The Search

by Jim Laughter

  Robert's heart sank. This was it. He knew what this must be costing Delmar. He had questioned the boy on his return two weeks ago. But Delmar had been steadfast, even when Robert pointed out that this could not only cost his ship and his captaincy, but might end his career in the Service. He could even spend time in the brig or a penal colony. Delmar had not wavered. Being found guilty would mark Delmar as untrustworthy for life.

  The major cleared his throat again, bringing Robert back from his thoughts.

  "In as much as the defendant has not entered any evidence of defense into the record, the board feels itself responsible to enter material for him,” the major said, glancing at the other board members on either side of him. "Such defense material has been submitted by third parties. This material came unsolicited and is submitted in the form of sworn affidavit."

  The room erupted into a whirlwind of whispers, though silence reigned. Everyone was surprised by this unusual step.

  "Let it be entered into the record that Captain Jim Ontak of the freighter Robin Murrin has submitted sworn testimony in regard to the actions taken by Trooper-Third Eagleman while he commanded the ship DayStar,” the major said. "The testimony which is to be entered in it's entirety can be summed up as an eyewitness record of Trooper-Third Eagleman's bravery even in the face of high personal risk in the rescue of the freighter Robin Murrin and her crew. This testimony is supported by additional statements by the crew."

  Delmar tightened his features to keep from showing his shock.

  "So noted,” the board reporter answered.

  "Let it also be entered into the record that a letter has been submitted by the Entuit family in regard to the ship DayStar,” the major read. "That letter, along with supporting documentation, will also be entered fully into the record as submitted. It may be summed up by the following paragraph.

  ‘We, the family of the late captain and master of the patroller DayStar, have been fully informed of the actions taken by Captain Eagleman and the subsequent events that transpired. We hereby exercise due hereditary rights in regard to the DayStar. We had not previously exercised these rights because we believed the ship already scrapped after the death of its captain. Since these rights are retroactive, the DayStar has remained a commissioned ship regardless of its storage at the Jasper Station facility. Having legal oversight of the DayStar, and being fully aware of the actions of Captain Eagleman, we grant retroactive permission for his use of the ship as he deemed fit. We also thank him for making it’s existence known to us by his actions and we are proud of his actions while commanding the vessel.’"

  The room grew deathly still. Robert felt his heart pounding as he mentally reviewed this new evidence. He had to grant that it was unusual but legally sound by Galactic Axia law. Looking at Delmar, he could see beads of sweat on the young man's forehead.

  "In consideration of the testimony submitted, it is this board's opinion and ruling that Captain Eagleman be subject to the following sanctions,” the major said.

  Delmar could not believe his ears. He was now being addressed as Captain Eagleman instead of just Trooper-Third.

  "First,” the major continued, "the charges of theft and unauthorized use of the ship DayStar are dismissed as not coming under the jurisdiction of this board of inquiry, and due to retroactive permission for use granted under Axia acts of succession."

  Delmar desperately fought to maintain his composure.

  "Second,” the major continued, "is the matter of disobedience of a superior officer and to absent without leave. Dr. Alt has been consulted in this matter, and since Captain Eagleman was officially placed on leave by Dr. Alt, he has recommended to the board that Captain Eagleman be cleared of this charge. Therefore, the charge of absent without leave is summarily dismissed. As for the charge of disobeying an order of a superior officer, Dr. Alt’s own testimony clearly states that his orders were for Captain Eagleman to engage only in activities the patient found relaxing. Since this is obviously a gray area, the charge of disobedience of a superior officer is summarily dismissed.”

  Delmar could not believe what he was hearing. He was being cleared of all the charges.

  “However,” the major continued, “these dismissals are conditional, which means that Captain Eagleman will submit to further medical examinations and treatment as directed by Doctor Alt. He will be placed on probation restricting him to the planet Erdinata until such time as the doctor releases him for active duty, including flight status. A probationary officer to be named at the discretion of the board."

  The stunned gallery of onlookers seemed to tense.

  "The board hereby accepts the recommendation of Dr. Alt. Arrangements are being made with a probationary officer who will notify Captain Eagleman of the terms of his probation. Although it is not in the power of this board to so order, we recommend that Captain Eagleman return to the residence of Robert Hassel and continue his recuperation. Subsequently, all charges are dropped and Captain Eagleman is released. Board dismissed!"

  ∞∞∞

  "She's still yours,” Robert said, standing beside Delmar and John Eagleman on the walkway overlooking the service hanger. Below them they could see the workmen swarming over and under the hull of the Cabbage Patch. The scene was a mess. But Robert knew that it belied the efficiency of the shipyard workers as they rebuilt the ship from the ground up.

  "She's beautiful,” Delmar said with a smile as he looked on his disassembled ship. To anyone else it would look like she was being torn apart. But to the captain, his ship is always beautiful, even with all of her scars and battle wounds.

  "We better go home, son,” Robert said to Delmar. “John, you’re coming too, aren’t you?” he asked his old friend. "The flitter is waiting."

  “I’ll be along later,” John answered. “I have a few loose ends to tie up here.”

  “Dad?” Delmar said. “I can’t thank you enough for standing with me these last couple of weeks. I know how hard it’s been for you.”

  “No son, it’s I who need to thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For making me realize what it means to take responsibility for our actions, and for our own lives,” he answered. “I’ve been giving some thought to when I was on Sol-3, and I’ve come to the conclusion that I didn’t try hard enough to be rescued. I know now that there are Watcher cells on the planet, not just my little mission, but many. I grew complacent and comfortable in my position. Now I’ve got some choices to make, and you’ve been a great influence on my decisions.”

  “I don’t know what to say, Dad?” Delmar said. “I just want to get to know you better and become a family again.”

  “We’ll have time for that, son,” John answered. “Now you go on out to the farm with Robert. I’ll be along soon.”

  After one last look at his precious ship, Delmar turned and followed Robert back along the walkway. An electric cart waited at the base of a flight of stairs to take them to the field for their trip back to the farm.

  Delmar still found himself in a daze. Ever since the board had adjourned, he’d felt a little detached from everything around him. Even the brief exam by Dr. Alt before being sent home seemed like it was happening to someone else. Now in the flitter, all he could do was stare out the window while Robert made small talk with the flitter pilot.

  The beauty of the countryside below in the afternoon light enchanted Delmar while he tried to come to terms with his life. He had made some stupid choices and been given a second chance. He knew he didn't deserve it, but he didn't complain. Now he would set himself an even higher standard of conduct to keep the faith of those who had helped him. And although not the way he’d planned, he’d unexpectedly found his father, which he determined in his heart he would never lose again.

  As they passed over the entrance of Big Valley, the sight caused him to reflect on the circumstances that led to meeting his father. There was too much involved for it to be more than happenstance. He could not help but believe the Unseen One ha
d a hand in all that happened to a lowly Trooper-Third. Now he knew the rest of the story of his father and felt at peace.

  Now to go home. Agnes would get back from her reunion tomorrow. He could not think of the Hassel farm without the warmth of his adopted mother. He was relieved she had not been around to fret about his latest misadventure.

  The flitter rapidly made its way to their end of the valley. Delmar saw Daren on his tractor working in the fields of his old home. The pilot swung the flitter around and set it down in the backyard of the Hassel farm. Robert and Delmar thanked the pilot and climbed down from the small craft. As the flitter was lifting, Delmar heard Robert mutter something about needing a landing pad. Delmar was happy. Even the perennial complaint of Robert could not change that.

  The two men walked to the back porch and went inside the old farmhouse. Home, Delmar thought. He could not believe he was here instead of in the brig. Entering the kitchen, all thought fled his mind when he saw who was there.

  "Well, there you two are,” Agnes said from where she was stirring something on the stove.

  "Honey!" Robert exclaimed

  "What are you doing here, Mom?" Delmar said. Agnes smiled as the two men kissed her on both cheeks.

  "I got in a little while ago,” she said. "Came in a day early and caught a flitter from the field to surprise you."

  "You certainly did that!" Robert said happily.

  Delmar noted she was still wearing her traveling clothes, which meant she hadn’t been here long. He also noticed that she had tied an apron around her waist to protect her suit.

  "Now, you two go change out of those uniforms,” she said. "I'll get something on the table."

  Both Robert and Delmar headed upstairs to change. At the top of the stairs, Delmar put his hand on Robert's shoulder.

  "I’m glad she didn't get here any earlier!" he whispered. Robert nodded and smiled.

  Minutes later the two were back downstairs and at the table with Agnes. It was good to have her home. Delmar was pleased to see her cooking as well. Except for the food aboard the mothership, he had survived on the tomato juice and bread produced by the DayStar's old food synthesizer or on Robert's cooking.

  After Robert had given thanks to the Unseen One for their food, Agnes reached out and took their hands in hers.

  "It's good to be home,” she said sweetly. They squeezed her hands.

  "So how was the reunion?" Delmar asked.

  "It was great!" Agnes replied as she helped herself to the salad. "Jake and Sherry Sender said to say hi and that they send their love. The only disappointment was we had to adjourn a day early. Seems a lot of the girls had to get back for something."

  "I hope it didn't spoil it,” Robert said.

  "Oh no,” Agnes answered. "We just moved the final dinner party up one night and it worked out fine."

  "That's good to hear,” Delmar said. He finished loading his plate and was going to relish eating real food.

  "Wish we'd known you were coming in today,” Robert said. "We could have met you at the field."

  "Oh, I wanted to surprise everyone!" Agnes said brightly. "Didn't even call RoseMary! First they knew was when the flitter buzzed their house!"

  "That must have gotten their attention,” Delmar said. "Did they come on down?"

  "No, I called as soon as I got inside and told them not to bother,” Agnes said. "Darren said they might drive over this evening though."

  Delmar breathed a silent sigh of relief. That meant the Sabeti's had not told her about what had happened.

  "So what have you two been up to?" Agnes asked sweetly. Both men became suddenly silent. After a second both Robert and Delmar tried to speak at once.

  "Save it boys,” Agnes said as she pulled an envelope out of her apron pocket. Delmar noticed it was official Axia Service stationary. His heart sank.

  "Seems I have been appointed Probationary Officer for a certain Captain Delmar Eagleman," she said, waving the envelope. "I was paged at the field and given this at the Service desk. That's also how I got a flitter home."

  The two men continued to stare in stony silence. Agnes looked from one dumbfounded man to the other.

  "Care to tell me about it from the top?" she asked with a wicked smile.

  ∞∞∞

  The late morning sun was getting warm as Delmar paused and wiped his brow. The fence post he’d been straightening finally stood vertical once again.

  "Hey, Delmar!" Robert called from down the fence line a bit.

  "Yeah, Dad?" Delmar called back when he saw Robert picking up the bucket full of fence tools.

  "That looks like enough,” Robert said. He started walking toward the young man. "How about we call it a day and head up to the house?"

  Delmar groaned his approval inwardly.

  "Sure, Dad,” Delmar said and gathered the pick, shovel, post-hole digger, and tamper he'd been using. Robert caught up to him and together they started back toward the farmhouse.

  While they walked, Delmar happened to glance over at the field across the driveway from the house. Only two days ago he’d finished cutting the field under Robert's direction. The elder Hassel decided he'd had enough of ships landing in his back yard. The result of that decision had kept Delmar running the cutter for two days to clear an area large enough to install a landing pad in the field.

  Now Robert looked happy. He had a landing pad for all the ships that seemed to keep coming and going at their place. Of course, Delmar provided all the muscle for the project, but the exercise did him good.

  Robert noticed Delmar's gaze.

  "Maybe we should put in a rotating beacon,” Robert said with a smile. "Then maybe some people will take a hint."

  "Awww, Dad," Delmar groaned. "I think people will understand when they see it. Let it be."

  He could too easily imagine who would have to set the pole and rig the light for such a project.

  It had been a week and a half since the day Agnes had surprised them. Delmar thought he had either blisters or stiff muscles to account for every day of it. When Agnes announced that she had been appointed his Probationary Officer, Delmar knew he was in for an interesting time. Now ten days into her plan to rehabilitate him, the brig was starting to sound better and better. His only relief had been in the evenings when he could spend a little time on the computer, mainly talking to Ert.

  But even talking with his friend back on Mica had not been the relief for which Delmar had hoped. He found himself too tired to do much. He stayed for only a few quick minutes and then dragged his tired body off to bed.

  Not that conversing with the Horicon computer wasn't interesting. It just wasn’t enough. Everyone else Delmar could think of, Stan and Leatha in particular, seemed to be tied up doing something else and couldn't write back. All Delmar had gotten out of Ert was that his friends were on assignment. John was still there, but he spent most of his time at Jasper Station, returning to the farm at night. They had managed to catch up on almost everything they’d missed for the last fifteen years.

  Robert and Delmar were almost to the back porch when the sky suddenly grew dark.

  "Now what?" Robert said as they both stopped and looked up. Above them and blocking the sun was the unmistakable shape of a FAR ship.

  "It's the Aurora!” Delmar cried out.

  "What are they doing here?" Robert asked and watched the sleek ship swing around. Suddenly, he saw where the ship was heading.

  "No!" Robert cried, waving his arms as the ship settled down to land in his backyard. Delmar laughed. Agnes appeared at the back door.

  "Looks like I better put out some extra plates,” she said as she wiped her hands on her apron.

  The hatch of the Aurora popped open and Stan walked out. Reaching up, he helped his wife down in spite of her protests. John Eagleman also stepped down from the ship. Everyone was wearing their uniforms except John.

  "Greetings!" Stan called out. "We come in peace. Take us to your leader. Surrender or die. But more importantly, we pic
ked up a hitch-hiker."

  "You come at lunch time!" Agnes hollered back with a smile as she stepped off the porch.

  “Welcome words to my ears,” Leatha said with a smile.

  Stan and Delmar collided in a hug while Robert and Agnes greeted Leatha and John.

  "So he is alive," Stan said. "Is he being a good boy?" he asked Agnes when he and Delmar pulled apart.

  "Fair,” Agnes admitted. "But I think he still has too much time to think up crazy notions."

  "Mom!” Delmar cried in self-defense. "I'm getting blisters on my blisters!”

  Everyone laughed.

  "You kids come on in,” Agnes said, waving everyone toward the porch.

  Delmar, John, Stan and Robert went and washed up while Leatha helped Agnes set the table.

  "So what brings you here?" Robert asked Stan as he finished drying his hands.

  "Oh, we were just in the neighborhood, so we decided to drop by,” Stan replied with a wink as Delmar entered the kitchen.

  "He’s just tired of my cooking,” Leatha retorted while she spooned gravy into a serving bowl.

  "You call using a food synthesizer cooking?" Stan shot back.

  “We’ve been on our honeymoon, my love,” Leatha replied. “My cooking isn’t exactly what you’ve had on your mind.”

  Stan tried to answer but couldn’t find the words. When she was right, she was right.

  "You love birds quit jawing and sit down,” Agnes said and placed a platter of roast beef on the table.

  “The truth is that Stan and Leatha are my transportation to my new assignment,” John said, joining into the conversation. “We just stopped by to say goodbye and to give me a chance to thank you again for everything you’ve done for my boy here.”

  Delmar looked at his father.

  “I thought you’d be here longer, Dad,” he said. “Where are you going?”

  “Let’s just say that it’s an assignment that I’m uniquely qualified for,” John answered.

  “Where, John?” asked Agnes. “Unless it’s a secret, of course.”

  “Oh no, it’s not a secret,” John answered. “I’m returning to Earth, or Sol-3 as the Axia calls it.”