Disclaimer: I don't own Robotech or any of the characters. The following fan fiction is written for entertainment purposes only.
Separate Lives
CHAPTER ONE
"It's too risky," Captain Gloval said.
"Captain, I have to try!" Lisa cried. "You and I know that we've been very lucky to have made it this far but how much longer?
Getting out of her seat, she put her hands on the Captain's desk and leaned into his space; willing him to listen to her.
"Defeat is inevitable for us, our Defense Force is exhausted, the supplies we took on before leaving Earth will probably last another five years if we ration. Where can we go, Captain? Without the fold system, we are sitting ducks and I'm just not talking about the SDF-1," her expression sobered now.
"I'm talking about Earth, the human race, if we don't come to an agreement or open the channel of negotiation with the Zentraedi, we will die. There are over a million Zentraedi battlecruisers out there that we know for sure and God knows how many more that we don't. When it arrives, and it will, we will be extinct. "
"It's not that I don't believe in the mission you're purposing, Lisa," Gloval finally said after a long pause. "It's my own selfishness that's prompting me to deny your request."
"What? I don't understand, Captain," Lisa grasped in surprised.
"There's going to be a battle, soon. When you've lived and been in as many wars as I have, you know these things. You feel it and it's going to be one of those battles that end wars and change history forever; in this case, the fate of the human race. The SDF-1 needs you at its helm when we go into that battle, Lisa."
Looking closely at Lisa now and trying to read her facial expression, Gloval asked. "Have you considered that once you leave, your father will never allow you to return?"
"Yes, I have, Captain but it's a risk I'm willing to take. It's my duty, Sir," Lisa replied. "I just can't stand by and watch the world die when I could have done something to prevent it."
Her voice softer now, she continued. "Thank you, sir, for your faith in me but I have faith in my crewmates, they will not let you down."
"Spoken like a true solider. You are your father's daughter," Gloval said and noticed the stiffening of her body, an indication that his comment had affected her negatively. "Your commitment to duty and ability to think on your feet are two values I admired most about you, Lisa."
Changing the topic, he continued. "Now, what makes you think the Council will listen to you this time?"
"The lab tests, Captain. I will give them the results of Dr. Lang's lab tests. The Council didn't hear us last time because they believed the Zentraedi could not be reason with, that we have nothing in common with them but now we know differently."
Getting up from behind his desk, Gloval walked over to his view port and stared into space then he nodded and exhaled loudly. "All right, you have my permission to leave, Lisa."
"I'll have the draft of my arguments for your approval first thing tomorrow morning, sir Thank you."
Lisa saluted and left.
In the next hour, between her and Claudia, they worked out a schedule for her departure and distributed her duties among the Trio but they both knew who would burden the bulk of her duties- Sammie.
"Don't worry about it, Lisa." Claudia said as she watched Lisa fret over the load Sammie would have to carry. "She's not you but she'll be fine. The experience will be good for her. We can't hold their hands forever. I'll give the data to the Captain. Go and get some rest. You earned it."
Lisa gave Claudia a tired smile, nodded and left the bridge.
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These skirmishes are getting worse and worse, Rick thought to himself as he stared at the numbers lighting up in the elevator, indicating the different floors he'd passed. It's exhausting me out. When is it ever going to end?
Then he remembered Benson, Miller, and Stevenson the three new recruits who had just join Skull two days ago. Gone, just like that, like they'd never existed at all. Too young, all of them were too young.
How he dreaded writing one of those letters to their loved ones but he knew he would have to, he owed it to them. They were his men, they were Skulls. Closing his eyes the image of Minmei in Kyle's arms, his lips on hers and she not doing anything to push him away flashed before him and he swore.
"Damn it, Minmei! Why?" Quickly he looked around, ready to apologize for his outburst but saw that he was alone now in the elevator.
Admit it, Hunter, you'd lost her. She's beyond your reach now.
Then he laughed sadly at himself when he realized that he'd never had her to begin with in the first place. She had always been beyond his reach even before she'd won the Miss Macross pageant and became a star.
Who am I fighting to protect and to come back to if it's not Minmei anymore?
Wearily his thoughts drifted to Lisa, his Commanding Officer and the First Officer of the SDF-1. Lisa, the other woman who he'd come to think about a lot lately when he was not thinking about Minmei, and who continues to confuse and frustrate him to no end.
Lisa, the woman who he'd come to regard as a friend and sometimes more...
She was brave in so many ways, timid in so many others. She baffled him frequently and intrigued him always these days. She was all closed up. A tightly wrapped box… that he wanted desperately to open…
He suddenly became conscious of a desire at the very thought of her and wanting to kiss her slowly without being ordered to. The idea chilled him yet it also sent electric shock through him and he didn't know which was worse.
I wonder what she'd say if I asked her to dinner? And he smiled amusingly at the thought. She'd probably have me thrown in the brig.
"Sourpuss" he chuckled at the nickname he'd given her when they first met two years ago. He still calls her that sometimes when she pissed him off or frustrated him into a corner. But it's become a private joke between them now, like an endearment of some sort that only they understood its origin.
Lisa… the stoic, perfectly regal woman with cheekbones that could cut him if her emerald green eyes didn't first and he wondered where she was and what she was doing.
At that moment the elevator door opened and Lisa stood there. She looked to be deep in thoughts for she hadn't even noticed him yet. Worse she had a look about her that made her so vulnerable, lost and lonely to him. His stomach knotted and wondered what she was thinking about that had her so sad.
"Lisa."
Looking up when her name was called, Lisa saw Rick directly across from her.
"Rick!"
Startled she quickly walked into the elevator and the door closed behind her. She turned and they stood next to each other.
Damned, I was hoping not to run into him. What do I say now? Lisa asked herself and bit her lower lip unconsciously.
"What floor?"
"What? Oh, my quarters… I was going to my quarters so I can write up my report for the Captain's approval tomorrow morning."
As soon as the words had left her mouth, she knew it was a mistake. She should have never mentioned anything at all. But seeing Rick so unexpectedly had startled her and she'd lost her train of thoughts; for she had been thinking about him and her longing to be closer to him on so many levels.
"What report?" Rick asked, interested now.
"It's nothing, Rick, just a routine report."
"Oh, in that case, would you like to have dinner with me tonight? I did promise you one, remember?"
Shocked her eyes widening and she swallowed hard. A flush swept over her face, all the way down to her neckline and she could only mutter out a few words.
"Are you- are you asking me for a date?"
"Umm… well, yes!" Rick said and looked a little surprised himself.
Lisa's stomach turned to jelly when she looked at him and saw him smiling at her. She bit her lip, feeling a wild urge to smile, to laugh and to cry for she couldn't believe it that this could be happening.
He could see the hesitation in her and he wondered why.
Have I read her wrong? Had her poignant loneliness been an illusion? Great going, Hunter! Why don't you ever think before you speak? Maybe she had wanted to be alone tonight. Maybe she didn't want your company or sympathy.
"I think," she told him, her voice low and almost breathless, "I… yes, Rick, I would like to have dinner with you tonight."
His heart jumped at her answer but he managed to remain calm. "Okay. Good."
Then the silence stretched between them, not an uncomfortable one but one full of new awareness of each other and something exciting; something like hope and neither of them wanted to say anything that might break that feeling.
As the elevator door opened at Lisa's floor and she took a step out Rick suddenly remembered. "I'll pick you up in an hour. I need to take a quick shower first and change. It has been a very long day. Is that okay with you?"
Lisa blinked in dismay.
How could she have forgotten? He'd just came back from a 12 hour shift and a major battle! They both did.
"That would be fine, Rick," she said and quickly stepped out of the elevator, hoping he hadn't seen her blushing like a school girl. When the elevator door closed firmly behind her, she added, "I'll be waiting…"
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"Claudia, I need your help. Come over to my quarters. Please, now!" Lisa said into her phone. "I'm going to be in the shower, so use the code I gave you to let yourself in and… and go through my closet. I need something to wear," with that she hanged up and ran into her bathroom without giving Claudia time to ask her any questions.
Fifteen minutes later when Lisa stepped into her sleeping quarter, Claudia was there, busy looking through her closet. Clothes she hadn't seen in ages were thrown everywhere on the floor and her bed.
"Okay, spill!" Claudia said without turning to Lisa.
"I'm going on a date with Rick, tonight."
"What!" Claudia turned around so suddenly Lisa laughed for she had finally shocked her friend who was like a sister to her.
"You're going on a date, A DATE… and with Hunter! The same Rick Hunter who you've dubbed "that loud mouth pilot?"
"Yes," Lisa answered firmly and tried not to smile.
Claudia regarded her for a couple of minutes in silence as if deciding whether she should believe her or not then her amber eyes lit up in excitement.
"About time! My lord, look at you," Claudia exclaimed, "just don't stand there, let's get you ready."
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Twenty-five minutes later, Lisa was both excited and nervous. She hadn't felt this way in a long time, a very long time; not since her first date with Riber almost a decade ago.
Would Rick think her pretty? She silently asked herself as she stared critically at her reflection in the full length mirror. She knew she was not beauty queen materials but she wasn't ugly either, and for some unknown reason she wanted Rick to think her pretty, desirable and a woman.
More importantly, she wanted him to like her, to respect her as a person, someone different than just his Commanding Officer. She wanted him to think of her as someone he could care for... even love.
"Claudia, I don't know about this dress it's showing too much here," Lisa said and pointed to her chest.
"Stop pulling on those slim halter straps! That plunging neckline is perfectly acceptable. Besides a little cleavage never hurts anyone and honey, believe me, you got nice cleavage," Claudia said and took a deep breath to calm down her temper. Sometimes Lisa can drive her crazy without meaning to with her conservatism and puritan outlook on life.
Telling Lisa to turn around once again, she nodded in approval.
"I knew that dress was going to be perfect! I love those gorgeous goldtone beading that accentuates the bodice and crisscrosses in the back. I would prefer the hemline to be above your knee instead of floor length but it'll do since you'll be wearing the high heels."
Lisa only sighed and picked up her hair brush.
"Here, let me," Claudia said and took the brush from her. She lead Lisa to her vanity chair and had her sat down before she proceeded to brush Lisa's long hair, undoing the knots and tangles easily while her mind was somewhere else- with Roy. She was remembering their first date, the one he came to pick her up with three other girls!
"A simple knot at the back of my head?" Lisa asked, giving Claudia a questioning look, her voice wavering a bit.
Coming quickly out of her thoughts, Claudia answered, "no, we are going to leave it strait, long and free."
"But…"
"No 'but' Lisa," she interjected firmly, "the dress you have on goes with this style. We want classy, modern and fresh not formal and reserved. Is Lisa Hayes going on a date or Commander Hayes, First Officer of the SDF-1?"
Not waiting for an answer, Claudia continued. "Here, wear this chandelier earring, it'll go nicely with the dress."
Lisa accepted the earrings from Claudia without much of a fuss and began putting them in.
"Oh and put some mascara on. Honestly, Lisa, you have such beautiful green eyes that some of us, yours truly included would die for yet you hide it."
Then they heard the buzz from Lisa's front door and the both of them froze for a fraction of a second in shock, disbelief, expectation and joy.
"He's here!" Lisa cried in a panic.
"Finish your makeup, he'll wait; now, the lip gloss," Claudia said in a firm tone that got Lisa sitting back down again on her vanity table.
Once done, Lisa got up from her vanity table and took another quick look at herself in the full length mirror again before leaving her room. She was wearing no perfume but her own. Her make-up was dramatic, but not overdone. Her eyes were deep and shadowed, but her skin was uncovered, the fineness of her creamy complexion needed no foundation or powder. And her mouth was glossed, that was all.
Claudia was right and she hated when Claudia was right, especially when it came to clothes. The black halter dress with its plunging neckline and open back did make her look sleek and alluring yet simple and elegant. Looking at the woman in the mirror, she had never felt more feminine and beautiful in all her adult life.
Not bad, she muttered and was about to walk out of her bedroom when Claudia stopped her.
"Shoes! Don't forget your shoes, Lisa!"
Lisa looked down and realized she didn't have her heels on. She flushed and Claudia's crystalline laughter could be heard throughout the room.