The Lost Command (Lost Starship Series Book 2) (15 page)

“So it would appear,” Maddox said. “Ah. I’ll tell you what. You can call me
Commander
Maddox, just as Major Kharkov intends to do during the voyage.”

Valerie frowned. “But you’re not a commander.”

“No, but I am in charge of the mission.”

Valerie hesitated before nodding. “Yes, you are,” she said.

Before anyone could say more, a klaxon blared.

Maddox, Dana, Valerie and Riker turned. A light on the piloting board flashed red. Maddox started for the chair.

“No,” Valerie said. “That’s my task.” She rushed past him and plopped into the seat. With a tap of a finger, she turned off the klaxon.

“What’s wrong?” Dana asked.

Valerie studied the panel before jerking up sharply. “It’s the
Gettysburg
warning us.”

“Yes?” Dana asked.

“
Victory
is headed our way,” Valerie said, looking up. “Worse, the neutron cannon is charging. It appears we’ve triggered something aboard the starship. I think the alien vessel is coming to destroy us.”

-15-

The situation gave Captain Maddox a strong sense of deja vu, reminding him of the months he’d been in command first of the SWS Scout
Geronimo
and later Starship
Victory
.

Maddox didn’t have formal naval training. He was an Intelligence officer. Yet, he was fast on his feet, both physically and mentally. The role he’d assumed over a year ago began flooding back to him.

“The Lord High Admiral is ordering us to fall back,” Valerie said. “The Home Fleet is moving up. It looks as if they plan to interpose themselves between
Victory
and us.”

“Put Cook on the screen,” Maddox said.

Valerie turned toward him.

“Lieutenant,” Maddox said. “That seemed clear enough. I wish to speak to the Lord High Admiral.”

“I’m a captain,” Valerie corrected.

“Yes, of course,” Maddox said. He waited several seconds. “I don’t see the Lord High Admiral up on the screen yet?”

It seemed as if Valerie was going to say more. Then she turned back to her panel. “Just a minute…
sir
.”

Dana sat down at navigation. Riker also took a seat, buckling in.

“There,” Valerie said, tapping her panel.

White-haired Lord High Admiral Cook gazed at Maddox from the screen.

“Admiral,” Maddox said, “I request the Home Fleet move back.”

His old, shrewd eyes studied the captain. The admiral took in the rest of the crew. “Are you aware the starship has reverted to its original personality?” Cook asked.

“I am, sir,” Maddox said.

“In its alien star system—”

“Lord High Admiral, we’re wasting time. If I’m going to save Fletcher and bring home his ships, you’re going to have to let me do my job.”

Valerie sucked in her breath. “You can’t talk to the admiral like that,” she whispered.

“Sir,” Maddox said, without acknowledging Valerie. “I have another request before you go.”

“What is that, Captain?” Cook asked.

“A starship cannot have two captains,” Maddox said. “I request that Valerie Noonan take the rank of lieutenant for the duration of the mission.”

The Lord High Admiral glanced at Valerie. “She rightfully belongs on the Strategy Council. She’s earned her rank.”

“Respectfully, sir,” Maddox said, “that’s not the issue here. On my ship, there will be only one captain. I will be that person. Otherwise, you need someone else for the mission, sir.”

“You’re a cheeky bastard,” Cook said.

“It has been said, sir.”

“I’m beginning to see why Admiral Fletcher has had trouble with you in the past.”

“Lord High Admiral,” someone said aboard the
Gettysburg
behind Cook. “The alien starship…” The rest of the words were garbled.

“We can speak about this later,” Cook told Maddox.

“Now, sir, if you don’t mind. Then, please pull back while I board my approaching starship.”

Cook’s features became stern. “While I appreciate all you’ve done for Star Watch in the past—”

“Sir,” Maddox said. “You chose me to achieve the impossible for Earth because of who I am. Therefore, you shouldn’t complain about my methods, especially as it’s those methods you’re relying on.”

It took Cook two seconds. “Right,” he said. “That is an excellent point. I will remember that. Now, you believe the Home Fleet should pull back?”

“We’re not going to win our way aboard
Victory
through force. We certainly don’t want a fight between it and Star Watch. It’s time for smooth talking.”

“I hope you’re more diplomatic with the alien starship than you have been with me,” Cook said. “However, I will do as you request. Ms. Noonan, as of this moment, you are a lieutenant again.”

“Yes, sir,” Valerie said, sounding crestfallen.

“After the mission, you will be reinstated as a captain,” Cook said.

“Thank you, sir,” she said.

“As for you, Captain Maddox, I’m issuing the orders you’ve requested. The
Gettysburg
as well as the rest of the Home Fleet will give you room. Good luck, Captain. The Star Watch is counting on you.”

“Thank you, sir. Captain Maddox out,” he motioned to Valerie.

It took the newly demoted lieutenant several seconds to understand Maddox wanted her to cut the connection. Before she could, Cook’s people took the Lord High Admiral off the main screen.

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Dana told Maddox.

Maddox chose to ignore the comment. “Start explaining, Doctor. Tell me everything I should know about
Victory
. I don’t think we have much time before the starship arrives.”

***

Doctor Rich told Maddox very little he didn’t already know. The alien AI was paranoid. It didn’t like being here. It wanted to return to its star system where it felt at home.

The departing Home Fleet appeared as points of light: ship exhausts burning in the darkness, appearing little brighter than the nearby stars.

Another shape formed in the distance.

“There.” Valerie pointed at the main screen. “Can you see it?”

Maddox didn’t know what to look for, so he shook his head. “Give me greater magnification.”

Valerie tapped her panel.

The star field wavered. A moment later, a dark object grew in size. The screen wavered again, and the object grew even larger so Maddox could make it out.

It was Starship
Victory.
The ancient alien vessel had two main massive sections, oval areas each bigger than the
Gettysburg
. All the damage the starship had sustained over the lonely centuries, and during Maddox’s time as its commander, had vanished. The Star Watch teams had repaired the alien vessel as best they could. It had a new armored hull of collapsium, the strongest and most expensive substance humanity owned. The starship still possessed weapons ports that hadn’t worked for over six thousand years. It also had the very workable neutron cannon and a vastly superior set of deflector shields, at least as compared to Star Watch vessels.

Bright exhaust plumes extended outward from
Victory
.

“The ship is braking,” Valerie said.

Maddox heard the difference in her tone. Before, she had been semi-belligerent. After the Lord High Admiral demoted her back to lieutenant, she finally seemed willing to obey his orders. That meant he’d made the right decision about her.

Maddox turned to Dana. “How far back has the AI reverted?”

“I’m sorry,” the doctor said. “Revert is the wrong word.
Victory
is homesick. The AI appears to be more knowledgeable than before. There’s…ah…something else I should tell you.”

“Yes?” Maddox asked.

“The AI believes you tricked it. The computer wants revenge.”

“Against humanity?” Maddox asked.

“No, against you,” Dana said. “It’s been seeking you for a month now. Actually, that’s where the trouble started, when the AI accessed a memory of your time together.”

“Why would anyone have kept that a secret from us?” Riker asked. “It seems as if that’s the first thing someone should have told us. This AI, sir, it appears to know you too well.”

“Indeed,” Dana said. She turned to her panel, picking up a receiver and clipping it to her ear. “The AI is hailing us, Captain.”

“Put him on,” Maddox said.

“I must caution you, Captain,” Dana said. “Don’t let the AI know it’s you at first.”

“It can surely run a voice analyzer,” Maddox said.

“We can use a scrambler,” Dana said.

“No,” Maddox said. “Patch me through.”

“This is an alien intelligence,” Dana said. “It’s not the same as human-built AIs.”

“Doctor, do you remember who I am?”

“Of course,” Dana said. “I haven’t forgotten a word you told me during our voyage, good or bad.”

“Then you should realize I remember the AI. This is my area of expertise.”

“No,” Dana said. “You won through once before when the AI was innocent of humans and a dotard due to extreme age. The AI is running at greater efficiency than it has for thousands of years.”

“Then why can’t it remember how to use some of its better weapons?” Maddox asked.

“Yes,” Dana said. “That’s an excellent question. I don’t know the answer to that.”

Maddox raised his eyebrows.

“This is a rash idea,” Dana said. “But very well, I’m putting the AI on speaker.”

“This is Starship
Victory
,” the AI said, sounding mechanical. “I am hailing the
Argonaut
-class Shuttle A-105. I do not detect any damage or malfunctions to your ship systems. You must answer me, A-105, or I shall begin a destruct sequence.”

“We hear you quite well,” Maddox said.

There was a moment’s pause. Then the AI said, “Captain Maddox? My voice analyzer tells me I am speaking to you.”

“Yes, you are,” Maddox said. “It is good to greet you again.”

Silence filled the speakers.

Maddox glanced at Dana before he said, “It is imperative that we board you immediately.”

“My sensors indicate this is real,” the AI said. “You are physically aboard Shuttle A-105. You have come out into what your kind refers to as the Oort cloud.”

“That’s right,” Maddox said. “I’ve come to talk to you.”

“Yes,” the AI said. “You may approach. I will instruct you which landing bay to enter.”

“This is too easy,” Dana whispered. “The AI has refused all landing passes for the last month.”

Maddox spread his hands.

“
Victory
,” Dana said.

Maddox shook his head.

“Yes?” the AI asked.

Dana closed her mouth, watching the captain.

“It’s nothing,” Maddox said. “One of my crewmembers wanted to talk to you, but she changed her mind.”

“Oh, no, Captain Maddox,” the AI said. “That wasn’t simply one of your crew. It was Doctor Dana Rich, my arch nemesis. She has done more than anyone else I know—other than Lieutenant Valerie Noonan—to render me a slave to an inferior species.”

“But this is wonderful news,” Maddox said.

“Explain,” the AI said.

“Lieutenant Noonan is aboard the shuttle,” Maddox said. “She’s coming with me.”

Silence followed. Finally, the AI said, “Yes. I don’t know how I missed it. My sensors indicate Lieutenant Noonan is with you. I can hardly describe my joy at this turn of events. I had thought I needed to destroy most of your Solar System before your authorities would hand you traitors over to me.”

“We are all coming to you willingly,” Maddox said.

“I am surprised. Can it be you fail to understand my anger?”

“I realize there has been a misunderstanding,” Maddox said. “That’s why my government wants me to speak with you.”

“There is no misunderstanding,” the AI said. “I require justice before my next phase of existence. I have lost the coordinates of my home star system. Once I have resolved the issues between us, I will require those as well.”

“I have those,” Maddox said.

“Transmit them to me at once,” the AI said.

“I will do that face to face,” Maddox said. “By the way, I am the only one among the crew who has those coordinates.”

“I do not believe you. The others went to my star system. Of course, they have them as well. It is only logical.”

“You are mistaken,” Maddox said. “Consider. You once had your star system’s coordinates. Yet, you no longer have them. Why couldn’t it be possible for inferior species to have forgotten just as you have?”

“The answer is simple,” the AI said. “I am an artificial intelligence. I believe Doctor Rich removed that knowledge from my memory cores. Human intelligence with its wet brain—”

“As a precaution,” Maddox said, interrupting, “Star Watch Intelligence removed knowledge of your star’s coordinates from the rest of the crew. We used mind scanners to do it. They’re quite common on our home planet.”

“That does not make sense,” the AI said. “Why would you remove such data from their wet brains?”

“So that only one of us has the knowledge,” Maddox said. “Me.”

“You will force me to eliminate the others in your presence in order to make you talk.”

“It’s too soon to speak about coercion,” Maddox said. “Wait until we’re safely aboard you.”

There was silence.

Maddox glanced at the main screen. The alien vessel had grown considerably.

“Get rid of extreme magnification,” Maddox told Valerie.

“I already have,” the lieutenant said.

“
Victory
is almost on top of us,” Dana explained.

Maddox’s sense of deja vu returned. It reminded him of the time in the alien star system when they had entered the giant vessel. They were doing it all over again.