ROBOTECH

DESERTION

By Brian McAfee

The following is based on Robotech created and owned by Harmony Gold USA Inc.  This story is created as Fan Fiction, for the enjoyment of fans, without any thought of profit for the author.

Special thanks to my wife Stephanie for all her help in this endeavour.  Thanks also to all my gamers who inspired this story.

Special acknowledgement also goes to the Robotech Technical Files by Pieter Thomassen and Peter Walker.


    History may judge me a traitor.  My friends will think I have betrayed them, deserted them.  That’s what I thought as I prepared to do what I felt had to be done.  But the truth of it all is that the opinions of others have no bearing on what is right and what is wrong.

                                                                  The Collected Journals of Commander Robert Farino 



Chapter 1

    High above Tirol, two groups of REF starships prepared for departure.  The larger group was composed of hundreds of warships.  Garfish troop transport ships clustered near the much larger Ikazuchi command carriers in preparation for the space fold operation that would take them to Earth.  They would fight to free their home world from the clutches of the Invid.  The smaller group, consisting of one massive Izumo class battleship, four Ikazuchi class ships and nine Garfish, was preparing to depart on a mission to hunt down the Robotech Factory Satellite which had escaped the battle above Peryton.  If the Robotech Masters were able to use the Factory to build a new fleet of starships, they could retake this part of the galaxy and rebuild their empire.
    The Izumo class battleship, UES Repulse, looking like a 1400 hundred meter long metallic brick floating in the blackness of space with three enormous outriggers, one on each side and one beneath, was led by Commander Robert Farino.  Robert’s mind had not been on the mission lately.  He sat through briefings and reports, but he found it difficult to focus.  Today, he sat at a table in the chow hall, eating with his second in command, Lt. Commander Nape.
    Nape asked, “So how do you plan to find the Masters?”
    Robert, daydreaming again, missed Nape’s question and Nape had to ask again.
    “I don’t really know where to start, what do you think?” Robert asked.
    “Maybe we could find some clues back on Peryton,” Nape suggested.
    “Sounds good.  Let’s do that,” Robert agreed, unable to come up with anything better.
    Robert’s thoughts these last few days were of Gia, the Invid princess whom he had captured on Peryton and subsequently fallen love with.  He dwelt upon the stories she had told him of the interrogations, and the experiments the REF and Dr. Lang had put her through.  He knew that his constant effort was the only reason her treatment had not been any worse, and he shuddered to think what would happen to her after he was gone.
    He found that he couldn’t focus on the mission, and Nape had mentioned it on more than one occasion.  Robert started to feel that he might be more of a liability to this mission than an asset, unless he could get Gia out of his mind and focus.  Thousands of lives were in his hands, and this mission if it failed could allow the Robotech Masters to start rebuilding their empire.  They may even threaten Earth one day.
    Robert knew that he had to do something soon.  He looked at Nape, and saw not only a friend, but a capable commander.  Nape had carried Robert through the last few weeks.  Maybe he could lead the mission on his own.
     All his life, Robert had been a military man.  The REF was all he knew and duty was as necessary to him as breathing.  How could he possibly be considering abandoning the mission for personal reasons?  But Gia needed him.  Without Robert's constant protection, Gia would probably have disappeared into the underground laboratories of the Robotechnology department a long time ago, never to be seen again.  She was an alien, an Invid, the enemy.  She had no rights, and Robert and his friends were the only advocates she had.  If he left her, he knew there was a real chance she would...  He didn't even want to think about it.
    Robert decided it was time to finally take action.  He stood up from the table and told Nape he was going down to visit Gia.
    “You’ve been spending a lot of time with her lately,” Nape said.  “You’ve got to focus.  This mission is too important.”
    “I know,” Robert replied, “but I’ve got to do this.  Once it‘s done, this mission will be back in capable hands.  I promise.”
    “Do what you have to do.  I’ll make sure all the departure preparations are finished on time,” said Nape.
    “I know you will.  I can always depend on you, my friend,” Robert said with a smile, and he turned and headed out of the chow hall.   
    As Nape walked toward the bridge, he thought What the hell is he thinking.  This really has gotten out of hand.  We are preparing for a fold operation that could take us into combat, and he's down there with that Invid again.  I think he's probably spent more time with her in the last week than he has on his own ship.  What does he expect me to do?  We can't leave without him! 
    Of course, Nape would never say this aloud.  He wouldn’t undermine the authority of his commander.
    When he arrived on the bridge, he was told that they would be prepared to fold in just under two hours.
    "Sir, shall I recall the commander?" asked a communications engineer from her station.
    "No, corporal Jennings.  He's the boss.  Whatever he wants is what he gets," Nape answered.  "Just hold the countdown ‘till he gets back.  I have a feeling we're going to be departing a bit late."

     Down on Tirol, Robert talked the guard into letting Gia out for a walk.  He had been able to do this a few times before, and although their walks were closely supervised, Gia really appreciated the time out of her cell.  Robert’s fame from the recent Perytonian mission helped to get him favors like this.  Today it was particularly easy to talk the guard into letting her out since Robert was leaving today and this would be the last time he would see her for who knew how long. 
    Robert didn’t say much as they walked.  He seemed so distant.  He held Gia’s hand as she was returned to her cell in the detention area of REF headquarters.  As the guard locked her cell door, Gia knew something was wrong.  Robert didn't even look at her.  He seemed so distant, deep in thought.  He looked around the room, his eyes never resting long on any one thing.  She hesitated to disturb him, but this was the last time they would be together.  After he left here he would be departing with his task force to hunt down the Robotech Masters.
    "Robert, what's wrong?" Gia asked.
    "Oh, I'm just thinking about something," Robert replied.
    "Well, I guess this is our final goodbye.  I don't suppose we will see each other again after this.  At least not for a long time," Gia said sadly.
    Robert continued to look at things other than Gia.  He looked around the cell block, at what she couldn't be sure.  He looked the guard over more than once.  Then it came to her in a flash.  She watched his gaze dart from the security cameras, to the guards weapons and she knew what he was thinking.  She called him close and gave him a hug through the bars of her cell door.
    "Gia, I think I will be coming to visit you one more time before I depart," Robert said.
    "Don't do it," she whispered.
    He kissed her and turned to the guard.
    "I'm ready," Robert said and the guard escorted him out of the detention area.
   
    Robert walked back to the landing pad where his shuttle was waiting.  The columns and steps of the Tiresian buildings were strikingly beautiful in the light of the setting sun which cast long shadows in the evening light.  The city was looking better than it had in a hundred years.  The REF had cleaned the place up during their time here and the population had a pride in their city that they had never felt before.  They weren’t just clones anymore, they had lives again.  They were people.
    Robert noticed none of it.  His mind was finally focused for the first time in weeks.  He concentrated on planning what he was going to do in the next two hours.  He checked his watch again and again as he walked, calculating in his mind just how long each step of his plan would take.  His timing had to be perfect.
    Once onboard the shuttle, he began to write.  He pulled out a pin from his flight suit pocket and got some paper from the flight crew.  When he finished, he sat back in his chair.  He was calm, collected, and resolved to what he was about to do.
    The tower cleared Robert’s shuttle for departure.  As the Horizont climbed into the evening sky, the engines glowed brightly in the fading light of the sunset.   Eventually, the blackness of space filled Robert’s view port.
    With all his preparations made, he was no longer nervous, or anxious or distracted.  He sat back and enjoyed the brief calm before the storm.
    The Horizont set down on the hangar deck of the Repulse.  Robert exited the shuttle and went straight over to the maintenance officer.
    "Lieutenant, I want you to prepare a shadow alpha for immediate launch.  As for munitions, here's what I want it loaded with," Robert said, and handed the lieutenant a list.
    "Aye sir, we'll get right on it," the lieutenant answered.
    "Make it fast, and keep it quiet."
    "I'll put my best man on it, sir," he said and then shouted, "Fredricks, get 852 ready for launch ASAP, and load it like this."
    "Yes sir!" Fredricks said as he ran over and took the list then proceeded to prep the fighter for launch.
    Robert went to the locker room and opened locker number one.  Locker number one was a bit larger than the rest, and was reserved for the ship’s captain.  He donned a suit of CVR-3 armor.  First he slipped his feet into the bulky metallic boots and clasped the thigh guards in place.  He slowly and deliberately locked the breastplate around his chest.  Then he latched the forearm guards on and reached for his helmet.
    This is it.  If I do this there is no turning back, he thought to himself.  Then he pulled the helmet on.  The padding was a tight fit, but comfortable.  He took a long breath as if preparing to dive into the deep end of a pool and closed his helmet visor with a sharp slap.
    When he emerged from the locker room, the shadow alpha was ready for launch.  As he climbed into the cockpit, he handed another note to the lieutenant and instructed him to give it to Nape.  He closed the canopy and fired up the propulsion system.  The engines screamed to life and twin jets of blue flame pushed the shadow fighter out into the vacuum of space.
    As Robert's fighter descended toward the planet, he could see the capitol city was covered by clouds.  A storm had moved in and lightning flashed sporadically around him as he descended.  He headed straight for REF headquarters.  Air traffic control did not call him, nor did the REF's defenses activate.  They did not detect his approach.  The shadow fighter's stealth systems were working perfectly.  The REF did not expect that they would have to combat their own creation.

    Gia paced nervously back and forth in her small cell, wondering what Robert would do.  Lightning flickered through the window of her cell and she heard an ominous crash of thunder.  She had no idea of the scale of his plan. 
    Then the ground shook and she heard something large and heavy come to rest outside the building.  She looked out the small barred window of her cell and in the darkness she made out the shape of a large black mecha in battloid mode running toward her cell. 
    The mecha's external speaker blared, "Gia, get away from the wall!"  Gia complied and seconds later, the alpha's metallic hand broke through the concrete wall of her cell.  Robert transformed his mecha into guardian mode and, lowering the nose to the ground, he opened the canopy.  He could hear the alarm sound as Gia ran to him.  She climbed into the cockpit with him and sat in his lap as the canopy closed just in time to save them from a hail of bullets.  The guards were firing their side arms at the mecha, but with little effect. 
    Robert fired a volley of smoke missiles at the detention building.  They did no damage, but provided excellent cover for him to make his escape.  "Hold on!" he shouted to Gia as they lifted off and transformed to fighter mode, heading straight up into the cloudy night sky.  Another bolt of lightning lit up the sky for a brief instant and then they were gone.
    "Robert!  You should not have done this!  What do you hope to accomplish?  Where will we..."
    "Not now!  We've got company!"  Robert cut Gia off when his radar indicated that three alphas were lifting off to pursue him.
    So long as he stayed in the clouds, he was safe.  The shadow alpha couldn’t be detected on radar, and the clouds prevented him being seen visually.  However, he couldn’t stay long.  The clock was ticking and he had to get on with the next step in his plan.  He flew straight up and made a run for the blackness of space, but the alphas were waiting above the cloud deck and saw his escape.
    As soon as they were well out of the atmosphere, Robert spun his fighter 180 degrees about and flew straight at the three alphas that were rising to meet him.
    "This is foolish!  We're going to die!" Gia yelled.
    "No we're not…  We're going home," Robert said calmly.  So calmly that Gia was immediately put at ease.
    As soon as they were in range, Robert fired a huge volley of missiles.  In fact, he fired every missile he had left.
    The alphas transformed into guardian mode and fired at the swarm of missiles as they approached in the hope that if they could explode one missile, the rest might detonate.
    Several missiles were hit, but to the surprise of the pilots of the pursuit fighters, they did not explode.  Seconds later, the missiles impacted the three alphas.  All three fully expected to be dead, but to their relief, they were fine.  No damage, no injuries.
    One of the wingmen called the lead fighter.  "Sir, what the hell just happened?  I can't see out of my canopy.  All my sensors are offline as well."
    "That's because those were fire retardant missiles.  We're covered in foam.  This guy's a genius.  He knew he couldn't beat us, so he's blinded us while he gets away," the lead pilot said with grudging admiration.
    The three alpha’s, blinded by the foam, floated in space.  All they could do was wait for a ship to come pick them up.

    Robert turned and headed right toward the Jupiter Division fleet.  With any luck they would not detect his approach.
    Gia was still thinking about what Robert had said earlier.  She asked, "What did you mean about us going home.  How can we be going home?  I don't understand."
    "Your home, my home.  Same thing.  Right?" Robert asked.
    Gia was puzzled.  "You mean the Earth.  We're going to Earth?  How?"
    "Yeah, I saw this in a movie a long time ago.  I think it might work.  Watch this," Robert said with a grin.
    The Shadow Alpha approached one of the Ikazuchi Command Carriers in the Jupiter Division fleet.  Careful to avoid any external view ports so that nobody on board would see them, he set the fighter down on the skin of the ship, looked at his watch and said, "Time to go!"
    Suddenly, space went from darkness to brilliant light as the Jupiter Division fleet began their fold operation.  Robert and Gia were on their way to Earth. 
   
    Nape listened in shock as reports of Gia's jailbreak came over the communications channels.  He instantly knew who was behind it.  He fell back into the captain's chair and pounded the arm rests.
    Under his breath, Nape said, "Dammit Robert.  You've thrown your career and probably your whole life away.  And what am I supposed to do?"
    As if to answer his question, he was handed the note that Robert instructed the maintenance officer to give him.  He read it to himself.

    Nape,

        By the time you read this, it will all be done.  You and I both know I am in no condition to lead this mission.  The slightest mistake could have drastic consequences.  I have thought it through and I feel that I must do this.  If all works out, I will be fine, and so will she.  I love her, and I can't leave her here to be a guinea pig for those REF bastards.  I'm taking her home.
        You're in command now.  I have great faith in you.  I'm sure you will accomplish the mission.  You must forget about me and focus on the job you have before you.  Give the Masters hell, my friend.  And who knows, maybe I will see you again some day.

                            Robert



    Nape crumpled the note into a ball and threw it across the bridge, where it struck the view screen and fell to the floor.  In a disappointed tone, he commanded, "Resume countdown.  Prepare for fold operation." 






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