Maddox grinned, liking the ace’s coolness. Keith Maker was the best pilot in Star Watch, at least, Maddox would wager him against anyone else.
“Ten seconds,” the weapons officer said.
“Second cavern,” Maddox told Keith.
“I already know, sir. Valerie gave me the heads up.”
“Good luck,” Maddox said.
“No, sir,” Keith said. “It’s happy hunting, remember?”
***
Victory swerved out of low orbit around the Jovian gas giant as it headed straight at the tiny carbonaceous moon.
All sensors strained to see if the enemy on the moon would launch missiles or fire beams at them.
At the same time, Keith manipulated the controls of his fold-fighter. It had been an experimental craft not so long ago. These days, most Star-Watch motherships had several among their strikefighters, and some star bases boasted a few fold-fighters as well.
Victory had two.
A fold-fighter could fold—make a semi star-drive jump—although not as far as a regular spaceship could do.
Keith fed the coordinates into his flight computer, the coordinates Galyan had learned a few minutes ago. That went into the vessel’s highly advanced computer.
The computer broke down the carbonaceous-moon data into a grid-pattern map, superimposing the second cavern system onto the grid. If the fold-fighter tried to fold there, and appeared in rock instead, none of this would work and Keith would be deader than dead, as his atoms would be mixed with minerals and carbon.
“I hope you got everything right, Galyan,” Keith said to himself.
His fold-fighter hadn’t left the hangar bay yet. A light flashed on Keith’s flight panel.
“Let’s see what we see,” Keith muttered, initiating a fold.
The vessel’s unique engine purred, and the small fighter that looked like a tin can with stubby wings disappeared from Victory’s hangar bay. It folded in an instant, the computer having calculated the precise distance. The fold-fighter appeared in the second cavern system, too near a wall for even Keith’s comfort.
A fold did not affect certain people the same way as a jump in a starship would. Keith was one of those. He took over flight controls, moved away from the wall and studied his sensors. Ah, yes, he saw the housing in the dark—or his sensors did for him. Keith targeted and pressed a button, launching three antimatter missiles one right after the other. These had bigger warheads than usual.
A beam flashed in the darkness, and it barely missed the fighter.
“Enough of that,” Keith said. He smacked his lips, making a kissing noise. “Grab your ankles, you lousy bastards. I hope you burn hot.”
The tin can shuddered, the engine engaged, and the small vessel disappeared in another fold, just as a beam flashed where it had been.
Keith reappeared near Victory. He hadn’t tried to fold back into the hangar bay, although he had thought about it as a matter of style.
***
The antimatter missiles Keith had launched zeroed in on the dark housing in the subterranean chamber. Shells streaked at the missiles, and a beam flashed, burning the first warhead, slagging it and rendering it inert.
It was excellent marksmanship on their part, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the second missile from sending a pulse that ignited the giant warhead as it smashed against the housing.
A fantastic Sun-bright flash showed more housing and domes lower down in the cavern floor. That was the last look, as the star-intense heat and terrible blast washed over the structures, destroying them in a moment as gamma and X-rays sterilized anything that had survived. The blast devoured the third antimatter missile, so it never exploded. It melted out of existence along with the subterranean-built structures.
***
Maddox leaned forward on his seat, waiting for news.
“Explosion,” Galyan said. “My sensors detect a great underground explosion inside the carbonaceous moon.”
“An antimatter explosion?” asked Maddox.
Galyan’s eyelids fluttered. “Yes…antimatter. We got them, sir.”
Valerie cheered.
Everyone on the bridge turned to her.
She blushed, looking down.
“Well?” asked Maddox.
“Keith made it out, sir,” Valerie said, looking up. “He’s asking permission to land in a hangar bay.”
“Yes!” Maddox said. “Yes. Tell him he did a—no wait—I’ll go tell him myself.” Maddox got up and headed for the exit.
-87-
Victory picked up Keith’s fold-fighter and headed around the Jovian planet. Maddox congratulated the ace on a job spectacularly done; pumping his hand after the ace exited his tin can in the hangar bay.
“Thank you, sir,” Keith said. “It was a pleasure.”
Galyan went back to the second subterranean cavern on the carbonaceous moon. He did not find any survivors. The deepest wreckage told him the aliens had indeed been Liss cybers.
This, Galyan passed along to the captain when he reappeared on Victory.
By this time, Maddox was back in his chair on the bridge. Victory was coming around the gas giant, about to head toward the water moon.
“You were right,” Ludendorff told Maddox. “It had all the earmarks of the Liss, but it’s still surprising when everything works out so well.”
“The Liss acted according to pattern,” Galyan said.
“That’s what I said,” Ludendorff told the AI.
“Gentlemen,” Maddox said. “Let’s save the discussion for later. We’re not out of this yet. We have to settle the star system and get the personnel fully back into the fold of Star Watch. Eliminating the Liss and any human confederates on the moon has given us the opportunity, nothing more. We have to finish this.”
“I take it you have a plan,” Ludendorff said.
“We’ll see,” Maddox said. “It’s going to mean another risk. Mr. Maker, be prepared to use the star-drive jump on the instant. Make it several light-years away from here.”
“Aye-aye, sir,” Keith said, who had resumed his regular post.
“Galyan, do you think the various captains and the commodore are still comatose from your electric attack?”
“They should be for another few hours, sir,” Galyan said.
Maddox sat back in his seat, thinking. He sat forward abruptly, with a tight smile on his face. “Clemency seems like the best option.”
“The people on those battleships are going to want to murder instead of forgive you,” Ludendorff said. “They won’t grant you any clemency.”
“Perhaps you’re right,” Maddox said.
“We’re in sight of the water moon,” Keith said. “Should I proceed there?”
“No,” Maddox said. “Lieutenant,” he told Valerie, “hail the battleships if you would.”
She manipulated her panel and soon told him they were ready to receive.
Maddox cleared his throat. “Put them all on the main screen.”
Valerie clicked a switch. “They’re ready, sir.”
Maddox stood, as he felt this was too important to say seated. On the main screen appeared six officers, one from each battleship and the mothership. There were four women and two men.
“I hope I have your attention,” Maddox said.
One of the men protested, a Commander Gleason from the Wellington, a thin-faced fellow with thick gray hair. “Now see here. Did you have anything to do with the attacks on our captains? If so, prepare to be boarded.”
Maddox stared at Commander Gleason as he put his hands behind his back. Maddox cocked his head, as if he were studying the others.
“Are you going to answer me or not?” Gleason demanded.
“Firstly,” Maddox said in a calm voice, “you should know that I am here as the personal representative of the Lord High Admiral of Star Watch.” He turned to Valerie. “If you would send each of them a copy of the Admiral’s order, I would appreciate it.”
Maddox then procee
ded to wait as each of the six officers on the main screen received a copy of those orders and had a chance to examine them.
“These seem genuine,” Commander Gleason finally said.
“They are genuine,” Maddox said. “I want you to know without a doubt that I speak with the full force of Star Watch. I have the authority for what I am about to say.”
Commander Gleason grumbled under his breath.
Maddox ignored him. “The Lord High Admiral has learned about a conspiracy in the Alpha Sigma 9 System. He learned this through Commander Kris Guderian, who was interned for many months in the military prison—this happened during the tenure of Lord High Admiral Fletcher. We suspected Liss cybers were at the root of the conspiracy, as Star Watch Intelligence learned that a few had escaped the destruction that started on Luna and ended at Jarnevon. We have evidence that Methuselah Woman Lisa Meyers was working in cooperation with the Liss here.”
“What Liss cybers?” Gleason said. “There’s been no evidence of them around our star system.”
“Wrong,” Maddox said. “I have just destroyed their secret base on the carbonaceous moon.”
“Where?” asked Gleason.
“The moon called Emmitt Bell,” Galyan said softly.
Maddox repeated that to the Alpha Sigma 9 officers.
“Emmitt Bell?” Gleason asked. “No one is on the—”
“Commander!” Maddox barked, interrupting the man. “I launched fold-fighters into Emmitt Bell’s deep caverns, after pinpointing the Liss stronghold. As per Liss operational patterns, they had burrowed deep while taking over the minds of key Alpha Sigma 9 personnel. Chief among those afflicted is Commodore Smits, along with some if not all of the battleship captains.”
“W-What?” stammered Gleason, finally looking nervous. “You can prove this?”
“Absolutely,” Maddox said. “But that isn’t the issue. I have indeed rendered inert—for the time being, at least—the people under Liss control, or former control, as I have eliminated all Liss cybers in the star system. This gives the rest of you a golden opportunity.”
This time, Commander Gleason did not speak, nor did any of the others.
“There were gross improprieties taking place here during the tenure of Lord High Admiral Fletcher,” Maddox said. “You all know this. You’ve all read, no doubt, Memo 274 from Lord High Admiral Cook. You know that Brigadier Stokes has fallen behind schedule with his Transition Team. What you may not know is that the Lord High Admiral has reconsidered the issue. He has decided that a time of clemency is in order. I have come to Alpha Sigma 9 for two reasons. I have succeeded with the first: eliminating the Liss. Now, I offer the second, namely, clemency for any over-zealous HMD activists during the time of Fletcher’s tenure.”
“How do we know this is true?” Gleason asked.
“You know because the Lord High Admiral has spoken. And you know that Cook is a man of his word, as am I.”
“That’s true,” a woman said, a Commander Hines, a large lady with bright eyes. She was aboard one of the Bismarck-class battleships.
“How do we gain this clemency?” Gleason asked.
“For you six, it is easy,” Maddox said. “You will each send a shuttle to Victory. Come aboard the shuttle so I may interview you here personally and bring your unconscious commander with you. He or she will stay in a brig aboard the starship in order to directly receive justice from the Lord High Admiral on Earth. Whoever has Commodore Smits will bring him as well.”
“This is a trap,” Gleason said heatedly. “You mean to make us your prisoners.”
“Not true,” Maddox said. “This is clemency, a time for healing. You can grasp it, but it’s up to you now.”
“What about the rest of the people here?” Hines asked.
“You will set up a board of officers. I would suggest—in the interests of your future careers in Star Watch—that each of you joins the hearing board. The board will gather confessions from each individual. These individuals will then be cleared except for cases of murder. Since the recent defeat in the Solar System of Methuselah Woman Lisa Meyers and the destruction of her ancient planet killer, the Lord High Admiral is sending a heavy flotilla of Conqueror-class battleships, ten of them, to Alpha Sigma 9. A proconsul from the Judge Advocate General’s Office will study the board’s findings, putting the final seal of approval on them.”
The others on the main screen said nothing.
“Or…” Maddox said, “you can choose to rebel against Star Watch.”
“Who said anything about rebelling?” asked Gleason.
“I’m simply pointing out your options,” Maddox said. “There is no middle ground. Follow orders, or be declared rebels and enemies of humanity, to be hunted down and destroyed. But I’d rather than not happen.”
He looked away, touched his chin and then peered intently at the six. “Humanity must stick together, as we are a mere speck of life in the greater galaxy, and we have found many alien enemies that have tried to harm us. I propose that we are stronger together than fighting at cross-purposes with each other. If the past is any gauge of the future, Star Watch will face more alien attackers.”
“Yes!” Commander Hines said eagerly, like a drowning man grasping a lifeline. “I agree with Captain Maddox. I agree to his terms. Clemency is what we need. And our captain has been acting strangely lately. Besides, I took an oath when I joined Star Watch and I will uphold it.”
Gleason complained, but Hines and then the others shouted him down, and the six of them eventually agreed to Maddox’s terms.
The one caveat to Maddox’s orders from Cook was that he did not attempt to place Kris Guderian in authority anywhere in the Alpha Sigma 9 System. In Maddox’s opinion, it was the wrong time for that. Besides, Maddox decided he would leave such a thing to Admiral Cook.
-88-
Starship Victory left the Alpha Sigma 9 System as it headed home for the Solar System. The six captains and Commodore Smits were in the brig. The new board of captains—the six Maddox had talked with—had already started their Clemency Hearings back on the water moon.
“I am curious, sir,” Galyan said after their first jump. “How are you going to convince the Lord High Admiral to follow your plan?”
“What’s to convince?” asked Maddox. “I was his personal representative. I spoke in his name. If he doesn’t agree, he breaks his word. People will soon hear about that. Cook has to agree, as he has no other choice.”
“How would people learn that Cook broke his word?” asked Galyan.
“Because I’ll inform them,” Maddox said.
“Will you tell the Lord High Admiral that?”
“If I need to.”
“Balls,” Galyan said.
“You don’t believe me?”
“Oh, no, sir, I do. I am simply saying that you have balls, big balls, as Sergeant Riker once said.”
“Now see here, Galyan,” Maddox said, looking around. “Such talk isn’t polite around ladies. There are several on the bridge.”
“Oh. I am sorry, sir.”
“No problem. Just don’t repeat it.”
“I will not repeat it, sir.”
Maddox chuckled to himself, but kept his face from showing it.
The journey to Earth continued.
Maddox took it easier than normal, spending more time in the gym that usual. He lifted. He hit a heavy bag and did wind sprints. It felt good to relax, to push himself physically for the mere joy of it.
Meta met him as he came out of the shower. “Ooh,” she said. “Look at him. What a hunk.”
Maddox grinned, grabbed a towel and began to dry himself as he said, “Hello, beautiful. Would you like to have a candlelight dinner tonight?”
“Do you mean in the cafeteria?”
“No. How about we eat in one of the observation lounges?”
“That would be wonderful.”
Maddox dried off, dressed and spoke to the chef and then Lieutenant Horn. Afterward, Meta and he retire
d to their quarters to get ready.
Three hours later, Maddox wore his dress uniform, including the Galactic Star pinned to his chest. Meta wore a long sequined dress with a low front that showed off her cleavage to great advantage.
There was no one else along the way, as Lieutenant Horn had secured the passage to the empty lounge. There, a waiter took their order.
Soon, at a candlelit table, with the stars shining through a viewing port, Maddox and Meta ate a delicious dinner. He had prime rib and baked potato. She had salmon and brown rice. They both sipped wine and enjoyed each other’s company. After dessert—apple pie with ice cream—the two of them retired to a couch, sitting and studying the stars. Maddox had his arm around her. Meta snuggled up close against him.
“I like this,” Meta said.
“Me, too,” Maddox said.
“We need to do it more often.”
“You mean the vacation thing you were talking about?”
“Yes. Once we hand over our prisoners, you need to take off a month, maybe two. It might be a good idea to let the entire crew take at least a month’s vacation.”
“We might lose Ludendorff if we do that.”
“And he might go and find himself, or go search for Dana. What do you say?”
“Well…it will depend—Aw!” Maddox said.
Meta had just jabbed him hard in the side with the stiffened fingers of her left hand. “You listen to me, Captain. You desperately need a vacation. I saw that this time around. You’re getting tired. You need to relax and let all the toxins out of your system.”
“What toxins?”
“The ones that build up each mission,” Meta said. “We need two months, at least. And if the Lord High Admiral calls you during that time, you’ll ignore him.”
Maddox nodded. “You’re right. I’m going to tell him. We’ll include my grandmother during some of that time.”
Meta looked up into his eyes, with understanding glimmering in her. “Is that why you took the prisoners? You’re going to force your way to Earth no matter what?”
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