The crew find a deserted space station, where they meet Rabat, a male intergalatic trader, and his ape sidekick. As Rabat peddles his wares on board the Nirvana, BC suspects he may have more ulterior motives.
Hibiki Tokai, a teenage boy working as a parts mechanic, tries to steal a Vanguard from a newly commissioned battleship. He ends up having more to deal with, however, when a group of female pirates attack.
When Meia is seriously injured in a battle against the enemy, the rest of the team struggles to fight without her leadership. Meia dreams about her past as Duelo treats her.
When several misunderstandings cause the women to turn against the men, Hibiki escapes in his vanguard and comes across a fleet of ships with humans attempting to escape a Harvester.
The crew track an ice comet while celebrating Christmas. Initially not familiar with the holiday, the men learn of its traditions, including that of giving presents, and react accordingly.
Frustrated and annoyed by Dita and the other women's actions toward him, Hibiki gets himself reassigned to work under Gascogne. He learns the importance of the job when he and Gascogne fly out to support the others during a combat mission.
A misunderstanding between Hibiki and Dita over her kindness to him causes them to distance themselves from each other. Jura convinces Bart to go after Dita so she can get Hibiki.