Reunions - part 1

[srwu_npc3]

After a long, long voyage, the Macross is finally back on Earth - welcome! Finally a chance to resupply and rest in peace, free from assaults of Zentradi and other aliens.

The relatively large civilian population of the battleship faces a problem though. Simply put, they can't leave! Due to a large amount of red tape and paranoid officials muttering about military secrets, the civilians can't return to Earth and for now are forced to live in Macross City. And before you ask, no - we can't make them all members of Unity Group.

But even though no one can get out (at least not permanently), some people got in.


"As usual, the war-happy soldiers get all the praise while civilians are suffering. At this rate it'll turn out the big wigs started the alien war on purpose, and I won't be surprised!"

Meet Lynn Kaifun, a relatively famous wuxia actor and cousin of the Miss Macross context victor. Currently he's agitating a group of Macross City denizens and generally being loud and abrasive. For example, when he notices you...

"Hey! I know your kind, you're from Unity Group. How's being a glory hog in a super powerful robot treating you? I'm sure you never had to huddle in ruins, afraid, while soldiers waged their little wars over your head!"

Comments

[actuallyselfish]

"Oh. MY. GAWD."

[actuallyselfish]

"You're Lynn Kaifun!"

Dido juggles the cane she's leaning on and pulls out a notepad and pen. "Oh man, I love your work! I don't suppose...I could get an autograph?"

[srwu_npc3]

"What? Ah, yes. Sure."

Kaifun's hands grab at the stationery and he quickly autographs the pad.

"I have fans even in Unity Group, it seems."

[kill_all_vagans]

I was barely a child when the UE attacked my home and slaughtered everyone they could. I watched my mother be crushed under burning rubble and had to wait days until relief came.

[You may be a wuxia master, Kaifun, but how do you counter someone giving you the cold shoulder as they walk right on by?]

[actuallyselfish]

"For sure!" Dido says. "I mean, your movies really resonate with a lot of us: a warrior with strong morals that fights to protect the innocent, upholding the ideals of peace against warmongers and the power-hungry..."

Autograph get! Dido gingerly closes the pad and tucks it back into her overall's pocket. "Thanks so much!"

She groans slightly at the sudden movement and leans on her cane. "And in answer to your question, not so well. Got hit with supernatural radiation poisoning a few weeks ago. "

1/2

[break_the_nine]

As a matter of fact. No.

[Leos walks right up to Lynn and the crowd she was riling up.]

No I didn't just huddle up in ruins while soldiers waged their wars over my head. I watched my entire family die, with my girlfriend bleeding out in my arms with my entire home town being torn apart and blown to bits.

THEN I huddled up in the ruins surrounded by the dead bodies of everyone I loved, in pain, afraid and crying while the soldiers and mercenaries paid by a bunch of corporate jerkbags like the guys who produced your films wiped out everyone else.

2/2

[break_the_nine]

AND THEN instead of relief efforts those guys just paved over my home for offices!!! Did anybody say a word? Did anybody even try to help?! No! It wasn't just soldiers! It was people like you who talk up a good show then don't even do anything!!!

[Leos is just getting up in the actor's face now.]

You don't even CARE about these people do you?! You're probably just doing this to look good!!! The Unity Group probably does more good in a WEEK than you'll ever do in your entire career! My friends pushed back alien invasions, fought terrorists and saved hostages! What have you been doing? Complaining about things!!!!

[The Human PLUS' nails are digging into his hands hard enougn that they were bleeding.]

And you know what? I don't care about glory, and I'm not even using a 'super awesome powerful robot'. Half the time I go out I always get my butt kicked. But I try to help.

So shut up. Stop talking crap about my friends and start actually helping!!!.

[srwu_npc3]

"I see."

"That's just a movie, but it has some semblance of reality. Only in reality, fighting violence with violence creates only more violence."

[srwu_npc3]

"Do you think good things will come from returning violence done to you with more violence? Why does Unity Group allow child soldiers in its ranks, anyway? Or is that only for traumatized ones?"

[srwu_npc3]

"Do you think what you're doing is any different? Unity Group is funded by corporations, the same corporations that hurt you. And now you're working for them, just in a roundabout way!" Kaifun does not even take a step back.

"I always carefully check my movies, to ensure they are funded only by small businesses and individuals I know have only good intentions in mind."

[break_the_nine]

Oh I'm sure that you could probably tell. After all you're such a good judge of character.

And I know which corporations hurt me.

I also know just how many people the Unity Group helped. How many people could have died if they weren't around? Or are you saying that they should have died because we shouldn't even be around.

I joined the Unity Group out of revenge... and I know how petty and stupid that was compared to everyone else trying to help people. But along the way I figured I could do more. I could do my best to keep people from getting their lives screwed up like I did.

Tell me. Just how many lives did you save recently? Just how many lives did your good intentions alone save?

1

[majestic_keiki]

[For all the snark she's given in the past, this isn't really something Kei is ready to deal with. So she just sorta shrinks away from it all, wishing she had a louder, more confident Tamaki on hand to draw attention.]

[srwu_npc3]

"So this is what you are doing now? Keeping a tally of 'lives saved' to brag? And what if that tally is zero?"

"I saved zero lives. I also hurt zero." Kaifun makes a sweeping gesture of the crowd around the two of you.
"So did all the others. Are you saying they are worthless? Because for me that's how it sounds like! That no one here did any 'hard work' so we have no rights to critize you!"

[srwu_npc3]

"Are you not going to say anything? I don't know what's worse, men who brag about their kill counts like it's a good thing, or women whose spine's gone the second someone questions what they're doing."

[break_the_nine]

A tally-

[Leos grabs the side of his head. Goddamn dealing with this jackass was making his head hurt.]

They. Aren't. Worthless. I never said that. You did. Because if my life didn't get fucked up because of some crazy jerk with too many secrets I wouldn't even be discussing this with you! I never wanted to be a soldier or a pilot!

But I can't quit. Not after what I've seen.

[Leos glares at the martial artist.]

I've seen good people give up their lives trying to save others - civilian and soldier alike. Giving those people a chance to live their lives. I won't have some like you who doesn't even understand talk like this and demean them. Not Yancy. Not Chief. Not anybody.

[actuallyselfish]

"Tell me about it. " Dido groans. "Sometimes it seems like all we do is find ways to turn top-of-the-line super robots into scrap heaps. And then another foe steps up to the plate, homicidal, full of piss-and-vinegar, and steering colossal machines that can crack cities in half."

She rubs her head. "I mean, did you see that transmission that overrode all the networks last week? Cassowaries! Sentient Cassowaries in power armor led by a genocidal Cassowary Emperor. Where'd they come from, and how are you supposed to negotiate a truce with them?"

[not_a_prize]

[Peola's just going to sip calmly from the juicebox she had, slowly raising an eyebrow at Lynn.]

You're Lynn Kaifun?

[She actually sounded tremendously disappointed.]

Geez. You sounded a lot nicer and a lot smarter in your movies... wonder what else I was wrong about...

You probably can't even use ki can you?

[cloningblues]

What did you say? You think I chose to do this? I'm not fighting for glory! I'm fighting to protect people!

You have no idea what Flit traumatized looks like, Kaifun.

[kill_all_vagans]

[He stops at that.]

Every UE that's killed means one less UE that can hurt people. One sword drawn for protection can keep another from being brought down on innocent people.

[And at then he turns around, glaring at Kaifun!]

And no matter what you say, I've saved more people than you will in your entire life!

[majestic_keiki]

So what do you like?

[There's a hint of snark to the tone, but mostly she's pushed back by the sheer abrasiveness.]

[srwu_npc3]

"Understanding can be reached if we only make it clear to them that we want to negotiate. Even if it fails, it's better to try and evacuate civilians in the meantime, than to fight and cause more suffering."

[srwu_npc3]

"So you are going to throw the score board at me? What is this for you, a video game?"

"If you draw a sword for protection, it can be just as easily used to harm the same people you are protecting."

[srwu_npc3]

"You think soldiers are the only ones who die in battle? For every one of your friends in arms, ten other people have died or even more, and you didn't even know or notice."

"You can always quit. All you have to do is try."

[srwu_npc3]

"Huh?"

Kaifun is actually surprised by this question. He didn't expect it.

[srwu_npc3]

"I'm acting the way I do only because those people are mistreated. Mistreated by your superiors and others like them."

"Don't be ridiculous. Ki is a concept, not something that actually exists in reality."

[srwu_npc3]

"What did you do to those people then? How is keeping them on board the Macross protecting them?"

[kill_all_vagans]

And you think I'd turn on them?

I haven't turned on you, in spite of what you're saying about me and the Unity Group!

[not_a_prize]

Eh? Mistreated? That's unlikely. Commander Antov doesn't have it in him to do something like that.

[What she feels from Lynn on the other hand... still what he said has her snicker. Then laugh.]

That's funny. That's really funny. Because I know plenty of people who can use it and I'm one of them.

But I guess you're going to call me a liar right?

[break_the_nine]

Considering how it all started for me I know that fact too well. But here's something I'd like to add. They died trying to save lives. Yancy died making sure those same lives you said we wouldn't notice get destroyed by a kaiju or Aerogators. Chief was protecting me and everybody else that was there...

[And Kanade... well as much as he'd love to bring her up and slam it into Kaifun's face... he knew some secrets were to be kept secret.]

And what? Abandon my friends? Stop fighting to make sure the people you keep thinking I get killed are safe?

Tell me. With all the monsters and hostile alien armies running around... just what good will all of us quitting do aside from letting them crush us, shoot us in the back, enslave or eat us. And not in any particular order.

[actuallyselfish]

Dido stares at him for a moment. "Good idea!" She says at last. "You should go and talk to the Cassowary Emperor who wants to exterminate humanity and enslave the few that survive! Maybe you can talk him down to only killing and enslaving 2/3rds of us!"

[cloningblues]

It's not my decision to make. I'd let them go if I could!