SMST 6D: Ace of Hearts! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: None of the principled characters and situations belongs to me.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Special Note: This story takes place after the events of "Hero Ultimate", "Journey to Adventures" and "Journey to Mystery".
Author's Note: I decided to redo this "saga" so not short-change anyone. Thus, this story is the revised story of Ranma and Usagi's adventures, using the "Robotech" cartoon for the backdrop. Enjoy!
Part 1
Summer, 2009 CE: Macross Island, South Pacific.
With the increased number of alien contacts of late, the decision to inaugurate the Macross Project publicly was made. In fact, the occasion would make the "United Nations Space Force" (or "UN Spacy") public knowledge. Such a move was allowed by the permanent UN Security Council members—the Americans, British, the French, the Russians and the Chinese—as a way of complement "Homeworld Security" (a primarily American operation) and UNIT (the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce). Thanks to recent invasions the previous year, UN Spacy received the support it needed to be formerly constituted. As long as UN Spacy operated beyond Earth proverbial shores, and as long as all information obtained from space is shared, the program will enjoy the political support it needs.
On the day of the launch of the "Super Dimensional Fortress One" (SDF-1), also called "The Macross", many dignitaries and guests arrived to watch the launch. There were some misgivings about the launch. For one thing, the SDF-1 was really a refurbished alien space ship. And for another, there was a fear that the original owners might one day show up. Unfortunately, the latter fear would become realized…
"Ahhhhhhh-!" says Lynn Mimmey, as she fell from the skies. Since the attack on the SDF-1 began, she was desperately trying to find her family. The would-be "pop singer" wished that her uncle had made better career opportunities-
Just then, one of the experimental "Veritech" fighters come rushing in to save the girl.
"I have you," says the pilot, as he opened his cockpit's "window", which allowed the girl to land inside safely.
"Oof!" Lynn says, as she lands with a thud. "Owie…"
"Hang on," the pilot says, as he dodged incoming. "Blasted, jerks-!"
"Who are you?" the girl asks.
BLAM! BLAM!
"Huh?" the pilot replied, satisfied that his counter-attack worked.
"I said, who are you?" the girl says impatiently.
"Um, Ranma Saotome-" the pilot began.
BLAM!
"Gah!" Ranma says, as he veered off course. "Sorry about that…"
"Humph!" Lynn said with indignation.
Ranma sighs. He was SO looking forward to a NORMAL day…
FLASHBACK!
"…And we hope that you have a wonderful day," says the charter plane's pilot, as he makes his way towards Macross Island.
Minako looks up from reading her lyrics. Performing in front of an audience was nothing new; performing in front of an audience, thanks to a recommendation from her erstwhile husband Ranma Saotome was a tad daunting.
"Do you think we'll get to see Ranma?" says Minako's companion.
Minako turns to Brianna Diggers. Mostly, she was around to keep Minako's company, but she essentially was her "body guard". However, they have long since become close friends, though Minako was still getting used to part of Brianna's left eye was catlike (with a jagged stripe over that eye), while her blond mane of hair was speckled with black marks. From what Ranma had told her, Brianna was the result of a spell based upon the faux-fusion of archeologist Gina Diggers, and were-cheetah Brittany Diggers. Since then, Brianna has been trying to find her own identity…usually with disastrous results. It was only in recent days that Brianna found some stability in being the latest of her husband's girlfriends. And although she wasn't keen on the idea, Minako understood the reasons for it, especially since she, herself, was once in a similar situation. She once asked why Ranma would take Brianna as his mate, only for him to respond that the reasons occurred when he and a bunch of other warrior-gods went to Skrullos to battle the gods of the Skrulls…and that Brianna "earned" his affections during that "crusade". Exactly how, Ranma refused to elaborate upon any further. So, that was that.
"I'm sure he'll be happy to see you, Brianna," Minako says with a smile.
A short time later…
"RANMA!" Minako and Brianna yelled enthusiastically, as the glommed unto their "man".
"Oof!" Ranma says, as was tackled.
"Alright, FREEZE!" yelled a security guard, as he and he detail trained weapons unto the women.
"Ranma?" Minako says with worry.
Meanwhile, Brianna, while growling, was about to activate her battle armor, when she felt a gentle hand on her hands.
"Brianna, don't," says Ranma. "I'm presently in uniform."
"Really?"
"Yes. I AM on duty, at the moment."
That's when the two realized that Ranma was in his USAF uniform.
"Ohhhhh," Minako says.
"Oh," Brianna says.
"See?" Ranma replied. He then turns to the head of the security detail.
"Stand down," Ranma says. "Everything is under control."
"Sorry, sir," the security detail leader says, as he re-holstered his pistol. "We have to be careful about these sort of things."
"Understood, sergeant," Ranma says, as he and the girls get up. "Carry on."
As soon as the security detail leaves, Brianna turns to Ranma.
"What happened to your pigtail?" Brianna asked.
"I cut it."
"But I like it."
"I can always grow it out within hours, you know."
"Really?"
"Really. I just can't have one while I am in uniform, that's all."
"Well…when do you get off duty?" Minako asked.
"Not until AFTER the launch of the SDF-1, I'm afraid. But I AM glad you managed to change your plans at the last minute."
"But I was hoping to be…inspired before I go and do the show tonight."
"I'm just hoping to make love to you tonight," Brianna says with a smirk. "Forget this inspiration business."
"Well…that's going to be a bit complicated, since the others are here."
"WHAT others?" Brianna asked.
"Well…Usagi is here, as so are our mutual friends from back home."
"I thought I was the only 'Sailor' here?"
"Well, Usagi is here on duty, like me, Ami is here for a symposium with Doctor Emil Lang on the medical properties of 'protoculture', Rei is lending her 'talents' as 'Martian Girl' to help with the security detail…since she is a shapeshifter, Makoto is here as a celebrity, after winning this year's 'Iron Chef' championships, Rini is here to visit her mother, and Hotaru and Michiru are here with Haruka, due to Haruka wining the Grand Prix International this year."
"What about Hoshi and Setsuna?" Minako asked.
"They'll be here as my guests for the launch, along with Akane and the others. I AM a 'big-wig' after all."
"Drat," Brianna says. "No wonder you don't have time for us."
"Maybe he does," Minako says, as she leans over to whisper something into Brianna's ear. As Minako spoke, Brianna began to giggle, causing Ranma to become nervous.
"Ranma?"
"Yes?"
"Where is the Ladies' Room?"
"Um, I believe it's over there behind the terminal's waiting room," Ranma replied. "Why?"
"Well…I could use some freshen up," Minako says wistfully. "Don't you agree?"
"Hmmm?" Brianna says. "Oh, sure. Riiiiiiight."
"What are you two implying-?" Ranma began.
"In a few minutes, follow us into the ladies' room," Minako says with a wink.
"Don't be late…or we might get started without you," Brianna says with a grin.
And with that, the two leave for the bathroom.
For a long moment, Ranma was contemplating on just going back to work. Then he remembered how much trouble he'd get if he didn't show up. Thus, he takes out his pocket watch—a talisman—and presses the watch's button.
CLICK!
Part of Ranma's training as a "temporal warrior" was the creation of Time-based artifacts, such as he temporal pocket watch.
As Ranma looks around, time seemed to stand still.
"Well, time to get to work," Ranma says with a shrug, as he ends for the ladies' room. Touching objects and other living things will allow those objects and other living things to move in a stasis field, Minako and Brianna included…
The next day, Minako, while sitting with the rest of the celebrity contingent, sighs wistfully.
"Sigh…"
Makoto, who was also amongst the visiting celebrity, looks over to her friend.
"I know that look," Makoto says with suspicion.
Minako looks over at her friend.
"What?"
"You were with Ranma recently, huh?"
"If I did…so what? We are married."
"Well, I'm not…and I STILL got to be with Ranma recently, so THERE."
"Fine," Minako says. "Who ELSE?"
A number of the Sailor Scouts raised their own hands.
"You're not the only one, Mina," Setsuna says, as she sits down.
"Wait, YOU, too, Setsuna?" Minako gasped.
"I DO get lonely from time-to-time."
"Well, the only one who HASN'T been with HIM is Hotaru," Haruka says. "And I'm going to make sure that her 'status' remain the case."
"But, Haruak-papa, if Ranma-sama is my destined one-" Hotaru began.
"No, but NOTHING. The fact that we have to share that guy amongst us is gross to say the least."
"Well, dear, I did not see you put up with any resistance when I asked Ranma for a nightcap," Michiru says with a knowing smile.
"Well, um…at least he wasn't a GUY at the time! So there."
Michiru shakes her head in amused disbelief.
"Oh, look!" Rini says, as she and Hoshi return to their seats with armloads filled snacks. "We're just in time for the launch."
"What have you all been talking about?" Hoshi asked.
"Nothing," Rei says, as she and the other Sailors (save for Ami, since she was still with Dr. Lang and the other scientific and medical contingent). "You know…the usual 'nothing'."
"Ah, Ranma," Hoshi says, as she sits down. "I hope we don't miss anything-"
Suddenly, the alarms began to sound. An announcement soon follows, indicating that there was nothing going on that was out of the ordinary-
Hummmmmm…
"What's that sound?" Hotaru asked.
"It's must be the engines," Haruka says. "I'm sure it's nothing-"
Suddenly, the front of the vessel begins to reconfigure slightly. And then-
FWOOM!
Some sort of huge energy beam lances outward.
"Cover your eyes-!" Setsuna yells.
So powerful was the beam that it achieved escape velocity.
"What the heck was that?" Makoto says.
"I don't know, but the soldiers are freaking out," Brianna says, as she arrives.
"Brianna?" Minako asked.
"We have been asked to return to our hotels and stuff. Apparently, something out in space tripped the early warning protocols of the fortress."
Haruka turns to Setsuna.
"Setsuna-?"
The Sailor of Pluto was not present.
"Aw, GREAT…what a surprise…"
Haruka turns to Michiru.
"Michiru-?"
"I'm already on it," Michiru says, as she takes out her Magic Mirror. She directs the talisman to focus on the source of the trouble…
What she saw left her speechless.
"Michiru?" Haruka asked.
"Michiru-mama?" Hotaru asked as well.
Silently, Michiru reveals the source of her distress…
"Aw, great," Makoto says. "Space invaders…again."
Soon, Macross will have been swarmed by a race of alien giants known as "The Zentraedi", thus ushering the first of the so-called "Robotech Wars".
Tbc.
Next time: With the start of the Robotech Wars, can our heroes stem the tide of chaos brought on by these alien invaders? See you next time!
