Chapter Five: A Show of Hands

[Sherwood]

This is one of the few times in Mario's life where a facepalm is completely justified, so he does it. Ungh. Thanks for outing me to Shirley, LT. Now we get to see what her reaction will be. Hopefully she won't blame me for the sleeping arrangements that I had no control over. With his face a bright red, Mario makes sure not to look Mack in the eyes. "Um, yes, those are both valid questions. I would add to them, is there a place were we can speak amongst ourselves in private? I would like to discuss a few things with my comrades if possible without being listened in on."

 

[Psychie]

Toph raises up an eyebrow at the mention of the sleeping arrangements from Elinor, but the question is one that has been rattling around in her own head since Mario had confessed to them what happened. Doing her best to hide her smile, she looks over at Sam. "I would presume that your people have been monitoring signals in the area? What has the radio chatter been saying about the sudden appearance and subsequent destruction of the Assault Scout? Is there any search parties out looking for us, or is the general assumption being that we were caught in the blast of the ship? Finally, why did it become necessary to drug us to get us to sleep? Its not like we weren't interested in getting some nap time on our own."

As she waits for the response from the animated suit, she wonders just how Lt. Mackenzie will respond to the bombshell revelation that her and Mario were put into the same bed.

 

[Purr]

Elinor waved a greeting. " 'Morning Iris. 'Morning Sam. I think we're all doing much better now, thanks, but I do have a couple'a questions. First off, how come Toph and I got our own rooms, but y'all put Mario and Shirley in the same one? It doesn't seem like you've got space issues here, and I seem to remember Mario being the first one out, so he couldn't've asked for it, and I'm pretty sure Shirley didn't either." She smiled apologetically at Mario and Shirley. "Second, where's Cera? Is she OK?"

MechaKitten casually strolled over to Elinor and pushed his head against her hand in an effort to produce head-scratchies from the woman's fingers (which, to the kitten, weren't doing much at the moment anyway, so why not make them useful?). If she rubbed his head, he purred and "loved on her hand" with pleasure and contentment. If not, he mewed and whined in discontent and feigned outrage in his very kitten-like fashion. Having been around enough animals in her life, Elinor could see either outcome before it happened, given the MechaKitten's previous behavior.

Spoiler: GM Note for Kaerri

Which route does Elinor go or does she do something else?

Hearing this, Shirley Mack slowly turned her Californian gaze on Mario. Again, her expression was not one of anger, but nor was is one of delight. Instead, those pretty little black eyebrows of hers seemed raise up as if to ask, "What are you thinking, fella?"

Meanwhile, Iris, her antennae twitching in what could have been nervousness, turned to Spaceman Sam. Once again, they shared an awkward moment. "Consensus confirmed!" you heard her voice in your head say. "We erred!"

Spaceman Sam bowed his head with hers, their guilt plain on their "faces" as it were. Sam raised "his" tablet to explain. The words read, "UNIT ONE A.K.A. IRIS REPORTED A DISCOVERY - A PSYCHIC CONNECTION BETWEEN 1ST LT. MACKENZIE AND CPL. ZUKO. ONE OF DEEP AND LONG-LASTING NATURE. EVERY ELEMENT OF A STRONG PAST-LIFE RELATIONSHIP WAS PRESENT." Sam then turned to Iris.

Iris's eyes changed an emerald color that shined with peacefulness and happiness. "Indeed! It is the way of This One's people to honor such bonds and celebrate them! The surprise and elation Self felt when the Polyphonic Nexus brought this to This One's attention was nearly overwhelming! This One danced!"

Spoiler: Instrumental Mood Music - Iris-style

This tune always reminds me of Iris... =) It's "Dreams of Flight" by Trazer

As if to provide an example, suddenly, Iris's entire carapace bounced in a practiced rhythmic way. The sight was very fun to watch as each of her six limbs gently swayed and rocked, each movement was peaceful and pleasant. "This discovery, Self imagines, is similar to the joy humans must have when one of their offspring comes into the world? This One called for consensus on the matter. Overwhelmingly, it was decided that Leader Mack and Tanker Mario be allowed to celebrate in their own fashion by waking together in the same sleeping quarters! What could be more harmonious?"

"EXCEPT," Sam's tablet now read, "1ST LT. MACKENZIE AND CPL. ZUKO SEEM LESS THAN PLEASED WITH THIS DECISION. THIS WAS NOT THE OUTCOME WE IMAGINED. FOR THIS, WE APOLOGIZE AND ASK YOUR FORGIVENESS." Spaceman Sam bowed in a very Japanese style, hands at his sides, face down, head and torso bent to the waist where he stayed.

Iris, too, ceased her bouncy dancing and closed her armored eyelids. Her deadly pincers folded as her head came forward in a manner like Sam's. They held this humble position until someone spoke.

It was Mack. Her voice and manner was calm and uncondeming. "All is forgiven. You didn't mean anything by it." She turned back to Mario with a mirthless smirk on her face. "And Mario? I figured it out. Remember those sheets I was covered in when I threw you out of the room? After the door was shut, my nose told me something." Now those lips were turned up in mild amusement. "There was no hiding the smell of a man after he'd been in that bed for some 10 hours. And last I checked," she twirled her finger without accusation and pointed it at him, "you are the only guy on this ship."

Iris and Spaceman Sam rose and relaxed, though the robot and the psychic insectoid shared a wondering glance at Shirley's last sentence.

"Surely Leader Mack and Tanker Mario are aware of their previous lifetime together?"

Mack didn't bother hiding it. It wasn't her way. "Yeah, we knew the moment we first met out on Interstate 10 rescuing those children. It doesn't have to mean anything in this lifetime, but," she stretched back and took a deep breath, "the past remains true. Whatever we were, it was special. It can't be changed. We'd be fools to try, sure as the sun rises." She glanced at Mario. "So don't worry your noggin' over it, fella. I'm not going to chomp off your head Iris-style, O.K.?" Shirley chuckled and grinned. "Still, I find it amazing you can know these things, Iris!"

"As we Scrath find the human ability to create and procreate to such incredible degrees!"

* * *​

Mack looked at Sam. "Elinor asked where Cera is and her status?"

Spaceman Sam, seeming somehow relieved, held up the tablet in both hands. "AUXILIARY SPECIALIST CERA IS ON ANOTHER DECK, MANUFACTURING WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF BROADSWORD CREW. HER STATUS IS HEALTHY AND SHOWS NO SIGN OF FATIGUE AFTER 10 HOURS OF WORK WITHOUT A BREAK. SHE 'REQUESTED' NOT TO BE DISTURBED. TO SAY THAT SHE IS BUSY IS A GROSS UNDERSTATEMENT."

"Cera is currently insane." Iris joked. "But happy!"

* * *​

"Um, yes, those are both valid questions. I would add to them, is there a place were we can speak amongst ourselves in private? I would like to discuss a few things with my comrades if possible without being listened in on."

Spaceman Sam nodded. "AFFIRMATIVE, CPL. ZUKO. UNIT ONE AND BROADSWORD CREW CAN LEAVE THIS BRIEFING ROOM UNTIL YOU CONTACT US." Sam pointed towards one of three comm units located on the walls made just for that purpose. "STATE WHEN YOU ARE READY AND WE SHALL REMOVE OURSELVES." Iris nodded in agreement.

* * *​

"I would presume that your people have been monitoring signals in the area? What has the radio chatter been saying about the sudden appearance and subsequent destruction of the Assault Scout? Is there any search parties out looking for us, or is the general assumption being that we were caught in the blast of the ship? Finally, why did it become necessary to drug us to get us to sleep? Its not like we weren't interested in getting some nap time on our own."

Spaceman Sam nodded again. "YOUR PRESUMPTION IS CORRECT. HOWEVER, WE ARE NO LONGER JUST OFF THE COAST OF THE FLORIDA 'PANHANDLE'. AS WE HAD EXPECTED, MANY TOOK INTEREST IN THE NUCLEAR DESTRUCTION OF THE ASSAULT SCOUT. WHILE SAID FORCES ARE NOT LIKELY TO RECOVER ANYTHING OF USE (BOTH HALVES OF THE ASSAULT SCOUT WERE DESTROYED IN THE BLAST). IN ORDER TO KEEP THE BROADSWORD HIDDEN, WE TRAVELED SOUTH. WE ARE NOW 155 MILES WEST-BY-SOUTHWEST FROM THE CITY OF SARASOTA, FLORIDA. WE ARE SUBMERGED 735 METERS BELOW SEA LEVEL AT ALL STOP."

The tablet then showed a terrific map of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico.

Spoiler: Map of Florida

(Image credit: Orangesmile.com)

Then "he" continued. "THERE IS A STATE OF CONFUSION AND DISORDER AMONG THE HUMANS AS FORCES, MILITARY AND CIVILIAN, REGARD EACH OTHER WITH SUSPICION, ASSIGNING FAULT WITH A NUMBER OF FALSE PRETENSES PRESENT. AT THIS TIME, THE LEADING THEORY IS THE BLASTS WERE CAUSED BY TERRORIST FACTIONS (PRIMARILY THE ANTI-UNIFICATION LEAGUE) TESTING STOLEN NUCLEAR ARMAMENT AGAINST THE LAWS AND TREATIES ASSIGNED BY THE UNITED EARTH GOVERNMENT. THE ARMY OF SOUTHERN CROSS CONTINUES TO BE THE LEAD INVESTIGATION FORCE. HAVING YET FOUND NO SURVIVORS, THEY CONTINUE TO SEARCH IN MOSTLY CLEAR WEATHER WITH SURVEILLANCE AIRCRAFT AND SEA VESSELS BOLSTERED BY HEAVILY-ARMED ESCORTS."

"AS EXPLAINED BEFORE, THE ADDITION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS INTO YOUR M.R.E.s WAS AN ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION AS OFTEN PRACTICED BY LIVING CREWMATES OF THE BROADSWORD. FURTHER INTRODUCTIONS OF SUCH ELEMENTS INTO YOUR SYSTEMS WILL HERETOFORE NOT BE PROVIDED WITHOUT YOUR EXPLICIT PERMISSION."

"Indeed!" Iris chimed in with a tinge of guilt, despite Shirley's forgiveness.

Spoiler: From Post #64

Reposted here for interested peeps (to save you the time of having to look it up). =)

Iris sent with pride. "Worry not, Leader Mack and Wild Cards! Spaceman Sam and Self discussed proper protocol! Here aboard the Broadsword, the living crew often requested sedatives after particularly trying and traumatic events. Sleep is precious. So This One and Sam prepared your meals with the proper instructions taken from the Broadsword's medical records and MedBay! You should sleep wonderfully!"

Iris took a motherly step forward. "Shall we exit and provide nourishment again? Your systems have gone over 10 hours without feeding. This cannot be healthy!"

 

[Psychie]

Toph looks at Mack and Mario with a feeling of relief that there was no explosion from their squadron commander. She then looks quizzically at the two, wondering about what kind of past life connection might actually be there. "I must confess, I am nearing the point of no longer being surprised at what I hear. First, Traversing, then time travel, and now past lives. On any other day, I'd be tempted to call bullshit on this, but there is so much going on here that I can't explain that I just have to try and keep an open mind about it."

She listens to the information being provided by Sam with a understanding nod. "I can imagine that having a pair of nukes going off like that would cause some mayhem. I'm just wondering why the ASC and Gen. Steele is keeping quiet about the truth. Perhaps to keep from causing a panic from having a Zentraedi ship that managed to slip past our defenses? I do wonder how that happened. Was that Assault Scout from the future, too? If it was, that would explain a lot."

Then, when the offer of food came up, Toph's tummy grumbled loud enough to be heard by the people sitting near her. "Yes, please. Some food would be wonderful right now. Once we have eaten, we can try and come up with a plan for the future of the Wild Cards."

 

[Purr]

Spoiler: NOTE TO SELF

To my future self in an attempt to save myself some considerable confusion. I requested Sherwood alter or save the above post, re: steamrolling. Mario's speech should come after this moment where Toph and Elinor have a chance to reply, and then the Wild Cards will convene for their private meeting to discuss their future. =)

She listens to the information being provided by Sam with a understanding nod. "I can imagine that having a pair of nukes going off like that would cause some mayhem. I'm just wondering why the ASC and Gen. Steele is keeping quiet about the truth. Perhaps to keep from causing a panic from having a Zentraedi ship that managed to slip past our defenses? I do wonder how that happened. Was that Assault Scout from the future, too? If it was, that would explain a lot."

Spaceman Sam nodded. As always, his every move appeared so very humanlike, it was difficult to tell the megasuit was devoid of a living being inside. "His" tablet read, "AFFIRMATIVE, LT. KIRIN. WE BELIEVE GENERAL STEELE AND THE REST OF EGLIN ASC CONTINUES TO WITHHOLD THE FACTS FROM THE REST OF THE HUMAN POPULACE FOR REASONS VERY SIMILAR TO YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS.

"AS FAR AS HAS BEEN DISCOVERED, EVERY INDICATION HEAVILY SUGGESTS THE ZEKI-ZENTRAEDI, THE URA-MELTRANDI, AND THE BROADSWORD ARE THE THREE SOLE FORCES FROM WHAT APPEARS TO BE YOUR FUTURE TIMELINE. THE ROBOTECH MASTERS AND THE INVID ARE NOT, IN OUR TIMELINE, AWARE OF TIME-TRAVEL AS A REALITY. THIS IS LIKELY TO REMAIN TRUE AS THE THREE AFOREMENTIONED FORCES ARE IN DIRECT OPPOSITION TO BOTH THE ROBOTECH MASTERS AND THE INVID. HOWEVER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE BROADSWORD IS THE ONLY STARSHIP OF THE UEEF HERE TO ASSIST EARTH. ADMIRAL HUNTER, VICE ADMIRAL HUNTER, AND THE REST OF THE FLEET ARE UNABLE TO RENDER ASSISTANCE HERE. THEY SENT US KNOWING THIS."

Mack straightened in her chair. "So what you're saying is - you're it. There are no friendly reinforcements." She turned to Mario, Elinor, and Toph. "Anyone else suddenly damned glad we made friendly with War-queen Taniya and her people?" She indicated Iris who nodded.

Mack drummed her fingers. "I have something I've been meaning to ask, Sam. What is so darned special about this ship? If the UEEF could only send one ship, why not send the SDF-3 instead?"

"FORGIVE US. WE... WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER. BUT UNTIL YOUR DECISION IS MADE, WE CANNOT."

It was Mack's turn to nod in agreement. "Oh, right. That. Okay, troops! Anyone else have questions for our hosts here before we convene? Depending on what the future holds, we might not get another chance to ask."

 

[Psychie]

Toph lets out an angry sound. "Damnit, I'm supposed to be a simple fighter pilot and doctor, not the savior of the whole stinkin' planet! This stuff is over my head and way over my pay grade. Sam, you and your ship here has dumped a whole basket load of trouble in our laps, and I have no idea on how to deal with it." She thinks for a bit, then asks, "Sam, has there been any signals that you've been able to intercept that are trying to get in touch with us? Or have we been assumed to be killed with the blast? Especially since all of the bugs detected on our gear have gone silent."

 

[Purr]

Toph lets out an angry sound. "Damnit, I'm supposed to be a simple fighter pilot and doctor, not the savior of the whole stinkin' planet! This stuff is over my head and way over my pay grade. Sam, you and your ship here has dumped a whole basket load of trouble in our laps, and I have no idea on how to deal with it."

At this accusation, an uneasy tension came to life in that briefing room. Iris became as still as a statue. MechaKitten, still near Elinor, looked up with a serious face, his ears turning toward the group. Spaceman Sam took a few slow steps toward Toph. For a long moment, "he" faced her squarely. With no facial features to call upon, Toph saw that glassy dome shining back at her and in it, her pink-haired reflection. Then Spaceman Sam's tablet rose. The letters were easy to read.

"LIEUTENANT KIRIN. YOU SURPRISE US. WE THOUGHT YOU OF ALL TRAVERSERS WOULD BE THE MOST EAGER TO RESPOND TO THIS CLEAR THREAT TO HUMANITY.

"WE DISAGREE THAT YOUR TROUBLES BEGAN WITH US. YOUR BLAME IS MISPLACED. WE BELIEVE YOUR TROUBLES BEGAN WITH LORD DALZAK AND THE ZEKI-ZENTRAEDI AND GENERAL STEELE. FORGIVE US THIS DIFFERENCE IN OPINION.

"THE WILD CARDS ARE WITHOUT OBLIGATIONS HERE. YOUR LIVES AND DESTINIES REMAIN YOUR OWN. WITHOUT YOUR HELP, THE SCL-107 BROADSWORD WILL PERFORM OUR DUTY AS BEFORE.

"WILD CARDS. YOU ARE FREE TO DISEMBARK TO SHORE IF YOU DESIRE. WE WILL SURFACE AND DELIVER YOU AND THE ARMY OF SOUTHERN CROSS GEAR AND MECHA TO A SAFE LOCATION OF OUR CHOOSING AND RETURN TO OUR MISSION. BE ADVISED THAT ONCE WE DEPART, THE SURVEILLANCE DEVICES ON YOUR MECHA AND ARMOR WILL REACTIVATE."

Lt. Mack stared at Toph and then back to Sam. She was speechless.

Sam stepped back went silent. He did not respond to Toph's following questions.

Iris remained still. You heard her calm voice in your head again. "Savior and hero, War-queen Taniya of the Ura-Meltrandi, savior of the Scrath race, taught us that humans were unpredictable. She was.... correct."

Several of the Broadsword crewmates came forward with plates of food. M.R.E.s again with juice, milk, and water beside them. They neatly arranged the steaming plates before each of you. Then they departed.

"YOU EXPRESSED A DESIRE FOR SOLITUDE. YOU SHALL HAVE IT NOW. PLEASE CONTACT US WHEN YOUR MEETING IS CONCLUDED AND WE SHALL PROCEED." Spaceman Sam departed with them.

Iris, too, took that as a cue to take her leave. For the first time, her antennae and mandibles moved as if she were greatly nervous. "This One will... join Cera to see if she requires Scrath assistance. May your meeting be... productive, Wild Cards!" Iris waved a huge pincer in farewell and scuttled quietly out of the room making as little sound as she could.

The doors closed. The floor was yours.

"Way to go, Muppet!" Mack snarled with crossed arms and an irritated frown. "We've never looked better in the eyes of our hosts, now have we?!"

Spoiler: Game Master note for all

Heya! Looks like Toph stepped on some robotic "feelings" here. We can proceed with Mario's speech or continue the current conversation (with Mario included) here. =)

 

[Sherwood]

Mario is quiet as he listens to the explanation of just why the crew put him in the same bed as Shirley. He looks over at her with a silent message of, 'thank you for not freaking out' in his eyes. Then, he lets out a sigh. "Things just keep getting weirder by the minute. I feel a lot like Alice, falling down the rabbit hole and wondering how deep it goes." He stretches, feeling his spine and other joints pop and crack, then the young tanker settles back down into his seat. "Ok. Lets address our past life connection some other time. Right now, we have much to discuss, and a load of food to eat."

Once some more food was brought in, Mario digs into it with gusto. Finally sated, he waits for the team to be in the room by themselves before bringing up any of the concerns and thoughts on his mind. Placing his hands flat on the table, Mario says, "Just from my point of view, I see that we are at a crossroads, and we need to decide just what to do now. On one hand, we are all soldiers of the ASC, and as such, we've taken oaths to protect and defend our homeworld. But, we are faced with the very real possibility that the ASC will not support us in fulfilling that oath. I speak mostly of our favorite officer, Gen. Steele. He's already on my list for all of the bugs he's put in our mecha and gear, indicating that he doesn't trust us to do the mission we were sent out to do."

"On the other hand, where does our ultimate loyalty lie? Is it with the ASC, or with the defense of Earth as a whole? If our hosts are right, we have a series of threats coming our way, and if history plays out the way that Sam and his fellows know, we will get our asses kicked ten ways to Sunday. If we can make a difference in this war and we don't step up, what does that make us? Traitors to our own home? Or something even worse than that?"

Mario marshals his thoughts for a moment, then goes on. "We have at this time the perfect opportunity to make a clean break from the ASC if that is what we want. Just stay out of sight and let the military think we are all dead in the blast. It would solve the problem of trying to explain just where we were all this time that we've been on the Broadsword, and free us up to be able to utilize the future tech that this ship has on it, like the new Hover Tank that was pointed out to us. We can probably keep Colonel Sharp and his team of Traversers in the loop of what we are doing, even if we are officially KIA on the books."

"I am not saying we should do this without a serious amount of thought into it. Hell, I have family that has survived that will be in mourning if we go with that path. My mom, dad and sister would all be crushed, just like we were when my older brother died in battle against the Zentraedi. But it is a step that we may have to take in order to make the best use out of the warning we have gotten here."

The tanker leans back in his seat and lets out a puff of air from his mouth. "This is some heavy duty shit we have here, and I think that we'll have to be on a united front when it is time to talk to the crew of the Broadsword again."

 

[Psychie]

"Way to go, Muppet!" Mack snarled with crossed arms and an irritated frown. "We've never looked better in the eyes of our hosts, now have we?!"

Toph jerks back as if she were slapped when Mack says this, then she bows her head. "I didn't mean to upset Sam and his fellows. Its just . . . I'm not used to being faced with being any more than a pilot and doctor. Now, we are faced with a pair of new invaders that will destroy the bulk of the world that humanity has been struggling to repair, and I'm supposed to be one of the few that can do something about it! It is a lot of pressure to know that if we do the wrong thing here, billions are going to die. I'm just feeling a bit over my head."

 

[Psychie]

As Mario speaks, Toph listens intently as the gruff tanker lays out some options for their future. She looks at him with shock. "Mario, it sounds like you are actually suggesting that we fake our deaths. Is that really what you want to do? I don't know that this is the only option available to us. How can we say that if we stick with our oaths to the ASC we will be unable to help the crew of the Broadsword and the forces of War Queen Taniya?" She tries to mull over the words of the man with a open mind. "Surely there is a way for us to be able to work with the Broadsword without having our lives completely wiped out? I don't know . . . put in for discharge, perhaps?"

 

[Sherwood]

Mario looks over at Toph. "Lieutenant, I just don't know. I honestly believe that if it were up to Colonel Sharp, we would be able to work hand in hand with the Broadsword without any problems of conflict of interest. But it is not just in the Colonel's hands. He has to answer to General Steele, and I just don't see us being able to do what we will have to in order to make a difference. Hell, he's got our mecha and personal armor bugged up! That is after his blatant threat to us that if we didn't recover the hover tank, we'd all be facing a court martial!" He takes a breath and tries to calm down.

"Lieutenant - no. Toph, I have spent my adult life with the goal to go into the army and make it my career, spending my twenty years in and making a real difference in this world. Hell, as a kid I would daydream of being an officer a lot like the Colonel, leading the men under my command. My career is a sizable part of my identity as a person. Then there is the fact that I have a family to think about. Other than my brother, my immediate family was lucky enough to live through the war, so if we do disappear, I'd be putting my parents and sister through the pain of losing a loved one all over again."

"Even with all the reasons I would hate to do so, I am seriously thinking that the best thing for us to do is to use the opportunity given to us and make a clean break from the ASC. If we can find a way to keep the Colonel and Fat Gandalf in the loop, we should. But whatever we do, we have to keep the General away from this ship. We have to think to our greater responsibility, not just to the military, but to the world at large. If we can make a change in the future and save even one life, isn't it worth it?" Mario stops and thinks back to the kids on that bus that he and Shirley saved together, all at the very real risk to their own lives. Blocked those particle beams like Wonder Woman and her magic bracelets. Heh. No matter what, we have to do the right thing for the planet as a whole.

 

[Kaerri]

MechaKitten casually strolled over to Elinor and pushed his head against her hand in an effort to produce head-scratchies from the woman's fingers (which, to the kitten, weren't doing much at the moment anyway, so why not make them useful?). If she rubbed his head, he purred and "loved on her hand" with pleasure and contentment. If not, he mewed and whined in discontent and feigned outrage in his very kitten-like fashion. Having been around enough animals in her life, Elinor could see either outcome before it happened, given the MechaKitten's previous behavior.

Discontented kittens could disrupt conversations, Elinor knew. Besides, why not give the little guy what he wanted? She missed animals, having grown up with them all her life and then having to leave them behind when she joined the military. There weren't exactly a lot of pets on base, after all. Cheerfully, she gave him his head-rubs, tugging on ears and scritching under his chin.

"UNIT ONE A.K.A. IRIS REPORTED A DISCOVERY - A PSYCHIC CONNECTION BETWEEN 1ST LT. MACKENZIE AND CPL. ZUKO. ONE OF DEEP AND LONG-LASTING NATURE. EVERY ELEMENT OF A STRONG PAST-LIFE RELATIONSHIP WAS PRESENT."

"Well, there's a thing," Elinor said dryly, though her surprise was evident. For some reason, she could accept giant bugs, friendly Meltrandi, tiny-but-non-micronized Meltrandi, a superior officer who hid vital information from his troops, and visiting starships sent from the future to rescue Earth from a war that hadn't happened yet, but past lives threw her for a loop, however temporary. "Anything like that happens with me, tell me before you put me in a room with him overnight, OK? In case I miss it for myself."

"Cera is currently insane." Iris joked. "But happy!"

Elinor couldn't help laughing at that. She figured she knew exactly what Iris meant. It sounded like all those nights she'd spent studying all manner of engineering problems, to say nothing of actual hands-on practice, where she'd worn out brain and body both -- and loved every minute of it.

"THERE IS A STATE OF CONFUSION AND DISORDER AMONG THE HUMANS AS FORCES, MILITARY AND CIVILIAN, REGARD EACH OTHER WITH SUSPICION, ASSIGNING FAULT WITH A NUMBER OF FALSE PRETENSES PRESENT. AT THIS TIME, THE LEADING THEORY IS THE BLASTS WERE CAUSED BY TERRORIST FACTIONS (PRIMARILY THE ANTI-UNIFICATION LEAGUE) TESTING STOLEN NUCLEAR ARMAMENT AGAINST THE LAWS AND TREATIES ASSIGNED BY THE UNITED EARTH GOVERNMENT. THE ARMY OF SOUTHERN CROSS CONTINUES TO BE THE LEAD INVESTIGATION FORCE. HAVING YET FOUND NO SURVIVORS, THEY CONTINUE TO SEARCH IN MOSTLY CLEAR WEATHER WITH SURVEILLANCE AIRCRAFT AND SEA VESSELS BOLSTERED BY HEAVILY-ARMED ESCORTS."

"Huh," Elinor commented. "You'd think they'd want to take credit for stopping the enemy before they could do any real damage."

"AS EXPLAINED BEFORE, THE ADDITION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS INTO YOUR M.R.E.s WAS AN ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION AS OFTEN PRACTICED BY LIVING CREWMATES OF THE BROADSWORD. FURTHER INTRODUCTIONS OF SUCH ELEMENTS INTO YOUR SYSTEMS WILL HERETOFORE NOT BE PROVIDED WITHOUT YOUR EXPLICIT PERMISSION."

Elinor shook her head, waving her hand. "It's all good, at least where I'm concerned. I don't reckon I'd've slept so well without it, what with all the thinking going on."

Iris took a motherly step forward. "Shall we exit and provide nourishment again? Your systems have gone over 10 hours without feeding. This cannot be healthy!"

"Yes please!" Elinor agreed. "I was hoping we'd get breakfast somewhere in here. Though I guess it's really lunch or dinner by now."

I'm just wondering why the ASC and Gen. Steele is keeping quiet about the truth. Perhaps to keep from causing a panic from having a Zentraedi ship that managed to slip past our defenses?

Elinor nodded. "That makes sense, though I still think he'd've wanted to crow about the victory. Wonder if that secrecy is why he didn't share much info with us? Not that I'm forgiving him even so -- there's plenty he could've told us without telling anyone else."

"YOU EXPRESSED A DESIRE FOR SOLITUDE. YOU SHALL HAVE IT NOW. PLEASE CONTACT US WHEN YOUR MEETING IS CONCLUDED AND WE SHALL PROCEED." Spaceman Sam departed with them.

"Way to go, Muppet!" Mack snarled with crossed arms and an irritated frown. "We've never looked better in the eyes of our hosts, now have we?!"

"Whoops." Elinor sighed, but gave Toph a wry smile all the same. "Maybe when we meet them again we can explain the difference between letting off steam and giving a final decision. They oughta realize what's said before breakfast shouldn't be binding."

"Even with all the reasons I would hate to do so, I am seriously thinking that the best thing for us to do is to use the opportunity given to us and make a clean break from the ASC. If we can find a way to keep the Colonel and Fat Gandalf in the loop, we should. But whatever we do, we have to keep the General away from this ship. We have to think to our greater responsibility, not just to the military, but to the world at large. If we can make a change in the future and save even one life, isn't it worth it?"

Elinor shook her head. "There's got to be something less drastic than letting everyone think we're dead. Maybe we can damage our comm systems and all those bugs to make it look like the explosion did it, and our IFFs too, though we oughta field-repair those before we reach any of our allies. EMP maybe? That'd give us a nice excuse to not have reported in right off, because we couldn't, and we played least-in-sight for safety while we made the repairs and then caught some shut-eye for flight safety." She paused for a few moments to keep eating.

"As for the bigger decision..." She looked at each of them thoughtfully. "I'm like you, Mario. I joined up to defend Earth from all hostiles. I chose the test pilot track because I thought that's where I could make the best use of my skills, and it's a thing that takes a particular skillset that ain't all that common, if y'all don't mind my saying so. Now I know I've got something even more rare: Technopathy. Seems like I've got to restructure my career path around that, instead. Earth deserves my best efforts, and that means going where I'm most needed. The hard part is deciding what that is, and how to get there." She glanced down at the purring Mechakitten. "Me, I think I'm gonna have to side with Broadsword, whatever that means for my military career. I got on well with that Professor Stein, and I think he liked me, so maybe he'll take us in. He doesn't work for General Steele, remember, just with him, and he's on Broadsword's good list. It might be that fighting for Earth's survival means being a civilian." She winced inwardly at that. It felt like she was letting her Grampa WIll down, and making him proud, all at the same time. "I can't decide for any of y'all, and I'm not gonna try, but if it comes to a vote, I say we try to do what we can within the ASC, but be prepared to resign if that's what's called for. It ain't about paygrade or rank. We've got something special, something few people have, and you know what the man said: 'With great power comes great responsibility.' Or, as my gran would say, 'Of those to whom much is given, much is asked.' "

 

[Sherwood]

Mario nods in agreement with Elinor. "I must agree with your, Lt. Hall. If there is a vote to be made, I want to say that I am in favor of siding with the Broadsword and her crew. And the possibility of piloting a new kind of Veritech Hover Tank has absolutely nothing to do with my vote. But I must confess, it doesn't hurt to wish about it." He says that last with a chuckle. "If there is a way to make this happen without having ourselves declared dead, I would like to do that. I just don't know if that will be possible." He then turns his attention back to Toph. "Lt. Kirin, with all you have said, you still haven't given a straight answer on what you want to do. What is on your mind?"

 

[Purr]

Toph jerks back as if she were slapped when Mack says this, then she bows her head. "I didn't mean to upset Sam and his fellows. Its just . . . I'm not used to being faced with being any more than a pilot and doctor. Now, we are faced with a pair of new invaders that will destroy the bulk of the world that humanity has been struggling to repair, and I'm supposed to be one of the few that can do something about it! It is a lot of pressure to know that if we do the wrong thing here, billions are going to die. I'm just feeling a bit over my head."

Shirley relaxed a little and uncrossed her arms. A look of understanding came across her though she remained firm. "Didn't think you did it on purpose, just wish you'd chosen your words a little more carefully. Remember, as squadron leader, it's my job to point out places we can improve. I expect you to do the same for me."

"Whoops." Elinor sighed, but gave Toph a wry smile all the same. "Maybe when we meet them again we can explain the difference between letting off steam and giving a final decision. They oughta realize what's said before breakfast shouldn't be binding."

"That, I bet, is about as alien of a concept as us asking Iris to weave a basket for us Scrath-style." Shirley took on an amused and confused look as she tried to imagine that. "Still, if any of you want to give it a go," she glanced at Toph, "I'll back you. I mean, here we are on a ship from the future talking with robots and aliens trying to find out where we Traversers should best be to help save the Earth from a menace that isn't even here yet! At least, I think it isn't?"

Discontented kittens could disrupt conversations, Elinor knew. Besides, why not give the little guy what he wanted? She missed animals, having grown up with them all her life and then having to leave them behind when she joined the military. There weren't exactly a lot of pets on base, after all. Cheerfully, she gave him his head-rubs, tugging on ears and scritching under his chin.

MechaKitten loved every minute of this. He hadn't gotten a good head-scritching in what felt like eons! And this Traverser appeared to have experience in the matter! The metal feline purred loudly, sounding every bit like a non-metal kitten. He alternated between playfully rolling on his back and batting at Elinor's fingers for a belly-rub to plopping on his front and surrendering to the all-powerful force of the head massage.

He says that last with a chuckle. "If there is a way to make this happen without having ourselves declared dead, I would like to do that. I just don't know if that will be possible."

"Y'know, having a dad in the Special Forces is kinda handy right now. My dad's not going to believe I'm dead without evidence. That's just the way he is." Shirley took a big bite of vegetables and considered as she chewed. "If we are considered dead, we'd have to make a point of showing up to our family's doorsteps on our own time. And by that, I mean we make missions out of this. I can imagine Elinor's family in, where was it? Alabama? Tennessee? would be easy to reach. That's unlike my family who's literally living on-post at Eglin as we speak. Where is your family at, Mario?

"Heck," she thought aloud under a cloud of awe. "It looks like we're really considering leaving the Army of Southern Cross..."

He then turns his attention back to Toph. "Lt. Kirin, with all you have said, you still haven't given a straight answer on what you want to do. What is on your mind?"

Shirley turned to Toph and watched the Lisara-Meltrandi/human's face for signs of revealed emotions.

 

[Psychie]

Toph lets out a sigh. "I have to agree that the bugs that were placed in our gear is disturbing to me. It makes me feel as if I am not being trusted by my own command structure. But we don't know much about the Broadsword and her crew. Can we really trust them? We only have their word about what is about to happen." She looks down at the table with a sigh. "I have to admit that this ship has shown us enough evidence that they are from the future. This tech is too advanced for it to be from this time, and we've never seen anything like the Beastmaster before."

"If what the Broadsword crew tells us is true, I don't see a way for us not to work with them in order to stop the disaster from happening."

 

[Kaerri]

I can imagine Elinor's family in, where was it? Alabama? Tennessee? would be easy to reach.

"Georgia," Elinor nodded. "Nearly as close as the base, from here."

 

[Purr]

Toph lets out a sigh. "I have to agree that the bugs that were placed in our gear is disturbing to me. It makes me feel as if I am not being trusted by my own command structure. But we don't know much about the Broadsword and her crew. Can we really trust them? We only have their word about what is about to happen."

Shirley chugged some juice and let out a hearty sigh. With concern in her voice, she offered, "I'm of the opinion that we basically have three sides telling us the same story - the Broadsword, the Scrath, and Cera. Iris and Cera are totally loyal to the Ura-Meltrandi, not the UEEF. As far as I've seen, their stories match. No gaping holes. Besides, where else are we going to get concrete evidence? " Shirley twirled her empty fork in the air.

"I've also noticed this - the Broadsword seems to be willing to let us go with everything we know. If they decided to hold us prisoner this very moment, what could we do about it? They could have nailed us anytime we were drugged. My classes in Military Intelligence tells me the Broadsword is definitely withholding information from us, but when have they broken our trust? Who asked who for help back in the Assault Scout? Didn't seem to me that Sam needed our help but was getting along O.K. without us trying to get that Super Tomahawk off the ship. Is that right, Mario?" She turned to Mario being the one who had first reported the A.T.A.C. team's encounter with the mysterious "Spaceman Sam."

"My point is - the Broadsword could have screwed us over at any time and they haven't. I might not have proof they're telling the truth, but I also have no proof they're lying - unlike Steele whom you all know I can't stand."

 

[Sherwood]

When Shirley asks Mario about his family, he looks up and says, "Mom and dad both live in Monument City. Dad's a Drill Master Sergeant, teaching the next generation of Battloid pilots how to earn their keep. My younger sister, Marie, lives in Texas with her husband and has a baby on the way. Hard to think of her as being old enough to be a mom when I can still remember all the times we fought as kids. Things just keep on changing, no matter how much you wish they wouldn't."

"I've also noticed this - the Broadsword seems to be willing to let us go with everything we know. If they decided to hold us prisoner this very moment, what could we do about it? They could have nailed us anytime we were drugged. My classes in Military Intelligence tells me the Broadsword is definitely withholding information from us, but when have they broken our trust? Who asked who for help back in the Assault Scout? Didn't seem to me that Sam needed our help but was getting along O.K. without us trying to get that Super Tomahawk off the ship. Is that right, Mario?" She turned to Mario being the one who had first reported the A.T.A.C. team's encounter with the mysterious "Spaceman Sam."

Mario glances up, deep in thought. "Hmmm. We ran into him in the air ducts, just before . . . I don't really remember either one of us asking the other for help; it just seemed to be the right thing to do. Sticking together, that is. I don't see how he could have gotten to that Super Tomahawk without help, though. Its not like he had another mecha in his pocket to pull out to get through that force field. But at the same time, he struck me as being confident in what he was doing. Doesn't really sound like it makes any sense when I say it out loud, but it just felt right to work with him.

 

[Psychie]

"My point is - the Broadsword could have screwed us over at any time and they haven't. I might not have proof they're telling the truth, but I also have no proof they're lying - unlike Steele whom you all know I can't stand."

Toph leans back in her chair and looks over at Mack. "I agree with what you are all saying. I am just trying to make sure we are all aware of the risks involved here. I guess its playing Devils' Advocate, trying to see if everyone has thought this all though. Aside from my earlier ill-timed pity party, I am ready to step forward and do whatever I can to keep the Earth safe. Or, if that is not possible, to save as many lives as I can that would have been killed in the dual invasions of the Robotech Masters and these Invid that Sam and Cera told us about. To make it all official sounding, I say we go all out to help the Broadsword and her 'crew' in their mission."

She looks a little sad for a moment as she remembers her own family. "You guys are all lucky to have someone here you can call family. My father died in the Zentraedi Control Zone fighting the Malcontents, and my mom is light years away with the UEEF fleet, heading off to Tyrol with the SDF-3. No brothers or sisters for me to pick up the phone and call. All I have is my work as a doctor and pilot to turn to. And now, my work has just become that much more important. We have to find a way to protect as many lives as possible, and that means working with Sam, Cera, Iris and the Broadsword."

 

[Sherwood]

Mario smiles. "It seems that we are all reaching a consensus. Mack? You've given us all a lot to think about, but what do you want to do? Are the Wild Cards ready to toss their lot in with Sam and his people with you at the lead? Knowing that your military career may be over because of this?"

 

[Kaerri]

Elinor smiles at Toph. "You've got mine, you just haven't met 'em yet. Trust me, they'll take on anyone willing to carry their weight." She glanced around the table. "That goes for the rest of you, too. Prob'ly even Iris, as long as I get the chance to explain first. And I was hoping to get Cera there at some point anyway." She took another bite, swallowed, and continued. "I agree that Broadsword and her crew seem to be a lot more trustworthy than General Steele. Sure, they haven't told us everything, but they've told us they haven't, and that they can't before we make our decision, which, frankly, just makes sense to me. We've only just met after all. I'd want to make sure we're on our side too. And saying they can't say more before we decide implies that they will say more after we decide, assuming we're all in favor. Which, like Mario says, sounds like we are. If we're all agreed on the big picture, it's time to go for details -- like what to do next." She offered Mechakitten more headscritches, and wondered where he fit in on all this.

 

[Psychie]

Toph smiles at Elinor and reaches over to put her own hand over hers. "Thank you. If we are now family to one another, I will have to show you how to make proper sushi some time after Mario makes us one of his Italian dishes." She looks over at the tanker with and impish grin. "I have not forgotten you promised us that! So, what is our next course of action, just like Elinor said? Are we ready to call Sam back in and tell him what we have decided?"

 

[Purr]

Mario smiles. "It seems that we are all reaching a consensus. Mack? You've given us all a lot to think about, but what do you want to do? Are the Wild Cards ready to toss their lot in with Sam and his people with you at the lead? Knowing that your military career may be over because of this?"

"Nice of you to ask, Mario. Most folks don't consider their commanding officer's feelings, just their orders." She smiled in appreciation, then grew serious. "To coin a phrase, 'I'd rather be surfing' than take this on, but better my career than my integrity. Whatever my decisions, I need to be able to look my mom and dad in the eye at the end of the day. I think this is the best way to make that happen."

Shirley hung her head low for a moment. "If... they think I'm dead, that's not really my fault and there's not a lot a gal can do about it except find them down the road and show them otherwise. I hate the idea of putting them through pain, but," she sniffed, "if I know my dad, he won't rest until he's seen a corpse or some other DNA-style proof of my demise. My only real worry is that, knowing him, he'll really find some way to find out!

"I also can't help wonder what's happened in the past 10 hours. A lot can happen in nearly half a day and I have more questions than I have answers.

"That aside, I think we're all in agreement here. The Wild Cards are siding with the Broadsword. I'll be the one to tell them, of course. But if you see me not mentioning something important, raise a hand and speak up! I'm still new at this whole leadership thing and I think I can use all the help I can get!" As she spoke, her eyes glimmered with confidence even if her smile appeared in doubt.

 

[Sherwood]

Mario grins. "Don't worry, ma'am! Just prepare your taste buds for a true treat, and bring an appetite. The Zukos only know how to cook family style, which means large portions of great food. What should I make? Chicken Alfredo? Pasta Primavera? Lasagna? Hell with it! I'll make up a variety, and let everyone eat what they like." He thinks for a moment, then adds, "We'll have to include Hitomi, the Professor, and the Colonel in this meal, too. Or else we'll have tons of leftovers."

 

[Purr]

"Don't forget Reggie! Being a kid from the islands, I doubt he's had the honor." Shirley rubbed her hands together. The thought of trying out authentic Italian home-cooking made the M.R.E.s seem so very bland.