Sato's lair had a lone entrance and exit. There was no back exit. It was a trap. A snake pit. But the warriors were not trained to retreat for it ran counter to their tradition. Sato was surrounded and the only chance of escape was to face the enemies.
After the bombardment Sato ordered the door open and the fighter drones all flew out like hornets searching for the enemies that had disturbed their nest. Some of the drones flew east to the ocean to destroy the fleet that had released the missiles. The other drones flew west to the imperial palace. This was the opportunity that Tikaku's shimai warriors were waiting for. They needed no instruction nor order from Tikaku. They knew what to do: destroy the enemy. As for Sato it was Tikaku's job to neutralize him or capture him. Either way Tikaku would give him a fair fight but if he resorted to treachery, Tikaku knew what she would do.
As Sato's warriors streamed out shouting and brandishing their katana, the Humanoid marines met them with volleys of laser. But like mad hornets they charged at the marines with undaunted ferocity. Tikaku's shimai fired their laser cannon and scores were hit. Tikaku waited for the marines to neutralize the first wave of warriors while the fighter drones headed into the flagship of Danuja and when they were within range he ordered the gunners to destroy the swarming drones with their high powered laser. The drone fighters tried to evade the laser beam with its deflecting anti-laser beam, but the ship opened up with its rapid firing surface to air drone killer cannons. The drones burst and disintegrated before reaching the fleet.
The other fighter drones headed for the imperial palace were chased by Tikaku's Humanoid warriors. Dogfight occurred east of Tokyo and the residents saw the sky with swarm of drones bursting and going down before they reached the bubble shield of the palace.
On the ground Tikaku rallied her shimai warriors to descend into the silo through the elevator shaft which was immobilized by the missiles. They inched their way down into the cavernous hall of the lair like spiders using synthetic silk ropes leashed to the protruding steel bars.
While Sato's warriors were locked in mortal combat with the Humanoid marines, Tikaku and her shimai proceeded to the inner chamber where Sato locked himself. Inside his lair Sato ordered his personal body guards to meet the invaders outside his chamber. This was the moment he had waited for. Dressed in samurai armor and katana to his side he waited for his prey to appear. Patiently he waited inside while his warriors confronted the intruders. He could hear his warriors charging and shouting. Metals slicing the air, crash, swoosh. Samurai shouting and producing kabuki-like yooooooo. More crashes and screams. Then silence. But a loud explosion occurred. Sato's reinforced door exploded. It was Tikaku who battered the door with her powerful thermal photo optic energy beams which softened the titanium. Then her shimai used battering rams and punctured the door. Tikaku slipped into the chamber door and saw Sato standing with drawn katana.
They faced each other in the chamber, man versus machine.
"I've been waiting for you Tikaku San," Sato calmly said, his katana drawn. Tikaku waited, her eyes ready to incinerate Sato.
"I don't want to hurt you, Tikaku San. You're too precious to be wasted. Just give up and follow me. Then we will rule together."
Tikaku tightened her hold on her katana.
"Surrender, Sato san and pay for your crimes."
Sato had prepared for this moment. Giving up was the last thing in his mind.
"I know you love your family. Hiro and your children. I'm ready to support Akito and the royal family. We can live peacefully together, Tikaku San."
"I'm giving you an honorable chance to surrender, Sato San. Your last chance. Surrender or die."
"Then let us die together," answered Sato as he leaped into Tikaku with his katana in jigen ryu hidari kesa cut, but Tikaku was too fast to avoid diagonal cut by deflecting the blade with her katana and outflanking Sato.
Sato shifted to Ono-ha Otto-ryu style by aiming for the wrist of Tikaku, but Tikaku could read Sato's mind before he executed the stroke and denied him the right angle. He spotted an old flame thrower and treacherously ran for it. Instantly he aimed for Tikaku's face and squeezed the gun while holding the twin cylinders. Tikaku parried the flame by shielding her face with her armor covered arms, but the flame incinerated her left cheek and hair, her skin melted and exposed her metal face. Tikaku did not feel any pain but knew the extent of the damage, prompting her to focus her flaming eyes at Sato and released a superheated beam. Sato's body went up in flame though he wore body armor, screaming like mad tiger in excruciating pain, then the nitrogen cylinders which he held with his left hand burst into flame. Tikaku turned her flaming eyes to the plant assembly and saw hundreds of drones on the hangar undergoing finishing touches. She released a mighty superheated light and the aircrafts exploded. The entire place was engulfed by flames and many of the Humanoid marines raced back to the damaged elevator shaft while the rest flew out using their jet propulsion body suit.
By this time the Humanoid marines had routed Sato's warriors. They saw Tikaku staring at the burning villain while her shimai surrounded her. Sato's katana melted like candle beside him.
"The evil does not pay," uttered Tikaku.
"Shimai, we will bring you to our laboratory," said one of the Humanoid clones of Tikaku as she got inside the drone unassisted. The Humanoid marines who were inside bowed to Tikaku and waved their hands when the drone soared to the tunnel created by the missiles launched by Danuja.
