fanfic_name = Waiting for you

chapter = 2

author = Supernova_g

Rating = O18

Type = Angst

fanfic = A/N: Hi, First I want to apologize with those ones that were waiting for this chapter. I’m sorry for the delay, but I haven’t had an easy time. Someone very close to me died so I was in no mood to write. When I finished this chapter I realized writing this story is a good therapy to help to carry my loss, so maybe the next chapter it’s going to be posted sooner than this one.

I want to thank to Carla for taking the time to post my story, to read it and of course for her opinion. I Also want to thank to everyone who sent a mail. THANKS!! It’s rewarding to know someone it’s reading this work.

I hope to know what anyone else think about this story.

Please, enjoy it!!

Disclaimer—Robotech or it’s characters does not belong to me... All references to Robotech and its’ characters belong to Harmony Gold, Inc. I just write this as a hobby.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Waiting for You

Part II

The mission to take the control of the Robotech Factory Satellite had been a success and Breetai with the rest of the crew transported the facility back to Earth. But before the crew could walk on the Earth, they would have to wait a pair of days due to they had to analyze at great length the Factory’s facilities.

******************

It was 7 AM and Rick left from his quarter, he rushed to go to the conference room cause there was a meeting with the crew and he was late cause he had never been an early riser. Moreover, the night before he didn’t sleep well; he went to bed at dawn and the only thing he could think about was the image of Lisa kissing Karl Riber, and that bothered him during a couple of hours before he could sleep.

When Rick arrived to the conference room he saluted and took a seat next to Max, then he started to look for Lisa. For a strange reason he was very worried about her and he felt the need to see her and to know how she was and how she felt after Karl’s reappearance. Also he felt the need to support her. “After all we are friends, right?” Rick tought.

In the conference room were Claudia, Max, Miriya, Exedor, Breetai , Karl and next to Karl a strange man was seated. But Rick couldn’t find Lisa in the room, and this seemed weird to him cause she was never late, quite the opposite she had always been the first one who arrives for a meeting. “What a strange thing, Lisa is never late.” Rick thought. Later he wondered about Karl’s presence in the meeting, and he also wanted to know who the man next to Riber was. Rick was thinking about this when a voice attracted his attention.

- “Well, now that Captain Hunter has arrived, we are ready to start this meeting.” Breetai announced.

- “Wait a minute!! What about Captain Hayes?? I mean, she hasn’t arrived yet.” A surprised Rick said. He couldn’t believe they were not going to wait for Lisa to start the meeting.

- “She’s not coming, Captain Hunter.” Breetai answered.

- “Why??!!” Rick replied with surprise and concern; currently he got up from his seat. Rick couldn’t believe it, for all the years he had known Lisa, she had never missed a single meeting, not even if she was sick and less due to personal matters. He started to worry about her, but Rick knew that Lisa would have a hard personnal matter to solve, maybe the hardest in her life, cause a day before Karl Riber reappeared alive. Rick thought that now he undesrtood the importance of Karl Riber in Lisa’s life.

Some seconds later Rick felt a hand in his right shoulder and Rick came back to the reality and turned to see it was Max. With his eyes, Max told him to calm down so Rick took notice of this and sat down again. Then he realized everybody was staring at him with amazement. “I mean, she’s the most important person in this mission after Commander Breetai” Rick said trying to cover up the concern he showed up for Lisa.

-“Captain Hunter, let me tell you Captain Hayes was not feeling quite herself to come to work today.” This time was Karl who spoke.

Rick turned to look at Karl, and there was anger in his eyes. He didn’t like Karl did meddle in the conversation he was having with Breetai. Rick had mixed emotions on the one hand he didn’t like to talk to Karl, though he didn’t know why, and on the other hand he really wanted to know about Lisa. So he tried to put his mind at rest to find out what happened with Lisa.

- “Why? Is she sick? Did something happened to her?” Rick asked as calmly as he could.

- “Don’t worry Captain Hunter, She is only tired and a little weak, nothing serious . She only needs some time to rest, so you don’t need to be so worried at all”. Karl answered sarcastically.

Rick didn’t like the way Karl answered his questions and he felt unconfortable with the idea of having to ask a strange person about Lisa’s health or life. Even though he was Lisa’s fiancé, Karl was never by her side. Rick was very displeased with this situation cause it seemed as if he were out of Lisa’s life an that “scares me?” He thought confused.

-“Are you sure?” Rick asked with anger. He really didn’t like see this Karl so close to Lisa.

-“Yes Captain, I spent the whole night in her quarter and when I left her this morning she was just tired and weak.” Karl replied and smirked when he noticed that his words were a shock to everybody in the room and specially to Rick.

Rick didn’t like what he heard. He couldn’t believe Lisa spent the whole night with that man. But he remembered Karl was Lisa’s fiancé and thought that it was normal. The problem is that, for any strange reason, this situation was bothering him too much.

- “Gentlemen, let’s begin with the meeting, please. We have a lot of work to do.” Breetai said.

- “Sure Commander, I’m sorry for the interruption” Karl apologized with Breetai.

- “It’s ok Captain. I know Captain Hayes is important for all of you. But now let’s continue with this meeting. First I want to congratulate you for the successful mission all of you achieved yesterday by taking the Robotech Factory Satellite. Specially I want to congratulate lieutenant Miriya Parino and lieutenant Maximillian Stearling, lieutenants you did a great job. Now I understand why Admiral Gloval is so proud of you.” Breetai said.

- “Thanks, but we just did our job” Max answered staring at Karl for a minute.

Max watched Karl for a moment and he thought Karl looked like a good person and he wanted to know why it seemed Rick didn’t like this man. He also wondered about what it was supposed to mean that speech Karl said about he spent the night with Lisa. “What does this man have to do with Lisa?” Max wondered.

- “Now, I want to introduce you to Captain Karl Riber and Captain Thomas Ashcroft.” Breetai said at the moment that Karl and the strange man that was seated next to Karl stood up to salute and then they sat down again.

Everybody turned to look at them, and checked them. They didn’t know why they haven’t heard anything about this Captains before. They were almost in their thirties and they were using uniforms that looked a bit like Roy’s one, but Karl’s pants and his turtleneck shirt were black, and Thomas’s pants and his turtleneck shirt were dark green. Karl was fair-skinned, tall, had brown hair and brown eyes. Thomas was fair-skinned, tall, had black hair and green eyes. They were very good-looking men.

Claudia, Miriya and Max thought they seemed to be good persons. But Rick didn’t like them, he didn’t know why but there was something in their eyes that scared him.

While everybody were looking at them Breetai continued speaking. “They arrived a day before you did, from the Earth.” Breetai commented. “Captain Riber and Captain Ashcroft are in charge of technological reports.”

- “Why did nobody tell us about their participation in this mission?” A surprised Claudia asked. She knew the only person who could send them was Goval but that means Gloval knew Karl didn’t die in Mars. Claudia felt very confused with that idea.

- “Admiral Gloval asked me for not to tell you about their involvement in the mission till today. But I don’t know his reasons.” Breetai replied.

This words confirmed Claudia’s suspicion and after all her confusion she remembered Gloval loved Lisa as if she were his daughter , that he was a wise man and he must had a very good reason to keep in secret Karl’s situation.

Contrary to what Claudia was thinking Rick couldn’t believed nor understand what Breetai said. “Riber was alive, living on the Eearth and Gloval knew it!! Why didn’t he tell anything to Lisa?? I thought he was fond of her.” Rick thought.

- “Wait a minute.” Miriya said. “Technological reports are Dr. Lang’s work, why didn’t he come to carry them out?

- “Dr. Lang requested Captain Riber and Captain Ashcroft were in charge and Admiral Gloval supported his request. I think that’s enough to trust them”. Breetai answered.

Claudia, Miriya, Rick and Max looked very confused with this situation. First nobody told them about Riber and Ashcroft’s participation in the mission. Second they don’t understand why Admiral Gloval and Dr. Lang trusted so much in Riber and Ashcroft to put them in charge of technological part in this mission and to keep in secret their participation. Third they didn’t know why Riber and Ashcroft were such a good scientists and nobody heard about them before in the RDF.

- “Well now let’s start with the work”. Breetai said. “Take the control of the Robotech Factory Satellite is a difficult task we have to do. That’s why we are having this meeting. Exedor is going to explain you the way everyone is going to participate in this task.

Exedor opened his folder and started to say what everyone was going to do.

- “Captain Riber and Captain Ashcroft are going to check all the technology there is in the factory. Captain Riber is going to develope a general report about the technology we will find in the factory in order to explain to Admiral Gloval and Dr. Lang the actual conditions of the Robotech Factory Satellite and its technology. Captain Ashcroft is going to assist Captain Riber with the report.” It was the first assignment Exedor set.

- “Now let’s see, lieutenant Miriya and Captain Grant are going to check the Robotech Factory Satellite’s bridge control to check how it works and to make a report for Captain Hayes about what you found there. Cause she is the one who is going to deliver the final report to Admiral Gloval. Finally Captain Hunter and lieutenant Sterling you two will go with us so that you can write a report about what you saw, related to the spacecrafts.” Exedor assigned the tasks everybody must to do to control the factory as soon as posible. “We’ll wait here for you at 1400 hours to start to check on the Robotech Factory Satellite , and we’ll come back at 2100 hours”.

- “Thanks Exedor” Breetai said while Exedor was getting up from his seat and turned on a screen. “ Now I’m going to explain you what the Robotech Factory Satellite is and we’re going to give you an outline about everything you surely will find there.

********************************

The meeting last about 3 hours and when it finished the first ones in leaving were Exedor and Breetai, behind them Miriya and Claudia left. The two women were talking about going to visit Lisa before they leave to the Robotech Factory Satellite.

Max stayed inside the conference room staring at Rick. Max knew the way Rick looked at Karl was strange cause during the whole meeting Rick couldn’t take his eyes off Karl and looked daggers at him. Max wanted to know why Rick was acting so strangely. He also noticed Karl did the same with Rick, but Karl was very discreet.

Rick didn’t notice Max was still in the conference room, because all his attention was focus in Karl Riber and Thomas Ashcroft. It seemed as if Rick were trying to inquire why he didn’t like those two men.

Karl and Thomas were talking about their job in the Robotech Factory Satellite; some minutes later they decided to leave from the conference room to talk about their job in Mark’s quarter and to have lunch. They were in the door way when Karl stopped suddenly, turned to look at Rick and called him out.

- “Hey, Captain Hunter!! I had no idea that you worry so much about Captain Hayes. I can see you are very interested in her. Please, let me thank you for your concern , but now I’m here to take care of her, so you don’t need to worry about her anymore. What happens to her it's no concern of yours” Karl told Rick and stayed there as if he were waiting for an answer.

Rick blushed immediately whe he heard Karl’s words. He didn’t know what to answer or to say and he hated Karl’s tone of voice cause what Karl said sounded as a warning. “Lisa it’s only my friend that’s why I care for her” It’s all Rick could say and he felt anger whe saw Karl smirked and left from the conference room.

- Damn!! He is right. Why am I so worried about Lisa? I mean she’s just a friend, a dear friend, but... I can’t stop the need of wanting to take care of her, to protect her, why? Rick wondered.

- “Hey boss are you ok?? You looked as if you were in shock or something like that. Max told Rick knowing Rick didn’t notice his presence.

Rick turned surprised by Max’s voice. “Max!! I thought you have already gone, since when are you here??

- “I never left, but you didn’t answer my question, are you ok, Rick??” Max asked once again.

- “Sure Max, Why the question??” Rick asked a little nervous. He was afraid of Max could notice that Riber’s words bothered him.

- “Well you were lost in thoughts the complete meeting and I would say Captain Riber and Captain Hayes, they have something to do with that.” Max said.

- “I have no idea what you are talking about Max” Rick replied angrily.

- “Let’s see, you are mad, very mad for a strange reason. Besides if your glance could kill, Captain Riber would be dead right now.” Max answered smiling.

Rick was taken off guard. He never thought it was so obvious he didn’t like Karl. “I didn't find it amusing. And I guess you lost your mind Max, I have no reasons to dislike Riber” It was all Rick could utter to try to cover up his dislike for Karl.

-“Not even Lisa?” Max asked. He knew Rick had feelings for Lisa and that Rick was so infatuated with Minmey that he didn’t want to accept those feelings. Riber’s words, about he spent the night before with Lisa, maybe got to Rick felt jelous about Karl and Lisa’s relationship.

- “Why do you ask that, Max??” Rick replied in panic.

- “Maybe due to the face you made when Captain Riber said he spent the night with Lisa.” Max said.

- “What face?? I don’t know what you’re talking about Max.” Rick said trying to defend himself from Max words.

- “Come on, boss!! You know perfectly what I mean” Max said smiling.

- “No I don’t “ Rick said trying to sound hurt.

- “Ok boss, whatever you say.” Max said and smirked “By the way, do you know what Riber has to do with Lisa??”

- “He is... her fiancé” A downhearted Rick said.

- What?!! Her fiancé?? But I never saw him before with her. When...eh...I mean...How.. did it happened?? Max said amazed and he realized why Rick didn’t like Karl and vice versa “Maybe Captain Riber has noticed what Rick feels for Lisa.” Max thought

-“It’s a long story Max” Rick answered.

Max noticed Rick didn’t like this situation but he thought trying to make that Rick talk about this situation, he could get Rick realize what he felt for Lisa it’s what made Rick felt ill at ease with Karl’s presence.

- “Hey, why don’t we go to check on Dana and later we have the lunch together?” Max suggested to Rick.

Rick doubted for a moment his answered, cause he thought he was going to see Lisa when the meeting finished, but after Karl’s words he thought it was better to wait to see Lisa, because probably Karl was going to be with her. “Sure, that sounds good to me.” Rick answered.

- “Great, so let’s go” Max said cheerfully.

Rick and Max left from the conference room and they headed for Max’s quarter.

********************************

It was Lisa’s seventh birthday and her parents made a big party to celebrate it. The place was full of people, her parents’ friends, most of them were adults. One of the guests was Richard Riber a good Admiral Hayes’s friend and one of the richest men in the United Kingdom. With Richard Riber were his wife, Nicole, and his son Karl . Karl was twelve years old and he seemed to be a good boy.

Admiral Hayes introduce Richard’s family to Lisa . Lisa’s father asked Lisa to introduce Karl to everyone in the party. Lisa and Karl spent the night together and they thought they liked each other.

Lisa went with Karl to the garden, but at that moment they were older. Lisa and Karl were teenagers. They walked through the garden and stopped beside a tree. Next to that tree Riber told Lisa that he was in love with her and he kissed her for the first time. When they stopped kissing, Karl looked at Lisa intently and told her he was leaving to Mars the next week and he asked her to marry him.

Riber was proposing to Lisa when a voice attracted her attention, she turned in the opposite direction where Karl was to look at the man who called her out; the man delivered a letter to Lisa. The letter said that Karl Riber had died in Mars but Lisa couldn’t believe it cause Karl was there, next to her. Lisa turned to look at Karl but he wasn´t there anymore, sorrow overwhelmed her, she didn’t understand what was happening.

Lisa ran into the house and was looking for Karl when she crashed into someone. Lisa apologized with the person she crashed into, she rose her head to see who the person was and she found Rick’s face. He was looking at her strangely.

- “Hey you, old sourpuss, be careful!!! You could hurt me” Rick told Lisa angrily

Lisa didn’t like the way Rick talked to her, she felt hurt by his words, but in this moment was more important for her to find out what happened to Karl. “ Rick, have you seen Karl?? I need to see him.”

- “Sure Lisa, I saw him a moment ago, he was running away from you.” Rick said derisively.

- “From me? But why?? I don’t understand.” Lisa asked confused.

- “Come on Lisa! Do you really think somebody would like to be by your side, with an old sourpuss and an embittered woman like you?? Of course no one would like to be with you, that’s why Karl left you. Rick replied.

- “Rick!! why do you talk to me in that way?? Why are you telling me such a horrible things??” Lisa said while some tears started to fall from her eyes, cause the man she was in love with, he thought she was an unsavoury woman and that broke her heart.

- “Oh Lizzie, don't exaggerate! Hunter is right, he’s just telling you the truth. Why do you think I left you?” Karl was the one who spoke. Lisa recognized immediately his voice and turned to looked at him with disbelief. She couldn’t understand why Karl was telling her those things too, cause he was suppose to be in love with her.

Karl continue talking “Hunter is right when he said no one would like to be by your side, you know. I mean, look at you, you are ugly, old, boring, embittered. Who would want a woman like you by his side??”

- “Of course no one. ” Rick answered.

- “You see Lisa. I know you are in love with Hunter, but imagine, if I couldn’t stay by your side that once in my life I loved you. Do you think a man like Hunter would love you if he has a woman, a real woman like Minmei??”

Lisa was crying by the moment Karl stopped talking. She felt hurt, cause she knew that Rick and Karl were right and now she understood why nobody wanted to be by her side.

Lisa woke up, she was startled, was sweating and she was breathless with excitement. She sat up immediately to try to get her breath back. She rubbed her eyes to opened them for complete. She tried to focus her eyes to have a clear view.

Lisa tried to calm down by breathing deeply; she wiped the sweat from her forehead and try to reach the lamp that was placed on the night stand that was next to her bed.

When Lisa turned on the light, she realized she was in Breetai’s ship. She was so distressed due to the nightmare that she had just awaken from, that she forgot where she was. Then she understood it was a bad dream. Lisa remembered that horrible nightmare she had and started to cry cause she knew that nightmare just showed the reality.

Lisa felt confused and hurt by the things Rick and Karl told her in her nightmare, cause she thought they were right. She wasn´t the kind of woman that any man would want to share his life. Then she remembered the night before Karl turned up alive, but she doubt once again about Karl’s reappearance. Lisa felt scared with the idea of she dreamt it all and that if she left from her room she would realize Karl was really dead. Even though she felt scared with that idea, Lisa got up from her bed, to go to see if Karl was still in the living room, but she felt dizzy and weak so Lisa leaned against the wall to assist herself to go out the room. This situation was very weird to her cause there was no reason so that she feels so weak and dizzy. But she thought to be afraid of finding out Riber was really dead got her in that condition.

Lisa arrived to the living room and saw that Riber wasn’t there. This situation sent a chill down her spine. But she calmed down when saw a note next to a photo where She and Karl were together. Lisa took the note and read it.

“Lizzie, I had to go to a meeting , I didn’t want to wake you. Please don’t worry, Commander Breetai understand perfectly our situation, so the only think you have to worry about is resting. I have a lot of work to do and also I’m going to look around in the Robotech Factory Satellite for making some reports. I’ll come back at night cause I know we have to talk.

PS. The breakfast is waiting for you in the microwave.

Love, Karl”

Lisa heaved a sigh of relief, after she read Karl’s note and a smiled appeared in her face. Now she was sure she hadn’t lost her mind and it was amazing that Karl was back.

********************************

Lisa headed for the kitchen to have breakfast when somebody knock at her door. She went to open it and when she did open the door Miraya and Claudia appeared. Lisa smiled at them and invited them to pass to her quarter.

- “ Hi girls it’s good to see you!! Come in, please” Lisa said.

Claudia was amazed by Lisa’s look. Lisa looked very pale, she had big bags under her eyes and it was really strange that Lisa was still wearing a nightgown at this time of the day. It seemed as if Lisa were sick.

- “Hi Honey, Are you feeling fine?” Claudia asked with concern and Lisa noticed.

- “Yes Claudia, Why the question??” Lisa replied

- “Well Lisa, you look terrible and it’s really strange that you’re still in nightclothes at midday” Claudia answered.

- “Midday?! It cant’ be, I never sleep that much. I thought it was ear...lier” Was the last thing Lisa could say before she started to fall. Miriya held Lisa and Claudia helped Miriya to take Lisa to the couch. There Lisa sat and Claudia sat next to her. Lisa didn’t faint , she just felt too dizzy to keep her balance. But Lisa’s situation made Claudia and Miriya were extremely worried about her.

- “Lisa, What’s wrong with you?? “ Claudia asked holding Lisa’s hand.

- “I don’t know Claudia, I just woke up feeling this way” Lisa answered.

- “Maybe it’s cause you stayed up late and for all tha happened yesterday. I can say for sure you didn’t sleep well and maybe all this situation overwhelmed you too much.” Claudia said.

- “You must be right Claudia, what’s more I haven’t eaten anything yet.” Lisa replied, but this situation seemed very weird to her.

The night before Lisa didn’t stayed awoken long time. Lisa just drank a cup of tea that Karl prepared for her and talked with him for short time. Lisa remembered she just felt strangely the urgent need of sleeping so she went to bed and didn’t care about anything that happened that day, and she fell sleep immediately.

- “Well lady, what are you waiting for, let’s eat something” Clauida said trying to sound cheerful.

- “Ok Claudia, let’s go to the kitchen.” Lisa replied.

Lisa with Miriya and Claudia´s help stood up from the couch and they went to the kitchen to eat something. Claudia heated the meal Karl left in the microwave, the three women ate it and started to talk. After Lisa ate some of her food, she had a better look.

- “You know Lisa, I think you are weak due to the intense physical activity you had last night. And it must be really intese because you never misses to work.” Miriya told Lisa and smile.

- “Miriya, What do you mean by intense physical activity??” Lisa asked confused.

- “Come on Lisa, you don’t have to hide it. Everybody knows you spent the whole night with Captain Riber. Though I don’t understand this situation, I was sure you were in love with Rick. Micronians, you’re so complicated ” Miriya said perfectly normally and took a sip from her coffee.

Miriya’s words made Lisa to blush. Lisa was dumbfounded, she couldn’t believe what Miriya said, but worse she didn’t know which of the two assertions, Miriya said, shocked her more. The one about everybody knew Karl slept in her quarter or the other about she loves Rick was so obvious, that even Miriya had noticed it.

- “ I agree with Miriya. Lisa, I didn’t tought the reconciliation with Karl would happen so fast, but it’s ok.” Claudia said and laughed cause she noticed that Lisa was very ashamed.

- “Uh...well...I mean, yes Karl slept here but in the couch not with me, and I don’t know why you say I’m in love with Rick, Miriya.” Lisa answered.

- “Sure Lisa” Miriya replied and smirked.

Lisa didn’t know what to answered, so she changed the subject. “Eh... how did the mission go?” Lisa asked nerviosamente

- “It was a success, but don’t change the subject Lisa” Claudia said.

- “ Claudia is right Lisa, now tell us who is that Riber you slept with?? Miriya asked with inquisitiveness.

Lisa blushed once again and answered trying to sound angry. “ I didn’t sleep with Karl, Miriya. About who he is, well...” Lisa sighed. “He was my fiancé”.

- “What!! But you never talked about him and I had never seen him before. Why didn’t you tell us about him??” Miriya asked amazed due to what Lisa told her about Karl.

- “ I though he was dead and to talk about him used to hurt”. Lisa replied and sighed once again.

Miriya didn’t want to bother Lisa anymore so this time she was who changed the subject. “ We’re going to look aroun in the Robotech Factory Satellite after lunch; there is too much work to do.”

- “Yes, I know. I would like to go with you but I don’t feel very good. I hope tomorrow I can go to work”. Lisa said.

- “Take it easy, Lisa. The most important thing is your health, the rest can wait.” Claudia replied.

- “I guess you’re right Claudia. I think if I rest and I calm down to try to assimilate what happened yesterday will make me feel better.” Lisa said.

Miriya, Claudia and Lisa continued talking, for several minutes, about the Robotech Factory Satellite and the work they have to do there, till Claudia and Miriya realized it was time to go and to get prepared for their tasks.

- “We have to go Lisa, I have to check some things with Exedor and Miriya has to go to see if Dana is fine.” Claudia was telling to Lisa at the same time that the three woman stood up and walked to the door. But I see you tomorrow to talk about Karl.”

- “Ok. Claudia and thanks for coming girls” Lisa said. At this moment Claudia, Miriya and Lisa were standing in the door way.

Clauida opened the door to leave and turned back to face Lisa once more. “Take care Honey.”

Lisa gave Claudia an appreciative smile. “Sure, Claudia, see you tomorrow girls!”.

Miriya and Claudia left from Lisa’s quarter. Lisa left to wave goodbye to Claudia and Miriya and when she saw they were moving away, Lisa went into the house and closed the door. She started to feel better so she decided to take a shower.

********************************

Lisa was heading to the bathroom to take a shower, when somebody knocked at her door. She thought that Claudia or Miriya had forgotten something. Lisa smiled and went to open the door.

The smile disappeared from Lisa’s face whe she saw other person standing in front of her. “Rick!” She was really amazed by Rick’s presence

After the meeting, the crew had in the morning, Rick went to Max’s quarter and he spent some time with Max and Dana. When Rick was making his way towards his quarter, he saw Karl and Thomas went into a quarter; Rick thought Karl was going to stay for a long time with Thomas, so he belived it was a good oportunity to see Lisa. He wanted to know how she was and he wanted to feel that he was still part of Lisa’s life.

Rick noticed his presence surprised Lisa and he didn’t know what to say. “ Hi ...Lisa” Was all he could uttered.

Rick came from Max’s quarter, and during the time it took him to arrive Lisa’s quarter, Rick just thought about what he wanted to say to Lisa , but now that she was in front of him, he just forgot all the things he wanted to tell her. He was very nervous, cause he knew that he was a jerk when he refused to kiss Lisa a day before, and he was afraid of Lisa being still angry with him.

Lisa saw that Rick seemed to be nervous and this situation was very strange, cause Rick always looked secure. Lisa was trying to understand why Rick was behaving in that way when she realized she didn’t answer Rick’s greeting. “Hi...Rick.”

- “ Can I go in or are you busy?” Rick asked trying to defuse the situation.

- “ I’m sorry Rick, please come in” Lisa replied.

When Rick was entering to Lisa’s quarter she remembered that Rick refused to kiss her a day before and she thoguht that was the reason for which Rick seemed to be so ashamed.

Lisa felt hurt again when she remembered that Rick didn’t want to kiss her, she also remembered her nightmare. She knew that she was an unsavoury woman, and of course Lisa knew Rick had a crush on Minmei so it wasn’t Rick’s fault he didn’t want to kiss her, and there wasn’t a reason to reproach Rick for his attitude with her. Though Rick hurt her, Lisa was an expert in hiding her feelings and she could feign indifference, she could behave perfectly normally.

- “Lisa?? Are you fine?” Rick asked with concern.

Rick had already entered to Lisa’s quarter, but Lisa didn’t move. She stayed next to the door, with her hand on the doorknob and she seemed to be lost in thoughts.

- “Eh...??” Was all Lisa could say, cause she was daydreaming.

- “Are you ok?” Rick asked once again.

-“ Yes, I’m fine. ” Lisa replied, while she closed the door and walked towards Rick, she stopped some steps away from him.“What can I do for you, Rick??” Lisa asked, cause she was curious to know why Rick had gone to see her.

- “ Nothing, Lisa. I just came here to see how you are. I know it was a big shock for you to find out Riber is alive. So I wanted to know if there’s something I can do for you. Besides Riber told me you didn’t feel very well.” Rick answered honestly, cause he was really worried about her.

Lisa was surprised by Rick’s words. She would have nerver thought Karl told Rick she was feeling bad, cause there wasn’t a reason for Karl to say that. Lisa didn’t feel very well but Karl didn’t know it.

- “Thanks for worrying about me, and for coming to see if I need something, but I’m fine Rick.” Lisa told him.

- “Are you sure?” Rick asked, because he could see Lisa looked as if she were ill and he noticed Lisa was still in nightclothes .

- “Yes, I’m... overawed with yesterday events, but I’m fine. Rick take a seat, please.” Lisa replied.

Rick sat in the couch without taking his eyes off Lisa. He was worried it wasn’t nomarl that Lisa looked so weak. Rick felt the need of taking care of her, but he felt out of place and sad when he remembered that Karl was there to take care of Lisa due to the photo that was placed on the bookshefl where Lisa and Karl were together. Rick thought that she was not going to need him any more and he didn’t like that.

Lisa sat next to Rick and she saw concern and sadness in Rick’s eyes. She thought that maybe Rick really care about her, but she couldn’t understand the sadness she could see in his eyes. For a moment they looked at each other and they seemed to be lost in the other’s eyes.

Rick broke the eye contact so that he can talk “Lisa...Uh...I want...I need to apologize about what happened yesterday...I.”

- “What are you talking about?” Lisa replied confused; she didn’t know what Rick was talking about, cause she lost herself, for a moment, in those beautiful baby blue eyes, cause every time she looks at them, they mesmerize her and take her out of reality .

Rick was very nervous he didn’t want to remind Lisa that he refused to kiss her. But he need to apoligize and to try to explain his reasons to refuse. “ I... am sorry cause I refused to kiss you yesterday. Lisa it had nothing to do with you. I refused cause I don’t like the RDF treat us as if we were objects, we are human beings. We have feelings and I felt as if they were trying to control them. I didn’t want you to feel unconfortable, cause maybe you didn’t want to kiss me and all those feelings were the reasons to refuse to kiss you. I don’t know if you undesrtand what I mean?”

- “It’s ok Rick, you don’t need to apoligize. It’s very unconfortable that someone force you to do something you don’t want. I know you’re in love with Minmei and force you to kiss someone else you don’t even like must make the situation more difficult.” Lisa said trying not to sound hurt.

- “What are you talking about Lisa? Minmei has nothing to do with this. You’re a beautiful woman and kissing you isn’t a sacrifice. What I meant is that the RDF controls everything about us, our lifes, our time and I think is unfair the RDF play with our feelings by forcing us to kiss anyone.” Rick replied. But he knew that the real reason to refused to kiss Lisa was that he was afraid of he like too much to kiss her again. He knew Lisa was a very beautiful woman, but she was just his friend and to take advantage of Breetai’s order wouldn’t have been fair ; moreover he thought he was in love with Minmei and he had to be faithful with his feelings. All those thoughts made him feel it was wrong to kiss Lisa.

Lisa was impressed by Rick words. She couldn’t believe he said that she was beautiful and that he wouldn’t bother to kiss her. Lisa didn’t know what to think, she didn’t understand why Rick was apologizing and saying those things, cause he was not the kind of man who used to regret for what he had said and less the kind of man who apologizes. What she knew it’s that he was honest.

- “You don’t have to worry about it, Rick. I know what you’re talking about, though I don’t agree with you. We are soldiers and our duty is to do anything to reach our goal. But it’s ok, I know what you mean.”

Rick couldn’t take his eyes off Lisa, and he was wondering why she looked sad. “Lisa are you fine?”

- “Yes, I have already told you. Why do you ask again?” Lisa asked with misunderstanding.

- “Well, I thought that you would be very happy due to Karl’s reappearance, instead of that you look... sad.” Rick said with concern.

Lisa looked at Rick with disbelief, she couldn’t believe that Rick knew her so well, and for a moment she felt happy cause that means Rick care about her. “Eh...I’m fine, it’s just...well Karl is alive, I have no idea why he left me and why he didn’t look for me all this years...I guess, I’m in shock, I’m scared of what follow on...I...I’m sorry Rick, I don’t want to bother you with my problems. It’s just that I needed to talk to someone, I’m sorry.” Lisa said fixing her eyes on the wall that was in front of them.

Rick took Lisa’s hands between his to try to comfort her, cause this situation made her look as if she were a seemingly fragile woman. When Lisa seldom showed herself in this way, Rick always felt the need to protect her. That was the side of Lisa he always liked; the side that let him to take care of her.“You don’t need to apologize, there’s no reason so that you do it; after all we are friends and It’s always good to relieve feelings.”

The contact with the skin of each other, when Rick took Lisa’s hands made their hearts were pounding. Every time they touch each other, the contac always provokes that effect in them.

- “Thanks Rick for understanding.” Lisa replied.

- “Please, don’t say thanks. We are friens and any time you need me I’ll be there for you, Lisa.” This words made Lisa feel protected. Rick said that cause he wanted to be sure he would be part of Lisa’s life from now on.

- “You are a great person Rick. It’s so conforting to have some one like you by my side.”

Rick smiled, he really liked what Lisa told him, cause that made him to feel he was part of her life, because after the meeting finished he had the feeling Lisa wouldn’t want him in her life. He was enjoying to forge a closer relationship with Lisa when the door was opened suddenly by Karl.

Karl entered and he stopped suddenly and the smile he had in his face disappeared whe he saw that Rick was seated next to Lisa. “It seemed Hunter didn’t understand what I told him in the conference room.” Karl thought. But what bothered him the most was to see that Rick was holding Lisa’s hands. Rick and Lisa turned immediately to see who the person that entered was.

When Karl appeared, Rick gripped Lisa’s hands tightly, as if he were avoiding Karl could keep them apart. Lisa turned to look at her hands, she was surprised by Rick’s movement but for an unknown reason she liked it, cause this made her to feel protected.

Karl noticed that Rick and Lisa were acting as if he weren’t there and that annoyed him. But he thought that show his anger would made Rick felt importat and he couldn’t let that happen. So he calm down and he started to talk very peacefully.

-“Hi Lizzie! ...I'm sorry for disturbing you.” Karl said while Lisa and Rick turned to look at him. “I should have knocked at the door, it’s just that this morning I took your key card, cause I didn’t want to wake you up when I came back at night. But I got some free time and I wanted to see you, cause this is going to be a long working day.”

Lisa bluhsed immediately, cause what Karl said sounded as if they were living together and that idea made her to feel ashamed. Lisa didn’t want that Rick think they were. “Karl...I...there’s no problem but I would like you to knock at the door the next time you come to see me.”

Rick turned to see Lisa and he didn’t like what he saw. Lisa was staring at Karl intently and Rick thought that all her attention from now on was going to be for Karl, and that made him to feel sad. What Rick didn’t know is that Lisa was looking at Karl in that way because every time she sees him, for her it was as if she were seeing a ghost, and Lisa wonder if there would be a day when she look at Karl as she did before he went to Mars.

When Rick remembered that Lisa spent the whole night with Riber he felt anger and dissapointed. He thought that He couldn’t be closer to Lisa cause now she has someone to share her life. When he thought about this, instinctively he released her hands, Lisa noticed it and she felt confused and dissapointed at the begining. Later she thought it was normal that Rick let her hands go. “Come on Lisa, you are just a friend for him.” Lisa thought.

Karl didn’t like Lisa’s answered, but he noticed every time he appeared Lisa was affected, so he dicided to take advantage of this situation. Karl saw that Rick released Lisa’s hands so he walked towards Lisa, took her hands and kissed them, finally Karl kissed her in the cheek but touching a part of her lips. “ I wanted to see you, before I go... I’m sorry but I missed you”.

At the moment Karl touched Lisa’s cheek, she opened widely her eyes. Lisa was amazed by Karl’s kiss, he left her speechless;she couldn’t move for some seconds and when she reacted the only thing she could do was touching the place where Karl kiss her. For Lisa it had passed a long time sice somebody kissed her in that way and it was more amazing that Karl was the one who did it again, it was like to revive memories of the time when she was happy and loved.

Rick noticed Karl´s presence was a great shock to Lisa and he hated it. Rick also hate Karl takes too many liberties with Lisa, as if she were his girlfriend. But what Rick hated the most was that Lisa let Karl to take so many liberties. “First she let him kiss her in the lips, and now she let him to greet her with a kiss.” Rick thought annoyed, then he felt uncomfortable and out of place in that scene, so he stood up to leave from Lisa’s quarter.

-“Better I go. I have some things to do before we go to check the Factory.” A grief-stricken Rick said.

When Lisa heard Rick’s voice she get over her astonishment. She looked at him and realized Rick looked upset; Lisa thought for an instant that Rick was jelous, but later she laughed at herself for having that crazy idea. Then she wonder why for no apparent reason Rick seemed to be in a bit of a mood.

Lisa was going to speak when she heard Karl began to talk. “ Captain Hunter, I really appreciate that you worry so much about Lizzie. It’s good to know she has very good friends to count on like you.”

Rick couldn’t believe what Karl said because earlier Karl gave him to understand that was better if he doesn't get any closer to Lisa. So Rick would like to know what Karl was playing to, by pretending that he likes the friendship that Lisa and Rick had. “What is Karl after with this attitude?” Rick wondered, but he decided to follow Riber’s game. “Captain Riber, I am glad to be able to do it. Lisa, whenever you need me, I’ll be there for you.”

Lisa was taken off guard, she didn’t wait that kind of statement in that moment so she nodded her head. “ Thanks Rick, for being such a good friend with me.” Lisa liked to feel Rick support but she knew the only reason Rick had to say that was due to during all the years Rick and she had shared together, they became very good friend and not for any other reason.

- “Well Lisa, I hope to see you tomorrow” Rick said at the moment he was leaving from Lisa’s quarter.

Lisa just looked at Rick, she didn’t reply anything else. She fel confused by Rick’s attitude; the last months their friendship had turned distant, cold and fragil. But now Rick behave as if they were the best friends in the universe, she didn’t know what to think about it but she decided it was better to leave those thoughts for another time. Now Karl has to explain his situation to her.

Karl noticed Lisa turned to look at him. He could see the query in her eyes. Karl sat next to Lisa and kissed her in her forehead; when Karl gradually drifted apart from Lisa, he started to talk. “I know what you’re thinking about, but I just came to say hello, can we leave the matter open till tonight?? This is going to take me long time to explain you everything and I don’t have time. I have to go now in order to get prepared to check the Factory.

Lisa just nodded, she didn’t like that Karl was puting the subject off once more. But she thought it was good cause this was giving her time to prepare mentally to know the truth.

- “Did you eat your breakfast??” Karl asked her with a smile in his face.

- “Yes, I did. Thank you, was very kind from your part prepared it for me.” Lisa replied with an appreciative smile in her face.

- “I’m glad of listening that.” Karl said

- “Karl, just explain to me why Rick called you Captain Riber, by this time you should have a higher-ranking post.”

Karl sighed before to answered to Lisa. “Well...it’s a long story but I resigned for a while, but thanks to a great man and friend who helped me I came back. Now I have to go, Lizzie, please wait for me, I promise this night we are going to clear everything.” Karl said while he was walking to leave from Lisa’s quarter.

Lisa saw Karl leaving from her quarter and she sighed. “Karl acts as if he wouldn’t have been missing all these years. It seemed he still feels something for me, then why did he leave me alone all this years? Oh god!! This is so disconcerting.” Lisa thought, later she shook her head. “Come on Lisa don’t torment yourself by trying to understand everything right now.” Lisa walked towards her bathroom to take a shower to try to calm down and to try to clear her mind.

******************

Rick left from Lisa’s quarter and he was walking through the hall in the direction of his quarter. He was thinking about Lisa, he couldn't get her out of his head. Lisa was his best friend, the only person who understands him, cares about him and takes care of him, and now he felt he was losing her. He couldn’t explain to himself the way he was feeling, but he didn’t like it. It was truth they have drifted apart with time, sice some months ago due to the work and their fear of being very close to each other. But that estrangement didn’t made Rick feel so far from Lisa like Karl’s presence.

Rick was so distracted that he didn’t notice he was being followed by someone, till a hand touched his shoulder. Rick turned, alarmed by the touch, to face the person that was behind him, but he calmed down when saw in front oh him to Captain Thomas Ashcroft. “Damn!! You really scared me.”

-“Sorry, Captain Hunter I didn’t mean to scare you. But I was shouting for you and you didn’t heard me.” Thomas answered shamefaced.

-“There’s no problem...Sorry but I forgot your name” Rick said.

- “Captain Thomas Ashcroft, but tell me Thomas.” Captain Ashcroft replied

-“Right, I remember. Tell me Thomas, do you need me for something??” Rick asked with curiosity, cause he couldn’t understand why Thomas was following him.

- “Well Captain Hunter, I know you are a very good Lisa’s friend and I wanted to know if you coul tell me you if saw her and if you now if she’s fine.” Thomas answered.

- “Lisa? Do you know her?” Rick asked amazed by Thomas’ request

- “Yes, Captain. We were very good friends when we were teenagers.” Was all Thomas said.

-“Well, she is fine” Rick answered curt.

-“Thanks for the information, Captain Hunter. I really appreciate it. I have to go, see you later.” Thomas replied.

Rick saw Thomas moved away with distrust, cause it was very strange Thomas asked him for Lisa instead of going to see her. Later he thought he was acting like a paranoid and decided it was better to forget it and hurry to get prepared for going to check the Robotech Factory Satellite with the rest of the crew.

_______________

To be Continued...

State = Continuará/To Be Continue

feedback = Sí/Yes

email = supenova_gATyahoo.com.mx