A few hours later, the Temerity is screaming through space, heading back to Zoz. The injured are being looked after in the infirmary, and Defender Zik has gotten his suit cleaned up. He and Amelia are looking for Mikigaazo, to see how he feels about the Mikibot platform’s first real-world test. Despite the bot platform getting its head blown off, it still seems to have performed well, but Miki has the final say.

After looking throughout the ship, Amelia and Zik find Miki in the cargo hold.  He’s crouched on the ground next to the two body bags containing the bodies of the ZEMM pilots who were killed by Morren. Zik calls out in a friendly way, but it’s quickly evident that Miki is having a hard time with something.  Miki is trying to understand why he can no longer feel any energy from the two bodies in front of him.

Zik and Amelia explain that the two unfortunate souls have died. This is a new concept for Miki, who becomes alarmed at the prospect that every human will die eventually. Unwilling to fully accept being apart from his friends as an inevitability, Miki asks if a part of himself can remain with each of them all the time, so that he can absorb their energy and always remember it.

Honored to receive such a gift, the human pair agrees, although Zik advises Miki to be cautious about who he gives this gift to. Not all humans are worthy of such trust, and Miki agrees that the Jairians they encountered felt very different.  He could sense the darkness in their hearts, and comments that each human is quite unique, something alien to this creature who can divide and recombine itself.

Amelia gives Miki a little hug and assures him she loves him. Miki comments that love is the best emotion he can sense from a human, and reciprocates the feeling.

And that’s a wrap, Defenders! We’ve come to the end of Episode 6: Apodian Ambush! I have some preparations to make before beginning Episode 7, including finding a new web host for the site. But keep an eye out, Zik fans, because The War Party will be coming at you soon!

A shocked Amelia charges towards the factory, not believing that almost everyone she knows has just perished. Coughing, Zik emerges from the gloom and consoles her as well as he can. The reality is that the firebombs inside the factory that preceded the demolition would have immolated anyone inside. No one could survive that… or could they?