“Ma’am, this is all very exciting. But I’m going to request a rest for me and my crew. I imagine we’re going to enter the fire again very soon. I want to do it with refreshed people.”
“What about the assassination attempts on your person?”
“Not to worry, Ma’am. I have a plan.”
O’Hara studied him, finally reaching across her desk to hold one of his hands. “I’m glad you’re back…Captain. Every time you leave… Well, yes, take your rest. If anyone has earned it, it’s you. We can talk again soon.”
Maddox squeezed her hand and stood up. He headed for the door, trying to decide where he was going to take Meta to dinner tonight. He would take her dancing later and find a romantic location for a midnight walk. He wanted to spend an entire evening staring into Meta’s eyes…
-76-
Shu 15 sat deep underground in an old abandoned gold mine in a place once known as South Africa. Without the air-conditioning, it would have been hot way down here. Instead, it was comfortably cool.
Shu sat inside a spacious chamber at a rather large table. Antique papers created several neat piles.
She took the next paper from the nearest pile. A quick study showed her it was an intercepted message from one Spacer cargo hauler to another.
Shu underlined a sentence in red. She put a one at the end of the sentence and flipped the paper, scribbling a one on the back and circling it. Then, she began to write what the coded Spacer message meant.
Once finished with that, she flipped the paper to the front and continued to read. That was the only coded reference she could detect in the message.
Shu slapped the paper onto her completed pile and reached for another.
A lock rattled.
Shu swiveled around, waiting. Was it lunchtime already? That didn’t seem right. She wasn’t hungry yet.
The heavy door swung open and a brisk older lady stepped within.
“You can wait outside,” the older woman said.
The Marine closed the door but didn’t lock it.
“Hello, Shu. I’m Brigadier Mary O’Hara of—”
“Star Watch Intelligence,” Shu finished. “I know who you are. Would you like to have a seat?”
O’Hara nodded, walking across the chamber and sitting down in a chair across from Shu.
The two looked at each other.
“How long do you plan to keep me down here?” Shu asked.
“That depends on you. If you tire of the arrangement, you can submit to surgery. Afterward, we can give you a normal office in a city somewhere. As it is, we can’t risk having you near electronic devices. You might have changed your mind, or you might change it sometime in the future and alert your former colleagues.”
“I’m not a traitor to the Spacers.”
“I would never suggest otherwise,” O’Hara said.
“You just did.”
“An ill choice of words, I’m afraid.”
Shu shook her head. “I understand what you’re thinking. It’s wrong, though. I wouldn’t do any of this if I believed I was betraying the Spacers. I think of myself as the most loyal Spacer of all. I want to help my people see the truth. I don’t think they can do that under the present leadership.”
O’Hara became thoughtful.
“I’ll stay down here,” Shu said. “I earned my adaptations. I’m proud of them and of my work with them. I could never part with them, not even to save my life.”
“What about the compulsions the Visionary added with the adaptations?” O’Hara asked.
“Doctor Rich was working with me on Victory. I took the Amber-Clayton psyche test.”
“I’ve read the results,” O’Hara said.
“Doctor Rich had begun the deprogramming.”
“Shu,” O’Hara said, sitting forward. “I don’t think it’s going to work like that. The programming is on a fundamentally deeper level. It’s not strictly psychological, but electrical. If you want to be free from the compulsions, you’re going to have to remove the adaptations.”
“I don’t accept that. I think most of it is psychological. I would appreciate it if Dana could continue my deprogramming.”
“What if Doctor Rich is otherwise engaged?”
Shu shook her head. “I won’t work with anyone else.”
O’Hara seemed to make a mental notation of that.
“I realize you want to use me as an Intelligence asset,” Shu said. “That’s a mistake. I would be better used as a reformer. You should let me go and allow me to sway other Spacers to accept the truth of our origin.”
“Maybe in time,” O’Hara murmured.
Shu frowned. “You’re using my hope like a carrot. I do not appreciate that. I consider it ill-willed.”
O’Hara’s lips tightened. She leaned closer toward Shu, and there was menace in her bearing. “You showed ill-will toward my—”
“Yes?” Shu asked.
“Toward my best agent,” O’Hara said quickly.
Shu sat silently, soon nodding. “I’m beginning to understand. This is revenge for my working against Maddox. He wouldn’t have succeeded without me. Have you thought of that?”
“I have,” O’Hara said. “I have also considered how you almost derailed the mission several times.”
“Your…best agent helped me to see the truth. I’m grateful for that. But none of that matters, Brigadier. I’ve been out there. I’ve seen what’s waiting for humanity. We must all work together. The Spacers are part of the human race. Release me and let me bring my people into the greater fold of Star Watch.”
O’Hara looked away. “I believe you’re in earnest when you say that. But the risks and your compulsions…let’s try this my way for a time.” She faced the Spacer. “If over time you cooperate fully and it seems we’re no closer to winning the Spacers to our cause…then we’ll try it your way.”
“I hope you’re being genuine in that, Brigadier.”
“I am,” O’Hara said.
Shu studied the head of Star Watch Intelligence. Finally, she stood and held out her hand.
O’Hara rose and the two women shook hands.
“I’d better get back to work,” Shu said. “I have the feeling we don’t have much time left. More than anything, I want to save my people.”
“Yes,” O’Hara said. “It is time for all of us to work while it’s still daylight. The night may close on all of us, all too suddenly.”
The brigadier rapped on the door, soon departing.
Shu sat back down at the table, reaching for another paper.
***
Strand was in his cabin aboard his star cruiser when the long-range communicator began to buzz.
The Methuselah Man stared at the ancient device. Few knew that he had one of these. There were very few of them in existence. He’d attempted during the past few years to learn how to eavesdrop on others making interstellar calls. To date, he’d had one success: the ability to pinpoint the direction of the messages. Unfortunately, he had neither learned how to narrow down the originating star system or the targeted system. But that was all right. He had time.
His communicator buzzed again.
Strand rose from his chair. He’d been sitting at his worktable, developing a special handgun.
Reluctantly, he approached the ancient unit. Could the caller use this against him? If he accepted the message, would that help a person pinpoint his location?
Strand stepped to a panel, tapping it. The bridge crew did not spot any vessels, cloaked or otherwise in the star system.
Once more, the long-distance communicator buzzed. Almost as if compelled against his will, Strand lifted the microphone, depressing a switch.
“Who is this?” Strand said into the mic.
A familiar chuckle came out of the speaker.
“Ludendorff?” Strand asked in disbelief.
“Nice try, old boy,” the professor said.
“What are you talking about?”
The chuckle sounded again,
this time with a hint of menace. “Do you suppose I don’t know who caused the Xerxes Nexus to explode?”
“What is this?” Strand asked, trying to sound surprised and outraged all at once. “The Xerxes Nexus is gone? What did you do to it?”
“It appears I played into your hands this time,” the professor said. “But I survived the trap. I thought I’d call you and let you know. I knew you had a communicator. And I’m pretty certain you didn’t think I knew. Well, I’m letting you know you were wrong. I’m doing it to piss you off, get under your skin. Am I getting under your skin yet, old boy?”
“I had nothing to do with the Xerxes Nexus,” Strand said.
“I know your fingerprints. I know your ways. You’re doomed, Strand. The old days are passing. I just thought I’d let you know. But before this is over, I’m going to cage you and present you to… Hmmm, who would you hate the most? Yes, I know. I’m going to catch you and give you to the Emperor. You’ll end your days on the Throne World, a prisoner of the people you thought to enslave.”
Strand silently fumed. He hated making idle threats. So he listened, certain Ludendorff had made a strategic error with this call. If he had been in Ludendorff’s place, he would have stayed low until he could spring a surprise. The professor was losing his touch. It was good to know, even if the slippery bastard had escaped such a carefully laid trap as the Nexus.
“I’ll see you soon, Strand.”
“When you do,” Strand said, unable to help himself, “you’re going to wish you hadn’t.”
The click on the line told him the professor had already hung up.
Slowly, carefully, Strand put the microphone back. He returned to his desk, but the work had lost its savor. He had been so certain. Damn Ludendorff and his smug ways. He was going to kill the professor one of these days. It was imperative he do so.
Snarling quietly, the wizened Strand hunched over his worktable, forcing himself to continue modifying the tiny raygun.
***
The android formerly known as Yen Cho strolled along the promenade of the most expensive luxury habitat in Earth orbit.
His new legs worked fine, although not as well as his original pair. He had spent some harrowing days escaping Star Watch Intelligence. The Earthlings were getting better all the time. They still could not compete with him, though. He knew the humans too well.
The android moved to the vast middle pool area and lay on a recliner, pretending to read a tablet. This was a special pool in a low gravity spot in the habitat. The humans could make incredible dives because of the low gravity, their velocity much less than it would have been on Earth.
He set down the tablet, watching a skilled diver. The lean man wore a dark swimsuit. He had no fat, and steely muscles. It was Captain Maddox, of course.
The pool here wrapped around the middle of the low gravity area like a bracelet around a woman’s wrist. The habitat rotated on its axis, giving it pseudo-gravity just as if a kid swung a bucket of water around and around.
A skilled diver could use that, and Captain Maddox did. He flew off his diving board, heading to another one on the other side of the low gravity center.
Ah, the captain bounced off that board, gaining velocity as he headed for another. The man was showing off.
On the walkway around the circular band of a pool were many watchers. The android saw Keith Maker and Valerie. They both wore swimsuits. Yen Cho spied the beautiful Meta in her stunning bikini. Even Sergeant Riker lay on a recliner, reading a gardening magazine. Yen Cho did not see Dana or the professor, which didn’t surprise him.
The android looked up at Maddox. The captain bounced off the fourth diving board, and changed his trajectory as he did. Maddox dove for the water, zipping into it and creating almost no splash. The low gravity had a lot to do with that, but so did the captain’s skill.
The android watched Maddox surface. The captain waved to Meta, beckoning her to join him in the pool.
The android doubted she would do that. Meta did not like water. Her time on Loki Prime had much to do with that. At least, that’s what her profile said.
The android slid off the recliner. He began to walk marginally faster. There was a woman down the way…he didn’t like the way her head moved. It indicated something to him.
Meta reluctantly moved to the side of the pool as Maddox swam to her.
The android could hear the captain.
“The water’s warm,” Maddox said. “You should come in.”
“Maybe later,” Meta said.
The android knew that was an evasion. Maybe the captain did too. Maddox jumped away from her, beginning to do the backstroke.
The android moved just a little faster as the woman with the odd head movement raised her arm. She pretended to point at someone. Then, she moved the arm, aligning a pointing finger at the swimming captain.
“Excuse me,” the former Yen Cho said.
The woman’s head twitched to stare at him. It took her a second. “Why are you here?” she asked.
The android reached out, took her hand, and let a shock of primal energy jolt into her.
The woman—she was an android too—stiffened. She seemed shocked and tried to form words. That was impossible now.
Yen Cho laid her on the recliner. “Sleep,” he said.
Her head moved oddly one last time. She tried to look at him, but failed. Her eyes closed and she began to simulate rhythmic breathing.
He would have to come back in an hour and appear to help her. In reality, he would take her to a disposal unit.
The android became thoughtful. One of his newest purposes was protecting Captain Maddox. His group had decided that Maddox was an asset in helping them keep their freedom. His action aboard Victory in the Chitin-Swarm System and the captain’s willingness to let him go afterward in exchange for critical data helped them reach that conclusion.
“Yen Cho?” Maddox asked softly.
The android turned in surprise to find the captain at the edge of the pool, with his arms on the side of the pool and water dripping from his hair.
“Who is she?” Maddox asked.
“Please, Captain,” the android said. “You cannot afford to let me be caught. Your life will be forfeit if that happens.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“She belongs to the other side,” the android said.
“The other android side?” Maddox asked.
“I dare not answer that.”
Maddox studied him. Then, the captain pointed out a far window. “Do you see that?”
The android looked where the captain pointed. It was a space window. “I see it.”
“Starship Victory is out there. Galyan spotted you some time ago. We’ve been watching you watch us.”
The android’s shoulders slumped. “I’m getting old. I should have spotted the differences in you. What are you going to do now?”
“Keep swimming for a while and go have some wine for lunch.”
“That is not what I mean.”
Maddox looked across the pool at Keith and Valerie where they chattered together. “Do you see them?”
The android said he did.
“I think they’re good for each other,” Maddox said. “What do you think?”
“Captain, this is a senseless conversation. Are you going to report me or not?”
“I am,” Maddox said.
The android grew tense, silently fanning through his options. None of them were good.
“First,” Maddox said, “I’m going to swim several laps around the pool. Then, I’m going to have that glass of wine. Afterward, I’ll have to call Geneva and inform the brigadier about you.”
“Thank you,” the android said. “That will be sufficient.”
“Excellent,” Maddox said. “Until we meet again.”
“Yes, Captain, until then.”
With that said, Captain Maddox leaped from the poolside, once more practicing his backstroke as Meta watched, with a towel
over her hand.
The android got up and walked away, realizing the Rouen Colony woman could have shot him at any time. Maybe the human race had a chance after all. Maybe his long years as one of the watchers was finally winding down.
The android put that from his mind as he concentrated on his contingency escape plan.
-77-
Many thousands of light-years away, Commander Thrax Ti Ix clicked his pincers. He was overjoyed. He had passed the tests. The Imperial Family had accepted him as Swarm. Now, he could begin his great mission, finishing what he’d started in the Dyson sphere.
The Time of the Great Migration and the Great Extinction were finally at hand.
The End
To the Reader: Thanks! I hope you’ve enjoyed The Lost Patrol. If you liked the book and would like to see the series continue, please put up some stars and a review. Let new readers know what’s in store for them.
—Vaughn Heppner
The Lost Patrol Page 41