“The Lord High Admiral spoke about me?” Smits asked, with worry edging into his voice.
“Indeed, sir, he was impressed with you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“He has learned about your promptness in taking care of matters. I’m referring to Colonel Borneo and his brethren, and there’s the matter of Commander Guderian and your good sense in sending her to the 82 G. Eridani System. That went far into saving Earth a few days ago. The Lord High Admiral told me to congratulate you.”
“I-I’m honored, sir.”
“You should be, Commodore. You found yourself in a difficult situation and handled yourself admirably. Cook most appreciates that.”
Smits blinked several times, almost as if he was at war with himself.
“I need to rethink this, sir,” Maddox said. “Could you give me a few minutes?”
“Yes, yes, by all means,” Smits said. “Take as long as you need.”
“Thank you,” Maddox said. “I hope to speak to you shortly and in a better frame of mind. Captain Maddox out.”
The captain clicked a switch, and the screen went blank.
“Galyan,” Maddox said.
The little holoimage appeared in the ready room.
“Pay strict attention to all messages incoming and leaving the Wellington and Subotai. Find out which of them Smits is on. And if there are any messages between those battleships and the carbonaceous moon, I want to know that at once.”
“Yes, sir,” Galyan said.
Maddox made a shooing motion. Then, he clicked the comm on his desk. “Lieutenant,” he told Valerie, “have Commander Guderian report to my ready room on the double. It’s urgent.”
“At once, sir,” Valerie said.
Maddox jumped up and began to pace before his desk. There was something off about Smits, something he’d seen not-so-long-ago when Captain Becker had been granted “powers” by the Prime Saa.
“Ah!”
Maddox returned to his desk and pressed the comm. “Professor Ludendorff, if you can hear this, please answer.”
A few moments later, “This is Ludendorff. What can I do for you, my boy?”
“Professor, do you remember when we confronted the Prime Saa deep inside Luna?”
“Of course, I remember. It was a glorious occasion. I was the hero that day, slaying the evil monster from Jarnevon.”
“Er, yes…”
“You helped, of course. I remember that as well.”
“You’re too kind,” Maddox said, unable to help himself. “I’ve been thinking about the confrontation. Do you recall the Prime Saa trying to bribe us with information about Lisa Meyers?”
“I remember it as clear as a bell. Why, what’s wrong?”
“It just hit me, a delayed reaction, you could say. How did the Prime Saa know so much about Lisa Meyers’s goals?”
“That’s an interesting question, my boy. Do you think they had contact?”
“I’m beginning to think so.”
“Yes, yes, it makes sense. Of course, the Prime Saa was the head of the Liss cybers. They were nasty alien creatures that were part computer and thus highly logical. Perhaps they deduced some of Meyers’s goals.”
“I’m inclined to think they were helping each other, or perhaps pretending to help each other as they really tried to use the other.”
“That sounds like Maddox logic, all right. And yet, it is reasonable thinking. Meyers and the Liss are both, or they were both, untrustworthy and unscrupulous scoundrels. Does any of this pertain to Alpha Sigma 9?”
A chime sounded.
“I’ll call you back later, Professor. I need to make the next move.”
“Don’t keep me in the dark, my boy. I’m eager to help.”
The door to the ready room opened, and Maddox waved in Kris Guderian. She stepped into the chamber.
“I really must go,” Maddox told Ludendorff.
“Humph. Don’t forget what I said. If this concerns Liss cybers, I want to kill them like we did the Prime Saa.”
Maddox cut the connection, seeing that Kris had taken a chair before the desk and waited. He leaned back. “I just spoke with Commodore Smits. He seemed off to me. You’ve know him—”
“Begging your pardon, Captain,” Kris said. “I’ve met him in person. I don’t know that I know him, though.”
“You know him better than me. That’s the point. I’m going to call him again. I want you to watch him on a screen. He won’t be able to see you. Study how he speaks, how he reacts. Then, I want you to tell me if that’s the same man who sent you to the 82 G. Eridani System.”
“I’ll do my best,” Kris said.
“Commander, you’re a Patrol officer. You’ve been trained to notice things. I want you to apply those skills here and now. In a way, it is Patrol duty.”
“Sir?” Kris asked.
Maddox waited.
Kris nodded. “Yes, sir, I’ll do my best, sir.”
“That’s the spirit. Just a moment.”
Galyan had appeared.
“What have you discovered?” Maddox asked.
“There have not been any messages sent to the carbonaceous moon. However, I have kept sensors trained there, and I have discovered more electronic activity. Then, I remembered the Prime Saa. It once used a mental wavelength to communicate with Captain Becker. I have studied that in my spare time, and the Professor built me a special mind-wave-sensor some months ago. I have used it today, and I have found faint traces of the M-waves, as I’m calling them.”
“Faint?” asked Maddox.
“I cannot be one hundred percent certain,” Galyan said, “but I believe the M-waves originate on the carbonaceous moon.”
Maddox drummed his fingers on the desk. “Good work, Galyan. Continue scanning the moon and scanning the two battleships as well.”
“Very good, sir,” Galyan said, disappearing.
“Are you ready?” Maddox asked Kris.
She’d arched her eyebrows upon Galyan’s disappearance. She swiveled her head fast now, staring at the captain. “Was it hard getting used to that?”
“Galyan’s popping in and out?”
Kris nodded.
“No, not really,” Maddox said.
Kris straightened. “Yes, sir, I’m ready.”
“Excellent,” Maddox said, reaching for the comm controls.
-83-
Smits reappeared on Maddox’s screen. To the side in the ready room, Kris watched on a monitor.
“Thank you for the short recess,” Maddox said. “It has helped me to collect my thoughts.”
Smits nodded stiffly, without the hint of a smile on his broad, sideburn-hairy face. Had those M-waves Galyan had detected been directed at him? It seemed more than possible.
“The Lord High Admiral is quite pleased how you’ve handled a…a messy situation,” Maddox said.
“Captain,” Smits said, interrupting. “I feel I must stop you. I, too, have had time to collect my thoughts. I cannot believe what you’re saying concerning the Lord High Admiral.”
“Oh?”
“I happen to know that Alpha Sigma 9 was considered a hotbed for HMD personnel. Colonel Borneo ran the show back then—”
“The colonel had authority over you?” Maddox asked, interrupting.
“Not precisely,” Smits said. “Now, look here. I know you went through those days just as I did. The HMD people did not like you, Maddox.”
“I’m sorry to be a stickler, Commodore, but that’s Captain Maddox. I feel we must adhere to the regulations—especially at a time like this—”
“What kind of time is this,” Smits asked, interrupting.
“A sticky time,” Maddox said.
Smits shook his head. “There is no stickiness here, not anymore.”
“Exactly,” Maddox said.
“Eh?”
“Don’t you see? You took care of the mess, the problems. Do you think the Lord High Admiral enjoys seeing Star Watch personnel broken or sent to prison? Cook
hates it. Colonel Borneo and his ilk—you eliminated the problem for Star Watch.”
“Then why are you here?” Smits asked stiffly.
Maddox laughed. “I’m the Lord High Admiral’s personal representative.”
“So you’ve said. I’ve seen nothing to substantiate the claim.”
“Quite so, quite so,” Maddox said. “I’m prepared to show you my authorization at the same time I pin a Galactic Star on your chest.”
“What are you saying? A Galactic Star?”
“For heroism,” Maddox added.
Smits frowned, slowly shaking his head. “That doesn’t make sense.”
“Of course it does. Listen, Smits, there are rumors concerning Alpha Sigma 9. They’re not pretty rumors, either.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“But the Lord High Admiral has done some deep thinking. Yes, clearly, there are still HMD people running around here. The two battleships—the Wellington and Subotai—never made it to Earth as ordered, for instance.”
“There were reasons for that. They were in terrible condition. Discipline fell apart here with the switch in Lord High Admirals. Confusion reigned.”
“Hey, Commodore,” Maddox said with a grin. “I know there was trouble. Maybe there still is. Cook is trying to straighten things out here the quietest and fastest way possible. I don’t know if you’ve heard that Brigadier Stokes and his Transition Teams have run into roadblocks and secret resistance all over the Commonwealth.”
“I’ve heard something along those lines, yes.”
“Yes!” Maddox said, nodding, winking as if they were two conspirators in this together. “Don’t you see, Commodore? There are some irregularities at this star base, but they’re minor compared to other places. Cook is prepared to look the other way on some key points, provided regular Star Watch activities resume here at once.”
“You’re talking about Memo 274?”
“Precisely,” Maddox said.
Upon resuming the office of Lord High Admiral, Cook had sent Memo 274 to every star base and starship in the Commonwealth, telling HMD people and sympathizers to head for Earth for examination and possible judgment. Those that did not heed the memo would automatically face imprisonment.
“Why is Cook being lenient here and why with me?” Smits asked suspiciously.
“One answer,” Maddox said. “Colonel Borneo.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You acted swiftly, eliminating some of the worst HMD offenders—in Cook’s estimation.”
“I might have had ulterior motives for doing that.”
Maddox made an exaggerated shrug. “Peace and prosperity to Star Watch are what the Lord High Admiral desires. If a few…exceptions are made for certain people in order to deliver the goods to the Commonwealth—the Lord High Admiral is a realistic man.”
“Meaning you’re not going to look into why I had Borneo and others shot?”
“Bingo,” Maddox said, making a shooting motion with his fingers at Smits.
Smits’s brows knit together. “You’re not like I expected, not in the least.”
“I hope that’s good.”
“Yes,” Smits said, for the first time showing a hint of a smile. “Yes, a Galactic Star, you say?”
Maddox opened a drawer, taking out a Galactic Star—his—awarded him many years ago. He showed the star with diamonds to Smits.
The commodore leaned forward, and his eyes shined strangely.
“The medal comes with a promotion,” Maddox said.
Smits nodded, and he rubbed his jaw. “I’m open to that.”
“Excellent,” Maddox said.
“However,” Smits added, “I must make a few inquiries before I can agree to this.”
“Oh?”
“I…I have confederates, unsavory people, if you know what I mean?”
“HMD diehards?” asked Maddox.
“Uh…yes, yes, that’s a good way to say it.”
“If you receive the Galactic Star and receive your promotion, the Lord High Admiral would expect you to take care of these diehards for Star Watch,” Maddox said.
“The way I did to Borneo?”
“Nothing so savage,” Maddox said. “Keeping an eye on them, making sure they don’t create waves…that would be enough for now.”
“Why?” asked Smits. “That doesn’t sound like Memo 274.”
“Because of reality and the troubles Brigadier Stokes is encountering. If you hold up your end of the bargain, the Lord High Admiral is willing to look the other way regarding Alpha Sigma 9—for a time, anyway.”
“Interesting,” Smits said. “Yes. My confederates would like to know about this arrangement. If they agree, I can agree.”
“Wonderful to hear,” Maddox said, smiling. “Peace and stability throughout the Commonwealth—that’s what we all need now. Law and order, no disruptions. You understand.”
“Interesting,” Smits said. “Could you give me, say, several hours?”
“Oh. I’d hoped to conclude more quickly than that. I have to leave for three more star systems. But…yes, several hours. I look forward to hearing from you soon, Commodore.”
“I as well, Captain. This has been quite illuminating.”
Maddox nodded, cutting the connection. “Well?” he asked sharply, all the good humor gone from his voice as he faced Kris Guderian. “Did Smits act like the man you spoke with after your release from prison?”
Kris frowned severely, shaking her head. “No… He was different. When I spoke to him then, he was much smoother and yet more sinister.”
“Anything else?” asked Maddox.
Kris bent her head. “I’m not sure. This may sound stupid. But I almost had the feeling—no. That makes no sense.”
“Tell me,” Maddox said. “That’s why you’re here. I want your impressions no matter how farfetched they may seem to you.”
“All right,” Kris said a moment later. “He seemed controlled, as if others had given him suggestions and he was following them.” Kris winced. “I told you it was crazy.”
Maddox was no longer listening as he rubbed his jaw.
To cap everything, Galyan appeared.
“More faint M-readings?” the captain asked.
“Yes, sir,” Galyan said. “How did you know?”
“A lucky guess,” Maddox said.
“I doubt that. Sir, this time, I could pinpoint the M-rays. They struck the Wellington. I am sure of it.”
“And they originated on the carbonaceous moon?”
“Correct,” Galyan said.
“Well, well, well,” Maddox said. “This is starting to get interesting.”
-84-
An hour passed as Maddox waited. Galyan finally appeared and told him the carbonaceous moon had ceased sending any M-waves. The little holoimage did detect an increase in electronic activity from said moon. He suspected whoever resided there was using passive sensors to study Victory intently.
“I am curious, sir,” Galyan said in the ready room. “Do you think Liss cybers on the carbonaceous moon are directly controlling the commodore?”
“It has crossed my mind,” Maddox said, who had been doodling on a piece of paper as he waited.
“Why would the Liss have caused Smits to shoot Colonel Borneo and others?”
“Not everything falls into place according to this theory,” Maddox admitted. “Perhaps the Liss only arrived recently. Perhaps they did so because they’re allied to Lisa Meyers and decided to make a bold move—by not releasing the battleships, for instance—after learning about Olmstead’s destruction. Maybe this is someone else entirely copying Liss methods to throw us, or anyone, off their trail.”
“It smacks of the Liss,” Galyan said. “How many other star systems are infected by them, I wonder.”
“Good question,” Maddox said. “Now, oh—just a minute, Galyan.” He pressed his desk’s blinking comm button. Valerie appeared on the small screen.
“Commodore Smits woul
d like a word with you, sir,” she said.
Maddox sat up, moving his doodles to the side. He nodded. Valerie vanished from the screen and Smits appeared. He sat alone in a ready room. He was flushed, and he smiled in a remote way.
“Captain Maddox, I’d be delighted to accept the Galactic Star. Would you like the ceremony to take place at the star base?”
“Not really,” Maddox said. “I’m in a hurry and don’t have much time to spend in the system. In fact, our tête-à-tête has proven valuable in that regard. I’m glad we could come to an understanding. The Lord High Admiral will be pleased.”
“You’re not leaving now, are you?”
“No, no,” Maddox said with a laugh. “I want to pin the Galactic Star on your chest personally and give you a private brief and paper by the Lord High Admiral.”
“Oh, well, in that case, the Wellington will serve as well as the facilities at the star base.”
Maddox laughed again. “Commodore, surely you see that such a move lacks dignity. I’m the Lord High Admiral’s personal representative. Victory is as good as being on Earth, in this instance. We can have the ceremony in a hangar bay, as I’m sure you would like to bring many of your people to witness the event. Afterward, we’ll have a drink, a toast, and I’ll make a short speech and then leave for a Laumer Point. As I said, I’m on a tight schedule.”
“I see…” Smits looked at his hands as he sat supremely still. He jerked a little later, and his face flushed while his eyes shined in an odd manner. “How many people can I bring?”
“How many do you want to bring?”
“Three hundred, if I could.”
“Well… that’s a veritable horde, but I suppose we could squeeze them into the hangar bay. The shuttles would have to land in separate hangar bays. It would mean a bit of a walk for them.”
“And to add to the dignity of the event,” Smits said. “I would like permission for the battleships to take formation with Victory. I’ll have some people photograph the vessels, using that on the back of my proclamation later.”
“Now, you’re thinking,” Maddox said. “We’ll make it a grand event, and I can be off afterward.”
“It’s settled then?” asked Smits.
“You do agree to the Lord High Admiral’s conditions?”
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