Macross 30: Voices Across The Galaxy

Chapter 9: Galactic Fairy

"You might be right. Let's get suited up and head out," Rion said, suiting action to words as he turned and headed for the same hatch that Aisha had used.

------

Twenty minutes later they were all suited up and ready to go. Gerrol and his team even had a surprise for Rion, a newly-operational VF-1A Valkyrie. Together with Roy's VF-1S, their fighting power might actually be somewhat formidable now, although Rion wasn't enthusiastic about this VF-1 having the original-style cockpit instead of the Block 6 upgrade. Gerrol's crew, pleased as punch to be able to work on something advanced, had even gotten Alto's VF-25 serviced in record time.

"Just be careful not to waste the missiles," called Gerrol as Rion began to strap himself into the cockpit, "We don't have a lot to spare and less funds to buy more!"

"I wish Aisha wouldn't rush off without us," grumbled Rion, not paying attention at all to Gerrol.

"Does she do this a lot?" asked Alto.

"Yeah! I've only known her less than two weeks and I can already tell you she's the most energetic multi-tasker I've ever met! I don't even think she sleeps at night..."

Rion's chuckling was interrupted as Mina broke in, "That's not funny, I've been trying to raise Aisha but I can't get a hold of her. It's all static."

"You don't think she ran into some of those weird bug-lookin' things down there?" asked Roy, concern evident in his tone.

"Bug-looking things? You mean the Vajra?" asked Sheryl.

"No, these are robotic guardians that the Protoculture left behind. Now that you mention it, they do seem to have a resemblance to the Vajra," explained Rion, "But they've never exhibited any signs of being able to jam transmissions... I don't like it. We'd better get over there and fast!"

------

Ten minutes later found the quartet of Valkyries flying down a canyon on one of the larger islands. Tucked into one of the walls of the canyon was an almost natural-looking alcove, which the pilots approached in Gerwalk Mode before switching to Battroid.

"We'll have to be careful; Sheryl and I never went further than the entrance of these ruins," said Alto.

"Understood. Knowing Aisha though, she's gone in deep already and I'm getting really concerned that we still can't raise her."

"Since you've explored ruins like these before, I'll follow your lead, Rion."

"Roger that, Skull 4," replied Rion, feeling just a bit proud of himself that a veteran pilot like Alto Saotome was letting him lead.

"That ok with you, Major Focker?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm still getting used to this crazy planet so I'll watch your wing. Just don't lead us into any ambushes or anything; you can't impress girls like that!"

Rion hoped his derisive snort carried over the radio; Sheryl and Mina's giggling certainly did.

------

The inside of these ruins didn't seem to be much different from the ones that Rion, Mina and Aisha had been inside of before. This particular ruin had a huge antechamber that they teleported into with several tunnels branching off.

"Seems like the Vajra aren't here anymore," said Alto, the head of his Battroid scanning left and right, "I think they understood that they would be too noticeable if they stayed near Sheryl."

"Amazing! You really can talk to the Vajra!" exclaimed Mina, the hands of her Battroid clapping together in a distinctly girlish way. Rion wondered when Mina had figured out how to make her Thunderbolt do that.