Fanfic Name / Nombre del Fanfic: Choices and Aces

Chapter / Capitulo: Chapter 19

Author / Autor: Anonymoose_Au

Rating / Clasificacion: AP15 (For Teenagers = Para Adolescentes)

Romance

Action / Accion

Alternate Universe / Universo Alterno

Fanfic: “What did you expect? E.T?!” Roy Fokker to a group of new veritech recruits after their first battle. 
 
*** 
 
Miriya’s thoughts were in a whirl, still going over what the micronian females had said. 
 
But surely this ‘Lynn Kyle’ was the only micronian with skills that could rival hers. 
 
'Perhaps...' Miriya frowned, thinking back to the Battle Footage. 'Perhaps he has LOST his skills,' she surmised. 'Were we in the Zentraedi fleet he would not live long, but these micronians, who treasure useless things, they would seek to protect him, valiantly hoping he would one day regain his abilities, or at least teach his to others.' 
 
Her green eyes narrowed, once again the micronians had shown a display of brilliance she would not have thought possible, they were such an erratic race! 
 
'They have been keeping their best pilots secret, for fear that we may pick up their transmission,' she realised, 'not only that, they have used an old warrior as a ruse! Lons of searching WASTED!' She kicked savagely at a broken tile, sending it across the street. 
 
She looked about at all the micronians working feverishly to fix their broken city and came up with her own idea. No-one had seen her steal the knives; it stood to reason no-one would notice her enter the micronians’ command facility, which was located not too many blocks away. 
 
'With their love of meticulous filing and lengthy reports I will find him. I will destroy him. Then I will return to my Quadronos and rid the galaxy of these micronians once and for all.' 
 
*** 
 
“No! I don’t believe it!” Maistroff slammed the clipboard down. “These tests indicate the aliens’ genetic structure is nearly IDENTICAL to ours!” 
 
Rick, Lisa and Max looked at each other in surprise, sure the aliens LOOKED human, but none of them had ever thought... 
 
“PRECISELY,” Gloval nodded as Caruthers, having picked up the report, shook his head. “You understand then, that we are all but fighting against ourselves.” 
 
“No, I DON'T,” Maistroff snarled. “WE are not naturally fifty feet tall and we DO NOT go around savaging other planets.” 
 
Gloval cocked an eyebrow, while Lisa stiffened in her seat and Maistroff looked slightly embarrassed. “Mars notwithstanding,” he added, offhandedly. “But that is not the point! None of us here has the authority to negotiate with the enemy, we need UEC approve for that.” 
 
“THOSE creeps?” Rick let slip. 
 
Maistroff and Caruthers glared at him, but neither replied to that, at least not to Rick, Maistroff spoke to Gloval. “Until that time these...MEN and their twenty cohorts, should be rounded up, locked in the Brig and periodically interrogated.” 
 
Rico, Konda and Bron looked downtrodden. 
 
Gloval shook his head. “You may remember, gentlemen, or perhaps not, considering the alcohol you consumed that evening, that UEC washed its hands of us. I am free to do what I see fit aboard the SDF-1 and with the opinions and facts before me I declare all the aliens are hereby granted asylum.” 
 
Once again the three ex-spies leapt to their feet, cheering and hugging each other. 
 
Maistroff growled. “Mark my words, Captain; you haven’t heard the last of this.” 
 
With a nod to Caruthers, the two rendering no salute, turned and left the room. 
 
Gloval shook his head. 'Maistroff, Caruthers, you fools, you will doom us all.' 
 
*** 
 
Rick had planned on walking solo with his dark thoughts of Minmei’s betrayal. 
 
But Lisa had come up to him at the end of the conference, to thank him for supporting the Zentraedi. 
 
“Hey, if it ends the war, why not?” 
 
Lisa nodded, but Rick noticed she was looking quit pale and he suddenly remembered what she had said to him about Kyle. 
 
“Hey, Commander,” he put a hand toward her and she looked up, “you don’t have to worry about Lynn Kyle, he just got knocked on the head is all.” 
 
Lisa’s green eyes widened and became a little brighter. “Really? He’s all right, oh thank goodness!” 
 
“Yeah,” Rick shrugged, “so I guess I’ll be seeing you.” 
 
Lisa actually gave him a small smile. “What? Is my company THAT grating?” 
 
Rick looked at her in surprise. “What? No, of course not, I just figured that you’d go to the hospital, you know, to see how Lynn Kyle’s holdin’ up.” 
 
Lisa looked down at the ground. “The place will be a mad house with the battle we just had. Come on, let’s see if we can help anyone out.” 
 
Rick shrugged again and fell into step beside her. 
 
Upon entering the city hold, Rick shook his head. “Would you look at this place?” He felt a stab of guilt for having planned to spend the rest of his off-duty time pouting, instead of doing something constructive. 
 
He and Lisa ended up at the 'White Dragon' and Rick immediately saw Max and Lena Lynn loitering in the doorway, wringing their hands. 
 
“Max! Lena!” Rick called. “You two all right?” 
 
The couple nodded. “We’re fine m’boy,” Max replied. 
 
“But what about Kyle and Minmei?” Lena moaned fearfully. 
 
“There’s no need to worry,” Rick told them, quickly, “Minmei and Kyle are fine, they’re at Macross General –“ 
 
Lena and max gasped. “If they’re fine why are they there?” Lena cried. 
 
“Well, Kyle got hit on the head,” Rick’s voice went slightly hard as he recalled the scene, “they just need to check him over, believe me he looked fine last I saw of him.” 
 
Max and Lena looked slightly relieved, then took another glance through the door into their restaurant, which was miraculously undamaged, but looking between them Rick could see the tables and chairs inside were in disarray. 
 
“Can you help us, Rick?” Max suddenly asked. “We’ve got to get the restaurant up and running to help feed people, but…” 
 
Rick saw where they were going and held up his hand. “Say no more, I’d be happy to put the place back in order for you.” 
 
“So would I,” Lisa spoke up. 
 
“Oh, thank you both so much,” Lena cried, grabbing first Rick’s then Lisa’s hands in hers. Max then shook each of their hands and handed some keys to Rick before he and his wife dashed off. 
 
“Well,” Rick motioned Lisa ahead of him into the White Dragon, “there’s a lot here so let’s get to it.” He went in search of a dustpan and broom while Lisa got a cloth and bucket. 
 
“You know, I wish my father was here to see this,” he told her as he began to sweep. 
 
“Oh?” Lisa looked up from the table she was wiping and titled her head curiously. “Why?” 
 
“He’d freak out seeing me clean voluntarily,” Rick grinned and together they burst out laughing. 
 
*** 
 
The Bridge Bunnies, despite their penchant for gossiping, had never been a discipline problem and so, they were surprised when three techs arrived on the Bridge to relieve them temporarily as Captain Gloval wanted to see them in his office. 
 
“Oh, what do you think it’s about?” Sammie, prone to panic as ever, wrung her hands. “I haven’t told him not to smoke on the Bridge in MONTHS!” 
 
Kim rolled her eyes, but she still looked worried. 
 
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” Vanessa spoke reassuringly, but there was still doubt in her eyes. 
 
The three signalled at the Captain’s Office and were immediately admitted. 
 
And could scarcely believe their eyes. 
 
“Rico! Konda! Bron!” They cried in unison. 
 
“Why are you HERE?” Vanessa gaped at them. 
 
“Are you all right?” Sammie wanted to know. 
 
“Where have you BEEN?” Kim directed her question mostly at Konda. 
 
The three were grinning at them, but they didn’t answer, instead the Captain came around to the front of his desk. 
 
“Girls,” he began, “these gentlemen have some…interesting news for you,” he seemed somewhat amused. 
 
“Oh no! Don’t ell me you guys are criminals!” Sammie suddenly shouted. “Did you steal that Minmei doll?” 
 
The three snuck each other embarrassed looks. 
 
“Um...well, we DID,” Rico admitted, “but that’s not why we’re here.” 
 
“Did you desert the military?” Vanessa folded her arms. 
 
“We DID,” Konda admitted. 
 
“But not the one you think,” Bron added. 
 
“Huh?” The Bridge Bunnies looked at each other, utterly bewildered. 
 
“We’re Zentraedi,” Rico took the plunge. 
 
“But we’re not fighting anymore,” Bron assured the girls. 
 
“And we wanted to see you again and thank you for showing us dancing,” Konda smiled. 
 
“Whaat?!” The Bridge Bunnies stared at them with wide disbelieving eyes, then turned to the Captain. 
 
“Why would you joke with us, Captain?” Vanessa demanded. 
 
“Yeah, April Fools’ Day isn’t for MONTHS,” Sammie objected, planting her hands on her hips, while Kim shook her head. 
 
“It is no joke,” the Captain met their eyes squarely and Rico, Konda and Bron did not laugh either. 
 
Colour draining from their cheeks, Sammie, Vanessa and Kim looked at each other. 
 
“Ze-Zentraedi?” Kim stuttered, her voice faint. “But how are you OUR size?” 
 
“Micronisation,” Rico declared, he threw a look at Captain Gloval, “you really don’t have it? But we’ve seen little micronians!” 
 
“Yes, you females seem to carry them about, how did they get that size?” 
 
“They don’t STAY that way,” Sammie said before the Captain could speak. “They’re babies, they grow into adults!” 
 
Rico, Konda and Bron were the ones who looked shocked now. 
 
“You mean...YOU were once that size?” Konda breathed, his eyes darting from the Bridge Bunnies to the Captain. “ALL of you?” 
 
“You didn’t grow up?” Vanessa asked, adjusting her glasses on her nose. “You were just CREATED adults?” 
 
“Of course,” Bron nodded, “what other way is there?” 
 
“Oh brother,” Kim shook her head. 
 
Captain Gloval allowed himself a brief smile of amusement. 
 
“Well, girls, I’d say you have a lot of explaining to do with these gentlemen.” 
 
The Bridge Bunnies and ex-spies looked across at each other shyly. 
 
Then suddenly an alarm rent the air. 
 
“Oh no!” Vanessa cried. “We’re under attack!” 
 
“It’ll have to wait, then,” the Captain murmured, he turned to the ex-spies. “One of the scientists will be by to show you to your accommodation and the other Zentraedis too, if you can find them.” 
 
The ex-spies nodded. 
 
“We’ll see you again, soon,” Vanessa promised them and Sammie and Kim nodded. Then all three waved and the Captain following they turned and ran for the Bridge. 
 
*** 
 
Azonia had watched the events of the battle, the retreat and now new attack coming from the Zentraedi under Khyron’s command with ill-concealed amusement. 
 
“So!” She lifted her chin a proud gloating manner. “Lord Khyron failed his mission to destroy Zor’s ship just as I knew he would.” She laughed and turned to Yiata. “It is too amusing, is it not?” 
 
Yiata was uncertain how to respond, revelling in the defeat of other Zentraedi, even MALE ones was not standard protocol. But then, Khyron pushed the limits of protocol himself. 
 
“Yes, m’lady,” she spoke finally. 
 
“We would assist of course,” Azonia drawled, savouring every word. “But I’m sure Khyron would object to my leadership!” 
 
The techs below the bridge smirked, all having heard Khyron’s jab and been affronted for their Commander’s sake. 
 
Suddenly, a beep signalling an incoming communication sounded. 
 
“Put it up,” she commanded Yiata. 
 
Seloy Deparra appeared on screen, she thumped the left side of her chest with her right fist in salute. “M’lady!” 
 
“Officer Seloy, what do you wish to report?” 
 
“I overheard Lord Breetai’s communication with Lord Khyron aboard Zor’s Fortress,” Seloy began. 
 
“Who didn’t?” Azonia sneered, remembering that particular display of battle sloppiness. 
 
“Should we not be concerned that one of the deserters might recognise Captain Miriya and reveal her to the micronian fleet?” 
 
Azonia’s brow furrowed, it seemed a bizarre question to ask. 
 
“Miriya knows the risks,” she answered, waving a hand, “to be honest, I’m surprised she has not signalled to be picked up yet, perhaps she has failed.” 
 
Seloy reacted strangely to this; her face took on an almost pained look. 
 
“Are you injured?” Azonia asked. 
 
“No, m’lady,” Seloy assured quickly, “should we make any move to assist the males in this latest attack?” 
 
Azonia smiled grimly. “Whilst I know how eager you are to lead the Quadronos into battle, Officer Seloy, I ask that you wait for a more...APPROPRIATE time to assist.” 
 
“Yes, m’lady,” Seloy nodded curtly, then saluting broke off the connection. 
 
“Now,” Azonia turned to Yiata, “let’s enjoy Khyron face ANOTHER defeat, shall we?” 
 
*** 
 
It was times like this that Max wondered why the Command even bothered to declare any pilot as being off-duty. Max had barely left the Base after the conference with the three defectors when battle stations had sounded. 
 
So here he was again, in space fighting against the aliens. 
 
Max was in his element though, having converted to Battloid, his preferred veritech mode and was blasting pods into nothingness almost before they realised he had entered their line of sight. 
 
Max kept an eye out for Joseph, but the guy was holding up well enough on his own. 
 
The discussions that had occurred in the conference room had brought Ben to Max’s mind. Not that he didn’t think about Ben a lot, he could imagine how his friend would have be in howls of laughter over his infatuation with a girl he had never even met, and with green hair to boot. 
 
But Max couldn’t afford to think of Ben for long, not in the middle of combat. 
 
He spotted Rick out the corner of his eye and could almost sense his friend’s exasperation with the whole thing. As they had been taking off to make contact with the new attack wave, Max had heard him say a very sincere. “Go home!” to the aliens, not surprisingly, they hadn’t complied. 
 
But at the very least some Zentraedi seemed to be interested in making the HUMAN'S home their own. 
 
And it happened once again, all of sudden the aliens were retreating, returning to their ships. 
 
“Looks like they’ve decided to call it a day,” Max murmured over the tac-net. 
 
“Thank God for that,” he heard Rick mutter. 
 
“This is Skull Leader,” Commander Fokker’s voice came over the tac-net next. “All veritechs return to the SDF-1, they’ve had enough it seems, and so have we.” 
 
Heaving a sigh, Max turned his blue Veritech and headed back. 
 
His feet on solid ground again and nominally off-duty again, he headed into Macross City, which was still rebuilding even though it had to be around the middle of the night by now. But then, time meant very little in the blackness of space. 
 
He sought out Mr. and Mrs. Dixon, whose laundry was located in one of the most damaged part of the city. Looking at the shattered windows, flattened cars and blackened shells of burned out buildings, he felt a shiver of fear, were Ben’s parents OK? 
 
“Max!” 
 
He turned, and a relieved smile broke over his face, Mrs Dixon, standing beside her husband waved to him. 
 
“Mrs. Dixon, Mr. Dixon!” He ran over to them, Mrs. Dixon giving him a warm hug. “I’m so glad you two are OK.” 
 
“We were at the Minmei Concert,” Mr. Dixon told him, “Max and Lena Lynn invited us.” 
 
“Are the aliens really gone for now?” Mrs. Dixon asked, her face concerned. 
 
“Seems so,” Max nodded. 
 
“Thank God,” she sighed. 
 
“The laundry’s a complete write-off, though,” Mr. Dixon spoke gruffly, nodding towards the remains of Macross Laundry, which was no more than blacked wreck of pre-fabricated metal. 
 
“We’ll rebuild, dear,” Mrs. Dixon assured her husband, “you know we will.” 
 
Mr. Dixon grunted, but didn’t meet his wife’s eyes. 
 
“Of course you will,” Max nodded. “After all, SOMEBODY has to clean and press all the military uniforms, Lord knows most of the pilots can’t do it.” 
 
Mrs. Dixon grinned and patted his cheek. 
 
“Where will you two stay?” Max asked. 
 
“The shelters are equipped for this sort of thing,” Mr. Dixon turned back to him. “It shouldn’t be too long, with the Mayor going at it like he is; I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole city is put back together by morning.” 
 
Max smiled, it was a nice thought, but he knew it would be at least a week before everything was back together again. 
 
He was about to offer to invite the Dixons’ to the Mess, so they could at least get a decent breakfast when one of Mrs. Dixon’s chattiest friends rushed up. 
 
“Bernice! Frank! Oh, you won’t BELIEVE this!” 
 
“What is it, Claire?” Mrs. Dixon’s eyes filled with fear. “Is someone...?” 
 
“Oh no, no,” Miss. Synder shook her head emphatically, then paused. “Well...I guess we don’t know yet...but that’s not hat I’m talking about. What I’m talking about is...THE ALIENS.” 
 
Mr and Mrs Dixon turned to stare at each other, then looked at Max, but he couldn’t think of what Miss. Snyder had to say. 
 
“Apparently, they’re still here, on our ship!” 
 
Mrs. Dixon jumped and grabbed her husband’s hand, he looked about, even though it seemed most unlikely any battle pod could have stayed hidden. 
 
“Oh no, not in their battle machines,” Miss Snyder went on, breathlessly, “and not fifty feet tall either! Apparently they can be shrunk to OUR size and now, some of them are LIVING here! The Captain has given them asylum! 
 
“WHAT?!” Mr. Dixon’s face had immediately gone a darkish purple at this news. Mrs. Dixon by contrast had gone pale. Max meanwhile didn’t know what to do, so looked at his feet. 
 
“Aliens...HERE on OUR ship? And the Captain has allowed this?!” 
 
Miss. Snyder nodded so hard Max was surprised her head didn’t come off. “It’s unbelievable, isn’t it?! I don’t know WHAT the Captain was thinking!” 
 
Max felt the need to defend Gloval. “Well...I’m sure the aliens in question surrendered themselves, there are conventions for that sort of thing.” 
 
Mr. Dixon turned to look at him as if he was mad, and Miss. Snyder gave a shrill laugh. 
 
“As if that should make any difference!” She cried. “Those aliens are monsters, they’ve killed thousands of us, when they surrendered we should have just shot them!” 
 
“That would have been too good for them,” Mr. Dixon growled. 
 
Max gulped.  
 
He hadn’t considered how the people of Macross City, how those who had lost loved ones both in the service and civilian would react to the news. Rico, Konda and Bron had seemed entirely harmless and sincere in their wish to integrate and the fact that the enemy could be won over to their side was a bonus too. 
 
Obviously, though, not everyone was going to be happy about it…in fact, as he looked about at various Macross citizens talking to each other in heated voices, it looked like MOST people weren’t. 
 
“It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard!” Mr. Carey who just happened to be walking by and had heard the tail end of Mr. Dixon’s declaration joined in the conversation. “It’s not like these are civilian aliens either! They’re like God damn Nazi soldiers. They should be hung.” 
 
“They’re really not,” Max spoke quietly. 
 
Neither Mr. Carey, Mr. Dixon nor Miss. Snyder heard him and continued their angry tirades. 
 
Mrs. Dixon had remained silent and now she turned and took a few steps away, clasping her hands together as if in prayer. Max went over and touched her shoulder. “Are you all right, Mrs. Dixon?” 
 
Mrs. Dixon turned to him, tears had begun falling from her eyes. “Oh, Max, I don’t know WHAT to think...but I do know, if not for the aliens, my Ben would never have joined the Defence force, he never would have been killed.” She buried her face in her hands and began to sob. 
 
Max felt tears sting his own eyes. 
 
He could not blame the defecting aliens for Ben’s death, he didn’t know why, but he just couldn’t. He understood Mrs. Dixon’s pain though and put his arm around her shoulders. She leaned against him, her tears wetting his uniform jacket. 
 
After a moment, Mr. Dixon noticed his wife’s tears and hurried over to her, taking her in his own arms. “Bernice, my poor Bernice,” he shook his head, “I swear,” he muttered, darkly, narrowing his eyes. “If I ever find one of those aliens, I’ll make them sorry they ever left their damn ship.” 
 
Mr. Carey and Miss. Snyder made sounds of agreement, but Max only looked away and as he did, he saw a flash of green hair.

Continue / Continua: Yes / Si