reaching Baikonur, Yuji and Marlene encounter another group of soldiers and after fighting off more Blue, they escape on the shuttle. During the flight to Second Earth, a mutated Blue hidden in the shuttle attacks Yuji, critically injuring him.

Yuji and Marlene are separated upon arriving at Second Earth, and the High Council demotes Marlene and sends her back into training at the education station as punishment for failing to protect Yuji. Not knowing what happened after he was attacked, Marlene rebels and is determined to find Yuji.