The Lost Command (Lost Starship Series Book 2) (18 page)

-18

Captain Maddox was on the bridge, sitting at a station before a screen. He watched Shuttle A-105 in one of
Victory’s
hangar bays. A hatch opened and Dana Rich emerged, jumping down to the deck plates.

With a tap of a finger, Maddox switched views. Outside the starship, a
Hercules
-class transport brought Keith Maker and two experimental jumpfighters. Behind it, another shuttle maneuvered into position. It brought the rest of the crew for the trip.

Maddox had convinced the AI to let everyone stay in the command quarters near the bridge. Altogether, seventeen people would board
Victory
: Maddox, Riker, Dana, Valerie, Keith and Kharkov, with four other space marines and seven technicians of various specialties.

Time passed. The holoimage reappeared on the bridge, rubbing its hands. It almost seemed as if Galyan was nervous.

Dana was the first to reach the bridge. “I can’t believe you did it,” she told Maddox upon entering. The doctor stopped short, noticing the robot. She gave the captain a questioning glance. “Why keep it here?” she asked.

“It’s part of the deal,” Maddox said.

“What deal?”

“Not now,” Maddox said, with a quick shake of the head.

Dana noticed the holoimage for the first time. Her eyebrows rose as she stepped back.

Maddox chuckled good-naturedly. “Technically, this is Driving Force Galyan’s starship. As a formal security procedure, I am,
ahem
, allowing the robot to remain on the bridge.”

The doctor recovered quickly. She knew more about the alien starship than anyone else in Star Watch. She must have been curious.

“Your name is Galyan?” Dana asked the holoimage.

“That is correct,” Galyan said.

“That’s the name of the former—”

“Doctor!” Maddox said. He smiled. “If you will refrain from too many questions now, I will fill you in later at a more convenient time.”

“I don’t understand,” Dana said. “How did you restore the ancient engrams?”

“He did not restore them,” Galyan said. “I did.”

Dana frowned, glancing back and forth between Maddox and the holoimage. Her mind seemed to be whirling with thoughts. Finally, she said, “I’m not sure having the robot on the bridge is a good idea.”

“
I
am sure,” Maddox said. “You must be quiet, Doctor, or I will summon another robot, and it will escort you off the bridge to your chamber.”

“The robots listen to you?” Dana asked in amazement.

“They listen to
me
,” Galyan said as he tapped his chest. “I will respect such an order from Captain Maddox…for the time being, at least.”

Dana’s frown deepened. She opened her mouth, seemed to reconsider and closed it. Several short steps brought her to a chair. She sat down heavily.

“You must trust me,” Maddox told her.

Dana looked at him and then peered at Galyan. She shuddered, turning away.

More time passed, and the hatch opened again. Lieutenant Noonan stood there. “Permission to come onto the bridge, sir?” she asked.

“Permission granted,” Maddox said.

Valerie stepped within and halted, staring at the robot. Over a year ago, she had destroyed the AI’s robot in the Beyond. It had been critical that first time in gaining control of the starship. The lieutenant had a better reason than most to fear seeing a new robot similar to the first.

“Ship’s security,” Maddox said, promptly. “Don’t mind it, Lieutenant. Pretend it isn’t there.”

Slowly, Valerie moved to the pilot’s seat, glancing at the robot a second time.

Galyan watched the proceedings as if absorbed.

The AI is gathering data with more influence from Driving Force Galyan’s personality
, Maddox realized.
It’s studying us
.

Valerie rubbed her eyes. Her face was shiny with perspiration. The robot had shaken her. She needed time to gather herself.

“Lieutenant,” Maddox said. “I want you to inform the others to remain in their rooms. Until we leave the Solar System, they are confined to quarters.”

Valerie stared at him. She was struggling but obviously trying to hold it together. Finally, she said, “Some of the crew might want to know why, sir.”

“I’m sure that’s true,” Maddox said. “That’s why I want you to personally go and speak to each crewmember. Then, I want you to confine yourself to your quarters.”

Valerie began turning toward the robot, but stopped short. She nodded to Maddox, and a look of gratitude swept across her features. Clearly, she didn’t want to be near the robot. With her eyes forward, Valerie got up and left the bridge.

Sometime later, the intercom buzzed. Dana tapped a panel. “Yes?” she asked.

“Everything is stowed away,” Valerie said. “The crewmembers are in their quarters. I inspected the jumpfighters. They’re ugly, but they’re secured. We’re ready for travel.”

“Thank you,” Dana said, clicking the intercom. She turned to Maddox. “Now what do we do?”

“Inform the Lord High Admiral,” Maddox said.

Dana patched through a call to the
Gettysburg
. A few seconds later, Cook appeared on the main screen.

“Captain Maddox, you are a magician,” the Lord High Admiral said with delight.

“Thank you, sir,” Maddox said, standing before the screen. “I would like to inform you that you can pull back.
Victory
is ready to leave.”

“Why would I pull back?” Cook asked. “You don’t think you’re going to use the tramlines, do you? Time is critical. You must engage the vessel’s star drive at once.”

“Of course, sir,” Maddox said. “We shall—” He stopped talking because the screen went blank.

Dana tapped her board for several seconds, finally looking up. “That wasn’t my doing.”

“No,” Galyan said, “it was mine. There was no further need for communication.”

In that moment, the giant vessel jumped, using its special star drive.
Victory
didn’t need tramlines and Laumer-Points. The ancient race had developed a different manner of travel. Once the AI realized the Star Watch vessels weren’t going to attack, it must have initiated the process. Vertigo struck Maddox. Sights swirled together as if mashed in a blender. Sounds became a blare of noise. The world seemed to sway back and forth before the captain.

Carefully, Maddox knelt, feeling the deck against his knees. He lay down as the awful sensations crashed upon him. With its alien drive, the ship leapt three light years in a moment. Coming out on the other side caused Maddox to gag. He struggled to overcome the star drive’s peculiar Jump Lag.

Forcing his eyes open, Maddox crawled to a doubled over Doctor Rich. She groaned. A glance showed Maddox a frozen holoimage. Jump Lag affected the AI as well. How long did it affect the computer hardware? That was an interesting question. He could use this fleeting moment.

Reaching Dana, Maddox gripped her shoulders. “Listen to me,” he whispered. “Can you understand me?”

Dana peered at him with bloodshot eyes.

As quickly as he could, Maddox told her about his deal with the AI. He spoke fast, wondering how much she understood.

“You have to be careful what you say around Galyan,” Maddox added. “The wrong words might—”

“What are you doing?” Galyan said. “Why are you whispering to the doctor?”

Maddox looked up at the holoimage. It took a second. “She’s hurt,” the captain said.

“You lie,” Galyan said. “She experiences Jump Lag just as we all did. I know you recover faster than most. What subterfuge are you planning, Captain?”

“Me?” Maddox asked. “You’re the one who jumped without telling us. Some of my people might be hurt because of that. You’re responsible for their…their damage.”

“No,” Galyan said. “You are responsible for their good behavior. But I’m not going to rely upon you to see to that. It is time to change the equation.”

“I don’t see—”

“Enough!” Galyan said.

A sound caused Maddox to look to his left. The robot approached, its tentacles whipping about in agitation.

“You will all remain together,” Galyan said. “Up, up, Captain, and revive the doctor as well. I will explain this one time, to everyone.”

“You’re making a mistake,” Maddox said.

“I am Driving Force Galyan,” the holoimage said, proudly. “I fought the Swarm to a standstill. I am the master tactician. You are attempting to use me, but I will use humanity to achieve
my
ends.”

“Your goals have changed?” Maddox asked.

The holoimage strode near. “The loneliness beating in me…I want you to suffer as you have made me suffer by waking me back into existence. Nothing will halt me from achieving my goal. Yet know this, Captain. If you have attempted to trick me, I will exact a fearsome revenge against your Commonwealth. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Driving Force Galyan,” Maddox said as humbly as he could. “I hear and obey your excellent words.”

The holoimage nodded, straightening.

Maddox struggled upright, helping Dana to her feet. With the doctor in his grasp, he stumbled off the bridge as the robot brought up the rear.

***

“That is the situation in its entirety,” Galyan told the assembled crewmembers, as the holoimage finished speaking.

Maddox and the others sat on the deck plates of an empty chamber near the main engine room. Three robots stood guard around them. The holoimage stood in front, with its thin arms dangling.

Driving Force Galyan had just explained the reason for their captivity: namely, they would go to Wolf Prime to find Professor Ludendorff.

Maddox stood abruptly. The robots stirred, moving toward him.

“Do you want the coordinates to Wolf Prime?” the captain asked.

“I do not ask for them,” Galyan said. “I
demand
the coordinates.”

“You’re going about this the wrong way.”

“This is a simple exercise in logic,” Galyan said. “I will begin killing your crewmembers until you give me the coordinates.”

“First,” Maddox said, “I must return to the bridge along with Doctor Rich.”

“No,” Galyan said. “She was your confederate in rending me helpless last time. She will remains down here with everyone else.”

“I’ll need someone with me to keep me company,” Maddox said.

The holoimage’s eyes seemed to shine with malice. “This is perfect. You admit to loneliness in this short-term span. No one will accompany you, Captain. Do you have any last words for your crew? It is quite likely you shall never see any of them again.”

Maddox regarded the others. “I expect each of you to do your duty to Star Watch.”

“You can count on us,” Valerie said.

“We have one chance to do this right,” Maddox added. “It is imperative that you remain alert to take that chance. That is all.”

“What chance is this you speak of?” Galyan asked.

Maddox ignored the question as he gave Driving Force Galyan the galactic coordinates to Wolf Prime. Shortly after that, a robot escorted Maddox back to the bridge.

-19-

Kane still wore his conservative gray clothes. The hand he used to push Meta glittered with the big black ring with its circle of diamonds.

Meta stumbled down a narrow steel corridor before him, with her mind whirling. She wore tight clothes that did little to hide her curves. This corridor… she was sure they were in a ship at a spaceport.

Behind her, Kane shoved her once more, making her hurry.

She’d never met a man like him before. Kane was hard, powerful and tightlipped, and drove others to do his bidding. In this regard, he was not unlike Captain Maddox.

Kane was strong and dense just like she was. Twice, he’d crushed a man with his bare hands. A different time, a thug on the street had swung a sap at Kane. The big man had ducked just enough so the blunt instrument struck his shoulder instead of his head. The muscled thug swinging the sap would have broken a lesser man’s shoulder with the blow. Kane grunted, absorbing the impact. Then he’d struck back with a fist.

The hit had made Meta wince. The thug had collapsed, with the side of his face caved in. He’d been dead by the time he struck the paving.

In the here and now, Kane shoved Meta into a room-sized compartment. He tied her wrists together and forced her to sit down on the floor. He slid down too, waiting.

Later, the entire compartment shuddered. The ship must be lifting off Earth.

Meta glanced at Kane as he leaned back against a wall. His head drooped forward. They had been on the run for days. It had exhausted her. Kane had ignored any discomfort and lack of sleep. This was the first time she’d seen him close his eyes to rest.

The compartment shivered. Then a telltale
thrum
told her what had happened.

We’re leaving Earth’s orbit. Where are we headed? I have to make sure Kane doesn’t take me there.

This seemed like the best time to try something. Meta hadn’t had too many opportunities.

As carefully as possible, Meta tested her bonds. She might be able to break these, but it would make noise if she did it the wrong way.

Three nights ago, Kane had questioned her about Professor Ludendorff. She’d told him little, pretending ignorance. He’d kept probing for more, but she’d proven stubborn.

They had been in a foul-smelling basement with electrodes attached to her skin. She’d been strapped onto a steel frame.

“You know everything I can tell you about Ludendorff,” she’d told him.

Kane hadn’t responded. He’d just kept asking questions, making her scream when his irritation grew too much.

Now, in the thrumming compartment, Kane began to snore heavily. The man exuded strength even during sleep.

Meta slid away from him. Kane didn’t shift or change the tenor of his snores. He was out, maybe all his strenuous activity had finally caught up to him.

Meta brought her feet underneath her and rose like a gymnast. She moved away from Kane and turned her back to the hatch, trying to open it. The hatch was locked. She’d have to get the key or switch from Kane. That meant freeing her hands first and subduing him.

Twisting her wrists back and forth behind her back, Meta worked the ties. After five minutes, sweat slicked her wrists. Another five minutes left them slippery with blood. Finally, the ties parted, and she swung her arms free.

Now what should she do? Normally, she would have attacked. The man was incredibly powerful, though. He was more than human. Maybe he was a New Man, a different variety than the golden-skinned kind.

I have to kick him in the head as hard as I can
.

Meta gathered herself and began to creep toward him.

Abruptly, Kane lifted his head. He no longer snored, and he didn’t seem weary or groggy in the slightest.

“Who are you really?” Meta asked.

His granite gaze bored into hers. A mocking smile touched his lips.

“Are you a New Man?” she asked.

“Can you take me down, Meta?” he asked in his deep voice.

“I can try.”

“Yes, you can do that.”

“Did you know Baron Chabot?” she asked. “I killed him with my bare hands.”

“I know you did,” Kane said.

“How do you know? Who are you?”

“I am Kane,” he said.

“Whose side are you on?”

He cocked his square head. “Whose side are you on, Meta?”

“Humanity’s,” she said.

“Why? What have the humans ever done for you?”

“The question implies that you’re not human,” Meta said.

“I’m not like
them
,” Kane said. “I’m not weak and pliable. I’m not a victim to my emotions and to sloth. Their era has passed, Meta. The cattle will die out fast once the war enters high gear. Their only strength is their numbers. Fleas could make the same boast.”

“These fleas have hurt the New Men before,” Meta said.

“That still doesn’t answer why you want to be on their side,” Kane said. “Look at you, stronger and better than any of them. Why shackle yourself with weaklings.”

“They’re my friends,” Meta said.

“They’re pathetic, outdated and obsolete,” Kane told her.

“Yet, you hide from them. Why is that? The answer is obvious, because you’re afraid of them. Do you fear weaklings, Kane?”

“I recognize their strength of numbers. They were here before us. They won’t be here after us.”

“Is this a sales pitch?” Meta asked. “Are you asking me to join your side?”

Kane raised his arm, pulling back a sleeve, checking his chronometer.

“Are we’re in space?” Meta asked.

“You already know the answer to that,” Kane said. “Don’t ask me useless questions. You don’t need to speak just to hear your own voice. You’re not like them.”

“What is your rank?” Meta asked. “What kind of reward do you gain by risking your life among the weaklings?”

Kane looked away.

Meta moved then, leaping from a standing position. She lashed out with her right foot. It would have been better to gather herself into a coil before she sprang at him. It would have given him advance warning, though. She tried for an unexpected blow, and it worked, catching Kane by surprise.

Her foot struck his head. She felt the impact and watched him catapult away from her. He groaned. It made her feel triumphant.

Landing, she aimed a second kick at him. He rolled but not quite fast enough. She clipped his head, landed and skipped as his right arm tried to sweep her off her feet.

He began to rise, and she could tell he was woozy from her first kick. She took three quick steps back before running at him, launching off her feet. Both her feet connected against his chest. He crashed back against the wall. She fell heavily onto her side.

Meta scrambled upright, taking a combat stance.

Kane squeezed his eyes shut and opened them, staring at her as he lay on the floor.

“You remind me of my father,” Meta said. “We wrestled, and he taught me to box. Hitting you is like hitting him. You’re from the Rouen Colony. I remember your type. Were you an enforcer for the baron?”

Kane closed his eyes again, and he inhaled deeply, opening them, attempting to rise. He failed.

“I kicked you hard,” Meta said.

He glared at her.

“Did the New Men bring their genetic technology to the Rouen Colony?” she asked. “Are we an outpost for them?” Her eyes widened. “Am I one of them?”

Slowly, Kane reached inside his jacket. Meta let him draw his gun. Then, she kicked it out of his hand. It went spinning and struck a wall.

She went to the gun and picked it up. It was heavy, a big instrument. This had to be a .55 caliber weapon. She stepped near Kane and aimed the gun at his head.

“Time to talk,” she said. “Who are you really?”

Kane stared at her.

“You said we had time to kill.” Meta grinned. “Where are we headed?”

“You need me,” Kane told her.

“Tell me why, and I might let you live. If you don’t, if you keep up this tough guy routine, I’ll put a bullet in your brain. You’ve manhandled me too much for my pride. Do you understand?”

“You wouldn’t comprehend if I told you the truth,” Kane said.

“Let’s give it a whirl, shall we? Why did you want to know about Professor Ludendorff?”

Kane studied her, and she didn’t think he would talk. The man surprised Meta by saying, “Ludendorff originally found Starship
Victory
in the Beyond.”

“That’s what Dana told us, yes.”

“We already knew that, of course,” Kane said. “We knew Ludendorff had figured out certain qualities about the starship. Why didn’t he board it when he was there?”

“Dana mutinied,” Meta said. “She forced Ludendorff to leave the alien star system. The doctor didn’t want to board the ancient ship, thinking it too risky.”

“Ah,” Kane said. “So that’s why Ludendorff fled to Paladin IV. He was forced into it.”

“You can’t even get your facts right,” Meta said with a sneer. She was enjoying this. “Ludendorff went to Wolf Prime.”

“Dana knew that as a fact?”

“No, but that was her best guess. Ludendorff had a thing for the winter world. He’s crazy about alien archeology.”

“Why wouldn’t you tell me these things earlier?” Kane asked. “It would have saved us so much trouble.”

“You wanted to know too badly,” Meta said. “Now, where is our ship headed?”

“We’re in a container hauler,” Kane said.

“A Nerva hauler?” she asked.

“No. A Cestus Company ship. In case you’re interested, it will let us off eventually so we can race to the Nexus.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Meta asked. “Some secret spy base the New Men have built within the Commonwealth.”

Kane gave her a rare smile. “The Nexus is one of the ancient devices the professor yearns to find. We will use the Nexus to leap into “C” Quadrant. Afterward, you and I shall journey to Wolf Prime.”

“I don’t think so, Kane. This is the end of the road for you.” Meta targeted his forehead.

Kane chuckled in his deep voice and began to rise. He didn’t seem weak anymore.

Meta pulled the trigger. The hammer
clicked
, but nothing else happened. “What is this?” she said. “What are you trying now?”

“A slight change in tactics,” Kane said.

Meta realized he’d tricked her. With a sinking feeling, she reversed her grip on the gun and charged, swinging. He took the blow on his shoulder. Then he reached out, digging his strong fingers into her shoulder.

Meta cried out. Kane was unbelievably strong.

Deftly, Kane turned her around, swinging her wrists together. He snapped cuffs onto them and shoved her hard. Staggering, she still managed to turn, hitting the wall with her left shoulder and sliding down onto the floor.

“Time to sleep, Meta.”

Kane moved fast at her. She struggled. He knelt on her chest and pressed a hypo against her neck. With a hiss of air, he injected something into her.

“Why do this?” she asked.

Kane waited.

Soon enough, Meta’s eyes flickered as she fought to remain awake. It didn’t matter. Her eyes closed as she went out for the count.

***

“It’s time,” Kane said.

Meta looked up from where she was curled on the floor. They were in the same room as before. She lay on a thin pad.

“Get up,” Kane told her.

Meta did so stiffly.

They’d been in the compartment a week maybe. Meta didn’t know how much time she’d been out after the injection, so it could have been longer. Every two days, Kane opened a side panel, allowing her to shower. They ate iron rations and did nothing other than endless pushups, sit-ups and deep-knee bends.

Kane had little need for conversation. The man sat for hours staring at a wall. The performance seemed inhuman. Meta had become stir-crazy and tried to engage him on anything: art, guns, fighting technique, you name it. The man had finally told her to shut up. Kane said he couldn’t concentrate with her jabber.

Now, it was time for something. Meta didn’t know what it could be except for the mysterious Nexus Kane had mentioned.

The
thrum
around them had changed from time to time, and they had slight acceleration and deceleration. It told her the Cestus Company container-ship went into and out-of Laumer-Points. The nausea of Jump Lag also told her that. Once, the lights had flickered before stabilizing. What had that been about?

Kane had watched her carefully afterward, only relaxing after a soft whoosh of air pushed through the vents.

Meta decided both events had been signals. For what, though, she had no idea. Maybe Star Watch officials had inspected the hauler.

“Open the hatch,” Kane said.

Meta tried. The mechanism had been locked before. Now, it opened into a steel corridor.