The Quest For Iscanter

by eternalsquire

Nova's Insight

Later, after he put Miyuki to bed, Derek decided it was time to involve his wife. He typed up a short cover letter, attached a copy of the conversation he had with Dr. Seighn, encrypted it in his wife's personal code, and sent it off via hyperwave relay. As far as he knew, Major Nova was still commanding a frigate taking part of exercises near Sirius. The cover letter read as follows:

Darling Nova,

I need your opinion on how to handle our daughter while you are gone. It's a potentially serious problem, but not yet serious enough to involve your direct intervention on Earth. Please read attached video conversation and you'll understand more. I'd appreciate a real-time hyperwave convo as soon as you square away all your more immediate responsibilies.

Love Forever,

Derek.

Next morning, Dr. Seighn called Derek at 06:00 hours, long before Miyuki was due to awake, and made his report.

"Derek, it seems you're not the only one with this problem. Acoording to my sources, a good three quarters of the primary school children who lost a parent or a close friend of a parent during the Quest for Iscandar or the Comet Empire invasion are showing disturbed emotional, behavioral, and attention patterns, ranging from slight to severe."

Derek gave a low, long whistle in dismay. "I hope you don't mind, Doc.", he said, "that I gave Nova a hypersquirt of our call yesterday. I thought she might have some insights."

The doctor's face was grim. "The more people on this, the better, Derek. Your daughter was just the canary in the coal mine. There's gas down there, and whether it chokes us or explodes is immaterial. I've involved someone named Nimii, a former intelligence analyist who did some counseling aboard the Yamato and has now retired to general psychotherapy practice. You and Nova should definitely kick around some ideas."

"Aye, aye, Doc.", Derek responded.

"You take care, Derek."

"You too, Doc.". The connection terminated.

Derek's own feelings were sufficiently disturbed that it was all he could do to go through the motions of the general routine for that day. He was a little distracted, but still treated Miyuki with the same loving kindness as he always did. She was, after all, one of the few good things his life had ever produced, and parenting Miyuki helped him reparent himself against the years he had spent while orphaned due to the Gamillon radiation bombings.

Later that evening, while Miyuki entertained herself more on My Little Pony, he finally received a hyperwave connection from his wife, serving aboard the EDF Missouri. Derek's spirits picked up right away.

"Darling!", he exclaimed upon seeing her.

Nova smiled. "Hello, Love.", she said. "I read your message. Tell me, what animation is she watching?"

"A bunch of antique DVD's called My Little Pony. Essentially an alternate universe populated with equines of all sorts. Essentially positive and cheerful messages in each episode."

"Squirt the entire series to me. I'll watch them in the privacy of my cabin. Nobody gainsays how the captain of the Missouri should spend her downtime". Nova grinned. "Not that she has much.", she added with a grimace.

Derek obligingly compressed the holovid's memories regarding all the episodes, encrypted them, and released the packet. "On their way, Dear.", he said. "Did you get them?"

"Yes, I did.", his wife said. "I've got an idea, which I shouldn't tell you yet because it might not work, but I've got to consult a higher power on this."

Derek raised his eyebrows at her. "Who did you have in mind?", he asked.

"An objective party.", she said, cryptically.

"Nova...", he said, in warning tones.

"Trust me, please, Derek! I love you so much, but I don't want to raise your hopes and then dash them prematurely."

"Okay, Captain.", he said, "Your call. And I love you more than all the stars in the sky."

"How sweet!", Nova beamed. "Okay, I'm on this. Bye for now!". Then Nova ended the call.

Instead of sleeping, Nova decided to write a persuasive letter to someone both she and her husband finally learned to trust. She encrypted it in her own personal code, added all the conversations plus the compressed entertainment series, then sent it. The letter read:

From: Nova Forrester Wildstar, Major, captain of EDF Missouri
To: His Majesty Albrect Dessler, Emperor of the Galman Empire.
Re: Childrens' reaction to recent losses.

Your Majesty,

Although I am not one of your subjects, I do understand that according to the Treaty of Reparation that the Earth Federation has become a protectorate of the Galman Empire, said protectorate enjoying home rule without interference from said Empire.

That said, as a citizen of a protectorate, I crave a boon from you, the Emperor.

As you may well know, both our sides had lost huge amounts of casualties. At least on our side, our youngest children are beginning to react to the losses they have suffered from their families. I wonder if children on many of the worlds you govern are also suffering from the same problem.

I believe the solution is to find a way to tell the story to the children of both sides in such a way as to promote reconciliation toward peace rather than further hostility, so that the youngest children can learn some of the truth and thereupon proceed through life with far less resentment.

My hypothesis is that recasting the story of our conflict using a storybook universe popular to at least one of our children, if aired widely, may be quite helpful. I know that it derives quintessentially from Terran culture and that you as a mighty warrior may find the episodes to be infantile, but please try to put yourself in the perspective of a five year old child.

I really also want to avoid this getting out of hand and becoming propaganda, so your point of view involving this initiative would be most appreciated.. Further, I and my husband seek your blessing on this.

Your friend,

Nova