-----------------Call of the Unknown------------------------
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episode written by Mark Edens and Len Wein

Quick summary: Able Squad blasts its way into the alien complex, and is pursued inside by Typhonus and his troops. After a battle which is made more difficult by interior defenses, Able Squad escapes into a different section. Meanwhile the alien structure begins to grow out of the ground. After the exosquad has blasted its way out and come to the aid of the jumptroops with Professor Algernon, the spire begins emitting great energy waves.

Significant events, revelations, and other notes:

Great Quotes:

Long Synopsis:

Torres and the ExoScouts are walking up a mountainside towards the cave where the base for the recon parties had been. Along the way one of the scouts asks, "Are we there yet?" Although Torres starts to yell back "Can it, Bronski!" she quickly remembers who she is with and attempts to reassure the young scout. When they get to the cave, however, they find the cavern's floor replaced with magma and no trace of the exosquads.

Within the Martian wastelands Alec examines the exposed structure where they arrived at the end of the previous episode. It is composed of a molecular structure he has not seen before. Marsh then asks Maggie to look at the door. After an examination she says that it is probably not a door, but J.T. tells her just to get them inside.

At Maginus City Typhonus' Neo mega assistant, Exial, is telling him of readings found in Marduk's quarters. This is the recording made in "Fire Ship" which prompted that failed Mars mission. This is the complex that the exosquads are currently examining. Typhonus states that they will send a party to examine it once the storm clears.

As Weston proceeds with her task, Marsh sends a report to the ExoFleet that they have found an alien installation. He relates his intention to go inside and investigate. He then receives a message from Professor Algernon, who is aboard the Arnhem en route to Ceres to examine the old Neo sapien installation there, saying that he will come to personally examine the structure. Captain Butler is not pleased by this, in part because they have other orders, and also because the Neo sapiens would likely interfere. Algernon convinces him that it is important simply because whichever side can get ahold of the alien technology may well hold the key to winning the war.

On the Martian surface the exosquads are taking cover, as Weston fixes a fusion bomb to the wall of the alien complex. When it detonates it leaves a crack, even though Maggie says it should have been blown completely open. The approaching Neo sapiens detect this explosion, and since it is at the same coordinates as their own objective Typhonus is pleased to finally know what the ExoFleet was after. While the ExoTroopers examine the crack in the wall, it heals, leaving no trace of ever having been damaged. They are shocked by this, but Takagi interrupts by pointing out the approaching Neos.

Takagi tries using his holographic decoy system, but gets hit anyway. He detaches the back half ofhis exofighter, which explodes. The exosquads try to hold their ground, but are clearly outmatched. Noting that their only possible means of escape is through the alien complex, J.T. uses his solar pulse on the door. This leaves a gaping hole, which they scramble through before the wall regenerates.

Typhonus is angry that the exosquads have escaped again, while Exial is in awe of the alien structure. Typhonus orders him to get them inside, saying that since it is on Mars it belongs to the Neo sapiens.

As the exosquads fly inside the alien complex, the walls hum and blink in spots. Eventually they get to a large cavern, where there are many large connected blinking objects. Outside Exial protests the use of an explosive device on the door, since they don't know what its effect will be. Typhonus detonates it anyway, and the ExoTroopers inside detect it. The exosquads continue on their way, and Typhonus leads are large number of Neo sapiens inside the hole created by the explosion.

Algernon notes that they have lost contact with Marsh, but he is detecting increased energy output from the planet. Butler tells his company that because the situation below is an unknown, he's only taking one squad. O'Reilly asks to accompany them, but he denies the request, saying personal motives have no place in such an operation. She pretends to not know what he is talking about, and when Butler mentions Marsh she simply says she hoped to use her technical expertise to aid the professor. Butler relents, and leaves Longfeather in charge of the reserve.

The exosquads are now inside a larger cavern, which is producing a great deal of power. Soon ephemeral pink spheres start pooping out of the walls. The first proves lethal, as it engulfs a pilot named Henshaw and blinks her out of existence. The other ExoTroopers begin firing at the other pink spheres, destroying them. But more of the spheres keep coming. Marsala compares them to antibodies, which protect the body from any foreign objects. DeLeon notices that jamming doesn't affect them.

The Neo sapiens have since caught up to the ExoTroopers, and begin attacking from the rear. Some of the defense sphere start taking out Neo frames, and Typhonus thinks it a Terran trick. Exial points out that it is the structure that is causing the problem. Marsh calls for the squads to retreat, but Bronski wonders, "to where?" An exploding Neo frame creates a hole in the wall that gives them an exit that they all rush through. One of the pursuing spheres catches Weston on the shoulder, but an apparent surge from the structure knock it loose. Alec asks if she is okay, and she comments, "Yeah, but I might glow in the dark for awhile."

Algernon is still trying to contact Marsh, and Butler gives him one more minute before he scraps the mission. At that moment the Martian surface gets torn up from below, as great blasts of energy herald the growth of a spire towards the sky. As the surrounding Neo sapiens watch in awe, the spire begins to blink and beep in a controlled fashion. Butler decides to take the squad down, but with the evac shuttle prepped and the reserve ready to jump as well. Professor Algernon tags along as part of the jump team, and they get dropped to the surface.

The Neo sapiens are still inside the alien complex, wondering how to extricate themselves from their situation, when a wayward pink sphere hits the wall and blows it open. They all quickly rush out. Exial is stunned by the sight that greets him, the spire having already become hundreds of feet high and still growing. Typhonus orders him to have all available e-frames converge on their location, and then notify Phaeton of their discovery. They then take to the skies.

The jumptroops land and Pelligrino announces that the immediate area has been secured. Algernon is also stunned by the sight of the spire. Inside the spire, the exosquads are having trouble with the energy pulses, which are overloading their electronics.

Outside, Neo e-frames begin an assault on the jumptroops. Algernon is hesitant to leave his equipment behind, but it get hit and explodes behind him. The jumptroops take cover, and try to hold their own. Butler attempts to contact the Arnhem to get the reserves dropped behind the Neos while the evac shuttle picks them up, but there is too much interference from the spire.

Although they still don't know where they are, Alec points out that they need to leave. Marsala cannot damage the wall, and J.T.'s from has not recovered from the last solar pulse. Maggie points out that a fusion pak explosion might do it, but it would make one of their e-frames useless. Nara volunteers hers, since she hasn't gotten attached to it.

As Typhonus is about to attack the jumptroops from the rear, the side of the spire explodes and the exosquads burst out. Marsh calls for his e-frames to provide cover for the jumptroops. Typhonus damages Marsh's frame, but just then the spire pours out great waves of energy in all directions. It causes some pain to everyone it hits, and it travels through space, past Earth, past Venus, past the whole solar system. Marsh wonders what happened. Algernon compares themselves to ants, unaware of the vast world around them. He tells Marsh that the spire is actually a radio transmitter.


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