Fanfic Name / Nombre del Fanfic: Resignation

Chapter / Capitulo: 7

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)

Romance

Alternate Universe / Universo Alterno

Angst / Drama

Fanfic: RESIGNATION 
 
CHAPTER 7 
 
As Rick and Catherine approached Macross City airspace, 4 veritech fighters were approaching their plane very fast. 
 
“Unidentified aircraft identify yourself or you will be shot down.” 
 
Rick keyed the mike to his radio and spoke the word; CONUMDRUM. 
 
“Unidentified aircraft, we have acknowledged your codeword, state your name and your business for being here.” 
 
“This is Rick Hunter, former officer in the RDF and former commander of Skull Squadron. I am here to find” 
 
“Rick? Is that you?” A familiar voice said over the radio. 
 
“Max?” 
 
“Yes, it’s Max Sterling. Is it you Rick?” 
 
“Yes it’s me, Max. Is the tower out of service?” 
 
“Yes, the tower collapsed when Khyron hit the base. There is one good runway that has been patched up. The rest are out of service. Land your plane there.” 
 
Rick landed the plane but had to do it carefully because of the loose rocks that filled the craters made when Khyron attacked the base. When Rick shut down the engine, Max ran up to greet Rick. He wrapped his arms around Rick and started crying. Unusual since Max seldom showed any kind of serious emotion. 
 
“It’s ok, Max. Let it go.” Rick said quietly. Not exactly the best way to reunite with old friends. After several minutes, Rick looked at his old friend and wingman. “How are things around here, Max?” 
 
“It’s very bad, Rick. Both the SDF-1 and SDF-2 are completely destroyed. A new SDF has to be built and it will take several years. There are many dead and injured people here, the medics are still doing triage.” 
 
“Anyone we know hurt or killed? How’s Lisa?” 
 
“I don’t know, Rick. I’ve been flying CAP all day since the attack. I just landed a while to help Lieutenant Mitchell run the radio so she can communicate with the veritechs.” 
 
Catherine walked around the plane to be at Rick’s side. “Cathy, this is Max Sterling, my friend and former wingman. Max, this is Catherine, my…” 
 
“Yes, your wife. Lisa told me and Miriya that you’re married now.” 
 
“Max, Catherine’s father is Michael Bateman, he’s here as an invited guest for the commissioning. Where can she find out if her father’s alive?” 
 
“There is an information tent near the hangars, it’s marked with a sign that says “INFORMATION” you can’t miss it.” 
 
“Thanks Max. Cathy, I need to know if any of my friends are ok. I’ll meet you at the information tent.” 
 
“Ok Rick. I love you.” 
 
“I love you too.” 
 
Rick began running around the immediate area of the base, trying to find a familiar face. It had taken Rick over 10 minutes until he found what he thought was Lisa. He couldn’t tell for sure because she was sitting and her back was to Rick. He risked going up to her. 
 
“Lisa, is that you?” 
 
She turned around. It was Lisa. She sprang to her feet and wrapped her arms around Rick and cried. 
 
“It’s ok, Lisa. It’s ok. Let it go.” 
 
Rick let Lisa cry on her shoulder for several minutes. He then put his hands on Lisa’s shoulders. “Are you ok, Lisa?” 
 
She nodded her head yes. 
 
“Did all of our friends made it?” 
 
She shook her head no. 
 
'Oh-no.' Rick said to himself. "Who didn’t make it?” 
 
“When the explosions first went off, Admiral Gloval shoved me and Claudia off the stage. Just after he shoved us off the stage, the…the…the stage was blown apart by an explosion. Admiral Gloval and Senator Russo were killed instantly. Others either made it off the stage in time or they are seriously injured.” 
 
Lisa lost it and broke down and cried again on Rick’s shoulder. Rick asked again after several minutes. 
 
“Who else didn’t make it?” 
 
“Vanessa, Kim and Sammie didn’t make it either. Why me, Rick? Why Admiral Gloval saved me? I could understand Claudia, but why me? I have nothing or no one to live for.” 
 
“That’s not true, Lisa. You are worth saving. Admiral Gloval may have known something that we don’t. Lisa, I need to ask you something. Is Catherine’s father ok?” 
 
“I don’t know Rick. Things are just beginning to calm down. It was very chaotic here for most of the day. Will you only be staying here until you find out if Mr. Bateman’s alive?” 
 
“No, I’ll stay here as long as I’m needed. I may longer be an officer in the RDF, but my former comrades are in trouble and they need my help.” 
 
“Bless you Rick.” 
 
Bateman was found alive. After a frantic search through computers and by Catherine herself throughout the damaged base, she found out that her father was alive. It was a long and grim task for everyone involved. From cleaning up the gore and the mess, recovering the bodies and trying to identify the bodies, notifying loved ones to the many funerals and memorial services that had to be attended to, it was something that had to be done. True to his word, Rick stayed in Macross after finding out that Mr. Bateman was alive. Rick stayed behind in Macross while Bateman and Catherine flew back to Washington State. When the search and recovery was completed and all the funerals and memorial services were attended to, Catherine piloted a plane to Macross and fly Rick back to Everett. On the plane, Rick and Catherine were quiet for a long time until Catherine spoke up. 
 
“Rick, can I ask you a question?” 
 
“Sure honey, go ahead. What’s the question?” 
 
“Lisa Hayes, she was more than just a friend to you, wasn’t she? Tell me the truth.” 
 
“Yes Cathy, Lisa was more than a friend, at one time she was my girlfriend.” 
 
“Did you love her?” 
 
“Yes I did, very much.” 
 
“What happened between the two of you?” 
 
“It’s kind of complicated, Cathy, but we had a misunderstanding about someone staying with me. I’m not going into details. It doesn’t involve you.” 
 
“Was that the reason why you resigned your commission and left Macross City?” 
 
“It was part of the reason why.” 
 
“I see. Do you still love her?” 
 
'Should I lie to her and tell her no, or break her heart and tell her yes?' Rick asked himself. 
 
“No. I don’t love her any longer.” 
 
Macross City 
 
Lisa went back to her house after seeing Rick off at the airfield. It had taken all of her self control not to throw herself at Rick and to beg him not to leave her again and kiss him squarely on the lips knowing his wife was nearby. The last several days and weeks has been a real trying time for Lisa and everyone in the RDF and Macross City. It will be days before a final death toll from Khyron’s suicidal attack on the SDF 1 and 2 will be known. She had attended so many funerals and memorial services that she had force her self to keep it out of her mind. It especially hurt to have to attend the funerals of Admiral Gloval, Vanessa, Kim and Sammie. If Rick wasn’t by her side during the many funerals and memorial services, Lisa knew she wouldn’t make it through those difficult times. The five of them along with Claudia went through so much together. They were a team on the bridge of the SDF-1. Now it was only Claudia and Lisa and depending on how long it will take to build the SDF-3, Claudia will leave Earth with the REF leaving Lisa as the only one of the six on Earth. Lisa will be left behind on Earth and without Rick by her side. It was impossible to imagine and believe the six of them will never ever be together again. 
 
She could try to rescind her resignation from the RDF now that both SDFs are destroyed but Lisa told herself that she made a decision and she was standing by it. She put in her resignation papers and she will be out processing very soon. The out processing will probably be delayed because of the attack but she know she will start the out processing very soon. Thankfully, she had the good sense to start to build up a consulting firm business before she decided to resign her commission. Most likely, her first client will be the RDF and the UEG. They certainly will need her help and expertise to build the SDF-3, now that the others are destroyed and cannot be salvaged. 
 
It was hard for Lisa to try to get her mind off of the death, destruction and devastation of the past weeks without Rick to help her but she had to try. She decided to finally look at the photo albums Max set aside for her after members of his squadron cleared out Rick’s home. Max gave her the albums several days after they cleared out Rick’s home but she had never taken a look at them. She often wondered why she asked Max to save Rick’s photo albums knowing that probably there aren’t too many pictures of her, save from the ones she had given to him several years ago. There were probably many of Minmei, but she can’t bear the thought of all those memories being thrown away. Lisa decided it was as good as a time as any to look at Rick’s photo albums. So with a cup of hot tea she had in her hand, Lisa walked into her bedroom and reached up into her closet and grabbed a box marked ‘PHOTO ALBUMS”. She went through the box until she found Rick’s albums. It was easy to find because he labeled each of his albums with a label sticker and written what they were. 
 
The first album she looked at was marked “FLYING CIRCUS”. She opened up the album and the first picture she saw was of Rick when he was a kid and his dad. They were at an air show somewhere either in the Midwest or the Northeast, she couldn’t tell at first. But Rick was smart enough to write down where and when the pictures were taken, so it was easy to tell. The first thing she noticed about Rick’s father was how handsome he looked.  
 
'I can see where Rick got his good looks. His father is just as easy on the eyes as Rick is.' Lisa said to herself.  
 
Lisa then looked at a picture of a young Rick Hunter dressed in blue jeans, a plain blue baseball cap, a plain white tee shirt and his own leather flying jacket.  
 
'My gosh! Rick looks just as cute then as he is now. I bet he was a real charmer with the girls wherever he went. No wonder I fell for him!' Lisa said to herself admiringly as she wsa sipping her tea. 
 
The next several pictures Lisa looked at were pictures of Rick and his parents at their home. From what she remembered from conversations she had with Rick, Rick came from a loving home and he loved and adored his mother. Her mother died from cancer when Rick was still in elementary school and it devastated Rick and his father.  
 
'I never knew Rick and I had so much in common. We both loved our mothers and we both lost them when we were very young. The only exception is Rick's father didn't bury  
himself in his work like my father did.' Lisa surmised to herself. 
 
There were other pictures of Rick and his father taken at air shows around the country. She then saw pictures of his Uncle Jonathan and Aunt Rebecca taken from his aunt and uncle’s home. Lisa still stays in contact with them. She finished looking at that album and went to the next one. She opened the album and the first pictures she saw were of Rick and Roy when Roy was with the flying circus. She stopped and gasped. It has been years since Roy was killed in the air battle but it only seemed like yesterday. She mourned for Roy because he was a good friend. But it hurt Claudia and Rick more and understandably so. She remembered the first conversation she had with Claudia days after Roy’s memorial service. She said; “Now I know what it’s like to be in your shoes.” She couldn’t look at that album again, so she went on to the next one. 
 
The next album she began to look at was when after he joined the service. There was Rick and Roy standing in front of Rick’s VT just before Rick was to fly on his first mission. She remembered that mission not because he told her it was his first mission, but that was when he called her “old sourpuss.”  
 
'I still want to strangle you for that one, Rick.' 
 
The next picture was when he was awarded the titanium Medal of Honor and the ceremony of his field promotion to 2nd Lieutenant after saving Lisa’s life at Mars Base Sara. She remembered several years later, she wanted to thank Rick for saving her life at Mars Base Sara but he brushed it off as if it was nothing, he was just doing his duty. She wanted to smack him but found out later from Claudia that she told him about Lisa’s first love Karl Riber was stationed at Mars Base Sara and was killed. He wasn’t giving her the brush off, he was being a gentleman. That was when her opinion about Rick began to change. 
 
Lisa then opened another photo album where she came across the pictures of herself she gave to Rick one day after discovering a photo album filled with nothing but pictures of Minmei. It when then when she then noticed it was the same photo album that had the pictures of Minmei. It was after she discovered it was the same album, when she made another discovery; there were no pictures of Minmei anywhere in the album. Lisa began to flip through the album but couldn’t find one single picture of Minmei anywhere in the album. It’s as if he knew that he lost Minmei and he has moved on past her. When she made that discovery, she began to weep bitterly because she came to a stark realization; she had made a terrible mistake! 
 
'Oh God! If I only listened to Rick and let him explain why Minmei was staying with him none of this would had to happen! He was telling me the truth! He did love me and me only.'  
 
After she dried her tears, she made a promise to herself that she and Rick will be together again. She didn’t know how or when, but some day, she and Rick will be together again and this time, she is determined to make it work. 
 
'Rick, the next photo album I will look at will be of us, our wedding and our children and grandchildren.' 
 
November 20, 2015 
 
Everett Memorial Hospital 
 
Catherine was going through an extremely difficult labor. She has been in labor for over 12 hours and the baby hasn’t moved very much. The doctors suggested they use medication to try to induce movement to get the baby through the birth canal. It was risky and it was up to Rick and Catherine if they want to induce labor. Catherine said she will take the medication because she wanted it to end. The doctor introduced the medication through Catherine’s IV, very soon the baby started to move. The doctor decided to move Catherine to the birthing room. 
 
In the birthing room, Catherine was half sitting on the bed with her legs in the stirrups. Rick was behind her giving and showing her support. The head OBGYN doctor was at the foot of the bed, ready to assist Catherine as the baby comes out and to give her instructions. 
 
“Ok Catherine, when I tell you to, I want you to go ahead and push as hard as you can. Rick, I want you to be ready to help her and be on her back to help her push. Ok…ready Catherine…READY PUSH!” 
 
Catherine’s face strained as she pushed as hard as she could with Rick behind her back. 
 
“You’re almost there Catherine! One more time READY…PUSH!” 
 
Catherine pushed as hard as she could with what remaining strength she has. The doctor told her to push one more time to get the baby’s head out. One more time, Catherine pushed. The baby was out and immediately the doctor began to suction the baby’s nose and throat. Immediately, the baby began to cry. 
 
“It’s a girl!” 
 
Catherine and Rick cried when the doctor told the baby was a girl. Rick always wanted a girl and hoped that the baby would be a girl. It had taken several minutes for the doctor to cut the umbilical cord, clean the baby up, weigh and measure the baby and have its foot prints taken. The head nurse brought the baby wrapped in a hospital blanket to Catherine and Rick. 
 
“Have a name for the baby yet, Mr. and Mrs. Hunter?” she asked. 
 
“Yes I do.” Catherine said. “Many people do not name their baby girl Abigail much anymore. I love the sound of that name. Her name is Abigail Louisa Hunter. How do you like that name, Rick?” 
 
“It’s a beautiful name, Cathy. Abigail Louisa Hunter it is.” 
 
December 31, 2015 
 
Rick and Catherine was a New Year’s Eve party at a friend’s house in the mountains outside Seattle. They were enjoying the party when Catherine tapped her finger on Rick’s shoulder. 
 
“Rick, we have to leave. Remember the babysitter has to leave early.” 
 
“That’s right. Cathy.” 
 
Rick and Catherine said their good-byes to their friends as Rick went to a hallway closet to retrieve their coats. Rick helped Catherine put on her coat then put on his. It was snowing very hard and even though it was early evening, it was already dark. Rick used the remote to unlock the door to their car. He opened the passenger’s side door and helped his wife in the car. He walked over to the driver’s side, opened the door, closed it and started the ignition. He put the car into reverse and slowly backed out. He engaged the car into drive and slowly began driving down the road. 
 
“It’s a good thing you suggested we leave early. It’s snowing very hard.” 
 
“Yes it is. I also want to get home before all the drunk drivers are on the road.” 
 
“That’s true.” 
 
On the other side of the road, a car was driving too fast for the snowy road. He began to lose traction on the snowy road and began to lose control of the car. 
 
“What is that idiot doing?” Rick said. 
 
“He’s losing control of his car Rick! He’s coming onto our side of the road! Try to avoid him Rick!” 
 
“I don’t know if I can!” 
 
The car began spinning out of control and hit Rick’s car. The rear of the driver’s side hit the front end of Rick’s car with such force; it crumpled the front end in. Rick’s car skidded and it went off the road and it hit a snow covered tree on the passenger side. 
 
People began to come out of their homes, wondering what had happened. When they seen the wreaked cars, some people tried to help out by trying to get Rick and Catherine out of their wreaked car while someone else called 911. Very soon, police cars, ambulances and fire trucks converged on the scene of the accident. It had taken fire fighters over 30 minutes to get Rick and Catherine out of the wreaked car. An ambulance sent them to a small community hospital. Rick suffered only minor injuries but the doctors said that Catherine had suffered injuries too serious for them to deal with and a helicopter can’t be flying in the bad weather. The only chance Catherine has for her life being saved was to be driven by ambulance out of the mountain. From there, she will be flown by helicopter to a trauma center. 
 
It had taken the ambulance over an hour to drive out of the snow covered mountains. A helicopter was waiting to fly Catherine to a trauma center in Seattle. By the time Catherine arrived at the trauma center, Catherine’s father heard about the accident and drove him self to the hospital, all the while hoping and praying that his daughter and son-in-law are unhurt. At the trauma center, doctors worked feverishly to save Catherine. The head trauma doctor ordered x-rays and an MRI done on Catherine. When the doctor saw the results of the MRI, his face turned an ashen pale. He told Rick and Mr. Bateman that Catherine’s internal injuries were so severe and too much time has passed for them to do any good. The only thing they can do, is to try to relieve as much of her pain as possible so that her remaining moments of life will be as peaceful as possible. 
 
Rick and his father-in-law were devastated by the news. Rick asked the doctor how long does Catherine has left to live. The doctor said only a few minutes because her most of her vital functions were already shutting down. They transferred Catherine to a private room where Rick and her father can say their good-byes to her.  
 
The doctor led Rick and Bateman down the hall and into a room. Catherine asked Rick and her dad if they were told that she is dying, they both said yes. She told Rick and her father to look after Abigail after she is gone and she will look over them from Heaven. By then, Rick and Michael lost control of their emotions and started to cry. She told them not to cry because she is going to a better place and she hated for them to cry.  
 
She then told Rick to bend down because she wanted to ask Rick a question. Rick bent down and Catherine asked her question. Rick nodded his head and said yes to her question. She whispered something else to Rick. She then motioned to her father to bend down because she wanted to whisper something to him. Bateman bent down his ear and she whispered her last words to him. Bateman with tears in his eyes kissed his daughter and only child on the forehead. Catherine them smiled and whispered; “You can now come and take me home.” She then took in a deep breath, then slowly let it out, and then slowly closed her eyes for the last time. 
 
Several hours later, after Catherine’s body was signed over from the hospital to the funeral home, a stunned Rick and his father-in-law drove from the hospital to home. Rick was dazed and traumatized. Rick cried and sobbed inconsolably for hours on end until he can’t cry anymore. The tears have all dried up and all he could do is to dry heave. 
 
“How am I going to get through this dad? How am I going to get through this? When mom and pop died, you, Cathy and everyone in the flying circus helped me get through it. Who will help me now? Aunt Rebecca and Uncle Jonathan are getting up in years and they should not be flying in this weather. I need someone here with me.” 
 
“Call Lisa Rick, I’m sure she will be more than happy to be with you.” 
 
“I don’t know if I should bother her dad. Macross City is 2 hours behind Seattle…” 
 
“It shouldn’t matter Rick. You’re in a dire situation and you need someone to be with you at this time. Call her. If you don’t remember her phone number, I have it. She gave me her phone number when Cathy and I flew home after the attack. Call her. I’ll send a plane to bring her here from Macross. You need to call her because you need her now.” 
 
“Ok dad. I’ll call her.” 
 
Macross City 
 
Early morning 
 
After much persuasion by Claudia, Lisa decided to attend a New Year’s Eve party at the base officer’s club. Lisa didn’t felt like celebrating a new year because it was one more year without Rick. As the hours, minutes and seconds ticked by, Lisa wondered what Rick was doing this New Year’s Eve. She knew that he was probably celebrating it with his wife. After the clock struck midnight signaling the New Year, Lisa told Claudia that she was going home. Lisa didn’t do much drinking during the party so she was basically sober. After she arrived home, she undressed and immediately went to bed. 
 
Lisa Hayes was sleeping in bed when the phone on the nightstand began to ring. She turned on the small lamp that was next to the telephone and an alarm clock. She checked the time on the alarm clock, 2:30 AM. 
 
Oh great! Who would be calling at this time of the night? “Hello?” Lisa answered groggily. 
 
“Lisa? This is…Rick. I need you.” Rick said in a broken voice. 
 
”Rick, what’s wrong?” Lisa asked as she became concerned with Rick’s tone of voice. 
 
“It’s…its Cathy. She’s…she’s…she’s…she’s dead.” Rick said as he wept. 
 
“What?” Lisa asked as she sat up in her bed in a jolt. 
 
“Cathy, she’s dead!” 
 
“Oh no Rick, I’m so sorry! What happened?” 
 
“Cathy and I were at a New Year’s Eve party at a friend’s house in the mountains east of Seattle. We were driving home from the party early because the babysitter had to leave early...and…and a car in the opposite direction lost control because he was driving too fast on the snowy road. He spun into us and hit us in the front; we spun out and hit a tree on the passenger side. Cathy was seriously hurt…and…and the small community hospital said that Cathy’s injuries were too serious to be treated by them and the weather was too bad for a helicopter to be called in so they had to drive Cathy down from the mountain and then she was flown by helicopter to a trauma center here in Seattle but it was too late. The doctor said if only Cathy was in the trauma center earlier…they may had a chance to save her...but they couldn’t save her…and now she’s dead!” 
 
“Oh no Rick, are you hurt yourself?” 
 
“I just suffered some minor injuries, cuts and bruises. Lisa, I need you. I need you here with me. I don’t know if I can get through this by myself.” 
 
“Sure, I’ll be there to be with you. But I need to check to see if there are any flights leaving Macross to Seattle later today because it is New Year’s Day” 
 
“No…my father-in-law said he will charter a plane to pick you up later today after you get some sleep.” 
 
“No Rick, tell your father-in-law to put the plane up in the air right now.” 
 
“But Lisa you need” 
 
“Rick! I’ll sleep on the plane! This is not a time to be arguing with me! You’re in a bad situation right now and you said you need me with you. I just need to pack several changes of clothes and I’ll be at the Macross Airport in about an hour. I need to call several people first and one of them will be the base to tell them I will be out of town for several days.” 
 
“Thanks Lisa. Can you do a favor for me by calling Claudia, Max and Miriya and tell them about…my situation?” 
 
“Of course Rick, I’ll tell them. They’re our friends.” 
 
“Thank you Lisa, bless you. I don’t know what I do without you right now.” 
 
“Rick, there is no need to thank me. You’re in a bad situation right now and you asked me for help." 
 
“Thank you Lisa. I’ll meet you at the airfield when you arrive.” 
 
“No Rick, listen to me. I know it will be impossible for you but I want you to try and get some rest. The next several days will be very trying for you and you will need as much rest as you can. Believe me, I should know by experience.” 
 
“Ok Lisa. I’ll try and get some sleep. Thanks for coming on such short notice. I…I…I love you.” 
 
Lisa’s heart skipped a beat when Rick said those words. “I love you too. Try not to worry about a thing. I’ll be in Washington State as soon as I can.” 
 
“Ok, Lisa. I’ll try. See you in a couple of hours. Good night.” 
 
“Good night Rick. I’ll see you by early morning.” 
 
Lisa hung up the telephone. She sprang out of bed and went to the closet to retrieve her suitcase. She decided before packing her suitcase, she needed to call the base, Claudia and the Sterlings. 
 

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Author email / email del autor: georgemtATearthlink.net