Two chapters today.
Donald Hayes just walked back in to the Command Center of the factory satellite. His daughter and son-in-law just gave him a tour of the station. He followed the pair as they headed to a conference room off the command center. When they walked in Captain Gloval, Col Maistroff, Commander O'Connor and Dr Lang were waiting.
"Henry it's very impressive. I suppose you already have some kind of plan."
"We do. We have two different ship fleets under construction in the two other bays. The first is a small fleet of colony ships and their escorts. This fleet will arrive in Earth's orbit if the Earth itself is attacked. We figure they will hold around 20 million. Once they are built they will need to be stocked with perversions to sustain the referees on the ship for three months. The good news is they all will have a hydroponics garden and a cloning facility to clone needed meat.
The second fleet will bring the SDF-1's fleet up to match the 1st and 2nd Defense Fleets. That will bring us up to 3 full fleet in 4 months. If Earth gets the 3rd Defense fleet built before then we will start building a 4th defense fleet along with a fleet that will be assigned to the defense of this station. We are planning on building assault carriers to handle a brigade of ground units and their air support units.
Besides the fleet ships we are putting in to production more Alpha, Beta fighters, shuttles, S&R shuttles and Catseye recon planes. There are additional ground Mecha also being built. Hover Tanks, Cyclone Cycles, AJAC Attack Choppers and transports for ground units.
The colony fleet and the additional escort ships for the SDF-1 will be finished in 4 months. The station defense fleet and the 4th Robotech Defense Fleet should be done in about 5 months after the first round is finished."
"What do you need from Earth?"
"Personnel to help run the station. I have my own crew manning it right now. We also had the station start building a training center to train the personnel to crew the ships and pilot the mecha."
"I can start working on that right sways. We have had an influx of recruits since the first attack happen. How much time do you think we have."
Rick answered "No way to be sure. This time the Zentraedi have not been exposed to Earths culture like they were before. Dolza will not be worried about that. The big question is how long till he gets tired of Breetai not completing his mission before he sends in another commander or come himself."
"Dad there is no real way to know for sure. If we can hold out a few months and get the two fleets built we are working on right now then if we have too, we can have the SDF-1 fold in the outer parts of the system and draw his fleet in to trying to capture us. Or maybe cause him realize an attack on the SDF-1 to take her may destroy the ship and the matrix on board. If he wants to talk, then we can have two of us to go speak to Breetai and Exedor. How much we tell them depends on how the meeting feels to who ever goes."
"Who would you send." At that question he saw his daughter send a quick glance at Rick with a worried expression.
"I would lead the mission, Miriya is an option or Commander O'Connor. Maybe both."
"I would suggest myself but I get the feeling no one would agree."
"No Donald, it has to be someone who knows the truth but is expendable. The loss of any one would be great but we have those who can take their places. Lieutenant Sterling would replace Commander Hunter and Lisa could replace Commander O'Connor as my XO. I think it would be best to leave Lieutenant Miriya Sterling off the mission. We know that her and her husband have the first humans Zentraedi child last time around and that was a big help bridging the two people together."
R/L
Over the next few months the RDF slowly built up the number of personnel stationed on the factory. They slowly took over station operations. An Admiral Samuels took over. He would be in charge of the station and the station defense units. Besides the additional personnel they had an influx of personnel for training. The SDF-1 and her escort ships crews handled the training.
The new ships that would add to the SDF-1's fleet were finished along with the colony ships and her escort. When all those ships were finished they were moved to the larger central bay. Once those ships were done the factory started building the station defense fleet and started working ships for the 3rd defense fleet to help the Earth ship yards get the fleet built.
R/L
Breetai, Exedor and Azonia were meeting about the whereabouts of Zor's battle fortress.
"Commander we trailed them back to this system. I believe they may have returned to their planet or in the outer part of the system."
Breetai looked at the two Zentraedi with him. Both were very capable officers.
"Exedor"
"I agree. We still have scout ships watching the planet. There as been increase in ship activity over the last few months."
"Do we know what they are doing?"
"The ships are not staying gone all that long. They may just be exercising their ships. They may be carrying out operations. What that may be we don't know."
"Lets see if we can discover what their ships are doing. Lets start sending ships out to check the outer parts of system."
R/L
Rick and Lisa were sleeping in their quarters when Lisa woke up with a sharp pain in her abdomen. She she was breathing hard when she felt another sharp pain them she was wet.
Lisa reached over and shook her husband who sat up at her touch. Rick looked at Lisa as she nodded. He jumped up and helped Lisa out of bed. Both got change and headed off to the ships medical.
It was 5 hours later and Roy, Claudia, the Sterlings and the Captain were all waiting in the waiting room. Rick walked in after a little more then 5 hours of labor. He was carrying a pink bundle.
"Everyone I would like you to introduce Rebecca Sue Hunter."
Everyone gathered around Rick to see the new baby.
"Rick she is so precious. Looks like she will have Lisa's hair."
"We think she will have her eyes too. I know everyone would like to see Lisa right now but she is tired and already asleep."
"No problem Commander, we will stop by tomorrow."
"Captain can you get word to Admiral Hayes."
"I will"
Everyone said their good byes and Rick walked back to the room Lisa was staying in. When he walked in Lisa was still asleep as was Becca so he put her in the little crib next Lisa's bed.
R/L
Donald Hayes was woken when the comm unit in his base g=house went off. Wondering what could have gone wrong he put his robes on and went to his office.
"Hayes."
"Admiral we just received a message from Captain Gloval. I would like to be the first to congratulate you on the birth of your granddaughter Rebecca Sue Hunter."
"Thank you Captain. Please send a message to my daughter and son-in-law giving my granulation."
"Yes sir."
Donald hung up and then called Mitchell Hunter.
"Mitch speaking."
"Mitch I just got word Lisa gave birth to a little girl. They named her Rebecca Sue."
A now awake Mitchell Hunter smiled. "That's great."
The two talked before waking there wives to give them the good news.
R/L
Over the next week Rick and Lisa adjusted to having a new born baby. Both were off duty for a while. Rick for the next month and Lisa 2 months.
Rick was walking with Becca so she would sleep. Lisa was exhausted so he was taking his turn with his daughter. He already feed her and changed her, so now he was waiting for her to decide to go back to sleep. He didn't know how long he was walking when the vidcomm rang. Walking he picked it up.
"Commander Hunter."
"Commander this is Commander Erickson the Command Center duty officer. We just have ship defold in the arrival area. They transmitted that Admiral Hayes was on board."
"OK, Becca just fell back to sleep, I'll put her down then meet him at receiving."
R/L
Rick was in the receiving area for when they had personnel coming in. He was not all that surprised to see Admiral Hayes, what surprised him was the rest of the family. Lisa's mother and both his parents along with Rachel. A tired Rick rubbed his face and when he looked again they where still there. Both his mother and Diane with understanding expressions. The Admiral and his dad with sympathy. Rachel on the other hand with a look at amusement.
"What are you all doing here. Or better yet how are you all here."
They all chuckled as his mother Sarah came over and hugged her exhausted son.
"We came to see you and Lisa and meet Rebecca."
"Donnie pulled rank and got us a visit."
"I have some official business to handle here. This seem like a good reason to come and do it now."
"Also sweetheart we all know how tiring it is with a new baby. Your mother and I are going take turns staying the night to help out."
"Thanks Diane, thanks all of you."
"So big brother any chance we can see her now."
"Sorry guys but it 2 AM. Lets get you settled in then you can surprise Lisa later. I don't want to wake her and I just got Becca back to sleep."
"Don't worry son. Donnie made arrangements for us and there is someone coming to take us to our quarters. We'll stop by the ship later and see the baby and Lisa."
R/L
Lisa woke in the morning listening for her daughters cries and didn't hear anything. When she walked in the living room she found her husband with their daughter asleep on his chest on the couch. She ran ran her fingers threw her daughters hair before going kitchen to fix breakfast. She was just pulling out ingredients when there was a knock on the door.
Opening the door Lisa just stared at the two woman at the door smiling. She came out of her shock when her mother wrapped her in a hug followed by her mother-in-law.
"Wh What are you doing here?"
Both mother laughed. As Lisa showed them in. When both of them saw Rick asleep with the baby asleep on his chest.
"Lets go in the kitchen and we can talk."
Lisa and the two older woman and talked for another hour before Rick and Becca woke up. The two grandmothers spent the next hour holding and taking care of the baby while the two parents got some more sleep.
The rest of the family showed up and took their time with the baby. Rick and Lisa woke back up around lunch. Everyone caught up on what the others were doing. That night Roy and Claudia showed with Claudia wearing a new ring on her left and ring fingers.
R/L
Admiral Hayes and Diane stayed a couple weeks before having to head back. Rick's family would be staying to help with the baby. Mitchell Hunter was being assigned as a basic fight instructor so he, his wife and daughter could stay.
So the Hunter family has a new member and the rest of the family joins the SDF-1. Roy finally proposed to Claudia.