ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE

STAR BLAZERS—THE ENTROPY WARS

By: Frederick P. Kopetz

 

Thanks to Margaret Diviney for allowing me to use her original character, Scott Foley.

 

CHAPTER TWENTY: THE WINDMILLS OF YOUR MIND

 

I.  A PEACETIME DAY

 

Planet Pellias

 

February 26, 2232

 

1629 Hours: Local Time

 

 

In the warm afternoon, Derek was trying out a new camera on his favorite subject in a warm meadow at the edge of Beltane.

 

His favorite subject; his young, ageless bride, Nova, the High Queen.

 

He lay naked in the grass as he photographed his bride, who was also saucily bare.

 

“That’s a very good one, dear,” Derek said. “Happy?”

 

Nova nodded. “Derek, you know since our honeymoon I’ve loved to run around with you like this.”

 

“I’ve been wondering, Nova…”

 

“Yes?”

 

He crawled over to her and began to trace a pattern on her navel. “When do you want to have another child?”

 

“It’ll be a while yet,” Nova said. “Starsha and Theodore are just starting to walk; they can both hold a conversation with us now, and Starsha has begun to use a computer.”

 

“That’s amazing!” Derek said. “What is she doing?”

 

“Writing a diary, or so she tells me,” Nova said. “I’ve caught a short glimpse of it; she’s actually quite literate. She can write in Basic English, Japanese, and Iscandarian. It’s as if the memories of her old life are kicking back in, and very fast.”

 

Derek then cuddled her as they shared some warm, happy memories through their bond as they cuddled.

 

Time passed.

 

At that, Nova kissed her husband…and then, they were at it again.

 

Lovers….

 

 

A FEW WEEKS LATER….

 

March came and went.

 

One day, while the Yamato was docked on Pellias, the Wildstars visited the mighty ship.

 

The day was March 27th, 2232.

 

Derek had his uniform on as he and Nova visited the ship late at night on that day.

 

Except for the Space Marines at the dock, and a single Ensign stationed there as Officer of the Deck, no one else was on the ship.

 

Nova was clad in one of her High Queen’s gowns, this one in translucent pink, with sandals and a dark red sash around her waist.

 

“It’s hard to believe that our ship was so bustling and busy a few weeks ago. Now, it’s so empty and quiet,” Derek said.

 

“I’m remembering so much that happened here…and that will happen here,” said Nova. “Do you remember the day you proposed to me…here on the bridge?”

 

“Almost thirty-two years ago,” Derek said as he watched Nova sitting at her old station. It was hard to believe that they had done so much, and that Nova was now filled with abilities she was just learning about and, at her age (she had just turned fifty-four) she was more beautiful than ever.

 

Derek smiled at Nova and she smiled back.

 

She kicked off her slides and ran her toes over the cool footwells at her post and said, and she stood up with her Imperishable Crown at her brow, with her body just showing beneath her filmy dress.

 

“It all went so fast, Derek. Five wars and several terrorist actions with Spectra, which is gone now. We had Alex, Ariel, Stephen, poor Anya, Teresa, and Starsha and Theodore together. I never thought we’d have all these children, but our lives have been…unusual,” she said as she bit her finger. “Remember when Trelaina brought Mark Venture back to us? And when our son Mark was revealed to us by those files and by Anderson? What an argument we had that night before you got me to see reason! Trelaina…she told us so much, and now, she’s with us and with Mark.”

 

Derek nodded. “Yes! She told us we had a great destiny to fulfill, but we had to live on to be the embodiment of good. And here we are, Nova. And we’re both strong, impossibly young in our fifties, and we share the power of the Matrix. And here you are…looking like an angel. Trelaina is pretty…but you look much better than she does, I think…you’re like a goddess, now but you’re still a real girl, if I can say that.”

 

Nova ran over to Derek and kissed him. “Join me like this,” she said. “No one’s here to see….the ship is closed; it’s just us…”

 

Derek hugged and kissed Nova, and his uniform faded straight away along with Nova’s light garments. He pressed Nova hard against him the moment that he realized he was also naked.

 

He was often in the mood for romance like this as he kissed Nova. So was she.

 

Nova frequently was in the mood and they were frequently on each other’s’ minds. After all, a few weeks ago, Nova had been dead…but now….they were still celebrating.

 

Many minutes of kissing and joy followed.

 

“Derek, shall I phase us to our cabin?” Nova said.

 

“I have a better idea, Nova…no one’s around.”

 

On an impulse, Derek swept Nova off her feet as she squealed.

She kissed him hard as he held her up and, not quite believing what he was doing, he took Nova right then and there, sliding into her waiting joyful wetness like a hand sliding into a glove.

 

Nova gasped and shivered in his arms with her toes curling with the sheer joy and pleasure of what they were doing.

 

She rocked back and forth on him, feeling the delicious friction as he burrowed deep inside her waiting and eager body.

 

They had not been this impulsive for a long time now, and they loved it!

 

Derek then slowly lowered Nova to the deck, all to push deeper into her wonderful, miraculously youthful, and incredibly beautiful body.

 

All that Nova owned was now in Derek’s hands…yet, she owned some things in her capacity as the Crown of Pellias.

 

One of them, believe it or not, was now the Yamato herself.

 

Their minds slipped back to the past for a moment, as they remembered…

 

The Earth Defense Council had decided five days ago to order a newer and bigger Yamato built, to, in their minds, replace this grand old ship, which had been in commission now for thirty-three years.

 

To Derek and Nova’s outrage, the Council had narrowly voted to finally order the Yamato to be decommissioned at last.

 

Derek remembered, as they made love, what Nova had said.

 

“I do not like your decision, gentlemen. Neither does the Commander of the Earth Defense Forces beside me. I do not even need to ask Derek how he feels…I can feel his outrage from here. I am also outraged, gentlemen. But I will reluctantly accept your edict…on two conditions.”

 

“That is?” said Councilor Brownsworth.

 

“Name your new monstrous semi-automated robot Star Force vessel the Galaxy!” Nova snapped. “To us, there is only one Yamato. And she will not sit forever on Earth, rusting. Derek and I foresee that she still has plenty of work to do, over a scale of time not lasting decades…but centuries!  Give her back over to the Pellian Commonwealth. Give her to the High Crown!” Nova snapped. “Give her over to me as your High Queen and ultimate Sovereign per the treaty you people signed! NOW! I COMMAND IT!” Nova said as she stood up on her toes, clenched her fists, and used her Voice on the Council in an outrage Derek had seldom heard.

 

The Council sat quiet at that.

 

The next day, in Tokyo (now four days ago), Derek was shocked when a messenger came by with the Yamato’s commissioning and ownership papers and a new Master’s License in his name and Nova’s. The Owner of the ship was now listed as the “Pellian High Crown, as embodied in the Sovereign styled Nova III by the Pellians, who uses in her dual citizenship the legal Terran names Nova Dawn Yukiko Wildstar or Yuki Kodai as per her ethnic traditions.

 

“All that happened in just the past few days,” Derek mused as Nova clung to him in the throes of passion.

 

“I can read your mind, Derek. You thought at first it was strange we made love here on our Bridge. Is it? This ship is our home,” Nova said. “It has been, and even though we have homes to enjoy on three different worlds, we will soon be in the Sea of Stars again, sharing, if I may say so, the Captaincy of this wonderful ship, as we spread peace and healing and universal love through the Cosmos and we eventually face Promecium again and finish her, this time for good,” Nova said as they made love.

 

There was a long, passionate pause. In that pause, Nova shivered in her climax followed by Derek.

 

Then, Nova held Derek to her breast and whispered, “There will be smaller confrontations with her, leading up to a grand battle someday, centuries from now, with the aid and assistance of many others. I can see their names now, Derek. We have met some of them in passing and we met them at the Crossroads of Time and Space at Heavy Melder. Maetel, the eternal wanderer on a Galactic Railway which right now exists only as a vision in my mind, on a train yet to be built whose very soul is a vision in my heart. The space pirate Captain Harlock. Emeraldas, the Pirate Queen. And…a boy yet to be born. And a circle will close when his birth mother shall appear to him and give him his last errand; and she shall do this shortly before she goes to her last battle, and then prepares to lay down her head in Death.”

 

“Who are we talking about?” Derek said.

 

“The mother? Guess,” Nova said as she began to cry. At that, Derek also wept. “You’re telling me you’re going to die again…and that we shall leave our last son to his fate…”

 

“Yes, after centuries pass,” Nova said. “No human lives forever save for He Who reigns above All; He whose sandals I am not worthy to touch, He Who died, yet never to die again. Someday, I will give back the Gift I have been given, and I will die. And you will follow me soon after to cities and worlds unknown, blessed, and filled with blazing Light, love, and the Holy Presence of our Redeemer. I have been given many gifts, but I know now why I must go naked for the rest of my natural life to unleash them. It is to remind me, Derek, that I am still mortal. Someday, my darling, the body you are holding now will die, and leave behind only my bones, dust, and ashes. My body will rest in a glass casket in a tomb here on Pellias, long unmarred, but eventually, my flesh will dry, corrupt, and fade, leaving behind my skeleton lying in a coffin, resting there, until the Last Trumpet bids us to awaken from our graves and meet the Rising Sun of Righteousness, come with Healing in His Wings. Then, we shall never be parted again, my love…my darling. I love you so much, Derek. Lie here with me. Listen to my heartbeat.”

 

“I love you, Nova…my love…my Nova.”

 

“My Derek. One last thing. There is a secret I have ordered Pellias’ and Terra’s best scientists, sworn to secrecy, to begin construction on, deep in a cavern here on Pellias. It is how Promecium’s worst plan will ultimately be defeated. We must begin its construction now, and Earth must never know of it. It would stagger their minds if they know what is going to happen. But, Derek, I bestow the secret upon you. Open your mind to mine…as I show you the secret of my master work of psychic engineering; what I have learned to build from studying Ekogaru’s evil and turning it to other purposes.”

 

“What is it?” Derek said.

 

“I call it the Memory Cell. It will be needed for a great purpose someday…and to fulfill a Divine Mandate.”

 

Derek opened his mind, and he was staggered and shocked as he saw the future Nova revealed to him; a Great Doom…and even an even greater means that would be undertaken, in secret, to stop it….

 

 

II.  THE ARRIVAL OF TAMISHA VENTURE

 

Planet Pellias

 

April 1, 2232

 

1429 Hours: Local Time

 

 

Admiral Mark Venture was slightly amused as he visited Dr. Wildstar with Trelaina in Nova’s Sickbay on the Yamato-familiar ground.

 

He smiled a little as Nova did a whole exam, gleaming slightly through her clothes as she worked, and going up on her tiptoes to feel Trelaina’s glands.

 

“Well, Trelaina, in you, everything’s where it should be,” Nova said cheerfully. “Mark, by the way, Telezartians have no outward differences from Terrans. The differences are genetic and in the brain structure,” Nova said.

 

“She looks a little thinner than you do,” Mark said.

 

“That’s because she doesn’t eat enough,” Nova snapped. “Trelaina, how much did you weigh when we started this?”

 

“A hundred and thirty-three,” Trelaina said. “Isn’t that fat?”

 

“You should be carrying about twenty or thirty pounds extra when you’re pregnant. When I was carrying Starsha and Theodore, I weighed about one hundred and forty-four. I called myself a whale then. Derek didn’t.”

 

“Why not?” Mark teased.

 

“Oh, he knew if he did, he might be missing teeth and wearing a few bruises,” Nova said brightly.

 

“You’re still a little chubby, Novs,” teased Mark.

 

“No, I’m NOT!” Nova snapped. “Keep that up and I’ll make you a cup of coffee. It will be extra strong.”

 

“No, please!” said Mark.

 

“Why is it bad if Nova makes you coffee? She’s a very sweet person,” Trelaina said in all innocence.

 

“I’ve heard rumors that she’s planning some mad science engineering projects here on Pellias; she thinks she’s an engineer now, and she can heal with a touch and run two governments and do much of the dirty work in fighting off Ekogaru…but she can’t make a decent cup of coffee, and she knows it,” Mark said.  

 

“Sandor’s an engineer. I’m a physicist and an MD and a lawyer,” Nova snapped. “Steve’s smart, but interdimensional wave motion physics is a little higher on the totem pole,” Nova said. “Don’t tell him I said that.’

 

“When did you learn physics, Doctor Sheldon Cooper?” teased Mark.

 

“By reading comic books. I read the small print in the margins next to the Sea Monkey ads. And don’t compare me to that fictional character. I’m a lot cuter,” Nova said.

 

“You sure look a lot better naked,” teased Mark.

 

“Mark, do you want me to punch you or kick you?” Nova said.

 

“Did you two forget about me?” Trelaina said.

 

“I’m trying to figure out, Trelaina,” Mark said. “Is Nova more like Peppermint Patty or Lucy? Derek calls her Peppermint because she reminds him of Peppermint Patty sometimes.”

 

“What’s a Peppermint Patty?” said Trelaina. “What’s a Lucy?”

 

“Never mind,” sighed Mark. “I guess you never got Peanuts reprints on Telezart.”

 

The exam finished; Nova went up to her quarters to meditate.

 

Derek was there, filling out some reports, as Nova smiled at him and winked.

 

“Time to contact the Matrix,” she said.

 

“Those reports can wait,” replied Derek as he sat behind Nova on the bunk and rubbed her shoulders and back as she shut her eyes and crossed her legs.

 

After a few minutes, they both saw Queen Pellas appearing from the ether. To their surprise, she was clad in white.

 

“Nova, why are your mourning my death, still? That time is long past.”

 

“I don’t understand,” Nova said.

 

“The Oath of poverty that you took…it was intended to mourn my passing. You and Pellias need mourn no more now.”

 

Derek and Nova looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

 

“I have Astrena watching this and I call her to witness,” said Pellas. “As of now, given that your High Queenship has begun a new era for the Pellians, I release you from your vows of poverty effective immediately. After you cuddle…and perhaps more…with your husband, you can begin to act as if you never took the Vows. I have strengthened your bond to the Matrix so that whether you wear nothing or a full suit and coat, it matters no more,” said Pellas. “You will often need to disguise yourself in this era, I foresee. That is why I have done this. God be with you,” said Pellas as she raised her hand and vanished.

 

“And also, with you,” said Nova. “Derek?”

 

“After we are done, if you wish, I think you’ll might need a new uniform issue. You’ll need more outfits now.”

 

“Of course. Since I’m primarily a doctor now, can you issue me some new uniforms in white?” Nova asked. “I honestly don’t have that much here on the ship.”

 

“I’ll try,” Derek said.

 

He began to order them there, but he found that white uniforms weren’t available in ship’s stores (since the Dynamic Replicators were down) so he asked Nova “Mind gold and black again?”

 

“I can live with it,” Nova sighed.

 

Derek put in the order as they stopped at Pluto Base later that day after a warp.

 

An orderly was up with Nova’s new issue 30 minutes later, along with an unexpected visitor.

 

“Hello?” said a familiar female voice as Nova was getting changed into one of her new uniforms. “Mind if I pop in for a minute? We have a LOT to catch up on, ma’am. Or is that “Your Majesty?””

 

“NATALIE!” Nova squealed as she was putting on one of her yellow boots.

 

Nova ran over past Derek with only one boot on to hug her old friend, the former Natalie Fisher, now Natalie Parker MD. She had married a young Medical student named Thomas Parker in 2209. She had ended up being a partner of crime of Nova’s again at Medical School. Nova and Derek had last seen her and Tom in person in 2227, when their son Max had entered the Space Fighters’ Training School, but Nova and Natalie had kept in touch via e-mails until the horrid events of 2231. Natalie had on regular EDF blues and polished boots.

 

“My God, Nova, you’re really alive and you’re not some ethereal ghost like Trelaina!” Natalie cried. “The last I heard of you was when I saw your spirit floating over Earth with Trelaina around the time Earth got moved, and Max told me you were a ghost!”

 

“How come you didn’t hear what happened afterwards?” Nova said. “Oh, you see I’m not ethereal. Neither is Trelaina. In fact, Trelaina is in a family way now.”

 

“The Technomugar came after Tom and executed him, and Max and I took off on the run with a group of freedom fighters in a stolen Space PT Boat. Guess which one we stole?”

 

“Which one?” said Derek.

 

“The beat-up old Yukikaze, PT Boat 17,” said Natalie,” which was once also known as the Paladin. After she got salvaged and rebuilt with a wave engine and given her old, old name back in 2215, I could tell you had to have been on board, Nova.”

 

“I was. I got assigned as a sort of test pilot and Captain to that ship. Derek, that’s where I found some of your brother’s things in my locker…”

 

“And I found some of YOUR junk in my locker!” cried Natalie. “Your violet perfume, one of your pink flip-flops, one of your books, annotated by you…”

 

“How’d you figure out that one?” said Derek.

 

“I recognize her handwriting,” said Natalie. “I’ve known her since 2188, Derek.”

 

“I could use that book back if you have it,” Nova said.

 

“What was this book about?” said Derek. “Nova, you’ve written like…”

 

“Nine books, Derek,” she said as she sat on the bunk and pulled her other sock and boot on. “This book was some research I did on the Dark Coronavirus Era, around 2020 to 2022. Not a lot of records were left from that time due to the world unrest just starting then that turned into the Unification Wars. The world went crazy then, with riots, street fighting, people having to wear surgical masks all the time…chilling stuff. I’m shocked it took the world so long to come up with a vaccine…”

 

“Nova, there were warring nations and factions in nations then,” Derek said. “They had an early version of the WorldNet they called the Internet, but scientists and their data were being censored by the powers that were in charge then, so there was no meeting of the minds…”

 

“And a lot of bad science,” Natalie sighed.

 

“If I had to travel back to the past again,” Nova said, “I’d prefer to relive the Gamilon War than to live in that barbaric, mad time. The 2020’s were a real mess.”

 

“A cluster-fuck, I’d say,” Derek said.

 

Nova rolled up her eyes at Derek and sent to him, Should I get the soap?

 

For what?

 

Your Space Cowboy mouth, Skipper, she sent with a smile on her face.

 

You say bad words too, Peppermint.

 

I must be very upset or in the throes of passion to say them.

 

“Oh, yeah,” Derek said aloud as Nova came over and touched his pinky with hers.

 

“Finger, finger,” she said.

 

“Yup.”

 

“Mind if I go and throw up?” teased Natalie. “You two…”

 

“Natalie, can I throw something at you?” teased Derek.

 

“Be my guest,” said. Nova. “Use something soft; otherwise, she’ll get bruised.”

 

Then, Venture ran into their cabin, not even having knocked.

 

“Hey, Venture!” yelled Derek. “Don’t you know how to knock?”

 

“Mark, what’s wrong?” cried Nova, who caught the look on his face.

 

“Trelaina! Her water just broke!”

 

“Oh, great,” Nova said as she ran to her locker and threw on a white lab coat over her gold uniform. “Natalie, go down to Mark’s quarters and wait for the medics. I’ll be below getting scrubbed and get Tinwit to ready Sickbay for a birth. Derek, please go to the bridge and get the ship under alert, even though I know we only have half the crew on board. Mark, you go hold Trelaina’s hand. She’s yelling for you…and…oh, heck. Forgot I could do that. Touch my hand, Mark.”

 

Mark did. A millisecond later, he was back with Trelaina.

 

“Nova, you and your stomach-turning tricks!” he yelled.

 

Neener, neener, NEENER, Nova said in his head.

 

“Trelaina, if you heard that, she’s getting weirder and weirder in her old age,” he said as he held Trelaina’s hand while she yelled.

 

“But I left such a MESS!” she said.

 

“Messes can be cleaned up. That mess means the baby’s coming. I’ve been through this once already; don’t worry. This is your first time. You’re not a baby machine like Nova!”

 

I am not a baby machine! Nova’s voice yelled from nowhere. Mark, see to the task at hand! I can tell she’s getting contractions!

 

Mark held Trelaina’s hand as Natalie and the medics came to get her.

 

“Where’s Nova?” said Trelaina. “This hurts!”

 

“She’s getting Sickbay ready for you,” said Natalie. “I’m a doctor, too. Guys, get her on the stretcher and get her covered up after I check her vitals and Kiddo’s vitals.”

 

Trelaina cried with Mark holding her hand while Natalie checked her out. Natalie then spoke into a transmitter that accessed the Medical computer system as she hooked up a monitor to Trelaina’s fat tummy. “Report 521C, Parker, Natalie, MD recording. Mother’s signs nominal, fetal signs, nominal, having painful and rapid contractions. Prepare for a quick labor, noted.”

 

“Where’d THAT go?” said Trelaina.

 

“Into Sickbay’s computer; Nova can refer to that when she gets there.”

 

Below already, Nova’s voice said in Natalie’s head. Natalie’s communicator then buzzed.

 

“Fisher,” she said.

 

“I’m preparing for a rough labor,” Nova said. “Things could go south on this one in a hurry, Natalie.”

 

“Roger that. I stole your other lab coat. Is that OK?”

 

“Sure,” Nova said. “Here comes Tinwit,” she said. “Get her down here ASAP.”

 

“Wilco,” said Natalie. “You heard the Doc!” she yelled to the medics. “MOVE YOUR BUTTS!”

 

“Aye, aye, ma’am!” they responded.

 

Nova thought, Before I scrub, I’ll need a little fortification. She called to IQ-9, ““IQ, open up that cabinet down there,” Nova said as she set the operating table up for labor. “Wipe it down good…it’ll be dusty.”

 

“This was the late Doctor Sane’s special reserve,” he said. “You left it here?”

 

“For special emergencies,” she said as IQ wiped down the sake’ bottle before bringing it to Nova.

 

Nova then took the bottle, undid the cork, and said, “Doc, I could use this about now,” she said as she looked heavenward before chugging some sake’. “Ohhh…I needed that,” she said before belching loudly.

 

Then, Doctor Sane’s ghost popped in. “Nova, keep your SHIRT on!” he yelled. “You’ve done this zillions of damned times!”

 

“Doc, this is Trelaina I’m about to deliver. I’m petrified!”

 

“Kiddo, you’re smarter than you think! You’ve been a doctor now for the same amount of time that I was when I was alive. Do what we trained you for. Was the sake’ good?”

 

“Too bad you’re not here to drink it,” Nova grinned. “It’s aged nicely.”

 

“Nice to know,” said Sane’s ghost. “See ya later, Yuki-chan!” he said in Japanese.

 

“I’m going to be alive for a while,” said Nova. She sighed as she thought of the Nobel Prize in Medicine that she shared with Doc Sane for their research on DNA and cloning. Nova had heard she was being considered for a Nobel Peace Prize for her recent history, and she vaguely wondered where she was going to get a new dress from for Stockholm before Sane’s ghost spoke again.

 

“For me, it’s later up here. You know how time goes here in His Presence. Take care!” At that, Sane’s ghost faded.

 

“Take care, Doc,” Nova muttered. Then, she put away the bottle and got back to her task. “Help me with the gown, IQ,” she said she put up her hair with a clip and threw on a cap and mask. Then, IQ 9 helped her into an outer gown and then she ran off to scrub up at the sink. “No one else is down here. Get my gloves, IQ. Hurry!”

 

“OK,” he said as he helped Nova put on gloves. Then, the medics came in with Trelaina and Natalie just as Nova was gloved and one hundred percent ready. “Natalie, who’s the charge nurse?”

 

“She’s showing up in a minute,” said Natalie as she began to scrub while the medics got Trelaina onto the sheet-covered table. Trelaina screamed again. “That pain! Ohhhhh!”

 

“It’s a contraction,” Nova said as she held her hand. She switched on some instruments fast, using her free hand and her booted foot to work some of the pedals. Nova looked up as the doors opened. “Hi, Fujiko!” she yelled at Fujiko Kyotsuka. “Are you the charge nurse?”

 

“Aye, ma’am,” she said as she saluted in her white tunic and boots. “I brought Ensign Jill Conway with me. Is Trelaina…uh…?”

 

“She’s having a baby!” yelled Natalie.

 

“She’s having a baby?” cried Fujiko and Jill in chorus. Jill was to the left, and Fujiko, with her short hair, was to the right.

 

“Really,” sniffed Natalie.

 

“Yes, people do this every day; quit having a freak-out!” Nova snapped.  “You’re supposed to be trained nurses, damnit! Act like the professionals you are!” Nova remembered Doctor Sane yelling at unprepared nurses in much the same way. Nova shook her head and thought Where do they dig up some of these new nurses? Then, she said, “You two get scrubbed ASAP; Fujiko, you’ll be the circulating nurse and Conway, you’ll be the scrub nurse. You medics are dismissed; Natalie, set up an IV anesthetic feed; four hundred milligrams Vinex Five; we’re doing a minor spinal block and we hope that it works on Trelaina,” Nova barked, all business now.

 

“Aye, aye, ma’am!” they both said. Natalie soon had an IV and metering machine ready and she made Trelaina yell as she set the IV up. Nova got her feet into the stirrups IQ had set up and she checked the birth area. “She’s going fast-dilation five point five two centimeters,” Nova said. “Trelaina, how’s the anesthetic working?”

 

“I fell a little better now, but where’s Mark?”

 

“Here,” said Venture as he came in wearing scrubs and a cap and mask. Conway nodded approval at his preparations.

 

“Mark, glad you’re here,” said Nova as she worked. “Fujiko, I have some speculums laid out. Get those ready with the small laser knife and coagulator.”

 

“Right,” said Fujiko. Mark held Trelaina’s hand as another contraction hit her. Her face contorted but she didn’t scream as badly as before.

 

“How do you feel now?” Mark said.

 

“Not as badly as before,” she said with her glow dimming just a little. “It’s more like a mild ache now rather than a knife-like pain. Thank you, Nova and Natalie.”

 

“Don’t mention it,” they both said as Nova looked at Trelaina again. “Six centimeters now. Trelaina, begin pushing at ten.”

 

“Explain,” she said. “I know the concept, but…I’ve never given birth in an incarnate body before?”

 

“Allow me,” Nova said as she bonded with Trelaina and sent memories and images and past sensations of her own birth experiences.

 

“You do that?” said Trelaina. “Excuse me…I can’t think of any other words…that’s…icky…”

 

“But it has to be done for the baby to come out, unless we give you a C-Section,” Nova said. “That’s even ickier although you’d be asleep for it.”

 

“I’m not sure I want to be awake for this,” Trelaina said.

 

“I felt the same way the first time; no need to worry,” Nova said. “Of course, I gave birth to Alexander and Ariel in a medical shuttlecraft…”

 

“You gave birth in a small ship? You poor dear!” Trelaina said. “Where’s Ariel now?”

 

“In our house in the Tokyo Megalopolis with her beloved; she got married and had her baby already.”

 

“How was she when she gave birth?” Trelaina asked.

 

“Much worse than you. She hit her husband Jordy a few times, poor dear. We had a double wedding for her with Jefferson Hardy and Sasha. Jeff took his retirement from the EDF to be her Consort on Iscandar.”

 

“My poor little brother,” said Mark as he shook his head. He was beginning to look rather green.

 

“Thanks for telling me, Nova,” Trelaina commented. “I was too sick to be at the wedding. Were they angry?”

 

“They understood,” Nova said. “Geez Louise! Now you’re at seven centimeters! Do you have a train to catch?”

 

“Keep the anesthetic drip on nominal?” asked Natalie.

 

“Roger that,” Nova said.

 

“What’s a train?” Trelaina asked.

 

“They used to be steam-powered, and go down a track and go “woo woo” with their whistles,” said Mark. “Now they look more like the old monorail shuttles that you had on Telezart.”

 

“That’s before I wrecked my own planet,” Trelaina said morosely.

 

“You made up for it by saving us, sending Zordar to the Void, and helping me move Earth here, among other things,” Nova said. “Wipe, please, Fujiko! I’m sweating my head off.”

 

“Okay,” said Fujiko as Conway handed her a small moist wipe. She swabbed Nova’s forehead so none of her perspiration would go in the operating field. Nova nodded and checked Trelaina again. “Okay, now you’re at eight…. I hope we could slow this down a bit…it’s going to hurt…”

 

Trelaina cried out again. “Do something, Nova!” yelled Mark.

 

Nova nodded, stepped around, and took Trelaina’s other hand. “Trelaina, I’m helping with the pain and slowing down your autonomic system a tiny bit,” she said as she began to glow a little herself.

 

“What’s this, Nova? You glow in the dark too now?” said Natalie. “No offense meant, Trelaina,” she added.

 

“I only glow most of the time when I’m working,” Nova said. Then, she whisper-sent something mildly naughty and embarrassing to Natalie, who brayed with laughter. “WOW! Does Derek get a kick out of that?”

 

“Yup,” Nova said laconically as she blushed.

 

About twenty minutes passed. Then, Nova checked Trelaina again. “Nine centimeters now, Trelaina. We’re almost there.”

 

Trelaina nodded.

 

Then, Natalie asked, “Where are Starsha and Theodore about now?”

 

“They’re at home with Jordy and Ariel,” Nova said. “Starsha is telling me she’s fine but she’s SOOO BORED. She’s the equivalent of eleven now.”

 

“What an age,” laughed Natalie.

 

“Yeah,” said Nova. “Natalie, think of all the trouble myself, you, and Jere got into in Osaka when we were eleven.”

 

“Knowing the three of you, I bet it was fun,” said Conway. “I used to get in trouble like that with my friends, ma’am.”

 

“Yeah,” said Nova.

 

“How much longer does this take?” whimpered Trelaina.

 

“We’re almost done,” said Natalie reassuringly as Nova bowed her head so Fujiko could attach a small work light to her head on its headband.

 

IN THE MEANTIME, ON THE YAMATO’S FIRST BRIDGE…

 

No one was on the Yamato’s first bridge right now except for Derek and Desmond “Tiny” Harper from G-Force, who was detailed to the Yamato for a few months while the God Phoenix was being refitted. At the current time, Harper was sitting at Navigation and Derek was at Combat. It was now 1800 Hours, and the sun was going down near Beltane, Pellias.

 

“Pretty sunset,” said Tiny.

 

“Yeah, isn’t that gorgeous?” said Derek. “It looks neat radiating off Earth like that.”

 

“I was so shocked when we followed these coordinates four months ago and found Earth and Pellias were twin planets,” said Tiny. “Also, this planet Pellias is neat…but weird.”

 

“Any intel on where Zoltar went after the big battle we had?” Derek said.

 

“Nope, not since last year, when we got a sort of guess he’s on Earth in the Himalayas someplace; God knows where,” said Tiny. He looked down at his TDY Star Force uniform and said, “Anyone ever tell you these things itch?”

 

“I got used to it years ago,” said Derek. “Even the lady veterans are used to it with the tight ones they wear,” he said.

 

“Speakin’ of ladies, I’m surprised Nova hasn’t called you. Amazing. She’s High Queen of this place and she’s workin’ in Sickbay?”

 

“Astrena’s handling most of the State stuff; she’s like Nova’s Prime Minister. As for calling me…oh, she sure has been calling,” said Derek.

 

“Your commlink hasn’t gone off,” said Tiny.

 

“We have a link…up here,” Derek said as he pointed at his head. “Telepathic. Thought I told you that last mission we were on with you guys. I’ve been talking to Nova on and off for the past three hours. She’s kind of…busy.”

 

“I forgot,” said Tiny.

 

“I forget a lot, too,” said Derek. “There are times if I wonder if I’m dreaming this stuff,” he said. Then, he began to whistle Scarlet Scarf. Whistling was enough, he guessed to himself. He didn’t want to look for his harmonica (formerly Alex’s) right now.

 

“Ya miss Earth?” Tiny said. “The hamburgers on this planet are just…weird.”

 

“I like the fish tacos myself,” said Derek. “The hot sauce up here has a certain…kick to it. You’ve gotta try it!”

 

Tiny nodded.

 

Then, the communicator went off.

 

Derek hit the button at his post, and the mike came up.

 

“Yes?” he said.

 

Nova was on the other end, laughing. “Mark and Trelaina have a little girl named Tamisha!” she said with excitement in her voice. “She’s over eight pounds, is glowing a little, and she’s loud! Listen!”

 

Derek and Tiny listened to little Tamisha crying, and they both clapped hands and laughed over that.

 

“You got any cigars to give Mark, Tiny?” laughed Derek.

 

“I got some Havanas in my cabin,” he said, laughing. “You guys are a family, too!” he said.

 

“Just like your crew,” said Mark as he laughed.

 

“Yes!” Nova said. “We all have to get together and have a party sometime! Your crew and what’s left of ours! Can you get your guys and girl together, Tiny?”

 

“It’ll take some doing, but I think we can do it,” he said.

 

“Great!” said Derek. “We have some stuff to do in the next few weeks.”

 

“How about we meet up again on Midsummer’s Day?” said Tiny.

 

“Sounds good,” said Derek.

 

__________________________________________

 

III.  ANOTHER SECRET REVEALED

 

Planet Earth

 

April 9, 2232

 

1532 Hours: Local Time

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The Yamato was back home on Earth.

 

Derek had given the Star Force leave for six weeks while repairs were again made to the Yamato, which had been returned to an underground dock.

 

The Wildstars both attended some Defense Council meetings, where it was finally determined the new Star Force vessel under construction would not be named the Argo or the Yamato, but would instead be named the Galaxy. Motions were passed beginning an operational merger of the Earth Defense Forces with the Pellian Royal Forces in a tightened new treaty; and the original Yamato was recommissioned in the Earth Defense Fleet and designated flagship of the Combined Terran and Pellian Fleets. Unknown at this time to Derek and Nova, the Yamato would remain the flagship of the Combined Fleets for the next 562 years.

 

Also, in the Presidential Conference room, Derek sat and observed and was ready to offer input when Nova met with her reconstituted Cabinet, where a decision was made to hold elections for a new Parliament and an election for a new President in November. At that meeting, Nova surprised everyone except Derek by then tendering a letter for her resignation as Earth President, dated forward to November 15th.

 

“Why are you leaving, ma’am?” asked Interior Minister Hajime Yamamoto as he addressed Nova, who looked tastefully elegant in a tailored but simple black turtleneck sweater, brown simulated leather miniskirt, and black peep-toe patent pumps with a matching belt. Derek, to her immediate right, was in his black peacoat, ascot, and Star Force uniform. 

 

“Yes, we’d love to know that,” said recently appointed International Science Organization Minister James Anderson, former Chief of Security, whose hair was beginning to go grey. He and Nova well knew they had butted heads many times in the past. He also would give a right arm to know how it was that the President now looked so perky and youthful recently; and why Admiral Wildstar looked the same way.

 

Nova adjusted her glasses, worn largely for camouflage, and said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I was not elected to this post; it was dropped into my lap after the terror attack on the Capital last year when the last President and my father were killed. I have much to do as Pellian High Queen, a practicing doctor and occasionally practicing attorney, and as a mother,” Nova sighed. “The Earth Federation is growing again, and I can’t run it for the rest of my life. I’ve guided Earth through the worst crisis we’ve had since the Gamilon War; a crisis that cost me my life for several hours before I was revived. Stop looking at me like that; please. I know I look like I’m 21 years old, but in my heart of hearts, on the inside, I’m still a 54-year-old woman in early middle age. This job takes a lot out of a person. I never wanted it in the first place, but I stepped up last year because I was all we had left in the line of succession after the attack, and it was my duty. I’ve honestly had enough, and I believe democracy demands that I step down sooner or later.”

 

“Very wise decision, ma’am,” said Yamamoto.

 

Another Cabinet member, Minister of Public Policy Helmut Reichenbach, said, “Ma’am, in all honesty, we believed that when elections were announced, that you were going to run for the Constitutional Party nomination. This is a shock.”

 

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, an African woman in a dashiki known as Yapheta Dosho, said, “Without your leadership, ma’am, the planet is going to be like a group of motherless children.”

 

The Gamilon Ambassador, Admiral Lugen Barel, sat up in his dark brown uniform and said, “Mrs. Wildstar, if I may be so bold, your departure from leadership at this time is a move that verges upon the irresponsible. Is your health failing, ma’am?”

 

The Defense Minister Igor Kalev said, “Madame President, you and Lord Admiral Wildstar recently got the merger of Terran and Pellian forces set up. You will be needed to assure that this new and closer alliance works.”

 

The Transportation Minister, a middle-aged man known as Simon Grey, from the rebuilt domed city of Atlántida on Mars, said, “Given that our colonies on Mars and Pluto are now the largest left in the solar system since Earth was moved here by you and Trelaina, stability is needed for our trade routes. Please reconsider! We honestly need your leadership, and you are currently the most admired woman in the Terran Federation. In fact, I understand some splinter religious organizations actually venerate you as a saint…or worship you.”

 

Nova shook her head. “Gentlemen and Ladies, the last thing we need is a theocracy. I actually get enough veneration in the Pellian domains as their High Queen, to such an extent that I find it a little…embarrassing.”

 

“But they actually say you can perform miracles now,” said Minister Dosho.

 

“Any sufficiently advanced skills or technology can be considered magic,” said Derek. Nova smiled at him and he said, “See? The President agrees with me!”

 

Minister Kalev banged his fist on the table, and said, “Admiral Wildstar, you were invited here as an observer! You can’t talk back to us, Commander! One more word out of you, and you can just leave!”

 

“Good, I’ll leave, too,” said Nova with a slight grin as she got up.

 

“Madame President…you…” said Kalev.

 

“Where I go, he goes. And I invited him here,” Nova snapped. “The Commander of the Defense Forces has the right to address this cabinet whenever he wishes to; at least under my Administration. Are we clear?”

 

The Cabinet either nodded or looked at the highly polished table.

 

Finally, the Attorney General, a young lawyer from New York named Sheldon Goldberg, said, “I believe I have an answer for this dilemma that ties in with both the Defense Forces merger and the apparent continued need for the President’s leadership.” He then turned to the Pellian Ambassador, Tamika Rilen. “Ambassador, I believe your Government recently submitted a letter to our Government asking if Terra wished to join the Pellian Commonwealth as a full member rather than as an Associate member?”

 

Ambassador Rilen, clad in a pink, almost see-through gown that was very eye-catching with her very long blonde hair and dark eyes-and which, ironically, made her look more like an alien Royal than her sworn liege-lord Nova at the head of the table, rose and said, “Mister Attorney General, I did indeed submit such a letter to Her Majesty Mrs. Wildstar under her own seal.”

 

Nova looked at Derek, and he nodded. She nodded back, and stood, bowing to Ambassador Rilen, an act of courtesy that made the young Pellian blush. Nova then said, “I read the letter and tabled it myself. I have not sent the rest of the Pellian Bureaucracy a formal response, yet, but I feel that since as Terrans we take pride in our independence and democratic rule…that this notion of joining the Commonwealth as a full member would not fly. And the notion of my being the Head of State as High Queen even in our current Associate status was turned down by this Cabinet. I could have forced it through as President, but I preferred not to as I did not wish to be grasping at power for its own sake.”

 

“I believe I have found a way for this to work with minimal fuss, ma’am,” said Attorney General Goldberg. “Pellias and its Commonwealth are, if I grasp this correctly, constitutional monarchies with a Council somewhat like our Federation Parliament, with a Ruling Queen chosen by that Council and ratified by the High Queen serving as an effective day-to-day Prime Minister, with you, as High Queen, serving a largely ceremonial role as Head of State, and advisor of last resort, with powers like yours as Federation President, if I am correct? And that the planets of the Commonwealth run their affairs on their own, bound to the mother world by defense and trade and cultural agreements?”

 

Nova nodded.

 

Attorney General Goldberg said, “I believe I have found a solution in history. Are all of you familiar with the old Austro-Hungarian Empire?”

 

Derek said, “As I understand it, Austria and Hungary were bound under a dual monarchy, with their own Parliaments or Diets, a Prime Minister for each of these dual nations, all accountable to the Austro-Hungarian Emperor as Head of State and chief advisor and ultimate wartime commander. Are you proposing, sir, that we also merge the Terran Federation and Pellian Federation under that sort of agreement?”

 

“Essentially, yes,” said Attorney General Goldberg. “Her High Majesty, I understand, is the nominal ruler of thirty-nine worlds?”

 

“Yes,” Nova sighed.

 

“If we have such an arrangement,” said Goldberg, “We would have two separate, but partially amalgamated interstellar nations, with a High Queen sharing the blood and heritage of Pellias and Terra at its head; with Pellias retaining its Council and Ruling Queen, and the Terran Federation, which allows local Federal autonomy to an extent from its colonies and closely allied worlds, such as Mars, Pluto, Centaurus, and Riga, et cetera, and which even allows limited Federal Autonomy among the nations of the planet Earth itself; i.e., the Presidents of the United States and Russia, the Prime Ministers of Britain and Japan, the First Chairman of the Ruling Party in China, and so forth, under the rule of a man or woman chosen in Parliament as Prime Minister. We would no longer need a President, since Her Majesty there would reign but not necessarily rule as the High Queen of the Combined Commonwealth, just as, for example, Queen Elizabeth IV rules Britain and its Commonwealth nations in name as an advisory role like the Emperor of Japan and the current King of Hungary and King of Jordan; and on Riga, I understand, they have a similar arrangement with the Queen of that world, and the surviving Spectrans on New Spectra have such an arrangement with their restored Shah now that Zoltar is either in hiding, missing, or dead and his deranged revolutionary government is a thing of the past with New Spectra at peace with and allied with Terra. This could be proposed in Parliament once it is re-opened as part of a Constitutional Convention we wanted anyhow, with the President elected after President Wildstar stepping down when and if this arrangement goes through Parliament to allow the High Queen to become our new Head of State.”

 

“We would approve that arrangement on Pellias, if presented to the Council as an idea,” said Ambassador Rilen slowly. “Majesty, it is in your power to do that,” said Rilen as she looked at Nova.

 

“That’s if the representatives and Senators approve,” Nova said, “And if Leader Desslok, Queen Sasha of Iscandar, and the Rikashan and R’Khell Presidents approve, that is. You’ve given me a lot of food for thought, ladies and gentlemen.” Nova then looked at Ambassador Barel of Gamilon. “Do you think the Gamilons would object, Ambassador?”

 

He shook his head with a slow smile. “Desslok likes working with reliable rulers and allies who are dependable. This is a local issue, honestly, and I think Ruling Queen Astrena raised the possibility of such a Union to Desslok. I don’t know if she has been in touch with you, yet, Majesty,” he said to Nova as he stood up and bowed.

 

“She hasn’t,” Nova admitted. “But I can ask her later on from home,” she said as she looked at Derek and sent to him, to do it, I’ll need a little bit of wine, some candles, my Pellian meditation rug, and I’ll have to put my outfit in the closet since I can’t be encumbered for such a long psychic conversation at that range, since I know she’s on Gamilon right now with Desslok.

 

I’ll like that idea, Derek sent back as a slow smile went across his lips as he pictured Nova, stripped to her skin, in her lotus position sitting on her rug and gleaming like Trelaina, or maybe even floating a few centimeters above her rug…He winked at her, and she blushed and winked back.

 

AN HOUR LATER…

 

Nova was in a small den in their house, sitting nude on her rug, with a few candles around, and some incense burning. Derek was down to a fundoshi, and he rang a very small Buddhist-style gong to help Nova assume the proper state of mind for this working. As the gong rang once, twice, thrice, Nova’s skin began to gleam softly with light, and the Imperishable Crown’s light kindled at her brow.

 

Little Starsha, who was now the equivalent of eleven years old, due to her growth pattern, understood and advised her mother with a maturity beyond her years that she would make sure that little Theodore (who was the equivalent of five and now quite a prankster) kept his nose out of the room while Mother meditated. Starsha also told her mother that Jordy and Ariel were out shopping for various things but would be back later.

 

Nova locked her thoughts with Derek’s and she sipped at her wine, and then intoned a prayer in Pellian as she and Derek bowed their heads. When she was finished, both she and Derek intoned “So Mote this be,” and Nova then quietly said, “Namaste” to Derek and to the air. Then, she shut her eyes and began to float slightly above her rug as her mind reached across the galaxies to gently touch Astrena’s mind.

 

Derek, near her, saw the background of the room fade to an awe-inspiring image of the Sea of Stars. Nova’s gleam made her look like a young angel as she kindled and burned with even more light; a sign of the blessing and gift of the Matrix. The star mark on her right breast even gleamed slightly like a beautiful little blue star as Nova meditated.

 

A small astral image of Astrena appeared before Nova as Astrena sat up in bed, knelt on a rug near the bed, and bowed to her High Queen. Astrena was also unclad, and gleaming slightly. Nova bowed back.

 

Then, Astrena said, “Majesty. What is your reason for seeking me tonight?”

 

“I need counsel,” Nova said very softly. “I really need council. Derek has given me all the advice he can in this matter, as well as my Cabinet, and Ambassador Rilen, bless her young heart, but…”

 

“My young lady, for you are still very young as we reckon ages on Pellias, I must ask you. Does this concern the Dual Monarchy Union?” said Astrena.

 

Nova nodded.

 

“Desslok sleeps now, but I can advise you he approves of the basics, as do I. The Council will need to have its say. Did you raise this idea yourself to your Cabinet?”

 

Nova shook her head, almost shyly.

 

“Why not, dear one?” said Astrena very gently.

 

“One of my Ministers raised the idea. I considered the letter I received from you, but I didn’t raise it to the Cabinet. I do not wish to be grasping for power or hungry for it. I sort of want to slip out of Government for a while, and have a lower profile. I know I cannot abdicate the Crystal Throne because of the threat Promecium, or, rather, Promethium II still raises with what remains of the Technomugar cyborg peoples, but…”

 

“You desire peace and quiet for a bit, right? Derek is worried about you, honestly. When I was on Pellias two weeks ago, he phoned me and expressed much concern for you and advised me that you were even considering resigning your Earth Defense Forces Commission. Do not be angry at him, Nova. He loves you dearly and means the best for you. He even told me that after Starsha and Theodore were weaned from your bosom, you have not even been eating as you should be. Is that true?”

 

“I’m not very hungry,” Nova said in a very soft voice. “I’m fifty-four. I’ll get fat if I eat too much.”

 

“Your mind is fifty-four, but your body is twenty-one, and I can tell your metabolism is very high again. Whatever you and Derek both eat, you two will burn it off quickly. He also looks more youthful than he was. You shared your energies with him?”

 

“She did,” said Derek. “I mean, we’re connected down to psychic energy and a share of the Matrix for each of us.”

 

Astrena nodded. “Nova, many forces are in motion already. Some, you and Trelaina set in motion, and others are around you already like bits of snow falling down a mountain in an avalanche. I predict that what is in play cannot be stopped now. I also foresee that you shall soon meet the very source of your unique bloodline. One whom we long thought dead lives. My sister, Presha. Even now, she whom we called the Golden Sunflower, a forebear of you, the glorious White Orchid which burns like flame, begins to awake. She came to Terra years ago.”

 

“How come I’ve never heard of her until now?” Nova said.

 

“All of us, even myself, thought she had died when she crashed on Terra 75 years ago as of this day. Her husband, Ferris, had been killed in battle. She left one of our bases some time afterwards with her belly great with three female triplets who were taken from her before she died, or so we thought, along with some machinery from her ship; a Pellian corvette. The children were raised as Terrans by your government’s orders after they were dispersed to a family in France who came to your United States later. As for the children, I know not what she would have named them. Two of these triplets are dead now; fallen, sadly. Yvona DuPres Josiah, corrupted by the Dark Lord. Your mother, my dear one, Teresa DuPres Forrester, also corrupted by the Dark Lord, and finally, your surviving aunt on your mother’s side; the honored Admiral Louise DuPres, PhD, great computer designer and scientist of your world; never married, although aged by now at 75. You will meet Presha and you and your Aunt Louise and Presha shall have a great reunion. I must also say something else, Nova, dearest.”

 

“Yes?” Nova said.

 

“You have been a better and dearer daughter and purer and braver High Queen than Aliscea ever was or could be,” said Astrena as tears ran down her face.

 

“Thank you,” Nova said softly.

 

The communication ended. Nova was crying by the time Derek came to comfort her and hold and rock her in his arms. He stroked her hair and said, “Darling…there is no need to worry…you…”

 

Nova held him and then said, “Let me strip you. Please make love to me,” she said as she kissed him and smiled through her tears.

 

And, he did make love to her.

 

And, it was so, so good.

 

 

“You’re going out AGAIN?” whined Theodore as he watched his mother kicking into her exercise sandals and pulling on her white lab coat over her blue EDF doctor’s tunic and a white miniskirt. He had on a t-shirt with Uncle Desslok on it, and khaki slacks.

 

“Shhh,” said Starsha as she walked around in a blue Iscandarian-patterned top and faded blue jeans which matched her strawberry-blond hair well. “Mother told me she needs to go to the Hospital for rounds, and Father shall be home in a few minutes. Is it true we shall need to go to Philadelphia soon, o Mother? That house on Comly Street is smaller. It has just four bedrooms and a stone front.”

“Yes, Starsha, we will need to travel to Philadelphia, soon,” Nova replied. “Jordy and Ariel will stay here and man the fort when they get back. My God, you are a perceptive little girl!”

 

“I’m largely Iscandarian, part Pellian, part human,” said Starsha. “I have lived before, Mother. How can I help it?”

 

Nova kissed the top of Starsha’s head and then kissed Theodore while he pouted. “Take care of Fluffy, Teddy until your Big Sis gets back. Please make sure she’s fed.”

 

“She’s getting awfully picky about her food, Mommy.”

 

“How do you know?”

 

“She can talk. She told me,” Theodore said.

 

“Okaaaay,” Nova said.

 

Fluffy came up to her and winked at her. Then, she flipped up her tail and trotted away.

 

The thought that came to Nova from the little cat was, I’m not an ordinary Earth kitten, and you know that. You know I’m alien. I’m truly a Nestorian. We need to talk later, you and I.

 

All right, yes, Nova sent back to Fluffy.

 

 

Nova arrived at Central Hospital and made her ordinary rounds. She had ten patients now; eight were doing well, healing from their operations, while one was in guarded condition and the last was sedated and in Critical in the ICU. Nova looked over his chart, shook her head sadly, and said to the attending nurse, “Lieutenant, does this man have an advance directive?”

 

“He does, ma’am,” she said. “We don’t keep it in the regular chart; it’s at the nurses’ station.”

 

“We don’t want to upset the family, right?”

 

The Lieutenant nodded. Then, a moment later, a page came over the PA system. “Doctor Wildstar, please call Extension 5089. Doctor Wildstar, please call Extension 5089, STAT.”

 

Nova sighed and sat down in a chair near her patient’s bed, crossing her legs with minor irritation. She pulled her phone from her pocket and punched a few buttons. “Doctor Wildstar here,” she said.

 

“Doctor,” said a strange voice. “After you finish your rounds, you will be needed on the thirty-ninth floor, Secure Ward Delta. I’m sure you recall the entry code back from when you were the Hospital Director?”

 

“That was just three years ago,” said Nova. “You mean you never changed it?”

 

“Negative, ma’am.”

 

“That’s a security breach from Hell. It’ll need to be changed. I’ll be right up.”

 

A FEW MINUTES LATER….

 

Nova found herself looking at a very old Type D-45 hibernation pod in a secure hospital room next to a bed that was laid out and ready.

 

“It’s still running?” she said. “This thing must be over seventy years old.”

 

“We got a signal from it, ma’am,” said another doctor, who was named Doctor Hsien Yueh. “It was in deep storage in the old underground city, ma’am. We patched it through to an emergency power supply and brought it up here.”

 

“And it’s on Cycle Six of a thawing sequence,” Nova snapped, “Doctor, why did your crew start thawing this person out? When a pod is this old, we can very seldom resuscitate the patient successfully even with our current tech.”

 

“Ma’am, that’s the weird part. When we answered the alarm, this device was doing a defrost on its own. We checked the PC bios memory cells in the processor. It responded to a command. From the inside.”

 

“From the inside?” Nova said as she walked up to the pod. “That’s…odd,” she said as she looked at the fogged-over plexisteel top and wiped at it with her hand.

 

“My God,” Nova whispered.

 

The sleeping face looking up at her could have been her own, although the woman inside, clad in a very old green hospital gown, seemed to have slightly darker honey-blond hair than her own, but she had worn it the same way, down to the cheek-curls.

 

“Why has this person been sleeping so long?” Nova said. “And why is she in a secure room now?”

 

“Ma’am, she was found unconscious from a starship crash in the Rockies, seventy-five years ago,” explained Doctor Yueh. “We have no idea what her name is. The computers in her ship were in a language we could not make out then, but…she was in labor. We C-sectioned her then; she gave birth to triplet girls. We made sure they ended up with a family in France.”

 

Nova touched the pod and shut her eyes. Then, she began to say aloud, “Dra’shte. M’geh, shrama…. iiikee… m’shada…o, g’malika…m’shada d’ Presha D’Shal t’mailka’ne. No’va, ran’de, malika…. LOG’E KRANA IISHITE!”

 

“What’s wrong with the Doc?” squealed one of the nurses.

 

“I’m picking up what this lady is saying in Pellian,” snapped Nova. “She just said, basically, “I greet you all; my name, my name, Oh High Majesty, is Presha D’Shal, Princess. Dear High Queen Nova, get me the Hell out of this thing!””

 

“Well?” said Doctor Yueh.

 

“She knows me, and given this is the plea of a Pellian Princess to her Sovereign, we’d better get her out,” Nova snapped. Nova shut her eyes and said, “I’m reaching out to her mind and letting her know in Pellian that we’ll get her out.” Nova paused and shut her eyes. “I let her know we’ll get her out. I do wish she’d quit cursing at me, though. I…”

 

Nova’s phone rang. Her ringtone was a version of the Yamato march. She answered and barked, “Listen, you, if you’re trying to sell me an extended warranty for my car, I am about to tell you to do something anatomically impossible, I…! Oh, Derek. Sorry. I didn’t look at the number. I’m in secure ward Delta at Central doing special rounds. I’m talking mentally with baba right now.”

 

“What’s a baba?” said Derek.

 

“Grandmother in Pellian, affectionate tense and term. She’s named Presha. Astrena told me about her a few days ago.”

 

“I’d better hang up. I think I can hear her shouting at you in your head through our bond, and she sounds pissed off.”

 

“Can you blame her?” Nova sighed. “Bye, hon. Love you to death.”

 

“Me too,” said Derek.

 

Nova made a smacking kiss noise in the phone and hung up.

 

“Who was that?” snapped Doctor Yueh.

 

“The good Admiral,” said Nova.

 

“You two sound cute,” giggled one of the nurses. “How long have you been married?”

 

“Thirty-one years,” Nova said. “But, enough of this gossip. Let’s get the Princess out of here before she makes this capsule explode or something. She’s mad!”

 

TWO HOURS LATER…

 

Presha was fully revived and lying in her hospital bed with a bandage around a head wound they had discovered. She had on a dry, fresh hospital gown, and Nova had started her on an IV of glucose in saline solution. The antique suspension pod had been hauled out of the room, and Nova was now the only person in the room.

 

Presha opened her eyes, and said to Nova, in very heavily accented Terranglish in a slightly grating contralto, “How your Pellian, leetle one? I do speak that better than your tongue, m’malika, m’tani.”

 

Nova responded, in very clear Pellian, in her own lighter alto in a very soft voice, “That is just fine. I’d prefer you call me ‘little one’ to ‘your majesty’, though, my baba.”

 

“Baba…grandmother in your strange tongue,” said Presha in Terranglish. “Picking it up from your head. Simple on the surface, crazy grammar, and details. You think all over the place; sometimes in Pellian, sometimes Terranglish, sometimes this weird language I sense you speak in this funny high voice; what’s that?”

 

“Nihongo desu,” Nova said in Japanese in her higher polite Japanese ladies’ voice that fit her Yuki Kodai persona. “Another local language in Terra. We spoke it a lot at home when I was young. Terranglish is actually my second language,” Nova said.

 

“You’re as smart as a whip, kiddo,” Presha said in Terranglish. “But, then again, it’s to be expected of our High Queen. When did you Pass Through the Fire, dear?”

 

“Less than a year ago,” Nova said. “I was wounded in my heart. It was repaired on the Other Side and when I awakened, but it still skips a beat occasionally. I’ve gotten used to it. It’s a hell of a lot better than being dead.”

 

“You look just like me; well, almost,” said Presha. “You and me, we could be twins. All right. You are my granddaughter. Are my children still with us?”

 

Nova shut her eyes and said sadly, “Only one of three. They were named Yvona, Teresa, and Louise by their adoptive family in Paris, family name DuPres. Yvona married a man named Captain Hiram Josiah, and they had a son, Samuel. Ekogaru…”

 

“Curse his name,” hissed Presha. “Is he dead?”

 

“Yes,” said Nova. “But I nudged him towards repentance toward the end of his life. He rests in the Summerland now,” Nova said, using the Pellian name for Heaven translated into Terranglish. “Sadly, my Aunt Yvona, and her son Samuel were deranged by Ekogaru and served him. They went to the Pit when they died. I had to kill them both.”

 

“It was your duty,” said Presha.

 

“It sickened me and I cried after their deaths,” Nova snapped. “Here on Terra, we don’t normally slaughter relatives, even if they are treasonous. They gave me no choice, though. My mother, Teresa…well…she married a pure Terran; a Karl Forrester. I loved him dearly, more as a matter of fact, than Mama, who had issues. She…meddled a lot in my life…never quite liked my husband whom I love so dearly that it hurts, and she was never sympathetic to me, or my career, or…”

 

“I read from your mind, Little One, she used the Voice on you more than once, dear. Using that on a child as young as you were the first time that she used it, when you were just two? MY GOD! And all those other times. It was abuse, dear. Abuse of the worst kind, to your mind! And she drank too much wine, and she used the Voice on you when she was drunk. She was trying to break your spirit without knowing it. She should have let you travel your own road early, with no interference. And…she told you…not to use that which was incipient to you as a toddler?”

Nova nodded. “I was sitting across the room, and I remember wanting my Sippy Cup. I floated it to my hand, and she spanked me for it. I barely remember that; I buried the memory, and deep. I’ve only told Derek about it, and that in the past few months. He told me he had a similar experience, and he got spanked too…he…”

 

Nova paused, looking at her gold wedding band and fiddling about with it; a nervous habit she sometimes had when she was talking about Derek and he wasn’t around.

 

“He’s been so good for me and to me; Derek, I mean. Not perfect, but no one mortal is,” Nova said.

 

Presha responded with, “His great-grandsires were also of our people, but a far distant bloodline, so you did not marry a close in degree relative. His great-grandfather came to this Terra very young and lived here, passing as one of your kind, all his life. Of course, he was a Pellian fighter pilot, and of course, he became a Japanese Air Self-Defense forces fighter pilot, too. Bonds, dear. I can read the bonds in you like a book.”

 

Nova walked over to a window and caused the motorized blind to go up. She looked out at the still-unfamiliar starfield. Pellias was rising above the horizon as she said, “We are on Terra now, Earth…but, to save it from our enemies, Trelaina and I had to move Earth and her moon here, a distance away from our usual solar system. That’s Pellias, or, rather, a planet once called Mecanner that our peoples came to after Ekogaru transported Pellias here and it blew up. The planet there was named “New Pellias” and then renamed Pellias after I ascended as High Queen,” Nova said.

 

“Yes, in the same war in which Teresa and your father died in, as I have picked up from your mind, dear. Am I correct?”

 

Nova nodded. “Do you know what happened to my parents, then?”

 

Presha nodded back. “Your father; assassinated through treachery that your mother was a part of. Your mother, driven partially insane by Ekogaru’s successor Promethium II, a name drenched in infamy even in my old time when I was flying my Corvette starship here. You had to kill our damaged traitor Teresa, did you not?”

 

Nova began crying her eyes out. “Yes. I had to kill my own mother! I didn’t want to…but it couldn’t be helped! She became one of those mechanical freaks…wanted to kill me, and…”

 

“Hold my hand,” said Presha. “Cry it out, little one, you have the right,” she said as she grasped Nova’s hand with a strength that shocked Nova given that her fragile-looking grandmother was lying in a hospital bed. “I sympathize. I used to be as gentle as you are. Your kindness is a miracle. The War with HIM made me a bit harder. I saw my husband killed in front of me not long before my journey here. Then, I was sent to our farthest listening post, on Telezart, by treaty with those people. I knew your Lady Trelaina when she was very small, do you know that? Then, the Gamilons attacked a patrol I was flying on, one day, so I knew I had to steal my vessel and come here to warn your race back in your year 2156. I was heavily pregnant then, but I risked it for the sake of Terra. We and you had contacts going back to the days of the lost continents Atlantis and Mu on this planet. A few of our High Queens lived here for a time, which you might also find interesting!”

 

“We were in the early stages of war then, but they hadn’t begun bombing yet,” Nova said as she wiped her eyes. “So, that’s why you came here…”

 

Presha nodded. “And, the third child of mine? Where is she? I sense she lives…”

 

“She sure does live,” said Nova. “My Aunt Louise DuPres, who lives in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, United States. Admiral DuPres, retired. She was and is a computer genius. I love her dearly. She encouraged me to join the EDF even though my mother thought we were both mad. I loved staying with her in King of Prussia and in her old house, in Philadelphia, on Comly Street. I learned to roller-skate in Philadelphia. As for her old house, it was rebuilt and given to Derek and I. We stay there at times, and we lived there when I was in law school a few years ago.”

 

“No wonder that little house figures so strongly in your memories,” said Presha. “You’re a great warrior, aren’t you?”

 

“Yes…regrettably,” Nova sighed. “I’m good at killing people, but here’s the crazy part. I HATE DOING IT!” she said in a forceful voice. “Derek understands me; he’s wired the same way I am. I could never get this across to my mother, though…she thought I liked it. I don’t.”

 

“I know,” said Presha. “You may not believe this…but I feel the same way. Now, when will I be out of here?”

 

“Maybe two or three days. When you stabilize. I will arrange for ID for you and bring you some clothing,” Nova said.

 

“Not a swimsuit, please. I usually swim in the skin that the Highest gave me.”

 

“I often do that too in private,” giggled Nova. “We can compare notes in my yard around the pool in a few days.”

 

“I want to meet Louise in a few days, too,” said Presha.

 

“That, grandmother, shall be arranged.”

 

 

IV.  AN INTERESTING LIFE…

 

Planet Earth

 

The Venture Residence

 

Thursday, April 12, 2232

 

1732 Hours: Local Time

___________________________________

 

Admiral Mark Venture was at home.

 

Not far away, Trelaina had fallen asleep on the couch after nursing Tamisha, who was also asleep.

 

Mark looked at Trelaina for a moment. She was asleep holding their child, snoozing quietly under a quilt. Trelaina, who had at one time seemed impervious to cold, was shivering and her glow had gone down slightly ever since she had given birth to Tamisha.

 

Mark was grateful that the Press had left them alone. He wasn’t sure, but he guessed that Derek or Nova had something to do with that.

 

Also, they happened to have an au pair now; the eighteen-year-old Teresa Wildstar, who had been the Wildstars’ youngest child up until Nova had birthed Starsha and Theodore. Teresa, like her mother, was very kind and good with children. She had a lighter shade of blond hair than her mother’s dark honey-blond locks, but her dark brown eyes were eerily like her mother’s.

 

Teresa came downstairs, clad in a long sleep shirt with bike shorts on beneath it.

 

Mark noticed she was carrying a second sleep shirt. “Who’s that for?” Mark asked.

 

“For Trelaina. I noticed her shivering before, so let’s put this on her after she wakes up. Hopefully, it won’t burn off her like that gown you tried putting on her a few days ago.”

 

Mark remembered that. Trelaina’s glowing energy then had been so strong that the white gown Nova had loaned her simply faded into non-existence an hour later. Mark had found it sort of funny. Trelaina had been a bit embarrassed. Nova had then had the good grace not to smile or laugh, since Mark understood she had shared the same problem for a time after her resurrection.

 

“How is she doing?” said Teresa.

 

“Uhh…you know how Tamisha is doing. She’s glowing a little; she shares her mother’s blood and some genes, but it’s more muted on her,” Mark said.

 

“I mean, how is Trelaina doing? I mean, being on Earth and all?”

 

“She wanted to stay on Pellias at first,” Mark said. “We were both afraid that Earth Defense would poke and prod her and keep her in isolation, but she insisted on coming to Earth with me. And, so far, no doctors except Nova or her friend Natalie have looked at her; she’s not been clapped in a cell, and even the Press has left us alone. I wonder why?”

 

“Well, I can tell you that it’s not even known she is on Earth,” said Teresa. “The Information Ministry has a seal on this, apparently due to orders from the top; I think.”

 

“Whose orders?” said Mark.

 

“Mom and Dad’s; who else?” Teresa said. “Oh, Mom did get asked the question if Trelaina was on Earth at a Press Conference. She told them, “I have no such knowledge of her presence on Earth at this time,” and then directed the questioning somewhere else.”

 

“In other words, she lied to cover us?” sighed Mark. “That must have been tough for her. I know she doesn’t like to lie about things; your Mom, I mean. Amazing that she’s keeping it together with everything that’s going on.”

 

“She puts up a good front,” sighed Teresa. “In reality… she and Dad are both close to the ends of their ropes. All the stress lately…and, you know…my sister Anya’s loss….?”

 

Mark bowed his head. He had heard tales years ago that Nova had miscarried a child; she and Derek had never told him much of the particulars, but it came up in a discussion with them once, and both Wildstars had acknowledged the fact, but otherwise had a wall of silence up about it. Mark had since heard second-hand that it had something to do with a battle with Aliscea when she had turned traitor. 

 

Then, a knock came at the door.

 

“Yes?” said Mark.

 

“Is Trelaina home, Mark?”

 

“That’s a dumb question, Mom!” sang Teresa. “She’s always home!”

 

“Teresa Louise Wildstar, please tell Mark to open this door, or, I swear, I will blow it open,” Nova called out.

 

“Mark! Open the door or Mom will blow it in!” yelled Teresa.

 

Nova grinned to herself and got a mischievous idea.

 

Mark opened the door at the same moment that Nova phased into the house with her shopping bags, right behind Mark.

 

“Hey, Nova, where’d you go?” said Mark.

 

Nova then tapped him on the shoulder and sang out, “BOO!”

 

“Nova, stop playing around like that!” cried Mark. “It scares the living crap out of me when you do that!”

 

Nova stood there giggling for a moment before she sat down at a bench near the door and exchanged her shoes for house slippers.

 

“Hey, who’s there?” called out Trelaina in a sleepy voice.

 

“The Fuller Brush lady,” said Nova. “I’m here to show Mark some toilet brushes.”

 

“What’s a Fuller Brush Lady, Nova?” said Trelaina as she sat up and yawned.

 

Mark handed her the sleep shirt he and Teresa had found before. “Put this on before you catch your death from cold, Trelaina.”

 

“But it’ll burn off!” she said.

 

“Try it,” Nova said. “It would back up a theory we have about you.”

 

Trelaina nodded, handed a sleeping Tamisha to her father, and kicked off her covers and clothed herself in the sleep shirt.

 

“It fits nicely, and I don’t see so much of my glow glowing through it,” she said, trying to speak in a more normal voice, because she sensed her native hyper-soprano was starting to grate on people’s nerves.

 

“On Telezart, how come you didn’t burn that blue gown right off?” Mark queried.

 

“I was less powerful then than I am now. I think I’m finally getting accustomed to being incarnated again,” she said, now sounding more like Starsha had when she was alive.

 

“Good,” Nova said. “I bought you some outfits. They’re in this bag. Shoes and lingerie are in this bag, along with something else Mark was asking about,” Nova said as she sat down on the love seat, carrying her bag over. She pulled out three shoe boxes and several sets of lacy lingerie for Trelaina, and then plunked two heavy files on the table. “It turns it there were secret medical records on me, going back to 2200. Mark, you told me the other day you were afraid the Government would treat Trelaina like some guinea pig or war weapon, right?”

 

“Yes, but…”

 

“Trelaina has been appointed as a special envoy from Pellias representing Telezarti interests, since our Fleets recently found some Telezarti survivors of the era of the terrorist attacks scattered around the Cosmos. Now that she has diplomatic immunity, they can’t do to her what they did to me,” Nova said.

 

“Which is?”

 

“From 2200 up to 2231 the intelligence services looked over every medical record possible regarding my own abilities. I spent thirty-one years being treated like a guinea pig myself, albeit in slow motion,” Nova said. “I told Derek about it on the phone already and we read the records together at home before. They did so much crap to me behind the scenes that it wasn’t funny. Extra blood draws; psi-tests, IQ tests, brain scans, spinal taps, you name it, they did it. They even biopsied my brain once when I was under medical treatment for something else; no consent, just like when they plucked Mark out of me without telling me to adopt him out and put him in G-Force! They kept it hyper-classified and kept it from Derek, too! Do you know they were going to involuntarily sterilize me at one point but Commander Singleton said “no” to it? They did the same thing to a few women they suspected of having abilities. Just like the damned Tuskegee experiments on African-Americans in the 20th and 21st centuries! I had to get these unsealed and then put three executive privilege subpoenas through the Supreme Court to get at these damn things! Good thing I’m a lawyer, too, or they would have stonewalled me for decades, even as President. Hiding stuff. I’m so mad I could spit!”

 

“Please don’t spit on our floor, Nova; it’s not very nice,” said Trelaina.

 

“Trelaina, that’s an expression-a figure of speech. You know what those are, right?”

 

“We had lots of such things in the Telezartian language. I’m still learning yours, Nova. So sorry.”

 

“It’s okay,” Nova said as she got up and hugged Trelaina. “Look, your sleep shirt is staying on!”

 

“And I’m not so cold, either,” she said. “But…I feel…just a little less powerful…but not by that much,” Trelaina added. “I wonder why that is?”

 

“I have a theory,” said Nova. “I’ll have to see how it goes with the responses to my Lancet article on the subject.”

 

“What’s a Lancet?” said Trelaina. “Isn’t that the nasty thing they use to stick your finger? Sorry for all these questions; the mental bond between you and I has gotten hazy lately.”

 

“The Lancet, in the sense I am using it, is a Medical Journal that’s been around for hundreds of years,” Nova replied. “Now, my article has been peer-reviewed by other doctors, but I’m really interested in the letters of comment about my article. Mark, are we calling out for food, or what?”

 

“Actually, I’ve had a ramen soup going all day in the pot at low heat,” Venture said. “Your daughter’s been helping me with it; she’s quite the gourmand. Where does she get it from?”

 

Nova blushed. “Derek and I. We take turns in the kitchen now. It took about a decade, but I finally taught him how to cook. It was a necessity...uhm…I was really sick one day, and…Teresa…please don’t blurt out what it was, would you?”

 

“Nothing to be ashamed of,” said Trelaina. “Hard for me to get accustomed to those again, but…”

 

“Okay, what?” Mark said.

 

Trelaina just blushed and lit up a bit. Teresa dug her toes into the floor and wouldn’t look up.

 

Nova finally rolled up her eyes, went to Mark, and whispered one word in his ear.

 

Mark then blushed very strongly as Nova nodded and then sent to Derek, Dear, Mark is gallant, but sometimes, he’s utterly a dork about certain things. Just like you.

 

Derek thought back, Nova, when you sent me out to buy those…things…for you, I was so embarrassed…

 

I know…Anya didn’t help, either. Oh, what a smart kid she was…practically yelling around the neighborhood what was wrong with me, in the crassest terms possible…

 

Smart-assed, Derek sent back with a smile.

 

“Let me go and check your soup, Mark,” Nova said, taking the conversation off this rather bizarre turn. Trelaina followed her like a puppy as Nova tasted the soup with a large spoon. “Shoyu pork; not bad,” she said. “Time for lunch!” she sang.

 

 

V.  FEDERATION ONE AND THE SCHUYLKILL EXPRESSWAY

 

Planet Earth

 

The Wildstar Residence

 

April 16, 2232

 

1045 Hours: Local Time

 

 

It was April 16th. That meant World Tax Day.

 

At the moment, Admiral Derek Wildstar was on the vidphone with their CPA discussing the family’s 2231 tax return.

 

“Sir, I don’t have an answer yet on how we’re going to deal with that question on your return. It sounds like Schrodinger’s Cat, honestly.”

 

“They have nothing in the Code about how to cover a taxpayer who dies and comes back to life?” Derek said.

 

“Get on the phone with Admiral Venture, maybe he knows,” sighed Derek and Nova’s CPA. “Wasn’t he dead and alive?”

 

Nova overheard and said, “The Federation came up with a special exemption after then-Commander Venture died. It’s a form 2071X ‘Death and Resuscitation of Taxpayer’ Fill one out and stick my name on it.”

 

“We’ll need your Death Certificate, ma’am, followed by your Resuscitation Letter which cancelled said Death Certificate,” said the CPA.

 

“I’ll e-mail them to you from Federation One later today,” Nova sighed. “I’ll be leaving at 1600 to go to Philadelphia for a few days.”

 

“Reason?”

 

“Family business,” Nova sighed as she adjusted her shorts.

 

“We need to file your return by close of business today, ma’am,” said the CPA.

 

“File an extension, then,” Nova snapped as she hung up. “Damn taxes!”

 

Derek lifted an eyebrow and smiled. “Ah, yes…even the Federation President has tax issues,” he chuckled.

 

“The Conservative Network CONSNET is probably going to have fun with this one,” Nova said. “Maybe Scott Foley, with that beard stubble he never shaves off because he thinks it’s cool will get on this one,” Nova said as she made her voice sound insincerely deep for a moment and said, imitating Scott Foley, “Federation President Nova Forrester-Wildstar has such a messed-up Administration that she can’t even file her own tax return on time. Is that someone we need in office?”

 

“Didn’t you break that guy’s nose once after he got too frisky on a date?” Derek said.

 

Nova nodded as the doorbell rang. She got up off her new beanbag chair and ran to the door barefoot in her tank top and shorts to answer it.

“Who is it?” Derek yelled.

 

“WHO IS IT?” yelled Theodore as he ran downstairs.

 

“Theodore, you’re supposed to be in school in front of your computer, dear,” Nova sang. “It’s the mail-bot!”

 

Nova accepted a small package and a bunch of letters gratefully from the Postal Service robot who was delivering their mail. She looked at her husband, who had on blue jeans and a white golf shirt over his house slippers, and ran in singing, “My Lancet came today! Oh, Lancet, I love you!” she joked as she kissed her medical journal in its envelope.

 

“Observe your mother carefully, Theodore. Most women go mildly gaga when their Ladies’ Home Journal comes in the mail. Your Mom is a super-genius, and she goes bonkers when her medical journal arrives in the mail,” said Derek with a smirk.

 

“Would you like to be wearing this on your head, dear?” Nova said with a lopsided grin. “The rest of the mail; two Cosmo-Charge bills, the satellite power authority bill, some company trying to sell us a new household robot, and pre-approval letters for new aircars for both of us. And my Lancet,” Nova sighed as she opened the envelope and threw herself onto her beanbag chair to read it.

 

“Theodore, up to your lessons,” said Derek. “I’ve gotta head up there to get into my suit.”

 

“Ooooookaayyyyyyyy,” he sighed.

 

“When’s Presha coming over?” said Derek as he stood on the stairs.

 

“Around noon,” Nova replied. “There’s my article…”

 

“How’s the letters of comment?”

 

“Really good,” Nova said. “Eight of them are positive; one is quasi-negative. But I can live with that.”

 

An hour passed. Derek came back downstairs in a brown suit with red tie carrying a bouquet of roses for his grandmother. He had also combed his hair back so that his ears showed, which was sort of rare for him.

 

Nova grabbed two and stuck them in a vase and kissed him.

 

Then, the phone rang. Derek picked up. “Residence of the President and Commander of the Defense Forces; Commanding Admiral Wildstar speaking. Yes? Oh, great. Yes. Please send a Marine Battalion down to Buenos Aires…tell them to be careful…send down emergency food, please.”

 

“What’s going on?” Nova said.

 

“Rioting in Argentina,” Derek sighed. “Food riots.”

 

“Do you think it’d help if I have Pellias send some more food in, too?” Nova asked.

 

“Actually, that’s not a bad idea,” said Derek. “I’ll tell my Chief of Staff; you arrange it on your end.”

 

Nova nodded, assumed a lotus position on her beanbag chair, and began by contacting Ruling Queen Astrena.

 

HALF AN HOUR LATER….

 

Ariel and Jordy were playing with their baby daughter Samantha on the floor on a white baby blanket while Nova skipped over them, on the phone with two parties at once; on two phones.

 

Derek was looking in a mirror in the living room, trying to adjust his red tie, when the doorbell rang.

 

“Would you get that?” Nova cried. Back to her phone conversation, she said, “Yes, I’d love to get the budget balanced; no, I am not cutting down on food aid, since we have rioting in South America right now.”

 

Image result for louis fort drake galaxy railwaysDerek answered the door, and he found someone who was almost Nova’s twin standing there in a Pellian uniform and boots.

 

“Hi, you must be Presha D’Shal,” he said with a bow as he handed her the large bouquet he and Nova had ordered.

 

“Oh, yes, the flattery, m’dear,” she said in her deep, sultry voice as her blue eyes burned for a moment. “You know, you don’t make a bad grandson, Lord Admiral. Ahhh...roses, how gallant.”

 

“You look very young, ma’am…or is that Miss? And just call me Derek, since we’re family.”

 

“This place looks like an insane asylum,” she said with a giggle.

 

Nova was still talking into two phones at once. She set one down and waved at Presha. Her grandmother ran over and gave her a hug. Nova hugged back.

 

“Who are all these people, Nova?”

 

“Over there are my daughter Ariel and my son-in-law Jordy, and they’re playing with my granddaughter Samantha. Derek, you just met. My youngest kids are upstairs studying; their school day ends early at 1300. We’ll catch our plane in a while to get to Pennsylvania; that’s who I’m talking with on line number two. I’m on the phone with my Cabinet on line number one. My speech at that factory is on my laptop over there if you want to look at it,” Nova said as she floated her laptop over and pulled a pencil out from behind her ear.

 

“Not bad, kiddo,” said Presha as she looked over the speech. “You’re a good writer.”

 

“Thanks,” Nova said. “I drive my speechwriters crazy because I mostly write my own speeches. Nova finally hung up one phone and said, “Derek, reservations are set up for the Presidential jump-jet. We’re leaving at 1330.”

 

“Don’t you need to change?” Derek said.

 

“I’ll just put on a suit jacket and sandals over this,” Nova said.

 

A WHILE LATER…

 

Presha had met Starsha and Theodore before they left for the airbase with Nova driving their white Rolls. They got clearance, and drove the car onto the taxiway so that it could be loaded into the plane’s belly on a lift for that purpose.

 

Federation One looked somewhat like an old Concorde supersonic jet, but it was wider and bigger, and it had a wave engine so it could fly in space and warp to different planets of the Federation.

 

“Nice bird,” commented Presha. “It looks like an uprated Pellian D-256.”

 

“Pellias actually built her for us,” Nova said as she carried a large purse. She posed at the space-plane’s stairway with Derek for the inevitable photographers and reporters screaming questions. Nova now had on her suit jacket and shoes, and she looked well-dressed if slightly casual.

 

“Madame President!” one reporter from the New York Times yelled. “Is it true that there are food riots in Argentina?”

 

“This isn’t a press conference, but I’ll say yes, but we are taking action now to relieve the situation,” Nova said. She didn’t recognize that reporter.

 

“What about the budget negotiations and the elections?” yelled another reporter from Berlin. He was named Hans Zimmerman.

 

“The elections are scheduled for November 1st, and they will be Parliamentary and Presidential elections. I will not be running for re-election, Herr Zimmerman,” Nova said.

 

The reporters began to yell at that one.

 

“Nova, is this some sort of underhanded trick on your part, or some sneaky political maneuver?” yelled another reporter who was holding up a CONSNET microphone. He was tall and thin with thinning dark hair that showed a few grey streaks. He had a very prominent, almost beak-like nose that had a knot up in the bridge-it looked like it had been broken long ago but never properly fixed. He was sporting about five days’ worth of beard stubble and his suit was so rumpled that it looked like he had been sleeping in it.

 

“I wouldn’t normally give you the time of day, Mister Scott Foley, but what you’re coming up with is a pack of lies!” Nova snapped.

 

“Who’s that girl beside you and Wildstar in the Pellian uniform?” snapped Foley.

 

“Family, otherwise, no comment! And, Mister Foley, you and I are not on a first-name basis and have not been for years.”

 

“When you talk to us, bud, use our titles from now on! That is…that’s if we even bother to talk to you! And you need a shave, baka!” Derek barked as he got between Nova and Foley and then began to gallantly help her up the stairs as Presha followed and the black-suited security detail got between the people boarding the jet and the reporters.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen,” said Foley into his mike. “You’ve heard it. I’ve just been insulted by the Commander of the Earth Defense Forces and the dipsy half-alien President of the Federation. Never vote for a blond, even if she has gorgeous legs!”

 

A FEW MINUTES LATER…

 

“We should be reaching Philadelphia airspace in approximately thirty-five minutes,” said the voice of the Captain over the plane’s PA while Derek leaned over Nova’s desk in the Presidential stateroom and Nova sipped at a Chianti in flight.

 

They were watching the vidscreen in the stateroom, as they heard Foley saying, “I’ve just been insulted by the Commander of the Earth Defense Forces and the dipsy half-alien President of the Federation. Never vote for a blond, even if she has gorgeous legs!”

 

“That frigging idiot,” Derek hissed.

 

“Gorgeous legs,” Nova said as she shook her head. “That guy needs therapy. He’s gotten worse over the years.”

 

Presha popped in. “May I come in?”

 

“Be our guest,” Nova said as Derek scribbled on a legal pad.

 

“I was tempted to zap that reporter, granddaughter,” said Presha.

 

“I was tempted to make a hole open up below him in the tarmac so he could go in the sewer where he belongs,” sighed Nova. “But that would open up a can of worms neither of us want. I just hope Promethium doesn’t find some way to use that jackass in the future.”

 

“I offer my apologies for my daughter Teresa setting you up with that weirdo,” said Presha.

 

“You didn’t know,” said Nova quietly. “They had you frozen at the time. And he was halfway gallant to me at first but showed his true colors later. You’ll like my Aunt Louise.”

 

“Are you aware of a Terran historical figure called Admiral Grace Hopper?” Derek said.

 

“Vaguely,” said Presha. “She was a computer genius, wasn’t she?”

 

Nova nodded. “They called Louise ‘the Grace Hopper of the 23rd Century’ at one point. Her advances in Artificial Intelligence and computer tech are legendary.”

 

“If anything happens to Diane, God forbid, we should set her up with Sandor,” Derek commented. “Admiral Stephen Sandor, I mean. Just promoted. He’s a total engineering genius.”

 

“I’d like to meet your Admiral Sandor one of these days,” said Presha. “I mean, I was something of an engineer myself as well as a professional alchemist and pilot.”

 

“Tell me about what you used to fly,” said Derek.

 

“Okay, it went…like this…”

 

 

AN HOUR LATER….

 

Nova was behind the podium at an aerospace factory in South Philadelphia, speaking to periodic applause from the workers.

 

“It is my unconditional promise that with our Fleet rebuilding program, that there will be more orders for planes and warships, and that you will have jobs, at top pay, for quite a few years. At that, I shall bid you good evening, and may God bless you and your families.” Nova said.

 

There was a lot of applause at that. Nova ended the speech with a small bow, as she traditionally did, and she kissed Derek and then shook hands with the plant manager and several workers. Several congratulatory signs were being waved in the crowd. Quite a few people squeezed up for autographs from the charismatic EDF Commander and President, which they gladly gave. One person had a bouquet of white orchids for Nova, which she gratefully accepted after staring at the for a second and sending to Derek, They’re not a threat. There’s not even a loose bee in this bouquet.

 

Thank heavens, Derek sent back. You look too damn pretty to get stung by some bee.

 

“Thirty-one years with you, Derek, and I love you more than ever; you know that?” Nova said softly.

 

“Damn, I love you,” Derek said as he kissed her again to lots of applause.

 

They were very happy.

 

 

TWENTY MINUTES LATER….

 

Derek was now driving the Rolls-Royce behind their police escort, and he was beginning to blare his horn.

 

They were a bit south of Conshohocken on the Schuylkill Expressway, a limited access highway that ran along the river of that name in Philadelphia and its northwestern suburbs. It had been a legendary mess of poor construction and traffic jams since it was built in the 20th century, and even after it was rebuilt and two more lanes were added in each direction after the Gamilon War, it was still a huge traffic bottleneck; even for the Federation President.

 

It was “rush” hour, very much misnamed because they weren’t going anywhere very fast. A massive traffic jam had all four lanes in each direction blocked, and even the sirens of the police cruisers around them weren’t clearing much of anything.

 

“What’s with the people on this damn road?” Derek yelled.

 

Nova was on the two-way radio mike in the meantime. “Orchid to Bulldog Two, over!”

 

“This is Bulldog Two, ma’am,” said the ranking police officer in charge of their escort. “I’m using lights and siren, but no one is responding to that. We have a report of a jackknifed truck five klicks ahead, ma’am. We’re two klicks away from the Conshohocken exit, Orchid. Suggest we take that way.”

 

“Good, I’ll take charge of the wheel, over that,” said Nova.

 

“Hey, Nova…you’re…?”

 

Derek felt his hand being grabbed by Nova. A moment later, he was in the passenger seat while Nova was driving. The police began to squeeze them through to the right lane, and then the shoulder, if needed, so they could get out of this…but some guy driving a truck cut Nova off from her forward police escort and began to hog the road.

 

Nova slammed on the brakes to avoid a crash and she blew her horn hard and long. The guy in the truck only turned up his techno-rap even louder until the thumping noise could be heard and felt in the Rolls-Royce. Then, he rolled down his window and stuck out his left arm and extended his middle finger.

 

Derek rolled down his window and yelled, “YOU ASSHOLE! YOU KNOW WHO’S IN THIS CAR?”

 

“Yeah, some rich blond chick who doesn’t know how to drive!” he yelled back.

 

Nova rolled down her window and yelled, “My friend, your music sounds horrible! If we’re stuck here, at least turn it down!”

 

“Eat my shorts, you bitch!” he yelled back. “I’m from South Philly! I KNOW people!”

 

Nova turned on her car stereo and began to play Bach’s “Little Fugue in G Minor” at full volume. Then, she saw her police escort flashing around the truck on the shoulder. Nova grinned, and floored the accelerator and flew around the beat-up pickup truck as she waved “bye-bye” at the truck as her escort helped her speed up the shoulder towards the exit.

 

“YA SNOOTY GOVERNMENT BITCH!” yelled the unshaven guy in the truck as the rear end of the police escort flashed past him.

 

 

After some driving on side roads and local streets, the Wildstars and Presha ended up rolling up a suburban street to a rebuilt ranch house, where they pulled into a driveway and stopped behind an air-minivan parked in the driveway.

 

The retired Admiral Louise DuPres came out a moment later, dressed in a prim black suit.

 

Derek had last seen Nova’s aunt years ago, and he was surprised to see that the 75-year-old woman didn’t seem to have aged very much as she hugged Nova, Derek, and then Presha and invited them into her home. There were a few streaks of whiter in her honey-blond locks, and she wore glasses, but she otherwise looked very well-preserved.

 

“You’re looking good,” Nova said to her Aunt as they got into the house.

 

Louise smiled and looked around the mundane living room. She flicked a switch, and a holographic field came up, making it look much bigger.

 

 “Little trick of mine; a recent invention I worked up to give the house more apparent room. You’re looking even better, dear. What’s happened to you? I saw you on video, and I wasn’t really sure it was you, Nova,” said Louise. “You look just like you did before you left Earth on the Yamato.”

 

“Death and resurrection,” said Nova. “Auntie, I’d like to re-introduce you to your real mother, Princess Presha D’Shal of Pellias.”

 

Presha hugged her daughter hard and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

 

Louise said, while pouring some Zinfandel into goblets, “I wish my sisters were here to meet you, but…”

 

“Nova and Derek have told me enough,” sighed Presha.

 

“How old are you?” said Louise. “If you don’t think it’s a rude question…”

 

“Nonsense,” said Presha in her deep voice. “Including the time which I spent on ice in that freeze chamber, I’m close to two hundred,” she said. “I might have another hundred and twenty years of relatively good health and youth before I begin to age. We Pellians live a long time. And I can see everyone here has Pellian blood to a degree; even Derek has it; even though his ancestry is from a different clan than ours, and his great-grandfather on his mother’s side was the Pellian one. His history was known to us. He came to Earth and went native.”

 

“If that was Kazuo,” said Derek, “he would have been the fighter ace in the Japanese Naval Self-Defense-Force in the Eight Day War with China versus the Allies back in the days of the Unification Wars around 2070. He flew from two bases in Japan and two carriers; the Japanese Carrier Hyuga, and the US Carrier George W Bush during the Second Battle of Tsushima. Legend says he was a better pilot than me.”

 

“Derek, that’s silly,” Nova said. “Your great-grandfather just flew an F-45. You’ve flown a few models of the Cosmo Zero and the Cosmo Tiger II as well as a Pellian Cosmo Dart, and you’ve had a much longer career.”

 

Derek blushed as Presha said, “If Lieutenant Kazuo Shintani was an ace, Admiral Wildstar here is the Ace of Aces. Still flying?”

 

“Yeah,” said Derek with a deeper blush.

 

“I wish he’d cut back a little,” said Nova with shining eyes.

 

“That’s nonsense, and we all know that,” huffed Presha. “Nova, I know you love to fly yourself. Especially in the sky and the Sea of Stars with him at your side, right?”

 

“Don’t lie to me,” said Derek.

 

“Yes,” said Nova in a barely audible voice. “I get a kick out of it.”

 

“We all have it in our blood,” said Presha. “To my grandkids, a pair of aces!” said the Pellian as she raised a toast to them.

 

“Love you!” said Louise.

 

“I’m gonna set you up with a good man,” said Nova with a giggle.

 

“Not interested,” said Louise. “I’m in love with these,” she said as she picked up a laptop.

 

“Things could change,” sang Nova.

 

“You terrible romantic,” laughed Louise.

 

 

A MONTH LATER…

 

The Yamato was back in space again on a routine cruise.

 

With a younger, newer crew of Terrans, Pellians, and Gamilons, the mighty space battleship was mapping the area where Telezart had been to see if there were any more lost Pellian bases in that area. Presha was off in space with them. In fact, they were going according to her clues.

 

“I wonder what we’ll find out here now,” mused Nova as she sat beside Derek at his Captain’s station one night during a late watch.

 

“I have no idea,” he said. “But we know Promethium and her forces are out there; somewhere. Didn’t you say, Nova, that we’d live on and retain our youth until we finish her for good?”

 

“I did, and I know we’ll have to,” she said. “Even if it takes centuries; there are so many mysteries out there. At any rate, we’re supposed to rendezvous with Empress Invidia’s fleet in three days, right?”

 

“That’s right,” said Derek. “It’s been too long since we’ve seen her. Maybe she’ll have some clues for us as we negotiate an alliance against the Mechanoids? An Alliance with the Comet Empire. Would you believe that, Nova?”

 

Nova quoted, “Ahh…There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio…Than are dreamt of in your philosophy…”

 

“The Scottish play?” said Derek.

 

“Hamlet, dear,” teased Nova. “You have to read more, Derek. I swear. But I love you anyway.”

 

“Love you too, Nova. I can’t believe we’ve been through so much in the past year and a half.”

 

“The same here, Derek,” Nova sighed. “The same here.”

 

 

THE END.

 

Thanks for your patience-this story took forever to write. – Freddo

 

Thanks to Gail Kopetz, my spouse and beta-reader; Jamie Tucker, who is my old friend, Yamato/SB fanatic, and my second beta-reader, Anne Cronin, Tom Szcepkowski, and DTill359 on FF.net, a writer and friend   who helped with song/hymn suggestions. I also must give a big “thank you” to my friend Margaret Diviney, who graciously allowed me to borrow her obnoxious reporter and ex-boyfriend of Nova’s, Scott Foley. While the story was being composed, I also must thank the real-life Derek “Deke” Wakefield of Denton, Texas, who has since passed on. Derek, you made it into the story as Sasha’s spouse because of your love for the character and the fact that you were my Brother from afar. All your comments and input helped make this story, and thank you!