May 2010... The SDF-1 had finished its refit and repair and was currently traveling at an altitude of 2000 ft directly over a large North American city. In spite of this altitude, the enormous size of the ship, still in its battoid configuration, made it seem so close the people on the streets felt the urge to duck. This was especially so since the massive fortress was traveling at a speed of about 30 knots and appeared to be hung precariously suspended just above the roof tops. It was a calculated move that Captain Gloval had come up with to try to raise public awareness of the plight of the citizens of Macross. When he had been ordered to increase altitude, he had broadcast in the clear about how that couldn't happen because of the danger to the 60,000 civilians they carried onboard. And it seemed the plan was successful. They had received an encrypted message from the North American Ontario Quadrant that they would be happy to take any civilians that wished to leave the ship as residents there. So it was that the SDF-1 changed course and headed for the Ontario Quadrant. (oO\O/Oo) Ranma walked up next to Rick who was standing on the observation deck watching the cityscape below creep by. She leaned on the railing much as Rick was doing and silently watched for a minute. "Finally set you free, huh?" Ranma asked. "Yeah, I figured I'd come up here and get some fresh air while I could," Rick replied. They stood and watched silently for a few minutes and then Rick spoke. "It's scary, you know?" Rick said. "I mean I always thought Big Brother was indestructible. He went through the Global Civil War without a scratch and he came through the whole trip home and nothing touched him. Then suddenly it's over for him." Rick snapped his finger. "Just like that. He almost died. It makes me think that if he couldn't make it through, what chance do the rest of us have?" Ranma nodded. "Okay," Ranma said. "I can understand how you would think that. How about instead of thinking about what chance we have, you think about what choice we have? We have a job to do and people to protect. If we die trying then at least we know we gave everything we had. There's a sense of comfort knowing we did not 'go gently into that good night'. That peacenik hypocrite Kyle would have us throw down our weapons and bare our bellies to these Zentradi. What do you suppose would happen then? The Zentradi would take their ball and go home because we refuse to play anymore? Heh, if only it were that easy. At best, we'd be enslaved. At worst, we'd be euthanized." "I guess you're right," Rick said. "I certainly wouldn't want to be a slave of some alien race and the other alternative is even less pleasant." "We do what we have to do," Ranma said. "Some of us are gonna die doing it. A lot of us already have. We have to make their lives and deaths mean something. So we continue the fight and hope to make their sacrifices count. Roy gave up something important to him to protect all of us. We have to make that have some kind of meaning." "I never thought of it that way," Rick said. "You're right. It wouldn't be fair of us to roll over now that so many of us paid with their lives. Thanks DL. I think I'll go check out my new plane now." "Sure, Rickhead," Ranma smiled. "Make sure you treat her right, now. She's been with us a while. Wild Rose One and Skull One are the only remaining S models left." (oO\O/Oo) High above the SDF-1, a heated argument was taking place between a certain blue-haired warlord and Azonia, the commander of the Zentradi task force. It seemed the orders not to destroy the SDF-1 didn't sit too well with the repeatedly humiliated Kyron. Once again he decided he had had enough of sitting on his hands and devised yet another plan to attack the fortress against orders. Shortly after that, Azonia had another visitor, this time with a strange request. It seemed that Miriya was deeply disturbed by her defeat at the hands of the Micronian pilot and wished to be Micronized and placed aboard the SDF-1, ostensibly to be a spy, but the real purpose was to hunt this Micronian down and personally eliminate the threat. After she had killed the one that defeated her, perhaps she would challenge this 'Dragon Lady' and remove her as a threat as well. (oO\O/Oo) "Hey, there he is," Ben said to Malcolm. "Hey Boss, what's up?" "S'up?" Malcolm greeted. "Nothing, guys," Rick said. "Just getting familiar with the differences in my new plane here. It's an S model. It has a lot of extra stuff in it than the J model I usually fly." "Say, isn't this Commander Fokker's plane?" Malcolm asked. "Yeah," Rick said. "I'll be flying it now. Pretty ironic when you think about it." "How so?" Ben asked. "Well, Big Brother was always so proud of the fact that he never got shot down," Rick said. "Now I'll be flying his plane and I'm the guy that's always getting shot down." "Well, maybe your luck will change now," Ben said. "Anyway, Malcolm and I were going to this new steak place that just opened. You wanna come along?" "You know," Rick said as he closed an access panel, "that sounds like a great idea. In fact it sounds so good, I think the meal's on me." "Hey alright!" Ben cheered. "That sounds like just the thing the new pilot of Skull One would do." The big man clapped both Rick and Malcolm on the shoulders and directed them toward the hanger deck exit. (oO\O/Oo) Minmei came out of the dressing room and her agent immediately descended on her. "Minmei, come on, they're waiting on you," the bespectacled man said. "We have to...go...Are you okay?" Minmei looked glassy-eyed and her movements seemed a bit uncoordinated. She stood a bit unsteadily and blinked at him. "Oh, sure," Minmei reassured him. "I'm fine. Nothing to worry about. I'm just a little...tired...is...all." As she said this, she slowly fell forward into her agent's arms as consciousness fled her. (oO\O/Oo) "Mmmm, that was good," Ranma said as she polished off her second giant super-deluxe sirloin steak as her mother and Kasumi gaped at her. Akane was used to seeing Ranma put away massive quantities of food so wasn't shocked. "Well, you certainly get your appetite from your father," Nodoka commented and Kasumi nodded in agreement. "Don't even go there," Ranma said. "My appetite comes from my active life. Genma's was just plain gluttony." Ranma was clearly a bit miffed at being compared to her father in any way. "Hey DL," Ranma turned to see Rick and his flight mates sit down beside them. "Hey, Rickhead," Ranma grinned. "How's it going?" "Oh, well, the guys heard about this new steak place and invited me along so I figured I'd treat them," Rick said. "Is it any good?" "Oh yeah," Ranma said with a dreamy look on her face. "It's wonderful. I'm thinking of having another." The cook shook his head in disbelief. How one small girl could eat so much was beyond him, but at least business was good. As he took the three men's orders, he sighed as he received yet another order for the giant super-deluxe from the big guy. He hoped his supplies would last the night. "So Ranma, Dear, who is you friend?" Nodoka asked. "Oh, sorry," Ranma said. "Momma this is Rick Hunter. He'll be taking over Commander Fokker's squadron. Roy and I raised him up from a reckless, loudmouth little cherry into the promising young fighter pilot he is today. Rickhead, this is my mother, Nodoka Saotome. Next to her is Akane's sister, Doctor Kasumi Tendo. Of course you all know Akane." "Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Saotome, Miss Tendo," Rick greeted. "These are members of my squadron, Ben Dixon and Malcolm McCorkle." "Pleased to meet you," Kasumi said. "How do you do?" Nodoka greeted. "Wow, the Dragon Lady has a mother," Ben said with a chuckle. "I guess the rumors that she was spawned from the pits of hell and sent here to torment us weren't true after all." Ranma and Akane laughed. "Oh you never know," Ranma said. "I do so enjoy tormenting loudmouth cherries that think they know better than seasoned fighter pilots." "And you're so good at it too," Rick quipped. "Here you go," the cook said handing Ben his steak. "One Giant Super-Deluxe Sirloin, medium rare." "Geez, Man, you gonna eat all that?" Malcolm asked as he eyed the huge slab of meat in front of the big man. "Heh, it looks so good, I might just order another," Ben said, digging in. "Why not? I did," Ranma smirked as the three men goggled at her. Just then General Quarters sounded. "General Quarters, General Quarters," Lisa's voice came over the PA. "All personnel to battle stations. All Veritech pilots scramble. Zentradi attack force inbound. This is not a drill, this is not a drill." "Alright, people," Ranma said jumping up. "Party's over; let's get'em in the air." "Aw, man," Ben said sadly, stuffing one last bite of his steak in his mouth before reluctantly following the others. "Oh my," Kasumi said. "That sounds serious." "Yes, it does," Nodoka agreed. "I guess we should get ready for the wounded." The two women paid for everyone and left the restaurant. (oO\O/Oo) As the Veritechs deployed and the Zentradi forces closed in, nobody noticed the lone Meltradi mecha slip in stealthily from the opposite direction. The pilot approached the SDF-1 and ripped open a hull plate, depositing a pod containing one micronized Meltradi assassin. As the mecha restored the hull plate to its original position, Miriya Parino extricated herself from the pod and began her search of the Micronian that had humiliated her so. (oO\O/Oo) "Alright, people, here comes their fighter screen," Ranma said over the Tac-net. "Break and engage. Stay with your wingman and cover each other. Good hunting." Ranma and Akane went in and began to lay waste to the incoming Zentradi forces. Nearby, Max and Vicki were also flowing through the chaotic dance of death and fire. The battle was joined and slowly the defenders began to come out on top. Unfortunately, behind the fighter screen came four Zentradi Destroyers. As the ships came into firing range, the SDF-1 deployed its new omni-directional barrier system and braced for the attack. Having reached maximum weapons range, the four destroyers opened fire on their target. The globe shaped barrier boiled with hundreds of laser impacts set loose by the hellish barrage. Everyone, Zentradi and Human alike held their breath as the flashes from the impacts cleared. The SDF-1 remained. To the Zentradi dismay, it not only remained, but appeared undamaged. "Impossible!" shrieked Kyron. "There's no way they could withstand that barrage." "What are you orders, Lord Kyron?" asked his second in command. "Keep firing," Kyron commanded, the light of bloodlust in his eyes. "Keep firing until they have been obliterated!" Soon the four destroyers were firing as fast as their weapons could recharge. "Wild Rose Lead, this is Gunsight 1," Lisa said. "The barrier system is beginning to lose power. You have to take those destroyers out. You're our only hope." "Roger, Gunsight 1," Ranma replied grimly. "Wild Rose Leader, the captain wanted me to tell you that the lives of everyone onboard are depending on you to destroy those ships," Lisa said. "Talk about a little pressure," Ranma smirked. "Roger, Gunsight 1, we'll get it done. Wild Rose Lead to all Wild Rose and Skull flights. We have to take out those destroyers before they overload the barrier system. Alpha, we are taking the western most ship. Bravo, the next one over. Charlie, you have the eastern center ship. Skull, you have the eastern most. The rest of you keep the fighter screen off us. Let's get to it." Ranma and her flight swept in and landed on the hull of the Zentradi ship in battloid mode. They, without much hope of doing enough damage to stop the ships quickly, began to take out the gun emplacement blisters along the hull. They had taken out nearly half the gun emplacements when Lisa came back over the Tac-net. "All squadrons, all squadrons, evacuate the area, evacuate the area," she said urgently. "Proceed on a heading directly away from the SDF-1 at all available speed. Good luck." "Lisa, what's happening," Ranma demanded. "The barrier is going critical," Lisa said sadly. "You have to get away. I love you." "Alright people you heard her, let's put as much distance as we can between us and that barrier," Ranma leaped off the destroyer's hull and firewalled the throttles as she shifted to fighter mode. Behind her Akane, Vicki, and Max matched her as they streaked away. The barrier blew and a huge globe of hellfire expanded outward in all directions. Two screams were heard as the barrier caught up to two unfortunate Veritechs that weren't able to outrun the expanding ball of energy. All four of the destroyers were consumed and vaporized. The remaining Zentradi forces burned for orbit. "Skull Lead to Wild Rose Lead," Rick said grimly. "We lost Ben Dixon, Ma'am." "Roger," Ranma acknowledged. "Wild Rose Nine to Wild Rose Lead," Natalia came over the squadron channel. "Siren didn't make it." "Acknowledged," Ranma said somberly. "Did we lose anyone else?" "No, Mom," Marissa said. "Everyone else made it." "Wild Rose Leader, this is Gunsight 1," Lisa came over the Tac-net, the grief clear in her voice. "We survived the blast, but the area in a 25 mile radius around us was completely destroyed." It was left unsaid that they had been directly over a good-sized city. Now it looked like a flat plane of glass with a large crater in the center. Hundreds of thousands of people had been instantly turned to ash. "Roger, Gunsight 1," Ranma said in a subdued tone. "Let the Captain know that we lost Cassandra Constantine and Ben Dixon." "Roger, I'll let him know," Lisa said as the remaining Veritechs headed back to the ship. (oO\O/Oo) "Rick Hunter, please pick up the yellow courtesy phone," the announcement penetrated Rick's daze. "Rick Hunter, please pick up the yellow courtesy phone." He sighed heavily and listlessly went to the phone, picking it up. "Hello, this is Rick Hunter," he said. "Oh Rick," a cheerful voice said on the other end of the line. "I'm so glad I found you. I thought you might have heard I was in the hospital. I just wanted you to know, I'm okay. You don't have to worry. I was just exhausted, is all. Why don't you come up and see me. It'll be fun. We could play some games and..." Rick slowly hung the phone up and sighed heavily. Minmei's cheerful, carefree attitude wasn't something he felt like dealing with right now. Her inane prattle grated on his nerves as heavy thoughts filled his mind. She just didn't understand. Even though she had been on the ship the whole time, she didn't understand that people were dying around her. Christ, they had wiped out a whole city full of people and she wanted to play games and have a little party. He'd lost one of his men and she wanted to have a good time. "You okay, Rick?" Ranma asked, walking up to the somber young pilot. Rick closed his eyes and shook his head. "I just hung up on Minmei," Rick said emotionlessly. "You wanna talk about it?" Ranma asked. "Sometimes it helps." "I don't know," Rick said. He didn't. Things just seemed so overwhelming. "It's hard losing members of your team," Ranma said softly. "I know. I've lost three of my original pilots now and I can tell you, it doesn't get easier. Losing the third is just as hard as loosing the first. All I can say is; you learn to move on. You honor their memory and you fight to avenge them, but you move on." "It's just so overwhelming," Rick said sounding lost. "First what happened to Roy and now I've lost Ben. How do you move on?" "Well, the first part probably won't work for you," Ranma explained. "We put their call sign on the tails of our planes and we have a good group cry and promise each other not to let their sacrifice be meaningless. Then we go get stupid drunk and celebrate the lives of those we lost." "The last part doesn't sound too bad," Rick said. "Then I say collect 8-ball and you guys can come with us when we go out for Cassie," Ranma suggested. "Okay," Rick agreed. (oO\O/Oo) Rick and Malcolm watched discreetly from the hanger deck door as the Wild Rose squadron reverently looked at the tails of their Veritechs and the three names that they now featured. Each woman and the one man seemed lost in their own thoughts. Some openly cried. Those tended to be the ones that knew all three of the people who were now memorialized on the Veritech tails. Then by some unspoken signal, they came together in a big group hug and cried together. Even Max was included and even he had tears leaking from his eyes. Some of the women wept loudly as they other supported each other. It wasn’t the last time that they would cry for their lost members that night, instead, it was just the beginning. As the tears subsided, then came the vows. Each woman and the one man vowed to make the Zentradi pay for taking their blood, and they each vowed to not let their sisters' sacrifices be in vain. "Sometimes, women are lucky," Malcolm said softly to Rick as the Wild Roses broke up. "That looked cathartic as hell." "It did," Rick agreed. "But it's their way, not ours. We'll just have to be content with the second part of their mourning process. The part where we get pissed drunk and tell stories about Ben." He clapped the tall afro'ed man on the shoulder. "I here ya," Malcolm shot him a weak smile as the women and Max joined them. (oO\O/Oo) Ranma staggered through the door of her quarters and headed for the bedroom, peeling off her uniform. She deposited it in the hamper and went to the dresser, pulling out a t-shirt. Taking off her bra, she slipped the t-shirt on and climbed into bed beside Lisa. "Did you get it all out of your system?" Lisa asked sleepily. "Yeah," Ranma slurred slightly, hugging Lisa to her and tenderly stroking Lisa's gravid belly. "I love you so much." Lisa turned in her arms and kissed her with savage passion. "I love you to, Ranma," Lisa said, her voice heavy with emotion. "I thought we were finished today. I'm so glad you survived. I'm so glad we survived." "Me too," Ranma said, kissing her hungrily. "I don't know what I would have done without you." Lisa smiled softly as she slipped her hand into Ranma's panties. For the next hour, the two women made desperate love to each other, feeling as if they were trying to merge into one being so that they would never be in danger of being separated. (oO\O/Oo) Minmei lay in her hospital room feeling very lost and confused. She didn't understand why Rick had hung up on her. It had hurt when he did that. It hurt a lot more than she could have imagined. She had cried for hours afterward. The worst part was that she didn't know why. Didn't he care about her anymore? She rolled over restlessly, her red-rimmed eyes staring off into space as she tried to figure out what was going on. "Hello, Dear, how are you feeling today?" an older nurse with deep red hair asked as she bustled in. "I'm okay," Minmei said somberly. The nurse looked at her, taking in her depressed posture and her red-rimmed eyes. "Aw, honey, what's wrong?" the nurse said coming over and sitting on the bed, stroking her hair gently. "H...he hung up on me and I don't know why," Minmei said, beginning to sob again as she sat up and hugged the nurse tightly. "It's alright, Dear," the nurse said soothingly. "Who hung up on you?" "M...my b...boyfriend," Minmei whimpered. "He's a pilot. I had called him to tell him I was okay in case he was worried about me and he hung up on me." "He's a pilot?" the nurse asked. "Y...yes," Minmei said. "He's a good one too. His name is Rick Hunter." "Oh, I met him yesterday when I was having lunch with my daughter, Ranma," Nodoka said. "She's a pilot too." "You're Ranma's mother?" Minmei said in a bit of awe. "Ranma is a good friend of mine. She's the one that gave me the chance to live my dream of being a singer. She won the Miss Macross pageant and gave me the recording contracts." "That was very sweet of her," Nodoka said. "My name is Nodoka Saotome, but you can call me Auntie Nodoka if you want." "Okay Auntie," Minmei mewled. "I just don't understand why Rick hung up on me." "Well, Dear, my daughter told me that he lost his first man in the battle yesterday," Nodoka said. "She said he was very upset and was taking it badly." "Who?" Minmei asked softly. "A young man named Ben Dixon," Nodoka said. "Oh, no," Minmei whispered. "He was a nice guy. A little...enthusiastic, but a nice guy. But why didn't Rick tell me?" "I don't know, Dear," Nodoka said. "Maybe he didn't want to trouble you." "I don't understand," Minmei said. "Warriors are like that, Sweetie," Nodoka said. "They try to protect those they care about from the bad things in their world." "Their world?" Minmei inquired. "Yes, Dear," Nodoka said. "He lives in a different world than you. You live in a world where the worst thing you have to worry about is collapsing from exhaustion. In his world his life could end at any moment. The lives of his friends and those he's directly responsible for could end at any moment. Every time he goes out there's a chance that he or someone he's responsible for won't be coming back. That's his reality and it hit very close to him yesterday." "That's horrible," Minmei whimpered. "How can he do it?" "Because he has to," Nodoka said. "Because he wants to give people like you and me the chance to work ourselves to exhaustion, or have a good time, or to just live our lives without having to fear. My daughter, your boyfriend, all the men and women that defend this ship, all do it to protect us from the reality they go out to face everyday. They don't talk about it with us because we can never truly understand what it's like. We aren't part of that world." Minmei looked deeply thoughtful. "It all seems so petty when you put it that way," Minmei said. "My career, my fame, all the fans," Minmei said softly. "All the while those men and women are out there dying so that I can play. And all the while I'm losing the man I love because I can't be a part of his world." "Maybe it is," Nodoka agreed, "but that's why they do it, to give us a chance." By the time Nodoka left the room, Minmei was deep in thought. She had to decide what she wanted. Now that she had a taste of the fame and the hectic lifestyle that stardom had brought her, she was slowly reconsidering her priorities. Fans and fame were great, but she couldn't help feeling lonely. It was a turning point for her. She had been asked, what seemed like so very long ago now, what she would do if she had to choose between her heart and her career. Now she faced that very choice. Before she left the hospital, she had made a decision. She had thought of the couples she new of, including Roy Fokker and Claudia Grant, Lisa and Ranma, her other friends and their boyfriends. Of them, the military couples shared a closeness that she hadn't seen much in others. Her agent wasn't going to be happy with her decision, but she knew now what she wanted. 'I want to be a part of your world, Rick,' she thought to herself. 'I want to understand. I want to help. I want to be closer to you.' (oO\O/Oo) June 2010... "You wanted to see us, Captain?" Lisa asked as she and Ranma entered the office. "Yes, I have just received the orders we've been expecting for some time," Captain Gloval said, his anger and frustration was clear in his voice. "It was as we expected. We've been ordered off the planet immediately." "I see," Lisa said. "How will we tell the civilians?" "Do you want me to make the announcement?" Ranma asked. "No, thank you, Commander, but I couldn't do that to you again," Gloval said. "This time I will tell them myself. Those bastards haven't an ounce of compassion." "I'll set up the press conference," Lisa said grimly. "We'll be there for support, Captain," Ranma said sympathetically. (oO\O/Oo) Gloval stood in front of a large stylized 'M' as the cameras and microphones were positioned. The TV crew producer gave a countdown and then gave the captain the signal to begin as Lisa, Ranma, and Minmei stood off to the side watching. "Citizens of Macross City," Gloval began, "as you know, the government has refused us permission to relocate the civilian population aboard this ship. I've appealed this decision repeatedly in hope that they would reconsider. Unfortunately they have proven to be insensitive to your situation and as the captain of the SDF-1 it is my sad duty to inform you that this ship, including all its passengers, has been ordered to leave Earth immediately. I have been informed that if we fail to comply, then we will be attacked by elements of our own defense forces. This cannot be allowed to happen. So it is with great reluctance that I must comply with the orders. I'm so very sorry that you have all been dragged into this; but now more than ever, we need your cooperation. I...I'm sorry..." The captain might have said more, but he was overcome with his emotions and placed his hand over his face pinching the bridge of his nose as his shoulders shook. The three women watching each had tears in their eyes as they watched a man endure the unendurable. Suddenly Minmei rushed to the Captain's side, dragging Ranma by the hand. "It's alright, Captain, we know you did your best for us," Minmei comforted him. She turned and addressed the cameras. ”I don’t understand anything that has to do with politics, but I do know that the only way we’ll survive this is to pull together… I think of the SDF-1 as my home now. We’ve been through a lot together, but look at how strong we’ve become because of it. I have way more friends here than I ever did on Earth. You’ve been like a big family to me. Someday we’ll return to Earth. We’ll never give up hope. But for now, I’m proud to be a citizen of Macross City and this ship. "Furthermore, I would like to take this opportunity to tell everyone that I've made a decision. I plan to join the RDF and help the brave men and women of the crew to protect this ship and all its people. I don't plan to give up singing, but I feel that this is something I have to do to help out. "Miss Macross and I will now sing for you," Minmei said, stepping close to Ranma. "We would like to dedicate this new song, 'The Power of Love', to everyone aboard the SDF-1." She gave Ranma a wink and Ranma nodded her acceptance. The music started in an upbeat fast paced piano lead-in that was joined by other instruments at each measure. On cue, Minmei began to sing with Ranma providing back up vocals during the chorus and singing the second verse. There comes a time when you face the toughest of fights searching for a sign lost in the darkest of nights the wind blows so cold (you're) standing alone before the battle's begun but deep in your soul the future unfolds as bright as the rays of the sun You've got to believe in the power of love you've got to believe in the power of love Blazing emotions there's a light, that flows from your heart it's a chain reaction and nothing will keep us apart Stand by my side there's nothing to hide together, we'll fight to the end take hold of my hand and you'll understand what it truly means to be friends You've got to believe in the power of love you've got to believe in the power of love it gives meaning to each moment it's what our hearts are all made of You've got to believe, in the power of love The power of love You've got to believe in the power of love you've got to believe in the power of love it gives meaning to each moment it's what our hearts are all made of You've got to believe, in the power of love The power of love (oO\O/Oo) Out in the streets, the outraged and saddened people were moved by Minmei's speech and many began to feel a sense of pride in being aboard the SDF-1. They felt a sense of solidarity with each other and found the strength in their newfound sense of community to endure leaving Earth once more. Many were enraptured by the song and began to sing along with it. It gave them a sense of hope and joy that they needed at this time. Seated in a fighter, on ready alert status, watching the broadcast on his cockpit monitor, was a stunned young man. He wasn't stunned about the order, nor was he stunned about the song. He was stunned about the announcement that had preceded the song. "Minmei's joining the RDF?" Rick said to himself. "She's giving up her career to become a soldier? Why did she decide that?" (oO\O/Oo) Three men, known as Rico, Konda, and Bron, listened to Minmei's impassioned speech from the comm unit aboard their battle pod. They were going to miss life in Macross City. They listened to Minmei and Ranma's song wistfully, wondering if they would ever hear such a wonderful thing again. They would also miss Mistress Bertha who had trained them sternly but caringly and allowed them to find Mistress Sammy, Mistress Vanessa, and Mistress Kim, to whom they were sold to at the party. They would miss serving the four women and felt terribly guilty about abandoning them. As their sensors reported the pick up ship swinging low through the upper reaches of the atmosphere, the three spies launched the pod section of their battle pod and were picked up. (oO\O/Oo) As the song played, the SDF-1 began to rise out of the ocean and ascend through the atmosphere. Even as they achieved orbit and prepared for their run through the blockading ships, a huge space fold was detected as one million Zentradi ships entered the system at a point somewhere behind the Moon. (oO\O/Oo) (Authors note: 'The Power of Love' is from the Sailor Moon original soundtrack and is owned by its respective copyright holders) Dictionary of Acronyms and other Jargon 2IC--Second In Command AMRAAM--Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile APU--Auxiliary Power Unit ATC--Air Traffic Control AWACS--Airborne Warning And Control System BDU--Battle Dress Uniform (fatigues) BOQ--Bachelor Officer's Quarters CAG--Commander, Air Group CAP--Combat Air Patrol CAS--Close Air Support CBU--Cluster Bomb Unit CO--Commanding Officer ETA--Estimated Time of Arrival GBU--Guided Bomb Unit HARM--High speed Anti-Radiation Missile JSDF-- Japanese Self Defense Force LAV--Light Armored Vehicle SAM--Surface to Air Missile SDF--Super Dimensional Fortress UNEDF--United Nations of Earth Defense Force UNEDC--Untied Nations of Earth Defense Command RDF--Robotech Defense Force XO--Executive Officer (second in command) Angels in reference to altitude is a navy thing, and is a way of saying flight level, which basically means adding three zeros on the number for the altitude reference. (JRA) Port--left Starboard--right
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