At the crack of dawn, the blanket of warm light begins to descend from the tops of the tallest buildings in Frontier City. The crisp, cool morning air is accompanied by a beautiful cloudless sky and caressed by a gentle breeze. Residents all over the city are greeted by the sun's comforting glow.

Military personnel working on the airfield outside of the city toil to prepare their equipment for their coming missions. Out in the expansive ocean bay, the Macross Quarter is moored offshore. Numerous Valkyries and supporting equipment litter the flight deck. Hopefully, nobody will be needing to take off anytime soon since there seems to be no room for a traditional launching of vehicles. Tiny figures scurry about from vehicle to vehicle in haste to complete their deployment preparations ahead of schedule. A single figure stands a the edge of the deck, looking at the edifices of Frontier City in the distance. The morning breeze keeps his hair and clothes in motion.

Alto Saotome, the newest squad leader in SMS, appears lost in thought. No doubt, his recent promotion to first lieutenant is enabling him to see things from a slightly different perspective from before. Thoughts of his friends, his family, and his impending departure for space are holding his mind hostage.

Nearby, Luca Angelloni is hard at work pounding away at his laptop computer. A twisted strand of wires and cables stretches from the back of his laptop to his Valkyrie and his drone fighters tied down to the deck close by. He reaches into a nearby knapsack and pulls out some rather exotic-looking food. It looks like Nanase lovingly packed him a day's supply of food and snacks. He takes a bite and continues working on his computer.

Inside the Quarter's hangar, various activities are being performed simultaneously. The audio ambience is fraught with mechanical whirring and clacking. The combination of workers installing and repairing the systems, various mecha testing out their movement systems, the chatter and occasional yelling between workers, and the gentle hum of the hangar lighting permeates the air.

The enormous Koenig Monster, fresh from its repairs at the factory, tests out the firing mechanisms in one of the arms that were damaged in the descent operation a few months back. Kanaria Berstein sits patiently in the cockpit, waiting for the maintenance crew to give her the results of the previous testing. This battle-hardened mother and wife continues to serve faithfully as a protector of her family and the rest of the population of Aimo. She uses this pause in testing procedures to reflect on the past few months she's used to spend time with her husband and son. She will no doubt be thinking of them constantly while the Quarter is serving its deployment orders.

Across the hangar, two Queadluun Rheas stand against a wall. Various cranes and mechanical lifts are positioned to their sides. Many maintenance hatches on the Queadluuns are opened with crew working inside or computer cables extending to the floor. The pilot hatches are open with Klan Klang and Nene Rora inside their respective power armors. The two Zentraedi are busy testing out the motor systems on the Queadluuns. The arm appendages and rudimentary hands move about in a repetitive fashion. The pilots are closely communicating with the miclone technicians working in and around the Queadluuns.

Up on the bridge, a single figure sits in the captain's chair. Captain Jeffrey Wilder takes a sip of his hot tea while he casually reads technical schematics and readouts from the console in front of him. The nearby sun is the only source of illumination on the bridge. A cozy view of the sunrise is the perfect backdrop to Captain Wilder's morning breakfast.

The rest of the bridge crew arrives one at a time to man their posts. They all greet the Captain before moving to their stations. Monica Lang, who has become "close" to the Captain, takes her seat at radar control. Mena Roshan logs into the ship's computers to begin a complete systems diagnostics. Lam Hoa dons her radio headset and begins to chatter with the local airspace control tower. Bobby Margot checks in at the helm control station and glances over at the empty Flight Control Officer station to his left. He turns to the Captain with a question that's been bugging him for a few days.

"Captain, we've all been wondering... Who's going to replace the lovely Cathy as Flight Control Officer?" he asks. Captain Wilder puts his teacup down and pulls back his sleeve to reveal his watch. "The answer should be here any second now." Just then, the bridge entrance door opened, revealing Wilder's answer. A young woman emerges from the doorway and immediately marches to the Captain's chair.

"First Lieutenant Jennifer Wentz reporting as ordered, sir. What are my orders?" she barked, while saluting the Captain. Wilder paused for a moment, thinking of a way to bring her head back down from the clouds. "While your formality is appreciated, it is not necessary here. You may stand at ease, Lieutenant," he said. Jennifer relaxed and nodded in response. "I was just reading up on your personnel folder and it looks like you've got a lot of experience operating flight control. I requested an FCO-capable officer from NUNS HQ and you're their best choice," Wilder stated. Mena, Monica, and Lam could be seen in the background whispering to each other as they looked on to the exchange taking place at the captain's chair.

Bobby was happy to make her acquaintance, "I'm Bobby Margot, the ship's helmsman." He turns to the trio of females clustered together on the side of the room. "...and these three lovelies are Monica, Mena, and Lam," he continued. The ladies all greeted each other. Bobby walks towards the flight control station near him, "You'll be working right next to me, so let me know if you need anything. I'll be glad to help you, Miss Wentz."

"Please, you all can just call me Jen," she blushed. "I'm glad to be working with such a wonderful group of people!" Bobby scoffed slightly, "The pilots you will be working with may not be so hospitable, so be forewarned. You'll be working with some of the best pilots in NUNS, so you need to be on top of your game or they won't take kindly to your orders." Jen reeled back in surprise. She forgot about the famous Skull Squadron being stationed on the Quarter.

Wilder did his best to comfort Jen's sudden apprehension. "They're not that bad, Bobby. Remember that we will be receiving new pilot recruits soon after we reach our station in the system. The squad leaders will all have their hands full getting their chicklings in order. They won't have the time or the energy to direct any ill will towards you if you make a mistake here or there. Just have confidence in yourself and what you do. They can smell fear and you can't afford that," he said. Jen regained her composure and nodded in response, "Yes, Sir." She turned to her station to begin her preparation checklist. Bobby and Wilder looked at each other briefly before turning their attention back to their stations.

Back on the flight deck, Luca approaches the motionless Alto. "Sempai? You're awfully quiet. Have you completed your diagnostics on your Valkyrie already?" he cautiously asks. Alto stands quiet for a moment. "Luca, while you're on duty, don't you ever think of what Nanase is doing at that moment?" he says, turning towards Luca. Luca must think for a moment of how to carefully phrase what he's thinking without sounding too dependent on the company of Nanase. "Of course I do, but when we're on duty, I remind myself of how much she wants me to be the best at what I do. I wouldn't expect any less of her in her work." Luca felt good saying that. He knows that Alto can recognize how much he's matured in the past few months.

"Nanase is doing what she loves. Working with Sheryl and Ranka has been nothing short of a dream come true for her and I'm so happy because of it. I think it's great that the three of them get to work so closely together. I know how good it feels because I consider you all to be my best friends. I can even still feel Michael's presence around us, even though we can't see him anymore," Luca professes with confidence. Alto carefully listens to his words and even manages to find a bit of strength from Luca's statement. It will help ease his mind as he prepares himself psychologically for the indefinite deployment ahead of him.

Alto smiles before responding to Luca's words, "To answer your question, yes I did finish my preparations. Let's go see if anyone else needs help. I'd like to be able to relax for the next couple of days before our departure." Luca agrees and they both start walking towards the hangar where Kanaria, Klan, and Nene were last seen. A small team of technicians hook the pilots' Valkyries to a tug truck and begin to maneuver the planes to the deck elevator for storage.

Other military personnel are preparing for their new assignments, including Calvin Wagner. Up since before dawn, he's been waiting for the official nod from the discharge office so he can get back to duty. Fortunately, the hospital staff is not one to keep him waiting. A group of nurses and a couple of doctors promptly show up at his door with a wheelchair.

"Congratulations!" they all say in unison. Cal tries his hardest to not act like he's surprised, but he can't help but put a big smile on his face and laugh. Apparently, he's been quite the popular one during his stay there. "You've gotta be kidding me... all of you volunteered to show me off?" he says. "Yup! Despite what you might think, you've managed such an impressive recovery, that we all had to come and let you know how much we appreciated your hard work," one of the nurses chimed in. Cal was confused at the statement, "You guys appreciate me?! Heck, I should be the one saying that to you all. If it wasn't for YOUR hard work, I don't know what I'd be doing right now."

"What are you going to do now?" another nurse asked. "I already have my orders to move into the barracks to await my deployment... wherever that is going to be, " Cal replied. He grabbed his duffel bag and sat down in the wheelchair. "Wherever you go, we know you'll make us all proud," Cal's doctor said as they headed into the elevator.

A taxicab patiently waited for Cal to come out of the front door. "The NUNS was even nice enough to charter you a ride to your new quarters. You must be a popular guy wherever you go!" one of the nurses said. Cal smirked, "I doubt it. I'm just your average pilot... No heroic deeds have been accomplished yet... and I do mean 'yet'." Leaving with handshakes and hugs all around, Cal lowered himself into the cab. The doctors and nurses waved goodbye one last time and headed back into the hospital to return to their positions.

Cal watched from his moving cab, as the hospital disappeared behind another large building. That ends another chapter of his life. The next one is still unclear and it gives him a little feeling of anticipation... it's been a few months since he's seen anything beyond the window of his room and the confines of the hospital walls. The cab driver is moderately talkative. They exchange conversation about Cal's injuries and what he thinks he's going to do with his career as an NUNS pilot. The distant thoughts of a love that was separated him some time ago begins to enter his mind once more.

In front of the airfield, the cab pulls up to the curb usually designated for bus drop-offs and pickups. Cal bids the driver farewell as he approaches the front gate. The guard verifies his identity and directs him to the location of the barracks on the other side of the base. Cal declines the guard's offer to have a vehicle pick him up to transport him there. Cal wants to test out his walking abilities and use the time to think back to what he's missed out on the past few months. More importantly, the pain of loss still lingers and reminds him of the preciousness of life and loved ones.

After walking for 15 minutes or so, Cal notices a very large structure built across one of the runways. He stops a passing soldier to ask what is going on. "Oh, that! That's the stage for the upcoming concert starring Ranka Mei Lee and Sheryl Nome! I hope I get to go, cuz I'm a huge fan of both of those wonderful ladies!" Cal thanks the soldier and continues on his walk. He doesn't like to admit it, but he does find their music to be quite inspiring, despite his varying tastes. He mostly listens to rock and roll, but always finds time to explore other genres. He can hear sound testing going on in the distance. It appears that everyone's hard at work setting up for the upcoming concert.

Workers toil away at the enormous concert set. They dot the structure on all sides like ants feasting on a freshly-fallen piece of candy. On stage, Sheryl works with stagehands on setting up markers on the ground so she knows where she should be standing at all times during the concert. Behind a few loose props, Ranka and Nanase discuss new costume designs as they flip through magazines and a sketchbook. In his usual rushed fervor, Elmo Kridanik comes running up to deliver some developing news regarding their concert.

"Ranka! How are the preparations coming? Is it possible to push the concert date up one day?" "Why do you ask?" Ranka replied. "I just got off the phone with NUNS HQ and they notified me that they have issued comprehensive deployment orders that are to be carried out the day we scheduled the concert. They want to know if we can play the concert before all of the soldiers leave for orbit and beyond," Elmo exclaimed. Ranka stood up from her chair. Only one word entered her mind, "Alto." "Did they tell you who is going to be deployed?" Ranka asked. Elmo shook his head, "They only told me of the deployment. So, do you think it can be done?"

"Can what be done?" a voice called out from behind the props. Sheryl walked into the meeting area with a drink in her hand. Ranka turned to Sheryl and explained what Elmo had just told her. "I already told them that I am sure we can do it, but I wanted to get approval from you two before I gave them any definitive answers," Elmo added. "The set construction foreman told me that his crew should be done by the end of the day today. The stage techs are confident they'll be finished early tomorrow. I think it can be done, if you two are willing to do it," he continued.

Sheryl and Ranka looked at each other briefly; they could read each others' minds. "We'll do it," they both said simultaneously. Elmo clapped his hands together and rubbed them rapidly. He then turned and left the backstage area to deliver the news to NUNS HQ. "We'll have a lot of work to do today, then. When we're done, let's all get together at the new Nyan Nyan that just opened up two days ago. The owners sent me a letter inviting us to help with their opening," Nanase suggested. Everyone cheered at the idea and returned back to work harder than before, determined to meet their new deadline. However, they're not the only ones working on a strict timetable...

A black limousine idles outside of Ozma's house. The gorgeous landscaping details can be clearly seen in daylight. Dew glistens and sparkles like a blanket of diamonds over all of the plants nearby. Ozma and Cathy exit the house together and embrace each other a last time before she gets into the limo to return to work at NUNS HQ. "Last night was exactly what I needed, Ozma. I will be sure to return the favor when I get a chance," Cathy said as she sat down in the backseat. "I enjoyed our time together as well," Ozma replied, "Don't worry about returning the favor. I just want you to focus on your work now. I have to get over to the Quarter in a bit anyways." Cathy won't let his hard work go unrewarded, though. She simply looks at him and says, "Pineapple cake." Ozma smiles and straightens up as Cathy closes the door. He waves goodbye while the limo pulls away from the curb. It's amazing how the simple things can mean so much between two people who love each other.

Some time later, Ozma's car drives through the front security gate of the airfield. On his way to the base harbor to catch a boat to the Quarter, he passes by a single soldier walking alongside the road. Ozma stops the car and rolls down the window, "You lost, soldier?" "No, sir. I just decided to walk to the barracks. I've got my orders right here," he replied shaking the paper in his hand. "I haven't seen you around here before. What's your name?" Ozma asked. "2nd Lieutenant Calvin Wagner, sir. I was just released from the hospital this morning and I'm on my way to return to service." "The hospital, huh? Did you take a nasty fall down some steps?" Ozma chided. "No, sir. I was critically injured in the descent operation a few months back. The doctors say I should have been dead, but here I am. I'm very excited to finally get back to work," Calvin replied as if he wore his injures like a badge of honor. Ozma noticed the wings on Cal's uniform, "A pilot, huh? Well, let's hope you haven't injured your pilot senses too, right?" Cal didn't take too kindly to Ozma's comments, but he was talking to a superior officer. "I'll be back in the air before you know it," Cal responded kindly. He wanted so badly to show up this officer with his piloting skills. Who the hell does this guy he think he is, Max Jenius??

Fortunately, Cal gets through his encounter with Ozma without letting any disrespectful tones or statements slip from his tongue. He salutes Ozma as he drives away. Cal hopes to not be disturbed anymore before he gets to his quarters. He's already walked a couple of miles just to get to where he wanted to go in the first place. The last thing he needs with his recently-recuperated body is more delays. Maybe it wasn't such a great idea to walk...

After verifying the address on his letter, Cal puts the letter away and makes his way up the steps to the barracks. Several soldiers are outside socializing. It looks like these guys have had way too much free time on their hands lately. The scene is not entirely encouraging to Cal, who can't wait to get back in the sky again. He checks in at the information desk and receives some mail that's been waiting for him since yesterday. On his way to his room, he has to dodge various soldiers running through the halls. It's almost like he's moving into a college dormitory. Next thing he knows, he'll walk into his room to find a soldier sleeping in his bed completely drunk and passed out.

Fearing the worst, he opens the door to his quarters. Someone must really love him out there, because the room is in pristine condition and it appears that nobody has been staying there for at least a few days. He breathes a sigh of relief as he drops his duffel bag on the chair at the desk and hops into the top bunk for a quick rest. Unfortunately, the thin walls in the building allow all sounds in the halls and neighboring rooms to be heard fairly easily in Cal's quarters. It's going be a bitch and a half to get any semblance of rest or thinking done here.

Cal opens the letters he had received at the front desk. The first letter was from NUNS HQ greeting him on his return to service. Nothing new or important there... The second letter was an appointment at noon to appear at the personnel office for a physical, a skills assessment and possible placement into active duty. Great! Perhaps he won't be spending a lot of time in these overcrowded tenements. The third letter was an invitation to the benefit concert starring Ranka and Sheryl. Cal thinks to himself, "Why in the world would they invite me? I've been off active duty for months!" Reading further into the letter, it appears that NUNS has made an effort to include as many combat veterans as possible. I guess that explains why Cal was selected to attend, even though he was still relatively new to NUNS.

The fourth and final letter had a very familiar return address. "David Nguyen, Bell-Casse Dynamics" was written in the corner of the envelope. Cal's eyes lit up as he tore open the envelope. The letter was formally written and was printed on watermarked paper. Some important information was definitely written here. "Cal, I heard you are making it out of the hospital and going back into the service. When you get a chance, we'd like you to come see us before you get shipped off to some God-forsaken place. We have some great news we'd like to share with you. We've also got a case of beer with your name on it, so come help us celebrate your recovery!" Cal finishes reading the brief message and puts the letter down to do some thinking. His feelings are mixed, for some reason, but he decides that he should look forward to the reunion with his old co-workers.

Back in the bay, Ozma returns to the Quarter to check on the status of his squadron's preparation for deployment. Ozma calls Klan into his office for a meeting of utmost importance. After a quick hop into the micloning chamber, Klan enters Ozma's office takes a seat across from him at his desk.

"You asked to see me, sir?" she inquired. Ozma took a deep breath. There was a lot for him to cover. "We're being deployed, " he simply said. "It's about time. What do I need to know?" she asked. "Looks like we're going to be playing 'planetary police'. We're going to be keeping an eye out for any unusual activity in the Kihnes Asteroid Belt. Even though HQ simply says 'police', my instincts tell me that something else is going on. Nobody has officially mentioned a word as to the whereabouts or condition of City Galaxy. Through all of the reorganization that NUNS has gone through since the founding of Frontier City, nobody has been keeping up with what's going on outside of this planet's atmosphere. It's really disappointing to me, to be honest," Ozma replied. Klan was about to respond, but Ozma continued, "That's not all. NUNS has ordered us to expand Skull Squadron and organize it into 4 teams of 4 fighters. They've left the details up to my discretion, but it looks like we will be taking in some new pilots to our little gang."

Klan is reluctant to make any snap decisions. "Have you told the rest of the crew here?" she asked. "No, as my squadron XO, I think it's best if I discuss this with you before we make any decisions," Ozma replied. Klan appreciated the respect she's getting as the last few months have been very distracting to her. "Thank you for confiding this in me, Ozma. However, I am very resistant to bringing in chicklings to our squadron. I don't feel like babysitting a bunch of kids. I'd rather be able to depend on my wingmates to do their jobs instead of taking care of crying babies," she replied flippantly. "Klan, this is the way of the NUNS... but there is some good news for you. We're to be assigned as a elite special forces unit. That means that we can have the pick of the litter amongst available NUNS pilots. Perhaps they won't be a bunch of virgins like you might think."

This alleviated some apprehension from Klan, but her pride as an elite pilot overrided her sense of logic in this matter. "Ozma, you know I require a lot from my wingmates. Why do you think I haven't filled Raramia's place in Pixie Team yet? Any chicklings that find their way into this squadron are going to be subjected to a virtual hell by me. They'd better be good enough, or they're not going to be here for very long." Ozma smiled in response, "Klan, you wouldn't be squadron XO if you were any less of a soldier. I have the utmost confidence in your ability to keep these pilots on their best behavior." Klan and Ozma smiled at each other during the brief pause. She thinks to herself how great it is to have a superior officer who actually pushes her to keep improving herself. How can so much valor exist in such small bodies? Ozma continued with his orders, "Okay, I'm going to need from you a list of our current pilot roster, and detailed descriptions of the types of pilots we're looking for in each team. I've called a meeting in the briefing room in one hour. I need your report in 45 minutes." Klan stood up and saluted Ozma before leaving the room.

After waiting outside for his turn, Alto enters Ozma's office behind Klan. Ozma offered Alto a seat and got right down to business. "What's the status on our equipment?" Ozma asked. Alto had a notepad in his hands with his gibberish scribbled in a non-descript order. "All VF-25's passed their diagnostics tests and the two Queadluuns are good to go. However, there was a bit of a snag with the Monster. The techs say that they need a couple of parts to fix a mechanical malfunction in the firing mechanisms in the left arm. They told me they'll have it fixed overnight. All we have left is to take on supplies for our deployment. Have you been notified of our assignment, sir?" "Yes, I have, but I will brief you on the details in an hour," Ozma replied. "Good, then I will be able to create a supply manifest for NUNS to fill based on whatever it is that we'll be doing," Alto confidently said.

Ozma got up from his chair and looked through the venetian blinds to see the activity taking place in the hangar. "On a more personal note, Alto... How do you feel about leaving Aimo...? About leaving Ranka and Sheryl behind?" Alto had to think about his answer for a moment. Just for a second, he had to touch his emotional sense within him to make sure he knew what he was about to say was the truth. "I'm going to miss them very much. Being so far away and not being able to protect the people I care about is going to be a shock to my system, to be honest," he said.

Ozma turned around and sat back down. His mind was put slightly at ease hearing about the same feelings that he had about Ranka and Cathy. "The time has come for us to do our part for this new world. Even though we'll be many miles away for an indefinite period of time, we'll still be protecting them. That, I can promise you," Ozma said. The two pilots have common goals, it seems. Ozma can take solace in the fact that other people share the same unsteadiness of deploying into space. Satisfied with Alto's answer, Ozma returns the conversation back to the business end. "Okay, I'll need that supply manifest as quickly after that meeting as you can make it. We have a short timetable to work with and I want to make sure we leave this planet completely prepared for anything." Alto salutes as he leaves the office to meet up with the rest of the gang for lunch before the briefing.

Realizing he should take advantage of this break in the action, Alto joins the rest of the crew members already enjoying lunch in the Quarter's galley. He takes a seat next to Luca, Kanaria, and Nene. Just as he's about to take his first bite of his food, he notices Bobby, Mena, Lam, and Monica at another table with a new crew member. "Hey, who's the newbie over there?" Alto asks his lunch partners. "I think it's Miss Cathy's replacement as FCO," Luca answered. "Well does she have a name?" Alto inquired. Luca looked around at Kanaria and Nene, but they both shrugged. Whoever she was, it was somewhat inconsequential to the two of them. Alto continued eating his food but blurted out his next question before he was done chewing. "Nene, where's your sister?" he said, trying not to spray food from his mouth. "I think she had something urgent to take care of. My guess is it's probably under orders from Commander Lee," Nene answered.

"Damn, I was hoping to talk to her before the briefing. I'm dying to know what Ozma told her," Alto stated. Kanaria was a bit annoyed by Alto's impatience. "If Ozma wanted you to know, he would have told you. Just wait until the briefing. It's not like him to hold back information from his most trusted pilots. Even while you were a new pilot, you were told many highly classified secrets that could have cost him his career." Upon hearing Kanaria's words, Alto dropped the subject and went back to eating. Not much conversation was going on at their table while everyone ate. What's everyone being so hush-hush for?

Finally after a few minutes of dead silence from the four, Alto stands up and swallows his bite of food. "Okay, if nobody else is going to do it, I'll go talk to the new girl over there," he says while wiping his mouth off with a napkin and tossing it on his plate. Nene, Kanaria, and Luca watched as Alto glided over to the other table with the bridge crew sitting around it, introduced himself, and attempted to engage in the conversation. They were too far away to hear, but it appears that Alto says something that upsets the girls and Bobby. Before any bodily harm can be inflicted onto Alto, he scurries back to his seat like a naughty puppy. He resumes eating with one hand propping up his head with a look of disgust on his face. A pregnant pause fills the air as Nene, Kanaria, and Luca stare at him awaiting an answer.

"Well?" they all asked. "Well what?" "What's her name?" they asked again. Alto finished chewing, swallowed, and took a deep breath. "Jennifer Wentz," he said dejectedly. "So... what did you do to piss them off?" Luca asked. Alto stared at Luca for daring to ask such a question, but he did deserve to be asked after that little display of idiocy at the other table. "Nothing," he said, picking up his plate and getting up from the table. Luca couldn't help but laugh after Alto left the table. "I know one thing's for sure. He didn't learn a thing about charming the ladies from Michael," he said laughing. "How he can have both Ranka and Sheryl fawning for his attention is beyond unbelievable," Kanaria chimed in. Nene tried to remain quiet, but she couldn't help but giggle at the events that just happened in front of her.

Right about at that point, crew members started to finish up their lunches. Some had begun to exit the room when Luca's laptop chimed an alarm. "It's time for the briefing," he said. The three remaining pilots got up from their chairs and headed towards the briefing room.

It was bustling with chatter as the crew members talked with each other on what they think the details of their deployment will be. Klan stood in the front of the room silently awaiting the entry of the ship's commanding officers. Right on time, Captain Wilder and Commander Lee entered the briefing room to give their reports.

"Captain on deck!" Klan barked as she stood at attention. The chatter stopped immediately as all of the crew members stood at attention as well. "At ease..." Wilder casually said. All of the crew members who had chairs sat down. The rest stood up along the outside of the room against the walls. Wilder put down his notebooks and began his briefing.

"Good afternoon and thank you for coming. I'm going to cover the overall synopsis of our upcoming mission," he says. The lights dim to allow for better viewing of the visual aids and diagrams that are displayed on the holographic projector near the front of the room. "As most of you already know, our encounter with the scourge that is Macross Galaxy left us with innumerable casualties and loss of precious resources during our voyage here and the subsequent descent operation onto this planet. Although we succeeded in destroying Battle Galaxy and freeing the Vajra from their control, City Galaxy is still unaccounted for and NUNS has deemed it to be a considerable liability while its position remains unknown."

The projector shows a view of the local planetary system with the sun to the side and each planet in the system. "Planet Aimo is the 2nd planet in the Coral system. Between Coral-5 and Coral-6 is the Kihnes Asteroid Belt. These asteroids are mineral-heavy, making them both a boon to our developing colony and a security threat. Because of the dense mineral deposits, the asteroids emit strong electromagnetic fields, obscuring our long-range sensors. It is Frontier Government's ultimate goal to harvest these valuable minerals in the near future in order to facilitate the construction of buildings and space vessels. Coral-6 is also rich in resources, but it is also a planet with a heavy gravity field and an extremely hostile atmosphere," Wilder continued.

The projection highlighted Coral-5 and the Kihnes Asteroid Belt. "We will begin our sweep of the asteroid belt starting at the point nearest to Coral-5. Our mission will have two objectives: Map and catalogue all micro-planetary bodies for prospecting teams to visit later, and attempt to locate City Galaxy," Wilder said as the projection dissipated and the lights returned back to normal levels. "I want to stress the importance of locating City Galaxy. NUNS intelligence believes the asteroid belt to be the most likely location, because it gives them a virtual invisibility to our long-range sensors. Our HIGHEST priority is to locate Galaxy. Once this objective is reached, we will report our findings to Frontier Government and await a decision. Before we reach the asteroid belt, though, we have one step to accomplish before deploying the search and cataloguing fleet. I will let Commander Lee explain." Wilder finished and stepped to the side to allow room for Ozma to work.

The lights dimmed again and a new diagram projected into view. The diagram was showed 4 squadrons of unmarked VF-25's. Ozma started his presentation, "NUNS has ordered SMS to become a front-lines elite fighter squadron. They have recognized the effectiveness and efficiency of our hard work and skills. I want to thank each and every one of you for making it possible for us to garner such acclaim and honor from NUNS HQ." The crew members in the room congratulated each other in a dull roar and some hands clapped. Ozma waited for the silence to return. "There were some stipulations to our assigned status, however. This means that we will be reorganized into 4 teams of 4 fighters. NUNS has allowed us to structure the teams any way we wish, but that also means that we will need to take on additional pilots and maintenance crews to supplement our existing personnel," Ozma said. The atmosphere of praise turned into hesitation. Numerous groans and clicking of tongues could be heard amongst the dull roar.

The projection changed back into a view of a large, orange planet with rings and a portion of the Kihnes Asteroid belt nearby. Ozma continued on his detailed explanation, "Our first step will be a space fold into orbit around Coral-5. Coral-5 is a gas giant with a dense ring of ice and rock particles. This will be an ideal training ground for our new pilots, as we will be spending most of our time in the asteroid belt. Once there, we will rendezvous with a few as-yet-unknown fighter carriers who will provide us with personnel support for combat patrols and various simulated battle scenarios. The battle scenarios will pit teams of fighters against each other to serve as a means to scout out the talent we will be needing to fill our mission parameters. Lieutenant Commander Klang will provide the details of our squadron organization."

Again, the projection turned off and the lights came on. Klan unfolded her arms and walked to where Ozma was previously standing. "We will assign a specialization to each team of fighters. The two space intercept/superiority teams will be led by Commander Lee and myself. Lieutenant Saotome will lead a team specializing in defense of the Quarter. Lieutenant Berstein will lead a team of heavy fire and artillery support pilots. Each team will be required to have one RVF-25 pilot so we can overcome the blinding electromagnetic fields in the asteroid field," Klan said. She reaches into her jacket pocket and pulls out a small box.

"All RVF-25's will report to the squadron's lead reconnaissance officer. That team will be led by our newest 2nd Lieutenant, Luca Angelloni," Klan said as she tossed the box across the room and into his lap. Luca's face turned into stone in shock. He opened the box to reveal his new rank insignia. "Congratulations, Lieutenant," Klan said. The rest of the room erupted in applause. Various crew members gave Luca a congratulatory pat on the back. "Thank you so much, everybody!" Luca exclaimed as he stood up, nodded, and sat back down.

Klan continued with her report, "Luca, you will be in charge of the RVF-25's in the squadron. That means you will have 3 pilots, one from each team, reporting to you on a regular basis. Your skill and expertise in electronic warfare technologies will make you a fine leader in this role." Luca blushed at the compliments he was getting. "You will be flying as the RVF-25 in Commander Lee's team, Luca. This means we will need about 10 new pilots and the supporting maintenance crews for the upkeep. Commander Lee and myself will be the ones making the decisions on who will be joining us. Rest assured that we will not accept anything less than the very best the NUNS has to offer," Klan said, finishing up her report.

Ozma chimed in from the side, "We will be leaving the planet the day after tomorrow. Since NUNS has forced a hasty deployment, they requested that the Sheryl and Ranka concert be moved up to tomorrow in order to give you all a chance to take part in the ceremonies. I expect to see you all there tomorrow night!"

Wilder took center stage once more. "Thank you for your hard work, everyone. Let's show the NUNS the definition of 'elite'. Dismissed!" The crew members all stood up and begun chattering with each other about the news they had just received. Seems like there's a lot of hard work ahead for everyone, but it didn't seem to bother them at all.

Over at NUNS HQ, soldiers are being interviewed and processed for deployment as well. Cal is patiently waiting for his turn, along with many other soldiers who are hopeful about their future prospects. He's already gone through the physical and assessment tests. All that's left is the final interview with an officer. Every few minutes a different officer enters the room, clipboard in hand, and reads off a rank and name. The named soldier then leaves the room with the officer into one of the many doors down the hall.

Cal makes small talk with the other soldiers, who are happy to swap their war stories with each other. After waiting for a good solid hour, Cal hears his name being called out. "2nd Lieutenant... Calvin Wagner?" Cal perks up and leaves his chair to greet his interviewer. After the customary salute, the officer introduces herself. "I'm Commander Catherine Glass, senior Joint Chiefs advisor. It's nice to meet you," she says as she shakes Cal's hand. Cal is delighted to be interviewed by such a lovely woman. "Thank you, and you too," he says with a smile.

He follows Cathy into her office where they both take a seat at her desk. After opening Cal's personnel folder and reading for just a few moments, Cathy begins her examination. "I see that you were just released from the hospital after suffering quite debilitating injuries from the planetary descent operation. While I congratulate you on your recovery, I am concerned that your body might not be ready for the rigors of intense fighter combat. Why should I assign you to a combat-ready role?" Cal's answer quickly came to him, "As you can see, the doctors have cleared me for all combat-related duties, including flying a Valkyrie, ma'am. I passed my physical today, as well. I'm ready both psychologically and physically and I can't wait to get back into the pilot's seat." Cathy read his facial expressions and bodily language while he was responding. She nodded her head in agreement.

"Okay, before you started your career with NUNS, you had already logged thousands of hours of flying time while you worked for Bell-Casse Dynamics. Unfortunately, your actual combat experience is severely limited, due to your late entry into NUNS and your long recovery time from your injuries. Can you tell me how your skills will enable you to become an effective pilot despite those facts?" Cathy asked. Once again, Cal was ready for the question. "I flew a YF-24 Evolution, the precursor to the VF-25 Messiah, while test flying, so I have experience using a fighter that's already in service. I have also flown the VF-171EX Nightmare Plus in combat. I spent most of my time at Bell-Casse testing out new weapons systems and countermeasures in combat-simulated environments and the occasional fighter-to-fighter real-time battle scenario. My superiors always recognized me as their best test pilot, so I got the brunt of the testing workload. I believe that, although mostly simulated, my experience will bode me well in an actual combat scenario," Cal answered confidently. Once again, Cathy's impression of him was good.

"I can see that previous officers who interviewed you were impressed with your flight record and admitted you into the service as a 2nd lieutenant. That's a good sign. What made you quit the private sector and join the NUNS?" Cathy asked. This seemed to be the question Cal was hoping to not be asked. His demeanor turned into a more serious and forlorn one. "Well..." he trailed on, "Basically I left because my fiancee passed away." Cathy frowned, realizing she'd asked a question that was difficult to answer. Cal continued with his explanation, "My fiancee was a brilliant research scientist at Bell-Casse and she was fatally irradiated by a failed experiment of one of our projects. I'm not sure who was to blame, nor do I really care, to be honest. Mistakes happen and I'm not going to waste energy trying to punish someone for something they've probably already been hurt about enough. We were all really close friends at the labs." Cathy was now the one in the uncomfortable seat. Cal's story was beginning to pull her heart strings. "After her funeral and some time for grievance, I decided it would be best if I left the company to pursue another career since working there would constantly remind me of her. Becoming a combat pilot was the natural choice, given my extensive flight experience. It's enough action to help keep me focused on constructive activities. Plus, I want to do something I love and make a huge difference in other peoples' lives by doing it," Cal finished.

Cathy expressed her condolences and took a moment to regain her composure following a deep breath. "Okay, I can tell you really like what you do and you seem like you have a lot to prove. I have one final question for you, though. What do you want to do with your life now? Do you see yourself as going career, or do you plan on serving for a while and re-entering the private sector?" she asked. Cal took a moment and answered, "I don't know for sure at this point, but I have taken an interest in becoming a politician if I do leave the service. It's another great way to turn my hard work into something that benefits a lot of people... Wait, you said your name is Catherine Glass, right?" Cathy gulped and nodded. Memories of her father began to enter her mind. "Aren't you related to--" he stopped his sentence as he could see Cathy was about to nod her head to answer his question. "Sorry," he said. "I'm sure a lot of us are going through the same thing in one way or another lately," Cal said trying to empathize with Cathy.

The room grew silent as the two tried to clear their thoughts and move on with the conversation. "You know, actually, I received a letter from my old co-workers at Bell-Casse, inviting me over. They said they had some good news for me. I was planning on visiting them after I got done here," Cal said, trying to brighten up the mood a little. Cathy perked up because this was an incredible coincidence. She smiled as she replied, "That's right! I know exactly what it is. We've been in contact with a few local defense contractors and have requested that they give us some prototypes of new technologies they've been working on. We were wanting to deploy some of these new weapons for testing in NUNS to help us get a leg up on new technology. They're probably looking for someone to unload their gadgets to and figured you'd be a great candidate. I tell you what, wait right here. The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs is the one working on this. I'm going to his office to see if I can help you and Bell-Casse work something out." Cathy got up from her desk with excitement and quickly left the room.

Cal was very surprised at this development. Those crazy guys over at the lab... they're always up to no good. Things just don't change with those fools. He begins to wonder if there's a supernatural force at work around him opening all kinds of doors of opportunity. Marie Benson... She's still a miracle worker, even after death.

After several minutes, Cathy returned with a file folder and placed it on her desk as she sat down. She flipped through two or three pages, and found what she was looking for. "Ah! I was right. There they are... Lieutenant Wagner, I'm going to authorize you to take part in this project," Cathy said as she reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a sheet of official letterhead. "Here's an affidavit from the Joint Chief's office authorizing you access to the projects at Bell-Casse. I'm going to give you your wings and assign you to the Azusa. I'll let the squadron leader there brief you on their upcoming mission," She said as she frantically scribbled the orders on the paper, "If I recall correctly, you'll be embarking the day after tomorrow, so you will need to get your planetside affairs in order quickly."

"Here, take these forms to the personnel office on the next floor and they will give you all the instructions you'll need to make it to your ship on time," Cathy said as she handed him the papers with a huge smile on her face. Cal was completely starry-eyed at this development. He reached across the desk and shook Cathy's hand with both of his hands. "Thank you so much, Commander! I can't tell you how excited I am to be able to do this again!" Cal said as he swiped up all of his forms and neatly jogged them on the desk.

The two exchanged hearty goodbyes and Cal went on up to the personnel office to deliver his papers. He couldn't wait to get to Bell-Casse and deliver the incredible news. Cathy went back into her office to get ready for her next interview. She couldn't help but smile at the image of Cal's excited face. She thinks to herself, "This is why I love this job." Suddenly, she was reminded of Ozma because of Cal's story about losing his fiancee. "That oaf better make it back here alive," she mumbled to herself with a smile.