Chapter 13
"Do the accommodations suit you, Colonel?" Vanessa asked through the hatch of Kaden's cell. She knew it was hardly the most original thing to say, but she was too angry to care.
Kaden stood from the bare plastic bunk and stretched languidly. "The Jeanne d'Arc's brig is certainly more pleasant than the stockade at Fokker Field."
Vanessa scowled. Allowing Kaden to banter was only going to make her angrier, and she had too much to do. "Do you understand why you're here?"
"Well, I should say it had something to do with my overstepping my authority and bringing the Shalazar into a combat zone," he answered with a shrug.
"You did. Your actions were reckless."
"You know my approach to battle by now."
"And you've undermined my authority. Admiral Mbande is going to hold me accountable for your actions."
"I'm sorry if I've created difficulties for you." He sounded sincere, but unrepentant.
"But those aren't the only reasons."
"Oh? What else is there? Perhaps I'm to be billed for the damage the Shalazar caused when it struck the Jeanne d'Arc?"
Vanessa's face fell. "You really don't understand, do you?"
Kaden 's gaze sharpened at the sadness and disappointment in her voice. The smirk disappeared. "What do you mean?"
Vanessa watched him through the hatch's narrow opening. Now he was worried. She dismissed the master at arms, who made his way to the security station at the end of the corridor and out of view. The hatch hissed open at her command. She entered and sat down on one end of his bunk.
"Sit."
Kaden took his own seat, not so close as to be disrespectful, but not keeping his distance either. The cramped space felt a little bit like their enforced time together in quarantine. Vanessa needed that, needed to recapture that moment of honesty that they had shared, because she was beyond angry with Kaden now. She was in danger of entering a place of pain and numbness that she could not afford.
"I'm here to decide if I can let you out." Vanessa told him, trying to keep her voice matter of fact. "I need every officer right now. The ship is badly damaged and Sick Bay is overwhelmed with casualties, but the whole fleet has been mauled, and so we have to find and rescue survivors from the ships and veritechs we lost, along with the crew of Task Force Five. And then there are the survivors on the planet, along with who knows how many hostile Zentraedi, some of whom are still armed. I need you groundside."
"Then let me out. You know I'm capable. My actions were necessary for our victory."
"No. Your actions brought us victory, but the outcome was uncertain."
"You needed me-"
"I needed you to protect the people aboard the Shalazar. The Tiresians and the Zentraedi both. They were out of the war. You brought them back into it. I trusted you." It was difficult to keep her voice from breaking. Kaden had no idea the wounds he had reopened. He opened his mouth and she cut him off.
"No. You're going to listen. I thought we finally wanted the same things. You don't know how hard it was to trust you. It's not just about him. I've been betrayed, Kaden. So many times. Superiors, people I've fought alongside, people I thought would protect me. I almost left the service. It's taken years for me to come this far. Now, I-"
She turned her head away and squeezed her eye shut. She said nothing for a long time.
"Captain?"
She forced herself to relax, and fixed her gaze on the bulkhead outside the cell, keeping her blind side toward Kaden.
"If you can't be trusted, you can't be let out of this cell. If I can't trust my crew, I can't be captain of this ship. I mean that in the most literal way."
"Permission to speak, Captain?" he finally asked, his tone entirely serious now.
"You may. But what I need isn't apologies, or justifications, or excuses. I need something to believe in. Something I can rebuild trust upon."
"Then I'll simply tell you everything, and you can decide."
"Go on."
"I started preparing the moment my unit boarded the Shalazar. I deployed my marines to the critical areas of the ship, which didn't arouse any particular concern. Then I went to my people and explained my intentions."
"They were willing to fight against their own kind to defend Earth soldiers?"
Kaden smiled patronizingly at that. "You know full well that the REF is more than one third Zentreadi. And they already believed Earth could offer them a better life than the Tiresians. They wanted to help. And, of course, they wanted to honor their oath of loyalty to me."
"Their oath of- Kaden, you lied to me!"
"No, I didn't. I told you that day that they wanted to pledge loyalty to me. I didn't tell you that I accepted. It would have made the situation even more complicated for you, and the Tiresians would have been thrown into a panic."
"That's critical information, and there will be consequences for omitting it."
"No doubt. With their agreement, and my troops already in place, the Zentraedi seized control of the ship. I did not put the children or the civilians at risk. The moment the Jeanne d'Arc folded, I signaled Piraeus to receive the Tiresians, the Zentraedi children, and any parents who wished to stay with their children and act as caretakers for the group. By the time Captain Prescott on the Trenton understood what was actually happening, the transfer was already complete."
"He just let you leave?"
"What could he do? He was still responsible for the Gettysburg and the Piraeus."
And he sympathized, no doubt, Vanessa thought. But you took a very delicate situation between the Zentraedi and the Tiresians and threw a hand grenade in the middle of it. But that would have to be addressed later. "So you've explained how you got here so quickly. But what you haven't told me is… why?"
Kaden's lips thinned, and he regarded her silently. Finally, she lost patience. "Why, Colonel? Did you need to prove me wrong? Did you need to show me that I needed you? Were you trying to show off? 'Marines to the rescue'? Or one last hurrah for the Zentraedi forces?"
"I knew the odds," Kaden said softly. "I was afraid you were going to die."
"The odds have been bad for the Earth Forces since day one of the Robotech War. You should have trusted my decision, the way I trusted you."
"I do trust you. From a military perspective, your decision was entirely correct. Trust had nothing to do with it."
"Then why did you disobey me?"
"Because I can't lose you."
The look on his face told Vanessa everything she needed to know. She felt her face flush. "Colonel, you mustn't-"
"Please, let me finish. Our mission- confronting the Masters, unraveling the secrets of Protoculture - has made me realize some important things about who I am. You were right that I am not like Khyron." He looked away. "But I'm also not that different. How much would have needed to be changed in my life, for me to have followed his path? Or for him to have followed mine? Is it not true that Terrans think the Zentraedi were created to be perfect warriors, perfect killing machines?"
"You're not," Vanessa said firmly, not sure of his meaning, but it was one question she could answer with no hesitation.
"No. The perfect warrior is complete unto itself. It needs no master. We were created by our Masters to be flawed and incomplete, on purpose. To be unable to survive on our own. To have no beliefs, no goals, except those we are given To hunger, to battle, and yet never feel fulfilled. So that we would be malleable, controllable." He locked eyes with her again.
"A short time ago, I told you that if you had not brought me onto the Jeanne d'Arc, that I would have ceased to exist. Do you remember?"
"Yes. I was afraid you meant you would have taken your own life," she admitted.
"No. I meant that Kaden would have ceased to exist, because I would have become Khyron. I would have claimed to be him, claimed that his death was all a lie, UEG propaganda. I would have gone into the wastes, and raised his banner, gathered followers, and done what harm I could before I was hunted down and killed."
"Kaden!" Vanessa gripped his arm. At his words, a pain had torn through her heart that she could not have imagined. After all these years, how can his memory still hurt me so badly? How can he haunt me, so? How has Kaden borne it all?
Kaden covered her hand with his. "It's alright. That will never happen now. Because of you. When you accepted my transfer, I couldn't believe it. I couldn't understand why you were willing to put up with me, when I knew my presence must cause you pain. Activism only goes so far. What did you owe me, as an individual? But now I understand who you are, as I did not then. You could do no different. Believing, passionately. Fighting, for a purpose. And you have gifted those beliefs to me. I could not stay behind, and let you fight against such odds, could not let you risk death, and not try to help you."
"You can't just decide that for yourself! I already told you, the odds have always been against us, and we won anyway."
"You're a leader, Captain. You cannot simply say,'we won.' You must remember why Earth defeated Dolza. Was it because you were more technologically advanced? More clever? More numerous? More experienced? More brave? Was it because you 'desired' victory more?"
He was leaning closer, eyes locked with hers, his expression intense. She gave a small shake of her head. "No. We should have lost."
"But you won. Because of something my people lacked. Love."
"You know it's more complicated than that. Earth culture-"
"-opened the doorway, yes, but it was your people's capacity for love, even love for an enemy, that brought Breetai's fleet to its knees, and struck terror into Dolza. A love that can overthrow empires, thwart the most carefully planned stratagems, and lay low tyrants. That is why I disobeyed. Not because of faithlessness, but because I have put my faith in you."
Abandoning all decorum, he cupped her face in his warm hands. His breath brushed her cheeks, a reminder of life, after she had come so close to death. His eyes roved over her face, taking in, she knew, her eye patch, and the the faint scars that had never faded.
"I will follow you, serve and defend you, across galaxies and battlefields, through danger, suffering and imprisonment. Always. I love you, Vanessa."
For a moment, she was paralyzed by his touch and his gaze. It was the real Kaden, stripped of all defenses and pretense. He shut his eyes and lowered his lips toward hers. Then she broke the moment, gently pressing her forefinger to his lips.
"You have to stop."
He did. She took his wrists, guiding his unresisting hands to his lap.
"I can't return your love, Kaden. Not that way. When my life and body were nearly destroyed, there was someone there who stopped me from giving up on what was left. Who helped me rebuild myself, and became a part of my soul. It doesn't matter how far apart we are, or for how long. His heart is here with me, and my heart is back on Earth, with him."
Vanessa and Bron, inexperienced and shy in love, had rarely been poetic in expressing it, but the words, the truth, came easily to her. For a long moment, Kaden was frozen, pain etched on his face. Then his features smoothed, and he nodded.
"I see. Forgive my impertinence. I promise I will not interfere again."
"You don't need to apologize. But can you really accept it so easily?"
"Easily? Not at all. But I must. How could I protest my love for you, and then seek to break the bond that made you into the woman I love?"
"Thank you, for understanding." She looked at him sadly. The words were inadequate, but what else could she say? Kaden was a good man, if flawed. She cared about him, and admired him. But what he wanted was impossible. He turned his head, and focused on the ceiling.
"What is to become of me, now? My life remains in your hands. That will always be so."
Vanessa blushed again, in spite of herself. "I wish you wouldn't say things like that."
A ghost of his insolent smile returned. "Neither of us can change how we feel. You'll have to get used to it, unless you do plan to leave me here."
"I must be a worse leader than I thought, to be surrounded by so many unruly and disrespectful subordinates."
"A good officer always has a few quirks. But we all respect you."
"Forget it," she said, standing abruptly, Kaden quickly following. "We're leaving now. I suppose I'm in no position to fault you for believing what you do. I promise I'll do what I can for you in the investigation that's sure to come, but your career path probably won't be stellar from here out."
"Was that ever likely, with a name as 'unsuitable' as mine?"
"We'll never know. For now, get back to your troops, and prepare a planetary scale search and rescue operation, with full combat support. You'll coordinate with Commander Reyes's deputy. Don't expect to sleep outside of your hovertank for a few days."
"As always, I am yours to command, Captain," he said, taking her hand and lightly brushing her blue knuckles with his lips.
"Stop it!" She scowled, swatting his hand away. His smiling, irreverent mask was back in place. "And no more grand gestures, understand?"
His only answer was a dry chuckle. Not long ago, that all too familiar sound would have sent a stab of apprehension through her. Now, she simply shook her head in something like fond exasperation.
The cost of victory, in materiel, ships, and lives, would eventually be tallied, in painful detail. Friends would be mourned. But for now, it was the living that needed to be accounted for. When Vanessa wasn't reviewing reports and approving the plans for the rescue operations, her gaze always drifted to that strange world they orbited, and its breathtaking spread of vivid amethyst land masses and small, glittering seas of crystalline green. No tomb world, this. Foremost in her mind was the hope of Straza's survival, and that of the others who had abandoned the battle-ravaged Guerrero to take refuge on the mysterious world. They knew that there were thousands of survivors down there, and it was going to take considerable time to track down marooned crew who would be deep in hiding, or who lacked adequate means of communication, not to mention mop up Zentraedi scouting forces or crashed ships. But a part of her wanted to go down there for her own sake. To wipe away the bitterness and disappointment of what they found among the ruins of Altrea. To renew her belief in the Pioneer Mission, and the promise of the stars. To be among the first people to set foot on a verdant alien world. If only that were possible, she thought, regarding the striking vista of obsidian moon, warm yellow sun, and amethyst planetary surface from the viewport in her office once more. She turned her back to the view as she heard May enter.
"How's Jose? Not too bad off, I hope."
May smiled and shook her head. "No worse than he deserves. He's doing fine. Exhausted, and nearly red as a lobster. He can barely hold his head up, but he's still cracking jokes and has the neighboring patients laughing so hard they're holding onto their stitches. I gave him a good tongue lashing about flying a half-functional veritech into battle. He'd never have gotten hurt if he could have transformed."
"He was within his authority… unlike a certain Marine colonel. But it seems my senior officers have developed a habit of acting without my input. Sometimes it seems like you and Commander Duy are the only ones who can carry out a straightforward order."
May joined her at the viewport, and they both leaned on the railing. "You've got good people, Captain. Strong, talented, independent thinkers. You've always expected them to take the initiative and take responsibility. It's just we haven't faced challenges and battles like these before now. We survived, and we'll find our footing. Of course, a little dose of discipline doesn't hurt either. Look what you've done with Ensign Aster."
"Maybe you're right. The search and rescue, at least, will give Colonel Kravshera a chance to show me he can follow instructions." Vanessa sighed. "I just wish I was going down there too. After all we've suffered through, it would mean a lot."
"And why not?"
Vanessa raised an eyebrow and smiled bitterly. "I've been informed by Admiral Mbande that I'm forbidden from boarding any of the shuttles or dropships. Apparently she's of the opinion that I've had enough close calls for several lifetimes."
"That's not fair! It's like you're being punished!"
"Who said admirals have to be fair? Besides, maybe I am. I'm responsible for my officers' actions, and you can be sure that this whole action is going to be put under a microscope once we've folded back to Liberty."
"So our mission is going to be put on hold?"
"You're the one who put together the After Action Report, you know we've been torn to shreds. We have to return, repair, and refit."
"All the more reason you shouldn't miss out on this chance."
Vanessa smiled. It was good to see May acting her normal self. Thinking Jose had been lost was a nasty blow, but for someone who so often wore her heart on her sleeve, her friend had proven to be amazingly resilient.
"The admiral hasn't really left me any option."
"Hmmph." May scowled at her own reflection in the viewport, and Vanessa allowed herself the luxury of watching the planet's rotation for just a moment longer. "It is beautiful, isn't it?" her XO asked casually.
"Mmm."
"Just how badly do you want to get down there, Tang?"
"May."
"Be honest," May chided, her smile turning impish.
"But I'm already in trouble."
"Exactly. And as soon as we fold back to Liberty, we'll be stuck in drydock for weeks. How badly?"
"Alright, what's your idea?"
"You've been ordered to stay off the transports, but you're still flight qualified. And so am I." She grinned toothily. "I can pull a two seat Lightning and take us down. We'd only need to be gone a few hours."
Vanessa hesitated. She'd defied authority before, but always for a greater cause. She wanted this for herself. She looked through the viewport once more. Kaden's mammoth dropships were leaving the launch bays and lighting their thrusters, one by one.
"Hazard, make it happen."
"Yes!" May gloated, making a fist.
The planet was even more beautiful from inside the Lightning's cockpit, the delicate purple hues more vivid and varied, the jade colored seas richer. It had always been that way for Vanessa. The experience of being truly surrounded by the depths of space was a sacred moment for her. Then she thought of those who had not survived to share it with her, and her eye stung. Jacob Priest, and many of Earth's greatest minds were gone, having sacrificed themselves to save thousands of others. She thought, with regret, of conversations left unfinished with the kind and wise man, and that led her back to her anger at his death. And to what she had almost done.
"Finish them," she remembered saying.
I've been fighting for so long. Am I finally hardening, becoming someone I don't recognize? Someone I don't want to be? She had put off confronting that question. It was one of those unfinished conversations she would never have with Priest now, and she felt ashamed. Bron, Lisa, and Dr. Grant, people who she had trusted with her deepest wounds and vulnerabilities, were far away. But there was someone close at hand who might understand. It was time to stop hiding from herself. Seated behind May, the cockpit felt isolated and safe to Vanessa, with only the routine sounds of the veritech's instruments and the hum of the generator inside her helmet. She cleared her throat.
"Allison?"
"Yeah?"
"During the battle… you stopped me."
There was a long pause before May responded.
"Are you angry I interfered?"
"No, I think I'm glad. But we had just lost Jacob, and we thought we lost Jose right before that. I'm not sure what you were thinking at the time. Weren't you angry too? Didn't you want to finish off the strike module?"
"I was in shock, and kind of numb." There was tension in May's voice. Remembering that part of the battle was not pleasant. "But if our situations were reversed, I might have given the same order you did."
"You would? But then why did you give me that look, and make me question what I was doing?"
"Because I knew-" May paused, thinking over her words. "I felt like you would want me too. That the Vanessa I know wouldn't do that."
"Apparently I am the kind of person who would do that." Her voice faltered, but she gathered herself and pushed on. "I've done something like it once before. You were there, when we bombarded York's main field base outside Manhattan. All of their rear echelon was there."
"It still bothers you?"
"Yes."
"And it bothers you, what you almost did today?"
"Yes!" Vanessa answered, emphatically.
"Then you're still the person I believe in," May said, as if that settled the matter.
"It can't be that simple. What happens when I stop being that person? I almost did today." She had hinted to May about her worry before, now she stated it openly.
"You didn't. I was there to help. Your friends and your crew will always be there. Nobody fights alone."
Vanessa swallowed, heartened somewhat, but unsure of how far to go. She'd missed her chance with Priest. "May, I think I hate the Masters."
"Is that all?"
Vanessa hadn't expected such a flippant reply. "I used to think I didn't hate anyone."
"Captain, lots of people hate the Masters. Many of the Zentraedi certainly do, now that they have the words to understand what was done to them. They're monsters. You're hardly alone.
"If our mission is to come to terms with them, how can I do my job correctly? Won't I be influenced? I used to say negotiating with them was above my pay grade, but there's no guarantee I won't have to interact with them. I believe in peace, but I can't say 'peace at any price'. I want to see them punished."
"We have no way of predicting what state the Masters will be in when we finally meet them. And their own choices matter. Look at York. We didn't conquer York, but after their invasion of Manhattan failed, their government fell, and most of the leaders who planned and carried out their crimes were executed by their own people. York may technically be a sovereign state but the reality is that it's a non-member vassal state of the UEG."
"That all might be true, but I can't get over not knowing how I'll react if we confront the Masters in a moment of crisis."
"And I'm telling you, stop worrying so much. You won't be dealing with it alone, and I trust you to do the right thing. We all do. Now-"
May broke off, grumbling, as the Lightning's comms pinged insistently. "VF-two-one-four acknowledges. Go ahead."
"Bridge requests status report, VF-two-one-four." It was Lieutenant Abargil.
"VF-two-one-four reports all systems still green. Entering atmosphere in eight minutes."
"Please confirm status of the package."
May craned her neck in Vanessa's direction, although, strapped into her five point restraints, she couldn't make eye contact.
"My fighter is surrounded by about two dozen other Lightnings, and the status of the 'package' is the same as it was ten minutes ago… Dad."
"Confirmed, VF-two-one-four. Your reentry window is approved. Bridge out."
"Take it easy, May. We've all been through a lot in the last day. He is covering for us."
"I know, I know. Look, forget about all that other stuff for now, and enjoy the view. It is what we came for, after all. We'll be hitting atmosphere soon."
By the time Vanessa felt the world's surface beneath her feet, she knew that it was worth it. Even if she ended up having to brave the admiral's wrath. May's guardian configured white and green Lightning perched birdlike behind her at the edge of a high promontory, and she felt like she could see forever. Below her, the vast landscape looked like a garden crafted by the hands of long-forgotten and unknowable gods. As far as could be seen, the surface was carpeted by thick blades of amethyst colored alien grass, accompanied by dense thickets of tall, rhubarb red stalks that were each adorned with lovely lavender flowers whose succulent petals waved entrancingly like the the tendrils of sea anemones. In the distance were mega-forests of spiky black tree trunks, from which sprouted fractal arrangements of eggplant purple leaves. The great swathes of vegetation were riven, here and there, by upthrust towers of a rich, veined blue rock similar to lapis lazuli. Above it all, a surreal green sky was turning a buttery yellow where the sun was descending toward the horizon. The sky was so clear that she could see the first stars beginning to appear overhead, and in the opposite direction of the sunset, streaks of silvery light slashed diagonally across the heavens where battle wreckage fell and burned up in a breathtaking light show that promised to go on for days. It was quite simply the most beautiful, awe inspiring sight that Vanessa had ever beheld.
"You can take off your helmet, you know," a strong, warm voice said, and Vanessa spun around, her spirits lifting almost impossibly higher.
"Straza!"
Her old friend was limping up from the landing site where the Guerrero's survivors were being gathered to be treated, fed, and accounted for before they were shuttled into orbit. Straza wore a scuffed midnight blue pressure suit with wine colored trim, and supported herself on a crutch.
"Go on," Straza prompted, smiling. "We tested the atmosphere after landing. It's the freshest, cleanest air I've ever breathed. Better than Earth."
Holding back her questions with difficulty, Vanessa unlocked her helmet and removed it with a sharp twist and a soft hiss of released pressure. Her ears popped, but she hardly noticed as she took a deep breath, and felt almost intoxicated by the experience. The air was crisp, cool, and clean, as Straza had promised. Hazy days and fine particulates were the norm back on Earth, after the Rain of Death vaporized oceans and tossed millions of tons of soil into the atmosphere, where they continued to linger nearly a decade later. As for the air aboard a starship, she tried not to think about it too often, because she would inevitably notice that the air she was breathing smelled and tasted like it had come out of a can.
There was something else here that Vanessa had missed for a long time. The rich smell of living plants. Beneath it, there was a delicate floral scent, not cloying, but subtly captivating. The natural beauty surrounding her, the headyness of the air filling her lungs, the gentle breeze that now caressed her face, and the sight of Straza, alive and whole, overwhelmed her. Tucking her crutch under her armpit, Straza opened her arms wide, and Vanessa, tossing aside her helmet, threw herself into them.
"Is this real?" she whispered.
"It is," Straza murmured, the taller woman's chin resting on Vanessa's head, and her thick mane of lilac hair brushing Vanessa's cheeks. "You saved us, my Commander."
Vanessa let out a muffled chuckle at the old joke they shared. Straza never would call her by her name, and still chose to address her that way, even now after they were peers of equal rank. She stood back and looked up at her friend. The years had not touched the powerful Zentraedi officer. The same jade green eyes looked back at her from a heavily freckled face the color of mocha.
"I'm sorry, Straza. Sorry that we weren't fast enough to save your ship and the others."
Straza shook her head. "It happened too quickly. You never could have stopped it from happening." She grimaced and adjusted her crutch.
"We should find somewhere to sit down, or better yet, get you up to the Jeanne d'Arc's sick bay."
"It's nothing. Besides, I'm not leaving until all of my people are found and safe."
"It's a lucky thing the battle occurred close to this planet. If there hadn't been anywhere to take shelter…"
Straza's expression darkened. "This planet is the reason for the battle."
"What do you mean?"
"The enemy fleet was defending this planet."
"But there's nothing. We checked. No orbitals, no bases on the surface. Not so much as a navigation buoy."
"There's something here, something hidden. Admiral Watts was certain of it, and so am I."
"Is Admiral Watts-"
"He's dead," Straza interrupted grimly. "I saw battlepods destroy the lifeboat he was on. But the fact remains, the enemy fleet was already here, in orbit. There's no sign that they made any attempt to settle the planet, but they attacked us viciously when we approached. They dismissed every attempt to negotiate."
"We'll find out why this happened. There are too many mysteries out here. Everyone's lives could depend on solving them. I'm sorry you and your crew paid the price this time."
"I can handle it," Straza answered stoically, but she looked away. "It's not the first time I've lost almost everything."
Straza's division was all but destroyed fighting alongside the SDF-1 during Dolza's Global Assault. Vanessa reflected that the Earth Forces and humankind in general was becoming far too used to mass casualty lists.
"You did well," Vanessa assured her fellow captain, squeezing her arm. "You got your people out of there, against overwhelming attack, and kept them alive until rescue could arrive. Thousands of people are still alive thanks to you. You can be sure that my report and Admiral Mbande's will make that clear."
"Thank you. And it's not all bad. If we weren't being hunted, we would have counted ourselves fortunate to be here."
"A pristine, life-sustaining world. I've not been to any of the colonies, but they can't compare to this."
"Nothing I've encountered on any of my campaigns can compare to the beauty and peace I've experienced here. A small part of me is disappointed to have to leave so soon."
"Captain!" May was running up the path from the base camp, her yellow and black flight suit glaringly easy to spot, even in the gathering twilight.
"Over here, May!"
"We've got to get back, Captain! Oh, Captain Pentiet!" She stopped, out of breath, and saluted them both. "It's good to see you safe!"
Straza returned her salute. "And good to see you again, Commander."
"What is it, May?" Vanessa asked.
"We have to get back. Ensign Garo just let me know that Admiral Mbande has scheduled a meeting of senior officers for twenty-hundred hours. I've ordered a booster pack prepped to get us back to orbit, and I need to move our Lightning over to the launch site."
"Thanks, May." Vanessa turned back to Straza and embraced her again. "I wish we had more time. We'll find out this planet's secret, Straza. I promise."
When Admiral Mbande shared the news, Vanessa was shocked into silence. Around her, the gathered senior officers and captains of both task forces were equally stunned. This changed everything, upending all expectations for the pending inquiry into the largest fleet action since the capture of the Robotech Factory Satellite, the investigation of Lt. Colonel Kravshera's decision to commandeer the Shalazar, and the very future of the Pioneer Mission. Mbande forwarded the message to the monitors set into the conference table, and Vanessa read it and reread, to ensure she missed nothing. The words were plainly stated, and yet explained nothing.
To: Admiral Renita Mbande, CO, Task Force 2, Robotech Expeditionary Force
UES Jeanne d'Arc, on interstellar deployment
Per directives issued by United Earth Forces Headquarters, Monument City, Earth, all exploratory activities of REF deep space task forces are SUSPENDED, effective immediately. All task forces are ordered to return to REF Forward Staging Area, Space Station Liberty, at best possible speed.
Given recent combat action, Task Forces 2 and 5 are to complete search and rescue operations, mop up, and emergency repairs prior to executing those orders. Additional ships are being outfitted to assist you. Your task force is to be ready to fold in no more than 14 days.
Upon arrival at FSA Space Station Liberty, you will immediately prepare all ships under your command for a long distance fold to EARTHSOL, where you will dock with the Robotech Factory Satellite to begin full repairs and refit. At that time, Task Force 2 will be disbanded. You and your staff are directed to compile a report on the fitness of the Tokugawa class and the Lightning veritech, pending a UN Spacy inquiry into their suitability for future deep space deployment.
By order of UEF Headquarters, the Pathfinder Operation of the REF Pioneer Mission is officially TERMINATED.
Vice Admiral Elizabeth Hayes
Commanding Officer, Robotech Expeditionary Force
REF Headquarters
Robotech Factory Satellite, Earth orbit
-End of Part 1-
After a devastating battle in deep space, Captain Vanessa Leeds's future in the Robotech Expeditionary Force is uncertain. As the REF main fleet prepares to launch, Vanessa must decide whether her destiny lies on Earth, or if her fate will be tied to a mysterious world half a galaxy away.
Venture will continue in Part 2: Alight