Miyako organizes a get together between Claudia and the rest of the 909th so that they can get to know each other better. However, a Pillar appears offshore near Umihotaru, creating a large barrier and trapping a number of civilians and one of Tateyama's reconnaissance helicopters. The Pillar is also slowly draining the life force of the trapped civilians, putting a time limit on when they can be rescued. Azuzu comes up with a plan to fly through an underwater subway tunnel, which will allow them to pass under the Pillar's barrier...