fanfic_name = What If

chapter = Chapter XV

author = Knights Templar

Rating = AP15

Type = Adventure

fanfic = What If

A/N: For all those who are reading and reviewing, this is were things change, probably for a more dramatic turn. So for all those looking for a storybook ending, well what else can I say other than, hope you enjoy this too.

Rick stood at rapt attention his head held proud and his face almost stone it was clenched so tight. His blue eyes stared straight forward, his hands at his side, a perfect attention position.

But Rick wasn't the only one to be standing at attention, no, not by a long shot. He had Jacob, Max, and Ben off to the left, and Roy and a few others he didn't recognize off to his right.

A man, whom Rick assumed was Admiral Hayes, stepped onto a podium above and behind them slightly. They heard slight interference and heard the amplified sounds of medals clanking together and a uniform rustling.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," the voice began, it was Admiral Hayes, "these men and women here before you today, exemplify the height of courage, initiative, and bravery." Hayes said to the gathered press, all of who were snapping photos of the group before them.

"Without the actions of the brave men and women, the Battle of the Factory may not have been a victory as it was." Hayes voice was monotonous, never changing. Of course the press thought it was a smashing victory, they had the Satellite Factory, and over one million Zentraedi on a bent knee to show their success, but most brass knew other wards.

The Battle had cost the Robotech Fleet a dozen vessels, seven destroyers, four cruisers and a heavy cruiser. Additions to those dead, another nine hundred pilots out of the some fifteen thousand sent on the attack were killed. This brought the total death toll to just over nine thousand two hundred and fifty dead.

Heavy as it may seem, these casualties were light in comparison to the casualties suffered by the Zentraedi who all told and done had lost over one hundred and twenty vessels of all kinds and had a death toll of over three hundred thousand.

Hayes continued on with his speech, lavishing praise and respect onto the crew members and pilots of the assault, when he finally got to the point of the whole affair, "An without further delays, I would like for Miss Jan Morris to come out and award our brave soldiers here with the Titanium Medal of Valor," the press applauded, and Rick felt as if the video camera's were all zoomed onto him.

He chanced a glance and saw that indeed a few of the cameras were on him, and he noticed a few on Jacob, Max and Roy. These were the well-known face of the RDF. Rick blinked his eyes back forward and hoped that he looked sharp because at that moment he felt dull.

Jan Morris approached him and looked at him, and for a second it seemed that she gave him a once over and gave him a seductive wink, Rick swallowed hard, 'Oh, boy did the cameras see that?' His mind screamed at him.

She picked the medal up out of the case and pinned it to his left breast pocket and gave him another seductive look and moved onto the next in line and Rick closed his eyes and asked god why they kept coming after him.

Donald watched the whole affair from the podium and noticed Jan slow down at Rick, Donald frowned, he knew Rick. He was that pilot who was dating his daughter, he hoped that the attraction that Jan was showing Rick was one-sided or he'd have Rick shot.

Donald's eyes fluttered over to Jacob and watched as Jan pinned the medal on him and gave him an intrigued smile. Donald felt a swelling of pride, he was proud of 'his little bastard' for being such a soldier. Thought he would never admit it, he was starting to get a feeling that he could like Jacob.

As he thought some more, he really had no reason to hate Jacob at all, he just didn't like him for what his mother had represented. He closed his eyes and opened them again and looked at his son, he did care about the boy, he wouldn't tell him, or maybe he would.

As Admiral Hayes struggled with his inner self, on the Satellite Factory, Captain Gloval, Breetai, Exedore, and about fifty thousand technicians from wherever they could be found were busy "down-sizing" the Satellite Factory, on the inside anyway.

Breetai carried Gloval in one hand as they inspected the work, mush to the chagrin of Gloval for having to be carried. Exedore stopped and looked at his commander, "Lord Breetai, it would appear that the micronians are moving at a pace faster than we expected. If they keep this pace up, they will have the Satellite Factory completed in a matter of maybe six to ten weeks."

Henry laughed, "Well, we have a penchant for doing things faster and better when a fleet of five million vessels is only being held back by the fact of misinformation." Henry chuckled to himself and Breetai and Exedore exchanged looks, it must be the inner workings of protoculture they both thought.

Breetai allowed Henry to finish laughing and looked down at the micron, "We have a urgent matter to discuss, we have received reports from a Doctor Lang, that he and another scientist are down on your planet working on a anti-fold system?"

Henry looked up and nodded his head. He too had heard of this and knew enough about it so that he could try to explain it to Breetai, "Yes, you are absolutely correct, Lang has told me that the system incorporate many technologies from the EVE system, and uses a source of protoculture as it's energy. Now he also tells me that the effect of the shield can be amplified if placed close to a huge source of radiation."

Breetai walked Gloval over to one of the few micron sized computer consoles and punched up the data for the device. He then had it transmitted to a larger screen so Breetai and Exedore could examine it.

Breetai made a sour face, it meant nothing to him, and he could make any sense of it anyhow. He looked down to Exedore and says his comrade's face light up as he looked over the plans, but then his face fell. He looked to Henry, "Where are you going to get that kind of radioactive heat signature?"

Gloval smiled, "Well the sun of course."

Rick trudged out of the room he had been stuck in for the past hour and half listening to Admiral Hayes drool on and on about bravery and needing to do the right thing. Rick was of the opinion he needed to do the right thing and shut up before he passed out.

But that didn't happen, he talked endlessly and all Rick wanted to do was get out of his uniform and get into something more comfortable, luckily for him he had some extra clothes in his locker and decided he would go surprise Lisa at her place, she hadn't been feeling to well lately and he wanted to brighten her day.

Rick walked down the halls and saw many people stop and give him different looks Rick couldn't help but smile. Along with his new medal, he had been promoted to Commander and had been given his own Veritech Fighter Wing with Max, Jacob, and Steven as his other squadrons, all of whom had achieved the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

Rick knocked on Lisa's door and she answered it, somewhat green in the face, Rick looked at her with concern. She had been sick for a month now and Rick was starting to get worried, and she wasn't being herself.

"Lisa, are you ok baby?" Rick asker her wanting to make sure she was alright, which he knew she wasn't.

Lisa put on a brave face, her hand went to her stomach, "Yes, I am ok dear. I just feel a little sick to my stomach is all," Lisa told him honestly, but there was more to it.

Rick looked at her and leaned forward and gave her a kiss, she seemed to melt, and Rick caught her as her knees started to wobble. They broke the kiss and Lisa looked at Rick and knew she had to tell him the truth. Rick smiled back down at her.

Lisa grabbed his hand and Rick walked in, he looked at Lisa and asked her if it was ok if he could go and change, and Lisa nodded her head, Rick went to the bathroom and started to change when he got to his shirt and saw that it was dirty, he made a face.

He opened the door and walked our, still shirtless and grinned at Lisa's approving look at his stomach, she had never seen it in the light before, on when the light where out. Rick smiled again, but with a much more devilish purpose.

He walked over to Lisa and kissed her and she started to lay back onto the couch, he laid down on top of her and Lisa felt his weight on her body and she felt a certain panic rise in her, "Rick, get up you're hurting the baby," Lisa regretted saying it the second the words left her mouth.

Rick shot up, "What did you say?" He asked his voice full of shock, Lisa thought on her toes, "I said, 'Rick get up you you're hurting me baby,' Rick's face softened, his shocked expression seemed to pass and a smile crossed his face.

"Oh, cause for a second there I though you said I was hurting the baby," Rick's face showed relief and happiness.

Lisa inwardly grinned in sadness, did Rick not want any children, what would he say when he found out that she had his baby...? Lisa hoped that he would accept it.

Rick looked at Lisa and she looked off into space, she seemed to be doing a lot of that lately, but his own thought were interrupted by Lisa's phone ringing and Lisa got up to answer it.

"Hey Lisa," the voice on the other end said.

Lisa's face crunched up into a questioning expression, "Who is this?" she asked the person on the other end of the line.

The man on the other gave a exasperated sigh, "It's me, Jacob, and I was calling to see if you and Rick wanted to come out and hang out with the rest of us?"

Lisa raised a questioning eyebrow, "Who's the rest of us?" Lisa asked.

Another exasperated sigh, "Max, Miriya, Roy, Claudia, the Trio, their Zentraedi boy toys, Steven, Miriya Two (for now), and Dad, and of course me, cause it was my idea."

Lisa smiled, it had been awhile since she had gotten out, and it would be good to see everyone again, an she was very surprised to hear that her father was among on of the ones who was going to be at the little get together.

Lisa put the phone back on the cradle and looked back to where Rick had been, she didn't see him, she saw her bed room door open and walked over to it in a hurry. She walked in and saw him sitting with one of his shirts that he left at her quarters, he was on the bed with a shocked look on his, he looked at her, shock and surprise evident on his face.

She saw the doctor's note to her and the pamphlets fall from his hands as the rose from the bed and walked over to her, "Lisa...why didn't you tell me?" Lisa looked away from him, tears in her eyes.

Rick tenderly touched her face and brought her face to his and looked at her with love and care in his eyes, "Lisa, you don't need to worry, I will help take care of my child, I don't see why you think I wouldn't," Rick said before he kissed her.

Rick broke the kiss and looked at Lisa and put on his shirt and took her arm and Lisa's face shone brightly, her tears forgotten. They walked out of her quarters arm in arm and walked down the halls and out into the streets and to Tavern's where everyone was meeting.

They walked in and had no trouble finding where the group was at when Jacob gave out a loud, "Heeeyyy!" and they saw him jump up and wave and Roy to got up and gave out a loud bellow that got more than just Rick and Lisa's attention.

Rick and Lisa walked over to the table both of them wearing red faces after blushing so hard at being recognized so adamantly and having the whole restaurant now staring at them. They found their seats and Jacob continued to be loud along with Roy who egged him on but never got to far, due in large part to Claudia.

Rick looked at Lisa and whispered something in her ear and she pulled back quickly and shook her head, Rick cocked his head to one side and said a few words to Lisa, she sighed and put on a resigned look. Jacob saw all of this from his seat.

Rick stood up and thanked god for the noise that would drown out what he was about to say to the others, everyone looked at him as he stood there with a happy expression on his face, the table quieted, Rick cleared his throat.

"I, err hem, I am not sure how to say this but eh, em," Rick fumbled along for words seemingly unable to get out what he was trying to say, Jacob was losing patience, "Hey, unless you're gonna say she's pregnant, sit down," Jacob said trying to get Rick t come out with it.

Rick didn't move, he only stood there and smiled slightly, Jacob's jaw dropped. He got up and moved closer to Rick, extended his hand and shook Rick's hand while patting him on the back, "Hey, congratulation man, I, ahem, I was just messing around you know buddy."

Rick nodded his head, the other's by now started to respond. Donald looked at the scene and grinned, he was going to be a grandfather, he looked at Lisa and then looked at Rick, an he knew then, somewhere deep inside him that Rick was perfect for Lisa. He'd make a wonderful son-in- law.

A/N: Yes, I know a bombshell. Lisa is knocked up. Anyway, I am planning a little time jump forward of a few weeks for the next chapter. Anyway, hope you like the twist, as always R&R!

State = Continuará/To Be Continue

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