"Morning Lisa. How are you this morning?" Claudia greeted her friend as she took her place on the bridge.
"I'm fine." answered a Lisa Hayes. "And Morning"
Claudia just shook her head at her friend who was all business while on the bridge. Claudia wishes she would relax a little.
"Roy said we were getting a new squadron of fighters today." Claudia called out to Lisa who was running diagnoses on her station.
Lisa looked up and towards her only friend. "Thats what the captain informed me yesterday. It is a new squadron that was just formed. Thats all I really know. They should be here soon if they are on schedule."
With that Lisa went back to checking everything was running correctly at her station. Claudia just shook her head again.
R/L
Rick and his squadron were on the last leg of their flight. Besides the 18 Alpha fighters there were 4 large transports that had the squadron's personal gear, the ground crew and other supplies for the squadron. Rick spent a great deal of the time quietly thinking while the other pilots talk amongst themselves. Rick was worried even if he told the Admiral he was fine. He was not going to have Max or Lisa to go to when he had his droughts and worries. Emil would be there, but he and the good doctor were not as close as he was to Max and Lisa.
Checking his nav data Rick notice they were coming in range of the SDF-1's radar coverage.
R/L
Vanessa was talking to some of the other bridge officers when he notices several aircraft approaching Macross Island.
"Commander Hayes, I got several aircraft approaching from the northeast. I have 18 smaller contacts with 4 larger." Vanessa called out to Lisa who was senior officer on the bridge at the time.
Lisa looked at her own scope and replied. "They have RDF transponders. 18 fighters and 4 transport planes. Must be the new squadron."
Lisa activated her TACNET and radio the incoming flight. "Unidentified flight approaching Macross Island, identify yourselves or be prepared to be intercepted and possibly shot down."
R/L
Rick just rolled his eyes at all business tone of Lisa. Taking a deep breath Rick activated his TACNET for visual and looked at Lisa Hayes for the first time in 5 years.
"SDF-1 Command the is Wraith Squadron on approach. Requesting landing clearance. I have 18 fighters and 4 transports from RDF training command."
"Roger that Wraith Squadron you are cleared for main runway. Sending landing data." replied Lisa.
"Thanks SDF-1 Command. You know someone as beautiful as you should smile more." Rick replied back before ending the connection. He laughed as he could imagine Lisa's response to that.
R/L
Lisa blushed for a few seconds before letting her temper out. "That arrogant ass. Who does he think he is."
Claudia and the few others on the bridge just laughed at what the pilot said and Lisa's response. Lisa just glared at them all which quiet them all but Claudia.
"You know Lisa he is right you should smile more." a smug Claudia called out which set the bridge crew off again.
R/L
Rick landed his fighter and followed instructions on where his squadron could park their planes. He saw several People watching from the different hangers.
R/L
Roy Fokker watched as the new squadron fighters came to a stop at the assigned parking area. He had no idea he was getting a squadron of Alphas. He knew all the Alpha squadrons had gone to the two carriers in space. This also meant it was a squadron of nuggets.
Roy thought 'So those are the Alpha fighters.'
The 4 cargo planes parked behind the fighters with their right wing facing the fighters.
While Roy watched the planes shut down another pilot walked up. Jack Archer of Wolf Squadron stood by Roy a minute before speaking.
"Did you know we were getting an Alpha squadron? I was expecting more Valkries." asked Jack.
"No, it's a surprise to me too. Thought all the Alpha squadrons went to the carriers in space." answered Roy.
"Think one of the new pilots well let me take one up for a spin?" asked Jack.
"Do you even know how to fly it, Jack?" laughed Roy.
"It's a plane, so I can fly it." a cocky Jack replied.
"Well free to ask the squadron commander, he's on his way over here now. 10 buck says he says no." replied Roy.
"You're on." Jack came back as he took 10 dollars out of his pocket. Roy just laughs more before pulling his own 10 out.
As the approaching pilot got closer Roy recognized him. It was Rick his little brother. Roy thought he was still teaching advance combat tactics.
R/L
As Rick got closer, he saw the money come out and wondered what the bet was about. Rick walked up to Roy and greeted his big brother.
"So big brother what is the bet about?"
Roy Laughed "Hey little brother, just weather Jack here could talk you into you letting him fly one of your Alpha's."
Rick had to hold in a snort before answering.
"Sorry but I don't want to have to explained why one of the Alphas crashed on takeoff."
Jack Archer took offence to that. "Hey, I'm a damn good pilot and better then you I bet. So, if you can fly it I can." replied angerly.
Rick shot Jack Archer a glare that had made even the toughest ship captain in the old timeline take a few steps back. "Have you ever even seen the cockpit of an Alpha. I would be an idiot to let someone who has never seen an Alpha take one up. It's not your Valkrie. It is a whole different plane. So no Lieutenant you can't take one up."
Even Roy took a step back seeing the glare Rick was sending Jack. Trying to ease the tension Roy turns to Rick. "So, Rick would you like to explain to me why you didn't tell me you were coming?"
Rick turns away from Jack and looks at his brother. "Sure. Thought I would Suprise you. Had to make Aunt Sally and Uncle John swear not to tell you when I told them I was coming out here."
"How did Aunt Sally take it?" asked Roy.
"About like you would expect. I'm the baby of the family so with Pop and Mom already passed on she had to give me the whole speech about being careful."
Roy was laughing when Jack asked. "Baby of the family?"
"Yea Rick is the youngest. Pop has an older Sister, Aunt Sally. She has 3 Kids. All older than Rick. Pop also had a younger sister, Aunt Judy. She has daughter that is a couple months older than Rick. So yea the baby of the family." Answered Roy. "Aunt Judy lives in Florida so we didn't see her much growing up, but Aunt Sally live in the small town in northern California where we did and now runs the air circus Pop started. After Rick's mother died Aunt Sally helped Pop raise us."
"As much as I like talking about family history, I need to get my people settled and start unloading the cargo planes of our personal gear. It's been a long flight and my pilots are tired." interrupted Rick.
"No problem Rick. I got buses and trucks to get you and your men to your new home. Tomorrow morning, I have a briefing room set aside to give your squadron a run down on Macross island. Then we will start getting your equipment unloaded."
"Thanks. The first plane has personal gear the second has equipment me might need over the next month before we move to the SDF-1 the last 2 is stuff to be loaded on the SDF-1." Repined Rick.
"No problem though it will probably be a few days before we can load the equipment on the SDF-1. We are just now starting to move everything on board. All personal will move in 3 days before we are supposed to launch. Though you will be able to start moving personal items in a couple weeks before hand." answered Roy.
R/L
Rick and his squadron spent the next two hours getting all their personal gear moved to their temporary home. Rick just unpacked what he would need so he didn't have to bother repacking in a couple weeks.
Rick was just finishing when there was a knock at the door. Opening it he found Roy and a dark-skinned beauty Rick assumed was Roy's long term girlfriend Claudia.
"Come in Roy and you must be Claudia that I have heard so much about." greeted Rick.
"And you must be the pilot that made Lisa blush in embarrassment and mad at the same time." replied back Claudia.
That peeked Roy's curiosity so Claudia told him what Rick said to Lisa before terminating the TACNET connection.
"I would have loved to see Lisa's face. How mad was she Claudia?" asked Roy.
"She called him an arrogant ass and glared at everyone that was laughing. Of course, I popped off that Rick was right she needed to smile more." Claudia told the two who were now laughing too.
"So, Rick flirting with the lovely Miss Hayes are you." That caused Claudia to back hand him in the stomach before telling Rick why they were there.
The three of them spent the next three hours at a restraurant in Macross eating dinner while Roy and Rick told stories of them growing up.
When Rick laid down that night, he felt good being back among his family. Now he just has to get the most important part back in the group.