*(The usual disclaimers apply here. None of us own these characters but
anyone here will agree that we absolutely LOVE them. These musings are
exactly that: simply MUSINGS and further explorations into the
personalities of these characters regardless of their fictional nature. You
have to hand it to Mr. McKinney, Harmony Gold and Big West Japan for
creating such BELIEVABLE characters and storylines (sans mecha et al) that
we all want to know how they'll (sic) react/behave under slightly different
circumstances. Suffice to say that this fic will throw Rick Hunter a huge
curve-ball.)
Khyron the Backstabber. The name was more than appropriate for this particular Zentraedi Warlord. Numerous occasions in the past attested to this and, given the incredibly long life span of his race, Khyron's notoriety/fame certainly had a very long time to proliferate. One incident that stood out in the minds of many was the time when he had his division deployed for the mission to Ranaaths's Star, which was actually a black- hole, as the Zentraedi were exploring the possibilities of other means of faster-than-light space-travel. It was a highly dangerous mission but one which Khyron deemed worthy of undertaking.
His division was not without its merits, however. The Boturu Battalion, as it was known, often distinguished itself in many battles even in the face of insurmountable odds. But these often bordered on becoming Pyrrhic victories, had it not been for the Zentraedi's sheer numbers. Yet it could not be denied that even the most vicious of Invid fleets recognized the Boturu Battalion whenever it showed up.
The last battle found the Boturu Battalion on their own as Breetai and his whole fleet sided with the Earth Forces against Dolza's main fleet. It was a battle which went against the very logic of Zentraedi warfare as they were outnumbered 1000 to 1 or even more but Khyron's emotions found him highly charged and anticipating the actual conflict. They would win however, and Khyron would find himself on the winning side anew. But his nature would not stand the very peace which Breetai and the other Zentraedis fought for. Millennia of conflict had seeped into him so much that it was his lifeblood. It was this very trait which Azonia, his new partner, abhorred at first yet found to like as she and Khyron experienced human emotions albeit the darker ones, first and foremost of which was LUST.
Thus Khyron lived up to his name with his last act of defiance. He had surprised the united Earth/Zentraedi forces with his last attack and along with Azonia and was now on a direct collision course with the SDF-1. The "micronians" as he still called them, could only fatally disable his cruiser with that last main-gun shot. He would take the SDF-1 down with him in a blaze of glory....
Captain Lisa Hayes and her crew were on the verge of hopelessness and panic as the SDF-1's main gun only grazed Khyron's resurrected cruiser. The whole thing was now a burning hulk of metal whose mass was giving its motion inertia further boost. Even IF the SDF-1 could fire another shot, the cruiser was already too near and the resulting explosion would engulf both it and the SDF-1. Evacuation was the only logical course of action. The escape pods were occupied one by one until it came down to only her, Admiral Gloval, and Commander Claudia Grant. However, 1 of the last 2 pods was malfunctioning and there were still the 3 of them. The last thing Lisa would recall was Admiral Gloval and Claudia forcing her into the last operating escape pod, stating that SHE was the only one who still had a reason to live.
Lisa found herself floating on the shores of the artificial lake surrounding the SDF-1 and SDF-2. A veritech flew overhead and swooped down to where she was, and it turned out to be Commander Rick Hunter's Skull-1. Rick immediately alighted from his plane and all but gathered Lisa up in his arms like a baby.
"Lisa! My lord, I thought you were in there! Thank God!"
"Rick! They..they.. forced me into the pod! They said I was the only one who still had a reason to live! They sacrificed themselves for me!" Lisa half shrieked in between sobs.
"You do, Lisa. You do." was all that Rick could say as he found no other words to soothe her.
He silently thanked Gloval and Claudia for their last act. He had just acknowledged what he felt for Lisa Hayes an hour or two ago. Lisa had just come round his place to bid him farewell but she surprised him by admitting her feelings for him. It was more than enough for him to admit to himself that this was how he felt towards Lisa as well. He had stayed too long in denial and this was compounded by Lynn-Minmei's admittance of her own feelings for him as well.
She had been staying with him for the past few days when Lisa dropped the bomb on Rick. Minmei was standing right behind him and she saw in Rick's eyes that the love he had for Lisa was now bursting out like water from a dam. It had been held back too long and even now that Rick's dream of being with her was getting realized, it proved to be no match.
Minmei tried to persuade Rick NOT to involve himself in the conflict anymore but her arguments had fallen on deaf ears. Rick headed off to the hangars for his veritech, leaving her to watch helplessly as she slowly lost him. She lost him to the military: she lost him to Lisa Hayes. Even now as the whole fiasco was getting concluded, she watched Rick as he brought Lisa back from the other side of the artificial lake and saw the love and concern in his eyes.
"These were meant for her!" she thought; but now it was for Lisa that Rick felt them.
"Rick."
Rick didn't know how to react to Minmei. He may have admitted his feelings for Lisa but he was yet to sort out his feelings for Minmei. He DID choose but deep inside, Rick knew that what he felt for Minmei would stay in him for a long time, albeit buried and stashed away in the back of his mind.
"I'm happy for you, Rick; for both of you." Minmei uttered.
"Thanks, Minmei. What about you?" queried Lisa.
"Well, you know I still have my dreams of being a star. Also, I wasn't exactly THAT ready to be married or tied down. And I believe I can help the people recover more quickly from this. The pains of war must be overcome and if I can help, I will". Minmei replied. "You both take care now!"
She then headed for the shelters. Lisa saw the pain that Minmei was trying desperately to hide and was going to say something; an apology maybe, but Rick held her and as she looked at him she saw him shake his head. He knew that there was nothing neither of them could do in order to make it easier for Minmei.
"She's denying her pain, Rick. trying to cover it with her dreams." Lisa stated.
"I know. But there's nothing WE can do about it. We all have to move on." Rick replied.
"Oh well..I'll go see if I can help with the injured." Lisa added.
Rick nodded his assent and Lisa headed off to the same shelters that Minmei was heading for.
* * * * *
They say Protoculture was a magical technology. Indeed it was and many benefits were realized from it. But it was not without its pitfalls and even now, its real nature was yet to be known. One of these was how Protoculture would react to certain factors foremost of which was underwater pressure. When the alien ship that became the SDF-1 first crashed on Macross Island, there were only a handful of experiments done which tested Protoculture under those circumstances.
So now the remaining Protoculture inside Khyron's cruiser was currently under a few hundred meters of superheated water and debris, not unlike the underwater areas near volcanic vents. The protoculture had become energized but since there was nothing to harness its energy output, it just kept getting energized. When the water pressure became too great, the reactor it was encased in imploded and the protoculture was drenched in superheated water. The reaction caused the resulting plasma to shoot upwards and escape from the watery depths. This "plasma" behaved very similarly to the actual reaction occurring during a space-fold. Everyone near the lake saw a "fireball" shoot up from the depths.
"What in blazes is that?" Rick heard Max utter over the comm.
Rick turned his gaze towards the direction where the commotion was happening and saw the fireball. He then gaped in horror as he realized the trajectory it was taking would most likely land it near the shelters. He ran for his veritech in order to launch and shoot it down. However, the tech-crews were not yet done servicing it.
Lisa had seen the fireball as well and began running towards the shelters in order to supervise immediate evacuation.
Minmei had slowed to a walk after she turned away from Rick and Lisa. She was wiping her tears away, her thoughts filled with the numerous times Rick was there for her and now, that would no longer be the case. She didn't notice the fireball overhead.
Lisa kept track of the fireball and gasped in horror as she saw it was headed straight for Lynn-Minmei. With her remaining strength, she dashed for Minmei.
"Minmei! Look out!" Lisa cried.
"Huh?" Minmei turned and saw a distraught-looking Lisa running towards her. She looked up and saw the fireball heading towards her.
"Lisa! Minmei! Nooooo!!!!!!!!!!" shouted Rick who was also heading for them.
Rick's thoughts raced as he sprinted towards the 2 women. He had just found Lisa's love but Minmei's feelings weighed on him still. Losing one was very painful, but losing both? Rick shook his head to clear his thoughts.
Time is of course, relative. The few milliseconds that transpired seemed too short for Rick Hunter who knew yet tried to deny that he wouldn't make it to Lisa and Minmei on time. For Minmei and Lisa however, it would seem like a lifetime. The 2 were engulfed in the plasma-fireball from Khyron's cruiser. Yet no burning sensation was felt by either of them. Each woman beheld the other in front of her. Pain: one of losing one's love and the other of losing one's only friends and colleagues. Triumph: one as a beauty- queen and the other in academics. Many aspects of each one's personality was opened up to the other. It was as if each was watching a movie of the other's life and in the end, both would center on one thing: LOVE. The love both felt for one man, Rick Hunter. And in that moment of realization, each acknowledged the other's claim on him as worthy, and each would gladly give him up to the other.
Unlike the "shapings" done by the Invid, this one had no higher sentience to govern it. It could not discern which person/aspect to give up and which to keep owing to the fact that each aspect/person was as much as the other. In the end, this rare "shaping" did the only logical course of action: it kept both.
Rick finally made it to where the 2 women were standing but had to hold back a bit as the "blaze" was too bright. Max, who was still in his VT shielded Rick using the veritech's mechanized hand. Max noticed something odd with the phenomenon in front of him, however.
"Uh Rick, I know it sounds weird but I'm sensing no heat from that blaze. It IS bright but that's all it is according to the sensors." stated Max.
Rick gave him a quizzical look then turned his attention to the blaze. It then fizzled out and when Rick's vision cleared, he could make out just one shape.
His thought were racing as he approached the still form of a woman, the identity of whom was yet to be known. He was hoping it would be Lisa but at the same time dreaded the possibility of Minmei losing her life.
As he approached, Rick noted that the clothes the woman was wearing was an odd mix. There was the apron Minmei was wearing an hour ago but as he helped her up, he saw the military uniform and the rank of Captain. As she came to, she noted Rick was in front of her and was dusting off the debris on her.
"Rick! I thought I'd never see you again!" she sobbed into his shoulder.
"There now, I'm here and everything's fine. I thought I'd lost you there again. Where's Minmei?" Rick asked.
"Stop kidding around, Rick. I'm right here." she replied.
"Eh? Are you kidding me, Lisa?" Rick asked.
"Mr. Hunter. I am most assuredly NOT kidding." she stated authoritatively.
"What are you looking at?" she then asked as she smoothed her hair in a very Minmei-like manner.
Rick was agape at what he saw. He then knew why Lisa was wearing an apron. Her hair was darker now; a mix of Minmei's raven-locks and Lisa's light- brown tresses. She was as tall as Lisa but the way she stood was reminiscent of Minmei's pose. And when Rick looked into her eyes, it was Minmei's eyes on Lisa's face.
--------------------------- =========--------------------------
"I told you all that and more for 5 times already, Dr. Lang. And anyway, I am NOT a criminal who needs to be grilled here." stated a very irritated Lisa/Minmei.
She and Dr. Lang were currently inside his laboratory where he had her undergo a battery of tests in order to confirm who she really was. The problem was she was still in every essence, Captain Lisa Hayes and all the answers she gave confirmed this: from her rank and serial number down to her shoe-size. What WAS it about shoes that women ALWAYS knew their respective size, Dr. Lang thought.
But what clinched it was the deep retinal and DNA-scans Dr. Lang reserved as the last tests: Caucasian and Asian mix, 50:50. Not that Minmei wasn't already a bit of something like that and Lisa did have a bit of Asian ancestry as well but the ratio this time was drastically different from what WOULD have been a natural mix had it been achieved through generations of normal human-interbreeding.
Even now as he held the retinal-scan from the current subject, Dr. Lang was more than dumbfounded as he compared it to Lisa's and Minmei's scans taken after the initial space-fold to Pluto. 76 specific points from the current scan matched the same points on the earlier ones; more than enough to confirm her identity or in this case, identities.
Yet despite this match, the person in question was a unique individual in her own right. Such a blending was totally unheard of even in the genetics labs where Dr. Lang spent 5 years studying before coming to Macross Island.
"The people you requested are here, doctor." declared a young assistant.
"Good. Show them in. I'll need to apprise them of the situation first." Dr. Lang replied.
Minmei's Uncle and Aunt from the Little Dragon restaurant were led to the room where Dr. Lang was expecting them.
"Mr. and Mrs. Ling. Glad you could make it," said Dr. Lang as he welcomed them.
"We came as soon as we got word, doctor. We all thought something unfortunate happened to Minmei since we only last saw her before she was reported missing. Has she been here all this time?" queried Minmei's uncle.
"No. But I believe she can tell you herself. She's in the next room after this one. I would advise you, however not to take appearances at face value. She may look different now." advised Dr. Lang as he stood up and led the couple to the next room.
"Uncle! Auntie! I'm so happy you're both okay! I'm so sorry I disappeared without letting you know where I was. It's just that everything happened like a blur these past few weeks and I was so confused," a teary eyed yet happy Lisa/Minmei expressed as she hugged them.
"Uh----yes, yes! You-you---had us worried, child. You-----you---know you shouldn't have done that. Your auntie and I were worried sick after watching and hearing the reports that you were missing!" her Uncle replied.
Lisa/Minmei saw the confused looks in them however, and she also noted the obvious apprehension in their voices and behavior.
"It seems like you don't believe that I am who I say I am, eh Uncle? Auntie?" queried Lisa/Minmei.
She then began talking to them in Chinese and this was all that they needed to hear. Every doubt they had as to her identity were immediately dispelled and the two rushed to hug their niece who soon joined them in their tears of happiness as she told them everything that had happened to her since she was reported missing.
This whole scene was currently being viewed through a 1-way mirror from the next room by Dr. Lang with his team along with Exedore and Captain Rick Hunter.
"I wouldn't believe it if I did not hear it myself. THAT was pure Chinese, Captain Hunter." stated Dr. Lang.
Rick could only nod his head in agreement and amazement. Just a few minutes ago, he saw the subject confirm every aspect that she WAS Lisa Hayes and now the same person had just confirmed her being Minmei as well.
Rick thought back to the events which transpired immediately after he caught up with Lisa/Minmei. He could NOT discern her true identity but the opportunity was lost as she appraised the situation at hand and immediately began supervising the RDF in conducting search and rescue operations. No doubt, it was Lisa doing that, apron and all, Rick thought. But after 3 hours of non-stop coordination, he saw her comforting a child who had lost her mother in the crowd. "LISA" sang to the child and soon the distraught youngster was fast asleep and a crowd had gathered round her as they heard Minmei's sweet, soothing voice.
*****
Lisa/Minmei was completely unaware that a crowd had indeed gathered around her as she continued rocking the child softly. She was stirred from her reverie when Mayor Tommy Luan who was among the group, touched her lightly on the shoulder. She almost shrieked in surprise but the mayor immediately allayed her initial surprise as he brought the child's distraught mother who, until that time, had been frantically searching for her among the others.
"There now, er, Minmei. Just give the child to her mother. Everything's alright now," whispered Mayor Luan who, despite his best efforts, could not immediately tell who this lady was in front of him. All he knew was he heard her sing to the child and this she did so in Minmei's voice. That was what the mayor chose to use as reference, thus he addressed her as Minmei.
"I see. I'm glad you found her. The child was so troubled when I spotted her. Well, I'll need your help in rounding up and organizing the rest of the survivors, Mayor Luan. Please supervise the other civilians in the northern sector. They're mostly from Macross Island and I believe your familiarity with them will make it easier for you. After that, please submit a report to me as to how much medical supplies will be needed there," Lisa/Minmei replied.
Mayor Luan could only nod in agreement as more confusion poured into his mind with Lisa/Minmei's reply. Just a few minutes ago, she was singing sweetly to child and there was no denying that it WAS Minmei that he heard. And now there she was - giving orders and organizing the RDF rescue squads as they did their rounds. That was most definitely Capt. Lisa Hayes doing it. Now it was Mayor Luan's turn to almost jump out of his skin as Capt. Rick Hunter called him from behind.
"Don't even try to figure it out, Mayor Luan. You'll get a very nasty headache, trust me. I've got one myself right now," a half-kidding, half- scared Rick Hunter advised.
******
"What about you, Exedore? What do you make of this?" queried Dr. Lang.
"I am at a loss to explain as to how this came about, Doctor. But suffice it to say that this "MELDING" as you would call it, was indeed brought about by Protoculture." Exedore replied.
"Protoculture, you say?" asked Dr. Lang.
"Yes, I'm quite sure of it. Unfortunately, I cannot begin to explain the process as I didn't know it was possible to use Protoculture in such a manner. The most that we Zentraedis know of Protoculture usage is when we use it in our ships' fold-drives. Of course, I also count in the fact that our immense size was also brought about by genetic-manipulation through Protoculture AND that we are also mostly clones. That is the nearest application I can think of that's similar to what has happened to Capt. Hayes and Lynn-Minmei," Exedore explained.
"Rick? All this is giving me a headache and it's been a long day. Can we just get out of here? I don't think I can take much more," Lisa/Minmei said as she tugged at his sleeve.
Rick nodded and rose up as he helped Lisa/Minmei to her feet.
"I guess that's all we can do for today now, Dr. Lang; Exedore. Lisa says she's very tired right now so if you'll excuse us, we shall take our leave now," declared Rick.
"No problem, Capt. Hunter. It HAS been a long day, especially for her. I suggest you bring her to her quarters so she can rest," Dr. Lang replied.
Rick noted her reaction when he called her as Lisa only. He mentally shook his head as he didn't even know where to begin. He walked beside her as they exited the building housing Dr. Lang's laboratory. A quick drive and they were back at the soldiers' barracks. However, more than half of them were destroyed in the recent conflict and Lisa's was among them. Most of her things were salvageable though.
"I guess we'll have to find you someplace else for the night. Good thing these military shelters are modular and can be replaced immediately. You think Jean would mind if I brought you - eh?" Rick stopped in mid-sentence as Lisa/Minmei cut short what he was about to suggest.
"I'd rather stay with you tonight, Rick. Please. More so, I don't think I can face Vince or Jean in this condition. I-I'll just get some of Lisa's, uh, MY things, okay? I won't take long." A still quite unnerved Lisa/Minmei half-begged Rick.
Rick could only nod his assent as he saw that despite her silence, she was currently swimming in a stormy ocean of thoughts, ideas, and memories.
He could only imagine what inner turmoil she was experiencing right now as he helped gather her belongings. As soon as they were loaded onto the jeep they drove off, heading for his quarters.
"Well, here we are. Just leave your things by the sofa there and I'll be the one to sort them out later, okay? What would you like for dinner, by the way?" Rick asked her.
"I think it's best if you sort them out now and leave the cooking to me, Mr. Hunter. If I recall correctly, I'm the one whose folks had the best Chinese restaurant. In space, to boot!" chided Lisa/Minmei.
She shooed Rick out of the kitchen and immediately took charge of cooking preparations, finishing what she had been preparing a while ago. Then she set about cooking dinner, the aroma of what promised to be a delicious meal wafting through the air.
As Rick finished putting away Lisa's belongings, a sudden thought hit him. He knew that Minmei was only just recently staying with him before Khyron's attack and even then, she was NOT familiar with the kitchen setup. Yet there she was, cooking a meal for two in his kitchen and she knew where everything was. It slowly dawned on him that the rumors about Lisa tending to his quarters during her free-time had been true all along. The bridge- bunnies were obviously not kidding when he overheard them gossiping about him and Lisa a few days ago.
"Dinner's ready!" she chimed, poking her head into the room.
Rick started slightly at the sound of her voice. It was now a mix between Minimei's melodic accent and Lisa's huskier tone.
"I'll just wash up then we'll eat. You go tidy up upstairs," Rick said, giving her a quick smile.
Dinner for Rick was a strange experience. Not that the cooking was bad. In fact, it was the best cooking he had tasted since the last time he was at the Little Dragon. But the cuisine she had prepared was a curious mix of Oriental and Western dishes.
Rick speared a dumpling with his fork and popped it into his mouth. "Hm! Ish good!" he said through a mouthful of dumpling.
Lisa/Minmei smiled. "It should be. That's my uncle's recipe."
He sampled her salad next and his eyes widened. It was delicious! Then Rick piled his plate with the club sandwiches. He bit into one and had to close his eyes in ecstasy. Who cares if he was going to have a major stomachache later on? He could always take medication.
As he chewed, he looked across the table at her. "These sandwiches are good!"
Lisa/Minmei's smile faded and her face took on a thoughtful look. "They were the same ones I made for our picnic, you know. But you were late that time. Very late," she said quietly.
Rick stopped chewing and lowered the half-eaten second sandwich on his plate.
"I spent the whole day waiting for you at that outdoor café," she continued.
"Look, Lisa, I ." Rick began but she cut him short.
"You said you took care of some 'personal business.' Some 'personal business' that was. I mean, it took you the whole day! Well, at least you showed up, wearing the scarf she gave." She suddenly stopped, her eyes widening in realization. A hand went up to her mouth. In a different tone, she continued, "- the scarf I gave you."
As the gravity of the situation dawned on them, Rick thought to himself, "This is gonna be much harder than I thought." Right now, the stomachache was definitely a better alternative.
Khyron the Backstabber. The name was more than appropriate for this particular Zentraedi Warlord. Numerous occasions in the past attested to this and, given the incredibly long life span of his race, Khyron's notoriety/fame certainly had a very long time to proliferate. One incident that stood out in the minds of many was the time when he had his division deployed for the mission to Ranaaths's Star, which was actually a black- hole, as the Zentraedi were exploring the possibilities of other means of faster-than-light space-travel. It was a highly dangerous mission but one which Khyron deemed worthy of undertaking.
His division was not without its merits, however. The Boturu Battalion, as it was known, often distinguished itself in many battles even in the face of insurmountable odds. But these often bordered on becoming Pyrrhic victories, had it not been for the Zentraedi's sheer numbers. Yet it could not be denied that even the most vicious of Invid fleets recognized the Boturu Battalion whenever it showed up.
The last battle found the Boturu Battalion on their own as Breetai and his whole fleet sided with the Earth Forces against Dolza's main fleet. It was a battle which went against the very logic of Zentraedi warfare as they were outnumbered 1000 to 1 or even more but Khyron's emotions found him highly charged and anticipating the actual conflict. They would win however, and Khyron would find himself on the winning side anew. But his nature would not stand the very peace which Breetai and the other Zentraedis fought for. Millennia of conflict had seeped into him so much that it was his lifeblood. It was this very trait which Azonia, his new partner, abhorred at first yet found to like as she and Khyron experienced human emotions albeit the darker ones, first and foremost of which was LUST.
Thus Khyron lived up to his name with his last act of defiance. He had surprised the united Earth/Zentraedi forces with his last attack and along with Azonia and was now on a direct collision course with the SDF-1. The "micronians" as he still called them, could only fatally disable his cruiser with that last main-gun shot. He would take the SDF-1 down with him in a blaze of glory....
Captain Lisa Hayes and her crew were on the verge of hopelessness and panic as the SDF-1's main gun only grazed Khyron's resurrected cruiser. The whole thing was now a burning hulk of metal whose mass was giving its motion inertia further boost. Even IF the SDF-1 could fire another shot, the cruiser was already too near and the resulting explosion would engulf both it and the SDF-1. Evacuation was the only logical course of action. The escape pods were occupied one by one until it came down to only her, Admiral Gloval, and Commander Claudia Grant. However, 1 of the last 2 pods was malfunctioning and there were still the 3 of them. The last thing Lisa would recall was Admiral Gloval and Claudia forcing her into the last operating escape pod, stating that SHE was the only one who still had a reason to live.
Lisa found herself floating on the shores of the artificial lake surrounding the SDF-1 and SDF-2. A veritech flew overhead and swooped down to where she was, and it turned out to be Commander Rick Hunter's Skull-1. Rick immediately alighted from his plane and all but gathered Lisa up in his arms like a baby.
"Lisa! My lord, I thought you were in there! Thank God!"
"Rick! They..they.. forced me into the pod! They said I was the only one who still had a reason to live! They sacrificed themselves for me!" Lisa half shrieked in between sobs.
"You do, Lisa. You do." was all that Rick could say as he found no other words to soothe her.
He silently thanked Gloval and Claudia for their last act. He had just acknowledged what he felt for Lisa Hayes an hour or two ago. Lisa had just come round his place to bid him farewell but she surprised him by admitting her feelings for him. It was more than enough for him to admit to himself that this was how he felt towards Lisa as well. He had stayed too long in denial and this was compounded by Lynn-Minmei's admittance of her own feelings for him as well.
She had been staying with him for the past few days when Lisa dropped the bomb on Rick. Minmei was standing right behind him and she saw in Rick's eyes that the love he had for Lisa was now bursting out like water from a dam. It had been held back too long and even now that Rick's dream of being with her was getting realized, it proved to be no match.
Minmei tried to persuade Rick NOT to involve himself in the conflict anymore but her arguments had fallen on deaf ears. Rick headed off to the hangars for his veritech, leaving her to watch helplessly as she slowly lost him. She lost him to the military: she lost him to Lisa Hayes. Even now as the whole fiasco was getting concluded, she watched Rick as he brought Lisa back from the other side of the artificial lake and saw the love and concern in his eyes.
"These were meant for her!" she thought; but now it was for Lisa that Rick felt them.
"Rick."
Rick didn't know how to react to Minmei. He may have admitted his feelings for Lisa but he was yet to sort out his feelings for Minmei. He DID choose but deep inside, Rick knew that what he felt for Minmei would stay in him for a long time, albeit buried and stashed away in the back of his mind.
"I'm happy for you, Rick; for both of you." Minmei uttered.
"Thanks, Minmei. What about you?" queried Lisa.
"Well, you know I still have my dreams of being a star. Also, I wasn't exactly THAT ready to be married or tied down. And I believe I can help the people recover more quickly from this. The pains of war must be overcome and if I can help, I will". Minmei replied. "You both take care now!"
She then headed for the shelters. Lisa saw the pain that Minmei was trying desperately to hide and was going to say something; an apology maybe, but Rick held her and as she looked at him she saw him shake his head. He knew that there was nothing neither of them could do in order to make it easier for Minmei.
"She's denying her pain, Rick. trying to cover it with her dreams." Lisa stated.
"I know. But there's nothing WE can do about it. We all have to move on." Rick replied.
"Oh well..I'll go see if I can help with the injured." Lisa added.
Rick nodded his assent and Lisa headed off to the same shelters that Minmei was heading for.
* * * * *
They say Protoculture was a magical technology. Indeed it was and many benefits were realized from it. But it was not without its pitfalls and even now, its real nature was yet to be known. One of these was how Protoculture would react to certain factors foremost of which was underwater pressure. When the alien ship that became the SDF-1 first crashed on Macross Island, there were only a handful of experiments done which tested Protoculture under those circumstances.
So now the remaining Protoculture inside Khyron's cruiser was currently under a few hundred meters of superheated water and debris, not unlike the underwater areas near volcanic vents. The protoculture had become energized but since there was nothing to harness its energy output, it just kept getting energized. When the water pressure became too great, the reactor it was encased in imploded and the protoculture was drenched in superheated water. The reaction caused the resulting plasma to shoot upwards and escape from the watery depths. This "plasma" behaved very similarly to the actual reaction occurring during a space-fold. Everyone near the lake saw a "fireball" shoot up from the depths.
"What in blazes is that?" Rick heard Max utter over the comm.
Rick turned his gaze towards the direction where the commotion was happening and saw the fireball. He then gaped in horror as he realized the trajectory it was taking would most likely land it near the shelters. He ran for his veritech in order to launch and shoot it down. However, the tech-crews were not yet done servicing it.
Lisa had seen the fireball as well and began running towards the shelters in order to supervise immediate evacuation.
Minmei had slowed to a walk after she turned away from Rick and Lisa. She was wiping her tears away, her thoughts filled with the numerous times Rick was there for her and now, that would no longer be the case. She didn't notice the fireball overhead.
Lisa kept track of the fireball and gasped in horror as she saw it was headed straight for Lynn-Minmei. With her remaining strength, she dashed for Minmei.
"Minmei! Look out!" Lisa cried.
"Huh?" Minmei turned and saw a distraught-looking Lisa running towards her. She looked up and saw the fireball heading towards her.
"Lisa! Minmei! Nooooo!!!!!!!!!!" shouted Rick who was also heading for them.
Rick's thoughts raced as he sprinted towards the 2 women. He had just found Lisa's love but Minmei's feelings weighed on him still. Losing one was very painful, but losing both? Rick shook his head to clear his thoughts.
Time is of course, relative. The few milliseconds that transpired seemed too short for Rick Hunter who knew yet tried to deny that he wouldn't make it to Lisa and Minmei on time. For Minmei and Lisa however, it would seem like a lifetime. The 2 were engulfed in the plasma-fireball from Khyron's cruiser. Yet no burning sensation was felt by either of them. Each woman beheld the other in front of her. Pain: one of losing one's love and the other of losing one's only friends and colleagues. Triumph: one as a beauty- queen and the other in academics. Many aspects of each one's personality was opened up to the other. It was as if each was watching a movie of the other's life and in the end, both would center on one thing: LOVE. The love both felt for one man, Rick Hunter. And in that moment of realization, each acknowledged the other's claim on him as worthy, and each would gladly give him up to the other.
Unlike the "shapings" done by the Invid, this one had no higher sentience to govern it. It could not discern which person/aspect to give up and which to keep owing to the fact that each aspect/person was as much as the other. In the end, this rare "shaping" did the only logical course of action: it kept both.
Rick finally made it to where the 2 women were standing but had to hold back a bit as the "blaze" was too bright. Max, who was still in his VT shielded Rick using the veritech's mechanized hand. Max noticed something odd with the phenomenon in front of him, however.
"Uh Rick, I know it sounds weird but I'm sensing no heat from that blaze. It IS bright but that's all it is according to the sensors." stated Max.
Rick gave him a quizzical look then turned his attention to the blaze. It then fizzled out and when Rick's vision cleared, he could make out just one shape.
His thought were racing as he approached the still form of a woman, the identity of whom was yet to be known. He was hoping it would be Lisa but at the same time dreaded the possibility of Minmei losing her life.
As he approached, Rick noted that the clothes the woman was wearing was an odd mix. There was the apron Minmei was wearing an hour ago but as he helped her up, he saw the military uniform and the rank of Captain. As she came to, she noted Rick was in front of her and was dusting off the debris on her.
"Rick! I thought I'd never see you again!" she sobbed into his shoulder.
"There now, I'm here and everything's fine. I thought I'd lost you there again. Where's Minmei?" Rick asked.
"Stop kidding around, Rick. I'm right here." she replied.
"Eh? Are you kidding me, Lisa?" Rick asked.
"Mr. Hunter. I am most assuredly NOT kidding." she stated authoritatively.
"What are you looking at?" she then asked as she smoothed her hair in a very Minmei-like manner.
Rick was agape at what he saw. He then knew why Lisa was wearing an apron. Her hair was darker now; a mix of Minmei's raven-locks and Lisa's light- brown tresses. She was as tall as Lisa but the way she stood was reminiscent of Minmei's pose. And when Rick looked into her eyes, it was Minmei's eyes on Lisa's face.
--------------------------- =========--------------------------
"I told you all that and more for 5 times already, Dr. Lang. And anyway, I am NOT a criminal who needs to be grilled here." stated a very irritated Lisa/Minmei.
She and Dr. Lang were currently inside his laboratory where he had her undergo a battery of tests in order to confirm who she really was. The problem was she was still in every essence, Captain Lisa Hayes and all the answers she gave confirmed this: from her rank and serial number down to her shoe-size. What WAS it about shoes that women ALWAYS knew their respective size, Dr. Lang thought.
But what clinched it was the deep retinal and DNA-scans Dr. Lang reserved as the last tests: Caucasian and Asian mix, 50:50. Not that Minmei wasn't already a bit of something like that and Lisa did have a bit of Asian ancestry as well but the ratio this time was drastically different from what WOULD have been a natural mix had it been achieved through generations of normal human-interbreeding.
Even now as he held the retinal-scan from the current subject, Dr. Lang was more than dumbfounded as he compared it to Lisa's and Minmei's scans taken after the initial space-fold to Pluto. 76 specific points from the current scan matched the same points on the earlier ones; more than enough to confirm her identity or in this case, identities.
Yet despite this match, the person in question was a unique individual in her own right. Such a blending was totally unheard of even in the genetics labs where Dr. Lang spent 5 years studying before coming to Macross Island.
"The people you requested are here, doctor." declared a young assistant.
"Good. Show them in. I'll need to apprise them of the situation first." Dr. Lang replied.
Minmei's Uncle and Aunt from the Little Dragon restaurant were led to the room where Dr. Lang was expecting them.
"Mr. and Mrs. Ling. Glad you could make it," said Dr. Lang as he welcomed them.
"We came as soon as we got word, doctor. We all thought something unfortunate happened to Minmei since we only last saw her before she was reported missing. Has she been here all this time?" queried Minmei's uncle.
"No. But I believe she can tell you herself. She's in the next room after this one. I would advise you, however not to take appearances at face value. She may look different now." advised Dr. Lang as he stood up and led the couple to the next room.
"Uncle! Auntie! I'm so happy you're both okay! I'm so sorry I disappeared without letting you know where I was. It's just that everything happened like a blur these past few weeks and I was so confused," a teary eyed yet happy Lisa/Minmei expressed as she hugged them.
"Uh----yes, yes! You-you---had us worried, child. You-----you---know you shouldn't have done that. Your auntie and I were worried sick after watching and hearing the reports that you were missing!" her Uncle replied.
Lisa/Minmei saw the confused looks in them however, and she also noted the obvious apprehension in their voices and behavior.
"It seems like you don't believe that I am who I say I am, eh Uncle? Auntie?" queried Lisa/Minmei.
She then began talking to them in Chinese and this was all that they needed to hear. Every doubt they had as to her identity were immediately dispelled and the two rushed to hug their niece who soon joined them in their tears of happiness as she told them everything that had happened to her since she was reported missing.
This whole scene was currently being viewed through a 1-way mirror from the next room by Dr. Lang with his team along with Exedore and Captain Rick Hunter.
"I wouldn't believe it if I did not hear it myself. THAT was pure Chinese, Captain Hunter." stated Dr. Lang.
Rick could only nod his head in agreement and amazement. Just a few minutes ago, he saw the subject confirm every aspect that she WAS Lisa Hayes and now the same person had just confirmed her being Minmei as well.
Rick thought back to the events which transpired immediately after he caught up with Lisa/Minmei. He could NOT discern her true identity but the opportunity was lost as she appraised the situation at hand and immediately began supervising the RDF in conducting search and rescue operations. No doubt, it was Lisa doing that, apron and all, Rick thought. But after 3 hours of non-stop coordination, he saw her comforting a child who had lost her mother in the crowd. "LISA" sang to the child and soon the distraught youngster was fast asleep and a crowd had gathered round her as they heard Minmei's sweet, soothing voice.
*****
Lisa/Minmei was completely unaware that a crowd had indeed gathered around her as she continued rocking the child softly. She was stirred from her reverie when Mayor Tommy Luan who was among the group, touched her lightly on the shoulder. She almost shrieked in surprise but the mayor immediately allayed her initial surprise as he brought the child's distraught mother who, until that time, had been frantically searching for her among the others.
"There now, er, Minmei. Just give the child to her mother. Everything's alright now," whispered Mayor Luan who, despite his best efforts, could not immediately tell who this lady was in front of him. All he knew was he heard her sing to the child and this she did so in Minmei's voice. That was what the mayor chose to use as reference, thus he addressed her as Minmei.
"I see. I'm glad you found her. The child was so troubled when I spotted her. Well, I'll need your help in rounding up and organizing the rest of the survivors, Mayor Luan. Please supervise the other civilians in the northern sector. They're mostly from Macross Island and I believe your familiarity with them will make it easier for you. After that, please submit a report to me as to how much medical supplies will be needed there," Lisa/Minmei replied.
Mayor Luan could only nod in agreement as more confusion poured into his mind with Lisa/Minmei's reply. Just a few minutes ago, she was singing sweetly to child and there was no denying that it WAS Minmei that he heard. And now there she was - giving orders and organizing the RDF rescue squads as they did their rounds. That was most definitely Capt. Lisa Hayes doing it. Now it was Mayor Luan's turn to almost jump out of his skin as Capt. Rick Hunter called him from behind.
"Don't even try to figure it out, Mayor Luan. You'll get a very nasty headache, trust me. I've got one myself right now," a half-kidding, half- scared Rick Hunter advised.
******
"What about you, Exedore? What do you make of this?" queried Dr. Lang.
"I am at a loss to explain as to how this came about, Doctor. But suffice it to say that this "MELDING" as you would call it, was indeed brought about by Protoculture." Exedore replied.
"Protoculture, you say?" asked Dr. Lang.
"Yes, I'm quite sure of it. Unfortunately, I cannot begin to explain the process as I didn't know it was possible to use Protoculture in such a manner. The most that we Zentraedis know of Protoculture usage is when we use it in our ships' fold-drives. Of course, I also count in the fact that our immense size was also brought about by genetic-manipulation through Protoculture AND that we are also mostly clones. That is the nearest application I can think of that's similar to what has happened to Capt. Hayes and Lynn-Minmei," Exedore explained.
"Rick? All this is giving me a headache and it's been a long day. Can we just get out of here? I don't think I can take much more," Lisa/Minmei said as she tugged at his sleeve.
Rick nodded and rose up as he helped Lisa/Minmei to her feet.
"I guess that's all we can do for today now, Dr. Lang; Exedore. Lisa says she's very tired right now so if you'll excuse us, we shall take our leave now," declared Rick.
"No problem, Capt. Hunter. It HAS been a long day, especially for her. I suggest you bring her to her quarters so she can rest," Dr. Lang replied.
Rick noted her reaction when he called her as Lisa only. He mentally shook his head as he didn't even know where to begin. He walked beside her as they exited the building housing Dr. Lang's laboratory. A quick drive and they were back at the soldiers' barracks. However, more than half of them were destroyed in the recent conflict and Lisa's was among them. Most of her things were salvageable though.
"I guess we'll have to find you someplace else for the night. Good thing these military shelters are modular and can be replaced immediately. You think Jean would mind if I brought you - eh?" Rick stopped in mid-sentence as Lisa/Minmei cut short what he was about to suggest.
"I'd rather stay with you tonight, Rick. Please. More so, I don't think I can face Vince or Jean in this condition. I-I'll just get some of Lisa's, uh, MY things, okay? I won't take long." A still quite unnerved Lisa/Minmei half-begged Rick.
Rick could only nod his assent as he saw that despite her silence, she was currently swimming in a stormy ocean of thoughts, ideas, and memories.
He could only imagine what inner turmoil she was experiencing right now as he helped gather her belongings. As soon as they were loaded onto the jeep they drove off, heading for his quarters.
"Well, here we are. Just leave your things by the sofa there and I'll be the one to sort them out later, okay? What would you like for dinner, by the way?" Rick asked her.
"I think it's best if you sort them out now and leave the cooking to me, Mr. Hunter. If I recall correctly, I'm the one whose folks had the best Chinese restaurant. In space, to boot!" chided Lisa/Minmei.
She shooed Rick out of the kitchen and immediately took charge of cooking preparations, finishing what she had been preparing a while ago. Then she set about cooking dinner, the aroma of what promised to be a delicious meal wafting through the air.
As Rick finished putting away Lisa's belongings, a sudden thought hit him. He knew that Minmei was only just recently staying with him before Khyron's attack and even then, she was NOT familiar with the kitchen setup. Yet there she was, cooking a meal for two in his kitchen and she knew where everything was. It slowly dawned on him that the rumors about Lisa tending to his quarters during her free-time had been true all along. The bridge- bunnies were obviously not kidding when he overheard them gossiping about him and Lisa a few days ago.
"Dinner's ready!" she chimed, poking her head into the room.
Rick started slightly at the sound of her voice. It was now a mix between Minimei's melodic accent and Lisa's huskier tone.
"I'll just wash up then we'll eat. You go tidy up upstairs," Rick said, giving her a quick smile.
Dinner for Rick was a strange experience. Not that the cooking was bad. In fact, it was the best cooking he had tasted since the last time he was at the Little Dragon. But the cuisine she had prepared was a curious mix of Oriental and Western dishes.
Rick speared a dumpling with his fork and popped it into his mouth. "Hm! Ish good!" he said through a mouthful of dumpling.
Lisa/Minmei smiled. "It should be. That's my uncle's recipe."
He sampled her salad next and his eyes widened. It was delicious! Then Rick piled his plate with the club sandwiches. He bit into one and had to close his eyes in ecstasy. Who cares if he was going to have a major stomachache later on? He could always take medication.
As he chewed, he looked across the table at her. "These sandwiches are good!"
Lisa/Minmei's smile faded and her face took on a thoughtful look. "They were the same ones I made for our picnic, you know. But you were late that time. Very late," she said quietly.
Rick stopped chewing and lowered the half-eaten second sandwich on his plate.
"I spent the whole day waiting for you at that outdoor café," she continued.
"Look, Lisa, I ." Rick began but she cut him short.
"You said you took care of some 'personal business.' Some 'personal business' that was. I mean, it took you the whole day! Well, at least you showed up, wearing the scarf she gave." She suddenly stopped, her eyes widening in realization. A hand went up to her mouth. In a different tone, she continued, "- the scarf I gave you."
As the gravity of the situation dawned on them, Rick thought to himself, "This is gonna be much harder than I thought." Right now, the stomachache was definitely a better alternative.