Chapter 17

[Reality Check - Tuesday Feb 09 2010, 1500 hours, Macross Central Hospital] 

"Yes, I'm still here. You wouldn't let go of my wrist." 

"I what?" Thallin glanced down his arms and realised he still had not released her hand. "Oh... Oops. Sorry." He removed his hand from her arm and let it fall to the bed, his mind still trying to comprehend Izabelle's sudden about-face. 

"You've got quite a grip, Thallin," commented Kay. "I couldn't get you to budge." She paused for a moment and glanced in Izabelle's direction. "So she's the AI Lang wants you to dismantle? No wonder she was such a cold-hearted bitch." Thallin looked up at her back. Somewhere, somehow, that last comment had struck a note. Kay turned around and continued, unaware of his thoughts. "So, who's the 'we' she was talking about?" 

Thallin silently stepped out of the bed and moved closer to Kay Landers, forcing her to move back as he continued to advance. "Hey, Thallin... what..." Eventually, her back was pressed against the wall. "Quit it!" There was no response from him as he lifted his arm, formed a fist and threw it towards her face. Just before it hit her, he deflected it to the side and instead punched a hole through the room's outside wall, sending plaster and fragments of concrete down the hospital's facade. 

"First of all," started Thallin in a cold voice, "Izabelle is not a bitch." He withdrew his hand from the hole, gravel dropping to the floor. "Have you got that straight?" He did not bother to wait for Kay's answer but turned around and headed for the room's closet. Opening the door, he rummaged inside for a few seconds before pulling out a small pocket-book sized device and several length of cable. Attaching the cables to one end of the device, he then proceeded to strap it to Izabelle's forehead. 

"Make yourself useful," he said to Kay, not turning around, "and plug in the cables into the terminal." Behind him, he could hear Kay move about while he adjusted the device to Izabelle's skull. 

"The cables are in." Kay said eventually. 

Thallin stood up and absent-mindedly brushed some non-existent dust from his pyjamas. "Good." He looked at Kay for a moment then pointed to the side of the bed. "Sit down, and not a sound." Kay opened her mouth to retort. "Not a sound." Thallin warned menacingly. Kay's mouth closed. 

The terminal hummed for a second as Thallin flipped a switch, the device on Izabelle's brow flashing lights in seemingly random patterns before settling down to a single flashing LED. Thallin cleared his throat and finally spoke. "Izabelle, can you hear me?" 

The screen flashed to life as writing appeared across it. A mechanical voice droned from its speaker. 

" yes

"Are you aware of your actions of the past few days." 

" yes

"Please run a diagnostics on your memory. Check for logic inconsistencies." 

" there are no inconsistencies in the last few days

Somewhere behind him, Thallin heard Kay snort. He turned around and glared at her before continuing. "What is the logic behind your assuming the identity of Christina Leeds?" 

The terminal failed to respond. 

"Izabelle, why did you become Christina Leeds?" 

" I required access to the Macross' engine compartment

Thallin raised an eyebrow in surprise. "For what purpose did you require such access?" 

" to sabotage the engines

"WHAT!?" Kay jumped to her feet and bore down on Izabelle's lifeless body before Thallin could stop her. She grabbed Izabelle's shoulder and began to shake her. "Sabotage the engines? Why'd you do something like that for?" 

" the SDF-1 must not return to Earth

"And why not?" Kay dropped Izabelle back into the chair and paced around the room. "What can be so goddamn important to stop us from going back home?" 

" there are fifty thousand humans aboard the SDF-1. it is hard to compete with them. earth has three billion humans on it. it would be impossible for me to compete on that level. therefore the SDF-1 must remain in space to allow for greater chance of success

"Compete?" asked Thallin. "Compete for what?" 

" for your attention

Kay burst out laughing. "The crazy thing's in love with you." Thallin growled something indistinct. He was not in the mood for frivolities. 

"Izabelle? What did you mean by -" A series of short, sharp vibrations swept through floor of the room, cutting him short. Following close behind were muffled sounds of explosions. "What the hell was that?" 

" the explosives hidden in the engines have been detonated. the main engines will now be useless without a major overhaul

Thallin looked about him, at the life-less Izabelle, at the harried and unbelieving Kay, at the city through the windows of his room. "Oh boy." 


Forward to Chapter 18.
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