"Are you sure he will be able to manage?" Miriya asked with concern. "Should I ask Max to go check up on him?" It was her first day back to work since she had her own daughter but she knew Max had already proven his fathering skills with Dana.
"Miriya, I'm sure Rick can manage," Lisa replied with confidence. "Besides, I think he's already asked Max for all the fathering tips he has."
"Well, just in case," Miriya insisted. "Perhaps the girls can play together."
"That's a wonderful idea," Lisa agreed. "I'm so glad that Clarisse and Maia are the same age. They can become playmates."
"Like Dana and Bowie are," Miriya stated with a slight hint of longing.
"You miss her don't you?" Lisa noted.
"It is for the best," Miriya said with a distant look. "You know Dana is like Max, carefree and happy. I didn't want her to miss out on that by coming on this mission."
Lisa still couldn't imagine leaving a child behind but now saw the wisdom in their hard decision. She appreciated the sacrifices that her friends have made.

Lisa's first day back at work was routine. It felt great to be back but she also couldn't wait to get back home to Rick and Clarisse at the end of the day. She was tired by then but found a bounce to her steps as she started to walk home.
"Admiral Hayes-Hunter," Cindy called after her. "Admiral Hunter left a message for you."
"What is it?"
"He asks that you meet them at the park."
"The park?" Lisa wondered why but turned around to head to the park.
"Yes, he's with Captain Sterling," Cindy said. "He said they took the girls out for a walk."
Lisa took another detour on her way to meet Rick. She waited for Miriya to return from her patrol and they went to the park together. They easily located Rick and Max who were flanked by adoring women.

"They are so cute," a woman gushed as she looked at the baby girls in their strollers.
"Yeah, how old are they?" another woman asked, not really caring to know other than to have a reason to talk with Rick and Max.
"Are you babysitting?" a third woman asked. "Are they your nieces?"
"They are our daughters actually," Rick replied. He couldn't believe that these women didn't notice the resemblance.
"So are you in the service as well?" the first woman asked, noting that Max was wearing a uniform.
Max had stopped by to see Rick on Miriya's request after his shift. He had just picked up Maia from day-care and thought it would be a good idea to go for a short walk.
"Yes, I am," Rick replied, trying to be polite. He was getting tired of the women's attention.
"So what are these stripes for?" the second woman asked Max.
"I'm a captain," Max replied. "He's an admiral."
Rick was surprised that Max seemed to enjoy being flanked by the women. He actually hoped that all indications that he was a family man would ward away the women.

"Should we go rescue them?" Miriya asked. She knew Max wasn't bothered by the women but could clearly see that Rick was.
"I guess we should," Lisa agreed. "The problem is that babies and the uniform draw women like flies to the flame."
Miriya didn't quite understand what she meant but followed Lisa to meet their husbands.
"Hello," Lisa greeted the assembled group. She saw the look of relief in Rick's face when he approached her.
"Hello there," Rick greeted her with a wide smile. "What took you so long?"
Seeing that they were now ignored, the women made their excuses and left Rick and Max to their wives.
"I thought you were enjoying the attention," Lisa teased Rick. "Isn't that why you came to the park?"
"I thought it would be nice to take a walk," Rick corrected her. He certainly didn't expect the unwanted attention.
"I just came along," Max said, looking innocent. He knew that Lisa and Miriya weren't the jealous types but wanted to be safe than sorry. He saw Rick glare at him.
"Of course you did," Miriya said with a smile.

Rick and Lisa walked hand-in-hand after parting ways with the Sterlings.
"I really just wanted to take a walk with Clarisse. You weren't jealous right?" Rick asked, pushing the stroller with his other hand.
"Should I be?" Lisa asked innocently.
"No, of course not," he replied but somehow disappointed she wasn't a bit jealous.
"I guess I was a little," she finally admitted. "But I trust you."
Rick felt his heart swell with joy at her unconditional love and trust. He knew he didn't deserve it but was thankful that she had given both to him.
"Besides, if you did stray," she teased. "I can always have you thrown into the brig."
"So you're going to pull rank on me?" he teased back. "You know I love you and would never hurt you." He turned serious and kissed her cheek.
"I know," she whispered in his ear.
"And it's not because I'm afraid of the brig," he teased and started to tickle her.
"Rick!" she warned. "I'm still in uniform."
"I can't wait to get you out of it," he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Months slowly went by as the fleet traversed the galaxy, retracing the steps that the Zentraedi's took on their way to Earth. It had been agreed that it was one way to find Tirol assuming that the records on Breetai's ship had truly went all the way back to when they were created on Tirol.
Lisa had been cautious considering that the Zentraedi's may have created hostilities on their way to earth. She wanted to mend things as best they could as they worked their way back to Tirol.
"We need all the allies we can gain," she argued when Admiral Edwards questioned her strategy. "We can't take them on by ourselves no matter how prepared we are."
"I think it is a prudent step," Exedore acknowledged in support of her decision.
"I guess you agree with her?" Edwards asked Rick dismissively.
"I think you both make a good point," Rick replied. "I agree that we should be more proactive and find Tirol as soon as we can. But I also see how forging alliances with other beings in this galaxy could be beneficial if we encounter the Robotech Masters and realize that they aren't willing to negotiate."
"So what do you suggest?" Lisa asked him, seeing the sudden interest in Edwards' face. She tried to keep him in check but he had been showing signs of restlessness.
"We can send an advance party ahead as a scout party," Rick revealed. "I think Admiral Edwards is best suited for that job while we trail behind. That is if Admiral Edwards will give his word that he will not engage any extraterrestrial beings encountered until we arrive."
"Can I take my current ship?" Admiral Edwards inquired, noting that his ship is the smallest in the smallest in the fleet and most capable of doing the job.
All eyes turned to Lisa to see if she would agree and everyone was relieved when she nodded.
"I expect a daily report from you," Lisa reminded Edwards.
"You got it," Edwards agreed happily. He was satisfied that he didn't need to waste his time with the main fleet now.

"That was a brilliant idea," Lisa noted as she and Rick walked home. She was glad Rick had thought it up and that now Edwards can put his energies in a mission. Although she worried he might be a loose cannon, his ship was too small for him to be too aggressive.
"Yeah," Rick acknowledged, knowing that he had averted some major command crisis.
"Command suits you," she teased.
"I'm learning from the best," he joked back. "I believe she graduated head of her class. She's very smart, very professional and it doesn't hurt that she's very pretty." His eyes turned dark as he looked at Lisa with longing.
"You're such a sweet talker." She turned and opened the door to their quarters.
Rick gently pushed the baby stroller through as Lisa kept the door open for him. He watched as Lisa picked up Clarisse and headed for the nursery. He stowed the stroller and was about to start preparing dinner when the doorbell rang. He went to answer it.
"Hi Rick," Minmei greeted cheerfully.
"Hi," Rick greeted back. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"
"Minmei," Lisa greeted from behind Rick. She had just put Clarisse to bed and was surprised to see her at the door.
"Is this a bad time?" Minmei asked, suddenly conscious that she was interrupting their domestic life.
"No, not at all," Lisa assured her. "Come on in."
"I just wanted to see the baby," Minmei began. "I've been so busy that I hadn't had time to come visit until now."
"I've just tucked her in to sleep but you can come see her sleep," Lisa offered.
Minmei gladly accepted and followed Lisa to the baby's room. She watched the baby sleep for a while before heading back out.
"She looks just like you," Minmei said as Rick set down the tea he had prepared.
Rick smiled and looked at Lisa. He offered both women a cup of tea before sitting next to Lisa.

"I told you she's a splitting image of you," Lisa said after Minmei had left.
"Isn't it too early to tell?" Rick suggested. He had been amazed to see that his daughter had the same color hair and eyes as he did.
"Come on, admit it," she urged. "You just love that she looks like you." She leaned closer on tip toes to nibble his ear as he prepared dinner.
"Well, hopefully she is as smart as you," he gave in. "Because I wasn't really that good in school."
"How bad were you?"
Rick paused before replying. "Let's just say I had my head in the clouds. I preferred to be in a plane than in the classroom."
"Maybe you just needed to be taught on the plane," she suggested, running her hand up and down his back.
"That would be difficult," he countered. "Imagine the book flapping in the wind and paper flying out of the plane. How will I be able to read and write?"
"You know what I mean," she said exasperatedly, rolling her eyes at him.
"Come here," he said, pulling her into his arms. He caught her lips with his and deepened the kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck.