Timeframe: 2022
Locations: Earth, RFS, moon of Fantoma
Workers are cleaning up following the weding celebration. The shuttle is filling up with guests returning to the Earth. Max, Miriya, Vince, Jean escort their children onto the shuttle. Rolf Emerson is in the background.
The parents tell their children that they must return to Earth. They explain their reasons-it will be safer on Earth. The trip to Fantoma is filled with too many variables. The children are too young to make the journey. There are no children on the mission. Rolf Emerson will take care of Bowie, Dana will stay with Max’s family back on Earth-She will be able to live with cousins and learn the importance of family life. When the mission is over they will all return and have a wonderful life together. The children are crying but they say they understand.
Janice and Minmei get on the shuttle. The parents leave the shuttle as it prepares to launch. The parents watch from the observation window as the ship leaves for Earth.
On the moon of Fantoma Rem and Cabell are trying to disect the “Cougar” which they have captured. As soon as they try to open the “killer machine” the body crumbles to dust.
The Inorganics discover a video document which shows that the RT Masters have left on a Journey.
The Inorganics communicate with the Regent this valuable information. The Regent sends a division of Invid back to the moon of Fantoma (Okay I’m tired of writing “moon of Fantoma” too. Henceforth, even if they don’t call it Tirol in the book, that what I’m calling it. Besides, “moon of Fantoma” is starting to sound like a nightclub to me. -Blaq) to investigate further.
Minmei is looking into the nighttime sky. She is thinking to herself that Rick and Lisa still do not know that she has forgiven them. (Forgiven them for what? -Blaq) She thinks that it might be nice to tell them one last time that she has truely forgiven them. She convinces Janice to go with her in her Fan Jet (Fan Jets are spaceworthy? -Blaq) to wish them a final farewell-it may be the last time she sees them. (Lisa can only hope. -Blaq)
The selection of REF is made to a large assembled crowd. It is decided that only 10,000 troops will go on the journey. The majority of these troops have already volunteered. Now Dr. Lang announces his choices for cadet candidates. Both Jack and Karen are selected. (I can’t decide what’s worst. Still picking crew members the day before they leave, or still building the ship. They never heard of a “shake down cruise”? -Blaq)
They react differently. Karen is very smug because she felt that she was destined to go. Jack is overwhelmed because he really wanted to go.
The unveiling of the SDF-3. It it sent out of the RFS. Lisa is on the bridge giving orders. She prepares for the journey by piloting the giant interstellar ship into positionfor the space fold operation. Everyone on the bridge is impressed at the professionalism which Lisa displays. Unfortuanately the radar operator fails to notice Minmei’s fan jet approaching. They are all caught up in the excitement of the moment.
The space fold is engaged. Janice and Minmei are caught in the vortex of the warp phenomenon. They are drawn into space without any warning.
Dr. Lang hopes that the ship’s space fold mechanism will be able to hold up to the pressure of carrying this much weight through hyperspace. The Trojan Horse Strategy has placed the entire REF armada inside the gutted interior of the giant space balltle fortress. The added weight might be too much. (I’m assuming they meant added “mass” not “weight”. -Blaq)
The ship materializes from hyperspace near Fantoma. Breetai and Exedore confirm this fact.
Radar confirms that they are being approached by a “welcomnig party.” At first the group thinks that is an envoy mission from the RT Masters. But Breetai warns that it is actually the Invid (left as a patrol force by the Regent).
Jancie and Minmei are both unconscious in the Fan Jet as it floats helplessly in space-having successfully made the journey through hyperspace. Rick steps on to order the RDF troops into action to answer the threat posed by the Invid-they have to maintain their false identity as the returning SDF-3 in the chance that the RT Masters are monitoring the battle. The ships prepare to launch.
Cabell and Rem notice the SDF-3 appearing from hyperspace and see it as the return of the RT Masters’ ship and potential salvation.