Robotech the Yuuzhan Vong saga (SW/Robotech crossover)

[Captain Keyes 0]

Robotech the Yuuzhan Vong saga

Author’s notes: This is probably the first SW/RT crossover ever, so be gentle when reviewing.

Episode 1 – Space Fold

“Activate hyperspace fold, immediately!” Captain Gloval yelled.

It wasn’t the best idea, but it was the only one available.

The SDF-1 was under massed bombardment from an entire Zentradi armada, over a hundred thousand ships, and they’d lost most of their fleet to the barrage, not to mention Macross City had been demolished.

The only choice left to the space-fortress was a fold operation, an untried procedure that might not work.

“Sir,” Vanessa Leeds shouted from the sensor station, “if we engage the fold drive this deep in a gravity well, then we might end up in another galaxy!”

“I have no choice, we have to do it. If we don’t lead them away from Earth, then everyone on the planet is doomed.”

The bridge crew, Lisa ‘old sourpuss’ Hayes, Claudia Grant, Vanessa, Kim Young and Sammie Porter (sometimes referred to as the Terrible Trio, with good reason I might add) and Helena ‘taskmaster’ Chase, nodded in agreement. They knew why Gloval had given the order, and they knew he wasn’t lying.

The Zentradi fleet wasn’t going to stop attacking, and they couldn’t beat them with one Robotech Battle-Fortress, six ARMD cruisers, and around seventeen Oberth-class scout frigates.

Lisa sighed, and started flicking the switches that initiated the charge-up procedures for the fold engines.

“Fold in T-minus thirty seconds and counting.”

***********************************************************

In one of the cavernous landing bays, LC Roy Fokker was busily engaged in an argument with Rick Hunter and Lynn Minmei.

The unfortunate Veritech ace was trying to convince the latter that it wasn’t a good idea to return to Macross Island and the former that he was headed for trouble if he didn’t shut up and listen for once.

“Look, Miss Minmei, I’m not saying you can’t go back to the island, but I am saying that you can’t go back now. The place is practically infested with those Zent Battle-pods. And Rick, I don’t care how good a pilot you are. I lost some of my best out there today, and they were all better than you. It’s bad enough that you’re putting yourself in the line of fire, but dragging her in as well? That is beyond a joke, Hunter.”

As Rick opened his mouth, Roy opened his faster “And another thing: this isn’t a simulator. If you die out there, you die for real. And you need to learn something. In air-to-air combat, only the best survive, and you are nowhere near the best. Think about that.”

Roy grabbed his young friend by the shoulder “And if you think I’m leaving you two here, think again. The last time I did that, you destroyed a chunk of Macross City, wrecked a Veritech that was worth than you, and damn near got yourselves killed.”

***********************************************************

As the Battle-Fortress descended into position, some two thousand feet above Macross Island, the Zentradi fleet ceased its attack, fearful of destroying the very thing they’d crossed the galaxy to capture.

“T-minus five seconds. Four. Three. Two. One. Executing hyperspace fold.”

A massive golden sphere, large enough to swallow General Breetai’s flagship whole, wrapped round the SDF-1 and Macross island, pulling both into hyperspace and warping the universe around them.

When the fold field dissipated, the stellar cartography section realised that if Lisa figured out why the stars looked completely different, they were all going to be taking a short walk out the nearest airlock if they didn’t want to face the wrath of the sourpuss.

As it happened, Lisa and the rest of the bridge crew were busy listening in to com chatter from something called Eclipse Base.

“Interesting.” Captain Gloval stated, taking out his pipe and starting to light it.

“Captain! You know no-ones allowed to smoke on the bridge, sir.”

“I was just-“

“Just holding it. You weren’t going to light it. We know the drill, captain.”

“Anyway,” Chase cut in, “we should try to contact this Eclipse Base. They are speaking English, after all. So they’re probably human, and hopefully, not hostile.”

Gloval nodded “Good Miss Chase. Vanessa, can we initiate fold to Eclipse?”

“Confirmed, sir. The fold drive’s recharged. We can go as soon as it cools off.”

“Very good. Status on the recovery Kim.”

“We’ve got the shelters on board and we’re attaching the Daedalus and Prometheus to the docking clamps now. We should have everything recovered in two to three hours max.”

“Very well. Set course for Eclipse.”

***********************************************************

When the SDF-1 defolded near Eclipse, it was greeted with several surprised transmissions and an order to power down its weapons and defence screens. At that last command, Dr. Lang demanded to be on the first contact team, ostensibly because he was the senior RRG member present, but everyone knew the real reason: he wanted to see as much of these peoples technology as possible.

Gloval selected Jack Archer, Izzy Randal and Roy Fokker as the escort flight for his shuttle. All were experienced pilots and the best aboard the SDF-1.

As the four ships, three Veritech fighters and one shuttle, manoeuvred towards the asteroid base, they saw a bizarre mix of ships in guard positions around the little flotilla. Most were a strange design of fighter with X-shaped wings, but there were other, equally weird, ships scattered all over the sector.

As Gloval and Lisa stepped off the landing ramp, they stopped dead.

Facing them were the most bizarre mix of humans and aliens they’d seen, and also the first.

One of them, a tall male human with blonde hair and intense blue eyes, stepped forward.

“Greetings. I am Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master and commander of Eclipse. And you are?”

“Captain Henry Gloval, Robotech Defence Force. And this is my first officer Lisa Hayes, my senior squadron commander Roy Fokker, and two of our most experienced pilots,” here Gloval indicated Jack and Izzy, “Jack Archer and Izzy Randal. I hope we aren’t committing some violation of any of your laws.”

“No, actually, although we are curious about how you got here.”

Gloval nodded.

“I think it would be best to start from the beginning. Ten years ago, my ship, the SDF-1, crash-landed on Earth, our home. We had no idea who had sent it or why, but we discovered that they were incredibly advanced, with weapons and technologies we never thought could exist. But more important than that, we uncovered evidence that the people who controlled it were warlike and powerful, as well as completely committed to winning. We repaired the ship as best we could, and, several hours prior to this meeting, we were ready to launch her. Then we encountered the Zentradi, who came after it. The main gun fired on their fleet as it approached the Earth, and before we knew it, we were at war with them. They had far more experience with Robotechnology than us, and were able to decimate our fleet in short order. We executed a hyperspace fold to escape, and found ourselves here.”

“I see. Did you know that you scared the daylights out of several of my students?”

Jack weighed in at this point.

“We’re sorry about that, but we’re carrying a city aboard now and we have to think of the civilians safety first. I’m sure you can understand. Maybe you could help us out. We need certain spare parts we can’t produce onboard, and maybe you have something we can convert or, if we’re lucky, use how it is.”

“I’ll see about it. But I’m interested in your fighters. What are they?”

Roy, SDF-1 Veritech expert-in-residence, provided this data.

“VF-1 series Veritech transformable fighter craft. We’ve got three different types here; the VF-1S I fly, Jack’s VF-1J, and Izzy’s VF-1A. They’re the first Robotech Mecha to be constructed, and mine was the first in service, hence the 001 on the nose. If you’d like, I can arrange for you to take a spin in one, what do you think?”

“Well, if they handle as good as they look, count me in. Let’s head down to the simulators and try it out.”

“Simulators? I prefer real flying, but each to his own. Just give me a minute to find the disk with my fighter sim on.”

Roy rifled through the assorted odds and ends in the Skull One’s cockpit, searching for his simulator scenario, entitled ‘Unwelcome guests’.

“Got it. My favourite this, a good old-fashioned fifty-on-two dogfight. It’s been too long since those days.”

Roy had reprogrammed it with fighter pods instead of the old F-16’s during the battle over Macross Island, and he was itching to test it out.

***********************************************************

Luke felt uncomfortable in the Veritech cockpit. He told himself it was just the unfamiliar layout, which it was.

“Rogue, stay close. We break formation, and they’re gonna be scraping us off the landscape with a spoon.”

“Roger Skull. I’m just getting used to the fighter.”

“Rogue, Skull, you guys cut the chatter. You’re coming up on the area where the recon planes disappeared.”

“Confirmed. Will keep you appraised of the situation control. Rogue, arm missiles and start the gun barrels spinning.”

“Got it.”

The radar screen lit up with contacts, showing up red or white, hostile and unidentified respectively.

“Let’s go get ‘em! ATTACK!”

Luke flipped the Veritech onto its port wing and loosed off a pair of Stiletto missiles at the incoming fighters, clipping one and sending three spiralling into one another.

“Great shooting, for a rookie!”

“Rookie? I’m gonna make you eat those words Fokker!”

Roy didn’t answer; he was busy nailing his tenth fighter and herding two more into gun range with the head lasers.

“Twelve down for me so far Rogue. How you doing?”

“Five, with three damaged and bugging out.”

“That makes twenty. Almost halfway…. Scratch six more, and I’m out of missiles. Gun only, head cannons have overheated. I could use support Rogue.”

“Confirmed Skull. I’m riding your wing.”

Luke banked, bringing the VT into position on the Skull One’s wing.

“Looks like they’re running. We win Rogue. Return to base.”

Luke climbed out of the simulator cockpit with a smile on his face wide enough to swallow a small star.

“That was incredible. How do those thing manoeuvre so fast?”

“Robotechnology rookie. It increases the pilots’ reflexes, enhances plane manoeuvrability, and provides you with the kind of advantages over conventional fighters that just aren’t funny.”

“Impressive. It does with technology what Jedi can do with the Force.”

“I was thinking I’d like to see if we can come with a Veritech based on that X-shaped fighter you guys use. It looks pretty good.”

“Want to take one out for a test drive?”

“You bet, but I’d like to set up my best pilot, Max Sterling, a new entrant to the RDF academy, against yours.”

“Well, how about Jaina Solo? She’s part of a unit not unlike your Skull Squadron, the Rogues. I used to fly with them, before I became a Jedi.”

“Sounds good. We’ll just transfer Max over and…”

“No. I was thinking we hold this tournament on the SDF-1. I’d like to see the inside of her, and Macross City.”

“You got it, pilot.”

***********************************************************

Jaina fidgeted.

She didn’t like the idea of going up against a pilot she’d never met before under normal circumstances and these RDF pilots were extremely skilled.

Then again, they’d have to be to fly unshielded fighters into combat.

“Initiating combat. Setting is Hoth system asteroid belt. The first pilot to kill the other wins. Go.”

Jaina set her X-Wing into a lazy arc below the largest asteroid, watching her scanners for some sign of this Max Sterling.

There! A blip. Not very big, although he could be using ECM to mask the signature of his fighter.

The tingling in her danger sense was what saved her from going down to a missile barrage.

Jaina cursed.

“Sith, that guy’s good. I never saw him. That must have been a decoy I picked up. Damn you, Jaina. This isn’t the time to make dumb mistakes.”

She could see the wildly jinking Veritech now, with its blue-and-white colour scheme perfectly obvious against the asteroids.

“You’re good Max Sterling, but not good enough.”

Jaina loosed off a quad burst from the wingtip lasers, just missing her opponent.

“I take that back.”

Max flipped his fighter over, obviously intending to get her into a head-to-head fight.

I’ve got shields, you don’t, Sterling.

Jaina smiled. If he wanted to commit enemy-assisted suicide, he was going the right way about it.

Still, the Veritechs cannon packed more punch than her X-Wing’s lasers, and she didn’t care for getting hulled.

“Torpedoes it is then, R3.”

Jaina locked on, firing all of her proton torpedoes.

In the Veritechs cockpit, Max grinned.

“Sorry Sticks, but its not gonna be that easy.”

Flipping the fighter over to Battloid mode, Max laced the area of space in front of him with hypervelocity DU shells, perforating the proton torps and causing them to detonate prematurely.

“You’re good Sterling, but I’m better.” Jaina muttered as she spun the X-Wing about, lining up the lasers.

Max returned the favour, lining up his gunpod.

Both sent a stream of fire at the other almost simultaneously.

Jaina’s shots turned the Veritech into an expanding debris cloud.

But they didn’t stop its return fire from tearing through the X-Wing’s armour and impacting on the main drive core, tearing the fighter apart.

Jaina was stunned. No one, minus the Rogue squadron aces, had ever pulled that on her before. She had to meet this Max Sterling, and preferably find out how he was so good and only a cadet.

While everyone else present was trying to find out what happened, Jaina stepped outside, only to bump into the very person she wanted to find.

Max Sterling was tall, slightly built, and wore glasses. He also wore the same expression that she’d seen on some fresh pilots when she took down an entire flight of skips single-handed.

“You’re Jaina Solo? I’m impressed. You fly like Commander Fokker. I’ve never seen anyone, except Roy, fly like that. How’d you do it?”

“I’m a Jedi Knight. We can use the Force like that, to enhance our reflexes and widen our perceptions.”

“Okay, I get that. But, what’s the Force?”

“It’s an energy field, created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together. And is the source of never ending arguments between my brothers, but that’s just an added bonus.”

“Alright. So what exactly do Jedi do?”

“We’re defenders of life. We do whatever needs to be done for our fiends, allies, family, or even for our enemies.”

“Kind of like the Defence Force then,” Max nodded towards the simulator room and the noise coming from it, “You want to head into Macross City? I know a few decent restaurants there, and all of them offer discounts to RDF officers.”

“Sure. I mean, why not? I just hope my dad doesn’t find out about this little ‘date’.”

Max laughed.

“I just hope Ben and Rick don’t find out about this. They’d ride me ragged over it.”

Jaina laughed too.

“Those two cadets as well?”

“Yep. Ben is untested, but Rick flew at Macross Island. Unofficially, of course, and the old sourpuss practically had a heart attack, then threatened to string Hunter up from the bridge tower, so I think he upset her.”

Ben Dixon chose this moment to enter.

“Hey Max, why don’t you and Jaina come into town with the Skull squadron and Archer’s mob? We were planning on a celebratory drink, and Izzy and Jack seem to count it as the closest thing to a date they’re gonna get. So what about it?”

“Fine.”

Max shook his head sadly as Ben walked off to get the Skull and Wolf squadrons.

“He knew. He knew I was trying to ask you out, that’s why he showed up then. Just to annoy me. I’m gonna get him back for this, I swear it. Anyway, you coming along?”

“Why not?”

“Of course. The only thing more romantic than a fighter duel, is a fighter duel followed by dinner and candles.”

***********************************************************

Roy forced himself to stay conscious, in spite of the whiskey and the off-key singing from the Skull and Wolf pilots, not to mention Jaina Solo.

“Damn you guys. Can’t you give me a moment’s peace? Ya can’t sing for toffee, even when you’re sober, and when you’re drunk, don’t even get me started.”

Jack laughed and shoved another glass of whiskey under Roy’s nose.

“Come on commander, cut lose for once and enjoy yourself. It’s not every day that we can get drunk as hell on duty after all.”

Roy groaned.

“I’ve had enough to drink Archer. Now take that back before I pull rank and make you.”

Jaina stopped singing, and then noticed the occupants of one of the corner booths.

“Hey guys, look. Anakin’s brought a friend, and she… Hey you, get your lips off my little brother!”

Hiro, Jack and Izzy grabbed Jaina, restraining her from exacting vengeance on Anakin’s date, who they recognised as Tahiri Veila.

“Leave it lieutenant Solo. You should know what’s going on between those two. Since we arrived, they’ve scarcely been out of sight of each other.”

Roy, regaining some semblance of rational thought, looked at his watch.

“Everyone, we’d better get some sleep. Basic starts at eight-tomorrow morning and I want you all sobered up by then. Back to your billets.”

Ben gave Roy a playful punch on the shoulder.

“Come on, commander. Have some fun for once, why don’t you?”

“I like having fun as much as the next person, but we have training tomorrow and you can’t fly drunk Ben.”

Muttering assorted curse, the fighter pilots exited, heading to their quarters at various parts of Macross City.

***********************************************************

The next morning, Roy awoke to find Claudia Grant, his fianc?e, sleeping next to him.

She looked incredibly peaceful when she slept, a lot like him in that regard.

Fighter pilots weren’t generally regarded as romantics, but he knew that was a myth.

Most of his men and women were hopelessly romantic, a trait shared by fighter pilots from both galaxies and every air force on earth.

Roy left Claudia a note, explaining he was on fight training duty for the rookies.

This would be good.

***********************************************************

When him and Jack arrived at the sim room, there was already a large crowd of pilots and any Jedi knight with flight experience watching what seemed to be one of the Destroid training sims.

“What’s going on?” Jack asked Izzy.

“It looks like Solo and Veila challenged Champion squadron, from the 5th armoured division, to a tag match. They’re winning too. I’ve never seen co-ordination like that before. They wasted half of Champion squadron in seconds, and the others are all heavily damaged. Those kids can really do well on the Tomahawk.”

“I’ll have to talk to Hiro about assigning them to the ground combat teams we’re gonna need. Our first mission just came through. It’s been tagged ‘Operation: Restore Hope’. We’re going with the New Republic 1st fleet to Commenor, and we’re taking it back. This war just stopped being defensive and started on a counterattack.”

“Right. I’ll get the Wolf Pack together.”

Izzy ran through the crowd, pulling members of Wolf squadron into a loose group and telling them what the plan was.

Roy raised his voice, intending to announce what was going on.

“Heads up people. We have new orders from command. The SDF-1 is to join the 1st fleet and proceed to Commenor, where we have to take the place. I’ll give you your assignments later. Oh, and get some more practice on the mecha. You’ll need it.”

In the next episode of Robotech, while the New Republic launches it’s first counterattack against the Yuuzhan Vong, Zentradi commander Zeraal arrives, ordered by Dolza to retake the SDF-1 by any means necessary. Stay tuned for Deadly Storm, the next thrilling chapter in the saga of Robotech.

What do you think?

[Andy 60]

That's pretty damn good. Although I have no idea what Robotech is...

Oh, and welcome to Galactic Basic! :D

[Captain Keyes 0]

That's pretty damn good. Although I have no idea what Robotech is...

Robotech is a tv series from the eighties, and it is one of my three favourite things (Star Wars and the Honor Harrington books are the others).

Oh, and welcome to Galactic Basic!

I'm happy to be here.

[Bad furday 57]

*reads the Cap'n's sig*

Ah...you like reading Heinlein then?

Oh, and welcome to GB as well!

[Captain Keyes 0]

*reads the Cap'n's sig*  

Ah...you like reading Heinlein then?

Oh, and welcome to GB as well!

Indeed I do.

Just give me a minute and I'll have the second chapter of this up.

[Captain Keyes 0]

Episode two – Deadly storm

Zeraal looked at the recon report from one of his Tou Redir-class scout frigates.

“What do you want me to do General Breetai?”

“Take a scout division of ten thousand ships and investigate these new micronians. Do not engage them until you, and we, are ready unless absolutely necessary.”

“Understood. My forces will set course for the planet called Commenor. That should provide an adequate base from which to launch an attack, wouldn’t you say Skarrde?”

“Yes captain. It should provide a formidable primary base, and it is well outside observed trade routes, however I advocate caution. The micronians may very well have set a trap for us, and I do not want to take so few ships against them.”

“Good point. Breetai, I require the services of Kiyora and Khyron’s seventh mechanised division, just to make sure that nothing goes wrong.”

“Are you sure? With Khyron around, the mission may very well fail before it starts.”

“Don’t worry. I know how to deal with that egomaniac. Just have your fleet on standby should I call for aid.”

With that, Zeraal’s scout division shimmered and vanished in hyperspace.

***********************************************************

Roy shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

He hated waiting, especially when he was about to go into battle with an alien enemy he’d only simmed against.

Lisa Hayes’ sharp voice broke through his reverie.

“All squadrons launch now. Microjump to the debris field and commence decoy manoeuvres. Skull, White Knights, Rogues, and Wolves, proceed to assault point epsilon and attack on my command. All other squadrons, move to Cassini quadrant and activate ECM.”

“Skull squadron, commence immediate takeoff,” Roy shouted over the other unit leaders commands.

Sliding back the hyperdrive control lever, Roy marvelled at the ease with which they’d been able to fit Veritechs with hyperdrives and shields, increasing both their range and survivability as well as allowing more rookies to survive their first combat mission.

“This is Cats Eye two-oh-seven. I’m picking up interspatial disturbances, just like when the Zentradi folded in last time. Suggest caution. Heading back to the barn.”

“Roger that Cats Eye. This is Commander Chase to all units, activate ECM. We cannot engage that many ships.”

“It’s what, twenty thousand to three thousand? Poor odds for them.”

“Can it Archer. We’ll send down landing craft once you breach the perimeter.”

“We might not get the chance,” Izzy reported, “Zentradi ships incoming. I count four-five k. Confirm Skull Leader.”

“Skull Leader. I confirm. Fleet COM, our birds don’t stand a chance against that kind of firepower. Suggest you engage and try to buy the landing ships time.”

“Roger,” General Antilles replied, “I’ll do what I can.”

The Star Destroyers, ships-of-the-line in the New Republic alongside Mon Cal Star Cruisers, turned to face the oncoming Zentradi ships.

With Dr. Lang’s help, the New Republic had been able to augment turbolaser technology, giving them the capacity to engage Zentradi ships on equal footing. The upgrade had consisted of beam enhancer tech being installed on turbolaser turrets, similar to the gear on the SDF-1’s turrets, allowing for beam firing modes on TLs.

The leading Zentradi ship, what Roy guessed was a strike cruiser, fired first, using the eight heavy guns mounted in the nose and wings.

“This is General Antilles to all units. Hold your positions. Lusankya can handle this.”

The massive Super Star Destroyer banked, turning broadside and unleashing a massive sheet of red-gold turbolaser fire.

The Zentradi ships retorted with all-out barrages from everything they had.

Blue and red fire vied for supremacy, with the unshielded Zentradi cruisers taking as much as the Star Destroyers shields and hull combined.

Eventually, ships on both sides started falling out of formation, with the smaller ones, Zentradi frigates and Corellian corvettes, getting the worst of it.

“This is Gunsight One,” Lisa Hayes, oh sorry, Commander Lisa Hayes, called over the COM, “We are priming the main gun. Get ready.”

The forward cannon arms of the 1.2km long battlefortress split down the length of the ship, than the Daedalus and Prometheus arms swung out into a new configuration.

Roy gaped. He’d seen holos of how the modular transformation should have worked, but watching it was a whole lot different.

As he watched, the engine blocks extended, and the control tower slid into place between the cannon arms, giving the SDF-1 the appearance of a giant Battloid. The reason behind the transformation was to give the Reflex cannon a shorter refire rate, as when they’d fought the Zentradi last time, the normal firing mode hadn’t been much use.

Even before it was finished shifting components, a devastating charge was already building within the massive weapons components, and by the time the transformation was finished, the cannon was fully powered and ready to fire.

It fired.

The Zentradi and Yuuzhan Vong ships caught in the path of the beam didn’t so much disintegrate, as cease to exist.

“What in the hell was that?” Wedge asked.

“That,” Lisa responded, “was the main Reflex Cannon. We have a clear path. All Veritech units head into the atmosphere. The X-Wings can handle whatever shows up here, but you are more use down there.”

The VT squadrons, armed with autocannons instead of energy beams, which limited their effectiveness in space-to-space engagements, dived for the planet while the X-Wings and capital ships fought it out with the Zentradi in the heavens.

***********************************************************

Anakin checked his VT’s scanners again.

There, the blip again.

It was always on the edge of his screen, never approaching within missile or gun range.

Its pilot was smart, and good.

He’d have to check this out.

Opening a COM channel, he called “White Knights, this is Lead. Proceed on mission. Knight Two, with me.”

Tahiri’s fighter broke off from the rest and joined his.

“All right Anakin,” she said, “what are we doing now?”

“I’m picking up a blip on the edge of radar range,” Anakin explained, “and we’re going to try and track it down.”

“Okay, but I don’t think this is a good idea.”

Anakin checked the radar again.

The blip was moving closer. They’d meet it over what passed for a starship graveyard here.

Suddenly, what looked like a scaled-up suit of power armour appeared out of nowhere.

“Hmmm, what have we here? New toys to play with? Perhaps you were looking for me?” the power armour asked, “Oh, where are my manners? I am Kiyora. The other micronian pilots I encountered didn’t last very long. I hope you put up more of a fight.”

Kiyora grinned. These two seemed to be pretty good, and that meant a challenge.

She boosted the plasma engines on her power armour to full. According to what the Zentradi knew, these enemy fighters, called ‘Veritechs’, were ridiculously manoeuvrable, and very well armed.

Her Queadluun-Rau however, was not a standard Zentradi combat mecha. Armed with twin arm-mounted guns that could carve through the armour on one of the micronian ARMD ships, a pair of rapid-fire autocannons in the chest, and four shoulder-and-leg-mounted missile launchers, it carried the firepower of an entire assault division.

Anakin cursed mentally, realising that this crazy Zentradi’s plan had been to draw off one or two fighters, and then nail them. They’d been working on newer weapons for the Valkyries, but most were still on the drawing board, and the few that were nearly ready still had major problems.

As it happened though, the two managed to beat Kiyora back.

At this point fate decided to intercede, in the form of the Skull Squadron.

“Get her!” Roy yelled to his wingmates, Max Sterling and Rick Hunter, Skull 2 and 3 respectively.

Both went after Kiyora, despite not knowing what they were up against.

Kiyora, being kill-crazy, engaged Max head-on, nearly running into a salvo of Stiletto missiles.

A green beam scythed through the HE rockets, blasting them to pieces.

The blast had come from a power armour, different from the uniform green and white colour schemes on all other Zentradi mecha.

It was dark purple, and had the rank markings of a commander. And its pilot was not a happy Zentradi.

“Kiyora”, Gorian snarled, “You are just as inept as when I was training you. Come on. Zeraal wants us to join the forces in orbit. We can’t take this planet.”

“Very well,” Kiyora replied, then turned to Anakin. “I’ll see you again when your skills have improved.”

***********************************************************

As it happened, the New Republic forces in orbit were starting to take heavy casualties.

The Yuuzhan Vong, after losing about a third of their forces to Reflex Cannon strikes at long-range, decided that maybe staying out of the thing’s fire-arc would be a good idea.

With that advantage removed, the SDF-1 had to resort to her heavy cannons and assorted lighter weaponry to defend herself, and the newly activated pinpoint barrier was getting overwhelmed by massed suicide attacks.

That was where Rogue Squadron entered the picture.

Colonel Gavin Darklighter flipped his X-Wing onto its port S-Foil, barely evading a salvo of bright-blue particle beam fire.

The Zentradi fighter pod responsible for nearly holing his tail apparently wouldn’t take no for an answer, keeping tight on Gavin’s six and refusing any attempts to shake him off.

One of the Lancer-II pilots, noticing the Rogue Squadron commanders’ predicament, broke off from a strafing run against a Zentradi frigate and latched onto the Zentradi’s tail, spraying fire from the nose railguns and trying for a missile lock.

The instant he got it, the surprised Zentradi pilot found a StarStrike missile headed straight for his engines, with no time to evade.

As the blast cleared, the Lancer pilot snapped a salute to Gavin and then rejoined his squad.

***********************************************************

On the ground, Hiro Ishi and his Destroid team, supported by the Skull, Wolf and White Knight squadrons, were making a major push towards the ruins of a major city.

Another golden plasma ball flashed from a heavy weapon some Yuuzhan Vong troops had set up.

Hiro barely got his Tomahawk out of the way in time.

The Defender nearby wasn’t so lucky. Plasma burnt through the light armour in an instant, and ignited the ammo after that.

The blast knocked over Hiro’s Destroid, but he managed to get it back on its feet, and he was fighting mad.

Red-white pulses stabbed out from the arm guns on the Tomahawk, each shot sending plumes of debris flying from where-ever it hit, followed by a massive missile barrage that eliminated the weapon and its crew.

Hiro wasn’t done yet. The powerful mecha stomped forward, crushing enemy infantry underfoot. When it reached a fortification, Hiro flipped up the shields over the chest gun clusters, and fired.

180mm grenades, ruby laser bolts, and a sheet of napalm from the one active flamer washed over the defence position, incinerating it.

“Sir,” one of the other pilots called, “They’re falling back. Looks like we’ve won, here at least.”

Hiro nodded, then looked out over the battlefield.

They’d won, but they’d taken a pounding in the process.

In the next episode of Robotech, Kiyora plans to fulfil her vow to defeat the one pilot who has bested her. Meanwhile, Max Sterling, Ben Dixon, Jacen Solo and Danni Quee find themselves in serious trouble during a routine recon mission. Stay tuned for Showdown, the next exciting chapter in the saga of Robotech.

[Andy 60]

Damn, this is good stuff!

MORE MORE! lol :D

[Captain Keyes 0]

Damn, this is good stuff!

MORE MORE! lol

I'll try but am at present suffering a major case of writers block.

[Captain Keyes 0]

I now have the third chapter ready. Enjoy.

Episode three – Showdown

General Wedge Antilles almost allowed himself a smile on seeing his new flagship.

The Allegiance was the first Macross-class battlefortress to be constructed by the New Republic. The first, but hopefully not the last.

It was hard to believe that four months ago they’d been on the ropes and losing.

Commenor had been a valuable victory. It had shown that the Yuuzhan Vong weren’t invincible

The Macross herself was one dock over from Allegiance, undergoing an extensive refit. The upgrades included a high-powered shield grid, multiple heavy turbolaser turrets to augment her already considerable arsenal and a hyperdrive for backup in case the fold system was damaged. The engineers were also working on an improved version of the pinpoint barrier, which could, theoretically, cover the entire ship in an impenetrable energy shield.

The problem was, with the omni-directional barrier up; the shipboard armaments were useless.

Wedge hoped he’d never have to use it.

***********************************************************

Kiyora checked the plasma turbines on her power armour.

That micronian had humiliated her before Zeraal and Gorian, and he was going to pay.

Her sources said him and that other one were stationed at a base on the planet Borlieas.

She would have to kill him, to preserve her honour.

***********************************************************

Anakin sat meditating.

It had been two months since him and Tahiri had been assigned to the Borlieas base, and it was getting somewhat boring.

The Yuuzhan Vong didn’t seem to want to attack it, but the Zentradi had set up a base planetside.

Rumour was that Captain Zeraal, the guy who’d taken down a reasonable chunk of the 1st fleet at Commenor, was commanding that base.

His meditation was interrupted by flight CO Fokker walking in the room with a worried look on his face.

“What is it Roy?” Anakin said cheerfully, although that vanished rapidly.

“A squadron just got wasted by some new Zentradi ace out near the edge of Zeraal’s territory,” Roy explained, “I want you and Veila in the air ASAP.”

Anakin nodded, then grabbed his flightsuit.

***********************************************************

Ten minutes later, both were in the air.

“We’ve entered Zeraal’s territory now,” Tahiri said over the com, “Okay Anakin, would you please tell me why this is such a good idea?”

“An enemy ace has been preying on our pilots,” Anakin spoke calmly, without a trace of anger, “They were last detected around here, so we’re trying to track them down.”

“You still haven’t told me why this is a good idea,” Tahiri replied.

Anakin didn’t respond for a second.

“Look out Tahiri!” he shouted.

She barely spun the green-and-blue VF out of the path of the rising power armour.

Kiyora smiled. She hadn’t expected him to respond this soon.

Her job was becoming easier by the second. Now all she had to do was dispatch that other pilot.

“I wasn’t expecting you,” she joked, “but this makes my mission easier. Once I kill you Anakin Solo, the stain on my honour will be erased.”

“Well then you’re gonna be waiting for a long time,” Anakin shot back, spinning his own Veritech, painted sliver-and-red, over and launching a pair of missiles at Kiyora.

She dodged them with contemptuous ease.

“You’ll have to do better than that micronian,” Kiyora snarled, lining up her arm-mounted guns and firing.

Anakin flipped the fighter over to Battloid and boosted the forearm shielding, deflecting the PB shots.

“Tahiri,” Anakin ordered, “Get back to base and get the Skull squadron up here. I can hold her off ‘till then.”

“No you don’t,” Kiyora snapped, then raise her arm.

She fired, sending dozens of PB shots into the fuel tanks of Tahiri’s Veritech.

“I’ve lost control,” Tahiri shouted as the fighter went into a nose-dive,” Anakin help me!”

“Just hold on Tahiri,” Anakin said, drawing on the Force.

“It’s too heavy,” he whispered, while throwing everything he had into holding the VF up, or at least slowing it down.

Realising neither was an option, he did the only thing he could.

“Tahiri, bail out. Now!”

Kiyora, not about to let her prey escape so easily, interfered.

Anakin cursed, breaking off his efforts to help after being forced to deal with the enraged Zentradi chasing after him.

***********************************************************

A few minutes later, Anakin pushed the VF well beyond its lower atmosphere speed limit and cut through a valley.

He’d lost Kiyora a while ago, and was making his way to where the scanners said Tahiri’s fighter had crash-landed.

“Tahiri! Tahiri, can you hear me?”

“…Anakin…my canopy’s shattered…letting in water…I-I’m sinking…”

“Hang on, I’m almost there. I’ll move you to a safer spot as soon as I can.”

“I like her right where she is,” Kiyora replied. She was standing on one of the crashed starships near where Tahiri’s fighter had gone down, “You micronians seem so eager to help one another. I wonder what you would do just to save that female? Would you sacrifice your own life for hers?”

Anakin ignored Kiyora’s baiting and shoved the throttle full out. This wasn’t that quick given that the fighter was in Guardian mode, but it was enough.

Concentrating, he snapped down the link unit. Designed for emergencies just like this, it allowed a VF in Battloid or Guardian modes to carry another VFs cockpit underslung on one arm without compromising their combat effectiveness.

Now he just had to get it right, which was easier said than done.

The manoeuvre worked, giving him a chance to get Tahiri clear.

“Tahiri! I’ve got to get her out of here,” Anakin muttered, putting the pedal to the metal as Jack would have said.

As soon as he dropped the beaten up VF piece on dry land, Anakin went back to dealing with Kiyora in an extremely direct manner.

“Pick on someone your own size!” He shouted, sending the Valkyrie into a climb and sideslipping twin PB shots.

“Wonderful,” Kiyora shouted, “No-one has lasted this long before.”

As the duel intensified, Kiyora laughed.

“How I enjoy a good challenge. After I kill you Anakin, I promise to remember you, always.”

Anakin didn’t reply, instead trying to nail one of her plasma turbines.

If he could do that, then Kiyora would have to either withdraw or die.

The first shots pinged off the armoured engine housing, but one had to have found its mark, as the engine exploded in a shower of pink fire.

“No, how could I have failed again?” Kiyora snarled, “No-one has ever defeated me in battle, not twice. Perhaps it will be different next time.”

Anakin didn’t listen to Kiyora’s ranting while she ran, instead concentrating on landing a VF in high winds and on rough ground.

Once it landed, in Guardian mode for ease of lift-off, Anakin popped the release for the seatbelt and grabbed his lightsaber.

Running over to where he’d set down the VF cockpit module, he pressed in the activation switch and started cutting a hole in the side of it.

Once he’d managed that, Anakin levitated the medical kit from his fighter over and set to work bandaging Tahiri’s wounds.

Once that was finished, he carried her to his fighter and, through some judicious manipulation of the internal space, managed to make enough room for both of them.

***********************************************************

Hiro checked the radar screen again.

He was watching for a pair of returning Veritechs, and so far he’d found zip.

The radio next to him crackled, then a static-filled transmission came in.

“Hiro, its Anakin. I need you to get the base med-staff out to pad 12.”

“Why that far from the base?” Hiro asked.

“Veritechs damaged. Got shot to pieces earlier. I’m lucky it’s still in the air.”

“Right. The medics ‘ll be there when you land.”

Hiro stood and sprinted for the door.

***********************************************************

Roy followed Jack and Izzy, who’d arrived at his quarters to announce what was going on, out to pad 12.

The entirety of the base medical staff was here too, so one of them had been injured, hopefully not fatally.

When the VF finally managed to drop clear of the clouds, Roy was shocked it could fly, much less manage a safe landing.

There were holes stitched all along it, with at least some having penetrated the fuel core and munitions, from the scorch marks.

As it landed, Hiro and Izzy, defying what they’d been taught, stepped forward to help Anakin climb out of the cockpit.

He was hurt, that much was obvious from the bloody gash running down his leg.

That paled in comparison to the blood-soaked figure in his arms.

Tahiri had been hurt really badly when Kiyora shot up her fighter, with extensive shrapnel wounds and assorted other injuries.

“Take care of her,” Anakin ordered the base doctor, then turned to Roy, “Permission to pass out sir?”

Without waiting for Roy’s say-so, he collapsed.

***********************************************************

At the top-secret Variable Fighter research station Divine Light, Jaina Solo was presently getting ready to try out Dr. Lang’s latest development.

The Advanced Variable Fighter 2 X-Wing, or AVF-2-XW, had been proposed by Roy Fokker several months ago, and the prototype was ready for testing, and if that was successful, full production.

Standing twenty meters tall, a good six meters higher than the VF-1, it carried four light blasters in the head cannon slots, a modified light turbolaser like the ones mounted on AT-AT MK-II walkers, internal missile racks so that it could go supersonic in an atmosphere, and a miniaturised pinpoint barrier system controlled through a neural interface.

To finish this, the control method incorporated an interface that linked the pilots’ mind to the fighter, allowing for an impossible level of control. The problem had been that the BDI (Brain Direct Imaging) and BCS (Brainwave Control System) was impossible for a normal human to handle, but with Jedi powers it was quite possible.

The projects had been abandoned after several pilots had been driven mad during tests, but this one was matched exactly to her brainwave patterns, and coupled with her Jedi powers, it would be…handleable, theoretically.

Strapping in, she waved the crew chiefs to ready the launch chute.

One of them motioned that they needed the cockpit sealed before they could launch.

Sealing it, Jaina hoped this was going to work.

As the fighter dropped into the black, Jaina realised it was actually responding even better than the simulations had predicted.

“LT. Solo here doc,” she called in to the base, “Flight systems check out one-hundred percent. Headed for the firing range.”

“Roger Sticks. Vermilion Two going on station.”

That would be Max Sterling, unless Jacen or Ben had swapped designations with him.

“Vermilion Leader here. Keep your eyes open out there Rogue eleven,” Jacen ordered, “Vermilion Three, sound off.”

“Ben here sir, and going on station,” Ben Dixon nearly shouted over the radio.

Jaina focussed, painting each target and nailing it with pinpoint accuracy.

“Cats Eye Five-One-Four to Vermilion Flight. Danni here Jacen, I’m getting something on the long-range scans, could be a Zentradi sig. Control, request permission to take Vermilion Flight and check it out.”

“This is Control. Permission granted, but be careful.”

“Affirmative. Vermilion flight, get over here.”

Jacen and Max arrived first, by virtue of being closer than Ben.

“Course heading?” Jacen asked, already setting his fighter for the course he’d guessed at.

“Heading three-one-zero, mark two-two-five,” Danni said, “I can’t be much more specific.”

Jacen nodded. They’d be heading into an asteroid belt, which would make it hard for even the powerful sensors aboard the Cats Eye to find incoming enemies.

“Riding your wing sir,” Max said, flipping his blue Veritech onto one wing.

As they headed in, Zentradi General Breetai watched the four signatures on his flagships holo-screen.

“So they’ve taken the bait,” he said to tactical attach? Exedore, “now we move. Attack now,” he ordered the group of battlepods on standby.

Two of them shot past Ben’s fighter, weapons blazing, however in a typical display of Zentradi accuracy, they managed to hit everything within ten feet of Ben’s fighter except Ben’s fighter.

“We got incoming lieutenant,” he shouted.

“Ben, don’t chase after them,” Jacen replied, “We need to cover the Cats Eye.”

“Jacen, you don’t need to protect me,” Danni replied, “Now move out. That’s an order Jedi.”

“Yes ma’am,” Jacen agreed, “Ben, Max. Lets go.”

The three sleek Veritechs broke and accelerated away.

“Lieutenant I’ve got four enemy pods incoming at twelve o’clock,” Max called in, “We got a plan for times like this?”

“Yeah,” Jacen replied, “Pull back and resume covering the Cats Eye.”

***********************************************************

At the moment, the Cats Eye was threading its way through the asteroid belt.

“Damn it,” Danni muttered, then turned to the pilot, “The asteroids are messing around with my sensors.”

“I’ll try to get us in the clear,” the pilot replied.

Suddenly the threat board flared, showing something big moving in quickly.

“Zentradi battleship,” Danni shouted, “Get us out of here!”

“Aye ma’am,” the pilot called, sending the Cats Eye spinning into an evasive turn.

Danni barely noticed the asteroid they were heading straight at until it was too late, and the pilot couldn’t react in time.

“We’ve got them,” Breetai said simply as one of the retrieval pilots reported they had the micronian recon ship.

Him and Exedore started for the aft hangar bay.

***********************************************************

Jacen cursed under his breath, then opened up a COM channel to Max.

“Let’s go rescue her,” he said.

“Okay sir,” Max replied, transforming his fighter into Guardian mode.

Ben acknowledged his support of their plan with an enthusiastic war-whoop.

The three fighters that made up Vermilion Group transformed to Guardian mode and skimmed the hull of Breetai’s flagship, aiming for one of the airlocks.

“I’ll open the door,” Max shouted, arming a pair of missiles and firing.

As the blast cleared, the three VFs landed in the hangar bay, weapons ready.

Max and Ben got to work on clearing out the guards, while Jacen knocked the Cats Eye canopy loose.

“Uh sir,” Max called over the weapons fire, “it looks like I’m almost completely out of ammunition.”

“I’m running low too sir,” Ben agreed.

“Alright,” Jacen said, “I’ll get Danni and then we can make a break for it.”

The Battloid shifted into a kneeling position, unaware of the Zentradi general who’d just entered via the catwalk.

Danni on the other hand…

“Look out Jacen,” she shouted, right before taking cover (smart girl).

Jacen moved, almost in time.

Almost however didn’t stop him earning a mild concussion as Breetai dropkicked the Battloid across the hangar.

And to make things even better, the gunpods for Max and Ben’s fighters chose then to run out of ammo.

Fortunately, Max was quite capable of improvising, and used the weapon to pin Breetai.

“Hey Ben,” Max yelled, while fending off a struggling Zentradi, “Missiles, roof, now!”

“What for?” Ben asked. While he was an okay pilot, Ben had minor problems thinking laterally.

“Never what for, just do it!” Max replied, by now getting extremely worried.

“Okay,” Ben said, finally putting two and two together, and in this case creating explosive decompression.

The two missiles hit the ceiling, blasting a hole straight through.

Jacen, by now having recovered from his head wound, grabbed Danni before the pressure lose sent her into deep space.

“Don’t worry Danni, I’ve got you,” he called.

Max meanwhile had his work cut out. He hit the thrusters, launched into the air, and tossed Breetai out of the ship, then executed a textbook landing.

“So, what do we do now?” Ben asked.

“Try burning through the airlock with your lasers,” Danni shouted, then turned to Jacen. “You think I can get down now? You can admire me later.”

“Oh uh, yes ma’am,” Jacen replied.

Max and Ben started s######ing about this.

Jacen turned to face them. “Instead of laughing,” he said harshly, “how about you guys start working on getting us a way out of here?”

“Aye sir,” Max replied, turning his Battloid towards the door and powering up the head cannons.

On the hull, Breetai was making his way along the ship to an aft airlock.

***********************************************************

Max cursed silently as his head laser cannon started to overload, then turned to Jacen.

“Sir, my VFs lasers overheating. Request permission to give it time to cool off.”

“Given,” Jacen replied, “Ben, you change places with Max.”

I hope this works and we can get out of here alive, Danni thought, then spotted Breetai dropping from the ceiling.

“Look out Jacen,” she shouted, although Jacen wasn’t the one in danger.

Ben on the other hand was.

Jacen Solo, Danni Quee and Ben Dixon are captured, and brought before the supreme leader of the Zentradi civilisation. Helpless prisoners, they witness the awesome power, and destructive capabilities, of their alien adversaries. Stay tuned for First Contact, the next chapter in the amazing story of Robotech.

[Andy 60]

This is probably the best crossover fanfic I've read!

Well, it is the first - not counting Punks or Spice Lanes, lol.

[Captain Keyes 0]

This is probably the best crossover fanfic I've read!

Well, it is the first - not counting Punks or Spice Lanes, lol.

I'll get to work on chapter four ASAP then.