CHAPTER 8

The people of New Macross were celebrating the city's annual Harvest Festival. Fairgrounds were set up along the outskirts of the city. Both children and adults lined up for the carnival rides, and tested their luck at the midway games. The air was sweet with powdered sugar and cotton candy. In some of the scattered tents, local bands were playing their renditions of hit songs.

Joons had always wondered about the Harvest Festival. New Macross wasn't any kind of farming city, and as far as he knew, the old Macross City hadn't really harvested anything either. He felt a little ridiculous being at the event with the excited crowd. But anything to keep their spirits up, he thought, was better than nothing.

Plus, he was finally able to spend some time with Minmei.

She was as beautiful as ever, braving the cold weather in a skimpy, formal-looking dress. She seemed a bit overdressed for a carnival, especially compared to his worn-out RDF pilot's jacket. But she was Minmei; he should have known better.

And for all the maturity that her looks conveyed, her attitude was just the opposite. She danced from one thing to another like an excited child, giggling as Joons tried to keep up with her.

"C'mon, Mike!" she cried, looking over her shoulder. "What're you waiting for?"

Joons tried to pick up his pace. "That ride got me dizzy," he moaned, holding his head. "Even pilots don't have to go through that!"

She danced back to him, and took his hand. "But that's the fun of it! You're supposed to get a little dizzy!"

"A little?" he smiled.

She pouted playfully. "Oh, fine. We'll sit down for a minute."

They found an empty park bench and sat down. Joons stretched out his arms. He took a deep breath.

"Whew! Sorry, Minmei."

"Oh, that's all right," she sighed, and rested her head against his shoulder. It made him nervous. "I'm getting a little tired myself."

Joons laughed. "You sure don't look it."

They watched quietly as some people passed by. No one seemed to recognize Minmei. Maybe everyone was too preoccupied to pay attention. But Joons was more than a little uneasy seeing her in such a big crowd. There was something about Lynn Minmei that people found absolutely irresistible. He was worried something would happen to her.

Minmei whimpered a tiny yawn. "Hey Mike...I need your opinion."

"Uh...all right..."

"Look at my legs, will you?"

He straightened a little in his seat. "Wait...what?" he asked, quite a bit more nervous than before.

She giggled, and pointed below the hem of her skirt. "Tell me if you see anything."

Joons shook his head and took another deep breath. "All right," he laughed uneasily, and turned his eyes to Minmei's slender legs.

He wasn't sure how long he should look, or even if he should look in the first place. He didn't want to look for too long, but she told him to look. Was she testing him? Why would she do that? Was he beginning to stare?

Minmei grew closer as she lay against his shoulder. "See anything?"

"Your legs?" he said shyly.

She breathed a laugh. "No scars, then?"

"Scars?" he wondered. Scars...scars... "Oh, scars! Oh, of course not!"

How could he forget. Minmei had been worried about scarring ever since she'd left the hospital. The doctors had assured her that her wounds were only minor, but she was still always looking, just in case.

The incident nearly a year ago, when the Malcontent attacked the RDF base, still troubled her deeply.

"Are you sure?" she asked quietly. "I thought I saw one on my thigh this morning. I wore a longer skirt to cover it up."

He blinked stoically.

"Well...I don't see a thing," he smiled, looking to her eyes. "If you've got any scars, nobody will ever notice."

She smiled back. "Thanks Mike. You're special, you know that?"

"Eh, so I've heard," he chuckled. "Just do me a favor, all right?"

"Sure, what's that?"

"Don't go asking random people to look at your legs."

She shoved him off the park bench as she laughed. "Oh, you're silly!"

Joons' smile was crushed by the sound of a gunshot. He was instantly on his feet, running to protect Minmei. But none of the people seemed alarmed, and even Minmei didn't care.

"Relax!" she giggled. "It's just the shooting range over there!"

"The shooting range?" he exclaimed.

"Sure, you shoot stuff for prizes!" she replied, and wrapped her arm around his waist. "Haven't you ever been to a carnival before?"

"Well...no."

Minmei was stunned. "I don't believe it! We should have done twice as much today! C'mon, you have to play the shooting range, it's lots of fun!"

She led him to a long booth, where a row of low-powered rifles were sitting on a counter. At the far end of the shooting range, glass plates were set against the wall. Both children and adults were firing away, but nobody could hit the plates. A bored police officer stood by and watched. He noticed the pilot's jacket, and saluted as Joons approached.

One of the kids gave up. "Quick!" said Minmei, even though no one else was in line. "You can use that one!"

She pushed him up to the counter. "Um, I'd like to play, I guess," he said.

The person running the game, a skinny man with a long beard, picked up the rifle. "You betcha, my boy!" he grinned as he loaded the gun. "Gonna win this beautiful young lady a prize?"

Minmei blushed at the old man's remark.

"That's the idea, right?" Joons asked. "Hit a plate and I get a prize?"

"Any plate wins a prize! You get six shots for five bucks! Whaddaya say?"

He grudgingly paid the man a five dollar bill. With careful aim, he shot three rounds at a plate, but none of them hit. He tried a different plate, then tried adjusting his grip. But before he knew it, the gun was empty and he had missed every shot.

Minmei covered her mouth, embarrassed. The police officer chuckled as Joons looked over the rifle.

"Oh, tough luck there, sport!" said the old man. "Guess that thing's got too much of a kick for 'ya! Wanna try the kiddie rifle?"

"The gun sight is bent!" cried Joons. "You're ripping me off!" He turned to the officer. "He's ripping me off!"

"Don't be a sore loser, my boy!" the old man smiled. "Maybe you're just warming up! And I see that girlfriend of yours eyeing that giant stuffed bear over there..."

"Nuh-uh!" Minmei frowned. She crossed her arms and leaned against Joons defiantly. "...I'll have you know that I was looking at the tiger."

Joons laughed and gave her a little shove. "Thanks for your support!" He stepped back up to the counter and put the rifle down. "All right, I'll have another try."

The man reached for the rifle, but Joons held it firmly to the table. "I'll use something with less kick," he grinned.

He reached into his jacket and pulled out his military sidearm. It was an ARM-25 semi-automatic handgun, a large and stocky pistol that fired high-caliber rounds. Before the man could speak, Joons aimed it with one hand and squeezed the trigger. A deafening boom made every one jump, and a plate on the wall exploded.

The old man uncovered his ears. "Well...what do you know!" he said shakily. "We have a winner! Pick a prize, son!"

"Wait a minute, now!" smiled Joons. "I've got five shots left!"

"Oh...so you do."

Joons turned to a much-impressed Minmei. "I like this game!" he said.


There was plenty to do at the Harvest Festival, and there was certainly no lack of things to eat. All of the city's biggest restaurants were present at the fair, selling their most famous dishes at small food stands. The fair had its own section devoted to these competing stands. And for those who didn't want to pay a hefty price, there were smaller stands making carnival foods and treats.

"Mike's Chili Dogs" was particularly busy. They made only one concoction - a whopping chili dog - but it was enough to make them a favorite at the Festival every year. There was no menu; the hungry patrons just stepped up and ordered the chili dog. And three dollars later, they owned enough chili dog to feed them for a week.

But a frail little blue-haired girl stepped up to the counter, and didn't know the routine. She held a ragged blanket around her and waited silently.

The gruff-looking cashier peered down at her after some moments passed. "Can I help you?" he asked impatiently.

She nodded. "Are you the one called Mike?"

"What? No, of course not."

"Oh," she sighed. "Well...is...he here?"

"No, Mike doesn't even come to these fairs. You know him or something?"

She shook her head. "No, no...I only wished to ask him something. Could you...tell him for me?"

He laughed. "Sure, kid. What's the message?"

The girl cleared her throat, and spoke bravely. "I would like a chili dog," she said with confidence.

The chefs in the back had begun to laugh. Some of the people behind her were whispering giggles to one another. She wondered what was so funny.

The cashier bent down over the counter. "Know what? I think I can get one for you."

She was ecstatic. "You can? That is amazing! Thank you!"

"I'm just a wizard like that," he mused. "That'll be three bucks."

She was silent once again. The cashier looked down at her, and she stared back with her bright blue eyes.

"I would like it now, please," she said.

"Uh-huh, and I'd like you to pay for it."

She was shocked. "What...do you require of me?"

He leaned even closer. "Three dollars."

"I am sorry...I do not understand..."

The cashier rubbed his face wearily. "You give me three dollars, and I give you the chili dog. It's this little thing we call fair trade."

She gave him the blankest stare he'd ever seen.

"Listen!" he said. "Do you have three dollars?"

"Not that I know of," she replied meekly.

"Then get out of line!"

She ran from the chili dog stand, crying and confused. Some of the people laughed at her as she fled. Others called out to her, but she could not understand many of their words. She hid behind a tent, where she could still see the cashier serving the people in line. Every time someone stepped up, he gave them a chili dog.

She clenched her fists and shut her eyes. "I do not understand..."

If it were up to her, she would still be hiding in the alleys. But she had gone days without something to eat. The smell of food was driving her insane. She had walked all the way to the fairgrounds, and spent the whole day trying to figure out how to get something edible. So far, none of the stands had given her anything.

But she had found an old blanket near a dumpster, and after making sure it was abandoned, claimed it for herself. It didn't offer much warmth, but she felt better having it with her.

They are all getting fed, she thought, and I am not! What am I doing wrong? I have tried everything!

Her stomach growled terribly. They know what I am. They can all tell. That is why they laugh and refuse me food...I do not deserve it...

She felt completely desperate. The people would never give her something to eat. She wasn't even worth the time. When they passed by her, they would stop and stare or mutter something to one another. But they would offer nothing more than pitiful glances. No amount of begging would change their minds.

Trembling from cold and hunger, she began to panic. There must be something here...something small that no one wants...

Her eyes scanned over the fairgrounds. There was one stand that had very few customers. It was selling souvenirs at ridiculously high prices. A row of pink teddy bears hung from the roof of the stand. A disappointed boy was stomping away, with pink cotton candy in his hand.

That child, she thought. He is eating one of those creatures! And he seems displeased with it...maybe they don't taste good. They certainly don't look very appetizing. Perhaps they are reserved for the poor...or for those who don't deserve any better...

She could barely believe what she was doing. Her heart pounded as she ran for the stand, and pulled down a teddy bear before the cashier could stop her. But as she darted away, voices began raising against her. They cried out at once in anger and fear. She didn't understand their meanings, but when the shouts came, everyone at the fair ran away from her.

Malcontent!

She escaped in between the carnival rides and left the fair behind her. Sliding into the trench of a storm drain outlet, she hid there until the noises subsided. She lay in the muddy ground, petrified that someone was looking for her.

But her courage returned after a while. She sat up in the ditch and looked over her prize. It was soft and furry, and didn't seem very nourishing.

Where are its bones? she thought. I have never seen such an animal.

With a firm tug, she ripped off the bear's arm. The insides resembled the young boy's food. She took a healthy bite and tried to chew it up.

It was a struggle. The stuffing hung in her throat and made her gag. After a few tries, she spat out the fluff with rage.

"What cursed being are you?!" she cried, and threw the bear across the ditch. "Not even fit...to feed the scum of this earth...you filthy beast!"

Tears filled her eyes as she lay down in the mud, and grew still once again.


Joons handed a big stuffed elephant to a young girl. "Here you go," he said cheerfully.

"I kinda wanted a teddy bear," she said bashfully.

Joons turned to the game operator and reached for his jacket. "Whaddaya say, pal?"

"No more," the old man shook his head. The shelves were almost empty of prizes. Joons had spent about thirty dollars, but it had been worth it.

"Sorry," he told the girl. "Guess I can't play anymore."

She perked up. "Oh well, elephants are my second favorite anyway!" And after thanking him, she skipped off to her waiting mother.

Minmei smiled at Joons' side. She cradled a giant stuffed tiger under her arm. It was a little scruffy around the shoulders, and had a generic expression that mimicked just about every famous cartoon tiger at once. But she loved it all the same.

"You know where I'm gonna put this?" she mused. "Right next to my bed. And I'm gonna give him a big hug every night before I go to sleep!"

Joons glanced down at the tiger's expression; halfway between a smile and a painful grimace. "He looks like he could use a hug."

"Well, I happen to think he's handsome." Minmei ruffled the tiger's hair. "What should I call him?"

"...How about Tex?"

Minmei frowned. "No! There's already a Tex the Tiger!"

"Yeah, but his face kinda looks like Tex, doesn't it?"

She held the tiger up. "I guess...but his tail has stripes like Toby the Tiger. Should we call him Toby?"

"How about Frankenstein?" Joons grinned.

Minmei laughed and threw the tiger lightly into the air. She caught it with cradled arms and gave it a hug. "I've got it!"

"Oh?" asked Joons, putting the handgun away and zipping up his jacket.

She stepped in front of him, and smiled at him with bold eyes. "I'll call him Little Mike!"

Joons couldn't help but laugh. "...You think?"

"Well, sure!" Minmei held the tiger against Joons' shoulder. "See? You're both proud and majestic, you're clever hunters...and you're a little scruffy on top."

"Hey!" Joons winced, as she ruffled his hair.

"But, I'll let that slide for now."

He walked through the midway with her, taking in all of the strange sights. He hadn't felt this calm in weeks. He'd been carrying a terrible burden, one that lay in the pit of his stomach and kept him from sleeping at night. He was young man, not even twenty, sharing a world with two races of beings, and not belonging to either one.

But if he had to tell his secret to someone, he knew it would be Minmei. She loosened him up and brought out the best of him. It was something he rarely ever felt. When Minmei was around, she lifted the burden off his shoulders. Or at least made him forget about it for a while.

"You know," he said, "I'm having a really good time."

But Minmei didn't reply. After a moment, he glanced down, and noticed that she wasn't paying attention. She was looking excitedly at a crowd of people in the distance.

"I knew it!" she cried. "Drew! Hey, over here!"

A tall, well-muscled young man escaped from the crowd. He ran up and greeted Minmei, and they started talking as though Joons didn't exist. He shrugged and stepped aside, but kept a close eye.

"Oh, wait a minute!" said Minmei. She pointed at Joons as he waited with folded arms. "Drew, I want you to meet someone! This is Mike Joons, the pilot I told you about!"

"The one at Briggs' party?" asked the hulking Drew, with a deep voice.

"No no, the one who saved me at the airport. Remember?"

He looked Joons over with a dull face. "Uh...yeah, okay. So what're you, like a sergeant?"

Joons crossed his arms. "I fly in the Skull Squadron," he said, in hopes of boosting his image a little.

But Minmei sure wasn't in his corner. She leaned over to Drew and whispered, "he's a lieutenant."

"Oh," shrugged Drew, oblivious.

She began to converse with him again. Joons rolled his eyes and casually stepped away. He felt threatened by the lazy teenager but he wasn't sure why.

But soon, Minmei remembered Joons again, and she turned around looking for him. "Mike, you're being awful quiet!" she said.

"Oh...sorry," Joons replied. "So...uh, Drew...how do you know Minmei?" He was still uncomfortable saying her name out loud in public.

Minmei cut in before Drew could answer. "He's the best! Drew is my producer's best friend's second cousin! He throws the best parties."

"You don't say," nodded Joons.

"I do say," the young man replied, with a devious smile at Minmei. Joons wondered how many bullets were left in his ARM-25.

"Hey listen," Drew said to Minmei, "me an' some buddies rented a limo, and we're just kinda cruising around town. You oughtta come with us!"

Minmei squealed with delight. "Oh, that sounds great! We could stop at that new club in the Warehouse District!"

Joons spoke up awkwardly. "Uh, Minmei, I don't think I can make it. I'm getting reassigned tomorrow morning, so I can't hang around too late..."

Minmei and Drew looked at him without speaking. He suddenly felt like finding a place to hide.

She burst into a good-natured laugh. "I'd love to take you along, Mike...but it's sort of a VIP club. I don't think they'd let you in. Maybe next time, okay?"

"Sure...next time."

She ran off with the boy without saying goodbye. Before they were too far away, Drew turned around and pointed a finger at Joons. "You get some rest, sergeant!" he scoffed.

As Joons stood where he was, he heard Minmei's distant reply.

I told you, he's a lieutenant!


Joons stuffed the giant tiger into his black humvee truck. Minmei had left it behind when she ran off. He had never been so embarrassed as he'd carried the tiger, alone, all the way to the parking lot. He slammed the door and wondered why he was even keeping it.

He looked back at the Harvest Festival and struggled to keep his composure. These humans...they're just as hostile as we Zentraedi are. They just don't hurt you the same way. And it's harder to fight back, too...

As he looked at the distant people, he wondered how many of them were wounded.

He turned his eyes from them and opened the door to his military-issue truck. But before he could climb in, he heard one of them cry out.

Malcontent! Malcontent! Someone help!

It only took him a second to get back to the fair. By the time he reached the source of the cry, a crowd of people had already gathered. A middle-aged man was wailing hysterically amidst them as he sat on the ground.

Joons grabbed him by the shoulder and lifted him off the ground. The crowd was shocked at his strength.

"Quiet down," he said, "you're going to start a riot."

The man shouted in panic. "...You're one of them too!"

Joons set him down on his feet. "I'm RDF. What happened?"

"I was attacked!" he cried, somewhat quieter. "I'm just standing here behind the counter tryin' to make a living, and this huge Zentraedi bum comes at me!"

I don't think he was very big, said someone in the crowd.

I think it was a woman! said another.

"I know what I saw!" the man snapped. "And he grabbed me by the throat and punched me right in the jaw!"

Joons looked at the man's face. It seemed fine. "Are you hurt?" he asked.

"I dunno...I might want to go home or something."

He just wants to get off work!

No, I saw it happen!

"What provoked him?" asked Joons.

"Well...you're not gonna believe this, but he reached up and stole one of my teddy bears."

He's gotta be kidding!

This guy's not for real.

Joons looked at him sternly. "Don't fool with me," he said. "I'm having a bad day as it is."

"I swear, that's just what he did. Took my teddy bear and ran off behind the tents."

"Fine," Joons sighed. He stepped through the crowd and headed for the tents.

The man brushed off his pants. "Hey kid!" he called out. "Whatchyou gonna do about it?"

"Find the Malcontent. Maybe I can get your bear back."

The crowd chuckled as he walked away, in search of a crazed Zentraedi who steals teddy bears. I want to go home, he thought.


Night had fallen quickly on the fairgrounds. Joons had been searching for almost an hour. The people were beginning to leave for the night, but he kept looking for the malcontent Zentraedi. Something prodded him on, a strange feeling that he could not explain. Joons knew he was crazy, but he continued searching anyway, if only to prove everyone wrong.

Something has to go my way today, he thought.

He passed by a storm sewer drain that he'd walked by countless times now. If there really had been a Zentraedi, he thought, it was probably long gone by now. What criminal would stay next door to the crime scene?

As he stepped by the deep trench where the pipe was exposed, he heard the sound of a muffled cough.

He called down but no one responded. But he knew that someone was there. He pulled out his handgun and slid down into the trench. Its walls were so deep that he disappeared inside, and the storm pipe was large enough for him to walk into. But the tunnel inside was pitch dark.

"Come out!" he shouted uneasily. "This is the RDF. I'd like to have a word with you."

He heard slow movement from inside. Joons waited alertly, and left the gun at his side.

"Come on," he said. "This won't take long."

A voice finally called back to him. But it was quiet and weak -- the voice of a girl.

I am coming...please don't hurt me...

She stepped into the light, with her shoulder leaning against the pipe. And he knew her immediately. It was the blue-haired Zentraedi girl. The one who escaped from the torture chamber in the Warehouse District. The one he freed form the chains.

Her face was covered with scratches and her hair was matted down. She was still wearing the rags from when Joons had freed her. An old, torn up blanket was dragging in the water behind her. Her mouth hung open and she panted her breaths painfully. Her bare legs were thin and sickly, and she held her stomach with a shaking hand.

And by the look of terror that filled her eyes, she recognized him too.

The girl fell into the water of the sewer pipe and backed away. She cried meekly and struggled to keep from slipping.

Joons held out his hand. "Wait! Please, stop!"

She froze in her place and tried to blink away her tears.

He slowly put the gun back in his jacket. "Don't...don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you." But his mind raced with all of the violent images she witnessed that night. His chest armor slashed with knife marks, and his bloody battle with her sadistic keeper. A battle that ended with the keeper's body lifeless on the floor.

She sniffed at a running nose, and tried to calm her shaking. "I am sorry," she whispered. A ripped-up teddy bear lay in her outstretched hands. "Please…take it back."

"Oh," he smiled, "no big deal...it's cool."

The girl's blue eyes were dim. She blinked wearily and tried to swallow. "I...do not...understand."

She sighed, slumped against the pipe, and gently slid into the cold water. Joons caught her before her head slipped under. He drew her close, and carried her on his shoulders as he climbed out of the trench.

As he crawled over the edge, he looked up to the cloudy night sky. A squadron of Veritech fighters streaked across the darkness, leaving majestic streaks of bright blue light.