Episode 13: Father

"Father" is the thirteenth and final episode of the Project Infinity web series.

## Plot Summary

The Union's immense forces advance towards the Rebel base in the South Pacific without notice. As the Rebels scramble to prepare for battle, Gun and Josephine return to the Orion with Lars. Josephine kisses Gun and tells him she loves him no matter what happens and to be brave. She leaves to pilot a Fighter Bot, and Lars assures Gun everything will be fine since LIA is at his side. Josephine, Lars, Elise, and Violet are seen getting settled in their Fighter Bots, and Gun is seen getting settled in Gallagher. From outside the cockpit glass of Gallagher, Morris and Panthea talk with Gun before the battle begins. Panthea informs Gun they did everything they could to fix the engine's overheating problem, but they won't know if it worked until he is actually in battle. Morris asks Gun if Calanthe Lambton is on their side or not, but Gun says he has no idea. When asked if he is emotionally fit for battle, Gun assures Morris he has been waiting for this day his entire life. He went to see Calanthe to learn more about his father and received further confirmation the he is the killer he always knew him to be. Morris credits Gun's "unstoppable determination" for getting the Rebels as far as they have come. Gun questions the reason for Morris's rare compliment to which Morris replies he realizes this may be their final mission. He tells Gun if he ever needs someone to be a father figure in his life, he will gladly be that person.

As the Union's ships continue moving in closer to the airborne Orion, Morris and Panthea go over their plans. Princess Annabelle joins them and suggests saving Gallagher for later in the battle in order to give the Union less time to strategize. Panthea also mentions there is a shabby Gallagher prototype in storage that could be used as a last resort. Val Winthrop's video feed is connected to the Orion, and he apologizes for arriving unannounced. He is seen along with several of his followers on the bridge of a battle ship. Annabelle asks him not to underestimate them for they have quite a few tricks up their sleeve. Val chuckles and tells her she will never be anything but a little girl to him.

The Union then fires the first shots, and the Orion fires back as the battle begins. At Acland Academy, Conner and several other students are seen watching the battle on the news. Lynette Mellinger is seen watching the battle as well as Calanthe Lambton and her team. As the battle continues, the Union's Fighter Bots charge in. The Rebel Fighter Bots also join the fight. However, they are quickly intimidated by the vast difference in numbers. The Orion, having only two turrets, attempts to cover the Fighter Bots as well as the Union's naval ships. Realizing the turrets are fully rotational, Milo suggests firing in a straight line left and right across the Fighter Bot fleet. The tactic renders great success and the Rebels' spirits are raised. Then, Octavia begins targeting Violet and follows her for a long distance across the water. Violet dodges multiple shots before Josephine cuts between the two Fighters and fires at Octavia. Octavia then pursues Josephine and manages to disable her Fighter causing her to crash onto a Union carrier ship. Soldiers spot her, and she uses Lars's stun gun to knock them out.

The LIA army enters the battle, and Annabelle asks Morris and Panthea if Gallagher should be launched. Panthea wants to wait longer since they are faring fine without it, but Morris warns her matters will change quickly now that the LIA army is involved. Josephine is seen riding an ATV on the Union carrier ship. She uses the stun gun on two more soldiers, but then a soldier from behind shoots one of her tires and causes her to swerve off the ship and into the water. She survives the crash and manages to climb onto another ship and hijack the bridge.

Harrison begins to lose his composure as the Rebels continue to hold their own in the battle, but Val assures him it will be over soon. The LIA army reaches the Orion and begins firing at it when Morris gives the command to launch Gallagher. Val and his followers stare in awe and confusion at the sight of the super fighter. Gun then heads to the front line with LIA flying nearby and begins to attack. He delivers an incredible amount of damage, and Harrison demands for Val to do something. Val abruptly leaves the bridge and enters his personal Fighter Bot.

Violet lands on the ship Josephine had hijacked and tells her how well Gun is performing in Gallagher. Their excitement is interrupted when Union soldiers approach them. Just as Gun reports that all is well with Panthea, Val suddenly approaches Gun in his Fighter Bot and begins to fire rapidly. Val commands LIA not to attack him. Val's followers and the Rebels on the Orion are unable to hear him clearly and wonder if he is trying to end the battle. Harrison also wonders why the "defective" LIA isn't attacking Val. Val urges Gun to surrender. He tells him he will find a way for him to escape if he surrenders; otherwise, he must continue attacking him. Gun refuses to surrender. Morris pushes Gun to fight Val and reminds him that even Gallagher can't hold up forever. Gun grabs the firing controls in tears. Then, he hears his mother's voice telling him how her greatest wish is for him to live in a world of compassion and understanding for others. She believes there is still hope for this world, and he mustn't give up. Gun breaks down, and Morris recalls telling Gun he would gladly act as his father figure. Morris leaves the Orion's bridge and enters the battle in the Gallagher prototype. He fires at Val and tells Gun to escape. Then, Octavia takes aim at Morris's fighter and destroys it with a small missile. Overcome with distress over Morris's sudden death, Gun fires chaotically all over the battlefield. This causes Gallagher's engines to fail and the Fighter begins to fall from the air. Val tells Gun to aim for one of the carrier ships below and calls for a cease fire. Gun crashes onto a ship and survives. Harrison commands Camille and Moselle to stay on the bridge while he inspects the situation.

Blood from Gun's arm falls to the floor of the carrier ship hangar as he drops to his knees in despair. Val joins him and remarks how he is always crying when they meet just like Apolline. Gun says he wants to kill him, but he cannot move. Val doesn't blame Gun for his desire but tells him there was no way for him to know the truth. Gun becomes enraged and asks him him what other truth there is to know besides the fact he had his neighborhood raided and caused his mother to be killed. Val explains that he and Apolline hid their marriage. They had been separated for five years by the time Gun's neighborhood was cleared, but they kept in contact through a private line. He had warned Apolline to escape before his men arrived, but she didn't make it out in time. Gun is stunned by this statement. Val says he has suffered in complete agony for every waking moment since the day Apolline was killed. He loved her, but he knew his destiny was to ensure the world never fell into chaos again. He loved her, but he had a responsibility to bear. He realized he couldn't have both. Gun becomes composed and asks Val about Calanthe and how she told him Val had caused the laboratory accident. Val confirms he wanted her dead because he feared she was becoming too dangerous. After Octavia refused the job, Harrison took him by surprise and took care of the Calanthe for him. He tells Gun that he doesn't expect him to agree with his thinking, but he has never killed without reason. He asks Gun if he can deny that the free will of people is the root of all disorder. Gun doesn't deny it, but he says Apolline believed the world could operate based on compassion and understanding for others. Val reminds Gun that no one can know they are related; however, he suggests that something could be arranged. Harrison peers around the corner and shoots Val. Val falls forward and Gun holds him up. In shock, Gun spots Harrison flee the scene in the corner of his eye. Val asks him who shot him, and Gun tells him it was Harrison. He screams for help, but his cries are left unanswered. He gently lays Val on the ground and holds up his head. As a final request, Val asks Gun not to let the world fall into chaos and to fight for peace. He also asks him to stop Calanthe's project from succeeding. Gun begs Val to stay with him. Val calls LIA and orders her to protect Gun Lambton and do as he says. Only Gun Lambton. In his final moments, Val touches Gun's face and confuses him for Apolline. He asks "Apolline" why she didn't tell him she came back. He says he missed her so much and says he is sorry he was too late. His hand drops to the ground, and Gun cries as he hugs him. Harrison returns with some soldiers and declares Gun is the one who killed Val. LIA holds him off and tells Gun that Gallagher appears to be functional enough to reach the Orion now. They are able to join the Orion and flee the South Pacific.

On an island, Josephine approaches a silent and depressed Gun. She says with her father framing him after the cease fire, peace talks are out of the question. She acknowledges how they still held their own, and Morris raised a true team of soldiers. Gun says the only true soldier was Morris. Josephine offers her condolences for the loss of Morris and Val. Gun hugs Josephine and apologizes for everything. She soothes him and says it is okay. He tells her how he thinks his mother spoke to him during the battle. Her words are what kept him from killing Val. Even after Morris was killed, Gun says his shots were aimless. He believes they can find a way to meet in the middle by honoring his mother's wish as well as keeping order in the world. Princess Annabelle and the other Rebels join them and agree. Annabelle says they can overcome anything together and will find a way. The team hugs and laughs together.

Gail Hillgarth tells Calanthe that Val has died. She says she has waited for this news for a long time. She reminds them they mustn't be hasty and frighten Gun as they try to recruit him. This is why they couldn't kill Val themselves. She says the age of Infinity will begin soon as she stares at a vile of stardust.

Harrison, now the Supreme Leader, gives an energized speech at Val's funeral and assures the public he won't rest until the Rebels are hunted down and killed. He says they will march forward and win.

After the end credits, the wreckage of the Gallagher prototype is seen washed up on a beach.