DESCRIPTION:

Tough-minded and determined, Lisa Hayes is the efficient flight control operations and executive officer of the SDF-1. Among her many important duties is directing the combat operations that are vital to the defense of the battlefortress, its crew, and the thousands of survivors of Macross Island.

The progeny of more than a century of Anglo-American military family history, Lisa is the daughter and only child of Donald Hayes, a top-ranking admiral in the Robotech Defense Force and a leading figure in the development of Robotechnology.

Having lost her mother at an early age, she was raised by a loving but hard-driving father. Admiral Hayes’ important duties during and after the Global War often forced long separations. Lisa graduated at the top of her class at military school and later at the Robotech Academy. While she excelled in all areas of academics and training, she stayed at a distance from most fellow cadets and formed few, if any close relationships.

One who did make an impression was an upperclassman named Karl Riber. A handsome, idealistic young cadet, he became Lisa’s first true love, and the two shared an intense, but discrete romance. However, a protective Admiral Hayes was very disapproving of the relationship; he felt Lisa was too young and that Riber lacked ‘fighting spirit.’ Eager to leave the still unstable Earth for safer pastures, Riber volunteered for special duty on the newly-established Mars Base Sara.

Though Lisa put on a brave face, she was heartbroken by Riber’s departure and devoted herself even more intently to her military exploits. Upon graduating from the Robotech Academy, she was assigned to the SDF-1 during the latter phase of its reconstruction. Lisa also became highly proficient at coordinating flight activity with the newly-created veritech fighters, which would become the backbone of the new Robotech Defense Force.

Her skills were put to the test as the Zentraedi invaded to start the First Robotech War. During the initial battles around Macross Island and the long voyage home, Lisa time and again distinguished herself by showing grace under fire. Her quick thinking and ingenuity created the successful “Daedalus Attack” strategy that led to a major victory against Zentraedi forces around Saturn. Later, she was instrumental in destroying the reactor core at Mars Base Sara, which allowed the SDF-1 to escape its Zentraedi pursuers.

Rescuing her from certain death on Mars was Veritech pilot Rick Hunter, who would eventually emerge as one of the most prominent figures in Lisa’s life. The pair’s relationship was rocky almost from the get-go, but after surviving a harrowing ordeal together among Zentraedi forces, the two gained a new understanding and respect for each other. This eventually led to affection, though the continuing war as well as Rick’s on-again, off-again relationship with Lynn Minmei would complicate matters.

Promoted to Captain, Lisa would briefly helm the ill-fated SDF-2, which was destroyed in the Battle of New Macross City before it ever was launched. Later, she became a top leader of the SDF-3’s Pioneer Mission to seek out the homeworld of the Robotech Masters in the hopes of preventing another war.