The Lost Command (Lost Starship Series Book 2) (14 page)

“Yes, sir, I suppose I do.”

“Don’t let a grudge stand in the way. Use your best judgment. I’m not giving you these sealed orders lightly. It might be the worst decision I’ve ever made. I can only bring myself to do this because I’ve learned to trust you.”

“You don’t trust Captain Maddox, sir?”

Cook hesitated before saying, “I do, to a point.”

“Is there something you’re not telling me, sir?”

The Lord High Admiral stared at her. It seemed as if he wanted to say something. Finally, the old man shook his head.

Valerie felt as if something vitally important had just been left unsaid. She wondered what it could be.

“Listen to me, Captain. You must win. You must find Professor Ludendorff and rescue the Fifth Fleet. We’re on the edge of a dark abyss. I think the Commonwealth is like a man swinging his arms, his feet balanced there on the edge as he sways back and forth. A wrong gust of wind will pitch us down into the abyss. There will be no climbing out of that hole.

“I pray the Lord has mercy on my soul if I’ve given you sealed orders that cause us to lose.” Cook’s gaze became stern. “Captain, is my faith in you sound? Tell me now if I’m wrong.”

Valerie stared at the old man. It finally dawned on her the incredible pressure he was setting on her shoulders.

I’m the kid from the slums. The New Men are the gangs trying to stop me from achieving my dream. Dad taught me to fight through no matter what.

“No, Lord High Admiral, you have chosen correctly. I will serve Star Watch with all my heart, soul and mind, so help me God.”

Cook nodded, saying, “For all our sakes, I hope you’re right.” The old admiral stood, and he saluted Captain Noonan.

Valerie stood and saluted back.

“Dismissed,” Cook said.

Without another word, Valerie left the study.

-13-

Lord High Admiral Cook stared at the hatch after Noonan had left. He poured himself a greater amount of brandy, but let it sit on the desk.

The sealed orders were wrong. He felt that in his gut. The trouble was Captain Maddox. The man might be half New Man. O’Hara gave that a high probability. No one knew for certain, though. That was the problem.

The Iron Lady believed in Captain Maddox. She would have disagreed with the sealed orders. She trusted Maddox. The Lord High Admiral did too—up to a point, as he’d told Valerie.

He’s not totally one of us. He might be one of
them
. Can we trust him entirely?

Without Maddox, Star Watch would have never acquired the alien starship. Yet, the starship hadn’t given them any new technologies. Might the New Men have known that?

The enemy was too smart for ordinary mortals. The New Men’s plans were wheels within wheels. Just when Star Watch thought they had finally tricked the New Men, it turned out to be to the enemy’s advantage after all.

The truth is we need someone like Maddox who can match the enemy. Valerie Noonan has heart, she loves Earth and she’s one hundred percent loyal, but she’s a frail reed for humanity’s hopes to rely on
.

Cook picked up the snifter, sitting like that for some time. Noonan was a possible failsafe. The Lord High Admiral had put another one onboard the alien starship. Well, if the team could even get aboard the bloody vessel.

Who are the New Men? Why do they hate us so desperately? Can we defend ourselves against a superior species?

There were too many questions and so few answers.

Mechanically, Cook drank the brandy as if it was water. It felt warm going down.

I just hope I haven’t made a terrible mistake. I want to trust Maddox, but he might be one of them. Yet, I don’t know who else can do this. Who else will have the slightest chance of success?

Cook rose from his desk, putting his hands behind his back. Maybe it was time to pray. Humanity had only this slender opportunity, the barest of threads.

If Star Watch didn’t turn things around soon, it was going to be too late.

Cook resumed his place behind the desk. He should give the team every chance for success he could. Yes, he would send them several tin cans. The best pilot in the program had belonged to the original team. If humanity was rolling the dice of Fate, he should give Maddox every chance possible.

Wearily, Cook turned on his intercom, giving the needed orders to see it done.

-14-

Captain Maddox shot through the Solar System aboard the X72 Peregrine, an experimental, high-speed racer. The vessel passed Pluto before O’Hara spoke to him again concerning Meta. Thirty-four AUs away meant time delays made it impossible to hold a two-way conversation. A light-speed message took many hours to travel that far.

A screen rose into position in front of where Maddox lay on his acceleration couch. A few seconds later, O’Hara came on. The Iron Lady sat behind her desk in Geneva. She looked worried.

“I’m sorry, Captain. We pulled in Susan Love as you suggested. She knew Kane, had dated him several times, in fact. He owns the Los Angeles Wolverines, America’s best fist-ball team. You were right about the ring. They won the championship several years ago. Kane appears to have vanished, however. His organization says he has little day-to-day contact with them. Mainly, he comes in during the playoff season. Otherwise, he lets the vice president run affairs.

“Naturally, I spoke with Signor Strand of Nerva Incorporated,” O’Hara continued. “He tells me Jacques and Cabot are both dead. They were part of the team who kidnapped Meta, as you know. I’ve asked for a face-to-face meeting with Octavian Nerva. I’ve used every ounce of pressure I can. He still isn’t accepting my calls. Yes, I know what you’re thinking; this is an interstellar emergency. Yet, as I’ve said before, Octavian has powerful friends in the government and in the military. Despite our stakes against the New Men, he is immune to my efforts so far.”

O’Hara shifted uncomfortably on her chair. “Meta has vanished. I’ve begun to wonder if she’s off-planet by now.”

On the acceleration couch, Maddox looked away. He should have refused the assignment. He could have found Meta. O’Hara was good, but Maddox knew he was better.

“I don’t know if Kane has a connection with the Chabot Consortium,” O’Hara said. “I will continue to search. It seems clear he was able to use Octavian’s security apparatus. It is a mystery how he was able to achieve that. Nerva Security is among the best.”

O’Hara nodded as if she’d convinced herself of something. “You must concentrate on your mission, Captain. Meta is a terrible loss. Maybe…I don’t know what to say to you.”

“That you lost her will do,” Maddox said quietly to himself.

“I’m sorry. Good luck with the mission. And Captain…” O’Hara seemed pained.

Something about that alerted him.

“Captain, this is a private message. It will self-destruct after you’ve listened to it. I’ve ensured that much, and there were complaints about that, believe me. Maybe I should have told you while you were in my office.”

What is this about?

“Your origins are shrouded in mystery,” O’Hara said. “You wonder about yourself, and others wonder as well. Some of those are in high places, Captain. You must strive to put them at ease.”

Maddox’s features became blank.

“There are those who worry you might have…have elements in your makeup similar to the enemy.”

Why can’t she come right out and say it?

“I know you’re true to Earth,” O’Hara said. “I trust you. Some don’t, and they are nervous about you, now more than ever. Be careful, Captain. Watch your back and choose your companions carefully. This is a terrible pressure to add, I know. But I felt compelled to warn you.”

O’Hara stared out of the screen earnestly. “I’ve watched you grow up. You’re like… You’re important to me. I hope you know that.”

Maddox felt a lump in his throat. That troubled him.

“You belong to Star Watch Intelligence,” O’Hara said, “and you are the very best agent I have. Beat the New Men. Win through every obstacle. We’re all counting on you.”

O’Hara fidgeted. “
I’m
counting on you, my boy. That is all. Good bye.”

The screen went blank, and then the Star Watch logo appeared. Afterward, the screen shut off, and an arm moved it out of the way.

Meta was gone. He had left Earth, maybe forever, and not everyone on his side trusted him.

Maddox wanted to shrug it off, but the knowledge was too painful. Meta…he shook his head.

In that moment, Captain Maddox turned away from Earth, as it were, and faced the stars. His destiny and that of humanity lay out there. First, he had to learn everything he could about what had been happening in the Oort cloud with
Victory
. He’d worry about the rest when the time came.

***

Fortunately,
Victory
and the Home Fleet were in the inner Oort cloud. A journey to the outer region would have taken weeks even in the X72 Peregrine. Humanity didn’t have those extra weeks to spare.

Like the rest of the racer’s crew, Maddox was confined to his acceleration couch for ninety-nine percent of the journey. The vessel had fantastic gravity dampeners, but the extent of thrust was too great for the dampeners to overcome everything. In many ways, the Peregrine was more like a heavy-accelerating missile than a regular spaceship.

For over ten hours now, Maddox and the others had endured massive G forces as they braked hard. It was physically and emotionally draining.

Finally, the grueling deceleration stopped. It felt as if several elephants climbed off Maddox’s chest and groin. He could breathe normally again. He lay that way for two entire minutes before gingerly unbuckling himself. Slowly, he sat up and began to stretch. His muscles were sore and his tendons felt stiff. After a half-hour loosening regimen, he began some strenuous calisthenics. He showered afterward, ate a light meal and talked to Sergeant Riker in the man’s room.

Riker sat on the edge of his acceleration couch, rubbing his good thigh.

“I hope we’re done with that for good,” the sergeant complained. “It puts too much strain on my mechanical-human joints.”

“You have an hour to get ready,” Maddox said, “maybe less.”

“Ready for what, sir?” Riker asked.

“We’ll be boarding a shuttle. Doctor Rich and Lieutenant Noonan will be on it. We’ll be heading out to
Victory
.”

“We’re going out that soon, sir? I thought you would talk to the experts; maybe see the Lord High Admiral.”

“Doctor Rich is the expert. I don’t have time to chitchat with the Lord High Admiral.”

Riker nodded moodily as he started rubbing the shoulder of his bionic arm. “I’m still not sure why I’m along for this, sir.”

“Moral support,” Maddox said.
O’Hara knew I’d need people I could trust
. “Also, you were part of the original crew. It seems people of our type are difficult to come by.”

Riker grumbled as he stood, testing his leg muscles.

Time passed as the sergeant prepared. Maddox went to his room, waited for a time, checked his chronometer, slung a duffel-bag strap over his shoulder and walked into the corridor. Riker moved toward him. The sergeant carried two heavy bags of his personal belongings for the trip.

There were
clangs
outside the racer. A shuttle docked with the X72 Peregrine. Maddox shook hands with the captain and XO. Then, Riker and he moved through a hatch into the boarding tube, crossing toward the shuttle.

“Never did like this weightlessness,” Riker complained.

Maddox felt otherwise. He was a natural, pulling himself along the float rails on the sides. Soon, he turned a wheel, opened a hatch and boarded the shuttle.

Gravity returned.

Once out of the airlock, Doctor Dana Rich was there to greet them. She wore a black spylo jacket, with her dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. She was older than Maddox and beautiful by any standard, with her brown skin and dark eyes. Although born on Earth in Bombay, she had emigrated to the Brahma System long ago.

The doctor had a checkered history involved with the Brahman secret service against the Rigel Social Syndicate. Dana Rich had been a clone thief, caught by Star Watch and sent down to Loki Prime, the worst of the prison planets. Maddox had rescued her from Loki Prime because he’d needed her services. For what she had done to bring back
Victory
, Star Watch and Commonwealth authorities had cleared her of all crimes.

Many years ago, the doctor had worked with Professor Ludendorff. Dana had known more about the lost starship, how to reach and board it, than anyone else Star Watch had been able to find back then.

According to Maddox’s latest brief, Doctor Rich had learned more about
Victory
these past ten months than anyone else. It made her the premier expert concerning the ancient starship.

“Captain Maddox,” Dana said, with a faint smile on her face. “We meet again.”

“Yes,” Maddox said.

They shook hands.

“You look the same as ever,” she said.

“I return the compliment,” Maddox said, although he spied some care lines in her forehead he didn’t recall. Clearly, she had been under stress for quite some time.

Dana looked past him at Riker, shaking the sergeant’s hand. The doctor seemed expectant afterward, turning back to Maddox. “Why don’t I see Meta?”

“Didn’t they tell you?” Maddox asked.

“They tell us very little, I’m afraid. Star Watch has become paranoid concerning us.”

“A man named Kane captured Meta and disappeared,” Maddox said.

“This is bad news,” Dana said. “We need Meta. She had a knack for knowing how to fix
Victory
. The others I’ve had to work with…” the doctor shook her head more vigorously.

“Start filling me in,” Maddox said. “I take it we’re headed straight for
Victory
.”

“Let’s go to the control room,” Dana said. They started down the corridor, with Riker trailing them. “Now tell me. What do you know so far? What have the authorities told you?”

Maddox told the doctor everything he knew about
Victory
, finishing his short speech in the flight chamber.

A tough-looking man in a space marine work uniform sat in the pilot’s chair. He was shorter than Maddox, with thicker shoulders. The flat-faced man had a bull neck and a brush cut.

“This is Major Kharkov,” Dana said. “He’s the leader of the space marines who will be boarding
Victory
with us.”

“Commander,” Kharkov said. The space marine stood, faced Maddox and held out his right hand.

“It’s
Captain
Maddox,” he said, “not commander.”

They shook. It surprised Maddox the major didn’t try to squeeze his hand hard in order to show him how strong he was.

“I know it’s captain, sir,” Kharkov said. “I also know you’re in charge of the expedition. Formally, major trumps captain. So, if you don’t mind, sir, I’ll just call you ‘commander’ for the remainder of the mission, as you’re running the show.”

“If it makes you feel better, go ahead,” Maddox said.

Major Kharkov nodded.

“Are there any more space marines aboard the shuttle?” Maddox asked Dana.

“Not yet,” Dana said. “The major asked to join us for the initial run. I didn’t agree, but the Lord High Admiral overrode my objection.”

“I’m here to see that none of you gets hurt,” Kharkov said. “You’re the key to defeating these genetic bastards.”

Maddox noticed the last sentence had been spoken with considerable heat. “That bothers you?” he asked the major.

“Sir?” Kharkov asked.

“The fact the New Men are genetically superior to us,” Maddox said.

Kharkov scowled. “I don’t know how superior they really are, but I know they certainly think so.”

“The evidence appears to show the New Men
are
superior,” Maddox said.

“Yes, sir,” Kharkov said, and a chilliness entered his voice.

“I’ve faced them before,” Maddox said. “It wasn’t fun. Yet, I learned we could beat them. In the end, that’s the important point, isn’t it, Major?”

“Yes, sir, I’d agree with that. Now, there’s some equipment I want to check, if you’ll excuse me, sir?”

“By all means,” Maddox said.

The stocky major exited the chamber.

“Don’t mind him,” Dana said.

“Why should I?” Maddox asked.

“It’s clear the space marine has an inferiority complex,” Dana said. “He wouldn’t like Meta, I think. She’s genetically superior to him.”

Maddox said nothing to that.

“I wondered how the space marine would feel about you specifically, Captain,” Dana said, eyeing him sidelong.

On the trip into the Beyond, Maddox had told Dana about his suspicions concerning his origins. Now he wondered if that had been a mistake.

“Is Lieutenant Noonan aboard yet?” Maddox asked, changing the subject.

Dana laughed, shaking her head.

“Did I say something amusing?”

“You did,” Valerie Noonan said, stepping through the hatch.

Maddox turned, and he recognized Valerie wore captain’s boards immediately. “Congratulations,” he said.

“It looks like we’re the same rank now,” Valerie said.