NEW MACROSS DEFENCE INSTITUTE - GENESIS : 1ST ROBOTECH WAR Part 04
As 101st Assault Combined Fleet under Breetai Kridanik’s command slowly makes its cautious approach towards Earth, UNDF orbital observation satellites have detected a large anomaly near lunar orbit. As all orbital & space defence platforms go red alert, it will take several hours for UEG High Command & UNDF forces on Terra to receive frantic communiqué on approaching fleet as Zentraedi are jamming the airwaves.
Breetai later dispatches two scout Tou-Redir sloop ships to investigate any possible traps that set up in anticipation of Zor’s battlefortress reclamation by the fleet. Indeed this come to pass, as the onboard systems of SDF-1 detects the approaching scout ships & automatically fires & obliterates the Zentraedi scout cruisers, plus a large chunk of Macross Island land mass. The Zentraedi waste no time by single handedly with ease destroy Earth’s orbital defenders, as UN Space Navy (UN Spacy) assets are no match to Zentraedi fire power. In the initial assault, Zentraedi fleet fire salvoes of pinpoint accuracy laser bombardment on Macross Island while UNDF forces stationed there busily defending the island from probing assault by Zentraedi ground forces. UNDF forces under the command of capable Captain Henry J Gloval & largely inexperienced SDF-1 crews try to launch SDF-1 to orbital positions to rendezvous with UNDF space forces only to discover most their reinforcement has been destroyed. All in all, 4 Oberth class cruisers & 4 ARMD carriers fall prey to Zentraedi guns, including countless number of UNDF personnel back on Macross Island & those in space forces.
In order to escape the Zentraedi clutches, SDF-1 crews make a serious miscalculation in fold navigation (by folding out within planetary orbit, unheard of space tactic amongst the space faring Zentraedi) as the fold maneuver send the SDF-1 & Macross Island land mass to deep space near Pluto (9th planet in Sol-system) instead of lunar orbit as projected. The Zentraedi fleet later in hot pursuit of SDF-1 disappears from Earth’s orbit, leaving behind carnage remains of UNDF space forces & bewildering UEG back on Earth.
During its perilous journey back to Earth, SDF-1 crews execute several miracles that continue to endear us till this day. Chief amongst them is the rescue mission to save Macross City populations trapped in Macross Island’s shelters (who are also transported to Pluto following the misfold) despite overwhelming odds. With technical expertise of SDF-1 technicians, Macross City (& along with its 70 000 civilian refugees) is transferred & rebuild within SDF-1 itself. Super carrier Daedalus & landing ship Prometheus are attached to SDF-1, where they become the main launch pad for VF-1 Valkyries squadrons’ flight operations & Destroid deployment center.
Several clashes between SDF-1 forces & the Zentraedi are underway as the battlefortress make its one-year journey back to Earth. Several discoveries are also made following these combat operations, such as the unique ability of SDF-1 to undergo modular transformation to fire its main Reflex Cannons, & the application of Pinpoint Barrier System plus the ingenious Daedalus Attack Maneuver for the ship’s defense. These new tactics help SDF-1 forces to beat back Zentraedi harassments such as evidence in the Battle of Saturn’s Rings, significantly buoying hopes of the new Robotech Defenders. However, little do they realize, the Zentraedi under Breetai’s command hold back most of their gigantic forces at bay, always prefer to send small token assault forces to test & wear out SDF-1 defenders. However, Breetai’s patience is wearing thin, as Dolza’s order ‘to capture SDF-1 intact’ seem way beyond Breetai & his Zentraedi conditionings, whose preference is to destroy their enemies outright. It is by sheer luck that SDF-1 & its crews headed by Captain Gloval are spared of total destruction, as much as Breetai’s own officers incredulities of Dolza’s order. However, the cat & mouse games play out by Captain Gloval & Commander Breetai begin to change as SDF-1 pay a visit to Mars, where the 1st confrontation between humans & Zentraedi occurs nearly 4 years ago.
However, back on Earth, a different kind of scenario is played out by the UEG High Command, as its propaganda arms release a statement stating that SDF-1 & Macross City is destroyed by a nuclear bomb detonation by anti-unification terrorists. Realising all to well of their predicament, UEG High Command speeds up the construction of humanity’s most destructive weapon, the Grand Cannon deep within the Alaskan region. The lost of SDF-1 together with manufacturing infrastructure for the VF-1 Valkyries & Destroid series, Earth scientists fine tuning Overtechnology (Robotechnology without Protoculture applications) – in which Earth mecha factories produce VF-0 Phoenix & conventional Destroid series in large numbers in anticipation of further Zentraedi incursions. Indeed, there are series of incursions by smaller Zentraedi units into Earth to test Earth’s defenses & harasses Earth’s Robotech forces, but the armed confrontations only occurs in isolated areas, far from human habitation centers. These incursions naturally go unreported, as United Earth Defence Council (UEDC) fears a widespread panic amongst the world’s public especially during aftermath of Macross Island destruction.