Chapter 18

"Pregnant?" Tony hissed, just loud enough for David to hear. "You've got to be kidding!" 

"Would I lie to you?" David asked, casting a glance back at Lauren and Charles, who were deep into a discussion of their own. His gaze drifted among the colorful buildings that lined the street they were walking down. "There was some sort of computer error. It kept saying that I was pregnant." 

"Is there something you haven't been telling me, boss?" Tony chuckled to himself. "You seem to have had an interesting day, at least." 

"How about you? Find out anything?" 

Tony sighed. "Well, turns out that the EVE system is a huge supercomputer system that can't be moved without several forklifts. The computer is tied in to holographic projection systems throughout the interior of the ship." 

"Who has access to the system?" David looked at him hopefully. "Did you find out?" 

"Everyone and their mother, or so it seems." Tony pulled out a small notebook and began reading from one of the pages. "Let's see....the EVE technicians, Lang's staff, the Media Resources staff, anyone in the command staff with more than a secret clearance rating, and so on. Sorry." 

"Thanks anyway, Tony. It was worth a shot." David sighed. "Now we're back to square one." 

"It wasn't a total loss. Guess what I found out." He waggled his eyebrows at David before continuing. "I overheard some of the techs talking while I was there. Seems that one of the Damage control training programs was accidentally triggered earlier today. Can you guess where?" 

"Corridor 12C." David thought for a moment. "Accidentally triggered? Hell, Sergeant Sam'di was part of the damned image, someone I personally know. What are the odds of that?" <Unless, of course, Tamara set the whole thing up...nah, that's ridiculous. Isn't it?> "Tony, do the Supply and Requisitions people have EVE access?" 

Tony glanced down at his notebook. "Ah.... no. They're not on my list, at least. Why?" 

"Just a thought." <Damn, this isn't making any sense. Who would have it in for me? Izabelle Fate? She wouldn't have clearance. What about that guy... Braywater?> David kicked a small paper cup out of the way. "Damn, I wish I knew what the hell was going on here!" 

"Maybe it was just what they said... an accident." Tony shrugged. "Don't you believe in coincidence?" 

David glanced at him. "There's been to many coincidences lately. All these computer errors, all involving me. The medical computer, that holographic "accident," all too convenient, if you ask me." 

Tony's face split into a mischievous smile. "Well, I _DID_ manage to get you an appointment with someone who might be able to tell you more about the EVE system." He tore a small sheet of paper out of his notebook. "Name, address, and time are all here." 

David took the paper. "How did you manage this?" 

"Well, I told the techs that I had a friend who was really interested in holographic imaging and stuff, and who wanted to know more about the system." Tony's smile grew. "So they fixed me up...well, fixed you up, that is." 

"Fixed me up? I don't like the sound of that..." David gave him a sideways glance. "And I definitely don't like the way you're smiling. What aren't you telling me?" 

Tony began laughing. "Well, I told them that you were looking for a girlfriend, too." He pointed at the paper in David's hands. "She's single!" he gasped, laughing even harder. 

"You idiot!" David blurted, punching Tony in the arm. "I told you that I could get into trouble on my own." He regarded the paper uneasily. "Who is she?" 

Tony placed a hand on David's shoulder. "She's a programmer from the Media Resources division. Real smart, and real pretty, from what they tell me." The mischievous smile returned. "Hope you don't have plans for tomorrow night." 

David shook his head and looked at the paper in his hands. <Hmmmm... 2100 hours, 716 Cerulean Street apartment 7. An apartment? God, Tony, what are you getting me into here?> He glanced up as they arrived at the Danchise's Own Italian Restaurant. <Well, looks like I have a date with one...> he glanced at the paper again <Sarah Tallon.> 

[] 

David leaned close to the holographic display, intently watching two tiny Veritechs as they dodged and darted within the confines of the sphere. One of the Veritechs was colored purple, the other gray. "Okay, call up a three-pod formation." David said to the simulator technician without turning around. A moment later, three battle pods appeared within the sphere. Almost immediately the two Veritechs turned to engage them, the gray one in the lead. 

"They've definitely got potential." Tony muttered from his seat beside David. 

"Yes, they do." David frowned. "But Charles takes some unnecessary risks. Look at that maneuver he just pulled... if you did that against a thinking enemy, you'd be Swiss cheese in a second." 

"He's new at this... he'll learn soon enough." Tony tapped a button on the console in front of him. "Charles? Slow down a bit... this isn't a race, you know. You have to keep your wing man's safety in mind, too." 

David smiled as he opened his own line. "How's it going, Lauren?" 

"Fine, I think." she replied, her voice steady. "He's jumping all over the place, though... it's hard to keep up with him." 

"You don't have to stay right next to him." David glanced back up at the holographic sphere. "You're the wing man this time. Your job is to keep Charles safe. Keep the enemy from getting him." He leaned back and watched as the three enemy pods were dispatched quickly, with Lauren's Veritech suffering minor damage to the left engine in the process. "Good job, you two. Now, we're going to play a little game. What I want you to do is try and kill each other." He smiled at Tony, who was giving him a questioning look. "Try and knock each other out. I will personally treat the winner to dinner, my treat. Got it? Good... now, let's see what you got." David leaned back in his chair, watching the sphere. 

"Is that such a good idea?" Tony asked. "What?" 

"Pitting those two against each other. It might make them rivals instead of allies." Tony glanced up at the sphere as Charles pumped three rounds into the left wing of Lauren's purple Veritech. She spun wildly to the side, avoiding the rest of his fire. "Besides, I think Lauren might be a bit to cautious." 

"Maybe, maybe not." David chuckled as Charles overextended himself, and Lauren blew pieces from his Veritech. "Maybe she just likes to wait and see what the bad guy will do." 

The simulated battle lasted the better part of ten minutes, with each of the combatants scoring minor hits, but neither able to make the killing blow. Eventually, however, Charles managed to get a solid hit on the legs of Lauren's battloid-mode Veritech, and she spun helplessly into space. He switched his own Veritech to battloid mode and came along side of her, leveling his gun pod. Suddenly, before he could react, Lauren used her vernier thrusters to stabilize herself and fired several dozen rounds into the pilot compartment of Charles' battloid. The game was over. 

"Good job, you two!" David said, walking up to the simulator modules as Lauren and Charles climbed out of them. 

Charles was shaking his head angrily. "It's not fair! I had her! That was a lousy trick to pull!" David stepped up to him. 

"Corporal Le'Mone!" he yelled, and Charles snapped to attention. David noticed that Lauren had, as well. "You claim that she pulled a trick on you, is that correct?" Charles nodded. "Well, that may be, but you are the one that fell for it! If this had been a real battle, you'd be dead! Understand?" Charles nodded again. "Good. Now, will you ever fall for that trick again?" 

"No, Sergeant!" Charles said. 

"Then I think you should thank Corporal Taylor for possibly saving your life some day." He softened his expression. This wasn't as much a competition as it was a test, to see how you would do against a thinking opponent , on equal terms. I was watching both of your performances very closely... and I'm impressed. I'm glad to have the both of you as part of my wing." David let them think about that for a minute. "Alright, at ease." David glanced at his watch. <Got an hour left to go... not bad.> "Alright, now listen up. We've got patrol duty first thing in the morning, along with Delta Wing. I don't care what you do tonight, but I want you in the squadron ready room no later than oh-five fifteen. Sergeant Nielsen's going to be grouchy if we're late. Got it?" 

"What if the enemy attacks us before then? What do we do?" Lauren asked. 

David glanced at her. "Head for your Veritech's storage hangar. I'll meet you all before we have to take off." He smiled. "Don't worry about that right now, though. I want you guys to go out and have a good time." 

"So, when do I get my free dinner?" Lauren inquired, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. 

David ignored the grin spreading on Tony's face. "Well, I have plans for tonight and tomorrow." Tony couldn't quite stifle a chuckle, and David shot him a nasty look. "But after that, you name it." 

She thought for a moment. "How 'bout Thursday, then? It'll give you a chance to plan for it." 

David smiled. "Thursday? I can do that. Thursday it is, then." He turned so that he was facing all three of them. "I'll see you in the morning then. Don't forget... five fifteen, no later." 

[] 

"But I dance like a rubber chicken!" David protested, glancing at the three smiling faces that were staring down at him. <Why oh why did I ever agree to go to a disco club, of all places?> 

"Everybody's got to learn sometime." Kim said, grabbing hold of his left hand. "And now's a great time!" 

Sammy grabbed his right hand and began pulling. "C'mon, it'll be fun!" 

He looked at the dance floor, which was filled with innumerable wildly gyrating bodies, then at Vanessa. "Fun?" 

She nodded once, sharply. "Fun. Let's go, girls." She reached out, grabbed hold of his belt, and pulled him to his feet. Together, the three of them wrestled David out onto the dance floor. 

It was near midnight by the time David stumbled back into his room. His entire body ached, and muscles he never knew he had were screaming for attention. "Disco must be Latin for 'torture' or something." he muttered as he stripped off his blue jeans and shirt. He paused briefly to glance at himself in the mirror. The bruises he had gotten during his fight with the enemy officer pod were purpling nicely. "God, ain't I a sight." He set his alarm and crawled into bed, quickly falling into a dreamless sleep. 

He entered the ready room at 0510, to find Tony, Lauren, and Charles clustered around one of the chairs there, reading a newspaper. David grimaced - he was sore, and his ears still throbbed to the previous night's music. <Oh well... another day at the office.> "Hi, guys." David said as cheerily as he could manage, walking up to them. 

The three of them glanced up, almost in unison. "Hi David!" Tony offered. "You want to help us out with something?" 

"I guess so." David replied. "Like what?" 

Lauren pointed to one of the articles in the paper - titled the "Macross Gazette", David saw - and looked at him. "How would you pronounce that name?" David glanced down at the article in question. It was an obituary. <God, they're getting morbid already. Gonna be a long day.> He read the heading for the article. <"CIVILIAN WORKER DIES FROM SELF-AFFLICTED ASPHYXIATION." Ah, interesting...he hung himself.> David read through the article until he reached the man's name. <JALLIXHAWNDRYMEAU VELK?> He pondered that for a moment. "I wonder how the heck he managed to get through grade school with a name like that?" he wondered out loud. 

"Says here that he went by the name 'Sean.'" Charles noted. 

<Sean?> David glanced back down at the article, quickly reading through it. <Killed himself at home, no address. Damn! No family onboard. Fiancé, an RDF pilot, killed during the battle of Macross Island. Left everything he owned to one Tamara Sam'di....Tamara? Sean?> David remembered Tamara talking about her best friend, someone named 'Sean.' <Oh, God... I wonder how she's taking this?> He broke himself from that train of thought and straightened. "Beats the hell outta me how you pronounce it. Heck, I can't even spell it!" He glanced at his watch. "Okay, let's head down to the Prometheus. I've got a jeep waiting to take us there." 

Pre-flight and launch preparations went off without a hitch. In no time, David and the rest of Gamma Wing were in deep space, circling the SDF-1 in a wide orbit, their on-board sensors reaching out, seeking any sign of the enemy. Delta Wing was in a similar orbit, and the two Wings swung around the SDF-1 for nearly two hours, occasionally passing within visual range of each other. 

David was shifting around in his seat, trying to find a more comfortable position, when Lauren's face appeared on his console's right screen. "David?" 

David quickly straightened himself. "Yeah, what is it, Lauren?" 

"I think there's something out there, at the edge of my radar." 

David frowned. "What makes you say that?" 

"Something keeps showing up at my radar's maximum range, but it doesn't stay there very long." Her eyes had a worried look to them. "What do you think it is?" 

"Hold on a sec, I'll check it out." He flicked a switch, transferring the radar display to the center screen. He watched for a moment, and sure enough, a blip appeared at the display's edge. It stayed there for a moment, then faded. <What have we here? Visitors?> 

"I just saw it again!" she noted. 

David looked at her image. "Calm down, Lauren. It could be anything. Keep an eye on it, though, and tell me if it comes any closer. Okay?" She nodded and turned off the comm link. David sighed and opened his own comm line. "Gamma leader to Delta leader." 

Luke appeared on the left screen. "What is it, David?" 

"Luke, we've got a radar blip out here, at maximum range. Could be an echo, or it could be..." He let his words trail off. He could see that Luke was deep in thought. 

"Okay, I'll inform the SDF-1. Keep an eye on it, alright?" 

"You got it." David killed the link. <Damn. Are they planning on attacking us?> He opened a comm line. "Gamma leader to Wing. We've got something showing up on radar. Keep your eyes peeled. Out." 

Luke's face appeared again. "David? Orders have just come down. Next time you see that blip, close with it and try to identify it. Keep me informed. Out." His face disappeared. 

<Oh man, here we go again!> He re-opened his comm line. "Gamma Leader to Wing, assume a finger-four formation, on me, now!" 

"What's up, boss?" Tony asked. "That bogey?" 

David nodded. "You got it, Tony. They want us to check it out." He looked to both sides, and saw that his Wing had formed up beside him. "Okay, you guys. When you see that blip, sing out!" 

No more than a minute later, Tony reported in. "There it is! Bearing one-fiver-three!" 

"Change course to intercept!" David commanded. "Full afterburners." Gamma Wing leapt forward, rapidly accelerating to attack speed. David kept an eye on his radar. He contacted Nielsen. "We're closing in on that contact. Definitely a ship of some sort." He glanced down at the radar display, and gasped. The screen was filling with contacts. "Oh, damn! Nielsen! We've got multiple bandits, inbound! Gamma Wing, fall back! Fall back, now!" 

Forward to Chapter 19. 
Back to Chapter 17. 

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