The Lost Planet (Lost Starship Series Book 6)

by Vaughn Heppner

  Maddox grimaced. He could trust Ludendorff to be Ludendorff. That meant the professor had something in play. The Methuselah Man would bear watching. No doubt, the professor would expect him to spy on him now.

  The captain’s grimace turned into a sinister smile. That meant it would be good for Ludendorff to find him—Maddox—spying on him. But the professor couldn’t discover this too easily, or the Methuselah Man would realize that the first level of probing was meant to be found out in order to hide the second-level search.

  It was an old intelligence trick, but it was often an effective tactic.

  For the first time during the voyage, Maddox began to feel like his old self. He’d had a sensation of…something bad waiting for them. Now, he was beginning to act.

  The game is on, he told himself. And there was one thing about games that never changed for the captain—he played to win.

  -18-

  The next day, Maddox was in the gunnery room, practicing his quick-draw firing.

  A knife-wielding holoimage appeared to his left as he entered an area. He drew smoothly, firing before the holoimage could complete its slash.

  Someone behind him clapped.

  Maddox holstered the practice pistol before regarding Dana Rich.

  “Hello, Doctor,” he said. “What brings you down here?”

  “I have a message to deliver.”

  Maddox noted her withdrawn manner. There was something else as well, an inner listlessness. He felt like that should have jogged a memory, but he couldn’t quite latch onto what it was.

  “Does the professor want to see me?”

  “The professor would like to hold a briefing, Captain. He has an announcement to make.”

  “Of what nature?”

  “Concerning our next jump.”

  Maddox took his time responding. “It feels as if the professor is up to something.”

  “Is that so unique?”

  “Sadly, no,” Maddox said. “Come. We will forgo any briefing. You and I shall talk to the professor now.”

  Dana made an exasperated sound. “Haven’t you hounded him enough? He has faith in you. Why does your faith in him keep slipping?”

  The reaction surprised Maddox, although he kept his features bland. Her emotion seemed genuine, yet…

  “You of all people should understand how being unique causes jealousies and backbiting from those around you,” Dana said. “Why do you have to suspect him all the time?”

  Maddox made an offhanded gesture.

  “I think you’re jealous of him, too,” Dana said.

  “Yes. That’s it exactly.”

  “Don’t patronize me, Captain.”

  He nodded. This was a good act, but it was an act just the same. He decided to let her believe she’d persuaded him.

  “Tell the professor he can have his briefing in an hour,” Maddox said.

  Dana seemed to expand, almost like a cobra ready to strike. It seemed, he thought, as if she were…struggling internally. Finally, in a loud huff, she spun around and stalked away.

  ***

  An hour later, Maddox entered the briefing chamber.

  Professor Ludendorff sat at one end of a conference table. Dana sat on his right. Valerie sat beside her and then Meta.

  Maddox moved to stand behind the open chair on the other end of the table. Riker sat on his right, then Keith Maker, Andros Crank and finally the professor on the other end. Galyan stood slightly behind and to the side of the captain’s chair.

  Andros Crank was a stout and rather short man with blunt fingers. He had unusually long gray hair, which he seemed to take great pride in, considering its sheen and how well-combed he kept it. Andros seldom said much, but he had observant gray eyes that seemed to miss nothing.

  “Thank you for coming,” the professor said.

  “Excuse me,” Maddox said curtly. “I’m the captain. I run the meeting. Therefore, I will open it.”

  Ludendorff looked annoyed, but he nodded.

  Maddox stood at his spot, slowly taking his seat. “The professor has an announcement to make. He has asked if I could summon a briefing. This I have done. Professor, if you will.”

  “Thank you, Captain,” Ludendorff said. He had several items on the table. “I’m not certain where to begin. Well, perhaps I’ll begin with a confession. These do not come easily to me.”

  Ludendorff turned to Dana. “I hope you will forgive me, my dear.”

  The doctor looked at him in surprise.

  Ludendorff withdrew a tiny vial from his pocket, holding it between his thumb and index finger. “I had to do something the other day that makes me ashamed. I drugged you. It has bothered me ever since.”

  Ludendorff handed her the vial.

  “What am I supposed to do with this?” Dana asked.

  “Drink it, please,” Ludendorff said. “It will restore your memory of the event.”

  Dana weighed the vial in her hand, finally looking to Maddox.

  The captain frowned. He hated to admit it to himself, but Ludendorff had surprised him. “I cannot counsel you in this. I am of two minds concerning it.”

  Ludendorff laughed. “I should have expected this. I finally make a confession, and the most suspicious man in the universe believes it’s a ploy.”

  “Don’t drink it,” Maddox said, certain now.

  Dana must have felt otherwise. She unstopped the vial and tossed the contents into her mouth. She swallowed, looked at Ludendorff and waited. A few seconds later, her shoulders hunched, she closed her eyes and groaned. She held that pose for a time, finally, gingerly, opening her eyes and peering at the professor.

  “You pricked me in the back when you hugged me,” she said.

  “I’m sorry, my dear. I truly am.”

  Dana turned to the captain. “I surprised him in his laboratory. I saw something he wanted kept hidden.”

  “What did you see?” Maddox asked.

  Dana blinked. “It was a holomap, a grim image of what is awaiting us.” She turned to the professor. “Why couldn’t you trust me? Why did you treat me like you treat everyone else?”

  “I made a mistake,” Ludendorff said, looking down, sounding genuinely contrite.

  “He panicked,” Valerie said in a rote manner. “It would seem that even Methuselah Men can panic.”

  The professor sighed, producing another vial. “I am afraid I must also apologize to you,” he told Valerie.

  Lieutenant Noonan stared at him.

  “Please,” Ludendorff said, handing her the vial. “I wish you would accept my apology.”

  Valerie did not accept the vial. She turned an agonizing glance to the captain. “I don’t trust him,” she said. “I don’t want to drink it.”

  “Roll the vial to me,” Maddox said.

  Ludendorff blinked several times.

  “Professor, if you please,” Maddox said.

  “Of course, of course,” Ludendorff said. He flung the vial down the table. It slid quickly to the side, and it might have gone off and crashed onto the floor, but Keith caught it.

  “There you go, mate,” Keith said, beaming at the exhibition of his nimble reflexes.

  Maddox accepted the vial, placing it upright before him.

  “Don’t you want your memories restored?” Ludendorff asked Valerie.

  “I don’t trust you,” she said. “I don’t like taking anything that messes with my mind. How do I know this isn’t a trick?”

  “Would I trick my own lover?” Ludendorff asked.

  “You just admitted that you did,” Valerie said. “What did you do to me?”

  Ludendorff looked away, shaking his head. He told them what he’d done as Valerie had checked the forward sensors.

  “While I appreciate you telling us this,” Maddox said. “I wonder if you’ve done so only because you know I’m watching you more closely.”

  “I knew you had begun spying on me,” Ludendorff admitted. “I could feel it, partly because I have devices that warn me and a
lso because I have a sixth sense about these things.” He shrugged. “Perhaps that had something to do with my confession. I like to believe it’s because I’ve been feeling miserable for drugging the doctor.” He looked at Dana. “I dearly hope you can forgive me, my dear.”

  “I need time to think about this,” Dana said in a small voice.

  “I understand completely,” Ludendorff said.

  “What is the nature of this grim holomap?” the captain asked.

  “If you will permit me to show you…” Ludendorff put his hands on a square device.

  Under the table, Maddox rested his gun hand on his holstered sidearm. Above the table, he nodded.

  “Galyan, can you dim the lights?” the professor asked.

  The lights dimmed as the professor manipulated the holo-box. It made a slight humming sound. Moments later, a projection burst forth over the conference table.

  It showed a white dwarf star and its nearest planets.

  “We are fast approaching the Ezwal Star System,” the professor said. “In many ways, this is the most unique star system in the Orion Arm. As you can see, it has a white dwarf star. Once, the star was much like Sol’s Sun.”

  “Why is the system unique?” Galyan asked.

  “Ah…” the professor said. “That is a good question. Notice this region here.” Ludendorff used a pointer to show intense darkness.

  “Is that a black hole?” Galyan asked.

  “It is indeed,” the professor said. “It is far enough away from the white dwarf that it hasn’t destroyed the tiny star yet. The black hole has devoured the farthest gas giants, however. The constant, nearly overpowering gravity has also created a unique tramline.”

  “You’re suggesting that Victory go to this unstable system?” Maddox asked.

  “We are presently on course for it,” Ludendorff said. “In fact, we should reach the system in another three days.”

  “Why would we want to?” Maddox asked.

  “The tramline, the link between star systems, is nearly four hundred light-years long.”

  “That’s impossible,” Valerie said. “Hartford and Spengler proved that no tramline is over seven light-years in length. As we know, there is no tramline that long in Human Space. The longest is five point three light-years.”

  “I am well aware of Frederick D. Hartford and Anthony Spengler’s work,” the professor said. “I nudged them in that direction, if the truth be known. Their analysis was good, as far as it goes, but it was also flawed. Strangely, they did not take into consideration what a black hole’s event horizon can do. In the Ezwal System, it has elongated the tramline into a three hundred and eighty-four light-year tunnel.”

  “Why keep this information from Star Watch and why keep it from Dana?” Maddox asked.

  The professor tapped the side of his nose. “For one thing, it is dangerous using the stretched tramline. I believe Victory can easily overcome the obstacles, but to deny any danger would be false.”

  “Why bother using a dangerous tramline?” the captain asked. “Three hundred and eighty-four light-years is a hefty jump, I agree, but—”

  “If we attempt to reach the Junkyard Planet any other way,” Ludendorff said, interrupting, “we will surely perish.”

  Everyone at the table stared at the professor.

  “Perhaps you can tell us why that is,” Maddox said dryly.

  Ludendorff nodded. “Do you recall the derelict space station several days ago?”

  “I haven’t stopped thinking about it,” Maddox said.

  “Yes, it was unusual. Well, there are more of those along the way, not so many on our end of the four hundred light-years, but closer to the ancient Rull Empire end.”

  The captain drummed his fingers on the table.

  “I’m sure I’ve told you about the Rull before,” the professor said.

  Maddox said nothing.

  “Have I been remiss?” the professor asked.

  Maddox still did not speak.

  “I see,” Ludendorff said. “I knew something had slipped my mind, I just couldn’t remember what. Well, the Rull…they were an interesting species.”

  “Were those Rull skeletons aboard the derelict station?” Galyan asked.

  “As to that, I cannot say,” Ludendorff replied. “I rather doubt it. The Rull were extraordinarily secretive. You see, they were shape-shifters, able to appear as almost any other species. It gave them fantastic advantages regarding interstellar espionage. They were the bane of several other species. But you don’t have to worry. The Rull will not bother us. I believe they’ve left a few artifacts behind, as I’ve said, but their day has passed. The last Rull perished when the Vikings were using their longships to raid Europe.”

  “Are you suggesting we use the Einstein-Rosen Bridge to bypass the majority of the dangerous Rull relics?” Galyan asked.

  “What is this about an Einstein-Rosen Bridge?” Maddox asked.

  “It is the technical name for the tramline,” Ludendorff said. “Galyan is showing off, nothing more. Yes. We will use the tramline to bypass the worst problems and to speed the process. Ever since Thrax escaped from the Dyson sphere, Earth has been in danger from the Swarm Imperium. If there is one thing I’ve learned in my long existence, it is that knowledge is power. As the weaker party, humanity desperately needs knowledge. That is why we need a long-range scanner.”

  “That is all well and good,” Maddox said. “I want to know why you’ve hidden this from us. Why have you drugged and reprogrammed Dana and Valerie?”

  Ludendorff chuckled good-naturedly. “I have hardly reprogrammed them. I suppressed one memory and gave them another. I’ve already told you why. Nothing must stop our mission. It is vital to humanity. I was fearful that Star Watch, and possibly you, would object if you knew what really awaits us. Thus, when Dana surprised me—”

  “I detect falsity in his words,” Galyan told the captain. “I have studied your psychology, Professor. You are stating mistruths.”

  “Confounded AI,” Ludendorff said. “No one is asking your opinion. I most certainly did fear that Star Watch would discover my deception.”

  Maddox glanced at Galyan.

  “I do not understand this,” the holoimage said. “He is telling the truth now.”

  Maddox glanced at Ludendorff, and something occurred to him. What was one way to divert or distract people? Confess to a lesser crime. It was true that Ludendorff hadn’t told them about the Einstein-Rosen Bridge. But that might not be what Dana had seen in the professor’s laboratory. Galyan was about to foil Ludendorff’s likely deception, and that would not do.

  “That will be all, Galyan,” Maddox said. “I want you to begin scanning for this black hole. I want to verify the truth of the professor’s words.”

  “Really,” Ludendorff said. “I find that insulting.”

  “Galyan,” Maddox said.

  “Yes, Captain,” Galyan said. The AI grew still.

  Maddox cleared this throat.

  “Is something wrong, sir?” Galyan asked.

  “I would like you to do your scanning from the bridge.”

  “But, sir—”

  “At once,” Maddox said.

  Galyan gave him an extra-long scrutiny before disappearing.

  Maddox picked up the vial Valerie hadn’t drunk. He would have Galyan analyze this later. Eyeing the professor, the captain said:

  “I appreciate your candor, but I’m not sure I can fully trust you now. You can no longer keep your own lab.”

  “I understand,” Ludendorff said.

  Maddox nodded. “It helps that you can agree to the limitation. That shows your good will toward us. Now, I would like to know more about the Ezwal System.”

  “Of course,” Ludendorff said.

  Maddox sat forward, listening as the professor resumed his explanation. All the while, the captain was thinking. He realized that whatever Ludendorff was hiding, it was no longer in his laboratory. There was another thing. That Ludendorff had
so readily agreed to the limitation meant without a doubt that the professor was hiding something else.

  From this point on, Maddox would act accordingly.

  -19-

  Galyan analyzed Ludendorff’s serum. There were no toxins, no memory suppressants or other suspicious drugs in it.

  “Even so,” Galyan told the captain. “I cannot tell what it does to the human brain. Dana has refused to submit to a brain scan.”

  “What did you find in Valerie?”

  “A lingering drug known as HVDL,” Galyan said. “It is commonly known as the Persuader, used by kidnappers, rapists and credit-card thieves. After ingesting the drug, the person readily accepts whatever advice he or she receives. The robber convinces his victim to empty his account. The rapist—”

  “I understand the principle,” Maddox said. “Does it have any aftereffects?”

  “For a month or more,” Galyan said. “The person remains uncommonly open to suggestion. That is one reason few politicians have adopted it as a stratagem for getting themselves elected. While they could convince a roomful of people to vote for them, that vote could change once the recipient watched the opposing politician’s holo-vid ads.”

  “Ludendorff’s serum erases the HVDL’s effect?” Maddox asked.

  “I have not been able to determine that. In this instance, I would have to run tests.”

  “No,” Maddox said. “We will not run any human tests. Do you have any other antidote to HVDL?”

  “I have read the computer file on the subject. I can synthesize one easily enough.”

  “We’ll have the lieutenant take that once you’ve manufactured the antidote.”

  “Yes, Captain.”

  “On a different note, have you located the black hole?”

  “I have, sir. It is in the location the professor told us it would be.”

  Maddox departed. For the remainder of this voyage, he would check everything before he ate or drank it. He would also talk to Meta and Riker about that. Those two could keep a secret—that he still watched and suspected the professor. He wasn’t sure about anyone else, though. Thus, he would not risk having others give away his secret scrutiny.