“That is precisely what happened,” Ludendorff said. “For such a young person, you have a sound grasp on astrophysics, Lieutenant.”
“Our original destination was outside the asteroid field,” Maddox interjected. “We’re inside. What caused the starship to jump to the wrong coordinates?”
“Our coordinates come from Dana, gained after she questioned Meta. But Meta mustn’t have known, so Dana invented the coordinates to prevent me from taking Meta and questioning her myself. That would have brought a confrontation between us. Dana knows me well enough to understand you would have lost the fight. To save you, she practiced guile against me. I’d forgotten the woman’s deviousness. That is my fault.”
“Sir,” Valerie said. “I think you’d better look at this.”
Maddox glanced at the lieutenant before looking at the screen where she pointed. A thin silvery object slid toward Victory. According to the measurements on the screen, the UFO was the size of a Star Watch Titan-class missile.
“Scan it,” Maddox said.
“Belay that order,” Ludendorff snapped.
Valerie didn’t pause, but reached for her board to obey the captain’s order.
“Wait,” Maddox told her.
Valerie hesitated, looking up at the captain.
“Why shouldn’t we scan it?” Maddox asked the professor.
Ludendorff laughed. “It should be obvious. Our scan might trigger its offensive mechanisms.”
“Do you know what the weapon would be?” Maddox asked.
Ludendorff turned his head to stare at the captain. “I have no idea.”
“You fear the object’s maker,” Maddox said.
“How astute of you, Captain. Yes, I believe whoever made the Nexus and the planet-killer also constructed the object presently inspecting us.”
“Is this weapon the reason the Xerxes System is a Bermuda Triangle of space?” Valerie asked.
“Let us call it one of the reasons,” Ludendorff said.
“The Builders made the object outside?” Maddox asked.
The professor shrugged.
“Do you not know, or are you simply not telling us?” Maddox asked.
“This time, I don’t know.”
“Why do I have the feeling you’re lying?”
“Because you’re naturally suspicious of human nature,” Ludendorff replied. “It’s one of your greatest survival mechanisms.”
A light on Valerie’s board blinked red. “Sir,” the lieutenant said. “The drone is scanning us.”
At almost the same moment, Victory’s electromagnetic shield came back online from Jump Lag. A hazy spheroid shape appeared around the starship. It disappeared a moment later, merged into the background.
“There’s an energy spike over there,” Valerie said, as she studied her panel. “Sir, I suggest we destroy the drone before it fires whatever it has.”
“I’m curious,” Ludendorff told Valerie. “What weapon would you suggest we use against it?”
“The strongest we have,” the lieutenant said. “The disruptor cannon.”
“Do you agree with your lieutenant?” Ludendorff asked.
“I do,” Maddox said.
“Galyan,” Ludendorff said. “Start warming up the disruptor cannon.”
The holoimage disappeared from the bridge.
“We’re taking a risk firing at the object,” Ludendorff told them. “But I think that will be a safer risk than letting it shoot us.”
“Why hasn’t it fired already?” Maddox asked.
“I believe it has to go through a matrix of options first. We’re likely in a race as to who fires first.”
“Can we do anything to trick it?” Maddox asked.
Ludendorff snapped his fingers. “Yes. I think we can.” The professor frowned. “But it’s too dangerous to attempt.”
“You mean lower our shield?”
“Remarkable, Captain. Yes, that’s exactly what I mean.”
“Lower the shield,” Maddox told Valerie.
“Don’t do it,” Ludendorff said.
Valerie tapped her board anyway.
The professor reached for his flat device.
“I suggest you let us proceed,” Maddox said. “If the drone was created by the Builders, its weapon is likely going to be able to burn through our shield anyway. Thus, dropping our shield doesn’t harm us, but it may give us a little more time.”
“I disagree with your premise,” Ludendorff said. “The Adoks were amazing technicians. I doubt you realize the full power of Victory.”
“There, sir,” Valerie said, with a final tap. “The shield is down as ordered.”
“This is a gamble,” Maddox said. “The alien drone seems to be curious about us. We’ve now shown that we trust it. That might slow down its matrix of options.”
“Your philosophy is far too optimistic given the stakes involved,” Ludendorff said. “We must jump out of danger before it fires.” The professor opened his mouth.
Maddox believed Ludendorff was going to summon Galyan and order the AI to leave the Xerxes System. “Maybe the missile is like a dog,” Maddox said.
Ludendorff frowned. “Explain that.”
“If we run, the missile will chase us.”
“It can’t chase us if we transfer with the star drive.”
“If it believes we’re getting ready to run, it might shoot to make sure we can’t.”
Ludendorff squinted thoughtfully at the captain. “Did the Breed Masters fashion you to instinctively make the right choices?”
Maddox stiffened. The idea that the New Men had intentionally bred his mother to produce a certain kind of offspring offended his sensibilities. That Ludendorff knew something about their enemy’s breeding program—and had apparently done nothing to warn Star Watch about it—made Maddox distrust the professor even more than before.
“Interesting,” Ludendorff said, as he rubbed his jaw. “You are a fascinating specimen, Captain. But…” The professor studied the silver drone outside. “I dislike putting myself in harm’s way. The fleet battle several months ago was bad enough. This…”
“The disruptor cannon is ready,” Valerie said.
“Look,” Ludendorff said, as he raised his right hand. “My hand is actually trembling. I can’t believe it.”
“Fire,” Maddox told Valerie. “Then raise the shield. There’s no sense in keeping it down now.”
The professor looked up sharply, his eyes locked on the main screen.
The antimatter cyclers in the distant engine room whined with power as they pumped the disruptor cannon with the needed energy.
Valerie stabbed her board with a finger.
Outside, a glob of energy discharged from the cannon. It sped at the silver drone. Then, the glob reached the object, encircling it, turning the missile’s shield a brown color.
“Fire again,” Maddox said. “Blow down its shield.”
“The disruptor isn’t ready yet for a second shot, sir,” Valerie said. “It’s recycling. But our shield is back online.”
“I should be down there with Galyan,” Ludendorff muttered.
“The drone is building up power,” Valerie said, as she studied her board.
A red beam lashed out from the missile’s nosecone. It burned against Victory’s hastily raised shield. The starship’s deflectors held, although an area turned pink and then red where the beam hit. The region slowly expanded as the shield attempted to bleed off the intense wattage.
“Sir,” Valerie said in amazement. “This is incredible. The beam is exactly like what the New Men use in their star cruisers.”
Maddox glanced at Ludendorff. The professor pretended not to notice.
“The disruptor cannon is ready, sir,” Valerie said.
“Fire,” Maddox said.
Once more, a harsh whine built up within the starship. Then, the disruptor glob sped at the automated drone. For a second time, the enemy shield darkened, this time to black.
“Hit it w
ith the neutron beam,” Maddox said.
Before Valerie could respond, the enemy shield collapsed. The remainder of the disruptor glob reached the missile’s hull. It devoured the silver substance, as acid would paper. The red beam quit firing at Victory. A second later, a nova-white explosion caused Maddox to throw his hands before his eyes. The bridge became too bright as the dampeners failed to shield them sufficiently. Then, the brightness dimmed and finally vanished.
“The drone is gone,” Valerie declared. “We did it.”
“Interesting,” Ludendorff said, as he leaned forward to study space.
“The beam is especially interesting,” Maddox said. “What do you think, Professor? What does it mean that the New Men use exactly the same sort of beam as the Builder drone did?”
“Hmm…” Ludendorff said in a pondering way. “I imagine it means that the ray bypassed any Earth vessel shield that came to this system. If we had been in any other Star Watch ship, we would all be dead now.”
“My thoughts have moved in a different direction,” Maddox said. “Can we have found the genesis to the New Men’s advanced technology?”
“That’s a reasonable assumption at first glance,” Ludendorff said. “The danger in accepting it, however—”
“I accept it as fact,” Maddox said, interrupting. “The New Men use the Nexus. They have activated the planet-killer, and they have the same beams as the silver drone. There can be no doubt; our enemy uses alien technology, Builder technology, if you prefer. We have discovered a critical answer regarding our foe.”
“Hmm…” Ludendorff said, as if unconvinced.
“I have begun to wonder about something else,” Maddox said. “You wished us to jump away from the silver drone. Perhaps you already knew about the beam and didn’t want us to discover that.”
“Know is too strong of a word,” Ludendorff said. “I had begun to suspect, though.”
“More lies, Professor?”
“I am unused to having these kinds of allegations thrown at me,” Ludendorff said. “Despite their uniqueness, I don’t enjoy them, either. Thus, you will desist in making them.”
Maddox eyed the stars outside. Months ago, Ludendorff had helped fix the disruptor cannon, which had been instrumental in defeating Oran Rva’s star cruisers and had freed Fletcher’s fleet. The New Men had hunted for the professor on Wolf Prime, intending to capture him. Maddox didn’t like Ludendorff’s methods, nor did he approve of some of the professor’s personnel. But it was important to remember the man seemed to be on their side.
Ludendorff is vain. I must use that, but I mustn’t forget he has deep resources. Instead of working to defeat him, I might better resolve to remain free and keep Meta away from Villars.
“Lieutenant,” Maddox said. “Do your sensors indicate more drones?”
Valerie bent over her equipment, manipulating the board from time to time. Finally, she straightened and regarded Maddox.
“No, sir, there’s nothing else. But I should point out that any number of drones could be hiding behind various asteroids. Advancing through the meteor field could be dangerous.”
“Right,” Maddox said. “Enlarge your sensor sweeps. It’s time we located the Nexus.”
“Meta knows the Nexus’s coordinates,” Ludendorff said.
“We don’t know if that’s true,” Maddox said. “The teacher may have eliminated the memory from her mind.”
Ludendorff stroked his chin.
“I found something,” Valerie said. “It’s massive, approximately two hundred thousand kilometers away and it’s definitely within the asteroid belt.”
“Could it be the Nexus?” Maddox asked the professor.
“I don’t know what else it could be,” Ludendorff said.
“Do you still wish to study it from close range?”
“I believe doing so is critical to our cause.”
“Then I suggest you and I use the shuttle to reach it.”
“Why not use Victory?” Ludendorff asked.
Maddox explained his reasoning of using Kane’s actions as their guide. The spy had used a space-cycle, keeping his scout some distance from the Nexus.
“Yes…” the professor said. “Your suggestion makes sense. The Builders…” Ludendorff turned away, tapping his left thigh with the flat device. “We must take Meta with us, of course. Galyan will watch the rest of your crew, and Villars will stay locked in his room. If Dana attempts another mutiny, the AI will know what to do.”
“Fine,” the captain said. “But why do we need Meta along?”
“Isn’t it obvious why?” the professor asked.
Maddox considered the question. “Yes, I suppose it is. When do we leave?”
“Now,” the professor said, as he stood. “We have to do this before more Builder drones show up.”
-14-
Maddox piloted the shuttle, lifting off the hangar bay deck. Beside him, Meta tested the relays to the warfare pod on the undercarriage and the autocannons on the stubby wings.
With easy skill, Maddox drifted toward the hangar bay doors. They slowly opened. Stars shined beyond with a large asteroid sitting nearby in space.
The professor stepped through the hatch between compartments. He moved like a penguin in his vacc-suit, with a helmet under the crook of his arm.
“Expecting trouble?” Maddox asked.
“You don’t live as long as I have without taking precautions,” Ludendorff said.
“Is it considered bad manners to ask how long you’ve lived?” Maddox asked.
“You must leave off your curiosity in my direction, Captain. We’re not playing a game of checkers, are we? There are more Builder drones prowling the asteroid field. We must engage all our energies outward and make sure to avoid them.”
“I doubt that’s the case,” Maddox said. “I mean there being more Builder drones nearby.”
The professor sat down at communications and sensors. He set his helmet on a panel and activated the shuttle’s passive sensing systems.
As the shuttle eased outside of Victory, Maddox glanced at the massive starship. He didn’t like leaving the safety of the Adok vessel in the strange Builder asteroid field. But it was better that he risk his person than Star Watch’s most important vessel.
Ludendorff tore his gaze from the sensor board, giving Maddox a quizzical study.
“Is something wrong?” the captain asked.
“Your certainty regarding the lack of more Builder drones,” the professor said. “I would like to know what prompts such an opinion.”
“You do.”
Ludendorff shook his head. “I don’t believe I’ve said anything else on the topic but for my warning.”
“Not verbally, no,” Maddox said, as he pressed a control on the piloting board. The engine purred and thrust propelled the shuttle faster. Maddox watched his panel, adjusting for an asteroid dead ahead. There were hundreds of thousands of space rocks out here.
“Well?” the professor asked.
Maddox glanced at Meta before regarding the professor. “It’s a simple deduction. You wouldn’t risk yourself on a shuttle if you believed more Builder drones waited to pounce on us. Rather, you would have sent us ahead as a decoy, while staying on Victory.”
“Do you truly have that low of an opinion of me?”
“One doesn’t get to be as old as you without practicing devious caution at every turn,” Maddox said.
“What do you call my participation in the Battle of the Tannish System?” the professor asked.
“An anomaly,” Maddox said, “for which I’m grateful, don’t doubt that for a moment.”
Ludendorff showed his teeth in a wolfish grin. “I like you, Captain. It’s too bad you’re a falling star. Your kind blazes hot for a time, making a spectacle. Everyone ‘oohs’ and ‘ahs’ at you, and then you wink out, having burned to a cinder in your brief flight through life.”
“I have news for you, Professor. No one makes it out of this life alive.”
“I suppose not,” Maddox said.
“Then I congratulate you,” Ludendorff said.
“For what?”
“For making my point. But just to be clear, I don’t know whether more Builder drones are prowling these parts. I’m taking a risk for the good of humanity. We must stop the planet-killer. That is paramount.”
“You may not be certain concerning the drones,” Maddox said, “but I’m betting the odds of more of them appearing suddenly have lowered since we saw the one, haven’t they?”
“According to my calculations, that’s true. But I have old data.”
“How old?” Maddox asked.
“The better term might be to say I have antique data. The New Men know more about the Nexus than I do.”
Meta’s board made a warning sound. The two men fell silent, glancing at her.
“Sorry,” she said. “I just triggered the auto-sequencing.”
“You found something?” Ludendorff asked, his voice worried.
“No, no,” Meta said. “The pod locked onto an asteroid. It’s nothing.”
“It locked on because of a high metal concentration?” the professor asked.
Meta checked her panel, nodding after a moment.
“We must investigate this,” Ludendorff said, his voice tinged with excitement.
“Care to tell us why?” Maddox asked.
“I doubt the weapons pod would react to a high concentration of ore in an asteroid,” the professor said. “Therefore, the concentration implies a device or ship on the asteroid, which in turn has a high probability of being a Builder artifact.”
“And that’s important?”
The professor studied his sensor board. “I’ve located the asteroid. It’s ten thousand kilometers away. Veer for it, would you, Captain?”
“Isn’t the Nexus paramount?” Maddox asked.
“We should examine this first,” the professor said.
Maddox nodded slowly. He didn’t like this turn of events. If this was a life-or-death quest for human survival, why did it feel as if the professor thought it was a treasure hunt?
The Lost Destroyer (Lost Starship Series Book 3) Page 12