Author's note: Thank you all for your reviews!

Disclaimer: I do not own Robotech though I wished I did.

Chapter 2

Rick watched as the breeze moved her hair softly across her, he could not help but want to move forward. Stepping, ever so slowly, Rick realized that he couldn't move faster if he wanted to, he could feel within him that if he did, somehow the magic would disappear.

Roy Fokker stared with open shock, his 'little brother' Rick, whom he had helped raise since he was 7, had somehow made the 'Ice Queen' hesitate. Never, in the last 5 years, had Roy seen Lisa Hayes hesitate ever, it just wasn't her; yet, somehow, Rick had found some spell to cast that could calm her anger, soften her harshness. Roy literally had to force his mouth to snap shut, as he stared in amazement.

Slowly, Rick stopped and stood in front of Lisa, soaking up her beauty as though the vision of her was his own breath of life. "Hi," he blurted, flushing with embarrassment at his outburst, afraid of ruining what he had just been able to enter. His heart melts when he sees a smile start to form, a beautiful, honest smile that pulled his sight from Lisa's eyes. Rick breathed, realizing that he had been holding his breath after his little outburst, afraid of what might have happened.

Lisa could smell him, his faint scent of grease, sweat and some cologne; a husky smell, but more of a manly smell. She smiles upon realizing that she just considered his smell manly, and attractive. Suddenly, Lisa notices something out of the corner of her eye, annoyed, she turns to stare at who or whatever had distracted her from those gorgeous eyes.

--

"Um….Commander Hayes, is there something I can help you with on my tarmac?"

Roy winced as soon as he spoke, for then he saw the full fury and assault of Lisa's eyes. As if brought from a dream, Roy watches as Lisa stands there in confusion, turning she sees Rick once again. 'What the hell was that Hayes!' screams Lisa inside her head. 'I can't be doing this, I have to show myself that I don't need another, I can't stand the thought of losing someone else.'

Rick watches as Lisa turns, looking away from him, seeing her look away brought anguish into his heart, freezing it, at the thought of her moving away, ending this dream.

As quickly as his fantasy appeared, Rick watched as Lisa's eyes changed from warm, and passionate, to hateful, emotionless.

"Rick Hunter, do you realize that you endangered well over 300 people, not only on the ground, but all of the pilots in the air, the command tower, those on the air field, and the SDF-1 itself! I should have you thrown in the brig for what you did! You just jeopardized everything that we have been working towards these last ten years. I will bring this up to Captain Gloval as you are detained and taken to the security station inside the ship."

With every word uttered from her mouth, Roy's eyes grew and grew. Near to the point of popping out, he heard that his little brother was going to be thrown in the brig for completing a stunt that was better than he did to get into the service, which he was immediately appointed Lt. for. But what surprised him more than her outburst, was the look upon Rick's face. One moment, it went from stark surprise, to sadness, as though she broke his heart, then immediately to his stubborn jaw set. Roy could only see where this was headed.

"Well excuse me Commander Hayes! I only did a simple maneuver in my plane that these pilots should be able to perform in their sleep. The fact that, I knew exactly what I was doing, what my plane could handle! I am not an amateur up there, furthermore, if you want to throw me in the brig that is fine by me, but you should try getting the fact that Commander Fokker knew exactly what I was doing, he was the one who even taught me that!"

Upon hearing her name exit his lips, Lisa couldn't help but feel her heart skip as she looked further into Rick's eyes, but then she heard what followed and the blushing was not from embarrassment or flirtation, but from stark anger.

"Who do you think you are? I am not going to listen to some kid tell me-"

"Kid!? Kid? I may be younger than you, you old sourpuss, but see for your own eyes that if that is how your pilots are, maybe they should be trained to stand up to the abilities of a kid."

"That is enough."

Both Rick and Lisa turned, shocked that there was actually someone else around them, even arguing, they hadn't really realized that they were not alone. Rick grimaces as he stares at Roy, his big brother, and leader of the Skull Squadron, the most decorated air squadron since the inception of aerial combat. Lisa, fuming realized that no matter what she wanted, Commander Fokker outranked her, and any outburst could end up putting herself in the brig.

"Commander, this is Rick Hunter, the pilot that I have brought here under personal command of Captain Gloval to start training in the Veritechs starting today. He has been brought here not only due to an order because of the fact that he is one of the best pilots I, or the captain himself, have ever seen, but because he is like a little brother to me. Now that we have that out of the way, Rick, this is Commander Lisa Hayes, the toughest and smartest woman to ever graduate from the Academy. She is the lead operator in the bridge of the SDF-1, meaning that when you are accepted into the service, she is your superior. Number 1, Rick stand over there next to your plane, Captain Gloval is on his way to talk to you. Number 2, Lisa, get back to the bridge. This is going to be a conversation between Rick, Captain Gloval and myself."

Absolutely fuming, Lisa glares at Roy, knowing that it would change nothing. Embarrassed by how she had acted, she couldn't believe that not only had she acted like a schoolgirl with a crush, but she had in front of one of her superior officers. Turning her gaze to Rick, she felt her heart beat faster, and yet break at the same time seeing the anger behind those eyes, the frustration, and yet also, something more that pulled her heart strings like nothing had ever before. Turning, Lisa Hayes walked resolutely toward the hatch that would lead her back to the bridge without saying another word.

Rick felt his heart skip when Lisa turned that strong gaze back upon him, he was mad, furious actually, but seeing those green gems, he could not help but feel even more attracted to her than he was originally, though he couldn't believe it was possible. As he stands there quietly, he sees her eyes change between many different emotions, then she turns and moves back to the exit hatch that he had not noticed before.

--

Sitting in his limousine, Captain Gloval watches the scene unfold, mildly chuckling to himself as he sees his 1st officer become completely befuddled by a young man, merely by seeing him, then, he laughs uproariously as he sees her tried and true method of enclosure, watching as she shut her emotions off, well, almost off, as she berated the newcomer. Upon seeing Commander Hayes return to the hatch and enter, Henry Gloval, Captain and Commander of the SDF-1, exits the car, heading to talk to his Fighter Battalion Commander, Roy Fokker.

"What the hell was that about, Rick?"

Still shocked, Roy still feels uncomfortable. He stepped in because he had to. Rick was his brother, Lisa a friend, and he was her and soon his superior officer. But upon making one comment, Roy felt as though he had caught them as lovers, not as strangers that had just met. The look of pure outrage upon both of their faces was unsettling. He could almost laugh had he not known better that Lisa hadn't let herself fall for any of the men that had come her way, on their own or by his and Claudia's hands. Now to see such a reaction, Roy couldn't wait to talk to Claudia, this was just too good to be true.

Coming back to reality, Roy saw upon Rick's face a look of total confusion. He couldn't place it, but could swear he saw something else there, pain?

"Rick… hey Rick! Earth to Hunter, hey little brother, what's wrong?"

Turning to Roy, Rick stared blankly into his big brother's face, completely confused. He could feel so many emotions running through his mind and heart, from full rage, to a complete despair, all of these, erupted upon seeing and standing in front of this Lisa Hayes. Rick decided right then and there, he would have to watch himself around her, something just stuck out about her and he was afraid of what he might say while she was around.

"That was an… interesting sight Commander."

Upon hearing the thick Russian accent of the Captain, Roy jumped to attention, then turning, grabbed Rick so that he would turn and face the captain. Rick, still half lost in his thoughts, turns around frustrated to the point of glaring. Seeing the intimidating visage of Captain Gloval, Rick straightened up, all thoughts of Lisa Hayes moved to the back of his head.

--

Claudia looks at the doorway and goggles as Lisa walks in, eyes of daggers, looking for anyone, anything to dig them into. Unfortunately for Lt. Meyers, who had just walked in to give her a report, he was the first person that acknowledged her.

"Commander Hayes, ma'am, I have the engineering reports that you as-"

"So what would you have me do Lieutenant? Stop everything that I am doing just to concentrate all of my efforts upon your report? Do you not see that I am quite busy preparing for our departure! For Christ's sake Meyers, we are about to go into space in this giant ship of alien technology, that, might I add, we are not even sure will fly or how it will operate once airborne. Put that report in the stack by my station and report back immediately to your post."

Stammering his apologies, Lieutenant Meyers scrambled to her station, nearing throwing his report upon the stack already there, and proceeded to lunge himself towards the door as she rounded upon the rest of the bridge crew.

"Well? What is everyone staring at? Get back to work!"

Claudia couldn't believe what she was seeing! Lisa had apparently been rattled by something that it broke her cool, collected demeanor to pieces. Somehow, Claudia couldn't help but wonder what happened down there on the tarmac, she and the other bridge officers had watched from what vantage point they could get, but unfortunately, none of the cameras would watch right outside of the hatch she had used to exit. All they could see beyond the shoulders of Lisa and the newcomer was what they could barely make out from out the bridge's observation window.

As Lisa moved to her observation station, she could see Claudia watching her from the corner of her eye. Letting out a sigh of exasperation, Lisa turned and fought back telling Claudia about the young man she had just met, had insulted, and couldn't stop thinking about.

"Come on Lisa, tell Aunt Claudia."

"Not now Claudia, I have something to do, I'll be right back, I think I know where the captain is, I need to ask him something real quick."

Holding back her laughter, Claudia watched as Lisa turned around, blankly walking towards the hatch leading from the bridge. 'If I didn't know any better,' thought Claudia, 'I'd swear she'd just asked this Hunter out on a date.'

--

"So Mr. Hunter, you understand what it means if you join the ranks aboard the SDF-1?"

Taking a calming breath, Rick locked eyes with Captain Gloval as he began to discuss what Rick's obligations would be. After his initial shock of the captain being there, Rick listened intently, ever since he was a young man, he had dreamed of following his big brother into the service, and now that the fact his father had passed on within the last year, Rick had no reason to stay on earth, away from his only family.

Calmly, Rick recalled the day that Roy had shown up nearly 6 months ago at the World Amateur Flying Championships. Rick had been fine tuning his fanjet, a gift from his father before his passing, as he heard a voice he had not heard in over 3 years.

--

"Hey little brother."

Turning, Rick saw Roy standing there, looking strong and professional in his uniform and noticed an older man standing behind him.

"Hi Roy! I've been wondering when I'd see you next. I haven't seen you since pop's…" stopping the lump in his throat from really forming, Rick made himself finish the sentence, "funeral."

Watching a grimace form on Roy's face, Rick noticed that the second man seemed to be waiting on Roy to introduce him, knowing that this man was accidentally being ignored by Roy; Rick stood and moved in front of the taller man.

"Rick Hunter, pleased to meet anyone in company of Roy."

"Hello Mr. Hunter, my name is Captain Henry Gloval; I am in charge of the military forces upon Macross Island."

Whistling a little, Rick looks again at the man of importance in front of him, realizing that he had much strength, and now Rick could not help but see the air of authority, not vanity, but of a more somber, detained authority.

"Rick, this is my superior officer, Captain Gloval wanted to come with me and watch the pilot that I have been bragging to him about for the last 5 years."

Stepping forward, the captain removed his cap as he pulled out a pipe and started to pack the tobacco into it.

"Yes Mr. Hunter-"

"Please Captain, call me Rick."

Smiling, the captain continued, "Very well then, Rick. I was just telling how impressed I was with some of those maneuvers you pulled up there, Commander Fokker actually told me that you had the ability of surpassing him in one of our fighters."

Sighing, Rick closed his engine door, and began to wipe his hands to remove his grease, "I take it this has nothing to do with Commander Fokker's repeated attempts to have me join the military?"

Roy seemed to have walked away, as Rick finally noticed him down the hanger near a couple of pretty girls standing around looking for autographs. Smiling to himself, Rick turned his full attention back to Captain Gloval.

"Actually Mr. Hunter, this was going to be my offer for you to join." Answered the thick Russian accent of the man in front of Rick.

"Well, Captain, I am going to give you the same answer I gave Roy, I am not a killer, all I want to do is fly."

"I understand this Mr. Hunter, but you must see this from my point of view, we have recently had a ship of incredible size crash land on our planet. Not only do we have to watch for attacks here on Earth, but now we must watch for it from the skies. I have no intention of making you into a killer, but I want a man such as yourself. If I thought you to be a man who enjoyed the idea of killing, I would not have even approached you. I am not asking you to prepare for war, but more to prepare with the world for the defense that we surely will need to have prepared once those who lost that ship come to look for it."

Sighing, Rick listened to what the captain said, and realized that he spoke sense. Rick knew that Roy was not a killer by nature, but one of necessity. He also saw the valid point of the need to defend the Earth from an attack that they had no idea of what to expect.

"I tell you what captain, I am not completely against the idea, but before I come to a decision, I want some time to think, if that is alright."

"Of course Mr. Hunter. I hope that you will attend our grand ceremony on Macross later this year?"

Laughing, Rick took the extended hand of the fatherly captain, "Captain Gloval, sir, I would not miss it for the world."

--

Coming back to the present, Rick stared into the eyes of the captain that reminded him of a distant fatherly uncle, and smiled.

"That I am sir, I have decided that it is my wish to protect people as my father did and my brother does. I have lost relatives to other fighting, but this goes beyond families being hurt. I feel that if we are to enter a war with those that this ship originated from, we are going to find more than just families injured but I fear our entire planet and race."

Nodding, Captain Gloval moved over and looked down into Rick's eyes.

"Very well Mr. Hunter, I accept your wish to join the RDF forces aboard the SDF-1, once we have taken off, we will start your training."

"As you command, Captain." Voiced Rick, producing a strong salute that he had practiced when he was little while watching Roy when he came home from leave.

With a smile, Captain Gloval saluted him back, and began heading to the hatch that was opening, seeing Lisa exit once again. Smiling deeper, Captain Gloval thought it was nigh time for Commander Hayes to take a break from all the work he had loaded upon her.

"Ah, Commander Hayes, just the officer I was looking for."

Gloval watched with a smirk as Lisa had to forcibly turn her attention to him from something behind him.

"Captain?"

"Yes Lisa, I have an assignment for you. I want you to take our new recruit to the central operations inside and get him acquainted with where his barracks will be."

Confused, Lisa looked past the captain once again, locking eyes with Rick yet again. A smile grew softly upon her face and Gloval could barely hold back his own.

"Commander? Do you understand my instructions?"

Watching Lisa jump from her seat, Gloval watched as her face became splotchy red from not paying attention.

"Yes sir, I understand. I will take him immediately."

"Good, oh and Lisa?"

"Yes Captain?"

"Next time, try not to yell at the person until you are sure it is their fault."

Blushing once more, but not for the reason Gloval expected, he saw her eyes searching behind her upon the face of the young pilot who just joined his ranks.

"As you say, Captain."

Laughing at her reaction as she walks past him and starts squaring up against Rick, Captain Gloval motions for Roy to join him.

"Yes, sir?"

"Commander, you know Rick from his past, has he ever met Lisa?"

With a confused shrug, Roy responds, "To my knowledge Captain, today is the first time they have met."

Smiling once again, Captain Gloval moved to the hatch telling Roy to begin preparing his squadron, they would be departing in 30 minutes. Looking past the smart salute of Roy Fokker, Captain Gloval takes in the scene of his most trusted officer, become flustered with a man nearly 7 years younger than her as they started walking off towards another hatch entrance.