2023-08-18: Vicissitudes
- Log: 2023-08-18 Vicissitudes
- Cast: Alto Saotome, Sheryl Nome, Ranka Lee
- Where: Frontier Colony
- OOC - IC Date: August 18, UC 0097 (2023)
- Summary: Alto, Sheryl, and Ranka are out having lunch together when a certain broadcast interrupts both their day and their understanding of the current era.
<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.
It's a relatively normal day on the Frontier Fleet. The sun is shining through the transparent dome. The temperature is an ever unchanging 24 degrees Celsius. The holographic billboards flash advertisements of Ranka concerts over the city's center in the distance. And there is a general air of this being Just Another Day.
A day which Alto, Sheryl and Ranka have managed to actually organize a lunch date. With Alto's work for SMS sending him out to various missions, Ranka's busy schedule with concerts and tours, and Sheryl's... Schoolwork. The three haven't exactly had a lot of opportunity to meet up lately. Which is why they organized a lunch out at the usual place, taking up a smart table at the outdoors cafe overlooking the city.
The lunch has already been going on for a little while and Alto is finishing up a story about the latest antics of Skull Squadron, his face clearly showing the tale of unfortunate woe, "-and so the Major had us scrubbing Valkyries in the hangar for three hours. It wasn't even my fault! It was all Michael's. I swear, he does this on purpose just to annoy me." He takes a long sip from his drink, drowning his likely overstated sorrows with soda.
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
Summer homework sure is a thing, huh? Sheryl barely bothered with it last year, but this year she's taking her schoolwork a lot more seriously, so she's actually made an effort to get it down through the summer. All three of them are busy, but thankfully she has enough time to set aside for a lunch gathering.
Sheryl smiles in amusement as she listens to Alto's anecdote/complaints, twirling the straw for her iced coffee between two fingers, it being all that remains of her smoked salmon salad lunch set. "You are very fun to annoy," she teases, winking. "Maybe Michael's just smitten with how handsome you look when you scowl. Right, Ranka~? <3"
Which is itself a tease, bringing Ranka into it. It means she can offload her own feelings onto someone who can get flustered on her behalf. (Which is a gamble, but Sheryl is nothing if not reckless. ...maybe a little less reckless these days.)
The holograms shimmer and flash. Sheryl pays them no mind, even if they're advertising Ranka and not herself. She's too used to them by now.
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
A lunch date on the Frontier! The density of holographic advertisements has caused Ranka to switch to her old Saint Maria's uniform.
It's perhaps not great to wear the uniform of a school she no longer goes to, but it makes people at least 'think again' when they see a famous idol who looks exactly like Ranka Lee.
At Alto's anecdote, Ranka snerks before her drink makes it all the way to her mouth, which becomes soft laughter as a hand covers her mouth.
"He kinda is-! He really makes a whole show of it." She giggles at Sheryl, before looking back to Alto, "And gosh that really sounds like my brother! He's not the type to thoroughly investigate the matter! Instead he'd just be like-"
Ranka crosses her arms and puffs out her cheeks, taking a severe look, "You! Do you two think this is some sort of game!? We at the SMS blahblah blahblah blah blah blah blah- now get to scrubbing those Valkyries! I want them so clean that I can see my teeth in the reflection!"
Ranka at the very least, doesn't seem to mind dragging her brother. He is after all one of the few people she can get quite heated about without tremendous effort.
... unlike Sheryl, Ranka still isn't used to the advertisements being more about her than Sheryl herself...
But this lunch date certainly makes things feel more normal between them, doesn't it?
<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.
Alto scowls at Sheryl.
It's a faux scowl though, as he's gotten used to the teasing. One might even say he enjoys it a little bit. Not him. Not ever. But someone else might.
And Alto would scowl at them for it.
Ranka gets a look too as she agrees with Sheryl. But then Alto smiles a bit as she does a totally accurate impression of her brother.
Alto then counters back to Sheryl with, "Nah, clearly Michael's just jealous that I'm a better pilot than him." It seems the friendly rivalry between those two continues on strong, thankfully only occasionally getting too out of hand.
With the three of them here, it really does feel like things are normal. Like earlier days, before Ranka's fame. Before Sheryl mellowed out a bit. Before Alto had gone through all the battles he has to this point. It's nice.
Of course, nice doesn't last very long.
It's the distored warping of the holographic billboards above the city that are likely to be first noticed by the three, as well as everyone else. Some quiet murmurs of concern start up amongst the other patrons of the cafe. And Alto himself turns around to look out at the city. He frowns a little bit... One or two of the billboards going on the fritz is one thing. But all of them? At once? That seems unlikely.
Alto's thoughts are confirmed a few moments later as a young woman appears, clad in classic Zeon styled clothing. She begins, <"Greetings, people of Earth, space, and all those who dwell in the Earth Sphere. I am Mineva Lao Zabi. I ask your forgiveness for addressing you all in this manner, but I had no other choice.">
Alto doesn't recognize the girl, but he murmurs to the other two, "This isn't normal..." He pulls the sleeve of his jacket up, revealing his new phone on his wrist. He taps in a few commands, bringing up a TV feed on its holographic screen, again showing the young woman. He flips through a few local channels, all showing the same thing, "It's all over..."
Alto leaves his phone alone again, this time tapping on the smart table and bringing up a TV screen on it, which also shows the woman, <"I am the heir to the Zabi bloodline, and it is true that my family once led the Principality of Zeon. However, the matter I must discuss has nothing to do with my bloodline. I have learned of a secret, today, that affects the very foundation of the Earth Federation's government. I am here to share this secret with you, not as a Zabi, but merely as a fellow inhabitant of this world.">
"Don't think I recognize her..." The mention of a secret gets Alto looking curious and he glances at Sheryl and Ranka questioningly.
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
In response to Alto's (faux) scowl, Sheryl holds up her taiyaki phone and snaps a photo. "For Michael~" she lilts, to cover that it's really for herself.
She giggles at Ranka's impression of her brother--she barely knows Ozma, knowing him only in passing at best, but it sure feels accurate to her. To Alto, she smirks and counters, "You might be the better pilot, but he's the better sharpshooter. And he knows how to charm a lady~. If you didn't have your handsome face, I don't know what you'd do!"
She isn't paying to the hologram posters. But she is paying attention to her companions--and Alto turns to look at the image of a young woman naming herself Mineva Lao Zabi. Sheryl blinks and follows his gaze. "An emergency broadcast?" she wonders--but with lips pursed into a frown. It doesn't feel like that. She leans over to take a look at Alto's wrist-phone. Sure enough, the broadcast is on there, too. "A pirate broadcast?" she wonders next.
She watches the transmission with a deepening frown. Something about that girl seems familiar, but she doesn't recognize her name... Only when Alto brings the transmission up on the smart table does it click.
"Oh!" Sheryl utters, blue eyes widening. "I do recognize her! I met her a couple times--once at one of the Yumi Foundation's galas, and another time out shopping!" They were brief encounters, and only the second one was any sort of real interaction, but still. "But she said her name was--what was it--Audrey?"
She frowns again as she watches the transmission. Audrey--Mineva--whoever she is--talks about a secret that the Federation has been keeping. A tablet that was created at the dawn of the Universal Century, on which the Federation's policy-making is founded. Then the young woman steps aside to show this tablet.
It's familiar, even to someone from a Macross fleet: it's the Universal Century Charter. But there's one more provision on it than the normal one--or rather, the one they're used to--has.
Mineva narrates it for them: "Chapter VII, 'Future', Article 15, Provision 2: If a new species adapted to a way of life beyond the current course of human events, able and willing to bear the responsibilities and duties of citizenship in the Earth Federation, shall arise or be discovered; then they will be afforded citizenship, with all of the rights thereof, and priority will be given to their equitable representation within the government."
"A new species? What's that supposed to mean?" Sheryl wonders. She hasn't yet put together that this functionally means Newtypes... like Ranka.
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
"Be careful getting a big head about it around him." Ranka says quickly in warning to Alto, "Or else you'll probably be scrubbing the Valkyries again with him in no time!"
Ranka looks a moment before the holographic billboards begin to warp, as if she got a strange 'warning' of something coming. Her head canted a little to the side-
"Huh, I wonder if something's going on with the power gr-" Her hair leaps as a young woman appears upon them, both hands over her mouth. Ranka recognizes her instantly. She does because she's done research, and she did research before. "That's Emilia's cou-!"
At the realization of what she's letting slip out she puts both of her hands over her mouth, listening to Sheryl's explanation that she met her, named...
... Emilia called her Audrey...
Her eyes look from one to another, watching the beginning of it, "I don't understand how they're doing this." Ranka says, not too long after, "It's- from what I understand of broadcasts like this, it should be impossible unless the Federation... approves?"
The clause is revealed, and Ranka blinks, looking Sheryl's way, "Maybe it's a Coordinator issue?" She guesses after her trips to Earth. "That'd look very bad for the Federation with all the discrimination."
But just as soon as she says that, Mineva moves on from a pause in her speech in the narration-
"Of course, this isn't referring to Newtypes."
Ranka's hair leaps again as she starts, placing her hands back over her mouth, "Zeon Deikun's Newtype theory, which posited that humanity's forays into space would cause an expansion of the senses and consciousness, facilitating true understanding, wouldn't be developed for another forty years. I believe this provision, buried by the Laplace Incident, was a hopeful prayer, an offering to the possibilities of our future."
Her red eyes shift from one to another, and her anxiety is suddenly plain. Both of them know certainly, but it was a source of upset for Sheryl... falling quiet, as if waiting for the other shoe to drop.
<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.
"This is impressive, for a pirate broadcast." Getting one TV station would be easy enough. Perhaps even a few. But all of them? With the billboards combined? That's quite a feat.
Not that Alto really cares how, he's more interested in the content. Sheryl mentions she may have met the woman once, though under a different name. It's Ranka's admission which really gets a look from Alto, "Emilia? From Ashford? This is her cousin?" On second thought, that may not be THAT unusual. Ashford probably has some children of high ranking people. He supposes Emilia must be one of them. And even with the animosities between Earth and Space, they have a shared ancestry.
Like the other two, Alto of course knows about the Universal Century Charter. Just don't ask him to recite it. But then this Mineva, claims there is an additional provision. Alto shakes his head a little at Ranka, "This apparently predates Coordinators. It makes sense though, with technology of the age of space colonization rapidly advancing, it wouldn't be hard to predict something like them. Or Newtypes." One 'new species' artificially created, the other a chance mutation.
Alto clearly doesn't care about either of them beyond being regular people. He's obviously shown no issues with Ranka supposedly being a Newtype. A probably not uncommon attitude amongst those in the Macross Fleets, given the common interactions with aliens that-besides the Zentradi-are of very few number here in the Earth Sphere.
Speaking of Zentradi, <"Institutional inertia gave rise to a status quo which suppressed the very possibility of Newtypes, as well as a deep distrust of the Spacenoid populations which might give rise to them. The horrors of the Zentradi and One Year War brought about an identity crisis for humanity, within which that status quo entrenched itself into the Federation's now-unbending will.">
Alto glances at Ranka. Of course he has no problem with Zentradi either. But the three here have the benefit of not having been alive during that terrible war. Still, Alto muses, "You'd think discovering the first intelligent alien species would help to further define humanity's identity. Not throw it into chaos." Alto pauses for a moment, then admits, "But I suppose the children that came from it would certainly confuse things."
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
"No kidding," Sheryl replies of the pirate broadcast. She'd guessed an emergency broadcast first, and it might not be entirely wrong. She blinks over at Ranka when she accidentally spills the beans--and if Sheryl hadn't filled in the blank on what 'cou--' could be short for, Alto finishes the guess.
"Then Emilia's..." She doesn't finish that thought. Ranka covering her mouth with both hands like that means this is something that she wasn't supposed to let slip.
Mineva goes on to say that the provision in question wasn't originally meant to be about Newtypes or Coordinators or so on--it was simply a guess, a hope, about the shape humanity would eventually grow into. She hums thoughtfully, looking from the image of Mineva to the actual Ranka next to her. She was upset at the time, but she also got over it at the time, for the most part. Anyone who suggested to her now that people like Ranka--whether Newtype or a quarter-Meltrandi--don't deserve rights would risk a slap in the face.
"It sounds like a good thing to me!" she declares, resting her elbows on the table and her chin on her hands. "Finding this original charter means that a lot of prejudices of today can start to get the boot. Maybe the war the Federation keeps fighting with the colonies can finally end, too."
Mineva seems to agree with that sentiment, even, continuing, "I am here to reveal the truth of 'Laplace's Box' not for such causes, but only to demonstrate that within even the curses of humanity's dark history, it began with humanity's kindness, and the possibility that expanding into space represented..."
"I wonder how people are taking this," Sheryl says abruptly, now somber. "The people who've been oppressed, and the people who've been doing the oppressing. Hatred doesn't fade that easily. They might just end up ignoring this reveal altogether."
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
"Um!" Ranka is speechless at first, that Alto and Sheryl both put it together so swiftly but, with the cat out of the bag, she decides to fess up, "It's- it's a secret but, yes. Her father was Garma Zabi just - he hadn't married her mother..."
It's a touch scandalous perhaps for Ranka, but it's not like she thinks that makes Emilia any LESS legitimate, she's just explaining why Emilia isn't known.
As the conversation shifts, Ranka wordlessly nods, she's not had much of a head for politics really - or history. She's not exactly an ace student, and Ozma took great pains to avoid her from being exposed to anything too disturbing.
Mineva's continuing speech however, as the Zentradi war is invoked, Ranka gives Alto a slow nod, sorrow flecked within her eyes, "You'd think. It... makes sense I guess that, bad actors would take advantage of the anxieties I guess?" She shifts uncomfortably in her seat, "A lot of people in Britannia - they don't like seeing people like me. They want the races to keep... separate."
Her eyes shift to Sheryl, and there's a smile, "Yeah. I just hope, it's actually that simple-!" It's a nice thought isn't it, the idea that people could be shamed into shedding their prejudice.
But even if it's just a few... it's a start isn't it? There's nothing wrong with a good start.
"Hmmm. Well I'd like to think that - even if that's so that a lot of young people are paying attention to her message." Ranka smiles a touch, perhaps the young don't have the power right now but-?
"Maybe that's the whole intention, just, to plant a seed of hope perhaps."
Ranka perhaps may be correct, but it's not wholly planting hope within the young as... Mineva shows as she continues speaking...
"As we came to possess this knowledge, myself and my allies were faced with a similar decision. Shall we keep the Box? Shall we seal it? Shall we use it to create change? I believe these struggles are similar to the ones they faced so long ago when they faced the question of what to do with the original Charter."
Ranka looks upon her visage with wonder, "I really didn't expect her to show such... understanding, for the people who committed this kind of crime..."
She trails off, then her smile returns, "... maybe that's her own way of being a Newtype."
Certainly, she doesn't know that for sure? It's not like Emilia told her, but somehow, she just - feels it. The idea that she must be.
<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.
"Huh." That about sums up Alto's reaction to the news about Emilia. It doesn't really change anything about how he thinks about her. He doesn't care much about where you came from. Just who you are.
But Ranka mentions it's a secret, so Alto says, "Don't worry. I'm not going to tell anyone about it." And not because the only people he really talks to are right here and already know...
"Still, it's a little surprising. Wouldn't have thought the shy Emilia would have a secret like that, right?" Clearly it's the only one she has. Right? Right, Ranka?
The speech continues a little more and Sheryl voices her approval. But Alto doesn't immediately agree, hmming thoughtfully, "I don't think it's going to be that simple. For one thing, they still have to prove this is the real deal. Could be a fake. And trying to get people to admit they've been believing a lie for a hundred years... Good luck with that one." Alto does nod a little though as Ranka mentions this planting a seed of hope. It's certainly a possibility.
<"And while we might be quick to condemn their judgment, we must keep in mind that should we seek to prosecute it as Earthnoid oppression against the Spacenoid - we will only deepen the divides they created.">
Mineva basically speaks about the very thing Sheryl is wondering about, though Alto adds on, "The reverse is also true, of course. The Earthnoids could see this as an attempt to undermine their authority. Just another plan to subvert the Federation in a long line of Spacenoid plans." A strange them for Alto to say, given that he IS a 'Spacenoid'. But then the Macross Fleets have always felt rather... Distant, to the events taking place in the Earth Sphere. Until recently, anyway.
Alto leans back, "Honestly, I don't think this is going to change much. Not any time soon. There's a lot of bad blood. It's not going to go away just because one girl is asking nicely."
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
So Emilia is what some people would call 'illegitimate.' Suddenly a lot about her makes new sense to Sheryl. She nods slowly. "I'll keep it to myself," she says. "Emmy doesn't need more trouble." She chuckles a little at Alto's take. "Oh, but haven't you heard? It's always the quiet ones."
A sharp scoff when Ranka mentions Britannians wanting to keep races separate. "Who cares what a nation of arrogant bullies thinks? Yeah, I know, basically the rest of the world." Her frown deepens. "There's good people there, but god, they're hard to find."
Mineva lists questions of what to do about the Charter. Sheryl leans her head back to consider it. She's no politician and she has no interest in it, but she is an influencer. She'll have to talk to Grace about this later, too. As far as she's concerned, Mineva has the right of it. As disgusting as the Vist Foundation's actions have been, and as shady as the Federation is, what's killing more people going to accomplish?
...Though maybe she can only think that way because she never faced that prejudice herself. Growing up in Galaxy without a family was tough, but... that was something else entirely. Her lack of implants has ended up benefiting her, too. Amazing what people will accept if the packaging is beautiful enough.
"You're probably right," she tells Alto. "It'd be nice if it would be," a nod to Ranka, "but people hate to be wrong." She taps one finger on the table, frowning thoughtfully. Alto raises a good point about the bad blood. And as a fellow Macross child, it does feel distant to her, even as it's unfolding right in front of her.
She looks at Ranka. It feels distant to Sheryl, but it hasn't been distant at all to Ranka. She's been experiencing that discrimination herself for a while, from that unknown hater who kept sabotaging her website to Britannians who've made her life difficult for no good reason.
"Ranka," she says suddenly, "what if you did a talk show about this? Talk about your own experiences? Maybe people won't listen to one girl, but if someone famous says something, a lot of people will change their tune."
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
"I wouldn't have either but-! I guess sometimes people will surprise you."
Ranka in fact wouldn't know anything about that! ... Because her mind won't allow her to remember.
"You think?" Ranka seems a little surprised at Sheryl's idea of it being the quiet ones.
There's a nod, a small grimace after a moment, "They are. It's just... it feels like it's really not a good place for anyone, even the people it's... made for." Is Ranka's sort of, feelings on it.
Still, Alto offers his perspective, it may sound cynical but Alto is usually being straightforward to them about this kind of thing with his opinions. "Yeah true, it sounds more likely that they'll try to discredit it but- some people will believe."
And his perspective on the Earthnoid opinion, as a Spacenoid herself, Ranka knows what side she's on, but is it really that simple? "Hmm well, I think - that it's really hard for a lot of people to think beyond their situation. Even Earthnoids who would be on our side, they aren't really even given the chance to think about what it's like to live like us."
And all the rest? Are pitted in opposition in the divides that Mineva spoke about...
Alto's conclusion that it won't change much, there's a faint sigh out of her, before Sheryl mentions it, and Ranka takes a moment to give her a thoughtful look.
"You really think so? Nergal doesn't really like me talking about anything controversial..."
That kind of comment might be frustrating on it's own, but Ranka does put a finger to her chin in consideration, and after a moment says...
"... but it's not in my contract that I can't." She gives Sheryl a small smile, "So I absolutely could!"
-=-=-
Elsewhere, Elmo Kridanik, who has been dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief in relief as the speech interrupted a VERY difficult phone call. "Yeesh - possibility huh? Thanks a lot. Your possibility was a real life saver this time your Majesty-"
...suddenly has a chill run down his spine. "-Nnngh-!" A warning perhaps, that his battle is about to escalate, dramatically.
<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.
"There'll be believers, sure. Unfortunately that also means you're going to get those who take things too far." There's always people like that...
<"Please, believe in the god called 'possibility' that sleeps within us all.">
The broadcast finishes, the screens and billboards fritzing once more before returning to your regularly scheduled advertisements.
Alto doesn't really notice though, because he's looking a little concerned at Sheryl's suggestion, "I don't know about that..." He glances at Ranka, "It could be dangerous. I'm sure you'd be able to convince some people, sure. But you could be making yourself a target of those who don't agree." The average joe speaking out against political matters isn't important.
But a popular, rising idol? Well, some may not take kindly to that.
And Alto is clearly worried about Ranka's safety.
<Pose Tracker> Sheryl Nome has posed.
"No, I'm just kidding," Sheryl tells Ranka with a smile, on Emilia. "You can't help who you're related to. She doesn't seem like the girl who'd go around getting into trouble."
She doesn't seem like it, at least...!
A small frown at Ranka's point that Britannia seems bad even for Britannians. She can't deny that. In some ways, it reminds her of home, even. She considers the last of the transmission; there's not much left of it at this point. Ranka opines that most Earthnoids don't have the chance to know what it's like to live as Spacenoids, and to a certain extent that's definitely true, but... is it that true? There's plenty of ruins and slums Earthside, too...
But the topic turns to Ranka speaking up on Mineva's speech. Alto cautions against it, raising some good points in the process. "That's true, but sometimes you have to take a stand for what you believe in, and this matters to Ranka," Sheryl says. A smile spreads on her lips as Ranka reacts positively--and as a thought occurs to her.
"That's the spirit~! I really don't want you getting hurt, though--so how about I ask Grace and Brera if they don't mind him being your bodyguard for a while?" She winks at Alto. "You wouldn't have anything to complain about then, would you~?"
Oh, he'll have plenty to complain about. That's just Alto's way. But it's even more his way when Brera's involved.
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
<"Please, believe in the god called 'possibility' that sleeps within us all.">
Perhaps it's just riding high off of Sheryl's suggestion, but that line brings only warm feelings within her.
After all, she didn't think it was possible. In fact Alto inspired her by telling her it was impossible for her ... as she was.
But the possibility existed to reach where she has now, and perhaps there's more. "I was trying to take a little bit of a stand with my concert on Side 1 in a way. A lot of people didn't want me doing that..."
She admits, as she rubs her opposite arm, looking self-conscious, "... but it didn't feel right just for the more well off Colonies to be my concert venues."
For a time, she doesn't say anything to Alto's very good points, "I could be." She admits to him after a short while, "But - I think playing it safe really hasn't kept me out of danger either?" She gives him a sheepish look, "Even when I wasn't - aspiring to be an idol, things kept happening to me." It turns into a rueful smile, "And now that I am one, if anything I'm in more danger?"
Ranka's look shifts to Sheryl and at her offer of Brera, "Aahh-! You really wouldn't mind sparing him Sheryl?" Part of her wishes it was a package deal of both him and Alto, but she can't really be upset about that.
"Well... now I don't feel worried at all. There's something about Brera where I just feel safe, like I know he'll always protect me."
There's something abstracted about her expression, like she's not quite certain where that feeling comes from - but he's always proven it, hasn't he?
Hasn't he Alto?
"I don't think there's a racist jerk alive who could beat him!"
Would she say the same thing if Alto had been offered? Well... Alto may never know, because he wasn't, meaning Brera gets all the praise.
<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.
Although Alto doesn't say anything, he can't help but agree with Ranka. Even before she became an idol, she's been a magnet for trouble. He'll never forget the day they met. Though to be fair, some of that was his fault...
And then Sheryl recommends lending Brera.
Alto would be very happy to get rid of Brera.
Though sending him to guard Ranka is not what Alto had in mind. And as Ranka speaks about how being with Brera makes her feel safe, a pang of jealousy does surface inside Alto. He tries not to let it show though. And Alto has to admit, he can't fault the cyborg man's skills. Or his crazy cyborg abilities.
Not that Alto has anything against cyborgs. Grace is one after all and Alto likes her just fine. She's very nice.
Buuuuut, Alto does begrudgingly admit, "That's... Not a bad idea..." It's not like Sheryl really needs two bodyguards at this point, even if Alto does end up whisked away on other missions by SMS at times. High-school life doesn't get that dangerous.