Rick

by

Lisa was depressed. Flight schedules spilled to the ground around her. She had so much work to do. At least she didn't have the entire pilot population requesting time off for Miss Macross' birthday party anymore. She bent down to gather up the wayward sheets. It would have been so much simpler if she had gotten her wish and died on Mars. But no, Rick Hunter had to blast his way in and snatch away her chance at peace. And now he was a lieutenant for it. A decorated lieutenant.

Now Lisa was mad. "Well that's better than depressed. I think," thought Lisa. Rick now had a squadron of his own. No longer under the direct guidance and steadying influence of Roy Fokker. Was Rick really ready for the job? He was an excellent pilot she had to admit to herself, but he could say the most annoying things.

"Sour puss," Lisa said out loud. What was it that Sammy said? "Lecher." Lisa smiled. Well she knew he wasn't really a lecher, but what was he doing in that store? It *was* kind of cute how he tended to say the wrong things under pressure. In hindsight anyway.

"Maybe he'll grow into the position," hoped Lisa. Rick reminded her a lot of a puppy with paws that were just too big. Clumsy, beguiling, and chewing on your shoes the moment you weren't looking. Open. Unassuming. Lovable. Lisa stopped. "Where did that come from?"

Now Lisa was confused. "Some progress," she sighed. She looked up. There was Lt. Rick Hunter walking down the corridor on a direct intercept course with her.

Lisa had no idea what to do next, so she quickly looked back down and focused on cleaning up the mess she had made. She noticed out of the corner of her eye, that Rick had made his way to her until he was standing right in front of her. << Hmm...he keeps his shoes polished, maybe there's hope for him after all >> she thought to herself somewhat bemused.

"It looks like you have yourself a little mess here Commander." said Rick with mild amusement.

"Thank you for stating the obvious, Lieutenant." answered a faintly annoyed Lisa.

The next thing she knew was that Rick had bended down to help her clean up. She looked at him and gave a small smile, she didn't know what to think at that moment, all she knew that her heart beated a little faster.

"Thank you Lieutenant" said Lisa with a smile.

He looked at her for a moment and she took that silent moment to look at him a little closer. << Handsome >> she thought. << Nice smile >> he thought.

"Hey there Rick!" said a cheerful and friendly voice. It was Roy Fokker. "Oh, I'm sorry am I interrupting something?" asked Roy.

Both Rick and Lisa blushed, "No" both of them answered, almost in unison.

Roy wore an amused grin. Roy made himself a mental note: remember to mention this little encounter to Claudia.

"I'm surprised you guys are ripping each other to pieces right now," said Roy with a laugh.

"Uhh...well...we are at a truce right now, I guess," said Rick as he shyly smiled at Lisa. Not noticing that Roy already has gone.

He sincerely hoped that was the case anyway. She did just smile at him. But was there anyone alive who had started off on a worse foot with their commanding officer than him? Well here was a chance to fix things and show her he really was capable of handling his own squadron. He hadn't quite convinced himself yet, but...

"Thank you for helping, Lt.," said Lisa holding out her hand.

"Uh, sure, no problem," said Rick, staring at her hand. Rick's mind raced, "What am I supposed to do? Don't goof this up, Hunter." He had just decided to reach out and shake her hand when it flashed through his head, "Papers! She wants her papers!" Rick handed Lisa the papers with a relieved smile. "Whew, that was close," he thought.

Lisa received the papers with a bemused smile. She had no idea what caused Rick's expression to progress through surprise, sheer panic, realization, and relief, but it was amusing to watch.

"Uh! Commander, about the scene the other day, I want to apologize,I don't have excuse for my behavior".

Lisa could not believe that Rick came all this way, only to apologize, but, for what he was apologizing? She could only manage to stare at him, like requesting more information.

"Well," Rick continued. "When I rescue you on Mars Sara Base, uh, well you gave me a direct order to leave you behind, and I didn't obey your orders."

Lisa only smiled. "It's OK Lt., I guess I was a little depressed at the moment, knowing that I was going to destroy the base where my... ahem... my father worked so hard, but you don't needed to apologize, you did a good work, and you got a promotion" Lisa started to feel upset.

"Well, yes. It really was a surprise for me, I didn't expected all this" Rick replied, trying to cheer up Lisa since he noticed her change of mood.

"Would you like to go to the park?" asked Rick thinking hard at what might brighten Lisp's mood. "There's supposed to be concert in an hour or so."

"I'm sorry, Rick," said Lisa looking down at the papers they had just gathered up. "I have to compile these flight reports, and I don't even have them all from everyone yet."

"You could do them in the park. Before the concert," offered Rick. "I'll run around and get the ones you're missing while you go to the park and save us a good spot to sit. You can start on the reports and be half way done by the time I get there."

"Work on the flight reports in the park?" wondered Lisa, a doubtful expression played across her face. "Weird! But kind of nice. Sort of synonymous with Rick Hunter?"

"I guess ..." Lisa said slowly trying to figure out if it would really work.

"Great, hand me your checklist, and I'll get the delinquent ones. There weren't that many. I saw it in the papers I picked up."

Lisa found her checklist and gave it to Rick who dashed off. "See you at the park," he called as he disappeared down the corridor.

Lisa stared for a moment then turned in the direction of the park.

"I must be nuts," she muttered as she walked away.

Roy, who seemed to have camouflaged himself during all this, peeled himself from the wall, smiled, and said, "Definitely something to mention to Claudia."

Later in the park, Lisa found a free bench, and saw the musicians setting up everything for the concert.

"I must be nuts," repeated to herself all the way to the park, "Why I accepted his invitation? Well, his kinda handsome, and he was very nice helping me with the reports, sincerely he has changed a lot after he joined the RDF, but I don't know I still feel him something distant, like if he has something to hide, in the past...." suddenly Lisa started to think in her lost fiancee Karl Riber.

"Hello Lisa" greeted Claudia, "I thought you were busy checking the flight reports."

.....

"Lisa??" repeated Claudia.

"Eh??, Oh. Hi Claudia," responded Lisa. "Sorry I didn't notice you before, I was.... just thinking"

"Oh c'mon, tell ol' Claudia. What is bothering you?"

"Oh, it's nothing?"

"Well, when you feel that we need to talk, then let me know, OK girl?"

"Sure, and what are you doing here?" asked Lisa.

"Oh, Roy asked me to come to the concert and he set up to meet me here?"

"And, how is your relationship with Roy? I see that you get along very well?" Inquired Lisa.

"Well must of the part, we do, but there are sometimes that he scares me, specially when he goes out to battle, I think that he takes that flying more like a game, and several time we touch that topic, we get into a hot discussion that even that I tell him that I am worried about him, he ensure me that nothing is going to happen to him, and so on" answered Claudia "I think is part of our relationship, is not always a sweet dream"

"Talking about Big Brother, look who's coming" thought Claudia, watching Rick that was just walking in to the park.

"Hello,.... uh... Commander here are the flight reports that you requested" said Rick, passing the files to her.

"At ease Rick" answered Lisa, "Thank you very much for your help."

"No problem, Hello Claudia"

"Hello Rick," replied Claudia, "Well Lisa, I must leave now, and don't forget about the talking OK, Good bye." waved Claudia, she start to walk away and think to herself "Here is something to mention Roy."

This story originally was initiated by posts on the robotech-fanfic mailing list, under the banner ot Round Robin Rick. I just take all the parts and put them together.

According to some critics, this is a poor attempt to create a Rick and Lisa relationship, but I do not have any plans to review it or fix it. This is only to store a good attempt to create a fanfic.

If you want to contribute to this story, send your contribution to the following e-mail: macross@mx1.ibm.com and please tell me if you don't want your name in the credits.

Last update by November 1st, 1998