[RommieSG]

I started writing this over at Moon Spinners but I thought that I'd share it over here as well.

This is the story of a Veritech Fighter Pilot, and the diary/journal of his exploits through time. Now some things may not corrolate with the timeline of Robotech/Macross, and some things may seem eerily similar to the series, as well as 'Robotech: Battlecry' which is the Video Game based on Robotech.

I'm just writing this for fun. And to bring the muse back to me, that has gone far away from me. Please be gentle.

Rommie

This post has been edited by RommieSG: 22 May 2004 - 12:01 AM

[RommieSG]

My name is Ryan Burke, and I’m a pilot in the Robotech Defense Force. After what happened today, I figured I should start keeping a record of what transpires. You never know if it’s going to be the only remaining record after this is all said and done. But I’m getting ahead of myself here. It’s best to start at the beginning.

Ten years ago, I was nothing more than a mercenary pilot. There was a big war going on all over the place, and luckily there was no job shortage when it came to a pilot that could fly a fighter jet. It took me a long time to get used to it. But I didn’t care what side won, or what happened afterwards. Because I knew that not long after one war ended, another one would start up again. But that all came to an abrupt end.

One night, as I was camped out for the night in Lebanon, I was lying next to my plane and looking up at the stars. Out of nowhere came what looked like a big fireball in the sky. The thing was huge. I passed it off as a falling meteor, and not long after the fact, I fell asleep. It wasn’t until the next day that I found out that it was a giant spaceship that had landed on some island in the Pacific. A few days later, all sides of the war declared a cease-fire. The possible threat of invaders from beyond was far more important than the threat of domestic invaders.

Work dried up for a mercenary pilot, and after a couple years, I had found my way to Macross Island, the island where the giant spaceship had landed. As I laid my own eyes upon it, I could tell why I could see it when it landed. The ship was over three quarters of a mile long, and was taller than any building I had ever seen. I had come to Macross, because there was a demand for workers to help rebuild this massive ship. The scientists that were studying the ship, dubbed the technology that they found within it ‘Robotechnology’. I was a layman when it came to all that technical stuff, but the scientist people seemed really excited about it.

A town was being built along the outskirts of the ship, and I was renting an apartment in one of the few buildings. It wasn’t anything to look at, and it certainly wasn’t much to live in either, but it gave me shelter and that’s all I cared about. One day, I got a knock on my door, which surprised me, as I didn’t know anyone in this town. Or so I thought.

I opened the door, and was surprised to see Roy Fokker standing on the other side. I had met him on more than one occasion when flying as a mercenary. Sometimes we were on the same side, and sometimes we flew against each other. In the end, we became friends, and kept in touch from time to time. It had been five years since I had seen him last.

I invited him in, and over a couple of beers he began telling me the real reason he had come to see me. I happen to have an eidetic memory, so I remember the conversation vividly.

“Ryan, I didn’t come over here for free beer. I came, because I’ve got an offer for you. One that I don’t think you’ll be able to pass up.”

“I knew it had to be more than beer for you to look me up, Roy. What’s this irresistible offer all about?”

He began telling me about this new fighter, called a Veritech. From what he said, its abilities far surpassed what any other fighter of today could do. It was developed from the Robotechnology that the scientists were working on with the SDF-01. Oh, that’s what they decided to name the ship. ‘The Super Dimensional Fortress’.

His offer sounded interesting, but I wasn’t going to be convinced on words alone.

”I knew you were going to say something like that. So I’ve arranged for a little test flight in the morning. Bring your helmet, and an open mind. You won’t believe it until you see it.”

I never knew Roy Fokker to understate anything before, and I don’t think he was about to start now. So I told him that I’d meet him at the airfield the next morning, and saw him to the door.

I remember not being able to sleep well that night. I had butterflies in my stomach. I felt excited about what I was going to be doing the next morning. It sounded interesting, and I admit to feeling like a kid waiting to play with a new toy. Either way, it would give me the opportunity to fly again.

[RommieSG]

The next morning, I got up bright and early. There was no sense in wasting time, and keeping Fokker waiting wouldn't have been a good thing either. I grabbed a taxi, and made my way to the airbase that was situated near the SDF-01.

I checked in with the gate guard, and they were already expecting me. Roy didn't pull out any stops. He must have really wanted me to check this fighter out. I was led to an area that had a line of what seemed like F-14 Tomcats. If this was what Roy wanted to show me, then I was starting to get confused. We pulled up inbetween these two fighters, and out of the cockpit of one, was none other than Fokker.

"Hey Ryan, good to see you made it. I was starting to wonder if you'd come at all. You know it's been daylight for some time now."

I simply chuckled at him. You forget, Roy. For the past five years or so, I've actually had a life."

Roy smirked at me, and then pointed to the fighter on his left. "Well, there she is. The Veritech fighter. This is the VT-10 model, mostly used for trainees. I figured I'd give you this one, until you're more familiar with the controls. Then we'll move you up to the VF-1J...."

"Wait a minute Fokker, you're talking as though you've already signed me up for something. I'm just here to check out this fighter you wanted me to see."

Now it was Roy's turn to chuckle, "Just wishful thinking I guess. I think that once you see what this can do, you'll want to join up in a snap. But see for yourself, hop on in."

Raising an eyebrow at Roy, I didn't hesitate and climbed the ladder up into the cockpit. He climbed up and sat in the RIO position. The controls were quite advanced from what I was used to, so he checked me out on them. It didn't take long before I felt confident enough to work them on my own.

"Well then Ryan, I'll bet you're eager to see how these babies handle in the air. I'll go hop into my Veritech, and we'll do just that. For radio purposes, you'll be Skull Two for now."

I couldn't help but shake my head. Even in an established military force, he was still known as Skull One.

"SDF-01 control, this is Skull One on runway two-niner. Request permission for takeoff."

"Skull One, this is SDF-01 Control, you are clear for takeoff on runway two-niner. Flight plan has been approved for you and your wingman."

"Roger that Control, taking off now."

After Fokker checked his wingflaps, he accelerated the fighter, and in the blink of an eye was airborne. The design of his plane, accurately reflected his callsign, as the Skull Leader. I powered up my engines, and taxied the veritech onto the same runway that he had taken off from.

"SDF-01 control, this is Skull Two on runway two-niner. Request permission for takeoff."

"Skull Two, this is SDF-01 control. You are clear for takeoff on runway two-niner. As you are a civilian, please take care of your fighter."

"Roger that, SDF-01, I'll do my best."

I checked my wingflaps, gunned the engines, and before I knew it, I was once again flying high above the skies of Macross Island. It felt great just to be up in the air again, in any form. Maybe Roy was right. I'd fall in love with flying again, and be begging him to join up....in whatever he was in......little did I know, there was far more ahead of me than I could imagine.

[RommieSG]

As I flew through the skies, high above Macross Island, I couldn't believe the power that this fighter had within it. The thrust had a higher output than an F-14 could ever dream of having. And she handled as well as any fighter I had ever flown before. I was cutting through the clouds as they were never there.

"If you're done flying around like a hotdog, then perhaps you'd like to....."

"Hold on, Roy. I want to see how this baby takes a climb!"

Before Roy could stop me, I pulled back on the control stick and brought the fighter into a steep climb, reaching higher into the skies.

"You damned idiot! That fighter wasn't prepped for those sorts of maneuvers yet! This was only supposed to be a test flight!"

Before I knew it, the fighter was losing power, and then I was freefalling down towards the city, with no way to stop.

"Roy, I've lost power. I can't regain control of the fighter. I'm gonna have to eject!"

"Oh no you're not Burke. Now you listen to me, and wait for my signal. When I give it to you, I want you to pull the lever on your left side marked 'B'."

"What the hell does that stand for? Plan B? Cause I sure as hell need one right now."

"Don't be a smartass Burke. Just be glad that I'm not chewing you out for not listening to me to begin with....okay you're almost at the right altitude........okay, pull the lever!!"

I pulled the lever almost immediately as Roy told me too. I was a little hesitant as to what it would do. Suddenly, the fighter seemed to lurch all around me. It seemed to be.....transforming into something.

"Fokker! What the hell is going on!"

Before he was able to tell me, the fighter...or whatever it was, tumbled to the ground, and began to roll around in an open area in the outskirts of the city. Eventually, it came to a stop, though my head was still rattling around in my head.

"Are you all right in there, Ryan?"

I wasn't sure how to answer him to be honest, "My head is spinning like a ferris wheel. What the hell happened?"

"Look on your forward monitor."

I turned my head to look at the forward monitor, and my eyes grew wide. There, standing before me, was what seemed like a giant robot, only it was painted similar to what Roy's fighter looked like.

"I'll say it again. Fokker, what the hell is going on?"