Like Mother, Like Daughter: A Robotech story

by Emjar

This is the story of the other survivor of the SDF-1's destruction and the man who saved her and the daughter they had.

s/12410119/1/Like-MotherLike-Daughter-A-Robotech-story

FOREWORD: When I first conceived this story, I was following the original ROBOTECH timeline covered in the Jack McKinney novels, which stipulated that the INVID invaded Earth in 2033 and were driven from Earth in 2035, which conflicts with the NEW Timeline that states that the story ends in 2045 instead.

To avoid the frustration of re-writing my story to suit the new timeline, I simply have stuck with the original, and hope my readers will bear with me.

Sincerely,

EMJAR

CHAPTER 1: REVELATIONS

Part one:

It was late in the year 2034. The INVID still occupied earth, primarily in the area known as REFLEX POINT, once the very sight of the burial ground of the SDF-1 and SDF-2 and KHYRON'S battle cruiser that destroyed them and itself in a terrible final act of violence.

Years later, when the ROBOTECH MASTERS attempted to steal the blossoming FLOWERS of LIFE from the burial mounds, the renegade ZOR destroyed them and himself in a vain attempt to prevent either them or the INVID from possessing them. Instead, the INVID came to harvest the fruits of ZOR'S failure.

But none of this was on the mind of ANNIE LaBELLE as she went through her backpack one evening and withdrew a large octagonal metal box. She gazed at it with her large green eyes as her carrot-red hair flowed around her shoulders under the funny E.T. cap she wore on her head.

"What's THAT ya got, MINT?" A familiar voice said behind her as he playfully snatched the box from her grip. Annie turned in exasperation at the word MINT, a nickname she hated, and eyed RAND.

"NONE A' YER BUSINESS!" she spat as she tried to get it back from him to no avail.

"Give it back, Rand!" boomed a deep voice, coming from LUNK, the mechanic and strong man of SCOTT BERNARD's freedom fighters.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I was only teasing." Rand shrugged as he handed it back to Annie.

"You're ALWAYS teasing!" retorted ROOK BARTELY as she stepped up.

"C'mon kid, you can tell us what is, we won't make fun of it or anything…WILL we Rand?" Rook dug an elbow into Rand's ribs.

"A-oof! y-yeh!" Rand grunted.

Annie looked around at all the others around the campfire. Along with Rook, Rand, and Lunk, there was also the newcomer to the group, MARLENE. SCOTT and LANCER however, were off on a recon mission, to scope out a nearby town that had an INVID hive close by.

"Well," Annie sighed, "It's supposed to be a HOLO-VID recording that I salvaged from my home after my parents were killed. I remember my folks told me I wasn't to have it until I reached adulthood. They kept the key that opened it. It was lost during the attack when my home was destroyed…so I guess now it doesn't matter that I'm not old enough yet, cause now I'll probably NEVER know what's in it."

"Let ME try'n open it for you." Rand offered, "Being a forager, ya learn a few tricks, like lock picking."

Annie hesitated for a moment, then handed it over. Rand took some lock picking devices from his own supplies and carefully went to work on the lock. About ten minutes went by and…"DID IT!" he called.

He handed it back to Annie. She pulled back the lid and pressed the activation button. A beam of light shot upwards to one meter and began to expand. A face and upper torso formed in the light field.

Annie's jaw dropped, and everyone gaped in astonishment. The face that stared back was a mirror image of Annie! Same round, cherubic, freckled face, with large clear green eyes, adorned with long, carrot-red hair. The only differences being that this face looked a little older, approximately mid-twenties, and the upper torso was adorned in the distinctive uniform of a Junior Officer of the historic first ROBOTECH war.

The face stared at Annie for a moment, then its pouting lips pulled back into the same cute smile Annie has, and spoke;

"Hello, Annie! I'd like to introduce myself. I am 2nd. Lieutenant SAMMIE PORTER of the RDF. And I am YOUR MOTHER!"

Annie gasped. "My…my MOTHER?!" she quickly hit the pause button and breathed, "It CAN'T be! My mother was LILLIAN LaBELLE!"

"It's possible you were adopted, kid." Lunk offered.

"Yeah, lots of us never knew our real parents." Rand added. "Many were adopted when their families were killed in the wars!"

"But what really surprises me is that this woman could be your mom." he continued, "Because by All accounts, SAMMIE PORTER died on the SDF-1 in 2014 when it was destroyed by KHYRON the ZENTREADI, which was nine years before you were even born. So how could she be your mother? It was in ALL the history books."

"Well, history books have been wrong before Rand." Rook interjected. "So, instead of sitting around and arguing the point, let's just listen to the Holo-Vid, and maybe Sammie herself will shed some light onto all this. So, go ahead Annie, play it."

Annie pressed the play button.

"You're probably wondering," Sammie continued, "If I'm your mother, why do you only know me through this recording? Well, it's a long story, and I hope you'll hear it all out. You see honey, the story begins years before you were born. During the years when the SDF-1 landed on MACROSS island and its technology was being adapted to earthly use, a new military organization, the ROBOTECH DEFENSE FORCE was formed. Your grandparents, Mom & Dad, sent me to the Robotech Academy to learn to be a soldier. Actually, they did it to bring me to heel, as I was quite a terror as a teenager. I was a hot-tempered, snarky little spitfire, who back-talked her elders when I wasn't throwing myself at every boy I ran into.

Rand snorted, "Sounds like someone WE all know!"

"SHH!" Rook hissed. Annie glared in annoyance.

"Well," Sammie continued, "It might've settled me down a little, but I eventually met my two soul-mates in mischief; KIMBERLY YOUNG and VANNESSA LEEDS. Together we became the Terrible Trio. And even in the military, we gained the reps of being "Bridge Bunnies", because we hopped from boyfriends to boyfriends and partied all the time when we weren't on duty.

"Maybe she IS your mother!" Rand chortled, "OW!" Rook elbowed him again.

"It got boring at times though, being with guys I had no real interest in, but I went along with it because it seemed that it was what Kim and Vanessa wanted. Don't get me wrong though, I loved them like sisters and wanted to hang out with them. I guess I behaved this way because I was afraid of making any commitment to any one guy for fear of losing him to the war. And also, I never found the right guy for me. That is, until I met the man who would be your FATHER, and that's where the REAL story begins.

"Father?" Annie whispered.

"Here's what he looked like when I last saw him." Sammie explained as her features faded, to be replaced by the image of a young man.

Annie stared at the face of her biological father. An unruly mop of brown hair topped a face that looked neither handsome nor homely. Intelligent brown eyes stared alertly from behind eye glasses, and his winning smile was adorned by short, brown whiskers, forming a shaggy goatee around his chin. He wore a masculine equivalent of Sammie's RDF uniform with the markings of an NCO.

"This is your father Annie, his name was Sergeant ULYSSES GULLIVER of the SKULL RESERVE SQUADRON, known to his friends as GULLY." Sammie's image re-appeared as she continued, "I can't really tell you anymore of myself without telling you about him as well."

Part two:

"ULYSSES GULLIVER'S story is really a unique one, Annie, because your father was older than he looked. He was born in the late 20th century, sometime in the mid-sixties. But around 1990 or so, he came down with a terminal disease so rare that he was the first recorded case. I can't remember the medical name for it, but in layman's terms, they named it after him; 'Gulliver's Syndrome.' He would've died from it, but he volunteered for a risky medical program called Cryogenics. A person's body is frozen in sub-zero temperatures to be preserved until a cure could be found. Well, in the year 2009, a cure WAS found on MACROSS island. Not only did the SDF-1 bring with it super-advanced technological sciences, but also highly advanced medical science, adapted by the legendary Dr. EMIL LANG. Lang and his team of scientists succeeded in reviving Gully and cured him of his Gulliver's Syndrome. Gully made a full physical recovery, but his mental and emotional recovery were far ahead.

Gully then joined the RDF at Commander ROY FOKKER'S behest. Roy claimed they needed all the help they could get, but Gully later confided that he did it to keep from feeling sorry for himself, because he was longing for a family he had not seen in twenty years and didn't even know if they still lived.

And also, to be separated from them by millions of miles from earth on board the SDF-1. While in the RDF he gained the dubious reputation of being the WORST fighter pilot in the squadrons, getting shot down as often as he shot down the enemy. Even BEN DIXON, another questionable pilot, usually did better.

He was even given cruel nicknames like "USELESSES and TARGET ASS." Of course, anyone caught by Roy saying it got a taking down.

But his worst difficulties came when trying to fit back into society after being away for twenty years. Things the rest of us could take for granted were new, and sometimes confusing or even frightening for him. He almost jumped out of his skin when a PETITE COLA machine rolled up and spoke to him. It looked funny to us but he was baffled and embarrassed. He was also completely out of tune with the latest trends, fashions, music, etc. And I'm afraid I wasn't much help at first, laughing at his misfortunes along with everyone else.

That is, until CLAUDIA GRANT would step in and berate us. She and Roy had taken it upon themselves to help him re-adjust, and spent a lot of time with him. Roy's younger friend and surrogate brother, Lieutenant RICK HUNTER got jealous. He must've resented the quality time Roy was spending with Gully.

But Gully persevered. He didn't give up. We eventually learned he came from the old country of CANADA, what became known in our time as the North American Ontario Quadrant. Gully came from an esteemed legacy. The Canadians were world famous for their generosity, compassion, mercy, and quiet modest courage. Their soldiers were known as peace keepers rather than war-mongers, and while poorly equipped weapon-wise, they always had an abundance of fearlessness, and NEVER gave up in times of conflict.

And ULYSSES GULLIVER demonstrated this time and again.

In time, his old, eccentric sense of humor returned, and he could make us laugh with his funny stories and antics.

But while I liked him, I saw him as an oddball and when he tried to ask me out, he was so stumble-mouth and awkward that I was put off and declined. Besides, I'm ashamed to admit it now, but I listened to Kim and Vanessa who thought he wasn't 'cute'or 'hunky' enough for us, and they encouraged me not to date him.

Then one day, something happened that was a turning point in my feelings for the man who would one day be your father.

It was on a day we were all off duty and were wandering around Macross City looking for some excitement. We had just met Rick Hunter and teased him about his date with singing idol, LYNN MINMEI. A moment later as we walked away from him, we ran into Gully, looking lost, as usual.

"Oh, Hi Chipmunks!" he said cheerfully. He always called us that. It annoyed me, and I couldn't understand why he called us that. His only explanation was that it was because there was a T.V. show in the 20th Century about three singing chipmunks.

"And the tallest one wore glasses." he'd say, pointing to Vanessa.

We snubbed him for his silly remark. But as we walked away, I looked over my shoulder and saw how forlorn and lonely he looked. I wanted to go back to him, but I let Kim and Vanessa drag me along. What happened next made me sorry I didn't.

Later, back on the bridge, we suddenly got a red-alert that ZENTRAEDI cruisers were on the attack. They fired several volleys at us but missed. But one shot hit or radar tower. CAPTAIN GLOVAL later guessed it was a deliberate attempt to blind us. He ordered a RECON mission, consisting of LISA HAYES and Commander Hunter and his VERMILION group.

Cpl. Gulliver was to be selected for the recon too. But we got a message from sick bay that he was severely injured in the attack. I went numb. I couldn't understand at the time why I felt such concern, but as soon as we were off duty, I insisted that we all go to the sick-bay to see Gully. Before we got permission to see him, Dr. Hassan explained what had happened. When the ship was hit, one buildings corner cracked and a chunk of concrete would've fallen on some civilians, if Gully hadn't pushed them aside taking the falling debris himself to the shoulder. He was injured doing his duty, protecting citizens of Macross. When we went in to see him, his head and shoulder were bandaged and he had a black eye, poor baby! It was then and there my opinion of Ulysses Gulliver changed for the better. I gushed all over him, praising him for his courage, and so did Kim & Vanessa. Shortly, Roy and Claudia walked in looking solemn.

They spoke to Gully cordially, but they had bad news. Lisa's Recon group had disappeared and were now listed as missing. But while Roy reassured us it didn't mean they were dead, we were all still distraught. While he stood aside, rubbing his forehead in anguish, Claudia leaned into him. Kim & Vanessa likewise stood aside, their faces taught. But I was always the most emotional, and I couldn't contain my fear-caused grief. I slumped into a chair and threw my face into the sheets, sobbing. I felt a hand on my head, stroking my hair. I looked up and there was Gully, gazing sympathetically at me.

He took my hand and said, "Don't cry Chipmunk, they'll be found."

Instead of getting cross over the chipmunk remark, I held his hand and was able to smile through my tears, because of Gully. I saw then how strong he was in his quiet way, and couldn't help but have the warmest feelings for him from then on.

Lt. Lisa Hayes and the others were soon found and we couldn't contain our joy at her return. Roy and the rest of Skull were glad Rick and the others were back, but when Gully, who was back on his feet, approached him, Rick became distant. Perhaps he still felt some jealousy towards Gully and his friendship with Roy. That jealousy, I'm afraid would soon turn to tragedy, even as my confused feelings for Gully would be severely tested.

Soon after, we all arrived back on Earth and spent several days partying and walking on cloud nine.

We saw much of Gully then. He associated with us frequently, but always remained somewhat distant.

Roy surmised he was pining to return to Canada and his family. And now that we were closer than ever to his goal, he was all the more anxious. Roy assured him that a message requesting the whereabouts of his family would be sent out. Until then, he should try to lighten up and have a good time.

During this time, I ran into the OTHER man who would be another memorable encounter in my life. I was walking down the streets of Macross with my friends, frustrated that we didn't have any dates, when we ran into three odd men looking over, of all things, a Minmei doll! We learned their names were RICO, BRON and KONDA. We were ready to date just about ANYBODY at that moment, and these oddballs were convenient.

When we learned later that they were Zentreadi spies planted on our ship to observe our culture, we were embarrassed, then delighted, when they eventually defected just to be among us.

But at that particular moment we were just enjoying our dates. Then Gully happened upon us. We introduced him to our new boyfriends. While Gully seemed friendly enough to Bron & Konda, he appeared a little stiff towards Rico who was with me. Kim slyly pointed out that maybe Gully was jealous. I felt a tickle of satisfaction. I figured this was a way of finally winning him over.

But what happened next would dampen all that.

The Zentreadi attacked later that day and Gully was back in action, flying in commander Fokker's Skull Squadron to intercept them. During that fateful battle, Lt. MAX STERLING met and battled his future wife MIRIYA.

But also in that same battle, Roy Fokker was mortally wounded. He died, bereaving the entire RDF. But mostly, he bereaved Claudia, his fiance and Rick, his best friend. At his funeral, there was barely one who didn't weep.

But the most wrenching part happened as we were dismissed after the squadrons gave a twenty-one-gun salute. Rick, who was convalescing from an injury in a previous battle, was having condolences given to him by all of us, when Gully walked up.

"Rick…" he began. "I'm sorry about Roy…he…"

Rick glared at him through his tears and spat,

"You were his wingman Gulliver! And YOU let him get shot! You didn't watch his back like you were supposed to! It's YOUR fault he's DEAD! YOUR FAULT! He tried to be your friend! He gave you his time! And YOU-LET-HIM-DOWN!"

Rick turned away from him, Ben Dixon took the handles of his wheelchair and pushed Rick away. Lisa glared coldly at Gully and took Claudia, who couldn't even look at him, by the arm and led her away. I wanted to speak to him but Kim & Vanessa pulled me away. Ulysses Gulliver had become a pariah, and I wasn't to talk to him.

Shortly afterwards, Rick was promoted to Skull-1, and given Roy's V.T. and command position.

I would've felt pride for Rick if he hadn't of made it his first order to ground Gully indefinitely. This was yet another brutal blow to poor Gully, and I was sick at heart for him.

Roy Fokker's death was a terrible tragedy that affected us all deeply. But what happened next was so much worse, especially for your poor father.

Part three:

Not long after Roy's death, Capt. Gloval decided it was time to take affirmative action to press the United Earth Government into accepting the civilian refugees on board the SDF-1, by flying low over the city of New York. Eventually, we got good news from the North American Ontario Quadrant. They agreed to take in the refugees. Gully heard the news and was beside himself with joy. His own countrymen, the Canadians to the rescue! And so, with that, we headed to the Quadrants capitol, TORONTO.

The Capt. had even more good news for Gully. Discreet inquiries as to the whereabouts of his family paid off. His mother, brother and sister and their families lived in that very city, and when the Canadians agreed to accept the refugees, they also allowed Gully to speak to his mother and sister by way of a Vid-Com. Of course, they both looked twenty years older, but they remembered him perfectly. It was a tearful, happy reunion, even if over a Vid-Com and the Capt. and the rest of us were privy to the viewing. I couldn't have been happier for Gully, and I cried tears of joy. He promised he would see them all soon. But it was a reunion doomed never to happen.

The Zentreadi, led by the infamous KHYRON the Backstabber attacked that very day. The Capt. ordered the raising of the untested OMNI-DIRECTIONAL BARRIER SYSTEM to defend the ship. The bombardment on it from the Zentreadi ships proved too much for it and it overloaded and it went critical mass. The explosion leveled the city beneath us and sent Khyron packing. But the damage was done. The Canadian city laid in shattered ruin below. And Gully's family was in it.

Rick and Max returned from the battle, without Ben Dixon, who was killed in the blast. My bridge mates and I went with them to confront Gully. We found him on the observation deck, standing at the railing, staring blankly out at the wreckage that use to be Toronto.

Rick stepped forward and quietly said, "Corporal Gulliver, we're…we're sorry this happened…we…"

He got that far before Gully turned on him and cut him off, his eyes blazing with a terrifying rage and hatred.

"SORRY?!"he roared "You DARE say you're sorry Hunter? You should be HAPPY! You've got your revenge for Roy Fokker's death! You blame ME? You hold me responsible? Well take a look Hunter! Out there at that CRATER that used to be my HOMETOWN! My FAMILY was down there! My friends and neighbors! Everyone I loved and pined for all this time! I was INCHES away from being with them again! Then your precious Omni-Directional Barrier does THIS!"

Tears of rage and grief streamed down his face the whole time.

"Well, you wanted your pound of flesh and you got it! My causing Roy's death has been avenged! I've paid for it, with the blood of my MOTHER, my FAMILY, my FRIENDS and THOUSANDS upon THOUSANDS of my FELLOW CANADIANS! BE SATISFIED! ALL OF YOU!"

He turned away, staggered over to the railing, and fell to his knees. His head bowed, shoulders sagged in defeat, and he sobbed brokenly, his chest convulsing.

We all stood there, speechless. Ricks face was a mask of utter remorse. Max stood by him, his hand on his shoulder, his own head bowed. I leaned into Kim who held me as we both cried. Vanessa, calmer in her grief, cradled us both, while Lisa stood aside, her own tears flowing. Claudia on the other hand, was dry-eyed as she stood there for a moment, then walked over to Gully.

We watched as she walked over to Gully, knelt by his side and pulled him back with her strong, gentle hands.

"I give up." he spoke in a hoarse voice, "Everything I was living for…GONE. I've NOTHING left. I have NO-ONE."

"No." Claudia responded quietly, "You still have us, please believe that." she drew him close, "Please, don't turn away. Don't be alone. WE'RE your family now."

Gully looked up to Claudia, then his head drooped down. She held him tenderly in her strong arms as he wept inconsolably.

I wish I had of gone over to him myself, but I didn't have the courage. So, I just stood there with the others, helpless in our sorrow and feeling the deepest pity for Ulysses Gulliver, as Claudia alone consoled him.

Later, the UEG lowered the boom on us. We were to be banished back into space. Capt. Gloval had to break the bad news to the entire ship. It was gut-wrenching to watch the Captain break down under the burden. Minmei saved him from it by giving us all a Pep-talk about how this ship was our home now and we were ALL family, and we should all pull together. It was so inspiring that even as we left Earth with heavy hearts, we still felt great hopes.

Later, we were all off-duty in the RDF common room contemplating our fate, when Gully walked in. He approached all of us and confronted Claudia.

"What Minmei said was true. And so is what you said to me too. I know I've been socially awkward. And I know you and Roy tried to help me adjust. He was my friend, and I would NEVER have let him get shot if I could've helped it. You tried to help me, and I let you both down."

"Don't blame yourself Gully." She replied, "It all happened so fast."

"Just one moment of indecisiveness." Gully sighed.

"One moment is all it takes, Gulliver." Rick retorted,

"So, it's no excuse."

"Rick, PLEASE!" I said aloud, surprising myself.

"Well then," said a familiar, authoritative voice behind us. We turned and saw Capt. Gloval. "If indecisiveness is inexcusable, then you need to reprimand ME as well."

"Captain?" Lisa said quizzically.

"It's MY fault that Toronto was destroyed. I should have thought of moving the SDF-1 away from the city, hopefully luring the Zentreadi away."

"CAPTAIN." Rick protested, "You couldn't have forseen the malfunction of the Omni-Dir…"

"DON'T interrupt!" Gloval ordered. "That's irrelevant.

A Captain must take ALL contingencies into account! I didn't, and now TWO cities of civilians have paid the price; one destroyed, the other exiled."

He turned to Gully.

"I take full responsibility for what happened Corporal. I ask for your forgiveness."

"You have it Captain." Gully said quietly. And we all verbally agreed.

"Do you really?' he addressed us "Or do you just fear my RANK? You'll crucify a Corporal for his ONE act of indecision, but forgive a superior officer for having caused FAR WORSE. Furthermore, I'm disgusted by the way you have all dishonored Commander Fokker's memory."

We were all shocked by that statement.

"Captain," Rick began, "how…?"

"You think I'm deaf and blind?" he continued, "All of you have attempted to cope with his death by pretending he never existed with your 'Roy who?' statements; "Roy who? Who'se he? He NEVER existed!" yet you ostracize Ulysses for having caused his death. Well, how can he have caused the death of a man who doesn't exist, hmm?" His eyes bore into us all.

"A fine way indeed to honor the memory of Commander Roy Fokker. I wonder what HE would make of it, to know that THIS is the only way all of you remember him. To otherwise pretend he NEVER existed. That everything he was; your Commanding Officer, your Comrade-in-arms, your friend, your BROTHER, is ALL meaningless to you. He's nothing to you except an excuse to torment one lonely, unhappy man!" he finished, pointing to Gully.

We all stood around in shameful silence. The Capt. took the strips out of all of us, and it served us right!

"Please Captain" Gully quietly interrupted, "No more. Let Roy rest in peace. I only knew him for two years and came to know him as a friend and brother. So, I can only guess how much all of you loved him, having known him so much longer."

Claudia smiled tenderly, and spoke; "Then now's as good a time as any to read to all of you something from Roy's journal that he willed to me should anything happen to him."

She then opened the journal and proceeded to read the section that Roy had reserved for Rick and Gully.

Roy wrote that he felt that Gully's only fault was his lack of confidence, and that he was more than the sum of his parts. But he swore he wouldn't give up on him, because he believed Gully had a unique destiny ahead of him. As for Rick, Roy wrote that he wished he would be Gully's friend and not be jealous. He should understand that taking in a new friend didn't mean that the old friendship would diminish, but that it would grow to include the other. He finished by saying that he would always be Rick's brother because he WANTED to be.

But he was Gully's friend because he NEEDED one. And he wanted them to be friends too because if anything should happen to him, they would need each other.

Claudia finished and closed the book. We all stood around in silence looking at Rick and Gully, who just stood there and stared at each other. Then they slowly edged towards each other.

"I'm…sorry Gully." Rick choked, his eyes moistening. Gully just nodded.

Then they embraced, like brothers. Rick sobbed openly while Gully just held him, too drained to weep himself.

We all stood by, so very deeply moved by this reconciliation. I stood there, my hands clasped together in front of my face, crying happily.

Then Gully excused himself and went over to the disk jockey. A moment later, the D.J. made an announcement.

"I've been given a special request from Gully to Claudia." We all looked at him in surprise. "It's a classic from the twentieth century." he finished as the music began.

Gully turned to Claudia, "May I have this next dance?"

"Yes." She replied and as they went out to the dance floor, we listened to the sweetly poignant lyrics that perfectly reflected Gully's feelings for Claudia.

I can't remember the song, but it was something about being someone's hero and 'wind beneath one's wings' or something…

As I stood on the sidelines, I couldn't help but feel envious of Claudia and wishing I was in her place.

Well, I thought, that's what I get for being so insensitive towards him at first, while Claudia was always there for him. But we were all kinder to Ulysses Gulliver from then on, and gave him all our support. Then Gully did the sweetest thing. I forgot to mention that Gully was also a good artist and he presented to us colored copies of a painting he did for us.

When we looked at our pictures, it showed Gully kneeling by a grave with Claudia, Lisa, Kim, Vanessa and myself depicted as angels, comforting him. The caption read; 'For being there for me in my darkest hour, for picking me up when life knocked me down, for drying my tears, lifting my spirits and making me realize I still had much to live for, I will always be grateful. I love you my sisters. Gully.

We all stood there when we finished reading it, too moved at first, to speak. Then with tears in all our eyes, we all thanked him, and kissed him warmly.

From that day and onwards, Ulysses Gulliver was our darling, and no-one dared pick on him again.

Part four:

Soon after Rick forgave Gully, he re-instated him to active duty in Skull Squadron and none too soon. The Zentraedi, under Khyron's command, had succeeded in invading the SDF-1 when Lisa performed the DAEDALUS MANUEVER on his warship, only to have a legion of Battlepods waiting inside for just that moment. With Khyron in the lead, they swarmed through. Your father, along with everyone else, stood his ground and drove the Zentreadi back, frustrating Khyron. But we learned later that half the reason why he was halted in his tracks was because many of his men were defecting on him.

They had become influenced not only by Minmei's beautiful singing but also by their desire to live in our more privileged society. But the biggest surprise for me, Kim and Vanessa came later.

After the Zentreadi were given asylum, partly at the behest of Rick Hunter, Gully volunteered to be among those who would educate and indoctrinate them. Then we were informed by the Captain that the three men we met weeks earlier, Rico, Bron and Konda were not only Zentreadi spies, but had also instigated the defection. Partly to just see US again! We gained permission go see them in the auditorium where Gully was diverting them. The Captain accompanied all of us and as we entered, we heard the Zentreadi inside laughing heartily.

"What on Earth could Gully be showing them?" Vanessa wondered.

"Whatever it is, they're enjoying it." Kim commented.

We turned to the Vid-screen, and gaped in astonishment. Gully was showing them ANIMATED CARTOONS!

When the one they were watching ended with the pig stuttering "That's all folks!" we walked over to him and stared at him, completely at a loss for words.

"This is your idea of indoctrinating them Corporal?" Capt. Gloval said in exasperation.

"Well Sir," He shrugged, "they seem to like it."

I hid my mouth behind my hand and fought down the giggles that were welling up. Just then I heard a familiar voice, "SAMMIE!" I turned. It was RICO! He hurried forward, followed by BRON and KONDA, and they all embraced us, much to the astonishment of their fellow male Zentreadi, who never before saw males and females make bodily contact. I turned and introduced them to Claudia and Lisa who greeted them warmly. Then to Gully, and I couldn't help but notice his smile falter as he shook Rico's hand and his greeting was rather flat, though he seemed friendlier to Bron and Konda.

I was too blind to realize then that Gully really was jealous, but he never told me how he felt until much later. But before the incident could progress,

the Zentreadi beseeched Gully to show them more cartoons.

"Permission to continue, Captain?" Gully asked.

Capt. Gloval sighed in resignation. "Granted."

Chuckling, we all went to take our seats. I happened to look back as Gully was placing another disk into the player. And I saw Claudia sidle up to him and sit with him as he prepared the next viewing. I felt the sting of jealousy even though I was back with Rico. It just goes to show you how if you hesitate, you lose.

Not too long after the Zentreadi indoctrination, Lisa volunteered to go to earth as an emissary to negotiate with the United Earth Govt. to make peace with the Zentreadi. Lt. Sterling and Cpl. Gulliver were her escorts. But even as they were halfway to earth the hostile Zentreadi attacked yet again. Commander Hunter was called in to spearhead the rescue. But since I was not expecting him to be on duty, I neglected to give him his new code book for the co-ordinates he was to go to. Luckily, I had the old code and gave it to him. I wasn't off the hook though. First Claudia took a strip out of me for it, then the Captain, then Max. And when Rick returned he took the rest of it off of me. Then Gully approached.

"Go ahead," I said in resignation, "get it over with. I deserve it."

"No," Gully replied, "you've already been reprimanded. I just came to say I don't hold it against you. God knows I've made more than my share of screw-ups, so I'm in no position to criticize you. I remember all too clearly how one moment of indecision got someone killed." I knew he meant Roy. "You're just lucky your moment of negligence didn't get Lisa or the rest of US killed. So just learn from it O.K.?"

He winked, gave me a thumbs-up, then saluted. I saluted back, smiling bashfully, re-encouraged by his words. Then Gully said, "Say, uh…now you're off duty, how's about…going for coffee?"

My smile dropped. "Sorry Gully, I have a date with Rico."

His smile faltered a little. Then he shrugged.

"O.K. Sure." he said quietly, and walked away.

I guess your father and I were cut from the same cloth. A couple of people constantly tripping over their own feet trying too hard. A couple of star-crossed souls just like Rick and Lisa, we were made for each other and just couldn't see it.

Days later I was sitting in the cafeteria with Kim, Vanessa and our Zentreadi boyfriends. Normally, we all had fun, but that night we were all as glum as possible. Finally, Rico spoke;

"D'ya think the Canadians will offer sanctuary to the SDF-1?"

"I'll tell you one thing," Konda responded," if our request is denied, we'll be stranded in space forever!"

I gasped in horror, "Please don't say that!"

Kim added, "Surely someone on Earth will help us!"

We all stared down at our cups, unable to make eye contact with each other.

Just then we heard a slight cough behind us. We turned, and it was Gully.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but overhear you. And I want you to know that I, above everyone else on board this ship hopes that the Canadians will reconsider and give sanctuary to the citizens."

"Why you above everyone else, Gulliver?" Bron asked.

"Because…I AM Canadian." Gully replied.

The Zentreadi's eyes lit up with interest.

"I am the SOLE representative of Canada aboard the SDF-1. And I can tell you that, at least in MY day, twenty-two years ago, Canada was a country known and respected the world over as a nation of compassion, and caring for the well-being of others, always ready to help those in need, and give shelter to the lost. And they've done this since the time of my fore-bearers.

As the only Canadian on board, I have earnestly striven, perhaps not always successfully, to live up to the code of the Canadians and serve as an example to everyone.

Which is why I'm distressed at their current attitude. I don't know what happened to my nation in the years I've been away, but if they do not give sanctuary to the citizens of Macross, they will be disgracing EVERYTHING Canada has stood for, for generations.

And I…" He paused to look directly at the Zentreadi. "I will be…dishonored."

Rico and the others looked stunned. They looked at Gully and each other uncomfortably. I guess being from a warrior culture they understood and cherished the value of honor above everything else. Gully turned without another word and walked away. Rico and the others looked on in sympathy.

I got up to call Gully back. I wanted to re-assure him that we would NEVER dishonor him. And that I lo…we ALL loved him. But my eyes fell on Rico, and I sat back down again. Again, I wanted to approach Gully, and again I chickened out. All I could do was look at Kim and Vanessa, and all of us felt deeply for our hard-lucked comrade-in-arms.

Part five:

Then quite suddenly, a miraculous event took place on board the SDF-1 that was a turning point for us all. Our Lt. Commander Max Sterling married MIRIYA PARINO…a ZENTREADI woman! During the wedding, Capt. Gloval made a rousing speech about forgiving the Zentreadi and accepting the defectors as citizens. It was almost scuttled by a Zentreadi attack that happened right in the middle of the party, but with Miriya's advice, the squadrons were able to cripple, rather than kill the attackers, and they eventually withdrew. During that battle your father fought with greater enthusiasm than ever.

A day later, we picked up a news broadcast from Earth that was recorded and later, in the Auditorium we viewed it. Gully was particularly requested to attend. The broadcast showed THOUSANDS of Canadians, waving flags, holding candle vigils, and otherwise petitioning the UEG to let them give sanctuary to the citizens of Macross. Citizens that were interviewed stated that they could forgive what happened to Toronto city, because they don't blame the civilians for it. And since the wedding of Max Sterling and Miriya the Zentreadi was seen, they felt it was the first hopeful step to peace.

With that, they were willing to make the same allowances and give the SDF-1 another chance. When the broadcast came to an end the first anchorperson looked to the other and said, "Those Canadians, ya gotta love'em!"

"That's right." the other replied, "They've ALWAYS been a bastion of civility and peace-keeping during times of global strife. We salute them!"

And with that, the broadcast came to an end. We all stood around looking intently at Gully. He stood there, too moved to speak. His fellow Canadians had NOT let him down! They were STILL the people he remembered, and more than ever, he yearned to return to them.

But then, yet another great tragedy occurred, even as our hopes were at their highest.

Zentreadi Minister EXEDORE came aboard the ship to begin the peace talks. He revealed that they thought that Minmei's singing was some kind of weapon as it caused their troops to either become demoralized or to defect. When the Zentreadi Armada, under Commander DOLZA arrived En Masse, Capt. Gloval and Commander BREETAI agreed to use Minmei's singing as a weapon again, even as the Zentreadi began their mass bombardment of the Earth. All pilots scrambled and went out to fight the most decisive battle of the first Robotech War. Your father, Ulysses, was among them.

For what seemed like hours, the battle raged, the SDF-1 and Breetai's fleet against the armada. It would have been hopeless had it not been for three things in our favor. The ALASKA GRAND CANNON had single-handedly wiped out half the Armada on its own. Minmei's singing was so distracting to the Zentreadi unfamiliar with it, coupled with seeing Kyle and Minmei kissing that the Veritechs were able to pick them off like flies. And lastly, the Omni-Directional Barrier's weakness was now used as a strength. We punctured Dolza's Flagship and used it to blow it to atoms.

With the SDF-1 triumphant, we settled back down on Earth, in a crater that would later be known as Lake Gloval after the next rainfall. Our victory was bittersweet. We'd beaten the Zentreadi at the cost of our beloved Mother Earth. We had our lives, but we of the bridge crew looked at each other with knowing sadness. Lisa was gone. We tried to hold it in, but when Max announced that both Rick and Gully were missing, that was the last straw.

I burst into tears. Claudia came over to me. She was crying too. I looked up at her.

She quietly said; "You loved him…didn't you?"

I nodded and she held me to her.

Just then the COM-VID kicked in and we heard a voice.

"This is SKULL-1 to SDF-1...come in SDF-1!"

It was Rick! And when the link came on completely we couldn't believe our eyes. Lisa was with him!

"I'll explain everything later Captain," Rick stated, "For now, let's just say I performed a last-minute Helpless Damsel-in-Distress rescue at Alaska base."

Lisa gave him a half-annoyed-half-amused look and added, "Glad to be back everyone, see you soon."

We all cheered and jumped and continued to cry. But this time it was tears of joy.

When they were given clearance to land we were there. Lisa and Rick walked from his Veritech. Rick was slapped on the back and cheered by Max and the others in Skull. Then he and Lisa stood before the Captain and saluted him. He saluted back, as did we all. Then it all broke loose. Gloval hugged Lisa like a father. Claudia swept her up, crying joyously and Kim and Vanessa embraced her likewise as did I. Then she and Rick faced each other and first saluted. Then they surprised us all by hugging each other tight.

Everyone cheered at this. Everyone, that is, except me. I looked on in envy, wishing I could do the same with Gully. I turned and looked away.

Just then a yellow alert sounded. A warning that another Veritech was heading to the landing bay, and it was listing dangerously. We turned and saw a severely damaged ship in GUARDIAN mode flying towards us. It had one arm and leg blown off, desperately trying to maintain its aerial integrity. When it came into the hangar, it landed itself on its one leg, then went flat on its belly. Then the cockpit canopy suddenly burst off and the pilot rocketed into the air. His ejection seat had malfunctioned.

He spun end over end and then the parachute opened and he glided to the deck and landed hard, the parachute landing on him.

The emergency team ran to him, and pulled the parachute off and got him onto a gurney. And when they wheeled him by, we saw it was GULLY!

He asked to see the Capt. He saluted him and said,

"Corporal Ulysses Gulliver reporting Sir." he said weakly. "Sorry Sir! Guess ol' Target Ass did it again!"

Gloval smiled, "Don't go beating yourself up Corporal, not now."

"I need a vacation, Sir."

"Don't we all?" Gloval laughed, and we all laughed with him as Gully was wheeled away.

I turned to Kim and Vanessa. "Poor Gully," I laughed and sobbed. "Everything happens to him!"

And they laughed and cried with me.

When Gully was quickly given a clean bill of health, he returned to us. We were all in the common room having a small party, to try and boost the badly strained morale of the ship. We had little cause for celebration what with the Earth devastated, but we had our lives, and we were thankful.

Gully walked through the crowd as they greeted him, and he stopped before me and the rest of us.

He spoke.

"Kim, Vanessa, Sammie. I wish you the best with Rico, Bron and Konda." He then turned to Rico.

"Rico, I'm especially entrusting this one to you," he gestured to me. "cause she's my favorite chipmunk. You be good to her, or you'll answer to me."

"I promise." Rico replied and placed an arm around me as Gully turned and walked away.

I was stunned. I didn't know whether to be happy I had Rico or sad I had lost Gully.

Then I saw him lean against a bulkhead and gaze out of the view port. And then Claudia joined him. I saw them stand side by side. Then she placed an arm around him, and they leaned into each other.

I sighed wistfully. It looked like Gully and Claudia had found each other. I felt Rico's hand on my shoulder and I turned to smile to him. I could be content too, I supposed.

Part six:

Days later, something good, and then very bad, happened to your father.

First, to our delight he earned the well-deserved promotion to SERGEANT.

Then, the now Admiral Gloval broke the news.

When extensive reconnaissance was done over the planet to search for survivors, it was discovered that each continent had suffered 90% loss of all life. But thankfully, that meant that each nation had some survivors scattered over the land. All, save one. Sadly, it was discovered that Canada suffered 100% casualties.

When Admiral Gloval finished, it took a moment to sink in. There was not ONE single surviving Canadian! Canada was extinct as a nation!

But then a voice quietly spoke. "Pardon me Sir." We all turned. It was Gully.

"There is STILL one left. Me. I am the LAST CANADIAN."

Gloval spoke, "I cannot begin to express my regrets to you Sergeant, in this time of greatest loss. Indeed, of all of us here, YOU have suffered particularly."

Gully nodded in thanks and asked to be dismissed. We all gazed sadly after him as he walked from the briefing room.

An hour or so later we were all in the common room of the RDF base when Gully re-appeared.

We all stared in amazement at what we saw. He was wearing a Scottish Kilt and carrying a flagpole with a flag tied tightly to it. He stepped up to the podium and unfastened the flag and unfurled it. It was the CANADIAN flag! The red and white background with the distinctive stylized red maple leaf adorning the center. He held it aloft and turned to us all.

"CANADA is NOT DEAD YET!" He cried. "For I am not dead yet! For so long as ONE still lives, CANADA LIVES!" And he held the flag up for all to see.

There was silence. Then one by one, we all began to clap until the common room was filled with a deafening roar of applause as we all cheered the tenacity, courage and spirit of Canada, that still lived in its sole surviving heir…SERGEANT ULYSSES J. GULLIVER.

I swelled with deepest pride and love for your father.

But at that time, I thought I had lost him for good.

So, I contented myself with just being his friend. Besides he was too big for me now. He belonged to the world. Or so I thought.

"But so much MORE needs to be told Annie," Sammie continued as her daughter viewed her mother's Holo-Vid image. "…of the months that followed. And how, in time, we found each other again."

Just then Sammie's image froze, and the words 'Continued on side two.' appeared.

Annie just sat there, awed by what she had heard and seen.

"Annie," Rook said quietly, "would you like to see the rest? Because I know WE would."

"Yeah," Rand added," we STILL don't know how your mom survived the SDF-1's destruction. Or when she had YOU!"

Everyone voiced their agreement, and Annie pressed the flipside button…

CHAPTER 2: CONFESSIONS.

Part one:

Over a year and a half passed during the reconstruction of Earth. There was so much lost Annie, but all of humankind prevailed. Many Zentreadi, both micronized and full-sized became our friends and allies in rebuilding the world they had so strongly desired to be a part of. During that time your father Gully had been promoted to Sergeant, he had become Max Sterling's wing-man.

Meanwhile I was promoted to second Lieutenant. As for my relationship with Rico, sadly it became extremely static as did Kim and Vanessa's relationships with Bron & Konda. They just didn't have the knack for being, shall we say … romantic. I guess not every Zentreadi could be as responsive as Miriya because by this time she and Max had a beautiful daughter, Dana. Whenever I saw them together with her, it made me yearn to want to be a mother too. But I knew that it was out of the question with Rico.

I hate to admit it, but I started to play the field again, being the bridge bunny with my friends. But only because I was desperate to find someone who would make a commitment to me. But this time it just wasn't the same.

With the population reduced as it was and my reputation preceding me, most men had already made commitments, while the others didn't want me for long.

"And let THAT be a lesson to you, Mint!" Rand interjected. "You should learn from your mother's mistakes."

"Shut up or I'll turn it off!" Annie retorted.

"Enough, Rand." Rook silenced him. And the HOLO-VID continued.

As for Gully, he remained an adequate fighter pilot and was a very dear friend to us all, but I never saw much of him. He was always accepting missions that took him to the far corners of the continent. It seemed like he was deliberately avoiding us. I could only guess why, but I never approached him on it. Again, I'm ashamed to admit I was too scared. Funny isn't it, it's the one person you really care about that you're too afraid to open up to.

Ironically, he became best friends with Rico and the others, helping them adjust to our society. Gully said he felt a kindred spirit towards them, being like himself, a stranger in a strange land, after spending time in cryogenics for twenty years. At first Gully found their predicament amusing, and when we pointed out to him that he didn't find it funny when it happened to him he apologetically explained to them by saying that it wasn't them he didn't like, it was just that in time he started to adjust and see the humorous side of it and when he saw them now in the same boat, he realized how funny he must've looked. But then he finished by adding; "I just resent hypocrisy and double standards, in that the very same people who laughed at ME THEN, are defending YOU NOW." He finished by casting eyes on us that were both accusing and imploring. TOUCHE. We apologized to Gully. From then on, your father was the ZENTREADI trio's staunchest supporter and confidant. I was happy for him again, and I was SO PROUD of him for what he did next.

A few weeks later KHYRON the Zentreadi malcontent struck, as he had so many times before. This time they attacked the concert LYNN MINMEI was giving and took both her and LYNN KYLE hostage. Rick Hunter led the rescue mission, and after delivering a grateful Minmei and an Ungrateful Kyle to safety, led a pursuit mission after the Backstabber. When he returned he had another row with Lisa. But that wasn't the important part, to ME at least. After the mission was debriefed and declassified, we learned what happened. Khyron had led his minions to an outpost town and took the townsfolk hostage. When SKULL Squadron arrived, they were ambushed and pinned down. We watched it all transpire on the VID-recordings taken by each Veritech that kept the records of all battles.

Khyron ordered their surrender or the hostages would die. He boasted that he had the upper hand and that Minmei's singing would no longer work because he and his fellows were accustomed to it. Gully then suggested to Rick to let him play some music of his own that the Zentreadi might not have heard yet, and wanted to try out.

"Go ahead," Rick replied, "we've nothing to lose." And so, Gully played his music.

Annie watched as she saw the HOLO-Image of her Mother throw back her head in a burst of hysterical giggles:

It was SCOTTISH BAGPIPE MUSIC your father played! Khyron and the other Zentreadi slapped their hands to their ears and staggered about screaming in agonized horror as Gully played 'Scotland the Brave.' the most famous bagpipe music of all. It gave Skull the edge they needed, and they leapt upon the Zentreadi and drove them from town. I then saw with my own eyes your father himself engage Khyron personally. He landed several solid punches and kicks to the Backstabber, and had him on the ropes. But then he was blind-sided by AZONIA, knocking him flat. But before Khyron could take advantage of him, Azonia pulled him away, telling him the battle was lost. Khyron fled, screaming these final words to your father: "I WILL FIND YOU MICRONIAN! WE WILL MEET AGAIN! YOU WILL PAY DEARLY FOR THIS!" And with that, Khyron ran. And SKULL was triumphant, and most especially your father, Gully.

For all he did that day, Ulysses Gulliver was to receive the medal for meritorious service. We congregated at the base compound where Gully was to be decorated. Then to our surprise, over the Inter-Com suddenly played the Bagpipe music again. And we saw Gully, marching to the podium, once again proudly wearing his highlander Tartan. We all smiled and swelled with equal pride. But after Gully received his medal, an unprecedented announcement was made. Gully was to be the FIRST NCO to receive a Custom-Decorated Veritech. Normally one must prove themselves an ace or be an officer to receive a personalized VT, but Gully was going to be the exception. It was unveiled, and we all gaped in astonishment! The VT was painted so that the center of the torso was pure white, flanked by brilliant red on both sides. Its arms and legs were also colored so that the upper-half of the limbs were white and the lower, in red. But in the dead center of the white torso was the stylized crimson maple leaf. The symbol was of the late nation of Canada. We all stood in awe for a brief moment, and then we roared out our applause. Gully just stood there, abashed and modest.

Later, our clique was crowded around Gully praising him.

He then asked, "Where's Rico and the others?"

I hesitantly told him that things weren't all that great between us the trio, and them.

So then Gully began to stutter, "Well…then I…uh…in THAT case…um…" and he hemmed & hawed, until finally I said, "YES GULLY, I'll go out with you!" Outside, I kept my cool, but inside I was doing back-flips! Finally, I had a chance with Ulysses Gulliver, and I wasn't going to blow it this time!

At about the same time I agreed to go out with Gully, Lisa was patching things up with Rick. They even planned to go out on a Picnic. But then Rick went and did the rottenest thing.

He stood Lisa up and left her waiting for him while he went off to have a date with Minmei in Monument City.

After it hit the fan I was rightly furious with Rick, but what I did later was stupid!

When Gully showed up for our date, I was still so angry with Rick I took it out on him and told him off for "Being a Man." and how "You're ALL alike." and then slammed the door in his face.

Annie watched her mother's image as she tipped her head forward, her face clenched in pain and then tipped it back, wiped her eyes and continued;

"God, why did I do such a selfish, childish thing? Taking what Rick did out on your poor father. I hurt him SO badly, and I learned the hard way for it."

On Christmas Eve, that evil Khyron attacked again to steal protoculture batteries. He was driven off, partly because Gully again played his Bagpipe music. He then participated in the search and rescue of civilians. And when it was all over we were still able to have our celebration. I was with Kim, Vanessa, Rico and the others when we saw Gully walking along, all alone. I felt a rush of conscience over what I did and I made an attempt to call him over to join us. But then I saw him walk up to Claudia Grant and they walked off together. Vanessa took me by the arm and led me away. I sighed in resignation.

I had Rico and Claudia had Gully, and that was just the way it was meant to be. Or so I thought.

A week after Khyrons attack, I was with all my Bridge mates at a Café talking about the New Year's Eve Party we were going to have, when I noticed Claudia look over my shoulder and cast a knowing glance at me. I turned, and standing there was Gully.

"Hello Gulliver." I said coolly.

"Sammie," he said quietly. "Can I please talk to you, in private? I need to tell you something."

"Whatever you want to say, you can say in front of my friends." I retorted in an uppity tone, and Kim & Vanessa agreed disdainfully.

"Alright, if you insist." he sighed. "I'll start from the beginning. I'll keep it as brief as I can."

"And you'll listen to him, ALL of you!" Claudia said in a warning tone, surprising us all.

"Go ahead Gully" she finished.

He breathed in and commenced;

"Sammie, I've been deeply fond of you ever since we met, perhaps more so than any of you girls here. If I seemed hard to reach at first, it was because I was emotionally screwed-up at the time. Hell, guess I STILL am! But no, I mean I didn't think anyone could understand my situation, and at first you didn't seem very sympathetic. But I promised I wouldn't blame any of you, I would just tell it like it is with me.

When you DID start warming up to me, I shied away because one; you had already hurt my already confused feelings…and two; well, in honesty, your reputations preceded you. You & your friends were the 'TERRIBLE TRIO', 'The BRIDGE BUNNIES", you name it, jumping from guy to guy. I didn't want that in a girl. You were too…promiscuous for me. I wanted a girl who would make a commitment, not just make me another notch on her bedpost."

I glared and wanted to spout off at him, but then I remained silent as I knew he was right.

"Now when I saw you with Rico, I admit I was jealous." he continued, "But I figured you were finally going to settle down, I could content myself with being just friends. But I talked to Rico and the others a while back. And from what they said, and what I remember you saying, your relationships are on the rocks. I told him to try and make it work between you & him, because any relationship worth having is worth working on. If not, then let it go, because it was not meant to be.

But …well…he also said he was having a problem dealing with the thing about…'procreation' as he so bluntly put it… Well, I know I CAN do that, and I'd like another chance, cause… I want to give you what you yearn for…because…I want it too."

I turned angrily and snapped, "You had to tell me THAT in front of all my friends?!"

"HEY!" Claudia snapped, "He wanted to tell you this in private, remember? But you insisted on an audience!" I sat, stunned, as Claudia finished. "Continue Gully."

"I don't want just that Sammie." he said, "But it's part of a healthy relationship, and I really wanted to make a clean start with you."

"Well," I replied quietly, but with some defiance, "I thought you and…Claudia…were an item."

"I thought so too." he turned to Claudia "I'm sorry."

"S'okey." she replied.

"You see Sammie, it's like this." he continued, "I envied Roy Fokker that he had such a loyal, supportive, and, well, committed a woman as Claudia Grant. And they were both sympathetic and supportive of me since day one. I know all of you eventually came around, but THEY were the first. And when Roy died, my heart broke for her and I felt the deepest remorse for being partly to blame. But when the Omni-Directional-Barrier destroyed EVERYTHING and EVERYONE I loved, I was ready to crawl away and die.

But SHE wouldn't let me. She put her own broken heart on hold to console me in my time of deepest grief and need." He gestured to Claudia, "How could ANY man in his right mind NOT come to love a woman like this, and not want to try and win her love in return?"

Claudia lowered her eyes as Gully pressed his fingers to his eyes, took a deep breath, and continued.

"I tried to forget about you and tried to get Claudia to love me. But you can't make love work. It either happens or it doesn't, and usually with the one you least expect.

I tried to get her to love me so that I could push YOU away. But I was wrong to do that. I tried to hold onto something that wasn't there so that I wouldn't be hurt by what was. So, Sammie, if you love Rico, then try to make it work between you. But don't hold onto him to push …someone else away. Because I know it doesn't work.

And you'll only end up alone…like me. And Lisa…" she looked up. "Maybe I'm off the mark. But please try to fix things with Rick… and don't hold onto KARL RYBER'S memories to push him away."

"And Claudia, please, for your sake, practice what you preach. If you don't love me, fine. But if you find yourself falling in love again, please DON'T push him away to hold onto Roy's memories."

Both sat there, on the verge of tears as Kim and Vanessa stared down at their cups.

He came up behind me and placed his hands gently on my shoulders and rested his cheek on the side of my head.

"I'm sorry for all the times I may have hurt you Sammie, whether you forgive me or not. And I forgive YOU for all the times you've hurt ME, whether your sorry or not. And I do this because I want to… I want to love you…very much."

He straightened up and sighed, "Well, I've said my piece, and I leave the rest to you Sammie. And I'll live with whatever decision you make. But no matter what, I'll ALWAYS cherish you deeply. You were always my favorite chipmunk." And he turned and walked away.

We all just sat there, too moved to speak. Everyone looked at me as I cried quietly, deeply touched by Gully's words. Claudia placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"If you love him, TELL him." she said.

I nodded, but I was also thinking; 'what was I going to tell Rico?'

Well I didn't get the chance to make up my mind, because on New Year's Day, circumstances made my decision for me.

Part two:

NEW YEARS DAY 2014. The most horrible day of my life. A day I won't forget 'til my dying breath.

It all started out calmly enough. I had a slight hangover from the party the night before. I was still thinking about how I was going to tell Gully and Rico my decision.

Then all hell broke loose.

Khyron attacked Macross city again. And this time he really meant business. He had his Battle cruiser fully charged & armed and heading right for us, hammering everything in his path. I was on the bridge in the newly constructed SDF-2 with Capt. Hayes and the others when it took a direct hit, completely incapacitating it. Without thinking twice, we followed Lisa through the access way to the SDF-1. There we found Claudia and the Admiral waiting for us. We took our places and viewed the outside. Female Quadrono units had spearheaded the attack and were flying around the fortress like angry hornets, picking off the destroids one by one. Just then the Veritechs arrived and Rick, Max & Miriya turned the tide. But we saw a Quad-unit head straight towards the outer viewing port and no-one stopping it. Suddenly a Veritech in Guardian Mode intervened. I recognized the Maple Leaf. It was your Father! He inter-posed himself between the Quad-unit and us and raised his gun-pod.

"DIE YOU ZENTRAEDI BITCH!" we heard him shout over the Com-link. But then moments later he shouted again, "I DON'T *#!$% BELIEVE IT! I HAVEN'T ANY AMMO!"

Poor Gully. I learned later that he took his VT up before the ground crew had filled his gun pod. Always luckless, your father.

Just then the Quad-Unit collided with Gully. They spun over and over, locked in each other's grips until they slammed into the outer viewing port, crashing through and hitting the lower deck below us, Gully landing on top. They struggled furiously but briefly. Gully managed to slam his fist into the viewing lens of the Quad-Unit and fired his wrist missiles into it, blowing it apart from the inside, pilot and all.

As he fell back, Claudia called to him through the Com-Link to stay put, as they saw Khyron's cruiser come into sight and was in clear view of the main gun, and it was about to fire.

When the shot rang out it vibrated the whole ship. We watched the stream of the annihilating particle beams shoot straight for the cruiser. But it was a weak shot. The SDF's power had been drained, spent. Worse yet, the shot, which might've still destroyed it only made a glancing blow that crippled it, but didn't stop it. It still hurtled towards us and there was no way of firing on it again.

"BRACE FOR COLLISION!" Lisa shouted. And we all braced for the inevitable.

Khyron's ship collided hard with the SDF-1 and I was thrown against my console and I blacked out. I must have been out for only a short while as I came too and I saw the bridge was a wreck with the fire extinguishers spraying everywhere. Everyone was talking at the same time until I heard Admiral Gloval cry out into the inter-com: "All hands abandon ship! The nuclear furnaces are about to blow!"

He then turned to us and shouted: "To the escape pods!"

But I turned, fighting tears and said that only ONE escape pod was still functioning. We knew what that meant. Only ONE of us could leave. Kim and I threw ourselves into each other's arms, sobbing and Vanessa quickly joined us. We were sisters to the end and we wouldn't abandon each other. As for Gloval, he was the Captain, and leaving us was out of the question. And Claudia…I think she wanted to be with Roy. So, they ganged up on a protesting Lisa, and dragged her to the ejection pod.

Just then we heard an anguished cry over the VID-COM.

"NNOO! I WON'T LET YOU DIEE!"

We turned, and there was Gully hovering in his VT outside the cracked view port. He raised his Mecha's fist and smashed in the view port, then ripped it away, leaving a gaping hole. Then he edged in and opened his cockpit.

"COME ON!" he shouted, "I can save at least ONE of you!" His face on the VID-COM was desperate.

"SAMMIEEE!" he screamed. "Come to mePLEEASE!"

Before I could even react, Kim & Vanessa grabbed both my arms and hauled me to the opening Gully tore out.

I protested as much as Lisa did, but my friends ignored me. They tossed me over the edge, right into Gully's outstretched arms. He immediately reversed engines and closed his cockpit even as I vainly reached back crying "KIMMY! VANESSA!"

Gully turned his VT and flew up through the hole in the outer view port and quickly turned to jet mode and sped away at top speed.

The VID-COM in his VT then came on. And there stood Gloval and my friends, arm-in-arm.

Vanessa spoke first, "Gully take care of Sammie for us. She's our baby sister." Kim just cried quietly.

"I will." Gully choked as he flew us from the impending disaster.

"Sammie," Claudia then spoke, "Love Gully. Don't let him be alone anymore."

"I PROMISE!" I sobbed. And as for Gloval, he just stood silently and saluted us.

Just then I saw a blinding white light start to form behind them just as the screen went black. And that was the last time I saw my friends…my family.

I turned and saw a sight I'll take to my grave. Khyron's cruiser had collided with the Daedalus arm and had torn it clean off. Explosions blew from every point on BOTH ships and both erupted in flames. I turned and buried my face in Gully's shoulder.

Just then the shockwaves hit Gully's VT and it went into a tailspin. He switched to Guardian Mode to stabilize it, but to no avail.

His Veritech spun end over end and struck the ground hard. And I blacked out.

Part three:

When I came to, I was in a Hospital bed with a nurse watching over me. When I made inquiries, I learned I was in MONUMENT city and I was comatose for two days.

I had suffered a mild concussion and had been brought there by a sergeant who I was told had remained vigilant for the first day until he was called back to MACROSS to participate in the search and rescue missions for missing civilians.

Two days later, I was cleared to go, and was told some people were there to pick me up. When I walked into the reception room, there stood ALL my surviving friends; Rick, Max, Miriya, several others…and Lisa.

I immediately ran into her arms and she held me and we cried.

When we regained some composure, Lisa stepped back and gestured behind me. I turned and there stood your father Ulysses, looking SO tired and sad. I suddenly felt a well of anger rise in me and I confronted him.

"WHY?!" I shouted, "Why did you take me AWAY from them?! I wanted to stay with them! With Kimmy & Nessa!" I sobbed hysterically as I began to beat on his chest with my fists, "THEY WERE MY SISTERS! I LOVED THEM!" and all the while your father stood there and took it until Rick and Lisa pulled me off of him.

As Rick held me tight in his arms, Lisa brought her hand up and slapped my face, shocking me out of my hysteria.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" She barked. "You listen here lady, and listen good! Kim & Vanessa threw you into Gully's arms because they wanted YOU to live, just as Claudia wanted ME to live. Because, like me, they knew you had something to live for…someone to be with."

I looked between her and Rick, then turned to gaze back at Gully as though seeing him for the first time.

I walked up to him, my head bowed in shame. I stood quietly for a moment, then spoke;

"I'm sorry Gully…I was overcome…I didn't mean to…" I buried my face in my hands and burst into tears.

Then I felt Gully's hands around me, one holding me around my back, the other holding my head to his chest. But even as I sobbed out my grief in his arms, I realized how strong and gentle those arms were. And I felt so protected.

Then I felt something warm and wet trickle on the side of my head. I pulled my head back and saw that Gully was crying too. He hooked a finger under my chin and said quietly,

"I love you Sammie Porter. I was too afraid to tell you. But now that I nearly lost you, I'm too afraid NOT to."

"And I love you too, Gully. And I was afraid too." I said quietly.

He drew me in, and we kissed for the first time ever, drinking in each other's love so deeply, while our tears flowed freely. I don't know how long it lasted, but we eventually parted and we just stood there gazing into each other's eyes.

Then I sensed someone to the left of me, and when I turned, there was Rico. Standing ten feet away stood Bron & Konda. Bron was holding Baby Dana.

For a moment, none of us spoke. Then I finally managed to open my mouth.

"Rico…I'm sorry…but…"

"No, it's o.k. I understand." He said quietly, "Things just weren't working out between us Sammie. I just hope things will be better between you & Gully. Besides, you know Bron & Konda. They'd NEVER be able to manage Dana without me." Then he looked straight at Gully.

"You be good to her, or you'll answer to THREE Zentreadi warriors." Gully smiled and saluted.

"Thank you, Rico." I said quietly as he turned and walked back to his two friends, and they walked away together, with Rico taking Dana and hoisting her in the air while she kicked and giggled.

I smiled sadly at Max & Miriya, envying them their child. Then as I felt Gully's arm around me I realized there was still a hope for us.

Part four:

On our way to the RDF compound I was clued in on all that happened. Because of the hard radiation coming from the wreckage of the three destroyed crafts, the city of Macross was totally evacuated and no attempt was made to exhume any bodies from the SDF's or Khyron's cruiser. They just cordoned off the city and declared it all one mass grave that priests from all religions gave last rites over at a safe distance.

We all stood in the middle of the compound as Colonel Maistroff gave a eulogy and a speech about how we weren't going to let what happened daunt us. As if it could, after the destruction of most of the planet earth didn't daunt us. All the while I leaned into Gully and he held me. After we were dismissed he escorted me to the quarters assigned me. But as he turned to leave I grabbed him tightly by the jacket.

"Please Gully," I pleaded, "Don't go! Stay with me! I DON'T want to be alone tonight! I can't BEAR to be! PLEASE stay with me! PLEASE!" I began to sob.

Gully's hands rested on my shoulders. And then he turned and pressed the button that slid the door shut and then he locked it. Then he bent down and swept me off my feet and carried me to the bed. I fell back onto the pillow and he leaned over and kissed me…"

Annie watched as her mother's Holo-Vid image lowered her head and a shy smile come to her face and blushed.

"To put it tastefully Annie, your father and I, we…joined…in mutual ecstasy and passion that night. All of our grief and feelings of loss just…melted away as we consummated our deep love for each other. As my head rolled in the pillow I never could have suspected what would happen next. For that moment, all I knew was, I had finally found my Knight in armour. And he wasn't anything I expected. But then again, who is?"

Two weeks later, Lisa received her official promotion to Admiral and received the commission to reside over the construction of the SDF-3, and to assume command of it. We were all there to witness it, and I was so proud of her. A special bond had formed between us after the disaster. Our mutual loss of friends drew us together and she became my big sister. A sister I would soon need. A few days later it was announced that Ulysses J. Gulliver would be given the RDF TITANIUM SHIELD! A medal given to those of uncommon valor, the HIGHEST honor any soldier could obtain, and he was getting it for having rescued ME! So, I was chosen to place it around his neck! I couldn't have been happier or more honored to have done ANYTHING else! The ceremony began perfectly enough. Gully marched down the aisle towards us all. He then strode up the steps onto the podium. There I was waiting and we saluted. I noticed something odd about him. He seemed pale. I just guessed he was nervous about all that was happening. I placed the medal around his neck, smiling the whole time. As we parted and saluted again, the audience broke out in applause. But our cheers soon died on our lips as Gully suddenly stopped, swayed, and lurched forward with his hand to his mouth. When he straightened up and pulled his hand away, I screamed. He had coughed up blood! He stared at me, tried to speak, and fell over and down the stairs to the bottom.

Paramedics were called and he was carried away. I stood there, trembling, shocked with disbelief. Lisa had come to me and placed her arm around me as I just stood there staring after Gully being carried off.

In the base infirmary's waiting room, I was sitting with Lisa, Rick, the Sterlings and several others, waiting for news of Gully. Then Dr. Hassan walked up, his face taut. We all rose, fearing the worst.

"Well, Doctor?" Lisa asked.

Dr. Hassan rubbed his head sadly and replied.

"As you know, about four years ago, Sergeant Ulysses Gulliver was resurrected from Cryogenic treatment, because twenty years earlier he had contracted the rare disease named after him; Gulliver's syndrome. When he was revived, he was treated with our advanced medicines and believed cured."

"Yes Doctor," Rick agreed, "We know this."

"Well," Dr. Hassan sighed, "the treatments only put his disease into remission, it didn't cure it. And now it has resurfaced, and the treatments are…insufficient."

"What are you saying Doctor?" I asked timidly, fearing to hear what I felt was coming.

"Your friend Ulysses…is dying."

I just went numb all over.

I fell to my knees breathing rapidly. Lisa was down beside me and held me in her arms.

After a moment, I was able to look around me. Everyone was reacting with shock and sorrow.

Gully had suffered through so much. And now, on the day that was to be his greatest triumph, he instead suffered his cruelest defeat.

After several minutes of just staring into space, I finally was able to speak.

"May we see him?"

"You may," the Doctor said, "But only two or three at a time."

I got up and asked Lisa & Rick to accompany me. We walked to his room and with the Doctor we went inside.

There lying on the bed, with a breathing tube in his nose and an I.V. in his arm, was Ulysses…your father. He looked so drained and weak. I walked over to the bed and stood over him as Rick fetched a chair for me to sit down. His eyes opened up and he looked up at me.

"Chipmunk?" he said quietly. I used to be annoyed by that nickname, but now I was glad to hear it from him. It meant he was still with us. I took him by the hand and held it to my face.

"I'm…sorry. I guess I screwed up again." he said.

"It's NOT your fault Gully!" I blurted, unable to believe he'd blame himself.

"Well, I mean I knew this a week ago. But I confided in both Dr. Hassan and Col. Maistroff not to tell anyone. I wanted to tell all of you after the ceremony. Because…" he lifted his other hand. He was holding the TITANIUM SHIELD he had just been given. "I didn't want to spoil the moment for anyone…but I guess I did."

"NO Gully," I sobbed as I held his hand to my cheek, wetting it with my tears. "Don't blame yourself."

Lisa and Rick stood behind me this whole time, their hands reassuringly on my shoulders. We all told Gully how much we respected him, admired him, and most of all, loved him. Then it was time for the Sterlings to visit him. I leaned over and kissed him.

"I love you Ulysses Gulliver, so very much." I wiped my eyes and turned to leave, followed by Lisa & Rick. Outside Max & Miriya were waiting to go in. Miriya hugged me briefly before entering.

Then I was overcome, and I ran down the length of the hallway. Lisa called after me and followed.

At the end of the hall I collapsed against a wall, my face buried in my hands. Lisa caught up to me and with her hands on my shoulders, tried to comfort me. After a minute, I managed to speak.

"I couldn't tell him Lisa…I couldn't!"

"Tell him what?" Lisa queried. "Sammie, Tell him what?"

Unable to face her I choked out, "Lisa…I'm…I'm PREGNANT!…With Gully's baby."

I heard her gasp. For a moment, she was silent. Then, turning me around, she gently spoke.

"Oh, Sammie." She whispered, holding my face and brushing the tears away with her thumbs, "My poor little Sammie."

I threw my arms around her. "Hold me Lisa, please! Just hold me tight! I'm so scared Lisa! I'm so scared!"

What was I going to do? I WAS going to tell Gully I was going to have his baby after the ceremony and I presumed we were going to live happily ever after. But now my world was shattered yet again and I was facing a future without him and to care for a child by myself.

After the Sterling's left and everyone else had come and gone, I begged Dr. Hassan to let me stay with him the night. He agreed and I re-entered his room. I took my RDF jacket and pumps off and crawled onto the bed beside him. I took his hand in mine and I kissed him again and again as my tears fell on his face.

Then finally I fell asleep, curled up at his side.

Part five:

For two days, I visited your father in my off-hours and we talked of many things. But I still couldn't bring myself to tell him the news. I begged Lisa not to tell him or anyone else, that I would do it. But I just couldn't find the courage. God, what a little coward I was! But he was just SO SICK! How would he have reacted? Then Dr. Hassan came in with Dr. EMIL LANG and told Gully they had some interesting news for him, news that would be yet another turning point in your father's life.

Gully was put in a wheelchair and together we were taken to a briefing room. There, was Lisa, Rick, Max, Miriya, Zentreadi Minister Exedore and Dr. JEAN GRANT. I had the pleasure of knowing Jean over the past two years as she was married to Commander VINCE GRANT, Claudia's younger brother.

They stood before us and explained why we were brought to them;

Over the past two years Dr.'s Lang, Grant and Exedore were experimenting with a team of scientists on a new form of treatment. It was based upon the Zentreadi healing booth. Similar to their size-changing booth but one designed to heal their combat wounds. These were provided to them by the ROBOTECH MASTERS, as there were no Zentraedi doctors.

They took the booth and worked on it in an attempt to convert it to human use, so as to create a new method of healing for things like radiation sickness and otherwise. They stood before Gully and Dr. Lang spoke plainly.

"This method is still in its experimental stage. We don't even know it will work or how it will affect you or how long it will take. You could be in stasis for weeks, months, or…even years."

"So it's your choice Ulysses." Dr. Grant finished.

Gully sat and pondered what was said for several minutes. He looked at each of us as we gazed back.

Finally, he spoke.

"I have nothing to lose Doctor, I'll do it."

As I stood there I realized I might NEVER see him again, and we both requested to be left alone. When everyone else was gone, I went over to Gully, sat in his lap, put my head to his shoulder, and wept quietly while he held me. Your father could be SO strong, even in sickness. Far stronger than I knew I would ever have been. Finally, we called everyone back in, and he said he was ready.

Two days later we were escorted to the Science Centre where the treatment booth was prepared and waiting for him. He was taken to a separate room where he was prepped. I stayed with Lisa Rick and the Sterlings. Then Gully returned. He was in a gown and slippers, and had Monitor units attached and tubes inserted into his nose and mouth. Then Doctors Lang and Grant stepped forward with another robust man with a beard. Dr. Lang spoke;

"I'd like to introduce you all to Professor HAROLD PENN. He is the chief technician who will be aiding in treating Ulysses."

"And it will be my pleasure to do so." Prof. Penn spoke. "Sergeant Gulliver saved a group of children during Khyron's Christmas Eve attack, among them my daughter KAREN. She's all I have, and so I owe him her life."

Gully smiled modestly, even as we all looked upon him with even more pride and love.

As the technicians and doctors were preparing the booth, we all had a chance to talk to Gully. Rick was first.

"Gully, I'm sorry I was so jealous of Roy's friendship with you. I should've also tried to be a better friend too instead of blaming you for his death."

"S'alright Rick." Gully replied tiredly. "He was my big brother too. He was EVERYBODIES big brother." Rick smiled sadly and gave Gully a brotherly embrace. Lisa was next.

"I'm sorry for all the times I bawled you out, Gully. But I always knew you could be a good Veritech pilot, and you deserve better than all the things that happened to you." She hugged and kissed him. The Sterlings were last. Miriya spoke first.

"Thank you for standing up for me and my fellow Zentreadi and making us feel welcome Ulysses. In spite of what happened to all you knew, you forgave us, and called us friends." She said this calmly, but with deep admiration in her eyes.

"I don't know what to add to that," Max interjected, "Except to add MY thanks too." They embraced Gully together.

Gully then said something to Max and he nodded. He had with him a CD player and as he turned it on, Gully turned to me.

"May I have this last dance?" he asked me quietly. As if he needed to ask.

As we embraced, Max played the song. It was another one of Gully's favorites from his time, and so deeply touching. As we stood there, swaying more than dancing, I cried quietly and your father held me so tight and yet so gently. The song ended, and I felt Dr. Grant's hands on my shoulders.

"I'm sorry," she said gently, "But its time."

As Gully was led away, I pulled at him, unable to want to let him go. Then Dr. Lang's firm hands held me until Rick & Lisa could take me and hold me tight as he was taken to the booth and his slippers were removed before stepping onto the base of the booth. His gown was then removed and the monitors were attached to an out link. Then we watched the Plexi-glass booth lowered to the base and become Vacuum-sealed. Then the out-links attached to Gully's monitors and the inside of the booth were then sealed to out-links outside by a special socket on the booth. All of this was then attached to the computer that controlled the life-support systems. Once it was all set, Dr. Lang gave the signal and the button was pushed.

We saw the booth slowly fill with a translucent green liquid. These fluids would permeate every inch of his body and cleanse him of his disease. Or so it was hoped.

The fluid had reached Gully's waist when grief got the better of me. I broke away from the others and ran to the booth and placed my hands to it, wishing I could reach through the glass to your father. Gully's hands came up to the other side of the glass. I leaned my forehead to the glass and sobbed;

"Please come back to me Gully. I LOVE YOU!"

Watching the HOLO-VID, Rand winced, "Puh-LEEZE don't say…'I know'!"

"I will, Chipmunk." Gully replied tenderly, "I love you too."

Rand sighed in relief.

Then the fluids closed over his head and he drifted into unconsciousness. I stood there, watching him float in the healing liquids. Dr. Grant was studying the monitors when Dr. Lang asked.

"Well Jean?"

She looked up, "He's alive, and in perfect hibernation."

Rand slapped his hand to his head and groaned.

I stood there silently, until I felt Lisa's hand on my shoulder.

"I couldn't tell him Lisa. I STILL couldn't tell him I'm carrying his child." She held me understandingly.

But then Jean came forward and asked in a slightly urgent tone.

"Did you say you're carrying Gulliver's child?"

I nodded. She placed a hand to the side of her face.

"Sammie…I don't know how to tell you this. But Gulliver's syndrome is…communicable."

"You mean it can be…sexually transmitted?" Lisa asked fearfully. Dr. Grant nodded.

I gaped at her. Then my knees buckled out from under me and I went to the floor gasping in fear. Lisa also came to her knees and held me desperately, as the others closed in.

Then Dr. Grant spoke, "Wait! There's STILL hope. We'll take a blood test!"

I calmed down a bit and consented. After the blood samples were taken I waited for the results in the waiting room with Lisa and the others.

"I'm being punished, Lisa." I said quietly.

"What do you mean?" she asked, surprised.

"I had been such a little tramp, little slut. Jumping from man to man, being so irresponsible. And I treated Gully so badly when I first met him. Then he forgave me and we were together. Now he may die, and I'm pregnant with his child. And now my baby and I might be sick. Gully and the baby don't deserve this…but I DO! I do for being such a SELFISH LITTLE BITCH!"

"NO! NO!" Lisa retorted, her arm around me, "Don't SAY that! Don't THINK that way! Gully loves you! We ALL love you! We're ALL here for you!"

Eventually Dr. Grant came back with the results. They were positive. I had GULLIVER'S SYNDROME. And so did my baby. Lisa fell into Rick's arms, bawling. Max & Miriya leaned into each other.

For once, I was the one who remained collected. After a moment, I spoke.

"Then Dr. Grant…Jean. There is no choice. Can you prepare another booth?"

"SAMMIE, NO!" Lisa cried.

"It's the ONLY way Lisa." I replied calmly. "It's the ONLY way to save me and my baby."

I looked up at her, "I've got NOTHING to lose."

"We don't know what it will do to your unborn baby." Jean replied.

"My baby has NOTHING to lose EITHER!"I replied bluntly.

Jean and Dr. Lang looked at each other, then at me for a few moments, and nodded. So, for two days more preparations were made and when I stepped before my friends for what may have been the last time, I too was decked out in a breather tube and monitors.

I said my good-byes to my remaining friends. Miriya was her serene self as she touched my cheek gently and spoke encouragingly to me. Max was slightly more compassionate as he hugged me as did Rick. But Lisa had turned away, unable to face me. I understood why. We were the last two Bridge Bunnies. SHE'D be the last when I was gone. She could be SO strong. She was usually the one who held me while I cried during those nights after the SDF-1 was destroyed and all our friends died. This time she couldn't be. So, I had to be. I went up to her and said;

"Lisa, please don't make this harder than it already is. Please understand I HAVE to do this. I LOVE you sister."

She turned and hugged me tightly to her and we stayed that way until it was time for me to be led away to the booth. It was right beside Gully's. As I was prepped, I gazed wistfully over to that booth and watched the silhouette of your father floating there. Then my own booth came down and the fluids started to flow.

Then Lisa came forward and placed her hands and forehead on the glass like I did with Gully.

The last thing I saw was Rick taking her by the shoulders and leading her away, sobbing as the healing fluids closed over me. Then everything went black.

Part six:

For what could have been for a decade or a single day, I slept. Then I awoke and found myself in a hospital bed. I looked around and wondered where I was and how I got there. Then I looked down and saw that my stomach was bloated. A nurse noticed I was awake and summoned a doctor. Jean Grant entered the room. She seemed to look a little older, perhaps just tired from overwork I thought. But she dropped the bomb on me. I had been in the stasis treatment booth for NINE YEARS! I couldn't believe her at first.

"It took that much time to cleanse you of the disease." She explained. "Remember, this treatment procedure was still in its experimental stage those years ago, and we hadn't perfected it." She handed me a newspaper. "See for yourself."

I looked at the paper, it was dated 2022. Proof enough I guess.

Then I asked, "What about my stomach?"

"Can't you guess?" she smiled, "During those nine years in the booth, your baby developed ever so slowly, approximately one month for each year. It took you nine years to get nine months pregnant!"

My head fell back onto my pillow, taking it all in. Then I bolted up.

"Doctor…Jean. What about Gully?"

Jean looked at me and pondered a moment, as if trying to find a way to say it, then spoke.

"He's still has more to go. His was a more serious case. We caught you in the early stage. You and your baby are in the clear.

"Can I still see him?"

"We have to get you ready." she replied. "Besides don't you want me to call Lisa and the others? They'd want to see you after all this time."

"Oh, YES!" I breathed.

I was dressed in a maternity outfit, then slipped into a jacket with matching skirt & boots. I was escorted to the waiting room. And there stood Lisa & Rick, Max & Miriya, and Vince Grant. All of them looking a little older but still my beloved friends. And they were wearing the new REF uniforms

Lisa rushed to me, arms outstretched. But then slowed to a stop when she saw my 'delicate condition'.

She placed a hand on my stomach and looked up at me, smiling warmly.

"Oh, Sammie." she gushed, and we embraced joyously. Then the others joined in.

"Nice new do." I giggled at Miriya when I saw her Wolf-cut. Then I felt a tug on my skirt and looked down and came face-to-face with a pretty little girl with big blue eyes and a puffball of blonde hair, next to her stood a shy boy with skin matching Vince & Jean's.

"Hello, I'm DANA, and this is BOWIE." she gestured to the boy.

DANA! Nine years old! Now I was convinced of the passage of time.

Then I chanced to look up and saw a sight both heartening and distressing.

There stood Rico, Bron and Konda. I was overjoyed to see them until I saw how pallid they looked.

They had contracted some unknown virus that baffled all our doctors. I was saddened to see my old boyfriend and companions looking so ill. But I was still selfish enough to ask to see Ulysses.

Dr. Grant consented and we were all taken to the stasis ward. There I stood before the treatment booth that contained your father's body, floating inside, still undergoing treatment, still dead to the world.

"He'll be in there a couple more months." explained Dr, Lang who was there. "But I'm afraid we won't be there for his convalescing."

"What do you mean Doctor?" I asked.

"Because Sammie," Lisa continued, "In your nine-year absence, the SDF-3 was completed. And we're going on the expedition to the ROBOTECH MASTER'S home-world TIROL. We are going to confront them on their own turf to sue for peace, so as to prevent further wars between us. And we think that showing them potential force in the form of our own battle-fortress might enforce our wishes effectively."

"We'll ALL be going." Rick added, gesturing to everyone present.

"All except US though," Rico interjected, "Someone has to stay here and take care of Dana & Bowie."

I felt concerned at how they'd manage, looking as ill as they did.

"But don't worry Sammie," Jean interjected. "Gully will be well taken care of. One of our esteemed associates has agreed to watch over him in our absence, which hopefully won't be more than a few months."

She gestured to a figure off to one side. A thin, almost cadaverous looking man stood there, his hair stringy, his eyes gazing like a vulture. I felt a shudder go through me.

"Sammie," Jean continued, "May I introduce you to Dr. LAZLO ZAND. He'll be taking care of Gully while we're away.

"I assure you," he spoke, "I'll do everything I can for your friend and shipmate." He smiled.

I'm certain he was trying to be cordial, but there was something…well-predatory about his smile. I even noticed little Dana had backed away from him, glaring untrustingly.

I strode over to Gully's booth, placed a hand on it and one on my stomach and gazed longingly up at the sleeping face of your father. I felt Lisa's hand on my shoulder and I turned and let her hold me.

Later, they took me in a passenger transport to the spot that used to be Macross City. Over the nine years the radiation had cooled. During that time the two SDF's and Khyron's cruiser were buried in three massive grave mounds, and surrounding it, a long grey marble wall. On this wall were the names of everyone who died on that terrible day. But there was a central area, specifically designed to pay special homage to a select few. There was a brief flight of steps up to a section of wall which was flanked by two statues of angels holding swords and kneeling in sad pensiveness. Up on top stood a gigantic bronze statue of the SDF-1 in standing posture. When we got to the steps of the raised area, I saw who the select few were. At the top was a bronze bust of Admiral Henry J. Gloval, his image wreathed by wings and olive branches sculpted into the marble. Just underneath him were four more wreathed busts. They were of Vanessa, Claudia, Kim and…ME!

"It was a typical bureaucratic SNAFU." Lisa explained, "Since you had been gone for over seven years, you were declared legally dead and your bust was mounted alongside the others."

"Yes," Rick added, "We tried to explain it to the pencil-pushing Bureaucrats that you were still among the living, just in stasis. But it went over their heads and got predictably lost in the red tape and paperwork."

I sighed and shrugged it off. And then I placed flowers into the cups under each bust.

"I might as well BE dead." I said to Lisa & Rick as we walked away. "What's the use of living if I can't have Gully?"

"You still have your life and the life of your baby." Rick said, "Gully would've wanted you to go on, and so did Kim & Vanessa."

I smiled and nodded in agreement. I took them both by the arms with mine and we walked together back to the transport. Just then I felt a kick inside me, and it brought a smile of bliss to my face.

About two weeks later I had my baby…YOU ANNIE. Oh, you were SO beautiful. And you had red hair like me. A trifle darker though, I think your father's brown hair influenced it. I loved you so much my sweet angel, but I knew I couldn't take care of you myself. And I didn't want to be left alone on earth without any friends. So, I signed onto the SDF-3 expedition. Furthermore, when your father was released he was still frail and couldn't be independent. Dr. Zand stated that more time in the booth will be required.

I couldn't stay on earth alone or take you with me, so I entrusted you to the care of two associates I knew, Doctors Andre and Lillian LaBelle. They agreed to watch over you during my absence which hopefully will not be long. Besides, even the Sterlings and the Grants were leaving their kids with ROLF EMERSON and his wife. I'm afraid I still didn't have the courage to tell your father about you, he was still so sick. I don't know if that was wisest choice, but it's been made. All I know is that you will be safe on earth with Bowie & Dana."

Rand snorted, "Safe? THAT'S a laugh."

"Gully & I tended Lisa & Rick's wedding on board the SDF-3. Gully was in a powered wheelchair and I stayed by his side, contemplating the future. Your father however, in spite of his condition, was back to his humorous self again, cracking jokes and making everyone laugh.

"Who here," he quipped, "could've imagined that someday, MR. LINGERIE would marry the OLD SOURPUSS?"

Everyone roared with laughter. Rick & Lisa blushed, but laughed as well.

I stayed with Gully for the whole evening and kept a low profile. Partying just wasn't the same for me anymore without Kim & Vanessa. After the party, I went to my quarters. And it's here NOW that I'm recording this to you sweetie. I'm going to be giving this to the LaBelle's first thing in the morning before the SDF-3 leaves earth.

It broke my heart to have to give you up Annie, but it was for the best. You'll be safe on earth, and if all goes well, we'll be back before a year is out, your father will be well, and we'll be a family at last. If not, I'm making this recording for you to receive on your eighteenth birthday, so you can know who your parents were and I can give you this parting advice;

Please…PLEASE don't make the same mistakes I made. I behaved like a promiscuous little tramp, going from man-to-man, never making a commitment. And when the man of my dreams came into my life, he wanted NOTHING to do with me BECAUSE of that behavior. And when we were finally reconciled, we were only together for a short time before we were torn apart. But at least we WERE together for a short while and YOU were the wonderful results of that union. So please baby, don't YOU make that SAME mistake. If you find the right man…hold on tight! Hold on and NEVER LET GO!…

Annie watched as the HOLO-VID image of her mother SAMMIE PORTER finished her story. She saw Sammie's eyes well with tears as she finished by saying;

"Good-Bye baby, my darling Annie. Mommy loves you. And will love you…forever."

And with that, the HOLO-Image faded.

All around the camp-fire no-one spoke. They were too moved by the plaintive story that they just spent the last two hours listening to. Then all eyes turned on Annie, who just sat there, staring at the HOLO-VID recorder, her face a mask of stunned melancholy.

Then quietly, she spoke, "Mom."

"Wow," Rook breathed, "That was your Mother. Not only is the resemblance undeniable, everything she said about herself describes you too, Annie."

"Yeah, Like Mother, Like Daughter." Rand interjected.

"Rand," Rook said warningly.

"NO! Rand is right!" Annie piped up. "So was my Mom! I HAVE been making the same mistakes she did! Flirting with all kinds of guys and never settling down. And I treated poor MacGruder the same way Mom treated Dad! Well, when this war is over I'm going back to him and ask his forgiveness."

"Atta girl." Rook stated.

Just then they heard the low roar of CYCLONE engines. Scott & Lancer had returned. They got off their bikes and walked over to the group, who greeted them warmly.

"SCOTT! LANCER!" Annie cried, "Your NEVER gonna believe what I have to show you!"

And with that she showed them the image of Sammie, her mother.

Scott Bernard's face froze. He turned to Lancer who was equally incredulous.

"I KNOW that woman." he finally said.

"WHAT?!" Annie blurted.

"Yes," he replied, "I've seen her quite a few times on the SDF-3. That's Second Lieutenant Samantha Porter of the rear echelon units."

"That's right," Lancer added, "She's also close friends with Admiral Lisa Hayes and her husband Rick Hunter. They fought in the FIRST Robotech war together."

"Then she's…still alive?" Annie asked cautiously.

"From last I remember," Scott finished, "Yes."

Annie's screams of joy rocked the campsite. She danced and hopped around the campfire until she dropped from exhaustion and everyone laughed and cheered with her.

Part seven:

"OH HAPPY, HAPPY, JOY, JOY! HAPPY, HAPPY JOY! My Mom is still alive, Oh BOY, OH BOY, OH BOY!" Annie sang this sing song chant on the back of Scott's Cyclone all the way to the town the next day, while we rode on our own vehicles behind.

"I guess history books CAN be wrong." I mused as I rode alongside Rook. "But the resemblance between Sammie and Annie CAN'T be denied."

As we entered the outskirts of the town, Lunk happened to look up.

"Hey! Up there! On the hill!" he called.

We all looked to where he pointed. On a hilltop, next to a cabin stood a Veritech in Guardian mode.

"And it's a FIRST war VALKYRIE Class Veritech!" Scott stated.

When we asked a local about it he replied;

"Ah, it belongs to some nutty hermit who claims to be a FIRST war veteran. But if you ask me, he's a might TOO YOUNG to have fought back then. 'Less' a course he was kept frozen in ice or sump'tin."

We all exchanged surprised looks. Thanking the local, we sped up the hill to the cabin.

Getting off our vehicles we inspected the craft. It was pitted, dented and rusted. But there was no hiding the distinctive RDF symbol on the fuselage or the SKULL emblem on the tailfin. But then we saw something that brought us up short. Behind the RDF emblem was another.

A RED MAPLE LEAF, the distinctive symbol of the extinct nation of CANADA. And the words 'Li'l Canuck' were written around it.

"It can't be." Rook said quietly.

"It defies ALL logic!" Lancer added.

Just then a huge ugly dog began barking viciously. We turned and saw to our relief that it was chained by the cabin door. Just then the door opened and a voice called out;

"BREETAI, HEEL!"the dog heeded. Then the figure came out into the light. "WHADD'YA WANT?!"

We all stared in shock. The man standing before us was the same man in Annie's HOLO-VID player. But time and tragedy had taken their toll. His once kindly face was now hardened. His thick brown hair had receded and hung around his shoulders in dirty, graying strands. His trim beard was now ratty and ill-kept. And his once twinkling eyes were now dark-circled and lightless.

"My God…it's HIM!" Rook breathed.

"ULYSSES GULLIVER." Lunk spoke out.

"WHUSSAT?!" the man turned to him, "How'd'ya know my name?!"

Just then Annie stepped forward. She looked him square in the eye, and he looked down staring. Then a look of recognition came to him.

"S-Sammie?" he faltered.

"No, I'm Annie." she replied. "Sammie was my Mother."

"Your…MOTHER?" he came to his knee for a closer look.

"Daddy?" she replied. Then she threw her arms around him and cried joyously, "DADDY!"

Ulysses Gulliver just knelt there, holding his daughter for the first time in his life, staring into space disbelievingly. I looked around at all my comrades.

They were all smiling happily. Ol' Lunk was blubbering, wiping away tears.

We then heard Gulliver quietly speak to himself;

"Sammie." he whispered, looking Heavenward, "YOUR little girl? …OUR little girl?"

Then he pulled away to gaze directly into Annie's eyes, which were streaming happy tears.

"MY…little girl?!"

Then we saw the light come back into his eyes as he gently broke away from her, stood up and addressed us all.

"Maybe…you should all come inside. We definitely need to talk."

And so, taking Annie, his daughter by the hand, ULYSSES J. GULLIVER escorted us to his door and invited us in, and shut it behind him.

THE END…for now.

(Excerpted from; Notes on the Run. By Rand.)

To be Continued in:

The ULYSSES GULLIVER Story.

Part 1; Gulliver of Macross.

(These events take place just after Episode #75.

"Separate ways.")