He couldn't see who it was, but Rick admired the lithe, strong form running along the uppermost pathways of the ship. He remembered using those same pathways during his basic training and wondered why anyone would willingly run that path. The path was really no more than scaffolding that had been welded to the sides of the ship. Minimal railing was in place for safety and many of the recruits had a fear of falling from that high perch. A flimsy net was installed as a safety precaution, but no one really thought the net would hold if someone did fall.
From his vantage point in the Observation Deck park, he could see the runner approaching the area on the deck which marked the exit to the track. Rick watched as the runner deftly crossed into the dirt of the Observation Deck and slowed to a walk. He was surprised to recognize that the runner was none other than Lt. Commander Lisa Hayes. Seeing her lost in though as she went through her cool down excersizes, he didn't dare approach her.
They hadn't talked much since their return from the Zentraedi ship, which he found strange after being trapped with her for quite a few weeks as a prisoner on Dolza's ship. He had thought that after what they had been through together would have brought them closer together but he sensed that Lisa chose to keep her distance from him, despite the eye-opening conversations that they had with one another while looking for an escape. She was always polite and friendly when they would run into one another on the base or in the mess hall, but she never stayed long to chat, citing her busy schedule as a way to excuse herself from prolonging the conversation. Claudia had even called her out on it once, when they ran into Roy and Rick in the mess hall, when Lisa suddenly remembered a meeting she had to attend.
Rick admitted to himself that he wished that Lisa would talk to him more. He felt something for her that he didn't quite understand. It wasn't the same type of feeling that he got when he thought of Minmei but more a curiosity and need to understand her, be someone that Lisa opened up to and confided in. He knew that there weren't many people she felt that she could turn to and for some of reason, he wanted to be one of those people.
Seeing Lisa complete her stretches and towel off a bit, Rick approached her with a casual wave and waited for her to acknowledge him. Lisa waved to him in return and slowly started to walk to where he was standing. Rick met her halfway in the park with a big grin on his face. He was impressed by how she gave no thought to greeting him in her current state and unconsciously compared her to Minmei who would have never let herself be seen after a workout like that.
"Wow, I couldn't believe that was you out there Lisa, you're fast!'
Lisa smiled still patting her perspiration soaked face with a small towel. "Thanks Rick, I've been working on my endurance and speed. After our experience running from the Zentraedi on their ship, I realized I wasn't as fast or as strong as I should be. I've been working out for all the wrong reasons and needed to make myself stronger. I've even started to incorporate more weight training in my routine."
Rick didn't mean to, but Lisa's comments made him look at her with a more critical eye. She had looked damn good in her flight suit already but he could notice that her frame did seem a bit leaner and that there was more muscle definiton in her arms and legs. Seeing her in a flight suit now, might give him heart palpitations.
Lisa blushed as she felt Rick giver her a quick once over. She hadn't said what she had said in the hopes he would check her out. Rick seeing the blush on her face realized what he had subconsiously done and fumbled with an apology. "Uh, I didn't mean to look at you... I mean when you said that about the weights, well I just..."
Lisa just as embarrassed by the conversation, just shook her head, "I get it Rick, no need to apologize. What brings you up here today?"
Rick, happy to change the subjct, started to talk, and the two slowly strolled over to the railing overlooking the city. Looking down on the bustling metropolitan below them, it we hard to imagine that all the homes, shops and buidings were all housed inside a giant alien ship. They watched as the people in the city strolled about and went on their business as if there was not a interstellar war going on outside.
Rick explained how he had free time today but didn't feel like hanging out with the Max and Ben and didn't feel like going into the city. "I love the quietness up here and the views that you can see of the stars. I don't understand why more people don't come up here to enjoy the view."
Lisa nodded her head, "I expect that people feel more comfortable going about the day as if nothing has changed. In general humans don't act well to change well and everyone deals with it differently than others. For the people of Macross, it looks like they feel its best to ignore the situation outside and hope that we can make it back to Earth safely."
Lisa who had cooled down enough, shivered a bit, drawing Rick's attention. He had been content to have this opportunity to talk to her and laugh a little with her. Rick could tell that Lisa was getting ready to pack up and leave and didn't want her to go quite yet. Seeing her shiver again, Rick pulled off the light jacket that he was wearing and offered it to her, but Lisa just shook her head.
"It was nice talking to you Rick but I have to get going."
"What about later Lisa, are you free for dinner?". Rick couldn't believe that he just asked Lisa out and in a way was a bit relieved and sad when she declined.
"Sorry Rick, I can't, I'm on duty tonight...maybe some other time alright?"
Rick murmered an agreement and walked her to the stairs that led back to the base. He wanted to ask her if maybe he could join her during her dinner break, but didn't want to risk a rejection. Rick never had the confidence with woman that Roy had and decided to let it go.
As he watched Lisa walk down the stairs back towards the base entrance, Rick felt a sense of loss and longing, something he couldn't understand why. She didn't have Minmei's fun and bubbly personality that drew everyone to her like a moth to a flame. In fact, Lisa was the complete opposite. Her no nonsense attitude at work and her barely approachable demeanour outside of the base didn't endear her to a lot of people. Lisa, however, didn't seem to care what others thought about her. From what Rick could tell was that Lisa had strong convictions towards her duty and service and that her meticulous work was done to meet her own high standards. He wondered what she thought about him and whether she still saw him as the brash, cocky recruit she had met months earlier.