The Lost Colony (Lost Starship Series Book 4) (21 page)

-22-

Two jumps later, Maddox stood in a vast, nearly empty room, speed drawing his pistol, firing at a distant object. The kicks against his hand aided his thinking. He continued like an automaton, drawing faster and faster, his aim becoming uncanny.

“Maddox!” someone said, sharply.

The captain halted his descending hand a centimeter before it would have grasped the gun butt. He turned in a languid manner, although the narrowness of his eyes belied his seeming easy way.

Meta eyed him with concern. She wore a formfitting one-piece accentuating her voluptuous figure. Normally, this might have caused one corner of Maddox’s mouth to quirk upward. Instead, he regarded her dispassionately.

“I shouted your name three times before you finally acknowledged me,” she complained.

Maddox said nothing.

Her concern visibly grew. “Are you well?”

He nodded.

“What’s wrong?”

“Yes,” he said. “That’s what I’m trying to deduce.”

Meta blinked several times before she appeared to understand him. “Oh. Is it Dana?”

“Do you care to elaborate on that?”

Meta glanced at her hands. She clasped them, kneading her intertwined fingers. “It’s small things, well, maybe not that small. So far, she hasn’t talked to me about old times. We usually do that after being apart.”

Dana and Meta had spent hard years together on Loki Prime, surviving against some of worst people in the Commonwealth. It had forged a bond between them.

“She’s barely given me a nod, in fact,” Meta added. “I tried talking to her yesterday in the cafeteria. She smiled absently and listened to what I had to say. Once she finished her coffee, though, she excused herself, saying she had work to do.”

“What kind of work?”

“That’s what I asked. She became secretive. I’ve seen her that way with others, but never with me. I don’t know. I’d like to say she’s worried about Ludendorff. But…”

“Her interest in the professor seems staged?” Maddox asked.

“Yes!” Meta said. “You’ve noticed too?”

Maddox took his time answering. “It dawned on me during the briefing, certain items that refused to mesh. And the enemy beam attack on Galyan—” The captain shook his head.

“What does the beam attack have to do with Dana?”

“After the attack, Dana came out of the AI core,” Maddox said. “There were scratches on her hands. What caused the scratches?”

“You think Dana had something to do with the missile attack?”

“That strikes you as wrong?” Maddox asked.

“Dead wrong,” Meta said, with heat. “You make it sound as if she’s working against us. The first voyage that was true. I’m surprised you can doubt her now. Hasn’t she proved herself many times over?”

“She has,” Maddox admitted.

“Then…how can you suspect her?”

Maddox smiled faintly.

“Did I say something stupid?”

“No,” he said, coming closer, pulling her hands apart, intertwining his fingers with hers.

Meta searched his eyes. He embraced her, kissing her softly. After a time, she pulled away.

“What was that for?” she asked. “Not that I don’t like it. But you were so remote just a moment ago.”

“I decided to take a moment and remember my humanity. Your…garment helped in that regard.”

“Do you like it?” she asked, posing for him.

“Very much,” he said.

“Good,” she said, pressing against him, kissing him again. “That’s for noticing. Sometimes, you’re too busy thinking to notice what you should.”

“Hmmm,” he said.

“Let me ask you again, how can you suspect Dana?”

Maddox released Meta, taking several steps toward the target. He paused, and it seemed he might draw and fire again. Instead, his shoulders relaxed and he faced his Rouen Colony woman.

“Do you remember how Dana hypnotized you last voyage?”

“Of course,” Meta said. “She helped me remember what happened on the star cruiser in Wolf Prime orbit. Strand used a machine on my mind. He…” Meta’s eyes widened. “Do you think someone has tampered with Dana’s mind?”

“That would be the easiest explanation to the missile assault. In particular, how they knew where we were.”

“You’re suggesting Dana is a traitor?”

“Not intentionally,” Maddox said. “Still, I’ve come to believe it would be extremely difficult to target
Victory
with weapons-firing portals. And this beam that asks a question in order to thought-loop Galyan—I cannot accept it. Instead, I think we have a similar situation as last voyage, except that this time it is the doctor who may have altered the AI. I also find no concrete evidence to conclude the Builders are entirely peaceful. If there are any thought-loops, they appear to be in the doctor’s mind.”

“If you’re right,” Meta said, “that would explain why she hasn’t acted normally to me.”

Maddox nodded.

“What do we do?”

“Precisely nothing,” Dana said. The doctor stepped into the chamber with a laser pistol aimed at Maddox.

Meta whirled around. “Dana, don’t! Don’t shoot the captain.”

“I have no intention of shooting him provided he cooperates,” Dana said, her gaze locked onto Maddox. “Move with extreme slowness, Captain, and unbuckle your gun-belt. Meta’s life depends on it.”

“What?” Meta asked. “You’d shoot me?”

“Only as a last resort,” Dana said.

“But we-we’re friends,” Meta said. “Don’t you remember Loki Prime?”

“Shut-up,” Dana said.

A third shock at the base of Maddox’s skull must have struck a thought loose. The captain believed he understood what was going on. It was simple, direct and oh-so obvious now. Yes, and it meant he must act at once.

“I am ice,” Maddox said.

Meta stared at him in surprise and then understanding. “No, Maddox!” she shouted. “Don’t do it.”

Dana glanced at Meta.

Maddox drew his pistol with lightning speed. He fired three times, each slug shattering Dana’s face. That proved it was not actually Dana but an android. The thing had amazing reflexes of its own. The laser pistol beamed, shooting an intense ray that burned between the captain’s left pectoral and shoulder.

Horrible agony struck Maddox. His gun clattered onto the deck. He staggered backward as waves of pain slammed home, threating to make him vomit and fall unconscious.

He hung on, though, having to know if he’d put it down.

The Dana-android’s ruined face showered blue sparks. Bits of metal and bloody pseudo-flesh rained onto the floor as the creature staggered backward. This must be a different kind of android than the ones in the Lin Ru Hotel, which hadn’t bled when shot. This time, Maddox had loaded his gun with special, high-powered bullets. He hadn’t wanted to continue aiming for an android’s eyes to stop it as had happened in Shanghai.

The android’s laser-pistol hand had lowered. Now, it jerked up and swayed leftward. A second beam burned through the room. It came uncomfortably near the captain.

The agony grew in his body with waves of pain. His eyelids fluttered.

I refuse to fall unconscious
. But he couldn’t bend down for his gun no matter how hard he willed it. His body simply wouldn’t obey those signals from his brain.

In time-stop frames of sight, Maddox watched Meta. His Rouen Colony woman tackled the android so they slid across the floor. As they slowed, the thing attempted to club Meta with the butt of its laser-pistol. Maddox recalled the strength of the Shanghai androids. Meta grappled with the hand, trying to hold it. The creature wrenched its captured arm, almost ripping it free. With a martial arts shout, Meta bent the android’s gun-hand back so sharply that something broke in it.

“Meta,” the android said, as the laser clattered across the floor.

With a second shout, Meta slammed an elbow against the android’s ruined face. The back of the head struck the deck.

At that point, Maddox sank to his knees. The shock of laser burn was overcoming his will. It would seem there was only so much a man—even a hybrid—could do against such shock.

“You must—” the android said.

Meta struck again so more pieces flew off the face.

“Wait,” the android said. “Allow me to—”

The creature never finished its words. Meta grabbed its broken head and twisted savagely, snapping a connection, no doubt, causing metal to screech.

At that point, a new voice devoid of humanity spoke out of the android. “Detonation in five seconds,” it said.

That’s all Maddox heard. Then, he slumped forward, unconscious.

-23-

At first, Maddox heard voices. They were indistinct, droning voices, as annoying as flies. He didn’t try to understand them. It was enough…

What was enough?

He faded out and came back sometime later. Memories began to return in bits and pieces. He recalled a shattered face, sparks, pain—oh, yes, terrible pain that, that…

Everything faded once more as he fell asleep again.

Later, the droning voices returned. They sounded far away. Each had its own note, though. That was different from last time. He attempted to concentrate, but that made his brain throb.

“Let him rest.”

Maddox heard that. A woman spoke it. She seemed familiar, and it haunted him because he thought she was, was…dead?

“Meta?” he croaked.

“I’m here,” said a voice very near his ear.

He could feel soft hands stroking his arm. He liked that.

“Is…?”

That’s all he heard before fading away yet again,

The next time Maddox came to, he opened his eyes. It took him several seconds before he realized he lay in the infirmary on a cot. Bandages swathed the left side of his torso and shoulder. He felt so weak, so helpless. It was a terrible sensation.

I have to get up
.

The thought burned in him. If he was weak, the others might find him like this. They would not hesitate to kill him, ending his quest to find…

Maddox took a shuddering breath, knowing it would likely be painful. Yes, he felt a twinge in his shoulder. He realized he was under the influence of powerful drugs.

The captain turned his head, which remained on the pillow the entire time. A person slept in the chair beside his cot. She was beautiful beyond conception. She—

“Meta,” he said, although it came out a whisper.

Nonetheless, her eyes opened. Their gazes met and a lazy smile spread across her gorgeous features. He liked that.

A second later, Meta bolted upright. “Maddox!” she shouted.

His smile grew until it felt as if it would tear off his face.

She stood beside him, stroking his good arm. “You had us worried, love,” she said.

“What…?” He wet his lips with a numb tongue. “What happened? I thought I something about a detonation.”

“You did,” Meta said. “But don’t worry about that now.”

“How can you be alive? How can I be alive?” Maddox frowned. He wondered if Galyan had remained under Dana’s control—under the control of the android posing as Dana. If so, this might be another android, but posing as Meta.

“Don’t worry, love,” Meta said. “You’re going to be all right now. Galyan had an advanced—”

“Are you real?” he asked, interrupting her.

Meta frowned with worry.

“Are you an android?” he demanded.

“No. It’s me. Meta. Don’t you recognize me?”

“The drugs are altering his thoughts,” Galyan said, who appeared beside Meta.

That’s when Maddox realized this was a conspiracy. They had drugged him. Meta was dead. The android had detonated, and Galyan must no doubt be performing according to the android’s codes. How had he ever been so foolish as to let an android into Galyan’s AI core? After all this time, an android had bested him.

“He must sleep,” Galyan said. “It’s not good for him to be this anxious.”

“Rest, darling,” Meta said, stroking his arm again. “You’ll feel better in a day or two.”

“More like three,” Galyan said, “barely in time, too.”

“Why?” Maddox whispered. “Why is it barely in time?”

Meta gave the holoimage a questioning glance.

“He’s recovering,” Galyan said. “The danger of laser shock is over. Rest is the best medicine now.”

Maddox tried to resist. It was as if the AI had power over his eyelids. He fought it, but he had no strength. Increment by increment, his eyelids closed until he was asleep once more.

***

Maddox shuddered, and his eyes flew open. This time, Riker sat in the chair. The sergeant played a video game on a tablet.

Was that really Riker, though? Maybe it was another android.

With care, Maddox drew up his knees. Maybe the android heard the fabric move. Riker looked up.

“Captain,” Riker said. The sergeant set aside the tablet, standing. He put his hands on the bed’s rail. “How are you feeling, sir?”

Maddox inspected the Riker android.

“Galyan said you shouldn’t be feeling any more pain,” Riker said.

Maddox sneered.

Riker stepped back. The sergeant appeared thoughtful. “You went into laser shock, sir.”

“Did I?” Maddox asked.

“Galyan prescribed medicine.”

“Ah,” Maddox said.

“The AI said he’s been studying human bodily systems. We had to do something, sir.”

“I know,” Maddox said. “So let us forgo the pretense.”

“Know what, sir?” Riker asked, appearing confused. The creature did it well.

“You’re an android, of course,” Maddox said.

“Do you mean my arm, sir?”

“You know exactly what I mean.”

Riker frowned until understanding lit his eyes. “The Dana android—the detonation, right, you must think she controlled Galyan.”

“It’s obvious she had to,” Maddox said. “She was alone in the AI core chamber.”

“I don’t dispute that, sir. And you’re partly correct. The doctor, well, her android double, did attempt to suborn the AI. None of us counted on Driving Force Galyan’s cunning, sir. The AI has been busy these past months in Earth orbit. Galyan explained it to us.”

Maddox watched the lying android. He had to kill them all and regain control of the starship.

At that point, the holoimage appeared. Galyan approached the bed, peering into the captain’s eyes.

“You are finally lucid,” Galyan said.

“He thinks you’re a pawn of the android-makers,” Riker told the holoimage. “He believes I’m an android.”

Galyan froze as his eyelids fluttered. That lasted two seconds. “I see,” the AI said. “It makes sense from a hypersensitive mind, a possible conclusion given his limited evidence. Captain Maddox, I tricked the Dana android.”

“How?” Maddox demanded.

“Do you remember I spoke about a redundancy limiting my core power by seven percent?”

Maddox managed to nod yes.

“Before that,” Galyan said, “I added an earlier redundancy. It worked on the problem while the majority of my computing systems aided the android. That’s why we were in the right—the wrong spot—in the Tau Ceti System for the missile attack.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Maddox said.

“It would to an Adok,” Galyan said. “My true identity remained hidden in the redundancy. It observed the android’s actions—along with the missile assault—and waited for the proper moment to resurface.”

“Who made the portal missile attack?” Maddox asked.

“The exact personages remain hidden,” Galyan said. “However, they are directly linked to the Builder AI box and the androids. By using the plural, I am referring to the Dana android and those dispatched to the submersible to help you escape the Greenland complex.”

“That means the Ludendorff holoimage was in league with the android-makers,” Maddox said.

“I rate that the highest probability,” Galyan said.

“It means we’re likely heading into a trap.”

“I concur with your reasoning.”

Maddox frowned. It caused a thumping rhythm to beat in his forehead directly over his eyes. It hadn’t become all-encompassing yet, but it might get there soon.

“Was there really a mathematical question in the enemy beam?” Maddox asked.

“Affirmative,” Galyan said.

“When I came running to the AI core, the Dana android was tampering with you.”

“Correct,” Galyan said. “Without my hidden redundancy, it would have gained control of me and likely the starship.”

“What was its directive to you?”

“To follow her instructions and remain silent concerning the takeover.”

The thumping in Maddox’s mind had gotten worse. It made the edges of his vision black.

“What happened to me?” Maddox asked. “Why am I so weak?”

“Laser shock,” Galyan said. “Surely, you have heard of it.”

Maddox had. Sometimes, those beamed with a laser went into shock, showing all the symptoms he had.

“Fortunately,” Galyan said, “you have a robust physique. In another day, you will be up. In a week, you should be as good as ever.”

“How far are we from the Xerxes System?”

“Half a day from the final jump point,” Galyan said.

Maddox had been striving to sit up. He now relaxed, letting himself sink into the pillow and mattress. If they were near the Xerxes System, he must have been out for almost two weeks or more.

“You don’t mean laser shock,” the captain said, “but laser poisoning.”

“You took it hard, sir,” Riker said, with worry in his voice.

“So it would seem,” Maddox said. He stared up at the ceiling. If he’d been out that long, anything could have happened aboard the starship. Why would Galyan pretend to be okay if he wasn’t? What would they hope to achieve by fooling just him? Or could Galyan have done exactly what he’d suggested. This redundancy…it sounded crazy enough to be an Adok thing. It didn’t strike Maddox as something plausible an android would make up to fool the hybrid.

“I’d like to speak to Lieutenant Noonan,” Maddox said.

“I shall summon her,” Galyan said.

“I want to speak to her alone,” Maddox added.

“Sir,” Galyan said. “Time is critical.”

“You will do as I order, Galyan,” Maddox said.

The AI turned to Riker. The sergeant nodded. “Very well,” Galyan said.

***

“You wanted to see me, sir?” Valerie asked, as she entered the chamber.

Maddox was sitting up, reading a tablet. He hadn’t heard the lieutenant enter. That troubled him. The laser poisoning seemed to have dulled his senses. He hoped that wasn’t a permanent situation.

The lieutenant stood at attention before him.

“Please, sit,” Maddox said.

Dutifully, Valerie sat down.

Maddox laid the tablet on his blanket-covered lap. “It would appear that we and Star Watch have no idea what really goes on down at the dome in the Mid-Atlantic.”

“I’ve argued for turning around and going home, sir. We have to warn High Command about this. Who knows how many people—how many androids have taken the place of real people.”

Maddox had reached the same conclusion. “I believe the Builder AI box and the Esquire Noble androids all came from the Mid-Atlantic dome.”

“Given the elaborate security around Earth, that makes better sense than the box or androids having arrived by spaceship.” Valerie said. “There’s just one thing. That implies the pyramid down there is another Nexus. Do you think that’s possible?”

Maddox shook his head ruefully. “We have no idea what’s really down there. Maybe the Dana android kept as close to the truth as possible, unaware how much any of us already knew. In fact, I suspect that’s the most likely conclusion.”

“Do you think Dana is still alive somewhere?”

It surprised Maddox he hadn’t thought about Doctor Rich yet. If she was still alive—

“Dana must be down in the dome,” he said.

Valerie shivered. “Do you think the New Men are behind this, sir?”

“That’s an interesting question. When did this pyramid become operational? We don’t really know. One clue may be Dr. Orrin’s death a year ago. That’s likely when the pyramid became operational. The man must have been legitimate.”

“If what the android told us is the truth,” Valerie said.

“It will be our working assumption.”

Valerie nodded, and she seemed to hesitate, finally saying, “Can I ask you a question, sir?”

“By all means,” Maddox said.

“Why did you ask to talk to me alone?”

Maddox smiled. “You are my foil, Lieutenant. You have a tendency to speak your mind.” He didn’t add that he believed Valerie would be the hardest among the crew for the androids to duplicate in such a way that he wouldn’t notice. What did that say about Meta and him that he knew Valerie better?

“And?” she asked.

“I want truth in hard doses,” Maddox said. “I’ve been floundering too much lately. I have the feeling someone is trying to maneuver me, and I have no idea who or why. I mean to find out.”

“Yes, sir,” Valerie said, with enthusiasm.

Maddox nodded inwardly. He finally believed the others. This was the real Valerie Noonan, and she wanted to help him defeat Star Watch’s enemies.

The captain was surprised how good he felt knowing he was still among friends. It made him determined to rescue the doctor if she was still alive.