As the last few robots drop out the sky, the Red Scarves regroup with Team Avalice.
"Everyone present and correct?" Carol asks, getting a complete set of affirmatives in response. "Excellent. Now the hard part: getting aboard the Sigwada."
"We've boarded before," Lilac reminds. "It won't be difficult."
"Except this time, Corazon will have turned on the defences," Carol informs.
"What defences are there?" Spade asks.
"Gun turrets, dozens of them," Carol replies. "And that's just the obvious stuff. As before, we'll lead the way and eliminate as many of the defences as we can, then break into the hangar and board. Once on board, we can start our designated missions. Everyone ready?"
Lilac, Milla, Spade, Danny, and Sally acknowledge their readiness, but Maria hesitates. "Um… I think something wet and icky is running down the side of my head," she murmurs.
Tai turns to her girlfriend and is shocked to see the lynx is missing most of her left ear. "By the Ancients!"
"What's the matter?" Maria asks.
"Your ear!" Tai exclaims. "It's missing!"
Maria reaches up to find only her right ear is complete. "That explains the wet icky running down the side of my head," she remarks.
"How can you be so calm about losing an ear?" Tai asks as she starts to bandage what little remains of Maria's left ear.
"Because I've suffered far worse," Maria explains. "Strange how it's not hurting‑ Spoke too soon: it hurts quite a lot now."
"Sorry," Tai apologises as she finishes bandaging.
"It's not your fault," Maria assures. "How about a kiss?"
Tai answers by pulling Maria close and kissing her tenderly, gently tickling behind the ruined ear as she does so. "Feel better?" she asks as the kiss breaks.
"You have magic kisses," Maria purrs happily, causing Tai to blush.
"Can we get back to the mission now?" Spade interrupts, clearly not impressed with the saccharine display of affection between the felines.
"Dammit Spade," Carol sighs. "He's right though: we need to focus on the mission."
"Sorry," Maria apologises, blushing in embarrassment. "We'll be adorable later."
"Lilac, Milla, let's get moving," Carol commands. "Scarves, fall in behind the Holodragon."
Lilac moves into position, then as one, the Holodragon, the Crab Flyer, and Kujacker accelerate in pursuit of the Sigwada, the Scarves following behind and below the Holodragon.
On the bridge of the Sigwada, Corazon watches the approaching spearhead with interest. You may have defeated my robots, but you won't get on board my ship. "Greasemonkey, activate the defences."
As the spearhead gets within range of the Sigwada's cannons, the ship opens fire, hurling a salvo of shells at Team Avalice. Thankful that the density of fire is far lower, the three heroes use the firepower of their mounts to detonate the shells before they get close. However, they're unable to match the rate of fire of the Sigwada's arsenal and are quickly forced into taking evasive manœuvres.
Carol is the first to commence an attack run. Accelerating to top speed, she guides the Crab Flyer in close, barely avoiding the barrage of shells coming her way. Thanks to a combination of skill, instinct, and luck, the wildcat closes on the Sigwada and starts to skim along just a few feet from the hull. As she flies, she targets the cannons with sweeps of energy from the twin claws, taking out several turrets. However, as she passes the airship, her luck runs out: a shell strikes the Crab Flyer from behind, tipping it into a steep, spiralling dive.
"Carol!" Milla exclaims, beginning to dive to help.
"I'll be fine!" Carol assures, wrestling with the controls. "Focus on the Sigwada!"
Milla hesitates momentarily before commencing her attack run. Using the smaller size of Kujacker to her advantage, she avoids the shells with relative ease, and accelerates hard once close to the ship. As the speed builds, Kujacker's wings fold back into their delta form, the hound hunkering as low as she can as she powers towards the nearest turret. Kujacker's beak smashes through the turret with ease, followed by four more as her attack run comes to an end.
Milla takes advantage of the brief respite to slow down and look for Carol, thankful that the wildcat appears to have her dive under control and is beginning to recover altitude. Filled with renewed confidence, Milla accelerates into a second attack run, taking out several more turrets.
As the hound finishes her second run, Carol rejoins the action, raking fire across the hull of the Sigwada, taking out several more turrets and tearing away several hull plates. Her reward is a hail of shellfire, but with many of the turrets on the underside out of commission, the density of fire is low enough that it's easy to dodge.
Meanwhile, Lilac watches the battle unfold, eager to join in, but knowing that if she does so, the Scarves will be unprotected. Confined to repelling shellfire before it can hit them, Lilac's frustration builds, and slowly, her shots become more erratic.
"Lilac! Focus!" Spade snaps.
"I know what I'm doing!" Lilac snaps back.
"Do you?" Spade challenges.
Before Lilac can answer, several shells strike the Holodragon, causing it to flicker alarmingly before Pangu reasserts its projection.
"Stop distracting me!" Lilac barks, refocussing on her defence.
Spade simply shakes his head in disappointment.
"Hey!" Sally snaps. "Lay off her for once, will you?"
"I'll lay off her when she stops pretending to be something she's not," Spade replies calmly.
"You're a real shit, you know that?" Sally growls.
"And you forget your place," Spade counters, his voice level, but his expression hard.
"Don't waste your breath on him Sal," Danny advises.
"Someone's got to tell him how much of an arsehole he is," Sally argues.
"Yes, and the time for that is when the day is won and we're all safe at home," Danny informs.
"How do you stay so calm when all this is happening?" Sally asks. "I've nearly shit myself several times already!"
"Years of practice," Danny explains simply. "And before you ask, yes, I'm afraid too. The important thing is to use that fear to protect yourself."
Sally takes a deep breath. "I'll try."
"You're doing pretty well so far," Danny comforts. "Except for when you fell off earlier."
"Remind me to thank Maria for saving my life," Sally replies.
"Just helping a friend in need," Maria smiles.
On the bridge of the Sigwada, Corazon is getting increasingly impatient. "I thought you said the defences were impenetrable‽"
"I s‑s‑s‑s‑s‑said th‑th‑they w‑w‑w‑were f‑f‑formidable," the greasemonkey protests. "N‑N‑Nothing's impenetrable, n‑n‑n‑not even‑"
"If you dare reference that stupid sci‑fi movie about the planet‑killing space station that got blown up by a kid shooting into an exhaust port, I'll throw you off the ship myself!" Corazon snaps.
The greasemonkey wisely remains silent.
"Deactivate the defences," Corazon orders. "They're going to board us anyway; no point wasting ammo."
"Aye‑aye, b‑b‑b‑b‑b‑boss!"
Outside, just as Carol beings another attack run, the turrets suddenly retract. "Um…"
"What's going on?" Lilac asks. "Why has the Sigwada stopped firing?"
"I don't know," Carol answers. "But I get the feeling we're about to‑"
Everyone's radio briefly screeches loudly as a new signal breaks into the connection.
"You shouldn't have chased me," Corazon growls.
"You knew we would," Carol growls back. "You know we cannot let you succeed in awakening the Bakunawa."
"You're welcome to try and stop me," Corazon challenges. "You won't succeed. There's a welcome party in the hangar."
The radios screech again as Corazon disconnects.
"I'd be less worried if she was still shooting at us," Carol admits. "Let's get on board."