Chapter 51: Macross – The Battle Continues
Missiles from both sides collided midair, filling the sky with fiery explosions.
But still, a great number slipped through and slammed directly into the buildings of South Ataria Island.
Countless civilian structures were destroyed, many ordinary people were caught in the blasts and killed outright, and the island was left in a state of devastation too tragic to look upon.
At that moment, on the bridge of the Macross, Misa Hayase spotted one orange VF-1 Valkyrie fighter still sitting idle in the ground hangar.
Inside, fast asleep, was none other than Hikaru Ichijyo.
"VT-102! VT-102!
The VT-102 at the exhibition airfield! Why haven't you launched yet?"
Half-awake and bewildered, Hikaru Ichijyo mumbled back, "VT-102?"
He then opened the cockpit and started inspecting the fighter.
Watching him fumble about like an idiot, Misa Hayase snapped impatiently,
"Stop fooling around! Launch immediately! This is war!"
Still confused, Hikaru muttered, "Launch… I mean, the runway's already…"
Meanwhile, ground crew had already finished arming his orange VF-1 Valkyrie and sealed the cockpit shut.
Hikaru had no choice but to take off in the VF-1 Valkyrie and join the war against the alien invaders.
The skies were crowded with Zentraedi craft and battle pods, as well as the VF-1 Valkyries of the UN Spacy locked in combat with them.
They darted back and forth, trading missiles, occasionally unleashing bursts from their cannons.
Zentraedi fighters and pods, along with Valkyries of the UN Spacy, were constantly struck and blown apart in the chaotic melee.
The fiercest of all was Roy Focker, leading his Skull Squadron of white VF-1S Valkyries.
They streaked across the battlefield again and again, downing Zentraedi craft and battle pods one after another.
Soon, Hikaru Ichijyo's orange VF-1 had fallen in behind Roy Focker's white VF-1S, joining Skull Squadron in the Macross's desperate defense.
But in no time at all, Hikaru's orange VF-1 was hit by Zentraedi fire.
Losing balance in the sky, it plummeted straight toward the Macross below.
On the Macross bridge, Misa Hayase spotted the falling orange VF-1, on a collision course with the ship.
She opened comms in alarm:
"VT-102! VT-102!
Your trajectory will collide with the Macross! Pull away immediately!"
Still spiraling downward, Hikaru shouted back,
"I can't! The controls feel all wrong—I can't handle it!"
Annoyed, Misa barked back, "Just transform into B-Mode already!"
Seeing his baffled look on the monitor, she pressed on,
"Don't tell me you don't know? Impossible!
Pull the lever on the left marked with a B. Enter ACS system and you'll see."
Following her instructions, Hikaru noticed three letters on the left side of the cockpit: B, G, F.
He yanked down the lever marked B, initiating the transformation into Battroid form.
(B-Mode: Battroid [robot form]; F-Mode: Fighter form; G-Mode: Gerwalk [halfway form between fighter and robot].)
The VF-1 slowly shifted into Gerwalk form midair. Though it was still spiraling, the flight steadied somewhat.
It then completed transformation into Battroid, stumbling clumsily, knocking over buildings before crash-landing on a city street and managing to stand upright.
By chance, it landed right across from Lynn Minmay's home, leaving Monty Hill utterly dumbfounded.
Inside, Lynn Minmay and her family had been hiding by the restaurant entrance, watching the massive Battroid outside.
Her mischievous little cousin even ran straight out to play beneath the Valkyrie's towering feet.
After a short while, he dashed back home. Minmay, terrified, scooped him into her arms, afraid he would run off again.
But her cousin happily exclaimed, "Let's go see the robot!"
He then bolted upstairs to Minmay's third-floor room, wanting a closer look at the Battroid.
Helpless, Minmay followed, and Monty Hill went along too, deciding he'd better protect them.
Inwardly, Monty Hill couldn't help but sigh—this kid was too bold, downright domineering.
He reflected that on one hand, the house had nearly been crushed by the Battroid's landing; on the other, the story seemed to be "correcting" itself, still forcing a meeting between Minmay and Hikaru despite his interference.
He sighed again—perhaps this was the power of worldline correction.
Snapping back to the present, Monty Hill immediately had Nami temporarily reinforce the house.
Zentraedi battle pods would soon be fighting right here. If the house collapsed on him, he'd be in serious trouble.
Otherwise, he might end up one of those tragic transmigrators, suffering a "Final Destination" death—crushed by rubble, or randomly struck by a stray shell.
With the house strengthened, he felt more at ease. Soon, he might even get the chance to snag some Zentraedi battle pod data.
Meanwhile, Hikaru was still shaken from his crash-landing when a wave of Zentraedi battle pods descended onto the nearby seas and the island.
The moment they touched down, they opened fire on UN Spacy patrol helicopters and conventional fighter jets.
Helicopters and jets alike were blasted from the sky in blazing explosions.
Upstairs, Minmay and her cousin reached her room, about to open the window for a full view of the Battroid outside.
Monty Hill quickly stopped them, pulling them back.
"Minmay, kid—don't open the window. The house may already be unstable from that shock.
Opening it carelessly could be dangerous, like during an earthquake when opening a door might trigger collapse."
Convinced, Minmay immediately hugged her cousin tightly, keeping him still.
Lifting the boy up, Monty Hill continued,
"See? We can look through the glass just the same."
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