a/n -- Hello all, I guess I'm back...had some troubles with my computer, but I hopefully solved that problem. Anyway, thanks to everyone for your kind reviews! And thank you for your patience; I promise to do my best to make this story worthwhile. As always, comments and criticism are always accepted. So, here's chapter three! Enjoy!

Chapter 3

Rain poured in torrents on the airstrip's dark asphalt surface. Thunderous stormclouds had found their way into the skies, and had long since made themselves resident. The storm had been raging for nearly an hour; it had been longer since Lisa's last message from Rick.

She stood under the wing of a dormant VF-1A, her officer's uniform soaking wet. Her auburn hair was matted down. With hazy eyes, she watched the landing strip, as the last of the Fire Support Mecha were lumbering back into their hangars.

A deck officer, dressed in an orange RDF jumpsuit, ran in her direction. Lisa's heart skipped as the man stopped before her.

"Yes!" she cried. "What's the news?"

The officer looked rather uncomfortable behind his visored helmet. "Umm...I'm sorry, Commander," he replied. "I haven't got any. I'm here to pull this fighter into its bay."

Her eyes blinked, and dropped away. "Oh...oh, I see." Lisa sighed, and rubbed her face. "Can't the mecha stay on patrol?" she asked. "When Rick....uhm, when Commander Hunter arrives, there's no way he'll be able to land. He may have to ditch."

The officer hesitated, and cleared his throat. "No, Commander, we can't leave them in the storm. I'm surprised the search party hasn't made it back yet, in fact."

"They're coming back?"

"That was the order," he nodded. "I'll be pulling her in now, ma'am. Perhaps you should get inside before they lock down."

Lisa did not respond. She stepped away from the Veritech's wing, and into the downpour. The raindrops stung her eyes as she stared at the sky.

Oh Rick, please be all right...

"Mayday! Mayday! This is Hawk Leader, hailing Echo Base! Can anyone hear me?"

Rick stared pensively out his cockpit window. The rainstorm had made it near-impossible to see. But far in the distance, Rick was able to make out the base's runway lights.

"Mayday!" he called again. "This is the VF-1X! Can anyone hear this message?!"

After a moment of static, a grainy voice hailed him back. "Ten-four, Hawk Leader, this is Echo Tower. What is your situation?"

"What do you think my situation is?!" Rick shouted. "I'm trying to land this hunk of junk in the pouring rain!"

The voice took its time in responding. "Hawk Leader, Tower advises to land by instruments."

"I haven't got any!" said Rick. "Every system but the com-link has shut down!"

Another long pause. "Roger that, Hawk Leader. Drop your altitude for a VTOL landing in Guardian Mode."

"No good," Rick said. "The VF-1X won't perform the transformation."

Yet another, longer pause. Rick watched the runway pass under him. He heard muffled whispering in his headset. A distant thunderbolt lit up the sky.

"Roger, Hawk Leader," said the voice. "Tower advises to raise your altitude, and ditch your Veritech."

Rick growled. "Are you kidding me?! I can't ditch the test craft!"

A feedback scream blasted Rick's ears. His cockpit sparked and fizzed, and the communications system died.

Rick punched his helmet and sighed nervously. He felt a steady stream of blood continue to drip from the wounds on his face. A terrible headache pounded his skull and blurred his vision. Not now! he thought. I'm so close! It's right below me... now, think!

The deafening blast of thunder filled his cockpit. A powerful jolt shook the tail end of the Veritech, and Rick suddenly found himself spinning away. His status screen showed the damage: there was no power to his right engine. It had been struck by lightning.

The Veritech took a hard drop, and shook violently as the fuel reserves bursted inside the engine. Rick's head slammed into the status display, and he felt the sharp glass prick at his face. Dizzyness came upon him in a fury. He lost his grip on the flight stick.

Rick struggled to open his eyes. The picture of Lisa, taped to the cockpit, was before his face. It was scratched by the glass, and smeared with blood. But Lisa was still coy and cheerful, posing next to the park fountain with her beautiful smile.

Struggling with the pounding in his head, Rick pulled the picture off the cockpit, and grasped it in his hand.

The Veritech lurched up, and suddenly leveled itself out. The terrible G-forces were lessened, and Rick felt the craft's descent begin to slow. He looked out the cockpit, and saw two giant robotic arms raising themselves from under the Veritech's wings.

It's...it's transforming! he thought.

The VF-1X completed its transformation into Guardian mode, and spread its wings out wide to serve as air brakes. The booster on its left leg fired, and rudders compensated for the lack of thrust on the right side. The Guardian approached the runway slowly, touched down, and came to a running stop halfway down the strip.

His heart racing, Rick scanned his surroundings. The runway was empty, and the emergency hangars were closed up.

The cold, wet asphalt met his bleeding face. He was too dizzy to stand on his own, so he lay on his side, trying to catch his breath. The rain pelted his flight suit, and puddled around his body.

Rick heard the splashing of footsteps coming his way. He strained hard, and saw a shadowed figure running to him from a nearby hangar.

"Hey!" he coughed. "Hey...over here!"

The figure ran under one of the hangar's floodlights. The blues and yellows of her officer's uniform shone brightly. She was thoroughly soaked. Her dripping hair was draped over her neck and shoulders.

"...Li-Lisa? Is...is that you?" Rick's eyes lit up. "Lisa!"

She knelt quickly at his side, and lifted him up in her arms. "Oh, Rick! Oh my gosh, you're all right!"

"Am....am I?" he laughed, holding her close. "I'm...a little jet-lagged..."

She gently rested him against the Veritech's leg, hidden from the torrents of rain. "Yeah..." she sobbed, pressing her cheek against his. "You're just fine...just fine..."

Rick placed his hand on her head, and rocked her gently. "What're you doing out here, Lisa?"

"Oh, I couldn't help it...after hearing your message about the malfunctions, plus the terrible track record the Ecks has been showing... I did what I could, Rick! I sent out a rescue party, and set up a fire-support platform in case you had to ditch...but when my shift was over, they took it all down! And I...I...can't just go home when you're in trouble...maybe hurt...maybe... dying..."

Rick felt her shiver; he held her closer, and kissed her cheek. "Thanks, Lisa...I'm here...I'm all right..."

"I...I love you, Rick..."

"I love you too, Lisa...I love you."

They held each other under the Veritech's wing, their true love's presence more pertinent than the cold and rain. The towering Guardian above them kept watch, fending off the elements. Its hands were clenched into mighty fists, and it seemed to stand coiled, ready to spring forth upon whaever foe might come the way of its masters.

From a faraway hanger, a dark figure watched them all.