Previous chapters are available at http://templar.anifics.com/nnpcindex.html

Disclaimer: Characters (and some events) contained within are the 
property of Pioneer and Harmony Gold, and are used without permission.

No Need For Protoculture
by Andrew Wilson

Chapter 13: Survival Shock

For a full day after the SDF-1 set down, no one emerged from its 
cavernous holds.  This had less to do with any fear of what would be 
seen as it did with the Corps of Engineers making sure that the Daedalus 
and Prometheus were level and secured to the crater the SDF-1 landed in. 
  The Zentradi and Galaxy Police fleets remained in orbit, communicating 
with the SDF-1 and surveying the blasted wasteland that much of Earth 
had become.

Lisa Hayes had already hit her stride again, despite being back on the 
SDF-1 for only a matter of hours.  The first priority was reestablishing 
contact with the other earth-side RDF commands.  Two of the old ARMD 
platforms had survived by virtue of being in Lunar orbit when the Grand 
Fleet attacked.  A few other bases in remote areas were spared, as were 
a number of smaller, civilian towns.  Anything with a distinguishing 
landmark or a high energy output was destroyed.

Gloval listened to the report in silence.  Lisa could sense a growing 
sense of doom radiating from him.  "So, there's no one else?"

Lisa consulted her clipboard, but she already knew what was written. 
"I've checked, sir.  No other major commands are responding.  You're all 
that's left of the REF command.  For that matter, you seem to be the 
highest ranking person left in the system."

Gloval was silent for a moment. "So, I guess the charade is over, 
however enjoyable it was."

"No one ever thought about it, sir.  Only six people onboard even knew 
your rank before the SDF-1 originally came to Earth."

Gloval walked slowly over to his closet and stripped off his greatcoat. 
"Yes.  You, Fokker, and Lang didn't correct the rest of the crew when 
they thought that 'Captain' was my actual rank, instead of a courtesy 
title."

"They might have suspected, it Russo hadn't used the title to belittle 
you and push you around."

Gloval smiled as he donned a new coat.  This one had many more ribbons 
and medals, and the sleeves and collars were decorated with the rank 
insignia of a vice admiral. "They never asked why someone who was a 
submarine captain at the end of the war stayed a captain for ten years."

"We were rather busy, sir," Lisa replied.

"Indeed," Gloval replied. "I want a general staff meeting called. 
Invite the Juraian and GP commanders."

"Yes...Admiral."

Gloval sighed as his desk's intercom buzzed. "Hold that thought, 
Commander." He quickly crossed to the desk and stopped the buzzer. "Yes?"

"Transmission from Justicar, sir," Claudia said. "They're picking up a 
spacial distortion in high orbit.  They say that it's a Juraian hypergate."

"A what?" Gloval asked. "Patch them through."

A short click later and another voice came from the intercom. "Captain, 
this is Admiral Makabi.  A hypergate is one of Jurai's 'trade secrets', 
if you will.  They can cross several hundred light-years in a single 
jump.  But the only ship that can actually generate them instead of 
using permanent gates is the Throne."

Gloval looked at Lisa. "Get them."

Lisa didn't have to ask who 'them' meant.

*******

While there was no one on the planet that would actually appreciate it, 
Earth was treated to a second light show in the sky in as many days. 
This time, it began with a single point of light.  Out of that point of 
light rushed ships.  The ships were all cut from the same mold, which 
had become familiar to those who watched recordings of Juraians and 
their final run through the Zentradi fleet.  The smallest was only 
slightly larger than a MAC II Destroid.  The largest was a little over 
half the size of Breetai's dreadnaught, but it radiated power.  Once it 
passed through the gate, the energy storm faded away.

"That is the Throne," Ayeka explained to Gloval. "It seems that Father 
is trying to show off."

"Show off?" Lisa asked. "Why?"

"Because according to the Juraian databases," Yosho said as he marched 
onto the bridge, "Earth is just another colony world.  The Emperor is 
here as a show of force, in an attempt to impress the people of Earth."

"Colony?" Gloval asked.  He instantly regretted it.  The questions were 
making them sound like a Greek Chorus.

Yosho nodded. "Over the course of several thousand years, Juraians came 
to Earth to settle.  They claimed the planet, since it was inhabited 
only by primatives in various states of development.  Because of their 
power, they were seen as gods or their decedents."

Claudia coughed. "So the Egyptians, and Japanese, and Inca's-"

"Yes," Yosho replied. "To past Juraian Emperors, that was enough to 
claim the world."

Gloval stroked his mustache. "And can they get away with keeping a hold 
on us?"

Yosho shrugged. "It depends on-" he broke off as the communications 
station beeped.

"Transmission from orbit, sir," Sammie reported. "To quote: 'the Juraian 
Emperor demands your presence on the communications link.'"

"Tell him to hold," Gloval replied.  He turned back to Yosho. "You were 
saying?"

"You're putting the most powerful monarch in the galaxy on hold," Ayeka 
said with a giggle. "Oh, he won't like that."

"I don't like someone with the amount of power he's showing standing by 
when the Earth was scorched," Gloval growled. "Now, what were you saying?"

*******

Azusa, Emperor of Jurai, strode into the conference room with the 
expected entourage of advisors and bodyguards.  Gloval had his own staff 
on his side of the table, but only he rose.  Hunter, Fokker, Grant, 
Lang, and Hayes stayed seated.

"Welcome aboard the SDF-1, Emperor," he said formally.

"Thank you, Captain," Azusa replied stiffly.

"I hope you'll forgive the lack of protocol," Gloval continued. "We have 
been unable to locate any surviving diplomats of sufficient rank."

"Understandable, Captain," Azusa said, "your people have gone through a 
great tragedy."

"Yes," Gloval said simply.

"In any case," Azusa continued, "the Grand Council has voted to extend 
full aid to our wayward colony."

Gloval didn't return the Emperor's smile. "And what about Earth?"

Azusa's face fell. "Earth is a colony of Jurai, Captain.  Perhaps you 
were not aware of that fact.  It is understandable, given how long it 
has been since we had an official presence here."

Gloval tapped a pair of keys on a data pad and slid it over the table. 
"According to your own records, Your Highness, there has never been a 
Juraian presence here.  This planet was regarded as a place for young 
nobles to enjoy themselves 'in a primitive setting.' Furthermore, 
genetic tests on certain unnamed individuals indicate that Juraian DNA 
is further removed from humans than Zentradi or Tedoni."

"Tedoni?" Azusa asked. "Am I to believe that you were able to do genetic 
comparisons with members of the Galaxy Police fleet in the time since 
the battle?"

"Before the battle, actually," Gloval replied. "We were rather curious 
about so many human-looking races.  I understand the genetic similarity 
of so many species - including the ability for so many races to 
cross-breed - makes for the occasional doctoral thesis."

"Is there a point, Captain?" Azusa growled.

"Yes," Gloval stood again. "You had the power to be here in time to 
perhaps prevent Dolza's Grand Fleet from destroying seventy percent of 
the planetary population, and ninety percent of our industrial base. 
Had you truly been worried about your 'wayward colony', it would not 
have been that much of an effort.  DO NOT LEAVE, EMPEROR!" Azusa paused 
in the process of turning. "If you had come here with offers of peace 
and friendship, we would have welcomed you.  Instead, you decided to add 
us to your 'Juraian Empire.' Know this, Earth is free.  We owe 
allegiance to no one!"

"You will be crushed by forces you can neither understand nor fight."

"Be that as it may," Gloval said as Azusa stalked out. "We will stand on 
our own feet.  Oh, and Emperor?" Azusa paused at the door. "It's 'Admiral'."

With a final snarl Azusa left.  For a moment, all was silent in the room.

"Are you sure it was right to do that, Admiral?" Lisa asked.

"It had to be done," Gloval replied. "I will not see Earth absorbed by 
an arrogant super-power just as we are beginning to come into our own."

******

Azusa returned to the Throne in a thunder.  Funaho and Misaki shook 
their heads as he flew by them.

"It seems you were right," Misaki giggled.

Funaho shrugged. "He always did underestimate most humans.  Even me, 
initially."

The door to the private suite irised opened and both queens rose in 
shock as Ayeka stepped through. "I'm sorry for not announcing myself, I- 
AK!" Ayeka broke off as she was snagged in a tight hug by her mother. 
Funaho was more restrained, and flashed her a calm smile from over 
Misaki's shoulder.

"I was so worried about you," Misaki bubbled. "Are you alright?  What 
happened?" Ayeka yelped as she was yanked around to stare into her 
mother's suddenly burning eyes. "Why didn't you call us when those 
bastards first arrived?"

"I couldn't, Mommy," Ayeka said through gritted teeth. "We weren't able 
to do anyting for over a year after the Zentradi arrived.  I was cut off 
from Ryu-oh, even."

"Oh," Misaki released her vice-like grip, and Ayeka had to pick herself 
off the floor. "Well, I'm glad I suggested to the Admiralty that the Sol 
system was good place to test the new battleships."

"Yes," Funaho agreed. "An isolated system, two hundred and thirty-six 
light-years from the nearest inhabited world.  Perfect for a secret 
project.  And judging by the reports from the GP, they performed better 
than we expected."

"Is father back?" Ayeka asked hesitantly.

Misaki and Funaho pointed to the suite's inner door. "Be careful," 
Funaho advised, "he's not in a good mood."

Ayeka smiled as she stepped to the inner door. "I saw."

Azusa didn't look up from his desk as she entered. "I wish to be alone," 
he growled.

"Really?  It looks more like you're brooding."

Azusa's head shot up and he smiled slightly. "It is good to see you, 
Ayeka.  It's been too long since you were home."

"Yes," Ayeka nodded. "But it will be even longer until I return."

"What do you mean?" Azusa asked, puzzled.

"Tell me, father, what happens if Yosho refuses to take the throne after 
you die?"

Azusa scowled. "He will not.  Not when so much rests on-"

"His tree is gone, father," Ayeka stated.

Azusa stared at his daughter for a long moment. "Then I suppose it will 
go to his grandson," he said with a scowl.

"Unless you changed that," Ayeka hinted.

Azusa smiled slowly. "Ah, so now you get to the entire point of this 
conversation.  You wish to go against twenty thousand years of tradition?"

Ayeka smiled. "One thing I've learned on Earth is that tradition 
sometimes needs to be examined and occasionally discarded."

Azusa nodded. "It is an interesting suggestion.  But first, why don't 
you tell me what's been happening.  The presence of the Zentradi in such 
numbers is troubling."

*******

"I can see why you wished to remain here," Honorra observed.  The 
'shoulders' of the SDF-1 were difficult to reach, but the view more than 
made up for it.

"Yes." There were new lines on Yosho's face.  Lines of stress, and 
grief. "Anger drew me here, but love bound me here."

"Love?" Honorra asked with a raised eyebrow.

Yosho chuckled. "Get that look out of your eye.  You said so yourself. 
Even half-blasted, there's an...innocence here on Earth that caused me 
to stay here.  A need to protect it."

Honorra smirked. "And you just happened to get married how many times?"

"Just once," Yosho said. "After six and a half centuries, the loneliness 
became too much.  Perhaps I finally accepted I would never see home again."

"Or me?"

Yosho smiled. "Or you.  Not that I remember much beyond an over-eager 
youth trying to win my affections by mimicking everything I did."

Honorra flushed and began to stammer an explanation before Yosho raised 
a hand. "No, that's not fair.  You were probably the only person who 
actually treated me as a person, not as the First Prince.  Perhaps, in 
time, what we had could have grown.  But that is an impossibility now. 
My tree is gone.  I have a few centuries left, but that is all.  You, on 
the other hand, have life so long as your tree is strong."

"Did it matter to her?  Or did she even know."

Yosho rounded on her. "I will not have you throw away your life by 
mourning over-"

"And I will not allow you to simply give up on life!" Honorra countered. 
"I spent seven hundred years weaping myself to sleep each night, and 
trying to live up to your example.  I won a tree through my effort, not 
birth.  Do you have any idea how hard that is?"

Yosho paused as the sun slipped below the horizon. "Did my instruction 
help?"

Honorra smiled. "More than you could ever know."

"So what were the Emperor's 'special instructions' to you?"

Honorra shrugged. "In the event of a complete invasion, we were to 
extract you and the princesses by any means necessary."

Yosho nodded. "Yet you didn't."

"And abandon everyone?" Honorra replied. "You know I couldn't do that."

*******

Another pair were watching the sunset, though this time they were simply 
on the observation deck.

"I thought everyone was avoiding me," the blue-haired woman commented.

"Probably some are," Tenchi admitted. "What should I call you?"

"Sasami, of course." Sasami giggled as Tenchi hesitated again. "I'm 
still me, silly.  When I merged with Tsunami, it allowed me to 
understand more, that's all." She glanced at him. "You have another 
question."

"Why couldn't you have protected the planet from the bombardment?  I 
mean, I was able to escape from a black hole, wouldn't protecting the 
Earth be easy after that?"

Sasami nodded. "It could be considered that.  If you had actually 
escaped from a black hole."

Tenchi cocked his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you didn't simply fly through the event horizon, that would take 
more power than even I have access to.  What you did was manipulate the 
gravitational field generated by Clay's self-destruct system.  It was 
like causing a river to flow around you instead of reversing it's flow."

Tenchi nodded. "But what about what Mihoshi and Washu-"

Sasami actually laughed this time. "You're far too literal.  Mihoshi was 
panicking, and could not accurately state what was happening.  As for 
Washu, haven't you noticed how fond she is of exaggeration?"

Tenchi coughed. "Well, I guess I have."

Sasami sighed. "In any case, I think you've noticed how your powers have 
faded since that fold two years ago.  Tsunami was affected, as was 
Washu.  Part of what I am was...injured.  The battle took nearly all my 
energy, which also caused the accelerated merging with Sasami.  It will 
take me centuries to recover."

Tenchi nodded. "So that's why Washu wasn't buried in her lab?"

Sasami nodded. "Of course, the Juraians won't notice.  Much of my power 
was already given as a trust to the trees.  And Ryoko has adapted to the 
loss of her part of Washu's power."

"Ah, there you are!" Ayeka jogged up to the pair. "Captain...no, Admiral 
Gloval will be making a speech soon.  But before that, I should warn 
you, Sasami, that if you don't want to join me in exile, you'd better go 
up to the Throne."

"Exile?" Tenchi exclaimed.

Ayeka nodded with a smirk. "Of course.  The Terrans have delivered a 
grave insult to the Juraian people, and given our own involvement, 
Father has decided that we are to be exiled until we learn our lesson, 
or until the flak blows over in Council."

"You don't seem upset," Sasami observed.

Ayeka turned to watch the last sliver of light slip below the horizon. 
"Because, between me and our mothers - who will be here in ten minutes 
to see you - father was finally convinced of the stupidity of his 
actions.  But he needs a scapegoat, until there's sufficient proof that 
Earth and Jurai can meet as equals."

"And you're going to help provide that?" Tenchi asked with a smirk.

Ayeka smiled. "We all are, Tenchi."

*******

Sasami tentatively entered the small apartment in the middle of Macross. 
  Its owner had been killed in the recent battle, so it made the perfect 
place for an out of the way meeting.

Funaho studied her with an approving eye as Misaki grabbed her 
transformed daughter in a bear hug.

"My little Sasami is all grown up!" Misaki wailed. "Why didn't you tell 
me this was going to happen!"

Funaho smiled slightly as she sank into a chair while her sister-wife 
did her best to strangle the girl. "I think, Misaki, that she was afraid 
of this very reaction.  Or, that people would attempt to manipulate her."

Sasami nodded as best she could over the stranglehold.  Misaki eased up 
and locked gazes with her daughter. "Is this true?  You were afraid?"

Sasami hesitated. "Yes, mommy.  I was afraid you wouldn't think I 
was...well, me.  I was afraid I wasn't me, too."

"Nonsense!" Misaki proclaimed. "You think I wouldn't know my own daughter?"

Sasami suddenly smirked. "Well, you did think Ryoko was me when you 
first saw her."

Misaki coughed slightly as she flushed slightly.  Funaho came to the 
rescue by stepping between the two women. "Well, that Admiral Gloval is 
about to make a speech.  While he's doing that, you can tell us your 
side of the past two years."

*******

The studio was set up exactly as it was over six months before when 
Gloval had to tell the people that they were being exiled.  This time, 
though, he was alone on the stage.  Even so, he dominated the screen 
with a presence behind the podium that would turn Baptist preachers 
green with envy.

"Over the past two years," he began, "we have been assaulted by a cosmic 
juggernaut.  Two days ago, we broke its back.  The task ahead of us now 
is rebuilding.  But that is not to say that the fight is over.  Millions 
of ships remain scattered across the galaxy, and the Zentradi's cruel 
Masters remain on their home world."

*******

Ayeka smirked in her own chair as Ryoko snuggled up to a 
slightly-uncomfortable Tenchi on the lounge's sofa.  Already plans were 
racing through her mind.  Tenchi's commitment was to the Earth, and 
Ryoko's was to Tenchi, but Ayeka was honest enough to admit that her own 
plans went beyond theirs.  She had to earn an empire.

*******

"But we are not alone.  As we saw in the past months, there are other 
powers in the Galaxy.  I have just been informed that the Galaxy Police 
will be placing a reinforced squadron in the outer system as an aid 
against further invasions."

*******

Kiyone stared at the dispatch in pure disbelief.  Six of her nine 
surviving superdreadnaughts, along with three-quarters of her lighter 
ships, were being recalled to Headquarters for repair, refit, and 
reassignment.  Justicar, Yagami, and their attached screens were being 
reassigned as a permanent presence in the Sol system.  This was a great 
change from the standard single ship deployment that remote systems like 
Sol normally received.  Apparently, HQ wasn't kidding about that commitment.

*******

Gloval paused to take a sip of water. "But this is a temporary measure, 
until we can build up our own forces.  With seventy percent of the 
planetary population gone, this is a difficult objective, but with the 
help of our Zentradi allies, we will succeed!"

"The Masters, as the Zentradi call their overlords, must know of this 
defeat.  And if they do not, they soon will.  Whether by Zentradi 
messengers or our own forces at their door.  For we will not sit idle 
and allow Earth to be ravaged by another alien invader."

*******

Roy wasn't sure about the identity of the couple sitting across from 
himself and Claudia, but something about them tickled his memory. 
Granted, there were more holes in his memories than ten pounds of Swiss 
cheese, but they were slowly closing.  From the looks of the uniform on 
the lady, she was connected with those Juraian characters.  The other 
one looked very familiar to Roy, but he couldn't place it, beyond a 
sudden craving for a good hamburger.

*******

"Before we can do anything about those problems, we have the problems 
here on Earth to take care of.  Survivors of the barrage must be found 
and cared for.  We must rebuild out infrastructure.  The colonies on the 
moon and mars must be rebuilt and more than that."

Gloval studied the camera, as though he wished to stare into the very 
souls of the watching populous. "We must do more than rebuild.  We must 
expand.  One attack by an aggressive alien fleet very nearly destroyed 
humanity.  This must not be allowed to happen again.  It is time for 
humanity to leave the cradle that has sheltered us during our fragile 
infancy as a race.  With the help of our friends in the galaxy at large, 
this will be possible.  We are over two hundred light-years beyond the 
conventional borders of the Galactic Union, and just as far from Juraian 
space.  Because of this, we have plenty of room to make use of."

"I will not lie to you, ladies and gentlemen, not after all we have been 
through.  The next few years will be hard.  Harder, even, then the past 
two.  Harder, perhaps, than the darkest days of the Global War.  But we 
will survive.  We will endure.  And we will conquer."

End Chapter 13

Authors notes:1
Weeeee, that was fun.  Took me long enough to write this chapter (can't 
believe this took me three months, even with the other stuff I've been 
doing).  For those of you who can't guess, the timeframe is about to 
skip forward about two years, both to match up with the events in 
Robotech, and so that I can advance the plot and development without 
going into exact detail as to how they were advanced.


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