feels the labor is the
same one as at Teleport City. Noa wants to know what she should do, but
Goto wants to stay put. 'Kurosaki' monitors the situation, and wants to
obtain the data disk from Car #1. Despite the fact it's near the
residental area and dawn is coming, it's worth the risk.

     The Phantom moves past some houses, and Fuwa and the trooper pursue,
the trooper warning her they are leaving the training area. Fuwa insists
they continue.

     Goto, Hiromi, and Noa wait, but suddenly Noa's monitors act up. She
realizes the Phantom is coming when a laser blast strikes near the
carrier. Goto realizes it's getting faster and orders Noa to stay put, and
not to let it lure her in. Fuwa and the trooper attack the Phantom, Fuwa
saying they'll worry about the trouble afterwards. Noa hears the shooting
and charges off heedless of Goto.

     Kanuka and Shinshi have bandaged up Ohta, who is certain that he saw
a second labor lurking while he was battling the Phantom.

     Fuwa manages to grab the Phantom, and the trooper moves in for the
kill, but a shot from the trees blows his monitor off. The Phantom throws
Fuwa off, and another shot destroys her arm cannon. The Phantom prepares
to use the ECM weapon when it gets hit by Noa's stun stick, and then Noa
herself clobbers it.

     'Kurosaki' is informed that they've lost the data feed. He orders the
Phantom to pull out and to send the backup in. Fuwa tells Noa she owes her
one. The Phantom leaves, and Noa is about to follow when Fuwa warns her
of the second labor with a sidearm. Noa moves out, and Fuwa thinks she's
wasted in Second Unit.

     Dawn is breaking, and Shinshi and Kanuka find a giant shell casing in
the forest.

     Noa and the Phantom grapple in the open. It tries blinding her with
its lights, but she's ready for that and lowers her filter visor. Then it
snaps the fingers off of one hand of the Ingram and catches her in a bear
hug.

     Kanuka reports to Goto about the shell casing. At 70mm, it could only
have come from the Saturn. Noa is in trouble when she sees the Saturn
appear. At first she thinks she's saved, but realizes the truth when it
aims its cannon at her!

     She closes her eyes and waits for the blast, but when she opens them,
Car #3 has flattened the Saturn, and stepped on its monitor. Asuma tells
Noa he's sorry he's late. He throws her his stun stick. She swings it,
shouting that it's the final blow, and smashes its monitor. Sparks start
flying from it, and Noa is released. Asuma tackles her, sending them both
flying from the Phantom as it shudders, and explodes. The two Ingrams lie
in a pile, debris falling.

     - Asuma?

     - Huh?

     - Thanks.

     - Baka.

     'Kurosaki' is told that the Phantom is probably destroyed, and they
move out in a helicopter, 'Kurosaki' not happy. Second Unit has gathered
together, Goto looking at the mess, when he sees the copter. He idly
wonders if Noa could shoot it down, then says he was just kidding.

     At SV2, Goto says there was no one named Kurosaki working for HSS.
Shinobu isn't surprised and says this case isn't over yet. Goto agrees,
except for that bit he says, pointing at Asuma and Noa, laughing together.
-- 
* Donald Simmons - Grad. Student    *  'You get up, you pull on your     *
* Institute of Aerospace Studies    *  pants. Do you fasten then zip, or *
* University of Toronto             *  zip and then fasten?' - Garibaldi *
* donald@bach.utias.utoronto.ca     *  Babylon 5, 'Babylon Squared'      *