

### The Ship Finder

Young Adult Edition

Copyright February 2014, August 2014 John G. Bluck

Published by John G. Bluck at Smashwords

The original edition of this book was published in February 2014. This new edition has been revised to be suitable for young adult to mature readers

Cover design by Judy Bullard, http://www.customebookcovers.com
Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1 – Encounter in the Park

Chapter 2 – Discoveries at the Hospital

Chapter 3 – The Strange Cloaked Ship

Chapter 4 – Lena's Surprise

Chapter 5 – The Deal

Chapter 6 – Dimension Ship Tour

Chapter 7 – The Dayroom

Chapter 8 – The History of Richard Raven

Chapter 9 – A Secret Sabbatical

Chapter 10 – The Map

Chapter 11 – First City, Sunev's Capital

Chapter 12 – Award for Bravery

Chapter 13 – The Cyborg War

Chapter 14 – On to Battle

Chapter 15 – All About Lena, Number 214723

Chapter 16 – Gold Hunt on Earth

Chapter 17 – Lena Meets Bill's Friends

Chapter 18 – Ramon Black

Chapter 19 – Lena's Ordeal

Chapter 20 – Anticipating Triod

Chapter 21 – The Gold of Triod

Chapter 22 – Rachel 214993

Chapter 23 – Oahu and a Girl's Best Friends

Chapter 24 – On the Way to Pali Lookout

Chapter 25 – Lookout Encounter

Chapter 26 – The Whole Truth

Chapter 27 – Chinatown

Chapter 28 – The Meeting

Chapter 29 – Tanya's Tattoo Parlor

Chapter 30 – Maunakea Market

Chapter 31 – Precious Cargo

Chapter 32 – An Improvised Plan

Chapter 33 – The Water Mission at Emor City

Chapter 34 – Jungle Fight

Chapter 35 – Death's Smell

Chapter 36 – The Psychologist

Chapter 37 – The Journey Home

Chapter 38 – The Future

Epilogue

About the Author

Connect with John G. Bluck

Acknowledgements

First and foremost I thank my wife, Sheryl, an English teacher, for her patience and hard work to make suggestions, correct grammar, and support my efforts to write _The Ship Finder_. I also thank my daughter, Melody, for her thorough scrub of the first few chapters based on her acting experience.

The Sci-Fi Fantasy Critique Group of the Tri-Valley Chapter of the California Writers' Club also deserves my gratitude for their ideas on how to improve my story and the way I told it. Members of that group include Patricia Boyle, Gary Kumfert, and Shelley Riley (author of _Casual Lies – A Triple Crown Adventure.)_ Shelley suggested that I modify the original edition of _The Ship Finder_ to create this second edition so it would be suitable for young adult (13 years old and older) as well as mature readers. Patricia read the entire manuscript of the first edition and made many comments that helped me immensely.

In addition, the California Writers' Club primary critique group also provided important input. That group includes Patrick D. Coyle, George Cramer, Stacy Gustafson, Marrilyn Slade, Victoria Emmons, Laura Bolin, Diane Lovitt, Bill Danenhower, Elaine Schmitz, Sherry Nadworny, Maryann Shaffer, and Hector Timourian.

"Beta readers" who read my near-final manuscript and made suggestions include my aunt, Betty Bechquenturian; Chrys Piliotis; Ed Clark; Anita Haraughty; my cousin, Sally Harris; and retired NASA colleague, Larry Sammons, who gave me tips on the use of shaped charges. Larry passed away in the latter half of 2013, and many of his friends and I miss him.

My cousin, Dr. William E. Sponsel, made suggestions on how to improve passages related to medicine after he read the first few chapters of the manuscript.

Another colleague, retired from NASA, Ann Sullivan, deserves my thanks as well. Her excellent book, _From Hopeless to Hopeful: Raising an Older Adopted Child_ , provides very important information, especially about the adoption of children from Russia. Her descriptions of reactive attachment disorder (RAD) helped me better describe one of the characters in The Ship Finder.

Finally, my co-worker Mike Mewhinney, who retired from NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., as News Chief, urged me to complete this book. Earlier in his career Mike had worked for the Associated Press as well as for newspapers. He is also a great editor who taught me a lot when I worked as a public affairs officer at NASA.

Chapter 1 – Encounter in the Park

(April 3, 2061 – 10 a.m., Northern California) Distant blue flashes grabbed his attention. He slowed his pace. Curious, he ran faster, easily propelling his 195-pound, six-foot, two-inch body in the direction of the flashes. He drew in a deep breath, and the clean smell of spring air filled his lungs.

Thirty-five-year-old Dr. William Wilson, renowned physician and DNA scientist, jogged another hundred yards along the park path. Then he saw an unshaven man lying on the dirt beside the trail. As Wilson came closer, he at first figured the man was a drunk.

But then Wilson noticed that one of the man's arms was bent at an odd angle under his torso. Wilson stopped. The man's long, gray hair was uncombed. His face was scratched, his lips bled, and his clothes were ripped.

Wilson wondered, _Is he unconscious?_ As a rule, Wilson reacted to medical emergencies calmly, but something about this situation made him uneasy. When he knelt on the gravel beside the rumpled man, stones bit into Wilson's knees.

The man fought to lift his eyelids, and severe pain showed on his face as he looked directly into Wilson's brown eyes. "I've been shot," he said in a foreign accent.

"I'm a doctor. Where are you hit?"

"In the chest . . . ray wound."

_Had he said, "Ray wound?"_ A small burn hole went through his shirt. Wilson detected a fruity odor and the smell of smoke lingering in the air. He had never seen nor heard of a ray wound.

He cut the man's shirt open with a penknife. Blue-green fluid seeped from what looked like a large burn around a charred hole just under his rib cage.

Wilson thought _, The blue-green fluid could be caused by a drug resistant bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, that's highly contagious. It can form on burns and has a fruity smell. These germs came to the Bay Area from Eastern Europe, carried by people with compromised immune systems, like drug addicts. This guy's accent sounded Russian_.

Wilson unzipped his medical fanny pack, pulled on a pair of latex gloves, and took a big bandage and a roll of white tape from his pack.

As he ripped a piece of tape off the roll, he considered, _Maybe this man is delirious and confused. The burn could actually be several days old, and maybe the bullet cut open an infection on the burn._

Wilson taped a dressing over the ugly hole and damaged skin around it but left the bottom of the bandage loose. If the hole was a gunshot wound, the loose bandage would prevent the increase of air pressure within the man's chest cavity. High internal pressure could squeeze his heart, and cause it to fail.

Wilson snatched his stethoscope and listened to the man's chest. Air flow in his right lung was weak. Even so, the man might have just a minor lung collapse, if he was lucky. His heart beat was twice as fast as it should have been.

_The lung isn't so bad, but I don't know what other internal injuries there could be. I need to get him to the hospital quickly, but not necessarily at breakneck speed,_ Wilson concluded.

"It hurts," the man strained to say. "Inner One, guide me," he mumbled, delirious. His accent did sound Russian.

"I need to roll you over," Wilson said. "I must see if the shot went through."

"Drag me into the bushes. Hurry," the man said. "My enemy is near."

Wilson paused, and scratched his brown hair. The man shook, and a fruity smoke smell still lingered. Wilson glanced around. He saw no one, but to calm the man, Wilson hauled him a few feet into the bushes on the path's edge.

"Did you get burned on your chest a few days ago?" Wilson asked.

"I told you I was just hit," he said, more alert now.

"But are you sure you weren't burned a few days ago?" Wilson repeated. "I saw blue-green liquid come from your wound, which could indicate an infection."

"The fluid is normal. It helps to seal the wound."

"I'm going to roll you over," Wilson reminded the man. _Why would he say the fluid would close his injury?_ Wilson rolled him over. "Good news. No exit wound."

"Reach into my right pocket," the man said. Wilson saw that the man's other pocket was ripped, but his right pocket was still intact. "Take my weapon. You'll need it. It will answer your questions." An odd, crooked smile formed on his pale face.

Wilson found a strange, dark green pistol and a white plastic page in the man's pocket. There was a diagram on the sheet, and Wilson put the page in his hip pocket.

The heavy, plastic weapon amazed him. It had a six-inch barrel, but no borehole. Instead, a copper-like screen covered the barrel tip where bullets would have exited a normal firearm. The sight was a small, flip-up gadget with a sturdy inch-square, TV-like screen. It had a crosshair cut into its white, plastic face. Maybe this weapon was just a fancy plaything, but it weighed more than a normal toy and looked well-made.

"What's this?" Wilson asked.

"A ray gun. Turn it on. The enemy will soon be here to finish me – to blow me into a million bits. They'll kill you, too, if you don't stop them."

"How's it work?"

"Push the yellow button under the barrel."

Wilson pressed the button, and a sharp, color picture popped onto the gun's small sightscreen. He saw a close up view of where he pointed the pistol.

"Try it. Aim at that rock," the man said as he nodded at a boulder.

Wilson trained the weapon at the big hunk of granite thirty feet away, and he squeezed the trigger. A silent, blue line struck the rock forming a small round hole, which sizzled. A breeze blew smoke and the acrid scent of burned rock towards the men. The weapon was soundless. Wilson was impressed. He had fired a real ray gun, a weapon that he thought only existed in science fiction.

"Who are the people who are after you?" Wilson asked.

"They're a human-robot mix, and they carry ray rifles."

Wilson instantly concluded that the man was high on drugs or insane. Yet his wound and the ray pistol were real. And as odd as his gun was, it sighted and fired like any other pistol. Wilson slipped the weapon into his sweat shirt pocket.

"Where are you from?" Wilson asked.

"You won't believe me," the man cautioned. He looked into Wilson's eyes. "I'm from Sunev. It's a planet in another dimension."

"Oh," Wilson said, nodding. _The man might have had an amazing pistol, but he still could be a crazed addict. Maybe he's the victim of a bad drug deal._

"I'm an explorer, and I represent my world," he said. "My name is Richard Raven."

He doesn't look crazy, but insanity isn't always obvious.

"I'm Bill Wilson. Why are you being hunted _?" Maybe Raven is a paranoid schizophrenic or a drug addict who thinks enemies are after him._

"My world is at war with an enemy planet. Most of their soldiers are cyborgs," Raven said.

Wilson had a hunch there was more to Richard Raven's story. "Why didn't the cyborg kill you?" Wilson asked.

"I fired back – hurt him. He fled to his vehicle."

"Are more on the way?" Wilson asked. Maybe a drug pusher will be back with his pals to do in Richard Raven.

"The cyborgs can self-heal. If he returned to his ship, more will soon come." Raven paled as the seconds ticked away.

"We need to go to the hospital," Wilson said. "My vehicle's a hundred yards away." Raven passed out as Wilson spoke.

Even if the man was crazy, somebody had shot him. That person, or persons, could be near. Wilson sprinted to his electric all-terrain vehicle, climbed in, turned the power key, and eased the ATV over small rocks that blocked the parking lot from the path. In less than a minute, he stopped near Raven who was still out cold.

Wilson opened the vehicle's back door and walked to where Raven lay. Wilson took a capsule of smelling salts from his fanny pack, broke the lozenge, and held it under Raven's nose until he awoke. Now, Wilson could move him into the ATV with less effort.

"Let's go on three," Wilson said.

"Okay. Be quick. The enemy is near," Raven said, his nostrils flaring. "My alarm!" A red light flashed on his wristwatch.

Wilson dragged Raven towards the ATV and began to sweat. The wounded man's legs wobbled as he gritted his teeth and struggled to walk. Wilson wrestled him into the vehicle's back seat, and Raven's head flopped to his chest as he again fainted.

There was a pop, and bits of glass sprinkled over Wilson's clothes. A death ray had shattered the front passenger window. He froze when he spotted a huge cyborg charging. The brute looked like a giant blond linebacker from the Oakland Raiders. His arm muscles formed knots, and his eyes were too close together.

Wilson's heart pounded, and his mouth was dry. He dove to the ground, thrashed about, and tugged to pull the ray pistol from his sweatshirt pocket. Fumbling to find the weapon's power button, he felt panic but finally pressed it. The soft purr of the gun calmed him. The cyborg was the only foe in sight, but he moved fast, charging like a big cat closing in for the kill, scattering bits of dirt and vegetation behind him.

Wilson was prone on the ground, clutching the ray gun. The feel of the pistol in his hand gave him confidence.

The silent blue line of the cyborg's next ray shot lingered for a moment in the air like a lightning strike in the night sky. Wilson felt warmth on his left temple and smelled burned hair that had been singed near his ear. The ray had just missed hitting him straight in the face.

He aimed his weapon at the cyborg, following him as he charged. Wilson took a normal breath, exhaled some air, relaxed, and squeezed the trigger. A blue ray raced at the fast moving cyborg. The shot hit him in the left leg, and he stumbled, spraying wild shots as he crashed to the ground. Multiple beam tracks, straight lines like tracer bullets, flew around Wilson.

Two shots hit the electric vehicle's roof, burning neat, round holes into it. Wilson kept low and dragged himself into the driver's seat. He floored the accelerator pedal, and the ATV jerked forward, flinging gravel and dirt to its rear. Wilson guided the rugged car east as it sped along the pathway away from nearby Interstate 680, deeper into Sunol Regional Wilderness Park.

He was out of his enemy's sight, so he hit the brakes, and the vehicle skidded to an abrupt stop. Wilson steered left off the gravel path to go north. After a few hundred yards he swung west into an area of scrubby bushes, driving two or three miles an hour to avoid making loud noises.

The Interstate was west of him as he approached the highway through the park's rough country. Wilson was not sure how far ahead the paved road was, but he knew he had gone the right way. He planned to ease onto the roadway, push the ATV as fast as it could go, and head north to the hospital.

As he crossed the uneven ground, he was careful not to steer into a hole, or flip the electric car over on the steep hills. With his eyes alert for any sign of his enemy, he picked his route with care. He stayed in tree shadows and behind bushes. If more cyborgs were to come, Wilson did not want them to see the ATV.

After a half mile Wilson saw Highway 680 ahead, up a small rise. Black mega storm clouds boiled in the far western sky, and minute bolts of lightning flashed in the distant darkness. Mega storms, a result of global warming, were nothing to ignore, even if they were slow to move.

He guided his vehicle between wild bushes and light green sapling trees up the rise and onto the road. Then he jammed the accelerator pedal to the floor, and wind whipped through the broken passenger-side window. The rush of fresh air made him more alert as the ATV barreled forward at eighty miles an hour. Wilson didn't care if the police saw him speed. He could use their help.

He now believed the man's story. When Raven gasped for air, Wilson glanced back at him.

"At first the cyborg didn't know you had the pistol," Raven fought to say. "That saved us. My Inner One foretold it."

Wilson reckoned it would take three to five minutes to get to Metro General Hospital, which was in San Ramon, a quarter-mile east of the freeway. He grabbed his mobile phone from the front seat to call the police.

"Wait! Don't call the cops," Raven screeched. "I can't have you tell them that I'm not from Earth."

_I need to call the police,_ Wilson thought. He punched in 91, but like an agile cat, Raven reached over Wilson's seatback and slapped the phone from his hand. The device fell and banged onto the vehicle's floor. Raven, suffering pain because of his lunge, collapsed.

"Hey!" Wilson yelled. He had to control the ATV as it sped, and he could not reach the phone. No matter. He intended to call the police after he reached Metro General.
Chapter 2 – Discoveries at the Hospital

During the race to the hospital, Raven went in and out of consciousness. He woke seconds before Wilson's electric vehicle slid to a stop on the emergency room driveway.

"Where are we?" Raven asked.

"At the hospital," Wilson replied.

"Don't take me in," Raven said. "They'll see that I'm different." His skin had paled, and if Wilson delayed Raven's treatment, shock and his wound might kill him.

"I'll take you to my office," Wilson said. "It's just down the hall from the emergency room."

Raven began to ramble in an alien language, speaking as if he were in a dream and then mumbled in English, "Inner One, take me to the land of the living." His dark eyes were dull, and he passed out again.

Wilson drove his ATV to a side door about fifty feet from the emergency entrance. He got out of the electric vehicle and hurried back to the emergency doors.

Head Nurse Helga Onstadt was smoking a cigarette outside. "I thought you were starting your sabbatical leave today, Doctor." After a two-week vacation, he was scheduled to fly to Sweden to visit the Karolinska Institute. That was the first leg of a trip to several countries during which he was to review new developments in human gene research.

"I need to examine a patient in my office. He's a little weak and still in my car," said Wilson. "I'd like to borrow a wheelchair."

"Sure, just bring it back when you're done. Need help?" she asked.

"Thanks, but not now," Wilson said. "I have to decide if he needs to be admitted. He doesn't like publicity. Thanks for the loan."

"No problem," Helga said.

He started towards the automatic, double-wide emergency doors, which opened as he neared them. Just inside were several wheelchairs.

Two other emergency room nurses glanced at Wilson as he seized a wheelchair. "Helga said I could borrow one," he said. "I have to move a patient to my office."

The nurses glared at Wilson when he grabbed two blankets, a gown, and a box of latex gloves and put them in the wheelchair. After rolling the chair to his electric car, he tossed the blankets and other stuff in its front seat. He eased Raven, who was half awake, into the chair. Wilson put his tan, greasy cowboy hat on Raven's head to hide his face, draped a tan hospital blanket over him, and put the supplies he had grabbed in Raven's lap.

Wilson shoved the wheelchair into his office, scraping the green entry door's paint. Then he helped the semi-conscious Raven onto an examination table and grabbed a portable chest pressure equalizer. He peeled the bandage from Raven's wound, inserted the equalizer's self-sealing tube into the hole in his chest, and switched on the mechanism's power.

The device hissed, first releasing air from the chest cavity and alternately pumping air in to adjust the pressure inside Raven's chest to normal. The equalizer would stop pressure build-up in the airtight chest cavity, allowing the lungs to expand to normal size if one or both had collapsed. The right amount of air pressure inside the chest would also reduce the chance of a heart attack.

Next, Wilson turned on his small, hand-held body scanner, which wirelessly sent a picture to his computer screen. Raven's interior was different from that of an earthling. Wilson felt a hot, blushing sensation when he realized that he was indeed examining an alien being.

Raven had two hearts, one on each side of his chest, and two lungs, each longer than a human lung. One lung had suffered a minor collapse.

His body hemmed in four kidneys; each was about half human size. There were fifteen ribs, and his brain was a bit bigger than a human's. His spine was thicker than an earthling's backbone while his spinal cord was an inch across at the neck.

The ray had burned a hole into the chest cavity below Raven's right lung, almost to his spinal cord. But Raven was lucky. The ray had missed his lung and both his hearts. Wilson decided to let the affected lung heal itself, judging that it would expand on its own because the collapse was so minor.

Raven opened his eyes, "Where am I?"

"In my office."

"How bad is my wound?"

"You're hit near one lung. We need to sew up your injury at once. I'll call in my colleague, Dr. Ron Jamison, a pulmonary expert, to do the job and double check my diagnosis. Plus we have to deal with the infection on your chest."

"No," Raven said. "You've got to go to my ship now and get special medicine that will heal me quickly."

"We really need to close that wound first," Wilson said.

Raven creased his brow. "Our medicine is more advanced than yours," he said. "We have a nano-medicine cocktail for major injuries that I need to drink. Nano proteins and chemicals will go to the wound and fix it."

Wilson recalled, _A nanometer is a billionth of a meter. Scientists want to develop medicines and microscopic machines on that scale, but a breakthrough is a long way off._

"Raven, if I don't act now, it could be serious. Where's your ship?"

"Reach in the watch pocket of my jeans, and take out the silver disk," he said. "You'll need it to locate the ship." Wilson found the metal disk and lifted its hinged lid. The device was as large as a Swiss watch but heavier, a quarter inch thick with compass-like marks around its edge, and various colored buttons.

"What is this?" Wilson asked.

"A homing device – a ship finder. It will lead you to my vessel. The device can summon the ship to come to this general vicinity, as well."

"How does it work?" Wilson asked, hoping he could learn how to use it before Raven blacked out again.

"Press the buttons in this order," Raven said in a weak voice. "Yellow, orange, red."

"Okay," Wilson said, and he pushed the buttons.

"The crew will know that I'm alive. But I need you to talk with them and lead a rescue team here."

"Nothing's happened," Wilson said as he peered at the ship finder.

"You won't see it do anything. The ship's cloaked nearby, between dimensions," he said. "I lost my regular communicator in the fight with the cyborg. Get some paper so you can write directions that you'll need to approach the ship."

Wilson later learned that Raven carried a button-size TV camera and microphone clipped to his clothes so his crew could see what was going on as well as speak with him. But as he scrambled away in the first cyborg attack, bushes had ripped the button camera away. Worse yet, his emergency vial of nano medicine had fallen from his ripped pocket.

Wilson walked to his dented, gray metal desk. As he jerked open the right top drawer, it screeched with a metal-on-metal sound. He snatched a sheet of white paper.

"Push the orange button, then the white one," Raven said. "Then press the center red one, which is like a computer's enter key. Green arrows will point to the cloaked ship. They'll turn red when you're near it."

Wilson quickly jotted down the directions. If there was a ship nearby, he would need to be careful. It could be defended with powerful weapons. He didn't want to die helping this man.
Chapter 3 – The Strange Cloaked Ship

Before he left for the ship, Wilson attached life monitors to Raven. They would set off an alarm in Wilson's wristwatch radio should the alien's condition worsen.

Wilson's friend, Dr. Jamison, was at work in the hospital, and Wilson could call on him if Raven's monitors showed that he was in trouble.

Wilson walked along a hospital hallway, headed for the rear entry. Its door opened onto a small, half-acre garden of trees, flowers, and shrubs. A path wound through this English garden, and park benches stood next to the pathway in shady spots. A dozen people were in the garden, most of them sitting on benches. One man read the news on his paper-thin electronic reader, while two young nurses sat nearby. They chatted and laughed, enjoying the sunshine. In the distance the western sky darkened as a potent, but slow moving mega storm approached.

Nobody in the garden noticed when Wilson took the ship finder from his pocket. Just as Raven had coached him, Wilson held the device level, like a compass and started it. Small, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) flashed showing green arrows that pointed to the cloaked ship.

Wilson walked at a normal pace in the direction that the arrows pointed. They flashed faster and turned red. The ship finder had led him around the back of a thick, green hedge at the rear border of the hospital property. Nobody was there.

He pressed the large, red center button, as Raven had instructed, and what looked like a small garden shed suddenly appeared, popping into view like a mirage.

Its door swung open. The glow from within the doorway was warm and seemed to invite Wilson in like sunshine on a spring day. There was foliage inside, ornate plants in what could be a foyer.

He walked at a quick pace and went into the chamber. Through a second doorway farther in the craft he saw a bigger room where there were cafeteria-like tables. Other items that caught Wilson's eye were a red cabinet, a big stainless steel refrigerator, and a restaurant-size stovetop and oven.

The area was like the galley of a ship, although the entryway was small. The floor was circular, about thirty feet across. Wilson walked into the deserted, round room.

Two crewmen wearing black helmets, combat boots, and olive drab uniforms stomped into the room from behind a panel. Wilson broke into a sweat when they pointed their ray guns at him.

Part of the wall slid aside like an elevator door. From inside a beautiful young woman emerged, and she, too, pointed a ray pistol at Wilson. She appeared to be in her late twenties and had a soft, classical face. Her straight, shoulder length hair was light brown with blond highlights, and her eyes were vivid green with a touch of hazel. The tight flight suit that she wore emphasized her figure.

"I'm a friend. Raven's wounded," Wilson said. "He sent me to get medicine. I'm Dr. Wilson, a physician."

The woman listened through an earpiece wired to a box that looked like a small radio strapped to her upper left arm. She spoke into the device in a strange language. Then a feminine computer voice said, "I'm Lena Lavelle, Dr. Wilson. Thank you for coming. Where's Dr. Raven?" She shifted her gun to point at the floor, and the crewmen also lowered their weapons.

Wilson breathed more slowly and relaxed. "He's in my office at the hospital, just past the garden outside," Wilson said. "He needs treatment soon because I think he may have a severe skin infection besides a gunshot wound."

Lena heard the translation of Wilson's words through the earpiece. "I'll get the medicine," she said. "We'll go with you."

She walked to the red cabinet, unlocked it, and took out a small vial, which was full of a dark, ink-like fluid. She also grabbed a soda-sized bottle of clear liquid. She put both in her purse.

"How many of you will go with me to the hospital?" Wilson asked, afraid that the aliens would startle onlookers.

"Two soldiers will go with us. The enemy is near, and we need to protect Dr. Raven," Lena said via the computer voice.

"Your uniforms will attract attention," Wilson said.

Her flight suit was blue with strange symbols on it. Insignia, each a red circle with a crosshair, were on the left breast and upper right arm of her outfit.

Lena unzipped her flight suit and stepped out of it. She wore a vibrant green mini skirt and a pale green, lacey blouse, showy, but in fashion on Earth. They contrasted well with her pink skin. Yet, she would have been striking in any type of garment.

She said something in her alien language to the two soldiers, and they went behind a divider and came back in a minute, dressed in repairmen's overalls.

The soldiers, Lena, and Wilson stepped out of the odd craft. Lena pushed its metal entry door shut, and it latched with a smooth, metallic click like a heavy, well-made bank vault. She took a ship finder from her dress pocket, pushed its buttons, and instantly the garden shed illusion vanished. Wilson was stunned.

The group walked around the hedge and then along the path to the hospital's west entrance. While they moved along, Lena put her weapon and the ship finder into her brown leather purse.

As Wilson and the aliens walked across the hospital lobby, young men turned their heads to look at Lena in her day-glow mini skirt. Soon, the group had gone past the lobby and followed a hallway that led to Wilson's office.

He opened his door, and Lena Lavelle entered first. He glanced at her slender waist and feminine hips. _She might be an extraterrestrial, but she's good looking,_ he thought.

Raven looked at his visitors, sat up on the examination table, and propped his weight on his left elbow. "Hello," he said in English.

"Hi, Richard," Lena said. "I have the medicine." She opened her handbag, took the vial out, and handed it to him.

"Thank you," he said. He smiled and looked relieved, though pain still showed on his face. "Have you detected the enemy nearby?"

"Not yet," Lena replied. "But we're using all the ship's scanners and backup systems to alert us of any signs of the cyborgs."

"Good," Raven said. "Then we have at least some time to let the medicine work."

Before Wilson could ask about the dose that Raven would need, the wounded alien opened the vial and drank most of its contents. Some of the inky liquid dripped from his mouth, so he licked his lower lip. Then he gently pulled the pressure equalizer from his entry wound and poured the rest of the dark medicine into the injury.

"We need to put the equalizer back in," Wilson said. He picked it up from the exam table and was about to clean it with alcohol.

"We don't need it now," said Raven. "But if you want, Lena can take it with us when we go back to the ship."

"We must make sure your lung doesn't fully collapse," said Wilson. "I'll have to insert the equalizer again if you feel short of breath."

"I'm okay now," said Raven.

Wilson cleaned the device and put it and a new adhesive collar in a sterile plastic bag. "Could you carry this?" Wilson asked Lena.

"Yes," she said, and she took the bag and stuffed it into her purse. She also fished out the bottle of syrupy liquid that she had carried from the ship. Lena gave Raven the bottle, and he unscrewed its cap, snapping its seal with a pop. He drank the thick fluid like he would gulp a soda.

"What's that?" Wilson asked.

"Nutrients that will speed recovery. My body needs raw materials to make repairs."

"How long will it take to work?" Wilson asked. _It will take weeks at best,_ he thought.

"What I poured on will totally seal the wound in a few minutes," Raven said. "Internal repairs will start when the nano proteins and chemicals reach my wound in twenty minutes. There are even some microscopic robots that will inject precise doses of medication into specific cells."

"Microscopic robots?" Wilson asked. He had seen animation of "nanobots" in science TV shows that had forecast the future. Scientists on Earth had been at work for years trying to build crude microscopic machines.

"There are billions of them in a vial of medicine. They are made of molecular-scale carbon nanotubes," Raven said. "Each robot has an atom for a computer, preset to fix wounds. Most nanobots self-destruct after they do their work, but some stay in the body. Robots already in my body made the blue-green fluid that began to seal my wound."

"I'd like to see them with my microscope. Would you care if I recorded it on a memory cube?" Wilson asked. Raven's skin was already pinker, and Wilson was astounded that the alien was making an almost instant recovery.

"We have microscopes on our ship. You are welcome to use them," Raven said. "Right now, I worry that the cyborgs might attack."

As Raven spoke, Wilson wondered, _Could the nano fluid work as fast as Raven said?_ Then Wilson recalled _, On some July days in Illinois corn can grow five inches._

"We should wait for the medicine to take full effect before you return to your ship," Wilson said.

At that moment Lena's ship finder began to flash. "The cyborgs are near," she said. "We need to go." She opened her purse, took out her ray gun, and held it under her handbag.

One soldier glanced at Lena and gave her a questioning look. She nodded and said something in her native Sunevian language. He took his ray gun from his pocket, turned it on, and replaced it his overalls. The second soldier did the same with his weapon.

"She's right, Dr. Wilson," said Raven. "Cyborg soldiers will be here soon. They tracked your car as well as our ship."

Before Wilson could stop him, Raven dangled his long legs over the side of the table and stood. Wilson grabbed the alien's arms. "How steady are you?"

"I can walk. Do you have my pistol?"

"Yes," Wilson said. He felt it in his pocket. The alien's weapon seemed like a good friend when he touched it.

"I need it," said Raven. Wilson felt a strange loss as he handed over the ray gun.

"An enemy ship is on the way," Lena said. She held up her ship finder as it flashed red like a fire engine's warning lights.

"Loan Wilson your extra pistol, Lena," Raven said.

"Here," she said. As he grasped her small, spare ray gun, he felt stronger.

"You'll need it, Wilson," said Raven. "Our foes know who you are. The cyborg took pictures when you fought him, and the enemy uses facial recognition. Come with us, and you can return later."

"Okay," Wilson said, but he instantly asked himself why he had agreed so easily to go with the alien.

A warning bell rang over the hospital's speaker system, and a computerized male voice boomed, "A mega storm is coming from the west with fifty mile an hour winds, heavy rain, and hail. Stay inside until further notice."

Raven rushed to the office door, stood up straight, and seemed stronger. Wilson opened the door and led the way to the hospital's rear exit. When Raven saw the back doorway, he said, "Stop. We don't want to be easy targets."

"You want to go out another way?" Wilson asked.

"I want a place where light doesn't silhouette us."

"Follow me," Wilson said. "The loading dock is down the next hallway." He guided everyone to the left into another hall. The group walked into the dock area, which had a huge electric-powered, roll-up metal door and a small steel door leading outside.

Wilson switched off the overhead lights. "Let's go out the small doorway," he said. "We can follow the bushes to the walkway."

Wilson took the loaned ray gun from his pocket and pressed the orange button in front of the trigger guard. The pistol purred like a small tiger. He was confident after his first ray combat, less than an hour before.

Wilson pushed the panic bar of the small door, and it quietly swung open. He held the steel door against gusts of wind while the rest of the group rushed out.

The sky was dark, and the air was cooler and smelled of the dampness that presaged a mega storm. Abruptly, the wind whistled and blew even harder. They leaned into strong gusts and struggled forward as the temperature dropped rapidly. Wilson guessed that it was about fifty-two degrees Fahrenheit, chilly for spring in Northern California. The strengthening wind whipped grass and flowers and pushed twigs along the brick pathway.

As his eyes adjusted to the dimmer sky, Wilson saw eerie forms of bushes, trees, and deserted park benches in the gloom.

The sky became almost as black as night. The stark darkness of the storm triggered sensors which switched on garden lamps, spawning welcome pools of orange-yellow light. The group moved with stealth towards the cloaked ship. Wilson's senses were attuned to possible danger in the shadows. Over the whistling wind he heard a branch crack in the bushes, and he and the aliens froze in place.

He opened his mouth and kept it open to improve his hearing, a trick he had learned from an army combat veteran. As he strained to look for movement with his side vision in the gloom, another army technique, he saw a cyborg. Wilson tapped Raven's shoulder, and then in slow motion, Wilson pointed to the man-sized cyborg soldier.

Raven nodded as the wind whipped his long, grey hair. Wilson knelt behind a large boulder along the garden's brick pathway, and Raven hid behind a second big rock. He aimed and fired, and the cyborg exploded in sparks and smoke, like a firework. Then a firefight began with shots illuminating the darkness with bluish flashes.

Silent ray fire cut holes into the boulder behind which Wilson hid. Rays hit stones and soil, and they sizzled. The cold wind carried the sharp odor of burned rock. Like lightning in a dark sky, the blue lines of ray shots persisted across his vision. Though the battle was furious, it was silent except for loud voices and the sounds of bits of rock and soil as they were kicked up into the air and then fell to the ground. From behind boulders Raven, Lena, the two alien soldiers, and Wilson fired at the sources of enemy ray shots.

"Go, Lena!" Raven barked. She stood to a crouch and ran. Partway into her sprint towards the ship she slid to the ground and rolled. Her team protected her with cover fire. All of a sudden the ship uncloaked while she was prone on the grass.

She was fifty feet from the ship's door. It opened. She sprang up and ran for the opening. Ray beams crisscrossed at chest level in front of her, forcing her to dive to the ground. She rolled once in front of the ship's entry and slid inside.

Wilson continued to fire at the sources of the enemy's ray shots, and there was an explosion. He had hit one or more cyborgs.

"Good shot," Raven said. "Now, run."

"No, you go first," Wilson said. He knew Raven was still injured, and if he went first, it would give him the advantage of getting to safety sooner. Even so, he looked good for a man who had been on the verge of death.

"Okay," Raven said. He sprinted towards the ship. Rain began to fall in sheets, and it hit harder and faster on the brick walkway. The downpour limited Wilson's sight and hearing.

Raven needed cover fire. He slowed, still weak from his wound, splashing in the direction of the ship's door. Wilson and the two alien soldiers laid down rapid fire. He had been right to let Raven go first.

Raven fell and hit the muddy ground still short of the entrance. He rolled into a puddle, got up, dashed, and hit the wet ground again. He zigzagged, going left, then right, and got to his feet. He ran some more and dove to the ground in front of the ship's door, ray beams hitting the rain-soaked ground around him and burning holes into the mud. Raven arose, bounded forward, and slid feet-first into the ship like a base runner barreling into home plate.

Wilson inhaled and smelled strong odors of vegetation on fire, hot rocks, and steaming mire.

The ship began to spit out bursts of death rays at the enemy cyborgs. Explosions followed in a display of light that startled Wilson. Steam rose from where ray shots had hit, and robot parts clanked into the pathway, making tin-like noises as they bounced over the brick surface. Blobs of organic matter, human tissue that made up the cyborgs along with their mechanical parts, fell near him.

"Wilson! Come on!" Raven managed to yell above the din of the rainstorm from the ship's entryway.

Still Wilson hesitated.

"Go now, Wilson!" Raven bellowed even louder, as the rain intensified. "Maximum fire!" he commanded, speaking into a microphone in the ship's wall.

Like a laser light show, the ship's heavy ray weapons discharged one-inch beams that hit like bolts from electronic crossbows. At the same time, rare California thunder began to boom as lightning flashed in the dark rain clouds above. _People in the hospital must think the battle sounds are loud storm noises – lucky,_ Wilson thought.

He pushed up, dashed, and fell to the mud, twisting his ankle. A jolt of pain shot through his leg. He was soaked to the skin and cold, to add to his misery. He rolled to his right. Though he was in extreme agony because of his injured ankle, he struggled up again. Wilson half ran and half hopped as fast as he could towards the ship's door, just ten yards away. His ankle throbbed in pain so intense it almost made him yell.

He felt a sudden shock that pierced his guts. Then he smelled the dirty odor of his burned clothes and singed flesh mixed with steam after a ray had struck his belly. Wilson felt as if he had dived into a dark, deep lake and then into blackness.

He awoke on his back, and he looked up into Lena's face, close to his. Her hazel green eyes were unusual, vibrant. Wilson was inside the dry ship on a bunk bed. He wore a hospital gown, tasted a laxative-like liquid in his mouth, and smelled a fruity odor. His guts were on fire.

"I was worried about you, Dr. Wilson," Lena said with her real voice, in a beautiful accent. She wasn't using her translation box, which she wore only in stressful situations. Her long, straight hair hung down near him. "We weren't sure the nano medicine would work on your body."

"Is the fight over?" Wilson asked.

"Yes, and our ship has jumped away," she said. "You are wounded, but you'll recover."

"I need to check my wound," Wilson said. He shifted his body and felt pain when he moved his unbuttoned hospital gown aside to look down at his middle. The injury was ugly, and Wilson was scared. The round, bullet-sized hole was red and sooty and cut into his lower belly, piercing his small intestine. Blue-green fluid had seeped from his wound.

"What's that blue-green stuff?" he asked.

"The nano meds train your body to generate the fluid," Lena said. "It helps wounds to mend. You'll recover in a day or two."

"Maybe not," Wilson said. "Could you take me back to my hospital?"

"I'm sorry, but it's unsafe. Your image is in the cyborgs' data base, and they'll kill you, if they find you near the hospital," she said. "Anyway, you don't need to return there. The nano meds within you work at top speed to repair the damage. You'd be dead by now, if we hadn't given it to you."

_I feel far better than I should_ , Wilson thought.

The aliens had attached an IV to his arm. "What's in there?" he asked, pointing to the IV bottle.

"Nano nutrients," Lena replied. "They will speed your recovery."

"Thank you," Wilson said as he lifted his gown again. There was an inky, black substance on his abdomen, next to the wound. The skin had begun grow on the edges of the round, half-inch injury.

Raven entered the room where Wilson lay. "I am pleased to see you're on the mend, Dr. Wilson," the alien said.

"How long was I out?"

"About three hours," Raven said. "Don't worry. You'll recover. Look at me." He showed his wound to Wilson. It had healed so fast that it was now just a small red mark.

"How did you know that your medicine would work on me?" Wilson asked.

"We didn't, but we had no choice. You were going to die," he said. "Your body's processes are unlike ours, but not so dissimilar that nano medicines wouldn't work. They and nano robots changed themselves so they would operate correctly in your body. Healing is taking longer than it would with one of us, but it's happening faster than I thought possible."

"Where are we?" Wilson asked.

"In between dimensions, on the way to Sunev, my world," he said.

"So, we're in spaceflight?" Wilson asked.

"We're not in flight. We're in the same spot, but it takes a few hours to transfer from one dimension to another. Sunev is a planet parallel to your Earth and is much like it, but our planet's continents have somewhat different shapes and positions, and our climate is warmer. The sun in our dimension is a bit larger than your home star. To make the transfer, Earth matter changes to Sunevian matter."

"Why does it take so long?" Wilson asked.

"Because a special machine within the ship must change our atoms from one kind to another. The process is complex," he said. "Our entire beings transform. This happens in a way that's indiscernible to us."

Wilson nodded as if he understood, and he wondered, _Am I in a dream?_

As Raven sat down in a chair near Wilson, Lena glanced away from her fellow alien to study Wilson. She was close, and he enjoyed her attention and the delicate scent of her foreign perfume.

"Dr. Wilson, may I use your first name?" she asked.

"Of course," Wilson said. "May I call you by yours, too?"

"Yes," she said, and she blushed. "I need to tell you a few things, Bill. The medicine that we gave you has an added benefit. You will live for many more years than your fellow citizens of Earth."

She sat on Wilson's bed next to his legs. "Nano-medicine improves one's health, and repairs damage from aging. The clock of aging within your cells no longer ticks."

Wilson was astounded. He glanced at Raven who had struck Wilson as having a cold personality, but now the alien seemed friendlier. Raven crossed his legs, and he smiled at Wilson.

"After you saved my life twice, I didn't hesitate to give you nano meds," Raven said. "They'll repair your body and keep it young."

"Thank you," Wilson said, at a loss for what more to say. Raven had granted him a fountain of youth.

"I broke the rules about how we're supposed to use nano medicine," Raven said. "Only after I had already given you nano meds, did I ask my commander for permission to save you." He paused. "We only request that you keep your long life a secret from all earthlings for the time being."

"I promise," Wilson said. _What else could I say? How long could I live?_

A huge explosion that would destroy Wilson's body would kill him, but disease and less vicious body damage might not end his life, if what Raven said was true. Wilson also realized the aliens probably had decided to let him return to Earth, but he couldn't be sure.

"Our leaders are good people," Lena said, sensing Wilson's anxiety. His life had changed in a major way because of his split second decision to go with the Sunevians. Wilson pondered if he had made the wrong choice, but the big plus was that he might live for hundreds of years or more.

"I decided to go with you because of the danger I was in, but I also wanted to learn about your advanced medicine," Wilson admitted. "I didn't know what a big step it would be."

Lena smiled and said, "You obviously trusted your Inner One to lead you," she said. "Our experience is that if you follow your Inner One's guidance without hesitation, it's usually for the best."

"I did go with my gut feeling," Wilson admitted.

Raven chimed in, "And that was a wise decision. For one thing we'll train you in techniques that go far beyond the simple use of liquid nano-medicine," Raven said. "You won't be sorry. For now, I'll tell you some nano medicine history."

"That'll be interesting," Wilson said. He shifted his position in bed to face Raven. Wilson felt a twinge of pain, but it wasn't bad.

Raven sat back in his chair and entwined his fingers. "Sunevian medical nano fluid contains a mixture of nano parts, proteins, and chemicals that scientists first learned would extend the lives of primates," the alien began. "Our researchers then changed nano medicine to keep it from making all organisms long-lived, except for humanoids."

"I guess that otherwise, the nano fluid would cause havoc in the ecosystem," Wilson commented.

"You're right," Raven replied. "If there were a kind of nano fluid that made all living things nearly immortal, and it were to get loose on Sunev, our planet would soon be choked with life. Even so, Sunev's humanoid population has exploded. So our leaders had to pass mandatory birth control laws to ensure that only people who die in accidents and wars are replaced by new babies."

"How did nano medicine come about?" Wilson asked.

"At first, our scientists created nano meds to overcome specific medical problems. One of the first nano meds ate away blood clots that could result in strokes or heart attacks. Doctors added more and more capabilities to the medicine including molecular machines and chemicals to combat many conditions, even cancer," said Raven. He took a sip from a glass of water.

"What about anti-aging?" Wilson queried. He sat up against his pillow.

"One key discovery was a chemical that halted aging by stopping the biological clocks in cells," Raven said.

Wilson felt much better. "I remember a scientific article, which told how scientists in the United Kingdom had studied a kind of flatworm that is long-lived. These worms can stop telomeres from shortening in their DNA. The telomeres act as aging clocks in cells."

"We don't use the words DNA or telomeres, but I believe our Sunevian scientists found the same kinds of things in our bodies," said Raven.

"The article also said that the English scientists learned that telomeres shorten during the lives of most animals, even human beings," Wilson said. "Your scientists must have learned how to stop shrinkage of the telomeres."

"Exactly," said Raven. "You'll be glad you came with us when you get to work with our researchers. Now, I must go," Raven said. He stood to leave.

"Thanks for the information about nano medicine," Wilson said.

"You're more than welcome," Raven replied. He walked to the room's exit, and as he left he glanced back at Wilson and smiled.

"I've got to go, too," said Lena. "I must help prepare for arrival. But I'll see you soon, and I'll have something to tell you – a surprise."

"I'll look forward to it," Wilson said. She grinned and departed.

As a doctor, I have an ethical problem, he thought. If I have access to nano medicine, how could I withhold it from my patients on Earth? The Sunevians probably won't give me medicine for my professional use on Earth. But I swore to save people when I took the Hippocratic Oath.

Will Sunev let me carry nano medicine for my personal emergency use on Earth?

And what if I learn how to make nano medicine? How could I go back to Earth and not share my new knowledge? Would the Sunevians ask me to pass it on to earthlings? Could I include these findings about alien nano medicine in my post-sabbatical report next year?

And, oh yes, what is Lena's surprise?
Chapter 4 – Lena's Surprise

Lena's mention of a surprise for him popped into Wilson's mind every so often after he arrived on the alien planet.

Within a week Wilson began to feel much better, mostly because his ray wound had healed quickly.

One day at lunchtime, he sat in an easy chair in his cabin on the extraterrestrial ship. Beside him was a bottle of beer and a chilled, long-stemmed glass.

A knock sounded at his cabin door. When he opened it, he was stunned to see Lena Lavelle. Her hazel green eyes were liquid, doe-like, and she wore a vibrant green blouse and a red mini-skirt that accented her legs. She was perfectly proportioned like a classical beauty.

"May I come in, Bill?"

"Of course." He stood aside, and she walked in. She turned to face him.

"May I sit?"

"Any place you'd like," Wilson said. She took a seat in a second easy chair that faced his recliner and beer, and he sat in his chair.

"I don't know how to approach this, but I might as well just tell you," she started, forcing a smile. "I've been assigned to learn about you because we want to be good hosts while you're here on planet Sunev."

"I'll be glad to talk with you," he said. "Would you like a beer?"

"That would be nice," she said.

He took out a bottle of beer from the refrigerator and removed a long-stemmed glass from the freezer.

"Here you go," he said.

"Thank you, Bill. To be honest, I feel ill at ease because I'm supposed to ask you some personal questions." Her face colored light pink.

"I'd rather have you question me than some bureaucrat."

She poured beer into her glass and took a sip. "Tastes good," she said.

"What would you like to know?" he asked.

"We were quite surprised that our nano medicine worked well on you, even though your physiology is a bit different than ours," she started. "Your physical condition is excellent, so we wondered if you exercise." She blushed deep red.

"Because I'm a doctor, I know that workouts are vital, if someone is to stay fit. My exercise routine includes jogging, weight training, and stretching. I like sports, too."

"We thought that might be the case," she said. She opened her purse, took out a small notebook, flipped its pages, and glanced at some notes. "Let's see, we've looked at your driver's license. We have learned that you are thirty-five, six feet two inches tall, and 195 pounds. Your license picture shows you're gray around your temples. Is that right?"

"Yes." He wondered, _What's she getting at?_

"We took pictures of you when you were out cold," she continued. "We observed that you had lost some of the hair on the crown of your head. I was told to remind you that your bald spot is now gone, and your gray hair has turned brown."

"I did notice my hair had grown back," he said, "and I'm grateful." _This must be an attempt to remind me that my health will improve, and I'll live longer thanks to their nano meds. These aliens are a strange bunch,_ he thought.

"There are more questions that I'm supposed to ask you," she said, as she glanced at her notes. "In the last few years, has your metabolism changed? Have you gained weight?"

"Yes. I decided to jog every day or so because I had started to put on a few pounds."

"My superiors also asked me to remind you that after you took nano meds you lost weight and didn't have to exercise. Your body is now more youthful." She crossed her legs.

"I guess that's why I'm allowed to drink beer," he joked, and he poured more beer into his frosty glass and took a sip.

"Can I turn on a small recorder so I don't have to take notes?" she asked.

"Sure."

Lena took a mini audio recorder from her purse, pushed its record button, and set the machine on the end table near Bill's glass of beer.

"So, because of these health benefits that we have given you, do you feel that in exchange you could align yourself with our Sunevian government?" she asked, reading the question from her notebook.

Wilson paused. He thought, _I want to be able to go home_. "Sure, I'll align myself with the Sunevian government," he replied.

"My chiefs will be glad to hear that," she said. "Now, let's turn to your background. According to information about you on the Internet, you're quite young to be a world-famous human genome scientist. I wonder how you were able to achieve that level of success in a short time."

She sipped more beer from her long-stemmed glass.

"Hard work got me where I'm at," he said. "I went to Stanford University in California where I majored in physical education with a minor in biology. Though I loved biology, my goal at that time was to be a pro baseball player. I was on the Stanford baseball team, and major league scouts offered me lots of money to quit school and play pro ball. I struggled with my decision, but I decided to continue my studies."

"Did you ever play professional baseball?" she asked.

"No, I was injured before I finished college. In my senior year, I pitched in a game against Arizona State. After I threw a fastball, I felt pain in my groin, and I had to leave the game."

"Was it serious?"

"Doctors diagnosed a hernia. My personal physician, from Stanford Medical Center, Dr. Alex Rigor, operated on me, and I was impressed with the procedure. Though it was a success, I decided not to become a pro baseball player because I became fascinated by medicine."

Wilson drank the last of his alien beer. "After my hernia operation, I asked Rigor to help me decide if medicine would be a good career for me. We became close friends despite our age difference, and he convinced me to become a surgeon."

"Why did you want to be a physician?"

"Because I wanted to help people who had sports injuries. But my side interest was bioengineering and gene therapy, and that's why I later became a part-time professor of genomics at the University of California, Berkeley. I'm now on a yearlong sabbatical leave from the university and the hospital. During the year I plan to learn what progress has been made in human genome research around the world."

"Is this related to nano-medicine?" Lena asked.

"Yes, I'm sure nanotechnology will have an impact on DNA research."

"Perhaps Sunev can help you in this effort. We'll see," she said.

Lena sat back in her chair. "One more thing," she said. "Did you have any other activities while you attended college?"

"I won a few pistol and rifle marksmanship contests. My father had taught me how to shoot when I was ten because Dad thought that I would be drafted into the army and would have to go into combat. He was an infantry veteran who had fought in the Columbian jungle against the drug lord troops in the Narcotics War."

"Do you have any girlfriends who might report you missing?"

"I'm in between relationships."

"That's good because women are prone to contact the authorities and make missing person reports."

"I don't think it's likely that any of my friends would think I've gone missing because they probably think I'm in Europe," Wilson said.

"That's even better," Lena said, and she paused. "Now that the formal interview with you is over, I'll give you some news. I've been assigned to be your guide during your stay on planet Sunev, if that's agreeable to you."

"That's fine," he said. "I suppose you'll be showing me the sights."

"Yes, and introducing you to the Sunevian way of life, which leads me to the surprise I've been planning," she replied. "I'm going to teach you Sunevian ballroom dancing, and again, only if you'd like that."

"It sounds like fun," Wilson stammered and then blushed.

"You need to get out and have a little fun while you're here," she explained. "You'll fit right into the social scene, if you know the latest steps."

"I wonder if your ballroom dancing is anything like the dancing my great grandparents did."

"It's similar," she said. "You'll soon learn that in many ways our two worlds are eerily the same. However, in some things we are years ahead of you. In others we are far behind."

Lena reached for her small recorder next to Wilson's chair and pushed a button on the device. It started to play dancing music strangely similar to that of the 1930's.

"If you stand up, we could start with an easy lesson first," she said, smiling.

"Of course," he said, as he set his beer glass down and then stood.

"Let's start with what's called the box step," she said. "Come a little closer, and face me."

Wilson stepped towards her, and she took his left hand in her right. "I never was much of a dancer," he admitted.

"That's all right," she said. "It won't be long, and you'll be confident on the dance floor. Then all the girls will want to waltz with you. Now, put your right hand on my shoulder blade."

"Okay," he said.

"Listen to the beat of the music. One, two, three, and four, five, six. Watch my feet, and move yours to follow mine. That's right."

"It's not hard," he said.

Soon, they were waltzing around his room.

"Repetition is the key to learning to dance," she said. "The more you practice, the less you'll be thinking about it, and the more automatic it'll become."

"It is fun," he said.

"I'm enjoying this, too," she said, laughing. "In our next lesson I'll teach you how to guide a woman through an underarm turn."

She stopped waltzing, and turned off the music.

"I can't wait until the next lesson," he said.

"I promise you, we'll do it again soon," she replied. "For now, all this dancing has made me hungry. I suggest we go to the cafeteria and have a nice meal."

"I'm hungry, too," he said.

"Just to let you know, Raven wants to meet us for lunch," she said. "He needs to tell you something."

"What?"

"I don't know," she replied, as they left for the ship's cafeteria.
Chapter 5 – The Deal

As Wilson and Lena walked from his cabin, they briefly held hands, but stopped when they came to the cafeteria.

"I'm also curious about what Raven wants to tell you," Lena said.

"I don't have the slightest clue as to what he's up to," Wilson said.

Soon after they entered the cafeteria, Raven waved them to his table. Wilson asked the robotic waiter for bacon and eggs, potatoes, and coffee. Lena ordered the same.

"How did you come to have food from Earth in your galley?" asked Wilson, as he ate one of two over-easy eggs.

"We buy food at supermarkets when we visit your planet," Raven said. "When we're on Sunev, we get products from local farmers. We've introduced many Earth foods to include much of what's on this table. Our farmers raise chickens and pigs and grow potatoes and other crops native to Earth." Raven bit into a pork sausage.

Wilson inhaled the aromas of eggs and coffee. "You've grown to like a lot about Earth," he said.

"Yes," Raven replied, and he sipped his black coffee. "Just as we've learned about Earth's food, our leaders would like us to learn more about earthlings. So, some of our renowned researchers and others would like to meet you."

"That sounds great," Wilson replied.

"After you heal a little more, in maybe a week," Raven said, "I'll introduce you to the board of directors of the National Dimensional Travel Agency. I work for NDTA. It's a branch of the government that directs travel to other dimensions. You are the first person from Earth to whom we have disclosed our technology."

Lena looked up from her food and glanced at Wilson. "What a great experience you'll have when you meet the heads of the agency," she said.

Wilson nodded. _What's next? What if they ask me to do something for them?_

"I'm told they'll have a ceremony in which they'll honor your bravery," Raven said. "You saved my life when you got me away from the cyborg before he could set off a bomb. If he had, I'd be dead and gone. Nano medicine wouldn't have been able to help me."

"So, your war with the cyborgs can be as lethal as wars are for us earthlings? Your enemies just need the right tactics and weapons to kill you?"

"True," Raven said. "If we're blasted into a billion specks, nano medicine can't help us. Of course, doctors can use our organic material to clone us. But clones don't have the memories, the knowledge, and the experiences of the beings from which they came."

"Death is very real for you," Wilson said.

"Yes, but we have a new choice," replied Raven. He shifted in his chair. "Our scientists are conducting an experiment. They're copying human memories into the Global Computer System. As part of that trial, I've chosen to allow scientists to record my brain's memories in a supercomputer. Researchers may be able to restore my basic memories to my clone. And one day I might even be able to donate some of my knowledge to others."

"That could change things," Wilson said. "But now accidents and war are the major causes of death on Sunev?"

"Yes," Raven said. "Sometimes, an aggressive new disease will kill someone, but once scientists develop a cure and add it to nano medicine, it's no longer a problem."

"So, if I'm lucky, I'll live a long life," Wilson said.

"You will indeed," Raven said. "You were fortunate that nano medicine was there to save you. And I was lucky that you were nearby to save me from the cyborg."

"A little luck can help a lot," Wilson said.

"Your actions were not luck. You listened to your Inner One, and you did not hesitate," said Raven. "Your defense of my team and me were great because you didn't know of our medicine's power."

"It happened fast, and I had no time to think."

"You had to trust yourself, and what you did was brave," Raven said. "In a week there will be a ceremony to recognize you."

"It will be an honor," Wilson replied. "I thank you for it in advance. Please don't take what I'm about to say in the wrong way. I am grateful for the potential to live much longer and also for how you plan to honor me. But is there some way that I could go back to Earth soon, in the next day or so? It would just be a short visit to change my travel plans. I'm supposed to leave for Scandinavia in a week to begin my sabbatical research related to the human genome. Besides, my parents and friends might be trying to contact me."

"Could you tell me more about your foreign travel?" Raven asked.

"I had started two weeks of vacation at home the day I found you wounded in the park," Wilson said. "I planned to go on several overseas trips after my time off. The first trip is to Sweden – to look at genome research in European laboratories."

"I already know a few things about your year-long sabbatical leave and your future trips," Raven said.

"How did you find out?"

"We keep a small research team on Earth. I had a couple of our people make inquiries," said Raven. "So, I've had a chance to think about how we could handle your situation. One possibility is that you could write a note to your secretary explaining that a foreign research institute offered to share its new discoveries with you, but you have to keep them secret."

"I see," Wilson said. "The research institute is on Sunev, right?"

"Right. This note would ask your secretary to delay your first trips to Europe. It would explain that your new travel has already been arranged, and will last three months. We'd deliver the note to your workplace."

"I don't think that would work," said Wilson. "It would seem strange. I need to show up at the hospital."

"I realize that you don't want to lie," said Raven. "But you are going to travel here on Sunev to look into nano science and its link to human DNA research. Our leadership is very happy that you happen to be an expert in this area. A Sunevian team on Earth has been working day and night to look into your background. We believe that you can understand our nano med technology, and that you'll keep it secret until we decide how we can transfer it to Earth's scientists." Raven paused and looked intensely at Wilson.

"I'm flattered," Wilson said.

Raven paused, and said, "But there's one condition. We'd like to teach you about our medicine, but only if you sign a nondisclosure contract. We need more time to think about how and when we would let you transfer some nano med knowledge to scientists on Earth."

"This all sounds great," said Wilson.

"Before we get into details, I hope you realize that we don't have to act with haste," Raven said. "You don't have to return to Earth right away because you're on vacation."

"Yes, but I'm supposed to begin my research trip to Scandinavia soon," Wilson interjected.

"True, but I'll get to that in a minute," said Raven. "First, let me explain that we don't think the police found any evidence of combat near your hospital. There's a small chance someone could come across a piece of a cyborg in the bushes, but cyborgs always clean up after a fight. And no one from Earth, except you, is missing from the hospital."

"Nobody saw or heard the fight?" Wilson asked.

"We've checked and rechecked newspaper, radio, and TV news reports. There were no accounts that gave even small clues that there was an incident," Raven said. "The thunderstorm helped. Those electric storms are so rare in Northern California near the big cities that reports of lightning and thunder dominated the news."

Wilson leaned forward in his chair. "Your people can trust me when I go back. I'll give you my word and sign the contract. Also, because no one reported your ray wound to the police, they have no reason to question me about the events at the hospital."

Raven nodded.

Wilson went on, "And if there are any questions about your treatment in my office, I could tell my colleagues that after I tended to you, I took you off the hospital campus for private care."

"Between you and me," Raven said, "I believe that you'll be discreet about Sunev, but my superiors can't afford to take chances. It'd be a nightmare if you were to say anything about us that your country's officials would believe."

"They would think me insane, if I were to tell them about death ray fire fights with cyborgs. I have no proof, not a weapon, not a body, nothing." Wilson shook his head sideways.

"He's right, Richard," said Lena.

"Both of you are reasoning this out sensibly," Raven said. "But the Great Leader and his group are fearful that somehow you might slip up and disclose nano med technology before we have a solid plan how to do so. They demand that before you go back we make a detailed contract with you as to what, if anything, you could disclose. Our people need to think about this for a few days."

"I appreciate that, Richard, but I give you my word not to say anything to anybody on Earth until and unless we've worked out the details," Wilson said. "I must go home at once to show everyone I know that I'm okay."

From the alien's facial expression and tone of voice Wilson knew that he had convinced Raven to help him.

"What would you tell your friends?" Raven asked.

"I could say I'll be out of the country for a few months to conduct some proprietary research, which I can't talk about until later. Then I would return to Sunev, and we would work out contract details then."

"Okay," Raven said. "I'll make my best effort to convince my superiors that they should trust you. I could have you sign a short nondisclosure statement right now. In it you would also pledge to come to a complete agreement with us."

"Sounds good," Wilson said. He breathed easier and relaxed.

Raven lifted an odd, light purple telephone handset from its cradle on the cafeteria table and pressed a large green button.

"Hello. Raven here," he said in his native tongue as he spoke both into his computer translator and the telephone's mouthpiece. "I have an urgent matter to discuss with the director about the outlander."

Raven put his hand over the mouthpiece and looked at Wilson. "The secretary has to interrupt the staff meeting."

Wilson nodded. Lena beamed. He looked at her perfect face, and her beauty lifted his spirits.

Raven listened to the Sunevian words that came from the phone's earpiece. Then he said, "Hello, Director Blanchar. This is Richard Raven. I'm sorry to interrupt your meeting . . . uh huh," he nodded as he spoke.

"Yes, he's here," Raven continued. "Yes . . . What I need is your permission to send him back to Earth tomorrow for a short visit so he can delay some of his research trips and assure his co-workers, his family, and friends that he's all right. As luck would have it, he's on a two-week vacation. After that he's to begin a year-long sabbatical leave to investigate human genome research. He could study our nanotechnology and how it fits in with genomics as part of his research."

Raven paused. "Yes, sir . . . I'm concerned about that, too. He's agreed to sign a short nondisclosure contract to keep our material secret until and if we give him consent to make aspects of it public. When he gets back after the brief trip, he's also agreed to sign a more detailed contract . . . . Uh huh . . . Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. Goodbye."

Raven hung up. He was slightly rattled, but he began to smile.

"So, is it a deal?" Wilson asked.

"Yes," Raven said. "Blanchar said you could go back to Earth for a quick visit."

"Thank you, Richard," Wilson said, and he sighed. "There's one bit of help I need, Richard."

"What would that be?"

"Before I go back, I have to decide how I'll explain the sudden offer for me to study secret research," Wilson said.

"For one thing you didn't get an offer from us until today, so you didn't have a reason to change your travel until now," Raven said. "You could say that you had the flu while you negotiated, and you didn't want to spread it around the hospital. So, you waited to visit your secretary."

"Okay," Wilson said. "But why wouldn't I have contacted my secretary today?"

"Say you sent the office an e-mail, and for some unknown reason it didn't go through," said Raven. "Remind your secretary that she still has a week to delay your first trip to Scandinavia."

"Very good," Wilson said.

He, Raven, and Lena had finished their meals.

"Let's go," said Raven. The three put their dirty dishes on their trays and carried them to a conveyor belt.

"Excuse me, gentlemen," said Lena. "I have to meet with some soldiers."

"See you later," said Raven as Lena left. He turned to Wilson and said, "Now that you're almost mended, let's go on a full tour of the ship."

"It'll be fascinating," Wilson said. "I can't wait to see how the ship works and how it goes from one dimension to another."
Chapter 6 – Dimension Ship Tour

Raven showed Wilson a scale model of the alien vessel, the _Planet Explorer._

"This ship is a large, flattened geodesic dome made of carbon nanotube materials," Raven explained. "It's 350 feet in diameter inside, but it can grow larger."

Wilson turned his gaze to the tall, thin alien. "You mean you can add to the ship?"

"It is an intelligent machine, which can plan and grow to change itself," Raven replied. "I'll explain more as we walk through the ship. Let's go."

Wilson was stunned. "Okay," he said.

Raven led Wilson along one of the ship's many halls. The inside of the huge alien vessel reminded Wilson of a modern U.S. Navy vessel.

Raven waved his hand in the air, "Let's look at how the Planet Explorer is built." He pointed to the structure of the hallway. "The interior framework of the ship is made of microscopic carbon nanotubes, which also are part of the ship's computer circuitry," he continued as he slid his hand along the nearby wall. "The ship's computer runs with neural net-based software."

"What's that?" Wilson asked.

"Neural net software operates like a human brain works," said Raven. "This software can learn and make decisions."

"So, it's a big brain?" Wilson asked.

Raven paced forward. "Yes, it's a brain that's part electronic, and part organic," he said. "The computer re-organizes its circuitry as it learns, and it can repair damage to itself."

He and Wilson walked under countless pipes, which ran along the passageway's ceiling.

Raven pointed up. "These pipes, from as large as household water pipes to as small as human capillaries, are the ship's blood vessels," Raven explained. "This ship is a living cyborg computer that can fix itself, if it's damaged. Nano tonic travels through tubes to where repairs need to take place or where new parts are to grow. The ship can even breed new rooms and compartments. In time, it could double or even triple in size."

"How do you start to construct a ship like this?" Wilson asked.

"I'll take you to the egg room," said Raven.

"Does this ship have eggs?"

"Not exactly. You'll see when you get there." Raven led Wilson to a small, locked room. As the thick, steel door closed behind them, Wilson's eyes adjusted to the dim lighting.

"I don't see anything unusual," Wilson said. He peered at numerous rack-mounted computers and their flashing, colored lights.

"That's because you don't know where to look," Raven said. He opened a large trap door, and below it was a pool of clear, thick liquid, similar to corn syrup. What seemed like a flat, dome-shaped ship model floated in the fluid.

"That's a model of this ship, right?" Wilson asked.

"It's a tiny clone of this ship," said Raven. "It's a baby ship. As we speak, it grows, little by little. See those bottles that hang on the wall with tubes that drain into the clear liquid?"

"Yeah."

"They contain raw materials such as molecules of steel, gold, copper, and all the stuff that a ship is made of. The ship is assembled atom-by-atom and molecule-by-molecule."

"How long does it take to grow a ship?"

"Years, but we think we can speed up the process."

"Won't it get too big for this bath pretty soon?"

"Yes," said Raven. "Then it will be born. We'll take it out of this small tub and put it in a vat as big as a large swimming pool. Soon, the fledgling ship will get big enough to fly. We'll continue to feed it, and it'll grow as big as it needs to be."

"How does it start out in this tiny bath?"

"Our mother ship's computers contain general plans for a ship, sort of like each of your cells has DNA and genes with plans for your entire body."

"This is far beyond what we're capable of on Earth."

"Someday, earthlings will do similar things. By the way, many of our machines are born in the same way. Let's see some more of the ship." They left the egg room.

Wilson focused on the details of the ship as he walked. "I've been inside of a live ship, and I didn't even know it," he said.

"The computer can ask crewmembers to put nano fluid on damaged parts when a repair is urgent," Raven explained as the two men entered the computer control room. It was crowded with racks of components that lit thousands of colored status lights. There were so many hues that the room looked like a Christmas tree.

"It's colorful," Wilson said as his eyes took in the scene.

"Crewmembers in computer control can take command of the ship's computer, if they don't like what it has decided to do," Raven revealed.

Next, the two men walked through a passageway that looked like an ordinary hotel hallway until they reached a big double entry. Raven opened one of its doors. The carpeted room inside was lavish. "This is the transfer room," he said.

"What's it for?" Wilson questioned.

"This chamber is where crewmembers get off the ship most of the time. They also return to the ship here," Raven said.

"But in the battle at my hospital you scrambled in through a door," Wilson observed.

"That was an emergency," Raven said. "It was much quicker for us to go through the portal. When we went in that way, several lives including yours were likely saved. The ship had to jump completely into Earth's dimension, too, so we could fire its weapons."

"It's a good thing you have more than one way to get inside if there's a crisis," Wilson commented.

"Normally, travelers use the transfer room to leave the ship. They can jump from here directly into a nearby dimension," said Raven. "This keeps the entire ship out of reach of our enemies."

"How can you send somebody from the ship into an adjacent dimension?" Wilson asked.

Raven walked towards a few flight chairs that were bolted to the floor in the plush transfer room. "People don't dematerialize during a jump," he explained. "Each person's body, clothes, and equipment transfer to the intended dimension while the ship remains away from that place, just on its edge," the skinny alien continued, as he sat in one of the chairs.

"Do you have any special equipment you carry when you go on a mission?" Wilson asked as he, too, sat in a flight chair that had a neck rest and a seat belt.

"Every voyager carries a poncho, really a shield made of a thin material like cellophane," Raven said. "It folds to be as compact as a large handkerchief. When we drape it over ourselves, we can't be seen once it activates, which takes a few seconds. Most, but not all, travelers also carry small TV cameras and microphones pinned to their clothes," Raven said.

"How many dimensions did your scientists find?"

"We have found that there are at least three nearby dimensions, which include Sunev, Earth, and Triod, a third world. Each of the three worlds overlays twin worlds in other dimensions," Raven answered. "Our scientists imagine that there are many dimensions, perhaps an infinite number of them."

"If worlds cover each other, we don't have to travel a long distance in outer space to get from one world to the next," Wilson said.

"That's right. If our ship is in the correct location on our world, we can jump to the same location on another planet in a neighboring dimension," Raven replied. "This ship can fly through air and space to put us in the right spot before we jump into a different dimension."

"That makes sense," Wilson said.

Raven moved to the double door exit of the transfer room. "Let's go see the ship's master control center," he said.

The men reached master control, a big glassed-in area. Raven placed his large, thin hand within a hand-shaped outline on a small screen, and a big glass door unlocked with a metallic click. As the men went in, a lieutenant in uniform stepped forward.

"Lieutenant Tim Landor," said Raven, "This is Dr. Bill Wilson."

"How do you do, sir?" asked Landor. He shook Wilson's hand.

"I'm glad to be alive, thanks to your medicine and kindness," Wilson answered.

The Central Control Room door swung open again, and Lena came in. "Hello," she said.

"Hi," Raven replied. "What's up?"

"I wondered what time you plan to drop the doctor off at the hospital on Earth."

"I've arranged for us to jump there tomorrow morning at eight our time," Raven answered.

"That would be about four in the morning California time because of the dimension gap, right?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Why not wait a bit longer before you send him back?" Lena questioned. "What difference will a few hours make?" Her face glowed.

"What do you think, Bill?" Raven asked.

"I don't see any reason to get there early. Most people I know don't arrive until normal business hours."

Lena glanced at Wilson, and he blushed.

"Lena's right," said Raven. "We could leave for Earth at about three tomorrow afternoon, which would mean you'd get to your office around eleven in the morning."

"Sounds good," said Wilson. "It won't take me long to let my secretary know that I need to change my travel plans."

"Okay," Raven said. "Our lawyer sent me a text message, which says that he's already drafted a short nondisclosure agreement for you to sign." Raven looked happy and smiled warmly. He stood, and then Wilson got up from his chair, too.

Lena said, "When you return to Sunev, Bill, I'll show you around our capital, First City, which surrounds the spaceport." Her cheeks reddened.

Raven smiled and glimpsed back and forth at Lena and Wilson.

"I'd enjoy a tour," Wilson stammered. He didn't know if Lena could tell that he had a frog in his throat. He wondered, _why does she want to delay my departure?_

Raven stood, arched his back, and stretched. "Let's go to the dayroom for some beer and games," he said.

Raven, Lena, Lt. Landor, and Wilson walked to the dayroom, chatting as they went.
Chapter 7 – The Dayroom

After Raven, Lena, and Wilson reached the dayroom, they drank beer and crystal clear Sunevian wine.

As Wilson looked at Lena, he pondered, _Why does she want me to leave a little later for Earth?_

The crewmembers played ping pong, billiards, and darts. They also enjoyed a Sunevian game in which they threw knives at a man-sized cork target. Points were awarded based on where a knife hit the shape of an enemy soldier.

In another alien game, players rolled metal balls on a wavy carpeted surface the size of a small dance floor. The objective was to strike different colored fixed pins. When a ball hit a pin, it sent an impulse to a computer which tallied scores.

"It's like I'm back home at Tony's Tavern in San Ramon," commented Wilson, "except this place is bigger."

"We've been to Earth so many times that we've not only acquired a taste for your foods, but we also like your games," said Raven.

"I'm glad that you enjoy our games and food," Wilson replied. "I could be a lot more homesick."

"Soon, you'll return to your world," said Raven.

Lena set aside her cue stick. "I'll be right back," she said. "Don't skip my turn," she added, as she headed for the ladies' room. Like everybody in the dayroom, she had already consumed a few beers.

Raven sipped frothy brew from a big, clear mug. In a slur he said. "You know, Bill, you're lucky to be alive. A big explosion from a Claymore mine or an improvised explosive device would have destroyed your body. I should tell you that the National Dimensional Travel Agency is part of our military." Raven paused as he tumbled into an easy chair. "And so, I'll give you a tip, but don't tell Lena."

"Okay," Wilson said.

"Lena is a great shot, but in combat she almost never hits an enemy," said Raven. "She's wounded a few clones and cyborgs, but she hasn't killed any. I think she doesn't want to kill anything. That's understandable because she is a gentle woman, even though she's technically a soldier like the rest of us on this ship."

Wilson was silent. He wondered, _why did Raven say that?_ Wilson forced a smile. "She's a sweet lady," he said to fill the gap of silence.

"She's sweet," Raven repeated. "But she sometimes tells little lies. She might even steal a few small things. That doesn't mean much here because everything's free anyway. However, the main thing to remember is that if you ever are in combat again, and she's with you, be mindful that she may not hit the enemy. Her ray fire will scare your enemies. You'll be the person who must shoot to kill."

"I understand," Wilson said. He felt drunk. Lena returned from the ladies' room. Raven picked up his cue stick, teetered to the pool table, and took dead aim at the cue ball. He intended to scatter the balls grouped at the table's center, but due to his drunken state he slipped as he struck the cue ball. It glanced off the rest of the balls, which did not scatter well. Wilson and his companions played three more games of slop pool.

They laughed and had a great time. For a moment Wilson's thoughts returned to what Raven had told him about Lena and how she had reacted in combat.

Maybe Raven just wanted to caution Wilson, but there was something else about the revelations that Wilson couldn't put his finger on. Soon he forgot about the whole thing. He had a good time, got drunker, and enjoyed it.

"Let's dine together, Bill," Lena mumbled in a slurred voice as she winked. Her offer surprised him, so he decided that the alcohol that she had consumed had made her less shy in public.

"I'd enjoy that," he replied.

Out of Lena's sight, Lieutenant Landor grinned at Raven, who returned a smile. Then he winked at Wilson from behind Lena.

She snatched Wilson's hand and led him away from the two men, out the door and along a thick carpet down a hallway to his guest quarters. His cabin and the hallway were so much like a hotel that for an instant Bill thought he was in a deluxe vacation resort. Some sections of the large ship were practical and looked like a battleship while other areas were akin to a holiday cruise ship.

Wilson turned the cabin's doorknob and pulled open the door. He and Lena entered the cabin – a comfortable apartment with a large bathroom, a sitting room, and a big bedroom.

"I'll get some menus from the mess sergeant," Lena said in her rich, Scandinavian-like accent. "They're illustrated so you can see what you'd like," she explained.

"Thanks," Wilson replied.

She gave him a warm hug. "See you soon," she said as she left.

While Lena was away, he had time to take a fresh look at his living quarters. As he scanned his surroundings, it struck him that the ship and the objects around him were earthlike, but seemed to be from another time.

He glanced in the bathroom. The sink was square and had hot and cold taps, and there was a brass framed mirror on the wall. The bathtub was round with a seat on one end, and the showerhead hung from a pipe over the middle of the tub. The shower looked like an emergency shower in a chemistry laboratory.

In the bedroom a big cabinet that snapped onto brackets on the wall served as a closet. Wilson felt as if he had traveled to a foreign country where many of the everyday objects were clunky, heavy, tough, and practical rather than beautiful.

There was a light knock at the door, and he opened it. Lena entered carrying menus.

"Thank you for getting those," he said.

"You're welcome," she answered, her slurred alien accent charming him. She handed him one of the two menus illustrated in vivid color. The pair sat down at a round, light-colored walnut dining table.

"These pictures are great," Wilson said, as he opened his menu. He pointed to an entrée that looked like broccoli, beef, and fried rice with egg rolls on the side. "This looks good," he said.

"I agree," she said. "If you think this is a Chinese dish, you're right. I'll have the same."

"So, you Sunevians like Chinese food, too?"

"I don't know about the rest of the crew, but I do," she replied. "I'll be back in a jiffy with the meals," she said, as she gracefully stood up and left the cabin.

As Wilson watched her leave, he was struck by her beautiful figure, as if he had just seen her for the first time. She was perfect. While she was gone, he daydreamed about dancing with her again.

Before long, she returned to the cabin with a tray of food. His mouth watered.

"Here you are, dear," she said in a rich, soft voice. She took the plates of food from the tray, arranging them on the table. He was amazed by the foreign splendor of the tableware. The plates were square and yellow with brown stripes.

"What's the polite way to eat with these utensils?" Wilson asked. He had used their "silverware" for most of the past week, but no one had educated him about the proper way to eat in this alien world.

"I'll be glad to help you," Lena said. "I've noticed that you handle the utensils well most of the time. Just do as I do," she said.

Sunevians use two eating utensils. One is a stick, almost like a single chopstick. The other, an 'eater,' looks like a modified spoon, but it is a spoon-knife-fork mix.

Lena picked up a stick with one hand and the spoon-knife-fork with her other hand.

"One thing I've noticed is that you don't use the stick at all," she said. "We hold food in place with it while we cut with the eater, like this." She sliced a piece of poultry.

Wilson copied her, pressing a piece of chicken down with the stick and dissecting it with the knife edge of his "eater."

"You did it well, Bill," she said. "That's all I noticed that you did contrary to custom."

"I'm glad I didn't embarrass myself too much," he said as he scooped up some creamy noodles.

"As far as beverages go, make sure you always sip them with the straw," she said. Lena sipped some tea from a plastic cup through a straw.

"What's your life like here?" Wilson asked. He sipped punch which tasted like a tropical fruit.

"I own a small flower shop," she said in a nectar sweet voice. "I'm there, or I travel. I look for new kinds of flowers and herbs."

"How did you get involved in dimension travel?"

"I'm a botanist," she replied. "I met Raven some time ago at my shop. Officials from the agency sent him to meet me because they wanted to begin a new effort to research vegetation on other worlds. Somehow, agency officials had learned of my work, which was to find new plants here on Sunev and classify them. One thing led to another, and I became a partner with The National Dimensional Travel Agency (NDTA). My mission is to study plant life, especially flowers, on different worlds," she said. Her hazel green eyes sparkled.

"You're lucky to get to do your work and travel to other worlds, too," Wilson observed. "You're like one of our astronauts."

"That's true," she said. "Sometimes I don't like the publicity, but I got used to it after a while."

"So, you're famous?"

"Well, sometimes reporters ask us questions about our dimension travels," she admitted.

It was evening, and Wilson was tired. His wound hurt even though it was just about healed, but in spite of this, he was excited. He also wanted to learn as much as he could about his beautiful companion and her fellow aliens.

"How about Richard – how old is he, and how did he get into the agency?" Wilson queried.

"Dr. Raven was born seventy-three years ago."

"He doesn't look older than the early forties," Wilson said.

"Of course, that's the result of the nano medicine we all have access to," she said. "Richard was born the same year that our scientists discovered the 'Elusive Particles,' what Earth scientists call Higgs bosons."

Wilson tasted his poultry and noodles, swallowed, and said, "I recall that a Scottish scientist, Peter Higgs, had proposed that a particle, later called a boson, could exist in huge quantities even in the vacuum of space."

"One time, I visited a huge library at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana," she said. "I read technical articles your scientists wrote about that. As I remember, your physicists theorized that a cloud of invisible bosons floats throughout space. Those researchers wrote that the boson particle might weigh more than an iron atom, but less than a uranium atom."

"I haven't paid much attention to the history of the search for the Higgs boson," said Wilson, "but I remember that some scientists who looked for it proposed that other dimensions like yours exist."

Lena paused and sipped some tea from the straw in her cup. "A few of your scientists guessed that particles fly through the ocean of bosons in space," she said. "Some of these particles get more massive as they hit bosons. Theoretically, just one of the flying particles would eventually gain an infinite mass. To eliminate this problem, scientists proposed that the massive particles had to enter other dimensions."

"It's complicated," Wilson said.

"Yeah, but those scientists were right," Lena said. "Many more than four dimensions exist."

"It's interesting that you've studied our science right on Earth in our libraries."

"Yes, and we've studied your civilizations, too," she added.

Wilson adjusted the napkin in his lap. "To get back to the boson particle, how did your people discover it?"

"I'm not sure how it happened," Lena admitted. "But I know that they took pictures of parallel sets of bosons in the fifth dimension, that of Earth."

Wilson sat straight up. "You mean from your dimension your scientists detected bosons in my dimension?"

"That's what it amounts to. But long before that happened we detected more and more of your world, little by little," she said.

"How did it all begin?"

"By accident a few of our researchers first took pictures with some new experimental gravitron cameras that just happened to detect things on Earth in the fifth dimension," she replied. "Scientists were surprised to see ghostlike images of Earth objects. Of course, at first they didn't realize they were looking into another dimension sensing its gravity and various things there. Our researchers saw scenes on planet Earth, similar but not the same as they would be on Sunev."

"So, that's how your people first detected us?"

"Uh huh," she said. "Eventually, it was apparent to our scientists that some reports of ghosts, haunted houses, and other such phenomena were due to tiny, gravity-induced cracks in the fabric of the universe that let people peek into dimensions next to theirs without special gadgets."

"Interesting," said Wilson. "This story shows what we all know, that a lot of scientific discovery is due to dumb luck." He shook his head.

"After our scientists improved their devices, we saw people on Earth, in strange dress," she said. "Later, researchers modified a microphone so they could listen to sounds on alien Earth. Little by little, investigators learned about your planet. They decoded the major tongues of the worlds in each dimension on either side of Sunev, the languages of Earth and Triod."

"Triod?"

"Triod is a third world, similar to Earth and our planet, Sunev," she said.

He looked into her hazel green eyes as she stared into space. She blinked and squinted while she tried to find the words to describe the third planet.

"Scientists learned that Triod was very rich in natural resources, but was inhabited by primitive natives," she said. "At that point we knew there were at least three parallel worlds."

"Have you visited Triod?" he asked.

"Yes, but I didn't go until after we brought civilization there," she said. "Our people colonized Triod."

"Why?"

"Because that world was almost untouched," she said. "We needed gold to build more fusion machines, and we use it in nano-medicine, too. There are also minerals that are abundant there that we need to make advanced alloys."

"It must have been a big job to colonize an entire planet," Wilson said.

"It's an enormous task," she said. "To cope with that huge job, our researchers developed part humanoid, part robot beings called cyborgs. Nanotechnology and nano medicine enabled scientists to produce cyborgs."

"You mean your researchers developed the cyborgs that attacked us?"

"Yes," she said. "The Sunevian government placed cyborgs on Triod to improve that planet. In a short time they multiplied until there were millions of them. This population explosion was unforeseen by scientists. Some of the cyborgs on Triod revolted, and a long war began, which we still fight."

"Wow," Wilson said in a quiet voice. "Were they slaves?"

"You could say so," she said. "They aren't as humanoid as you and me, even though they are just as smart as we are. At least that's what our leaders have told us over the years. At any rate, the revolution spread, and millions of cyborgs joined the fight for the independence of Triod."

"Do you think this war will end soon?"

"I think not," Lena said. "It's been underway for twenty-five years. Sunev does not want to cede the control of Triod to the cyborgs because large areas of that planet are almost untouched. The cyborgs live on one continent, but the rest of Triod is unexplored. It could continue to be a lucrative colony of Sunev, and could supply gold and other valuable resources to our people for centuries to come."

"Do you have any cyborgs here on Sunev?" Wilson asked.

"There are many cyborgs, here. Some have joined the revolt as have some of our cloned people."

"You have clones here?"

"There are lots of clones," she said. "Nanotechnology and advanced study of the human genome helped make possible the creation of human clones."

"That makes sense," Wilson said. "I have one last question. How could millions of cyborgs multiply in just a few years?"

"Our scientists designed the first cyborgs to mature a year after their creation," she said. "Just as your wound healed fast, nano medicine enables the organic tissues of cyborgs to grow quicker than normal. Robotic factories mass-produced the machine parts of the first cyborgs, and scientists seeded the cyborg brains with memories and experiences. In a year a huge army of them were born, matured, and were smart enough to work."

"Could they mate with each other?"

"Yes, and they also mated with natives on Triod."

Wilson began to nod off. He woke when his chin hit his chest. "Sorry, Lena," he said. "Our conversation is intriguing. I look forward to learn more of your history, but maybe we should resume tomorrow."

"Tomorrow, I'll tell you a few things about Raven you need to know to understand him."

"I'd also like to learn more about you," he said.

"I'll tell you more about me, too," she said. "Hush-hush things. If it's acceptable to you, I'll stop by at 9:15 or so."

"That sounds good," he replied. In a few minutes she left his cabin.
Chapter 8 – The History of Richard Raven

Wilson awoke with a jolt, and at once he remembered that Lena was planning to visit him in a few minutes. It was now nine in the morning, April 11 on Sunev.

He rolled out of bed and walked barefoot to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth with salt and water, the custom on planet Sunev.

There was a knock at his cabin door. He spat rinse water from his mouth, wiped his face with a towel, and rushed to the door. Through the peephole he saw Lena dressed in her vibrant, light green mini-dress. It was the same one she had worn the day he had met her, just before the battle at the hospital.

He swung the door open. "Good morning, Lena," he said. "Come in."

"Good morning, dear," she said while she went through the doorway. As she entered the cabin, he noticed her perfect legs. She wore nylons and black leather sandals and carried a tray with breakfast for two. "I took the liberty to bring you our first meal of the day."

"That's very thoughtful," Wilson said, as Lena set the tray on the round dinner table. She took the dishes from the tray and arranged them on the table.

"It was no trouble." She glanced up at him. "I know the ship must leave at three this afternoon for Earth so you can arrive by 11 a.m. at your hospital office. I thought we could discuss some options for your trip, and we could pick up on our talk from last night."

She poured coffee from a carafe into two mugs.

"I have a vague memory that last night you told me that cyborgs can mate with Triodian natives," he said. He pulled a chair away from the table for Lena, and she sat.

"Lots of cyborgs have married native humanoids from Triod," she said. "They have children who are a mix of the biological parts of cyborgs and human beings."

"How can that happen?" Wilson wondered out loud. He sat down and poured cream into his coffee.

Lena picked up her eating stick and her 'eater' utensil. She lifted some scrambled eggs towards her mouth, but paused to speak. "The biological parts of the cyborgs contain Sunevian DNA, and the natives of Triod have similar DNA. In fact, your earthling DNA is also very close to mine. So, our species are close enough to have children."

Wilson shifted in his chair. "Our two species could have children together?"

"I believe so." She smiled and then ate some eggs.

"Are the cyborg-Triodian offspring okay, or do they have problems?" Wilson asked.

"There have been no more problems other than those that occur on occasion when a Sunevian marries a person from Triod," she said. She picked up her coffee mug and hesitated. "But there's one remarkable fact about the cyborgs. If one of them suffers an injury or dies, technicians can recreate that being. They recover backed up memories from the creature's old brain, or from central computers. Then experts create a new mechanical-biological body and put the cyborg's recovered memories back into his new brain to reincarnate him."

"That's unbelievable," Wilson said. "I have another question. How has the public here reacted to dimension travel?"

Lena sipped her coffee. "More routine dimension travel began after our scientists learned how to visit Triod. The mass media of Sunev publicized the adventures of dimension travelers, and the public came to accept it as routine as space travel."

"What kind of publicity was there?"

"Our citizens still enjoy televised stories and documentaries about D-travel," Lena said. "D-travelers tell wild tales of weird places and humanoid people alien to Sunev."

"So space travel that NASA, the European Space Agency, the Chinese, and others conduct is a good comparison?"

"Space travel is a first-rate analog to dimension travel," she said. "The state controls D-travel, just like your governments control most space travel. When I tell you about how Raven became a D-traveler, you'll see that he, our other travelers, and astronauts have much in common. They are ambitious and focused. I know this because I, too, went through traveler training."

"Raven is as determined as an astronaut?"

"Yes," she said.

"You know a lot about him?"

"He's told me a lot." She set her eating utensils next to her plate. "Even at an early age he wanted to be one of the few chosen travelers. He studied science incessantly to reach his goal."

The candor with which Lena told the story of Richard Raven surprised Wilson. He wondered _, how did she discover details about Raven? Perhaps, on long trips to other dimensions, he had confessed his innermost thoughts to her. Maybe she had been his lover._

"Even today, I see that he is very determined," Wilson said. He sipped some orange juice.

"Yes, and when Richard was a child, he studied so much that he had little fun," Lena said. She frowned. "At age fourteen, he began his university studies, five years ahead of his schoolmates."

"He must have admitted all of this to you," Wilson said.

Lena squirmed in her chair. "He told me too much. So, please don't tell him that I spoke about him, okay?"

"I won't say a word to him about this talk." Then Wilson wondered, _why would she volunteer so much private information? She's only known me for a short time._

"Thank you," she said. "He graduated at age eighteen from college, and two years later he was a doctor of dimensional studies. The National Dimensional Travel Agency accepted him as a cadet at age twenty-two." She paused and looked to the ceiling, like she had held something back.

"What is it that bothers you?"

"I guess I'll tell you more," she said. "On Triod he fell in love with a green-eyed woman of twenty-six years. She never knew he was a traveler because he was forbidden to tell her."

"Why?"

"Back then the agency wanted to make sure that the natives of Triod did not learn that Sunev existed," she said. "Later, the secret got out, and we sent in cyborgs and colonized the planet."

"What about the woman with whom Raven fell in love?"

"She taught him to love and to be more than a knowledge machine," Lena said. "He learned to care for her, but he had to leave one day when his mission ended, which was long before colonization and the ascent of the cyborgs on Triod. He could not explain to her why he had to go. She committed suicide." Lena shook her head, held her hazel green eyes in a squint for a moment, and trembled.

"It's an unhappy story," said Wilson.

After her emotional moment, Lena said, "Richard still looked as though he were twenty-eight because he took nano drugs to maintain his health. At that time doctors gave this mixture only to those persons who were thought to deserve it."

_So, Sunevian doctors once gave nano medicine only to the elite with few exceptions, thought Wilson. Do they still limit its use?_ "Did you ever love Raven?" Wilson heard himself ask.

"I was younger when I first met him and vulnerable. He was a hero, and I looked up to him. I did love him at one time. Though my love died hard, it did end. He's still a friend, though."

"Why do you still go with him on missions?"

"I'm just as excited as he is by exploration," she said. "He gave me a chance I thought I'd never get. NDTA recruited me to be a companion for Richard after his tragic love affair."

"Oh?"

"On Sunev there are many girls like me who serve as companions for powerful men." She squinted again as if she stared at the sun.

A loud hum on the speaker in Wilson's cabin interrupted them. "Attention, please evacuate the ship," Raven's voice boomed from the speaker. "There's a large crowd of protesters on the tarmac. When exiting, move to the top floor of the hangar offices."

"Let's go," Lena said, and she stood. "They must be Alliance demonstrators." She took Wilson's hand, and they went out his cabin door.

"Alliance demonstrators?" he questioned.

"They're probably Sunevian clones and cyborgs who sympathize with the rebels of Triod," she replied.

"So, there's discontent here, too?"

"Yes. We'd better get to the top floor fast," she said, as they rushed into the hallway of the ship. The pair rapidly walked out of the vessel to a staircase on the side of the hangar that contained three stories of offices.

As they began to go up the steps, he whispered to her, "Do most men who have power have a girlfriend as well as a wife?"

She leaned closer to him and said, "Many do. Some have a girlfriend but not a wife. I need to explain how our society generally works. It's unlike yours."

"How?" he asked, as they climbed the steps. Many crewmembers followed, but they were far enough away so that Wilson and Lena could speak privately.

"For one thing, the Great Leader makes the final decisions regarding our society," Lena replied. "He's the heir of the first Great Leader who took office in the Global War. It was like your World War II. The Global War resulted in a planet-wide Sunevian government."

"So, is the Great Leader a dictator?" Wilson asked, slightly winded as they reached the third floor.

"Not according to our laws." She frowned. "Citizens elect him every eight years. He always gets more than ninety-five percent of the votes."

Wilson pushed open a door that led to an outside balcony. Below, hundreds of people and a few cyborgs carried placards and chanted loudly in Sunevian. Two men carried an effigy of the Great Leader, which hung from a pole like a scarecrow with a white wig and beard.

"What are they chanting?" Wilson asked in a strong voice.

"They're yelling, 'Down with the Great Leader,'" she said at full volume. "They're demanding equality for all intelligent beings, fair elections, and peace with the revolutionary government of Triod."

"How did they get into the spaceport?" Wilson asked, speaking loudly into Lena's ear.

"Officials don't have high security here because up to now people haven't dared to demonstrate like this."

The two men with the dummy of the Great Leader placed its tall carrying pole in a trash can and set the likeness of the old man on fire. The crowd screamed in delight.

"You're also a botanist, right?" he yelled.

"Yes, we companions have normal jobs so that if we become injured or are without a patron, we can be useful," she said in a loud voice. "But most women, whether they're wives or cloned females, are dutiful. They're resigned to the situation they're in, grateful that they have a nice place to live."

Crowd members pounded the tarmac in unison with heavy poles on which they had nailed their protest signs.

Wilson was irritated about the state of Sunevian society, and his face flushed. "Making women second class citizens is not right," he roared.

"I'm glad you feel that way," she said loudly. "But in my culture we're expected to please men no matter what."

Police rushed the demonstrators from all sides. The lawmen tackled some protesters and secured their hands with plastic tie-wraps. The rest of the crowd ran away.

"You're my best friend here, Lena."

"You're my friend as well," she said. "You're sort of like me because you remind me of a lone wolf." She gave him a short hug. A fresh breeze tossed her hair. "I think our friendship can only grow stronger," she whispered.

"I'm sure you're right," he said.

"Your Inner One must be telling you this," she said.

"What's the Inner One that you Sunevians sometimes talk about?" he asked.

"It's not a god. It's your sixth sense, your inner self that you must trust to tell you the truth and guide you along the best pathway on life's journey," she said. "We believe that you must have faith in your gut instincts in order to make the best decisions."

"It sounds sort of like an Eastern philosophy," he said. They looked out across the spaceport in silence.

"Will you let me go with you to your office on Earth?" she asked. She was still close enough that he saw details in the hazel-green of her liquid eyes.

"That would be great," he said. "Do you think Raven will agree?"

"I think so. I'll ask," she said, and she winked. "I'll meet you in the transfer room at three."

"If you're allowed to go, you can pose as a staff member from the foreign company I am to visit."

"I'll suggest that thought to Raven," she said.

The loudspeaker on the balcony hummed. "Attention, crew, you may return to the ship as the demonstration is over," said Raven.

"Let's get back in. See you at three," she said.
Chapter 9 – A Secret Sabbatical

"I'm happy to let Lena go with you to Earth, Bill," said Raven. "I had planned to send someone with you in any case. She'll help you find your way back to the ship with the ship finder."

"Thanks," Wilson said. He had met Raven and Lena outside the transfer room for his jump to Metro General Hospital in San Ramon, California.

"I appreciate it, too, Richard," Lena said. "I always like an excuse to visit Earth."

"The pleasure is mine, Lena," Raven said. "Have a good time."

Lena smiled and turned to Wilson. "Here's the equipment we'll carry with us." She opened a storage cabinet.

She took two sets of lapel TV cameras, ship finders, and transfer capes out and helped him put on his equipment. He jammed the ship finder and the folded, ultra-thin transfer cape in his hip pocket.

"Come on," she said as she opened the transfer room door. He followed.

_Raven wants to make sure I return,_ Wilson reasoned.

"You just need to sit down and buckle in," said Lena. "The control room technician will handle our jump."

Wilson sat in a brown leather flight chair, sank into it, and fastened the seatbelt. "I wish I had a chair as comfortable as this in my apartment in San Ramon," he said.

Lena sat and snapped her seatbelt buckle shut. "You'll have to make one more adjustment," she said. "Pull the lever on the side of your chair, and move your seat flat like a bed. In the jump, your body will shift so you'll be standing when we arrive on Earth."

He pulled the lever, and the chair snapped into a recliner position. He felt edgy because this would be the first jump in which he would be conscious.

"Jumps will become routine for you after a couple of times," Lena said.

An operator sat in a glassed-in control room inside the transfer center. "If you are ready, we'll begin the jump to Earth," he said over an intercom.

"Ready," said Lena. She smiled at Bill and eased her chair into a horizontal position.

The intercom spewed static, but it stopped when the operator's voice began the countdown, "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one . . . jump has begun."

Wilson felt a tremor that grew second by second and then lessened. The shaking alarmed him, but Lena had told him what to expect. It was as if he were in a dream. He saw lights spin on a deep black background, and then he thought he floated and spiraled through the darkness of space. As the jump ended, his surroundings glowed bright until he found himself upright next to Lena in the English garden behind Metro General Hospital in San Ramon.

Because of the time gap between dimensions, it was eleven o'clock in the morning on April 11.

"How do you feel?" Lena asked.

"Good now," Wilson said. "During the jump it felt like I was riding a roller coaster through space."

He glanced at the bright green leaves of the garden, which were bathed in warm sunshine. As Lena stepped out of the shade along the stone walkway, her lime green miniskirt glowed in the intense sunlight.

"In jumps it's common to think you're flying," she said. She took a step towards Wilson, held his hand, and squeezed it. He felt good.

"We should check in with my secretary, Mona Parker, before noon. She goes to lunch then."

Lena reached over to his button TV camera and shut it off. "No point in having the ship's crew watching our every move and listening in," she said. "I usually turn on the communicator only in critical situations."

"That seems logical," Wilson said.

Lena's hazel green eyes sparkled. "Okay, Doctor," she said. "Lead the way."

The pair retraced their steps from a week prior to the rear door of the hospital. They arrived at his secretary's room, which was next to his office, not far from the hospital's main entrance.

He opened the area's glass door for Lena. Mona Parker sat behind a walnut desk, which was separated from the rest of the secretarial pool by partitions. As Wilson looked at her with fresh eyes, he was struck by how good looking she was. She wore black rimmed glasses, which went well with her bleached blond hair. Images of her recent thirtieth birthday party flashed unexpectedly through his mind.

"Dr. Wilson, what a surprise!" she said, snapping him out of his reverie. She stood up, came forward, and grinned. "I thought you'd still be at home on a quiet vacation before your trip to Sweden."

"My plans changed. I e-mailed you a message."

"Oh? I didn't see your message."

"Yesterday a major foreign research firm asked me to travel to their plant to look over new genomic research. My trip to Sweden needs to be delayed," Wilson said. "Maybe I hit 'save' instead of 'send.'" He smiled.

"How long before you go on the new trip?" Mona asked. "I need to work the changes after lunch."

"You don't have to worry because the firm arranged my travel. I leave tomorrow," he said. "I'll be back in three months, so delay the Swedes for at least three months, and put off my other two trips."

"I'll get right to it and e-mail everybody about what's happened," Mona said.

"Thanks," he said. "But before you do that, let me introduce you to my new friend, Lena."

"How do you, Lena?" Mona asked. The women shook hands.

"Pleased to meet you," Lena said in her Scandinavian-like accent.

"Likewise," Mona said.

"Lena's from Denmark," said Wilson. "She works for the foreign research firm."

Mona glimpsed at Wilson. "For my e-mail to co-workers can you give me more detail about the new trip?"

"Sorry, I have to be secretive," Wilson said. "I've signed a non-disclosure agreement with the company, which will remain nameless for now. I can't even give you my itinerary. But you can let everyone know that what I'll learn is proprietary and will be secret until the firm gives its okay for me to disclose facts."

"Will the company let you put some of that material in your post-sabbatical report?" Mona asked.

"Yes," Wilson said.

"If you can, please send me new stuff for your report little by little, so it won't be such a big job just before the deadline," she said.

"As soon as I can, I'll send you the details," he said. "I'm lucky to have you."

"Thanks," she said. "I'll take care of everything. Don't worry, Doctor."

"You're the best," Wilson said, and he hugged her.

"Have a good time," Mona said. "See you when you get back."

"Nice to have met you," Lena said.

Mona waved as Wilson and Lena left. They went out of the back entrance of the hospital and slipped into the English garden. Using his mobile phone, Wilson called his mother and some of his friends to let them know he'd be on travel for an extended time doing research.

After Wilson finished making a half dozen calls, Lena turned on her ship finder. Green and red arrow lights on the device led them to the jump point.

"Let's step behind those tall bushes," she said. "Nobody will see us leave back there."

"Okay," he said. "Should we take out the transfer capes?"

"Yes," Lena replied. She opened her purse, took out a cellophane-thin cloak, and draped it over her head like children do when they pretend they are ghosts.

Wilson covered himself with his cape, and Lena signaled the dimension craft with her ship finder. He felt a tremor like he had felt in the jump from the ship to Earth. The light near him dimmed, and then his surroundings turned black. Points of light spun like shooting stars spiraling over the darkness around him.

As Wilson and Lena began their jump to the ship, two lovers came around the hedge to kiss.

"Look!" exclaimed a red-headed nurse. She pointed at two ghost-like figures that shimmered like a mirage and vanished. "Did you see that?"

"Yeah," said a young intern in hospital blue. "I wouldn't admit it to anyone. No one would believe it." Then he kissed the nurse.

Wilson and Lena arrived in the ship's transfer room. They remained in their flight chairs and dozed while the vessel began the two-hour jump to Sunev.

The craft's vibration jolted Wilson awake as it landed in First City. Lena pulled the lever on the side of her chair and moved it into a sitting position. Wilson did the same.

"I'll give you my best tour of First City tomorrow," she said. "You'll be amazed how different our capital is from your cities, just as I was astounded by yours."

"I can't wait," said Wilson. He unbuckled his seatbelt and stood.

Lena got up and gave him a friendly embrace. "Let's go eat," she said.
Chapter 10 – The Map

Lena and Wilson stood in the ship's transfer room after the _Planet Explorer_ landed in First City. It was six o'clock, dinner time on Sunev, so they went to the ship's cafeteria and ate sandwiches.

"I'm going to my cabin to take a bath. Then, if you wish, I'll watch TV with you tonight," she said. "Would it be okay if I were to knock on your door about eight? We can talk about the First City tour I promised you for tomorrow."

"I'd like that," Wilson said.

Lena grasped his hand and led him towards the doorway out of the cafeteria. "First City is our biggest metropolis. You'll see the large government buildings, museums, and the legislative houses that are the planet's center of power."

"I look forward to it."

Lena patted his hand, and her touch felt soft.

He reached into his jacket pocket and found something flat and smooth. He took out the plastic sheet that he had taken from Raven after he had been wounded in the park. Symbols and map-like lines were on the white sheet.

"What do you have?" Lena asked.

"I found it in Raven's pocket when I took his pistol to fight the cyborg in the park."

"It's a map," she said. "Raven must have used it to guide him. May I see it?

"Sure," said Wilson. He handed it to her, and she sat at a table near the cafeteria exit. He sat next to her.

"Raven was supposed to find wild flowers for me in the Sierras," she added. "He called it Gold Country."

She unfolded the map and spread it out on the table. As Wilson peered at the chart, he said, "Yes, it could show Gold Country. There's a range of mountains that runs north and south, and the x marks might indicate areas of interest."

The Sunevian writing on the map was as unreadable to Wilson as Chinese.

"It says the map is a copy that came from one of your museums. It shows the largest gold discoveries in California – Sutter's Mill and the Imperial Mine." She wrinkled her brow as she thought. "The notes on the side of the map refer to other charts that show Cripple Creek, Colorado; the Black Hills of the Dakotas; and the Yukon."

"How do you think he got it?" Wilson asked.

"He took video pictures at a museum on Earth, printed images from the video, and decided to look into the history of these places. He likes geology," she said. "He travels disguised as a tourist."

"He must be fascinated with the California Gold Rush," Wilson said.

"History is an interest for both of us because similar resources and places are found on parallel worlds. But because of the quirks of history and the choices people make, history evolves in different ways on matching planets," she said. "Triod, for example, is far behind both Sunev and Earth."

"What made us fall behind you in nanotechnology and D-travel?"

"Your World War I and II and other conflicts sidetracked scientific and engineering research. Governments classified inventions as top secret. Some of these, if they had been made public, would have inspired more discoveries," she said.

"Did you have world wars?"

"We had a big war about the same time as your World War II, but the quick creation of atomic weapons by our side settled the conflict earlier than yours."

"Which side won in your world, the more democratic one or the one governed by a different system?"

"We can't say a similar alliance won or lost on our planet. We're organized in a different way than you are on Earth," she said. "When you learn more about us, you'll know what I mean."

"Analyzing the similarities and the differences of our two histories is going to be very interesting," Wilson said. "I look forward to it."

"Me too," she replied, "but I have to leave now. I'll see you soon." She took a half step back. "I'll also have some good news for you. I'll tell you at eight."

"See you then," Wilson said, wondering what the news would be.

She smiled and left.

As Wilson walked back to his cabin, he pondered, _was Raven on the trail of gold for personal gain?_ Wilson took a shower, turned on Sunevian TV, and fell asleep.

He had a realistic dream in which Raven was a prospector, a placer miner, panning for gold near Sutter's Mill, where the prized metal was found in the mid-1800's. In his dream Wilson saw Raven dressed in gold miners' clothes. The alien wandered first in a park near the mill and later in the park's present-day museum. There he examined gold items exhibited behind glass. Suddenly, he smashed a display window, and took a handful of gold nuggets.

Raven drew a six-shooter from his holster and fired a warning shot as a museum attendant rushed forward, skidding to a stop like a tennis player. Raven ran away, as acrid gun smoke filled the building. Wilson saw a movement in a dark corner of the museum. Lena emerged from the shadows, and she beckoned him.
Chapter 11 – First City, Sunev's Capital

He splashed water on his face to wake up. There was a knock on his cabin door, and he opened it. Lena stood in the entryway, smiling. Her face was faultless without a hint of makeup and as unmarked as a perfect peach.

"Hi, Bill," she said, captivating him with in her Nordic-like accent.

"Please, come in," Wilson said.

"Thank you. I promised to tell you something new. Let's sit down."

"Okay." He wondered, _what's she up to?_

They sat in easy chairs near his coffee table.

"Do you have any personal items here?"

"Umm, no, except for what's in my pockets and the two sets of Sunevian clothes in the closet." He reached in his pocket and felt his keys. _My key ring flashlight's gone_ , he noticed. One of the aliens must have taken it.

"I reserved an apartment for you in the Sunevian Knight House for three months with an option to renew for longer," she said. She seemed to be amused that Wilson was caught off balance by her unexpected statement.

"It sounds like a classy place."

"You'll like it. It's nice, comfortable, and well furnished."

"Thank you. When do I check in?"

"You're already checked in. Here's your key, room 758," she answered, as she reached in her purse and pulled out a key. When she did so, his flashlight-key ring fell and clattered on the floor. "That's funny. I wonder what that is." She reached down and picked it up.

"It's my flashlight-key ring," said Wilson.

"I wonder how it got in my purse," she said. "It must have fallen in there. You could use it for your new apartment key." She handed Wilson the tiny flashlight on a key ring as well as his new key.

"Thanks," he said. _I wonder if she took it to keep as a memento,_ he thought. _Strange._

"Tomorrow, I'll give you a tour of the city and then I'll show you where the apartment is. Soon, you'll learn our numbering system, and you'll be able to find addresses on your own."

"Thank you," Wilson said.

"Let's celebrate your last night here on the ship," she proposed, "with, of course, the exception of possible future trips."

"How could I say no?" Wilson replied.

"You can't," she said, as she stood and reached in her purse to get her small cube recorder. When she switched it on, a waltz began to play. She set the device on his coffee table.

Then, gently, she grasped his hands and slowly drew him closer to her. He felt her softness against his chest, and they began to dance.

She taught him some more steps, and they danced until midnight. He was extremely tired, and it seemed like he was in an enjoyable dream. A few times he caught himself on the verge of dozing, as they clung to each other.

"I'm tired, too," she said. "Let's call it a night. I'll phone you tomorrow morning." She patted his hand and gave him a short hug.

"You're right," he said. "I look forward to the city tour and moving into the new place."

"I know it'll be fun," she said, moving towards his cabin door.

He opened it, and she left.

Wilson stretched out on his couch and instantly fell asleep. It seemed like only a short time had passed, when the harsh sound of his ringing phone rudely jarred him awake.

He reached for the phone on the end table next to the sofa.

"Hello," he answered and noticed that his cabin lights had automatically turned on some time ago at dawn.

"This is Lena, Bill."

"Hi," he said. "What time is it?"

"Ten a.m.," she replied. "Can I come over now so we can do the tour?"

"Sure."

"Okay, see you in about ten minutes," she said, and they hung up.

He rushed to the bathroom and quickly brushed his teeth, shaved, and put on a fresh set of Sunevian clothes.

When she arrived, she said, "I'm famished. Have you had breakfast yet?"

"No."

"Let's go out to eat," she suggested.

"I could use a cup of coffee," he said. He had a slight headache due to his caffeine addiction. He longed to smell a pot of coffee as it brewed, and taste it mixed with cream, sugar, and vanilla. "Do they have real coffee someplace?" he asked.

"Yes, most people on Sunev drink it," she said. "It's not just the ship's crew and a few select people who like it. Almost everybody on Sunev drinks it every morning. We imported coffee plant clippings and seeds twenty years ago."

"I wondered if I could get along without it," Wilson said.

She took his hand. "Let's go," she said. She pulled his arm close to her side and looked up at him, her liquid eyes sparkling.

They walked out of their mammoth ship that was sitting in its spaceport hangar. Nearby, airplanes were in line on the concrete surface, and spaceships stood on their tails. Bright colors in attractive, geometric designs covered the various craft.

Wilson saw a few large jetliners take off, and then a spaceship blasted off. A beam that looked like a pink Bunsen burner flame shot from the ship's tail while the spacecraft rose into the sky and disappeared within a minute.

"We have rocket liners," Lena said. "They carry passengers just like the jetliners do. The rockets go on tourist flights to our moon and to the nearby planet Athos, which is closer to our sun than is Earth. Also, Athos is nearer to us than your dimension's Venus is to Earth."

The pair stopped and looked at the sky, which was blue and violet at its zenith. A bright star-like object hung low near the horizon. Lena clasped his hand.

"What's that star?" he asked, as he pointed at the object's bright, steady light.

"It's Athos. Pretty, isn't it?" she asked. "It's livable, unlike Venus, which is hot enough at its surface to melt lead. Even so, Athos is very hot, very tropical. It's all jungle and ocean."

"Have you been there?" Wilson asked.

"A few years ago I took a vacation there," she said.

"You're far ahead of us in many ways," Wilson said. "I've never seen an exhaust like that from one of our space vehicles."

"A simple fusion engine creates the pink ray, and that same technology powers our land cars, boats, and airplanes," she said.

They walked through the spaceport, which looked similar to Chicago's O'Hare Airport.

"Furniture, and everything manmade, is a lot sturdier than you find on Earth," he said as he scanned the area.

They went outside where the air was fresh, like it is in the mountains, and the two strolled to a business area. First City, the capital of Sunev, seemed like a terrestrial city, but the Sunevian city was cleaner, at least where Wilson and Lena went.

Instead of grass, moss grew between buildings, and it seemed like a thick carpet. The larger structures looked the same as those on Earth, but bright colors and patterns covered them. The outer walls of some smaller buildings were decorated in attractive designs of splattered paint that looked like modern art on display in a gallery.

"The café is a block and a half away," Lena said, and she reached for Wilson's hand again. "The custom in our land is for the woman to hold her companion's hand if she is with a friend, male or female. Is that okay with you?"

"Yes," he said. He liked the warmth of her hand, and he felt at ease and confident as he strolled with the beautiful alien.

Birds sang strange, lilting songs. Like the buildings, many of the fowl sported gaudy hues of red, blue, gold, and green, and some even had florescent feathers.

The sidewalks and roads were made of a concrete and pebble mix, and the thoroughfares were wide by Earth's standards. Many trees grew along the boulevard where Wilson and Lena walked. Crowds of happy, healthy-looking people in brightly colored clothes wandered to and fro among the buildings and shops of First City. Most of the women wore miniskirts.

Wilson did not see one person who looked to be more than forty years old. He guessed that majority of the people that he saw were much older than they looked because they must have benefited from nano medicine. There were few children. That was proof of what Lena had described earlier – that Sunev had strict birth control laws enacted to prevent a population explosion due to the effects of nano medicine.

The government had been forced to cut the birthrate since few people died except in severe accidents. To have a baby on Sunev was a privilege; therefore, children had few friends of their age. Adults pampered youngsters who received the best education and care. Most of the elite lived in First City, the capital, and had the right to use to nano meds.

"That's the coffee place," Lena said.

"Looks stylish," Wilson commented. Above its door was a multi-colored sign with strange Sunevian letters lit in neon. Wilson still didn't recognize even one letter of the thirty-eight-letter alien alphabet.

The couple passed through saloon-like doors that swung in and out. People filled the café, which was dim like a bar. Leather-covered booths lined the walls, and in the center of the room were small leather love seats, larger couches, and coffee tables. Arcade-style electronic games stood in a cluster.

Patrons also sat around card tables and played board games, and Wilson wondered if they gambled. No one seated him and Lena so she picked a love seat in the corner with a view the entire room. A tall, thin robot came to take their order. He was made of brilliant stainless steel and had green, laser-like eyes.

"I know that you'd like coffee, but for the rest of breakfast, I have some ideas for you," Lena said. "We often eat large bird eggs, and oxen meat strips with chopped white root tuber."

"Sounds similar to a breakfast I sometimes have on Earth, steak and eggs with potatoes," Wilson said. "If that's what you'll have, I'll try it, too," he said.

She placed the order. The robot bowed his head gracefully, but stiffly and walked with a jerky motion to the nearby kitchen. "I told the robotic servant that you're from a distant place on our planet, where they speak another language," she said.

"Do you have many countries?"

She moved close to him, and he felt her warmth. "We have many lands, but one planetary government. It oversees all things and everybody," she said. "Most people speak two languages, their local dialect and Sunevian, the worldwide language."

"Would a waiter, even if he's a mechanical man, think it strange that I don't speak Sunevian?"

"There are some people who don't speak it well," she said. "Since you'll be here from time to time, I could teach you Sunevian. You'll live many years, and there's lots of time for us to work together, if you'd like to do so." Her hazel green eyes gleamed in the shadows of the café.

"I'd like to take lessons from you," Wilson said.

"My name is Leibshena in Sunevian. It means red flower, or Lena."

"Leibshena," Wilson repeated. She taught him a few more words as they waited for breakfast. The robot waiter soon arrived carrying their coffee and food, which included an omelet that had small chunks of vegetables mixed in it. Wilson was hungry, and he ate fast.

"How'd you like it?" she asked.

"Excellent," he said. "It tastes like a Western Omelet."

The pair ate like two lost hikers who hadn't eaten in days. Then they sipped rich coffee flavored with honey and a grain-derived cream.

"What do you think of our planet?"

"My first impression is that life here is very good. This city strikes me as modern, at least in this district. I think the people must enjoy their lives because they don't rush as much as we do in America."

"America?"

"America is another name for the United States," Wilson said.

"Of course," she said. She touched his arm and smiled. They finished their coffee.

"That was a superb breakfast," he said. "It makes me think of country breakfasts during road trips in America's West."

"I'm glad you liked it," she said. "Now, let's tour the city."

As they walked to the front door, Wilson didn't see a cash register.

"Did you forget to pay?" he asked.

"We don't use money," she said, laughing.

"How do they charge you? Is there an electronic system?"

"No, we don't pay because we don't have to."

"Really," Wilson said, as they walked towards a sleek streetcar. The time was about 11:30 a.m.

"Money is just a way to trade labor," she said. "We don't need it because robots and automation do most of the work. We work at what we like for the fun of it."

"Oh," Wilson said.

The sunshine was perfect, warm but not hot, and her blond highlights gleamed when she tossed her light brown hair back and then smoothed it as they walked.

"We haven't used money for at least fifty years because of two changes. As I said, one was the widespread use of robots, which goes back farther than I can recall. The second is energy generation from simple nuclear fusion," she explained.

"Was the move to this non-money economy hard?"

"Yes, but our history books tell us that the shift to a moneyless society was unavoidable. However, the texts don't go into how difficult that change was. They explain that hours of human labor are chunks of each human being's life. In your culture the hours that make up human lives are what money symbolizes. We Sunevians can live much longer, if we avoid accidents or war, and energy is free," she said.

"On Earth money is power," Wilson said. "Wealth gives rich people the authority to dictate change, or to make things stay the same. If they don't spend enough of the huge fortunes they amass, they cause recessions or even great depressions. So, who has the power in your state?"

"The elected officials and judges have power here. So do writers and mass media performers," she said.

"What about the Great Leader? How much power does he have?" Wilson asked.

"We can do what we want as long as we don't harm others or the State," she said. "We elect our officials who have more power than your officials because there are no rich people to dictate the course of economics. We're all rich, but just a few people have the power to make big things happen."

A streetcar stopped. They boarded and sat on a comfortable padded bench seat. Everywhere Wilson looked, he saw that all was deluxe. This society could afford the best. A thought nagged him. _Are these people as free as Lena said? Or, is this a dictatorship? Who controls the robots, the buildings, and the machines that power Sunev? Those persons who command the means of production and physical things on Sunev must be the leaders who are in charge of the planet and its people._

The streetcar moved along its tracks, riding like a heavy, lavish motorcar.

"What's our first destination?" Wilson asked.

"The Museum of the Planet," she said. "It's the third stop. See the museum's huge orange towers? There also are many other museums around here."

Wilson strained to see because the bright sunshine momentarily blinded him as he looked towards the horizon. As his eyes adjusted to the bright, clear light, he realized that the Sunevian air had no smog. Then he saw the museum – an orange and black skyscraper at least 100 stories high.

Wilson and Lena got off the streetcar near the museum entrance where its stone steps led to a doorway that was fifty feet across. On each side of this entry were large, smooth, black granite columns, and the many doors of the entranceway were tall, made of shiny brass-like metal. On the stone platform in front of the doors, guarding both sides of the doorway, were big statues of dinosaur-like creatures.

"What are those animals?" Wilson asked.

"Lizards. They're as large as the statues," she said.

"Where do they live?"

"In the jungle," she said. "They're dangerous. They eat almost any kind of animal, even human beings."

"Are there many of these lizards?"

"They're as common as your bears," she said. "Maybe we can go to the zoo and see one later."

"I'd like to look at those animals some time," he said.

Of course, there was no charge to enter the museum, and they just walked in.

"Let's look at the dimension travel exhibits first," Lena said.

She led Wilson to a slanted, moving sidewalk that took them up to the second floor. The walk and the railings on each side of it reminded Wilson of the people movers at the Las Vegas airport. "This is like what we have," he said.

"We borrowed the concept," she revealed. "Dr. Raven saw one of these mobile sidewalks on his first trip to Earth at San Francisco International Airport. He told our engineers."

"He's visited the San Francisco area before?"

"Yes, over the years, he's returned to California often. He also likes to explore Idaho, and another place called the Little Bighorn, as well as Cripple Creek, Colorado," she said.

"He'd fit right into the Wild West," Wilson said, recalling his recent dream in which Raven stole gold nuggets near Sutter's Mill.

"Wild West?" she uttered, as they stepped off the moving pathway. They were near a small model of the _Planet Explorer_ , the dimension ship that had carried Wilson to Sunev.

"The Wild West refers to a time in the 1800's when pioneers settled the western United States. It was a period of lawlessness," Wilson stated.

"Oh, yes, cowboys and Indians," she said.

"I see a model of the ship." Wilson gestured towards the small replica, which was part of a larger display.

"I can use this to explain how the ship works," she said. She pointed out the vessel's multiple levels, the engine room, galley, living quarters, and the various ray and particle beam weapons. Much of what she pointed out to Wilson was what he had seen in his tour of the ship, but the small model made it easier to picture the craft as a whole.

She was telling him the basics of dimension travel, and Wilson's mind began to wander. As she spoke, he glanced about. _These signs and labels in Sunevian are confusing. I don't think that I'll ever learn their language,_ he worried.

Lena led Wilson to another display, a computer circuit board with gold and black circuitry.

"What's that?" Wilson asked.

"It's part of the ship's brain," she said. "We use nano and gold circuitry. Gold's important because it's a great electrical conductor, and we've learned to make gold wires billionths of a meter wide. The gold's also vital because we use it in our fusion power generators. Cheap, simple fusion power makes our civilization possible."

A man dressed in a gray suit approached them, and Lena greeted him. He turned on a translation box strapped to his left arm and asked her a question in Sunevian. After he spoke, a voice in English emanated from the box, "How was your last trip to Earth, Lena?"

She powered on her translator and spoke in English. "It was routine until an enemy cyborg located Mission Leader Raven and attacked and wounded him. Dr. William Wilson of Earth saved Raven, providing emergency care."

She turned to Wilson. "Bill, this is Jake McDonald from the Daily Globe who often reports on what we do. So, he'll write an article about our last mission."

"I'm pleased to meet you," Wilson said. "I'll be glad to answer your questions."

"Thank you, Dr. Wilson," said McDonald. "How did you meet Raven?"

"I found him wounded on a pathway while I jogged. I took him to a hospital after a cyborg returned to attack Raven again."

"Did you treat Raven?"

"I bandaged him, and saw to it that one of his lungs didn't collapse, but beyond that I didn't treat him. After we arrived at the hospital he sent me to his ship for help. That's when I learned about nano-medicine. While we were returning to the ship, the cyborgs wounded me during a firefight. When I was unconscious, Raven treated me with nano-medicine, and it saved my life."

The reporter turned to Lena. "Dr. Wilson is the first intelligent life form from Earth whom we've transported to Sunev. Why did Raven do this?"

"Wilson saved Raven, and so the right thing to do was to help the earthling. The Great Leader himself agreed that we would permit Dr. Wilson to learn about our world, and perhaps to become a dual citizen."

Wilson thought, _dual citizen? They must like me._

"What do you think of our society, Dr. Wilson?"

"I'm impressed. The people here seem to be well-off and healthy. And your capital city is vibrant, colorful, and beautiful."

"I've seen some maps of Earth's Sierra Mountains and the Sutter's Mill area where people found gold," McDonald said. "I wonder if you've been there."

"I've taken vacations there, and I've seen many museum exhibits as well as old buildings in Gold Country. It looks like other places in California, but it just happens that some lucky people found gold there in the late 1840's."

Lena turned to Wilson and said, "Jake's interested in gold because it's a key metal that we use in fusion engines, dimension ships, and nano-medicine."

As she spoke, a man in the distance ran across the museum display area. Wilson felt a chill and sensed something was wrong, but he turned his attention back to Lena and McDonald.

Lena was looking at some large signs, which included comic book-like sketches that showed how simple fusion works. The display was at chair level near a leather-covered bench.

"This diagram explains why gold is valuable to us Sunevians," McDonald said.

As the trio sat on the bench, blue lines of ray fire shattered the glass that covered the display near their heads. They dove to the floor, and Wilson rolled behind a large granite pillar.

A death ray hit McDonald in the arm. "Ohh!" he screamed, as he pressed his hand on his smoking wound.

Lena scooted behind the pillar near Wilson as more rays flew by. She pulled her pistol from her purse and fired at an attacker who looked much like the first cyborg who had assaulted Wilson in the park on Earth. The foe discharged his weapon, dove, and rolled aside, to Wilson's left. Lena gave Wilson a pen-sized ray gun, and he fired at the enemy but missed.

A second enemy, a big blond man, charged the trio from behind. He grabbed Lena's arms and knocked her pistol to the floor.

Wilson turned back to fire at the cyborg. All turned dark and cold, and Wilson felt as if he was falling through black, chilly water. After he regained consciousness, a museum visitor looked down at him and said something in Sunevian.

Massive pain pounded the back of Wilson's skull, and he tentatively touched his head. It throbbed, and his fingertips were wet with blood. An assailant had clubbed him from behind. Wilson focused his eyes on rapid motion in the distance, and he saw the blond man and the cyborg hustle Lena out of a doorway at the far end of the museum hall.

McDonald was prone nearby. He had grasped his wounded arm, but then he pulled his hand away from his injury, took a vial from a pouch on his belt, and drank an inky liquid. Wilson knew that the reporter would be okay.

The tiny ray gun Lena had given Wilson was on the floor, so he grabbed the weapon and pushed himself up. He almost blacked out when a sharp pain hit him like another blow to the head. He staggered and nearly fell.

Pain hammered his head, and his legs felt like rubber. In spite of his extreme discomfort, he ran after Lena and her captors and then stumbled through the doorway into the fresh outside air. A black car sped away, carrying Lena and her abductors. Three blocks from him it squealed around a corner to the right.

Wilson hailed a taxi. When the driver opened the door, Wilson fell into the back seat, pointed, and grunted. Somehow the driver knew that Wilson wanted to chase the black car.

_Maybe Lena screamed,_ Wilson thought. _The cab driver must've heard her._

Wilson's head was bleeding profusely. The driver jammed the yellow cab's accelerator pedal to the floor, and the vehicle took off like a cheetah after its prey, careening around the corner, following the black car.

"Are you okay, Wilson?" the driver asked through a translation box tucked beneath his upper left shirtsleeve.

"My head hurts like the devil, but I'll make it."

"I'm a policeman. The chief ordered me to keep you out of trouble. If I don't catch those thugs, I'll have to walk a beat."

The undercover cop pushed the fusion-powered taxi faster. Swerves around corners and intense pain in Wilson's head made him feel sick to his stomach, but by will power alone, he managed not to throw up.

The cab sped at ninety-five miles per hour. Wilson was scared someone would pull in front of the taxi, he and the policeman would die, and all the advanced medicine of this place would not help them.

Wilson tried to be calm. "Does this stuff happen often?" he asked.

"We have terrorist action every so often. It's our worst problem," the cop said. "There are a dozen groups on the terrorist list. Are you armed?"

"Yes."

"Good. I called for backup, but they might not catch up in time. By the way, I'm Roberto Yarnell."

Yarnell calmly guided the car as it skidded around another corner. The taxi's wheels squealed, and the smell of burned rubber filled the cab's interior. Yarnell chased the kidnappers into a worn down part of the city where many of the buildings were not much more than rubble, dark and black, charred by fire. Piles of bricks, debris, and twisted steel beams were all around.

"What happened here?"

"Terrorist attack three years ago," Yarnell yelled over the whine of the straining engine. "Get ready to fire."

He caught up with the kidnappers who had slowed their getaway car to steer around debris. The plainclothes cop smashed the yellow cab into the front right fender of the black car, which slid to a halt next to a pile of rubble. The two enemy men fired at the taxi, and a dozen ray rounds hit it.

Yarnell and Wilson dove from the cab, taking cover behind a big concrete slab that once was part of a tall structure.

Ray fire peppered the big chunk of concrete that protected Yarnell and Wilson. The shots scorched the concrete and sent white puffs of rock aerosol into the air. Powdered limestone irritated Wilson's nostrils, and one shot knocked concrete splinters into his left hand. Instantly, blood trickled down his wrist from where the shards had hit the back of his hand.

Wilson lay flat on his stomach. Through a crack in the concrete slab he had a clear shot, so he braced his weapon inside the fracture and fired Lena's tiny pen-like weapon.

The big, blond man, really a cyborg who looked like a normal human, fell. Luckily, Wilson had hit the enemy in one of the few weak places where the plates of his interior armor met. Wilson had been fortunate to hit the cyborg, let alone send a ray into a vulnerable spot because Lena's inaccurate weapon had a very short barrel.

On the other hand, Yarnell was armed with a machine gun pistol that fired bursts of ten ray shots each time he squeezed the trigger. At once, he hit the second abductor with an ineffective burst that ricocheted from the brute's interior body armor.

Lena lay flat on the ground behind the black sedan, pinned down, unable to flee because of the heavy fire.

Though stunned, the second enemy assailant fired a long stream of brutal, blue beams at the slab behind which Wilson hid.

Wilson fired one useless round through the crack in the rock. Rapidly, the enemy rays began to erode the concrete shield, and in a short time they could destroy the massive barrier. Some of the assailant's ray fire penetrated the crack that Wilson had fired through. He lay as flat as he could in a dip in the ground.

Yarnell shot another burst at the cyborg who continued to fire at Wilson. This time Yarnell hit the small sensor hole on the second cyborg's throat, and he died at once.

Yarnell and Wilson then moved toward Lena, who was still prone on the gravel behind the cyborgs' car. Wilson felt jumpy, like he'd had too much coffee, but at the same time he was relieved.

"You okay, Wilson?" Yarnell asked.

"Yes. How about you?"

"Fine," said Yarnell.

Lena peeked around the front of the getaway car. When she saw Wilson, she smiled.

"Thank you," she said, and she stood. Her clothes were ripped. Her left sleeve hung loose, but other than dirt on her clothes and face, she seemed to be in good shape.

"I'm Officer Yarnell, Miss," the policeman said, speaking through his translator box. "It's a good thing that my commander sent me to watch you two."

Lena walked to the men. "I'm glad to be alive." Tears ran down her cheeks.

"If I'd messed this up, I'd be on eternal foot patrol," Yarnell said. He sighed and replaced his weapon in a holster under his right arm.

Wilson looked down and saw his sleeve was damp with blood. His hand had bled more than he realized, and when Lena saw that he was injured, she rushed to him. She grabbed his arm and looked at the cuts on his hand and then at the gash on back of his head.

"You're hurt," she said. She looked up into Wilson's brown eyes. They hugged, and she kissed his lips with her soft mouth. His face felt hot when he blushed, which was a good feeling.

"I'm okay," he said. "I'll just have a headache for a while."

"Take a sip of my nano meds," she said as she handed him a small bottle. "I like you a lot," she whispered in English.

"I like you too," he said. He opened the bottle and sipped black, chalky-tasting liquid.

After the backup squad cars arrived, Yarnell took Wilson and Lena to the police station where they met Commander Neal O'Farrell, a chubby, gray-haired cop with flushed cheeks and a red nose. He seemed like a good man to Wilson.

"Commander O'Farrell," Wilson asked, "why did the cyborgs go after Lena?"

"Because she's famous," he replied. "She's quoted in newspapers and on TV all the time about her other-world travels."

It hadn't dawned on him that Lena was famous.

After the kidnapping, Wilson began to ask himself about Sunev. _Who was the Great Leader? Was this a partial democracy or dictatorship? What did I get myself into?_

Little did Wilson know that he would meet the Great Leader the next day.
Chapter 12 – Award for Bravery

The gun battle that had started in the museum and ended in a destroyed section of the capital, First City, did not escape the attention of the highest level of the Sunevian government.

Wilson was astonished when the Sunevian Ruling Council (SRC) members invited him to appear before them the next day to receive the Medal of Civilian Bravery during a televised event.

The SRC also voted to let Wilson travel to and from Earth when he wished. But they asked him not to talk to earthlings about his "jumps" from one dimension to another. He, like Raven and Lena, would soon become well-known on Sunevian Global Television.

Wilson watched as the Great Leader entered the Parliamentary Chamber. When the Ruling Council members waved at their leader in unison, Wilson noticed that several of them blinked nervously. Still, the Leader seemed to be a gentle old man. He was bald with pure white hair around his temples and a white beard. Yet, two nearby council members even looked fearful and gulped, Wilson noticed.

The crowd began to clap loudly after they stopped their salute. Even through the thunder of the applause, Wilson's conscious tossed a question at him, _Have I traded my freedom for a chance to live a longer life? No. I was out cold when Raven gave me nano-medicine that turned off my biological clock._

Wilson snapped out of his daydream when a graying senior official, the master of ceremonies, spoke into his microphone, "Dr. Wilson, please approach the stage to receive our highest civilian medal of honor." The man's face reddened, and he smiled widely, showing his white teeth.

Wilson walked forward along the middle aisle of the auditorium. As he strode to the stage, the audience clapped, which embarrassed him. On top of that he was ashamed of his thoughts that questioned the basics of Sunevian society.

Wilson climbed the stairs to the stage and began to feel better, even a little elated. After the MC gave Wilson a hand signal to stop, he halted several paces from the Great Leader.

"I hereby commend you, Dr. Wilson of the Earth, for your heroic deeds – first, for the rescue of Dr. Richard Raven on that planet in two battles with our enemies," said the Leader. "Second, we honor you for saving Lena Lavelle here on Sunev. For these actions I award you the highest medal that Sunev can confer on a citizen, the Medal of Civilian Bravery. It is a symbol that shows our gratitude for your extreme courage. We also have voted to make you a citizen of Sunev with the full rights of the Upper Echelon."

With that, the Great Leader stepped towards Wilson, and the old man hung a handsome platinum medal around Wilson's neck. Everyone clapped and cheered.

The Leader turned to the crowd. "It's historic for the first Earth man to travel here. And a good man he is to help us in our time of need," the Leader said. "As you all know, we face a strong rebellion on Triod, and some ungrateful rebels on this planet oppose us as well. Dr. Wilson's bravery has set a great example for our citizens as to how they can defend our way of life. Thank you."

The crowd stood up and cheered.

Wilson was ill at ease. Though he was proud, at the same time he felt something bad could come out of what had happened to him. In the next few days he would find out.
Chapter 13 – The Cyborg War

The kidnapping of Lena Lavelle was one of many violent events that occurred across planet Sunev in the week that Wilson received his medal.

The gun battle that Wilson and Officer Yarnell had waged with the two cyborg terrorists who had grabbed Lena was nothing compared to the full-scale war the cyborg rebels had started against the Sunevian Ruling Council's government in clashes all across the home planet.

State TV's all-news channel showed the brutality the militia used to put down dissent. Rather than scare protesters, this coverage inflamed them. In the week after Lena's abduction and rescue, ordinary Sunevian citizens grew bolder and more rebellious. They criticized the government in public, and television news crews went live to show huge marches in the capital.

One of the first times Wilson saw proof of the seriousness of the revolt was on April 20 when he relaxed in his hotel suite. He drank white wine with Lena while the two watched the news. The picture switched to a live view of a large structure with flames licking up from its roof.

Lena stood up. "That's the Parliament Building where you received the award. I hope they're not in session."

She used the remote control to turn up the sound. Earlier, she had turned on the TV's translator so that Wilson could read the news in English subtitles. It was another way for him to learn more of her language.

English words appeared on the screen – "revolt," "rebel army," and "full-scale battle" – as he watched live and recorded protests and skirmishes. "This could boil over pretty soon," he said, as he glanced at Lena who looked intently at the TV screen, which showed the Parliament Building, now totally engulfed in flames.

"As many as 200 Sunevian representatives are dead after an attack by terrorists from Triod and Sunev," said a newscaster.

"I didn't think we'd have to fight the first inter-dimensional war," Lena said. She slouched in her easy chair.

"What's next?" Wilson pondered.

"I'm sure the Ruling Council will send our ship into the fight."

"Do you think they'll really need to send the _Planet Explorer_ into combat when they have lots of soldiers?" Wilson asked.

"Yes," she replied, "because we're with the National Dimensional Travel Agency, which is part of our military."

"Things have gone from bad to worse," he said.

Lena's mobile phone rang. "Yes. He's with me. Uh huh, we'll be there right away, sir." She pushed the phone's end button.

"Who was that?" Wilson asked.

"Raven. He wants us to leave for the ship now," she said. "We're to go into battle."

"Why us?"

"I've trained with many types of weapons, and you're welcome to join us because we can always use a physician, according to Raven," she replied.

"Is the stuff we need aboard?"

"There are battle kits, medical kits, and our military uniforms," she said. "Now that the NDTA has been activated, we'll be operating like other branches of the military."

They got up, left the apartment, and went outside. Lena hailed a taxi, and they arrived at the spaceport hangar in six minutes.

Wilson had seen movies of naval vessels from the 1950's, and the Sunevian dimension ship looked to be from that era. It was big, strong, and was covered by riveted sheets of thick metal plating. Within the craft the light was dim, like an omen of a storm on the way.

Raven walked through Wilson's open cabin doorway.

"We'll cloak between dimensions," Raven said. "The high command has ordered us to attack." He smiled.

_He enjoys a fight,_ Wilson thought. _Does the human affinity for war seep through all dimensions, however many there might be?_ "Now I'll learn about war firsthand," Wilson said.

"Trust your Inner One, and all will be well," Raven said. "It's good you're with us, Bill."

"I'm glad to help," Wilson said. He owed these people almost eternal life, though he had doubts about their politics. "Is there anything special you want me to do?"

"You're a great shot, but most of all we can really use a doctor." Raven shifted his weight from his left to his right foot. He leaned toward Wilson.

"Okay, I'll be your ship's physician." Wilson said. _It's like I'm on automatic,_ Wilson thought.

"I appoint you a colonel in the Sunevian army," Raven said. "Be ready to tend to the wounded and to fight if necessary. Check out a ray rifle and pistol from the armory, Colonel Wilson," Raven said.

"Yes, sir," Wilson answered, surprising himself with his formal response.

"We're going on a mission at once," said Raven.
Chapter 14 – On to Battle

Wilson went to the ship's armory. There he saw Jake Trundell, an overweight armorer, at the window where he issued weapons to crewmembers.

"Hello, Doc," Trundell said. "I heard you're now a bird colonel."

"I didn't expect it," Wilson said, as he came up to the window.

"Congrats, Doc," said the 250-pound man who was built like a Chicago Bears tackle. "Come in and look at our toys. I'll give you your choice."

"Thanks, Jake."

Wilson followed Trundell into the armory.

"Take a look at this baby," Trundell said, and he handed Wilson a new ray rifle.

"It's fine-looking," Wilson said as he hefted it. "It's lightweight, too."

"It's yours, if you want it."

"I appreciate it," Wilson said. He kept the weapon.

Next, the armorer showed Wilson a silver vest that reflected light like a mirror. "I wouldn't wear it," said Jake. "The enemy would spot you a mile away, maybe more. The brass says that this vest can reflect some ray shots." He laughed, shook his head, and tossed the vest into a cardboard box.

"I'll pass on the vest," Wilson said. He slapped Jake on the back.

"There's Lena," said Jake. Through his service window, he watched as she approached.

"Hi, Jake," said Lena. "Will you let me in, too?"

"Sure." He opened the door, and Lena came in.

"So, you don't like the new, shiny vest either, do you, Bill?" Lena asked. Wilson frowned as he glanced at the vest in the cardboard box.

"He took my hint, and left it behind," said Jake, who laughed. "You can get a new rifle and pistol, too, Lena."

"Thanks, Jake," she said. Wilson chose a new ray pistol while Lena picked her weapons. Jake put the arms they had selected on hooks he had labeled with their names.

When Wilson and Lena were done, they thanked Jake, walked to the dayroom, and sat on a couch near the pool table. The ship had taken off, and now it soared above First City.

"It won't be long now. We'll be out there in the battlefield maybe firing our weapons," said Lena.

"Yeah," Wilson said. "We might as well try to relax and play a few games." Soldiers were playing billiards, cards, and darts to pass the time.

Lena put her head against Wilson's shoulder. "We're only a few minutes from the Parliament Building," she said.

He gave her a small but firm hug. She closed her eyes and dozed even though billiard balls crashed against one another just a few feet away. His eyelids were heavy, and he slipped into sleep.

Three loud bells rang. Lena and Wilson awoke, startled.

"We must go to battle stations," she said. "I'll show you where we are to report. Stay with me. We're a team. Raven gave me an order to that effect. You're too new to jump right in." Her eyes flickered, and her cheeks flushed.

"Okay," Wilson said.

After they returned to the armory to get their new weapons, Wilson and Lena walked to a staging area. Platoons were in line, ready to get off the ship and fight.

Raven stood, and everyone looked at him. "We will soon be engaged in a battle near the Parliament Building," he said. He paused. "Intelligence reports that the enemy has retreated three kilometers, but still be on the alert when we disembark."

He likes battle, Wilson guessed.

Raven scanned the fighters around him and spoke again. "Our enemies are elements of the Triodian Cyborg First Army and Sunevian Clone Brigade."

"Let's get out there, pursue, attack, and defeat them," Raven said. He waved his troops towards the door that led outside.

Wilson walked with Lena, and then they jogged through the portal onto the sidewalk near the Parliament Building.

"Take cover!" Raven yelled, who caught the glint of steel reflecting from behind a large piece of concrete rubble.

As Wilson and Lena scrambled to hide behind a small mound, sunlight blinded him. When his eyes adjusted to the glare, he saw ray shots fly at him and linger in the air like blue fireworks. The enemy's surprise attack devastated Raven's troops.

Triodian soldiers and their clone allies had concealed themselves behind park benches, rocks, building corners, and in ditches. Several of Raven's men fell lifeless after being hit by exploding bullets. Those projectiles blew up when they hit people, reducing their bodies to bits of flesh, bone, and blood.

The nearest victim to Wilson was a private who was still alive after two ray shots had struck him. One had nicked his left shoulder, and the other ray had gone through his stomach.

Wilson dove to the ground and rolled toward the wounded private. After unscrewing the cap of one of the two dozen bottles of nano medicine that he carried in his fanny pack, Wilson poured medication in each of the private's wounds. The injured man opened his eyes to form slits. He was flat on his back, and Wilson propped the young man's head up so he could sip inky, black nano medicine.

Two soldiers put the wounded man on a stretcher and carried him to the ship.

Lena squatted next to Wilson and fired several shots at enemy soldiers. "I'll cover you while you tend the wounded."

"Thanks," Wilson said. "Let's go to that sergeant collapsed by the big tree." A ray shot had cut through his brain. Wilson supposed the man was either dead or almost dead. _His memories are gone, even if his body can be fixed,_ Wilson thought.

He and Lena ran ten yards and took cover behind a large mound near the tree where the sergeant with the head wound had collapsed. As Lena laid down rapid fire, Wilson crawled to the unconscious sergeant and pulled him behind the safety of the small hill.

Lena didn't hit anyone, but the enemy moved back, and their firing slowed. Only a few ray shots hit nearby, so Wilson figured the rebels were on the retreat. He began to help the sergeant.

"Is this all for nothing?" Wilson asked himself out loud.

"Even if he's technically dead now, he'll survive," Lena replied. "A lot of his brain is gone, and many of his memories are lost, but his gray matter will quickly regrow."

"So, if he survives, won't he lose many of his abilities?" Wilson asked.

"He'll need to re-learn, just as a stroke victim needs to reestablish his skills," Lena answered.

"But this man has one more advantage. All of the soldiers on our ship have recorded their memories on computer cubes as part of an experiment. So, doctors just might be able to restore his memory."

"Then nano medicine won't be wasted on him," Wilson said. He poured more into the entry wound on the sergeant's forehead. Wilson wrapped a bandage over the hole in the man's skull, and Lena signaled the stretcher bearers to come.

As two soldiers put the sergeant onto the stretcher, Wilson realized that enemy fire had almost stopped. Sunevian soldiers had moved up between the Parliament Building on the right and a large apartment complex on the left.

"Let's go back to the ship," Lena hurriedly said. "I don't see any more wounded. We should check on patients in the emergency ward."

"All right," Wilson said. He wondered, _why not stay outside in case more soldiers are wounded? But I did promise Lena to stick with her._ "I don't understand why the rebels pulled back," he said. "It seemed like they were in a good spot to hit us again."

Wilson and Lena were soon inside the emergency ward. After he had helped a few of the wounded, he stepped out of the ward into the dayroom and glanced at the big screen TV that showed the battle outside the ship.

Abruptly, there was an orange-blue flash on the screen, and the ship shook. The TV picture showed smoke blow away from where the explosion had occurred. A scene of total destruction revealed itself.

One wall of the Parliament Building had fallen towards the apartment complex on the left, and the ruins spewed smoke. Wilson did not see many Sunevian soldiers. Most of them were either buried under rubble or blown to bits.

"Get over here now, Lena!" Wilson yelled. She came out of the emergency ward and looked up at the picture of obliteration on the screen.

"We need to go out there," she said. She grabbed a bag of medical supplies and tossed another to Wilson.

"The cyborgs retreated, drew our soldiers into a trap, and set off the blast," Wilson said, as he ran through the ship's doorway with Lena. "They had to have planned this long ago in order to plant such a huge bomb."

"They must have jumped from a cloaked Triodian ship to the exact coordinates of hiding spots here on Sunev," Lena said. "And now they've probably fallen back to their ship and fled. I bet they used small fusion bombs. I didn't think that they had them yet."

A lot of dust was still in the air, and black smoke streamed up from the apartment building ruins. The dark fumes smelled like a garbage fire.

Big, orange flames sprouted from the debris and licked the sky. They were sharp like big dragon's teeth. Dark, thick smoke belched from what looked like a giant monster. Wilson felt heat from the fire as he and Lena moved forward, scrambling over bricks and wreckage as they went to where the soldiers had been.

Cutting edge medicine could not save most of the Sunevian troops because they had been blown to bits. The enemy knew that if fighters were wounded by ray fire, they would recover after nano medicine treatment. The sure way to kill soldiers was to blow them into fragments, and even if the dead troops were cloned, the reincarnated warriors would take years to mature.

Wilson saw a few unwounded soldiers and Raven behind a sound wall. As Wilson and Lena stumbled across the rubble, he wondered what type of small fusion explosive would cause such immense damage.

"Raven, you okay?" Wilson yelled.

"What's left of us –– we're fine, just dirty from dust and smoke," Raven said.

"It's lucky that Lena and I went back into the ship," Wilson muttered.

"It was a small fusion bomb," said Raven. "I didn't know they had them. The rebels must have stolen them from us because Intelligence thought that the enemy didn't know how to make them."

"We need to dig to look for survivors," Lena said.

Raven requested rescue teams and dogs trained to find the wounded and dead. Searchers combed through the wreckage for hours, but they found no one alive. More than 350 soldiers died in the explosion and building collapse. Nothing remained of them except globs of bloody mush. Of the soldiers who had stayed outside the ship, just Raven and the three men with him still lived.

"I've been told the few of us who are left have already been assigned to a new warship, _The Ghost Liner_ ," said Raven. "I've been put in command of that ship, and my orders are to train a new crew. From now on we'll conduct our business in the military manner."

"They chose you because they need someone with experience to help make the fleet battle ready," said Lena.

"We'll fly back to the hangar, and inspect The Ghost Liner," said Raven. "She's already parked there. I'm thinking that I'm going to take the ship to the vicinity of Earth and away from the war so as to train the crew in a safe region. At the same time, we could look for some materials we'll need in the war effort."

"Raw materials?" asked Wilson.

"A few of us may prospect for gold, which we need to make micro circuits for our ships and other machines," Raven replied.

As Wilson, Raven, and Lena conversed, news crews were already broadcasting live from the battle site. According to those TV reports, parliament guards on the far side of the building did not get hurt. The apartment complex manager guessed that about nine people had been in their apartments when the building fell, and they probably died. The rest of the residents were at work, on vacation, or shopping.

Television cameras captured images of Raven, a few soldiers, Wilson, and Lena plodding dejectedly back to their old ship. They left for the hangar at once.
Chapter 15 – All About Lena, Number 214723

It was the evening of April 30. After the defeat at the Parliament Building, Wilson and Lena sat on the couch in his cabin in a ship new to them, _The Ghost Liner_. It had twice as many ray cannons as the old ship, and it could jump dimensions faster. It smelled like a new car.

Planet TV News was on because Wilson was trying to pick up more of the Sunevian tongue. He had attempted to learn to speak Sunevian with Lena, but it was hard for him because couldn't concentrate. He constantly thought about the mini-fusion bomb explosions at the Parliament Building that had ended the lives of more than 350 soldiers who had thought they would never die.

"We were lucky to be inside when the blasts went off," Wilson said. "I'm glad you said we needed to treat the wounded in the ship."

"I had a hunch," she said. "If I listen to my Inner One, it works to my advantage."

"That's for sure."

She leaned against him, and he felt his heart begin to beat faster. His throat constricted as he put his arms around her shoulders. She turned to him and smiled.

The battle had made them realize that they had to enjoy life as much as they could before they might die. Death could hit them from out of nowhere. This was something they both knew so well that they didn't need to say it.

"You're good to be with," she said.

He kissed behind her ear. Hidden under her hair, he saw tattooed Sunevian digits, 214723. He had recently learned the aliens' ten numerals along with some of their words. "What are these numbers?"

"I have to confess something," she said. "I'm a clone."

"So, you didn't have parents?"

"No, I didn't. From birth until we graduate from high school, we clones live together in hostels. When I was younger, just like the rest of the child clones, I wore a small placard with my number on it. It hung on a lanyard from my neck. That way the Head Mother could tell us apart."

"There are more women who look like you?"

"Many. I'm one of the ideal companion models. Scientists designed us to be desirable," she said. "I wondered how I would tell you. Now I don't have to think about it."

Wilson felt sorry for her. She had to admit an awkward fact at a time she did not choose. That she was a clone did not change his feelings for her, but he wondered, _Did the aliens provide her for me just because she was conveniently nearby?_ "Even if you're a clone, you're somebody," Wilson said. "Every person learns different things and has unique experiences. You are your own person."

"I'm glad you understand," Lena said. "It's true that you may meet other women who are carbon copies of me. But each of us is one of a kind because our minds are dissimilar."

"Could someone in charge force you to be with a certain man?"

"Yes, but it did not happen to me because I became a scientist. The clone managers let me decide for myself. I have yet to decide which man will be my companion. In our society, matters of love can be complex as must also be the case in your culture," she said, and she touched his left shoulder with her fingertips. "The leaders didn't send me here to seduce you."

_She read my mind,_ Wilson thought. "Just because you're a clone doesn't change our friendship," he said. He hugged her. As he felt her softness next to him, his mind wandered. _What other kinds of clones are there on Sunev? Do they get nano drugs to extend their lives? Are they a lower caste? Are they expendable?_

Wilson and Lena clung to each other and napped in the cool cabin. After an hour on the couch, he woke, and she stirred.

"I want to sleep here all night," she said.

"Okay," he said. "I'll sleep on the couch. You can have the bedroom. We'll both be relaxed when we leave for Earth tomorrow." Questions popped up in his mind. _While the rest of the crew trains, where is Raven going to find gold on Earth?_

After she closed the bedroom door, he lay down and thought of the good Earth that he would return to in the morning.

Maybe I'll stay on Earth, and keep her with me to live in peace.
Chapter 16– Gold Hunt on Earth

Raven had decided to make a quick trip to Earth in early May to train the fresh crew of his new ship, _The Ghost Liner_. The voyage was also to be a rest-and-recreation journey for the few survivors of his old vessel's original crew. True, Sunev was at war with rival planet Triod, but even in war there is need for recovery, physical and mental.

The new crew flew _The Ghost Liner_ from the capital, First City, to a place on planet Sunev that matches the geographic location of California on Earth.

Raven, Lena, Wilson, and Raven's buddy, Roberto Yarnell, planned to visit Gold Country, not far from Sacramento, California. Yarnell, a gung ho police officer who had posed as a taxi driver and chased Lena's kidnappers, also was one of Raven's oldest friends. Yarnell had joined the new crew at Raven's request.

It was May 3. After the crew had conducted training drills for a few days in the ship, which was still on Sunev, Raven called Wilson to the control deck just before the vessel was about to begin its jump to Earth.

After Wilson walked onto the deck, Raven said, "Above all, the new crew has to quickly learn how to work as a team. This will be their first big jump to another planet."

"Will they be ready for battle when we return, even if their training is being cut short?" Wilson asked.

"I hope so. They must be prepared. If not, they could endanger the ship," Raven said. "We don't have many ships, and neither does Triod."

"So, there's no chance Triod would invade Sunev?"

"There's no risk of a big invasion," said Raven. "But there's a slim possibility that the cyborgs could drop mini-fusion bombs on our cities, if they've learned how to build them. We don't know if they stole, bought, or made the explosives that they set off at the Parliament Building."

"That makes me wonder if our next objective should be to bomb Triod's capital before they bomb First City," said Wilson.

"What I'm about to tell you is top secret, so don't repeat it," Raven said.

"You have my word."

"Both sides have fusion weapon detectors which can find large bombs even if they are shielded. Smaller, mini-fusion bombs are harder to detect," Raven said. "So, we would spot a big bomb before they could set it off."

"But how can you stop them from detonating one even if you can locate it?"

"We can disarm the big bombs from a distance," Raven said. His mention of an ability to defuse a nuclear weapon by remote control seized Wilson's interest.

"How many dimension ships does Triod have?" Wilson asked.

"We think that they have three. Just like our ships, their vessels can't carry enough undetectable bombs to win a war. And our ships only have a capacity of just a few hundred soldiers. Because ships won't make much difference right now in the war, we have time to go to Earth to train the crew."

"I look forward to showing Lena Northern California," Wilson said. He also hoped to see relatives and friends and introduce them to Lena.

"I can't wait to tour California's Gold Country again," Raven added. He winked and began to set switches and touch screen controls.

Wilson reached in his hip pocket. "That reminds me. Here's a plastic map of Gold Country I found when you were wounded. It's yours." He handed it to Raven.

"Thanks. I thought I had lost it during our battle with the cyborg. I've already printed another one. How'd you find it?"

"When you asked me to take the ray pistol from your pocket, I also grabbed the map. It was with the weapon. In my rush, I stuffed the map in my pocket.

"How did you guess what the map shows?" Raven asked.

"Lena saw it, and she told me she thought that it was of Gold Country. Where did the map come from?"

Raven smiled and picked up a cheap looking digital camera near the ship's control panel. He handed the camera to Wilson.

"I was in a museum in Gold Country the last time I was on Earth. I shot a picture of a map that had been scratched on a piece of leather in the 1800's. I made a copy so I could study it for my next California visit."

Raven turned on the ship's intercom and said, "All hands, we jump in two minutes. If you haven't already strapped in, please do so."

Raven and Wilson sat in flight chairs and fastened their seatbelts. Wilson gripped his chair's arms, Raven initiated the jump, and the ship began to vibrate.

"What do you plan to see in Gold Country?" Wilson asked.

"Sutter's Mill. I'd also like to spend a day or two at the Imperial Mine, which is now a tourist destination. After you touch base with your friends and family, you, Lena, Roberto, and I will go to Gold Country together."

"Should be fun," Wilson said, and he dozed off. He awoke when the ship's mild shuddering stopped after it had passed through the last of the dimension barrier. The crewmembers unsnapped their seatbelts while the ship slowly neared the edge of Earth's realm during the final minutes of the jump.

"This trip will be fun," Wilson said as he stood next to his flight chair. He hadn't been to Gold Country in four years. He noticed movement in his side vision, so he turned and saw police officer Roberto Yarnell approach. In the last few days, Wilson hadn't had a chance to talk with him.

"It's good to have you as a comrade-in-arms again, Dr. Wilson," Yarnell said. The two shook hands. "I'll never forget the battle we had against Lena's kidnappers."

"Neither will I," Wilson said.

"Officer Yarnell is second in command, just under me," said Raven. "I'll announce his promotion to the crew in a short time. Until then, please don't tell anyone."

Wilson was surprised that Raven had not mentioned this to him before. "I'm glad to have such a skilled officer working with us," Wilson said.

"Roberto likes to hunt for gold with me," said Raven. "Our hobby has proved helpful to Sunev because we've delivered enough gold to the government for use in fusion generators to make a difference in the war effort."

"When we find gold on one planet in a certain place, we often find similar deposits at the same coordinates on its twin planets in other dimensions," said Yarnell.

_I knew that planets which overlap in different dimensions are about the same, but I had no idea they'd match in detail,_ Wilson thought. "When you go to Earth, will you check places where people have already found gold?" he asked.

"Yes," said Raven. "For example, we can learn where prospectors found California gold that was easy to locate. Then we can use that information to find gold on Triod. People have not explored that planet very much."

"Now I know why you've traveled to Gold Country a lot," Wilson said.

Raven and Yarnell smiled.

The Ghost Liner vibrated very slightly, then eased to a stop on the edge of Earth's dimension, and Wilson relaxed. Lena walked up to him and gave him a hug. "I can tell you're happy," she said.

"I can't wait to see my friends and family," he replied. "I'm glad that you'll be coming along."

"She'll fit in very well," said Raven. "She knows how to handle herself on Earth because she's been here many times with me."

Raven, Yarnell, Lena, and Wilson entered _The Ghost Liner'_ s transfer room so they could "jump" unnoticed to a spot near Sutter's Mill. The rest of ship's crew stayed inside the cloaked vessel, invisible from the edge of Earth's dimension, where they were to conduct practice drills to prepare for combat.

Each of the four travelers carried $2,000 in cash and had access to $200,000 each held in the Jamaican National Bank of the People. Sunevian research teams on Earth had invested funds from gold in stocks and bonds, which financed their operations worldwide.

Wilson planned to phone friends and relatives to say he was back in California, but now in Gold Country.

The four sat in their transfer flight seats, and Raven commanded the jump technician to initiate their short trip from the ship to Earth. Raven had planned the jump so that he and his three shipmates would arrive within a large crowd of tourists. He knew there would be a reenactment of the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill when they arrived in California.

Raven liked to send travelers into big crowds because to people in the throng, it would appear that the voyagers had stepped around them from behind or from one side or the other. As the explorers transferred to Earth, their seatbelts unsnapped at the right moment. Each traveler took a pace or two like they would step from a moving escalator onto a floor.

When they stepped from just outside of a dimension and into it, they sometimes had minor collisions with people. Therefore, the explorers marched out in slow motion. If they did bump someone, they would say, "Excuse me," and smile.

When Wilson and Lena popped into sight near a few tourists close to Sutter's Mill, Wilson suddenly remembered details of a recent dream. In it he had dreamt that Raven had snatched some gold nuggets from a display and fired an old time pistol into the air. Wilson's memory of the dream vanished when he saw tourists looking at leather goods that a craftsman had on display.

Lena and Wilson held hands and strolled. He glanced to his left just as Raven and Yarnell arrived unseen by the crowd near some men on horses. The horsemen amused onlookers who were so absorbed in the reenactment that they never saw the two dimension travelers appear.

The two riders were dressed as cowboys and sported six-shooters in ornate leather and silver holsters. The men also had rifles holstered on their saddles.

The four travelers had reached Auburn at a perfect time to soak in Gold Rush history. Wilson read a caption on a display that said, "James Marshall discovered gold in the American River, helping to spark the human stampede to California called the Gold Rush. Not long after Marshall's discovery, Claude Chana was panning for gold in the Auburn River on May 16, 1848, and found the heavy yellow metal, which excited men enough to catch 'gold fever.'"

As Lena and Wilson were about to enter a small building, the Gold Rush Display House, he saw Raven and Yarnell go into the bigger Gold Nugget Display Museum.

Wilson said, "I don't remember that museum. They must have built it a year or two ago." Wilson squinted to look through its wide entry. The exhibition housed some of the largest nuggets prospectors had found in California. Armed guards moved among the displays, which were wired with alarms.

"It looks like Raven's got some more data about where to look for gold on planet Triod," Lena said.

"Where will they find big nuggets in California Gold Country, if most of the easy pickings are gone?" Wilson asked. "Maybe they found a big nugget on Triod, and its twin hasn't been found on Earth. They must have a place in mind with a big payoff."

"Maybe," Lena said.

While Raven and Yarnell were in the museum, they looked at a large gold nugget. Raven took a picture of the display, which included a map that showed the place where a lucky prospector had found the big chunk of gold.
Chapter 17 – Lena Meets Bill's Friends

Lena and Wilson left Sutter's Mill Park in a lavish Electric Lance automobile, which they rented at an agency two blocks from the park.

Just before they drove away, Wilson phoned his secretary, Mona Parker, at Metro General Hospital to tell her that he would arrive late that afternoon for a short visit home and then would soon return to Scandinavia to do more proprietary research.

_It's a white lie,_ he rationalized. _After all, I've learned a few things about nano meds when I was on Sunev, and I'm sure I'll learn more when I go back._

Wilson also told Mona that he would bring his new friend, Lena, with him.

As Wilson drove from Gold Country to the Bay Area, he stopped often so Lena could look in small shops. She was happy away from the war, and Wilson was elated as they neared the East Bay and his hospital in San Ramon. The weather was dry, cool, and clear. Wilson's world, despite its flaws, felt friendlier than planet, Sunev.

In a few hours Wilson and Lena arrived at the hospital where they had battled the cyborgs in April. Though it had only been a month since that fight, Wilson felt like he had stepped back in time to enjoy the Earth. He had to remind himself that he had not awakened from a dream.

Wilson parked his rental car in his reserved space, and he walked with Lena to his secretary's cubicle near the hospital's front door. Because he hadn't seen her in a while, he looked at his secretary like he had seen her for the first time. Mona was blond, with an hour-glass figure, thin and fit.

She looked up from her desktop computer. "Dr. Wilson, it's so good to see that you've returned from overseas," she said.

"I had a trip that amazed me," Wilson said. "I'll tell you more about it later, but I'm sure you remember Lena Lavelle."

Mona took off her black-rimmed glasses, got up from her desk chair, and went to Lena. The two women embraced.

"I'm glad to see you again," said Lena.

"The pleasure is mine," said Mona. "As I recall, you said you were from Europe?"

"I've spent a lot of time in Scandinavia," Lena replied. "I'm a United Nations citizen of the world," she added.

Lena and Wilson had come up with the U.N. citizenship cover story. Experts had forged her papers before _The Ghost Liner_ had departed Sunev. There were about ten million U.N. citizens, enough of them that Lena could be inconspicuous.

"You're a world traveler, then?" asked Mona.

"Yes."

"We should have coffee in the cafeteria while Bill deals with the messages and paperwork he needs to take care of before he touches base with his co-workers," Mona said.

She handed Wilson a fistful of telephone messages on yellow memo paper and also gave him patients' medical forms to sign.

"We'll be back in forty-five minutes," Mona said, as she guided Lena to the glass door that opened to the hallway. "That should be enough time to get most of that stuff done," she said as the two women left.

Wilson breezed through his paperwork. He was sipping a cup of black tea when Lena came back to the office by herself. She smiled and sat in the visitors' chair next to his tan metal desk.

"Mona said she had to go to training for a half hour," Lena reported. Her eyes sparkled.

"You look cheery," he said.

"It's refreshing to be in such an open society, where people don't fear that they're being watched or worry they might break some rule," she said. "When I travel to Earth, I realize how paranoiac Sunevian society is."

"I agree that the people of Sunev are scared," Wilson said.

"I doubt if Sunev's way of life will change soon to be more like that of Earth," Lena said. "I hope I can help the people of my planet to become more tolerant. When I've visited libraries here, I've read about the Indian Mahatma Gandhi and the American Martin Luther King. They impressed me."

"What did you like about them?"

"Gandhi developed non-violence to oppose discrimination. Martin Luther King also used non-violence to protest racial inequality."

"Do some races on Sunev suffer from discrimination?"

"The races don't, but clones of all races and cyborgs do," she said. "I hope that I can use my dimension traveler status on Sunevian TV to change things in a low key way because people realize that I'm a clone."

"You may well be a person who can change Sunev," Wilson said. "I was surprised when I learned you're famous."

"I just became famous by chance," she said, and she blushed. "The people at home think of me as just a well-known clone, but I'm not a papier-mâché person. I think for myself, and I have a free will. I hope freedom will evolve even if it's being stunted by a dictatorial regime."

"I am grateful you feel that way," Wilson said. "I didn't know how to tell you that I have great concerns about how your government works, that it's a dictatorship."

"I knew you'd understand," she said, her head close to him as she looked into his brown eyes. "I have one more confession that you need to keep secret. Do you promise not to tell anyone from Sunev unless I say it's okay?"

"Yes," Wilson said.

She whispered, "I'm with the Underground, the clone warriors who fight the Great Leader and his regime. We are allied with the cyborgs and clones of Triod as well. We want to replace tyranny with democracy." She bit her lip. "I wish our revolution could be non-violent, but our struggle has spun out of control. People want freedom now, and we're caught in the frenzy. I hope I don't get drawn into the killing."

Suddenly, Raven's comment about Lena not shooting to kill made sense to Wilson.

"I'm proud of you," Wilson said. He was surprised to hear himself add, "And I'll stand with you against the Great Leader and his bunch."

She exhaled and smiled.

"I like that," she said, and she kissed his cheek.

She rested against his arms and closed her eyes for a few minutes. He felt relieved, like a load had been lifted from his chest. She opened her eyes and looked at him. "I once met a lady, a sociologist, who studied monkey and ape societies. She told me how these groups of animals are run by a few elitists. So, even if we overcome the Great Leader and his oligarchy, it'll be hard for us to set up a free society that isn't ruled by a few. Apes and monkeys, after all, are our closest cousins in the animal world."

"In history, I can't think of a time when a few people didn't rise to control the people around them, no matter what kind of a political system they had," Wilson said.

"Who knows if we can ever bring down the small group that rules Sunev," Lena said. "But if we do, we need to make a new form of democracy. No system I've ever seen or read about allows everyone to be free."

The more Lena spoke of her goals for a change on her home planet, the more Wilson learned how smart she was. "Everything you've said has lots of value," he said.

"Thank you, but these are only words," she said. "To make such a big change may be impossible. Even so, most people will always want to rule themselves. Their desire to be free will help us to develop a true democracy. They don't want masters. You see this when children rebel against their parents."

"Which brings me to something I've found difficult to bring up," Wilson said. He paused. "Will you consider moving to Earth and staying permanently if things go wrong for you?"

She tilted her head sideways. "I'd like to live on Earth, but it's out of the question until the revolution is done."

Wilson thought, _the war between Sunev and Triod, could rage for years, but Lena and I will live a long time._ "When the time comes, I could help you set up an apartment on Earth, away from the Great Leader and his cronies. Until then, I'll do what I can to help your side."

"We both need to be on Sunev in the capital to be effective."

"Okay," Wilson said. "But how will we operate?"

"I'll talk to my colleagues, and we'll plan how you can work with us. I'm sure they'll welcome you because of your contact with the Great Leader and his people. You might learn of some of their plans, and that would help us. I think our top man, General Ramon Black, will want to meet with you."

Wilson pictured a rendezvous with the rebels in a secret location. "How soon do you think we might meet?"

"In two or three weeks," Lena said. "Raven will want to hunt for gold on Earth for a couple of weeks."

"How do you know that General Black will meet with me, if he's so important to the revolution?"

"I'm sure because I was one of the first clones to join. Plus, I'm a colonel, and I know Black personally," she said. "He's already aware of you and has hinted to me that meeting you would be a good idea."

"I wonder what he sees in me and what motivates him," Wilson said.

"I think you'll like him."

"If you think so, I'm sure I will," he said, as he stood up. "Now, let's go to my apartment and have a drink. I can phone Mona later to find out if she needs anything else."

"Okay, I'd like to see what a bachelor flat looks like here," she said.

Until May 24, when _The Ghost Liner_ was scheduled to return to Sunev, Lena stayed at Wilson's place near the hospital, and slept in his spare bedroom. Every day they went somewhere and toured – Pier 39 in San Francisco, The Tech Center in San Jose, and a Giant's ball game. At night they went to dinner, bars, and night clubs. They even went waltzing once.

A week into her stay with Wilson, they returned to the hospital. Lena sat in the lobby and read a newspaper and some magazines, while Wilson saw a few patients to feel like he was again leading a normal life.

Afterwards, Lena and Wilson ate lunch in the hospital cafeteria. Then they walked outside to the large rear garden where they had battled cyborgs the first day that he had met her and Raven.

Wilson and Lena strolled, viewing the flowers, bushes, and trees. The sunshine was brilliant and the skies were California blue with no clouds in sight. It was eighty-five degrees, which felt cooler in the dry climate.

They found a stone bench in the shade where they sat to wait for Raven and Yarnell who had been in Gold Country, touring areas where big gold strikes had been made more than two centuries prior. Wilson and Lena had planned to travel back to Gold Country with the men. Wilson thought that Raven and Yarnell would likely continue to study historic spots where prospectors had found big nuggets in the 1800's.

Soon the two alien men walked over to Wilson and Lena. Wilson felt uneasy.

"How are you doing?" Raven asked.

"Okay," Wilson said, feeling guilty because he was now a rebel and a spy.

"We rented an electric Luxor car with autopilot," said Yarnell. "It's got a wet bar, too. Let's have a drink or two when the car's auto-driving."

"Sounds like a plan," Wilson said. He and Lena got up, and the four walked to the vehicle. Wilson forced a smile and tried to act casual. _It'll be a long ride even if there's booze,_ he thought.

Yarnell opened the rear door of the black stretch Luxor, which had tinted windows. Wilson and Lena sat in the big back seat, which was upholstered in well-cushioned black leather, while Raven and Yarnell got in the front.

"Gold Country, Sutter's Mill, California. Scenic route," Raven said to the GPS device.

"Yes, sir," said the girlish voice of the autopilot computer.

"Start trip," Raven said, and the car began to move.

"Trip underway," said the female voice. The car tires crunched gravel as they went over the edge of the hospital's parking lot and onto blacktop. Soon the Luxor hurtled towards Gold Country. The four occupants could have been dead drunk, and the vehicle would have carried them without mishap.

"What would you two in the front like to drink?" Lena asked as she opened the bar.

"Scotch and soda," said Yarnell, who already had a flushed face. He winked and was unsteady even though he was seated. He and Raven had been out to lunch and had drunk a few cocktails.

"I'd like a beer, any kind," Raven said.

"And you, Bill?" Lena asked.

"Red wine," Wilson replied. Lena served the drinks, and then made a screwdriver for herself.

Raven swiveled his bucket seat towards the rear of the car to face Wilson and Lena, and Yarnell did the same. Raven sipped his beer and said, "In a short time, Yarnell and I will have some fun. I plan to steal a big gold nugget and some smaller ones from the Yreka County Courthouse." He smiled. "It's not too close to where you two lovebirds will be."

Wilson looked at Lena, and she glanced at Yarnell. Wilson asked, "Weren't you guys supposed to find out where big nuggets had been found on Earth so a Sunevian expedition could locate similar chunks of gold on Triod?"

"Yep, but we decided to change plans," said Yarnell. "During lunch we thought out the caper. This job will get us a lot of gold, fast."

"It's an airtight plot," slurred Raven. "You two don't have to help us."

"Will you tell us the plan, or keep us in the dark?" Lena asked.

"I'll give you an outline," said Raven. "We'll go in after midnight and grab the loot. The ship has moved to a new place just outside Earth's dimension near the courthouse. We've alerted the ship's crew to be ready to jump us back aboard with the nuggets at fast rate, which means we'll be gone from the crime scene in a flash."

"What about us?" asked Lena. "Do we have to leave early?"

"Don't worry," said Raven. "We'll jump you aboard a day or two after we take the nuggets. You can look around in the gift shops and such, Lena. But to avoid problems with the authorities, you can fill Bill in on how to defeat facial recognition systems the cops may have access to."

"Okay," said Lena. "It's really simple stuff, Bill. I'll explain later."

"Why would we worry that we would be tracked?" Wilson asked.

"Because you can bet your bottom dollar that the police will look at recordings from all their surveillance cameras after we steal the gold," said Yarnell. "And somebody like Lena, whose picture isn't in their data base, will attract attention."

The four travelers arrived in Gold Country in late afternoon. Raven and Yarnell dropped off Lena and Wilson at The Citadel, an old bed-and-breakfast a few miles from Sutter's Mill. Wilson planned to hire a taxi to go to the 1865 Gold Rush annual carnival the next morning.

As they stepped out of the big Luxor, Yarnell said, "See you later in the ship. Ta. Ta."

The Luxor pulled away from the small tourist town, and Wilson felt a wave of relief. "I'm glad they're gone," he said.

"It's peaceful here," Lena said. "It's far enough from the carnival that there aren't many tourists around."

"Yeah, there's just our B&B, a bar, and a couple of small restaurants," Wilson said.

After they found a café and ate, the couple wandered back to the bed-and-breakfast. They drank dark red wine as they sat in a small living room that was full of memorabilia including maps, antique objects, and old pictures of Gold Rush days.

Wilson spotted an older couple seated nearby. The man had shaggy, white hair, blue eyes that glimmered, and a disposition that welcomed talk. "How do, folks?" he asked.

"We're fine," Wilson answered. "My friend, Lena, and I really enjoy quiet evenings like this. And we look forward to visiting the Gold Rush carnival tomorrow."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lena," the man said. "What's your name, sir? Mine's Alfred, and Emma is my wife."

"I'm Bill," Wilson said. "How do you do, Emma?"

Emma was jolly. She had gray hair and appeared to be in her late sixties. "Pleased to meet you," she said, grinning. "You'll like the costumes and the re-enactments at the carnival. We go every year, and it's different each time. We own an apple farm not far from here. Our great grand parents came from Scandinavia and planted orchards."

"So, you know a lot about the history of this region?" Wilson asked.

"We do, indeed," she said. Her husband bobbed his chin up and down.

"We'd like to see some other historic places around here," Wilson said. "Any suggestions?"

"You could visit the courthouse in Yreka. They have some big pieces of gold worth millions on display in the lobby," Alfred said. "The gold there is so valuable that the county installed an experimental alarm system. Plus, the nuggets are behind armored plastic. I know because my friend, Harvey Jensen, designed the system after a break-in early in the century."

"Is it worth the trip?" Lena asked.

The old woman smiled. "You'll get a kick out of those chunks of gold," she said. "You won't believe how large some of them are. It's hard to imagine that there are some pieces of gold that huge, as big as a hefty rock. The men who found them must have been excited. I can imagine their faces when they discovered them."

"I guess we could see the gold," Wilson said, "but I think we'll wait until after the fair's over."

After they talked some more, Wilson and Lena said good night to the old couple and climbed the carpeted steps to the second floor to find their room. The hallway floor was made of well-worn pine boards, and its center dipped a quarter inch because it had been sanded so much over two centuries.

The floor squeaked as they approached the doorway of their room, and then Wilson unlocked the door with a skeleton key. Just inside the room he noticed that a small cot had been moved in, as he had requested.

He closed the door, and Lena said, "This place is quaint."

She walked to the big, four poster bed and sat on its high mattress. Dangling her legs over its edge, she couldn't touch the floor though she was five feet, seven inches tall.

Wilson felt as if they had time traveled to the late 1800's. "I'll take the cot," he said. "You can have the big bed."

"It seems like it should be the other way around," Lena replied. "But I do like the mattress, so I'll take you up on your proposition."

Bill woke the next morning at a quarter to eight. He wondered if Raven and Yarnell had burgled the courthouse and taken the gold. After Wilson shaved and showered, Lena got out of bed, took a quick bath, and got dressed.

"The last call for breakfast is at nine," he reminded her.

"Okay," she said.

The two were downstairs by eight-thirty, walking into the thickly carpeted dining room. Green cloths covered the tabletops, and in the center of each was a vase with fresh flowers. There were long green drapes around the windows, and above everything an ornate chandelier hung from the tall ceiling. Big wooden clocks adorned the walls.

A bright beam of sunlight shone through the window like a spotlight and cast a window-shaped ray on the carpet in front of a large stone fireplace.

"Where should we sit?" Wilson asked the hostess, a pretty blond.

"Anyplace you'd prefer," she said.

They chose a table by the windows, which stretched around the building's front. The wavy window glass was very clear, even if the scene outside was distorted. The sunshine was bright, and the leaves of the trees and bushes surrounding the bed-and-breakfast were vivid shades of green.

They ordered breakfast and were soon eating. Wilson picked up a newspaper that was on the table and unfolded it. The headline, "Police Puzzled in Gold Theft," grabbed his attention.

Lena whispered, "They did it!"

Wilson softly read the lead paragraph.

"YREKA – Thieves stole large gold nuggets worth $7 million early this morning from the county courthouse in Yreka. The burglars disabled gold display alarms, according to police," the article began.

Wilson thought, _Yreka is by the Oregon border near Mt. Shasta. Raven and Yarnell must have driven there while we slept._

He silently read the rest of the story, which said that the nuggets came from the second Mother Lode in 1851.

A still frame that came from a split second of video that a security camera had taken showed two men who wore black masks and dark clothes. The men sprayed the camera lens with black paint, according to the article.

Local people had donated most of the gold for display over the years. The story noted that the loss of pieces of local history saddened residents.

Wilson handed the paper to Lena, and she eagerly read the article as she gobbled her breakfast.

"They must have disabled the other security gear with a signal blocker," Lena said. "I'm sure they melted the display's bulletproof plastic shield with a mixture of aluminum powder and iron oxide that they lit. Soldiers used to melt captured artillery gun barrels and breeches with it in the wars of the last century."

"What's a signal blocker do?" Wilson asked.

"It sends out signals in many wavelengths to destroy data that security equipment records or broadcasts."

"Looks like they got away with no trouble," said Wilson.

Lena whispered, "That reminds me. We need to take precautions to defeat facial recognition systems that the police might monitor. Let's go upstairs."

"Okay," Wilson said, and they went to their room.

Lena opened her purse and removed a contact lens case. "I'll put in a pair of green tinted contact lenses. They'll fool just about all iris recognition systems, and I have an extra pair of soft lenses for you in brown."

"I never wore contact lenses before," Wilson said.

"It won't be too difficult to do because yours are the soft, flexible kind," she said. "I'll help you."

Reluctantly, and with difficulty, Wilson put in the dark brown contact lenses. _These things are irritating. I don't know how people put up with them,_ Wilson complained to himself. He blinked to try to get used to them.

Lena combed her bangs low over her forehead and put on a hat. "You should wear a hat too," she said. "It'll block a surveillance camera's view from above. And here's a plastic bandage to put on your cheek. It'll confuse the computers."

"Thanks," said Wilson as he unwrapped the small plastic bandage and stuck it on his right cheekbone. Then he grabbed a baseball cap from his overnight bag and put the hat on.

"Here are a few tissues," said Lena. "If you put them in your mouth under your nose and along the outer edge of your top teeth, they'll change your facial shape enough to further confuse facial recognition systems."

"Okay," said Wilson as he put the tissues in his pants pocket. "I'll use them if I think we're under surveillance."

"That's fine," said Lena. "Maybe cameras will take our pictures when we first get there. If we change our appearance after we're there a while, they may lose track of us."

Wilson called a cab, and they took it to Auburn where the 1865 Gold Rush annual carnival was underway. As the cab drove along, Wilson reviewed a tourist map, and he noticed that many of the historic places in Gold Country are along Highway 49 _. Perhaps it was named for the 49'ers, people who rushed to California in search of gold,_ Wilson thought.

Auburn's original name was North Fork or Wood's Dry Diggings. Like many towns in the West, fire had burned it down several times in the 1800's. After Wilson and Lena arrived in Auburn, they found out why fires were common there. The ground was powdery, and the grass was brown. Even so, green bushes and weeds popped up from the dusty, dry soil.

The two walked to the outdoor displays, and Wilson was amazed how big some of the mining equipment was. Until then he didn't know that in the 1800's people had built machines as big as "modern" ones.

"The people back then made things strong like we do on Sunev," said Lena.

"What do you mean?" Wilson asked.

"Buildings and equipment were heavier, like we build them on our planet. Then again, their machinery was much simpler."

Next, they went to Coloma, where a rebuilt saw mill called Sutter's Mill stood on the river's edge. It was a two-story framework with no walls about sixty feet long and twenty feet wide. Crude letters in white paint on a board above one of the ramps read, "By chance James Marshall found gold on January 24, 1848, close to Sutter's Mill, which set off a frenzy called the California Gold Rush."

"Look," said Lena. She pointed to two women who wore big bonnets and long, old-fashioned dresses with tan aprons.

"I feel like I traveled back in time. Do you, Lena?" Wilson said.

"It does seem like we've been through a time warp," she said.

"Too bad we can't time travel," Lena said.

Wilson glanced aside and spotted a half dozen police mixed into the crowd in different places. "Looks like the cops are on the lookout for somebody," he whispered.

"Yeah," said Lena as she studied the horde of people around them. A policeman was in the crowd just ahead. "He has a snapshot of me," she said quickly under her breath, as she turned away from the officer and faced Wilson.

"Put your tissues in your mouth, Lena," he said. "Does the picture show you with your hat?"

"Yep," she said. She took it off and slipped it into a nearby trashcan. Then Wilson put his baseball cap on her head.

He noticed a face painter, a middle aged woman, about fifty yards away. "Why don't you get your face painted? It could change your look and help fool the cameras."

"Good idea," she said. As they walked to the face painter, Wilson noticed that the police were moving away through the crowd.

Lena sat in a lawn chair near the painter. The lady said, "So, you'd like your face painted?"

"Yes," Lena said. "Something simple on my cheekbone. I like that butterfly." Lena pointed to a chart that showed designs.

"That's an easy one. It only costs $2.50."

"Okay," Lena said.

The lady painted a butterfly icon on Lena's cheek, and Wilson paid the artist.

"Thank you, folks," she said as they left.

While they walked towards the parking lot, a policeman looked their way, but he didn't identify them.

"That was close," said Wilson.

"Good thing I didn't have to stun him," she said.

"That would have gotten us into trouble for sure," Wilson said _. I didn't know she had her weapon with her,_ he thought.

The pair rented an electric sedan and drove it back to Wilson's flat in San Ramon. It was dark when they got there.

"Your place makes me feel safe," said Lena. "Now I can relax after all of the stress we suffered today."

"There's no place like home," Wilson said.

After another day relaxing on Earth, they returned to the dimension ship, _The Ghost Liner_ , for the trip back to planet Sunev. It was late in May, about ten o'clock at night, when the ship neared the Sunevian dimension. After _The Ghost Liner_ stopped its vibration, Lena unfastened her seatbelt.

"I'm sorry we had to return here," she whispered. "It was a nice, quiet visit to Earth, away from the war." He knew, though, that she was ready to renew her fight against the Sunevian government.

"I hope the war's over soon," he said.

"We must trust that Fate will be on our side," she said. "And that our Inner Ones will guide us safely to peace."

They took a taxi through the dark, cool night to his hotel.

While still in the cab, Lena said, "I'll set up a meeting for you with your new friends."

"When?"

"Tomorrow," she said.

Wilson thought, _she told me in the taxi because she's afraid my room's bugged_. He unlocked his apartment door, and as Lena slowly walked in she looked tired. He helped her take off her coat.

"Let's tour some more of the city tomorrow," she said. "Let's just play it by ear."

"Sounds like fun," he said. He wondered, _what's Ramon Black like?_
Chapter 18 – Ramon Black

He got up from his couch and stretched. He heard Lena taking a shower in the master bedroom's bathroom.

"I'll scramble eggs," he shouted. "Do you want some?"

"Yes, please. I'll be out in a minute, make coffee, and heat up some ham." Soon she emerged from the bedroom, opened the heavy Sunevian refrigerator, and took out the meat. Wilson leaned over her and took out an egg that was as big as a baseball.

_I need to ask about the powwow with the rebels,_ he thought, and he began, "When . . . ." Lena quickly placed her hand over his mouth and put a finger to her lips. _She thinks the room's under surveillance._

"When will you to go back to work?" Wilson asked to make his last word make sense.

"Not right away. Let's take a couple of days to tour more of the city," she said, as she gave Wilson an okay signal with her hand. She snatched a piece of notepaper from a tablet attached to the refrigerator.

She quickly wrote, "We have to be careful when we speak about the revolution."

"Okay," Wilson said. He referred to her note, but also agreed to a tour, which would make sense to any eavesdroppers.

They ate breakfast quietly and then left the hotel. While they strolled along the sidewalk, Lena said, "I have a mobile phone with a scrambler. I'll make a call from the middle of that park." She pointed to a large grassy lawn surrounded by trees. There also were four or five nearby sports fields crowded with people.

The duo walked into the grass holding hands and found an empty park bench where they sat.

Lena tapped in a number on the keypad of her phone. "Hello, Ramon?" she asked. "Yes, he's with me." She glanced at Wilson as she listened. "Okay, we'll be there in an hour. Goodbye."

"That was quick," Wilson said.

"Ramon Black likes to work fast when he believes it will help the revolution."

"He thinks that I'm that vital?" Wilson asked.

"You could hear something important," she said. "You might even be called in to speak with the Great Leader himself. Or more likely Raven will get careless and reveal a detail that he should keep secret."

"If I get some intelligence, should I tell you so you can pass it on?" Wilson asked.

"Maybe that's how it'll work," she said. "But Black could set up another way for you to report in case I'm not around. He'll go over procedures during our meeting."

"Where will we go?"

"To the ghetto where you rescued me from those idiots who didn't know I was on their side," she said. "Those dolts decided to grab me for a ransom in gold. They paid with their lives because they didn't clear their plan with their commanders."

"After you told me you were a rebel, I wondered about the kidnapping," Wilson said.

"No organization is perfect," she said. "But we try to minimize problems, and that's why we have procedures. You'll learn about our command structure, and how we work. Right now we have to leave. We'll take the number twelve bus to the eastside and meet in an abandoned warehouse in the burned out section of the city."

They walked through the green, dewy grass and thick moss to the sidewalk where there was a bus stop. It struck him how alike Earth and Sunev were in some ways. Of course, that's why Raven looked for gold nuggets in similar places on three worlds superimposed on one another, each just a dimension or two apart.

The bus soon came, and Wilson and Lena stepped up into the vehicle. She chose to sit near the rear door. Wilson thought, _she did that so we can make a quick getaway if we have to._

As they traveled through the city's eastside, Wilson saw that many buildings were run down. When the pair got to their stop, just three other passengers were still on the bus.

"This is it," Lena said as she stood. She grasped a pole near the rear door, and Wilson got up and pushed the bus doors open.

He noticed that weeds grew through cracks in the sidewalk near a gutted apartment complex. Some houses were occupied and clean, but nevertheless the area looked like it had been through a war.

The pair walked a block down the street, and Wilson spied the large, two-story warehouse that Black had chosen for their meeting. Colorful, bright graffiti on the walls between hundreds of broken windows contrasted with the dull, run-down structure. The artwork portrayed the clone's revolution, which many Sunevian intellectuals and the cyborgs of Triod also supported.

Lena stepped carefully over the broken glass that was scattered on the sidewalk, as she approached a door half attached to its frame. Peeling blue paint covered the frame and the door, and when Wilson pulled it open, its hinges squealed.

"Ramon," Lena's voice echoed. "Where are you?"

"Up here," said Ramon Black from a dark second floor walkway that ran around the inside space of the big warehouse. Wilson looked up at him in the dim interior. He had deep tan, olive skin. There was a second man who had striking blond hair that made him stand out in the murky light. He was handsome with an athletic build, about six feet two inches tall, and his light complexion and clean-shaven face contrasted with Ramon's dark skin. A stocky, redheaded cyborg, who looked like a body guard, accompanied them. As Wilson's eyes adjusted to the light, he noticed that the steps which led upward were made of rusty steel.

"I see you now, Ramon," Lena shouted. "We'll be up in a second."

Bill and Lena clambered up the dirty steel staircase to reach the second floor walkway. On that level there were offices that faced the street as well as the land around the sides and the rear of the warehouse.

"Nice to see you again, Lena," said Ramon. He had a black beard that was trimmed to a point under his chin.

Lena and Ramon hugged.

"This is Dr. Bill Wilson," Lena said.

"Pleased to meet you, Ramon," Wilson said as he shook Black's hand. His handshake was firm. Wilson's guts told him that Ramon Black was okay. The swarthy man smiled.

"I'd like you both to meet Red Murphy, the leader of our Sunevian cyborgs. And please, also let me introduce you to my aid, compatriot Art Terac, who's a skilled fighter and a clone like me," said Ramon.

Terac smiled. "I'm glad to be allied with the first earthling to visit Sunev. General of the Armies Black is wise to encourage friendship with a person who knows what freedom is."

"Pleased to meet you," said Wilson, and he shook hands with the blond clone.

The tough looking redheaded cyborg also stepped forward and clutched Wilson's hand, "I'm honored to be aligned with a man from Earth," he said, and then he gave Lena a gentle hug. "And it's good to meet you, too, Lena." She smiled and nodded.

Terac stepped closer to Lena and said, "I'm fortunate to become acquainted with you in person, Lena. I've seen you on TV many times." He shook her hand.

"The pleasure is mine," said Lena, who blushed, ill at ease when Terac talked of her fame, which had been fueled by the news media.

"Up front, I'd like you both to know that I'm glad that I'm a clone, and proud to be a unique person, too," Terac said. "Lena, you're a model for me because of your individuality and your scientific research on other worlds."

"I'm glad you realize that you're one of a kind, Mr. Terac, just as I've learned I'm unique," said Lena, smiling. He nodded as he made a close-mouthed grin, which hid his perfect teeth.

Ramon led the small group into one of the abandoned offices that were along the walkway. He brushed dust off an old office swivel chair and sat at the head of a scarred wooden conference table. The four others pulled chairs away from the table, knocked dirt off them, and sat.

"Bill, I'm grateful that you decided to join us in the struggle to free our peoples from the grasp of a powerful few, an oligarchy, which would compare to the most vicious ancient regimes of Earth," Ramon began. "I'm a clone from this planet, and I'm proud to lead the combined revolutionary armies of Sunev and Triod. We call this The Alliance. Who knows? Someday like-minded people of Earth may make a treaty with us because our aim is to join with all free people to aid in the establishment of democratic states."

"I hope that someday, the people of Earth will learn about Sunev and Triod," said Wilson. "By then perhaps democracy will take root on both of those planets." He paused. "To be honest, I was troubled early on about what I saw on Sunev. But because Raven had saved my life, I felt that I owed him a lot, and I ignored the flaws of Sunevian society."

"That's forgivable," Ramon said. "It took a brave man to do what you've done. We welcome you to our cause."

"What do you want me to do?" Wilson asked.

"Just keep your eyes open and your ears tuned in on conversations. When you learn something you think we ought to know, contact me," Ramon said. He looked at Wilson, trying to read his face.

Wilson supposed the swarthy rebel just wanted to see if his new recruit was strongly devoted to the revolution. "How do I pass along intelligence to you?" Wilson asked.

"I'll put a special card with a new computer chip in your mobile phone. The card looks like the phone's main controller," Ramon said. He held up a tiny electronic part so Wilson could see it in the stream of light that entered one of the broken windows. "Do you have your phone with you?"

"Yes, it's the one Raven gave me after I first got here," Wilson said. He took it from his pocket and handed it to Ramon.

"Thanks," said Ramon. He snapped the back cover from the phone and took out its battery and the original computer card. Then he put the new one in and reinstalled the battery.

"Here," Ramon said as he handed the phone back to Wilson. "All you have to do is enter a series of numbers. They'll be the code to turn on the scrambler computer program that's embedded in the new computer card. Then you can dial my number, talk to me, and others won't hear us."

"Sounds simple," Wilson said. "What's the code I have to type in?"

"You can choose a code now," said Ramon. "Just don't tell me what it is. That way, if I'm caught, there's no way the enemy can get your code from me."

"What'll I do to enter the numbers?" Wilson asked.

"Punch them in on the keypad. When you're done, press the hash mark key, and type in the code again. If you entered the code correctly the second time, the phone will beep once," Ramon said.

Wilson chose his parents' old address in San Jose. He mixed the house number with the zip code. After he finished entering the numbers, the phone beeped.

"Okay, I'm done," Wilson said.

The rebel leader smiled, reached into his pocket, pulled out a small piece of folded paper, and handed it to Wilson. "Here's my phone number," Black said. "Memorize it, then rip up the sheet, and throw the shreds away."

"All right," Wilson said. "Anything else?"

"Call as often as you like, even if it's not important," Black said. "I hope we can be friends as well as colleagues." The rebel patted Wilson on the back, and the two men shook hands.

"I'll try not to overdo it," Wilson said.

"There's something else important for you both to know," said Ramon. "We think the Sunevian Secret Service, the SSS, has started to investigate Lena."

"How do you know?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"We have an agent working in the SSS, and he's heard third hand that they'll soon put you under close surveillance," Ramon said. "If you want us to hide you, we can do it now. We could take you to a safe place on Earth."

"I think I can still be useful where I am," Lena said, her voice quavering.

"We'll pull you out, if the SSS gets too close," said Ramon. "One other thing, we have developed a chemical that blocks the effects of truth serum." He handed a pill to Lena and another to Wilson.

"Do I take this just when it seems like the SSS is about to close in?" asked Lena.

"No, you and Bill can take it now," said Ramon. "Your nanobots will absorb the truth serum antidote along with other new chemical updates that fight more diseases. You'll be protected from truth serum from this point on. If anybody forces you to take it, pretend to be under its influence. Act hyper, and talk a lot. Let your mind follow a disjointed thought pattern."

"Okay," said Lena, and she swallowed the small pill.

Wilson took his dose. "So, your scientists have improved nano-medicine?" he asked.

"We've made lots of progress," said Ramon. "After our ultimate victory, you can meet with our scientists to learn more. Even before the war ends we may take you on a short visit to our main underground laboratory on Triod."

"Thanks for the offer," Wilson said.

"We're aware of your genome research. If our people work with you, it would be of mutual benefit," Ramon said. He shifted his weight and was silent for a moment. "You may also be in danger because of your close link with Lena, so take care. We may move both of you to safety, if things go bad."

"When you gave me the anti-truth serum pill I knew that things must've been getting riskier," Wilson said. "I'll call you if I have a problem."

"If you believe you've been discovered, you need a code to use when you talk on the phone, even if your cell has a scrambler," Ramon said. "Use the phrase 'New York Yankees.'"

"You must know my background very well," Wilson said. "I was a college pitcher, and the Yankees wanted to sign me."

"We chose the Yankees phrase after careful thought," said Ramon. "By the way, we think that the Great Leader does not yet suspect you."

"That's good news," Wilson said. "What'll I do if Lena has to hide?"

"We'll see how it works out, if that happens," Ramon said. "If it does happen, we'll give you instructions and protect you."

"Bill, if I have to leave, you can carry on," said Lena. "But don't take undue chances."

"I'll be careful," Wilson said.

"We've had a good meeting, but it's time for you to go," Ramon said. We have lookouts in the neighborhood, and you haven't been under surveillance. Goodbye, Dr. Wilson. And, Lena, be safe and cautious."

"Farewell, Ramon," said Lena.

"Nice to have met you, General," Wilson said, as he and Lena began to leave.

"Again, welcome to the cause, and good luck," Ramon said. He waved as Wilson and Lena clambered down the metal steps and made their way to the door where they had entered.

They trod on crushed glass on the cracked walkway through which tall weeds grew.

"I think that Yarnell may well be an undercover SSS agent," Wilson said. "He's a policeman, and he's second in command after Raven."

"I agree," said Lena. "I've been on his radar. I thought at first he did nothing more than act like a normal male. But my Inner One told me he didn't like me that way."

"Women have a sixth sense," Wilson said.

"I have to be on guard not to act like I suspect him, or Yarnell will sense it," she said. "Guys sometimes have good gut instincts, too."

"There's something else, Lena," Wilson said as the pair stepped onto the wider sidewalk on the edge of the street. "Our side, the rebels, and our enemies, the Great Leader's people, misread each other. My gut tells me that the first side to understand its enemy will have a great advantage."

"As a citizen of Earth you once had an advantage because you could better see this from a neutral position," said Lena. "But now, you've taken our side."

"I suppose I'm more biased now," Wilson said. "I hope my instincts will tell me the right things to do."

They caught the bus back to the hotel. _Something bad is about to happen soon_ , Wilson thought.
Chapter 19 – Lena's Ordeal

It was 10 o'clock at night two days after Wilson and Lena had met with the rebel leader, Ramon Black. Wilson was relaxing when there was a loud knock on his Sunevian apartment door. He looked through the peephole and saw three uniformed policemen.

"It's the police, Lena," Wilson said. Then he attached his translation box to his upper left arm and opened the door.

"Excuse me, sir," said a young plainclothes officer. "Is Lena Lavelle here?"

Lena walked into the front room from the bathroom. "I'm Lena," she said. "What's the problem, officer?"

The clean-shaven young officer walked to her. "Lena Lavelle, you're under arrest for aiding the enemy and spying," he said, and he reached behind Lena and handcuffed her.

"This is a mistake," she said.

Wilson asked through his translation box, "Is there anything I can do, officer?"

"You could come to the forty-ninth district police station and get a lawyer for her, if you like," the officer replied.

"What's the evidence against her?" Wilson asked. He was shocked though Ramon Black had warned him and Lena about the SSS and its suspicions regarding Lena.

"We're not privy to that," the young officer said. "An SSS official ordered us to pick up Miss Lavelle. That's all I can tell you because that's all I know."

"Can I ride with you to the station?" Wilson asked.

"You can come with us, but you'll have to find your own way back to your flat," the officer said.

"Thank you," Wilson said. He usually strapped his translation box to his arm during stressful situations when he had more trouble with the Sunevian language. Even so, he had started to think in Sunevian and was surprised how fast he had picked up the language. But during Lena's arrest he was rattled and unable to catch the complete meaning of what the police were saying to each other. He had to focus. So, he thought in English.

Wilson followed the three policemen as they hustled Lena into the elevator and out of the building's front door towards several squad cars. The policemen wouldn't let him ride in the same car with her.

After a short trip, the cops parked their cars next to the station, and the clean-cut officer pulled on Lena's shoulder to get her out of his car. Wilson told her, "I'll see if I can get a lawyer. Don't worry. We'll get you out of here."

"Thanks," said Lena, her voice subdued.

Wilson thought that to get Lena out of this fix would be hard. This was not America. This was a dictatorship, and she might well "disappear," for all he knew. He smiled at her, even so. She returned his smile, looking brave, though he expected she was feeling far less than courageous. The police took her into the station through a side entry.

Wilson entered the front doorway of the station and went to a sergeant who sat behind a tall counter.

"I'm here to check on the status of Lena Lavelle," Wilson said.

"We picked her up for serious charges," the sergeant said. "I can't go into details with you, but I think you should get her legal assistance. If she's guilty, she could face the death penalty."

Wilson felt a chill run through his body. He cleared his throat, "Thank you, officer," he said. "I'll make some phone calls to see what I can do." He turned away and walked out of the building so he could use his mobile phone and not be overheard.

The air was cool, about sixty degrees, and its briskness revived him. He sat on a bench at a nearby bus stop, took out his mobile phone, and punched in a number Raven had given to him for emergency use. Even if Raven and Yarnell were aware of Lena's arrest, Wilson knew he had to call. He had to play the role of a guiltless man who was determined to help his girlfriend.

"Hello," Raven answered. "What's up, Bill?"

"Lena's been arrested. She's charged with aiding the enemy and spying. It's a mistake. She needs a lawyer," Wilson said.

"Bill, I wish I were with you in person to say this," said Raven. "Lena has surprised me. I knew she had a tendency to tell small lies, but now I've learned there's solid evidence that she's a spy."

"What?" Wilson said. He felt deceived by Raven, not by Lena.

"I should've warned you about her," Raven said softly with a touch of sympathy in his voice. "She's always had problems. She takes things that don't belong to her, and she stretches the truth. It's because of her background. She didn't have a mother and father, and I think that has a lot to do with it. She can't help it, but this time she's gone too far. I'll still help her as much as I can, though. Even if she has faults, she's still a good friend."

"I'm glad you can help," Wilson said. "What's the proof against her?"

"Yarnell planted a microphone just outside of her cabin, and he heard her obviously talking to a rebel, giving away important information about our plans."

"That doesn't seem like her," Wilson said.

"I know you're hurt," said Raven. "You've been close with her, but she's a clone. There are many more like her. Some of them who grow up in group homes have problems like Lena has. Others are adopted at birth by people who'd like to have children. Those clones seem to have fewer problems."

"What are you getting at?" Wilson asked.

"We can get you another one, just like her, except we'll check to make sure that the new one was raised by a father and mother from infancy," Raven said. "The new one will be loyal, I can assure you. We have ways to make sure that any other companion clones you may interact with will be obedient and not prone to rebellion."

"What about the lawyer? The police said this could be a capital offense."

"I'll do my best to save her," said Raven. Wilson believed him. After all, she had been his companion and most likely his lover. "I'll get her a good lawyer, and maybe the court will have mercy on her. She'll probably serve a few years of hard labor and be free after the war ends."

"All I can say is that I'm shocked," Wilson said, stunned. "I'll see if I can talk with her and say you'll get her counsel."

"I'm sure that they'll let you see her," said Raven. "Ask the desk sergeant. Yarnell's with me, and he told me that he'll call the station in a few minutes. He was an officer in that precinct years ago and knows quite a few of the policemen there."

"Good. How long do you think I should wait before I see the desk sergeant?"

"Give Yarnell fifteen or twenty minutes."

"Okay. Thank you."

"After you see her, meet us at the ship. We can have a drink," said Raven.

"I could use one," Wilson said. "I'll take a cab to the ship. It could be an hour or more before I get there."

"That's okay," said Raven. "I don't think any of us feel like sleeping. It's been a tough day. I'll see you when you get here. We'll be in the dayroom, even if you get here at 2 a.m. Goodbye, and hang in there."

"Thanks. Bye." Wilson broke the connection. Next, he dialed Ramon Black's number using his phone's scrambler.

"Hello, Ramon here."

"Hello," Wilson said. "This is Bill Wilson. I've got bad news."

"If you mean that Lena's been taken into custody for espionage, we know," said Ramon. "We'll break her out."

"When? Should I give her a clue? I'll see her in a few minutes."

"Don't take a chance," said Ramon. "They'll watch you. We also have a plan in case we have to move you to a safe house."

"Okay, I'll be careful. I talked with Raven, and he says he'll get her a lawyer."

"She already knows that we'll break her out," said Ramon. "We planned how that would happen, if it were to become necessary. Just tell her about the lawyer. It's okay to show that you're upset, but be aware that the SSS will record all you say and do in the visitation room."

"Right," Wilson said. "I'll call you after I meet her."

"Be cautious when you call," Ramon said. "Make sure you are in the open. Cover your face somehow so they can't read your lips, even if it's a dark place. If you feel threatened, don't call."

"Okay, I'd better hang up and go back in the station," Wilson said. "Bye."

"Goodbye," said Ramon. "Good luck."

Wilson walked back to the station and returned to the waiting room where the desk sergeant presided behind the tall counter. Wilson approached the sergeant.

"Officer, is there any chance I can visit Lena Lavelle?" he asked.

"You're Dr. Bill Wilson, right?" the sergeant asked.

"Yes."

"Officer Yarnell called, and if you're a friend of his, then it's okay. Wait a few minutes, and I'll have her taken into the visitation room."

"Thank you, sergeant," Wilson said.

In a few minutes the sergeant called Wilson forward. "Okay, Dr. Wilson, please follow Patrolman Clark, here, to the visitation room. He'll be present while you visit, but you and Ms. Lavelle can speak in private."

"Again, thank you, sergeant," Wilson said. He forced himself to smile.

The sergeant picked up his black desk phone from its cradle and dialed a number. "Bring prisoner Lavelle to the visitation room right away," he said. He hung up. "Okay, Clark," the sergeant said, as he nodded to the patrolman.

Clark looked at Wilson and said, "You can come with me now."

Wilson followed Clark along a corridor. The patrolman unlocked a door and led Wilson into the visitation room. Lena was in an orange prison jumpsuit and was sitting in a chair on the far side of a small table. Her right hand was shackled to a steel ring imbedded in the cement floor. The patrolman left the room and entered a glassed-in observation room.

"Hello," Wilson said. He put on his best, cheery face.

"Hi, Bill," Lena said, trying to be upbeat.

Wilson sat in the chair across the table from her. "How are you?" he asked.

"I'm edgy," said Lena. "I've admitted under interrogation that I'm a rebel. I'm sorry that I misled you and gave you the impression that I'm a loyal citizen."

Wilson needed to make a stellar performance in front of the cameras for both of their sakes. "I don't know why you joined the rebels," he said.

Her eyes were glassy, and tears began to roll down her cheeks.

Wilson understood the tack Lena had taken. She had admitted that she was a spy because the Secret Service had ironclad proof against her. He hoped that the SSS did not think he was a spy, too.

"I apologize, Bill, for the pain that you must've felt after you found out that I'm a rebel." She paused to cry. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were red.

"There is hope," Wilson said. He smiled and wished to calm her. "I've just spoken to Raven. He's saddened that you joined the rebel side, but he will get you the best lawyer he can find."

"They'll execute me anyway," she said.

"Raven still values your friendship," Wilson said. "He told me that you were misguided. But he thinks your life could and should be spared, though you probably will serve jail time until the war is over. So there's reason to be hopeful." His gut told him that Raven was sincere. He was not all cold, and he did have a heart.

As Wilson talked with Lena, his thoughts wandered for a moment, and he suddenly realized that even Yarnell, though he did work for the SSS, was a gray character, not all wicked. He had helped Wilson get through the police bureaucracy so he could speak with Lena and soothe her.

"Thanks for that news about the lawyer and my chance to get a lighter sentence, Bill," she said, wiping tears away from her face with the back of her hand. She forced a grin, but then she began to sob. Wilson rose from his chair and hugged her.

Patrolman Clark's voice boomed from a loudspeaker mounted near the observation room window that overlooked the visitation area, "Time to leave."

"Bye, Lena," Wilson said. "I'll see you again soon." He kissed her cheek, and she kissed his neck.

"Take care, Bill," she said.

The two parted. A policewoman entered the room, unlocked Lena's cuffs from the steel ring anchored in the concrete floor, and led her away.

The desk sergeant called a cab. Wilson asked the driver to take him to the spaceport where _The Ghost Liner_ sat in its huge hangar. He wanted to get drunk, and he was sure Raven would feel the same. Wilson's mind raced, and he feared for Lena's life, even though Raven had assured him that she wouldn't be executed.

Wilson walked into the ship's dayroom, and Raven and Yarnell were there. Both looked drunk, their faces flushed.

"What are you drinking?" asked Raven, slurring his words.

"Scotch on the rocks," Wilson said, and he sat on a leather couch near the pool table.

"Coming up," said Yarnell, who stepped up to be bartender. He handed Wilson his drink.

"Thanks," Wilson said. "A lot of my strength has been sucked out of me."

"Same here," said Raven. "I would never have dreamt that Lena would join the rebels, even if she's a clone. She was one of us. What made her do it?"

"I wish I knew," Wilson said. "I don't get it. Those rebels almost killed her lots of times."

"The rebels might have looked out for her," said Yarnell. "Now I know why she never hit an enemy soldier even though she's a great shot on the rifle range."

"Remember when she took you inside the ship just before the explosion at the Parliament Building?" Raven asked. "I think she had advance notice."

"I was lucky that day," Wilson said. He took a big sip of the straight Scotch whiskey which bathed a few ice cubes in a large water glass. He began to feel scatterbrained and talkative. He wondered, _did Yarnell spike my drink with truth serum? Maybe I'm just tired, jumpy, and paranoid._

"So, what do you think of the rebels now that you've found out that Lena is one of them?" Yarnell asked.

"They tried to kill me lots times. She must have known, and that saved me because she guided me out of harm's way," Wilson said. _I feel talkative, on edge, even careless,_ he thought.

Wilson rambled, "Lena seems okay, but I don't see why she joined such a rabble. I've lost some respect for her." He was determined to touch on many subjects and talk non-stop.

"As far as the rebel cause is concerned, they want to destroy the Great Leader's society and discredit the intelligentsia that has made this civilization and all its advances possible," Wilson continued. "How could the rebels be against almost eternal life, the eradication of disease, and the many other advances made under the Great Leader's watch such as compact fusion and the generation of unlimited energy, the elimination of the need for money, and unlimited food production for all," Wilson said. He spoke fast like he was in a manic state.

"I think you're running on adrenalin," said Raven. "We've all had quite a day. I doubt if I can sleep until, maybe, tomorrow night. By the way, do you still like Lena?"

"Of course, I like her," Wilson said. "But it's more of a physical attraction. She's so beautiful, like she stepped out of a women's catalog for intimate clothes. She has perfect hair, teeth, skin, and curves. She has a sweet, clear voice, and she walks around with grace. It's such a shame she's gone, perhaps for years, just because of poor judgment on her part." Wilson took a brief breath. He was about to ramble some more, but Raven held up his hand to cut Wilson's speech short.

"As for catalogs, I've got one for you to scan." Raven reached for a slick magazine-size publication on the coffee table. He tossed the catalog to Wilson, and it landed on his lap. He looked down to read the name of the glossy publication, "Classic Female Clone Catalog."

"What's this?" Wilson asked.

"Open it to page one," said Raven. Wilson flipped open the catalog. He saw a picture of Lena, listed as "Nordic Number Ten, the most popular companion model."

"That's Lena!" Wilson said.

"No, it's not her," said Raven. "It's another clone. There are thousands like her."

"They're twins of Lena?" Wilson asked.

"Yes," said Raven. "Thumb through it. There are many kinds of female clone companions – Oriental, Black, Polynesian, White, as well as other types – all beautiful. You can have a new companion, any one you'd like."

"I like Lena," Wilson said.

"I have a surprise for you then," said Raven. "I've ordered another Nordic Number Ten express, and she's here, fresh out of charm school. She'll be with you on a trial basis."

"What?" Wilson said. He had forgotten for the moment that Raven had said in his phone call earlier that day that he was to get another clone woman. Wilson was at a loss for words, even though the truth serum had loosened his tongue.

Raven picked up the handset of a red phone on the coffee table and pressed a couple of numbers. "Bring Rachel McCoy here, please," he said. He hung up with a clank. "We've got to take care of our soldiers," he said. He winked.

Within twenty seconds Rachel walked in, guided by a crewmember. Miss Rachel McCoy looked identical to Lena. Rachel had clad herself in one of Lena's red mini-dresses that showed half of her upper legs. Wilson knew this was Lena's dress because he recognized a small stain on the left shoulder. That dress was Lena's favorite, even if it had a small flaw.

"Hello, Dr. Wilson," Rachel said in a Nordic-like accent, a little thicker than Lena's. "I have to work on my English. I hope you can teach me some more." She sat on the couch next to Wilson.

"I'm pleased to meet you," he said, and he paused. He could almost believe Lena was there, but he saw differences in the two women. These things were hard to see, but he sensed them. Wilson reasoned, _Rachel is not like Lena. Still, I have to make it seem that any Nordic Number Ten would be just fine._ "I'd be glad to help you with your English. When would you like to start?" Wilson asked.

"I could start soon," she said. "Maybe we could go to my room where I have a few textbooks?"

"Sounds like one way to begin," he said. "But I think conversation is a much easier and faster way to develop language skills."

_She works fast_ , Wilson thought.

"I'm tired," said Raven. "I'm going to bed."

"I hope things will get back to normal soon," Wilson said.

"They will," said Raven. "By the way, we all deserve some rest and recreation. So, tomorrow at thirteen hundred hours we'll leave for Triod to grab some gold. You'll come with us, too."

"If we're at war with the cyborgs of Triod, won't we run into trouble?" Wilson asked.

"No, Gold Country there is uninhabited except for a few primitive people," Raven said, and he waved goodbye. As Raven walked out of the dayroom, Yarnell got up.

"I guess that's it for me, too," he said. "Good night."

"Good night," Wilson said.

After Yarnell had departed, Rachel said, "Are you still upset about Lena? Raven told me all about it."

"I still can't believe what has happened. Now you're here, and for a second I thought you were Lena," Wilson said.

"You can pretend I'm Lena, if you want," Rachel said. "Let's look at the English textbooks, and you can suggest which are useful, if any."

"Okay," Wilson said. They stood up, and she led him to her cabin, which had been Lena's. This surprised him. Raven wanted Rachel to become the Lena of old as fast as possible. This meant Rachel had been given access to all of Lena's personal belongings, clothes, and her quarters aboard the ship.

As Wilson and Rachel entered the cabin, she said, "I'll get the books out of my suitcase." She put her suitcase on the arms of a brown leather easy chair, unsnapped the case, removed five books, and sat on the couch. Wilson sat next to her, sinking into the cushion.

"Could I see the one you think is the best?" he asked.

She handed him a medium-sized textbook, bound in rawhide. He opened it and scanned it, not able to concentrate.

"Do you like that one?" she asked as she leaned against him.

"Sure," he said, and he opened it to a random page. He read to her about the parts of a sentence, the subject, the verb, and prepositional phrases, among other things.

"It's all very interesting," said Rachel. "Is there anything else you'd like to do? Maybe dance?"

Wilson fidgeted. "I'm really exhausted," he said. "I think I'll have to excuse myself. We can resume lessons later."

"That's fine," she said.

As he left Rachel's door, he felt guilty, as if he had betrayed Lena. He went to his cabin, and after an hour of worry, he finally fell asleep.

The next morning Wilson told Raven he would take a walk to breathe cold, fresh air to cure his hangover. Wilson hadn't drunk much, so he concluded that the truth serum had made him feel like he'd had too much alcohol. He planned to use his scrambler-equipped mobile phone to call rebel leader Ramon Black.

As Wilson walked along the edge of the tarmac on the outside of a chain link fence, he figured he was far enough away to chance a phone call to Black.

"Hello, Bill," Ramon said when he answered.

"Hi," Wilson said. "I have more news. Raven and Yarnell have provided me a replacement clone woman who looks just like Lena. Her name's Rachel McCoy."

"That doesn't surprise me," said Ramon. "You can be sure she'll check you out to see if you're a rebel or a backer of the revolution."

"I figured that," Wilson said. "She works fast. She lured me into her room in the wee hours of the morning, and you can guess what happened."

"She tried to seduce you?" Ramon asked.

"Maybe," Wilson said.

Ramon paused, and then said, "I've also got some news for you. We broke Lena out of jail at three o'clock in the morning, about the time that Rachel was romancing you."

"That's great, General! How'd you do it?"

"We have a couple of agents in that station house. One of the guys on the assault team was the man you met during our meeting, Art Terac, the blond clone. He suffered a slight wound in the firefight at the jail. Lena gave him some nano-meds. He's okay now."

"Do you think you need to pull me out?" Wilson asked.

"Not now," said Black. "They gave her truth serum. She said that you weren't a rebel and that she had to work hard to hide her true thoughts about the revolution from you. She thinks they bought it."

Nuts, Wilson said silently to himself. Then he told Black, "I have more news. I think that Yarnell spiked my drink with truth serum because I could feel its effects. I talked like I was in a manic state, and I told Yarnell and Raven that Lena was just a good friend – that I was flabbergasted when I found out that she was really a rebel. I think they believed me."

"Bill, you're in a unique position," said Ramon. "They think you are loyal, and you might well pick up something important. So, we'd like you to remain in place for a little while. We'll withdraw you, if things get super dangerous."

"Okay," Wilson said. "Say hi to Lena for me, but don't tell her much about Rachel."

"My lips are sealed. Take care, Bill. Goodbye," Ramon said.

"Bye."

Ramon disconnected the call.

As Wilson walked back to the ship, he felt uplifted, like he was flying on a warm cloud. Lena was free! When he re-entered the ship, he went into the dayroom. He saw Raven, Yarnell, and Rachel McCoy.

"How was your walk?" asked Raven.

"It was crisp outside so I got rid of most of my hangover," Wilson said. "My head hurts just a little now." He rubbed a spot above his right eye, which still ached.

"I think I can cure your malady," said Raven. "I'll astound you with a new toy I just got. We'll use it today when we go to Gold Country on planet Triod."

He motioned Wilson, Yarnell, and Rachel to follow him. Rachel snatched Wilson's arm and leaned against him as the small group went with Raven to the equipment hold of the ship.

"I'm glad you're better," said Rachel. "I'd like to resume English lessons whenever you're ready."

"Let's continue lessons after we get back from Triod," Wilson said. He and Rachel followed a few paces behind Raven and Yarnell.

"Perhaps you can cook some Earth food for me," Rachel said.

"I have some cans of spaghetti and meat balls, canned fruit, waxed beans, and some other stuff like that, which I can prepare," Wilson said.

"Is this typical of your diet?" Rachel asked, as they neared the equipment hold.

"It's not restaurant food, but it's quick. Lots of Earth people eat like that."

The small group stepped into the equipment area. A large, new electric land rover stood in their path. Raven patted the camouflaged vehicle on its hood, and a metallic sound resulted.

"This is the toy," he said. "It includes an advanced metal detector built into its undercarriage, and you guessed it. The detector can find gold as well as other metals."

"You could cover a lot of territory with that vehicle," said Yarnell as he stooped down to peer under the rover. It had high ground clearance so it could travel off-road in rough country.

"The detector can scan down forty feet into dirt and rock because of the size of its coil," said Raven. "There's a computer screen mounted in the dashboard. A program analyzes the return signals from the detector, and the onboard computer creates color images that represent several kinds of metals as well as cavities like caves, graves, wells, and small boxes."

"How do you tell the difference between a big chunk of gold or just an old pipe?" Yarnell asked.

"The computer studies the signals and can identify steel, silver, and gold. When it finds a certain type of metal, it displays a word like 'gold' on the screen," Raven said.

He opened the doors of the vehicle and got into the driver's seat. Yarnell sat in the front passenger seat while Rachel and Wilson got in the back seat and began to peer at the computer screen in the dashboard.

Raven turned on the computer. "I'm going to show you the tutorial on how this beast works," he said. He flipped through a series of computer images that showed examples of how to find precious metals, how deep they might be, and where to dig for them.

"How much land do you think we have to scan to find gold?" Wilson asked.

"I've cut it down to about four square blocks," said Raven. "I'm not on the lookout just for small nuggets. I want to find the twin of a 106-pound nugget found in California's Gold Country." He pulled a plastic map from his hip pocket and spread it out.

"How can you be sure you'll find a similar nugget on Triod?" Wilson asked.

"Experience tells us we have a 95 percent chance of finding one in this area," Raven said. He pointed to an 'x' on the map. "We've done this many times. In almost all cases we've found similar things on 'superimposed' planets in separate dimensions."

"Remarkable," Wilson said. "But couldn't somebody already have found such a large chunk of gold?"

"That's certainly possible, but the area on Triod where we'll look is deserted except for a few natives," Raven replied.

"I'm glad of that," commented Wilson. "It'll be fun, and at least we'll be out of harm's way."

"Very true," said Raven, "but be sure to enjoy this mission because on a later trip we'll go back to Triod. That's when we'll destroy the water supply of the cyborgs' capital city." He hesitated. "I expect we'll run into a beehive of enemy soldiers on guard duty at the reservoirs. We plan to blow up the water works with fusion bombs, but it won't be a walk in the park."

"Why don't we just do it after we get the gold?" Yarnell asked.

"The assault plan isn't finished yet, and scientists have to test new, marble-size fusion bombs designed just for this water mission," said Raven. "After the tests, technicians must make enough bombs so we can plant them next to all of the capital's water storage areas. If we're successful, it'll put the enemy in a really bad way because they use the water not only for drinking, but for irrigation and industrial production."

"When do we return to Triod to do the mission?" Yarnell asked.

"It won't take us more than a day, maybe two days, to find lots of gold on Triod," said Raven. "When we get back here to Sunev, the crew can rest a few days while we finish the plan and the techs build the bombs. So, probably a week from tomorrow we'll destroy the enemy's water supply."

Wilson knew he had to send this critical intelligence about the raid to Ramon Black before _The Ghost Liner_ left for Triod to search for gold.

"We'll leave for Triod's gold country in two hours," said Raven. "If you plan to leave the ship, be sure to return no later than an hour from now."

"Let's have a quick lunch at the spaceport cafeteria, Bill," said Rachel.

"Okay," Wilson said. "I'm hungry."

"Have a good lunch," Yarnell said.

"We will," said Rachel, and she took Wilson's arm. They walked out of the ship and headed for the cafeteria.

Soon, they were in the lunch line, and they selected their meals, sat down, and began to eat. "Excuse me," Wilson said. "I need to use the restroom."

Rachel nodded as she chewed some pizza.

He walked toward the men's restroom, went around a corner and into an alcove. There he pulled out his mobile phone, entered the scrambler code, and punched in Black's number.

"Hello, Bill," Black answered. "What's up?"

"I can't talk long, but I learned something important," Wilson said. "Today, we leave for Triod to look for gold. We'll return to Sunev in a couple of days, and then we'll go back to Triod to the outskirts of the capitol city, Emor, to destroy its water supply system."

"That is critical," said Black. "We'll have to stop the attack. I don't know how yet. When you return to Sunev, I'll contact you. If you don't hear from me after a few hours when you get back, call when it's safe. Thanks for this vital intel."

"I'm glad to help, but I need to hang up now, or Rachel will miss me."

"Okay, thanks. Goodbye, Bill."

"So long," Wilson said. He walked back to find Rachel already half done with her lunch. They finished eating and returned to the ship ten minutes before Raven's deadline.
Chapter 20 – Anticipating Triod

"You two cut it close," said Raven, as Rachel and Wilson entered _The Ghost Liner_ 's command deck. Yarnell stood near Raven and peered at a map of Sunev on the ship's navigation computer. The ship was to leave for Triod in a little more than an hour to start its mission to find more gold for the war effort.

"We had a good lunch at the spaceport cafeteria," said Rachel. "You should've come with us."

"Yarnell and I had to plan the route to fly to Sunevian Gold Country so when we land we'll be in the right spot to jump to Triod," Raven said. "You might as well relax while we fly to the dimensional jump point."

"Okay," Wilson said.

"Let's go to my room and practice English," Rachel whispered. "I want to be ready when we travel to Earth."

"All right," Wilson said.

The two strolled to her cabin, she keyed in her entry code, and the door swung open. Then the lights came on, and bewitching Sunevian music began to play from an unseen device. Wilson followed her into the front room.

"Let's dance instead of doing an English lesson," she said. "I understand that you like to waltz."

"Okay," Wilson replied.

As they danced, her soft hair gleamed and swayed back and forth.

She was so much like Lena that he forgot for a moment she was another woman. Brushing her soft hair aside, he saw her tattoo, 214866, behind her ear.

_Rachel's number is different than Lena's,_ Wilson noticed, and he concentrated on the number.

"Do you want to tell me something?" asked Rachel, interrupting his thoughts.

"I just want to dance," he replied. I've got to play the part, he thought.

She squinted and blinked. "Me too," she said.

"Maybe I'm drawn to you for other reasons besides your physical beauty," Wilson heard himself say. "Your personality is different than Lena's."

"I must admit that my task is to please you," she said with a hint of anxiety in her voice. "But there's more. You must have guessed that I'm supposed to listen to you and report to Officer Yarnell, if I hear you say anything disloyal."

"Have you heard me say anything like that?" Wilson asked. He questioned himself _, where's she going? Why would she admit that she's been assigned to keep an eye on me?_

"I haven't heard you say a thing that's even close to rebellious," she said. "But because I'm a clone, I can see why Lena might convince you that all higher beings whether they're natural human beings, clones, cyborgs, or robots should be equal under the law."

"I thought all the clones on Sunev were just as human as natural people," he said.

"Under Sunevian law we clones are not equal to people conceived in a sex act," she said. Her eyes flickered. "But I think, just as Lena must believe, that we are normal people, not merely pets." She brushed her soft hair away from her hazel green eyes. "So, I can see how the clone rebels and the cyborgs convinced Lena to join their rebellion. The rebels think all intelligent beings should live in a true democratic state."

Wilson was silent, as he thought, _I have to speak with care. Is she telling me lies to get me to admit I'm a rebel?_ "I think the rebels were able to recruit Lena because she thought they'd create a free society for all," he said. "But no system is flawless. Even if the rebels win the war, they wouldn't create a perfect government, just like the Sunevian regime isn't ideal."

"So, do you think Lena was right to join the rebels?" Rachel asked.

"She did what she thought was right, even if I think she was wrong."

"You don't condemn her, then?"

"No, I don't. I can understand why she did it," Wilson said. "She's very talented, and she probably thinks people should value her for her contributions. Too bad the state didn't award her a status equal to that of a natural human being. If that had happened, she wouldn't be a rebel."

"I could be a rebel too," Rachel said.

"I don't know you well enough yet to even guess what you think," he said. "Still, you're a person clearly distinct from other people, and your mind grew in its own, unique way. I respect you for your individuality."

"Thank you," she said, and they began to dance like they were in a dream. After a while the ship's launch bell rang and jarred them back to reality.

"That bell means we'll take off for Sunevian Gold Country in ten minutes," Wilson explained.

"Okay," Rachel said, as they started to move towards his cabin door.

The two went to their flight seats and buckled in. _The Ghost Liner_ took off like a spaceship, quickly ascended to 150,000 feet, and flew another hour to reach its destination in Sunevian Gold Country.

"Prepare to land," Raven announced to the crew over the loudspeaker. "After we're on the ground, we'll take a fifteen minute break. Then we'll jump to Triod's Gold Country."

_The Ghost Liner_ landed like a huge vertical-takeoff-and-landing fighter jet. Wilson and Rachel unbuckled their seatbelts and got up to stretch.

"It won't be long before Raven gets to try his new land rover and the gold-scanner," Wilson said. "I didn't think to ask him if we're invited to go along."

"I asked him, and he said okay," said Rachel. "It'll be lots of fun. I've never done anything like searching for gold before."

"I panned for gold once at a tourist attraction in California, but I didn't find much except a few small gold flakes," Wilson said.

Raven walked up to the pair. "You two will get a thrill when we find some big gold nuggets on Triod." He grinned.

"That should be enough gold for at least one new dimension ship," Wilson said.

"Actually, it could help us build as many as four ships," Raven said. "That's why this mission is important."

"And we'll still need gold ore for fusion machines even after the war ends," Yarnell added. "That's why the search for gold isn't just a hobby."

"If it's okay with you, I'll take some notes," said Rachel. "I could write an article about how we found gold."

"That's okay by me," said Raven.

"Thank you, Commander," said Rachel.

Raven nodded, sat at the command console, and picked up a microphone. "All crewmembers, attention. Please move to your flight chairs and buckle in. We will begin the jump to Triod in five minutes."

Wilson and Rachel sat down and snapped their seatbelt buckles shut. A few hours later the ship vibrated less and less, as it shifted dimensions and appeared in Triod's Gold Country.

"I can't wait to get out there," said Rachel. "I wonder what else we'll find."
Chapter 21 – The Gold of Triod

_The Ghost Liner_ cloaked and came to rest in the rugged area of Triod that parallels California's Gold Country.

"We'll get started straight away," said Raven. "Yarnell, Wilson, and Rachel will join me in the land rover. Everyone will carry side arms. O'Reilly's mobile squad will deploy with us in case we run into Cyborg soldiers."

"I hope we won't be in danger," Rachel whispered to Wilson.

"We'll be okay. Most of the Cyborg forces are near their capital city, Emor, which is thousands of miles from here."

"That sounds good, I guess," she said. Though Rachel was Lena's clone twin, they were very different. Lena was calm, even under fire, while Rachel was emotional and had never been in combat.

Yarnell handed ray pistols to Wilson and Rachel. The armorer gave the squad members ray rifles as well as mini grenades powerful enough to shatter enemy soldiers into bits.

"Come on, folks," said Raven. "Move out. Be prepared to find a big piece of yellow metal."

Raven opened the rover's rear passenger door for Rachel. As Wilson got in the vehicle next to her, he detected a new-car odor that mixed with Rachel's exotic perfume.

"It's pleasant to drive a new machine," said Raven as he got into the driver's seat.

Yarnell sat in the front passenger seat of the tank-like rover and closed his door, making a solid "thunk" sound. Raven turned on the car's fusion-electric motor, and at the same time the gold location computer program flashed to life on the dashboard screen.

Yarnell snatched the vehicle's two-way radio microphone from its bracket on the dashboard and squeezed the transmit button on the handheld mike. "Rover to base," he barked into the oval mesh-covered mouthpiece.

"Go ahead, Rover," replied deputy ship commander, Ken O'Leary, via the two-way. He had taken command of _The Ghost Liner_ in Raven's absence.

"Please open the hatch door and deploy the vehicle ramp," Yarnell said.

"Ten-four," O'Leary replied. "Good luck," he added.

The ship uncloaked among a few medium-sized pine trees in a forested grove, and the roll-up door opened. The trees were far enough apart that the rover could drive around them with no trouble.

Raven opened the vehicle's windows a bit. A spice like odor drifted into the rover from fragrant small trees with smooth, chocolate colored wood. He eased the heavy rover down the sturdy metal ramp, and the vehicle's big, treaded tires crushed into the dry, straw-like grass and weed-covered ground. Then he pushed a button to completely roll down the vehicle's bullet-proof windows.

"It's a nice day," he said. "Let's enjoy the fresh air. Scanners did not report any sign of the enemy."

Wilson saw a buck jump from behind some bushes and smoothly lope deeper into the forest. "Do the scanners detect deer, bear, and other animals?" he asked.

"Sure," said Raven.

"How can they tell the difference between deer and people?" Wilson asked.

"The computer nerds will have to explain that," Yarnell said with a laugh.

"I'll drive it back and forth like a plow," Raven said. "The compass and coordinates on the computer map will help me line up."

"What about the trees, big rocks, and other things in the way?" asked Rachel.

"That's where you, Bill, and Yarnell will come to my aid," said Raven. "We have some portable gold scanners in the back. You can use them when we run into areas where the vehicle can't go."

Yarnell pointed to the back of the rover and said, "They're fancy metal detectors linked into the vehicle's computer system."

"How will we know if we find something?" Wilson asked.

"Signals from each handheld detector go to the vehicle's computer, which will combine data we gather with the rover's scanner info. The computer will let us know if we find metal."

"I didn't realize we had to do something," Rachel said. "Good thing I wore my canvas clothes." Before she left the ship, Rachel had donned heavy duty tan pants and a shirt, which looked like safari garb. The rest of the team members wore tan combat fatigues.

"It won't be a hard job," said Yarnell. He looked back at Rachel. "I think you'll rather enjoy it."

She smiled and showed her perfect teeth.

The sky was deep blue in Triod's Gold Country, like it is in California, except during the rainy season. A warm wind wafted the smells of fresh grass and trees to the alien gold seekers. They sat in the rover and enjoyed the scenery, as Raven drove slowly and scanned the ground beneath them.

Wilson glanced at colorful graphics on the computer screen, images that showed a cross-section of the ground forty feet deep. The picture changed as Raven drove. Wilson saw cartoon-like images of what he thought were ground hog burrows, underground rocks, and roots. The vehicle grazed bushes on its right side next to a big boulder and a six foot dip in the otherwise flat terrain.

Raven finished his first two-block-long pass along one edge of a four-square-block area.

"Time to turn around, boys and girl," he said. He turned the vehicle and began to go back the way he had come, like he would mow a lawn. "Be ready to get out near that big rock and the depression so you can hand-scan it."

"I just started to enjoy the ride," Rachel said, winking at Wilson.

"We didn't bring you with us to party," chortled Raven. Wilson had never seen him in a happier mood.

Raven eased the heavy truck-like rover to a stop ten feet before he got to the rock and the dip in the terrain that blocked the vehicle's way.

"Let's go," said Yarnell. He unlatched his seatbelt, opened the heavy front passenger's door, and stepped out. The yellowish grass and dusty dirt were very dry. Particles floated in the air, lingering in a shaft of sunlight as Yarnell took a step and stopped. He pulled his ray pistol from his holster and turned on the weapon, making sure the safety was set.

Wilson got out of the rover. "Should we activate our weapons?" he asked.

"It would be a good idea," said Raven. "You never know what'll happen."

Wilson powered on his sidearm and made sure that the safety was on. As he opened the other rear door for Rachel, he asked, "Where's the squad?" He hadn't seen them drive from the ship, and he had forgotten them until he had turned on his pistol.

"I've stationed them behind a thick bunch of trees near the middle of the scan area," Raven said. He pointed to a dense cluster of pines, bushes, and boulders about a block away. Wilson squinted, trying to find the soldiers' hiding place, but the squad was so well concealed, he had had no clue that they were there.

Yarnell opened the rover's hatchback and took out the fancy metal detectors. Each had a long handle, like a rake, with the scanner where the rake tongs would be. Wilson gripped the nearest detector.

"These are light," Wilson commented. He turned his detector on, and its color screen showed a scene below his feet.

Yarnell and Rachel also activated their detectors. "I suggest we split up the job," said Yarnell. "Rachel, search beneath the bushes and around the rock."

"Yes, sir," Rachel said. She strolled to the bushes and began to scan, moving the machine from side to side like she was mopping.

"I'll cover the lower area of the depression," Wilson said. He clambered down into the fifteen-foot gorge, while he held the metal detector up so it wouldn't drag on the ground and rocks that littered the slope.

"I can scan what's left," said Yarnell. He pointed to the far edge of the slope and a small boulder area beyond. He lifted his metal detector and carried it on his shoulder like a rifle.

As Wilson began to scan, he found a rodent tunnel entry. His metal detector screen showed a burrow that went into the ground about twenty feet. His curiosity spurred him to follow the animal's passage, so he walked above it, and then climbed the slope of the depression.

A loud buzz from his detector startled him, and a colored gold icon popped on its screen. A rodent had dug around a huge nugget of gold. Wilson's machine sounded an even higher pitched tone as he stepped above the chunk of gold, and then the screen began to rapidly flash "gold" in Sunevian letters.

"Hey, I've found it," Wilson yelled. Yarnell and Rachel scrambled down the sides of the depression to where Wilson stood. His detector still screamed.

"That's massive," said Yarnell as he stared at the image of a simulated gold nugget on the machine's screen.

"I wonder how big it is," Wilson said out of breath, his heart beating rapidly.

Raven slid into the hole, and his boots shifted rocks and soil, which set off a miniature avalanche. "The computer in the rover tells me the nugget weighs 106 pounds," he said. He was hyper.

"That sounds too big," Wilson said.

"It's almost as large as the heaviest nugget found in the Sierras on Earth," said Raven. "I believe you've found its twin."

"How far down is it?" asked Yarnell.

"About five feet," said Raven. "If we use the power diggers, we should be able to get it out pretty fast."

"The rodents that dug the tunnel made our job easier, because we can follow their path," Wilson suggested.

"I noticed that, too," said Raven. "Let's get the diggers out."

"If the nugget is 106 pounds and bulky, won't it be hard to pull out of the hole?" asked Rachel.

"It would be a tough job, except we have a power winch with straps," said Yarnell.

The group scrambled up the steep slope, dislodging more soil, rocks, and dried grass. Raven opened the hatchback, and he and Yarnell took out two power diggers. Each had a flat, short spade. They looked like the small electric spade that Wilson's plumber had used to dig up a broken pipe near his parent's house about a year ago. But these power spades had no electric cords because mini-fusion engines powered the tools.

Rachel grabbed a regular shovel, and the four slid back down into the hole. Wilson switched on a power digger and held it against the firm soil. The spade chugged up and down with thrusts of several inches. Raven used his power spade just above Wilson's position while Rachel scooped away the loose soil and rocks that Raven and Wilson had dug free.

In fifteen minutes they exposed the giant gold nugget. Raven's eyes seemed to pop out, and Yarnell's grin was wider than Wilson had ever seen it. The gold sparkled alluringly in the sunshine.

"Wow," said Yarnell. "It looks clean, even though it was buried in dirt." Every member of the team was giddy as Yarnell threw webbing and straps down into the hole next to the nugget.

"Bill, let's drape the net around the nugget," said Raven in a jolly voice.

Wilson helped him put the web-like net around the metal chunk as close to the ground as he could.

Raven snapped the straps onto three metal rings on the net and attached a stranded steel winch cable to the straps. Raven, Wilson, and Rachel then trudged up the steep embankment.

"Pull it up," commanded Raven. Yarnell started the winch, and the net moved, tightened around the gold, and then pulled the nugget. Suddenly, the bottom of the net slipped under the lump of pure gold, trapping it. In less than a minute, the nugget was next to the rover's front end.

Raven and Wilson took off the net and straps. "Yarnell, can you turn the rover around so we can load the nugget on the power tail gate?"

"Your wish is my command," he replied. He was so happy that he almost hopped into the driver's seat, and then he backed up the rover.

"Be careful when we lift it," Wilson said to Raven. "Squat, and lift with your legs."

"You're the doctor," said Raven.

The men rolled and hefted the bulky nugget onto the vehicle's power tail gate. Raven pushed the up button. After the nugget was level with the rear floor, the men pushed the massive piece of gold into the cargo area.

It was then that Wilson first saw half a dozen big deer in his side vision. He turned to see them gracefully leap over small bushes and run towards the rover. "It's strange to see deer in mid-afternoon, and they're in a big group," he said.

"That _is_ weird," said Yarnell. "Deer don't act like that."

The first death ray flashed from the lead stag and grazed the rover's tailgate. The kill ray burned off some of the rover's camouflage paint, producing the smell of smoke combined with the odor of scorched paint. More ray fire from the rest of the small herd hit around the team.

"Get in!" yelled Raven, as he fired his ray pistol. A deer staggered and crashed to the ground, wounded or dead.

Wilson fired a couple of wild shots as the team dove into the vehicle. It was shielded from most kinds of small arms ray fire.

Even at a distance, Wilson saw that the deer wore harnesses with ray rifles attached to them. _Bits in their mouths might control the weapons_ , he thought. _Had Triodian scientists changed deer genes to make the animals killers? Or maybe warriors half way around the planet controlled the shots._

"Let's get the hell out of here," said Raven, and he floored the accelerator. At once, the ship's squad of soldiers began to fire from their hidden positions among the rocks, trees, and their camouflaged vehicles. About half of the deer fell, and the rest ran away.

"It's hard to believe that the rebels would use deer that way," Wilson said.

"It's not farfetched," said Raven. "Remember that your U.S. Navy trained dolphins to help in war."

"Good thing you posted the squad in the grove," said Yarnell. "Our pistols were no match for enemy rifles."

Yarnell unhooked the two-way radio microphone from the dash and pressed the transmit button. "Rover to squad," he said briskly.

"This is squad. Go ahead," the radio's speaker blared, with some static mixed in.

"What's your situation, squad leader? Over."

"Rover, we're in pursuit of the enemy with two armored units. But the deer ran into dense forest and outpaced us. Over," said the squad leader.

"Break off pursuit. Go back to the ambush site to check the animal corpses. Approach with caution. They could be booby-trapped. Stay at least a hundred yards away from them. Over," said Yarnell.

"Copy," said the squad leader.

Raven motioned to Yarnell, took the microphone from him, and pushed the transmit button. "Raven to squad leader, tell your people we'll meet them by the dead deer to take a look at the corpses," Raven commanded. "I'd like to see what kind of weapons they have. We need to send in a mini robot to take a flesh sample for genetic analysis. Over."

"Ten-four. Over and out."

"Why did they go to the trouble to send deer after us when they could have used regular soldiers?" asked Rachel.

"Because our scanners would have identified their men. Deer would not seem to be a threat," said Yarnell.

"Oh," said Rachel.

"I wonder what other kinds of animals they have changed," Wilson said.

"You can be sure they have more species in development, even if they only have combat deer now," Raven said.

Yarnell drove the rover slowly towards the nearest deer corpse.

"If handlers control the deer from a remote place, could those controllers also set off a bomb?" Wilson asked.

"They might," said Raven. "Yarnell, you were right to order the squad to approach the deer carcasses with caution. We'll do the same."

"What if the cyborgs have equipped the deer with cameras?" Wilson asked. "Couldn't they see us when we get close?"

"Good thinking, Bill," said Raven. "We'll use our telescopic video camera and scanner from a distance."

Raven's group moved to a position about a hundred yards from the first fallen deer. The squad leader and another soldier also stopped a safe distance from a second animal's corpse.

"They'll use their battle camera to scan that deer, too," said Yarnell, who nodded towards the squad leader.

Wilson saw that a mini robot was already rolling towards the dead deer.

Meanwhile, Raven attached a camera-scanner to the rover's dashboard. Just then a loud explosion destroyed the deer near the squad leader. He and his companion retreated as more explosions rocked the ground and blew up two more deer. The mini robot was destroyed.

"Don't pull back yet!" Raven shouted to Yarnell. "I need a picture and a scan before this one explodes." Yarnell aimed the camera at the last dead deer. At a count of three, that corpse blew up, too. A piece of deer meat hit the windshield.

"That's lucky," said Yarnell. He put on latex gloves and got a plastic bag. "Give me a few seconds while I snag that meat." He reached through the open driver's side window and put the meat in the bag. "I took a picture and scanned the carcass just before the detonation," he added.

"Good work," Raven said.

"Rachel, put this in the cooler in the back," Yarnell ordered. "Put on some latex gloves before I give this to you."

Rachel opened a cardboard box that contained hundreds of gloves and put on a pair. "Okay, hand it over," she said, reaching over Yarnell's seatback and taking the bag of venison from him. She turned around, leaned into the cargo area, opened a small cooler, and tossed the bag in it.

"We need to get in the ship and leave right away," Raven said.

"The cyborgs could set off a bigger explosion, for all we know," Yarnell said. He eased the accelerator down and drove at a safe, but quick speed back to the ship. He guided the vehicle up the steel ramp. The squad of soldiers in three armored vehicles followed Raven's rover into the ship.

Raven quickly walked to the radio control panel. "All personnel, prepare to jump in thirty seconds," he said via the intercom. Just as the ship began its jump, there was a large explosion near the dead deer. _The Ghost Liner_ left Triod undamaged and later reappeared in Sunev's depleted Gold Country. From there Raven flew the ship flew back to First City and landed at the spaceport.

After the crew members unbuckled from their seats, Raven looked at Wilson and said, "Bill, we need to back-up your memories to computer cube. That way if you're blown to bits, we can clone you and restore your brain. This job we have is unsafe. I should have suggested this to you before."

"Okay, but will I remember myself, or will I be someone else, if I'm cloned?"

"It will seem as if you are reborn into a stronger, new body. At least that's what some soldiers who have been cloned and restored have told me," said Raven.

"I hope it doesn't come to that," Wilson said. But he worried, _if they can record my memories, can they read my thoughts? Probably they can't do it because they would've analyzed my memories by now, if they could._

Within the hour Raven had taken Wilson to the ship's infirmary. Wilson slipped on a helmet wired to a control panel, and then he listened to music as a powerful computer archived his recollections. His memories, maybe even his soul, were now preserved in computer memory. He considered, _will scientists soon learn how to read memories?_
Chapter 22 – Rachel 214993

After the ship's computer recorded the information from Wilson's brain, he was tired. It was dinner time, and he wanted a meal and beer. So far, nobody had said that they could decipher his memories and recorded thoughts.

"Rachel, let's go to a restaurant," he said. She was still shaken from the attack by the deer soldiers on planet Triod.

"I could use a drink, something stronger than beer," she said. "I know a place that's perfect."

"Lead the way," he said. They walked out of the ship and through the big hangar along one wall to a door that exited to the parking lot.

"Did I tell you I have a small car assigned to me?" she asked.

"That's more than they've given me," Wilson said. He was surprised she had not talked about her auto before.

"It's in the lot," she said. The two walked to her red compact, a fusion-powered vehicle.

"This little car reminds me of a small British auto of yesteryear," he said as he got in the passenger seat. "What was it called?" he puzzled.

She drove to a bistro called the Charred Steak, and they strolled into the dim eatery. Many soldiers in uniform gobbled food and drank shots of whiskey and goblets of beer. A few beautiful women were there, and Wilson recognized them from the clone catalog that Raven had tossed his way after Lena's arrest. Patrons played pool, darts, and Sunevian table games he had not seen before.

"Let's sit in a quiet corner," said Rachel. "This day was a thrill, but I'm tired and on edge."

The two walked to a dark recess where there was a two-person table. Wilson pulled out a chair for Rachel. "You can unwind now," he said.

"I feel relaxed with you," she said. "I know you think that I'm here just to please you and spy on you, but it's more than that." She shifted in her chair to a relaxed position.

"You seem normal to me," said Wilson. "I mean you're not just like a perfect doll. You're a regular person."

"Thanks," she said. "I never understood what the big deal was. There are so many others who look just like me."

"I get what you're saying," he said. "There's a lot more to you than looks." The more Wilson interacted with her, the more he liked her. But he wondered, _can I trust her to say what she really thinks?_

As Wilson sat down, a waitress came.

"I'll order for you," Rachel said. She knew that Wilson was self-conscious about his accent and limited vocabulary.

"Thank you," he whispered. "I'd like a steak, with potatoes, vegetables, and coffee."

Rachel ordered their food so fast in Sunevian that Wilson couldn't understand everything that she said.

"What do you think of rebels who use innocent animals to carry arms, and worse yet, blow up the poor creatures?" she asked.

"It's barbaric," he said. Wilson was now allied with the rebels and yet, he could see that they, too, were guilty of inhumane acts.

"Did you say that because you know I feel that way, as well?" she asked as she stared at him. She put her elbows on the table and her chin in her cupped hands.

"No, I see fault on both sides," he said. He asked himself, _is she probing me?_

"You mean that there are things about our society that don't please you?" she asked.

"On both sides people and other intelligent beings are imperfect," Wilson said. "No one is faultless. Countries get into conflicts, disputes, and even wars. They fight to the death when there should be better ways to decide differences."

"You're a man of peace, yet you handled a ray gun well and killed enemies of Sunev," she said.

"Yes, and I'm a physician, too. I regret that I've taken lives," Wilson said. "Now, I'm helping Sunev, and I'm committed to its government," he lied and blinked as he did so. He hoped she did not sense his anxiety.

"I see your dilemma," she said.

"Thank you for understanding."

The waitress brought their food. "Smells good," said Rachel. She did not seem to notice his lie, and she began to eat.

Wilson didn't enjoy his meal, and his stomach burned as he wondered if she would report doubts about him. He tried to predict what she would say, if she were to give details of their talks to the authorities.

Someone turned on a jukebox, and people stood and waltzed to beautiful instrumental music. "What's that?" Wilson asked.

"It's what you'd call slow dance music," Rachel said, and she took his hand. "Let's dance."

He stood and drew her to him. "Let's hold each other and move with the music," Wilson said, and she nodded.

No longer tense, he felt a wave of relief as they lost themselves in a sea of dancers. They made their way around the dark dance floor once. Then Rachel closed her eyes and put her soft cheek against his chest.

"Let's go to your place and talk," she said. "I'm told it's a very nice suite of rooms in a hotel."

He took her hand, and they walked into the coolness of the night. He gazed upward at the stars that sparkled across the sky. The air was fresh and crisp, yet he felt inner warmth and ease. He pretended that he held Lena's hand. In ten minutes they were at his hotel apartment.

"Would you like a glass of red wine?" he asked.

"Yes, that would be lovely," she answered.

He opened a bottle and poured some dark red wine into two graceful glasses.

"Here's to peace," he proposed.

"Amen," she replied, as they clinked their glasses together.

After a couple of small glasses of wine she said, "Let's dance some more. We don't need music."

He took her hand, and they slowly waltzed. He stroked her hair. Behind her ear he saw her tattooed number, 214993, a stark reminder that she was a woman who men had designed as if she were the latest automobile model. She was a Nordic Number 10, another slave whose main purpose was to please men. She and Lena were somewhat alike because they were sisters who were supposed to be meek and obedient.

Then again, Rachel was not an exact replica of Lena because each of their two minds was unique. Their brains had grown to be unlike those of their fellow clones, as they matured and learned about their world.

In addition to a different personality, Rachel had a thicker accent than Lena had. Wilson was enjoying Rachel primarily as a platonic friend. He had a gut feeling that she was not dedicated to the Sunevian government but just wanted to enjoy life. Still, he wondered if she had been trained to please any man. After all, she was created to be a beautiful object, not to be an intellectual woman.

On the other hand, Lena was a much closer friend as well as a rebel. He liked her for her resolve to be free, and he had to admit that he thought that their friendship would continue to become even closer.

He puzzled, _how can I take sides? Earth is not involved. Yet the struggle is between a dictatorship and a freer society._

As he thought about the war, Rachel spoke. "I need to say something."

"Okay," Wilson said. He looked deep into her eyes.

Rachel continued, almost in a whisper. "If you guessed that the Secret Service sent me to befriend you and check on your loyalty, you're right." She squinted and stared at him. "But I care for you as a friend, and I won't betray you."

"My country is more democratic than yours, so it may sometimes seem that I'm not grateful for what Sunev has given me," he said.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Your people gave me nano meds and the chance to live a long time. I'm thankful for that, but I wish that Sunev were more democratic."

"I get it," Rachel said. "I, too, feel grateful. I've been given a chance to move up, to live well. But I don't want to be a second class citizen even if I get to live better."

"In my country most people are lower class citizens because they're not rich," he said. "An oligarchy has arisen worldwide on Earth. A small group of super-rich people has undermined democracy because their money can buy anything and anybody, including politicians."

"We don't have money anymore, yet there's an oligarchy, a small class which thinks it deserves to rule," she said.

_I feel sick about where this conversation is heading,_ he thought. _Is she trying to get me to confess that I oppose the ruling class?_

"I see you're worried," Rachel said. "I assure you, I don't care if you are a rebel, neutral, or a backer of the Great Leader. I'm your friend."

"I've been drawn into a quarrel that isn't mine," he said. She was silent for a moment. He thought, _I can't be sure if she's playing me, but I think she's truthful_. Now, Lena seemed like a fantasy, somewhere far away.

Rachel began to pace back and forth. "I'll call the Great Leader himself and report that you're loyal," she said. "Believe me. I am under his direct command. I'll lie to him because I think that if you aren't a rebel, you at least pity the cyborgs of Triod." She grabbed both of Wilson's shoulders and kissed his lips.

"I believe you," he said. "But I'm surprised the Great Leader has gone to such lengths to check on me."

"You're the first person from Earth to learn about us," she said. "You're almost as well-known as Lena Lavelle in the popular media, whether you know it or not. I'll call the Leader tomorrow, and you can listen."

"I hope it doesn't backfire," he said.

"Don't worry, Bill. It'll be fine." She paused. "I think I should go soon. I've got a room in the Vacationland Hotel across the street."

"What time should we meet tomorrow?" he asked.

"About nine I'll knock on your door."

"I'll have breakfast ready when you get here," he suggested.

"That'll be nice," she replied, and she walked to his door.

Wilson opened it for her, and she gave him a hug and then left.

The next morning they ate breakfast at his small, wooden dining table. Rachel sipped coffee. "Did you think I would forget to call the Great Leader?"

"I figured you'd do it when you were ready," Wilson said, trying to sound calm, but he was nervous.

"I'll put my phone on speaker," she said. "Be quiet, okay?"

"I will," Wilson said, and he felt sweat forming in his armpits. She tapped a number into her portable phone.

"Hello, this is Rachel 214993 calling the Great Leader." she said.

"I'll check to see if he's here," said a woman's voice. A moment later she said, "I'll put him on."

"Hello, Rachel," a rough baritone voice said.

"Greetings, Great Leader," Rachel said. "I have a report about Dr. Wilson of Earth."

"What are your observations?" he asked.

"I haven't heard or seen anything that would show that he supports the rebels," she said. "Everything he says indicates that he's a strong supporter of the Upper Echelon."

"So, you've found nothing incriminating. And he has fought our enemies well, according to Raven," the Leader mused. "Do you want to add anything?"

"No, sir."

"One more thing, Rachel," said the old dictator in a gravelly voice. "I'm going to give you advanced notice about what Raven will soon tell you. I've decided to immediately send _The Ghost Liner_ to Earth on a second mission to further train the crew how to operate the ship, but there are two other important objectives. I want you to keep this information secret."

"Yes, sir," said Rachel.

"First, you are to deliver a package for me to a courier," the Leader said. "Second, Raven will pick up some gold for the war effort."

"What's in the package?"

"For the time being its contents will remain secret," the Great Leader said. "I'll have it delivered to you before the ship jumps to Earth."

"May I ask, sir, what's our destination on Earth?"

"You and Wilson will go to Oahu, one of the Hawaiian Islands, where you'll deliver the package. Raven and another man will get the gold at another location. You'll receive further instructions later."

"Yes, sir."

"Please keep your eyes and ears open, Rachel. Report to me in a week or when you learn anything important about Wilson. I must say goodbye now."

"Yes, sir, farewell," Rachel said. She shut off her phone.

"I guess I'm not off the hook yet," Wilson said.

"You can be sure, dear, that I'll not report anything to him that would put you in danger," Rachel said. "Do you trust me now?"

"Yes," Wilson said. "I'm glad we can get away from this war for a few days before we leave for Triod on the waterworks raid."

"Hawaii will be a nice place to visit, but I still have a mission to do there," Rachel said. "So, maybe it won't be much of a vacation. I wonder what this package is that they want me to deliver to a courier."

"Possibly it's something to do with the war effort?" Wilson guessed.

"It could be a delivery to one of our research groups on Earth," she said. "Perhaps they decided to send instructions on old-fashioned paper to make sure their message isn't intercepted by the enemy."

"Maybe they won't tell you what's in the package at all just to make sure the enemy can't coerce you into divulging its contents," Wilson speculated.

"I'll find out more about it later," said Rachel. "Actually, I'm more curious about Raven's destination and the gold. I think he might be taking a quick look at California's Gold Country."

Wilson looked at his watch. "It's almost 10 a.m.," he said. "Why don't we leave for to the ship now? They'll call us to come anyway."

"I'll drive us," said Rachel. "I have a feeling that Raven will tell us about the new mission right away."

Rachel drove her small car to the hangar's parking lot. They found Yarnell eating brunch with Raven at a long, cafeteria style table in _The Ghost Liner_ 's mess hall.

"Sit down with us," Raven said, as Wilson and Rachel approached.

"Hi, Richard," Rachel said, as she sat.

"I'm glad you're both here," said Raven. "I have news. _The Ghost Liner_ has been ordered to go to Earth on a quick mission before we conduct the waterworks raid on Triod. While Roberto, I, and the rest of the crew are prospecting for gold for the war effort, Rachel will deliver a package to a courier in Hawaii on the island of Oahu. Bill, you'll go with her because she has had limited experience on Earth."

"This mission is a pleasant surprise," said Rachel. "It's nice to have a little vacation. I've heard the Hawaiian Islands are beautiful. How long will we be there?"

"Three days," said Raven.

"What's in the package?" Rachel asked.

"I don't know yet," said Raven. "It'll be delivered to us soon because we have to leave today at 2 p.m."

"Where are you going to let us off on Oahu?" asked Wilson.

"At Honolulu's airport," Raven replied. "We'll deliver you two, cloak between dimensions, shift our position away from Oahu, and end up in Gold Country."

"Where and when will you pick us up?" Wilson asked.

"At the airport in three days at five in the afternoon," Raven said. "Set your ship finder alarms right now so we'll all be on the same page."

"Okay," Rachel said, and she took her ship finder from her purse.

Wilson nodded, and took his silver ship finder from his hip pocket. Rachel helped him set his alarm, and then she set hers.

"See you folks later," said Raven, who had finished his meal. "Yarnell and I have to get ready for the mission." He and Yarnell left.

"Let's get coffee," said Rachel.

Rachel and Wilson also ordered coffee cake. They gulped their coffee and ate quickly. Afterward he slipped out of the ship and walked away from the hangar so he could phone rebel leader Ramon Black.

"Hello, Bill. What's up?" Ramon said.

"Rachel, our crew, and I will soon jump to Earth to prospect for gold for three days and deliver a package of some kind for the Great Leader," Wilson reported.

"Do you have any idea what's in the package?"

"Rachel thinks it could be a message for one of Sunev's research teams on Earth, but that's only a guess. She still seems trustworthy to me."

"Be careful, Bill," Ramon said. "She's been trained to gain your confidence."

"I haven't told her anything about my actions with your side. But she's led me to believe that she could be ripe for recruitment by you under the right conditions."

"We'll think about how to test her," said Ramon. "For now, be vigilant."

"Okay," Wilson said.

"What's your destination?" asked Ramon.

"Rachel and I will visit Oahu, one of the Hawaiian Islands," Wilson said. "Raven said he and the rest of the crew will prospect in California's Gold Country."

"Do they still plan to attack the water system on Triod next week?"

"It's still a go," Wilson said. He paused and added, "Maybe I can convince Rachel to let me know what's in the package."

"She could lie to you," Black commented. "So, you'll need to actually see what's inside it. And don't forget, she'll do her best to check you out. I might send someone to contact you, so be on the alert."

"How'll I know who my contact is?"

"Keep your special mobile phone with you. We'll call," he said. "It'll work on Earth, too."

"Okay," Wilson said.

"I've got to go now, Bill. Take care."

"Bye," Wilson said.

Just minutes before _The Ghost Liner_ was to jump to Earth at 2 p.m., a locked briefcase containing a secret package for Rachel was delivered to the ship. Raven did not have a key for the case. Meanwhile, he contrived a simple plan to drop off Rachel and Wilson near car rental agencies by Honolulu's airport. Sometime later, a courier would contact her to arrange for the pickup of the briefcase.
Chapter 23 – Oahu and a Girl's Best Friends

After the vibration of the jump ceased, _The Ghost Liner_ cloaked near Honolulu International Airport. Wilson and Rachel exited through one of the ship's small doorways, which poked into Earth's realm from a place between dimensions. Most of the ship lay just outside of Earth's bounds.

The small exit looked like a tool shed near a thick grove of trees and bushes. Its appearance would fool onlookers if they happened to see Wilson and Rachel as they got out of the semi-cloaked ship.

Rachel carried a locked leather briefcase, which Raven had instructed her to deliver to a male courier, who was thirtyish with black hair. He was supposed to phone Rachel to set up a meeting location and time. During their rendezvous he was to use the password, "palm." Rachel was to reply to the password with, "reader," and give him the case.

Emerging from behind the leaves of a tree at the edge of a blacktop road, Wilson and Rachel crossed the street and approached several car rental agencies. The pair wore straw hats and carried backpacks with enough clothes for three days. The sky was deep blue, and the colors of the vegetation were vivid in the tropical sunlight. The afternoon temperature was in the upper seventies, but it was on the rise. Forecasters had predicted an unusual heat wave.

"Let's rent a car," Wilson said, and they walked towards a chain link fence that protected fleets of rental autos.

"Anything you say, Bill."

"We'll get a luxury electric vehicle, so we can tour this island in style," he said. Rachel nodded yes, closed her eyes, and sucked clean air into her lungs.

He, too, inhaled the fresh sea air from a soft but humid breeze. He was relieved to be away from the terrible cyborg war that was invisible from Earth. He asked himself, _Why should we return to the ship's rendezvous point?_ Wilson had plenty of cash. He and Rachel could drop out of sight.

_Maybe I should say the devil with it all._ He tucked that thought away for the moment, as he and Rachel approached the closest automobile leasing company building that housed Jolt Electric Cars.

The duo strolled into the rental office. The air conditioning was on, and it was cold inside. They stood in line behind people waiting to be served at the counter.

"Why don't you get a smart looking sports car?" Rachel said. She looked up at Wilson as if she were an excited teenager. He noticed her perfect teeth, as white and fresh as those in a tooth paste commercial. She was thrilled to be in Hawaii.

"The Great Leader can afford it," Wilson whispered. "He makes great fake currency even though Sunev has banned money."

Rachel smiled and said, "The cash is real." He was surprised the money was genuine. Yarnell had given them twenty thousand dollars each in cash as well as credit cards and fake IDs. The two were now Mr. and Mrs. William Smith of White Plains, New York.

"How can I help you?" asked the car rental agent, a young, attractive brunette.

"I'd like to lease a nice, fast sports car," Wilson said. "What do you recommend?"

"I have three beautiful electric-powered Blackstone Bullets," she said. "They're two-seaters, but the trunk is big enough to hold three large suitcases. The range is 400 miles on a full charge. They also have a new option, the chameleon switch. You can press the color-coded buttons, and the car will change its color. Cost is eighty-seven dollars per day."

"I've never heard of the chameleon switch," Wilson said.

"That's because the option is still being tested. In fact, we're one of three rental agencies in the U.S. that are beta test centers for this new option. The manufacturer wants to know if there are any problems with it before it's put into general production."

"That's going to be a big seller," Wilson commented. "How does it work?"

"I'm not quite sure of the details," the brunette admitted. "But an engineer from the car company told me that scientists were able to mimic how a chameleon works, and with a special electrical current, they can change the color of the car."

"I'll take one," Wilson said.

"You can set it to red, green, blue, white, or black," the brunette said. "Would you like me to preset the color so you can see it quicker? We have them all set to white to reduce the inside temperature because they're sitting in the sun."

"How about fire engine red," he said.

"You'll love it," the young rental agent replied.

In ten minutes Wilson and Rachel were on their way, guided by a map of Oahu that the young lady had supplied. It was mid-afternoon, and Wilson figured that by nightfall they could find a nice hotel along Waikiki Beach in sight of Diamond Head. He decided that they also would do a little touring before it got dark.

"I wonder when the courier's going to call," Rachel said. "It's a good thing we have a car. We should be able to meet him soon after he contacts me. This island isn't that big."

"I wouldn't stress about it," Wilson said. "But I'd feel a lot better if we knew what's in the case."

"Are you suggesting we pick the lock to see what's inside so you can report it to the rebels?" she asked.

"I don't know how to pick a lock," he replied. "And if I were a rebel and I dared to tell the rebels what's inside, wouldn't that put you in danger?"

"That depends on what's inside," said Rachel. "I'm going to take a look. Please stop the car."

He pulled off the road near a park, and stopped the car in a public parking lot.

"I carry a couple of small burglar's tools in my purse," Rachel said, as she unsnapped her handbag. She removed a small tension wrench and a lock pick and then quickly opened the briefcase without damaging the lock.

"Where did you learn how to do that?" he asked.

"In spy school," she said. "Wow! This case is loaded with carbon crystals. They're very pretty."

"What?" Wilson asked. He peeked into the case, which was jam-packed with beautifully cut diamonds, many of them very large. "Those diamonds must be worth a lot of money."

"They're actually dirt cheap," said Rachel. "We make them from carbon using nanotechnology. Carbon is abundant, and we assemble diamonds atom by atom to make perfect crystals."

"So, what will the Sunevian team do with the diamonds here on Earth?"

"My guess is that our people will trade them for gold," said Rachel. "These carbon crystals are as cheap as plastic for us, so we can give people who have gold to trade a very good deal. Also, our team can exchange diamonds for money."

She snapped the case shut and reengaged its lock. "We might as well have a good time touring while we wait for the courier's call," she said, and she seemed to be relieved.

"Let's do a little planning as long as we're stopped," Wilson said. He unfolded the colorful map the woman at the car rental agency had given to him. "Let's take a quick look to see what we could do for a couple of hours before we check into a decent hotel."

Rachel leaned on his right shoulder and peered at the map. He inhaled her exotic perfume and felt her soft hair against his neck. She pointed to a spot on the map. "We're next to Pearl Harbor. What's that?"

"It's a naval base that the Japanese attacked in 1941, which brought the United States into World War II," Wilson said. "Many of our ships sank, others sustained heavy damage, and thousands of sailors died. The public can visit it, but it's a sad place because of all those who died there."

"If you don't mind, let's skip it," she said. "I've had enough of war for now."

"Me, too," Wilson said. "We can make our way east towards Waikiki Beach and its hotels and tourist attractions."

"Good idea," Rachel said, as she continued to examine the map. "Let's find a nice place to park by the beach, and then we can walk on the sand."

"That's a plan I like. I want to see the ocean and feel the warm water and sand ooze between my toes," he said. "I'll follow H1 and go south to Yacht Harbor. Lots of hotels are around there. We can check in and park." He glanced up from the map.

"We might as well splurge, Mr. Smith," she said. "Why not check into a suite?"

"Sure," Wilson replied. As he drove towards the beach on Ala Moana Boulevard, he saw an impressive hotel on his right, the Blue Wave Resort.

"That place is pretty," Rachel said.

"I agree," he replied. He turned into the circular drive in front of the hotel's main entry. "We should check it out."

A valet came forward. "Do you want me to park your car?"

"Not yet," Wilson said. "We'd like to look around to see if we want to stay here."

"That's okay," he said. "Pull into a half hour slot up ahead. We'll keep an eye on your car."

"Thanks," Wilson said, and he gave the valet a five dollar tip.

Wilson and Rachel walked into the plush lobby, which was carpeted in thick, maroon rugs. Beautiful furniture, paintings, and shiny brass hardware made the place look better than any hotel Wilson had ever seen before. A man in tails played a grand piano while a small audience listened and drank cocktails. A few couples danced on a parquet floor that was surrounded by small, round tables.

Wilson and Rachel walked to the hotel's check-in desk where a young man was on duty.

"How much is a room?" Wilson asked.

"Our standard room is $250 per night."

"Do you have a suite with two or three rooms available?"

The young man blushed as he glanced at Rachel. "I'll check." He began to type on his computer keyboard, and then he looked up. "We do. We had a cancellation. There's a special rate because of the last minute change. The suite is $950 per night, a $500 savings. Here are some pictures." He handed Wilson a set of large color photos in a binder. The room was first-rate.

"It's nice," Rachel said.

"We'll take it," Wilson said. He used a credit card to secure the room and asked the young man to have a valet park the rental car.

Wilson and Rachel took the elevator up to the suite.

"It's beautiful," she said, as they entered their small apartment. She sat on the big bed and bounced. "This place is nice, but I want to go to the beach right away."

"Okay," Wilson said, "but first I want to take a quick look at the rooms."

Rachel sprang up from the mattress and smiled, as Wilson stepped into the bathroom and examined the marble tub that was big enough for two or three people.

As he wandered out of the bathroom, Rachel asked, "Why don't you put on your swim trunks in there while I change out here?"

"Sure," he replied, and he grabbed his backpack, reentered the bathroom, and quickly put on his swimsuit. "Are you decent?" he called through the door.

"You can come out now," she answered.

When he emerged from the bathroom, he saw that she looked very attractive in her bikini.

"It's a shame that the hotel will be cheated out of their money with the phony credit card," he said.

"The card isn't a fake," she said. "Sunev has made some large gold investments on Earth to fund our research here. Just the ID's are bogus."

"So, Sunev is in business on Earth. Every so often I've been surprised by what I learn about your planet and its government's activities," Wilson said. "This is one of those times."

"It makes sense not to upset the authorities," Rachel said. "Our people want to stay low key."

"I bet you didn't hear how Raven and Yarnell burglarized a display in Gold Country and stole historic gold nuggets worth millions during our recent visit there," Wilson said.

"Wow! They took a big chance."

"That's for sure," Wilson said. "I think those two guys have a criminal streak in them, or at least they're thrill seekers."

"I wonder what's next," she said.

Wilson slipped on his flip-flop sandals and rubbed sun block lotion on his arms, body, and face. "They're going to Gold Country to look for more gold," he said.

"I predict they won't find much because the easy-to-find California gold has already been found."

"Good point," Wilson said. "Maybe they'll steal more gold."

"We'll have to wait to find out," she said. "Let's go. I want to get to the beach before dark."

She shoved the briefcase of diamonds into Wilson's backpack, and he slung it over his shoulder. They rode the elevator to the lobby, left the hotel, and began to walk the two blocks to the beach. Crowds of people dressed in swimsuits also strolled towards shore.

Wilson saw a blond man in the throng across the street, walking towards the beach. He reminded Wilson of Art Terac, the man who had broken Lena out of prison.

"Don't stare, but see that fair-haired man across the street?" Wilson asked as he nudged Rachel. "I've seen him before."

The man turned his head away and walked on. Wilson instantly regretted that he had said anything because the guy may have been Terac. Rachel could have identified him and passed the intel to her people, if she was still loyal to the Great Leader.

"He looks nice, like a clone companion," she said. "But there are countless men who look kind of like him." Wilson was relieved that she didn't seem to know the blond man who was now out of sight.

It was about half past four when they stepped onto the sand of a crowded beach near the U.S. Army Museum.

Rachel glanced at a young woman with a tall, thin body. A man with too much belly fat walked hand-in-hand with her.

"He must be her sugar daddy," she said, and she snatched Wilson's hand.

They strolled along the beach towards Diamond Head, an extinct volcanic cone east of Waikiki Beach. The pair walked into the waves and let wet sand and salt water flow between their toes. Then they strode on the warm, golden sand, which clung to their feet. The odors of fancy meals drifted to them from a waterfront restaurant fifty feet away. Wilson smelled charcoaled steak, roasted fish, and other foods. People sat outside around patio tables and feasted.

"That looks good," he said. He gestured towards the eatery. "The aroma tempts me. I'm hungry as a lion on a desert island."

"Let's go," Rachel said. They walked to the restaurant, and a Hawaiian waitress dressed in a grass skirt seated them.

"You can roast your meal if you choose," the waitress said. "Our menu indicates what you can cook at the grill. It's fun to do." She handed menus to them.

Wilson chose to roast a fish steak – mahi mahi, also called dorado, a tasty fish. Rachel chose a sirloin steak. Before the waitress brought their raw steaks to them, Wilson noticed a news bulletin on a nearby TV screen mounted high on the wall: "Fort Knox Gold Heist Nets a Ton of Gold."

He stood and walked closer to the screen so he could hear the news report.

"What's up?" Rachel asked.

"There's been a gold robbery." He pointed to the TV screen.

"Oh," she whispered, and they both thought the same thing. _The culprits were Raven and Yarnell._

Wilson heard the sound much better after he stood under the TV monitor. "Earlier today thieves took gold worth more that forty-seven-million dollars from The United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky. About a ton of gold was taken at 2 a.m. from the depository's high security vault.

"A government employee, who declined to be identified, said there is video of two masked burglars dressed in black who loaded gold bars onto dollies. Security cameras in the area were disabled moments later. So how the thieves got away is a mystery. Our source also told us that all employees are being questioned. The depository's fortified vault is considered impregnable.

"A twenty-two ton, blast-proof door protects the vault. Two or more staff members at a time must use separate combinations to open the door. The United States Mint Police guard more than 5,000 tons of gold. The vault is located at Fort Knox, which has more than 30,000 soldiers, aircraft, and heavy weaponry that includes tanks. Stand by for further reports as we learn more about this breaking story. Jeff MacDonald, World Wide News, reporting from Fort Knox, Kentucky."

The TV broadcast switched to regular programming. Rachel stood beside Wilson and stared at the screen.

"There's no doubt Raven and Yarnell did it," she whispered. "They just needed the right coordinates to beam into the vault from between dimensions. They got enough gold to enable us to build many ships. I'll wager the two of them took more than they'll turn over to the Great Leader. They'll probably cash in some gold and hide money in a bank on Earth so they can live here if they get in trouble."

"It sounds like them, but I think the Great Leader was the one who was really behind this heist," Wilson said.

Rachel looked thoughtful as they walked back to their table. "They took a big chance," she said. "What if they'd been caught?"

"I think they had little or no chance of being arrested," Wilson said. "The vault is sealed at night. Nobody can come and go, except people who know how to switch dimensions. This puzzling theft will upset those in charge of Fort Knox gold for years."

"That's for sure," Rachel said. "I need to go to the restroom to freshen up."

"Okay," he said, and she walked away. A minute later Wilson thought, _did I see her take out her cell phone near the lady's room? Maybe it's my imagination._ A tap on Wilson's shoulder startled him. He turned and saw a handsome blond man who brushed aside some of his light hair, which fell low over his forehead.

"Bill, you remember me?" he asked. "I'm Art Terac."

"Yes, you got Lena out of jail, I heard," Wilson replied.

"Yeah, that's right, but we don't have time to talk about it now," he said.

"Okay."

"It's important that you meet me at Pali Lookout tomorrow afternoon after it closes at four o'clock," he said. "Bring Rachel, but don't tell her about me. We think she's a spy." Wilson was sure Rachel wasn't dangerous. He figured he would convince Terac of that later.

"What should I tell her?" Wilson asked.

"Anything. Just be there, okay?"

"We'll be there."

Terac smiled, "I've got to leave before Rachel comes back." He left.

In a few moments Rachel returned. "The courier called," she said as she sat at the table. "He wants to meet me at 2 p.m. tomorrow at a place called Waimanalo Park Beach. I don't look forward to delivering the diamonds. I was hoping to get away from that kind of stuff."

"Let's forget about it and have a good time," Wilson lied. He pondered, _should I, or should I not, tell Rachel about Terac and the meeting at Pali Lookout?_ Wilson tried to hide his anxiety.

"You don't look happy about Raven's caper," she said.

"Well, let's both try to have a good time anyway," he said. "What should we do tomorrow that would be fun?"

He unzipped his backpack, which was on the floor at his feet, and he took out the Oahu map. He spread it on the table and smoothed it. An index showed him the location of Pali Lookout, along Highway 61.

"Let's go out into the countryside, and see some tropical scenes and vegetation," she said.

"I'll see if I can find points of interest on this map," Wilson said. He faked concentration and squinted to read the caption alongside Pali Lookout. It said that a long time ago a Hawaiian king, Kamehameha the Great, had defeated warriors led by Oahu Chief Kalanikupule. The king's forces pushed the defeated fighters over the lookout cliff to their deaths.

Wilson wondered why Terac would choose such a spot for a rendezvous. Maybe it was because after the lookout closed, nobody would be near it. Not much else seemed to be around that area.

"What do you think, Bill?" Rachel asked.

"Umm. You've got to meet the courier at Waimanalo Beach at 2 p.m., which is here. So, we can look at that beach and some other beaches and then head inland. But first, tomorrow morning, we could drive east along Kalakaua Avenue and then climb Diamond Head, here," he said as he pointed to the map.

"Okay," she said.

"After we climb the tourist trail up Diamond Head, we can follow Highway 72 northeast along the coast," he explained. "We should be able to reach Waimanalo by 2 p.m. easily enough."

"That's a good route," she said.

"After you hand off the case to the courier, we can cut inland on 61 and go southwest. There's a lot of flora along the way," Wilson said. He pointed to the map. "Here's a spot I'd like to see, Pali Lookout. From there you can see for miles."

"That's fine," she said, and his heart pounded because he knew he was about to deceive her.

The waitress in the grass skirt returned with their raw fish and beef steaks, ready to roast. "While you're at the grill, I'll bring the rest of your meals," she said as she leaned down close to Wilson. Rachel rolled her eyes out of sight of the waitress, and shook her head.

They roasted their steaks, and after returning to their table, they found the rest of their meals draped in big, tropical leaves. After eating, they took a cab to the hotel.

Wilson opened the door to the suite, and Rachel went in and switched on the lights. It was half past ten. "I'll get ready for bed," she said, as she went into the bathroom.

While he heard her showering, Wilson began to worry about the meeting at Pali Lookout.

Rachel came out of the bathroom dressed in flannel pajamas. "Good night, Bill," she said, as she opened the master bedroom's door.

"Sleep well," he replied.

Wilson brushed his teeth and went into the spare bedroom. He had difficulty falling asleep. After he finally nodded off, he dreamt of fierce Hawaiian warriors throwing their foes over Pali Lookout.

One grabbed Rachel and shoved her towards the cliff edge. In his dream she screamed, and he then awoke. Sweat covered him.

_I can't get that darn meeting at Pali Lookout out of my head,_ he complained to himself.
Chapter 24 – On the Way to Pali Lookout

The next morning Wilson and Rachel took the steep hike up Diamond Head and saw where defenders had guarded Oahu from a potential Japanese invasion in World War II.

As they climbed the steep incline, the temperature was hotter than normal, in the high eighties. The air was humid. They stopped often to take deep breaths, to rest, and to drink water from their plastic bottles.

When they reached the top of Diamond Head, Rachel looked down at Honolulu and Waikiki beach. "It's splendid," she said. She slipped her hand into Wilson's hand and smiled coyly. They shot digital pictures of Honolulu and other island scenery below them.

Vacationers spoke many languages, milled about, smiled, and laughed. Little did these people know that among them was an intelligent being from another planet, a beautiful woman, Rachel, who was a clone to boot, Wilson mused.

After the two had soaked in the scene, Wilson and Rachel walked downhill to their red electric sports car.

As they drove eastward, Wilson saw palm and coconut trees along the shore. Some leaned across the beach and over the surf while the wind and the sea grew stronger. White foam trailed behind the waves as they barreled across the sand, and clouds erased the deep blue sky, which rapidly turned overcast. While the pair traveled north along Route 72, the sky gradually cleared, and the wind abated.

"The horizon is purple like it would be in a painting," said Rachel. "I thought artists took license when they used perky colors like that. I think you'd have to try hard to take a bad picture," she added, as she aimed her tiny digital camera at a small mountain a half mile inland.

Wilson had a good time as he delighted in the island's beauty, but every so often he worried about the meeting with the clone, Art Terac, at Pali Lookout and what might happen.

_Maybe I should take Rachel some place far away – possibly South America –to escape the war,_ he considered. _True, that would be desertion, but the cyborg war is in another dimension on a different world. What am I doing? It's like I'm a moth drawn to a flame._

He was about to tell Rachel about Terac to convince her to desert, but then he thought, _If I'm wrong about her, she'll slip away and call the Great Leader._

Wilson felt guilty when he thought of deserting the rebels. He even felt uncomfortable about his disloyalty to Raven and the Great Leader.

Wilson continued to drive north on Route 72. It was half past one when he and Rachel bought lunch-to-go from a small roadside market. He drove a short distance, and they arrived at Waimanalo Beach Park, where he stopped the car in a lot by some picnic benches.

"That picnic bench is close enough to the parking lot so that the courier will easily see you," said Wilson.

"I'll sit facing the lot," Rachel said. "I'm sure he has a snapshot of me." She gathered their two lunch bags and drinks and then got out of the car. It was 1:30 p.m. when they sat down to eat.

"We'd better take our garbage with us," Wilson said after they finished.

"Why?" Rachel asked.

"Because if something goes wrong, we don't want to leave our DNA here on our paper cups and napkins," he said. "You never know."

"I think you're being paranoid, but okay," she said as she got up. She stuffed their trash in their two brown paper lunch bags and put them in the car. "The courier should be here soon," she said, walking back from the car.

"I'll keep my eyes open," Wilson said, as Rachel reached under the picnic bench. She grabbed his pack, set it on the rough boards of the table, and took out the briefcase filled with diamonds.

"The sooner this is over, the better," he said. There was a sound of rustling in the thick bushes behind them that bordered the park. They turned to see what was causing the noise, and a man, about 30 years old with jet black hair, emerged from the greenery.

He looked at Rachel and said, "I'm looking for a nice spot to sit under a _palm_ tree."

Rachel paused and said, "You look like a _reader_ who wants to find a nice, shady spot to enjoy a new novel." She grabbed the briefcase that contained the diamonds. "Maybe there's a book in here you'll enjoy," she said, as she handed him the case.

"Thank you," he said. The piercing sound of police car sirens disturbed the quiet whisper of the wind. Their emergency lights flashing, three squad cars were speeding towards them across the grass in the park's open space.

"Let's get out of here," Wilson said. He grabbed Rachel's hand and ran to the sports car. They got into the vehicle and slammed the doors.

"How fast can this thing go?" Rachel yelled.

"We'll see," he said. "It was made for racing." The car's wheels squealed as he pulled onto the road and floored the accelerator pedal.

"How did the police get onto us?" she asked.

"Maybe the park is a place where drug deals take place, and the cops had it staked out."

"That's got to be it," she said. "If they catch the courier, and they probably will, they'll be in for a big surprise when they open that case."

"Let's hope they don't find us," he said. "Let's try the chameleon switch." He pushed the green button as the car went along a stretch of road covered by a canopy of tree limbs and leaves. The car's color changed to green, and Wilson slowed the vehicle's speed to just a hair under the speed limit.

"I hope the cops don't know about the new chameleon option," Rachel said. Just then, a police helicopter flew slowly above them and then zoomed ahead.

"I think we're home free," said Wilson.

"Just hope they don't have hidden cameras set up in the park," Rachel said. "If they did, we're in trouble. In fact, we should contact Raven to get us out of here fast. He could break the courier out of jail by jumping him away, too. I bet he's in cuffs already."

"Let's not call Raven just yet," Wilson said. "We're okay for now, and anyway, I've got something important to tell you."

"What?" she asked.

"I want to confess to you." Instinct told him that this was the right time to openly switch sides. "I'm with the rebels, but they told me not to tell you that."

"I guessed it anyway."

"They don't trust you," he said. "A rebel, Art Terac, contacted me yesterday. He wants to meet just up the road at Pali Lookout at 4 p.m. I think we ought to ask them to let you join them, and then we can leave on their ship. I'm tired of all this subterfuge. This is the perfect time for me to come clean to show Raven that I'm a rebel."

"I agree," she said, "and I'm willing to join the rebels right now."

At first Wilson was glad that he had trusted his hunch about her, and he was relieved. He paused and said, "I don't know if they'll believe you or not." Suddenly, he was anxious again. _If she's really a government spy, what will they do with her?_

"I'm not afraid," she said. "I look forward to the meeting because I'm ready to change sides."

"They might think you'll spy on them."

"I could give them my special cell phone, which allows me to contact the security squad and the Leader himself," she said. "But I'm sure that if I don't check in every so often with the Leader, he'll think something's wrong and send a team to investigate."

"So, Terac will probably let you keep your phone, if he believes you," said Wilson, "My guess is that the rebels will ask you to stay in contact with the government security people," Wilson said. "Perhaps you could feed them false information at a crucial moment."

"I'll mention that to Terac," she said. She was nervous, but on the other hand, she seemed strong. "Let's look at a few more sights, while I think about how I'll deal with your rebel friends."

"Okay," Wilson said. He continued southwest on Highway 61, away from the shore, towards the lookout.
Chapter 25 – Lookout Encounter

As Wilson drove towards Pali Lookout, Rachel glanced at him. "I'd like to drive to try to get my mind off the meeting," she said.

"Okay," he replied. After he pulled off the road, they switched seats, and Rachel began to slowly drive the rest of the way to the lookout. She stopped every so often to stare at the scenery.

"I think you should act surprised when the rebels meet us," he said as she drove.

"I won't give you away," she assured him.

It was about ten minutes before four o'clock. Wilson picked up a travel book that the car rental agent had given to him along with the map, and he found a short article about the lookout. It's in a mountain pass, which is often rainy and misty. The scenic vantage point is 1,200 feet high between cliffs that rise 2,000 to 3,000 feet.

He learned that Pali Lookout is in a microclimate that's cool, so wearing a jacket is a good idea. The pair had light jackets with them. He continued to read that there's a parking lot for sightseers, who must walk to a higher level to view the northeast coast, Kaneohe Bay, and Makapu Peninsula.

"We're just about there," Wilson said. "Slow down. We'll look for a place to park along the road. The lot at Nuuanu Pali State Park will close at four."

"There aren't a lot of places to stop," she said. Vegetation grew to the road's edge, and there were only a few turnouts. Mist became a drizzle, so Rachel turned on the windshield wipers.

"I see a pull-off on the right, by those trees," Wilson said. The car's global positioning system screen showed that the car was a quarter of a mile from the parking lot.

"I'll pull in as close as I can and stop behind that bushy tree," she said. "I'm chilly." Dark clouds swirled above.

"Yeah, the travel guide says it gets rainy and cold here," Wilson said, and he noticed a long, black truck parked nearby. "We'll need our jackets."

While they were pulling into a spot by the bushy tree, a caravan of cars went by with their headlights ablaze. Those vehicles carried tourists downhill, away from the lookout entrance, towards the coast.

It was after four by the time he reached into his backpack for his jacket and Rachel had grabbed her windbreaker. As soon as they exited their car, wind-whipped rain bit into Wilson's face. The wind was strong enough that they had to lean into the blowing rain and struggle uphill along the wet blacktop road towards the lookout.

"I'm glad it's chilly and wet because I'm awake now," Rachel said. "My senses are on high alert."

"Be as calm as you can," Wilson advised, as they drew near a chocolate-colored wooden sign, which stood to the right of the road by a low stone wall. The sign read, "Nuuanu Pali State Park" in yellow letters. The park was deserted, but then a state pickup truck pulled up by the parking lot entrance. A man in overalls got out and padlocked a gate arm across the lot's entry.

"We just closed," he advised, and he smiled. "You'll have to return tomorrow morning when we re-open."

"Okay, thanks," Wilson said. He and Rachel turned around and started to walk away. The worker got in his truck, waved, and drove off. After he was out of sight, Wilson and Rachel walked back to the parking lot.

Rachel took Wilson's hand as the two came to a four-foot rock wall beside the padlocked gate arm. "Can you help me get over the wall, Bill?"

"Sure," Wilson said. He climbed atop the stone barrier, grasped her hand, and pulled her up onto the wall. Then he hopped onto the parking lot's blacktop and helped her down.

"I don't see anyone," she said.

"Maybe Terac had to hide when the employees closed the park, or it could be that he and his people will arrive soon. I bet we beat them here."

"That makes sense," Rachel said as they walked up an incline towards the lookout. "Possibly that long, black moving van parked where we stopped is theirs," she guessed.

They climbed higher to the observation area and saw a low metal guard fence along the cliff edge.

"See the layer of low black clouds that goes around the peaks to the left and right?" Wilson asked. He was quiet for a moment. "To me the scene looks like a big, green park down there in the valley, but the black clouds make it look spooky."

"Those clouds are as black as night," Rachel said.

Wilson heard footsteps on the concrete observation pad behind him, and he turned around. He saw Lena as she walked towards Rachel. Lena's eyes showed determination.

"Hey, Rachel," Lena said. She shook her finger at Rachel. "I know what your game is. You spy for the Great Leader."

Art Terac followed Lena, and he gently grabbed her shoulder. She looked angry. Two other rebel men were with them, but Wilson didn't know who they were.

"I'm not against you," Rachel said. She stood her ground in front of the metal barrier that separated her from the cliff. "Maybe you're just jealous."

Lena brushed Terac's hand from her right shoulder and stood face to face with Rachel. "You're a spy, Rachel," Lena yelled. Rachel began to cry.

"I just want to join the Alliance," Rachel sobbed.

"Why did you confront her, Lena?" Wilson asked while Rachel continued to weep.

"She's one of them. Don't you see it, Bill?" Lena replied. "You've been taken in by her. We know she reports to the Great Leader himself. Did you give anything away to her?"

"No," Wilson said. He knew Lena's intuition told her that he had lied.

Art Terac took a step forward. "Lena," he said. "We need to speak with Rachel to learn what we can."

"Okay, I'm sorry," Lena replied, and she seemed to relax.

The wind whistled, and the rain beat down even harder on the small group.

Terac said, "Let's take her back to the truck where we can talk with her where it's dry."

Terac took Rachel's hand and walked towards the park's exit. She wiped her tears away while Wilson, Lena, and the others followed.
Chapter 26 – The Whole Truth

After Terac helped Rachel into the cargo area of the black moving van, he pulled her jacket off and handcuffed her to a metal support on the inside wall of the truck.

Rachel began to shiver, and then she wiped more tears from her face. "I want to join the rebellion," she blurted out. "Lena, you and I are alike not just because we're clones. We hate the system that made us."

"We'll find out about your true intentions soon enough," replied Lena.

Rachel fell onto a cushion on the rough wooden floor of the van. Her handcuffed left arm dangled above her from the brace attached to the truck's wall.

Terac rolled up Rachel's right blouse sleeve, wiped her arm with alcohol, and gave her a shot of truth serum. She looked scared, yet defiant, as she stared forward.

After a short wait, Lena asked, "Who do you work for?"

"The Intelligence Service," Rachel replied.

"What's your mission?"

"To find out if Dr. William Wilson of Earth is loyal to the Great Leader and the Upper Echelon."

"Can I ask a question?" Wilson queried.

"Sure," said Terac.

"Why do you want to join the rebel cause?" Wilson asked.

"I hope that I can join the revolution because I think that clones, sentient robots, and cyborgs are treated as second class citizens at best. We're really slaves. I'm just a toy for men to play with. I've tried to give my life meaning by doing a different job."

Lena looked into Rachel's eyes. "What's that different career?"

"It was a job in the Intelligence Service. But now I have a chance to get out of that and join the revolution."

"We've heard enough for now," Terac interrupted. "We can trust her. But the revolution comes before personal issues."

Lena suddenly stood, opened the rear cargo door, and climbed out into a steady rain. The sky was dark and gloomy.

Wilson followed her. The rain came down harder in sheets, and Lena was soaked. In the dim glow of a street light he saw her sob. He walked to her, and she looked up.

"Do you still like me?" she asked.

"You're my closest friend from Sunev, Lena," he assured her.

Lena wiped rain and tears from her eyes. "What did she do with you?"

"Not much," Wilson answered. "She just made a big effort to be friendly, and she overdid it to the point that it was obvious. I thought she was definitely checking me out."

"What else happened?" Lena asked, as she walked to the front of the truck and opened the passenger door.

"The usual, we ate meals, talked."

"I'm sorry I behaved badly, Bill," she confessed. "I guess I like you a lot more than I thought. I'm going to sit up front for a few minutes. You can go back with the others to let them know that I'm still here."

"Okay, Lena," Wilson said. "I'll see you in a while."

Lena got into the truck's passenger seat and closed the door.

He went back into the truck's cargo section where Terac, Rachel, and the two other rebels sat. Wilson grabbed a towel from the floor and wiped the water from his face.

"How's Lena?" asked Terac.

"Fine," Wilson responded. "She's sitting up front, cooling off. I think she was just irritated because Raven got a replacement for her."

Wilson detected a repressed smile on Terac's lips. "She'll get over it," he said. "Now, let's decide what to do about Rachel." He unlocked the handcuff from her left wrist.

Rachel began to rub her wrist where the manacle had pinched her. "You know I want to be a rebel. Let me join," she said, staring at Terac.

Wilson guessed, _Terac is in command of this mission, which is to capture and evaluate Rachel._

Rachel was still somewhat under the influence of the truth serum, though Terac had given her an antidote when Wilson had been outside the van.

"You can join us under certain conditions, Rachel," said Terac.

Rachel's eyes were glazed. As she struggled to fight the last effects of the truth serum, she slurred, "What conditions?"

"First, you must tell us everything you can about the Sunevian Intelligence Service. Second, and more important for the moment, is that Lena will assume your identity. She'll go with Bill to rejoin Raven and the crew of _The Ghost Liner_ on their mission to blow up Emor's water system on Triod. You'll give her your secure government cell phone."

"I'm glad that Lena will take my identity. I don't think I could hide my dislike for the Sunevian regime much longer aboard that ship," Rachel said. "What's Lena going to do in my place?"

"Lena and Bill must stop _The_ _Ghost Liner'_ s crew from destroying Emor's water supply and possibly a large part of Emor as well," said Terac. "We don't have any others who are members of the crew. Most importantly, if government intelligence agents think you or Bill is missing, they will know something is wrong."

"Where does that leave me?" asked Rachel.

"We'll take you to planet Triod to help us there. After _The Ghost Liner'_ s mission is stopped, you, Bill, and Lena can work out whatever you must," said Terac. "But I stress one thing. We cannot let emotions get in the way of our mission."

"I get it. I agree," said Rachel.

Turning to face Terac, Wilson said, "I didn't know that I was included in plans to disrupt the water raid."

"I was going to tell you and Lena right after we found out more about Rachel," Terac replied.

"You mean Lena doesn't know yet?" Wilson asked.

"Well, General Black said to wait to see if we could successfully capture Rachel before we'd activate the plan to put Lena aboard _The Ghost Liner_ with you."

"How can you be sure that Lena can take Rachel's place, and not be detected by Sunevian Intelligence?"

The big roll up cargo door began to rise, and then Lena climbed up into the truck. She was soaking wet and dripped rainwater on the wooden cargo floor.

"Here," Terac said, as he tossed her a bath towel. When she began to dry off, he said, "I've got to tell you something, Lena."

She stopped drying herself and looked at him. "What?"

"It's what we need you to do, what your orders are," Terac replied.

"Orders?" she asked, dropping the towel in a corner of the truck.

"Colonel Lavelle, you are to take Rachel's place on _The Ghost Liner_ with Dr. Wilson," said Terac.

"I guessed that," she said.

"Also, you're ordered to plant bombs on that ship," Terac revealed.

"What! I've always been a person who collects information, not a fighter," she said. "I'm not a suicide bomber."

"You're not ordered to do that," Terac said. "But you may have to trigger the explosives from a distance."

Her face flushed. "I can't do it," she said, shaking. "I know those people!"

"There's a backup plan to take out the ship," Terac said.

"I don't want to be aboard," Lena said in a high pitched voice.

"Lena, this is very important for the mission. You're in a unique position because you'll have access to the ship. Otherwise, we can't be sure we can defeat _The Ghost Liner._ This could be a turning point in the war."

"How exactly is this plan supposed to work?" Lena asked.

Terac shifted his feet, glanced down, and looked back and forth between Lena and Wilson. "Our plan is simple, yet powerful," Terac said. "First, Rachel will brief Lena with as much detail as possible about every aspect of her mission and her relationship with Bill and the crew of _The Ghost Liner_.

"Second, as I said, we'll give Rachel's secure cell phone to Lena. Rachel will provide us the necessary passwords to operate the device.

"Third, we'll change the identification tattoo on Lena into Rachel's ID, which is 214993. We just have to change two of the last three digits of Lena's ID to match Rachel's number. Rachel's ID will also be altered. We can do that in Chinatown in Honolulu at a trusted tattoo parlor. Because Rachel and Lena have identical DNA, the Sunevians won't discover that we've fooled them," concluded Terac.

"What about iris identification and fingerprints?" Wilson asked. "I've heard that irises in the eyes of identical twins are different, and so are their fingerprints."

"That's true," said Terac, "but Lena can wear cosmetic contact lenses, just like Rachel does. They confuse computer systems that look at irises. The authorities know Rachel wears them. Identification by fingerprints is out of date, and the government no longer keeps records of them. And if you're worried about facial recognition cameras, clone faces are exactly the same."

"But what about the bombs?" Lena asked.

"There are mini fusion bombs already in the ship's armory," explained Terac. "You just have to activate a few of them, and they can be set off from a distance."

"Why can't Bill and I leave the ship once it arrives on Triod, then you attack the ship?" Lena asked. "That way I wouldn't have to deal with explosives."

"Actually, we will have soldiers in place for an ambush, but if they fail to take the ship immediately, we want to destroy it before it jumps away," Terac admitted.

"So, if I activate the bombs, what's the chance they'd be set off?"

"Our plan suggests there's about a five percent chance we'd have to detonate them," Terac said. "I'll show you." He picked up a small notebook and handed it to her.

Lena opened it. "Where do I look?"

"In the executive summary on page 1," Terac said.

She glanced at the page. "Okay, I'll do it," she said. "I just hope the ship and my friends won't be destroyed."

"You're a true revolutionary," Terac said. "You know the revolution comes before everything else."

Lena looked at Terac and sighed. "I can't wait until it's over."

"I have a question about the tattoos," Wilson said. "Don't they take a while to remove? We have to meet _The Ghost Liner_ the day after tomorrow in the afternoon."

"No problem. Thanks to nano-meds the tattoo fix can be completed tomorrow," said Terac. "We'll leave for Chinatown in a few minutes. We have a few rooms set aside in the Green Dragon Hotel. Give Louis your keys so he can check you out of the Blue Wave Resort and turn in your rental car at the airport."

Louis, one of the other two rebels, a man with grey hair and medium build, stepped up. Wilson handed him his keys.

"Boss, should I take a taxi to the Green Dragon Hotel after I turn in Wilson's rental car?" Louis asked.

"Yeah, that's fine, but call us after you check in at the hotel, if we're not there first," Terac said. Louis took a step back and said, "Dr. Wilson, I'll empty your car, and bring your stuff here before I leave."

"Thanks," Wilson replied.

In five minutes Louis returned with Wilson's and Rachel's items, and seconds later he got in the sports car and sped off. It wasn't long before the rest of the rebels left in the truck for Honolulu's Chinatown.
Chapter 27 – Chinatown

It was dark when Wilson, Rachel, and the rest of the rebels began the trip from Pali Lookout to Honolulu's Chinatown.

Rachel and Bill rested on a small mattress on the wooden floor in the cargo area of the moving van in which they traveled. Another of the rebels, Jacob, a clone with brown skin, was lying on a small cushion with his eyes closed trying to sleep. Rebel mission leader Art Terac drove, and Lena sat next to him in the passenger's seat so he could brief her about how to set the bombs on _The Ghost Liner_.

"I wonder if the rain will stop by the time we get down to Honolulu," Rachel said. She had almost recovered from the effects of the truth serum that Terac had given her.

Rain pattered on the sheet metal roof of the electric rental truck as it sped along. Its cargo area had no windows. Aside from the noise of the rain and tire splash sounds, the rebels in the cargo area had few clues about the weather.

"I imagine this weather may change," Wilson said. "I studied the map, and I believe our route follows Pali Highway southwest. In a few minutes, we'll be out of the heights and the rain."

"It seems to hit the roof less," said Rachel. "Do you feel like it's warmer?"

"It sure is," Wilson said. He felt sweat run down his back. "Pali Highway is almost a direct route to Chinatown. I think we have about a half-hour before we get to the hotel."

"I'll be glad when we get there," Rachel said. The truck's movement seemed to sooth her, and soon she dozed.

It didn't seem long to Wilson before he felt the van turn right and enter stop-and-go city traffic. He recalled that his travel book had warned tourists not to venture into Chinatown at night because of its high crime rate.

After the truck halted, Terac climbed onto the rear bumper and rolled up the cargo door. Then he jumped back down to the street to join Lena. Wilson, Jacob, and Rachel followed, hopping from the van's cargo area to the pavement.

"This is it," said Terac. "The hotel's across the street." He pointed to a bright red neon sign which read, "Green Dragon Hotel." The sign included Chinese character writing and a green neon lamp in the form of a dragon.

The street was empty except for five men in shabby clothes about thirty feet from the hotel's entrance. Three of the men sat in aluminum lawn chairs, and the other two men stood. A few of the fellows held crumpled brown paper bags, which appeared to contain bottles. A soft, warm breeze carried the smell of cheap whiskey and stale beer to Wilson.

As the rebels and Wilson crossed the street and approached the hotel, one of the rough-looking men raised his brown paper sack and took a swig from his bottle. He wiped his mouth on the upper sleeve of his greasy Hawaiian shirt.

"Hey, honeys, twin ladies, come here and talk to daddy," he said. His smile revealed rotten teeth with some black gaps between them. He gestured for Lena and Rachel to come forward. "I got a proposition for you two from my crew."

"Sorry, sir, but the ladies are unable to grant your request," Terac said. Wilson grasped his ray gun, which was tucked in his waistband beneath his black jacket. By feel alone he set the weapon on nonlethal "shock." He saw that the rest of his colleagues were also ready for trouble.

"Mister Blondie, you shouldn't speak for the ladies," slurred another of the thugs. Terac's light hair was bright despite the darkness. "Women have rights, you know," said the second thug. "So, I'm gonna teach you a lesson."

He stood up from his lawn chair and drew a large chrome pistol from his belt. Terac dove to his right as the drunken ruffian fired a wild shot in the general direction of the rebels. Every one of the battle-tested rebels either dove to the ground or took other evasive action.

Wilson pulled his ray gun out, squeezed the trigger, and hit the attacker with a shock ray, which displayed a blue laser-like line in the air. The man fell and dropped his heavy chrome pistol, which skidded across the sidewalk towards Lena. She grabbed the brute's weapon and aimed it at the first man who had called out to her and Rachel.

"If you say another word, I'll shoot," Lena yelled. "Your friend's not dead, just knocked out."

The man held up his arms, still holding his bag of booze in one hand. Then he backed up towards the dark alley behind him. His friends also eased backwards in the direction of the alley and the safety of its darkness.

Afraid to say anything, the first man turned and ran into the alleyway, splattering much of his whiskey as he fled. The rest of the men escaped when they saw that Lena did not shoot.

Except for the stunned criminal, all that remained were a few overturned lawn chairs and two broken bottles of spirits that had moistened the crumpled brown bags in which they had been kept. The smell of gun smoke and spilled whiskey loitered in the air.

"Zap him again, if he wakes up," Terac said to Wilson. "Everybody else, go in the hotel, and check in. If they ask about the shot, say it was a firecracker that a teenager set off. As for this guy, you can say he had too much to drink."

The women and the other rebel, Jacob, went into the hotel and paid for their rooms.

Looking down at the unconscious thug, Wilson suggested, "I can give this guy an injection of sedative, and he won't wake up until morning. I've got the stuff in my fanny pack."

"Good idea, Bill," Terac said.

While Wilson gave the stunned hooligan the shot, Terac glanced around to see if anyone was near, but the street was deserted. He also saw no one observing them from the hotel's windows or from any other building.

Wilson and Terac each grabbed one of the thug's shoulders and pulled him along the sidewalk, the backs of his heels dragging on the concrete. In the obscurity of the alley, Terac took out a bright portable spotlight and turned it on. They peered down the length of the alleyway, which ended at the next street. The alley was deserted except for a couple of cats that scurried away.

"The rest of the gang is gone," said Terac. "Let's pull him a little farther to that Chinese restaurant service entrance, and the cook will probably find him in the morning. I bet the thug won't say anything about us. Most likely he's always in trouble, and he'll be afraid to report anything to the police because he started it."

"The police could still make inquiries," Wilson said.

"We can check out early, maybe four in the morning," Terac said. "I can find out when the restaurant opens. If it doesn't open until lunchtime, then I doubt anybody will show up until about eight or nine o'clock to start work."

"The restaurant has to have a sign with its hours of operation on the front door," Wilson said.

"I'll check it after we drag this jerk behind the dumpster," said Terac.

He and Wilson wrestled the unconscious, bulky criminal another fifty feet to the garbage containers by the rear alley entrance of the restaurant. Terac went around to the street side of the eatery to look for a sign. Meanwhile, Wilson entered the Green Dragon Hotel lobby where Jacob sat.

"Here's a room key," Jacob said. "We all have separate rooms because of the fracas the women got into."

"I guess it's for the best until everybody cools down," Wilson said. "What rooms do we have?"

"We've got a block of rooms from 1101 to 1106," said Jacob. "We have Lena in 1101 and Rachel in 1106."

"That was a bit of genius," Wilson said. He glanced at his key, which was for 1105. "Are there doors that connect between the rooms?"

"Yes," Jacob said.

"Where's everybody else going to be?" Wilson asked.

"Terac is in 1102. I'm in 1103, and Louis is in 1104. He's on his way here now. He caught a cab at the airport, and he called to say he had just turned in your rental car."

"How will we coordinate tomorrow?" Wilson asked.

"Lena proposed that all of us meet in her room to figure out how we'll proceed," said Jacob. "I'll round up everyone for the meeting when it's time."

"I'll go to my room and wait," Wilson said. "It's better that not too many of us gather out in the open in case the police start to look for a group of people who confronted those gangsters."

"Okay, see you in a bit," said Jacob. He sat on a comfortable couch and picked up a newspaper to scan it while he waited for Terac and Louis, the gray haired clone, to get their room keys.
Chapter 28 – The Meeting

Wilson dozed five minutes as he lay on his hotel bed at the Green Dragon and waited for the rebel meeting that was to take place in Lena's room.

A knock sounded on his door. He rubbed his eyes, pushed himself up from the bed, and walked to the door. Through the peephole he saw Jacob, who was smiling. Wilson unbolted the door and swung it open.

"So, everybody's here?" Wilson asked.

"Yep," said Jacob. "You're the last one on my list. The meeting should start when we get there."

After Jacob and Wilson arrived at Lena's room Terac said, "Let's get started." He leaned against a wall while the rest of the rebel group milled about the room. "Because of the incident with the thugs, we'll leave here no later than four tomorrow morning. Bill sedated the stunned thug, and he won't wake up until tomorrow. We dragged him down the alley to a spot behind a dumpster near a Chinese restaurant. It opens for lunch at 11:30 a.m., so I doubt the gangster will be found until after we leave. They'll think he's a drunk sleeping it off."

"Well done," said Lena. "I'd like to get a few hours of sleep. Where should we meet tomorrow morning?"

"At the van," said Terac. "Don't hang around in the street. I'll get there before four and unlock the cargo area as well as the front doors. So, just walk up and get in."

Jacob nodded. A few others mumbled, "Okay."

Lena stepped in front of the group next to Terac. "Folks, I'm sorry I acted the way I did today. I apologize," she said. "I realize the revolution is the most important thing we have to deal with as a group, and I let personal issues get in the way. I won't do it again."

"Thank you, Lena," said Terac. "We are one team. We're like brothers and sisters." He looked tired and still leaned against the wall. Then he straightened up. "Now let's go over what we should do next. The plan for tomorrow is for us to go to the tattoo parlor to have Rachel's number removed and replaced with a new number that matches another Nordic Number 10, and to change Lena's number to Rachel's number," he said.

Lena raised her hand, "I'd like to know how long the recovery is for tattoo removal," she asked. "Rachel doesn't have to worry about that, but I'm going to replace her on The Ghost Liner."

"We've changed clone ID tattoos before in eighteen to twenty-four hours," said Terac.

"I've heard that they erase tattoos with lasers, and it can take a few sessions spaced out by weeks," Wilson said.

"That would be true if we were limited to Earth's medicine. But after a laser beam breaks tattoo ink into particles, our nano meds speed the body's immune system so that in minutes it carries away the tiny bits of tattoo ink," said Terac. "The medicine also enables blisters and scars to disappear in hours. So, tattoo removal just takes one session. It also helps that the letters in the ladies' tattoos are black. Dark inks are easiest to remove with laser treatment."

"By about what time will Lena's new tattoo heal well enough for us to join _The Ghost Liner'_ s crew?" Wilson asked.

"By late afternoon tomorrow, just in time for you and Lena to get on the ship," said Terac.

"Rachel, there's one more thing we must do," said Lena. "We have to take the latest nano medicine upgrade and truth serum resistance chemicals. The dose will also help speed tattoo removal and protect us from some illnesses native to planet Triod. I have two doses, one for each of us."

Lena took two vials of nano medicine from her purse and handed both to Rachel.

"Should we drink it now?" asked Rachel. She took one vial and handed the other back to Lena.

Wilson decided, _Lena gave both doses to Rachel so she could choose one of the vials and not fear that it might be poison._

"If we take it now, it will have more time to blend into our systems before tomorrow," said Lena. She unscrewed the small cap on the vial Rachel had handed back. "I'll go first." Lena drank her dose.

Rachel unscrewed her vial and took her dose.

"I can't think of anything else, unless someone has a question," said Terac.

"What's the name of the tattoo place?" Wilson asked.

"Tanya's Tattoo Parlor. It's across from the public parking garage on Maunakea between King and Hotel Streets," replied Terac. "The tattoo artist is, of course, Tanya. Don't forget we meet at the van tomorrow at four in the morning sharp. Good night."

"Goodbye, Bill," Rachel said. She touched his hand before she left.

As more people left for their rooms, Lena tapped Wilson's shoulder. "Stay for a minute more, Bill."

"Sure," Wilson replied, and he turned to face her after the others had left.

"I'm sorry I was so jealous of Rachel," Lena said.

"When I first met her I had a hunch that Rachel was a spy for the Great Leader's secret police, and I was right," Wilson said. "So, I had to be friendly with her and try to appear to be totally loyal to the Sunevian government."

Lena's eyes turned glassy with tears. "Thanks for being my friend, Bill."

"I'm sorry, if I seemed to get too close to Rachel," Wilson said.

"I think I understand now," Lena said. "But I have to admit that I was afraid you might want to be my friend only because of my outer appearance and not because of my inner self."

"I like you for who you are," he said. "You're unique and so is Rachel. You are both distinct persons, though your DNA is the same."

"There's something else," Lena said. "I feel trapped since an important part of General Black's plan hinges on me activating bombs on _The Ghost Liner_ , and I'm not sure I can do it, even if I said I would. Whatever happens, I need your support."

"I'll help you no matter what your final decision is," he said.

She glanced at her bed. The thug's big silver pistol was on top of the mattress. "You should take that old-time firearm," she said. "You know how to use it better than I do."

He leaned down and picked up the heavy pistol from her bed and slipped it between his belt and back. He untucked his shirt to hide the weapon. "Thanks," he said.

She hugged him. "There's a lot of war left. The next mission to Triod will be tough, and we must stick together."

"We will," Wilson said. He smiled the best he could. "Good night. See you tomorrow."

"Okay," she said. She wiped tears from her eyes and closed her door as he left.

While Wilson walked to his room, he had a bad feeling about the tattoo shop appointment the next day. _It's a big risk to go to that tattoo parlor just to get rid of a number nobody will think to check,_ he thought.
Chapter 29 – Tanya's Tattoo Parlor

Wilson and the rest of the rebels met at their truck at 4 a.m. and left for Tanya's Tattoo Parlor, a few minutes away. Terac had arranged with Tanya to close the shop for the day so she could work nonstop on Lena's and Rachel's tattoos. Tanya was to be paid well for her work.

It was still dark when Terac drove to a café and bought breakfast-to-go for his crew. He and Lena carried brown bags of food and coffee into the cargo area of the truck and handed them to the team.

"I'll drive to a side street down the block from the tattoo shop and park there," Terac said. "We can eat in the back of the truck and rest until 7 a.m. That's when Tanya's supposed to meet us."

"At least we can nap for a couple of hours," Lena said.

Terac drove to the side street, they ate, and then most of the crew dozed on the big van's rough wooden floor.

Wilson fell into a restful sleep. "Wake up," Lena said, as she shook his shoulder.

_It seems like I've slept for just a few minutes,_ he thought as Lena woke the rest of the rebels. Terac and Lena left to see if the shop was open, and Wilson stepped out of the van and stretched.

The morning was sunny, and cottony clouds filled the blue sky. The good weather uplifted Wilson's spirits. He took deep breaths of the morning air and went back into the rear of the van where the rebels were sipping the last of their cold coffee from paper cups.

A few minutes later Terac opened the rear roll-up door of the van and climbed into the cargo area to talk with his crew. "Overnight I've been thinking about what's the best way to handle the tattoos," Terac said.

"What do you mean?" Wilson asked.

"Well, what if Lena becomes incapacitated, and can't play the role of Rachel? In that case we could send Rachel back to _The Ghost Liner_ to be herself, and complete the mission. So, we shouldn't erase Rachel's tattoo ID for now."

"You mean I don't have to go to the tattoo parlor?" asked Rachel. "Should I just stay here in truck?"

"That's right," said Terac. "You can get the tattoo removed after the war is over, Rachel." Terac said.

"Sounds good to me," she said.

"All of us except Bill and Lena will leave right away in the van for the rendezvous point with our ship," said Terac. Bill and Lena will walk to the tattoo place."

"Okay," Wilson replied.

Terac patted Wilson on the back and said, "After Tanya changes the tattoo, wait until an hour before it's time for you to board Raven's ship. Then take a taxi to the airport. Once you get there, give me a call on the scrambler."

What if we get in trouble?" Wilson asked.

"Call me. We'll come back or do what we can do to help," Terac replied. "Even if you don't call, we'll track your phone's location. We can also tell if the government ship jumps away. Then if everything is okay, our ship will leave for planet Triod."

"What about Rachel's stuff?" Wilson asked.

"Rachel, please double check that you have given Bill all your things, your backpack, purse, money, ship finder, all of it," Terac said. "Lena then can assume your identity and cause no suspicion in case somebody on _The Ghost Liner_ remembers details such as what your purse looks like."

"Here you go," said Rachel, as she handed Wilson Lena's cabin key. "Sorry, I forgot the key for her quarters."

"Thanks," he said. He put the key in the backpack and hugged Rachel goodbye.

She said, "Listen to your Inner One, and stay alive."

"I will," he replied.

Terac and Wilson got out of the van's payload area. Lena stood outside on the sidewalk next to the truck. "Why didn't Rachel get out?" she asked.

"I decided to leave her tattoo alone in case we have to send her on a mission," Terac said. "You and Bill will be on your own from now on. Your ship finder, key, and other things are in this backpack." He set it next to her.

Lena stepped closer to Terac and embraced him.

"Bye," he said.

"See you after _The Ghost Liner_ mission, Art."

"Good luck, both of you," he replied. He turned and walked to the driver's door of the van and opened it. He waved to Wilson and Lena, got in, and drove away.

"Let's finish this tattoo business as soon as we can," Lena said, as she picked up Rachel's backpack and hefted it over her shoulder. "Art told me that it should take about an hour."

"We don't have to meet _The Ghost Liner_ until about five o'clock," Wilson said. "We can have lunch and look around Chinatown after we're finished with the tattoo."

"At least we can enjoy something during this trip, even if it's just a decent meal," Lena said.

They walked two blocks to the front door of Tanya's Tattoo Parlor. The shop's neon sign hung in the front window of the lime green building. Its latex paint had peeled, and the display window and the front door were dirty. Inside the entry was a small hand-lettered sign that read, "Closed for the day."

Lena rapped on the glass door. A short, middle-aged woman with a Chinese face and an exaggerated smile came forward to unlock the shop. Her black hair hung down her back to her waist.

"Are you Lena or Rachel?" she asked. "I'm Tanya."

"I'm Lena. Pleased to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine," Tanya replied. "Where's your sister?"

"We had a change of plans. I'll be the only one who needs tattoo work today," said Lena. "This is my friend, Bill."

"Hello, Bill," Tanya said. The duo entered the shop, and Tanya relocked the door. "We won't be interrupted. You're my special guests for today. I've decided to take the rest of the day off after I finish your tattoo."

"Thank you," said Lena. She glanced around. "Where will you do the procedure?"

"In the back, to assure your privacy, just as Mr. Terac discussed with me when he arranged this," said Tanya. "Did you bring the cash?"

"Yes, $5,000, as agreed. Of course, I'll pay you for both tattoos because we did not cancel my sister's appointment," said Lena, and she took out ten one-hundred dollar bills and handed them to Tanya. "I'll give you the other $4,000 when you're finished."

"Thank you. That's very generous," Tanya said, as she took the money and made a short bow. She led them behind a curtain that separated several tattoo cubicles in the rear from the front of the shop, where there was a customer counter. Inside, the place reminded Wilson of a low-cost, shabby dental office.

"Where's the tattoo?" asked Tanya, as they went to the first cubicle on the right.

"It's behind my ear," said Lena. She pulled back her hair so Tanya could see the tattooed number.

"You'll have to lie face down on the examination table," Tanya said as she motioned Lena towards the cushioned brown leather tabletop. Wilson sat in a creaky wooden chair while Tanya was pulling Lena's hair away from her ear.

"How long will this take?" asked Lena.

"I have to wipe out most of two small black ink numbers. That will take about three to five minutes," Tanya said. "It shouldn't hurt any more than it did when you got the tattoo. Mr. Terac said I would have to add the two new tattoo numbers today, but we need to wait for the blisters to heal and for the body to absorb the dark ink. He claims you will heal in an hour. I'm yet to be convinced." She rolled her eyes.

"I have special medicine that speeds up healing," said Lena. "In an hour my skin will be ready for the new tattoos."

"I'll believe it when I see it," Tanya said. "If it works, I'd like to buy some of your medicine. It would increase my business." She chuckled and wiped some disinfectant on the tattoo with a cotton swab.

"That feels cool," Lena said.

"It'll kill germs before I begin. I'll warn you just before I lase the tattoos, which will cause minor discomfort."

"I'm ready," said Lena.

Tanya took a laser wand and turned on the device. "Okay, Lena, I'll begin now." Tanya pointed the laser probe at the '7.' The machine hummed as it lased most of the number away, leaving small burn marks. She wiped out the '2' the same way.

"Are you done?" Lena asked.

"Yes, it was easy," said Tanya. "You can sit up now. We'll see how well the blistered area has repaired itself in an hour. I don't think you can heal that fast. You may have to come back at a later date so I can tattoo the new numbers."

Lena sat up. She opened her purse, took out a small bottle of nano meds, dabbed some of it behind her ear, and drank the rest of the inky solution. "This should help me heal faster," said Lena.

"You can help yourselves to tea while you wait," Tanya said as she stared at Lena who was still holding the empty nano med container. "The tea kettle and cups are on the table. There are also magazines to read."

"Thank you," Wilson said. He poured tea into two small Chinese cups and gave one to Lena.

"Thanks," she said. She selected a women's magazine and sat in an easy chair. Wilson picked up a sports magazine and sat on a couch near Lena.

"I'll excuse myself to do paperwork," said Tanya. "If you need anything, I'll be in the office in the back." She walked to her glassed-in workplace and closed its door.

Wilson and Lena sipped tea and read for fifteen minutes. Several beeps from Rachel's cell phone broke the silence and startled Wilson. Lena pulled the phone out of her purse. "Let's see what this text is," said Lena. "It's secure."

Wilson got up to look over Lena's shoulder as she opened the text message.

"It's from the Great Leader himself," Wilson said, astonished that he would send a message instead of asking an underling to do it.

"Wow," said Lena.

It said, "Rachel, superb work in the investigation of Wilson. Glad he is loyal. Good luck on Triod mission. No need to reply."

"It looks like I'm in the clear," Wilson whispered. Then he sat in the chair next to Lena, and said, "Now that we have some time apart from _The Ghost Liner_ crew, tell me what the plan Terac gave you is."

"I'll arm three small fusion bombs in the ship's armory," Lena said very quietly. "Alliance security people hacked into the ship's main computer and uploaded a program that will cause _The Ghost Liner_ to uncloak when needed so a radio signal can reach the bomb triggers. After I set the uncloak time window, you and I will get off the ship with Raven's assault team. Terac gave me a radio trigger."

"How will you get into the ship's armory to set the bombs?"

"I have a key," Lena replied. "I made a wax impression of the master key I got from Raven when he was dead drunk one night. The rebels made a copy, and I tested it before they jailed me."

"So, why didn't the secret service find it after they arrested you?"

"I hid it in my cabin under the wallpaper. I glued it down and disguised it with wallpaper paste," she said. "I hope it's still there, but if it isn't, I have a computerized copy on my flash drive. I could print a new key on the ship's 3D printer."

"I hope the key is there," Wilson said. "Then you won't have to take the chance of someone seeing you while you print a new one."

"There's a 95 percent chance the key is still there," she said. "If for some reason I can't print a replacement, we'll just have to ad lib. We can break the weapons vault lock, set the bombs, and flee the ship, for example."

"We need a back-up strategy," Wilson whispered. "We should plan one today."

"I have a second plan, which I prefer anyway," Lena said quietly. "I can still use the computer program that was uploaded to the ship's computer to instruct _The Ghost Liner_ to uncloak from between dimensions. The program includes a computer virus that will prevent the crew from re-cloaking the ship. We would slip away from _The Ghost Liner_ , and I'd contact the rebels. They would attack the ship before Raven could leave to destroy the water supply and half of the city of Emor."

"That sounds better," he said. "But the rebels could lose a lot of men in an attack on the ship."

"Fewer people will die than if the ship is destroyed."

"But how will we get away from Raven's raiding party?" Wilson asked. "And I don't want to kill Raven and Yarnell."

"Our preference is to capture them," she said. "Black has a counter assault team ready to stop the raid. Before Black's soldiers attack us, I'll be in radio contact with the rebels through a scrambled side channel on my portable communicator. We'll escape from Raven's team when we see a good opportunity."

"So, the rebels will attack and capture Raven's team before he has a chance to take out the water supply and destroys half of the city?"

"Yes," Lena said. "We need to interrogate Raven and his team. Raven must have secret information about the inside workings of the government's military and its plans."

"I guess we'll do the best we can," Wilson said. "It'll be a fluid situation."

"That's about it," Lena said, as she picked up another magazine. Wilson was uneasy. He had a feeling something might go wrong.

Tanya came out of her office.

"It's time to check behind your ear," she said.

Lena tilted her head forward and pulled her hair away from her ear. "How does it look?" Lena asked.

"Remarkable! I can't believe it," Tanya replied as her eyes widened. "You're right. That medicine you took must have healed the wound. Where can I get some?"

"The next time I come around, I'll give you a small bottle of it," Lena lied.

"Thank you," Tanya said. "Maybe when your twin returns to get her tattoo changed, she can bring it?"

"I'll ask her," said Lena.

"Please go to the examination table and lie on your stomach," said Tanya. Lena stood, walked to the leather covered table and lay face down. Tanya rummaged through a cabinet drawer in the tattoo station for ink.

Tired of sitting, Wilson stood and moved the curtain aside that separated the tattoo stations from the front of the shop. Through the front window he saw two Honolulu police cars parked across the street while two policemen talked near the squad cars.

_Looks like something is about to happen_ , he thought. He had a visceral feeling the police were on the lookout for him and Lena because of the stand-off with the hooligans near the Green Dragon Hotel, or maybe it was because of Rachel and the diamond handoff failure.

"How long do you think the next step will take?" Wilson asked. He let go of the curtain, and it flapped closed.

"It's easy. A couple of numbers isn't artwork. It'll take about ten or fifteen minutes tops," Tanya said. "Why? Are you in a hurry?"

"We have an appointment soon," Wilson said. Tanya leaned over Lena with her back to him. Lena could see Wilson because her right ear was flat on the table.

He mouthed the word, "police," and pointed outside.

It only took Tanya five minutes to finish.

"That was quick," Lena said, and Tanya held a mirror behind Lena to show her the new tattoo, the number 214993. "Good work." Lena stood, got her purse, and took out $4,000. She gave it to Tanya.

"Thank you," Tanya said, and she counted the money.

There were loud bangs on the front door that rattled its glass and startled Tanya. "Police, open up," a deep voice said.

With a dark look, Tanya glanced at Wilson and Lena and then peeked around the curtain so as not to be seen by the police.

"Tanya, you better hide that cash," Wilson said. "Don't say anything about us. We need to get out of here fast."

"What've you done? Are you drug dealers or something?"

"Nothing that serious," Wilson said. "But the less you know, the better. Is there a safe way out of here? There must be a cop at the back door, too."

"I sometimes go out on the roof to smoke weed at night," she said. "I've got a tall step ladder that you can use to climb up through the trap door. There's a short wall around the edges of the roof, and the buildings are really close together, so you could hop to the next roof without being seen."

There was louder banging at the front door. "Tanya, we know you're in there! I'm Inspector Wong, and I need to talk to you!"

"Just a minute, officer," Tanya yelled, still not opening the curtain. "I'm getting dressed."

"Where's the ladder?" Wilson asked. Tanya pointed to it, propped against her office wall.

"Okay," Tanya whispered. "I'll turn on the shower in the back and get my hair wet. I'll move the ladder away after you're up."

"Great," Wilson said.

"Your secret's safe with me," she said, as she rushed to the shower. Tanya turned it on full blast and splashed water on her hair.

"Don't forget anything," Wilson said to Lena as he grabbed his backpack. She got her pack and slung it over her shoulder as he unfolded the ladder.

He scrambled up first and pushed the trapdoor open with a soft thud. Some dirt fell on the floor _. I hope the police don't notice it,_ he thought. He tossed his backpack onto the roof and pulled himself up through the opening onto the tarpaper above.

Lena climbed up, and Wilson grabbed her backpack. He pulled her onto the roof and closed the trapdoor. A four foot brick wall surrounded the roof's edges.

Wilson crouched and scampered towards the next roof. He kept low as he peeked over the wall and the two-foot space between the two brick buildings. Next he turned to glance down at the street and then towards the alley to see if the police could see him move to the next roof. After he observed that the police were chatting to each other, and not paying much attention to anything at rooftop level, he felt sure that they wouldn't detect him.

He vaulted sideways to the next roof. Lena glanced over the top of the tattoo parlor building wall towards him with a questioning look. He nodded, "yes," and she leaped across the gap. They scampered towards the third building's roof. Because all of the buildings on the block were similar, Wilson and Lena found their way across six rooftops in a few minutes.

They got to the last building, which faced another street, and Wilson looked over the alley side of the roof. "There's a fire escape we could go down," he whispered. "But there are a couple of cops behind the tattoo place. We should wait here until they go."

"What if they check Tanya's roof?" Lena asked.

"Then we'll have to get down the fire escape and head for the Chinese market down the street. There are lots of tourists on the sidewalk, and we can blend in."

"I'll keep an eye peeled on the tattoo building's roof," said Lena.

"Okay," Wilson said softly. "I'll check the alley every few minutes to see if the police have gone away."

They waited five minutes. "Nothing yet on the tattoo roof," Lena whispered.

Wilson peered down the alleyway. "The two cops have left the alley," he said. "I'd better look over the front to see if the squad cars have gone."

He stooped and crawled the last few feet to the front wall along the roof's edge. A few bricks were gone near the top of the wall. He looked through the gap in time to see the two squad cars pull away.

"Let's go down the fire escape," he said. "The police cars just left."

"We should still be careful," Lena said. "They must have gotten our description from those thugs near the hotel, but why would they have reported us?"

"Maybe one of them is a snitch," Wilson said. "A firearm was discharged, and we did stun one of them. That's at least assault and battery, if the police hear just the men's side of the story."

"Yeah, well, we better leave Chinatown as soon as we can get a cab," Lena said.

"There are a few taxis by the Chinese market down the street." He took another look in the alley but saw nobody.

The two went down a metal ladder from the roof and onto the fire escape. They descended to the alley, which smelled of stale garbage. There were dumpsters near the buildings, and cans, bottles, and discarded newspapers littered the area. Scraps of paper blew along the length of the alley, which acted like a wind tunnel.

Wilson spied heavy foot traffic on the street from his vantage point in the alleyway. Throngs of tourists walked towards the Chinese market.

"I see a couple of cops about a block down on the right," he said. "I don't think they'll see us in this crowd."

"We should change what we look like in case they got surveillance video of us from near the hotel," Lena said.

"Good idea," Wilson said. "Let's walk to the market and merge with the foot traffic. Maybe we'll see a clothing shop."
Chapter 30 – Maunakea Market

After Wilson and Lena climbed down from a Chinatown roof and evaded the police, the duo walked along the crowded sidewalk and mixed in with tourists. Wilson saw a sign, "Maunakea Market." An arrow pointed to the shopping area.

"We're almost there," he said. "But with a crowd like this, there could be at least one policeman on foot looking for shoplifters and pickpockets."

"I see lots of security cameras everywhere. The cops must have pictures of us from near the hotel," said Lena.

He looked up and saw a sign painted in black letters on a light purple background, "Costume Shop."

"Look," Wilson said. "Just what we need." He steered Lena left to the shop's doorway and pulled its door open. A bell jingled as they entered.

"May I help you?" said a thin, young Caucasian woman with dark brown hair. She was striking in a delicate way.

"Yes, we have to attend a costume party next week, and we just happened upon your shop," Wilson said.

"I thought you might be actors," said the young woman.

"That's flattering," Wilson said. "I wondered the same thing about you."

She smiled. "You are perceptive," she said. "I have a small part in a drama that's playing at the Hawaii Theater Center. I had to take this job to earn a bit of money."

"Does this place cater to actors?" Lena asked, in her Scandinavian accent.

"Yes, lots of actors come here," the young actress said, "amateurs as well as professionals. Sometimes Hollywood studios shoot in the Hawaiian Islands."

"Oahu is such a beautiful island," said Lena.

"Are you from Sweden?" asked the young woman.

"Yes, but it's been a long time since I've been there," Lena lied. She shifted on her feet and pointed to a rack of wigs. "Could I see the long black wig on the second shelf up?"

"Of course." The young lady handed the black wig to Lena. "There's a mirror by the changing room," she added, as she pointed to the rear of the shop.

"What wig do you think would change my appearance a lot, but still look natural?" Wilson asked.

"The dishwater blond one would be excellent – the one with hair a little longer than yours." She reached for it. "You can even add a small pony tail."

Wilson put the hairpiece on, tucking his hair under the wig's edges. As he removed it, he asked, "How much is it?"

"These are very good wigs, so I hope you aren't shocked when I say this one costs $495, whereas her wig is $350."

"I'll take this one," Wilson said. "Lena, do you like the one you have?"

"Yes, dear," Lena said as she walked towards Wilson and the sales lady. "I saw some cute fake mustaches in the back that you might want to look at, too."

Wilson observed, _Lena lies like a pro._

"I'll take a look," Wilson said. He wandered towards the mustache display, and the actress followed, carrying his wig. He picked a blond King Lear style mustache and goatee set. "How do you attach it?" he asked.

"With spirit gum," she said. "We also sell a small bottle of remover. The mustache and goatee set is eighty dollars. The spirit gum and remover are a few dollars more."

"I'll take them. Could you help me try them on?" he asked the sales girl.

"Sure, I've helped put on mustaches before," she replied. She opened the spirit gum package and stuck the mustache and goatee to his face.

"It would be fun to scare your mother, wouldn't it, dear?" Wilson asked.

"To surprise her would be great," she replied, and she turned to the young saleswoman. "My mother is just down the street shopping! Let's put these wigs on right now." Lena smiled, and her hazel green eyes twinkled.

"My mustache and beard make me look like somebody else. You did a great job putting these on so they look natural, Miss," Wilson said as he peered in the mirror. He paid for their purchases in cash, and added, "Here's an extra five dollars for your help with the mustache."

"Thanks. We actors struggle and can always use a little more cash," the young woman said. "I hope you'll surprise your mother-in-law."

"If this doesn't do the trick, I don't know what will," he said as he put on his wig, and Lena put on hers.

"Let's find Mama," she said. "Bye, Miss. Thank you."

"Goodbye," the young saleslady said. She waved as they left the shop to re-join the swarm of tourists.

A few buildings away from the costume shop, Wilson and Lena came across a midsize department store that had both men's and women's clothing.

"Let's split up," he said. "I'll buy a set of clothes while you go to the women's department. You could tell the clerk that you want to wear your new clothes out of the store because the airline lost our suitcases, and we need to change."

"Good idea," said Lena. She strolled to a rack of ladies' clothes.

On the way to the men's clothing section, near the far wall of the store, he noticed a backpack display. He chose two new packs, one light green and another light pink _. I should throw away the black backpacks,_ he told himself.

Wilson also picked two light jackets, one maroon and light blue for him, and a pink one for Lena. _I'll get rid of our black jackets, too_ , he decided.

He bought underwear, socks, handkerchiefs, a pair of blue jeans, and a green Hawaiian shirt that included a red-flower pattern. He paid at the cash register in the men's department and asked the clerk to remove the labels.

Lena returned as the clerk was cutting the labels from Wilson's purchases. She wore a light green pair of jeans and a white blouse, and she carried a shopping bag that contained her old clothes.

"Are you almost finished?" she asked.

"Yes, I'll dress in the changing room," Wilson answered. "I bought a couple of backpacks to carry the clothes until the airline delivers our suitcases to the hotel. Backpacks are cheaper than new luggage."

"Good," Lena said. She turned to the clerk and asked, "Where are the washrooms?"

"On the opposite wall near the elevators," he said.

Wilson changed his clothes, and then he and Lena walked towards the restrooms. They took a few steps, and Lena said, "We can throw the old backpacks in the trash after we put our old stuff in them."

"Maybe we shouldn't," Wilson said. He stopped. "A store detective might notice. They look for shoplifters, who might ditch their old clothes and wear new clothes when they walk out."

"You're right," Lena said.

"We should stop here in sight of the clerk and put the old packs into our shopping bags. If a store detective sees us, the clerk can vouch for us."

They left the store without a problem, though Wilson saw a man look at them as they left. Just outside the store, they stepped into an alley and threw their shopping bags and old clothes into a dumpster. After they left the alley, Wilson felt self-assured. They had almost reached the Maunakea Market when they went into a shop where Asian women were crafting leis – beautiful flower necklaces. Lena bought two, which were made of maroon and white blooms.

"Bill, stand still," she said, and she dropped a ring of flowers around his neck. "Your disguise is better now." She put her garland on, too.

"You look great, Lena," he said.

They walked half a block and crossed the street. There were two gray statues of lions on either side of the market's entrance, and a brick façade bordered the entryway. An orange and yellow sign that hung above read, "Maunakea Marketplace." They walked under the marker and into an outdoor area of shops that included many kinds of goods.

Wilson saw a surveillance camera above and to the left of the walkway. On the right, colorful beach umbrellas were on display. Chinatown residents and tourists jammed the wide blacktopped area between the shops.

At the far end of the space, he saw the market's rear entrance. Near it were a few cabs stopped at the curb.

"Look ahead," Wilson said, nodding towards the taxis.

"We shouldn't arrive at the airport too soon," Lena said. "Let's look in some of the shops. I don't think the police will spot us."

At that moment, a policeman walked out of a shop accompanied by another man in a sports coat and slacks.

"I think the inspector who was at the tattoo shop is next to that patrolman," Wilson said under his breath. "Just ignore them."

"Okay, but I've got my hand on my laser pistol," Lena said. "I hope yours is set on shock like mine is."

"Yep," he replied.

The inspector and the uniformed policeman approached and looked at the faces of people in the crowd. The two cops glanced at Wilson and Lena but did not recognize them.

"Good thing they put in those high definition TV cameras in the bushes at Waimanalo Beach," the inspector said as he passed Wilson and Lena.

"Yeah," the uniformed officer said, his voice trailing off as he passed by.

"These disguises worked," Lena said. "But we better not stay here. What's that beach he mentioned?"

"Rachel had to deliver some diamonds to a Sunevian courier, and the cops closed in," Wilson said. "I think they had set a trap for drug dealers, but caught the courier instead. We just barely got away. I'll tell you about it later."

"You should have told us about that last night," Lena said, frowning.

They passed a small fruit market shaded by green beach umbrellas. There were bananas, pineapples, apples, oranges, and various kinds of tropical fruits that Wilson couldn't identify.

"Let's go to the cabs, but not too fast," he said. Then he spotted two more officers who were chatting with the cabbies. "Wait. See those two cops?"

"We'd better duck in that fish market," Lena said, and she grabbed his arm. They moved towards an area with small seafood stands. "One of the cops is from the back alley behind the tattoo shop. Let's wait until they leave."

"Better safe than sorry," Wilson said, as they walked directly towards the fish market but moved slowly enough so as not to attract attention.

Wilson smelled fish as the two neared the seafood bazaar. When they went in the market, he saw a stainless steel produce display, a tub eight feet long filled with ice and fish. On the left-hand side of the display were large, bright green fish. A sign behind them read, "6.50." Next to them were much smaller orange fish. A sign there advised, "We clean, $3.85." The tub also had silver-striped and yellow fish.

"Let's buy a few," Wilson said. "If the police see us with fish packages, we might look more like the locals."

"Okay," said Lena.

He scanned the seafood arcade. There were arch-covered sections where different merchants hawked food from the ocean, mainly a sundry collection of fish. It seemed like a tropical aquarium, but these fish were big. A brownish fish was labeled, "Island Kalikali."

"I've never seen so many kinds of fish together except at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California," Wilson said.

"They're beautiful," said Lena. "Too bad they're food."

He looked behind the stainless steel tub of fish and spotted a rear entrance. Sunshine streamed through the upper glass windows of two swinging doors. Because they were covered with dull, white paint, the bottoms of the two doors were smudged. Apparently workers had pushed them open with their muddy shoes while they carried boxes.

"That's our way out," Wilson said, nodding in the direction of the doors. He saw that there was plenty of room in front of the doorway, though there were stacks of picnic coolers nearby that probably contained more iced fish. Also, a soda vending machine stood to the right of the exit.

"We could buy a soda and go out the door. No one would think it unusual," Lena said.

Wilson's mobile phone rang. "It's Raven," he told Lena after he saw Raven's name appear on the phone's display. Wilson took the call, and Lena put her head next to his. "You're here early, Richard," Wilson said.

"We heisted a lot of gold, tons of it," Raven said. "We need to take it back to Sunev right away."

"I saw a TV news report that people had broken into Ft. Knox," Wilson said. "The newsman said that only about a ton was missing."

"I'm sure they put out false info because a bigger loss would have seemed impossible," Raven said. "We tracked you to Chinatown with your cell phone signal. Is Rachel with you?"

"Yes, she has her ear to the phone."

"Hi, Rachel," Raven said.

"Hello, Richard."

"We'll talk more when we get you both on board _The Ghost Liner_ ," Raven said. "We'll create a shed illusion in the alley behind the fish market. You can enter the ship there."

"It may not be that simple, Richard," Wilson said. "The police are after us because the cops most likely arrested the courier after Rachel gave him the briefcase. We barely got away."

"Use your ship finders to zero in on the shed," Raven said. "Yarnell and I will enter the fish market. The authorities won't recognize us."

"By the way, we've disguised ourselves," Wilson said. "I have a blond wig, goatee, and mustache. Lena has a long black wig."

"Lena?" Raven asked.

Wilson felt a chill, and he cleared his throat. "They do look alike," he said.

"I think you've certainly taken Lena's place, Rachel," Raven said, chortling.

"Sorry, Rachel," Wilson said. "We'll see you soon, Richard."

"Roberto and I will be there in a flash. Bye, folks," Raven said, and he hung up.

"Look!" Lena whispered. Two uniformed policemen were approaching with their eyes locked on her and Wilson.

"Let's take the back exit," Wilson said. They turned left to go around the stainless steel seafood display, but he knocked down a bright orange cone marker near the end of the fish counter and tripped.

Lena grabbed for his torso, to try to stop his fall. Instead, both of them fell next to the blue cinder block wall. _So much for buying a soda and slipping out of the market unnoticed,_ Wilson thought.

They scrambled to get up as the police closed in. Wilson saw Raven's thin, skinny form. His eyes had a wild look, as he raised his odd gun and fired a shock ray at the lead policeman. The ray was light blue, not the dark blue of a kill ray, and the cop fell stunned, not dead. The second officer drew his pistol.

Women in the crowd screamed, and people tussled to leave the fish market. A man slipped, and two other men stepped on him and stumbled as they escaped.

The second cop pivoted to take aim at Raven, but Yarnell had a bead on that policeman. Yarnell fired. His light blue shock ray found its mark. The second cop fell like a big bag of flour.

Lena and Wilson slammed through the rear swinging doors into the alley. Most of the people who had been in the market had run away. Raven and Yarnell banged through the rear door seconds later.

"It's the shack past the next dumpster," yelled Raven.

Wilson reached the shack door first. He opened it, and he and Lena stepped into the safety of _The Ghost Liner_. A moment later Raven and Yarnell joined them.

"That was a close call," said Wilson.

"Yeah, and we've got to get out of here now," said Raven as he slammed the door. "We need to get the gold back to Sunev and get ready for the water raid."

They jogged to the transfer area and took their seats for the jump to Sunev. Lena pulled off her black wig and tossed it next to her flight chair. At the same time, Wilson opened his bottle of spirit gum solvent and began to take off his false mustache and beard.
Chapter 31 – Precious Cargo

Wilson felt _The Ghost Liner_ vibrate more than it usually did. Raven was pushing the ship to go faster to the dimension that contained his home planet, Sunev. Wilson figured that the Sunevians were desperate to build more ships. _The Ghost Liner'_ s precious cargo of tons of gold that Raven and Yarnell had stolen from Fort Knox would enable the aliens to construct not only more ships, but fusion engines for many other kinds of machines.

_The Ghost Liner_ returned to a large island on planet Sunev. This landmass is in the middle of the Great Ocean, equal to where the Hawaiian Islands are on Earth.

"Another good jump," said Raven, glancing at Wilson and Lena.

"How long will the air flight to the capital be?" Wilson asked.

"About two hours because of a strong jet stream," Raven said. He set the ship's controls to auto-fly to First City where the Great Leader ruled and resided. Raven pushed a button, and _The Ghost Liner'_ s fusion rockets fired. The spurt of power that propelled the ship into the sky pressed Wilson back into his flight couch.

"You're quiet, Rachel," Raven said. He swiveled his flight chair in the direction of Lena. "You were quite cheery when we dropped you off in Hawaii."

"I'm just a little down because now we have to go back to the war," said Lena, who now played the role of Rachel. "I'll be glad when the mission to destroy the cyborg water supply is finished and when the war is won."

Wilson thought, _Lena's Scandinavian-like accent is a bit less evident than Rachel's. I hope Raven doesn't hear the difference. He probably won't notice because he isn't a native English speaker._

Raven paused a moment and seemed to stare deep into Lena's eyes like he was trying to read her thoughts. "After we drop off the gold, the next mission won't be bad," he said. "It'll be a sneak attack. We'll go in fast and plant fusion bombs at the water reservoir walls, the desalination plants, the sewage treatment plant, and maybe even under the city. It'll take a day. We'll be disguised as workers. It'll be easy."

"I'll feel better when it's done," Lena said.

"Take a nap, Rachel. Then you'll be refreshed," said Raven.

"Okay," said Lena, who seemed to tire of playing the role of Rachel. Lena moved a lever on her flight couch and tilted it back. She pulled out a blanket stowed beneath her seat, draped it around herself, and nodded off.

"Here, Bill," Raven said, and he handed Wilson a thin notebook. "Look at the mission plan. The maps are good."

"Thanks," Wilson said. He studied the simple plan of where the explosives were to be planted, but soon he was dozing, too. In his dream he swam in the ocean near Oahu, and then lay on the warm sand of Waikiki Beach. Raven shook his arm. It took a second for Wilson to recognize that he was back on _The Ghost Liner_. Raven had changed into a suit and tie.

"The plan bores you, doesn't it?" asked Raven. He chuckled, and his long, gray hair moved with his laugh.

_He's happy because he and Yarnell will soon turn in tons of gold for the war effort,_ thought Wilson. "The plan seems straight forward enough," replied Wilson. "How close are we to the spaceport?"

"We're in descent," said Raven. He punched a button and took manual control of The Ghost Liner, which now flew like an airliner. "It's good for me to keep in practice."

In a few minutes _The Ghost Liner_ taxied to a stop on the tarmac in front of its hangar. A large cargo truck sat nearby.

"Bring the truck to the cargo hold," Raven commanded over the radio, and a truck driver moved his vehicle next to the ship. Crewmen opened a side door of _The Ghost Liner_ and pulled out a conveyor belt. Wilson gazed out a window as the ground crew unloaded gold bars in small wooden crates, which didn't have tops. The yellow metal shone in the sunshine.

Five black limousines with flashing blue lights pulled up next to the ship. Security men hopped off the running boards of each big auto and took defensive positions to form a protective path from one of the limos to _The Ghost Liner'_ s stairway.

"What's up?" Wilson asked.

"I got a dispatch during our flight that the Great Leader would be here while the gold is being unloaded," said Raven, beaming. Standing nearby and dressed in a sports jacket and a bow tie, Yarnell also looked very happy.

"That's good news," Wilson said.

"Surprised?" Raven asked.

"A little," said Wilson. He stood, smoothed his clothes with his hand, and nudged Lena. She awoke. "Are we at base?"

"Yes, the Great Leader is here to congratulate Raven and Yarnell for getting the gold," Wilson said.

"Raven should have warned us," Lena whispered. "I would have liked to have brushed my hair." She unsnapped her brown purse and stroked her hair three times with a brush. Just as Lena put it back in her purse, the white-haired Great Leader came into the flight section and walked directly to Raven and Yarnell.

"I've come here to applaud you two for your bravery and spunk," the Leader said. His wrinkled face was flushed as if he had been drinking, but he spoke without a slur. "I also wish you and the rest of _The Ghost Liner_ crew good luck in your mission to Emor, the enemy's stronghold. Be safe. I look forward to your return when we will hold a victory dinner."

The Leader shook hands with Raven and Yarnell. He patted their backs, and then he turned to Wilson.

"Dr. Wilson, I'm glad you and Rachel get along well, according to what I hear. I'm so sorry that Lena did some things she shouldn't have done. Don't worry, we'll rehabilitate her. After this nasty war is over, I plan to grant amnesty to as many people as I can." He hugged Wilson and slapped him on the back.

"Thank you," Wilson said. He had to remind himself that the Great Leader was a dictator and that his government was a police state. _He must know that Lena has escaped_ , Wilson deduced. _Or had his underlings withheld that information from him for fear of his anger?_

The Great Leader turned to Lena. "Rachel, I've heard so much about you. It must be hard to take the place of another person on a battleship."

"It hasn't been as difficult as I thought it would be," said Lena with a perky look. Wilson thought she was making an extra effort to be upbeat.

"Let's sit for a moment," the Leader said as he put his hand on Lena's waist and began to lead her to a couch at the other end of the flight section.

Wilson couldn't hear what they said, but he saw that both the dictator and Lena smiled and laughed. In a few minutes, they stood. He shook hands with her and kissed her cheek.

As the dictator walked to Raven, Yarnell, and Wilson, he said, "Sorry that I have to leave. Again, I wish you the best of luck on the Triod mission. I hope to spend more time with you and the rest of your crew after you return." He winked at Raven, turned, and marched off the ship. Soon, his motorcade sped away.

The crew scrambled to prepare for the jump to the enemy capital on Triod.
Chapter 32 – An Improvised Plan

"Attention, people, we'll take a twenty-minute meal break before we jump to Triod," said Raven over the ship's intercom. "We won't have much time to eat after the mission starts."

The mess sergeant and two assistants walked towards Raven. "We're already serving instant rations to some troopers, and the rest of the food will be ready to serve in the next seven minutes," the sergeant said.

Lena clutched Wilson's arm, and he turned to look into her hazel green eyes. "Let's move to the corner and talk," she said. She glanced at an alcove near a cloak room.

Wilson nodded, and they moved away from groups of people who milled about. A few soldiers had already eaten their meals, but most of the crew had gathered in the common area where some played darts and others amused themselves by playing billiards in between bites of food.

When Lena and Wilson got to the alcove, he asked her, "What's up?"

"You read Raven's plan. What's the crew supposed to do after we arrive on planet Triod, but before we get off the ship?"

"Those officers who don't know much about the mission will go to a thirty-minute briefing in Raven's office," Wilson replied. "The rest of the enlisted crew will get an update in the common area. Most officers, to include us, will have twenty minutes to rest before the mission. I told Raven I'd fill you in."

"Good," Lena said. "We can go into the armory while the armorers are in the briefing. Then I'll activate the three fusion bombs."

"How do you know that the armorers won't issue the three armed bombs to the assault troops to use on Emor City's waterworks?" Wilson asked.

"We have twice as many fusion bombs on board as Raven's raiders need," she said. "The armorers put the newest bombs in the back of the storage area. They always hand out the older bombs first. I'll arm the newest bombs. Each has a date stamp."

"What's my job?"

"You keep a lookout while I'm in the armory," Lena said. "If anybody comes, warn me with this pager." She handed Wilson a small black box and showed him how to unlock its red button so he could push it. As he was putting the device in his pants pocket, the final meal bell rang to call the rest of the crew to the mess hall.

"We'd better go," Wilson said.

The crew filed into the mess hall, some carrying food and drinks. Those who didn't already have their rations, picked up warm combat meals wrapped in aluminum foil, and sat at long tables.

Wilson and Lena sat near the main exit where they hoped to continue to plot their unauthorized entry into the armory, but Yarnell joined them.

"How are you two doing?" he asked, as he ripped open his meal package and took out his warm sandwich.

"I need to mentally prepare for this mission," Lena replied in a slightly thicker Scandinavian-like accent. She sipped coffee from a paper cup.

"I know you aren't experienced in combat, Rachel," Yarnell said. "Stick with Bill. He's proved himself to be very calm under fire. It won't be hard. We'll sneak in and plant the explosives, and the enemy shouldn't see us."

"That's good," Lena said.

Yarnell patted her back. "You'll be okay, darling," he said.

"Thanks," Lena said. She forced a smile.

"I'm sure you two want to be together," Yarnell said.

"Bye, Roberto. Thanks for the counsel," Lena said sweetly. "You made me feel a tad better."

Lena and Wilson wolfed down their food, and the rest of the crew gobbled their meals, too. Everyone was on edge. Raven stepped atop his chair and raised his arms to get the crew's attention. His long, grey hair hung about his shoulders.

"Folks, it's time to put your trays and wrappers on the conveyor belt," he said. "Move to the flight seats and buckle in. After we jump, we'll cloak near the main water plant and treatment facility. Before the assault team leaves the ship, we'll have a final briefing."

The crew broke into soft discussions as Raven got down from his perch. He put his tray, eating utensils, glass, and sandwich wrapper on the conveyor. The rest of the crew did the same. Lena and Bill walked to their flight chairs, which were next to one another. They sat down, and fastened their seat belts.

"Ten minutes to jump," said Raven via the intercom.

"Good luck," Wilson said to Lena.

"May we both be on the right side of fate," Lena said. "And above all, Bill, listen to your Inner One, and follow his advice."

He nodded and grasped her hand. She squeezed, and he felt her tension.

The red jump light went on, and the cabin was bathed in a ruddy glow that reminded Wilson of blood.

_The Ghost Liner_ vibrated, but the pulse was not as strong as it was when Raven had earlier pushed the ship to its limits. Most of the crew read from their electronic tablets, and many others dozed during the jump to Triod. After a couple of hours the vessel's tremors became weaker. Then they stopped, the red light shut off, and a sunshine-like glow bathed the crew.

"Let's leave," Lena whispered in Wilson's ear.

"Okay," he said as he unbuckled his seat belt. Lena stood, and he was beside her in seconds. She looped her right arm around his shoulder while the two set out along a hallway towards the armory.

"Do you have the key?" Wilson asked.

"Yes, it was still under the wallpaper. I just had to wash off the wallpaper paste," Lena said. "Let's sit on the couch." She pointed to a brown leather sofa about twenty feet from the armory door.

"After Raven orders crewmembers to go to the briefings, you might want to wait a few minutes to make sure nobody from the armory is late for his meeting," Wilson said.

"I'll wait, but not long," she said. "In case someone is still in there, I'll say I have to do an inspection."

"That could be a problem, if that person were to mention it to an officer," Wilson said.

"That's the best I can think of right now," Lena said.

Static hiss came from the olive drab loudspeaker mounted on the wall above the couch where they sat. "Attention," stated Raven via the ship's intercom. "All personnel who have not had a mission briefing, please go to your assigned meeting. Non-briefed officers, please report to my office. Thank you."

The loudspeaker hiss stopped, leaving the hallway once more quiet where Wilson and Lena sat. Suddenly, the armory's gate-like door opened with a metallic groan, and two armorers and their lieutenant exited. The reinforced metal gate slammed shut behind them, closed by a pneumatic arm. As they left, they smiled at Wilson and Lena.

"Do you think they'll remember us later?" Wilson asked.

"It won't matter if the ship explodes," said Lena. She stood up and took a key from her pocket. "I'll be back in five minutes. If anybody comes when I'm inside, push the pager button once. If the person leaves, punch the button twice. And if someone starts to go in, push the button a lot."

"Okay," he said.

Lena walked to the heavy metal door, inserted the key, and turned it. The hinges creaked as she pulled the door open. She entered, and it slammed shut.

Wilson remained on the leather couch, which smelled like new cowhide. Time seemed to crawl, which made him feel edgy. Officers who ranked higher than first lieutenant did not have to attend the briefings, and they could be anywhere on the ship.

Boot sounds echoed along the hallway, and Wilson felt a chill. Yarnell approached.

"Hi, Bill. Where's Rachel?" he asked. He stopped in front of the couch.

Wilson reached in his pocket and pressed the pager button once. "She went to her cabin to freshen up," Wilson lied.

"Women are strange, sometimes," Yarnell said. "Does she think someone will notice her makeup or hair during a raid?" He laughed and shook his head back and forth.

"We'll see you in the assembly area soon," Wilson said.

"Yeah, it won't be long," he said. "I'm going to get another laser rifle because a warning lamp on my weapon flashed red. You might want to check yours before we go, too."

Yarnell started for the armory door. Wilson reached in his pocket and thumbed the button over and over again. Yarnell took a key from his pocket, and he turned to Wilson. "It was a good thing I got this from the armory lieutenant before Raven's briefing started," Yarnell said. He held up a big key. "You want to come in, too? You should take a look at the new models that just came in. The upgrades are pretty good." Yarnell waved Wilson to follow.

Yarnell opened the door, and they stepped into the large weapons room. There were a couple of heavy gray metal desks and government swivel chairs at the front of the big room. It was bright where the two men stood.

Rows of metal shelves were at the other end of the room, which was dimly lit. Wilson figured that Lena was hiding behind some big boxes. On a shelf not far away from the two men an olive drab wooden box was open, and the ray rifles it contained were in plain sight. Yarnell stepped to the shelf, and he picked up one of the weapons.

"This is just what I want," he said. "These are more accurate than the old models. This one locks on a target with a laser. If the target moves, the rifle senses it and adjusts the shot in a thousandth of a second." He handed Wilson the weapon, which was lighter than the laser rifle he had used in target practice.

"It feels good," Wilson said.

Yarnell filled out a release form for the rifle. He scribbled his signature and said, "You could use a weapon like that, Bill."

"It's nice, but my ray pistol is all I need because I spend most of my time with the wounded," Wilson said. He handed the new rifle back to Yarnell.

"When we have more time, you should check out the new pistols," Yarnell said. "We'd better get to the assembly point early." He waved Wilson towards the door.

As they left the armory, the steel door creaked and slammed shut.

"See you in a few minutes, Ricardo," Wilson said. "I have to link up with Rachel."

"Be safe," Yarnell said. He left with his new rifle.

A minute after Yarnell turned the corner in the hallway, Wilson walked back to the armory door and reached out to knock on it. He was stunned as someone tapped his shoulder. Wilson turned. One of the armorers, a large, heavy man, stood there.

"Yarnell said you still have time to get a new pistol," said the overweight armorer, Jake Trundell. He unlocked the heavy door and swung it open.

"Good," Wilson said, fumbling for the pager in his pocket, but he was too late to warn Lena. She stood frozen, her eyes wide open, as Trundell stepped into the room, followed by Wilson.

"Hi, Rachel," he said. "How'd you get in here?"

She drew her ray gun, and Trundell dove towards the heavy exit door, but Lena fired a stun ray that hit his chest. Out cold, he fell like a giant rag doll near the doorway.

"Help me drag him to the back of the room," Lena said while she replaced her weapon in her holster.

Each clutched one of Trundell's heavy arms and pulled him with difficulty across the floor. They dragged him behind some crates in the rear of the room, and Wilson threw a tarp over him.

"I need to get one of those new pistols," Wilson said. "Yarnell sent Trundell back here to issue one to me."

"Okay, I saw them on the second shelf back. Keep your old one, too," Lena said. "Trundell should be out for a couple of hours, but I'll give him a sedative just in case." Lena unzipped her fanny pack and took out a preloaded hypodermic needle.

She lifted the tarp that covered Trundell. As Lena gave Trundell the shot, Wilson walked to the second shelf and took a new ray pistol.

Lena walked to Wilson. "Did you have any trouble arming the bombs?" he asked.

"No," she said, as she zipped her fanny pack shut.

Wilson felt guilty. He was part of a plot that could destroy intelligent, good people. He realized the uselessness of armed conflict, which ruins human beings, killing some and injuring the bodies and souls of the others.

He was in a haze as he marched to the ship's staging area with Lena.
Chapter 33 – The Water Mission at Emor City

Wilson and Lena hustled to the mission staging area within _The Ghost Liner._

"You two got here just in time," Raven said.

Wilson was out of breath. "Sorry. I just got a new pistol at the armory," he said.

Yarnell looked at Raven. "I sent Trundell over there to issue a new model pistol to Bill," Yarnell said.

Raven nodded. "Okay, assault team, Yarnell will begin check-in," Raven said.

Yarnell read every soldier's name.

Each said, "Here."

There were twenty warriors in the assault squad, each of whom wore a blue maintenance uniform and a fiber helmet. All had light packs in which they carried mini-fusion bombs. Most of the fighters were also armed with pistols as well as ray rifles with folding stocks.

"Move out," Raven said.

They stepped down the ramp of the partially cloaked ship and onto the fine sand on the edge of the Triodian jungle. Raven consulted his map.

Wilson remembered that _The Ghost Liner_ was to uncloak near the entrance of a tunnel forty feet in diameter. The tunnel had three branches, which formed the shape of the capital letter "T." The ocean lay to the north, parallel to the top of the "T." The huge water complex stood to the west, a half mile away. Emor City was a mile to the south at the bottom of the "T." The third, eastern wing of the "T" was an incomplete tunnel, which would be extended about 50 miles to the east to a new city to be constructed along the ocean.

The relentless sun burned Wilson's back, and the muggy air was oppressive as he and the rest of Raven's team emerged from the jungle and walked north onto the beach. The smell of rotten vegetation invaded his nostrils as Wilson got his bearings, first facing the ocean to the north. The second big thing he saw was a mammoth desalinization plant to his left about half a mile west of them on the edge of the ocean. The huge, ten-story water complex also included a sewage treatment plant, fresh water wells, pumps, offices, and shops.

Lena stepped close to Wilson. Under her breath she said, "When we get near the tunnel, I'll radio the rebel team to attack _The Ghost Liner."_

Wilson nodded. He felt light-headed, and his mouth was dry even though he sucked heavy humidity into his lungs. He worried, _would Raven and his soldiers plant the bombs at the water plant even after The Ghost Liner is attacked?_

The thick jungle was behind them to the south when they faced the beach. Where the jungle occasionally came close to shore, palm trees hung over the water, and waves smashed seaside rocks. The splashes were stronger than Wilson thought they should be.

Raven first sent two scouts a short distance west to find the entrance to a big underground chamber where the three tunnels met in the shape of a "T." He soon received a radio call from the scouts, and afterward he motioned the squad to turn left and move west under the thick vegetation and palm trees along the beach.

The team's first objective was to go into the big chamber to locate the forty-foot diameter tunnel that led west to the plant. Inside that tunnel was an eight-foot pipe that carried treated water to the city. Also within the tunnel was a four-foot pipe, which transported waste water from the city back to the treatment plant.

Raven's plan called for his fighters to walk through the tunnel to reach the water plant, place bombs there, and then return to the junction of the "T." From there they would travel through the south tunnel for a mile inland, and place bombs beneath Emor City.

Raven hoped to destroy not only the water system, but also much of the city and many of its people. The rebel congress and their leaders were primary targets because their House of Representatives was above the south tunnel.

As the squad members moved forward under the cover of the jungle leaves and worked their way toward the main chamber entrance, Lena walked with Wilson. When they paused near a palm tree trunk, she whispered, "Art Terac is supposed to lead a squad to find us. I'm sending a signal to him, and he'll attack after the ship is assaulted. Run away as fast as you can when Terac hits us."

"I'm ready," Wilson said. He scanned the jungle, but he saw no sign of Terac's squad of rebel soldiers. Wilson hoped each and every one of the rebels had studied his and Lena's pictures. He didn't want to be struck by friendly fire, even if nano-meds could save him and Lena. _The pain of death must be horrible,_ he thought.

Sweat poured into Wilson's burning eyes. He wiped the perspiration away with his arm, but his eyes became more irritated. It was rough going because the sand was deep and soft, and their packs seemed heavier as Raven's people moved ahead.

His raiders were about a hundred feet from the big chamber's entrance when Raven signaled them to squat beneath big tropical plants along the beach. About one minute later, one of Raven's two scouts waved them forward.

Wilson worried, _has Lena signaled the rebel team to attack The Ghost Liner yet?_

With his back to the ocean, Wilson felt coolness strike him as he walked through the entrance and into the huge cave-like room where the three tunnels and their massive pipes met. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he looked to his right and saw the bodies of two guards with their throats cut. They were lying just inside the entry of the tunnel that went a half mile west to the water plant. Blood had puddled on that tunnel's concrete floor.

He glanced straight ahead and saw the opening of the mile-long south tunnel that led away from the beach to Emor City. Then he looked to his left and saw a big, sealed door that protected a short, new eastern tunnel, which he remembered was only about 100 feet long. It was to be extended to a new, future city.

Lena edged up to Wilson, and whispered, "I haven't heard from Terac yet, so I hope we don't get caught in those tunnels when he attacks."

The scouts had attached a small video cube player to the chamber's surveillance camera cables. The player sent a recorded TV picture of a normal scene back to rebel guards who remotely monitored the video feed.

All of a sudden, lethal, dark blue ray fire bombarded them from inside the western tunnel at Wilson's right. Two of Raven's squad members fell dead, and the rest scrambled and hit the ground.

Wilson wondered _, did the rebel attack come too late?_ He thought, _Terac certainly should have warned Lena by now._

"Get out of here!" Raven yelled. He turned around and stumbled out of the big chamber's entry, but he was met with a hail of ray gun fire. The enemy had also placed men in the jungle and on the beach outside the big cave-like room.

Raven rolled back into the underground chamber as ray fire just missed him. He looked to his left at the entry to the new side tunnel, which was welded shut. The rest of Raven's fighters fired into the western tunnel at the source of the rebel ray shots.

"Rogers, blow this door open," yelled Raven, and Rogers raced forward. He put a shaped charge along the welds, placed a detonator, and wired the set up. His hands shook. The Sunevian soldiers rolled behind the big steel water pipes to protect themselves. Rogers pushed a button on a small box. Boom! The door fell. A cloud of dirt hung in the air, and blue ray shots pierced the dust cloud.

"Go," Raven yelled. His soldiers ran eastward into the unused, new tunnel and headed away from the plant. The short, new tunnel had no big water or sewage pipes in it. Because it was pitch dark, Raven aimed a bright spotlight forward. About a hundred feet away was the far end of the passageway. Wilson, Lena, and the rest of Raven's team sprinted towards it.

Wilson asked himself, _with no big pipes to hide behind, where will we shield ourselves if Rogers has to blow the end of the tunnel?_

But at the terminus of the tunnel, they found a pad-locked steel door. Raven shot the lock away with his ray gun. The door was stuck, so he and Yarnell kicked it and knocked it open.

The team tumbled out of the darkness onto a blindingly bright gravel road and then ran. After a hundred yards they rolled off the lane into bushes and weeds. Lena was next to Wilson as they jumped through jungle vegetation and onto a bed of smooth, decorative gravel.

He looked at her, wondering if the rebels had attacked the ship. If not, Raven would probably lead his team back to _The Ghost Liner_ and flee the planet. An instant later there was a huge blast.

After a short delay, a big concussion from the explosion smashed the squad members down onto stones that separated the roadside and a big drainage ditch.

Wilson bruised his knees and elbows.

"You okay?" he gasped to Lena.

"Yes," she whispered, as she sat up. "It just stunned me."

Debris fell around them, but none of the ship fragments hit anyone. Raven picked up a jagged six-inch chunk of carbon nano material. He looked at it. Then he tossed it away. "It's from our ship! It's gone. Let's go, fast!" Raven screamed. His body shook. Wilson had never seen him so upset. "They'll be here soon. They must have known our plans."

"Oh my God!" Lena muttered to Wilson in a low voice. "They never planned to assault the ship. They blew it up because it was easier!"

"It's not your fault, Lena," Wilson said, as they began to run after the rest of Raven's squad.

His team sprinted to a tall wooded hill that was spotted with massive granite boulders. Wilson squeezed the grip of his ray gun. The weapon made him feel confident as the raiders made their way upward and through the shadows of bushes and trees. He glanced at Lena and hoped to signal her that they should to run away from Raven's squad. Wilson raised his eyebrows, jerked his head to the side, and nodded questioningly. She shook her head, no.

As Raven's squad members struggled up the incline, they tried not to make themselves easy targets. They stealthily climbed the big hill, taking care not to create silhouettes against the sky.

Wilson speculated, did Terac's squad attack us, or was it another detachment of rebels? If they don't know that Lena and I are on their side, they might kill us. He had no desire to endure the pain of death, even if he could live again.

Corporal Remington glanced down, as a beam of light formed a red spot on his chest. An instant later his body exploded when a laser-guided grenade hit him and detonated. The rebels had a new weapon, designed to destroy each enemy soldier forever.

Bluish smoke wafted up from the bits of rag that had been Remington's blue work shirt. Wilson smelled burned skin and cloth. All that could be gathered was the man's DNA.

When Remington died, it was the first time the Sunevians had seen the laser-guided grenade and its terrible effects. This new weapon chilled them to their bones.

Wilson had smashed and cut his left arm on a jagged tree branch when he hit the ground after Remington's body had exploded. Wilson bled from the gash, and his nerves sent pulses of pain throughout his arm like hammer blows. He gritted his teeth, got up, and ran twenty feet. He dove to the ground and crawled to relative safety behind a mound of dirt at the top of the hill.

A laser beam illuminated the clay where he had been a fraction of a second before. The grenade that followed exploded and sent shrapnel out from the point of its impact. Wilson was down flat when jagged bits of metal whistled above him.

Salty sweat rolled down his forehead and into his eyes. They burned, and he was unable to see clearly for a few seconds. Wilson wiped the perspiration away with his shirtsleeve and peeked over the dirt pile. Two cyborgs and a clone charged up the hill, moving forward one at a time, alternatively covering one another with rifle and ray fire.

_They have no idea that Lena and I are on their side,_ Wilson realized. He raised his ray pistol and aimed in the direction of a rebel who was on the attack. Wilson squeezed off a shot, missing the cyborg on purpose. But Raven's ray shot cut a hole in the rebel's belly, and he collapsed and burst into flames. Black smoke bellowed up like a smoke signal from the destroyed mass that was once a living, breathing intelligent being.

"Wilson, can you see anyone behind us, over the hill?" Raven asked. He aimed his weapon again and fired at yet another charging rebel.

"I don't see anybody," Wilson replied. "Let's get down there and back into the jungle."

"Okay," Raven said.

Lena snaked part way down the hill to lush vegetation on the slope, then slipped and rolled forty feet down the rest of the steep hill. She came to a stop amid thick leaves that hid her. Wilson fired at a second enemy and pulled the shot to the side, but one of Wilson's shipmates blew off the rebel's mechanical left arm. The wounded cyborg continued to charge. Raven fired and hit the enemy soldier's left leg, and the beast-like creature buckled and fell. Even so, he still fired bullets from his mini-gun.

A sharp pop next to Wilson's left ear caused him brief pain. A bullet from a conventional firearm had missed his head by half an inch. He wondered, _why do I still aim away from the rebels, even if they're on my side?_

As more cyborgs ascended the hill, a burst of bullets and ray beams just missed him, kicking up puffs of dust. Wilson's wounded arm throbbed, and though it was painful, he dove and rolled down the hill.

From the crest of the hill Raven tossed an old-fashioned hand grenade at a dozen cyborgs, and it exploded among them. He was the last of his party to roll down the hill and into the dark jungle leaves below. He now was Wilson's enemy, but he was a good officer, loyal to his soldiers.

Above his heart Wilson wore a holster and the heavy, ancient pistol that Lena had given to him from the encounter with the thugs in Honolulu's Chinatown. The big silver pistol was his ace in the hole – a last resort. Maybe its metal could even deflect a death ray or a bullet with his name on it.

Some cyborgs had old, conventional arms, so the pungent smell of cordite, primitive gun smoke, invaded Wilson's nostrils as Raven and the remainder of his squad moved deeper into the jungle. Rebels yelled and broke branches behind Raven's fleeing troops and sent a chill of fear through Wilson's body.
Chapter 34 – Jungle Fight

Tiny insects buzzed near Wilson's head and stuck in his eyes while the air was thick with sticky humidity. The 100-degree heat intensified his headache. His head throbbed nonstop, and sunlight flashed through breaks in the canopy of trees above, impairing his vision. Short of breath, he, Richard Raven, Ricardo Yarnell, and Lena Lavelle thrashed through the jungle while the rebels chased them. The rest of Raven's squad of twenty Sunevian soldiers was dead.

"Hold up!" Raven said between gasps. The four stopped on the side of a hill. "I'll plant a micro-fusion bomb here. Take cover behind the next rise. Be with you in a minute. I'll set off the MFB when the enemy comes up." Raven took a marble-size bomb from his backpack. He unsnapped the radio control trigger from the explosive and began to scratch a small hole in the dirt to hide the MFB.

"Let's go," Yarnell said. Lena and Wilson followed him. Wilson struggled forward, tripped on a root and fell. Lena stopped to help him up.

"You good?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said.

They resumed climbing the steep jungle hill still behind Yarnell. Wilson grabbed bushes and small trees to pull his body up the last few yards to the hilltop. Lena rolled over the top of the knoll, and Wilson skidded down beside her and Yarnell.

"The MFB might just stop the rebels," said Yarnell, who started to catch his breath. His face was muddy from soil mixed with sweat.

"I hope so," Wilson replied. The stomp of boots on vegetation came from above them, and Wilson aimed his ray gun toward the noise. Raven peeked over the hilltop and then slid down to his colleagues.

"The enemy is almost to the bomb," Raven said. "I saw their scout. I don't think he saw me." Raven pushed the micro fusion bomb's radio control trigger.

The blast rocked them. Moments later, dirt, small pebbles, shattered branches, and other plant parts pelted them.

"Come on," Raven said. They rose and moved farther into the jungle. Even if the rebels were now his allies, Wilson hoped that they had had enough and would quit their pursuit.

"I've got another one of those MFBs," Yarnell said. "We should plant it here, and march for an hour. Then if we detonate it from a couple of miles away, they'll think we're close to where the second bomb went off."

"Good idea," Raven said. "We should wait about thirty minutes and then place it."

"Okay," said Yarnell. "I'll set one up a half hour from now." He glanced at his watch. "My watch has stopped. It must have been hit."

"We should split up," Wilson said. "It would be harder for the rebels to get us all."

"We're better off if we stick together," said Raven. "Headquarters will send a rescue team when they get a distress signal from the ship's black box. If we're all over the place, they might not find us all."

"I agree," said Yarnell. The four trudged through the jungle for another twenty minutes and came to a clearing, which they skirted. They didn't see rebels behind them. Big flies buzzed near Wilson's head, and some landed on Lena's face. She and Wilson had given up shooing them away.

"I'm not sure if the black box survived the blast," said Raven, as they slogged along to put more ground between themselves and the rebel squad.

"We'll just have to do the best we can," said Yarnell. "Each pack has a couple of ready-to-eat rations. We can hunt. There's got to be some fruit in the jungle."

"Let's rest," said Raven. He set his pack down and sat on a high tuft of grass on the edge of a sunny glen. Yarnell sat near him while Lena and Wilson walked to a shady spot under the cool leaves of a broad-leafed tree. Yarnell and Raven were far enough away so that Lena could talk quietly with Wilson and not be heard by the two men.

She whispered, "I received a confirmation signal that Art Terac's squad has tracked my GPS signal. Be ready to run when they find us. If he's at their front, we'll know him by his blond hair."

"Okay," Wilson said.

She kissed his cheek. "My Inner One tells me not to quit no matter what," she said.

"Hang in there, Lena," Wilson said. He glanced towards Raven and Yarnell. "They're ready to go," Wilson concluded.

He had seen that the two men were standing and talking. Yarnell pointed to his watch, and Wilson saw that a faint red light was flashing on Yarnell's timepiece.

Wilson stood up, and helped Lena to rise. Then they approached Yarnell and Raven. All of the sudden Yarnell trained his ray rifle at Lena and Wilson. "You have some explaining to do," Yarnell declared.

"What?" Wilson asked. Lena put her right shoulder against the side of Wilson's chest. He felt her reach for her holster, which she wore on her back.

"The GPS tracker on my watch tells me that one of you is sending a signal to the rebels," Yarnell said, and he brought his rifle to his shoulder. "Drop your weapons."

"Why would you get this signal only now?" Wilson asked, as he tossed his new ray gun onto the ground. He still had his old ray pistol in his holster.

"I smashed my watch on something when we were getting away. Two minutes ago, I pushed the battery back in place, and the GPS tracker flashed. It got stronger as you came near."

Lena shoved Wilson to her right, rolled away, fired her ray pistol, and hit Yarnell in the forehead. A fraction of a second before Yarnell was hit, he had fired. His ray bounced off the antique pistol strapped over Wilson's heart.

Raven struggled to unsling his rifle from his shoulder, but the sling caught on his backpack strap. Wilson drew his old ray gun from his holster, fired, and hit Raven. Afraid of killing a rebel ally if surprised, Wilson had set his weapon to "shock."

"Yarnell's dead," Lena said. Tears dripped down her face. "I thought my pistol was on shock." She fell to her knees, wrapped her arms around her head, and sobbed. High-pitched whistles came from several directions, and Lena looked up. She wiped tears from her face.

"That's the signal Terac used when he broke me out of jail," she said.

From behind the undergrowth, rebel fighters stepped out, their ray rifles aimed at Wilson and Lena. A man with blond hair appeared from behind a bush. "It's Lena Lavelle and Dr. Wilson, men. It's okay. They're on our side," said Art Terac, the clone rebel.

The rebels lowered their weapons, and Lena stood up. Her ray gun dangled in her left hand as she trotted to Terac and then hugged him.

"I'm glad you found us," she said. "A cyborg squad chased us."

"They were the National Guard," Terac said. "Word about you didn't get to them. They're dead now, destroyed by an MFB explosion. Did Raven's people set it off?"

"Yes," Wilson said, as he walked closer to Terac and Lena, who still clung to each other.

Lena released the blond rebel from her embrace, and her face flushed under a film of dirt that coated her skin. "Bill and I pulled our shots off target, even though we finally realized the National Guard troops had no idea who we were," she said.

Terac pointed to Yarnell's corpse and Raven's crumpled body. "Looks like you took care of them. We should blow them to bits to make sure they won't be after you again."

"No, Art." Lena said. "We want them alive. I didn't mean to kill Yarnell. I just wanted to shock him."

"Raven's only stunned," Wilson said, and he pointed to the "shock" setting on his pistol.

"He'll die anyway, and Yarnell can't come back, even with the help of the best nano meds the Great Leader's people may have," said Terac.

"What do you mean?" Lena asked.

"The war will be over in hours, and we're going to win," Terac said.

"What happened?" Wilson asked.

"Do you remember the last dose of nano meds we gave you that had anti truth serum chemicals and some other stuff in it?"

"Sure," Wilson said.

Terac slung his rifle over his shoulder. "The other stuff included a dose of something that protects us from the lethal virus we dropped all over Sunev a few days ago. The virus not only attacks people who are unprotected from it, but it destroys the protective nano chemicals in their bodies."

"That's genocide," Lena said. "Did our forces release the virus here, too?"

"No, but my squad's bodies carry it," Terac said. "If we breathe close enough to Raven and Yarnell, it will spread to them. But don't worry. All of us have an antidote to the virus in our systems. Everyone on this planet has been vaccinated, except these two guys." Terac pointed at Yarnell's body and the unconscious Raven.

"Do you have some emergency doses of the antidote?" asked Lena.

"Yeah," said Terac, "I've got a few extra doses."

"Give one to me," Lena said.

"Why?"

"What do you think, Art?" she said. "I'll give it to Raven to save his life. Almost everyone else on Sunev, except those who got the antidote, will die, right? So what's the problem? He's one man. Give it to me, now!"

"Okay," said Terac, and he placed his pack on the ground next to Wilson. Then Terac took out a small olive drab plastic case, and he unsnapped its cover. He grabbed a hypodermic needle with an ampoule of the antidote, and handed it to Wilson. "You're the doctor."

Wilson prepared the shot, stuck the needle into Raven's arm, and pushed the plunger that drove the life-saving dose into his body.

Lena and Raven had been friends, maybe even lovers. She had admired Gandhi and Martin Luther King, who believed in nonviolence. But she had aided those who had killed most of the crew of _The Ghost Liner_ when the bombs exploded on the ship. Then she had sent a lethal ray into Yarnell's head, even if by mistake.

Her body was shaking, and she said, "What about all the innocent civilians, clones, and cyborgs on Sunev? How many are dead or will die because they didn't get the antidote? Are we any better than the Great Leader and his bunch?"

"It was total war," said Terac. "If we hadn't let loose the virus, they might well have destroyed us all."

"We don't know that," said Lena. "But we may just have killed every man, woman, child, clone, and cyborg on Sunev except for a few we chose to save. Our people have played God. We've wiped out the civilization that created us."

"They created us in their image," said Terac.

"You said it," said Lena. "We did a ghastly thing."

"But the war is won. It's over," said Terac.

"Yes, and I'm sick of it," said Lena. She sat next to Raven and looked at his thin face and his gray, stringy hair.

"I'll use some smelling salts to wake him," Wilson said.

"Better disarm him first," said Terac.

Wilson picked up Raven's rifle and tossed it to a rebel fighter and then removed Raven's pack that contained a mini-fusion bomb. Finally, he searched Raven and took his pistol and a knife strapped to his ankle.

"Okay, here goes," Wilson said. He crushed an ampoule of smelling salts under Raven's nose, and he stirred. Then his eyes opened.

"What happened?" Raven asked.

"You're a prisoner of the rebels," Wilson said.

"Why did Rachel fire at us?"

"She's not Rachel. She's Lena," Wilson said.

"Oh, so they switched places," said Raven. "What about you, Bill?"

"I'm a rebel, too," he said. Wilson looked down at the ground for a second, and then looked back at Raven.

"I thought so, but I was in denial," Raven said. "And I thought 'Rachel' was a little less lively and acted a lot like Lena."

"What will we do with the other one?" asked a skinny rebel soldier. He pointed to Yarnell's body.

"When we leave, we'll blow him apart with a grenade," Terac said.

"We might be able to bring him back to life with nano meds if we act fast enough," said Lena. "We could restore his memories from Central Computer Storage. The war's over."

"The war is over?" Raven mumbled.

"Yes, for all practical purposes it is, and most Sunevians are dead or dying from germ warfare," said Lena. "The rebels spread a killer virus that Sunevian nano medicine can't stop."

"Won't that kill everyone, if it gets loose on Triod?" Raven slurred.

"There's an antidote," Wilson said. "I gave you a shot of it when you were out. Lena insisted."

"What are you going to do with me?" asked Raven.

"Just let him go," said Lena as she turned to Terac. "There aren't many Sunevians left, except those who got the antidote."

"He's a prisoner of war, Lena," said Terac.

Lena walked to Terac and put her hands on top of his shoulders. As the rebel team stared at the two of them, she turned Terac aside. "Art, I don't want you to act like the enemy. Let's start now to heal the wounds of war."

While Terac and the rest of his squad were distracted, Wilson stealthily reached into Terac's pack and took out a bottle of rebel nano meds as well as the plastic case of antidote doses. Then he prepared another shot.

Terac looked into Lena's eyes. He hesitated.

Out of Terac's sight Wilson moved to Yarnell's body and stuck the hypodermic needle into his arm.

"Art, we ought to give Raven his weapon," Lena said. "Let him go. Just keep the mini-fusion bomb."

"I don't know," Terac said. He shook his head.

Wilson worked fast, pouring rebel nano medicine into Yarnell's wound, and then taping a pen-sized device to the wounded man's chest to send electric pulses to his heart. Not sure the antidote would circulate, Wilson pushed down on Yarnell's chest over and over again. Wilson touched Yarnell's neck and felt a weak pulse.

"The war's over! Let Raven go," Lena screamed. "Let's just be done with it, Art."

_If I can save Yarnell, it'll take a couple of weeks to regrow his damaged skull and get him out of danger. Lena told me bone can grow as fast as deer antlers do on Earth, about a quarter inch a day, about the fastest any mammal can produce tissue,_ Wilson recalled _. Nano-medicine makes brain cells grow even faster. But the rebels need to get Yarnell's memories from computer backup, and copy them to his brain. It's a good thing his last thoughts are gone. He won't remember dying._

Terac turned away from Lena and glanced at Wilson. "What have you done?"

"I gave him nano meds and a shot of the antidote," Wilson said. "He's one of a few Sunevian people left. You can debrief him in a few weeks when he's well. Why not keep him as a prisoner, and let Raven go?"

Terac glanced at Lena. He looked back at Wilson. Terac paused.

"Come on, Art, do what Bill says," said Lena. She nodded.

Terac looked at Lena and frowned. "Wilson, keep that guy alive. And Raven, get your weapons," Terac snapped. "Smith, take the bomb out of that backpack, and toss the pack to Raven. Get out of here, Raven, before I change my mind."

"You're letting me go?"

"Yeah, but don't use your weapons against us," shouted Terac. "I'll hunt you down if you cross us!"

"Don't worry," Raven said. He got his weapons, and he waved farewell to Lena and Wilson. "I'm glad you listened to your Inner Ones. Thank you, and I'm sorry we became enemies," he said. He backed away from them, turned, and trotted into the jungle. Wilson felt good.

He told himself, _the fact that Lena helped save Raven and Yarnell might stop her from having a mental breakdown_. Wilson poured more nano-medicine into Yarnell's head wound, attached a battlefield IV catheter to Yarnell's arm, and started the IV. The IV bottle was loaded with glucose and other nutrients. In a few minutes, Yarnell stirred. The glucose, nutrients, and the nano medicine were bringing him back from the dead.

Lena stared at Terac. "What's next?" she asked.

"General Black is flying his ship, _The Black Widow_ , here to pick us up along with two companies of our regular soldiers." Wilson heard a low hum in the sky to the east.
Chapter 35 – Death's Smell

About 500 feet above them a black dimension ship loomed over the big jungle clearing. Wilson thought the oval rebel ship must be two football fields in across. As the craft began to ease downward, he clearly saw a red hour-glass icon on its side.

"Your ship is bigger than I imagined it might be," Wilson said to Terac. Lena stood by them, staring at the warship, a solemn look on her face.

"It's our biggest ship," said Terac.

Lena looked away from the mammoth ship. "It's different inside from the Sunevian exploration ships," she said. "I like Sunev's ships better because they're like luxury cruisers."

Terac shook his head. In half a minute the big warship came to rest in the vast grassy field that was hemmed in by the thick Triodian jungle. A large door opened, and a motorized ramp unfolded to the ground.

"Her name is _The Black Widow_ ," said Terac. "We name our ships so as to give courage to our warriors."

"How many do you have?" Wilson asked.

"Hundreds," said Terac. "That was a secret until Sunev surrendered at 1 p.m."

"That's a lot of ships," said Wilson. "Raven said each side had just a few."

Terac walked to the ramp as he spoke, "Both sides lied. We just learned that Sunev has more than 300 ships. We'll use them to ferry more soldiers to Sunev."

Wilson and Lena followed Terac. His boots made imprints on the grass as he trudged to the ramp.

"I don't look forward to the trip to Sunev," Lena said. "I imagine that lots of tragic events are underway there, even though most of the dying is done." She clutched a handkerchief and wiped a few tears away.

"We plan to send most of our ships to survey the planet, transport troops, and to oversee recovery," said Terac. "I heard about the plans on radio news when we were trying to find Raven's raiders. We'll make thousands of runs between Triod and Sunev for weeks, probably much longer. Medical teams are giving the antidote to the Sunevian population as fast as they can. But hundreds of millions have died, and probably many more."

"It will take years to get a handle on it," Wilson said. "When most of the people of a planet die, it may never recover." The three walked up the metal ramp into the ship.

"First reports tell us a lot more people survived the virus than we had thought possible," said Terac, as he led them into the dim interior. "The reporter on the radio broadcast said that more than ten percent of the people had a natural immunity to the disease."

"That still leaves nine-tenths of the population dead," said Wilson. He glanced around. Everything was an olive drab shade inside the ship. "There's no way to dispose of all the bodies."

"Yeah," said Terac. He walked through a short corridor to a large hall with hundreds of flight chairs, just frames covered with olive drab webbing. "Our troops on Sunev have seized all the bulldozers they can find, and they have begun to dig mass graves. Pickup trucks, box trucks, semis, cattle cars, railroad cars, and other kinds of vehicles will take bodies to the graves."

"It must be chaos," Lena said, as they stopped in the middle of the big hall.

"That's why we need to go," said Terac. "Sit down. We'll leave for Sunev once troops fill the flight hall. Two companies will join us that were on maneuver in the jungle. You're lucky you didn't run into them."

_We won't have enough soldiers to get a grip on the situation, even if we fill all the available ships,_ Wilson reckoned. He, Lena, and Terac sat and waited.

More rebel soldiers from the two companies streamed into the hall and found seats. Some were silent. Others chatted, even smiled. _They don't know what they're in for,_ Wilson forecast.

"Listen up," said an officer who stood in front of the troops. "I'm Captain Gray. The ship will leave in five minutes for Sunev. Our mission is to bury the dead, to take out any pockets of resistance, and to establish order. Your squad leaders will give you detailed instructions. Thank you." He sat and strapped in.

A voice from a loudspeaker boomed throughout the room, "One minute before jump. Fasten seatbelts."

Wilson pulled his seatbelt tight. _The Black Widow_ began to shake more than he ever felt _The Ghost Liner_ vibrate. "Is there something wrong?" Wilson asked.

"That's normal, Bill," Lena said. "These ships aren't as smooth as the Sunevian ones."

"Okay," Wilson said, and he settled back to rest. Still, he dreaded what lay ahead on Sunev.

After two hours the ship uncloaked at the First City Spaceport on Sunev. Wilson looked at the big screen TV in the front of the room, which showed the view outside _The Black Widow_. Big earth movers dug in a nearby field. _Those must be mass graves_ , Wilson decided.

Captain Gray, who had given the briefing before the jump, arose again. "Please stay in your chairs," he said. "I've been told we'll go airborne to make an aerial survey before we disembark. Also, Colonels Terac, Lavelle, and Wilson, please come forward."

Lena looked at Terac, "What do they need us for?"

"I don't know," Terac answered as he stood and walked towards Captain Gray. Wilson and Lena followed.

"Greetings, officers," said Gray. "I've been told to lead you to the observation deck."

"Thank you, Captain," said Terac.

They followed Gray to a double set of doors, which opened to the observation deck. Wilson saw the top rebel leader, General of the Armies Ramon Black. He was looking out of the window, and then he turned to see them approach.

"Art, Lena, Bill, I'm glad you are on _The Black Widow_ ," said the general. He looked relaxed and was clean shaven. He wore a starched olive drab uniform and five stars on his shoulders.

"General Black, let me congratulate you for leading The Alliance to victory," said Terac. He smartly saluted Black, and so did Lena. Wilson followed suit.

Black returned their salute. "You don't have to be formal," he said. "We're comrades-in-arms and friends. Please just call me Ramon like always. I'm going to put this uniform in the closet pretty soon."

"It's good to see you, Ramon," said Lena. "I wondered where you were and if you were safe."

"You were very brave, as was Bill, to aid in the destruction of the enemy ship and to help defeat the attack to obliterate the capital's water supply and its people," Black said. "Prepare yourselves to receive medals. Art, you, too, will receive a medal for bravery in battle and for your rescue of Lena and Bill. But first sit with me as we fly over Sunev to look over the postwar situation." He motioned for the trio to sit alongside him near big observation windows. But Lena stared at the floor and shook her head very slightly.

Wilson sat in a lavish flight armchair, which was much more comfortable than the webbed seats in the big room where the troops were sitting. _The Black Widow_ took off and began to fly patterns over First City at about a thousand feet.

Lena pointed at a caravan of large dump trucks below. "What's that white stuff they carry?" she asked.

"It's lime," said Black. "In a couple of days bodies will begin to rot. We'll need a lot of lime to throw on the corpses before we cover them with dirt. It will reduce the smell."

"With that many dead, the stench will be unbearable," Wilson said. _And bacteria could mutate and form new strains that could overwhelm health care workers even if they have nano meds,_ Wilson thought _. Farms, factories, sewage treatment, power and transportation systems must have collapsed. This is a logistical nightmare._

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

_Black is a hands-on general,_ Wilson observed. _He probably fights beside his troops. They must love him._

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

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

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

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

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

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

"What was that?" Terac asked.

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

_That smells like a fusion grenade_ , Wilson thought as smoke drifted past them.

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

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

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

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

"Yes, soldier."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"What do you want me to do?"

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

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

"How soon can we go?" Lena asked.

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

"Dr. Kamara?"

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

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

"Yes."

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

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

They walked to the ship's ramp and went inside to find Dr. Jean Kamara.
Chapter 36 – The Psychologist

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"You're a companion clone, right?"

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

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

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

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

"We never lacked food."

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kamara nodded.

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

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

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

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

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

"Thank you," Lena said.

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

"Thank you, doctor," Lena said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"What should I look for?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Okay."

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

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

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

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

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

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

"You may save her. Remember you both can live a long time. Time and therapy can mend your emotional wounds. I think that you and she must go to Earth to heal and to be insulated from the war and its aftermath on Triod and Sunev." She got up. Wilson also rose, shook her hand, and then left.
Chapter 37 – The Journey Home

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

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

"What happened?" Wilson asked Lena.

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

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

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

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

"How widespread is the resistance?" Wilson asked.

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

"I never heard of Bumblebee drones."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Diamond shipment?" Lena asked.

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

"Thank you, Ramon," Lena said. "On Earth we'll need money. The diamonds will be a lot of help."

"You deserve it, Lena. So do Bill and Art," said Black.

"I thank you, too," said Wilson.

Black nodded. "Oh, and Bill, I'll be talking with you after the situation on Sunev stabilizes. I know you're interested in nano-medicine, and the Ruling Council of Triod wants to partner with you to do more research."

"Please thank them for me," Wilson replied. "I'm looking forward to investigating nano-medicine."

"Lena, could I have a word with Bill for a moment?" Black asked. "I need to discuss something about how he might use nano meds on Earth."

"Certainly, Ramon," said Lena. She left the room.

"I understand that Lena and Rachel McCoy are still a little jealous of each other. So, I've decided to give you some news that I'll disclose to Lena when the time is right," Black said. "I've decided to make Rachel McCoy my aide."

"That is good news," said Wilson.

"We've vetted her, and she's quite supportive of the revolution," Black explained. "I've also asked her to act as a liaison between me and you in regards to nano-medicine while you remain on Earth. She'll also keep me in touch with Lena and Tirac while they're on your planet."

"That sounds fantastic," Wilson said. "Have you made any decisions about how I could transfer some nano-medicine technology to Earth?"

"I just have some preliminary thoughts about it," said Black. "After the war completely ends, then I'll devote considerable time and effort to figuring out how to handle technology transfer to Earth. Right now I have to concentrate on the war, so please excuse me. I'll be in touch."

"Thank you for telling me about this even though you're very busy," Wilson said.

"Have a good trip back to Earth, Bill."

"I will, Ramon," replied Wilson. He smiled broadly and shook Black's hand.
Chapter 38 – The Future

Lena, Terac, and Wilson sat in the Sailors' Saloon in the Florida Keys drinking beer. Silent for the moment, the trio listened as an old song played on the dollar disk player.

Wilson had just returned from Bermuda. There he had rented three big safe deposit boxes in the Bank of Hamilton to store their $30 million in diamonds. He had also set up secret accounts so the three of them could deposit cash as they gradually sold their diamonds.

Made of rough-hewn wood, the Sailors' Saloon was a converted barn. It sat away from the other local businesses. Rays of late afternoon sunlight shone through the rough bamboo screen that divided the inside from the covered, wooden porch. Dust specks floated in the sunlit air. Wilson felt good. He was a little drunk and warm inside, relaxed after the war.

He considered, _should I keep my medical practice in Northern California, or go elsewhere? Thanks to nano medicine, I've got a long life ahead of me._

He put his hand in his right hip pocket and fingered a recent letter from Rachel in which she introduced herself as the liaison between him and Black in regards to nano-medicine. A member of a Triodian research team on Earth had posted it by U.S. Mail for her. _I can't wait until Black can send a capsule to Earth with her aboard it so we can begin to improve the health of Earth's population through advanced alien nano-medicine._

He and Rachel had not seen each other since the war had ended almost a month ago.

Because of the two women's mutual jealousy, he hadn't told Lena anything about Rachel's handwritten messages. Wilson figured Rachel would eventually send a similar message to Lena and Terac about transfer of alien technologies to Earth.

Lena sat on the bar stool next to his, and he gazed at her and smiled. A halo of low-angled rays of sunlight highlighted Lena's hair.

"Art, I hate to break the spell of the music," Lena said. "But I'd like to speak alone with Bill about something."

"Sure," Art said, and his mouth curled in a smile that he tried to block. He got up and opened the front screen door. His boots slapped the planks of the wooden steps that led to the street. The sound of crunching gravel faded as he left. The sun was hot, and the air was steamy.

Wilson wondered why Lena seemed ill at ease. A tear dripped from her left eye, and she wiped it away.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"You don't have a clue, do you?" She shook her head. "When Art broke me out of jail, I was very grateful," she began. "We became close, and that's when I promised to go to Earth with him after the war and be his partner in an agricultural venture. I always wanted to do research in the Amazon because of the great variety of plants there."

Lena's voice failed, and she began to sob. She hugged Wilson, and her crying subsided.

"What else is there?" Wilson asked.

"I've been planning to start a hacienda in Brazil with Art," Lena revealed, "but he just knows and cares about war."

"So, what does he do?"

"That's just it," Lena answered. "He doesn't know what to do with himself. Maybe I won't go into partnership with him. That's what my Inner One is telling me."

"If you don't do it, where will you go?"

"I was thinking of going to Northern California and working at Stanford, where I could do some research on rare plants," she replied, "but I did give Art my word that we would start a hacienda."

"I believe you'll know what's best when the time comes," Wilson said. "I'll help you to get a research position at Stanford, if you decide to move to California. I know some people at the university who'll make it happen."

A last few tears rolled down her cheeks, and she asked, "I'm still your friend no matter what happens, right?"

"Yes, and you'll always be dear to me," he replied.

Wilson felt her emotion and his at the same time. He gulped a big swig of beer to fight back his own tears.

Lena was weeping again, but in spite of her tears, she got up and hugged him for a long minute. She kissed his cheek, and it was wet. She released him, crying less.

"I'm leaving now," she said. "Art's outside in the car. We're going to fly to Brazil and buy that hacienda because I gave him my word. But maybe you'll see me again sooner than you think."

"I hope to be surprised one day by you at my doorstep in California," he said. "You're always welcome."

She hugged him again, now with a stronger embrace. "Bye," she said.

"So long," he replied. _It won't last,_ Wilson thought. _There's something about Terac that bothers me, but I can't put my finger on it._

She let go of Wilson, turned, and walked to the screen door. She paused, looked over her shoulder, waved, and left. The door banged shut behind her. He felt more tears form in his eyes, and he wished his Inner One would help him read the future.
Epilogue

Wilson frequently exchanged letters with Lena through overseas mail _. It's true. Distance makes the heart grow fonder,_ he thought.

There was one major thing Wilson and Lena had in common, hatred of war. Nano-medicine had granted them what seemed like never ending life and eternal youth. They had struggled through war, killing, and injuries, physical and mental.

He recalled, _we started out as mere acquaintances. Then we parted, and I learned how strong true friendship can be. War scarred our minds, ripped us from each other, and changed us._

Maybe ants fight each other like human beings do. But few animals are as vicious to their own kind as people are.

One day after Wilson had returned to California, he decided to walk onto the Golden Gate Bridge and look into the San Francisco Bay. He took the platinum medal he had received from the Great Leader and tossed it into the water far below him.

Then he looked at the second medal that General Black had awarded him. He pitched it into the bay as well.

Five weeks after Wilson had returned to Earth he received a message inviting him, Lena, and Terac to meet General Black and Rachel on planet Triod to plan the first contact between that planet's people and the citizens of Earth.

Wilson thought about the meeting, and he concluded _, Something big is about to happen, but it's too early to say if it will be more good than bad._

-The End-
About the Author

John G. Bluck retired from NASA in 2008 as a public affairs officer. Previously, he was the Chief of Imaging Technology at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.

Before that, he worked at NASA Lewis (now Glenn) Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio, where he produced numerous NASA documentaries for television.

Earlier in his career he was a broadcast engineer for the ABC radio network at WMAL-AM/FM, Washington, D.C. At WMAL-TV (now WJLA-TV) in Washington, he was a news film cameraman who covered local and national news, crime, sports, and politics, including Watergate.

In 1976 he was named the National Press Photographer Association runner-up cameraman of the year in the Northeast. In addition, he was a member of the White House News Photographers' Association.

During the Vietnam War he was an Army journalist at Ft. Lewis, Washington. Read John's Smashwords Interview at <https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/SpaceGuy>.

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