Disclaimer

Macross is owned by or licensed to lots of people - Tatsunoko Studios, Harmony Gold, Studio Nue, Streamline Video...note that none of them are me.

The same can be said of Ranma 1/2 - Rumiko Takahashi, Kitty, Shonen Sunday Comics, Viz Video. Not me.

I didn't create any of them, and I certainly do not own them. Any use of them in this story is meant as nothing more than tribute. Please don't sue me.


Wednesday's Child

Seventeen: A Night On The Town

May 5th, 2010

Science and Technology Report

Prepared by Cmdr. Nabiki Tendo, Intelligence Division

Valkyrie Weapons Systems

The VF-1 series of variable fighters carry a formidable array of weaponry. Aside from the built-in ROV-6 and ROV-18 laser cannon, and the GU-11 gun pod, the Valkyrie is capable of carrying underwing stores. It has six firm points, two each per wing and two on the wing glove.

The carrying capacity of each underwing point is 720 kilograms, and the conformal wing glove points can carry 825 kilograms. Underwing points may carry cross-mounts, allowing for two or three weapons per point, but the wing glove points may not do so. Maximum takeoff weight is 23,915 kilograms, leaving approximately 3,400 kilograms for payload.

Three missiles are typically carried by the VF-1: The GA-23 Diamondback, the GA-31 Jackhammer, and the GS-11 Coral Snake. The GA-23 Diamondback is 220 kilograms with a 144mm diameter, and each underwing station can carry three. The wing glove points can carry one each. It is a fire-and-forget radar-homing missile, carrying 23 kilograms of high-explosive in an annular blast fragmentation warhead. A backup infrared-homing system is built in, but due to targeting cone issues, is not very accurate; it is used mostly in the event that the onboard radar transmitter - which is only 35 watts - is jammed. The weapon itself has a powered flight radius of 25 kilometers, and can be programmed before launch for a ballistic arc that will carry it a total of 70 kilometers. In space, of course, its range is effectively unlimited.

The GA-31 Jackhammer is a 266mm monster of a weapon, available in two flavours, the GA-31A and the GA-31B. The A variant carries a 135 kilogram annular blast fragmentation warhead, while the B variant carries fifteen submunitions, each containing eight kilograms of high explosive. Either variant weighs in at 550 kilograms, so only one can be carried on each of the six firm points. It is inertially guided, and has a terminal laser-guidance option for precision strikes. Maximum range in Earth atmosphere is 206 kilometers, assuming ballistic arcs.

The GS-11 Coral Snake is only available for the VF-1J and -1S. It can also be carried by the Heavy Armour Reactive Package, and is normally found on Destroids. At 95 kilograms each, these 106mm missiles carry a 10 kilogram high-explosive armour-piercing (HEAP) warhead. They are beam-riding command line-of-sight (BRCLOS) guided, and as such not very accurate, and their range in atmosphere is only a little over six kilometers. A Valkyrie can carry five of these in a box launcher, with integral guidance system, on each of the four underwing pylons. The mass of the box launcher and guidance package is 702 kilograms.

Fire control on the VF-1A is limited to six missile launches, with a reset time of fifteen seconds. Because all weapons are fire-and-forget, however, no computer load is required once missiles are launched. Fire control on the VF-1J and -1S is limited to sixteen missiles - more than it can carry. The exception to the above is the GS-11, which can fire one missile per box launcher carried - a maximum of four. Possible weapon loadouts include six GA-31; twelve GA-23; two GA-31 and eight GA-23; four packs of GS-11; two packs of GS-11 and two GA-31; two packs of GS-11 and six GA-23. Brevity codes are Golf One for a GA-31, Golf Two for a GA-23, and Beamrider for a GS-11.


"You know," said Ranma, "it might be a good idea to get something to eat before we head to the pub."

"The pub has food," argued Misa. "And beer."

"Yeah, but there's a couple of reasons. First, I'm starvin', and pub grub doesn't really fill the space, ya know?"

"I'll give you that one," laughed Misa. "Second?"

"Second, if we go boozin' on empty stomachs, it'll hit us really hard."

"That's the point, isn't it?"

Ranma shook his head. "I ain't got no tolerance for booze. It hits me hard and fast to begin with. So unless I got a full stomach, I'm gonna conk out on you really early."

Misa frowned. "But you must weigh at least twenty more kilos than me, and let's face it, you're in better shape--"

"My bein' in better shape is just the reason it'll hit me so hard," he said. "My body absorbs nutrients faster than yours. I'll sober up quicker, too, but two beer is enough to put me on the floor, unless I've eaten recently."

"Well..."

"And third: It's only seventeen hundred." He smirked. "Just a bit too early for pub crawling."

"Fine!" She laughed. "We'll go try to fill the bottomless pit first."

"Okay. Where shall we go?"

"Like there's anywhere else." She pointed down the street. "The White Dragon."


"Hello, Ranma. Misa." Ling Feichun, Minmay's aunt, was a slender woman. She wore the red-and-white embroidered tang that was the official uniform of the White Dragon. "The usual today, Ranma?"

"For two."

Misa gaped at him. "Are you nuts? I can't finish what you normally order!"

"Don't worry," he said. "I'm extra hungry. I'll finish what you can't."

"Glutton," she sniffed.

Feichun carefully suppressed her laughter. "Two Saotome Specials, coming up." She glanced over her shoulder. "I'm afraid it may be a bit longer than usual. My niece is a bit distracted today."

"Can't imagine why."

Misa looked over towards the bubble-headed teen. "Who's that fellow with her?"

"My son Kaifunn." Feichun smiled. "Your boyfriend gave him a lift here earlier today, and Minmay's still rather ecstatic."

The young man turned, and Misa felt her heart jump into her chest. Save for the dark hair, the man was a dead ringer for Riber. The same shape of the face, the same eyes, the same bronzed skin. Even the way he stood, his mannerisms, all identical to her long dead boyfriend.

"Yo. Misa."

She blinked, and glanced back to her not-dead boyfriend.

"You wanna take him boozin' tonight?" Ranma was frowning a bit. Misa grinned.

"Jealous?"

"Of him?" Ranma snorted. "He's a peacenik of the worst kind."

It was Misa's turn to frown. "What do you mean?"

"He thinks that the military is the reason that we have war, not the other way around."

She glanced back at the boy, suddenly seeing him in a new light.

"All the time I was at Minmay's parents' place, he was bendin' my ear about how the military is full of warmongers and terrorists, how if there was no armies, there'd be no war."

"Well, he's half right," mused Misa. "Of course, if there were no armies, the first country to raise one would take over the world."

"That's what I told him," said Ranma. "But he insists that if all the countries tried real hard, we could stop all the wars."

Misa snorted. "Tell that to the Zentraedi. Or, for that matter, the Germans in World War Two. It was illegal for them to have an army, but suddenly, they had one."

"Tried explainin' that to him, too. But he wouldn't listen."

"Well, there's no law against stupidity." She dismissed him out of hand. He might be attractive, but...

"Wish there was," snorted Ranma. "Woulda made my life easier. Let's find a table."

They found one, over in the far corner by the windows, as far from the door as you could get and still be on the same wall. Ranma pulled her seat out for her, eliciting a giggle, then dropped into his own.

"Minmay must be very distracted," he commented. "I've been here almost three minutes, and I'm still male."

"Is that why you're wearing that outfit?" She indicated his Chinese silks. "That's the same outfit you wore on the beach at Pearl, isn't it?"

"Not exactly the same," he admitted. "But I buy the same style, because it looks good on either form, and fits reasonably decently either way. Plus, silk dries quickly. Helps when you're a water magnet."

"It does look nice," she said. "Did you pick that up in Yokohama?"

"Yeah." He grinned. "Mom's rolling in credits. She handed me fifty thousand, and told me to go shopping." He reached into one pocket. "She insisted I buy you somethin', too." He pulled out the small box, and set it on the table. "We weren't datin' by the time your last birthday rolled around, and there wasn't really any place to shop anyway. So consider this a belated birthday present."

She picked up the box, hands suddenly trembling, and slowly opened it.

Inside was a pendant, of a silvery metal, on a fine chain. A single green gemstone, the size of her thumbnail, was mounted on the pendant and surrounded by diamond chips. She carefully extracted the necklace. From the weight, it could only be platinum.

"Oh, my God." She looked up. "Ranma, there's no way that this cost only fifty thousand!"

He shrugged. "I had some back pay to spend." He indicated the central stone. "That's Pallasite peridot. Means it came from a meteorite."

"How fitting." She chuckled. "Peridot is my birthstone."

"I know."

"My God..." She examined it again, then held it out to him. "Please...will you put this on for me?"

He nodded, stood, and walked around behind her. One hand swept her hair to the side, and the other worked the clasp. The pendant fell to just below the top of her sweater; in less modest clothing, it would rest at the top of her cleavage. She suddenly wished she'd worn a blouse instead of the sweater; it would showcase this stone nicely.

She jumped to her feet, threw her arms around him and kissed him thoroughly. Cheers and applause rang throughout the audience, but she didn't care. Just now, she was beyond embarrassment.

She finally had to surface for air, and gazed up at him. "Thank you."

He smiled down at her. "You're worth it."


Kaifunn snorted. "Why don't they get a room."

"Oh, hush."

He glanced down at his cousin. "It's not very proper to do such things in public."

"Considering the amount of money he just spent on her, I don't think she could have avoided it. I was there when he bought that necklace."

"Oh?"

"That young man is a very good friend of mine," pointed out Minmay. "He's saved my life at least once that I can think of, and indirectly probably more than that. He's been unlucky in love - his wife was killed when they'd been married only three weeks, and Misa's the first girl he's really liked since then." Minmay grinned. "And Misa won the beauty pageant. She's officially the most beautiful woman on the ship. And from what I heard, her old boyfriend died some years back, too. So I think they deserve a break."

Kaifunn glanced back at them with a bit more respect. "Well, I suppose you're right."

"Both of them hate this war, hate all wars. His wife and her boyfriend were killed by terrorists. You won't find anyone on this ship more determined to stop this war than those two."

"Really?"

"Yes." Minmay nodded. "They're both very gentle people."

"Perhaps I should have a talk with them." Kaifunn considered. "Yes, if anyone on this ship would see the pointlessness of war, it would be them."

"I don't think that they'd see quite eye to eye with your ideas," said Minmay. She delivered the final barb with care: "They're both high-ranking soldiers."

Unfortunately, it did not have the effect she intended. Kaifunn's respect shifted abruptly and visibly to disdain.

"Well, that explains it." He snorted. "You play with fire, you're going to get burned."

Minmay bristled. "Ranma signed up because his wife was killed! To prevent it from happening again!"

"Ranma?" Kaifunn now looked confused. "Wasn't that the name of that girl that was flying you around?"

Minmay smacked her forehead with her palm, and launched into an explanation of Jushenkyou. At least this time, she mused, it isn't Ranma having to explain it.


The remains of their feast lay spread out before them. True to his word, Ranma had eaten about half of Misa's portion, in addition to his own. Again, she wondered how he could eat so much and not gain any weight.

Probably has an accelerated metabolism...which is why alcohol would affect him so strongly.

He glanced over to the other side of the room. "Looks like Minmay and Kaifunn are still holding court."

She snickered. "It really is a pity she didn't win the competition. With the albums she's recorded, and the movie she's due to start in two weeks, she's becoming the most famous person on this boat."

"Not to mention, then you wouldn't have the title, right?"

"There is that," she replied dryly.

The television, which had been playing one of Minmay's music videos, suddenly crackled, and the face of the news anchor appeared.

"We apologize for the interruption, but we have an important announcement from the First Officer of the Macross."

"Oh, hell." Misa dropped her face into her hand.

"Citizens of Macross City." Misa's face had replaced the news anchor. "It is with the deepest regret that I must give you this news. The United Nations Security Council has denied us permission to return you to Earth."

The crowd in the White Dragon started muttering; the tone in the restaurant turned ugly.

"We have appealed this decision in the strongest possible methods, but the Security Council has informed us that we have all been declared dead, military and civilian alike, and they are not willing to be made fools of by having us suddenly turn up alive. They have also lied to the people of Earth, telling them nothing of the war or the aliens."

More noise, but Ranma was grateful to hear that much of it was now being directed against the UN Council.

"Captain Global is at this time appealing these orders, by addressing each member of the United Nations and seeking refuge for the people of the ship. You did not agree to be on the ship; you have every right to expect to go home; we are working as hard as we can to do so."

The crowd was now growing more angry by the minute, and Ranma seriously doubted that this was going to blow over.

"Until we can return you to your homes, I beg of you to be patient, and remember that our first priority is to you, the people of this ship. Thank you."

The television returned to Minmay's video, but the people in the restaurant ignored it. The volume level rose, and one individual climbed on a table to yell across the crowd.

"We've seen too much! That's why the government won't let us go!" He waved a fist. "The Captain's trying to get us home, but it's the United Nations that has turned against him."

"Most likely," said Kaifunn, "The Captain and the military are behind this plot. The military exists to control the minds of the people--"

"Now wait just a minute." Misa stood up angrily. "The Captain, and the crew of this ship, busted their asses to get these people back to Earth. And we did pretty damned well, too! No alien managed to get into this ship during our trip, despite repeated attempts to do so."

"This alien threat is just a smokescreen, to blind the people," sneered Kaifunn. "If no alien ever got aboard, what proof do you have that they even exist?"

"One crashed through my shop," pointed out one of the crowd.

"My daughter was killed by one," said another. "Don't try to tell me the aliens don't exist."

Kaifunn realized that the crowd was turning against him, and tried another tack. "If these aliens can't even board one ship, they can't be half the threat that the military claims. So the military is scare-mongering, to keep you under control."

"I'd like to point something out." Ranma didn't even rise from his seat, but his voice carried over the crowd, and the people fell silent. "Ling Kaifunn came aboard this ship less than three hours ago. He hasn't been through anything that we have. So he just don't know what's going on."

"Further," added Misa, "the government has lied to the people of Earth, and has told them that we're all dead. It's the military that is arguing for the truth."

"It's our job to protect the civilians," said Ranma. "Even him." He pointed contemptuously towards Ling Kaifunn. "In fact, we'd even protect the Zentraedi, if they asked for it. That's what an army is for. Not to control. To protect. And then only when the people ask us to do so." He snorted. "So don't try to say that the army is tryin' to control the people, because it just ain't so."

"We will get you home," said Misa. "That is my promise to you, as First Officer of Macross."

Ling had apparently realized that he'd been cut off at the knees, and withdrew from the arena, scowling. Misa waited until the crowd settled down, then resumed her seat.

"I shoulda just thumped him," groused Ranma.

Misa giggled. "Isn't it more rewarding to beat him on his own turf?"


Ben's Pub was one of three establishments in Macross City that served alcohol. However, it was definitely the least military. The Arms was run by a former Marine, and was heavily populated by active Marines at most times. The White Dragon also carried alcohol, but couldn't be considered a bar, pub, or any other such title; it was a family restaurant that happened to have beer and wine.

Ben's, on the other hand, was a publican's house straight out of the best part of England. No loud music, no dance floor, no light show; just a large comfortable dining room with tables and a bar. The proprietor often kept a pint of ale in hand and a lit cigarette in his mouth, his wispy white hair combed back and his white shirt buttoned to the last but one. He waved cheerfully as Ranma and Misa walked in. Around the cigarette, he said, "Pint of Guinness, then?"

Ranma laughed. "No thanks, Ben. That stuff is thick enough to chew. Bottle of Ebisu, please."

"Scotch on the rocks, please, Ben," said Misa.

"Scotch." Ben shuddered. "The things some people put in their body."

Ranma chuckled. "You know what this town could use?"

"Oh, no!" Misa raised her hands. "Last time you said anything even remotely like that, I ended up winning a beauty contest."

"A dance club."

Misa blinked. "What on--I thought you hated that sort of place."

"Yeah, but lots of other people don't."

Ben set their drinks on their table, and said, "Can I put in my two cents?"

Ranma shrugged. "Sure."

"I think it's a good idea."

"Really?"

Ben smiled. "It wouldn't pull any of my regulars away, but the younger set don't generally show up here. You two are as young as I normally get, and since you've got the O-Club, you're not as regular as most. So the kids need something to keep themselves harmlessly entertained." To Ben, anyone under thirty was a kid.

Misa frowned, and said, "You might be right. The Terrible Trio have been complaining that there's not a lot for them to do; they'd probably love it."

"And you don't have to get involved," said Ranma.

"Well...let's table the motion for now. I'm not here to work; I'm here to escape work." She knocked back the scotch, set the glass on the table, and shuddered. "Oh, I needed that."

"Another?" Ben grinned.

"Please."


"Contact, Captain."

Global scowled. "How many?"

"One ship, Sir. It appears to be an assault ship, one of their large combat carrier."

"So six hundred to a thousand assorted combat vehicles," said Global. "Launch Alert Five, and start a track on the target."

"Sir, Pearl reports their intention to launch interceptor missiles against the inbound."

Global's eyebrows raised. "Pearl has Skylord missiles, tipped with conventional explosives only. It might work, but..."

"Missiles are away. I've got a plot on the target; she'll splash down at sixty degrees relative to our axis, twelve kilometers distance."

"Good work, Shammy. Claudia, bring our own anti-aircraft missiles online."

"Aye, Sir."

"Call up the CAP, get them routed towards the enemy. Launch Ready Five, promote the Skull to take their place."

"Sir, Skull's off duty for the next forty-eight hours."

"Recall them," growled Global. "We can't manoeuvre, can't use the main gun...I want our best pilots ready to go at a moment's notice."

"Yes, Sir."


"Commander Hayase, contact the bridge. Skull Squadron, report to Ready Room Six."

Misa cursed, and glanced over to the bar. "Ben, can I use your phone?"

The publican nodded towards an ancient phone hanging near the bar. "Be my guest."

It took her a second to remember how a rotary dial worked, but luckily, Macross' switchboard could handle it.

"Bridge."

"Kim, it's Misa. What's going on?"

"We've got a bandit on a near-intercept course. We need you on the bridge."

"But--" She bit her lip. "Understood. Please inform the Captain that I'm on my way."

She hung up the phone, and bit back a curse. "Ranma--"

"I heard." Ranma set down his pint. "I've only had two pints, which would normally ground me, but..."

"But if you've had two pints, then Focker has had a dozen, and they're still calling us in." She nodded. "Good hunting."

"Thanks."


The bridge hatch slid aside, and Misa stepped onto the bridge, quickly coming her fingers through her hair to try to get it back into some semblance of order. "What's the situation?"

"Enemy ship was intercepted by sixteen Skylord missiles, but was not apparently damaged," said Shammy. "It touched down eleven kilometers away."

"Several fighter pods and battle pods were launched," said Claudia. "Green and Vermillion are locked in combat with them."

"What about Skull?"

"They're being briefed in at this time."

"Okay." She took her position at her console. "First officer, at station."

"Increase our readiness for Daedalus Maneuver. And I want Spartan and Tomahawk teams ready to repel boarders."

"Aye, Sir."

"New contacts, Sir. Sixty-four enemy humanoid combat robots, female type."

"This we need," muttered Global. More loudly, he asked, "Time to intercept range?"

"Fourteen minutes."


The deck elevator brought Ranma straight to the firefight.

Battle pods were swarming all over the Prometheus, and as he watched, Skull Ten was blotted out before he got a chance to manoeuvre. Ranma cursed, and ignored the catapult, choosing instead to roll straight off the side of the ship. He reconfigured as he cleared the deck, and pulled towards the incoming enemy.

The Spartans can clear the decks easy enough, but there's no way in hell they can fight those Female Power Armour troopers.

He pulled the nose up, shifting back to fighter mode, and clawed for altitude. His thumb flipped the cannon's fire selector to fifty-round bursts. A Powered Armour suit hesitated long enough for him to center it in his gunsight, and he depressed the trigger. A stream of depleted uranium slugs tore it in half.

That seemed to get their attention. Five of them broke off to pursue him. He shifted to GERWALK again, tumbled the fighter, and pickled off two missiles. One slammed into its target, blowing it from the skies; the other peppered the Armour with fragments, and it broke off, climbing out of the fight.

Then he spotted the Ace.

Unlike the Humans, the Zentraedi Aces did not decorate their rides. Only this one's rank insignia set her apart from her comrades. That, and her skill. She was flying through the worst part of the furball, using forearm and plastron cannons on target after target, both Valkyrie and Battle Pod. He shifted again, back to fighter mode, and arrowed towards her, lasers spitting crimson death.

She whirled as he approached, and launched a spread of missiles at him. He fired the turret laser repeatedly, shooting down missile after missile, and volleyed his remaining payload at her. One got past her point defense, detonating near her robot and hammering it with fragments. But the robot remained airworthy, and dove into the knife fight.

The advantages of a fully humanoid machine in a dogfight became apparent; the Armour could twist and turn with ghastly ease, spraying laser fire at him regardless of its heading. He cursed, shifted to GERWALK, and fired burst after burst from the cannon.

This is gonna be a long fight, he mused.


"Enemy ship is taking off again."

Global frowned. "Are they leaving?"

"If so, they've got a lot of robots still on the ground," said Shammy. "Lieutenant Saotome seems to be locked in some kind of duel with the leader of the female forces."

"Vermillion Squadron reports all male-type units cleared from the deck, but they're not returning to their ship."

"Sir!" Shammy looked up again. "That ship is on a collision course for Macross!"

"Stand by for Daedalus attack!" snapped Global.

"All sections report readiness," said Claudia.

"Enemy ship now six kilometers away."

"Wait for it..." growled Global.

"Gunsight One, Skull Thirteen. My target has left the area, post-haste. Looks like the rest of the female armour has bugged out as well."

"Five kilometers."

"Skull, Vermilion, Blue, pursue to two hundred fifty kilometers, then break off if they keep running."

"Four. They're increasing speed!"

"Gunsight One, Skull Leader. Copy our orders, but Blue Squadron is running on fumes."

"Three kilometers."

"Blue Leader, Gunsight Two. Land your birds." Claudia glanced over at Misa. "Get ready for it."

"Two."

"Launch Daedalus attack," ordered Global.

Misa smacked a fist down on the commit button. Then blinked. "Captain--"

"Misa!" Claudia reached over to Misa's station and flipped two toggles, turned a dial.

Misa cursed under her breath, and hit the commit button again.

The massive ship Daedalus rose from the water, propelled by the immense engines of the Macross. The bow glowed with the energy of the Pinpoint Barrier System, shielding it from the coming abuse. Macross twisted in place, driving Daedalus forward, the prow smashing through the incoming ship. But the angle was bad, the result of the brief delay in the attack, and the prow cut through the top of the Zentraedi warship.

The attack carried on, however, and the landing deck dropped open. Twenty Spartan and Tomahawk combat robots emptied their missile tubes, their gunners cursing at the lack of available targets but unable to override the programming. The missiles spiraled outwards, seeker heads looking for things to destroy. And the only things they found were the sixteen fighter aircraft of Skull and Vermillion Squadrons.

"Buddy spike! Buddy spike! Macross, abort the missiles!"

Misa gaped at her screen. "Captain--the--" She broke off, started flipping switches. "Oh, my God." Missiles started self-destructing, but three lived long enough to find a target, reach attack range, and detonate.

"Macross, Vermillion Leader. I'm hit, going down...oh, shit--"

The channel fell silent momentarily.

"Gunsight One, Skull Leader. I have eyes on Vermillion Leader, he punched out and his chute is open. But he's not moving; I think he's injured. Request SAR."

"Skull Leader, Gunsight Two." Claudia glanced over at Misa. "Search and Rescue will be dispatched. Is Vermillion Leader's beacon running?"

"Negative, Gunsight Two."

"Orbit his splashdown point, and we'll vector the choppers to your location."

"Roger, Gunsight Two."

Global cleared his throat. Misa turned to face him apprehensively.

"Commander Hayase. I realize you were off duty prior to the emergency." Global pulled out his pipe and started loading it. "I think you should return to your leave. Go home and get some sleep."

"Yes, Sir," said Misa mechanically.


"It's my fault he's hurt."

Ranma considered how best to answer this, then said, "Yeah. But it was a simple mistake, not you bein' malicious. And these things can happen in dangerous business like war."

"I shouldn't have gone to the bridge. I should have told Claudia I'd been drinking, that I wouldn't be able to..." She sniffed. Her eyes were already red from tears. "I endangered everyone on this ship."

"No, you didn't," said Ranma. "You had a couple of drinks, sure, and yeah, maybe your reflexes weren't quite what they should have been--"

"No, Ranma!" She turned to glare at him. "I fucked up, royally. I missed a step setting up the Daedalus Attack, which left the ship out of position. That's why the missiles broke through to attack our ships. And I couldn't abort them all quickly enough--"

"Misa, I don't think anyone could." Ranma shook his head. "Remember, I was out there. Vermillion was scattered all to hell and back, from fightin' off the Zentraedi. When they formed up to give chase, Ichigyo was in the rear, and the missiles targeted him first."

"But it was my mistake that caused the missiles to target him in the first place."

"Misa..." He sighed; he was still no good at this sort of thing. "Hikaru knew what he was gettin' into when he signed up. He knew he was gonna get shot at, and that occasionally he'd get shot at by his own side. Because you can't always control weapons once they're put into action, especially weapons like guided missiles."

"But--"

"Back when Akane and I first met, there was this guy, Ryouga, who had a grudge against me. An' he threw a weapon - a belt, using the Iron Cloth technique - at me. It missed me, and cut Akane's hair." He winced. "She was so proud of that hair; it was longer than yours. And when it was cut...she sorta went into shock."

"What does that have to do with--"

"Ryouga reacted much the same as you are. He blamed himself, an' since it was partly my fault, I blamed myself, as well. We apologized to her, and she accepted it. You know why?"

"Why?"

"Because these things happen." He turned to face her more fully. "Nobody's perfect. Accidents happen. You managed to save his life, by abortin' most of the missiles. So you know what you have to do to make this right?"

"Apologize to him?" Misa stared at him in disbelief. "That's all?"

"Yeah, that's all." Ranma shrugged. "He probably knows that it was an accident, that it wasn't like you were gunnin' for him. As to goin' to the bridge while drunk...you weren't very drunk, and without you there, we couldn't have fought off the Zentraedi as easily as we did."

"I..." She shook her head. "I'm not convinced. But you're right that I should apologize to Ichigyo. At the very least, I owe him that. And to the Captain." She paused. "Akane just accepted your apology, after her hair was cut?"

Ranma nodded. "Yeah." He paused, and rubbed his jaw. "Of course, I also told her she could take a free shot on me."

"You mean--"

"She packed a mean hook."

Misa giggled. "If it's all right with you, I don't think I'll offer Ichigyo the same." She wiped her eyes, and sighed. "I'm sorry...I'm turning very high maintenance on you. First the issue with my father, then this..."

Ranma shrugged. "I used to fly Hornets. I'm used to high maintenance."