Here we are. Sorry it took a while, but life kept happening.
6,243 words of awesome.
Note: I've decided to use Naval ranks since the UN Spacy is supposed to be derived from the navies of other countries. It just doesn't mesh well. Also, instead of 'Seaman' we have 'Spaceman'. Gives it a nice classic sci-fi twist.
Two months pass.
Hikaru and I go through training together to become Valkyrie pilots. And the shocking thing was that he and I both made it into Skull Squadron.
In only two months.
Yes, it was every bit as hellacious as it sounds. We have to learn so much in so little time. Flight and astrogation, aerospace combat tactics, basic military training... We alternate days in and out of the simulators for the first month. In the sims, we break only for meals. The rest of the day, we're drilled harshly in the sims, essentially learning hands-on how to fly.
Outside the sims the relentless drilling continued. On some days it was book work like flight theory, overtechnology science, and rules and regulations. Other days it was marching and drilling, gunnery ranges, obstacle courses, and physical training until we drop dead of exhaustion.
Now, just a break here to explain something critically important for later events. I was basically getting a short primer to Overtechnology theory and how that applied to the fusion-turbine engines in our Valkyries. I learned that Overtechnology’s reaction engines basically utilize dimensional distortions on a very small scale to break the laws of physics. This way, you get a turbine engine that is capable of igniting a fusion reaction in its bowels. Or other nifty things.
I already have PhD’s in electrical and mechanical engineering from Washu-chan. Along with the knowledge I was accumulating here, PhD’s in Aerospace Engineering and Overtechnology Engineering would be close at hand. I’d probably only need a year or two of school before I could submit my dissertations and collect my doctorates. But that would come later.
In the second month we graduated from simulators and went to the real thing. VF-1D Valkyries. I was so excited that I could barely contain it. Instructors and students alike were all saying that I (already stuck with the monicker, Cradle Robber) was looking like a kid at Christmas time.
Relentless drilling in the sims paid off in spades. Inside a day I was handling the two-seater Valkyrie like a pro, which was completely the point. But that didn't mean they would make it easy on us. Indeed, it was combat drills in the cockpit, and combat tactics in the classroom. Physical Training was as brutal as ever, and now included survival, escape, recovery, and evasion (SERE) classes.
I turned out to be a pretty good pilot, but Hikaru far surpassed me. He had my aptitude combined with a natural talent and years of experience sitting behind the stick of a racing plane. However, when it came to book smarts and marksmanship I left him in the dust. As I had before in my Naval schools, I blew the curve out of the water with my uncanny ability to memorize procedures - don't ask me how, but seeing the procedures performed and studying them programmed them into my brain like song lyrics. Once I had them, it was virtually irrevocable, especially since we were demanded to spout procedure on the spot at any given time on demand. Everything else I memorized through a combination of mnemonics and brute force rote-and-drill.
As for the marksmanship, that was a foregone conclusion. While my hands aren’t the steadiest, I do know how to time my shots. But I took the cake while firing from the prone position - the only mark on the target papers was a neat and tidy hole in the bullseye and I was made into my platoon’s Designated Marksman Trainee.
One strange thing was that call signs weren't in use in the beginnings of the Spacy - some stickler BS about being above that kind of ‘immaturity’. But I had quickly changed that by constantly calling the Hikaru ‘Fuzzy’ since I claimed he was so young that he’d barely even grown in his peach fuzz. It soon stuck, and I was quickly labeled with ‘Cradle Robber’ in return because Hikaru blabbed about Minmei’s infatuation with me.
Pretty soon, everyone in our recruit division had callsigns.
The last week was tied up in a number of final activities. Everything was graded. A single failing grade would get you moved into another class for remedial training, and here a three strikes policy applied. You fail your finals a third time and that was it.
Fortunately, I passed.
I was awarded liberty along with all the other graduates, and the first thing I did was to go home to the Lynn Family, fire up my laptop, and play the song, Stress by Jim's Big Ego.
It is a freaking hilarious song to listen to.
And then I happened to turn around and what should I see?
Minmei.
With her smartphone.
Videoing me.
Dancing and singing along to the song.
“My, Gar-kun,” she gushed while giving me the most impish shit-eating grin ever. “I never knew you were so graceful!”
She broke out into outright laughter as I smacked my forehead and collapsed onto my bed.
BUSSSTTIIIIID! came Katherine’s voice in my head, razzing me mercilessly. Dear sweet Tsunami, the women in my life...
I didn’t have to suffer for long, though. Minmei came and plunked herself down on my bed next to me and ran her hand through my hair. I had to cut it into a tidy bob in order to abide by regulations (it could not be any lower than one centimeter above your helmet seal), but there was still plenty for her left to play with.
"So, do you want to go out with me today?" Minmei asked. "There were some things that I needed to get and I could use the company."
I knew what was coming. This was where Hikaru would unwittingly meet Misa Hayase, the woman he called an 'old sourpuss' on the radio before he got stuck along with the rest of us on SDF-1. If Hikaru wasn't there to meet her, then God only knows what this would do to things between them.
"Mind if Hikaru comes along?" I asked. "He needs to get out, too. Besides, what would people think seeing you alone with me?"
"Probably that we make a good couple," Minmei replied with a mischievous smile.
"Real cute, kid," I replied with a flat expression. She only stuck her tongue out at me. "Seriously. The only way I'm going out with you is if I have Hikaru along as a decoy."
"Oh fine then," huffed Minmei.
"Good girl," I said, and, against my better judgment, I gave her a kiss on top of her head. Just to give her a bit of incentive. It must have worked because Minmei practically glowed.
##
The only thing left to do was to break the news to Hikaru.
"Hey Hikaru?" I asked as I knocked on his door. "You here still?"
"Yeah, come in buddy."
"Thanks," I said as I opened the door and shut it behind me. "You got anything going on? Minmei wants to go out and I don't feel entirely comfortable with just her and me."
"She's fawning over you again, huh?"
"That obvious?" I asked.
Hikaru grinned. "Cradle Robber, I am going to give you hell for this whenever Minmei isn't around."
I rolled my eyes. "So, you'll be my decoy?"
"Sure," he replied. "Not like I got anything better to do. I'll just make you pay for it later."
"Joy," I drawled out.
##
"Hikaru, you should let me carry that," said Minmei plaintively as we walked down the market district.
"It's okay, Minmei," Hikaru tried to reassure her.
“But it’s so uncool looking,” she replied.
I smiled a small smile. “Minmei, he’s your date. So it’s perfectly fine for him to carry your shopping, even if it is full of stuff only girls and crossdressers use.”
Hikaru groaned and Minmei giggled. And then stopped cold in front of one shop window. Ah yes. The women’s apparel store. This was the place.
"Wow! They’re so pretty!" Minmei cried out. "Hang on just a minute!"
"Hmm," I said as I admired the display. "They look real nice. Never thought they'd have stuff like this here."
"Yeah," agreed Hikaru.
Minmei then turned to us. "Would you come look at them with me?"
"What?" Hikaru said, verbally backpedaling. "You want me to go in that store, too!?"
"Yes we can," I droned as I dragged Hikaru in after Minmei. "We're big boys escorting a little lady, Hikaru. As long as we mind ourselves we'll be fine."
Minmei was the picture of efficiency - a shocking thing coming from a young woman in an apparel store that caters specifically to their gender. She knew exactly what she wanted - she only paused as she looked for the right dress size, then snagged two different dresses and made a beeline for the dressing rooms.
"No peeking now," she said in a serious tone, but then gave a coy wink and smile before disappearing behind the curtain.
I smiled. If I was gonna get razzed for this later by Hikaru then by God I was gonna get my money's worth.
"That's right now, Hikaru," I said as I maneuvered him away from the leering store clerk. "No peaking now."
"Garrick. I am gonna kill you."
"Not with witnesses around you are."
As I moved Hikaru away, though, Murphy struck by allowing a good portion of Minmei's purchases to spill out of the bag. Perfect! Thank you Tsunami-sama for small miracles! I let Hikaru go ahead and take things from there since I knew what was coming.
And right on cue was Misa Hayase along with the rest of the SDF-1 Bridge Bunnies. Coming in, they immediately stopped cold at the sight of me. To which my response was to thumb myself and say,
"Chaperone." I then pointed down at Hikaru and said, "His date's in the changing room." I finished by gesturing at the obviously occupied changing room. The women looked at Hikaru, who looked nervously back as he fumbled yet more of Minmei's purchases, and then at the obviously occupied dressing room.
"We'll go ahead and come back later," Misa said diplomatically to the store clerk.
Just as the ladies left, Minmei came back out. I had to admit, she did look really nice. The dress was of a simple cut, but it elegantly showed her figure. It was long-sleeved because everyone here was used to a tropical climate while the ship’s interior was maintained at a consistent twenty degrees Celsius.
It was pink, of course, with a wide, white collar that was almost sailor style, a thin magenta belt cinching it around her trim little waist and a knee-length skirt with pleating down the sides.
"Well, Garrick, what do you think of it?" said Minmei. The shop keeper was quick to pick up on that as she looked between me and Mimei. She then cackled wickedly, causing me to wince. Hikaru snickered as well.
I sighed then looked to Minmei. "It looks lovely enough that if you were the right age I'd be bringing you home to meet my mother with you wearing that dress." Honestly, I wondered exactly what my adoptive family would have thought of her. She would definitely have been among the go-getters, but then Minagi was surprisingly the only one of my fiances that was at all passive. And even then that was a debatable matter. Some would argue Minagi is simply laid back like her sister, albeit in a more cheerful manner.
"But Garrick, your parents aren't here on the ship." She then grinned mischievously and added, "But you already met my aunt and uncle, so it's okay."
Hikaru and the store keeper exploded into laughter at that.
"Sweet Tsunami-sama help me," I muttered.
##
When we got back it was already time for lunch. Minmei’s aunt and uncle already had plates waiting for the three of us when we came in. Minmei made a fuss over making sure I got seated.
Just as I was taking my first bite, though, Roy Fokker came barreling in.
“Hikaru! Garrick! So this is where you’ve been.”
“Uh oh,” I said. “I don’t like that sound of this.”
“Lock it up, Grimm,” said Roy tersely. “We’re about to get orders to move out. Get back to the barracks.”
“We’re gonna sortie out?” said Hikaru in confusion. I was already getting up when Roy moved to haul Hikaru bodily out of the restaurant.
“OPSEC permitting,” I said as I followed a spluttering Hikari out the door, “I’ll let you guys know what’s up as soon as we can.”
“Good luck!” called out Minmei with a cheerful smile on her face.
##
Soon we were outside the gates to the barracks.
"Well boys, what do you think?" said Roy as we approached the checkpoint. "From today on you're real live fighter pilots. You two even get your own rooms!"
"Better than the Navy BEQs," I supplied. That was no exaggeration there. A nice loft bed over an equally nice desk space. There was plenty of storage space and even some nice places for curios and knick-knacks to be displayed.
"Better for certain, but don't forget that even though you do have your own rooms you can't fool around."
Hikaru snickered at that and I rolled my eyes. “Don’t go there, Hikaru.”
Roy looked between the two of us curiously.
"Something I should know about, Grimm?" Roy asked archly.
"I'll let you know when it becomes an issue, Mother," I replied. I was bound and determined that Roy would get saddled with a call sign as well.
“What,” said Roy flatly.
“Well, you do have a tendency to fuss over us. And then there’s the obvious joke: Mother Fokker.”
Roy gave me a look that seemed to be caught between him stifling a laugh and severe consternation. Hikaru himself was torn between guffaws and utter scandal. But then Roy composed himself and went on, "Oh and one more thing, boys."
"What's that?" asked Hikaru.
"AH-TEEUUUN-SHUN!" snapped out Roy.
I was quick to react, snapping to and giving a crisp salute to Misa Hayase and the bridge bunnies. They may be bunnies, but I was pretty sure that at this point even the most junior of them outranked me by at least two paygrades.
Hikaru, of course, fumbled.
“You guys!?” said Misa in surprise as she approached.
"Afternoon Ma'am," I replied cordially.
Roy read into the situation and swept in. "You little devil, I didn't know you knew the Lieutenant."
"Uh well, kinda," said Hikaru as he looked to me for help. I simply grinned back at him. Sorry buddy, you're on your own for now.
Meanwhile the bridge bunnies giggled. "It's them!"
"The guys at the lingerie shop!"
"My dear Lieutenant-Commander Fokker," said Misa Hayase, "are these the brilliant new pilots you've been raving about?"
"Boys, introduce yourselves," prodded Roy.
We both saluted sharply. "Spaceman Garrick Grimm, ma'am, at your service."
"Spaceman Hikaru Ichijyo, ma'am!"
"I'm Lieutenant Junior Grade Misa Hayase," she replied cordially returning our salute. A funny look then crossed her features. "Hikaru Ichijyo," she repeated. "Why does that name sound so familiar to me?" Her eyes suddenly shot wide open in shock as the memory returned to her. "I remember now! You're that loudmouthed pilot, aren't you!"
"And your that... uh..." Hikaru lamely fumbled for something other than 'old sourpuss'.
"Yup," replied the Lieutenant-Commander with a flat look on her face.
"Oh no!" Hikaru cried with a look of horror on his face. It was taking everything I had to keep myself standing upright.
"Hey, sir!" I gasped. "Maybe his callsign should be foot-in-mouth instead!"
Roy stifled a laugh. "Yeah, Hikaru. Better be careful or else that one will stick. Especially around the Lieutenant. She's our air boss."
This was so freaking funny to see in person. Hikaru looked like he wanted to either run for the hills screaming or die of embarrassment on the spot.
He settled for stammering out, "MA’AM!" to the Lieutenant as he got off another shaky salute.
"Hmm," replied Misa. "I hope for his sake that he takes your advice." She turned to leave but then paused to look me up and down as I got my giggling under control. “As for you, Spaceman Grimm... Don’t you let any of his bad habits rub off on you.” But before she could saunter off I had to set something straight.
“Ma’am?”
“Yes, Spaceman?”
“Don’t worry about me picking up bad habits from the likes of Hikaru. Believe it or not, I’m thirty-seven years old.”
If the Lieutenant had been drinking something, that would have been a spit-take right there as the bridge bunnies all made scandalized gasps.
“Oh my God he’s old enough to be my dad!” squeaked the little red-head, Sammy.
“And you said he was cute, too!” razzed the tall one wearing glasses, causing all kinds of consternation among them.
Misa, meanwhile, shot an angry, questioning look at Roy.
“Is he lying, Lieutenant-Commander?”
Roy grinned savagely, knowing full well what I had done.
“It’s as true as it can be. His call sign is Cradle Robber in spite of his lucky draw from the genetic deck. The scumbag.”
Misa blinked at that, then turned to me. “Wipe that smug look off your face, Spaceman. It’s unbecoming.” And without another word, she turned and left with the bridge bunnies following.
Although, the one little redheaded bridge bunny did get up in his face and snapped, "Meanie!" as a parting shot. That was it. I lost it. I was done. Seeing Hikaru
flinch like that from the smaller woman sent me reeling against the fence laughing like a loon.
##
We stood through the all-call in the parade grounds like the good little pilots we were. Just like those Captain's Calls back in the Navy. But good lord, could they get any more cheesy with the send-off?
"Hey, Garrick," called out Hikaru once he spotted me. I waved him over. "Are you gonna need any help with, ah, tonight?" he asked. "I know Minmei is probably gonna want to see you and all."
I sighed at that. I might as well go see her. "No need, Hikaru. This time, I think I can handle her on my own. Thanks for earlier, by the way. All snarking and sniping aside, it was a big help."
"Hey, that's what a wingman is for, right?"
"You got it, Fuzzy."
"And good luck in dealing with Minmei."
##
I arranged the date over the phone and Minmei met me promptly at the park. By prompt, I mean running herself ragged in pumps. Ouch.
"You okay there, Minmei?" I asked.
"Yeah," she said after taking a moment to catch her breath. "Sorry for taking so long. What's the big rush, anyway?” She then gave me one of her impish, conspiratorial grins. “Not that I don't mind."
"Cheeky," I grunted, then sighed. "They're shipping us out tomorrow."
"Oh Garrick! I'm so happy for you! Your first mission!"
"Minmei! I said softly, but firmly as I put my hands on her shoulders. I then went on in a low enough tone that only she would hear me. "This isn't fun and games. I know that there's going to be people who won't come back tomorrow."
Minmei was taken aback by this. "But... you'll comeback, right?"
"I'll do my best to, Minmei. Believe me, I want to live."
"You'd better, then. When we get married I want you to look distinguished in your dress uniform."
I sighed and wondered how long she'd keep this up for. Not that I didn't find her attractive, but for God's sake I was twenty years older than her!
"Don't you start with me, Mister Grimm! Now come on, this way!" She then grabbed ahold of my hand and dragged me further into the park, just as the backlit fountains started, creating a dance of light and color on the pond. "Ooohhh, how beautiful!" She spread her skirt out, saying, "Garrick, look."
I did and saw that she was wearing the dress she picked out earlier.
"I knew you'd look beautiful in that dress," I said without really thinking about it. D'oh! Sure, go and feed her ego, why don't you!?
"You mean that, Garrick?" she asked buoyantly. "Am I really beautiful?"
"Minmei, I shouldn't have to reinforce that notion for you. Yes, you are beautiful. And you have the voice of an angel. And for the umpteenth time, you are way too young!"
"I won't be too young forever," she challenged. The then turned away and called out, "Hey Camera! Over here!" At Minmei's call, a most curious sight appeared: a robot with a base that looked like a vacuum cleaner head, and a hooded TV screen mounted on a spindly arm with a single joint in the middle. It popped out of the shrubbery, looking for whoever called it.
"Over here!" she called out again. This time the camera-bot locked onto Minmei, jumped out of the shrubbery and hunched itself down low for stability as it swiftly trundled over.
"DEPOSIT COIN," the machine requested in a monotone, sideband voice as it popped back upright in front of us. Minmei quickly fed a credit into the slot. "THANK YOU."
She then went up to the railing by the water's edge and spun about, pirouetting like a dancer. The camera bot snapped the picture and soon a glossy photo was printed. It was a little blurry at the edges, but the machine had timed the shot perfectly so her smiling face was in the picture.
She really was beautiful.
I offered it to Minmei, but she pushed it back to me. "Keep it," she said. "Put it in that fighter of yours so you have a reminder of what's waiting for you. That should get you home in one piece."
I didn't argue the point. It was useless. Even worse, my sentimental streak was rearing it head, and I was gonna do something else I had a feeling I'd regret.
"Camera, one more photo," I called before the machine could get too far.
"DEPOSIT COIN," it stated as it zipped back to us. After I complied with it's request, I pulled Minmei in close and she immediately understood, wrapping herself around my arm.
"HOLD STILL PLEASE," said the robot as it set up the shot, displaying a preview on its large, hooded display. I’ll be damned if she wasn’t right - we did look good together. "SAY CHEESE."
Another flash and another picture was produced. This one I offered to Minmei.
"In case something does happen," I said to her quietly. "At least you'll have this to remember me by."
"Don't say it that way!" she whispered back harshly. "You will come back!" Tears started to form at the edge of her eyes. “You will!”
"I'll do my best. Heaven knows that if I don’t you’ll find some way to drag me home kicking and screaming."
Minmei laughed despite the heavy nature of my sentiments. Her watch's alarm chose that moment to go off.
"I gotta go," she said. "Uncle gets upset if I'm out too late. With a boy, that is." She grinned mischievously once more. "Come back safe, Garrick."
"I will, Minmei."
I left the park with a heavy heart that night, and I was fervently hoping that I was not falling for that girl.
There were a lot of qualities about Minmei that I found to be desirable. Beautiful, smart, energetic, and very playful, just to name a few. She also had a slightly combative nature as well - she wasn't afraid to stand up for her choices, and this was also a big plus in my book. But the fly in the ointment was her age. Not that I wouldn't have gone after a woman younger than myself, but Minmei was still a girl. The one and only comfort I took was that she was at least older than Yuki.
Even so, it was getting harder and harder to resist her. She was absolutely infectious. It was probably the main reason why she would walk away with the Miss Macross crown.
##
Later that night, Roy came in to check on me.
"Trouble sleeping?" he asked.
"A bit," I admitted. I never really was all that big on sleep. At least at night time. Yeah, I'm weird like that. "Though it's probably not for the reason you're thinking."
Roy blinked at that. "Something you want to talk about, Grimm?"
"Sure, why not?" I sighed and hefted myself out of the loft bed and hit the lights. "Not like I'm getting any sleep like this."
Roy came in and pulled up a chair.
"Get you anything to drink, Mother?" I asked as I went to the tiny kitchenette - barely a handful of square feet of counter space, sink, and a pair of small induction plates. A tiny refrigerator and freezer was under the counter, a toaster oven mounted directly under the induction plates. Everything I needed to make a meal just for myself if I felt like spending the extra money to forgo the mess hall. Which I probably would. Nothing says comfort food to me like grilled cheese sandwiches hot off the grill and a bowl of creamy tomato soup to go with them.
Roy shook his head at what I had called him. It had taken all of an hour for the new monicker to circulate through the squadron and his plane crew were already restenciling his name under his Valkyrie’s canopy before we turned in for the night.
There was not a single one of us stick jockeys that would be safe from the humiliation.
"No thanks," replied the Lieutenant-Commander. I got myself a glass of ice water and sat down in my desk chair.
"It's Minmei," I said.
"Dammit, Grimm," groaned Roy. From his visits to the restaurant, he knew exactly who I was talking about and what that meant. "Are you serious?"
"She is, at least," I said off-handly. “How do you think I got my callsign anyhow?”
"Explain, Spaceman," he said, leveling a look at me.
"Yes sir," I said and I went on to explain the dynamics of the relationship, how I keep trying to fend her off and how she kept persisting. "And you know the scariest thing about all this, Mother?"
"She's starting to grow on you," Roy groaned in a worried-yet-knowing tone.
"Yes sir," I replied with honest shame.
Roy sighed. "I hate having to ask this question but... has she shown any sexual interest in you?"
"A bit, sir," I replied reluctantly, but I knew that from a female's perspective that the few times she was sending those particular signals, they were loud and clear. "I think it was mostly just to yank my chain, though, but its there."
"Great," grumped the Lieutenant-Commander. "Can you at least promise me that if she makes any more of those kinds of advances on you that you'll fend them off and then immediately report to me?"
"Yes sir, that I can promise you."
"Good. The last thing I need is to have you brought up on charges. I'm going to let this go for now, Grimm. There's nothing in the UCMJ that says she can't hang around you. But the moment it starts getting physical... You better not disappoint me, Spaceman Grimm."
"I won't, sir."
"Good. Anything else you'd like to get off your chest?"
"Just one thing, sir."
Roy looked at me apprehensively.
"You be careful out there yourself. If I heard the rumor mill right, Mother, you got a perfectly good woman waiting for you, too. And I'll get you home even if I gotta drag you there in battroid mode."
Roy barked a laugh. "The rookie telling me he's gonna get me home? That's rich. Get some sleep Grimm. We got ourselves a long day tomorrow."
"Yes sir."
##
Fortunately, sleep did come, and quicker than I thought it would. I guess getting the whole thing with Minmei off my chest helped. Thus, I woke up the next morning not feeling completely like death warmed over. I was just thankful that they had Red Bull on board. I felt the caffeine hit almost the moment it touched my lips, but I didn’t start firing on all cylinders until I got breakfast into me.
"You're looking chipper," said Hikaru as he caught up with me in the pilot's mess.
"Energy drink for the kickstart and a good breakfast works wonders," I replied.
"Not a coffee person?" Hikaru asked.
"Too troublesome in the morning. I just grab a can from the fridge, gulp it down, and I'm through the shower and dressed in no time. Sometimes if I know its gonna be a really bad morning in advance I'll put the can behind my pillow. A warm carbonated drink right away is sometimes better than trying to bumble my way out of bed for a cold one."
"I might try that sometime," Hikaru grumped.
##
From there, it was death-by-powerpoint briefings. Fortunately I was smart enough to bring an extra energy drink for Hikaru, so he managed to stay awake. The plan was that we were to fly through the rings of Saturn with EWAR systems kicking out all kinds of noise. The idea was to act as a decoy for the Zents and draw them into a firefight. Once we had their attention we were to keep it while the SDF-1 positioned itself to fire its main gun.
In theory, it was a sound tactic. Except one thing...
"Are the any questions?" asked Roy.
I raised my hand and Roy called on me. "Sir, what if the SDF-1 has some kind of issue with the main gun? A misfire, as it were? Do we have a contingency plan set aside in that event?"
"That's a good question, pilot, but it's a bit above your paygrade. You better watch it or else."
"Yes sir," I said as I sat back down. Hopefully that will make it back up the chain of command and Misa will be prodded into coming up with the Deadalus Assault sooner rather than later.
##
Strapped in. Sealed up. Life support connected. Cockpit depressurized. Fusion turbines nominal. Reaction and propulsion agent tanks full. Fully armed. EWAR is green.
And for myself, I was as jittery as they come. At least I had the comfort of knowing that I wasn't the only one.
Hearing Hikaru's voice cracking over the radio was exactly the sort of reassurance I needed to hear.
My VF-1A was towed out to the the catapults and locked into place. Once I got the all clear, I started the engines and set them to full military power. After I checked over all my powerplant readings and ran my RCS thrusters and control surfaces through a thorough check, I signaled my readiness to fly with a salute to the catapult officer.
Inspectors made one final check on my plane, I got a final reading of my craft's gross weight, and the catapult officer gave the final go signal.
Once upon a time I got to ride a fun roller coaster in Japan that used something like a catapult system to launch you out a tunnel at four G's of acceleration. This was about the same.
It was already old-hat for me after all the training we had, but it was still such an awesome rush. After that, though, it was time to get to work.
Right away I found Hikaru and formed up with him as my wingman.
"Okay, Fuzzy, you ready for this?"
"Whenever you are, Cradle Robber."
"Cool. Let's you and I keep it cool and tight, just like the sims. Last thing I wanna hear is Lieutenant Hayase bitching us out."
"Amen to that!"
##
I had the lead at first when we began our trek through the rings, but we switched places when we crossed into the shadow zone. Hikaru's reflexes were a bit better than mine so I'd have a split-second to react after him. In this way, we made it through the rings with little trouble at all.
As we knew they would, the Zentradi came barreling in through the rings, their ship plowing ice-rocks aside like a wake from a ocean-going ship. As we exited the shadow zone, we broke formation under a hail of anti-ship missiles while, far off in the distance, the SDF-1 took it's position.
All hell broke loose as we hit a field of space thick with Zentradi battlepods of all kinds. It was madness, and it took everything for Hikaru and I to stick together.
"C'mon, Robber! Let's rack these guys up, just like we practiced in the sims!"
"You got it, Fuzzy!" And with that we began to settle into a rhythm. Hikaru takes one out while letting one settle on his tail and I would come and take that one out before it could get so much as a bead on him. Battlepods are weak little things. Their armor is laughable and they don't even maneuver anywhere nearly as well our Valkyries. However, for every one of us there seemed to be fifty of them. I felt that was pretty even odds for me. Hikaru and I alternated over and over again until we got an advisement from Lieutenant Junior Grade Hayase to be aware of the SDF-1 changing its position. I spared a glance at my tactical monitor and saw that the SDF-1 had begun a head-on charge at the attacking Zentradi ship.
This brought a smile to my lips. Roy had been smart enough to bring it up to Misa, and Misa thought of the Deadalus Assault much sooner in advance and briefed the Captain. And instead of taking the precious time needed to wait and see if the problem could be fixed, and for the destroids to be armed up, manned up, and moved into position, they were ready to go the moment they knew the main gun was out of commission. I would probably get no credit, but that was fine by me. My satisfaction was the fact that many more Valkyrie pilots would be coming home today than there would have been without my interference.
Let me tell you, seeing the Deadalus Assault up-close and in-person was a sight to see! Like someone once said about it, nothing says screw you like an amphibious assault ship to the face!
Cheers filled the radio channels as we began to mop up the battle pods that were still in the area.
It took a while. Zentradi rarely retreat. We had to destroy every single battle pod that had been fielded. Fortunately, there wasn't that many left, but we still lost a few people that got careless.
Such was life out here. Murphy and Darwin worked hand-in-hand to weed out the slower thinkers, and I had a close call that left me with the shakes for a while.
And this was only my first sortie.
6,243 words of awesome.
Note: I've decided to use Naval ranks since the UN Spacy is supposed to be derived from the navies of other countries. It just doesn't mesh well. Also, instead of 'Seaman' we have 'Spaceman'. Gives it a nice classic sci-fi twist.
Two months pass.
Hikaru and I go through training together to become Valkyrie pilots. And the shocking thing was that he and I both made it into Skull Squadron.
In only two months.
Yes, it was every bit as hellacious as it sounds. We have to learn so much in so little time. Flight and astrogation, aerospace combat tactics, basic military training... We alternate days in and out of the simulators for the first month. In the sims, we break only for meals. The rest of the day, we're drilled harshly in the sims, essentially learning hands-on how to fly.
Outside the sims the relentless drilling continued. On some days it was book work like flight theory, overtechnology science, and rules and regulations. Other days it was marching and drilling, gunnery ranges, obstacle courses, and physical training until we drop dead of exhaustion.
Now, just a break here to explain something critically important for later events. I was basically getting a short primer to Overtechnology theory and how that applied to the fusion-turbine engines in our Valkyries. I learned that Overtechnology’s reaction engines basically utilize dimensional distortions on a very small scale to break the laws of physics. This way, you get a turbine engine that is capable of igniting a fusion reaction in its bowels. Or other nifty things.
I already have PhD’s in electrical and mechanical engineering from Washu-chan. Along with the knowledge I was accumulating here, PhD’s in Aerospace Engineering and Overtechnology Engineering would be close at hand. I’d probably only need a year or two of school before I could submit my dissertations and collect my doctorates. But that would come later.
In the second month we graduated from simulators and went to the real thing. VF-1D Valkyries. I was so excited that I could barely contain it. Instructors and students alike were all saying that I (already stuck with the monicker, Cradle Robber) was looking like a kid at Christmas time.
Relentless drilling in the sims paid off in spades. Inside a day I was handling the two-seater Valkyrie like a pro, which was completely the point. But that didn't mean they would make it easy on us. Indeed, it was combat drills in the cockpit, and combat tactics in the classroom. Physical Training was as brutal as ever, and now included survival, escape, recovery, and evasion (SERE) classes.
I turned out to be a pretty good pilot, but Hikaru far surpassed me. He had my aptitude combined with a natural talent and years of experience sitting behind the stick of a racing plane. However, when it came to book smarts and marksmanship I left him in the dust. As I had before in my Naval schools, I blew the curve out of the water with my uncanny ability to memorize procedures - don't ask me how, but seeing the procedures performed and studying them programmed them into my brain like song lyrics. Once I had them, it was virtually irrevocable, especially since we were demanded to spout procedure on the spot at any given time on demand. Everything else I memorized through a combination of mnemonics and brute force rote-and-drill.
As for the marksmanship, that was a foregone conclusion. While my hands aren’t the steadiest, I do know how to time my shots. But I took the cake while firing from the prone position - the only mark on the target papers was a neat and tidy hole in the bullseye and I was made into my platoon’s Designated Marksman Trainee.
One strange thing was that call signs weren't in use in the beginnings of the Spacy - some stickler BS about being above that kind of ‘immaturity’. But I had quickly changed that by constantly calling the Hikaru ‘Fuzzy’ since I claimed he was so young that he’d barely even grown in his peach fuzz. It soon stuck, and I was quickly labeled with ‘Cradle Robber’ in return because Hikaru blabbed about Minmei’s infatuation with me.
Pretty soon, everyone in our recruit division had callsigns.
The last week was tied up in a number of final activities. Everything was graded. A single failing grade would get you moved into another class for remedial training, and here a three strikes policy applied. You fail your finals a third time and that was it.
Fortunately, I passed.
I was awarded liberty along with all the other graduates, and the first thing I did was to go home to the Lynn Family, fire up my laptop, and play the song, Stress by Jim's Big Ego.
Quote:I'm Addicted to stress 'cause it's the way that I get things done
If I'm not under pressure then I sleep too long
And I hang around like a bum
And I think I’m going nowhere and that makes me nervous
Everybody's out to get me but I feel alright
Everybody's out to get me but I feel alright
Everybody's out to get me but I feel alright
Everybody's thinking about me!
It's the little things that getcha
It's the little things that getcha
When you weren't paying attention
It's the little things that getcha
It's the little things that getcha
It's the little things that getcha
When you weren't paying attention
I'm tryin' to cut down on my caffeine consumption
So when I get up, I just have one cup of coffee
And I like to have another cup of coffee with my breakfast
And on my way to work, I like to get a cup of coffee.
Like the kind of cup of coffee that you get with the doughnuts
But I never get the doughnut, I just have the cup of coffee.
And when I get to work, I like to have a cup of coffee
'cause I like to have coffee when I'm talkin' on the phone
But it usually goes cold, and you need to get another cup of coffee
And it's lunch, and I have an espresso.
And when I get back, it's not morning anymore
So I have a diet cola, and another diet cola
By then I'm feelin' fine, and I'm feelin' pretty sharp
And I'm feelin' pretty wired and I'm getting things done.
But right about two I get this little tiny migraine.
It starts with my eyes, and moves to the back of my neck
And moves to the bottom of my spine
But it doesn't get there until five or six o'clock
Which is the end of the day
So I'm fine, So I'm fine! So I'm FINE! SO I’M FINE! So I'm fine...
Except when I have to work late
When I have to work late
which I usually do
I'm Addicted to stress 'cause it's the way that I get things done
If I'm not under pressure then I sleep too long
And I hang around like a bum
And I think I’m going nowhere and that makes me nervous
Everybody's out to get me but I feel alright
Everybody's out to get me but I feel alright
Everybody's out to get me but I feel alright
Everybody's thinking about me!
It is a freaking hilarious song to listen to.
And then I happened to turn around and what should I see?
Minmei.
With her smartphone.
Videoing me.
Dancing and singing along to the song.
“My, Gar-kun,” she gushed while giving me the most impish shit-eating grin ever. “I never knew you were so graceful!”
She broke out into outright laughter as I smacked my forehead and collapsed onto my bed.
BUSSSTTIIIIID! came Katherine’s voice in my head, razzing me mercilessly. Dear sweet Tsunami, the women in my life...
I didn’t have to suffer for long, though. Minmei came and plunked herself down on my bed next to me and ran her hand through my hair. I had to cut it into a tidy bob in order to abide by regulations (it could not be any lower than one centimeter above your helmet seal), but there was still plenty for her left to play with.
"So, do you want to go out with me today?" Minmei asked. "There were some things that I needed to get and I could use the company."
I knew what was coming. This was where Hikaru would unwittingly meet Misa Hayase, the woman he called an 'old sourpuss' on the radio before he got stuck along with the rest of us on SDF-1. If Hikaru wasn't there to meet her, then God only knows what this would do to things between them.
"Mind if Hikaru comes along?" I asked. "He needs to get out, too. Besides, what would people think seeing you alone with me?"
"Probably that we make a good couple," Minmei replied with a mischievous smile.
"Real cute, kid," I replied with a flat expression. She only stuck her tongue out at me. "Seriously. The only way I'm going out with you is if I have Hikaru along as a decoy."
"Oh fine then," huffed Minmei.
"Good girl," I said, and, against my better judgment, I gave her a kiss on top of her head. Just to give her a bit of incentive. It must have worked because Minmei practically glowed.
##
The only thing left to do was to break the news to Hikaru.
"Hey Hikaru?" I asked as I knocked on his door. "You here still?"
"Yeah, come in buddy."
"Thanks," I said as I opened the door and shut it behind me. "You got anything going on? Minmei wants to go out and I don't feel entirely comfortable with just her and me."
"She's fawning over you again, huh?"
"That obvious?" I asked.
Hikaru grinned. "Cradle Robber, I am going to give you hell for this whenever Minmei isn't around."
I rolled my eyes. "So, you'll be my decoy?"
"Sure," he replied. "Not like I got anything better to do. I'll just make you pay for it later."
"Joy," I drawled out.
##
"Hikaru, you should let me carry that," said Minmei plaintively as we walked down the market district.
"It's okay, Minmei," Hikaru tried to reassure her.
“But it’s so uncool looking,” she replied.
I smiled a small smile. “Minmei, he’s your date. So it’s perfectly fine for him to carry your shopping, even if it is full of stuff only girls and crossdressers use.”
Hikaru groaned and Minmei giggled. And then stopped cold in front of one shop window. Ah yes. The women’s apparel store. This was the place.
"Wow! They’re so pretty!" Minmei cried out. "Hang on just a minute!"
"Hmm," I said as I admired the display. "They look real nice. Never thought they'd have stuff like this here."
"Yeah," agreed Hikaru.
Minmei then turned to us. "Would you come look at them with me?"
"What?" Hikaru said, verbally backpedaling. "You want me to go in that store, too!?"
"Yes we can," I droned as I dragged Hikaru in after Minmei. "We're big boys escorting a little lady, Hikaru. As long as we mind ourselves we'll be fine."
Minmei was the picture of efficiency - a shocking thing coming from a young woman in an apparel store that caters specifically to their gender. She knew exactly what she wanted - she only paused as she looked for the right dress size, then snagged two different dresses and made a beeline for the dressing rooms.
"No peeking now," she said in a serious tone, but then gave a coy wink and smile before disappearing behind the curtain.
I smiled. If I was gonna get razzed for this later by Hikaru then by God I was gonna get my money's worth.
"That's right now, Hikaru," I said as I maneuvered him away from the leering store clerk. "No peaking now."
"Garrick. I am gonna kill you."
"Not with witnesses around you are."
As I moved Hikaru away, though, Murphy struck by allowing a good portion of Minmei's purchases to spill out of the bag. Perfect! Thank you Tsunami-sama for small miracles! I let Hikaru go ahead and take things from there since I knew what was coming.
And right on cue was Misa Hayase along with the rest of the SDF-1 Bridge Bunnies. Coming in, they immediately stopped cold at the sight of me. To which my response was to thumb myself and say,
"Chaperone." I then pointed down at Hikaru and said, "His date's in the changing room." I finished by gesturing at the obviously occupied changing room. The women looked at Hikaru, who looked nervously back as he fumbled yet more of Minmei's purchases, and then at the obviously occupied dressing room.
"We'll go ahead and come back later," Misa said diplomatically to the store clerk.
Just as the ladies left, Minmei came back out. I had to admit, she did look really nice. The dress was of a simple cut, but it elegantly showed her figure. It was long-sleeved because everyone here was used to a tropical climate while the ship’s interior was maintained at a consistent twenty degrees Celsius.
It was pink, of course, with a wide, white collar that was almost sailor style, a thin magenta belt cinching it around her trim little waist and a knee-length skirt with pleating down the sides.
"Well, Garrick, what do you think of it?" said Minmei. The shop keeper was quick to pick up on that as she looked between me and Mimei. She then cackled wickedly, causing me to wince. Hikaru snickered as well.
I sighed then looked to Minmei. "It looks lovely enough that if you were the right age I'd be bringing you home to meet my mother with you wearing that dress." Honestly, I wondered exactly what my adoptive family would have thought of her. She would definitely have been among the go-getters, but then Minagi was surprisingly the only one of my fiances that was at all passive. And even then that was a debatable matter. Some would argue Minagi is simply laid back like her sister, albeit in a more cheerful manner.
"But Garrick, your parents aren't here on the ship." She then grinned mischievously and added, "But you already met my aunt and uncle, so it's okay."
Hikaru and the store keeper exploded into laughter at that.
"Sweet Tsunami-sama help me," I muttered.
##
When we got back it was already time for lunch. Minmei’s aunt and uncle already had plates waiting for the three of us when we came in. Minmei made a fuss over making sure I got seated.
Just as I was taking my first bite, though, Roy Fokker came barreling in.
“Hikaru! Garrick! So this is where you’ve been.”
“Uh oh,” I said. “I don’t like that sound of this.”
“Lock it up, Grimm,” said Roy tersely. “We’re about to get orders to move out. Get back to the barracks.”
“We’re gonna sortie out?” said Hikaru in confusion. I was already getting up when Roy moved to haul Hikaru bodily out of the restaurant.
“OPSEC permitting,” I said as I followed a spluttering Hikari out the door, “I’ll let you guys know what’s up as soon as we can.”
“Good luck!” called out Minmei with a cheerful smile on her face.
##
Soon we were outside the gates to the barracks.
"Well boys, what do you think?" said Roy as we approached the checkpoint. "From today on you're real live fighter pilots. You two even get your own rooms!"
"Better than the Navy BEQs," I supplied. That was no exaggeration there. A nice loft bed over an equally nice desk space. There was plenty of storage space and even some nice places for curios and knick-knacks to be displayed.
"Better for certain, but don't forget that even though you do have your own rooms you can't fool around."
Hikaru snickered at that and I rolled my eyes. “Don’t go there, Hikaru.”
Roy looked between the two of us curiously.
"Something I should know about, Grimm?" Roy asked archly.
"I'll let you know when it becomes an issue, Mother," I replied. I was bound and determined that Roy would get saddled with a call sign as well.
“What,” said Roy flatly.
“Well, you do have a tendency to fuss over us. And then there’s the obvious joke: Mother Fokker.”
Roy gave me a look that seemed to be caught between him stifling a laugh and severe consternation. Hikaru himself was torn between guffaws and utter scandal. But then Roy composed himself and went on, "Oh and one more thing, boys."
"What's that?" asked Hikaru.
"AH-TEEUUUN-SHUN!" snapped out Roy.
I was quick to react, snapping to and giving a crisp salute to Misa Hayase and the bridge bunnies. They may be bunnies, but I was pretty sure that at this point even the most junior of them outranked me by at least two paygrades.
Hikaru, of course, fumbled.
“You guys!?” said Misa in surprise as she approached.
"Afternoon Ma'am," I replied cordially.
Roy read into the situation and swept in. "You little devil, I didn't know you knew the Lieutenant."
"Uh well, kinda," said Hikaru as he looked to me for help. I simply grinned back at him. Sorry buddy, you're on your own for now.
Meanwhile the bridge bunnies giggled. "It's them!"
"The guys at the lingerie shop!"
"My dear Lieutenant-Commander Fokker," said Misa Hayase, "are these the brilliant new pilots you've been raving about?"
"Boys, introduce yourselves," prodded Roy.
We both saluted sharply. "Spaceman Garrick Grimm, ma'am, at your service."
"Spaceman Hikaru Ichijyo, ma'am!"
"I'm Lieutenant Junior Grade Misa Hayase," she replied cordially returning our salute. A funny look then crossed her features. "Hikaru Ichijyo," she repeated. "Why does that name sound so familiar to me?" Her eyes suddenly shot wide open in shock as the memory returned to her. "I remember now! You're that loudmouthed pilot, aren't you!"
"And your that... uh..." Hikaru lamely fumbled for something other than 'old sourpuss'.
"Yup," replied the Lieutenant-Commander with a flat look on her face.
"Oh no!" Hikaru cried with a look of horror on his face. It was taking everything I had to keep myself standing upright.
"Hey, sir!" I gasped. "Maybe his callsign should be foot-in-mouth instead!"
Roy stifled a laugh. "Yeah, Hikaru. Better be careful or else that one will stick. Especially around the Lieutenant. She's our air boss."
This was so freaking funny to see in person. Hikaru looked like he wanted to either run for the hills screaming or die of embarrassment on the spot.
He settled for stammering out, "MA’AM!" to the Lieutenant as he got off another shaky salute.
"Hmm," replied Misa. "I hope for his sake that he takes your advice." She turned to leave but then paused to look me up and down as I got my giggling under control. “As for you, Spaceman Grimm... Don’t you let any of his bad habits rub off on you.” But before she could saunter off I had to set something straight.
“Ma’am?”
“Yes, Spaceman?”
“Don’t worry about me picking up bad habits from the likes of Hikaru. Believe it or not, I’m thirty-seven years old.”
If the Lieutenant had been drinking something, that would have been a spit-take right there as the bridge bunnies all made scandalized gasps.
“Oh my God he’s old enough to be my dad!” squeaked the little red-head, Sammy.
“And you said he was cute, too!” razzed the tall one wearing glasses, causing all kinds of consternation among them.
Misa, meanwhile, shot an angry, questioning look at Roy.
“Is he lying, Lieutenant-Commander?”
Roy grinned savagely, knowing full well what I had done.
“It’s as true as it can be. His call sign is Cradle Robber in spite of his lucky draw from the genetic deck. The scumbag.”
Misa blinked at that, then turned to me. “Wipe that smug look off your face, Spaceman. It’s unbecoming.” And without another word, she turned and left with the bridge bunnies following.
Although, the one little redheaded bridge bunny did get up in his face and snapped, "Meanie!" as a parting shot. That was it. I lost it. I was done. Seeing Hikaru
flinch like that from the smaller woman sent me reeling against the fence laughing like a loon.
##
We stood through the all-call in the parade grounds like the good little pilots we were. Just like those Captain's Calls back in the Navy. But good lord, could they get any more cheesy with the send-off?
"Hey, Garrick," called out Hikaru once he spotted me. I waved him over. "Are you gonna need any help with, ah, tonight?" he asked. "I know Minmei is probably gonna want to see you and all."
I sighed at that. I might as well go see her. "No need, Hikaru. This time, I think I can handle her on my own. Thanks for earlier, by the way. All snarking and sniping aside, it was a big help."
"Hey, that's what a wingman is for, right?"
"You got it, Fuzzy."
"And good luck in dealing with Minmei."
##
I arranged the date over the phone and Minmei met me promptly at the park. By prompt, I mean running herself ragged in pumps. Ouch.
"You okay there, Minmei?" I asked.
"Yeah," she said after taking a moment to catch her breath. "Sorry for taking so long. What's the big rush, anyway?” She then gave me one of her impish, conspiratorial grins. “Not that I don't mind."
"Cheeky," I grunted, then sighed. "They're shipping us out tomorrow."
"Oh Garrick! I'm so happy for you! Your first mission!"
"Minmei! I said softly, but firmly as I put my hands on her shoulders. I then went on in a low enough tone that only she would hear me. "This isn't fun and games. I know that there's going to be people who won't come back tomorrow."
Minmei was taken aback by this. "But... you'll comeback, right?"
"I'll do my best to, Minmei. Believe me, I want to live."
"You'd better, then. When we get married I want you to look distinguished in your dress uniform."
I sighed and wondered how long she'd keep this up for. Not that I didn't find her attractive, but for God's sake I was twenty years older than her!
"Don't you start with me, Mister Grimm! Now come on, this way!" She then grabbed ahold of my hand and dragged me further into the park, just as the backlit fountains started, creating a dance of light and color on the pond. "Ooohhh, how beautiful!" She spread her skirt out, saying, "Garrick, look."
I did and saw that she was wearing the dress she picked out earlier.
"I knew you'd look beautiful in that dress," I said without really thinking about it. D'oh! Sure, go and feed her ego, why don't you!?
"You mean that, Garrick?" she asked buoyantly. "Am I really beautiful?"
"Minmei, I shouldn't have to reinforce that notion for you. Yes, you are beautiful. And you have the voice of an angel. And for the umpteenth time, you are way too young!"
"I won't be too young forever," she challenged. The then turned away and called out, "Hey Camera! Over here!" At Minmei's call, a most curious sight appeared: a robot with a base that looked like a vacuum cleaner head, and a hooded TV screen mounted on a spindly arm with a single joint in the middle. It popped out of the shrubbery, looking for whoever called it.
"Over here!" she called out again. This time the camera-bot locked onto Minmei, jumped out of the shrubbery and hunched itself down low for stability as it swiftly trundled over.
"DEPOSIT COIN," the machine requested in a monotone, sideband voice as it popped back upright in front of us. Minmei quickly fed a credit into the slot. "THANK YOU."
She then went up to the railing by the water's edge and spun about, pirouetting like a dancer. The camera bot snapped the picture and soon a glossy photo was printed. It was a little blurry at the edges, but the machine had timed the shot perfectly so her smiling face was in the picture.
She really was beautiful.
I offered it to Minmei, but she pushed it back to me. "Keep it," she said. "Put it in that fighter of yours so you have a reminder of what's waiting for you. That should get you home in one piece."
I didn't argue the point. It was useless. Even worse, my sentimental streak was rearing it head, and I was gonna do something else I had a feeling I'd regret.
"Camera, one more photo," I called before the machine could get too far.
"DEPOSIT COIN," it stated as it zipped back to us. After I complied with it's request, I pulled Minmei in close and she immediately understood, wrapping herself around my arm.
"HOLD STILL PLEASE," said the robot as it set up the shot, displaying a preview on its large, hooded display. I’ll be damned if she wasn’t right - we did look good together. "SAY CHEESE."
Another flash and another picture was produced. This one I offered to Minmei.
"In case something does happen," I said to her quietly. "At least you'll have this to remember me by."
"Don't say it that way!" she whispered back harshly. "You will come back!" Tears started to form at the edge of her eyes. “You will!”
"I'll do my best. Heaven knows that if I don’t you’ll find some way to drag me home kicking and screaming."
Minmei laughed despite the heavy nature of my sentiments. Her watch's alarm chose that moment to go off.
"I gotta go," she said. "Uncle gets upset if I'm out too late. With a boy, that is." She grinned mischievously once more. "Come back safe, Garrick."
"I will, Minmei."
I left the park with a heavy heart that night, and I was fervently hoping that I was not falling for that girl.
There were a lot of qualities about Minmei that I found to be desirable. Beautiful, smart, energetic, and very playful, just to name a few. She also had a slightly combative nature as well - she wasn't afraid to stand up for her choices, and this was also a big plus in my book. But the fly in the ointment was her age. Not that I wouldn't have gone after a woman younger than myself, but Minmei was still a girl. The one and only comfort I took was that she was at least older than Yuki.
Even so, it was getting harder and harder to resist her. She was absolutely infectious. It was probably the main reason why she would walk away with the Miss Macross crown.
##
Later that night, Roy came in to check on me.
"Trouble sleeping?" he asked.
"A bit," I admitted. I never really was all that big on sleep. At least at night time. Yeah, I'm weird like that. "Though it's probably not for the reason you're thinking."
Roy blinked at that. "Something you want to talk about, Grimm?"
"Sure, why not?" I sighed and hefted myself out of the loft bed and hit the lights. "Not like I'm getting any sleep like this."
Roy came in and pulled up a chair.
"Get you anything to drink, Mother?" I asked as I went to the tiny kitchenette - barely a handful of square feet of counter space, sink, and a pair of small induction plates. A tiny refrigerator and freezer was under the counter, a toaster oven mounted directly under the induction plates. Everything I needed to make a meal just for myself if I felt like spending the extra money to forgo the mess hall. Which I probably would. Nothing says comfort food to me like grilled cheese sandwiches hot off the grill and a bowl of creamy tomato soup to go with them.
Roy shook his head at what I had called him. It had taken all of an hour for the new monicker to circulate through the squadron and his plane crew were already restenciling his name under his Valkyrie’s canopy before we turned in for the night.
There was not a single one of us stick jockeys that would be safe from the humiliation.
"No thanks," replied the Lieutenant-Commander. I got myself a glass of ice water and sat down in my desk chair.
"It's Minmei," I said.
"Dammit, Grimm," groaned Roy. From his visits to the restaurant, he knew exactly who I was talking about and what that meant. "Are you serious?"
"She is, at least," I said off-handly. “How do you think I got my callsign anyhow?”
"Explain, Spaceman," he said, leveling a look at me.
"Yes sir," I said and I went on to explain the dynamics of the relationship, how I keep trying to fend her off and how she kept persisting. "And you know the scariest thing about all this, Mother?"
"She's starting to grow on you," Roy groaned in a worried-yet-knowing tone.
"Yes sir," I replied with honest shame.
Roy sighed. "I hate having to ask this question but... has she shown any sexual interest in you?"
"A bit, sir," I replied reluctantly, but I knew that from a female's perspective that the few times she was sending those particular signals, they were loud and clear. "I think it was mostly just to yank my chain, though, but its there."
"Great," grumped the Lieutenant-Commander. "Can you at least promise me that if she makes any more of those kinds of advances on you that you'll fend them off and then immediately report to me?"
"Yes sir, that I can promise you."
"Good. The last thing I need is to have you brought up on charges. I'm going to let this go for now, Grimm. There's nothing in the UCMJ that says she can't hang around you. But the moment it starts getting physical... You better not disappoint me, Spaceman Grimm."
"I won't, sir."
"Good. Anything else you'd like to get off your chest?"
"Just one thing, sir."
Roy looked at me apprehensively.
"You be careful out there yourself. If I heard the rumor mill right, Mother, you got a perfectly good woman waiting for you, too. And I'll get you home even if I gotta drag you there in battroid mode."
Roy barked a laugh. "The rookie telling me he's gonna get me home? That's rich. Get some sleep Grimm. We got ourselves a long day tomorrow."
"Yes sir."
##
Fortunately, sleep did come, and quicker than I thought it would. I guess getting the whole thing with Minmei off my chest helped. Thus, I woke up the next morning not feeling completely like death warmed over. I was just thankful that they had Red Bull on board. I felt the caffeine hit almost the moment it touched my lips, but I didn’t start firing on all cylinders until I got breakfast into me.
"You're looking chipper," said Hikaru as he caught up with me in the pilot's mess.
"Energy drink for the kickstart and a good breakfast works wonders," I replied.
"Not a coffee person?" Hikaru asked.
"Too troublesome in the morning. I just grab a can from the fridge, gulp it down, and I'm through the shower and dressed in no time. Sometimes if I know its gonna be a really bad morning in advance I'll put the can behind my pillow. A warm carbonated drink right away is sometimes better than trying to bumble my way out of bed for a cold one."
"I might try that sometime," Hikaru grumped.
##
From there, it was death-by-powerpoint briefings. Fortunately I was smart enough to bring an extra energy drink for Hikaru, so he managed to stay awake. The plan was that we were to fly through the rings of Saturn with EWAR systems kicking out all kinds of noise. The idea was to act as a decoy for the Zents and draw them into a firefight. Once we had their attention we were to keep it while the SDF-1 positioned itself to fire its main gun.
In theory, it was a sound tactic. Except one thing...
"Are the any questions?" asked Roy.
I raised my hand and Roy called on me. "Sir, what if the SDF-1 has some kind of issue with the main gun? A misfire, as it were? Do we have a contingency plan set aside in that event?"
"That's a good question, pilot, but it's a bit above your paygrade. You better watch it or else."
"Yes sir," I said as I sat back down. Hopefully that will make it back up the chain of command and Misa will be prodded into coming up with the Deadalus Assault sooner rather than later.
##
Strapped in. Sealed up. Life support connected. Cockpit depressurized. Fusion turbines nominal. Reaction and propulsion agent tanks full. Fully armed. EWAR is green.
And for myself, I was as jittery as they come. At least I had the comfort of knowing that I wasn't the only one.
Hearing Hikaru's voice cracking over the radio was exactly the sort of reassurance I needed to hear.
My VF-1A was towed out to the the catapults and locked into place. Once I got the all clear, I started the engines and set them to full military power. After I checked over all my powerplant readings and ran my RCS thrusters and control surfaces through a thorough check, I signaled my readiness to fly with a salute to the catapult officer.
Inspectors made one final check on my plane, I got a final reading of my craft's gross weight, and the catapult officer gave the final go signal.
Once upon a time I got to ride a fun roller coaster in Japan that used something like a catapult system to launch you out a tunnel at four G's of acceleration. This was about the same.
It was already old-hat for me after all the training we had, but it was still such an awesome rush. After that, though, it was time to get to work.
Right away I found Hikaru and formed up with him as my wingman.
"Okay, Fuzzy, you ready for this?"
"Whenever you are, Cradle Robber."
"Cool. Let's you and I keep it cool and tight, just like the sims. Last thing I wanna hear is Lieutenant Hayase bitching us out."
"Amen to that!"
##
I had the lead at first when we began our trek through the rings, but we switched places when we crossed into the shadow zone. Hikaru's reflexes were a bit better than mine so I'd have a split-second to react after him. In this way, we made it through the rings with little trouble at all.
As we knew they would, the Zentradi came barreling in through the rings, their ship plowing ice-rocks aside like a wake from a ocean-going ship. As we exited the shadow zone, we broke formation under a hail of anti-ship missiles while, far off in the distance, the SDF-1 took it's position.
All hell broke loose as we hit a field of space thick with Zentradi battlepods of all kinds. It was madness, and it took everything for Hikaru and I to stick together.
"C'mon, Robber! Let's rack these guys up, just like we practiced in the sims!"
"You got it, Fuzzy!" And with that we began to settle into a rhythm. Hikaru takes one out while letting one settle on his tail and I would come and take that one out before it could get so much as a bead on him. Battlepods are weak little things. Their armor is laughable and they don't even maneuver anywhere nearly as well our Valkyries. However, for every one of us there seemed to be fifty of them. I felt that was pretty even odds for me. Hikaru and I alternated over and over again until we got an advisement from Lieutenant Junior Grade Hayase to be aware of the SDF-1 changing its position. I spared a glance at my tactical monitor and saw that the SDF-1 had begun a head-on charge at the attacking Zentradi ship.
This brought a smile to my lips. Roy had been smart enough to bring it up to Misa, and Misa thought of the Deadalus Assault much sooner in advance and briefed the Captain. And instead of taking the precious time needed to wait and see if the problem could be fixed, and for the destroids to be armed up, manned up, and moved into position, they were ready to go the moment they knew the main gun was out of commission. I would probably get no credit, but that was fine by me. My satisfaction was the fact that many more Valkyrie pilots would be coming home today than there would have been without my interference.
Let me tell you, seeing the Deadalus Assault up-close and in-person was a sight to see! Like someone once said about it, nothing says screw you like an amphibious assault ship to the face!
Cheers filled the radio channels as we began to mop up the battle pods that were still in the area.
It took a while. Zentradi rarely retreat. We had to destroy every single battle pod that had been fielded. Fortunately, there wasn't that many left, but we still lost a few people that got careless.
Such was life out here. Murphy and Darwin worked hand-in-hand to weed out the slower thinkers, and I had a close call that left me with the shakes for a while.
And this was only my first sortie.
