fanfic_name = Target Party

author = Dwparsnip

dedicate = Fathers everywhere

Rating = AP

Type = Humor

fanfic =

The usual pleasantries here: I don't own any of the characters or objects related to Robotech. They belong to Harmony Gold.

This hasn't been run through a beta, so all boo boos are my bad.

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Admiral Rick Hunter was walking through the corridors of the ship as though he was only minimally affected by the SDF-3's artificial gravity. There was a bounce to his step, a happiness to his trot that no one had ever seen before.

Max watched his friend approach and couldn't help but smile broadly at the sight. He had never seen Rick in such a state of joy. The day of and for a long time after his wedding to Lisa came close, but it wasn't the same…this was an entirely different kind of special happiness he was seeing.

When Rick finally stopped in front of him Max quipped, "You're looking chipper, Boss…you feeling okay?"

Rick smiled widely and slapped Max's right shoulder playfully with his hand. "Ah, Max my old friend…I've never been better." He momentarily turned his smile upside down and added, "Though I'd be happier if you didn't make me do this inspection today. You know I hate inspections."

"Oh come on Rick", laughed Max as he gently pushed him towards the hangar deck doors, "it'll only take a few minutes. You'll live."

The doors opened and the two former wing mates walked onto the hangar deck. Rick opened his mouth to respond with what he considered a rather witty retort when the sight before him vanquished the thought from his mind.

He stood just inside the door, slack jawed and in obvious shock. He slowly turned his head and took in the sight. All the pilots of the SDF-3 were assembled on the deck in neat rows, all looking at him intently.

Max leaned in closer and whispered, "And before you start blaming me for this, it wasn't my idea." He stepped back but then quickly leaned in again to add, "Okay I did it all, but it wasn't my idea."

Rick glanced to Max and then looked back to the pilots. They were all smiling at him and a small part of his brain, the part that was still a cocky pilot figured it out, though it didn't let the other part of his brain that was the Admiral in on it. It was the Admiral part of Rick Hunter after all, that told Max Sterling not to do it, that it wasn't appropriate since he was technically no longer a pilot…an active pilot in any case, and only active pilots deserved the honor.

The honor.

Legend had it that Roy Fokker started it not long after he joined the military when he discovered that a friend of his, a very good friend, was going to be a father. Ever the comedian, Roy thought it would be a good idea to have a little fun with it. In celebration of the pilot of the hour's ability to "hit the target" so to speak, Roy commandeered a dunk tank and stuck said pilot into it, then lined up his squadron mates who were given one ball each to attempt to drop the pilot into a pool of freezing water.

The water, Roy said, had to be absolutely freezing in order to introduce the pilot to the fact that parenthood was a cold and hard situation to be in, much like the tank he was being dunked into.

On the surface it wasn't much of an honor…but that part came later when the pilot, shivering and freezing was lifted out of the tank by his antagonists and treated like royalty for the rest of the evening at a party that would have made an extravagant rich person blush.

After the first couple of these 'Target Parties' as they became known as, Roy would offer a small speech telling the moral of the whole affair. It was a reminder Roy said, that although being a parent can be a cold and thankless job sometimes, that part of it is dwarfed by the love, warmth and support they receive from their families and fellow pilots. Just about every pilot who had been blessed with parenthood since then received their own Target Party. It was even expanded before Roy died to include the female pilots. It was never Roy's intention to leave the female pilots out. It was his chivalrous nature he said one night to a friend, that automatically refused to subject female pilots to the dunk tank.

Rumor had it that Claudia got wind of it and had a talk to Roy. Even way back then Claudia had some pull with Roy.

The honor was supposed to be for pilots only, so when Max mentioned the possibility of throwing a target party for Rick when they found out Lisa was pregnant, Rick respectfully declined citing the fact that he was no longer a pilot.

Rick put it out of his mind…until he looked across the hangar deck and saw a massive dunk tank.

The smile that spread across his lips was enormous, even as he said to Max, "Thanks Max…but I meant what I said. I'm not a pilot." His smile faded to a small frown. "I can't let you do this. It isn't right."

Max held up his right index finger. "First of all, I'm the CAG and I can do what I want." Rick turned to argue the point but Max counted off another finger and pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket stalling Rick's argument. "Second, I have it all covered, with some help from a very good friend of mine."

Max couldn't stop smiling as he unfolded the paper. In his best authoritative voice he read its contents. "To Admiral Rick Hunter, etc, etc. Sir. You are relieved of your command duties and attached to the Skull squadron under the command of Captain Max Sterling…that's me…for the period of time between 1900 hours today until 1300 hours tomorrow. Your flight status has been activated with all the duties, rights and privileges attached to such status."

Rick stood on the hangar deck with his mouth slightly opened in shock, oblivious to the resounding cheers spreading throughout the deck. When the cheers reached a deafening level Max leaned over and handed the paper to Rick who took it in his hands.

Max pointed to the bottom where the authorizing signature was located. "Don't forget to thank her when you get home tonight. This was all her idea. She knew you’d love it."

Rick looked at the signature, written so elegantly in the handwriting he had become intimately familiar with and smiled. He read it lovingly to himself. 'Admiral Lisa Hunter.'

He barely had her name spoken in his mind when the first shove towards the tank hit him…courtesy of his very good friend, Max Sterling.

State = Continuará/To Be Continue

feedback = Sí/Yes

email = dwparsnipATyahoo.ca