The Search

by Jim Laughter

  "Doesn't the wind just blow you all over?" Robert asked while they observed the antique aircraft correct for a crosswind.

  "Not necessarily,” Delmar answered. He nodded his approval of the corrections taken by the pilot of the craft. "But that’s part of the fun. You learn to work with the wind. It's not an adversary. It's an indifferent force to be harnessed."

  "You make it sound too easy,” Robert said with a shake of his head. When Delmar did not immediately answer, Robert turned and looked at the young man.

  Another antique aircraft just being wheeled out of its hanger had caught Delmar’s attention. Robert could see Delmar's eyes misting while he studied the craft, a faraway look on his face. Robert decided to leave Delmar alone for a minute and quietly turned away. He knew who was on the young man's mind.

  ∞∞∞

  "Are you two ready to go yet?" Jake asked when he returned from supervising the loading of the hover car. The driver had already finished securing the cargo lid and had gotten into the driver seat.

  "Oh, I wish you could come see us off,” Sherry said as she slipped on her jacket.

  "You know I have to go to the board meeting in a few minutes,” Jake replied. "Anyway, the cab will get you there just fine."

  "We'll be alright, Jake,” Agnes said, grabbing her jacket and handbag. "She's just all a flutter because of a rumor she heard."

  "I am not,” Sherry insisted. She started toward the waiting cab.

  "What rumor is this?" Jake asked.

  "That we'll be having a small refresher course from Bulldozer Betty,” Agnes said with a wink. "Sherry's worried that she's not up to it."

  "You better worry about yourself!" Sherry retorted when they reached the cab.

  "I'm sure you'll both do fine,” Jake said.

  "You just take care of yourself while I’m gone,” Sherry said through the window. "I don't want a big mess to clean up when I get back."

  "Now what trouble could I possibly get into?" Jake asked. "I'm just an old man staying at home."

  "Like fun you are,” Sherry replied. "I already know that you're going over to visit Ert tonight." Jake blushed at his secret being out.

  "Thought I didn't know?” Sherry said with a grin. "I have my sources too."

  "Don’t you think we better be going?” Agnes interjected and looked at her watch. She nodded to the driver who powered up the hover car.

  "You two girls have fun. Be sure to say hi to Bulldozer Betty for me,” Jake said as the car rose from the ground and started moving away. In seconds, it was lost in traffic.

  Grabbing his briefcase, he closed the house and walked into his garage. In less than a minute, his hover car was airborne and carrying him toward his much-dreaded staff meeting.

  Chapter Nine

  It had been a week since the TV show and still Yohan had not slept. Sitting in his chair, he stared blankly into space. A knock at the door roused him from his stupor. Struggling to his feet, he staggered to the front door and opened it.

  "Yohan!" Pete exclaimed when he saw the disheveled appearance of his friend. "Are you all right?"

  "No,” Yohan answered simply.

  Pete came in and shut the door. While Pete went over and sat on the couch, Yohan staggered back and plopped down in his chair.

  "Man, you look terrible!" Pete said, examining his friend. "When was the last time you ate or slept?"

  "I...I don't know,” Yohan replied after a second. "Two or three day ago, I guess."

  "When I called the university, they said you called in sick a week ago,” Pete said. "Do you even remember doing that?"

  "I think so,” Yohan finally answered. "I…I’m not sure."

  "Then how about I rustle up some grub and we get it stuffed into your body first,” Pete said and got up and headed toward the kitchen, "then you tell old Uncle Pete all about it?"

  Yohan nodded his head and began to try to figure out how to explain his life to his friend.

  ∞∞∞

  Delmar was up to his elbows in dish water when the phone rang. "Can you get that, Dad?"

  He tried to rinse the soap off his arms just in case.

  "Got it,” Robert called from the front room.

  Delmar continued to rinse and then dry his hands. Experience with the perverse nature of the universe had taught him that the call was likely for him. He was right.

  "It's for you, son.”

  "Who is it?" Delmar asked. He walked into the front room drying his hands.

  "Jasper Station,” Robert said. Handing the phone to Delmar, he took the kitchen towel from his son.

  "Captain Eagleman?" the voice in the instrument asked as soon as Delmar had said hello.

  "Yes, this is he.”

  Thoughts of his precious Cabbage Patch leapt into his mind.

  "We need to consult with you about some upgrades on your ship,” the voice said. “Your presence is required on base.”

  "It will be a while before I can get there,” Delmar said, figuring the driving time between the farm and Jasper station.

  "We've already dispatched a flitter to pick you up,” the voice said. "It should be there soon."

  "I’ll be here.”

  He tried to hide his anxiety, but he couldn’t keep the apprehension from his voice. He hung up the phone.

  "What's up?" Robert asked from the kitchen doorway.

  "The repair depot needs to consult with me about the Patch.”

  "Couldn't they just do it over the phone?"

  "I guess not,” Delmar answered. "They said they’ve dispatched a flitter to bring me in. Must be pretty serious."

  Just then they heard the whistle of a flitter coming in fast and low. A cloud of dust from the yard between the barn and the house told them where it had landed.

  "At this rate I should have a landing pad set up out there,” Robert said as they went out the back door.

  "Captain Eagleman?" the pilot called out from the open hatch.

  "That's me,” Delmar said.

  "Better grab a jacket,” the pilot said. "It's kind of brisk back at Jasper."

  While Delmar ran back to the house, Robert questioned the pilot.

  "What's so important that they need him in person?"

  "I don't know, sir,” the pilot answered. "I was just told to hightail it out here and get him.” Just then Delmar ran up and climbed into the flitter.

  "Don't worry, Dad,” Delmar said as he reached for the hatch. "I'll get to the bottom of it and be back for supper."

  "You take care,” Robert said.

  Delmar closed the hatch. In a moment, the flitter lifted and headed toward Jasper. Robert suddenly felt very alone.

  It was only a twenty minute flight from the farm to Jasper Station. It took even less time for Delmar to conclude that the whole trip had been basically about nothing. They were just wanting to upgrade his food synthesizer and replace a panel on his navigational array with a new, improved model.

  “I could have authorized this over the phone,” Delmar complained to the maintenance chief.

  “Any upgrades that concern life support must be authorized in person by the ship captain,” the chief explained. “Food synthesizers fall into that category.”

  After dealing with the shipyard personnel, Delmar disgustedly hiked over to the station hospital.

  "Didn't expect to see you so soon,” Dr. Alt said when he saw Delmar enter his office. "What's up?"

  "Oh, nothing with me, Doc,” Delmar answered. "I'm just here because someone decided they couldn't make a little work order decision without me."

  “Life support problem?”

  “Food synthesizer.”

  “That’ll do it every time,” Dr. Alt said. “I remember my years with the fleet. We had real cooks on board back then, not those computerized contraptions.”

  Delmar nodded and turned to leave.

  “Why don’t you stick around for a minute and let me give a quick once over?” the doctor asked.

  “I’m fine,” Delmar pro
tested. “Fit as a fiddle.”

  “Indulge me. You’ve been through a lot the last year.”

  An hour later found Delmar with a clean bill of health heading out to the station's field, hoping to catch one of the flitter pilots for a lift back home. The whoosh of a ship landing distracted him.

  Looking up, he saw the oldest patroller he had ever seen coming in for a wobbly landing. He estimated the ship to be at least a hundred years old, maybe older. A passing maintenance worker also stopped to watch the old patroller.

  "What's up with that ship?" Delmar asked the worker. "I've never seen such an old one still flying."

  "Oh, it’s probably coming in to be decommissioned,” the worker said, glancing at the ancient ship. "We have them come in all the time now that we're a level three depot. We strip them down for their power supplies and recycle the rest."

  The hatch on the old patroller opened with a creak and a young Trooper stepped out. He lingered on the ramp for moment before giving the old ship a pat. He lowered his head and then slowly walked away. While Delmar watched, a young woman came out of the hanger to greet the Trooper. With obvious affection, the Trooper turned and saluted the ancient ship, then the couple walked off together toward the parking area for ground cars. Delmar swallowed hard and returned his attention to the worker.

  "That’s the old DayStar. It was the last C-34 Interstellar class in service,” the worker said, consulting his clipboard. "From what I understand, the captain of that ship surveyed more new planets on her than any other captain of his era. He recently passed on, so his family decided to retire the ship. His grandson had the honor of her last flight."

  “There’s some proud history attached to that old girl.”

  “Sure is.”

  "Are all ships eventually decommissioned?" Delmar asked, thinking of his precious Cabbage Patch.

  "Not all,” the worker answered. "Most of them are. But a few are refitted for service if there is a family member qualified to fly it."

  "And those that aren't refitted?"

  "They're taken over to the graveyard to be dismantled and cut up,” the worker answered. "Will there be anything else?"

  "No, that's it. Thanks.”

  Hours passed while Delmar wandered through the shipyard. He saw ships of nearly every classification undergoing repairs or modifications in numerous repair cradles.

  Delmar eventually found himself at the derelict graveyard. Rows of old, tired ships greeted his eyes, and though he found the place depressing, he couldn't leave. He ambled among them and marveled at all the different things he could tell by looking at them. Some were so derelict that it was obvious they hadn't flown in years and would never fly again. Others were newer but damaged in serious ways that ruled out repairs. Here he saw the painted-over flash burns that spoke of battles long ago. There he saw repairs made in haste to return a ship to service and probably battle against their relentless foe, the Red-tails.

  It was while wandering among the older ships that Delmar heard the whisper of a landing ship. Looking up, he saw C-34 being brought in and set on static display next to other weary ships. He felt a lump grow in his throat when he thought of the captain that had passed on.

  This is the end of the line for one of the brave ships of the Axia – the end of an era.

  Down a few rows, Delmar found a ship whose hatch stood slightly ajar. He took this as an invitation and entered the old ship. The smell of long years could still be detected in the air as he wandered through the ship. He noted that although this ship was probably a century older than his Cabbage Patch, it wasn't that much different.

  The most obvious feature was the control chair, which Delmar gently sat in. The axis ball on his left and the throttle bar on his right hanging from the ceiling were similar to those of his own ship. Even the few instruments displaying the status of the ship's systems were similar. With a smile, he noted that the ship, though resting among the daisies, still had enough power to fly among the stars. Only the amp meter told the story of a tired green box power supply.

  "If you could only talk,” Delmar spoke to the spirit of the ship. He could only imagine the places this old girl had been and the people who had flown her. It seemed a shame to retire something as gallant as a fighting ship.

  Pushing up from the control chair, Delmar wandered over to the comm station and looked at the ancient equipment. With satisfaction, he noted it was still serviceable.

  The Axia builds to last.

  Just as he was turning away to leave the ship, his eye caught a glimpse of a note stuffed under a corner of the comm console. Using the blade of his pocketknife to lift the corner of the panel, he carefully slid out the note.

  Unfolding the stiff old paper, his eyes opened wide in wonder as he read the words carefully written there long ago. He sat down in the comm chair and adjusted the light so it would fall directly on the paper. He didn’t know why, but he decided to read the note out loud.

  Goodbye old friend. We have traveled among the stars and visited wondrous places, you and I. Now, beloved DayStar, I go to my place of rest, never again to feel thy deck beneath my feet. I have grown old with thee, and now it is over. I have lost my love and now I am losing you. As I go to rest in the dust, I only wish I could send you to the stars to end your days in your true home.

  Delmar found himself crying as he carefully refolded and returned the note to its hiding place. Thoughts of the Cabbage Patch and space flooded his mind while he recalled the words of the note. The phrase 'I have lost my love' stuck in his mind as he wandered aft into the simple cabin and lay down on the bunk. He tried to shake the moodiness he found gripping him, but could not.

  His mind wandering, Delmar again thought of home and family. He thought of friends who had died beside him when Red-tails attacked their training mission during basic.

  Other faces and other times flitted across his mind as well. He lay there for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, as sleep stole in on him and fogged his brain, Delmar found himself again thinking of Panay, the friends who had helped him, the things he had learned just to survive.

  Eventually, he thought again of his time piloting the fragile skyflyers that were only beginning to give the people of Panay the sky. What a terrible and wondrous time that had been!

  As he drifted off to sleep, Delmar had one last fleeting image cross his consciousness before he fell into a dreamless slumber – Abby.

  ∞∞∞

  Yohan was just finishing the soup that Pete had prepared when his friend, coffee cup in hand, sat down across the table from him.

  "Now that you look more human, tell me what this is all about.”

  "What I'm about to tell you may be very hard to accept,” Yohan began carefully. "I ask first that you do not reveal this to anyone under any circumstances."

  "Ok,” Pete agreed. "What else?"

  "I also ask that you keep an open mind until I am completely finished,” Yohan went on. "After that, I'll try to answer your questions."

  Pete looked puzzled but nodded his agreement.

  "To begin with, I am not a native.”

  "I know that. You’re an exchange professor. Denmark, right?”

  "That's not what I mean,” Yohan said. "Hear me out. More accurately, I am not native to this planet."

  Pete's eyes widened but he kept quiet.

  "I come from a commonwealth of planets called Galactic Axia. It occupies this galaxy,” Yohan continued. "My home planet is called Erdinata. We’re human, just like you."

  Yohan paused and waited for Pete's reaction. It wasn't long in coming.

  "You know, I was born in the morning,” Pete said. “But not yesterday morning.”

  “You don’t understand,” Yohan began, but Pete cut him off.

  “That’s it! You've gone delusional,” Pete said with a shake of his head. “Fever, lack of food for a week, too much television! Delusional!”

  “I’m trying to tell you the truth. Please, just listen.” Yohan answered. “I
’m not from this planet. And my name isn’t Yohan, it’s John.”

  "You mean to tell me you’re some sort of alien? A little green man. A visitor from out there somewhere,” Pete said, waving his hand in the general direction of space. “That's not possible!"

  "But it is,” Yohan replied seriously. "I can't offer you direct proof at the moment. I'll explain that in a minute. For the moment, I just ask that you accept it and hear me out."

  "Ok, so you're from some sort of space kingdom,” Pete said. "What else?"

  "It's not a kingdom. It's a commonwealth and is ruled by an emperor or empress, and it encompasses those planets that want to be a part of it."

  “Which is it, an empress or emperor?”

  “I’m not sure. I’ve been stranded on this planet for fifteen years.”

  Pete leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. His coffee grew cold in his cup but he didn’t take a sip.

  "So where does Earth fit into this kingdom, or space commonwealth, or whatever it is?"

  "What you call Earth we call Sol-3,” Yohan continued. "It’s what we call a closed planet, which we do for various reasons, but mostly to protect the native populations."

  "Closed? As in outcasts? Exiled?"

  "Yes and no,” Yohan answered. "The original population that was settled here many thousands of years ago were outcasts. Back in that distant time, the Axia placed their malcontents and criminals on uninhabited planets such as this one. Later, better methods evolved and the practice was stopped. By the way, sometimes endangered species of plants and animals were also seeded on uninhabited planets to preserve them."

  “This is nuts!” Pete said. “I don’t believe a word of it.”

  “Haven’t you ever wondered why there are so many diverse races of people on this planet?” Yohan asked. “Or why there are millions of species of animals that are completely different?”

  Pete didn’t answer, so Yohan continued.

  “Do you really believe that living on one particular side of the planet would make your skin white or black or brown? Or that a person’s eyes would be shaped differently from any others just because they might live on an island nation instead of a major continent?”