Chapter 8
"Admiral Hunter, sir? I'd just like to inform you that Commander Sterling and his team just contacted us. They'll be touching down with the med-plane in half an hour. I'll be back to inform you as soon as they've landed," an officer informed Rick who by then had fallen asleep in the officers' lounge with Lisa-Minmei still sleeping with her head resting on his shoulders.
"Okay. Thanks!" Rick replied as he winced a bit. His left shoulder had already lost sensation after being used as a pillow for more than an hour.
"Oh well, at least it's my left shoulder this time," Rick thought to himself as he shifted position ever so slowly and gently so as not to wake Lisa-Minmei.
Rick smiled and sighed as he removed a stray forelock of Lisa-Minmei's hair which had been covering her left eye. The darker shade of brown still amazed him as he observed her while she slept. It was a perfect mix of the two womens' hair: Lisa's brown and Minmei's black. He noted how Lisa- Minmei's brow's were slightly creased as she slept, betraying the uneasiness and anxiety she felt over seeing her father again. Indeed, even Rick thought that Admiral Hayes had perished that fateful day after they had fired the Grand Cannon. It was only good for one shot though, and the whole super-structure collapsed in upon itself but not after decimating a portion of Dolza's fleet.
For Rick, it was a miracle that the section where Lisa was in remained intact long enough for him to rescue her. No one would've expected more survivors from the installation after seeing it in its present state. Rick had been the one occasionally heading the salvage team prior to his promotion and he had to let Max handle it as his duties as Rear Admiral entailed much higher and wider scope of priorities.
"A sword that wounds its wielder even when used properly..." Rick thought to himself as he pondered about his new rank.
He knew that sorties and missions onboard a veritech would get rarer almost immediately and if the top officials had their way, would disappear entirely from his itinerary. However, his performance records with such a machine and his position as head of the EXPEDITIONARY fleet gave him more leeway with missions. Rick wanted a more "hands-on" approach with his position as opposed to Maistroff's desktop preferences.
A part of him still wanted to reject the promotion, actually. But as he observed Lisa-Minmei sleeping beside him (or rather on top of him as evidenced by the steadily-growing numbness in his shoulder), he was glad for her sake that the position was given to him at this time rather than to her. He remembered how sad Lisa was a few days after he rescued her from Alaska Base. She admitted that she and her father were at loggerheads when it came to dealing with the Zentraedi but such conflict was confined to professional matters alone. They still loved each other very much and the pain of Admiral Hayes death was greater since he was the only family Lisa had.
But if there was one thing good that did come out from Admiral Hayes death, it would be the fact that it enabled Rick to see beyond Lisa's harshness and ultra-professional attitude. There weren't many instances that he saw how human she was underneath all that but when it came to her father, Rick could read her like an open book. He decided back then to help her cope with the loss of her father at least and though it took some time, Lisa was able to recover a bit faster than she normally would had Rick left her alone.
So now with the confirmation that Admiral Hayes was actually alive, things were again topsy-turvy. "Lisa" alone could've probably adjusted almost immediately but that simply was not the case. She was yet to deal with the "merger" and now this factor was added to the already chaotic situation.
"I hope she can deal with the situation, though. I really wish I could have my arm back," Rick thought as Lisa-Minmei snuggled closer to him, further immobilizing his left arm and shoulder as she slept.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo
Meanwhile, Lt.Cmdr Max Sterling and his team were having some difficulty escorting the med-plane back to base. They had encountered a freak snowstorm while flying over what used to be the US-Canadian border. Dolza's bombardment not only wreaked havoc over the landscape but also on the weather-patterns. Mountain-ranges that once stood as natural barriers to wind currents were leveled to mere hillocks while valleys and gorges were more or less filled-in with debris. As such, Max and his team were caught unawares by the snowstorm.
"Give me the situation of the med-plane, Cpl. Sanchez," Max ordered the pilot.
"We're fine, sir. She can handle storms much worse than these. The survivors are okay. I wish we brought the "med-goose", sir. Those additional motion-dampeners would be a big plus in evac- transports like these," replied Cpl. Sanchez who was an experienced rescue-pilot prior to his enlistment.
The "med-goose" he referred to was actually an older and bigger model of the plane he was currently piloting. Despite its somewhat ungainly appearance and lower top speed, the plane was very sturdy and highly stable even in high-turbulence owing to its design and internal workings which made for a smooth flight. Sanchez often quoted: "An ambulance doesn't need to look good in order to save lives."
"I know what you mean. No need to fret though as my sensors indicate that this storm system isn't that big. We'll be out of it in 20 minutes so just keep it steady," Max replied.
Max shifted his attention back to his instruments as his thoughts went back to the three survivors. Dr. Helderberg wanted to maintain their cryo- suspension in the escape pods as this would enable faster transport and Max initially agreed. One of the technicians however, found that the IV-mix was about to expire thus the need to bring the survivors out of stasis immediately. The doctor was against the idea but after confirming the IV expiry and the instability of the superstructure they were in, he agreed. A slight nerve or cellular damage was a much better option as opposed to having the survivors get poisoned by the very fluid that kept them alive after all this time.
"Oh well, here's another piece of the puzzle for you, Rick!" Max thought to himself as he shook his head, thinking of the ramifications of Admiral Hayes' survival.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo
Back in the airbase, Rick was gently stretching his arm and rotating his left shoulder to hasten sensation as Lisa-Minmei was now resting her head on his lap. She had shifted her sleeping position from restingon his shoulder to one more or less lying down and Rick was relieved. Another 15 minutes had gone by after the officer informed him of the rescue team's ETA. Rick overheard a few personnel talking about the freak snowstorm that Max and his team ran into and he knew that he and Lisa-Minmei would have to wait a bit longer for her father and the other survivors from Alaska Base. He was thinking of how to get up without waking Lisa-Minmei but Rick was given a bit of luck as she woke up of her own accord.
"I'm sorry. I guess I must've fallen asleep. How long was I out, Rick? Has Max and his team returned from Alaska yet?" Lisa-Minmei inquired.
"They encountered a sudden snowstorm but no need to worry. They're still fine though they might take a bit longer than expected," Rick replied.
"I see. I'm glad to hear that. Oh, I hope they make it here safely Rick. I desperately want to see my father again," said Lisa-Minmei as she expressed her anxiety.
"I'm sure he'll be okay. After all, you got Max leading the escort wing so just relax. I'm here," Rick said reassuringly.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo
Back in Dr. Lang's lab, he and Exedore were discussing Lisa-Minmei's condition. Displayed on various screens were diagrams, CAT-scans, MRI- images, ECG-scans, etc of the current individual known as Lisa-Minmei. As a comparison, the same diagrams of one of the 'melded' ships that was originally from the Q'Azira fleet was also displayed on the other screens.
"As you can see Dr. Lang, a 'melding' is very thorough and complete if achieved properly. The battle-cruiser shows no abnormalities and functions well, in fact, much better than its original specifications," Exedore began.
"Yes, I can see that now. For all intents and purposes, the capabilitites of both cruisers ADDED to each other instead of canceling each other out," Dr. Lang replied.
Indeed, the battle-cruiser was highly prized by whichever officer got to command it. It was faster, more maneuverable, had faster response-time, the hull healed faster, and all onboard-systems rarely suffered glitches even in extreme conditions. Max noted how it was quite easy to recognize which of the B'Elarna ships were originally from the Q'Azira fleet as these looked newer, sleeker, and cleaner as well, not only outside but inside too. Zentraedi who were onboard those melded ships would swear that the ships not only regenerated damaged areas of the hull but actually "grew" a whole new 'skin' when damage was more than 50%. It was more of a 'moulting' rather than just healing. It wasn't surprising that these 12 former Q'Azira ships were part of a special sub-fleet within the B'Elarna division; one that Commander Zelaenna designated as her personal escort-ships and as initial raiding party. Indeed, most of the meritorious sorties and victories Zelaenna had, hinged more or less on having those 12 ships participating in the mission.
"Impressive capabilities, indeed. Commander Zelaenna was quite fortunate to have these 'tweaked' ships," Dr. Lang noted.
"I agree, doctor. Not only she but Commander Khyron benefited from those ships as well," Exedore added.
"Khyron? How so?" Dr. Lang asked.
Exedore went on to explain that there were 20 of these former Q'Aziran ships that survived the faulty space-fold intact. Zelaenna preferred the faster cruiser so she took the 12 while the rest went to Khyron's Boturu Division. However, the 8 ships Khyron took were the slightly larger command ships that had more firepower and needed more personnel. Khyron benefited from having these ships in his division as well.
"In fact, based on these latest findings, I had a few tests done on the remaining debris from Khyron's ship and found out that the command-cruiser he used in his last attack was one of them," Exedore explained with a slightly crestfallen expression.
"You mean...............I see. No wonder he was able to restore it quickly. I was surprised to see that ship's superstructure survive a more or less direct hit from the SDF-1's main gun. Had the aim not wavered a bit....." Dr. Lang exclaimed as he slumped back into his seat.
"I was surprised myself, doctor. But I did find out something important as well; something that I hope can be useful in this predicament," Exedore continued.
"And that would be?" Dr. Lang queried.
"As I was conducting further tests on it, the piece of debris I examined split into two. At first I thought it was a quirk in the repair matrix but after close inspection, there were 2 IDENTICAL pieces inside the chamber. It took me a few days of exhaustive experiments but in the end, I was able to deduce that the pieces came from 2 different ships," Exedore explained.
"You mean they reverted back?" Dr.Lang asked.
Exedore nodded in reply. It seemed that the melding wasn't permanent and wore off after some time though in the case of Khyron's cruiser, centuries had passed.
"I am unsure how long it might take for Capt. Hayes and Lynn-Minmei to separate back into 2 individuals but it might just be possible. However, I do not have the equipment that could hasten such nor the experience in these matters," Exedore added.
"You're right, Exedore. However, I do recall you saying that the Robotech Masters on Tirol possess the kind of technology that could help us," Dr. Lang stated.
"Yes, I believe they can solve this matter easily. But for all intents and purposes, we enlightened Zentraedi are now their enemies as well as we disobeyed direct orders. This effectively rules out any possibility of assistance from them, don't you think?" Exedore replied with a bit of humor that Dr. Lang would swear was on Exedore's face.
"So I guess Capt. Hayes and Lynn-Minmei would have to suffer their current condition indefinitely?" Dr.Lang asked.
"Yes, I'm afraid so, doctor," Exedore replied.
"How unfortunate for them," Dr. Lang sighed.
"And for Admiral Hunter. I believe those 2 women were 'competitors' for his affection, were they not, doctor?" Exedore asked.
"Why Exedore, I believe that was a joke you just made," Dr. Lang stated.
"Really, doctor?"
"Indeed."
Exedore took a few minutes to digest Dr. Lang's observation.
"Thank you," Exedore replied.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo
"Admiral Hunter, sir? Lt.Cmdr Sterling and his team are about to land," stated the same officer who informed him of Max's ETA a while ago.
"Thank you. We'll proceed to the tarmac shortly," Rick saluted back.
Rick saw that Lisa-Minmei was still asleep and was unsure of how to wake her. In the end, he decided to do so in the gentlest manner he could think of at such short notice.
"Time to get up, Misa. Max and his team will be landing shortly. Your father will be here any minute now," Rick said gently as he caressed away another stray forelock from her brow.
"Wha-what? They're here?! Why didn't you wake me up sooner, Rick?! Oh, do I look alright?!" Lisa-Minmei uttered in dismay as she fidgeted about trying to smooth the creases in her clothes and fixing her hair.
Rick couldn't stand it any longer and burst out laughing as he observed Lisa-Minmei milling about.
"And what is so funny, mister?!" Lisa-Minmei asked as she stood arms akimbo while giving Rick a scolding look.
Rick laughed for a few seconds more then calmed down.
"It wasn't' funny at all Misa, it was beautiful," Rick replied. Lisa-Minmei could find no retort to such an honestly-given compliment and could only feign irritation at Rick.
"Let's proceed to the tarmac, shall we?" Rick offered.
Lisa-Minmei concurred and took his hand as they made their way to the airstrip. She was thinking about her father as they went when she suddenly recalled how Rick addressed her back in the base.
"Misa?" she asked.
"Huh?"
"You called me 'Misa' back there. Is that any indication of your preference then?"
"It's more a chronological factor than a preference, not to mention it's a lot easier to say compared to 'Lisa-Minmei'. I mean, would you rather be called Lei?" Rick half-teased.
Lisa-Minmei looked at him incredulously then smiled despite herself. Rick was right: 'Lisa-Minmei' was indeed a mouthful to say while 'Lei' sounded too Chinese for her. Her 'Minmei' part preferred that though and there was no doubt she'd be wrangling with herself for some time after this. For now, 'Misa' was fine.
Note:
I know, "Misa Hayase" was the character's original name in the first place. It was a very fortunate coincidence as far as I'm concerned.
"Admiral Hunter, sir? I'd just like to inform you that Commander Sterling and his team just contacted us. They'll be touching down with the med-plane in half an hour. I'll be back to inform you as soon as they've landed," an officer informed Rick who by then had fallen asleep in the officers' lounge with Lisa-Minmei still sleeping with her head resting on his shoulders.
"Okay. Thanks!" Rick replied as he winced a bit. His left shoulder had already lost sensation after being used as a pillow for more than an hour.
"Oh well, at least it's my left shoulder this time," Rick thought to himself as he shifted position ever so slowly and gently so as not to wake Lisa-Minmei.
Rick smiled and sighed as he removed a stray forelock of Lisa-Minmei's hair which had been covering her left eye. The darker shade of brown still amazed him as he observed her while she slept. It was a perfect mix of the two womens' hair: Lisa's brown and Minmei's black. He noted how Lisa- Minmei's brow's were slightly creased as she slept, betraying the uneasiness and anxiety she felt over seeing her father again. Indeed, even Rick thought that Admiral Hayes had perished that fateful day after they had fired the Grand Cannon. It was only good for one shot though, and the whole super-structure collapsed in upon itself but not after decimating a portion of Dolza's fleet.
For Rick, it was a miracle that the section where Lisa was in remained intact long enough for him to rescue her. No one would've expected more survivors from the installation after seeing it in its present state. Rick had been the one occasionally heading the salvage team prior to his promotion and he had to let Max handle it as his duties as Rear Admiral entailed much higher and wider scope of priorities.
"A sword that wounds its wielder even when used properly..." Rick thought to himself as he pondered about his new rank.
He knew that sorties and missions onboard a veritech would get rarer almost immediately and if the top officials had their way, would disappear entirely from his itinerary. However, his performance records with such a machine and his position as head of the EXPEDITIONARY fleet gave him more leeway with missions. Rick wanted a more "hands-on" approach with his position as opposed to Maistroff's desktop preferences.
A part of him still wanted to reject the promotion, actually. But as he observed Lisa-Minmei sleeping beside him (or rather on top of him as evidenced by the steadily-growing numbness in his shoulder), he was glad for her sake that the position was given to him at this time rather than to her. He remembered how sad Lisa was a few days after he rescued her from Alaska Base. She admitted that she and her father were at loggerheads when it came to dealing with the Zentraedi but such conflict was confined to professional matters alone. They still loved each other very much and the pain of Admiral Hayes death was greater since he was the only family Lisa had.
But if there was one thing good that did come out from Admiral Hayes death, it would be the fact that it enabled Rick to see beyond Lisa's harshness and ultra-professional attitude. There weren't many instances that he saw how human she was underneath all that but when it came to her father, Rick could read her like an open book. He decided back then to help her cope with the loss of her father at least and though it took some time, Lisa was able to recover a bit faster than she normally would had Rick left her alone.
So now with the confirmation that Admiral Hayes was actually alive, things were again topsy-turvy. "Lisa" alone could've probably adjusted almost immediately but that simply was not the case. She was yet to deal with the "merger" and now this factor was added to the already chaotic situation.
"I hope she can deal with the situation, though. I really wish I could have my arm back," Rick thought as Lisa-Minmei snuggled closer to him, further immobilizing his left arm and shoulder as she slept.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo
Meanwhile, Lt.Cmdr Max Sterling and his team were having some difficulty escorting the med-plane back to base. They had encountered a freak snowstorm while flying over what used to be the US-Canadian border. Dolza's bombardment not only wreaked havoc over the landscape but also on the weather-patterns. Mountain-ranges that once stood as natural barriers to wind currents were leveled to mere hillocks while valleys and gorges were more or less filled-in with debris. As such, Max and his team were caught unawares by the snowstorm.
"Give me the situation of the med-plane, Cpl. Sanchez," Max ordered the pilot.
"We're fine, sir. She can handle storms much worse than these. The survivors are okay. I wish we brought the "med-goose", sir. Those additional motion-dampeners would be a big plus in evac- transports like these," replied Cpl. Sanchez who was an experienced rescue-pilot prior to his enlistment.
The "med-goose" he referred to was actually an older and bigger model of the plane he was currently piloting. Despite its somewhat ungainly appearance and lower top speed, the plane was very sturdy and highly stable even in high-turbulence owing to its design and internal workings which made for a smooth flight. Sanchez often quoted: "An ambulance doesn't need to look good in order to save lives."
"I know what you mean. No need to fret though as my sensors indicate that this storm system isn't that big. We'll be out of it in 20 minutes so just keep it steady," Max replied.
Max shifted his attention back to his instruments as his thoughts went back to the three survivors. Dr. Helderberg wanted to maintain their cryo- suspension in the escape pods as this would enable faster transport and Max initially agreed. One of the technicians however, found that the IV-mix was about to expire thus the need to bring the survivors out of stasis immediately. The doctor was against the idea but after confirming the IV expiry and the instability of the superstructure they were in, he agreed. A slight nerve or cellular damage was a much better option as opposed to having the survivors get poisoned by the very fluid that kept them alive after all this time.
"Oh well, here's another piece of the puzzle for you, Rick!" Max thought to himself as he shook his head, thinking of the ramifications of Admiral Hayes' survival.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo
Back in the airbase, Rick was gently stretching his arm and rotating his left shoulder to hasten sensation as Lisa-Minmei was now resting her head on his lap. She had shifted her sleeping position from restingon his shoulder to one more or less lying down and Rick was relieved. Another 15 minutes had gone by after the officer informed him of the rescue team's ETA. Rick overheard a few personnel talking about the freak snowstorm that Max and his team ran into and he knew that he and Lisa-Minmei would have to wait a bit longer for her father and the other survivors from Alaska Base. He was thinking of how to get up without waking Lisa-Minmei but Rick was given a bit of luck as she woke up of her own accord.
"I'm sorry. I guess I must've fallen asleep. How long was I out, Rick? Has Max and his team returned from Alaska yet?" Lisa-Minmei inquired.
"They encountered a sudden snowstorm but no need to worry. They're still fine though they might take a bit longer than expected," Rick replied.
"I see. I'm glad to hear that. Oh, I hope they make it here safely Rick. I desperately want to see my father again," said Lisa-Minmei as she expressed her anxiety.
"I'm sure he'll be okay. After all, you got Max leading the escort wing so just relax. I'm here," Rick said reassuringly.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo
Back in Dr. Lang's lab, he and Exedore were discussing Lisa-Minmei's condition. Displayed on various screens were diagrams, CAT-scans, MRI- images, ECG-scans, etc of the current individual known as Lisa-Minmei. As a comparison, the same diagrams of one of the 'melded' ships that was originally from the Q'Azira fleet was also displayed on the other screens.
"As you can see Dr. Lang, a 'melding' is very thorough and complete if achieved properly. The battle-cruiser shows no abnormalities and functions well, in fact, much better than its original specifications," Exedore began.
"Yes, I can see that now. For all intents and purposes, the capabilitites of both cruisers ADDED to each other instead of canceling each other out," Dr. Lang replied.
Indeed, the battle-cruiser was highly prized by whichever officer got to command it. It was faster, more maneuverable, had faster response-time, the hull healed faster, and all onboard-systems rarely suffered glitches even in extreme conditions. Max noted how it was quite easy to recognize which of the B'Elarna ships were originally from the Q'Azira fleet as these looked newer, sleeker, and cleaner as well, not only outside but inside too. Zentraedi who were onboard those melded ships would swear that the ships not only regenerated damaged areas of the hull but actually "grew" a whole new 'skin' when damage was more than 50%. It was more of a 'moulting' rather than just healing. It wasn't surprising that these 12 former Q'Azira ships were part of a special sub-fleet within the B'Elarna division; one that Commander Zelaenna designated as her personal escort-ships and as initial raiding party. Indeed, most of the meritorious sorties and victories Zelaenna had, hinged more or less on having those 12 ships participating in the mission.
"Impressive capabilities, indeed. Commander Zelaenna was quite fortunate to have these 'tweaked' ships," Dr. Lang noted.
"I agree, doctor. Not only she but Commander Khyron benefited from those ships as well," Exedore added.
"Khyron? How so?" Dr. Lang asked.
Exedore went on to explain that there were 20 of these former Q'Aziran ships that survived the faulty space-fold intact. Zelaenna preferred the faster cruiser so she took the 12 while the rest went to Khyron's Boturu Division. However, the 8 ships Khyron took were the slightly larger command ships that had more firepower and needed more personnel. Khyron benefited from having these ships in his division as well.
"In fact, based on these latest findings, I had a few tests done on the remaining debris from Khyron's ship and found out that the command-cruiser he used in his last attack was one of them," Exedore explained with a slightly crestfallen expression.
"You mean...............I see. No wonder he was able to restore it quickly. I was surprised to see that ship's superstructure survive a more or less direct hit from the SDF-1's main gun. Had the aim not wavered a bit....." Dr. Lang exclaimed as he slumped back into his seat.
"I was surprised myself, doctor. But I did find out something important as well; something that I hope can be useful in this predicament," Exedore continued.
"And that would be?" Dr. Lang queried.
"As I was conducting further tests on it, the piece of debris I examined split into two. At first I thought it was a quirk in the repair matrix but after close inspection, there were 2 IDENTICAL pieces inside the chamber. It took me a few days of exhaustive experiments but in the end, I was able to deduce that the pieces came from 2 different ships," Exedore explained.
"You mean they reverted back?" Dr.Lang asked.
Exedore nodded in reply. It seemed that the melding wasn't permanent and wore off after some time though in the case of Khyron's cruiser, centuries had passed.
"I am unsure how long it might take for Capt. Hayes and Lynn-Minmei to separate back into 2 individuals but it might just be possible. However, I do not have the equipment that could hasten such nor the experience in these matters," Exedore added.
"You're right, Exedore. However, I do recall you saying that the Robotech Masters on Tirol possess the kind of technology that could help us," Dr. Lang stated.
"Yes, I believe they can solve this matter easily. But for all intents and purposes, we enlightened Zentraedi are now their enemies as well as we disobeyed direct orders. This effectively rules out any possibility of assistance from them, don't you think?" Exedore replied with a bit of humor that Dr. Lang would swear was on Exedore's face.
"So I guess Capt. Hayes and Lynn-Minmei would have to suffer their current condition indefinitely?" Dr.Lang asked.
"Yes, I'm afraid so, doctor," Exedore replied.
"How unfortunate for them," Dr. Lang sighed.
"And for Admiral Hunter. I believe those 2 women were 'competitors' for his affection, were they not, doctor?" Exedore asked.
"Why Exedore, I believe that was a joke you just made," Dr. Lang stated.
"Really, doctor?"
"Indeed."
Exedore took a few minutes to digest Dr. Lang's observation.
"Thank you," Exedore replied.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo
"Admiral Hunter, sir? Lt.Cmdr Sterling and his team are about to land," stated the same officer who informed him of Max's ETA a while ago.
"Thank you. We'll proceed to the tarmac shortly," Rick saluted back.
Rick saw that Lisa-Minmei was still asleep and was unsure of how to wake her. In the end, he decided to do so in the gentlest manner he could think of at such short notice.
"Time to get up, Misa. Max and his team will be landing shortly. Your father will be here any minute now," Rick said gently as he caressed away another stray forelock from her brow.
"Wha-what? They're here?! Why didn't you wake me up sooner, Rick?! Oh, do I look alright?!" Lisa-Minmei uttered in dismay as she fidgeted about trying to smooth the creases in her clothes and fixing her hair.
Rick couldn't stand it any longer and burst out laughing as he observed Lisa-Minmei milling about.
"And what is so funny, mister?!" Lisa-Minmei asked as she stood arms akimbo while giving Rick a scolding look.
Rick laughed for a few seconds more then calmed down.
"It wasn't' funny at all Misa, it was beautiful," Rick replied. Lisa-Minmei could find no retort to such an honestly-given compliment and could only feign irritation at Rick.
"Let's proceed to the tarmac, shall we?" Rick offered.
Lisa-Minmei concurred and took his hand as they made their way to the airstrip. She was thinking about her father as they went when she suddenly recalled how Rick addressed her back in the base.
"Misa?" she asked.
"Huh?"
"You called me 'Misa' back there. Is that any indication of your preference then?"
"It's more a chronological factor than a preference, not to mention it's a lot easier to say compared to 'Lisa-Minmei'. I mean, would you rather be called Lei?" Rick half-teased.
Lisa-Minmei looked at him incredulously then smiled despite herself. Rick was right: 'Lisa-Minmei' was indeed a mouthful to say while 'Lei' sounded too Chinese for her. Her 'Minmei' part preferred that though and there was no doubt she'd be wrangling with herself for some time after this. For now, 'Misa' was fine.
Note:
I know, "Misa Hayase" was the character's original name in the first place. It was a very fortunate coincidence as far as I'm concerned.