Aside:
    In the year 1999, high above Macross Island in the South Pacific, the phenomenal event occurred in the skies, which altered the course of human history. A gigantic alien spaceship probed through the very fabric of hyperspace on a collision course with the earth. During its uncontrolled fall from the sky, the plumping space fortress produced shock waves of incredible force.
    The craft measured nearly three quarters of a mile in length, there was no sign of the alien crew, the armored hull had taken the broad of the damage, leaving much of the sophisticated techno-systems intact, what remained of the giant battle fortress gave evidence that a civilization that was lied years ahead of the Earth's most advanced thinking.
    Global war ravaged the Earth at that time, but even this devastation paled by comparison to the threat of the invasion from outer space. A ceasefire was order, and world leaders banded together to form the United Earth Government. Under the new government, the world's most brilliant minds formed the research team, to study and restore the alien space fortress, deciphering the parts of the documents found on board, they labored to unravel the secrets of the incredibly complex technology called Robotech. Convinced that the scientists had solved this complex shuttle, world leaders ordered the celebration.
    For ten years, the total resources of the entire planet had been focused on the restoration of this space fortress. A great city had grown up around the Robotech Project, and today on the eve of the ship's maiden flight, every citizen - man, woman and child - was gathering to celebrate their achievement and to witness the launching of their planet's new defender.



Mayor: Hm, it is big shots making their grand entrance.

Citizen: Captain Gloval does not seem too happy about it.

Government Officer: Don't look so sour, Captain Gloval, it's our big day. Surely you realize all those loyal citizens out there consider you their hero. I think you could at least wave to them.

Gloval: All right, I will wave.



Aside: The countdown has begun. On board the giant spaceship, the crew of raw recruits freshly graduated from the Robotech Academy is busy with the pre-launch checklist.

Sammie: All manual systems are green light . . .

Lisa: The ceremony starts in 15 minutes. I hope the captain get there in time. I hear he didn't get much sleep last night.

Claudia: Yeah, the other officers threw a farewell party for him , they probably set up all night telling each other war stories. You know how they are.

Lisa: And where were you, Claudia?

Claudia: What are you talking about, Lisa?

Lisa: You didn't come in until 4:00 this morning. You must've been partying too.

Claudia: You jealous, I had a late dinner with Commander Fokker.

Lisa: Claudia!

Claudia: What?

Lisa: You stayed out all night knowing you both have flight duty today.

Claudia: So, what's the big fuss about, Lisa? We won't let it affect the performances of our duty. After all, we are not children and you are not our mother!

Lisa: Your responsibilities to the ship come first, Claudia.

Claudia: But my private life is my business, nobody else's. Now then, let's get to work, all right? Get out of here.

Vanessa: Lisa doesn't understand about man, Claudia. She is in love with this spaceship.

Kim: Yeah, you got that right.

Sammie: Oh, don't argue.

Claudia: I am not the one who keeps butting into everybody's business.

Lisa: Oh, I am warning you . . .

Claudia: I hated to interrupt, but hadn't you better check your monitor, commander.

Sammie: It's an unidentified incoming aircraft, Lisa.

Lisa: Attention, aircraft approaching on course 107, (In Radio) please identify yourself, please identify yourself.

Rick: This is Rick Hunter, invitation No.201.

Lisa: That's confirmed, this invitation from Lieutenant Commander Fokker. Follow course 57 for landing.

Rick: Roger.



Broadcasting: And now we present the display of aerial acrobatics, demonstrating the amazing advances we have made through Robotechnology. Lieutenant Commander Roy Fokker, leader of the veritech fighter squadron will describe the action for us.

Fokker: Today, you will see how we've applied human know-how to a complex alien technology, keep your eyes on planes 2 and 4, flying at a speed of 800 miles per hour, only 50 feet above the ground, they will pass within just a few yards from one another. Robotechnology makes such position possible.

(Audience's laughing sound)

Fokker: Oh, no. Rick. Is that you Rick Hunter?

Rick: Roy, it's good to hear your voice so, buddy. I understand that you are a lieutenant commander now.

Fokker: Are you crazy, get that junk heap out of there.

(Audience's laughing voice)

Fokker: Hunter, when I get my hands on you, I'm gonna . . . Hey, yeah, switch this to radio only, will you? . . . What are you trying to do, buddy? Make a perfect fool of me?

Rick: Oh, nobody is perfect, Commander!

Fokker: (in radio) You haven't changed a bit, have you? Well, this isn't your dad's amateur flying circus; my men are real pilots.

Rick: I am going to have to make you eat those words, Commander. Coming in.

Fokker: Oh, get out of there.

Rick: Hi, Roy.

Fokker: Just what you think you are? What are you trying to do? Get yourself killed?

Rick: Hey, calm down.

Fokker: And while we're at it, where'd you learn to do that, anyway?

Rick: It was just a simple booster climb. You taught me that yourself when I was just a kid. Hey! I have to admit that those guys are pretty good. Not as good as me, of course.

Fokker: You don't have to brag to me, Rick I know all about your winning the amateur flying competition last year.

Rick: Actually I have won it years in a row, what've you been doing?

Fokker: I was busy fighting a war. I guess you haven't read about my having shot down 108 enemy planes.

Rick: Proud of being a killer?

Fokker: What? There was a war on and I was a soldier. I just did my duty.

Rick: You promised my dad that as soon as the war was over, you come back to the air circus. Why do you go back on that promise, Roy?

Fokker: I really felt guilty about letting your father down. Only this Robotech thing is so exciting, I just couldn't give it up. It just gets in your blood or something, I don't know.

Rick: What is Robotech, anyway? Just more modern war machinery, and the aliens . . . Ah?

Minmei: Jason, Jason, behave yourself . . . you can't have any more! No, Jason, cancel the order, please. You will get sick.

Jason: I don't care.

Minmei: That's it. We are going home.

Rick: En? Well, Roy. I see you are still a big lady's man.



Aside: Lasting through a warp-fold in deep space, a gigantic alien spaceship enters earth's solar system and pursuit of the damaged Robotech vessel, which is alluded capture by slipping through the time space continuum. The commander ship leads a vast armada of battle vessels manned by the Zentraedi, a race of warriors bred for thousands of generation for the sole purpose of military conquest.



Breetai: The finder beam has locked on this planet. Are you sure this is what the transmission was coming from?

Exedore: Yes, Sir. I am positive.

Breetai: They could have executed a refold.

Exedore: It's doubtful, sir. There was no evidence of a second jump into hyperspace.

Breetai: Hm, They couldn't have gone far in their condition. They would have to land in order to repair the ship. That's a logical speculation, I think.

Exedore: I agree. It would seem very likely, sir.

Breetai: Send the scout team.



Rick: Wow, this fighter's a real beauty, all right? It looks great but how does it handle.

Fokker: Hm, Well, why don't you just climb aboard and see for yourself.

Rick: You mean that?

Fokker: Sure, I will go along and ride piggyback behind you. The controls may look pretty complicated, but I will check you out on them.

Rick: I am not worried. If you can learn to fly one of these things, I can.

Fokker: Don't be so modest.

Government Official: This is a day that we have all been looking forward to for ten years. The Robotech project has been a tremendous asset to the economy of Macross City . . .

Messenger: Excuse me, sir: urgent message from the spaceship monitoring station. A strange flash of light and an explosion, followed by irregularities in the gravitational field.

Gloval: The same sort of thing happened years ago. You know what happened then, don't you?

Messenger: That's when the alien ship arrived.

Gloval: Better check it out.



Claudia: Every system aboard this ship is starting up. The defense system is activating the main gun to fire.

Lisa: Shut down all systems.

Claudia: It doesn't work.

Lisa: Captain, the main gun is preparing to fire. I can't control them, what'll we do?



Breetai: Look at that, now we know for sure that the ship is on that planet. All ships continue advance, but exercise extreme caution!



Lisa: We have control now. What happened, sir?



Rick: Wow, what were all those fireworks about?

Fokker: I don't know. I better go to check. Wait here I will see what's going on.



Sammie: Space monitor report is coming in. It shows what our guns were firing at.

Lisa: I have it here, Sammie. Two large objects, probably spaceships, in moon orbit 200,000 miles out. Both objects are struck dead center by the beam and were disintegrated.

(Gloval's laughing sound)

Lisa: Ah? Captain, what is it? What are you laughing about?

Gloval: It was so obvious. We should have known. A booby trap, of course.

Lisa & Claudia: A booby trap, sir?

Gloval: Yes, it is one of the oldest tricks in military history. A retreating enemy leaves behind hidden explosive and such. The alien who abandoned this ship armed it with an automatic defending system designed to detect them and destroy their enemies. The activation of the guns means that our friendly forces have approached close enough to be a threat to us.

Sammie: Captain Gloval.

Gloval: Yes, What is it, Sammie?

Sammie: No smoking on the bridge. It's against regulations, sir.

Gloval: I was just holding it, I wasn't going to light it. Scramble all the fighters and prepare for combat.

(in radio): Enemy force is approaching in sector four-one-two . . .Space Cruiser Armor 1 deploying order: Backs to attack four-one-two . . . This is a combat alert. Enemy approaching on bearing niner-zero, coming its firing . . . Launching missiles.



Exedore: Very heavy resistance, sir.

Breetai: Yes, but why are they using such primitive weapons. Our scout ships have broke through. It's unbelievable, some sort of trick, no doubt

Exedore: Yes, it is puzzling.

Breetai: But it makes no sense.

Exedore: There has to be a reason, but just beyond me. Surely the Robotech Masters . . .

(in radio): Commander Breetai, the two enemy space cruisers are approaching. They could be the ones who launched the missile bombardment.

Breetai: Blast them to bits. Those idiots behave as though they don't even know how to use their own weapons. Full barrage, all cannons.



(in radio): This is Armor Ten Space Cruiser calling SDF-1. Coming SDF-1!

Lisa: Armour 2 is destroyed and Armour 10 is heavily damaged, sir.

Gloval: I had hoped this moment wouldn't come in my lifetime. After we finally achieved peace on our planet, now we face annihilation by alien forces, whose power is beyond our imagination. I had hoped that war was a thing of the past. But here we go again. All right, move out.

Lisa: Yes, sir. All forces move out. (in radio) We are under attack by alien invaders in sector four-one-two. This is not a drill. Repeat, this is not a drill. All forces proceeded at once in battle formation.

Fokker: Well, boys, you heard her. This is the real thing.

(Lisa in radio): Wolf Team has cleared, Skull team prepare for take-off.

Fokker: Skull Team ready. All right man, this is it. Let's go.



Breetai: What a disorderly arrangement. These people are completely ignorant of space-war tactics. What? That's Zor's battle fortress, but what's happened to it?

Exedore: It appears to have been completely remodeled, perhaps by the inhabitants of that planet.

Breetai: Little micronians couldn't possibly have captured a Robotech ship.

Exedore: Maybe it crashed on their planet and they managed to salvage it.

Breetai: What about the crew, they wouldn't let them have it.

Exedore: Maybe, they were killed in the crash.

Breetai: Even so, the ship must have been seriously damaged. These primitive would have no technology to repair it.

Exedore: Oh, I know, sir. But is there any other explanation? It is a Robotech vessel. We know they have . . .

Breetai: Mm . . . Reflex weaponry.

Exedore: Precisely. And this makes them very dangerous, so we must exercise caution.

(in radio): Target pinpointed, commander. We are launching fighters.



(Lisa in radio): This is SDF-1 control, calling VF-102. You there on the exhibition grounds, we are on combat alert. Why haven't you taken off?

Rick: You don't mean me, do you? Hey, Ah? What?

(Lisa in radio): Don't waste any more time. Take off immediately. Join the fighter squadron.

Rick: What? What do you mean take off, the runway is demolished.

(Lisa in radio): Run way 2 is clear, you are fully armed and you engine are overheating so prepare for immediate take-off.

Crew: All set, sir! Good hunting!

Rick: Well, Ok, if you insist. Wah! Oh -

(Fokker in radio): This is Skull leader calling Veritech fighter group. Intercept invaders on 428. Traffic is pretty heavy out here, so break formation, but try to keep each other covered.

Rick: Hey, Fokker. Would you mind telling me what's going on around here?

Fokker: Mm? Who is that? Rick! How's it feel to be a fighter pilot?

(Rick in radio): Hey, what are you talking about, big brother? I am not a fighter pilot. Woo-----

Fokker: Rick! Hang on, Rick. I am coming. You weren't hit; it was just a close one. You all right?

Rick: Yeah, I am OK.

Fokker: Don't worry. Combat flight is scary for everybody when it first began. You will be all right, though. You will find it's not that much different from the good old days at the flying circus.

Rick: Yeah, but I've never got shot at the circus, Roy!

Fokker: You will get used to it. Just tag on behind me for a while, if you can keep up with me.

Rick: If I can? I will do my best not to leave you behind.

Fokker: That's the spirit. Let's go and get them, brother.

Rick: Ya!!

Fokker: Climb and bank! Rick!

Rick: Oh - I can't take control of it. I think I have had it, Roy, and getting no response for the controls at all.

Lisa: This is SDF-1 control, calling VF-102, Pull out, you are diving right at us.

Rick: Tell me something, I don't know! I can't pull out. All the control has lost the power.

Lisa: Have you tried switching to configuration B?

Rick: B? What's that mean?

(Lisa in radio): You don't know? Impossible. All right, listen. Pull down the control marked 'B' on the left side of your console.

Rick: OK, I found it. What's it do with?



Rick: What do you know? I am alive!



Preview: In the next episode of ROBOTECH, the Aliens strike in full force and the desperate battle for the planet Earth which is the very straights in the Macross City. Human courage and skill are tested to the limit against the superior weapons of the Zentraedi. And heroic rescue attempt turns into a nightmare experiences. Don't miss the incredible action and suspense of "Countdown", the next trilling chapter in the saga of ROBOTECH.