June 10 2005 Sacramento, UEG

Rick Hunter was constantly puffing as he tried to compose a literary theme: at the moment he had only written two lines. He had to analyze a damn text 150 years earlier. What's the point!? His gaze wandered around the room that had become his bedroom for a few months. It wasn't big, but it was better than the room inside the mobile home where he had slept for the last seven years. He pulled his head back, shaking his hair, a gesture that irritated his father like few other things in the world. He stood up and approached the handcrafted shelf that he'd built himself with two wooden planks and where he had religiously displayed his trophies. There were a lot among medals, prizes and colored patches: he mirrored himself on the rounded surface of a golden metal trophy. That was, in order of time,the last first prize of a couple of years of victories. Rick blundered off the window, looking out at Alice Fisher's cows motionless in the hot air. He stopped to think nebulously about a lot of things, as his custom. Rick was always amazed at how the threads of thoughts could carry him in so many ways. He'd started out thinking that, as an emcee had said during a race, his last name was a sign of destiny: he was a trophy hunter... well he could say he really was. He found himself thinking about all the incredible things that had come between within last three months. It all started when that army lieutenant, that Jack Archer, had thrown his plane out of the hangar: thenRick had considered running away from home and abandoning Mitch to his fate. What an idea. And then Roy came along, and everything was going to be okay. Rick threw himself face down on the bed, sighing painfully... There was something hurting him, a continuous low, deaf pain that he couldn't pinpoint exactly, maybe in the heart area, but also much lower down, in the bottom of his belly. He squeezed his eyes out, trying to drive away the feeling that were tormenting his young body.
Rickkkk! - An imperious ringing voice came muffled from the bottom of the stairs
-You done with your homework?
Rick squeezed his eyes even harder, burying his head under his arms.

He couldn't believe it. That lieutenant in the defense force, that Jack Archer guy, had evicted him. He'd stuck a receipt in his hand where he'd scribbled his name initials and goodbye. His mockinbird had to be out of the hangar by noon the next day.
He had looked at him intensely, a look that Rick had sustained with all the anger in his body.
-Don't take it so childishly- Archer had told him. He seemed a bit sorry- you've got your whole life ahead of you...
A fucking sentence... Rick thought, just the classic fucking sentence...
- I'm not a kid, sir. He answered
-oh, I can see that. I'm sure you'll be fine. You told me you have a contest in a few days, right? Well I'm sure you'll get the podium too
Rick ran the risk of smiling with pride, but managed to keep his expression impassive.
Then the military pilot made to greet him, took a few steps in the corridor until he was shrouded in thick semi-darkness. Rick could only see the man's siloutte as he walked away.
-don't ever stop... his voice got lost in the walls.

Things had really gone downhill. First he had to tell Mitch that the army had driven the civilian planes out of their hangars, and Mitch had spent about half the day trying to find a way to fix Rick's mockinbird and another plane that supposedly belonged to Roy. As usual, the solution had come from the outside.
- Well son, the only thing you can do is take the planes to Alice's farm.
-What!? -Rick was outraged- you want me to leave my mockinbird in the middle of the fucking cow shit!? No way!
-Do you have other solution? Besides you won't have to pay rent to keep your bird there. You'll save a lot of money and you can help me out here with the house, in return you'll have to help out Alice, say... a couple of times a week.
Rick couldn't believe it

- What you mean? I gotta go shovel cow shit for free? I can't believe you asking me this!
-I'm not asking you... -you're volunteering to thank Alice and Jessica for their kindness.
To hear that name Rick got confused, blushed, and couldn't go on, not with the same temper as before. He put his hand in his hair, pulling back his head, a gesture which irritated his father terribly.
Mitch looked away and clenched his fists
-it's time you cut your goddamn hair, boy.

The next day, Rick left at dawn to pick up his plane. He had wasted a few minutes scribbling Mitch's signature on the hangar logs and stayed to say goodbye to his mechanical friends.
-You're all right, kid. Don't flunk out of school. -Frank the oldest man on the team greeted him.
-That's not gonna happen, chief. And by the way, take a look at the news, you'll see my name among the winners of the next Freeport contest!
-Good luck kid, we'll be rooting for you!You'll see that when this fucking war is over, the first place that comes out is for you.
Old Frank looked wistful at Rick's airplane as it flew away into the clear sky to the east.
-he's a nice guy - he said thoughtful.
- he seems to know how to take care of himself- said his colleague as he approached him
-He grew up pretty much on his own, and fast.

Alice Fisher was a woman in her 40's, with green eyes and bleached blonde hair: she always wore a heavy tan, like almost all California women. Although she looked pretty old to Rick, he couldn't help but notice that she had strong, muscular legs and arms. She was waiting for him in the middle of her land, perched on a ball of hay, intending to manoeuvre him to land safely in the vast expanse of sun-drenched hay. He wore a pair of shorts and a top that left much of his tanned body exposed.
It was very kind of you Alice - said Rick in one fell swoop as he leapt off the plane and unclogged his ears with his palms.
She welcomed him with a proud smile - oh leave it alone! It's just a pleasure for me and Jessie get... to... to help you!
Rick, like every time he heard Jessica's name blushed and lost his train of thought.
-Uh oh, well - he said with a hand behind the nape of the neck well I, I thought I could pay you back maybe... doing a little work, here at the farm...
-Oh that's great . We'll talk bout it, Rick. Don't worry bout it. But d'you want to come in the house for a cold drink?
The chance to see Jessica was terrific. Maybe he'd find her still in her nightwear, or in a bathrobe? His mind go on wandering confusedly as he climbed into Alice's rickety caddy and together they set off for the house that stood out a few miles from the field. Jessica Fisher was an 18-year-old blonde who was about to finish her senior year in high school. She had a slender, graceful body that she certainly didn't hide with clothes on. That's what struck Rick the first time he saw her, along with her freckled skin and her sly, inquisitive green eyes. At about four months after their introduction, Rick still couldn't admit to himself that he had a crush, but he realized that her presence made him feel strangely silent, a kind of idiot. Alice's caddy stopped and lashed out on the hallway, and at that very moment the front door opened wide and an angry Jessica rushed down the steps, wielding a bunch of keys in one hand and a bag in the other.
-I'm fucking late!
-Jessica, watch your language! Look who's here. Say hello to Rick.
Jessica stopped in front of them looking for something animatedly inside the bag, slipped on a pair of black wayfarer glasses
-oh Rick. Hey... what up?
Without even looking at him, she got in the car and drove off to the gate.
After cramming both planes into Alice Fisher, Rick's barn with sad mood and he took public transport back to the city. As he made his way back upside down on the surface subway he mentally retraced the rare occasions he spent time with Jessica. He realized how few and useless they were. Yet he was convinced there was something between them. Yes, but what? Friendship, not really. Perhaps Jessie barely remembered his existence. Maybe he was the kind of guy who get obsessed on things that didn't really exist? Like those nerds who fall in love with idols or even worse, anime characters. He made a grin of disgust, he couldn't be that dumb. He thought about Roy and all his girlfriends. When they traveled around with Mitch's aerobatic circus, well Roy could find girls anywhere. Australia, Europe, Japan. Of course they had a good time, even though Rick had been busy with videogames and planes rather than girls.
He smiled amused at his upside-down image in the window. Maybe he'd have entertained Jessie with his travel stories, perhaps they'd have made him interesting in her eyes. He promised that next time he would try to talk to her, a real talk. He must ask her to see the air contest on Sunday.

-if Roy was here, everything would be different... -he thought melancholyly.

After a couple of hours Rick Hunter finally arrived at the mobile home, he was mouthlessly dragging his feet, his wet hair stuck to his face and neck, the air was already hot, the crickets making a terrible noise in the trees. So absorbed in his thoughts he didn't immediately realize that there was a car parked on the porch nor even heard the voices coming from the inside, then he suddenly stood on the square suddenly caught in recognizing that familiar timbre.

His eyes opened wide shining with intense blue and a sweet smile rose in his face.

Roy!

He couldn't believe it

- Roy!

Roy Fokker test pilot of the Robotech Defense Forces was so tall that he had to tilt his head to face the front door. He wore his blond hair lightened by the sun on his forehead and neck, he was still in uniform but had taken off his cap. The degrees on his jacket's tails showed the rank of second lieutenant. He smiled as he slowly walked down the steps

-Hey little brother! About time!

Mitchell Hunter, half-hidden in the half-light of the entrance, gathered a lonely tear as he watched his two sons holding each other in the blinding light.

-But when did you get here!?

-Three minutes ago, I swear, five minutes at the most. -Is that true, Mitch?

-I told you I was coming! Well then? Rick say something!

- Wouldn't it be better if we go downtown? -Mm-hmm? Said Mitch.- We could have breakfast, a real breakfast- he said with an oblique look as he watched his sons sharing a bottle of beer.

-Rick you shouldn't drink, by the way!

Roy smiled thoughtfully

-Leave him alone, it's just to celebrate me! Cheers little brother!

Rick Hunter had so many questions to ask his brother that his head could not get all his thoughts, and his tongue could not formulate the words, while a pleasant dizziness clouded his brain; he would never admit it, but he had felt lonely. He had no friends; his peers at school were too young for him. He had travelled so many places always and always with older people... he get no connection with 9th grade boys. He got more fun with the mechanics in the hangar.

-Can you believe it? -I can't believe it! Your army buddies evicted my planes from a regularly rented hangar!

Roy remained silent for a moment, thoughtful. He'd heard something about a fighter-testing project in California.

-You see, Rick, I know they're testing new prototypes at Kern base near Los Angeles. Surely that's why they need professional hangars in case of any movement all over California...

-Prototypes of what kind? -Mitch was interested, too.

Roy remained silent again, trying to be clear

-Well... -What do you want to put in a bicycle hangar?

-Yeah, but you talking of fighters, right? -Rick was on pins and needles.

-Is it like driving a Spitfire?

-Well, it's like... -Roy smiled thinking - it's like driving a fucking spaceship.

Rick opened his eyes wide like a child - A spaceship? You mean it's like flying an X-wing?

-Rick the XWings don't exist... Remember, you found out it a few years ago? Mitch laughed out loud at Rick overreaction.

-Dad, don't be silly, of course they exist... -In a galaxy far, far away...said Roy smiling

The all-male family went on chatting jokingly for hours, and then Mitch took both his sons downtown for lunch. For Rick, it was like walking on clouds because Roy, in his flaming uniform, attracted the admiring looks of people passing them on the street. And no less important, he got to eat a lot of food.

He and his father were hanging on Roy's every word, and although Mitch was more interested in pay and remuneration in the RDF and Rick in the famous fighters both wanted to know about Roy's personal life.

-No... -I don't have a girlfriend if that's what you want to know, Dad.

-Come on Roy! I'm never gonna believe this.

-What I mean is... -I just don't have one!

Rick and Mitch Hunter still hadn't realized how much Roy he'd changed. After 11 months of not seeing him they were too excited to notice the wrinkle that had formed on his lips and gave him a sad expression. His icy eyes had become colder and wary even though a spark of affection still flashed as he tenderly looked at his little brother. Roy was not one to brag about his family's successes, especially since his decision to join the army had put Mitch's air circus in crisis. He couldn't deny it. He tried to belittle the fact that at the Academy he had climbed classes for his innate flying skills, he was a massive, precise and lethal pilot, and in fact a few months he was immediately chosen-with a small team of students- to test new fighters in Russia. Then he moved to Alaska to test fire between jets and weapons on the ground: shortly before the assassination of Prime Minister Niven he had spent three weeks on a Robotech aircraft carrier in the middle of the Pacific. A huge factory in the middle of the sea sailing in the open waters of the island of South Atalia. There he had found a fellow Academy who had taken her graduation the year before. She was working in research, and Roy didn't take long to "connect" with her

-And you're not gonna show us a picture?

-I'm not! There's no such thing Rick... You could get sick from how beautiful she looks.

-I don't think so - he answered shaking his hair, a gesture that irritated his father terribly - and you know well I don't like old bags.

-Rick! I assure you, she is anything but a cougar...

-Aries Turner! Then this doctor with honors has a name!

Rick was laughing too.

-Why don't you show me your girlfriend instead? What's her name...Je...-

Rick blushed violently, swallowing

-Stop it! Roy!

All of a sudden Mitch was incredibly interested too.

-You have a girlfriend, son? How come I don't know anything bout it?

Roy gave him a bump on the neck.

-Well, he's still your son, isn't he, Mitch? Why you surprised!?

-Okay, I told you a lie. Half a lie.

Rick whispered in the backseat to Roy's ear while Mitch filled the car gas tank on the interstate.

-But please, don't say anything to Mitch, okay?

-Okay, okay.

Roy was amused by little Rick's scare.

-I'm not gonna say anything, but if I understand you correctly...

-Roy swirled one finger in the air - If I understand, you have a crush on Mitch's girlfriend's daughter... I mean, technically, you're brothers, are you? -He burst out with a loud laugh - and worse than ever - you never had the guts to tell her you like her! - I'd re-evaluate the incest thing. It's okay thou... that this is a hopeless redneck town.

-Stop it Roy! Rick was exasperated.

-Oh, Mitch, your kids are so handsome. -Look at them! You should have made them movies.
Alice Fisher smiled delightfully as she served the main course in the large, cool dining room on the ground floor of the farm. A gentle breeze flowed through the wide open windows, mixing the smell of cow with the penetrating aroma of mastic and herbs. In the same way the boiling roast filled up the noses of the diners with its scent. Jessica Fisher sat listlessly beside Rick, her hand picking up a cheek as she looked down at Roy who was right in front of her. At the head of the table sat Mitch and Alice. Mitch was particularly elegant and starched by his standards, Rick wore a simple blue shirt and jeans that made him suffer from the heat, while Roy had his uniform with his second lieutenant rank in plain sight.
-Thank you very much Alice, it's all very good- said the pilot politely. He had decided to avoid the girl's inquisitive gaze but felt slightly under her control.
-Well, Lieutenant, you want to tell us the Army canteen isn't five-star? -Mm-hmm? The taxes we pay to the government for the army should give you oysters for breakfast every day.
-Jessica! - Alice silenced her by wielding a ladle in midair...
-Sorry, Lieutenant, it's at that stage that...
Roy looked at her intensely- I wouldn't say it, Jessica, let's say that's the name of the meal is slop for a reason...
-...With the taxes this new government imposes on the rest of us poor former Americans... Jessica had slammed her open hand open on the table, jolting Rick's plate. - We should at least be aware of what the army is doing with our money.
-Jessica...
Mitch tried to deflect the speech with little success.
-Jessie's gonna be graduating from high school in a few months... she's very much into politics
Roy nodded without losing eye contact with Jessica, while Rick was stunned and kept looking at both of them.
-Can you believe that half of the misery we earn here at the farm goes into taxes? I guess I have the Defense Forces to thank for not having the money to pay for college!
-It's not the Defense Forces that make the decisions in politics...- tried to say Mitch, but Fokker interrupted him.
-So Jessie... -Do you think it was a mistake uniting Earth's Governments?
Jessica's eyes shone with anger...
-Absolutely! The UEG imposed a central government without asking our opinion! And what did it lead to? Only war, devastation... poverty. Americans will no longer have a normal life...ah sorry
there are no more Americans, no more nations. The world is united under one flag," she continued, making an institutional voice...
Alice was really embarrassed about the show her daughter was putting on. She really wanted to make a good impression on Mitch's son.
-Come on, honey, Lieutenant Fokker's gonna think you're on the side of the anti-unification forces! -She said with a nervous resolve
Jessica choked on a growl

- Sometimes I think...
Fokker looked at her even more intensely

- Do you think they're right? Are you sure, Jessica?
-I think... that...
-I don't think you're that naive... and since you care about politics you should know that the creation of this centralized government has prevented a much worse war from breaking out: our America and few other countries against the rest of the world.
No one answered. Alice was dismayed, Mitch was embarrassed, and Rick... Rick couldn't admit that very often he had thought the same.
It was Roy's job to restore some harmony.
-It's not so bad, you know? Meanwhile, you can travel anywhere without a passport. Besides, there are not so many differences between people... I mean, we all have two eyes, two arms, two legs... we piss all the same!
A relaxed laughter overwhelmed all the diners, even Jessie gave a little smile. Rick looked tenderly at her.
-Rick, for example, tell us about the public baths in other countries... -I'm sorry.
Mitch smiled smugly
-I and the guys have been all over the place with the air show. Japan, China, Middle East... Australia... Europe... how many public baths have you seen, son?
Rick instinctively took a hand behind the nape of his neck. - Infinite, Dad!
Roy looked at him winking - Alice, Jessie, you should know that even though he's got a marble-hard head our Rick has learned a lot of languages. Every time we stayed in one place for a week, Rick became bilingual.
-Sure it was because you and Mitch used to leave me at the hotel all night watching TV!
The diners laughed and laughed.
Alice crossed her arms - Poor baby! I wonder what you two were doing out there...
-Before there was no curfew Alice- Mitch raised his glass- then we gotta hurry. The alarm's gonna go off any minute, gotta get home.
They greeted each other on the ground as the dying sun flooded the fields with orange light. The air was crystal clear, the scent of hay overwhelming. Jessie approached Roy with contrition. She wore a top that left very little to the imagination and Roy sometimes got lost in these matters.
-Hey Lieutenant Fokker... I'm sorry about before. I'm not really mad at the military. I mean, you know...
-Don't worry about it. I'm sorry about college. Couldn't you apply for a scholarship or something? You're a cheerleader, right?
Jessica made a surprise expression- A cheerleader? What makes you think that?
-Well in my day the prettiest girls were intended to be cheerleaders!
Jessica burst out laughing, shaking her head with embarrassment, while Rick watched the whole scene with his mouth open, and he walked over to the two of them.
-That's enough now!
Roy looked at him winking.
-Excuse me, little brother, and then he turned to Jessica- I wouldn't make him jealous.
Jessica was more confused than before.

-Jealous? Rick? What you talking about?
-Leave him alone! You're busting my balls, Roy!
The three of them smiled goodbye, Jessica and Roy shook hands...
-Goodbye Lieutenant... Rick, next time I want you to tell me all about your travels. I can't believe you never told me anything.
-Oh yes, but...Of course. -Rick blushed and suddenlydidn't know what to say anymore.
Roy was in such a good mood in the car, and as he drove into town, he couldn't stop praising the farm and Alice and her cooking, suddenly even old Sacramento wasn't such a bad town.
But once back home, and when Rick wasn't within earshot Roy couldn't help but express his concern...
-I don't like where Rick is going with this.
-What, son? No, he's a good boy. He's also grown for his age
-I'm sure he is but All he's doing was ditch school this year. He'll flunk out, you'll see. And then he has no friends. He just hangs out with 50-year-old mechanics down at the hangar.
-Neither were they- Mitch replied, sighing - Life hasn't been easy for us after you left the air show.
Roy leaned against the door frame undecided whether to go on with the conversation. Was it true, had he abandoned his family?
He said nothing.
-I'll ask Jessica to help the kid with his homework.
Roy raised an eyebrow
-I don't like that girl! She's a bad influence on Rick
-I thought you two made up a little while ago. - Mitch was visibly surprised
-She can be cute, okay, but she makes dangerous speeches... I wonder if she's inside some protest group. They're popping up everywhere in California.
Mitch looked at him bitterly
-I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't mean to offend Alice, or...whatever...

Rick remembered that Sunday, almost three months earlier, when he won first prize in the airline contest where he lied about his age. At Freeport Airport, boys and girls from all over California aged 18 to 30 competed with him. Mitch, Alice and Jessica were in the stands cheering him on, like a real family: it had been an indelible moment in time. He had thought that if Roy were here, then it would be perfect. At the end of the performance he had done a very precise Immelman maneuver. He had slid his mockinbird almost to the edge of the track and then on the way up he had drawn a J with white smoke that swelled in the blue sky.
When the emcee asked him who the dedication was for, Rick smiled as he looked at a girl in the stands.
-It's... for a friend.
A thousand dollars! Rick Hunter couldn't believe he would win all that money, maybe this competition thing could could turn into a real job. He wont need school or any of that crap, he wouldn't have to live in that old moving house anymore. He'd start travelling again. His heart was full of hope. He felt invincible. Sort of a wonder kissed by the blessing goddess. In front of him was a big road paved with gold tiles... well say, paved with prizes and medals. And maybe... he looked out of the corner of his eye at Jessica, sitting in the back seat next to him. He blushed as he looked at the freckled skin on her arms and chest. The wind coming through the window gently waved her blond hair caught by a pin.
She noticed his look and smiled tenderly. Yes, maybe he could have kissed her, early at night. Soon he get surprised when all his wishes started to come true.

First the house. Not even a week after the flight contest and while Rick was training for a new one, Mitch, with no preamble told him they were moving to Alice's house. Rick was speechless, after so many years he was moving into a real home! A bedroom with a window and everything. Of course it was small and narrow, but it was really great for him. In the meantime he had been able to decorate it with all his trophies, his collector models and some prints of 20th century warplanes. Alice had been very nice to let him paint in blue the walls. So all his planes seem to be flying in the room's sky.

Rick gasped into the pillow breathing deeply: it was almost the end of school and he had to do his best not to fail, the fact is that he couldn't think of concentrating. Although Jessie often helped him with his homework, lately she was being very busy with her graduation. Although she read a lot of books, she wasn't a model student either. What made Rick nervous was not so much the risk of flunking out but the evenings Jessie spent in her room with her classmates. Especiall one in particular, Mark Jensenn, a blond, goggle-eyed, flighty-looking guy. He had heard them giggling from the other side of the wall and felt shut out and jealous. Out of the pastimes of the olders. That day Mark was at the farm, in the kitchen with Jessica, laughing and joking while she got them something to eat. He could hear them. He got out of bed with his hair totally messed up and dropped downstairs like a fury, jumping the steps two by two, opening the kitchen door wide.

Jessica and her friend were sitting on stools and stared for a moment with their mouths open.

-Rick Hunter!- she said with her eyes ajar. D' you know how to knock?

-Well, the kitchen's a common space, it's not your bedroom! -I don't know what you're talking about. He replayed beaten with a voice a bit too harsh...

Mark looked up at him from below trying to impose his supremacy.

-What do you have to do? Mark and I... we are eating

-I see that.

Rick started hanging around the room, not knowing exactly what to do.

The two of them kept quiet

-What? are you on private conversation? Something I can't hear? - he realized he was making a fool of himself. But the urge to bother Jessica was stronger than anything

-Fuck, Rick! - Jessica raised her voice and stood up, wielding a sandwich in mid air...

-No wait- Mark gently grabbed her by the elbow making Rick even angrier.

-Why don't we just tell him?

Jessica looked at Mark inquisitively

-Are you kidding me?!

-So Hunter, since you're so since you're so odd I'll tell you what we talking about... you know California Governor Candidate Ron Seymour is visiting Sacramento ?

Rick nodded, he'd seen something in the news.

-Well our anti- unification war, to say... Pacifist Resistance Group will be there to demonstrate!

Rick squinted his eyes? -Huh?

Resistance group? Anti unification wars? And more importantly, what d'he mean by "ours"?

So Roy was right... Jessie was in one of those Anti-Government Movements... Rick couldn't believe he was unaware of such important thing in her life.

-That's right -You told him.

Jessica, turned to Rick, and she went on a

-... You're not to tell anyone, not even your brother!

-Yes, it's true. His brother's in the army!- said Mark with contempt.

Rick was upset. He didn't know whether to beat that guy or get light-years away from the girl who was letting him down. But Jessie had got to know him. She took a few steps towards him and looked him straight in the eye until he looked away.

-Hey Rick can I trust you? -Mm-hmm? You have to understand it's our duty to take a stand against this government ...that's been imposed on us. We are tomorrow's voters. We need to be able to express our dissent. The future of world belongs to us.

Rick looked up at her. In a few sentences, she had him completely on her side. She smiled lovely.

-You see Mark? Rick feels the same way. It has nothing to do with the military, at all.

-It's true- Rick said without too much assumption.

Mark waved a hand carelessly

- okay you get me. In fact... why don't you come along?

Rick bleached – I? What?

-Yeah... of course if you're up for it, yeah.

Rick looked at Jensen in anger, then looked at Jessie again.

-What's it gonna take? Basically you wave a handmade sign and yell with your fist closed to the sky, isn't it?

Jessie burst out laughing

- Oh Rick, it's not really like that, but I'm sure you gonna love it, feel a sense of unity... and communion, feeling like part of a group... I think you need an experience like that.

Rick nodded at both of them.

-Then.. we're gonna skip school, and you can ride with me in the car...

Mark Jensen waved his finger in front of Rick's nose.

-I advise you Hunter, not a word. Ok?

-Ok.

Hi, how are you?

How's your quarantine going? I think this will be the next-to-last chapter on teenage days. Then we get into the action. Let me know if you have any suggestions + if you like it.

Mao