LACUNA

A pilot and her apprentice are marooned on an alien planet. They decide to escape in their mechas to a pre-designated extraction point. Unfortunately, the pilot’s mecha has a faulty arm and since said arm also displays the map, it’s essential they find a replacement.

The pilot eventually acquires a substitute arm, but it’s discovered to be leaking a green fluid that attracts monsters. Despite the warnings of her apprentice, the pilot chooses to use the leaky arm anyway. Throughout their journey, the apprentice suspects they are being shadowed by something in the woods and cautions the pilot, but to no avail.

However, the apprentice is proven right when the monster that has been stalking them confronts the duo. It chases the pilot and apprentice to the edge of a cliff. Trapped between a rock and a hard place, the pilot and apprentice choose to fight. After a brief struggle, the pilot succeeds in knocking the monster unconscious.

Triumphant, the pilot turns her back on the monster and goes to rejoin the apprentice. Slowly coming to, the monster spots this moment of weakness and charges them. The pilot dodges the monster thanks to the apprentice’s warning, but the apprentice herself is not so lucky.  Both she and the monster go tumbling over the cliff’s edge. Seeing this, the pilot fires her detachable leaky arm and catches the apprentice at the very last minute. However, the monster has also latched onto the apprentice’s mecha and is gradually dragging the trio down.

The pilot, at the apprentice’s urging presses the button that detaches the leaky arm. Both apprentice and monster fall to their apparent deaths. Distraught, the pilot leaves her mecha and goes to the edge. There, she spots the apprentice hanging off a branch growing from the cliff wall.

The pilot helps the apprentice up to safety and they embrace. Humbled by her bravery, the pilot allows the apprentice to pilot her mecha instead. They both continue on their way to the extraction point.