The Lost Colony (Lost Starship Series Book 4) (31 page)

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Victory
neared the Dyson sphere. The starship had been braking for some time. It was presently at a Luna-like distance from the monstrous spheroid’s surface.

Captain Maddox sat at the command chair. He studied the main screen where Valerie had zoomed in on the port admiral’s flotilla.

The flagship was a
Bismarck
-class battleship, the
Leipzig
. Its sister battleship, the
Vienna,
was also part of the flotilla, which included three strike cruisers armed with antimatter missiles, five destroyers, two escorts and three supply ships. High Command had believed the antimatter missiles gave Hayes the needed destructive power necessary to defeat any silver drones the port admiral might have found in the Xerxes System.

“Still no sign of damage to the ships?” Maddox asked.

“Negative,” Galyan said, standing beside the command chair.

“Not a scratch on any of the hull armor?”

“Checking,” the AI said. “Oh. Please excuse my error. Yes, I detect more than scratches. There are strange buff marks. I have seen similar—ah. It should have been obvious. Captain, I detect the aftereffect of neutron beam-shots.”

“Neutron?” Maddox said. “Did they cut through the hulls?”

“Negative.”

“Then—”

“Captain, please allow me to complete my report.”

Maddox nodded.

“I have seen one similarity to this, the neutron shots against
Victory
that induced a thought-loop in my AI core.”

“So there’s one mystery solved,” Valerie said.

Maddox turned to her. “Explain your reasoning, Lieutenant.”

“It seems simple enough, sir. The flotilla’s computers went cold after the special neutron beam thought-looped all of them. With the computers offline, maybe the life-support systems shut down. Maybe everybody over there is dead.” The last words came out higher-pitched than the first.

“That’s one possibility,” Maddox said in calm voice. “Until we know, though, let us not jump to conclusions. I hope to find the port admiral and his people quite alive. Until I have reason to know otherwise, that is our operating assumption.”

It took a second before Valerie said, “Yes, sir. I think that’s the better assumption too.”

There was a moment of silence as that sank in.

“What’s next, sir?” Keith asked.

Maddox slapped an armrest. “Galyan, have you spotted any life anywhere?”

“Negative,” the holoimage said.

“Have you spotted any sensor devices attempting to scan us?”

“I would have immediately informed you of such an event, sir.”

Maddox used the knuckles of his right hand to brush his cheek. “I’m going to use a shuttle—”

“Sir,” Valerie said, as if she’d been waiting for him to say those words. “I don’t think you should use a shuttle to go anywhere. Frankly, sir, we don’t want to lose you.”

Maddox studied the lieutenant.

“What if Ludendorff is waiting for exactly that?” Valerie asked. “What if he uses a tractor beam on the shuttle and yanks you onto the Dyson sphere?”

“We must inspect the battleships,” Maddox said. “We must determine the crews’ fates. That is our first priority.”

“Send a probe, sir,” Valerie suggested. “You’re too valuable to risk.”

Maddox considered that. “While that is a noble sentiment—”

“I think everyone aboard
Victory
will agree with me,” Valerie added, interrupting the captain.

Maddox noted the anxiety in her bearing. He glanced at the Second Lieutenant. The pilot’s fingers drummed against his board too fast—nervously, it would appear.

“I see,” Maddox said to himself. “Mr. Maker, maneuver closer to the flotilla, please. We will come within several kilometers. Then, I shall send a probe as the lieutenant suggests.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Maddox saw that Valerie almost said thank you. Instead, she nodded to him and went back to her board.

Maddox studied the main screen. What would the probe find once it reached the
Leipzig
? Were Hayes and his people dead, or was there a different explanation to the mute vessels?

***

Tension mounted on the bridge as
Victory
eased toward
Leipzig
, with only a few kilometers separating them. Beyond the flotilla’s flagship loomed what now seemed like a wall of Dyson sphere, although the outer surface of the sphere was several thousand kilometers away.

“All stop,” Maddox said.

Keith tapped his board.

“Send the probe,” Maddox said.

Valerie manipulated her panel. On the main screen, a small object left the starship, with hydrogen exhaust propelling it toward the battleship. The distance was minuscule and the probe’s speed almost nonexistent compared to normal starship velocities.

The minutes ticked away.

“Shall I increase magnification, sir?” Valerie asked.

“Please,” the captain said.

Instead of the battleship and Dyson sphere background, the
Leipzig
magnified into sight with big laser cannons showing their orifices.

“The hull armor looks clean,” Keith said.

Maddox nodded in silent agreement.

“I’m maneuvering the probe to a hangar entryway,” Valerie said.

Several minutes later, as the lieutenant tapped quickly, the main battleship hatch began to open.

“We know one thing,” Valerie said. “The
Leipzig
is still responding to code. That would indicate the main computer still works.”

Maddox watched the probe maneuver into the lit hangar bay. It was smaller than
Victory’s
bay, but full of strikefighters.

“Are any missing?” Maddox asked.

“They appear to all be there, sir,” the lieutenant said, checking a manifest.

Soon, the probe landed on the deck.

“Detaching a crawler,” Valerie said.

A vehicle much like the ancient Mars explorer dropped off the probe’s hull and began to rove across the battleship’s hangar bay. The lieutenant controlled it through radio signals, although it could make limited command decisions with its onboard computer.

During the next half-hour, Maddox, Keith, Valerie and Galyan watched the probe crawl through the empty battleship. No one was aboard. However, the lieutenant was unable to find any evidence of combat or a struggle.

“It appears as if they simply left the ship, sir,” Valerie said later.

“Let’s get the ship’s log,” Maddox said.

In time, the crawler reached the battleship’s bridge. It used a link-tube, connecting with the computer system.

“Ready to transfer,” the lieutenant said.

“I just had a thought,” Galyan said. “Transfer the data into a separate computer file here.”

“What are you thinking?” Valerie asked.

“Maybe a Builder virus infected the battleship’s computers. We do not want the virus to infect my systems.”

“Good thinking, Galyan,” the lieutenant said. “Give me a few minutes to set this up.”

Time passed slowly as the others waited.

“Okay,” Valerie said. “I’ll begin the transfer.” She tapped her board, but nothing happened. She tried again with the same results.

“Trouble?” the captain asked.

“Either the crawler isn’t responding or something in the battleship’s computer is not responding.”

The main screen suddenly wavered, shivered with fuzziness, and then Professor Ludendorff regarded them. At least, the humanoid shape appeared to be the Methuselah Man they had come to know.

“Greetings,” the professor said. “I see you made it to the Dyson sphere.”

“How did he cut into our comm stream?” Maddox demanded.

Valerie manipulated her board, soon shaking her head. “This is from the battleship’s main computer, sir. We’re not in a direct comm-link with him.”

“By now,” the professor said, “you must surely have begun to wonder about my intent. I can assure you that it is completely benign. Given Captain Maddox’s temperament, though, I doubt you will believe me. I suspect you destroyed the guardian ship. It was set to defeat any vessel but for yours. I urge you not to worry about the port admiral and his people. They are fine. Captain, I would like you to join me inside the Dyson sphere. There is something I must show you and you alone. Please come down at once. Time is fast running out for all of us. Until then,” the professor said. He bowed, smiled and disappeared from the screen.

“This is interesting indeed,” Galyan said. “It appears the professor has been expecting us.”

“Lieutenant,” Maddox said. “I want more information. Bring up the rest of the data in the
Leipzig’s
computer.”

Valerie manipulated her board, trying harder and soon shaking her head. “I’m sorry, sir. I can’t download anything else. There’s a firewall in place I can’t breach.”

“Galyan,” Maddox said. “Break down the firewall.”

“At once, Captain,” the AI said.

After several minutes, the holoimage stirred. “I cannot break the firewall, Captain. This is most disturbing. I will—”

“Just a moment,” Maddox said, who had been thinking. “Maybe that’s the game. The professor
wants
Galyan to dig deeper. In some manner, Ludendorff will spring a computer trap, attempting a takeover. Galyan, exit the probe.”

“It is done,” the holoimage said.

“What do we do now?” Valerie asked. “It seems we’re stymied.”

“Sir,” Keith said. “It’s the Dyson sphere. A door is opening on its surface. What do you think that means?”

“Battle stations,” Maddox said. “Galyan, ready the disruptor cannon. Lieutenant, make sure the shield is fully charged. Mr. Maker, begin backing away. I want you to warn the others in the ship we might have to make some violent maneuvers.”

“Aye-aye, sir,” Keith said.

As the others went about their tasks, Maddox watched the giant hatch. It had to be ten times the size of
Victory
. Soon, a vast metal object with a huge orifice eased out of the opening. Was that like the Destroyer’s main weapon?

“What is that?” Keith asked. “I don’t think it’s aiming at us.”

“I do not detect any tracking systems fixed upon us,” Galyan said. “That would not preclude optical sighting, however. Will it launch missiles?”

“Sir,” Valerie said. “There are more of those metal objects. They’ve appeared all over the surface of the sphere.”

A bad feeling swept over Maddox. He leaned forward, rubbing the fingers of his right hand.

The orifice near them glowed orange.

“The shield is at full strength,” Valerie said.

“I’m maneuvering behind the
Leipzig
, sir,” Keith said.

As the orifice grew hotter orange, a blue line appeared. The blueness grew larger and brighter. The same happened elsewhere with the other squat cannons.

“Exhaust,” Valerie said. “Those are exhaust tails.”

“You’re kidding,” Keith said.

Valerie tapped her board, studying the readings. “That’s an ion exhaust. The sphere isn’t firing at us. It’s…it’s moving.” She turned to look questioningly at Maddox.

“Is the sphere a spaceship?” Keith asked.

“That is entirely the wrong conclusion,” Galyan said. “I have been running calculations. The Dyson sphere’s physics suggests the answer.”

“What’s that mean in English?” Keith asked.

Galyan stared at the Scotsman.

“Elaborate on your answer,” Maddox told the AI.

“It is elementary and fundamental,” Galyan said. “Adok scientists had long projected such a construct as we’re now seeing. I have listened to the lieutenant suggest an inhabitable area 550 million times that of Earth. She has not taken into account some of the major problems concerning the sphere.”

“If you’re so smart,” Valerie said, “why don’t you enlighten us?”

“Gladly,” Galyan said. “The propulsion we are witnessing addresses one of the problems. The sphere or shell lacks a net gravitational interaction with its englobed star. Therefore, the shell drifts in relation to the interior object. Given enough time, the sphere will collide into the massive energy unit. These propulsion systems must be engaged in a corrective endeavor.”

“That makes sense,” Valerie said. “I’m surprised I missed it.”

“Notice the rotation of the sphere,” Galyan continued. “If it lacked rotation the inside of the shell would have zero artificial gravity. Everything in the interior surface would thus fall into the star. Given the rotation—the artificial gravity—the contents of the interior surface will pool around the equator. In your parlance, the sphere is acting like a Niven ring for habitation purposes.”

“Why go to all that trouble to build a global shell then?” Keith asked.