The Lost Intelligence (Lost Starship Series Book 12)

by Vaughn Heppner

  “You’re on the bridge,” Maddox reproved. “Mind your manners or you’ll have to leave.”

  Ludendorff opened his mouth but closed it with a snap. Everyone knew that Maddox didn’t like anyone questioning his orders, especially the command decisions that he made on the bridge.

  “Increase speed,” Maddox told Keith. “If they launch missiles, I want you to jump.”

  “Any particular heading, sir?” asked Keith.

  “I would like to jump behind Jarnevon and see what’s going on there, but I wonder if Nostradamus will anticipate such a maneuver. No. Make a long jump in the direction of Earth. This time, we’ll do the obvious, running back home as fast as possible.”

  Keith began setting the coordinates.

  “Sir,” Valerie said. “The admiral is hailing us.”

  “Put her on the main screen,” Maddox said, who crossed his legs as she appeared.

  Kaelyn Neema wasn’t smiling but stared at him sternly. “You’ve tested my patience, Captain. I have full authority in the Jarnevon System. Know, there has been a rash of smuggling operations in the system. I have to make certain you did not pick up any floating cargo.”

  “You have my word as a Star Watch officer I didn’t.”

  “Of course, you would say that if you were smuggling.”

  “I’m not,” Maddox said.

  “Don’t interrupt me, Captain. This is serious business. I won’t tolerate your well-known, New Man ways. You will adhere to regulations, or I will make you wish you had.”

  “Admiral, isn’t it possible someone on your ship is infected?”

  “No,” she said.

  “I also have full authority,” Maddox said. “The Lord High Admiral has given me independent command. I’ve been on a special mission to the Beyond. I cannot accept your orders therefore, but I do that regretfully.”

  She stared at him. “Why did you come to Jarnevon?”

  “I cannot legally answer that, as that would violate my secret orders.”

  She blinked rapidly, soon shaking her head. “You did not receive secret or special orders.”

  “How could you possibly know that?”

  Kaelyn Neema stared at him longer this time. She straightened, frowning. “You’re correct. I couldn’t know. How could you think I would know?”

  “It was a rhetorical question,” Maddox said.

  Her nostrils flared, and she made a shooing motion with her left hand. A second later, the connection was severed from her end.

  “Most odd,” Ludendorff said. “It would seem that your power of pissing people off includes those under Nostradamus’s control.”

  Maddox merely grunted, thoughtfully rubbing a cheek.

  “Sir,” Valerie said. “The Jarnevon fleet is turning. It seems they’re heading back for the planet.”

  Maddox waited.

  “I don’t detect any missile launches,” Valerie added shortly.

  Maddox stood, putting his hands behind his back.

  “Were you testing her?” Ludendorff asked.

  “No. Nostradamus,” Maddox said.

  “Ah, of course,” Ludendorff said. “May I ask what you discovered?”

  “That we still have a little time left.”

  Ludendorff grinned. “I’ll hate myself later for admitting this publicly, but I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Maddox turned, eyeing the professor.

  “Fine, fine,” Ludendorff said. “If you want me to admit it, I do know. Nostradamus won’t openly show his control yet. The rear admiral or the admiral’s Hekkus-like controller slipped up. She or her controller knew what your orders were, but she had to pretend otherwise. That means Nostradamus is still waiting for something. Eventually, he will move openly.”

  “But only when he’s ready,” Maddox said. “I needed to know that. This seemed like as good a time as any to find out. Now…” Maddox faced the main screen.

  The waiting Laumer Point was out there.

  “Helm,” Maddox said. “Wait until we’re almost in the portal. Then, use the star-drive jump.”

  Ludendorff nodded. “The rear admiral’s controller will report that to Nostradamus.”

  Galyan spoke up. “Professor, how do you know she has a controller?”

  “The captain showed us,” Ludendorff told the holoimage.

  “Oh,” Galyan said. “The captain gave her hard-to-understand replies. That was why she had to cut the connection. She needed further instructions. But if those instructions are given mentally—”

  “We don’t know how they’re given,” Maddox said. “We would have noticed if the comm connection had remained intact. That’s the point.” He sighed. “We have time; how much time, we don’t know. That means we’re making an emergency run. We have to get to Earth as fast as can.”

  PART IV

  THE “M” AGENDA

  Top Secret

  Executive Memo #19

  From: Commodore Akon Chom

  Chief of Political Intelligence

  Subject: Expulsion of Captain Maddox:

  As we proved in Memos #3 and #7, the New Men of the Throne World are laboratory-created hybrids and self-identify as a superior life form compared to Homo sapien humans. They are, broadly speaking, as deadly to continued human existence as Methuselah Men Strand and Ludendorff and Methuselah Woman Lisa Meyers.

  If the New Men achieve a biological breakthrough so their offspring include females as well as males, they will have taken the first step in a two-step process to becoming beyond human. It is, however, the second step that we must consider when categorizing Captain Maddox.

  According to Memo #3, Methuselah Men Strand and Ludendorff created the New Men through a process of genetic selection and breeding combined with DNA tampering. It was the DNA tampering that resulted in the species of New Man.

  Our best effort to uncovering the exact process has led us to conclude that eugenicists inject DNA-altering drugs into the fetuses of New Men-impregnated women.

  According to the After Action Analysis of the Drakos-Thrax Affair twenty-seven months ago, Captain Maddox secretly met with Golden Ural. From Ural, Maddox learned the identity of his New Man father. More importantly, Maddox learned that he failed to receive the prenatal DNA altering because his mother, Sandra O’Hara, escaped the Birthing Facility before the injections could be administered.

  This lack of altered DNA means, naturally, that Captain Maddox is not a full New Man in the accepted sense of the term. His genetic heritage is New Man, as any fully altered fetus comes from the sexual union of a New Man and a regular human female.

  Does this mean then that Maddox is simply a genetic freak, lacking in full New Man genes or outlook?

  The question is not easily answered. According to the After Action Analysis of the Drakos-Thrax Affair, Maddox slew and ingested the essence of a so-called spiritual entity Erill from the City of Pyramids on a planet in the Beyond. Erills are believed to have originated in a different dimension of the multiverse, a few having reached the City of Pyramids many thousands of years ago through alien transfer. It is believed that Maddox used a Builder symbol pre-inserted into his subconscious years ago in the distant Builder Dyson Sphere. This happened, apparently, so Maddox could slay and ingest such entities.

  Obviously, that suggests the Builders not only altered Maddox, but also approve of him. Why do these hidden aliens think Maddox is good? It is a troubling question indeed, given our present problem with Methuselah Woman Lisa Meyers and her stated goal of revitalizing the Builders.

  [Memo #21 will address our thoughts concerning these meddlesome “super” aliens.]

  In any case, as fanciful as these so-called facts seem, there appears to be direct, observable evidence that something happened twenty-seven months ago to revitalize Captain Maddox. He was said to have received a “soul wound” in the Alpha Centauri System at the end of the First Swarm invasion when he slew a spiritual entity Ska.

  [Please refer to Memo #11 regarding the exi
stence of the Ska and their Destroyers.]

  Maddox’s new vigor suggests he has finally obtained New Man-like reflexes, physical stamina and other New Men characteristics. Combined with the discovery that Golden Ural is his uncle, it is more than probable that Maddox now self-identifies as a New Man.

  Despite what some term as Maddox’s “heroic actions” in aiding Star Watch throughout the years, we must proceed with caution entrusting him with the continued security of what he surely considers his genetic inferiors. While some might suggest his love for Mary O’Hara—his grandmother—might cause him to side with humanity, if he uncovers the ongoing Iron Lady Insertion plan, said love will likely guarantee he goes rogue against Star Watch.

  This is not only my theory, but was given a 72 percent probability by the Lunar Predictive Computers. This being so, it is my suggestion that we move to eject Captain Maddox from Star Watch.

  Interestingly, the Lunar Predictive Computers have already postulated several high-success strategies.

  Allow me to stress, however, that Captain Maddox is dangerous and cunning, and still maintains allies and confederates within Star Watch. The best method for rendering Maddox inert would, of course, be by using his known proclivities against him. The Lunar Predictive Computers suggest that incorporating Maddox into the Iron Lady Insertion plan would give us the highest probability of success and deniability.

  If the Committee agrees, I will personally initiate the Expulsion Agenda myself and thereby leave the rest of the operatives in the clear.

  END OF EXECUTIVE MEMO #19

  -1-

  Once more, Victory raced across the Commonwealth, this time speeding for Earth. Maddox pushed everyone, including himself.

  Three weeks and four and a half days after leaving the Jarnevon System, the ancient Adok warship jumped into the Solar System between the orbits of Mars and Earth.

  Victory accelerated until orders arrived via comm from a Moon-station relay. Victory would come into Earth orbit in the company of three Conqueror-class battleships, the Alexander among them. Afterward, the captain would head for Star Watch Headquarters. First, he would speak with Director Akon Chom of Political Intelligence. If Maddox cleared there, the Lord High Admiral wished to speak with him privately.

  “They’ve been waiting for us,” Ludendorff said.

  Maddox nodded.

  The three heavy battlewagons left lunar orbit, heading out to intercept Victory.

  The Alexander was in the lead. It was the prototypical Conqueror-class battleship, round and heavily armored, and it was one of the deadliest warships in Star Watch. It was smaller than the double oval of the ancient Adok warship. With its upgraded shield and weapons, though, it could possibly defeat what had been, until a short while ago, the most lethal warship in the Commonwealth. The fact of the Alexander, of all Conqueror-class battlewagons, was due to several of Victory’s many successful missions, for instance gaining better shielding and weapons technology. Another key was supermetals from the chthonian planet in the Alpha Centauri System. The supermetals gave the Alexander fantastic shielding and its high-energy disruptor cannons.

  Since they were in the Solar System, Maddox ordered Valerie to contact his grandmother. The lieutenant met a security wall, utter silence about Mary O’Hara’s whereabouts or even existence.

  Maddox conferred quietly with Ludendorff about that. Neither of them knew what it meant.

  “Galyan,” Maddox said.

  “Yes, sir,” the AI asked.

  “I don’t care how you do it,” Maddox said. “Just don’t get caught.”

  “Are you going to ask me to do something illegal, sir?” Galyan asked.

  “I am. Will you accept the order?”

  “Of course,” Galyan said.

  Maddox ordered Galyan to find out what he could about the Iron Lady, using his long-range hacking skills if needed.

  For the next several hours, Galyan tired various methods, but the AI failed to uncover anything concerning Mary O’Hara.

  “That’s strange,” Maddox said in the cafeteria. “Why would they do that?”

  Ludendorff shook his head. “It’s like the old Soviet Union.”

  “More history lessons?” asked Maddox.

  “That’s right. It doesn’t hurt to know why and how humanity came to be the way it is.”

  “Your point?” asked a distracted captain.

  “The Soviet Union used to make its old unwanted heroes disappear from the history books. They no longer existed in the corporate memory. Maybe that’s what Nostradamus has done with your grandmother.”

  Maddox’s eyes narrowed. “For their sakes, they’d better hope she’s still alive.”

  “That sounds like a threat.”

  “Yes,” Maddox said. “If they hurt her—”

  “This is far bigger than Mary O’Hara,” Ludendorff said.

  “Maybe to you,” Maddox said. “For me, family comes before nation.”

  “Says the man who at one time wanted to kill his father.”

  “Watch your mouth, Professor.”

  Ludendorff shrugged. “I’m on your side, remember?”

  “Then help Galyan find the Iron Lady.”

  Ludendorff spread his seamed hands.

  Maddox rose abruptly and left to call the Lord High Admiral’s office. Fletcher couldn’t speak to him right now. The secretary asked if he would like to leave a message. Maddox thought about it and finally directly asked about his grandmother’s whereabouts.

  Crickets.

  “I’ve had enough of this,” Maddox said later from the bridge where he’d been brooding. “Galyan.”

  “I am sorry, sir,” the holoimage said upon appearance. “I can find no record of your grandmother.”

  “What does that imply to you?”

  “A fearsome intellect,” Galyan said. “Scrubbing every vestige of her is an amazing feat.”

  “Yes,” Maddox said, rubbing his chin. He stared nowhere in particular with a hooded gaze. Finally, he stared at Galyan. “You have a new assignment. I’m supposed to meet with Commodore Akon Chom of Political Intelligence. I want a rundown on him. Find out all you can about him.”

  “Will do,” Galyan said.

  During all this, Victory bored in until the starship slowed as the three battlewagons reached its vicinity. The battleships smartly maneuvered until they surrounded the larger starship, and they all headed for Earth.

  When the four vessels passed the Moon, they each began slowing as they maneuvered for orbital entry.

  At that point, Galyan gave his report in Maddox’s chambers. Meta was out.

  Akon Chom was from the Sigma Draconis System. He had been born and raised on the planet Daroca, a Spartan society known for harsh competition and fierce soldiers. Many of them became Space Marines. Some of the best combat space officers were from Daroca.

  “Why did Director Chom go into Intelligence?” Maddox asked.

  “I think you will find this interesting,” Galyan said. “Chom changed course a little over four years ago.”

  Maddox’s eyes lit up. “He was at Jarnevon?”

  “That is good, Captain. You are correct. He is a hardcore officer, one of the first to join a small group becoming the Humanity Manifesto true believers. HM—”

  “I’m well acquainted with their philosophies,” Maddox said. “Ludendorff has filled my ears with it. They want to get rid of the Methuselah Men, the New Men, the Spacers—what’s wrong?”

  “Do they want to get rid of me, too?” asked Galyan.

  “I don’t know. Probably.”

  “After all I have done for humans?” Galyan asked.

  “It’s an outrage,” Maddox said without heat.

  “Oh. I forgot, sir. You have saved humanity many times over. They should kiss your feet instead of spit in your face.”

  “Yeah,” Maddox said. “Thanks for the report. I’m going to get some shuteye.”

  Galyan disappeared.

  Four hours later, Maddox found
himself in the cafeteria, picking up a steaming cup of coffee. He hadn’t slept well. When Meta had come to bed, he’d kissed her and gotten up. He’d wandered the corridors for a time. What had happened to his grandmother? Should he try to find her and race away to the Throne World? If Star Watch hated him, where did he belong? He wasn’t fully a New Man, even though he bet he could beat one in a fistfight, using his newfound energy to do so.

  Maddox sat in the cafeteria, sipped the scalding coffee and jerked back. Damn. That was hot. He swirled the cup, trying to cool it. He wasn’t sure how long he sat like that.

  Maddox noted movement as Galyan appeared near him.

  “Captain, we are less than ten minutes from arriving at our orbital slot. Keith is already warming up your shuttle. Did you not hear Valerie calling for you?”

  “No,” Maddox said.

  “Are you well, sir? You seem distracted.”

  “I’ll pilot myself down today.”

  “Oh,” Galyan said. “That is unusual, sir.”

  “It’s good to keep in practice,” Maddox said, standing. He did not add that he wanted Keith upstairs near a jumpfighter. He was having a premonition about this.

  Maddox took a gun belt and weapon from the table and belted it around his waist, buckling it. Afterward, he opened the flap, drew the blaster and checked its charge, shoving the weapon back into the holster. He headed for the hatch.

  “Perhaps I should join you, sir,” Galyan said.

  Maddox shook his head.

  “Perhaps I should go dim and—”

  “No,” Maddox said. “Not this time.”

  “But—”

  “That’s an order, Galyan.”

  “Yes, sir. Please be careful, sir.”

  “We’ll see,” Maddox said. With that, he headed for the exit. It was time to find out what had happened to his beloved grandmother, Mary O’Hara.

  -2-

  Maddox went down fast from orbit, picking up three strikefighters as he entered the stratosphere. The sleek one-man fighters flanked him, giving him ongoing commands concerning his flight path and speed.

  Maddox obeyed without comment. He did note through his sensors that the strikefighters had hot weapons targeted on his shuttle. Would Nostradamus order them to kill him and be done with it?