"Sunset and Ash" is the 23rd episode of Death From Above. As the Third Succession War draws to a close, the Marauders find themselves on one of the final battlefields before the armistice.
Sunset and Ash - 23.1 - Death From Above
Summary[]
Recovering from their encounter with The Face and the personal revelations that came about, the Marauders decide to have several heart to hearts. Talon, Valravan, and Jackal all approach Coryphee to share their concerns about her recent behavior, especially her brutality during the interrogation of The Face. Coryphee admits that she has been troubled lately and acting out for reasons that not even she can understand. She promises to control herself and thanks the other team members for their support. She also goes to speak to her father, the Lord Commander, and apologizes to him for her reaction to the new information regarding her mother. Father and daughter have a tender moment, and a hug, which is interrupted by the arrival of a member of Central Command.
A very small woman and her body guard have come with a proposal from the Magistracy. The Third Succession War appears to be drawing to a close but before it does Central Command has their eyes on an experimental new 'Mech created by the Capellans, that has been spotted in the Adrah System. The Marauders agree to take on the task in exchange for a new Thunderbolt 'Mech for Jackal. After several jumps the Marauders arrive in the Adrah System where they find a severely diminished population and very little advanced technology. Using the engines aboard the Yojimbo, their dropship, to set off a landslide the Marauders find no resistance from the small military force left guarding the warehouse with the prototype 'Mech, codenamed Raven. As their 'Mech tech Laurent begins loading the 'Mech parts, radar shows a much larger force heading towards them.
Commander Galushi leads the Capellan forces against the Marauders but after losing all but his own 'Mech, decides that he is willing to cede the battle in exchange for a new identity and the Marauders executing his remaining Capellan warriors. The team agrees to his terms but secretly allows the remaining Capellan forces to escape with their lives but they do keep the unharmed Awesome taken from Commander Galushi, who is now going by the name Alan Nebraska. They also learn that The Face was not the only ally of The Benefactor…there are two more known as The Ears, who deals in information and bribes, and The Hand, who makes problems go away. Furthermore, the Marauders learn that The Benefactor may possibly be part of a secret subgroup of ComStar and planning a second invasion of Zathras, home of the Lord Commander and Coryphee.