At the same time, Hayase Misa called Major Roy Focker over the communicator.
"Skull Squadron, lead unit! Return and escort the Macross."
Major Roy Focker replied, "Roger!" Then he said to Ichijo Hikaru, "Let's go, Hikaru."
Major Roy Focker activated his VF-1S Valkyrie fighter, switched it to Guardian Mode, and took off.
But seeing that Ichijo Hikaru was still completely out of it and unresponsive, he could only keep calling out to him.
"What's wrong, Hikaru? We're leaving!... Aren't you coming with me, Hikaru?"
Ichijo Hikaru shut off his communicator and stopped listening to Major Roy Focker's calls.
Terrified, he curled up alone in the cockpit, doing nothing but staring blankly into space.
Major Roy Focker could only give up on Ichijo Hikaru and begin carrying out Hayase Misa's orders, returning to escort the Macross as it rose into space.
Yet he stubbornly continued calling Ichijo Hikaru through the communicator, hoping he would recover soon and fight alongside him.
As Major Roy Focker neared the Macross, he was still worried about Ichijo Hikaru's condition.
He switched communication channels and reported to Hayase Misa aboard the Macross.
"This is Skull Squadron, lead unit. I'm returning to South Ataria Island to pick up some... forgotten things.
Leave the escort mission for the Super Dimension Fortress Macross to the others."
Hayase Misa asked in confusion.
"What are you going back to pick up?"
"Sorry, I left behind the Valkyrie VT 102 Unit and its pilot."
"VT 102? Now that you mention it, I thought that pilot was a little strange too."
"You thought so too? That's right, because he's a civilian."
Hayase Misa asked incredulously, "What? He's actually a civilian..."
The female soldiers nearby all said in unison, "No way! That has to be fake."
Meanwhile, the battle on the ground continued. The