A Day in the Life of a Destroid: Defender

I never asked to be thrown across the solar system. I never asked to build a city in the hull of a space ship. And I definitely did not ask to be shot at in the cold black of space. Well I guess I signed on that dotted line which means I basically didn't ask for it but I was not supposed to complain about it either. It was my duty to get shot at.

"Lancer Squadron, tighten up. We are getting eaten alive out here."

My name is Dillon. I am a destroid pilot. Defender to be exact, and I love it. My dad was a tank commander in the third world war, my uncle was a tank battalion commander in a desert conflict called desert storm, and my grandfather was a tank commander in WWII. So I guess I am destined to be a mech commander even though I have no crew. Just me, and my Squadron I guess. Sometimes it seems more like baby-sitting than an actual command. Except when I was a teenager babysitting the neighbor's kids they didn't get blown into space dust.

"Lancer 4 and 7 form up on me. We have to give some cover fire to a repair crew working on the upper starboard rail gun."

"Copy that boss. Forming up."

We made good speed crossing the main deck of the SDF-1. Skull Squadron was doing a fine job of keeping the pods at bay for now which made maneuvering fairly easy for us. Our mech's were fast but just not fast enough when fighting pods. Those things are quick.

We had just folded space from Earth and were supposed to end up on the far side of the moon. Instead we ended up on the far side of Pluto floating above what was left of Macross Island. Now our fearless leader wants up to round up all the civilians in the shelters, salvage what we can from the city, attach Promothesius and Daetelous to the SDF-1, and fight off the attacker that folded with us. No problem.

"Lancer commander, this is SDF-1 command. You have enemy pods at you 9 o'clock."

"Thanks command."

Pivoting on the left leg of my Defender I guided my mech to face the intruder. Eight pods had blasted there way through the veritechs. Lancer 4 and 7 did a torso twist and engaged their mech's into a defensive stance.

"Cover me boys" I yelled into the com link.

"You got it boss."

I ask and they deliver. Volley after volley of 78mm laser fire erupted from there gun ports. I set my Defender into a flat run in a diagonal across the SDF-1 deck in an attempt to catch the pods in a crossfire. It worked. Letting loose with my 78mm's I caught 3 pods in the cross fire. Two of them impacting dead center exploding their torso on contact. The third was rocked from the explosion of his fellow pods and literally pushed into my second volley. Two more where erased from existence by the cover fire from Lancer 4 and 7. Lancer 4 began to drop back in a retreating stance while continuing to let loose with his 78mm's. He caught a pods right maneuvering jet causing it to tumble out of control. Unfortunately it was tumbling straight for him.

"William, get clear. That pod is coming strait for you."

"Damn this is going to hurt," cried William in Lancer 4.

The pod began unaimed firing in hopes of taking someone or something with him to oblivion. It hit the deck hard and Lancer 4 could just not move fast enough. The pod slammed into the left leg and lower torso of Lancer 4 ripping the leg and lower gyro right from the chassis. The pod impacted with a bulkhead just behind Lancer 4 and erupted into a giant fireball. The flames enveloped Lancer 4 catching his ammo and igniting him into a flaming ball of steel. The shock wave sent Lancer 7 tumbling off the main deck of the SDF-1.

"A little help would be nice Lance Squadron." Again I ask and they deliver.

Lance Squadron opened up with all they had, four 78mm's each. The remaining two battle pods took evasive maneuvers but even the best of pilots would have had a tough time evading. In a dance of light and fire the two pods erupted into space debris. I fired my maneuvering jets to guide my destroid along side Lancer 7.

"Lancer 7 this is Lancer Command, Danny you still alive in there?"

A crackle came over the radio.

"He, ey Dillo, n. Bout t, ime you came ou, t h, ere to get m, e. Sy, stem, s fri, ed. Not mu, ch lef, t in here t, hat wo, rk, s."

"Hang on Danny. We'll get you out."

The veritechs dispatched the remaining invaders and the maintenance teams went to work salvaging all they could from the destroyed mecha. It took almost three days to move the civilians into the SDF-1 but 75,000 people later and they were done. It was a simultaneous action of the crew and personnel of the SDF-1. They had rescued 75,000 stranded civilians, began construction of a city for them to live in, salvaged and attached the Promethesius and the Datelous to the superstructure of the SDF-1, and began extensive repairs of the SDF-1 itself. The crew and personnel were raw but efficient to the end.

Danny was released from the infirmary soon after our recent conflict with nothing more than some minor injuries. We gathered up Williams's things and had one large memorial service for all those defenders that gave their lives to protect the earth and its people. Many had died in the recent conflict but even with our heavy loses it seemed like we were never short pilots. We had a few days peace since our attacker had to find out where we up and disappeared to so I took advantage of the time and tried to catch up with old friends and to see if others I new had survived the space fold. One of these good friends was a man named Roy. One of the best veritech pilots that has ever lived. In fact he is the commander of the most elite veritech squadron onboard the SDF-1. Skull Squadron.

Knock Knock.

"Hey Dillon. Good to see you. Come on in. What brings you to this neck of the woods?" asked Roy in his always-sarcastic tone.

"Just wanted to see if a pod had gotten the best of you. Maybe humbled you a bit."

"Ha! Yeah right. That will be the day" came a familiar voice from the living room.

"Oh hey Claudia. How is life on the bridge?"

"Oh you know. Explosions here, explosions there. Same old same old."

"Yeah. I know how that goes. So how did Skull squadron fair in our latest encounter?"

"I have to say that my squadron never ceases to amaze me. You?"

"We lost William, Detro, and Nakamora."

"Oh my. Dillon I am sorry." Claudia started to get choked up so I decided to change the subject.

"Hey did you hear about the restaurant that is going to be opening up in the city? Have you seen the city? It's huge and nearly complete. I can't believe they have actually built a city in the belly of this ship. Its just amazing."

"Well what do you say we go check it out Roy. It's been a few days since you've taken me out anywhere." Claudia was always such a playful person. But then again so was Roy. They were made for each other.

"Okay, okay you win." Roy said with a chuckle.

"But I don't want to spend all of my free time walking through a city that, " and as he spoke the com link chimed on Roy's wall.

"Commander Folker here."

"Sorry to cut in to your of time Commander but there is an emergency staff meeting scheduled for 0600 tomorrow morning. Captain Gloval was very insistent on you being in this meeting."

"Oh gee. I hope I am not supposed to feel all warm and fuzzy." Under his breath I heard him say something about an old sour puss. The response from the com link was not an appreciative one.

Later that evening I was paged by the command deck and informed that I too had a staff meeting to attend. All destroid commanders had been summoned to discuss our new enemy and to plan strategies. I finished up my business down town and began the walk back to the barracks. I walked through one of the many parks in the new city and saw a young couple arguing. Not minding my own business I slowed my walk and tried to hear what they were arguing about. Something about how he never saw her and she was always busy with her restaurant. Must have been that Chinese place. It was the only restaurant open. They both looked so young. All I could think about was that with all that has happened, all the changes, all the lives lost, all this kid could think about was that he didn't get to spend enough time with his girl. I almost walked up to him and told him to get a life and join the RDF. Oh well. I pressed on to home so I could get a few hours of sleep.

The staff meeting had branch heads from all destroid divisions and some other pilots as well. Commander Boniva was sitting at the head of the table. He was our liaison to Commander Gloval.

"Attention everyone. Lets get this meeting under way. We have much to discuss. I have summoned those of you who are in command positions or have had direct combat engagements with the enemy. The purpose of this meeting is to evaluate the enemy and design strategies to combat this quick and deadly foe."

Discussions began and lasted for hours reviewing battle films and tape holding tactical data. I gave as much input as I could for the amount of contact I had with them.

"When a squad of pods breaks of to engage a destroid unit I have noticed that they do not do so well in crossfire situations. They are quick and maneuverable but the surprise of a double strike seems to take them out."

"Commander Ward, you are ah," Commander Boniva began flipping through paperwork to find out just exactly who I was.

"Commander of Lancer Squadron Sir," I helped him finish.

"Yes of course. It shows here you have lost three units in this last engagement. Where you using your crossfire technique here?"

"Actually they are people, not units, and yes I was using it but they came at us from the aft of the ship and over the bridge main deck to our location. Considering that the three of us that they were coming after took out six of them for only one of us, well that has to be pretty good odds. The Defender is the second most maneuverable destroid in the fleet. I think it would be a good idea to pair us up with our big brothers like the Monster and the Tomahawks. While they are laying down the heavy fire we can pick off the ones that get in close."

"And what happens if you cant pick off the ones that get in close, Commander?" Boniva's tone of voice was becoming very annoying.

"Well thems are the breaks boss. We are out numbered and out gunned. With the Spartans and the Phalanx laying down missile fire we should all be pretty well covered. The Phalanx has very high dexterity in its arms and hands. If you arm it with an external gun pod like on the veritechs we should have more than enough fire power to hold them at bay with minimal casualties."

"Sir, Lieutenant Schiller from Siege 7, I would have to agree with Dillon. Our Monsters just can't stay out of site of the enemy and if we engage we are very vulnerable since we have little to no maneuvering capabilities. If we had a Defender or Spartan squadron with us the pods might think twice about engaging us."

"Well, I think we are going to continue to suffer heavy casualties until our veritech pilots can adapted to fighting this enemy in the empty vacuum of space. All in all these are good suggestions and we will start running drills to this extent. Check your mission rosters in the next 12 hours to see what we have come up with. That will be all. Dismissed."

With that we were all off to enjoy the last bit of free time that we would have for what we figured would be a very long time.

"Dillon, wait up." It was Lt. Schiller form Siege squadron. Siege 7.

"Hey Max. I'm sorry to hear about your gunner. He was pretty damn good."

"Thanks. Sorry to hear about your squad mates too. It's like a damn Greek tragedy. We win but we loose too."

"Yeah. War sucks that way. Has anyone figured out what these guys want with us anyway?"

"Not that I have heard. What's with you and Commander Boniva? He sounded kind of irritated at you and your idea."

"He is just pissed that he didn't think of it himself. That man has not has a single original idea of his own. He has pretty much taken credit for every command level change I have tried to implement."

"Well just watch you back man. I hear that he can be pretty vicious when he wants to."

"I will and thanks for supporting my idea. Now go and take care of your boys. You have a new gunner to break in."

"You watch your back out there Dillon. We'll see ya around."

We both went our separate ways. I decided to go down town and eat at that Chinese restaurant again. That young waitress was kind of cute. Who knows maybe she will go out on a date with me.

Sleep did not come well for me the next few nights. My squad had been assigned to protect a fresh squad of Monsters. While I new my squad was good we did not have any close range missile support. So I had to revise my strategy, which was not easy. I guess that is what I get for putting my idea in the hands of a commander that has only seen training hours in a mech cockpit.

The few days peace we had was finally broken when our long-range sensors detected ships coming out of hyperspace. It was not long before they were upon us. The alert claxons rang loud throughout the SDF-1 and pilots scrambled furiously to there mechs and fighters. Our attacker came fast and without mercy. The SDF-1 rocked with shockwaves from nearby explosions. Running through the short power up procedures I cracked open the com system.

"Lancer squadron this is Lance command. Begin your start up procedures and sound off." I listened as they began counting off from Lancer 2 to lancer 12.

"Shock squad this is Lancer command are you online." Shock was the name of the Monster squadron that we were paired up with. Mostly made up of rookies so Lancer squad would have a lot of baby-sitting to do.

"Lancer command, this is Shock command, all present and accounted for. System start up's complete. We are throttling up and heading for the hanger."

Shock squad was lead by a fairly new Lieutenant named Hank Hagerson. He had not seen many combat missions yet but he seemed pretty promising.

My squad throttled up and began moving for the hanger door, which was slowly opening to the blackness of space. We began to see the flashes of explosions out through the hanger and I began to worry that they would just pick us off as we left the hanger.

"Hey Shock command hang back for a second and let us clear the hanger bay." It was too late.

An explosion rocked the hanger and enveloped the first two monsters that were exiting the hanger obliterating the lead and disabling the second. Radio chatter began to get more chaotic as Shock squadron realized that there fearless leaders mech had just been obliterated.

"Shock command and Shock 2 this is Lancer command do you copy?" I didn't know if Shock command could have survived the explosion but we could always hope.

"Dillon, you are going to have to take my squad out. My mech is Tango Uniform. I can't even move out of your way."

"This is Shock 2. I am in the same boat. I have minimal life support but my main gyro is out along with my hip and lower leg actuators. It also looks like the hanger door is fused. There isn't enough room for any one to squeeze through."

"Damn. We have to get out there. Without our coverage there is a quarter of the ship left open for attack." B efore I could even begin to think of a plan the radio cracked to life again.

"Everyone stand back. I'm gonna make a door."

Shock 7 side stepped and squatted with both missile arms extended in a firing pose. Someone began yelling something on the com net but was muffled out by the horrendously loud sound of a MAC II Monster firing all four of its 406mm artillery cannons. Half of the hanger door that was hung up was now completely missing. I think there was a pod about to burst into the hanger too because there where a pair of pod foot actuators fused to the hull of the ship. Probably never new what hit him.

"Okay Lancer squad. Open it up and head out. Quick pace. I don't want anyone's guns idol when they leave the hanger."

I opened the throttle wide open and accelerated to about 90kph. As I exited the hanger I began tracking hundreds of pods. I pivoted to the port side of the hanger and began laying down a cover fire for the others as they departed the hanger. Lancer 3, 5, and 9 soon joined me while the others spread out to cover the Monsters as they left the hangers. Our 78mm's lit up the black of space with pod after pod igniting into a fiery ball of expanding oxygen. From the sounds of it this was just a light assault wave sent out to test our combat readiness. There weren't even any assault ships to accompany them.

Shock squadron spread out and backed up under the cover of the SDF-1 massive hull. Once in position they too opened up with their heavy guns and missiles. Volley after volley of 406 and 78mm's pelted the enemy hard. We kept the fire thick to keep any pods from breaking through. They were fast though. A small group broke through. Things happened to fast to count them. Two of the Monsters and one of my Defenders were caught in the lightning assault from these pods. I turned and began laying fire down in there direction and I watched as one pod fired a hole into the side of a Monster and then lost control and slammed straight into the hole he just made. No ejection pod was seen from the Monster. Poor guys never new what hit them. The second Monster had begun retreating further under the decks of the SDF-1 but just could not move fast enough. It was swarmed by four pods each firing into the main cockpit area. The monster, lacking any close in weapons, swung its missile pods violently crushing one pod between it and the hull erupting it into a ball of flame. The explosion damaged a second pod and the third was batted away like a baseball. I was able to pick off the one that was knocked out into the open but was unable to prevent the Monster from rupturing and exploding. The explosion was not as large at it could have been due to the low amount of ammo. This was fortunate for the neighboring Monster who got a lucky shot off with one of its 406mm's and nailed the last pod dead center sending it hurling into space a flaming ball and then exploding well away from the ship.

The rest of the skirmish went without incident. We did our job and we did it well. It took a while to get everyone back into the damaged hanger. Shock command and Shock 2 had been extracted from their mechs and work was underway to salvage the two wounded Monsters. The com channels where quiet on the way back in. Pilots didn't like to talk about loosing one of their own. We had only lost one but we still lost.

I debriefed my squad and sent them on their way so I could get to the lengthy paper work explaining how we lost one Defender and two Monsters today. It didn't matter how I explained it. I knew Commander Boniva would razz me. He would never under stand.

I finally slept well. Deep and long. Winded from the recent battle and tired from the constant worry of when the enemy would attack and how would we deal with it. They had come and we had delt. This was all new to us. Even to Captain Gloval. No one had any real idea of what we were doing. All we knew was that we were at war millions of miles away from Earth and we wanted to get back home. You can't plan for something like this. You just deal. Sometimes you have to jump off a bridge and build your wing on the way down. But we would make it. By god we would.

 

Next: A Day in the Life of a Destroid: The Tomahawk