Written By Lisa Grey
Developed by Lisa Grey and James R. Axelrad
Edited by James R. Axelrad and Johnny G
(A/N: Well, two thirds finished. Only 10 more chapters for you guys to endure! Thanks for all the great reviews and critiques! I never thought this would be quite as popular as it seems to be. I figured it would be more clique oriented. I'm glad everyone is enjoying it so much though.)
Chapter 20
March 2010...
While Rick was getting a tour of Yokohama, and being introduced to Minmei's parents, Gloval, Lisa, and Ranma were traveling down the barrel of the Grand Cannon as Gloval recounted tails of Lisa's father Admiral Hayes. Lisa laughed happily at some of the outrageous stunts her father had pulled and Ranma was beginning to think that maybe Admiral Hayes wasn't as uptight as he was lead to believe.
Soon the trio was sitting in the counsel chamber and Lisa was giving her report to the chiefs of staff. Sadly, it was greeted with the same skepticism as it was aboard the SDF-1. Ranma managed to hold his tongue this time, though. After a brief discussion, they were told to wait for a decision concerning what would happen.
And wait they did...for several hours. And when the decision came it stunned them to the very core.
"Your orders are to take the SDF-1 and return to space," Admiral Hayes told them. "You are to lead these Zentradi away from the Earth to give us as much time as we can to build up our defenses."
"But Sir, do you not understand?" Gloval asked. "We can't fight a power of this magnitude. We must sue for peace with them."
"We cannot negotiate," Admiral Hayes said. "We have no idea if these aliens would even listen to negotiations or abide by the terms if they did. No, Captain Gloval, we find that we cannot negotiate at this time."
"Very well," Gloval said with resignation. "What of the civilians? When came we start relocating them?"
"The civilians are to remain aboard the SDF-1," Admiral Hayes stated. The three junior officers gasped in outrage.
"What?" Gloval demanded. "We can't make those people stay aboard the ship after all they've been through to get home! We'll have a riot on our hands!"
"Control of the civilians is your responsibility, Captain," Hayes dismissed. "You have to understand, after you left, we couldn't exactly tell the people that we had been attacked by aliens. We instituted total press censorship of the matter. We told the people that Macross Island was destroyed by anti-unification terrorists while the SDF-1 was on its first trial flight. We can't exactly have 60 thousand people that are supposed to be dead and know the truth showing up among the population. The results would be a disaster." Ranma could no longer keep control of his mouth as his outrage reached new heights.
"So what you are telling us, is that we have to hold 60,000 innocent civilians prisoner and take them into combat on a war ship so that you people don't get your little lies exposed?" Ranma asked coldly. "Why don't you just order them executed? I hear dead men tell no tails. What the hell kind of people are you? You're fucking sick. You guys make me ashamed to be an officer. If it weren't for the Zentradi threat to all the people on this planet, I'd resign my commission right here and now."
"Commander, that's enough," Gloval said. "You will have to excuse the commander. He has a very strong sense of honor that is obviously not shared by most of the people present. It will be as you command."
With that Gloval turned and walked out with his subordinates in tow, leaving several of the men sputtering in indignation.
(oOO/Oo)
"Lisa, my daughter, how I've missed you," Donald Hayes greeted as Lisa walked in his office. He came over and hugged her. Suddenly, he stiffened when Ranma walked in. "What are you doing here?"
"Father," Lisa said, "I'd like you to meet my husband, Ranma Saotome-Hayes."
"H...husband?" Hayes sputtered. "You married that...that..."
"Brave, honorable, highly decorated, incredibly handsome, ace fighter pilot?" Lisa supplied. "Yes, I did. You know father, I came here hoping that you'd be proud of the man I married, but now I find I couldn't care less because I'm ashamed of my own father right now."
"But Lisa..."
"No Father," Lisa said, closing her eyes briefly to get a grip on her emotions. "I just came to tell you that I was married and that I am pregnant with Ranma's child. And while we're at it, Ranma is not just my husband." Lisa grabbed a glass of water off the desk and dumped it on Ranma's head. "She is also my wife."
"What the hell?" Hayes exclaimed, gripping the edges of his desk as his knees went weak.
"Aw, man, Lisa," Ranma complained. "What'd you do that for? Now I'm going to have to walk through the base looking like I'm wearing some other guy's uniform."
"It's okay, Sugar," Lisa smiled to her. "You can go change in Father's private bathroom over there while I explain things to 'Pop' here." Ranma smirked a little at the subtle hint that Lisa's respect for her father now mirrored her own for the panda.
"Okay, Sweetie," Ranma chirped and gave Lisa a light kiss on the lips before heading to the bathroom indicated.
While Ranma changed her clothes back into her standard uniform, Lisa explained to her father about what he had just seen. Several minutes later, Ranma rejoined them. Hayes looked her over.
"Lisa, I don't approve of this," he said flatly. "You won't be going back to that ship. It's too dangerous and obviously it has been a negative influence on you."
"What?" Lisa said, dumfounded. "You can't be serious. Is there no low that you won't stoop to? I am a soldier, Father. It's my job to fight. Yet you want to keep me here and safe while you force us to hold 60,000 innocent civilians prisoner aboard the SDF-1 which you have ordered back into battle. Ranma is right. You should change your name to Stalin or Hitler or something so that history doesn't stain the Hayes family honor forever. Anyway, I'm going back to the ship with my wife."
"I can order you not to return to the ship," Hayes threatened.
"Then I'll resign my commission, return to the ship with my wife anyway, and join the civilian prisoners there," Lisa threatened right back.
"So it's that important to you that you'd turn your back on your family?" Hayes demanded.
"You don't seem to understand, Father," Lisa said. "Ranma is my family. She and the baby that's growing inside me. And yes, they are the most important things in my life. If you make me chose between you, you've already lost."
"Very well," Hayes said. "But if you return to that ship, then I don't wish to have anything further to do with you."
"So be it," Lisa said. "Frankly, I don't want anything to do with the megalomaniac you've become either. If you come to your senses and ever wish to have anything to do with your grandchildren, then call me. Come on, Love, let's get out of here."
The two women let the office holding hands.
(oOO/Oo)
As soon as the plane was in the air, Lisa began sobbing uncontrollably. Ranma held her close and tried to give what comfort she could. The redhead knew well the pain of betrayal by one's parental figure. After awhile, Lisa wept herself to sleep in Ranma's arms.
"Captain," Ranma asked, "how could they do something so horrible to all those innocent people?"
"I do not know," Gloval said sadly. "They seemed drunk on their own power and have deluded themselves into thinking that it is omnipotent."
"I'd say they are in for a rude awakening," Ranma commented. "I just hope the Earth doesn't have to pay the price for their hubris. I can't help but feel terrible for the citizens of Macross. They've put up with a lot and now when they finally made it home, to be told they have to leave again, it's so tragic."
"It is all my fault," Gloval lamented. "It was my decision to perform the fold operation and I put them in this position."
"Maybe so, Sir, but you also got them this close to being home again," Ranma said. "We lost very few civilians during our trip back. That's something we can be proud of. Don't beat your self up over it too much. You redeemed yourself by getting them this far. It's those bastards in command that are screwing them now."
"This is true, Commander," Gloval said. "I take it by Lisa's condition that your visit with your father-in-law did not go well?" Ranma shrugged a little.
"It went about as well as could be expected under the circumstances," Ranma sighed. "It would have been bad enough if it was just me, but with the orders they gave us, it started out on the wrong foot and got worse from there. You know he wanted to make Lisa stay there, not let her return to the ship? He even threatened to order her not to go back. She told him if he did that, she would resign her commission and join the civilian prisoners aboard the ship." Gloval chuckled.
"Yes, that's our Lisa," he said. "Always the firebrand. I must say, the pair of you can be quite a handful sometimes." Gloval snickered. "Do you know what the crew calls you two?"
"Probably a lot of unpleasant things," Ranma grinned.
"They call you the Dragon Lady Squared, or DL2 for short," Gloval chuckled and then sobered. "Ranma, I must ask a favor of you."
"What'd you need, Captain," Ranma asked.
"You see, you are very popular with the citizen's of Macross City since winning the Miss Macross pageant," Gloval said. "I would like you to make the statement to them about not being able to leave the ship. They will probably take it better from you than anyone else and you have a way of expressing your displeasure in such a manner as to make us sound sympathetic to their plight."
"We are sympathetic to their plight," Ranma said.
"Yes, yes, we are, and I am working on that," Gloval said.
"Alright," Ranma said. "I'm not happy about this and it goes above and beyond, but you've been more than understanding with my issues. I owe you this much at least."
For the rest of the journey, Ranma and Gloval worked out the key points of the statement to be made. By the time they began their descent, the statement was worked out and Ranma awoke Lisa.
"Liiiisa," Ranma sang gently. "Sweeetie." Lisa shifted groggily.
"Hmmm?" she mumbled plaintively.
"Lisa, we are landing in a little bit," Ranma told her with a gentle smile. "I just thought you might like some time to put yourself back together. You're a mess, a heart-stoppingly beautiful mess, but a mess."
"Thanks a lot," Lisa said with mock sarcasm. "I suppose you're right though."
With that she reluctantly removed herself from Ranma's embrace and made her way to the lavatory to repair her tear-streaked makeup.
(oOO/Oo)
Several hours later, Ranma, Lisa, the terrible trio (a.k.a. the bridge bunnies, a.k.a. Sammy, Kim, and Vanessa), ran into Max Sterling as they were about to enter the White Dragon.
"How did it go with your father-in-law, Commander?" Max asked.
"Don't ask," Ranma said grimly.
"That well, huh?" Max asked sympathetically. "I'm sorry to hear that."
"Thanks, Max," Ranma said as they entered the restaurant. "Whoa, what's going on here?" She looked around at the crowd of people in the restaurant.
"Hey, Commander, over here!" Rick called from a table, waving.
"Hey it's Rickhead," Sammy giggled. "Let's go sit with him."
The gang made their way over to Rick's table and sat down.
"What's all this?" Ranma asked.
"Oh, Minmei's cousin came back with us," Rick said, obviously unhappy with this event. "Everyone in the neighborhood has heard and came by to say hi."
"You don't sound real thrilled with that," Ranma observed.
"Yeah, well, I know it's silly, but Minmei has all but ignored me since he showed up," Rick said glumly. "We finally have a chance to spend uninterrupted time together and he shows up. How did things go with you two?"
"Worse than expected," Ranma said sourly.
"Sorry," Rick said.
"So am I," Ranma replied.
"So who is that guy?" Sammy asked. "What's his name?"
"I think he said it was Kyle," Rick mentioned absently.
"He's Minmei's cousin?" Kim asked. "Look at her, Minmei looks so happy."
"He's very cute too," Sammy added.
"Oh yeah," Vanessa enthused.
"He's adorable," the Terrible Trio sang simultaneously.
The Mayor, who had been walking by heard this and asked if they would like to meet him. Rick didn't look happy about it but the mayor called the young man over anyway.
"He moves like a martial artist," Ranma commented in a low tone to Max. "A good one too. Not in my league or even Akane's but better than average. How has your training been coming?"
"Akane's been a great Sensei," Max grinned.
"Kyle, I would like to introduce you to the people who have saved our lives many times over," the mayor said grandly. "I know you don't like the military, son, but you have to admit there are some beautiful women to be found there. Ranma here is our first Miss Macross."
"Excuse me, do you have some problem with the military?" Sammy asked dangerously.
"Since you asked," Kyle said, "yes I do. The military produces nothing but devastation and destruction. We'd all be better off without it."
"Hey, are you trying to say that everyone in the military likes to destroy things?" Max demanded.
"Well, and I think I speak for everyone at this table when I say this," Rick said, "I didn't join the military because I like devastation and destruction." There was a chorus of agreements.
"So, Kyle, was it?" Ranma said standing up. "You don't think the military has a purpose, huh?"
"None at all," Kyle said. "You catch on fast, Cutie." Kyle was vaguely perplexed to see Max and Rick dive under the table.
"I see," Ranma said neutrally and then launched a slow (for her) but vicious punch at Kyle's nose.
Kyle easily blocked the punch as Ranma had intended. She allowed him to grab her arm as it went by and bend it back behind her shoving her forward, bent over the table in a submission hold.
"Now, now, gorgeous," Kyle said stepping close behind her and subtly pressing his groin into Ranma's rear. "We'll have none of that."
"So you still think the military has no purpose?" Ranma asked.
"Just like I said," Kyle confirmed.
Nobody was quite sure how it happened, but suddenly, Kyle was on his knees with his arm twisted behind his back and had Ranma's hand gripping his neck. She had leaned him back so that he couldn't get any leverage to break the hold.
"You're a damn hypocrite, Kyle," Ranma sneered. "You profess to be a man of peace, yet you will fight to defend yourself when attacked. That is the purpose of the military, asshole. It's not to go out and pick fights and destroy things. It's to defend the people against evil or greedy people that think that they can take what they want if they have enough force backing them up, just like you defend yourself with martial arts against someone that wants to hurt you. And I would imagine with that attitude of yours there are quite a few people that want to hurt you. You're just a little punk that wants to make yourself seem superior by belittling people that have more courage and self-sacrifice than you do. And don't think I missed you getting your jollies by rubbing your little prick against my ass, pervert."
"Please don't hurt him," Lina began to plead with Ranma. "He's my only son. I know he's not the brightest but he's all I have."
"Don't worry, Mrs. Lynn," Ranma said. "I wasn't planning on hurting him. I was just proving a point. Of course, I ought to hurt him for being a womanizing pervert, but I'll let it go this once." Ranma let him go and went back to her seat.
"Lynn Kyle," Minmei said standing before him as he remained on his knees rubbing his neck. "How could you? You...you...pervert!" Minmei slapped him across his face. Enraged, Kyle leapt to his feet.
"Shut up you spoiled little slut," he snarled and backhanded her, shocking nearly everyone in the room.
Time seemed to slow down as Minmei was spun around by the strike before she fell to the ground. Rick was moving immediately to attack the man who had hurt his girlfriend, but he was far too slow. Before he even got out from under the table, Ranma was there delivering a brutal punch to Kyle's solar plexus, making the air explode out of his lungs before she nailed him in the face with a spinning back fist that crushed his nose. A thrust kick sent Kyle to splatter against the wall as Ranma stalked up to him and grabbed him by the throat again, this time holding him off the floor with one hand and sticking her finger in his bloody face.
"If I ever, EVER, hear about you hitting another woman," Ranma growled, her eyes glowing with blue angry light, "I'll rip your balls off and feed them to you."
Ranma dropped him and walked back to Lina, where she bowed deeply.
"I am very sorry for my actions, Lynn-san," Ranma said formally.
"And I apologize for the actions of my son," Lina said, returning the formal bow just as deeply as Ranma had.
"His actions were his own," Ranma replied. "You have nothing to apologize for."
Lina nodded and turned to Minmei who was still on the floor being held by Rick. Rick was wiping a trickle of blood from her lips as she sobbed.
Just then, the TV which had been playing a taped performance by Minmei emitted a tone that everyone came to know preceded an official announcement.
"We interrupt this program to bring you an announcement from the command staff of the SDF-1. Military spokeswoman and our own Miss Macross, Ranma Saotome-Hayes, had this to say..." Ranma groaned as her image appeared on the screen.
"People of Macross," Ranma's image said, "it is with a heavy heart and a great deal of anger, that I must share with you the decision of the high command. The UNEDC has, in an effort to cover up the lies they told the world about your disappearance, denied permission for you to leave the ship." There were several gasps around the room. "Please believe me when I tell you this; we, the crew of the SDF-1, are as outraged by this unjust decision as you are and we are taking every step we can to try and secure your relocation. I know you are all upset and angry. I assure you, we, of the crew, feel the same way. We ask for you to be patient for just a little while longer until we can secure your release."
The civilians in the room were angry and upset, making outbursts to express their outrage. One man stepped angrily up to Ranma.
"What's the meaning of this?" the man demanded.
"It wasn't our..." Ranma started but was cut off.
"You can't keep us prisoners here!" The man shouted and several others agreed as the crowd began to turn ugly, gathering around the military personnel in the room.
"You know what?" Ranma said. "You're right. We can't keep you prisoners here. You're free to go. We won't stop you."
"Really?" the man said in surprise.
"Yes, really," Ranma said. "Of course we can't help you either. So I tell you what, you just make you're way out on to the deck and jump overboard. I suggest swimming east, since land is closer in that direction. I hope you’re a good swimmer. You'll either reach land, or drown trying but at least you won't be a prisoner on this ship. So see, you're all set."
"Why you smart-ass little bitch," the man snarled.
"What else do you want us to do?" Ranma demanded. "We have our orders and if we go against them, the UNEDC will install a command staff on this ship that will be far less sympathetic to your situation. Believe me, we are trying everything we can to get them to reconsider their position, but they are arrogant asses that are more concerned for their own power than doing the right thing. I'm ashamed to serve under their command and if it weren't for the Zentradi threat to all the people of Earth, I'd resign my commission and join you in a microsecond."
"Yeah, well that ain't good enough!" another man yelled. "We want off this ship now!"
"Hey, back off," Max said stepping between the man and Ranma. The man took a swing at Max who dodged and counter punched him. Things rapidly turned into a brawl after that as the crowd attacked and Ranma, Rick, and Max fought to defend the other female officers. Soon the three were standing amidst a pile of groaning men.
"Damn, that redhead is good," one of the men groaned.
"No kidding," the other man said. "I've never seen anyone move that fast and she hits like a wrecking ball. Did you see how she tossed Jack around like a feather? You know Jack weighs about two-fifty and she handled him like a child."
"Yeah, I saw that," the first man groaned. "The one with the glasses wasn’t too bad either."
"I think it would be a good idea if we didn't pick any fights with her around anymore," the second man declared. "Who knew Miss Macross could kick ass like that?"
"No kidding," the first said.
(oOO/Oo)
As the crew of the SDF-1 went about making repairs and refitting the ship and the citizens of Macross City brooded about their confinement to the ship, a drama was unfolding high above in Earth's orbit as a certain Zentradi commander became impatient with the orders to wait and took matters into his own hands. Launching his atmospheric entry craft, he initiated his plan to destroy the SDF-1.
"Captain, I've detected an atmospheric entry," one of the sensor techs announced. "The trajectory should bring it to a touch down point within twenty miles of us."
"Very well," Gloval said. "Keep tracking it and put the ship on alert. And get Commander Hayes up here."
"Yes Sir!" the bridge crew responded.
General Quarters was sounded and preparations were made. Veritechs were launched and destroids were positioned on the decks. Lisa was just entering the bridge when the sensor tech announced that the UNEDC had launched missiles at the enemy craft.
"Those fools, they know that conventional missiles have no effect on the Zentradi ships," Gloval growled. "What do they think they're doing?"
"Sir, the enemy craft is launching battle pods and fighters," the tech announced.
"Scramble all fighters," Gloval said. "Get them in the air."
"Missile impact in 15 second, Captain," the tech called.
Soon the UNEDF missiles began to detonate on the hull of the Zentradi ship doing no damage beyond scorching the paint. Even as the last missile detonated the SDF-1's Veritechs were lifting off the deck of the Prometheus and streaking skyward toward the threat.
(oOO/Oo)
"Alright, Wild Rose, break formation and engage," Ranma ordered.
The Roses scattered and swept in around the battle pods that were descending to the SDF-1. Explosions began to light up the sky as both the Zentradi and the RDF pilots began to die. The Veritechs swirled through the pods and fighters in vicious dogfights, but though they were doing heavy damage to the Zentradi, the sheer numbers of pods made it inevitable that some get through.
The decks of the SDF-1 began to crawl with battle pods slugging it out with the Marine destroid units. Explosions blossomed across the decks as the defenders strove valiantly to stop the Zentradi threat. Veritechs in battloid mode dropped in to shore up the destroid units as holes were forced into the defenses by the Zentradi onslaught.
Ranma found herself squared off with a Zentradi Officer's Pod that she somehow knew contained the same pilot she had faced on the deck of the SDF-1 once before. Her comm screen flared to life.
"So, Micronian, we meet again," an aristocratic looking blue-haired Zentradi sneered at her. "This time I will destroy you. No one beats Kyron."
"Heh," Ranma said. "As I recall, I already spanked your ass once, blue boy. If you want another ass kicking bring it on."
"You will die for you insolence," Kyron responded, opening up on her.
Ranma spun out of the way of his fire and returned fire of her own. Her cannon fire stitched up the pod's carapace, destroying one of its torso weapons before Kyron could evade. He launched a vicious counterattack with a pair of short-range missiles. Ranma leaped over the missiles and then had to twist in the air to avoid two more. A shot from the heavy beam cannon mounted on top of the pod caught her in the upper torso as she spun away from the missiles. Rose One was slammed against the super structure of the SDF-1 by the hit. Ranma was quickly on the defensive and she rolled away from the follow up shots from the arm mounted medium-beam cannon.
Shifting to guardian mode Ranma skated around in an arc to gain some breathing room. Letting loose with a volley of the last of her ammo from her cannon, she managed to blow one of the arms away from the pod. At the same time she fired her own short-range missiles and the heavy cannon on top of the pod exploded into shrapnel, staggering the pod. Having regained the initiative, Ranma skated in and shifted to battloid mode, grabbing the remaining arm of the pod and wrenching it free. Ranma clubbed the pod several times with its own arm and then connected with a brutal kick to the rear of the pod.
"Get off my deck!" Ranma yelled as the pod flew off the deck to splash into the ocean.
"Curse you, Micronian female," Kyron said. "You haven't seen the last of Kyron!"
"Yeah, yeah, that's what they all say," Ranma returned. "Just come back and ask for the Dragon Lady when you're ready for some more humiliation, blue boy. I'll be happy to come out and deliver your smack down."
Her only answer was a shriek of incoherent rage from Kyron as he bobbed impotently in the water.
Then the new type of Zentradi mech arrived, destroying attacker and defender alike.
Ranma had to throw her battloid to the side as enemy fire passed through the space she had occupied. She found herself dancing furiously as one of the new humanoid type of mech seemed to have targeted her. The pilot in that suit was good. Of that there was no doubt. It was everything Ranma could do to stay alive as she dodged the incoming fire. She was unable to fire back, all her missiles gone and her cannon having run out of ammo. Kyron's earlier shots had even taken out half her lasers.
The new enemy kept Ranma from getting close enough to grapple by maintaining a withering fire. As Wild Rose One's arm fell away, Ranma knew she couldn't keep this up for much longer. Then a line of cannon fire stitched its way across the torso of the enemy mecha. This was followed by two more streams of fire that had the enemy dodging as furiously as Ranma had been only moments ago.
"Looked like you could use some help there, Mom," Akane said over the squadron channel as she, Vicki, and Max drove the mecha off with concentrated fire.
"Yeah, thanks," Ranma said with relief.
In spite of the heavy losses they were taking, it seemed the defenders were successfully driving the Zentradi units off. The attackers began to fall back and retreat to their extraction craft.
"Gunsight 1 to all Veritechs," Lisa said on the Tac-net. "We have an enemy ship approaching on an apparent collision course. Clear the decks and attack the ship. We're going to do a Daedalus maneuver if you can't stop it."
"I'm done," Ranma said. "Alpha, you guys got anything left?"
"Got a few missiles and a little ammo," Akane responded. The others responded similarly.
"Alright get up there and put your ordinance into that ship," Ranma said. "Three, it's your flight. I'm going below."
"Roger Wild Rose Leader," Vicki said.
The Veritechs maintained a steady fire on the incoming vessel but they were unable to destroy it. The Daedalus Maneuver was employed. However, due to the approach angle of the ship and the relative position of the SDF-1, the Daedalus punched into the ship at an angle tearing through structures and causing critical amounts of damage before the tip of the Daedalus emerged from the other side of the ship. Unaware of this, Lisa gave the order to open fire with the missile batteries gathered in the bow of the former landing craft. As the missiles fired, disaster struck.
"Gunsight 1, this is Vermilion Leader, cease fire, cease fire, I'm right in the path of our missiles," Rick called out desperately. "Mayday, mayday, may...arrrgh!" The transmission ended with abrupt finality and a pall fell over the bridge.
As the SDF-1 withdrew the Daedalus, the Zentradi ship exploded.