Week Thirteen – (The Return of Rick Hunter)

Was that the actual name Macek had in mind for that arc, or was it invented?

yes, tell us the synopsis for the robotech movie. :D

And it puts to rest the long-running rumor that Macek was going to have Lisa killed and Rick goes back to Minmei (PRAISE MACEK FOR SMALL MIRACLES! :) )

Also, from an author’s standpoint, I understand a little better (I think) why McKinney added Breetai and Kazianna into the story.  First, it was to give Breetai some much-needed development which, (according to the synopsis, at least) seemed to be quite lacking.  Second, it just doesn’t seem right (however appropriate it may be in the story itself) to kill Breetai off without some sort of legacy left behind.  And what better legacy than a child?  Third, it also makes sense to have the Zentraedi discover a way to perpetuate themselves, otherwise they were a doomed race.

As for the mind control Rick learns, if you look at it as a necessary skill for a human to survive on Garuda, the lasting effects make sense.  The atmosphere of Garuda suddenly opens the human mind (which is scientifically proven (in real life) to only use a fraction of its total capacity) to possibilities it never experienced before.  Who’s to say it wouldn’t have permanent side effects?

And if you don’t believe in Psychic phenomena or magic, remember, it is just a an animated story and meant for entertainment. 

Blaq, please continue and by all means include the synopsis for the movie as well.  I never got to see it. :(

Let me know if you want the synopsis for “Robotech, The Movie: The Untold Story” too.

-BlaqChaos

Yes, but please, in a seperate thread.
Even though I’ve seen most of it.

..keep the good times rollin’...

A little different than the McKinney novels, but good just the same.  I agree that Rick’s psychic powers make more sense now.  I think it’s comparable to flashbacks after an acid trip. :D

Let me know if you want the synopsis for “Robotech, The Movie: The Untold Story” too.

  Sure, go for it!

Was that the actual name Macek had in mind for that arc, or was it invented?

Word for word what was written in the book.

Yes, but please, in a seperate thread.
Even though I’ve seen most of it.

Sorry, but I don’t want to fill up the entire page with new threads.

WARNING!!!  EXTREMELY LONG POST AHEAD!!!  TURN BACK WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!!

(Okay, let’s get this done right here and now.  I HATE Robotech, The Movie.  On a trip to Germany I acquired a copy back in the mid-90’s, watched it once, and have never watched it ever since.  But, me and my big mouth already put the offer of the table for the synopsis, so…I guess that I have to do it.  I was going to put it last after I put all the character profiles and stuff up.  But I’m also lazy, and post the movie synopsis is less to type than the other info.  So without further hesitation, I give you the synopsis for Robotech, The Movie: The Untold Story.

P.S.- If you thought that some of the things in the Sentinels novels were different, wait till you see how this differs from the book “The Masters Gambit”.  Also, for those of you who don’t know, these events take place immediately prior to the episode “Dana’s Story”.  –Blaq)

The year is 2027.  The Earth is rebuilding following an unsuccessful alien invasion which took place fifteen years earlier.  The United Earth Government has begun research on a miraculous alien science known as “Robotechnology.”  As far as the world leaders are concerned, the Earth is safe from any further threat of alien invasion.  Unfortunately, these world leaders are not aware of a second alien armada which has made the journey to Earth through hyperspace and now plans to avenge the destruction of their original fleet and recapture the secrets of their lost technology.

To do this these aliens, calling themselves the Robotech Masters, devise a plan to infiltrate the ranks of the military branch of the UEG and catch their enemies off guard.

Their plan is simple.  Bioroid Warriors capture Colonel B.D. Andrews (not to be confused with Colonel B.D. Edwards.  -Blaq), a high-ranking military officer assigned to the North Province of the Far East Sector of the newly reconstructed Earth-the home of the RT Research Center.  By a sophisticated method of bio-genetic engineering, The Robotech Masters (henceforth referred to as the RTMs to accommodate my laziness.  –Blaq) construct a clone of Colonel Andrews.  This clone will return to Earth and be the means by which the RTMs gather information and ultimately form a strategy to defeat the forces of the UEG.  The simulagent of Andrews succeeds in taking over the RT Research Center and begins subspace transmission of information from data banks salvaged from the original alien ship which crashed on Earth and began the whole inter-galactic war.  The RTMs’ plan would have gone without a hitch if it weren’t for Todd Harris, a soldier involved in the initial battle where Andrews is captured.  Todd does not buy Andrews’ explanation of the battle in the Northern Province of the Far East Sector.  Todd feels as though Andrews is concealing something.  He goes A.W.O.L. and steals a powerful mobile database terminal, the MODAT 5.  Todd’s only hope for getting to the bottom of this mystery is his best friend Mark Landry and a shadowy figure known only as Eve.

Agents working for Colonel Andrews break up a meeting between Todd and Mark.  Mark manages to get away on the MODAT 5.  Todd is not so lucky.  And now what started out as a reunion with an old friend turns into a nightmare of intrigue and danger for Mark Landry.  Mark’s search to find out what has happened to Todd leads him into a maze of confusion and ultimate rendezvous with Eve.

Mark is told by his girlfriend Becky Franklin that the only Eve she knows is a popular rock star who hosts a television program.  Mark attempts to contact Eve and get to the bottom of the mystery of Todd Harris and the MODAT 5.  Unknown to Mark, Andrews’ agents are able to track down the MODAT 5 with the help of Eve.  They stage an ambush for the unsuspecting youth.  Mark manages to elude the trap.  His search for the truth leads him to a meeting with Eve.  What he discovers when he comes face to face with Eve confuses him even more.  It turns out the Eve is nothing more than a holographic projection-a computer-generated image (and you thought that Sharon Apple was the first “virtual” pop star.  –Blaq) which everyone thinks is real.  Mark’s entire world is crumbling around him.  Eventually Eve contacts Mark and gives him information concerning the threat posed by the RTMs.  She tries to enlist Mark’s aid in exposing this secret invasion.  She leads him to the RT Research Center and massive super-computer which generates Enhanced Video Emulation (E.V.E.).  Here, following an attack by sophisticated RT weapons systems, Mark succeeds in defeating Andrews.  The alien simulagent takes this opportunity to confuse the issues.  After this impromptu meeting Mark is even less sure of the truth.  He is told by Andrews that Todd is wanted for questioning.  He is told that Todd has gone over the edge and suffers from paranoia.  The entire story about the supposed alien invasion was merely a fabrication constructed by the E.V.E. Computer to bring the MODAT 5 back to the RT Research Center.  Mark does not believe Andrews.  It all seems too convenient, too neat to be the truth.  Mark leaves, taking the MODAT 5 with him.  He warns Andrews to stay away or he will expose what he and his friends know about the “alien invasion” to the media.

Unknown to Mark, [Major] General Rolf Emerson under direct orders from the Supreme Command of the UEG is engaging the alien fleet is space.  They attack using a battle plan devised by the E.V.E. Computer programmed by Col. Andrews.  The results of the battle leave the Earth forces crippled and virtually helpless if the aliens should decide to stage a full scale invasion.

Mark tries to explain his problems to Becky, but they fall on deaf ears.  Becky is trying to pursue her career as a dancer and she feels that Mark has been drifting out of her life.  (Ah, Minmei Syndrome.  –Blaq)  Mark cannot convince her of the danger he senses.  He tries to put it all behind him and accompanies Becky to a rehearsal only to be out-maneuvered by Roger Burke, the sly director of Becky’s musical.  Mark’s life has become a total mess.  He manages to redeem his self-respect when he saves Becky from a compromising situation with Roger.  Becky doesn’t appreciate Mark’s interference and tell him to leave her alone.

The alien plan is getting closer to completion.  Programmers in the RT Research Center feel that the broadcast ordered by Andrews are not correct.  They contact Daryl Embrey, the minister of computer science, and tell him of Andrews’ mysterious transmission.  Embrey orders the transmissions to stop.  This forces Andrews to take matters into his own hands.  He stages a military takeover of the provisional government of the Far East Sector.  He uses the take-over to initiate martial law and track down the MODAT 5.  He succeeds in finding and killing Kelly Stevens, a twenty-year old film-student who along with Becky, Mark and Stacey Embrey have made a film of the MODAT.  When Mark discovers this brutal act, it turns him into an impassioned avenger.  He vows to find those responsible and make them pay.  His first stop is the massive underground computer complex.

Following a battle with Andrews’ forces, Mark eventually comes face to face with the alien simulagent.  Andrews defeats him and leaves him for dead.  Andrews only concern is Minister Embrey.  He is the only factor standing in the way of the RTMs’ plan to defeat the Earth.

Eve revives the fallen youth and implores him to fight for his world.  He is the only one who can stop Andrews and save the Earth.  He makes a supreme sacrifice and drags his battered body into the battle once again.  Eve promises to help the RDF defeat the RTMs.  Together they might succeed in saving the planet from destruction.

Mark appropriates a powerful weapons system and stages an all-out attack against Andrews’ troops.  While he battles for the lives of his friends, Rolf Emerson, with the aid of the E.V.E. Computer, defeats the armada of the RTMs.  Mark must face Andrews for the third time.  Driven by courage and fueled by vengeance, Mark defeats Andrews.  The world is safe-for the moment.

(Wow, I actually managed to kept the majority of my sarcastic comments to myself.  –Blaq)

(I was going to do these planets in order of “appearance”, but instead I’ll do them in order by which I think people are most curious about.  I’ll leave it to the folks that have read the books to note the differences.  Yes I’ve read them, but that was in the 90’s and I can’t even remember what I had for breakfast last week.  –Blaq)

Homeworld of Veidt and Sarna

Haydon IV is a totally synthetic planet.  It is a fact known only to Haydon, the original architect of the project.  Things just happen on Haydon IV.  Legend has it that everything happens by “magic.”  The origin and current location of Haydon is a mystery.  The various off-worlders who have dealings with the society found on Haydon IV have no idea that the planet is synthetic.  The entire planet is like a giant ride at a theme park, only the entire world is the theme park (a combination of “futureworld meets ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’”) (Great, that helps.  I’ve never been to Disney World.  –Blaq).  Veidt and Sarna are the caretakers of Haydon IV.  But even they do not know the reality of their world.  They have been sending status reports for years into outer space, supposedly to Haydon-a direct communication to their god/creator.  There are never any problems or crises on Haydon IV-none that is until Zor decides to use the planet as another potential site for a plantation to grow the FoL.

Zor’s reasoning was simple.  On Haydon IV nothing ever goes wrong.  Whether by magic or by some unexplainable property of the planet, Haydon IV is paradise.  He was trying to determine if the FoL would grow successfully outside of the environment of Optera and without the intervention of the Children of Zor.  Because the planet is synthetic there is only a minimal topsoil ground cover.  Beneath is a steel shell which houses all of the mechanisms which power the planet.  It is like Oz and Haydon is the planet’s legendary wizard.

Zor’s pact with Veidt and Sarna is so unusual that there is no reference to it in Haydon scripture.  Veidt agrees and a plantation is begun.

The Invid Sensor Nebula detected the presence of active protoculture matrix on the planet and communicated this fact to Optera.  The Invid were quick to respond.  They attacked without warning and totally took the planet’s defenses by surprise.  The Invid found little use for the FoL growing on Haydon IV, but they felt that the planet was too perfect to give up.  It became another conquest, another jewel in the crown.  A detachment of Inorganics were ordered to occupy the planet on the off chance that Zor would return to check on his experiment on Haydon IV before before returning to his Homeworld.

Homeworld of Burak

Peryton is a planet which is rich in nothing.  It is a primitive, almost   savage planet.  It is also a planet with a curse.  Thousands of years ago, Peryton was a relatively prosperous planet.  A bitter civil war split the population in half.  Peryton is a planet of ancient magic (There goes the M word again.  –Blaq) and two rival leaders tore their homeworld apart with spell after spell.  Eventually one side was able to survive the savage magical attacks and mustered an army to invade and destroy their rivals.  The end was not easy for the rival kings, one hacking the other to death with an enchanted blade.  As the losing king lay dying he put a curse on the citizens of Peryton.  His curse was that the people of this planet would live out the last day of the battle over and over again.  Each day the battle would be played over and over giving people the hope of a new dawn but squashing that dream at sunset.  Different events can take place during this new day, but the end results will always be the same.  It is a vision of hell which damned the victors to an eternal struggle with no foreseeable escape.  The buildings would not be rebuilt on the “new day”; only those who lost lives or suffered wounds would be resurrected or healed.  (“Do you know what Hell is Robbie?  Hell is repetition.” ~Steven King’s~ Storm of the Century -Blaq)

When Zor chose this planet for experimental seeding, the curse had lasted for nearly 2,000 years.  The planet was a shambles.  He was unaware of the curse and set up an experimental plantation site on the poor planet.  If the experiment was successful Zor expressed hope that the planet would be able to rebuild itself.  The social structure of the planet had evolved into two distinct groups, those that were caught in the eternal struggle and those who lived out their lives in a normal manner.  Zor only dealt with the “normal” Perytonians.  They did not explain the curse-either out of embarrassment or fear that Zor would not leave the experiment on their world.

The environment of Peryton is that of a post-holocaust world.  Images of decayed structures which are reminiscent of Brueghel and Bosh (Where and where?  Someone want to Google those places for me?  -Blaq).  There are mutations which have grown out of the ashes of the arcane warfare which has taken place over the centuries.  Peryton is not a pretty place.

The Invid Sensor Nebula discovered Peryton only recently and the Regent has sent a troop of Invid to conquer and Inorganics to police the planet.

(The acid-trip planet.  –Blaq)

The Homeworld of Kami and Learna

Garuda is a mysterious, misty planet.  The major sentient creatures of this world are vulpine, with their fur exhibiting color changes in relationship to the season.  The landscape is relatively flat appearing like a bog or a moor.  The land is lush with vegetation.  Most of this looks like moss or cypress.  The Garudians live on the high ground in camps.  The technology of the planet is ancient and unexplained.  What little technology they have is written off as gifts from the “gods.”  There is no totally civilized society on Garuda-no cities, no major population centers.  It is basically a primitive world which is the home of the vulpine (or fox-like) Garudians.  A characteristic of this planet is the atmosphere which gives all the creatures who live on the world nourishment as well as a sense of euphoria.  It is an atmosphere that they must breath in order to be fed.  The effect of this atmosphere allows for the creatures to exist in what the aborigines call “Dreamtime.”  There are no natural enemies on Garuda.  All the creatures live in an idyllic tranquility (Really!  It’s because their high 24/7!  -Blaq)-much like Homer’s “Land of the Lotus Eaters.”  When off-world visitors come to Garuda, if they breath the atmosphere, it is impossible for them to leave (if they do they shrivel and die).  A “Shangri La.”  That is why all Garudians who travel off their own planet must breath their own atmosphere from time to time for nourishment and rejuvenation (Or just for a quick “fix”.  –Blaq).

(Now you know I’m going to have a lot of comment on this one.  –Blaq)

Homeworld of Bella and Gnea

On Praxis an amazon society has developed due to a previous civilization’s genetic experimentation.  The only evidence of this earlier civilization are strange, anti-gravity devices and a gene bank which maintains the population.  However, all children develop as women on Praxis.  The artificial insemination techniques (I would’ve liked to see them try and get that term past network sensors in the 80’s.  –Blaq) do not produce male children.  Zor visited Praxis on his “seeding expedition.”  (And he left!?!  See, I’ve been telling people for years that Zors are crazy.  –Blaq)  He found a remote location to plant the mysterious Invid FoL.  His expedition was discovered by the amazons who lived on the planet.  The men assigned to Zor’s mission were tempted by the beauty of the women of Praxis but Zor would not let them leave the ship.  (Can you say mutiny!  -Blaq)  The warrior women-primitive in nature-considered the RTMs as celestial beings.  They never forgot the race of men which seeded the planet.  (…Nah, too easy.  –Blaq)  When the Invid came, drawn by the aura of the FoL, the Praxian council decided to send an envoy to find Zor and get help.  They harnessed many of their “anti-gravity globes” and created a space vehicle.  This primitive vehicle was not too effective maneuvering in space.  The pilots (Bella and Gnea) and crew were rescued by Lron and his Carbonarite Fleet-also on a similar mission to find Zor.

Homeworld of Lron and Crysta

Carbonara is a huge planet which is made up of only one mineral-a reddish ore called Sekitan which is highly combustible.  (I won’t even ask how this planet has avoided being incinerated by an errant spark.  –Blaq)  At one time, Carbonara was a very important planet-it’s virtually unlimited source of fuel was used by many less advanced planets as a prime energy source.  Through years of technological evolution, Carbonarite scientists have developed the energy system of Sekitan into a power source as powerful as nuclear energy.  The only adverse side effects from this steam-based energy system are the huge amounts of soot and slag that is produced as a by-product and the immense clouds of smoke and steam which result from the energy.  It is not a clean energy source.  The workers who tend to the engines are like the coal tenders in 19th-century steamships.  They are covered in sweat, blackened by soot and dust.  They wear goggles to protect their eyes from the smoke.  These goggles have become part of the Carbonarite basic wardrobe.  The quality and design of the goggles denote the rank and status of individuals.

Eventually Carbonara was left without an economy (neighboring planets discovered clean energy-nuclear power, telekinetic energy, solar power, protoculture, etc.).  The general nature of the Carbonarites began to change.  Slowly they became isolationist.  It wasn’t until Zor felt that the slag heaps of Carbonara might prove to be an excellent bedding soil for the Invid FoL, that anyone even took notice of the planet.

Homeworld of Baldan and Teal

Spheris is a planet made up of crystal and water-nothing else.  The basic sentient life form on this planet is derived from a strain of virus which struck the planet during a meteor shower.  Much of the surface of Spheris is pockmarked with meteor craters.  The planet is quite old.  Through a process of bizarre and complex evolution, the viral strain which flourished on Spheris eventually formed colonies which became the basis for a central nervous system which functioned as a rudimentary brain.  Eventually this process evolved individuals who are actually carved out of crystal.

At birth they are multi-faceted, as in a jewel.  They are roughly humanoid.  They are completely mature at birth, growing out of existing Spherians in much the same way as crystal “grow” during lab experiments.  Through a selective process, the Spherians feel that it is necessary to sculpt their “bodies” to reflect individual taste and expression.  (Nothing weird there, humans do it all the time.  –Blaq)  And while some have chosen to express themselves as definite male and female models, the Spherians are asexual.  This choice to sculpt their bodies into smooth forms is to distinguish themselves from their craggy surroundings.  The viral presence in the crystal allows for the flexibility of an otherwise quite brittle material.  All elements of their culture-architecture, weapons, transportation, art, etc.-relate to a sense of design based on the techniques of jewelers.  Their world is a multi-faceted wonderland, bathed in an eternal rainbow of light made possible by the use of prisms.  The prism is the basis of their weapon systems-the Spherian Lazer.  Spherians are nourished and healed by light.  They begin to get brittle in environments in which light is dim or diffused.

When Zor decided to experiment with Spheris as a potential site to grow the Invid FoL he chose it with the specific idea of creating a massive hydroponic garden, hoping that the quality of light, the presence of the crystal “hothouse” effect and the pureness of the water with crystal sediment would allow the plants to thrive and bear fruit.  The plants thrived but were unable to bear fruit.  There are no animals which live on the planet other than the Spherians.  Therefore there is no way for the spores of the FoL to pollinate the waiting blossoms.  These flowers have virtually taken over part of the planet and turned it into a massive garden of tree-like plants.

The Invid discovered Spheris and conquered it.  Their tactics were such that they destroyed much of the inhabited section of the planet.  Many of the Spherians literally melted into the surface of the planet to avoid capture or death.  The survivors (many were enslaved) turned into farmers for the Invid who waited with great anticipation for the time when these massive plants would bear fruit.  There is a token detachment of Invid on the planet, mostly scientists.  Most of the detention work is handled by the Inorganics.  The Invid have set up Spheris as a “port planet” and a “resort locale.”

(As a reminder, this is the definition circa 1988.  It may’ve been retool for the Shadow Chronicles.  –Blaq

The FoL is a unique plant which was native to the planet Optera-the homeworld of the Invid.  It is the most important item in the food chain of the Invid-The fruit from the FoL is the only food which can give strength to the Invid.  But the FoL’s importance goes beyond the obvious.  It not only serves as physical nourishment for the Invid-it also serves as a means of physic enlightenment.  Eating the fruit of the FoL becomes a religious experience for the Invid.  It is a plant with mystical powers and the more fruit which is consumed, the more enlightend or evolved an Invid can become.  The Invid do not need to constantly eat this food for life support-the Invid can live with little food-most of their nourishment comes from living most of their life in a solution made from the actual plant material of matured specimens of the FoL.  Once the plant is not able to bear fruit, the plant is mashed up and distilled into a liquid which the Invid bathe and travel in.  The fruit of the FoL is poisonous to all but the Invid.  The palnts are germinated by pollinators known as either Cha-Cha or “the children of Zor,” small creatures which are also native to Optera.

The germinating seeds of the FoL are also the basis of a power source known as protoculture which is the basic energy system of a technology known as Robotechnology.  A scientist calling himself Zor discovered the unique property of the FoL on an expedition originating from the only populated moon of Fantoma.  Zor’s people were a race of techno-voyagers.  The lifestyle of these intelligent space voyagers was simply to gather up the technology and resources of surrounding planets and exploit it for their own use.  (Reminds me of the Borg.  –Blaq)  Zor’s discovery of “organic fusion” which took place in germinating seeds from the FoL when held in a complex matrix of fluids formed the basis of the protoculture explosion.  News of this discovery caused his elders to order the complete defoliation of Optera-the only place in which the FoL could be found.  Zor was ordered to gather up all the fruitful plants he could find on Optera and destroy the rest of the plant life on the planet.

The Invid who initially welcomed the techno-voyagers were left with nothing.  Deprived of the secial fruit of the FoL, the Invid began to degenerate into hollow approximations of their true evolved selves.  The only Invid who retained any modest visage of the original grandeur of the Invid society is the Regent.  All of the other Invid became grossly mutated.  The lifestyle of the Invid changed radically.  They turned from a relatively peaceful race to a race of warriors bent of exacting vengeance on those responsible for taking their precious FoL from them (some thing like how the [Native Americans] must have felt when the territorial expansion destroyed the buffalo and took their land away from them-streching the analogy somewhat but I’m sure you will get the picture).

Zor also took with him the pollinators.  He kept their function a secret from his masters.  It was his trump card.

(Okay, that should just about cover everything for the Sentinels and the Movie.  If there’s anything I missed or questions left unanswered, just leave a note for me.  –BlaqChaos)