Fanfic Name / Nombre del Fanfic: Resignation

Chapter / Capitulo: 4

Author / Autor: LTjg_GT_RDF

Dedicated to / Dedicado a: To those of us who wish we can get a second chance at love. 

Rating / Clasificacion: AP (All People = Todo espectador)

Alternate Universe / Universo Alterno

Angst / Drama

Fanfic: RESIGNATION 
CHAPTER 4 
 
Claudia escorted Lisa to the officer’s lounge. The lounge was deserted because the pilots were in the air. Lisa cried on Claudia’s shoulder for what seemed to be an eternity. She recovered enough to ask Claudia a question. 
 
“How long have you known Rick was going to resign from the RDF and leave Macross City?” 
 
“2 days after Christmas.” 
 
“What am I going to do, Claudia? I can’t go on without Rick beside me! Oh God, I wish I let Rick explain why he was letting Minmei stay with him! What did Rick say in his letter to you?” 
 
“Forget it, Lisa. You’re not going to get any clues to where he went to from his letter to me. Rick’s not stupid. He knew you’re going to ask me to let you read his letter to me.” 
 
“Please Claudia. I just need to know what he has written to you. It’s now one of very few connections I have with Rick now.” 
 
“Ok, but let me read you the letter instead of you trying to read it. You’re in no condition to read it.” 
 
Lisa nodded her head. Claudia reached into her uniform jacket and pulled out folded sheet of paper. She unfolded it and began to read. 
 
Dear Claudia, 
 
By now you have known about my decision to resign from the RDF and to leave Macross City. I came to this decision after much careful consideration and deliberation. I cannot allow myself to let the woman I love to suffer the consequences of my actions. She is not to blame for me resigning the service and leaving Macross. Please do not allow Lisa to blame her self for my decision to leave. The decision was mine and mine alone. 
 
Please keep watch over Lisa and look after her like the sister you are. Like Roy watched over me and was my big brother, you are Lisa’s big sister. Please tell her to remember only the good times we’ve shared and none of the bad. Please tell her to go on with her life and to forget about me. I’m sure that there is a man waiting in the wings just waiting to sweep her off her feet and to marry her. Don't allow Lisa to try to find me because it will be very difficult for her to do. Please tell her to move on with her life and to reach for the stars. 
 
Finally, I want to tell you that you have always been my friend and always will be. We had a lot of fun together. I just wish that the four of us did more together. We certainly would have created a lot of havoc I’m sure. Take care of yourself and take care of Lisa for me. 
 
Sincerely yours your friend, 
Rick Hunter. 
 
'You’re wrong Rick. I don’t have a man waiting in the wings. I had the perfect man. I had you.' 
 
Lisa was overwhelmed by the letter and returned to cry on Claudia’s shoulder. Just as soon as she started crying, she stopped with a smile on her face. 
 
“Wait a minute, Claudia. Doesn’t J-1 have all of our personnel records on file and on CD-ROM?” 
 
“Forget it Lisa! Get that idea out of your mind right now! You know personnel records are off limits to everyone, including you and Admiral Gloval. The only way personnel records can be seen is by order of the JAG. Do you want to be sent to the brig?” 
 
“But I don’t want to look at Rick’s personnel record. I just want to know who his next of kin is. Remember when we enlisted, we had to write down a next of kin. I’m sure Rick filled in that block, even though his only relative, his father is deceased. I’m sure he filled in an uncle or an aunt in as next of kin.” 
 
“Forget it Lisa! There is no way you can look at Rick’s personnel records, even if you just want to know his next of kin. Look Lisa, it’s been a real traumatic day for you. Why don’t you go home? I’m sure Admiral Gloval would not mind you leaving work early. You’re in no shape to drive so let me drive you home and I'll pick you up for work tomorrow morning.” 
 
“Ok Claudia.” Lisa said softly. 
 
Later that evening 
 
Claudia was driving Lisa home when they drove past Rick’s now vacant house. Lisa noticed members of Rick’s squadron carrying boxes and furniture out of the house to a truck that was parked in the driveway. 
 
“Claudia, stop the car!” 
 
“Why?” 
 
“There’s something going on at Rick’s house. I just want to know what’s going on.” 
 
“I don’t think that’s a wise decision, Lisa.” 
 
“Please Claudia; I just want to know what’s going on.” 
 
“Ok, suit youself. It’s your funeral.” 
 
As Lisa and Claudia were walking up to the house, members of Rick’s squadron, many of them dressed in civilian clothes shot angry looks at Lisa. Lisa noticed the angry looks and a shiver went up her spine. 
 
'Yikes! If looks could kill, I’ll be dead by now. But I can’t blame them. If I was them, I would be angry too if I saw someone walking up who I thought was the reason for your commanding officer and friend to resign from the military.' 
 
“What’s going on here?” Lisa asked innocently. 
 
“Hello Captain Hayes.” Max said in a friendly voice. “We’re just clearing out Captain Hunter’s house. The house is going up on the market tomorrow.” 
 
“What are you going to do with Captain Hunter’s belongings?” 
 
“Why is it any of your concern, Captain Hayes?” A young pilot asked angrily. 
 
“Lieutenant Atkins, stand at ease.” Max said quietly but firmly. 
 
“Thanks to you, we’ve lost one of our best and experienced pilots and a friend!” 
 
“Lieutenant Atkins, that’s enough! You are talking to a superior officer! STAND DOWN!” 
 
“NO SIR! I AM NOT STANDING DOWN! I AM STANDING UP FOR CAPTAIN HUNTER! Captain Hayes has her sorority sisters on the bridge! It’s time someone stands up for Captain Hunter! Do you know why Captain Hunter let Minmei stay with him? Do you know why Captain Hayes? It’s because she had nowhere else to go! She had just broken up with her cousin and she needed a place to stay! She can’t go back to her uncle’s restaurant because the paparazzi have staked out the restaurant! Do you want to know something else, captain? Nothing happened between the two of them! She slept in his bedroom while he slept on the couch! Captain Hunter let Minmei stay with him out the goodness of his heart! He was being a nice person! Something you don’t know how to be and never will be CAPTAIN HAYES!” 
 
Atkins spat out “Captain Hayes” as if he was trying to get a bad taste out of his mouth. He then picked up a box and continued walking shooting an angry look at Lisa. By the time the young lieutenant was finished with his tirade, Lisa had her head bowed in shame. Max walked over to Lisa. 
 
“I’m sorry I couldn’t stop him, Lisa. Lieutenant Atkins looked up to Rick. He took Rick’s resignation very hard.” 
 
“So have all of us, Max. You don’t have to apologize, Max. He has every right to be angry at me and to let me have it. To tell you the truth, I deserved it. How’re you doing, Max?” 
 
“I’m doing fine. It’s difficult right now because I feel like I’m being thrown to the lions but I had a good teacher in Rick.” 
 
“And he had a good teacher in Roy. Did Rick leave everything behind?” 
 
“He has left everything behind, books, furniture, lamps, dishes, pots, pans, flatware, uniforms, clothes, you name it. He left all of it behind.” 
 
“What are you going to do with it all?” 
 
“Majority of it we’ll give to the base thrift store. The rest we’ll give away. What we can’t give away, we’ll throw it away.” 
 
“Can you do a favor for me? When you find Rick’s photo albums, can you set it aside and give the albums to me?” 
 
“Sure. No problem. Once we separate what we will give to the thrift store, I’ll make sure I set the photo albums aside for you.” 
 
“Thank you, Max. Before I leave, can you tell me what Rick said in his letter to you? 
 
“I don’t think there is anything in his letter to me that can be of any use to you Lisa. He basically told me to look after myself, Miriya and Dana and everyone in the squadron. He was proud of me being his XO, wingman and friend. He always looked at me like I was his little brother, much like what he was to Roy. Oh, and he also told me to look after you and to make sure you’re moving on with your life and to reassure you that you are not the cause of him resigning from the service and leaving Macross.” 
 
“Thank you, Max. Well, let me get out of your way. I don’t want to become more of a target than I already am.” Lisa said with a sheepish smile. 
 
“Will you be ok, Lisa?” 
 
“Eventually, I will.” 
 
“If you need anything, you let me and Miriya know.” 
 
“I will. Thank you, Max.” 
 
“You’re welcome, Lisa. See you tomorrow.” 
 
“See you tomorrow Max.” 
 
As Lisa was walking back to Claudia’s car, Claudia who standing at her car, shot Lisa “I told you so” look at her. 
 
“I know, I know. I should have listened to you.” 
 
As they were driving away from Rick’s house, Lisa spoke up quietly. “Claudia, I don’t mean to impede on you but I really don’t feel like sleeping by myself tonight. Do you mind if I stay at your house just for tonight?” 
 
“No, I don’t mind. I was hoping you were going to ask me to let you at my house tonight.” 
 
The next day at the end of the duty day 
 
Lisa didn’t felt like driving back home. So instead of asking Claudia to drive her back home again, Lisa decided to take the bus and from the bus stop to walk home hoping that the brisk cool air will help her clear her mind. As she walking out the gate to the bus stop, a car came screeching to a stop beside Lisa. Lisa had no idea of who it was that was driving the car like a manic. She was surprised to find out it was Minmei. Minmei jumped out of the car on the driver’s side and threw an egg at Lisa. Because she was caught off guard by Minmei's sudden appearance, Lisa didn't had time to react. The egg hit Lisa’s chest and the egg splattered. Egg yolk and white created a big stain on the front of her uniform and pieces and shards of egg shell was sticking to her uniform What made it worse, a paparazzi was there to photograph the whole incident. Some tabloid was going to make a lot of money from that photograph. 
 
“You bitch! You’re the reason why Rick left!” 
 
Before Lisa could retaliate, an MP who standing guard at the gate, ran up and tackled Minmei to the ground. 
 
“Captain Hayes, are you hurt?” The MP said as he was holding down a screaming and cursing Minmei. 
 
“No I’m not sergeant.” 
 
“Do you want to press charges?” 
 
“No, I’m not pressing charges. Let her go.” 
 
But the MP wasn’t taking any chances. He had Minmei in a wristlock as he got to his feet and was holding Minmei against the car. He was not letting go. Minmei was still livid, screaming and cursing at Lisa. Lisa was more shocked than angry at Minmei. She didn't know how Minmei found out about Rick resigning from the service in so short of time but she wasn't surprised Minmei found out. She doesn't blame Minmei for being angry at her and blaming her for Rick leaving the service and Macross. 
 
“Minmei, please understand. I didn’t know Rick was going to resign from the RDF and leave Macross. I was just as shocked as you are at what happened. If I knew Rick was going to resign from the RDF and leave Macross, I would have tried to stop him!” 
 
“But you didn’t and it’s your fault! Do you know what happened between us? NOTHING! Nothing happened! He slept on the couch and I slept in his bedroom! Even though I wanted Rick to sleep with me in his bedroom, he wouldn’t because he was a nice guy and a nice person! Something you will never be!” 
 
“I know Minmei! I know that nothing had happened between the two of you because someone told me that after Rick left! But Minmei, please try to understand. I was angry at him! I was angry because you were staying at his house!” 
 
“That’s because I didn’t had any other place to go! I had just broken up with my cousin and I couldn’t go back to my uncle’s restaurant because the paparazzi had my uncle’s restaurant staked out! You try to go anyplace without cameras and video cameras photographing your every move! You try to go shopping with microphones always shoved in your face! He let me stay with him because he was helping a friend!” 
 
“Did you know that on the day he met you in Monument City he had a date with me? We were suppose to go on a picnic!” 
 
“No I didn’t. Rick never told me that. All I wanted to do was to give him a gift as a way of saying thanks for saving me and Kyle. If I knew he was supposed to be on a date with you, I would have never asked him to meet me in Monument City. He agreed to see me because I asked him as a friend. That’s all.” 
 
Lisa nodded. She believed Minmei was telling the truth and what Lieutenant Atkins told her was true. “Let her go sergeant. I don’t think she’ll harm me.” 
 
The MP slowly but cautiously let go of Minmei. He was staying close to Minmei just to make sure she wouldn’t try to lunge at Lisa or do anything else to harm her. 
 
“You’re right Minmei. I was the cause for Rick resigning from the RDF and leaving Macross City. But Rick being the person he is, he was too nice of a person to tell me that. He put the blame all on himself. In a way, we all lost when Rick left. And I’m not talking about just you and me personally.” Lisa said quietly and sadly. 
 
Minmei didn’t say a word. She just started to cry and got in her car and drove off tires squealing and the paparazzi in hot pursuit. Lisa looked down at the egg stain that covered the front of her uniform. She sighed. 
 
'Here’s more money down the drain for dry cleaning. Thanks a lot Minmei.' Lisa said to herself as she shook her head. 
Six months later 
 
Despite Claudia’s best efforts and Rick’s pleading to her by his letter, Lisa couldn’t go on with her life. Everywhere on the base and in Macross City reminded Lisa of Rick. One day at her desk, Lisa decided enough was enough. She was going to look at Rick’s personnel record for his next of kin, damned the threat of being thrown in the brig. She needed to know where Rick is so she can talk to him. She knew of someone who works in J-1. She called her friend. 
 
“Hello, I need to speak with Lieutenant Colonel Lee, thank you. Terrie, this is Lisa. Are you free now? Great, I need to talk to you. Thanks, I’ll be there in a few minutes. Good-bye.” 
 
Lisa walked to J-1 to talk to her friend. When Lisa walked into LTC Lee’s office, Lisa closed the door. 
 
“Hello Lisa. What can I do for you?” 
 
“Terrie, I need a favor from you.” 
 
“Name it Lisa.” 
 
Lisa took in a deep breath, blew it out and then charged ahead. “I need to look at Captain Hunter’s personnel record so I can find the address of his next of kin.” 
 
LTC Lee immediately threw up her hands. “Whoa! Hold it! Stop right there Lisa! You know I can’t let you do that! You know the rules. No one can look at personnel records unless they have an order from the JAG. Not I, you, the J-1 or even Admiral Gloval can do that. Do you want us to be thrown in the brig and be court marshaled? I don’t know about you but I want to retire with a pension and see my children grow up.” 
 
“I understand that Terrie, but I need to have an idea of where Rick is. I don’t want to look at his entire personnel file; I just want to know Rick’s next of kin. 
 
LTC Lee thought about for a moment. “Ok, Lisa. You win. It’s against my better judgment, but I’ll allow you a look at Captain Hunter’s personnel file as a favor to you. But I am telling you this right now, if we get caught and if I’m a subject of an Article 32 investigation and I’m court marshaled, I’m taking you down with me.” 
 
“Fair enough Terrie.” 
 
Lisa and Terrie left her office and walked to a closed and locked back room. Terrie lowered her left eye to a retina scanner. The scanner scanned her retina and several seconds later, the door clicked. The two ladies walked down a hallway and started looking. Terrie found the CD-ROM containing Rick’s personnel file, turned on a computer and waited for the computer to warm up. When the computer warmed up, Terrie inserted the CD-ROM into the drive. Soon Rick’s personnel file came up. Lisa pointed the computer mouse to the area where Rick listed his next of kin. Lisa took out a note pad and a pen and started writing. Rick listed an aunt and uncle who live in Redding, California. Lisa wrote down the address in her note pad. 
 
“Ok Terrie. I’m finished. You can turn off the computer.” 
Terrie took the CD-ROM out of the drive, put it back in its protective sleeve and put it back on the shelf. She then turned off the computer. 
 
“Thank you, Terrie. I owe you one.” 
 
“Just go Lisa. Oh...and Lisa...we did not see each other today.” 
 
"I understand what you said, Terrie." 
 
Lisa walked out of the room and building and walked over to Admiral Gloval’s office. 
 
“Sergeant Chase, I would like to speak to Admiral Gloval.” 
“Wait for a minute, ma’am. Admiral Gloval, Captain Hayes is outside your office and she says she wants to speak to you. Yes sir, I’ll tell her. Ma’am, Admiral Gloval says he will see you, just walk in.” 
 
“Thank you, sergeant.” 
 
“You’re welcome, ma’am.” 
 
Lisa marched in, snapped to attention and saluted briskly to Admiral Gloval. 
 
“Sir, I’m requesting permission to speak with you.” 
 
“Stand at ease, captain. What can I do for you, Lisa?”  
 
Admiral Gloval said returning Lisa’s salute. 
 
“Well sir, I would like to take 30 days leave. I have more than enough leave time accrued up and I would like to use some of them.” 
 
“You don’t need my permission, Lisa. Just fill out the form and I’ll gladly approve it.” 
 
“Thank you, sir.” 
 
“You’re welcome, captain. Lisa?” 
 
“Yes sir?” 
 
“I only have one thing to ask of you when you do go on leave. Please don’t use your leave time to try to track down Rick.” 
 
“I’m sorry sir. That is what I’m going to do sir.” 
 
“I see. Very well, you’re dismissed captain.” 
 
“Thank you, sir.” 
 
Lisa saluted then marched out of Admiral Gloval’s office. Gloval then picked up the telephone. 
 
“Sergeant Chase, call the JAG office. I would like to speak to Major General Albert.” Gloval waited for just a moment. “Will, this is Henry. One of my senior officers just committed a minor indiscretion. Could you ignore it and sweep it under the rug as a favor to me? You will? Thanks William, I owe you one.” 
 
Lisa walked back to her office, picked up the telephone and called the Macross airport.  
 
“Hello, this is Captain Lisa Hayes at the RDF airfield, are there any flights going to Redding, California? No, ok, what is the major airport that is nearest to Redding? San Francisco, are there any flights going to San Francisco tomorrow? Yes. Can you tell me the airline, time and flight numbers, please? Thank you, I’ve written them down and I will be calling the airlines. Thank you very much. Good-bye.” 

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Author email / email del autor: georgemtATearthlink.net