Hand-to-Hand Combat

Synopsis
White Base is parked over a lake. The crew has some downtime, and Mirai is mending a piece of Amuro's clothing. The crew has been told not to move from their location until Odessa Day. They discuss Ramba Ral, and Bright remarks that if nothing is done, he'll catch them. However, the operator and navigator are both taking a well-deserved rest and the crew decide not to bother them.

Down in the prison block, Ryu is keeping an eye on Amuro while Fraw Bow delivers his meal. Amuro says that he's sure Ramba Ral will be back to attack them, and that afterwards he'll probably leave White Base again, since nobody likes him anyway. Ryu gets mad, runs into the room, and punches Amuro, yelling that Matilda believed he was special and that Ryu had believed it, too. Amuro taunts him. Ryu and Fraw then leave the room.

On the bridge, Hayato appears and the conversation turns to Amuro. Hayato remarks that the reason Amuro was put into solitary was to reflect on his behavior and assumes that this means that Bright intends to rely on him after all. Bright comments that Amuro could have run over to the Zeon with the Gundam but didn't, and was trying to think of why that might be. Kai remarks that he thinks Amuro came back because he was homesick for a split second. Bright wonders if Amuro can still make it as a pilot. Just then, Ryu walks onto the bridge, into the midst of the conversation. He says that Amuro will be fine.

Elsewhere, Ramba Ral receives a message from Dozle via M'Quve that says that three land-type Doms are being sent to them. Ramba declares that as soon as they get the Doms, they will commence an attack on the Trojan Horse. At M'Quve's headquarters, however, M'Quve tells his subordinate that he thinks that Ramba Ral knows too much about his mines. He doesn't want Gihren to find out anything about the mines' true purpose, which is to provide Kycilia with valuable resources once she becomes ruler of Zeon. The subordinate realizes that he has to deny Ramba Ral's request.

Back on White Base, Ryu is awakened by Sayla and is told that Hayato, Kai, Howard, and Maximilian all ran off. He wastes no time in jumping into a utility vehicle and driving off in pursuit of them. Mirai asks to come too, but Ryu tells her he won't be long. He drives off into the desert. Bright and Mirai watch him go. Bright comments that he didn't really think Hayato would do something like this and wonders if it's because everybody's been paying so much attention to Amuro. Then Bright says that while Amuro was away, he had horrible doubts about being the commander of the ship. He wonders why.

Elsewhere, Ramba Ral meets with one of M'Quve's men and is informed that his Doms haven't arrived. The subordinate gives a flimsy explanation about the Central Asian supply lines being cut, which Ramba sees right through. He tells the subordinate to inform M'Quve that he will demonstrate that he carries out his duties even with his bare hands. The subordinate leaves, and Hamon asks Ramba what they're going to do without the Doms. Ramba says that he should've known M'Quve was unreliable, and that they're going to go with his commando tactics.

Ryu finally catches up to Hayato and co. and asks them what the hell they're doing. Hayato says that they're out there looking for other Federation forces, since he and the others can fight without White Base. Ryu asks them if they really want to walk out on Bright and is informed by Kai that Bright has Amuro. Hayato chimes in by remarking that it's pointless for him to stay and fight on White Base. Ryu gets angry and punches Kai, who protests. Hayato also protests, saying that he can't just make Kai change his mind by beating on him. Just then, they hear a weird sound. They drop to the ground so that they'll be harder to see, and they notice the Gallop go by in the distance, heading for White Base. Ryu realizes that Ramba Ral's come back, and he starts to head for his vehicle, to get back to White Base. Before he leaves, he tells the others that it's up to their conscience now whether they follow or not.

From the Gallop, a Zaku launches followed by two Cuis, each loaded with men. The Zaku will act as a diversion while the men launch from the Cuis and physically board the base. Elsewhere, Hayato and co. decide to go back to White Base to assist in the unfolding rumble. Back on White Base, Amuro sits in solitary, eating a sandwich and sensing Ramba Ral getting closer. He puts on his uniform and prepares to sortie. On the Gallop, Hamon muses on Amuro being the pilot of the Gundam and wonders what will happen to him in the battle.

Back on White Base, Bright rushes onto the bridge with Mirai in tow and starts issuing orders. Mirai starts the base up but says it'll be a minute and twenty before they start moving. The Gallop enters firing range, and White Base opens fire. Sayla volunteers to launch in the Gundam to handle the lone Zaku on the port side of the base, and Bright approves. Bright also orders Fraw to get Amuro out of solitary and put him on the port machine guns. The kids, meanwhile, have run onto the bridge and spotted the utility vehicles carrying the other White Base crewmen. Mirai maneuvers the base so that the quarterdeck is even with the escarpment on the starboard side, and the crewmembers launch their vehicles off of the cliff and onto the base ("We're jumping onto White Base - aaaauuuugggh!"). Just then, Bright is informed that two Cuis are approaching.

Sayla is busy engaging the Zaku with the Gundam as Amuro watches through the machine gun's scope. She manages to take it out, to both his and her delight. Meanwhile, the Cuis begin to attack. All able-bodied crew members are told to grab arms and head to the rear of the ship to try and stave off the invasion. Mirai remarks that if the enemy didn't want to capture White Base, the Gallop would be shooting it a lot more. Amuro can sense Ramba Ral coming. Just then, Ramba and his men launch from the Cuis and land on the base. The fighting is fierce, but the Zeon soldiers still manage to get in. Sayla considers picking some of them off with the Gundam, but realizes that its weapons are way too powerful.

Ramba Ral invades the base and orders his men to take the sub-bridge. He then runs into Fraw Bow, knocking her gun out of her hands and telling her to go hide so that he doesn't see her again and shoot her. Elsewhere, Amuro is struggling with a soldier but is saved by Bright, who tells him to switch with Sayla on Gundam. As they switch, Amuro tells Sayla that the enemy is on the sub-bridge. Sayla races for the sub-bridge along with Ryu. She reaches it first and yanks the door open, but stops short. She is facing the barrel of Ramba Ral's gun.

Ramba Ral stops short upon seeing Sayla Mass. He studies her, astonished, and then addresses her as "princess". Sayla looks confused, so Ramba Ral informs her that he is the son of Jimba Ral, who served her father Zeon Zum Deikun. This jogs her memory. She, however, retorts by asking him why he's pointing a gun at her if she's Artesia Deikun. Ramba Ral lowers his weapon. Just then, Ryu arrives, machine gun blazing. Ramba Ral realizes his mission's failed as he is shot in the arm. Ryu, however, is shot as well. Ramba Ral manages to lock himself inside the second bridge amidst a hail of gunfire, and Bright tells Amuro to attack it with the Gundam.

Inside, Ramba tells his men to retreat as the mission has failed. He also contacts Hamon to send her a farewell message and to tell her to destroy White Base with the Gallop. He is about to tell her about Lady Artesia when the Gundam's beam javelin comes smashing through the wall. Ramba remarks that out of all the adversaries he's fought, it's ironic that the ones to finally take him down were all kids. Bright gets the bridge door open just in time to see Ramba Ral set a grenade and fall to his death. Amuro watches, shocked, and attempts to catch him just as the grenade goes off. The crew is speechless, particularly Sayla.

The Gallop starts shooting at the Gundam and Amuro flies at Hamon, begging her to stop as Ramba is dead. He throws a beam javelin at the Gallop, hitting it and destroying it. However, Hamon is able to eject the bridge and escape. She flies away to plan her next move. Meanwhile, the crew of White Base is left to tend to the wounded and the casualties in the aftermath of the conflict. Ryu is taken to medical.

Important Events

 * Mecha Introduced: Cui
 * Ramba Ral dies.
 * Sayla's identity as Artesia Deikun is revealed for the first time.