The Ship Finder: Young Adult Edition

by John Bluck

  The ship flew over a large shopping center where hundreds of bodies cluttered the parking lot. Big blackbirds jumped from corpse to corpse and pecked them.

  "Look, there are some troops pushing wheelbarrows from the hardware store," Terac said.

  "There's a bulldozer digging in the field," added Lena.

  "Looks like we can land near the dozer," Black said. "Captain Gray, have the pilot land the ship there."

  "Yes, General," said Gray. He walked to the cockpit and talked to the pilot. Within three minutes The Black Widow was on the ground in a big field near the mass grave where the dozer worked covering bodies with soil.

  Black pulled Gray aside. "I want our people to go out there and help collect the dead," said Black. "We've got to do some of the work if only to find out how bad the problem is."

  "Yes, General. We'll send out the troops right away." Gray walked through the double doorway and into the big passenger room.

  "Let's get out there now," said Black.

  Black is a hands-on general, Wilson observed. He probably fights beside his troops. They must love him.

  Black led Terac, Lena, and Wilson down the exit ramp and onto the field near the mass grave. Two soldiers who wore surgical masks shoveled powdered lime onto bodies along the edge of the pit. Clouds of white lime dust blew away from them with the wind. Covered in white lime, the bodies looked like crumpled ghosts.

  "Look," Lena said. Behind a bush on the far side of the grave a rebel soldier urinated on the bodies near him, and another trooper came to join him. They laughed as they relieved themselves.

  "Men, stop that!" yelled Black. He sprinted to the two soldiers. "That's an order."

  The men zipped up their pants and saluted the general. "Sorry, General, we had to go, and we'll cover the bodies in a few minutes anyway," said a tall, muscular corporal. The other man was a short, skinny private first class.

  "Report to your squad leader, and tell him that I have busted you to privates and that you are to report to Captain Gray on my ship. You will be court marshaled. Actions like yours are wrong and will encourage rebellion. Now get the blazes over to your squad leader!"

  The two busted soldiers started to walk towards the big box store when a blast behind the huge building rocked the ground.

  "What was that?" Terac asked.

  "Let's find out," said Black, and the four of them trotted to the corner of the building. Terac peeked around the edge of the concrete wall.

  That smells like a fusion grenade, Wilson thought as smoke drifted past them.

  Terac said, "I saw the partial bodies of children, at least two women, and a few men. There's a bunch of body parts and ripped up civilian clothes. My hunch is some of our men executed noncombatants."

  A furious Black stormed around the corner to confront three soldiers including a squad leader who had just climbed out of a deep bunker. Wilson saw dismembered bodies of men, women, and children near the store's cratered concrete wall.

  "Soldiers, you're under arrest," said Black. "Place your arms on the ground." The men put their ray guns, knives, and three marble-size fusion grenades on the dirt.

  "General," said the squad leader, "may I speak?"

  "Yes, soldier."

  "These people were Sunevian spies. We carried out the sentence for spying."

  "How can a child be a spy? It's possible a couple of the women could have been spies, but my guess is that none of these people were spies. You had no right to do this. Colonel Terac, secure their hands behind their backs."

  "Yes, General," Terac said. He glanced around, looking for rope or twine to tie up the men. Lena and Wilson pulled out their ray guns and pointed them at the soldiers.

  If stuff like this happens around the planet, there'll be a counter-revolution, even if most of the people are dead, Wilson worried. More than ten percent of the population survived, and they are bound to fight if they think they'll be killed anyway.

  Terac found a coil of electrical wire, cut off some with a bayonet, and bound the squad leader first. Then he tied up the other two men.

  "Colonel, escort these men to the brig and lock them in," said Black.

  "Yes, General," Terac said. He shoved the big squad leader to get him and the others to begin to walk towards The Black Widow.

  Lena wiped her eyes with her handkerchief, and then she sobbed, "These guys are doing everything the Great Leader did. What did we fight for?"

  "We've got to stop this," said Black. "We'll be fighting a long guerilla war if we don't get a handle on this."

  Lena cried so much it was hard for her to talk, but she said, "I'm glad we're alone. I've got to say this. I can't take it anymore, and I need to get away from this war. I've done my part. Please help me, Ramon."

  "What do you want me to do?"

  "I want to be a civilian. I don't think I can stay on Sunev or even Triod," she said. "I need a break."

  "Why don't you and Wilson go back to Earth for a while," Black said. "You've done more than your part. Things could clear up in a year or so."

  "How soon can we go?" Lena asked.

  "Maybe in a week, after our recon here ends," said Black. "Then again, I might get you there sooner, but you need to see the ship psychologist in the meantime. Please don't take that wrong. You and Wilson have been through a lot. It's normal to be depressed. I'm sad, too, and I'll probably visit Dr. Kamara in the next few days as well."

  "Dr. Kamara?"

  "Yes, Jean Kamara is a very good counselor. I've consulted with her many times, and she has helped me cope with tough things such as when I've sent friends to their deaths. Jean is aboard The Black Widow so she can help with problems associated with combat as well as other difficulties people may have. If she says you need to leave for Earth right away, I'll approve it."

  "All right," she said. "Is that okay with you, Bill?"

  "Yes."

  "You two can go see her right now, if you want," said Black. "I'll get Captain Gray to help me get this area under control. Then we'll take off and look for other trouble spots. I'll issue orders to stop this disgraceful conduct."

  "Thanks, Ramon," Lena said, and she took Wilson's hand.

  They walked to the ship's ramp and went inside to find Dr. Jean Kamara.

  Chapter 36 – The Psychologist

  Lena and Wilson quickly located Dr. Jean Kamara's office aboard The Black Widow. Lena tapped on the psychologist's door.

  "Come in," Kamara said. "It's open."

  "Hello," said Lena, as she padded tears from her eyes with a tissue. "General Black suggested we see you."

  Kamara sat behind a small wooden desk. She rose, shook hands with Lena and Wilson, and said, "I'm pleased to meet you."

  "My name is Colonel Lena Lavelle, and this is Dr. William Wilson of Earth."

  "I'm glad you're onboard, Dr. Kamara," Wilson said. "Lena and I both have gone through a lot in the last couple of weeks, not to mention in the last month or two."

  "We expect that there will be more problems in times of war than in times of peace," Kamara said. "Please have a seat." She pointed to a well-worn, tan leather couch. She sat down in an easy chair. "Could you tell me what you've experienced?"

  Lena cleared her throat and said, "I've helped kill a shipload of people I know, Sunevians, but they were my friends. I did this for the revolution. We've won, but now I see that we do the same things to the Sunevians as they had done to us rebels. I don't know if I can live with this, and I need to go away. I have done nothing useful. I caused a lot more harm than good."

  "You're a companion clone, right?"

  "Yes, but what has that got to do with it?"

  "For a person brought up by a mother and a father, war can destroy his or her emotional stability. But for a clone who had no parents except a series of caretakers, war is even more of a strain. It's not your fault. I can help you to understand what's happened to you, Lena."

  "So what, if I had caretakers instead of parents? Early on I had to fend for myself."

/>   "Yes, that's true, but to learn to take care of yourself was a matter of survival, not just physical survival, but emotional survival. That could mean you would do anything to stay alive, things like stealing or lying, to perhaps get extra food or a small toy."

  "We never lacked food."

  "But you never received love from one main caretaker. Total love from at least one parent makes life worth it. Your story is not unique, so don't feel like you are to blame for your state of mind. The Sunevian system brought to life millions of beautiful companion clones like you, mass produced like chickens to be toys for lonely men and women. There were a small number of couples who adopted a few clones when they were babies. They were lucky. So, how do you feel about yourself?"

  "I sometimes feel worthless," Lena said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

  "Since you have never experienced parental love, it's no wonder that you feel that way. And you were trained to please men, right?"

  "Yes, to do anything they wanted. Look, I don't know if I'm ready to talk about my companion education. Much of it embarrasses me." Lena sobbed, unable to say more.

  "Let it all out. It's okay." Kamara handed Lena a box of tissues. Lena took out a few at once and buried her face in the softness of them.

  Wilson motioned with his hand to get Kamara's attention. "Doctor, may I speak?"

  Kamara nodded.

  "Lena is a well-known scientist who studies plants here and on other worlds. She does have worth."

  Lena took the tissues away from her face and cleared her throat. "I lied, Bill," she said. "Yes, I did have a flower shop. Yes, I did travel to remote places on this planet, on Triod, and on Earth to gather new plants. But I never studied at a university or college. I don't have a degree in anything. I was Raven's toy until he discarded me, set up my flower shop, and let me collect plants on missions so he could feel good."

  Kamara shifted in her chair. "This doesn't surprise me, Lena. But you must realize that you are somebody. You made discoveries that the High Scientific Board recognizes. I know that because my hobby is botany, and I've read some of your papers. You are a remarkable scientist, even if you didn't earn a degree. That's why you are well-known."

  Lena wiped a tear from her face and seemed less sad.

  I would have never thought that she doesn't have a degree, Wilson thought. At least she has a smile on her face now. "It doesn't matter that you don't have a diploma," Wilson said. "You're a scientist, even if you're self-taught."

  "Thank you," Lena said.

  Kamara opened a drawer, took out a plastic pill box, and handed it to Lena. "These are anti-depressant pills," Kamara said. "I suggest that you take one a day with food for the next month. I'd like to see you once a day for short sessions so we can work to help you cope with depression and other issues you may have while The Black Widow is on this mission. After that, I can recommend a therapist or two to you, if you still need counseling. If for some reason you go to Earth in the near future, I will conduct inter-dimensional video-cons with you to provide remote therapy. Let me stress that I think you'll get better."

  "Thank you, doctor," Lena said.

  "You're welcome, Lena. Now, I'd like to talk with Dr. Wilson alone for a short time to give him some tips on how he can help you and also to work through any issues he may have."

  "Okay," said Lena. She stood and shook hands with Dr. Kamara. "When shall I see you again?"

  "Tomorrow at 10 a.m. for a half hour," Kamara said.

  "I'll see you then," said Lena. She walked to the door and left.

  Kamara sat down again. "Dr. Wilson, I decided to talk with you apart from Lena because I want to explain reactive attachment disorder (RAD), from which Lena suffers. It is a common condition that often afflicts clones and orphans."

  "I've heard orphans sometimes have problems," Wilson said.

  "Their problems occur because they don't have a primary caretaker. I don't know what things she does that result from RAD, but I'll give you a list of signs to look for. She may exhibit just a few or many symptoms. I sent her away because I don't want her to become more depressed. If she heard this, she might start to look for signs of her condition and obsess about them. Do you follow me?"

  "Yes, I can look out for some of these things, but I would never have guessed that she lied about a college degree, for example. So I might not be aware of everything."

  "She may hide things not only from you and others, but from herself."

  "What should I look for?"

  "One of the first things you have to remember is that she was trained to please men. That seems harsh, but it's true. Because she had attachment problems when she was a child, she probably is very quick to think someone is a friend even if she has just met that person. Because she has been trained to satisfy any man to whom she is assigned, you can see that she may be fickle. She could drop you in an instant."

  "She's still my good friend," Wilson interjected. "She told me so."

  Kamara held up her hand. "Let me stop you right there. I know the history of all three of you. General Black asked me to look over your dossiers. Rachel was a spy for the other side, and she tempted you because she was ordered to check your loyalty to the Great Leader, right?"

  "Yes, but Rachel did switch sides and join the revolution." Wilson sighed. "I accepted Rachel as a friend, and that made Lena jealous."

  "And Lena might think you're just a passing fancy," Kamara cautioned.

  Wilson said, "I very much hope Lena will continue to be a close friend. She needs my support to help her through what seems to be post-traumatic stress."

  "Yes, I hope you can continue to help her. The trials and pain of friendship and love can be tough, but most of us live through them. You're the kind of person who will do so. But Lena is fragile; you must make sure she doesn't become suicidal. She's at risk. Now, let me list a few more things to look for."

  "Okay."

  "Too much alcohol. Use of drugs. Small lies. Loss of emotional control. Not appreciative of how her actions may affect others. Inability to form long term attachments with others. Stealing. I'll give you a printed list of more symptoms, too."

  "If I see some of these things, what should I do?"

  "Tell me or another counselor so we can help her sort out her problems. Wherever you and she end up, I believe you both should sign up for counseling."

  "That brings up a question," said Wilson. "General Black said you could recommend that Lena and I go to Earth maybe today or tomorrow, if you think that is wise."

  "Lena should not see any more bodies and destruction. That could put her over the edge. I'll suggest to the general that you both go to Earth today, if he can arrange it. I'll set up inter-dimensional video links for both of you so you can have sessions with me from anywhere in any parallel world."

  "Thank you, doctor. And I'll do my best to monitor her behavior," Wilson said.

  "You may save her. Remember you both can live a long time. Time and therapy can mend your emotional wounds. I think that you and she must go to Earth to heal and to be insulated from the war and its aftermath on Triod and Sunev." She got up. Wilson also rose, shook her hand, and then left.

  Chapter 37 – The Journey Home

  An alarm echoed throughout the ship, and the vessel jerked and then tilted severely to starboard. The abrupt movement had almost thrown Wilson off his feet, forcing him to grab the railing in the hallway to avoid a fall.

  What the devil was that? Wilson wondered. He hurried to the bridge, where he found General Black and Lena both staring out of a window.

  "What happened?" Wilson asked Lena.

  "We took evasive action. A heat-seeking missile just missed us," she said. "Our auto guard system killed it with a particle beam."

  "Fire when ready," Black barked into a microphone. Within seconds The Black Widow's ray weapons fired at the enemy on the ground.

  "I thought the war was over," said Wilson.

  "There are still pockets of fighters," Black said as he grabbed
a pair of binoculars and began to look down at the enemy troops. "Some government units did not surrender."

  "How widespread is the resistance?" Wilson asked.

  "I don't know yet," Black said. "I ordered our ships to drop millions of Bumblebee drones across the planet. Grapefruit communication satellites will relay the Bumblebee pictures to us, and we'll find out how strong the enemy is."

  "I never heard of Bumblebee drones."

  "They're small robots that look like bees and can fly anywhere," said Black.

  "Do we have to keep fighting?" asked Wilson.

  "Our troops will have to mop up, but The Black Widow will go back to Triod today," said Black. "The Ruling Council ordered me to return and work with them."

  "I guess that means there's no chance Lena and I could go to Earth anytime soon," said Wilson.

  "It's just the opposite," Black answered. "We'll send you and Lena to Earth today in a small D-jumper capsule. Dr. Kamara called before the attack and said that you both need to go to your planet to mend."

  "Thank you," Lena said. "Did Dr. Kamara say anything about my therapy?"

  "She said she would continue your treatment by using telemedicine," Black replied. "I've instructed the supply sergeant to issue you tele-dimensional communicators so you both can stay in contact with Dr. Kamara."

  "That was very thoughtful of her," Lena said. She paused and asked, "Can Art Terac come with us?"

  Black set his binoculars on top of the controls console. "I didn't know that Art wanted to go to Earth."

  "He told me he feels like he's about to break down," Lena explained.

  After a short pause Black said, "Sure, he can go, though I'll hate to lose him. He's done a lot for the revolution just like you have. I'll have to approve another diamond shipment, though."

  "Diamond shipment?" Lena asked.

  "I wanted to surprise you and Bill when you got into the capsule transport," Black said. "The Ruling Council has awarded each of you the equivalent of ten million dollars in cut diamonds and created new identities, if you want them. We'll get another set of diamonds for Terac."