Despite their disguises, Jinto and Lafiel encounter danger even before making it to the city, crossing paths not with the United Mankind but rather with three teenagers up to no good.

Though they didn't start the fight, Jinto and Lafiel quickly finish it, acquiring an escape vehicle for their troubles. Unfortunately, the incident leads to a police investigation, one spearheaded by a United Mankind official looking for the occupants of the Abh pod that escaped to Sufugnoff.

Upon the suggestion of the lead detective -- someone clearly annoyed by the prospect of collaborating with the invading army -- they concentrate their efforts upon searching the city's hotels, since new customers would be scarce in this time of military chaos.

Of course, a hotel is precisely where the two fugitives are hiding, and it isn't long before four policemen bust down the door, weapons drawn. Jinto tries to prevent them from searching the bedroom where Lafiel now sleeps, and he ends up on the floor with a gun

Despite their uniforms, the officers who force their way into Jinto and Lafiel's hotel room aren't from the police department. They're actually anti-empire revolutionaries looking for a ship of their own, and an Abh princess would make the perfect bargaining chip to get one.

The anti-empire revolutionaries fail to take into account just how fierce a fight with an enraged Abh can be, and their dreams of commerce and exploration without constraint quickly evaporate. Jinto and Lafiel do, however, agree to act as hostages, but any plan to engage the empire in negotiations will be put on hold, thanks to a United Mankind roadblock.

An explosive thrown by Lafiel buys the group some time, but also leads the enemy to believe the anti-Abh revolutionaries are sympathizers of the empire. Nothing could be further from the truth, but Lafiel has little time to be angry about the deception because United Mankind continues the chase, whether above ground or down a hidden passage to a series of caves.

A

Not wanting to unnecessarily drag anyone into her dispute with United Mankind, Lafiel insists that her anti-empire captors-turned-allies split from Jinto and herself in the underground tunnels in which they've sought refuge.

There are too many men in pursuit and not enough pathways, however, and Jinto and Lafiel eventually run into a dead end. Though the bombs lobbed in their direction succeed in causing slight injury, they also open the way for the duo to flee into the amusement park on the other side of the wall that had previously blocked their escape.

They haven't reached safety just yet, however, because the city police force -- also involved in the chase but familiar with Jinto and Lafiel's secret route -- has anticipated the pair's arrival.

Doing their best to avoid capture, they make the mistake of backtracking through the park and again encounter United Mankind's military. Now hunted by two irate and heavily armed groups, Jinto and Lafiel's options seem limited, even when the