CHAPTER 5

Lynn Kyle stood at the helm of one of the world's most advanced communication centers. It didn't appear very organized – server towers filled the space, and bundles of cable ran across the floor. Spare computer parts filled cluttered desks. And in the midst of it all, technicians ran between computer screens trying to keep everything running.

But somehow, it worked. It was the nerve center of the Freedom Cross – and the side of Lynn Kyle's organization that no one knew about.

He was joined by Ayanami Raine, his personal assistant. She was nearly as mysterious as Lynn Kyle. A tall, thin woman with deep red hair, she seemed to appear everywhere Lynn did. She was always in a jet-black business suit and matching skirt. She never smiled, and rarely said a word.

Lynn Kyle looked down at one of the computer screens. It was showing an image of the moon, partially covered in shadows.

"How long until the far side comes into view?" he asked a technician.

"Just a few minutes, sir. The satellite is ready to take photographs."

Kyle nodded. "Miss Raine," he said, "would you like to see this?"

She stepped up behind him and looked over his shoulders. Within moments, all of the computer screens switched to the image of the moon. As the shadows enveloped the cratered surface, the picture quickly zoomed in. Still pictures began zipping out of printers all over the room, falling in piles on the floor.

The picture kept zooming. It finally stopped and focused itself, adding artificial light. Amid the huge mountains and craters, there was a wrecked, crashed Zentraedi battle cruiser.

The whole place erupted with excitement.

We found them! We found them!

Look at that picture…it's perfect!

See if you can zoom in closer!

Miss Raine stared at the screens, quiet and calm.

Lynn Kyle turned to her and smiled. "This is an important day for us," he said. "We can't fight an enemy we don't understand. But now…we can stare right at him."

Miss Raine nodded quietly.

Kyle shouted out loud. "Now, bring our matrix up on every screen!"

The technicians went to work. Soon every monitor displayed a picture from some secret location, where armed soldiers stood watch in a tightly locked-down warehouse. A massive, reinforced metal container stood in the cavernous space. From thin windowed spaces, it glowed a powerful bright hue that lit the entire warehouse.

It was the glow of pure, intensely powerful energy – of protoculture.

"How does it feel," said Kyle, "to know that you're about to change the world."

It's not like I'm going to change the world.

Lisa lay on the sofa with her eyes closed. She was heavy hearted – guilty about the night before.

So what…I'm promoted. I'm an admiral now. I'm just another cog in the machine. Nobody even cares…

She sighed, and rolled around to bury her face. But she was suddenly surprised.

Am I…am I wrapped up in…blankets?

She blinked open her sleepy eyes. She was wrapped up – in so many blankets, she could barely move. There was even a pillow tucked under her head.

"But…I don't understand…"

She looked over the edge of the sofa, and found Rick Hunter curled up on the floor. He was in his socks, and still wearing his military fatigues. His back was pressed up against the sofa; he was sleeping in a stiff, uncomfortable way.

Lisa covered her smiling mouth with a handful of blankets. She sat for a while and watched him. It melted her heart; she could have stared at him forever, but after some time she felt playful enough to try and wake him.

She reached behind her, took the pillow and tossed it on his head.

Mmmph! …Hey. Mmmh.

Lisa pulled a blanket off and flopped it down on him.

Mmmhh! Mmm. Stoppit.

Rick tried to roll over in his sleep. But the more he struggled, the more he tangled himself up in the blanket. It wasn't long before he was tied up in some strange knot, lying on his back.

She tried to keep from giggling – but she couldn't help herself. She let out a burst of laughter, and gasped and stuffed the blankets over her mouth again.

Rick blinked his eyes. He slowly shook off the sleep, all the while trying feebly to get himself out of the blanket. He was finally mostly awake, staring up at Lisa with the most confused look on his face.

She waved down at him. "…Hi," she giggled.

Rick yawned. "Hi…um…I'm on the floor, I guess."

"At my place," she nodded, still laughing.

"Hmm? Oh – oh yeah."

He fought the blanket for the last time. But instead of untangling it, he ended up ripping the thing in half. Lisa found this hilarious.

"You look so uncomfortable!"

"Mm-hmm," he nodded, with half a blanket still wrapped around his neck.

"Aww…come on…I'll get you on the couch."

"Mmm…not a good idea."

"Why not?"

Rick stretched out on the floor. "I slept kinda funny…I think my neck is stuck like this."

Lisa slid to the edge of the sofa. "Well…" she said with a smile. "Maybe I can make it feel better."

She fell against him on the floor, and they both disappeared under the blankets. It was a mess of arms, legs, laughter and cotton sheets.

Hold still, silly!

Hey. Hey, I'm serious…it hurts. Hey come on, I just woke up!

Where…where does it hurt? Right here? Let me rub it for you.

Caref – ouch!! Hey not so hard!

Did that hurt?

Yeah! But I don't care.

Ha ha! Okay…now hold still. I'll be more gentle.

The big poof of blankets slowly died down, until it draped over their bodies on the floor.

Oooh…yeah, right there…hey that feels good.

See, I told you…hmm…you know, you look good in uniform.

Thanks…and you look beautiful in…oh, wow.

What?

…You're still in your underwear.

There was a brief moment of silence, and then – the whole apartment complex could have heard Lisa's scream.

Lisa scrubbed at a big red stain on her bedroom floor. She was wrapped up in a bathrobe for the moment – the sooner she dabbed out the wine stain, the better.

Rick was right at her side, helping her.

"So…it was a mouse?" he asked.

"Yeah. Scared me to death," she sighed.

"I thought you liked animals."

"Yeah, the big cute ones! Things you can cuddle with. I don't like anything that…scurries."

Rick laughed. "I wonder how a mouse got up to the sixth floor, anyway."

"I'm trying not to think about it. I can't wait until he's gone. And now this mess is going to cost me a fortune!"

She scrubbed even more furiously. It seemed like she was trying to burn her way through the carpet. She gave a frustrated sigh, and sat down on the floor.

Rick scooted up next to her. "I'm sorry I missed the ceremony," he whispered.

"You don't have to keep apologizing!"

"Well…I'm still sorry. I feel terrible."

"Please, don't…don't feel bad." Lisa smiled and looked up at Rick. "Just seeing you this morning was enough to cheer me up."

Rick smiled back. "I'm proud of you."

"You've said that too."

They sat together at the bedside. The sun began to rise in Lisa's bedroom window, hiding between the tall New Macross buildings. It was beautiful anyway.

"I guess you're my commanding officer again," smiled Rick.

"For now," said Lisa.

"You're going to take advantage of that, aren't you?"

She grinned a little. "Mmm…I may."

"Well, how about one day where I'm in charge? And we'll spend the whole day celebrating. I'll rent us a fancy car, drive to the beach and we can spend the whole day there."

Lisa smiled, but shook her head. "Rick…I'm tired. I'm sorry. I just wouldn't have a good time…"

He nodded, and wrapped his arm around her. "Can I stay with you, then?"

"You'd spend your whole day off…being boring with me?"

"Absolutely," said Rick, matter-of-factly. "Permission to be boring, ma'am!"

Lisa reached up and kissed his cheek. "Granted," she whispered.

The protoculture matrix cast its gentle blue light on the walls of its storage hangar. Battle tanks were parked dormant beside it. Armed soldiers were everywhere – some were posted in the balcony catwalks, some stood in wait by the entrances. Groups of them made their rounds inside the structure.

Some of them were human with military-grade body armor. Others were Zentraedi, wearing old alien battle suits. But they all wore the mark of the Freedom Cross.

They are brothers in arms…the men, and the monsters.

Lynn Kyle stood at the base of the giant matrix, bathed in blue light. Miss Raine was at his side – she was sitting on the floor with her legs crossed, like a little girl. She paid no attention to her expensive business suit. Her briefcase was by her side.

"And they're growing in numbers every day," said Kyle. "They'll become a great army, someday."

Miss Raine looked up at Kyle with innocent eyes.

He nodded down to her. "I will lead them. I don't want to…but I'll have to. I couldn't trust anyone else with this kind of power."

He touched the glass with his hand, watching the energy flowing and coursing within the matrix.

"Look at it," he said. "It's the most valuable resource in the universe. It sustains life…it powers entire cities with its energy…and it renews itself."

Miss Raine's eyes were wide as she stared at the matrix's glow.

"I'm going to use this thing to make the world right," said Kyle. "I'll heal the damages of war…rebuild the cities…provide for the people…and make us powerful again."

Miss Raine looked down at her briefcase. She gently touched it with her hand, and a look of worry crossed her face.