Disclaimer: I don't Harmony Gold, I don't even lease it. I don't own the characters. I borrow them here to play with them and I promise to give them back only slightly used and in almost mint condition. you'll see Please don't sue me as I don't have anything you'd want except my toy model of the SDF-1 which I already promised to DWParsnip. Thanks!
Bear with me for just another minute as I have a few people that I have to thank. Thanks to Patrick for constantly reminding me that the dark isn't as gloomy if you're laughing, D for answering the stupidest questions with a smile and encouraging word, DAx for teaching me to strive for excellence but not to forget to enjoy the ride, and Terry for putting up with all of this, as I am constantly drawn back into the world of Veritechs, fighter jocks, and officers who are neither old nor sour. On with the show…
We interrupt this broadcast to add that this is a slight A/U in that Claudia also survived the destruction of the SDF-1. Like I said, don't sue!
You Think You Know Someone
Rick Hunter drove Skull One in a furious paced death offensive. He was diving at his opponents, rebounding and tearing across the sky. One by one the targets fell before him. He pushed the Veritech fearlessly through the paces, the moves so smooth that they could have just as well been called "instinct". This was the only time in the last three months that Rick felt anything like "normal". Cadet fighter pilot training class.
He was living now in Monument, training a batch of new recruits to one day hopefully join the RDF. It had been three months since the holocaust in New Macross. The only survivors of the destruction of the SDF-1 and SDF-2 were Admiral Lisa Hayes and Captain Claudia Grant. Most of the Skull had survived but the rest of the forces had been seriously depleted in that last desperate defense. Command had been moved from New Macross to Monument and promotions hastily passed down. New duties had been passed out and a hurried Center Command established.
"Baker, Penn, Graham, that's enough for today. Head back in. Skull Leader out!" Rick veered towards the temporary runway and the new barracks set up there. These three had been very strong candidates to be added to Skull Squadron. He was at the point now that he could actively recruit for Skull again and not feel guilty. Ghost and Wolf squadrons had dibs on the second batch of would-be fighter jocks and Raven had been rebuilt by the first. It was true they were all green to actual combat but then the original Squadrons had been the same way.
I wonder what she's doing now?
This thought troubled him more and more each day that he was without Lisa. It wasn't his choice that he be without her now. That was a choice that had been taken away from him three days after the destruction of the great battle fortress. It had started when Karl Riber had returned from the dead. He had returned and taken back what was his and in doing so had taken Rick's inspiration, his hope and his future.
"Rick, please understand," Lisa had pleaded. "It's just so sudden. I need time to adjust not only to Karl's return but so much has happened. I feel that I owe it to Karl to help him readjust to being home. Please understand that I do love you!"
It was said so desperately, her green eyes wild and pleading while she held his arm. Rick could tell she was torn with the need to do what she felt was right. He had pulled her tight to him, a knot of fear like he had never known in his chest. He had smiled and kissed her gently.
And he had walked away. With every step away from her that night, he had felt himself growing cold until he thought he must surely be ice. The days had turned into weeks as Rick held himself apart from the woman who was his everything. She had taken Riber into her home to "help him adjust".
Rick had known then that he had lost her. Four years of being too blind to see what was in front of him was costing him everything now. He began rearranging his shifts to avoid her and even going so far as to have Max named Interim Skull Leader as he worked with the new trainees. The only time that he had a moment's peace from the pain was when he was flying. He wasn't sleeping well and he had lost weight. Luckily for him, the dark circles were hid by his aviator glasses when he was off duty and by his "thinking cap" visor when he was flying.
Max, Mirya and Claudia were the only ones who saw him any longer, and even that was limited. Claudia was the only one he had any real interest in anymore. She was pregnant. Six months before, she had come to Rick and had told him about Roy's "deposit" in the sickbay of the SDF-1. He had been surprised at first. It wasn't all that uncommon for young pilots to leave behind the means for a spouse to conceive. Most looked upon it as a kind of insurance policy; a way to make sure their own legacy continued. The fact that it was a great comfort to the families of those pilots also made the decision easier. But Rick had never known that Roy had thought so far ahead.
Claudia had come to him and told him that he was going to be an uncle. He had cried and laughed and agreed to be the godfather to the baby. When the SDF-1 went down that fateful day, the trio had forced Claudia and Lisa into the ejection module that remained operative. It was a tight fit and made the pod too heavy to maneuver but the duo had been rescued. Seeing his big sister waiting in the shadows as he found Lisa that day, he realized how much both women had meant to him. And it had been one of the finest moments of his life.
Wearily, he climbed from the cockpit and trudged towards his one-room office that also served as his quarters. Housing was at a premium and he had opted for this arrangement so that more families could remain together. What did he need spacious quarters for anyway?
Claudia sat in Jean's office and watched the ultrasound of her unborn son. She felt the hand that was holding hers squeeze gently.
"I think he looks like Roy," Lisa teased.
"Oh you!" Claudia dug her elbow into Lisa's side and the friends broke up in laughter. Ten minutes later, they left the office with three copies of the ultrasound photo.
"Are you giving him one, Claudia?" Lisa wasn't able to hide the sadness in her voice when she asked. It had been so long since she had seen or talked to Rick, it almost seemed like he had never confessed his love for her at all. She hadn't spoken to or seen him since that day. She would hear of him either in the officer's mess where there was talk of a hard-headed young Captain who was hell on wheels for the new recruits or from Claudia and Max, who would only say that Rick was "ok" or "throwing himself into work".
They never told her what she wanted to know. Did he miss her? Did he still love her? Did he regret walking away from Minmei that day?
"Yeah, he told me he wants to see every picture, hear every story and see every stretch mark this little boy is giving to me. He seems so happy when he talks about Roy's son. Do you know he had the guys in supply make a onesie that looks like Roy's old flight suit? Even a hat that looks like his helmet. Rick's convinced that this baby will be a pilot." Claudia saw Lisa's hungry look. The woman ate up any scrap of information about him that she was willing to let fall.
"Honey, why don't you just go talk to him? You know where to find him! He hardly ever leaves that room he commandeered as his office. Just go over and talk to him."
Lisa sighed deeply. "You didn't see his face that day. He doesn't want to see me, I'm sure of it. Besides, Karl is taking so much of my time these days." In one deft move Lisa changed the subject. "It can't be easy for him to adjust. A POW of the anti-nationalists and kept on a prison ship for 12 years? He comes home to find everyone he knew dead and gone. I'm all he has to keep him sane." Lisa heard the bitterness creep into her voice. "As he constantly reminds me. I can't just leave him. I do owe him more than that," she finished lamely. With a sigh, Lisa thought back to that transmission that had come in from Breetai saying that they had picked up on radar an oddly configured ship. Radar could not place the class or armaments of the vessel and could only confirm that propulsion was damaged and it was practically limping towards Earth.
She caught Claudia looking at her oddly as she continued, "When I first saw him, I really didn't know how I was going to feel. Four years ago, if you had asked me, this would have been my dream come true. Having Karl back in my life and with me again." She faltered, almost afraid to continue with that thought. But the older woman wasn't going to let her off the hook that easily.
"So what happened? Tell Aunt Claudia. You know I'm not going to stop until you do, Lisa." The two had stopped for a bite to eat at a local café that they had both come to enjoy. Claudia's eyes twinkled the way they did when she already knew the answer to the question that she had asked.
Lisa closed her eyes and saw a flash of bright blue and a shock of wild black hair. "Rick happened. You know that! I am in love with Rick Hunter. Totally."
"Mmhm. So why are you playing this child's game of hide-and-go-seek with him! Be a woman! Stand up to Karl and tell him that while you'll be more than glad to be his friend and support that you've moved on. Tell him about Rick and then go kidnap your flyboy and chain him to the b—" Claudia was cut off by the appearance of a tall, somewhat scruffy-looking man slightly older than she was. He had long brown hair that was straggling around his face and he wore a wrinkled brown jacket. He was thin to the point of emaciation and his eyes were hard and dull.
Lisa stood up quickly and took him by the arm. "I hope you don't mind, Claudia, but I asked Karl to join us for lunch today," Lisa said with false cheer. Her eyes flashed to Claudia, silently begging her to drop the subject of Rick Hunter for the moment.
"Of course I don't mind. Have a seat. How are you today?" Inside, Claudia was screaming. There was something about this man, something that just seemed wrong and made her worry for Lisa's safety with him. But that was ridiculous. She herself had trained the younger woman in hand-to-hand. Claudia knew Lisa could take care of herself but something about Karl Riber made her want to protect Lisa. And to stay out of his way herself. And she was not used to feeling that way around another person.
The rest of the lunch passed quickly and uncomfortably. Karl had eyed the uniforms around him with distaste and hadn't really spoken a word. He had simply watched Lisa with an intensity that was unnerving. Claudia made up her mind to find Rick as soon as she could.
Something was very wrong here.
Lisa was arguing with Karl in the taxi after they dropped Claudia off at her quarters. "You could have spoken to her, Karl! She is my best friend! I can't believe you were so rude!" Emerald eyes dark with anger pierced into Karl and he realized Lisa was actually angry with him. The Lisa he remembered would never have been angry with him. She would have been apologizing for putting him into such an awkward position as meeting with a stranger for lunch. When she had asked him to come with her to lunch, he had assumed she had meant just the two of them.
He wasn't at all sure he was pleased with this woman who had taken the place of his sweet, docile fiancé. It was true that Lisa was always very intelligent and academically ambitious but never before had she had this streak of independence. Before, her dreams had been HIS dreams. And that was how he liked it.
Karl was a traditionalist at heart. He believed that a man and a woman had definite roles in a relationship whatever their respective careers outside the home. As his fiancé, Lisa's time and energy should have been devoted towards helping and supporting him through his introduction to this new society. And yet she no longer wore his ring. At night, she made up the pull-out couch and slept there, claiming that she didn't want to disturb him with her need to be up and at the base early in the mornings. He went to bed alone and woke up alone. Any attempts he made at physical affection beyond a peck on the cheek were rebuffed.
This was not the fantasy that had gotten him through 12 years of hell. And he was not at all pleased with this new reality. He had been patient, allowing Lisa to readjust to his presence in her life, and still things went on in this way. Something would have to be done.
Without a word, he turned away from Lisa and spent the rest of the ride in silence.
Claudia walked unannounced into Rick's office/living quarters and laughed out loud when the chair he was reclining in tipped over backwards. Apparently, he had been catnapping.
"Sorry, Little Brother, but that was priceless," Claudia snickered, reaching over to give him a hand up.
"It's alright, Claudia. I was just resting my eyes." Claudia peered intently at Rick and didn't like what she saw. His cheeks were hollow and the bags under his eyes could count as luggage.
"Seems like maybe you should do a bit more of that. Like maybe for 8 hours a night say?"
"Very funny, I've just been so busy I haven't been sleeping well. Oh hey! I'm sorry I couldn't make it to your check-up today. Is everything alright?"
"Why, of course it is! Here, I brought you something, flyboy," Claudia grinned as Rick's jaw dropped and he got the dopiest look on his face.
"Wow, Claudia! He looks great! And just think it won't be long now." Rick sat back down, still holding the picture. After a moment, he removed a photo album from his desk drawer that looked almost new. Claudia saw his eyes dull over with pain as he skipped past the first three pages and from her perch on the edge of his desk she saw why. They contained pictures of Lisa that she had given him six months ago. The only reason these pictures had survived the destruction of New Macross was because he had taken to bringing the pictures of Lisa with him during those last weeks in New Macross. They showed signs of wear from having lived in the pocket of his flight suit for so long. Finding a blank page, he secured the ultrasound in a place of honor on the middle of the page.
"And Jean said you're doing ok, right? Is there anything you need?" Rick asked anxiously, as he returned the photo album and moved to a closet where he pulled out a big box.
"Nope, all I need is to stop gaining weight. Do ya think they make these uniforms in tent size?" Claudia gasped as Rick pulled something out of the box and showed it to her. It was a miniature version of Skull One with the landing gears extended and the canopy tilted permanently back in the up position. It was a clever version of a tricycle.
"I know it's a little early for something like this but I couldn't resist," Rick said apologetically, as Claudia shook her head in wonder. She got up and hugged Rick to her. "Thank you so much for all you do for us, Rick. I really mean it. When I first thought about doing this I was so worried about being a single mom. But I don't think Junior here could ask for a better male role model unless his daddy was here." Rick hugged her a little tighter. "It's my pleasure. You two are all the family I have."
He felt Claudia sigh as she released him.
"About that, Rick. Why haven't you talked to Lisa?" Claudia watched in a sick kind of fascination as his face went white, his mouth contorted as if he were in the deepest kind of pain and all the air was expelled from his lungs. "She asked me for time and space, Claudia."
"I don't think she meant she wanted you to drop off the radar completely, honey. I saw her today and I've gotta tell you, she misses you." Claudia's voice was warm, gentle and firm. She watched his eyes close tight.
"If she missed me that much, she could come to see me. She hasn't made a move to find me." Claudia couldn't miss the hostility when he spoke.
"Oh no, you're a cinch to find. You pull flight duty 14 hours a day, and then you have meetings about the new Alpha and Beta program for two hours more a day. Then you're either locked in here with orders that you "aren't to be disturbed on penalty of battleoid fire," or you're with me. Richard Hunter, you've made up your mind to avoid her and you wonder why she hasn't come to find you? You don't think she knows that you were the one that rearranged your schedule opposite to hers? What kind of message does that send the woman you supposedly love? Hmm?" Claudia was allowing her frustration to show because she needed to get him to open up and be willing to listen if her plan was going to work at all. Rick visibly flinched and drew back.
."It's not like that, Claudia. She wanted 'time' so I'm giving it to her. Besides, from what I hear she's doing perfectly well without me." The last was said so scornfully that Claudia felt her own anger rise in defense of her friend.
"What are you talking about? She's barely sleeping or eating. She's chewing her fingernails down to the bone and asking me about you every chance she gets! The only reason that she's not here right now is because she thinks you've decided that you really do want Minmei!" She grabbed Rick's shoulders and shook him. "Wake up or you really are going to lose her. You want her, Rick?" At his mute nod she continued, "Then I'm going to tell you the exact same thing I told her all those years ago. Go after her with everything you've got! Be. A. Man."
She watched as shock gave way to disbelief and as disbelief gave way to determination, she felt a relief so intense she thought her knees would give way beneath her.
"I've been a fool haven't I?"
"Not to put too fine a point on it, honey, but yes. You have," Claudia replied with a wicked gleam in her eyes. She broke out in a heartfelt grin when Rick began to laugh.
"Alright, Big Sister, will you go over there with me tonight? I have a feeling I could use some moral support."
"That's what I'm here for. Support Central, Captain Grant speaking," Claudia joked, relieved when Rick began laughing.
Claudia hesitated for just a moment. "Rick, there's something else, another reason I'm glad you've finally come to your senses." For the next half an hour, she told him of her concerns about Lisa and Karl. She was relieved when he became as concerned as she had. It was nice to know she wasn't overreacting. Seeing Rick shift gears from dejected suitor to would-be knight in shining armor, she realized she had indeed done the right thing.
"Ok, you've convinced me something has to give. But it's not like I can just barge in there and toss the guy out on his ass." Rick didn't like the vibe Claudia was giving off. He knew Claudia and Lisa were closer than sisters and if she was this worried something had to be really off. "Have you talked to Lisa about it yet?"
Claudia shook her head vehemently. "The only time I see her alone is on duty and you KNOW what she's like on duty, especially now when she's so needed. I don't want to take her focus from there. I've tried to get her alone but she won't come. Or maybe she can't. I just don't know."
Claudia watched as Rick's shoulders straightened and his chin came up in a gesture so reminiscent of Roy that despite the situation she smiled. "Well, we'll just see."
Claudia sat down on his roll-out cot, which she supposed passed for his bed, and watched as he picked up the phone.
Lisa had given up arguing with Karl and was now slamming things around the kitchen, attempting to make dinner. Lunch had been so uncomfortable that she hadn't eaten very much and she was beginning to feel it. She turned around quickly to get another pan and ran right into Karl's chest.
"Oh, don't do that!" Lisa gasped. She was annoyed at him for sneaking up on her like that. In the old days, she used to think it was sweet and even sort of romantic that he would watch her all the time. Now, however, it gave her a different feeling altogether. Not a pleasant one at all.
"Why shouldn't I?" Karl asked in a measured, quiet voice.
"Because I find it annoying!" Lisa answered side-stepping him and moving off to the other end of the kitchen.
"You find being around the man you're engaged to, to be annoying?" Karl asked with the merest hint of danger in his voice.
"I find having someone constantly in my personal space to be annoying, yes!" Lisa replied heatedly ignoring the "engagement" remark. He couldn't possibly believe that they were still engaged after all this time, could he? "I've gotten used to having my own space, Karl." She thought maybe now was the time to have the conversation she'd wanted to have with him for weeks.
"I think it's time we look into getting you your own place. Somewhere you can call yours. That way you won't always be so dependent on my schedule, which is hectic to say the least." Lisa's voice was calm and sure but inside she was getting queasy.
Karl couldn't believe his ears. Was she telling him that she wanted him to move out? What was going on here? Just as he was about to respond, the telephone rang. Lisa looked at him with false regret.
"I have to get it. It may be the base." She brushed past him on her way to the living room and the phone. He resisted the urge to reach out and grab her arm.
Lisa felt a chill as she passed him but all thoughts of Karl Riber were lost when she heard the voice on the line.
"Hi Lisa."
"Rick! Is it really you?" Lisa's heart was hammering in her chest and suddenly she felt like laughing and crying at the same time.
"Yeah, it's me. Listen, are you busy tonight? Can I see you? I…it's been a long time and well, I'd really like to see you is all."
He sounded so nervous and unsure of himself. Lisa's heart broke a little at how small he sounded.
"Sure do you want to come over here? Or we could meet somewhere. How about The Set-Up?" Lisa wasn't about to let this opportunity go by. She'd find a way to meet him on Pluto if that was what he wanted. Finally, after far too long he wanted to see her. It must have been Claudia, Lisa decided. Was there anything that woman couldn't do? Lisa thought fondly.
"Sounds great. Meet you there in half an hour?"
Was it her imagination or did he really sound like he was looking forward to seeing her again? Maybe all wasn't lost after all. Hope filled her, banishing the chill that had been her constant companion for far too long.
"Absolutely, Rick! I'll be there."
She hung up the phone and turned to Karl. "I have to go out. Dinner is on the stove just turn it off in about ten minutes. I'll be home in a few hours." She wasn't prepared for the look of rage on Karl's face as he advanced a few steps towards her. And despite her years of training she felt fear at the sight of him as he moved menacingly towards her. Something in her own expression must have given him pause because he stopped before actually reaching her.
"Who is Rick?" His voice, which had always been soft, now seemed to be sinister. What was once endearing to her now filled her with dread. Their past together and her own integrity compelled her to reply honestly.
"Rick is a Veritech pilot and a Captain. And he's also the man I love." She waited calmly, her body tensed for his reaction. What happened next was so entirely unexpected that later Lisa would wonder if she had ever really known Karl Riber.
Rick and Claudia were waiting at The Set-Up Again. It had taken no time at all for the citizens of New Macross to begin life again in Monument. Hence, The Set-Up Again. The original bar had been abandoned along with most of New Macross after that final battle.
"She's late." Rick's voice was flat, emotionless. He couldn't understand this. She had sounded excited and happy to hear from him. Hearing her voice had been like coming home. Rick hadn't ever really been the type to put down roots. First, he was travelling with the air circus and then his life on SDF-1 and later in New Macross. But hearing her voice tonight Rick began to realize that home for him was wherever Lisa Hayes was. It was a feeling he couldn't see himself living without.
"It's only been a few minutes, Rick. Maybe she got caught in traffic or something." Claudia tried to be reassuring but this situation didn't sit well with her either. She knew wild horses wouldn't keep Lisa from meeting with Rick tonight, so something else must have happened.
Rick signaled the bartender for another shot and after draining it in one, he stood up. "Well, if Lisa won't come to me it's time I went to her."
After only a moment's hesitation, Claudia followed him out the door where they hailed a cab.
The ride over was uneventful as the two of them kept trying to reassure each other. While they both knew that it wasn't Lisa's normal behavior it was still more likely that she had been delayed than that anything had happened to her.
Nervously, the pair made their way to the door and with a quick glance at each other Claudia rang the bell. Glancing around, Rick could tell that someone was home because the lights in the living room and the kitchen were on. Lisa never left the lights on when she left. It was part of the new world mentality since Dolza's final attack. Waste not, want not.
Meanwhile, Claudia was ringing the bell for the second time. When that got no response, she reached in her purse and pulled out the key that Lisa had given her. She had never used it before but she believed this qualified as an emergency. She felt a little better about her decision when she saw Rick nod his head decisively beside her. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and pushed her way in.
Her eyes swept the room taking in everything as her years of training had taught her. The broken lamp, the over-turned furniture, the struggle taking place before her. Instinctively she moved forward but was held back as Rick grabbed her arm, pushing her behind him. As quick as she had been to note what was going on Rick, with his pilot's instincts, was quicker and he was already leaping into the fray.
Rick's mind was in chaos as he took in the nightmare before him. Riber was straddled across Lisa, holding her down on the floor choking her. He was chanting something but Rick didn't stop to hear what it was.
After making sure that Claudia was safe behind him, he charged the apparently ex-pacifist at a full run, football style, as years of wrestling with Roy had taught him. Momentum and anger gave him the advantage on the larger man and he knocked Karl off Lisa as Claudia rushed to her side.
Now the two men were facing each other and Rick watched Karl's eyes to try to guess his next move.
Karl moved like a caged panther. It was true he was tall and wiry but years of incarceration lent strength to his frame. He had learned that sometimes one had to fight for what they wanted. And sometimes people had to be forcibly reminded what was good for them, as Lisa had needed to be reminded. This, then, must be Rick. The man who thought he could take what belonged to him and there was that irritating woman from earlier today as well. Karl lunged at the younger man succeeding in grabbing him by the head. He would deal with the boy first.
Rick had been waiting for the larger man to make his move. As Riber grasped his head, he allowed his body to go slack dragging them both to the floor. Rick quickly gained the upper hand and began to punch at anything within in his reach.
Karl fended off many of the blows that were raining on him. Anger was making the young man careless. With leverage and a twist, Karl was able to toss the lighter man off of him. Just as he moved in to finish the fight, he could hear the screech of tires and sirens pulling coming up the street. He glanced around the room and decided to flee. After all, he wouldn't be able to deal with any of them while being incarcerated. He had been denied his freedom for far too many years to allow it to happen to him again.
Rick shook his head to clear it and saw Riber heading for the door. Immediately he started after him but a low sound caught his attention and reminded him of where he was really needed at this moment.
"Rick," Lisa coughed weakly. Claudia had her in a half-sitting position, supporting her head and allowing her to breathe easier. She had fought back with all of her training but she was hampered by the fact that even now she hadn't wanted to hurt Karl. He obviously didn't have the same concerns. While she was fighting to subdue, Karl was fighting to hurt. He had eventually gotten close enough to use his greater mass to knock her to the floor. Then he had started choking her. As the darkness had closed in around her, she had seen what she was sure was her oxygen-deprived mind attempting to provide her with comfort. She had thought she had seen Rick. She had closed her eyes, content to have him be the last thing her eyes saw in this world. To her surprise, she had awakened by the crashing sounds in the room and she found herself being held tenderly by Claudia. Her abused psyche had just enough order left to allow her to realize that Karl was leaving and Rick really was here. Instinctively, she used the last of her will and her strength to reach for him.
Claudia looked up with tears in her eyes as Rick stopped pursuing Karl and spun on the spot. Faster than she believed was possible, Rick was beside her holding Lisa's hands and tenderly kissing her face.
"We need to get her out of here…" Rick began anxiously.
"I already called the MPs and I called Jean. I hear the sirens. It must be what scared him off. I think it's best if we try to keep this as quiet as possible," Claudia said even as Lisa tried to shake her head in denial. Her eyes found Lisa's and she could read the gratitude even as she could see the fear in them. "The fewer people that know about this the better."
Rick bit his lip and started to argue when he felt Lisa squeeze his hands. Anxiously, he looked down into the deep emerald eyes he loved so much. "Ok, we keep it quiet but dammit if Jean says she needs to go to the medical center she's going! And you should probably be checked out too Claudia."
"What about you, flyboy? You took quite a knock on the head there," Claudia pointed out.
"What if we just let Jean decides who needs to go to the hospital!" Jean called from the doorway as she and Vince made their way inside. Quickly, without leaving Lisa's side Rick retold the events of the evening. Vince took it upon himself to speak with the MPs and tell them what to watch for while his wife checked out his friends.
Lisa was clinging to Rick's arm, afraid that he would leave her. Apparently, some of her desperation transmitted itself to him because after a moment he smoothed her hair away from her eyes and kissed the top of her head.
"It's ok, Lisa. But I need to leave you with Jean and Claudia for just a moment, ok? I promise. I won't go far." For a moment Rick thought Lisa would panic. Her grip was like iron on his arm and her eyes grew big and wild. "I promise, I'll be right back. And Claudia and Jean will be right here." He had leaned down to her as he said this, almost whispering. After another moment, he felt Lisa's hand loosen on his arm and he saw her mouth the words, "I love you." Once again he marveled at the iron will of this woman that he loved so much.
"I love you too. Never doubt it!" He looked up and found Claudia smiling sweetly at him. "I'm going to call Max. I need to let him know what's happened. Will you stay?"
"Well, that was a pointless question, Flyboy. You sure you didn't get hit harder than you thought?" Claudia teased him to try to lighten the mood.
"He what!?!" Max shouted into the receiver. "Yeah Boss, Mirya and I will be on our way. Is Lisa ok?"
Mirya watched as her beloved mate turned various colors, none of which flattered his blue hair. Quickly she went to find Dana's coat. A moment later she felt her husband come up behind her. Gently, she passed the baby to him as she began to get ready even though she had no idea where they were going. It never occurred to Mirya that she would stay behind. Had she not promised to stand by him through whatever was thrown at them? Was that not what the oaths she had sworn to him all those year ago meant? "Maximilian, what has happened?"
Max allowed himself to breathe as he held his baby daughter. Holding Dana had always had a calming effect on him and he found he needed that now more than ever. Finally, just when Rick and Lisa had managed to get on track with each other, fate had thrown them both another curve. Granted, Rick hadn't dealt with the situation very well but he could have done worse in Max's opinion. Rick was like his brother and it had killed him these last months to see him in so much pain. And Lisa wasn't in much better shape. As Interim Skull Leader he had been in a lot more contact with her than normal and he had realized under her professional exterior that something was wrong. He was beginning to regard Lisa as a good friend and not just because of her relationship with Rick. It had upset him to see the vibrant, kind-hearted woman so beaten down and weary. And now this.
Max decided to be honest and blunt. Two qualities that had served him well in his marriage to the beautiful fighter ace so far. "Lisa was attacked tonight by that ex-POW she's had staying with her."
He watched as Mirya's expression changed from horror to outrage and back again. "Is she ok? Who is with her now? Is her attacker in custody?" Mirya shot the questions rapid-fire as she beat Max out the door by at least three steps.
Max felt his heart swell with love as he watched his spouse. Once again, he realized how lucky he was to have her in his life. It amazed him day by day how much she cared about their friends. Just when he thought she couldn't possibly grow anymore, she surprised him.
"Yes, honey she's ok. Jean, Vince, Claudia and Rick are with her. She has some severe bruising on her neck and her windpipe was strained but she isn't having any trouble breathing. She also has a black eye. Jean doesn't think she'll need to go to the medical center. Unfortunately, Riber high-tailed it outta there. I guess Rick and Claudia arrived in the middle of the attack and while Rick fought him Claudia called the MPs and Jean," Max summed up as he drove the few blocks to the Admiral's quarters.
"Well, it seems as if for once Rick's timing was perfect. Do you think it was because Claudia was with him?" Mirya asked in all seriousness. She never understood why it was that Maximilian would occasionally burst out in great fits of laughter when she asked him a question. She decided to "chalk it up" to him being "human".
Max grinned over at his wife and knew she didn't get the joke, which of course made it all the funnier. "I don't know honey but I wouldn't advise asking him about it tonight." Max got out and opened the back door to get Dana from her car seat just as Vince came hurrying over to him. With a subtle language of communication that made it possible for them to fight back to back in the air, Mirya came forward and took Dana as she headed into the house. With just a look, she knew that Maximilian wanted to talk to Vince alone. "Guy talk" she had heard it referred to more than once by Rick.
"He was chanting the words 'You are mine' when Rick charged him. They fought and he just took off when he heard the sirens," Claudia was explaining to Jean as Mirya walked in the door. Lisa was lying on the couch with Rick in close attendance. She had an ice pack on her neck and one on her left eye. Her other eye was closed. She was very pale and very still. It unnerved Mirya more than a little and she shifted her daughter closer to her in her arms.
As is the way with such things, when you wanted quiet, the world had a way of intervening. Little Dana, who had fallen asleep on the short ride, woke up in full voice and let it be known that she was not happy about being in her winter coat.
Mirya noted the way Lisa's eyes flashed open and seemed to focus on the little girl. Lisa struggled to sit up and settled for resting her back against the arm of the couch, her legs tucked up under her knees. In a fit of insight that most wouldn't have given her credit for, she walked over to her CO and with no trepidation whatsoever she laid her little girl in Lisa's arms. She was rewarded when she felt Jean pat her on the back and relieved when she saw Claudia wink at her and smile.
Mirya did not have many friends beyond Rick and of course Maximilian. She had come to respect Lisa and Claudia a great deal and it was her hope that one day she could feel comfortable enough with them to add them to her list of friends. She had only met Jean once but she believed that Max had wanted to set up a "play date" for Dana with Jean's young son, Bowie. She was intrigued by the charismatic healer and wondered if perhaps she would be willing to be added to her short list of friends.
"Lisa, I want to go talk with Max and Vince for a few minutes alright?" Rick asked gently. "I'll be right back." His heart swelled with love and warmth when Lisa smiled a little, nodded and refused to look up from the baby.
Rick walked out to his best friend and shook his hand. "Thanks for coming over, Max. And thanks for bringing Dana. I think it's doing Lisa a world of good. You know how much she looks forward to seeing her." Rick wasn't quite surprised when Max turned the handshake into a quick but heartfelt hug. Max was probably his best friend in the world and Rick didn't know what he would do without the Sterlings both in the air and on the ground.
"No problem at all. You know anything you need, Rick. Speaking of which..." Max let his sentence trail off and stood by Rick's side as if awaiting his orders.
Rick rubbed the back of his neck and thought for a moment. How much of a threat was Karl Riber? Mentally, he kicked himself for asking such a stupid question when a picture of Lisa lying on the floor flashed through his eyes.
"I think we need some kind of guard. A discreet presence, Max. I don't want this to get all over the base. You know Lisa would absolutely hate that. But if you're asking do I think it's over? No. You didn't see him tonight. He was crazy and he's smart. If dealing with Khyron taught me anything, it's to never underestimate that combination." Reflexively, he glanced off in the distance, in the direction of New Macross where the SDF-1 once stood.
Catching his mood, Max nodded. "I agree, Skipper. I think we should think about suggesting that Lisa change quarters. You know, try to confuse the trail a little."
Rick, who had been thinking along the same lines but for totally different reasons, nodded his assent. "Yeah, I think maybe you're right. I'll talk to her tonight." Max nodded and began to mentally make notes about what needed to be done. "Oh and Max?"
Hastily, the blue-haired ace turned back to his best friend. "I'm taking the Skull back, too."
Max's smile nearly wrapped around the back of his head. "Aye to that, Boss! Good to have you back!"
Rick acknowledged the remark with a smirk and turned to go back in the house, knowing that all would be handled by his right-hand man.
Several hours later, Rick was making tea for Claudia and Lisa. They had both insisted on spending the night. Rick was taking the couch and Lisa had insisted Claudia take the spare room. Both women were trying to get Rick to stay with Lisa in her room but he thought under the circumstances he would rather be in the living room where he could keep an eye on things.
"Here we go, ladies. Non-caffeinated herbal tea. Just the ticket after a day like this one." Rick handed each woman a mug and reflected on what he wanted to say next. It was true that for most of his life after Pops had died he had lived alone. He was discovering, though, that he didn't want to remain that way.
Claudia wondered at the far-off look in Rick's eyes, even as she noticed how he sat on the floor by the couch where she and he had insisted Lisa stretch out. She felt herself melt when every now and then Lisa would reach out and run her hands through Rick's wild hair. Rick would respond by leaning back towards her. Finally, it seemed as if these two were getting back to where they should have been all along.
Lisa could hardly believe the events of the evening. Every time she closed her eyes, she could see Karl's face above her. She wondered what it would take to replace that vision of madness. Whenever that mental picture pierced her mind, she would reach out for Rick and invariably he would be there. He had barely left her side all evening. They had talked, with Claudia gently clarifying a point here and there, about the general snafu that had brought them to this night. She had never realized that Rick had thought she wanted Karl back in her life in that way. She had never realized he could be as insecure as she herself was. It had been an eye-opener for each of them. She snapped back to the here and now as Rick shifted in front of her and cleared his throat.
"I was thinking…" he began.
"First time for everything!" Claudia teased and Lisa snickered.
"Very funny! No really. Max said something tonight that made a lot of sense to me." Rick hesitated, as he turned to gauge Lisa's reaction to what he was about to say. "He thinks, and I agree, that Lisa should move to new quarters. It's one way to throw Karl off the track. I really don't believe he's going to leave this alone." Rick saw the stubborn cast to Lisa's eyes and got up and began to pace.
"Rick! I think that's a little over the top!" Lisa objected as strenuously as her damaged voice would allow. Her staff was going to get a kick out of the fact that she couldn't yell at them for a few more days. She wondered if she could develop an impressive glower like Admiral Gloval had used.
"No, I don't! He tried to KILL you tonight! We aren't talking a small lover's spat here!" Rick instantly regretted his phrasing when he saw Lisa's eyes well up and felt even more like a heel when a few tears actually fell. As if that wasn't enough, Claudia's eyes shot him full of daggers from across the room.
He scrubbed his hand across his face and tried to begin again. "Look what I mean is this. There's safety in numbers. What if…what if we all three moved in together. With our ranks each one of us qualifies for a place that would be big enough for all of us and the baby," he trailed off helplessly as two pairs of eyes stared at him shock. "It would be a great way to conserve on housing." He squirmed as both women looked at him like he was some particularly nasty sort of insect.
Okay, Roy if you have any bright ideas now would be the time, Big Brother!
Almost as if in answer to his thought, the answer came to him.
Time to fess up.
He took a deep breath and continued, "Honestly, you two are the closest thing I have to a family. Along with Max and Mirya. Claudia, you are my Big Sister. You're going to have my nephew for god's sake!" Rick exclaimed. Turning to Lisa, he continued, "Lisa, when I thought that I had lost you it felt like…I don't know…like I had lost my future. My home. I just want you two to be with me as much as possible. And Claudia, you know we could help you with the baby. You don't have to do everything alone, do you?" He was beginning to get embarrassed now, not only about revealing the depth of his feelings for these two, but because they weren't saying anything. His head swung back and forth between the two women as if it was on automatic servos. He was getting desperate as he the two women look at each other.
Claudia and Lisa were closer than sisters and with a look between them, each knew what the other was thinking and slowly each woman nodded and smiled at each other.
Lisa got up and put her arms around Rick, Claudia was hampered by the fact that she could no longer get out of the chair without assistance.
"I think it's a wonderful idea, hotshot," Lisa said, as she put her arms around his neck and kissed him slowly. She felt Rick sway and melt against her, either in relief or pleasure she couldn't be sure.
For Rick's part, though the relief of getting these two to agree to his plan was great, the pleasure of kissing the woman he loved was greater. He held Lisa tightly around her waist to make sure she wouldn't be moving any time soon. After a few sweet moments, Claudia's irritated shout caused both him and Lisa to jump apart and laugh.
"Wonderful! But do you think the two of you could either give me a hand or call a forklift to get me out of this damn chair? I'd like to get in on some of this hugging that's going around!"
Still laughing, Rick went over to lend a hand to his stranded Big Sister.
"It occurs to me Claudia, now I have two reasons to call you 'Big' Sister," Rick remarked playfully as he strained only slightly to help Claudia up.
"Lisa, throw him in the brig!" Claudia commanded, as Lisa cracked up all over again.
Four months later.
Rick was asleep with Lisa snuggled into his side when an ear-splitting scream woke him. He jumped nearly a foot as he did almost every evening at this time. Lisa's sleepy eyes found his and she grinned as she leaned forward to kiss him quickly.
"It's your turn, Rick."
"No, it's not! I took the 1:30 last night," he whined.
"Yes, but you lost the bet with Claudia that you could out-dance her in that stupid video game at the arcade. Two weeks of morning shifts, hotshot!" Lisa reminded him sweetly as the love of her life swore a blue streak and got out of bed.
"Don't forget your robe!" she called as Rick headed out the door.
That had been a memorable feeding when he and Claudia had arrived in the nursery to feed the baby. Rick, not being used to waking up at that hour, had simply walked in completely forgetting the fact that he was naked. Claudia had seen everything and was not above blackmailing him to get him to do the dishes.
"Thanks, Bright Eyes." He used his pet name for her sparingly and only at times when he needed to prove his sincerity.
Rick made a grab at his faded blue terrycloth robe as he headed into the nursery to his nephew. "Easy, Roy," he whispered as he held the blond-haired, blue-eyed baby to his chest. With a complexion like coffee, the baby was a mix of the best of both his parents. With Claudia's skin tone and delicate bone structure and Roy's eyes and blond hair, Roy Mitchell Fokker Junior was a beautiful child.
It had only been about ten minutes when Claudia and Lisa joined him in the nursery. Lisa brought him a hot cup of tea and Claudia came over and kissed her son even as she hugged Rick.
"You know the purpose of the schedule is so that none of us get overly sleep-deprived, don't you?" Rick commented as he yawned widely.
"Yes, Rick but this little feller is to be enjoyed whenever possible," Lisa said as she took the baby from Rick and began to pat him gently on the back.
"And it's a mother's prerogative to supervise!" Claudia quipped.
Rick grinned at his "family" and realized that for the first time in a really long time he was simply happy. He only hoped it would last. Karl Riber had not shown his face since that night four months earlier but Rick had the nagging feeling he was still out there. Lisa had discontinued the MP surveillance after only two months and he had argued with her about it. Eventually, though, he had to give in as personnel became stretched thin under the new demands the RDF had placed upon them. Construction on the SDF-3 was just beginning and they all had so much to do.
He had to take Max's advice and keep his eyes open. Max and Mirya had been invaluable to him over these last few months, both providing him with solicited and unsolicited advice. He was pleased to see Mirya becoming more comfortable with both Lisa and Claudia. And even Jean. Enough so that they now had a regular "Girl's Day" every week.
Still, Rick couldn't help but wonder if they had really heard the last of Karl Riber. Somehow he thought not.
Outside in the darkness, brown eyes stared with an intensity that could burn holes through titanium. He was watching from three streets over using a high-powered pair of military binoculars. It was amazing the gadgets one could find in the less than reputable parts of town. He took in the homey scene and felt his righteous indignation burn even hotter.
Still he held himself under control.
One day soon, Lisa would be his again.