a/n:
Sorry for the late update! There's been a ton of stuff going on lately, and these are the chapters I've been looking forward to writing. I actually attended an airshow last year and got to see an F-14 fly a demonstration. It was one of those things I'm sure I'll never forget. And it looks so much like a Veritech, it's scary. :D
Also, I noticed a minor issue regarding the last chapter. Admiral Sever's first name is Allan, and Reave's first name is Jameson. I don't know why I keep switching these guys' names around. But Allan Sever is the bad guy, and Jameson Reave is the good guy. Sorry for the mixup. :)
Oh, and one more thing. In my humble opinion, the Robotech Remastered DVD is total greatness. If you haven't heard about it yet, check out the official RT site for details.
Chapter 18
The long-awaited Air Show had finally begun, and New Macross had been eagerly awaiting it for months. It certainly showed; it seemed as though the entire city had made its way to the airport. Long rows of bleachers ran the distance of the giant runway, and they were packed with excited citizens. Wide pathways ran behind the bleachers, where vendors sold food, drinks, and souveniers. Flocks of people walked the paths. Some could not find a good seat, and others waited in the lines or wandered around for fun.
But there was another reason to explore the surroundings. The RDF had placed some of its military equipment on the pathways, so that the people of New Macross could get a close look. Tanks, trucks, and even giant Destroids and Veritech fighters were on display, with their operators present to shake hands and answer questions. The people massed around the powerful machines in awe.
Triumphant rock music blared from the speakers, as a VF-2B Buzzard dove from the sky. Its bulky frame was painted in green jungle camoflauge. The fighter barrel-rolled as it screamed nose-first at the ground.
And now! the announcer boomed. The VF-2B will demonstrate its deadly "tank-killer" gun! This Veritech uses special explosive shells that can pierce tank armor! Watch that nose, everyone!
The audience buzzed excitedly in wait, as the Veritech bomber dove steeper. Its pilot came over the speakers through his radio. "Target acquired," he said, with the tenseness of a real battle. "Firing-firing-firing!"
The Buzzard's nose-mounted cannon belched fire, and left a trail of thick smoke behind it. Shell casings popped out in a long stream as the cannon fired its blank rounds. Pyrotechnics on the runway sent balls of fire into the air. The VF-2B performed a steep climb at the last second and leveled off, flying past the breathless audience at lightning speed.
Come in, VF-2! called the announcer. What's your situation?
The Buzzard looped high into the air and tipped its wing at the audience. "I got him, tower! That's a confirmed kill!"
The crowd roared wildly for their hero in the sky.
Thundering engine growls shook the windows of the airport's control tower. In the distant sky, the VF-2B pulled into a slow vertical loop, its afterburners cracking and spitting fire. The tough, heavy fighter jet seemed to hang still in the cloudy sky, its pilot commanding the metal beast to defy gravity.
Lisa Hayes watched the bomber's flight, as she stood in the middle of the command center. "Bravo, Lieutenant!" she smiled into her headset radio. "Excellent show!"
The pilot's voice drolled back. "Pleasure flying for you, Commander. This is Copperhead One, heading off into the sunset."
"Roger Copper One, and thanks again."
"Commander!" called an officer by the communication terminal. "Hawk Two is airborne and awaiting your mark."
"Give us visual," said Lisa.
The forward monitor displayed an image of Lieutenant Joons, looking back through the tinted glass of his Veritech helmet. His tanned face and dark eyes were almost hidden behind the sun's glare.
"This is Hawk Two," said Joons proudly. "I'm in position, just south of the city. Ready when you are, Commander!"
Lisa gave him a thumbs-up. "Do us proud, Joons!"
"Yes ma'am!" he saluted, and disappeared from the screen.
Lisa turned to the communications officer again. "Any word from Commander Hunter?" she asked.
"No ma'am, but we've still got the line open."
"Let me know as soon as you get hailed."
She turned her eyes toward the clouded blue sky, streaked with Veritech smoke trails.
Let's hear it for the sensational VF-2B variable fighter!!
Minmei wandered the airshow grounds amid the sea of people. In tennis shoes, a pair of old jeans and an RDF t-shirt, she blended right in with the crowd. Thus far, she was able to enjoy the show without being noticed.
She had never felt so much excitement in a crowd. To her left, children climbed on the treads of an RDF battle tank, and one young boy stared curiously into its giant cannon barrel. To her right, a large group gathered around a dormant VF-2B guardian, while the pilot answered their eager questions. Far ahead, a Tomahawk Destroid awed the crowd by rotating its giant torso back and forth. Every gift and food stand she passed had a rediculous line, but nobody was complaining.
She passed a photographer's booth. "Be a hero," she read the sign. "Get your picture taken with the SDF-1...only ten dollars." Children were lining up to be photographed on a backdrop of the Super Dimension Fortress. She wasn't sure how she felt about it.
A squarish little robot bumped Minmei in the leg. It wiggled its antenna as she looked down in surprise. "Greetings," it said. "Would you like an instant photograph?"
"By myself?" asked Minmei. It brought a tinge of sadness to her. "No...I don't think so."
"You were considering doing business with that photographer. My services are considerably cheaper than his."
She folded her hands and smiled. "Oh really. How cheap?"
The robot looked back at the photo stand, and leaned forward for a good look. It finally nodded its boxy frame and turned to Minmei. "Nine dollars and ninety-nine cents," it reported.
Minmei giggled. "Well, thanks anyway, but I'll pass."
"Blemish removal is available at no extra charge!" said the robot quickly.
"Hey, are you calling me ugly?" she said wryly.
"No, you are without blemish. I will erase the ugly people standing behind you."
Minmei knelt down, and patted the robot on the top of its domed head. "You keep trying," she smiled. "You'll get your picture."
She stood up to leave, but to her surprise, the robot wheeled in front of her again.
"Very well," it said. "I shall try again. Would you like an instant photograph?"
"Uh...no," Minmei replied. "I meant...keep trying with other people."
"But you haven't ordered your photograph yet--"
She shooed the little robot away with her hands. "Go on, I think those people want a picture..." She watched and giggled, as the robot sped off in the direction she pushed it. The first people it came across got hassled.
A tall, skinny man stepped in her way. He wore an expensive black suit and a pair of thin-framed sunglasses. His blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her under the shadows of an RDF missle launcher display.
"What are you doing out here?!" he whined. "Have you forgotten who you are? Look at the size of this crowd! They'd riot if they knew you were walking around here!"
Minmei rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, Randy!" she said, and pulled her hand away. "I just wanted to have a little fun! Trying to get rid of the pre-show jitters, you know?"
The man pulled at his hair. "Minmei, you're insane! I want you back in your dressing room until showtime, you hear me?"
"But Randy, I'm not in any..."
"No arguments, now get back there before somebody sees you!"
Minmei sighed and dropped her eyes. "I...I guess...maybe you're right."
"That's more like it," Randy nodded.
"...Not!"
Minmei pushed her agent on his back, and jumped over him. She ran off into the excited crowd, where she quickly disappeared.
The city of New Macross approached in the gunsights of Michael Joons' cockpit. He held the flight stick calmly with one hand, and adjusted his throttle with the other. His tinted glass visor kept out the noonday sun.
He switched on his com-link. "I just got the signal from Commander Hayes," he said. "I guess this is it."
Rick Hunter's face appeared on his navigation screen. "All right!" he said, and gave Michael a thumbs-up. "You're on your own, Mike. This one's all yours."
"Yeah," Michael sighed. "Time to put this baby to the test."
"Just keep cool and play it natural. Besides...we're all just Minmei's opening acts anyhow!"
Michael laughed. "Upstaged by a pretty face? We'll see about that!"
He switched the radio off and gunned the throttle. The VF-1J blasted to life and soared at the New Macross skyscrapers. Michael kept the Veritech as low as he could, buzzing over the tops of the buildings and weaving back and forth over the cityscape. Spectators on top of the buildings held their ears and jumped in excitement. The windows shook behind him as he passed by, his confidence growing stronger as the airport appeared in the distance.
A flashing light appeared on his head-up display. Michael was being hailed on radio. When he replied, his voice would be live to thousands of spectators, and a host of live radio programs as well. And his flying would be video taped for sure. None of these things bothered him very much.
I've just never done it before, he thought, and hesitantly flipped the radio switch again.
The announcer's voice came loudly into his helmet, startling him. Let's listen in! Maybe we can find our pilot now!
Michael cleared his throat. Live to New Macross, he thought.
The voice of Commander Hayes broke in, much quieter and calmer. She hailed him with perfect composure, just as she would in a real combat situation.
"This is New Macross Tower calling VF-1J Valkyrie!" she said proudly. "Do you copy, Valkyrie?"
Michael took a breath. "This is VF-1 Valkyrie!" he replied as rehearsed. "I copy, Tower!"
"Thanks for coming, Valkyrie," said Commander Hayes. "You have the sky!"
Looking through his gunsights as he dove, Michael saw the packed bleachers lining the airstrip. He could hear the crowd's cheering from the Commander's end of the line. "Roger that," he smiled. "All right, New Macross...it's time to fly with the Valkyrie!"
Minmei raised her eyes to the sky, along with the crowded masses around her. The announcer was silent, and from the distance, a roaring growl rumbled through the sky. The audience searched the bright sky for traces of the incoming Veritech fighter.
...VF-1 Valkyrie! the booming voice called. What is your location? But the Valkyrie's pilot did not respond.
The monstrous roar grew closer and louder. Minmei felt it begin to shake the ground under her feet. Her heart began to race.
A young girl pointed behind the bleachers. "There! In the city!"
Minmei swung around; the sight took her breath away. Between two skyscrapers, a majestic blue VF-1 was barrel-rolling straight at the crowd. Sunlight gleamed off its nosecone, streaked over its giant square intakes, and shined at the tips of its outspread wings.
The audiene gasped. As the Veritech passed between the skyscrapers, it blasted towards them with a terriffic boom from its engines. The mighty growl shook the airport as the VF-1 passed overhead. Minmei could feel the sonic shock rush toward her, through her body, and past as it followed behind the Veritech fighter.
Michael forced the Valkyrie into a vertical climb. His engines roared madly behind him, but he could still hear the announcer's voice in his helmet radio.
...The Valkyrie variable fighter is the most advanced aircraft in the Robotech Defense Force! Its twin-turbine engines allow for a top speed exceeding any fighter craft on the planet...Zentraedi battle pods don't stand a chance!
He screamed through a layer of wispy clouds, pulled back on the flight stick and throttled down. The Valkyrie hurled into an upside-down loop. Michael looked up through the cockpit glass; the airport was a thousand feet below him. The roar of applause filled his speakers.
Watch, as Lieutenant Joons cuts his engines in midair! No other fighter would dare to attempt this feat! But the Valkyrie's engines are designed to re-fire in any circumstance...even in deep space! So even with his engines off, Lieutenant Joons has complete control of the VF-1J!
Michael squeezed the flight stick tightly, hanging upside-down as the Valkyrie began to drop. That's the idea, he thought nervously, and swung the fighter into a spin. The Valkyrie dove through layers of cloud and ice-cold air in a barrel roll. The runway grew closer by the instant; negative gravity lifted him from his seat.
He pulled the stick back and slammed on the afterburners. The force pressed him hard into the seatback. He rolled the Valkyrie over the ecstatic crowd and back into the air.
"Whoo! How's that, New Macross!" he threw his fist up to the glass. A roaring cheer answered him back.
A small TV screen showed Michael Joons' Valkyrie in action, rolling and weaving masterfully through the sky. The picture fuzzed and cracked, fading in and out of focus. Joons' victory shouts were barely audible.
Rick Hunter was glued to the TV at a small coffee table, in the midst of a Robotech flight-prep hangar. The Veritechs of Wolf Squadron were lined up in their bays, getting attention from their full-time mechanics. A few of the Wolf pilots stood behind Rick, trying to get a glimpse of the action themselves.
"Come on, Mike!" Rick shouted, growing more excited with each precision move Joons executed. "Yeah, way to go! Now keep them waiting...just a bit more...now! Yeah, you got it!"
The picture burst into white snow. Rick jumped to his feet and turned to the pilots. "We lost it again! I don't believe this!"
"We lost it!" called one of the pilots. "Somebody find a technician!"
The Wolf Pack scrambled across the hangar in search of someone to fix the reception. Rick stayed behind, mumbling nervously as he played with the cables behind the TV.
A voice on the intercom filled the repair bays. Paging Commander Rick Hunter to the nearest communication terminal. Commander Rick Hunter to the nearest communication terminal. Thank you.
Rick left the sliding doors of the hangar, quickly scanning the hallway for one of the tall, cylinder-shaped terminals that reminded him of the phone booths on Old Macross. He found one in a small corridor, squeezed in between a vending machine and a drinking fountain. But it was no easy task getting there. He stepped aside as a group of pilots ran for the hangar, and he nearly tripped over a little path-sweeping droid.
"Excuse me...pardon me," he nodded, pressing through the busy hall. A clearing formed in the crowd, and he felt like diving forward to reach his incoming call.
But he grinded to a halt, as a handful of young ladies stepped in his way. They appeared to be teenage students, dressed in formal RDF uniforms. But many of their their skirts were cut a little too high, and their blouses a bit low, for standard regulation. The girls batted their eyes and giggled. Rick sighed, and forced a smile and a wave.
"Wow!" said a girl with bright blonde hair, standing in front of the group. "I can't believe it...you're Rick Hunter!"
"Commander Hunter," said the brunette beside her with a giggle.
"Um...hello there," said Rick. "I'm sorry, but I have..."
"This is just unbelievable!" the blonde continued with bright eyes. "This is so exciting! A real SDF-1 war hero!"
Rick blushed a little. "Well...that's very nice. But I really do have a..."
"From Old Macross even!" whispered a girl in the back.
"You're a little shorter in person!" said the blonde. "On Mia's pinup, you look seven feet tall!"
Rick blinked his eyes. "Mia's what?!"
"He's still pretty cute, and he looks our age!" whispered one of the girls. "Nice hair!" another replied.
The blonde-haired girl perked up even more. "Hey! That reminds me!" She turned around and reached for the back of the group, bringing a shy girl with ponytails toward her. The young student resisted, but was pushed right in front of Rick.
"This is Mia!" the leader explained. "She's got a total crush on you! Go ahead, Mia...say hello!"
The girl blushed painfully with downcast eyes. Rick was just as embarassed.
"Um...h-hello, sir," she whispered.
"You've got an interesting bunch of friends here!" Rick laughed.
"I hate them all, sir," she sneered back at them.
"Ah, they're just having a little fun..."
Mia cleared her throat, and brought her nervous eyes up to Rick's. "I'm glad you have the Skull back, sir..."
Rick fell silent in shock. The girls behind Mia began to chatter. "What'd she say? She made him all nervous! Oh, that's just like Mia to screw it up..."
He smiled, and took Mia's hand. "Wish me luck, okay?"
Mia shook it vigorously. "Oh, yes sir! I will sir...I mean, good luck sir!"
Paging Commander Rick Hunter to the nearest communication terminal. Commander Rick Hunter to the nearest communication terminal. Thank you.
"Well, it was nice meeting you all," announced Rick, "but I have a phone call."
He quickly ducked into the booth, leaving the door open behind him. The computer accepted his passcode. You have one incoming call, it announced.
"Connect, please," said Rick.
While we connect you, would you like to learn how to save money on your long-distance calls?
"I hate these public terminals," Rick mumbled. "No thank you."
Registration for OneWorld Videophones is only $49.99, and includes...
"Come on, just connect me!"
Your call is connecting... Please wait...
Lisa's face appeared on the screen, in a digital video image. "Rick...is that you?"
Rick smiled and waved at the screen. "Hey! I was hoping it was you! How's the show?"
"Great!" said Lisa. "Joons is finishing now...they decided to relieve me for a few minutes, so I thought I'd give you a..."
The group of girls crowded around the open booth, knocking on the glass. "Nice to meet you, Commander!" they giggled. "Come and see us again! I hope you don't crash! Hey...who's that you're talking to?!"
Rick quickly shut the door, waved courteously and shooed the girls away from within. He looked back at the screen with a red face. "Uh...sorry about that."
"What was that all about?" Lisa cocked her head wryly.
"I have no idea," sighed Rick.
"You know," she replied with a smile, "if you weren't so naive, I'd have to watch you a little closer!"
He laughed uncomfortably. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nevermind," she waved. Her eyes grew more sincere. "Rick...don't take this the wrong way...but are you doing all right?"
"Well...I'm pretty nervous," he sighed. "I've had too much time to think. There's a lot on my mind right now, that's for sure..."
Lisa smiled, a little weaker than before. "I know. But you're going to do just fine...in fact, it'll be fun! Just like the air circus, right?"
"Right," he sighed again. "Just like old times."
They looked at each other in silence. Rick took a breath, and rubbed his eyes. "You know," he said. "I still remember this one time, when Roy and I were celebrating after a performance. He said, 'there's two things you'll remember for the rest of your life. Your first kiss, and your first ditch."
Rick laughed a bit, but Lisa was solemn. "Rick," she said quietly. "Nobody...blames you, for what happened to Skull One."
"I know it's my fault," Rick forced a smile.
"But it's not your fault. You couldn't help what happened...and you saved lives. You made the right choice."
"Yeah," said Rick. "It's just that...sometimes I wonder if I could have saved her too...if I'd been a little better."
Lisa grew closer, leaning toward the screen. "Rick, listen to me. In my mind, you are the best fighter pilot in the RDF. And it's not just your reflexes or your test scores. You think on your feet! You're always the most focused pilot in the sky. You've saved countless lives because of that...even mine."
Rick gave a slight nod. "Thanks, Lisa."
Her eyes were firmly set upon his. "I have faith in you, Rick. Just have some faith in yourself."
The transmission cut off, and a text message replaced it. You have no credit remaining on your account. Thank you for your patronage.
Rick looked at the blank screen, his face without emotion, and a slew of images flashing across his mind. He slowly opened the glass door, and returned to the hangar to prepare for flight.
A voice hailed him in the hallway. It was a Wolf Squadron pilot, dressed in a blue and white jumpsuit and cradling a helmet in his arm. His face was lined with long white scars, and his scalp was shaved bald. A patch on his suit read "Lt. Hanson."
The pilot saluted at perfect attention. "Sir! Good hunting, sir!" he shouted.
Rick drew a smile across his face, and gave Lieutenant Hanson a salute in return.
The old pilot's hand slowly fell to his side. "She's in good hands," he said.