Legacy Review #18 – ROBOTECH BOOK 7 (Southern Cross)
- Francois DesRochers
- 1 hour ago
- 7 min read
Release Date: July 1987
Author: Jack McKinney
(James Lucerno and Brian Daley)
Page Count: 215 pages
(includes Chapter 1 from Metal Fire)
INTRODUCTION
The first of the three-book series covering the “Second Generation” of the Robotech franchise; at least as portrayed to North American audiences.
Thus continued my rabid obsession with continuing the novelization of the anime once enjoyed on early Saturday mornings, as well as playing the Palladium Books ROBOTECH Tabletop RPG (TTRPG) years later.
REVIEW
Episode Counter. The first book encapsulates the events from Season 2, Episodes 01 to 06:
Synopsis. The forces of the Robotech Masters have finalized their 20-year journey to Earth, and have come across the micronized forces of the Humans. They begin by establishing dominance in orbit, but hesitate to simply bull-rush their way to secure the protoculture matrix from the ruins of the SDF-1/SDF-2. Their own limited fuel resources and wariness of both the Humans and the protoculture wraiths guarding the buried SDFs is the impediment that provides the forces of the Southern Cross to thwart their plans. A desperate series of battles to develop regional supremacy by both sides ensues, with Dana Sterling and her ATAC Hover Tanks providing a steely counter-punch against the Robotech Masters’ Bioroid forces.
Dana Sterling. This is a story told predominantly from her point of view. As was the case with Rick Hunter, she is a young, highly skilled pilot. One of the primary differences between the two is character presentation. I first read Rick as a more sober character, possibly due to the influence of the Global Civil Wars that dominated his life and his anti-war sentiments. Dana’s characterization is presented in a much more youthful, self-assured and cocky demeanor, the rebuilding era presented as a more peaceful, positive element and, for lack of a better way of putting it, this element is shoved into the background. I found this youthful exuberance and penchant for getting into trouble as a welcome change of pace to introduce the series. I’m not going to lie, I had flashbacks of my youth just after I joined the military. In terms of the anime voice overs, I found similar failings to the First Generation; they were a real impediment to really getting into the character. The voice is much more mature than the novel’s portrayal - like having someone in their mid-thirties try to represent a teenager.
Southern Cross – Military Paradigms. One interesting element was the deeper and more granular portrayal of the military. We get MGen Rolf Emerson as the primary operational planner, under the bombastic leadership of Commander Leonard, the man in charge of the Southern Cross Forces and effectively the United Earth Command. The Earth has reverted to feudal city-states, with the exception of the Southern Cross that is an international, worldwide and off-world military force. It's not the only power on Earth, but is the de facto military power. The hint of military planning we do get, and how that is affected at the tactical level was surprisingly believable. The scene where ATAC-15 is assigned to defend a sector, while Fokker Airbase is getting mauled, but also the initiative Dana assumes is in keeping with modern military ethos; the idea of just sitting idly by while comrades in arms are being ravaged is a not a thing taken lightly; we have a tendency to jump towards the loud noise, especially when we believe we can help. The subsequent problems this causes for the chain of command and Dana is also entirely plausible. The needling from the various armed forces (e.g. TASC, Cosmic Units, ATAC) is also something any veteran would recognize, and more than a surprise to see represented at all in a novel such as this.
Southern Cross – Mecha. Unsurprisingly, we get a new set of mecha. Something hinted of at the end of Doomsday, we have new Veritechs, which remain surprisingly unconfirmed on model type for the entirety of the novel. Are they old-style VF models, the Logan, perhaps the Alpha Veritech Fighter or the AJACS Veritech Helicopter? There is no clear indication in the novel to what model the Black Lions pilot, but the anime clearly indicates the AJACS during Space Station Liberty’s battle, shifting to Logans during the Earthbound combat scenes. Meanwhile, the Veritech Hover Tanks are front and center; no big surprise. There is also limitations on the Southern Cross’ ability to get to orbit and take the fight to the Robotech Masters. The few times we see this occur, we get a very well-defined battle sequence, particularly the battle to regain communications with Space Station Liberty. Interestingly there is also significant use of conventional armoured tanks, aircraft, and non-transformable battloids, specifically the Global Military Police models and a smattering of RDF models mentioned.
The Robotech Masters. Presenting a new threat to Humanity’s existence, we get a number of cut scenes from their perspective. Perhaps because it is compressed to three books instead of six, there seemed to be much more of their perspective presented than what we got from the Zentraedi. This of course provides the reader with some insight into the enemy that will come to fruition later, but it also explains why the fleet of motherships simply didn't just bully their way to the ruins of the SDF-1/SDF-2. As a race of clones (like the Zentraedi), we are also shown that they have a detached, emotionless state in examination of the facts. Their cautious approach is tempered by the limitations they have on their protoculture fuel, something the reader could imagine would not be an impediment to the Masters otherwise rolling over Southern Cross forces.
Bioroids. We also get a different style of combat foe, the Bioroids. Much like the Battlepods of the Zentraedi, we only have a single model of mecha, the Blue Bioroids, led by the enigmatic Red Bioroid, all of them riding their combat hovercraft chariots into battle. This is an exceptionally flat chain of command, but replicates the dynamic from the Zentraedi. Given the forces for both are clone-based, no great surprise. The maneuverability of these mecha is greatly increased by use of the hovercraft, and like their Zentraedi predecessors, much less capable in atmospheric combat compared to space.
Protoculture Effects. Something I found interesting was the manner in which the Robotech Masters view protoculture. The Masters revere the powers of this substance as more than just a fuel source, but also a mystical, near deific capability to influence events. The wraiths ‘protecting’ the site of the SDF-1/SDF-2/Khyron Cruiser are as much if not more an impediment to the Masters’ plans than the interference posed by Southern Cross forces, or the lack of protoculture to fuel their massive ships or Bioroids to full operational capacity. We have yet to find out what these specters are, or what they mean. The other 'protoculture effect' reference is when Dana and the Red Bioroid fight each other; each has visions and premonitions that affect the other, Dana barely eking out victory in both scenarios. Her mixed heritage has yet to reveal its secrets.
CONCLUSION
Despite the protagonists being young, enthusiastic and gifted pilots in their own right, the tone of the Second Generation is certainly much changed from the one presented by its predecessor. Whereas the First Generation presents the world recovered from a Global Civil War by the arrival of the SDF-1 and the Zentraedi, the Second Generation demonstrates some parallels to the shocked remnants of Humanity’s response to the arrival of the Robotech Masters. The biggest change I noticed was how the Earth was reduced to a feudal system of city-states and regional hegemonies, each with their own military forces and mecha. This created a hodge-podge of authority across the globe, something always lurking underneath the conversations but never fully addressed. This was most strikingly shown each time the one seemingly global force capable of dealing with any real threat seemed to be the Southern Cross, and always only just barely with their meagre resources, and the Global Military Police in a much more discrete manner.
The forces supporting the UEC are largely limited in terms of engagement with orbital enemies. With limited vectors to reach the Robotech Masters, the tension of resuming contact with Space Station Liberty (sole mechanism of contact with the SDF-3 and the Robotech Expeditionary Forces) and the attempt to destroy/cripple one of the Robotech Masters’ ships make for a very interesting read. The battle around the downed capital vessel shows that, even grounded, the Robotech Masters present a significant threat the Southern Cross forces are ill-prepared to match. How does Dana’s interaction with the Red Bioroid pilot play out? How will the UEC react to the Earthbound threat from the Robotech Masters? We’ll find out in Metal Fire.
Current Assessment (8/10). The action, as done from Dana Sterling’s perspective, provides the kind of visceral and frenetic action we have come to know and love from the McKinney series. I found it remarkable that the tone of the chapters told from Dana’s viewpoint demonstrate a much more youthful and willful disobedience to command and authority, as well immaturity that I would naturally expect from a teenager/early twenty-something. That McKinney captured this element so well is a boon to the series; unlike the anime, where the voice actor was very much more mature in terms of her tenor and tone of voice.
Introduction of the secondary characters provide a nice group of dynamics that keep the reader engaged. Dana’s relationship with her close confidant, Bowie Grant, their adopted father figure in MGen Emerson, the remainder of the 15th ATAC, and finally the frosty tone she takes with Nova Satori, all provide distinct interactions and reading experiences. Once again, the novelization does a fantastic job minimizing some of the more cringe-worthy moments of the anime voice-overs.
Southern Cross is a different breed of setting from the original Robotech anime (First Generation). The Earth is very much depopulated, and the advent of Robotechnology likely the single factor in their ability to recover, let alone to the point they can sustain themselves well enough to produce Robotech mecha. The launch of the SDF-3 and the REF is only hinted at in a few places, leaving the reader with the sense the REF left Earth with a bare bones capacity to defend itself. This plays out with the limited lines of communication with Space Station Liberty and the Moon Bases, and the difficulties Southern Cross forces have getting into orbit to affect any meaningful strategic victories. It is a quick read, the action and non-kinetic sections quickly moving from one to the next. McKinney once again provides a fresh, new series of novels for the anime fans.
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