Vance took in the landscape at a glance.  Things were actually worse than he'd expected...but he didn't come unprepared.  He raised his hands to where they could be seen.  "I, ah...I didn't come here to talk about that."

In his right hand was a partial bottle of vodka.  In his left were three shot glasses.  "I came here hoping you could help me with a farewell ritual, of sorts.  I've never asked someone else to do it...but then, we've never had someone of the Ranger lose a relative in action."

He took another step into the room.  "It's something the ancient Greeks did...and since we're kind of playing the role of the Spartans, it seemed extra-appropriate to me.  We drink to the fallen...and for every drink we have, we dump one for them.  Normally, it would be poured on their gravesite...we'll just have to settle for the ship's fluid-recycling system, unless you want to go up to the hangar and throw them out into space...but that makes the drinking part a challenge."

He set the bottle and the glasses down, and stood, awkwardly.  "I'm not going to pretend I know what you're going through...I haven't lost any family in this damned war.  But Nina was part of my squadron...so I've lost a friend.  And I don't want to say goodbye to her by myself."

Cain was silent for long moments his expression and face in shadow...

'damn.', he muttered tiredly...

"why...? Why .. do I keep coming back.. when better pilots.. better peopl~... don't?  It just.. isn't right."

"The only reason ...I was even IN Echo Squadron..was because 'she' got hurt... it shoulda been me...not Parker... not 'her'... god knows I try hard enough to buy that farm in the sky.  Yet here I am...  me.. the 'screw-up'!"

He took a long deep breath... and let it out with a rasp...

Cain slid his feet off the bunk and slowly clambered to his feet to face Vance his green eyes swimming with held-in pain ~ blood shot... but mostly tired...

"Yeah,...yeah..I'll have that drink with ya... pressurized flight deck will do.. near a portal... so we can watch the stars go by... like memories on the wind..."

Vance nodded.  "I brought the drinks...you pick the venue," he replied, tired resignation in his voice.  He clapped a hand gently on Cain's shoulder before gathering up the glasses and bottle.

"And if there's one unanswerable question in the Universe, it's 'why'...especially where war's involved..." he offered, as they started down the corridor.

In reply to Lt.Cdr. Vance Hardy (msg # 8):

Cain accepted the brotherly gesture with a silent nod of gratitude... the tension melting away from his demeanor and shoulders as they walked out of the cabin.

He had spent the past day or two in darkness and his eyes squinted at the normal ship light levels but his brow was no long knotted in frustration... but settled into somber grief.

The crew took note, as on any ship ~ even the size of the Ranger, news traveled fast that Cain and Vance had been at odds ever since their return from the mission but doubly so with the death of Cain's step-sister on the heels of it.  Cain had been infrequently prowling about the Ranger in a bad-tempered mood of grief on a very short-fuse but had quickly self-confined himself to his cabin much to everyone's relief for the past couple days.

Grief was something everyone understood in war and different people processed it in their own way.  Most had expected a blow up at some point... but now the 'bear' had left its cave and a clear relief of that tension had been observed as the two pilot's strode side by side through the hallways heading for the flight deck ~ the obvious bottle of liquor and glasses in Vance's hands a sign some peaceful rapport had been reached and the healing of wounds had begun.

The crew had its own grief to recover from as well Nina had been a member of the crew months before Cain joined her loss was felt by all.  As the two approached the flight deck slowly members of the off-duty crew trickled in to see what would result from the time-honored tradition of mourning the loss and remembering a fallen comrade...

When they arrived at Cain's chosen spot, Vance nodded, and set down the glasses.  As he unscrewed the bottle's lid, he said, "I feel like we should say something...but I'll be damned if I know what to say.  I guess the best thing to say is something to celebrate her life..."

He shrugged, and then grinned slightly.  "I still remember her first day on the Ranger...they brought her and a bunch of others in when Bixby came up with the notion of doing a combined-arms squadron for enhanced 'home defense' on the Ranger...they needed some Destroid drivers, and she was the first one off the shuttle.  I'm not even sure she got her duffel to her bunk before she started tearing into her ride, double-checking everything and chewing Bixby's ear off with questions about how the squadron was supposed to work and suggestions."  Even though it was a memory of a chaotic time...with a more immediate threat hanging over the entire crew of the Ranger, since the remnant of the alien fleet that had been left over Earth was still very active...there was no mistaking the genuine fondness in Vance's voice, and the genuine regret in his face as he let the memory lapse into silence.

He poured the three shot glasses full...almost to spilling over...and set the bottle down.  "Guess that gung-ho attitude is a family trait, of sorts..." he said, picking one glass up and holding it in front of him as he looked at Cain.

Cain had chosen a position on the launch deck at the one large observation portal where one could observe the launch and retrieval of fighter craft just off the main flight deck.  Normally in battle the portal was shuttered with large armored plates... and mostly used by the flight crews as the mark-one 'eye-ball' portal to confirm incoming and outgoing craft when the ship was Not at battle alert.

He listened intently to Vance's recollections of Nina with a somber expression, taking the offered glass.

He sighed, "I envy your memories of her... I... I never met her before arriving here after my transfer.  My 'ramshackle' unit had been cobbled together from the survivors of the UN Spacy Earth Defense Force squadrons that had been scrambled to deny the alien forces air supremacy... out of Honolulu.  I was not even in the first sortie... honestly we had no idea what we were facing.  But our base Commander was a hard nosed stubborn cuss... and he threw everything we had at the aliens.  Our Falcon fighter jets were simply no match for the Battle pods.  We lost 6 squadrons in 30 minutes... then our carrier ~ the civil war era, US George W. Bush was hit by the battlepods and was going down... what was left of the squadrons was relocated to the CSV Daiyamo, out of Tokyo.  I was just the lucky 'survivor' as my CO, the XO, the CAG leader all got aced my unit destroyed... we had more pilots than planes and were cycling the most experienced to launch.  After my fourth sortie my bird was confetti-ed on the deck before I could replace the pilot so I had to wait until a UF-14 bird could be cycled in... I missed the last sortie and when I did launch again.. it was mostly over and I was in the unenviable role of last most experienced pilot.  We'd gotten hammered, then curbstomped.  Two-thirds of all the pilots from three carriers were dead.  Word came down UN Spacy was desperately calling for pilots for the ARMED Stations counterattack and close orbit defense of earth from the invaders.  Everything was chaos. I was sitting outside the Carrier Group Commander's office after my last sortie.  The Commander the Carrier Captain and his staff were arguing over the disaster.  The Carrier group commander was upset that UN Spacy was taking the last of his pilots, the Captain was reporting that ARMED 7 had a downed pilot ~ 2nd lieut Nina Petrovik... the Commander retorted "...Isn't that one of T. R. Edward's bastard brats... send them Cain at least we can get rid of his ass..."

"That was the first I'd ever heard of her.  I was shuttled into space no sooner afterward eventually being cycled onto the RANGER with reinforcements and resupply.  I was... hoping to connect with her but sh~ Nina was already hurt. I never got to even 'really' speak with her.  I wish I had known her better, she sounds like she was a hell of a lady and pilot..."

"It's nice to know.. Nina was liked and will be mourned..."

Cain lifted the glass to clink it against Vance's... his eyes full of pain and loss...

He glanced around noticing a small crowd had gathered at the portal as well... all eyes somber and supportive.

Sighing, he turned to those gathered meeting eyes with each one and giving a somber nod to each ~ he lifted his glass...

Turning to face the star filled portal Cain voiced...
"May whatever spirit that governs the movement of the stars and the cycle of life and death take witness ~ as we commit the spirits of our fallen comrades... and family to the 'Sea of Stars'.

We humbly ask they be given rest in peace from their struggles and pain, knowing they are not forgotten nor did they die in vain.

No one may remember if they were good or bad men and woman... only that they willingly gave their lives in the defense of others for they answered the call to defend those who could not defend themselves.

May they never be forgotten as long as the stars burn in the firmament, and mankind struggles for greatness in the face of the unknown!"

Then painfully wracked with emotion he downed the entire glass... before reaching for hers and poring it out on the deck...
This message was last edited by the player at 09:01, Tue 02 Apr 2019.

Vance raised his glass when Cain began to recite the toast...or benediction...or whatever it should be called, and downed the contents in an overly-large gulp.  He didn't drink often, and hadn't ever really been introduced to vodka until Lt. Khan had talked him into trying it on shoreleave, oh-so-long ago, but he mentally gritted his teeth and toughed out the burning sensation of it going down.

"Y'know...I'm going to say this just once, because I don't want to spoil the mood, but...we spend enough time surrounded by the ghosts of people we know out here, or people we wanted to know.  No sense dragging in the ghosts of people we despise.  You don't mention him often, but every time you talk about your dad, it's pretty obvious that you don't care much for his memory."  He set the glass down, and poured another, more reasonably sized shot, holding the bottle up in an offer of a refill for Cain.

"There's an old premise I was taught, back when I was first learning how to ride horses...'you go in the direction you're looking.'  If you're staring at the ground under the horse's feet, you're gonna wind up down there soon enough.  If you look left, you start to lean left, and the horse cues on your posture and starts to go left.  With that in mind...you should probably stop spending so much time looking over your shoulder at the memory of someone you don't want to be like.  Just a thought...a little Wyoming cowboy wisdom, for whatever it's worth..."  His voice was soft...the words were for Cain, and none of the business of any of the spectators watching to see how the meeting of the two was going to end up, and they were the words of a concerned friend, not a commanding officer.

"Been a few times I caught myself thinking too long and too hard about what used to be...sometimes I didn't catch it early enough.  Never ended up well..."

It took Bixby a while to track down Hanako, a situation that left the Chief wondering, only half-jokingly, if he'd become too reliant on the hardware of the Two-Ex.  "So...I heard something earlier.  Not telling it to anyone else, but given your family situation, I thought it would mean something more to you..."  He looked around, trying to make sure there was no chance his news would be overheard.

Cain placed his glass near nodding for another drink... and listened... his back stiffening at the subject briefly.... but slowly he relaxed...

Concentrating on swirling the burning liquid in the bottom of his glass he let out a breath he'd been holding... for once not getting defensive about the touchy subject of his father...

Softly he replied, "...I know Vance.  It would be easier if everyone who knows 'Him'... would let me forget... but that usually doesn't happen.  He... treated my mother... badly... the sweetest and most dedicated woman anyone could know.  Then when she had broken it off with him... gotten over him and found a decent man to treat her right... he found a way to get that man killed out of spite!  I'll NEVER forgive him for ruining her life!"

He took a drink...savoring the searing rude fluid his emerald gaze burning with the inner fires of vengeance...

Taking a breath, "But yeah... I hear you. I've heard the psych-evals about father-hating son's spending their lives trying their hardest NOT to be their fathers and turn out becoming just that.  The Edward's obsession... payback!"

"And... THAT'S what bothers me the most... the idea..I'm just like him ~ Ate-up and full of spite!"

He downed the rest of his glass eyes staring out the star-filled portal... haunted.

Cain looked over at Vance and nudges Nina's glass toward the bottle.. accepting another smaller poured amount. He picked up her glass and poured it out on the deck again.

Looking down at his glass again he spoke, "...thanks Vance... your a good man.. and CO.  Really... better than me."

Meeting his eyes he smirked, "..I can't promise not to turn into a ass again... but whatever the sphincter on my face spouts ~ your alright by me.. its not personal... and you can ALWAYS count on me to have your back...!"

Then he smiled lifting his glass for one last drink, "But don't go soft on me... if I got a reprimand coming then, damn it ~ I earned it! Bust my ass as needed... don't want to turn out like my ole' man right?"
This message was last edited by the player at 08:15, Thu 11 Apr 2019.

Hanako had just recently finished the time honored tradition of officers everywhere - shuffling paperwork around.  Supposedly the reports she filed went somewhere and were used for something, but she suspected they just got shoved in a cabinet and were forgotten.

She was a touch out of uniform, wearing a tiny sakura flower hair clip to hold her hair out of her eyes, but was otherwise fit for duty.  Nobody else was in the room as she pulled out a compact and opened it to fuss with her hair, and she nearly jumped when Bixby spoke.  It seemed he wasn't the only one who had become too reliant on sensors.  She also looked around as he began to speak, checking for others.

At the mention of her family, however, she immediately gave him her full, undivided attention.

"I am listening.

Satisfied that they were alone, Bixby said, in a low voice, "We've picked up some signals from SDF-1, that provide scant-but-strong evidence that there's a large civilian presence on board...and they're likely Macross Island survivors."  Before she could react, he hurriedly added, "We don't have any idea how many, or who they are...but it's enough that they've started doing their own television broadcasts on board...or, rather, they're gearing up to."

The sensible reaction would be guarded hope.  But between Hanako's knowledge of her parents' professions, as well as the fact that morale is clearly high enough to have civilian television broadcasts (and that lovely bit of desperation she's been hiding all along), and Hanako went straight from little hope to high hopes.  Her face brightened considerably, and her smile, while always fairly expressive, nearly filled her entire face.

She hugged Bixby tightly around the waist in thanks for the news.  "That is wonderful news.  So many people thought their families were lost, but now there is hope," she said with quiet, barely contained excitement, "I will keep this to myself until the official announcement is made, but thank you so much for telling me first."

Vance chuckled, a wry grin on his face.  "Oh, trust me...if I think you're stepping out of line, I'll call you on it.  And I meant what I said, back at Mars...at this point, we're the veterans.  They're going to be calling on us to ride herd on the rest of the carrier group, once they get the others finished and launched.  At some point, you're going to have to focus on what YOU need to do, rather than on not doing what your old man would have done.  You're not him, and this war is different."  As he spoke, he filled up Nina's glass one more time.

"But if I think your choices are bad, I'll say something.  Right now...we need you to get back in your plane.  We've been able to work around your absence...but once we get back to Earth orbit, it's not going to be just me noticing if you're not flying."  He grinned, nodding with a tired, sad expression.  He took a deep breath.

"I'll be honest, while it's just you and me talking...I'm scared as hell about whether or not we can hold the line if the aliens decide they want Earth.  Tactically, I'd stack you up against any ten of their pilots...maybe twenty, for myself..."  He laughed nervously, indicating it was an attempt at humor about a subject that he didn't find humorous.  "But there's just so damned many of them..."  He looked out the observation portal, a haunted expression creeping onto his face...

Seeing that the ice had been broken and the ritual completed.. the flight crews and off duty pilots began to trickle away, some offering offering condolences or handshakes to Cain and Vance before or as they departed.

Cain downed another drink .. and poured out Nina's glass...

Replying to Vance, "..yeah boss...my head... has been not in the right place... these past few days.  Honestly, I did not trust myself... entirely back in the cockpit...but THIS... is going a long way to setting me straight... sorting this all out at least in my head."

He paused, "I'll get back in my bird on the stick... and start doing my part... but, I'm not so sure I'm ready to lead raw recruits... guess only time will tell.  I won't let you down!"

He smirked, "..yeah, your cool as ice and quick as a whip Vance you ponce on an enemy and are just too quick to outfly.  I'm not as quick but unorthodox.. I do the unexpected.  I do things to provoke a reaction from the enemy and then exploit their response.  I tend to read how an enemy acts and then from that predict how they will react.. and take advantage of that.  Usualy my ordinance is aimed where I know the enemy will be before they get there, because I've provoked them to do what I want.  Your just too fast to avoid regardless. But either case... we can only do our best and take it one day, one enemy at a time... and NEVER give up!!"

"...I just... needed a reminder of that.  Thanks again."
This message was last edited by the player at 08:17, Thu 11 Apr 2019.

Vance clapped a hand on Cain's shoulder.  "The most anyone can ask is that we try.  And it's to our benefit that we don't all fly the same way...they do, almost like they were programmed to it or something, and that's why we haven't been scattered across the star system in little charred pieces. They're predictable, once you know what to look for.  We're not.  Even when we're all flying together, each one of us takes an individual approach to how we engage, when we shoot, which evasive tactics to use...they might be able to study us and learn how to fight us, if they focus on one individual plane...but the guy who learns how to counter me is gonna get bowled over by you."

He chuckled, and added, "As for leading raw recruits...I'm not sure any of us are ready for that, yet.  I don't think Lt. Khan was ready for it when she got put in charge of Revolt Squadron.  But I also think it's like a lot of things in life...if you wait until you feel like you're ready, it'll never happen.  It's only when the demand is actually on you that you make yourself ready.  And there's ALWAYS going to be something that comes up that you never had to deal with before, and you have to figure it out in the moment.  It could be anything from a guy getting dumped by his girl back home and you needing to get his head back in the game to...well..."  He broke into a broad grin as he finished, "an overzealous hothead insisting on engaging the enemy in a suicidal situation..."

He laughed a little and looked down.  "I'll give you the advice now, since there's no guarantee I'll be able to do it when the time comes...but the trick is to focus on what's best for your unit...whether that's a lead-and-wing element, a whole squadron, or the whole ship's contingent.  It's easy to settle on what feels right for you...it's trying to keep your focus on what's right for THEM that makes the difference."

Cain accepts the gentle brotherly gesture and clearly ponders Vance's advice and nods, "... make it right for your men.  A lot to think about, thanks Vance. You do that part well. I think I'm ready to get back in the game... so I'd best get on with those mission reports and patrol schedule I'm behind in?"

His expression shifts a bit considering something that just occurred to him, "Uhm.. Hows Lt. Moriya doing?  She taking the uncertainty of her parents ok?"
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 17:37, Mon 22 Apr 2019.

Vance grinned a little awkwardly.  "She's...well...I hesitate to use the word, because it's got some negative connotations, but 'giddy' is the closest thing I can think of to describe it."  He added, hastily, "I don't mean she's walking around giggling at everything and constantly loopy...but she's smiled more in the past few days than I think she has for the past six months."

He sighed, and added, "I hope like hell they ARE alive, because if they aren't..."  He didn't finish the thought,  but the look in his eyes said plenty.

The ship's PA chimed for attention, before the XO's voice came over.  "Lt. Commander Hardy, Lt. Moriya, Lt. Edwards, Chief Bixby...please report to the Captain's Ready Room in fifteen minutes."  With an audible click, the message ended.

Cain reflexively looks up at the speaker and smirks, "I guess that means us, 'coffee breaks' over ~ back to Hell!"

He takes a deep breath, "I'll take some time and ask Lt Moriya about it next time I get her someplace social... ask her how she is Really doing?  A jr. officer can ask things a superior might be... mistaken as inappropriate attention sometimes when gender is involved perhaps?  Maybe I can get her to talk about it... but let's see what the brass want!"

Cain led the way to the Captain's Ready Room... hoping he did not smell of too much alcohol.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:08, Sun 14 July 2019.

Vance looked up in surprise at the PA announcement, then nodded to Cain.  "You've also got the added 'in' of her being your squadron leader, so it's reasonable for you to check and see how she's doing...I mean, her decisions definitely have an effect on you."

He followed along with Cain, starting out a step behind and shortly dropping into pace alongside him, all the way to the Ready Room.

"Wonder what this is about...?" he muttered softly to Cain, as they approached the door.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 18:00, Fri 16 Aug 2019.

Before they could continue their conversation, the announcement came over the PA.  Wondering what, exactly, the reason for the summons of the exact same team who flew the Mars mission would be, and not wanting to jump to any conclusions, Hanako smiled up at Bixby and said, "Well, we do not want to keep her waiting.  We should get going."

As she heads out, she turns to look back up at him and adds, "I am sure there are already enough rumors about me going about.  Being late for a briefing does not need to be one of them."

Cain, smirked at Vance muttering softly in reply, 'Probably to complain about their lack of intel on the SDF - 01.  I promise not to say I told you so... afterward!'

The twinkle in his eyes and the lopsided grin  on his face made his teasing jab at Vance's decision NOT to make contact with the SDF crew clear the jest in the remark.  Still, he raised his open hands to ward off the expect elbow to the ribs he was ready for in reply.

Entering he took his usual seat at the Very front of the briefing seats... his gungho serious expression back to normal.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:11, Fri 16 Aug 2019.

Bixby gave a distracted look.  "Rumors?" he asked, sounding uncommonly bewildered.  "Who listens to rumors?  If anyone in charge around here did, I never would have made it out here...I'd be back on Earth in some little cubicle, crunching numbers for ideas from guys who have no idea what combat actually is."  He shrugged, dismissively.

"But it's not wise to keep Keyes waiting.  She has a vindictive streak that you do not want to see..."  He followed right on Hanako's tail as she headed for the Ready Room...

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

The Ranger's XO was in an inscrutable mood...it seemed as though she couldn't decide whether to be annoyed, pleased, resigned, or laugh at whatever it was that had her attention.  "Sit, sit..." she said, as she came into the room.  "No time for formalities...although some of you would do well to pay a little more attention to grooming..."  She specifically avoided looking at Cain.

"UEDF Command has acknowledged our report about your Mars mission...and despite our assurances that we're heading back to Earth orbit as fast as the Ranger and her escorts can manage, they've ordered the four of you to proceed at once to rendezvous with a special envoy at Moon Base Alice.  Your fighters should get you there a day ahead of us..."  Whatever was annoying her seemed related to that fact, as the annoyance became more pronounced.

"Furthermore, once you depart short-range comms distance, you are ordered to radio silence.  No one will explain why...and they won't tell us why they've ordered us to cease any additional reports we may have about the status of the SDF-1."  The annoyance was in full bloom at this point.  She paused, taking a deep breath and letting it out in a sigh that bled off the rising manic energy of her mood.

"If you have any questions, you're free to ask.  I'm not terribly certain I've got any answers."

Cain was silent for a bit... considering what the XO had just said, not said and implied... intentionally or unintentionally.

Then he frowned as his mind went... dark places.

"Excuse me ma'am.. but yes you do. You just need to think a little more... cynically about it all.  It all adds up."

"Who is in charge of Earth right now?  Yes, the UEDF.  But what happens if there really IS an alien force of invaders?  What military holds command position?  That's right.. the RDF.  The entire reason for the peace of the Global Civil War was for the defense of Earth in the face of potential alien invaders.  But politics is STILL politics and a lot of those East-Block bureaucrats and military high ministers jockeyed into the positions they are in using the threat of an imminent alien invasion to cut through rule of law and or people's vote to hammer themselves into support control positions of power all under the auspices of supporting the RDF which is really 'the last best hope of mankind'; all perfectly legal and above board if you get the UN to suspend certain self-governance policies of the supporting nations... using fear mongering and a propaganda media blitz to hail in, finally, a Untied Earth Government... which is really only those powerful autocrats writing themselves into positions of power legitimized by the threat to all humanity."

"But now.. the threat has shown up and it's time to yield those reins of power to the RDF...is there any wonder they would be.. aheh.. reluctant to do that?  But luck on luck... Captain Gloval gave them a clear path to do so.. when the SDF-01 vanished mysteriously.. leaving only a smoking hole in the pacific!  Those bureaucrats could not have asked for a better excuse.  The SDF-01 vanished without a trace and the majority of the RDF forces with it! Hell that just handed them the Earth on a platter.  Plus the Aliens invaders seem only interested in the Battle fortress so ... why not let them have it?"

"So yeah, they want the Captain to stop broadcasting info about the SDF-01 as they are abandoning them to the aliens.. after all they all got what they wanted control of earth!  And since the aliens all followed the SDF-01 into space away from earth... they probably have have not even told the Earth in general that aliens have even shown up.. I mean they can couch that in all the claims of  ~ 'Well we don't want to start a world-wide panic', but its been months now.. don't you find it interesting no ships even probes have been ordered to locate and make contact with the SDF-01?"

"Yes its a cover up.. how could they possibly be at fault for the SDF-01 vanishing?  'How unfortunate... I guess meddling with alien technology as some of the far left wing loonies were want to warn years ago had merit. So Sad, ah well maybe its for the best anyways.'  They are going to abandon the SDF-01 to the aliens."

"Why call us back ahead of the RANGER?  Cause WE are the only ones who can corroborate that the SDF-01 is still around and coming back to Earth... information they do not want getting out!  Yeah they are going to throw us into the deepest blackest hole they can find ...easy enough on the moon until the whole thing is over in that the aliens leave or the SDF-01 is destroyed.  And they will threaten the Captain with subtle career ending consequences when he arrives to shut him up about it too!  After all, the witnesses ~ US, to the SDF-01 being intact will be in THEIR custody and they can ruin his name without the evidence of our testimony if he doesn't play ball."

"Basically 'WE're fucked.. ma'am.  Thrown under the bus is just the start of it.  We'll be lucky to leave the moon alive."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:50, Sat 24 Aug 2019.

Vance scowled a little bit as he considered what Cain was saying...but he had a hard time buying that particular slant.  "If they were going to try and shut us up, why not just have us report to UEDF HQ on Earth?  Why send us to a moon base under RDF control?" he asked, shaking his head slightly.

"And it's hard to threaten an officer with a painful end to his career when he's basically in command of your primary orbital defenses.  I mean, I know politicians can be short-sighted and all, but Captain Wilson's never showed any interest in doing anything besides protecting the planet...no politicking for a more influential position or expressing any sort of aspirations for a position of greater power.  I suppose they COULD try and take the Ranger away from him...but that'd be a hard sell."

He pulled on one earlobe as he thought for a moment.  "They want us to report...but they don't want to run the risk of our report getting leaked somewhere on Earth.  We don't get the planetary news reports up here, but from what my family says in the few letters they write, nobody on Earth knows the SDF-1 still exists...they've all been told the official news story, that it was destroyed, along with a big chunk of Macross Island, by some kind of terrorist action that blew up the ship."

He shrugged.  "Maybe they're trying to figure out just how to break the news to people, and need whatever details they can get from us to help them formulate their plan?"  He didn't sound particularly convinced by his own theory...but to him, it sounded more plausible than a global conspiracy to silence the RDF in order to retain power.  As it was, if the RDF decided to, they had enough military power to carry out a global coup and take the reins...the UEDF had precious few assets that could attack anything sub-orbital or higher, and the Robotech forces' Veritechs could outperform most of the other fighters on the planet...it would be just plain stupid on their part to set a power struggle in motion.