The Lost Patrol

by Vaughn Heppner

  Shu halted before a hatch. She turned, stepped near Maddox and touched his left forearm. He towered over her.

  “May the Spirit guide you, Captain. I shall say a litany for you, that you guard your tongue.”

  “Thank you,” he said.

  She stepped to the left, facing the hatch. It dilated open. “Go,” she whispered.

  Maddox glanced at her, at her serious manner. He glanced at the sentries. They knelt, with their foreheads pressed against the deck.

  “You must go now,” Shu said. “Time is precious.”

  Maddox squared his shoulders and marched through the hatch into a small chamber. Behind him, the hatch closed and the chamber darkened.

  Maddox tensed.

  Immediately, a glow began at his side. The captain faced it. An old woman sat on a dais in a throne-like chair. She wore goggles and had a white polar bear fur wrapped around herself. She had wrinkled features and white hair. It occurred to Maddox that he’d never seen hair on a Spacer before. They wore skullcaps, hiding any hair.

  “Come closer,” she said in a hoarse voice.

  Maddox did so.

  “You are taller than I expected,” she said.

  He inclined his head.

  “Come, hurry,” she said. “You must kneel before me.”

  Maddox took another step closer, crossing his arms, looking down upon the old woman.

  “Are you too proud to kneel, Captain?”

  “I suppose that’s one answer,” he said. “The other might be that my cultural upbringing prohibits me from kneeling to another person.”

  “Pride,” she said, shaking her head.

  “Slaves kneel, Ma’am, not free men.”

  “Would you kneel to the Spirit?” she asked.

  “That would depend.”

  “On what?”

  “If by ‘the Spirit’ you are referring to the Creator.”

  Maddox had said a few words to Him before the gravity beam had halted his fall. The fear he’d felt had departed, but the taste of it had darkened his mood.

  “I am referring to the Creator, yes,” the Visionary said.

  “I would kneel to Him,” Maddox answered.

  “Hmm, perhaps there is hope for you, Captain. Do you know why you are here?”

  “I haven’t a clue.”

  “You are di-far. We knew this after you defeated the alien Destroyer. Since then you have seen a Builder, returning to Earth with its children, the Kai-Kaus. They have brought technological gifts to the Commonwealth. Yes, you are di-far, perhaps the greatest of the human race.”

  “I see,” Maddox said.

  “No. You do not see. I do, though. I am the Visionary. I can peer into the future when the conditions are right.”

  “Like now?” he asked.

  “This is the worst moment of all. Even as we speak, your people have launched interceptors that race here. We have but moments left together. Then, we must vanish from Earth.”

  “You can do that?”

  “We can do many things you Earthbound cannot fathom.”

  “Why is this?”

  “I do not have time to explain. Now, attend me. Di-far has many meanings. The critical one concerning you is ‘knot of decision.’”

  “That doesn’t help me to understand,” Maddox said.

  “Sometimes a person arises who brings about great changes. It is a mistaken belief to think that this person causes the changes through his own strength. That is clearly not the case.”

  “Of course not,” Maddox said.

  “Captain, I believe the Provost Marshal spoke to you about decorum.”

  “She did.”

  “I am an old woman, frail and feeble to your eyes. You think it safe to mock me.”

  “I assure you, Ma’am—”

  “Quiet, Captain. Listen before you lose your life.”

  “You’re threatening me?”

  “No, no, you misunderstand. Your arrogance, your New Man nature blinds you to reality. You must learn to control it.”

  “You stir dangerous waters, Ma’am,” Maddox said, as his features stiffened.

  She shook her head. “You’re so young, so alive and full of yourself. You do not realize that the Spirit uses you.”

  “Because I’m di-far?” he said.

  “No, no, you’re di-far because the Spirit uses you as a change vessel. Many…currents flow through you. These currents are paths, choices or ways of acting. When they flow through you, Captain, you have the power to redirect them. Instead of going straight, you can take a new way.”

  “Can you be a bit more specific?” he asked.

  “A current flowed through you when you entered the alien Destroyer. The path of universal human destruction derailed. You shifted humanity onto a new path of possibility, one that is still playing out.”

  “And this change didn’t happen because of my decisions or actions?”

  “Of course you were the cause. It would be foolish to think otherwise. I’m trying to point out it wasn’t your strength that caused the path change. No mortal has that kind of power. The only logical answer is that someone gifted you the strength. Who is this mysterious benefactor? The answer is obvious: the Spirit gave you the power. He worked through you, making you di-far.”

  “Let me see if I understand,” Maddox said. “I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I’m a…station for the current. The Spirit used me as a switch, derailing humanity’s doom, putting us onto a different path.”

  “Crudely stated, but accurate nonetheless.”

  “If I’m not responsible for the change, why bother telling me any of this?”

  “I have stung your pride, I see. If you wish to continue being di-far, you must learn humility. You must see what is actually taking place. Otherwise, conceit will end your usefulness. The Spirit will choose another.”

  As she spoke, the deck shifted under Maddox’s feet. The old woman looked about in alarm.

  “I take it our time is up,” Maddox said. “Star Watch interceptors are here, I presume, firing at us. What message do you have for the Lord High Admiral?”

  “You must keep our conversation a secret.”

  Maddox shook his head. “It’s your turn to be di-far, as the Spacers are going to have to make a choice. Are you with us or against us?”

  “It is not that simple.”

  The deck shuddered again. This time, Maddox was ready for it. He didn’t stagger as far as before.

  “I think you Spacers stumbled upon Builder tech,” Maddox said. “Star Watch could use that. You must help us find the Swarm Imperium and the New Men’s Throne World.”

  “You are not here to lecture me, young man. You have entered my sanctum so you may learn humility before your pride destroys you. Remember what I have told you.”

  Maddox realized they spoke at cross-purposes. So be it. “If the Spacers don’t help Star Watch, you’ll go down once we’re gone.”

  “Not so,” the Visionary said, sitting straighter. “We know avenues of which you have no conception.”

  The hatch opened as a klaxon wailed in the outer hall. One of the provost sentries rushed in with a bundle in his hands. He pitched it to Maddox. Behind the sentry raced Shu 15.

  “Come,” she said, motioning to Maddox. “You must leave before they destroy our vessel.”

  “Why are you in league with the androids?” Maddox shouted at the Visionary.

  “You continue to misinterpret events,” the Visionary said. “We spied on the androids to see what they would do to you. As we watched you destroy each of them in turn, it became obvious the Spirit was still with you. You are still di-far. Thus, we thought it best to warn you. More currents are connecting inside you, Captain—”

  This time, the bulkheads shuddered as well as the deck. An explosion deeper in the airship caused even more shaking than before.

  “Come!” Shu shouted, grabbing one of Maddox’s sleeves. “There’s no more time. You must leave.”

&n
bsp; Maddox allowed her to drag him out of the Visionary’s sanctum. They reentered the chamber where he’d first landed.

  “Run!” Shu shouted. “Follow me!”

  Maddox ran with her as he clutched the bundle. It looked like a parachute. The belly hatch dilated open, and the worst shivering and shuddering so far made both of them stagger toward the opening.

  Shu’s feet stepped upon air. She shrieked and tightened her grip but fell anyway, the force ripping her fingers from Maddox’s sleeve. The jerk and the shivering deck caused Maddox to lose his balance, a sickening feeling overtaking him as he tumbled out of the airship.

  -6-

  As Maddox plummeted from the airship, he noticed several things at once. First, the Spacer vehicle had a similarity to the Dyson sphere saucers in the Builder System. Second, a Star Watch interceptor roared past the airship. Almost immediately, a missile ignited against the Spacer vehicle, blowing away hull armor.

  That had to be the cause of the airship’s repeated, interior shocks.

  Third, Shu 15 was below him, her limbs writhing as a faint shriek drifted upward. Fourth, the airship had lifted considerably since his capture. That gave him a little more time before he hit the ground.

  Maddox had a slit-eyed gaze as wind tore at his face and garments, trying to rip the parachute from his grip. With fierce concentration, he slid his arms and legs through the harness, cinching a belt around his waist.

  By the time he finished, the airship moved away with unbelievable velocity like the fabled UFOs of legend, seeming to defy normal physics. One thing was clear. The Visionary wasn’t going to rescue Shu. If the Provost Marshal were going to live, he would have to do something about it.

  Maddox gauged the distance to Shu and then to the ground. He didn’t have much time left. Without further thought, he swept his arms to his sides, shifted his weight and plunged headfirst, cutting through the air faster than before. He gained on her. Luckily, she had assumed a skydiving posture, slowing her rate of descent.

  Maddox grinned harshly, reveling in the challenge. He could reach her, he—

  He spied a plume from the ground. A rocket, roaring upward. Flames lengthened behind it. The rocket climbed with great velocity, aiming at Shu. Someone on the ground had targeted her. Maddox would like to know why.

  He tilted his feet so his toes pointed at the hidden stars. He had already begun to slow his descent so he wouldn’t crash against her too hard. Now, he realized he had to get to Shu before the missile did. He was risking his life doing this—

  “Balls,” he whispered.

  Maddox slashed through the air like a rapier, concentrating—the rocket had almost reached Shu 15.

  The captain slammed against Shu, grabbing her in a flying tackle. If he’d hit her lower back like that, it might have crippled her. She grunted forcefully, the wind likely knocked out of her, and went limp.

  Maddox grabbed with his arms and wrapped his legs around her lower torso. He aimed them both straight down.

  The rocket zoomed higher than they were and exploded. Shrapnel hissed past. One piece burned against Maddox’s side. Another slammed against him on the bundle. Had it destroyed the parachute?

  Maddox had no idea. He couldn’t worry about it. He hoped the Visionary was even half-right and the Spirit, the Creator, helped him. He was going to need it.

  With perfect body control and strength, Maddox moved them into a skydiving position even as he clutched a limp Provost Marshal. That slowed their rate of descent a little.

  He scanned the nearing ground for a missile launcher. Apparently, so did two interceptors, the planes roaring over the deck, hunting for a launcher.

  “Are you awake?” he shouted into Shu’s right ear. He heard a faint reply and felt movement in his grip. “Turn around,” he told her, “and grab me.”

  Shu twisted in his grip, clutching his torso with manic strength, pressing her body against his.

  Here it was then, the decisive moment. Maddox tore his right arm free from her.

  Shu whimpered, and as impossible as it seemed, tightened her hold.

  Maddox found the deployment handle, and pulled. Nothing happened.

  We’re dead, I guess.

  Then the parachute blossomed, the silk bursting free as the lines followed. A moment later, a clap of noise and a jerk told Maddox the shrapnel hadn’t destroyed their salvation. The two of them began to float to Earth.

  Shu buried her face against Maddox’s chest, shuddering as she began to sob.

  Maddox readied himself for impact as the ground rushed up. He’d almost rescued them both.

  -7-

  For the second time that day, Maddox climbed out of parachute silk draped over him. This time, he assisted Shu 15 to do the same.

  He slithered free of the harness and looked around. A barn and a two-story house stood a kilometer away. Closer by were a pair of rolling hills covered with grape vines, and a dirt road.

  “I’m alive,” Shu said.

  “And more grateful for life because of it,” Maddox said, as he scanned the sky.

  “Yes,” she said, a moment later. “That’s true. It’s glorious to breathe, to see and smell the lovely air. Captain, is this why you skydive from space?”

  “One of the reasons,” he said.

  “I believe I understand. This is incredible. Who would have believed it?”

  “The Visionary, possibly,” Maddox said.

  The captain looked at Shu to see her reaction. As he did, two interceptors roared overhead. One of the pilots waggled his wings from side-to-side. There was no sign of the Spacer airship.

  The Provost Marshal stared at Maddox through her goggles. She appeared thoughtful. “I wonder if the Visionary did foresee this. Why wouldn’t she have told me, then?”

  “That might have changed the future,” Maddox said.

  “Of course,” Shu said breathlessly. “I must—” The intensity of her stare increased, or it must have, because her body language indicated that. The dark goggles hid her eyes.

  “You’ve just seen the future?” Maddox asked.

  “One particle of it,” she said in all seriousness. “I’m to join your expedition.”

  “What expedition would that be?”

  “You’re always traveling into the Beyond. It’s why you’re the captain of Victory. Truly, I don’t have to have the Visionary’s bloodline to have foreseen that.”

  “No. I suppose not.”

  She stepped closer, saying breathlessly. “Thank you for what you did.”

  He nodded.

  “You saved my life.” Before he could respond, Shu stepped closer still, stretched up onto her tiptoes and kissed him. Then, she backed away, looking shocked.

  “I don’t know why I just did that,” she said.

  “Perhaps it was a natural outflow of survival,” he said, “the exuberance of life exhibiting itself in the warmest manner possible.”

  She looked at him, and said archly, “That wasn’t the warmest possible response.”

  Maddox smiled. Her words made him curious. This wasn’t like the Provost Marshal in the Lin Ru Hotel, not in the least. She had been stark and serious then. Today…she acted contrary. Was the kiss a true reaction, a ploy or maybe a combination of both?

  She turned away suddenly, as if flustered, shaking her head. “I’m normally not like this.”

  “I won’t tell anyone,” he said.

  “Don’t make fun of me, please.”

  “Provost Marshal—”

  “Please, call me Shu. We’re…we’re friends now, aren’t we?”

  “Of course,” he said.

  “Do you mind if I sit down? I’m finding it difficult to keep standing. My knees—” Shu almost collapsed as she sat on the grass.

  Maddox looked away. She had almost died falling out of the airship. This could be a reaction to that. And yet…her actions seemed feigned. Could she have staged the fall, would she have dared? He decided to see what she might be willing to tell him in t
his disoriented state.

  “Do Spacers really loathe androids?” Maddox asked.

  Shu shuddered. “I thought everyone knew that.”

  “Hmmm… Do you have any idea who fired the rocket?”

  “Whoever used the androids,” she said.

  “What is the Spacer speculation about the androids?”

  “The Builders made them. So it’s likely someone familiar with Builder technology.”

  “Such as Spacers?” he asked.

  “What?” she said. “Oh, no.”

  “The nature of your airship causes me to suspect the Spacers stumbled onto Builder technology sometime in the past.”

  Shu’s brow wrinkled. “Did the Visionary name you?”

  “Are you referring to the di-far?”

  “You are named,” she said breathlessly. “No wonder you caught me in the air. And your insights, the Spirit gives them to you.” She smiled. “I am wrapped within a blessing. This is marvelous and terrifying.”

  Maddox looked away. This was becoming embarrassing. It was one thing for a woman to fall in love with him for rescuing her from certain death. But to be the object of religious fervor…it unsettled him. Still, a good Intelligence operative should use any opening to learn more.

  “Where did the Spacers find their Builder technology?” Maddox asked.

  Shu shook her head.

  Maddox took her gesture to mean that she didn’t know, not that she wouldn’t tell him. “What is the official reason for the Spacers remaining so remote from the rest of humanity?”

  “The Visionary named you,” Shu said to herself. “I had wondered about you, but to know you’re di-far…” She shook her head in amazement.

  Maddox shifted uncomfortably, forcing another question. “Why do Spacers hate androids so intently?”

  Shu looked up at him. “They are an abomination, an imitation of life that is nonlife. Surely, you can see that. They mock the Spirit.”

  “And robots?”

  “We only loathe robots made in human likeness. A factory robot that is part of an assembly line is acceptable.”

  “So this…loathing is religious in nature?”