episode written by Mark Edens

Quick summary: The members of Able Squad prevent Marsh's guards from taking him to his execution. They launch, and Marsh leads an e-frame assault on the Neo flagship, which gives the ExoFleet the opportunity to escape. Able Squad was left behind, and they land on Earth, near Chicago. The ExoFleet is badly damaged in its engagement with the Neo sapiens, and is forced to withdraw from the inner solar system. Phaeton begins to tighten his grip on the Homeworlds through programs such as the required registration of natural-born humans. In an attempt to recruit new resistance members, while also allowing Able Squad to return to the ExoFleet, Napier broadcasts a message that is well received by Terrans, but outrages Phaeton. Able Squad escapes, but leaves their e-frames for the resistance to use.

Significant events, revelations, and other notes:

• The fact that the rest of Able Squad freed Marsh makes them all mutineers, but their heroism in the battle results in a lenient sentence of one year in the brig (as we learn in the next episode, "Target: Earth")
• The ExoFleet took heavy losses in the course of the battle. Marsh's statement about half the fleet is probably an exaggeration, especially given that half the fleet wasn't even present, but it is an indication of how badly things went.
• Chicago is renamed Phaeton City, and is made the capital of Phaeton's government.
• We see how the resistance members feel almost betrayed by the ExoFleet. It is seen through most of the series.
• Marsala saves Napier's life, thereby helping him to reduce his hatred of Neo sapiens. Napier still doesn't trust him the next time they meet, though.
• The message to resist seems to achieve its desired affect (from the reaction of Terrans in the crowds), but there are few Chicago resistance members that we see in later episodes that weren't seen in this one.
• Despite some successes for the ExoFleet and resistance, the Neo sapiens are clearly in control by the end of the episode.

Great Quotes:

• Marsh's reaction upon hearing an order come from Admiral Winfield, who had been in a coma:
  Marsh: "I thought you were half-dead sir."
  Winfield: "And I heard you were in the brig."

Long Synopsis: provided by Adam Keith (lk0001@jove.acs.unt.edu)

The firepower of the Neosapien armada destroys one of the six exocarriers in the first seconds of battle. Three Neosapien heavy E-frames fly by through the destroyed carrier's debris field, and one is shot down by a gunner on the Resolute. Two Neosapien destroyers explode under heavy fire from the Resolute as another Neosapien E-frame blows up an Exofleet support ship. The carrier Coronado takes out four approaching E-frames, and an Exofleet E-frame piloted by Lt. Alice Noretti destroys another. (Noretti seems to be piloting the only Terran E-frame out there, curiously.) Noretti is knocked aside, however, by a Neosapien Y-wing closing in on the Coronado. The Coronado fires two plasma torpedoes at the Neosapien fleet, and this Y-wing slips into the temporarily open missile bays, blasting away with all of its guns. The Y-wing detonates the carrier's missile stockpiles, and the Coronado blows up in a series of explosions.

On the Resolute's bridge, Captain Marcus shouts out in anger when the Coronado is destroyed and orders the fleet to maintain defensive formation. Another support ship, the Borealis, is severely damaged by the Neosapien flagship, Olympus Mons, and requests assistance. The fleet regroups around the Borealis to protect it from further damage.

On the bridge of the Olympus Mons, Typhonus advises Phaeton of the battle's progress and reports minimal damage to the armada. Phaeton revels in his success, and declares, "When the exocarriers are destroyed, we have won the war."

Meanwhile, the Resolute is hit by a stray missile, causing J.T. Marsh and the guards escorting him to his execution to be thrown to the floor. J.T. pleads with the three guards to let him go to his E-frame, but they refuse, insisting that he is still under arrest. Suddenly, Wolf and Nara round the corner behind J.T. and blast the guards unconscious. As the rest of the squad files in to the corridor, J.T. smiles but voices concern about the rest of the squad's status as mutineers as well. Bronski belches and says that the guards can arrest them when they wake up. The squad heads for the hangar bay.

In the meantime, however, the battle continues to go badly for the Exofleet. The Resolute's bridge is hit and fires break out, but no one is injured. Lt. Noretti is forced to crash land her E-frame in the Resolute's hangar and barely escapes from the burning wreckage. The crippled Borealis is able to shoot down an attacking Y-wing, but a missile gets through its defenses and triggers its destruction. The debris of the Borealis is showered on to the Resolute's hull, but Marcus, freezing again, refuses to accept that the exocarriers have been beaten. As several bridge officers shout out for orders that aren't being given, one announces that the hangar doors have been opened from within; we then see Able Squad launch.

Marsh hails the Resolute, and Marcus orders the squad to land after roaring at J.T. about being in violation of his arrest. Admiral Winfield is quietly pushed on to the bridge in a wheelchair at this time, but goes unnoticed by the steaming Marcus. J.T. ignores the order and proceeds to dispatch three Neosapien E-frames, promptly recommending to Marcus that all E-frames be launched as soon as possible. Marcus resumes shouting at J.T. until Winfield makes his presence known, snapping "Captain Marcus!" Winfield reprimands Marcus for cutting the fleet's firepower in half and orders all fleet E-frames to launch.

Several of the fleet's E-frames are picked off on their way out of the hangar, and even more are destroyed in combat with Neosapien E-frames. Admiral Winfield hails J.T. and requests a report on the battle's progress. Marsh, surprised at first by the Admiral's presence on the bridge, requests command of two of the fleet's other E-frame squadrons in order to give the carriers a chance to escape. Winfield gives command of Baker and Charlie squads to Marsh, who promptly orders the three squads to attack the Neosapien flagship's bridge.

Phaeton is utterly confident of his victory and says so to Typhonus when the Olympus Mons shakes violently, as Marsh's E-frames attack. When informed of the attacking E-frames, he declares that attacking his flagship is illogical. But the goal of the attack is achieved when, seeing a possible weakness in his armada, Phaeton orders all ships to intercept the incoming E-frames, which gives the exocarriers their opportunity to escape. As the Resolute and the remaining carriers head out of the inner solar system at full speed, Admiral Winfield transmits his gratitude to Marsh and promises that his actions will never be forgotten. The three E-frame squadrons, now without carriers, evade the Neosapien armada and manage to shake their pursuit after entering Earth's atmosphere.

The Neosapien fleet, having taken up position in orbit around Mars, is repairing the damage done by the Exofleet attack. Phaeton, conferencing with Shiva on Earth, tells Shiva that he is concerned, saying, "Our victory is not secure as long as the Exofleet still exists." Shiva nods in assent and then changes the subject, mentioning that Chicago has been renamed Phaeton City. Shiva promises to hasten the occupation of Earth, and the communication ends. The mayor, in the room at City Hall with Shiva, offers his assistance in pacifying the humans of Chicago. Shiva accepts and gives vague promises of reward for his and others' help.

The pilots of Able Squad, presumably having separated from the two other squads, are anxiously trying to fix their damaged E-frames in a barn a few kilometers outside of the newly- renamed Phaeton City. Maggie announces that she doesn't have the tools to repair Marsala's E-frame, forcing the squad to hide it inside the barn. Minutes later, a Neosapien E-frame appears in the sky and closes in on the squad, ordering the pilots to freeze where they are. The E-frame lands, and Peter Tanaka steps out holding a blaster. Initially relieved at seeing a human instead of a Neosapien, Marsh is alarmed when Tanaka begins speaking angrily about the Exofleet's total failure to protect the Homeworlds. A groundcar pulls up outside the barn, and Tanaka motions the squad with his blaster to get in.

The squad is taken to the sewer complex that now serves as headquarters for the resistance. Napier is watching a broadcast by the mayor of Chicago announcing a requirement that all humans come to the Board of Trade building to have a microchip implanted under their skin to assist the Neosapien occupation. Tanaka enters announces the squad's capture to Napier, who promptly begins spouting anti-Exofleet invective at Marsh. When Marsala suggests more diplomatic conduct, Napier attacks Neosapiens in general. Marsh tells Napier that without each other, the Exofleet and the resistance are both doomed to fail, but Napier refuses to listen to or cooperate with the fleet. He leaves, taking with him several well-armed men.

Outside the Board of Trade building, Amanda Connors is reporting live on the registration process as hundreds of humans line up to receive the implant. Marsala, watching the broadcast back in the sewer complex, comments that Phaeton has to subjugate the planet, "quickly, brutally, and publicly." Suddenly, the cameras turn to show Napier and several of his men breaking in to the building, loudly announcing that registration is over. Sean aims at Connors with his blaster rifle, but is hit by a thrown flare before he can fire. The live- transmitting cameras are shot down just as Napier begins a plea to the humans to resist Neosapien occupation, and seconds later, a Neosapien E-frame comes smashing through the walls and opens fire on Napier's people. Two are killed by a missile, and Tanaka is wounded and has to be dragged off by Madison and Hanley.

After presumably escaping Neosapien pursuit, we find a despondent Sean Napier back in the sewer complex, talking to Marsh about humanity's dismal future. J.T. tells Napier that he has a plan that will both arm the Resistance and allow the squad to get back to the fleet. Napier, without any other options, listens as Marsh explains.

New Soldier Field in the heart of Phaeton City is packed with terrified humans and exultant Neosapiens, cheering out Phaeton's name over and over again as a shuttle carrying Shiva, Typhonus, and Phaeton himself lands on the field. Inside the actual stadium structure, Marsala and Napier slip through a floor vent and subdue a Neosapien guard. Marsala changes into the guard's uniform, but Napier refuses to give him the guard's sidearm, stating that he has no reason to trust Marsala. The two proceed through the stadium.

The field falls silent as Phaeton takes the podium with his generals and the mayor. "By right of conquest," Phaeton announces, "the Homeworlds are ours!" While Phaeton waxes on about the glory of the Neosapien order, Marsala uses his appropriated uniform to get the guards in the broadcasting center to allow him in. When the door opens, Marsala rushes the guard and knocks him out, and is quickly followed by Napier, who orders everyone to freeze. One Neosapien tries to push an alarm panel, but Napier blasts him. The door guard regains consciousness and fires at Napier; Marsala manages to save Napier by shoving him out of the way. Napier gets off two shots at the guard, stunning him again, and thanks Marsala for saving his life. Takagi and another resistance fighter enter the broadcasting center and start preparing their part of the plan.

Outside the farmhouse where Able Squad first landed, Eve Hanley watches from the groundcar as the squad takes off in their repaired E-frames, heading to Phaeton City. At the stadium, Tanaka announces his readiness to cut in on Phaeton's speech, and Napier gives the word. As Phaeton continues his speech, the enormous screen behind him is covered with the words: HUMANS RESIST! The crowd reacts in shock as Sean Napier's face appears and instructs humans to ignore Neosapien lies, telling the natural humans of Earth to band together and take back what was taken from them. Infuriated, Phaeton snatches up a blaster rifle and shoots the screen, showering fragments everywhere. Phaeton orders his generals to find and kill Napier just as Able Squad comes flying into the stadium.

The E-frames strafe the field, and Bronski fires a cluster of missiles into the fleeing Neosapien troops. Phaeton remains at the raised podium, shouting out orders to bring down the E-frames. Wolf gets Phaeton in his sights and fires off a missile, but Shiva and Typhonus drag Phaeton off the podium seconds before Wolf's missile blasts the podium into rubble. The E-frames land on the field and are joined by a deep space shuttle piloted by Eve Hanley. Hanley gets out of the shuttle as the E-frame pilots get out of their E-frames, and the group is soon joined by Napier, Marsala and Tanaka, who come running out on to the field. Napier, Hanley, and Tanaka each take one of the E-frames left behind as Able Squad rushes into the shuttle, dodging blasts from the few remaining Neosapien troops. The shuttle and the E-frames take off, and Napier thanks Marsh and promises to put the E-frames to good use. Seconds after the shuttle's departure, the stadium becomes an inferno as the fusion packs of the four abandoned E-frames explode.

Phaeton stands amongst the burning ruins of New Soldier Field, glaring angrily at the wreckage. The mayor approaches him and expresses his happiness at seeing Phaeton safe, but Phaeton quickly denounces him for his inability to control the Terrans. The mayor tries to defend himself, but Phaeton orders his guards to take the mayor away.

Able Squad's shuttle leaves Earth behind, heading for what remains of the Exofleet. Bronski grumbles about his near-miss on Phaeton, but Marsh promises him that he'll get another chance. "We'll be back, Bronski," he says, "and we'll keep coming back until the Earth is free again."

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