I heard the doorbell ring, and I opened the door. I saw Jenna and Vince.
"We're here to help you move," said Vince. "Katie is out in front, she's taking the morning off to help you move."
And so we carried my luggage and the boxes through the apartment building into the Humvee parked in the white loading zone in front of the apartment building. Katie Taney helped us put the boxes in the Humvee. I took one last look at the apartment I lived in for two years. I studied every detail of the room and the adjoining kitchen.
"It's a good thing the Marines are letting you do this," I said.
"You wrote many reports on our missions," said Katie. "It's the least we can do. I want other people on Earth to read your obituary on Lani."
We continued packing the stuff inside the boxes. After a few minutes, all of my belongings were in the Humvee.
"Let's go," said Katie. She got into the driver's seat of the Humvee and started the engine. Jenna and I sat in the back.
"Goodbye," said Vince. "We'll all miss you."
Katie drove us through the streets of Macross City to the main entrance to the rest of the ship. She got into a cargo lift which lefted us to the level. But she did not go to the Prometheus aircraft carrier. Instead, she drove us to Hangar Bay 504.
"We relocated our veritechs here," said Jenna. "There's mine over there."
The Hangar Bay personnel helped us load my belongings into the cargo compartments of the black-and-red veritech fighter. Everything was loaded except my carry-on luggage, which had my laptop computer and the CD-ROM's containing my articles I wrote over the past two years.
One of the air crew members pulled down the ladders we would use to ascend into the cockpit. I sat there and fastened my seatbelt and put on a helmet.
"Initiating pre-flight check," said Jenna. "Checking all instrument panels and warning lights."
I looked over the side as the hangar crew disconnected a rubber hose from the fighter plane.
"System check," said Jenna. "Engines, APU, life support, fuel. Preparing for takeoff. Make sure you seat belt is fastened and the trays in the upright position."
"Okay," I said.
"Starting up engines." I heard the veritech's engines whine. "Everything looks okay. the board is green. Setting course for JFK Airport. Knight Two to SDF-1 Air Boss, I am ready for takeoff."
"Please stand by while takeoff bay is cleared, Knight Two."
"Copy that, Air Boss."
I waited for a few minutes. I wondered if something was wrong. I looked around the hangar bay, at the other veritechs and the air crew.
"Knight Two, this is Air Boss," said the air traffic control officer. "Takeoff Bay Five Zero Four is ready. You are cleared for takeoff."
"Copy that, Air Boss," said Jenna. "Taxiing to takeoff bay." Jenna taxied the VF-1 Valkyrie through an open door to a takeoff bay. Ahead I can see the land and sky. "Flaps down, the board is green. Knight Two, taking off!"
She pushed the throttle, and I was pushed back. The takeoff bay disappeared, giving me a view of the Alaska landscape. We then faced upward, and I could see the blue cloud-studded sky. I could feel pressure in my ears.
"Knight Two is in the air!" yelled Jenna. "On route to JFK."
"Have a safe flight, Knight Two," said the SDF-1 air traffic control officer.
We continued climbing and climbing until we passed the clouds and there was nothing but a deep blue sky.
"Autopilot engaged," said Jenna. "We are now cruising at one hundred thousand feet over northern Canada and we are heading for JFK International Airport"
I looked out the window over the Canadian landscape. I saw empty land, pockmarked with craters. I knew from my work that northern Canada was one huge forest. Now it was charred land. It looked like there was a massive forest fire after the initial bombardment.
I looked closer at the craters. There was a pattern. It was not based on the locations of cities and military bases, but one simple geometry. the craters were spaced nearly evenly, representing the positions of the Zentraedi ships.
"Jenna," I said. "Is there a way to call my parents."
"We have long distance wireless telephone network," said Jenna. "I can call SDF-1 and they can patch you in."
oooooooooooooooo
I gazed down at the blasted landscape below and found it hard to believe that New York survived. But then I saw the pictures and spoke to my parents. I decided just to look at Jenna as she flew the plane to New York. I ate some Dorito's tortilla chips, as I was hungry.
"Okay," said Jenna. "We're only an hour from New York, and we're beginning our final approach. We'll be approaching from the east."
She turned the plane and I felt it bank. I could see water below; that must be the Atlantic Ocean. I had not seen it this close in two years; for the past two years I only saw it from space.
"UNSM Knight Two to JFK Tower, I am approaching for a landing as scheduled in my flight plan," she said.
I looked and saw Long Island. I was looking at New York! Within minutes I would see Queens.
"Flaps down," she said. "Reducing power."
The features on the island appeared closer and closer. I could see roads and buildings. I could also see burnt, charred land. I saw a huge crater, which appeared bigger than the ones in Canada because we were closer to the ground. The crater appeared to be in Nassau County, just east of Queens.
"Final approach speed at ninety-five knots," said Jenna. "Landing gear down and locked."
"Copy that, Knight Two," said the JFK air traffic controller. "Runway is presently clear."
I looked out ahead and can see the skyline of Manhattan in the distance. I looked and saw some green thing to my right. It disappeared from view and I looked at the ground as it got closer. I could see the cars and the lampposts and read the signs on buildings. I then saw a fence and then a concrete runway.
I felt a bump. The VF-1 Valkyrie had touched down at John F. Kennedy International Airport in the Queens borough of New York City.
Jenna slowed down the veritech plane and taxied it along the taxiways. She stopped it at a hangar with the UN military logo.
"Here we are," said Jenna. "Welcome to New York."
She opened the canopy and poressed the button to extend the ladders. I steppped down, feeling each step. Then I felt the surfact of the concrete.
Here I was, standing in New York City!
Jenna came down seconds later. A man driving a tractor approached us.
"Captain Jenna Murphy, UN Space Marines," she said.
"We were expecting you, ma'am," said the man who was in a UN military uniform. "SDF-1 informed us of your arrival."
"What is this place?" I asked.
"This is the United Nations Air Force hangar at John F. Kennedy International Aiport," said the man. "We keep transport jets inside, in case we want to fly someone straight to UN Headquarters. We're like an airline terminal. Don't worry, your veritech fighter will be safe inside. We will charge the Marines for storage, fuel, and repairs."
We went inside the hangar, which had a C-130 Hercules jet and a Star Goose shuttle, both with the markings of the UN Air Force. We were escorted by the Air Force personnel to the UN terminal. It was small and had a few benches and a recruitment poster for the UN Air Force. Aside from the door leading outside to the hangars and taxiway, there were two other doors. One read DO NOT ENTER. The other door read U.S. CUSTOMS.
Air Force baggage handlers placed my luggage onto a conveyer which led to ther U.S. Customs inspection area. Jenna and I went inside the Customs inspection area. I put my carry-ons on the small rubber conveyer belt.
"Hello there," said a U.S. Customs agent. "Where di you come from?"
"Outer space," I said. "I was on board the SDF-1 for two years. I came from New York to cover these events for the Associated Press. When the enemy attacked, I got trapped on board ship. We recently returned to Earth and I caught a ride home. Here is my passport."
"Looks okay," said the customs agent.
"I am Captain Jenna Murphy, UN Space Marines," she said. "I'm on leave and I am accompanying him to his family's home. He hasn't seen his family in two years. I have my own passport."
"Apollo Colony," said the customs agent. "Let me check." He types into the computer. We waited for a few minutes. "No red flags. Welcome to the United States of America."
So we went through with our carry-on luggage. There was a elliptical conveyer belt where my luggage came out. I came to ellect my luggage. An Air Force airman offered to take my luggage.
I went out and I heard her calling out to me.
"Mom!" I said. "Dad."
We all hugged.
"It's been so long," said Mom.
"I'm finally back," I said. "This is Jenna Murphy. She was averitech pilot I met on SDF-1."
"Hi," she said to them.
"Let's go home," said Dad. "A lot has happened since you were gone."
We all put my luggage into the green Dodge minivan. We got in and Dad put the van in gear. Within minutes, we had left the airport and were cruising north on the Van Wyck Expressway. Looking to my right, I could see plenty of construction and demolition sites.
I looked ahead and saw this long green object. I glimpsed it before Jenna and I touched down at JFK. Now I recognized it.
It was a Zentraedi space vessel.
"You must be wondering what that is," said Mom.
"I know what it is," I said. "It's obvious what happened."
"It looks like the war even reached here," said Jenna.
The van took the ramp leading to Queens Boulevard and Main Stret. Dad took a left on Queens Boulevard, passing by the Maple Grove Cemetery. The one thing I noticed as we drove along Queens Boulevard was there were a lot of military vehicles parked around- Humvees, APC's, tanks, and destroids. I could see the construction sites more closely. There were several buildings that were condemned due to fire damage.
We then reached a residential street in the Forest Hills neioghborhood of Queens. I could see the houses with their porches and front yards and the trees lining the streets. After a few minutes of driving along familiar-looking streets, we reached my street.
And we finally reached the house I lived in for most of my life.
"We're here," said Dad. "Home."
I looked at the home. The last time I was here, it was the Christmas before the launch of SDF-1 Macross. I could still see the oak tree that grew in our front yard; it had been there for as long as I could remember.
"So this is where you lived," said Jenna.
"That's right," I said.
I went through the front door and into the living room. I noticed we had new couches. The coffee table and the Sony color television was the same though. I went to the fireplace, looking at my high school graduation photo. I looked to the dining room, where I had Christmas dinner. I went out and we all brought my belongings into the living room.
I carried my luggage upstairs. I looked at the second floor hallway. I opened the door and there was a room with a bed and a dresser.
This was my bedroom.
"So this is where you slept," said Jenna. She looked out the window. "It's such a nice view, although I'm sure there wasn't a Zentraedi cruiser outside the last time you were here."
I looked out at the alien spaceship. "I've got to ask Mom and Dad about that day," I said. I opened my luggage and I hung my suit and put some of my other clothes on the bed.
"You can stay here for a while," said Mom, standing outside the door. "I guess your apartment in Manhattan was already rented out."
"What will you be doing?" asked Dad.
"Today I'm gonna settle in here and unpack," I replied. "tomorrow morning I'll go to work."
"Do you think you still have a job?" asked Mom.
"I've been on assignment for the past two years. The least I can do is go to the office and submit my articles."
"Listen, we just called all of your brothers and sisters and told them the news," said Dad. "They are all coming here for your welcome home party."
"I will sure have a lot of stories to tell them," I said.
"I'll get to meet your family that you've been talking about," said Jenna.
I went downstairs and turned on the television. There was news on, and the image appeared to be a construction site.
"I'm right here in Nassau County where the reconstruction efforts are underway," said a reporter. "thousands of volunteers from New York have come to work."
"I like doing this," said this man with a wild beard. "Before the war, I was homeless and begging for food and money. I like having something else to do. I'm building new homes, and besides I get free room and board."
ooooooooooooooo
In the early evening the doorbell rang. I answered the door.
"Sally!" I said.
She said my name, and we gave each other a hug. Sally was there, along with her husband and her two-year-old daughter. What I noticed was that she was pregnant again.
"When did you become pregnant?" I asked.
"I think it was the beginning of this year," said Sally.
"Definitely," said her husband.
"Hey guys," a male voice said.
"Tony," I said, giving him a hug.
"Haven't seen you in a long time," said my brother Tony. "A lot's happened. Sally's pregnant again. I'm now a firefighter in the FDNY. As for Tammy and Oliver, they have much to tell you. Who is this?"
"My name is Jenna," said Jenna. "You must be Tony."
"Yeah, well..."
"Hello, everyone!" yelled a female voice.
"Tammy," I said, giving her a hug.
"Where have you been?" she asked.
"Out in space."
"You must have had really interesting adventures," said my sister Tammy. "I graduated from New York University last year and I'm working as a fashion designer."
"Hey you guys," said this male voice. I looked at this young man wearing a Columbia University sweater.
"Hey Oliver," I said, hugging him.
"I'm still in college, bro," he said. "You know, I saw your message on TV. It kepot repeating over and over. I called Mom and Dad about it."
"Now that we are all here," said Dad. "Let's have dinner. I saved this for the day that my long lost son would return."
ooooooooo
And so we had dinner. The main course was a New York strip steak that my parents kept in the freezer for three months until my return. Mom cooked it along with roasted red potatoes and apsaragus.
"I haven't eaten like this in a while," said Oliver.
"Foods been kind of tight since the alien attack," said Dad. "This is a special meal for a special occasion."
"So tell us all about what you've been doing the past two years," said Mom.
"Where to begin," I said, facing my family. "It all started when I flew to Macross City to cover the launch of the SDF-1. I was at the parade grounds when this huge beam of light appeared."
I continued my story, telling my family about my first encounter with the Zentraedi, Jenna picking me up and bringing me to the ship after battle, the space fold that took me near Pluto, the building of Macross City inside the ship, the constant Zentraedi attacks, and the final climactic battle.
"That's an interesting story," said Tammy.
"Tell us about yourself, Jenna," said Mom.
"Okay," she said. "I wa born in Ireland, and my father moved the family to the Apollo Colony during the Global Civil War; he wanted to shelter us from the problems on Earth. I grew up in this enclosed city built partially underground. I really wanted to go back to Earth. I signed up to be an officer in the United Nations Space Marines. I took pilot training, and then I was so good I was offered training to become a veritech fighter pilot."
"What'a a veritech?" asked Sally.
"It's a transformable fighter that can transform into a giant suit of armor for ground operations," said Jenna. "It was suitable for the Marines, since they often train in combined air-sea-land operations. I was assigned to Knight Squadron, whioch would train the first Marine veritech pilots. After months of intense training, I became qualified for the veritech fighter. I was stationed in Macross City."
"What happened when the aliens attacked?" asked Tony.
"We were launching the SDF-1. After its arrival into Earth orbit, we were supposed to fly our planes up there. My squadron was assigned as part of the Marine detachment for the ship's maiden cruise. The main gun fired, and soon the Zentraedi fleet attacked our fleet. When enemy fighters penetrated into the atmosphere, Knight Squadron and the other squadrons were sent up there. They got through our missiles and drone fighters, so we had to engage them. During the fight, one of the Zentraedi fighters crashed in Macross City. I flew down there and switched to battloid mode- that is the mode where it looks like a suit of armor. That's when I first saw the Zentraedi pilot. He was huge, about forty feet tall. I shot him down and I saw a man on the streewt nearby."
"That was me," I said.
"We continued to fly combat operations after the space fold to Pluto. We were often the first wave of defenders, since we lost most of our drone fighters in the First Battle of Macross City. I tried to make the best of our situation. Macross City was built inside the SDF-1, so there wwere places to go for food and entertainment. Meat was a rarity, since we did not bring cows with us into space. It took over a year for us to get back to Earth."
"Why couldn't the people on SDF-1 leave the ship when it came back the first time?" asked Dad.
"Earth Defense Command Headquarters denied permission for the civilians to leave. I was so mad I would have flown him back to New York. But then the enemy attacked, and I had to go out there again. Two months later, the North American Ontario Quadrant gave permission for the people of Macross City to settle in Toronto. But then the aliens attacked, and Toronto was destroyed."
"I remember hearing that on the news," said Sally.
"Anyway, we went back into space. We stayed there for another year. I continued to drill and to conduct combat operations. Then the final battle with the entire Zentraedi fleet happened. I flew in that mission. I followed the SDF-1 back down to Earth and landed there. After the battle, I was flying recon, looking for people who survived the war."
"Did you lose any friends during the war?" asked Mom.
Jenna looked at her plate for a few seconds. "Yes," she said. "I have. Not a day goes by that I don't think of them. I learned how to appreciate life. They died so I could be here. So your son could return home. You know, there was this time when this beauty pageant was held in space. I entered."
"Did you win?" asked Tony.
"No."
Finally we had wine in wineglasses. The wine had been bottled the year that the SDF-1 Macross began its journey.
We all then had a toast to my homecoming. And another one to those who did not make it home.
oooooooooooooo
Later that evening, my welcome home party died down. Jenna was on the couch. I brought a blanket to her. The television was on and the volume was low.
"Are you comfortable?" I asked.
"I slept in worse conditions during my Marine officer training," she said, resting her head against a pillow.
"Well, I've got to go to work tomorrow," I said. "Got to catch the train to Manhattan." I kissed her on the lips. "Good night."
ooooooooooooo
The next day, I had a quick breakfast of corn flakes that were provided as part of the daily ration. I got dressed in my suit, did my hear, and made myself as presentable as I could. After all, I was finally reporting back to my New York office.
"You better bring this," said Dad, handing me a Heckler and Koch USP 40 semiautomatic pistol. "The world's a lot more dangerous place, and just having this will deter most people."
"Thanks," I said. "I learned how to use these things when I was in Macross City."
I went to the mirror to check myself. Then I went into the green Dodge minivan. I sat as Dad drove me to the MTA train station in Forest Hills.
"Have a nice day," he said.
I went to the ticket vending machine and bought a train ticket and transfers. I walked through the turnstile into the boarding platform. There was a trash bin, a Coca-cola vending machine that was empty, and posters on the walls advertising goods and services and stores. It was crowded as it usually is on weekday mornings. I noticed some of the people in the station were openly carrying pistols. A MTA security guard stood watch, armed with a submachinegun.
Then the train arrived. I heard the brakes squeal. a voice announced that we would start boarding. All of us passed through another set of turnstiles entering the train and I sat in one of the plastic seats. I noticed the crowd of people and stains on the floor. I also noticed the MTA security guard armed with a submachinegun. They did not carry submachineguns two years ago; I wondered if the recent war had something to do with it. Anyway, I felt the train accelerate and I was on my way. I knew the train would pass through Brooklyn before going under the East River and emerging in Manhattan.
After over half an hour and the train getting more crowded, I finally arrived at a subway station in Manhattan. The doors opened and we all got out. It was slow to get out, as there were more people leaving than entering. I soon entered the platform of the packed subway station, barely glancing at the ad posters on the walls. I climbed up the stairs to emerge on the streets of Manhattan. I was immedaitely greeted with the skyscrapers that towered above me. Manhattan was certainly a lot different from Queens. While Queens had large open spaces and single -family houses, Manhattan had tall buildings crowded together. The streets were packed with cars and rates at the parking garages were high, around ten to fifteen dollars. I sometimes wondered if people who wanted to utilize private transportation in Manhattan recruited drivers from Bellevue's psychiatric ward. They seem to be the only people who would want to drive in Manhattan.
I walked along the crowded sidewalks along with men and women dressed like me. There was a hot dog vendor selling hot dogs; I noticed the price was higher than usual. I finally reached the building where my New York office is, on the corner of Broadway and Liberty Street. There was the lobby bank and the ATM's and the New York Style Pizza fast food place. I entered the lobby holding my black briefcase. I went to the elevator and got in with a bunch of other people also coming to work. the button for the seventeenth floor was already pressed. I waited until the elevator reached my floor, and I got out with a few others. I walked along the carpeted hallway until reaching the Associated Press office.
I entered into the office lobby. There was a desk for the receptionist, as well chairs, sofas, and a wooden table. There wewre magazines on the wooden table.
"May I help you," asked the receptionist, a red-haired woman.
"Yes, I work here," I said, introducing myself.
"I don't remember you."
"I was out on assignment for two years."
I went into the main office which had all these cubicles where we reporters would work on our stories.
Hey, Scoop!" yelled someone. I looked and saw a man wearting a suit. He had brown hair and I recognized him.
"Yes, it's me," I said.
"Where have you been?" asked Quinn Sullivan, my longtime friend. We gave each other a hug.
"Out on assignment," I said. "Unexpected things kept me from coming here until now."
"Well, I guess you'll want to see Mr. Chegwidden."
"So he's still around."
"That's right."
I walked into the chief editor's office. There was a desk and some chairs and a bookcase and a television wall unit. The Brooklyn Bridge was visible from the office. There was a personal computer and a telephone on the desk. Sitting behind the desk was a man in his late thirties wearing a suit and eyeglasses. On the desk was the nameplate AJ Chegwidden.
"So you've returned," he said.
"That's right, sir," I said.
"We all heard that message from you last year. It was even big news at the time, since you and the others in Macross city were reported to have been killed in a terrorist attack the day of the launch. What have you to report?"
"A lot. I've been on the ship for two years. Macorss City was rebuilt inside the ship and we were under constant attack by the Zentraedi. As it turned out, the Zentraedi faction teamed up with us when the Zentraedi Supreme Commander arrived to make a final assault on Earth. I have articles and notes from the past two years on these CD-ROM's." I handed the CD-ROM's from my briefcase to Mr. Chegwidden.
"Let me take a look while you wait here," he said. He looked at the computer monitor screen for a long time, skimming through my notes and articles. "Interesting story you wrote," he said.
"I rented an office during my stay on SDF-1," I said. "I covered all sorts of events, from battles to births to deaths and even a beauty pageant and a wedding. I also had to do all the administrative and accounting work. I actually made a profit for the AP."
"And you'll probably make more when we sell these stories to publishers," said Mr. Chegwidden. "I think we should all go out for a drink after work, to celebrate your return. You had the longest assignment in our office. You may go now."
"Where?" I asked. "I mean, I don't have a desk here."
"Find an empty one. Do some research on what was happening on Earth while you were gone."
And so I did. And I learned a lot.
About three billion people were killed. The Zentraedi did not seem to target specific sites in its initial volley; the ships just fired downward. There were quite a few population centers and military bases left intact after the event that would be known as the Rain of Death.
The Rain of Death caused migrations, just like previous wars had. People moved either to cities with the basic water and power infrastructure intact, or they built villages near water sources. Many parts of the world were isolated, due to the fact that the Rain of Death also shattered the network of highways, railroads, canals, aqueducts, and power lines.
The UN forces had their greatest presence in the United States, China, Britain, and Israel. The UN's reconstruction efforts began there. But other people began their own reconstruction efforts. These other people happened to be survivors with offensive military capability. They carved out nations, promising protection to the residents from any hostile aliens as well as order. These new nations rejected any UN aid and threatened to attack UN troops or aircraft that entered their territory. The UN, not wanting to start another shooting war on Earth while it was rebuilding, declined to do anything about it.
Breetai, who led the mission to capture the SDF-1 back when it was first launched and later fought with us against Dolza, assumed the position of Supreme Commander of all Zentraedi. He offered the survivors of Dolza's forces the opportunity to come serve under his command. Most of them joined Breetai, some of them fled the solar system to parts unknown, and some of them decided to continue their war against Earth. Several reconnaisance aircraft were shot down over parts of the world that had not made contact with SDF-1 or UN Headquarters, Zentraedi holdovers were suspected. As we still had a lot of rebuilding to do, the UN Secretary-General has decided to concentrate the military forces on defense of known populated areas for the time being. And Breetai provided assistance in these reconstruction efforts, sending Zentraedi combat engineers to build things like dams and power transmission lines which their large size could be of use.
ooooooooooooooo
For lunch I decided to have a slice of mushroom pizza from the New York Style Pizza restaurant on the first floor of the office building. the pizza cost about seven dollars, a lot higher than I remember. Then again, with most of Earth's land surface charred and with the military using up most of the resources in rebuilding and defense, a slice of pizza was going to be very expensive. Quinn sat with me across the table.
"I've heard it all before," said Quinn. "But to meet someone in the middle of an alien invasion?"
"That's right," I said. "Jenna and I have been though a lot. She came with me to visit New York and meet my family."
"I'd like to meet her."
"Maybe you will, Quinn."
After I finished my lunch, I returned to the office.
"I spoke with the Chairman of the Board," said Mr. Chegwidden. "The Board of Directors are holding a meeting, and they want to talk to you."
And so I did.
oooooooooooo
Mr. Chegwidden and I went up a few floors to the Associated Press's corporate office. We entered this huge room with an oak table. People dressed in expensive suits all sat around.
"So, Chegwidden, this is the reporter who spent two years on boards that ship," said this old white-haired man in a three-piece suit.
"Yes, Mr. Chairman," said Mr. Chegwidden.
"Tell us your story and start from the beginning."
I looked at each member of the Associated Press Board of Directors. I then told my story, beginning with my arrival at the shipyard where the SDF-1 launched into space. I summarized the space fold, the return to Earth, the second flight, and the final battle with Zentraedi Supreme Commander Dolza. The initial presentation to the board took about fifty minutes.
"I continued to cover the reconstruction efforts from Macross City until I arranged transportation back to New York," I finished.
"What was going on over there just as you left?" asked the chairman.
"The Macross City Hall announced it would be relocating the city just outside the SDF-1. Construction was underway when I left the city."
"There were four million Zentraedi ships?" asked a woman.
"Yes, that was how much there were. Most of them were destroyed, others crashed on Earth, and others decided to join Breetai."
"Breetai?" asked a man.
"He was the Zentraedi commander who led the initial mission to capture the ship. The Supreme Commander later marked him and his entire fleet for destruction, so he fought with us. He is now Zentraedi Supreme Commander and he is an ally."
"You have an interesting story," said the chairman. "We will discuss this matter in private. You may go now."
"Yes, sir," I said.
ooooooooooooo
Mr. Chegwidden had copies of my notes and reporters uploaded into the office servers. I reviewed my notes and articles, hoping to write another article to summarize my two years on board the SDF-1.
"Hello there," said Mr. Chegwidden. "Settling in nicely."
"Yes, sir," I said. "I'm hoping to write a new story."
"It will have to wait. You will be getting thirty days' leave."
"Thirty days' leave, sir?"
"You have been on assignment for two years. You need a vacation."
"Okay then." I then called my home number.
"Hello," said Jenna.
"Hi, Jenna," I said. "I was just informed I'm on vacation."
"Really? So you won't be going to work?"
"Not for a month. It's a paid vacation. I've been on assignment for two years."
"You were working the whole time? I haven't noticed."
oooooooooooooo
And so we later went out to an Irish pub just down the street. We had beer-battered fish fillets and Budweiser beer. Fush was cheap, as the Atlantic Ocean was just a mile from here. I listened to the life stories of my co-workers Art and Cassie as well as Quinn. and I of course told my story.
"I remember the air raid siren going on," said Cassie. "I went down into the buioklding;'s bomb shelter. I heard on the radio that Nassau County was bombed."
"I didn't know how serious it was until I heard that destruction was being reported all over ther world," said Art. "The next morning, we had to stay in our homes. There were tanks and soldiers in the streets."
"I actually saw that alien spaceship crash," said Quinn, sipping a beer. "There was all this smoke and fire."
"At least you've been busy," I said. "I was on the SDF-1's onservation lounge. I saw the Zentraedi ships fire upon Earth. When it happened, I thought they fired on the ship. I thought you were all dead."
"We're not that easy to kill," said Quinn. "So tell us about Jenna."
"She was a veritech fighter pilot," I said. After the Zentraedi pilot came out of his crashed fighter, she was the one who flew down and changed into a battloid and took him down. I never saw a plane do that before. She took me and I sat behind here. We had a few more encounters with the Zentraedi until I first boarded the SDF-1. She's a sweet girl who loved the company of other people and having fun in general."
"Did you know anyone who was killed?" asked Art.
"Yes," I said. "The war changed me, and it changed Jenna as well."
"We all changed," said Cassie. "We all knew people who were killed in the Rain of Death."
"I propose a toast," said Quinn. "To Scoop's safe return, and to all of us, that we may record this critical era in our history."
And we toasted.
ooooooooooooooo
Jenna and I stood on the boat with the other passengers, both locals and tourists, most of whom were children. I looked around, seeing the skylines of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The sky was blue and clear. We looked ahead to our destination- a green copper statue of a lady wearing a crown and holding a torch in one hand and a tablet in the other. I took a picture, and then I took another picture with Jenna in the foreground. The boat soon docked.
"We have now arrived," said the boat's skipper. "All passengers please disembark."
We both stepped onto the pier and walked to the entrance to the building which served as the statue's base. A tour guide greeted us.
"Welcome," she said. "This statue is called Liberty Enlightening the World. It was a gift to us from France back in the nineteenth century A.D. Come inside."
We entered the main lobby. It looked the same as the last time I went here, although I knew it had been renovated at least once in my lifetime. I could see framed photographs hanging on the wall as well as a souvenier shop. The tour guide continued speaking, talking about the photographs and the history of the statue.
"As you know, this statue's skin is made of copper," said the tour guide. "It now has this green finish. It is not a solid piece of copper, it is hollow inside, supported by a steel and concrete framework. A small tower was built inside the statue. Please present your passes and we can climb to the top."
We all presented our passes, which I purchased at the ticket booths in the dock in Brooklyn. Then we followed the tour guide up the stairs, walking and walking. There were a lot of stairs. It had been a long time since I did this. Jenna had never been here before.
We finally emerged in the small room located in the statue's crown. I looked out and I could see Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, and New York Bay. I noticed many ocean vessels floating in the waters near harbor; the dockworkers loading precious cargo. The Staten Island Ferry was taking passengers from Manhattan to Staten Island. Walking around, I could see a UN Ocean Patrol destroyer escorting a fleet of merchant cargo ships out towards the Atlantic Ocean.
I took my Nikon camera and took pictures of Jenna at various angles around the tower.
Then we all went down to the base of the statue and headed back for the next boat.
oooooooooooooo
Jenna and I entered the theater on Broadway in Manhattan one evening. We were both well-dressed.
"It's been a long time since I've been to a play," said Jenna.
"Me too," I said. "It's amazing how New Yorkers seldom visit the attractions. It's a weekday night, so tickets weren;t sold out. It's hard to get tickets for weekend evenings."
"You are spending a lot of money, Mister."
"I have two years' worth of accumulated pay," I said. "I can afford it."
The usher, dressed in a white shirt, black pants, black vest, and black bowtie, showed us to our seats. They were midway between the front and the back.
"Welcome," said the host, a man dressed in a tuxedo. "Tonight you are provileged to see a Streetcar Named Desire. This play has been running in this theater for three months. We will now begin Act One."
The red curtains opened, and I saw the first scene set up by the stage artists, as well as the actors and actresses.
ooooooooooooo
"So this is the lady you were talking about," said Quinn Sullivan, sipping his coffee at the Roast Coffee Shop in Greenwich Village.
"That's me," said Jenna. "I was the one who saw him after dispatching that giant. So tell me about yourself."
"Well, I'm from Connecticut and I took a job as a reporter for the Associated Press after graduating with a degree in journalism," said Quinn. Scoop and I were one of the new recruits."
"Scoop?" asked Jenna.
"It's what they call me in the office," I said.
"Because you're always trying to get a scoop?"
"Actually, no," said Quinn. "You see, it happened when we were having this party. He offered to bake a cake, but he couldn't find the baking powder. He finally set it to bake. But something went wrong. That was when we found pout he didn't use a scoop of baking powder; he used a scoop of dishwasher detergent."
"Ha," said Jenna, smiling.
"Not one of my better moments," I said, sipping some coffee.
oooooooooooo
One night Jenna and I sat in the back porch of my family's house in Queens. I could see the full moon.
"You know," I said. "This reminds me of this song that sometimes plays on the oldies station. I think it goes like this."
"What?" asked Jenna.
"If you get caught between the moon and New York City, the best thing you can do is fall in love."
"Whoever wrote that song was right," said Jenna as she put her arm around my back and kissed me. "Thanks for showing me around the place. I still have on week left of leave before I have to go back to the SDF-1."
"What do you want to do?" I asked.
"Visit my parents on Apollo Colony. I'd like you to come with me."
"Meet your parents?" I asked.
"I met your family. Now it's time for you to meet mine."