The Lost Command (Lost Starship Series Book 2) (45 page)

As the final enemy craft splintered into pieces, Captain Maddox slouched back in his chair. He grinned at the other two.

“Is that it?” Keith asked. “This battle seemed to end too fast, sir.”

“Yes,” Maddox said. “That’s it. We did it. We beat the enemy flotilla waiting to destroy us in the Markus System.”

“This is an amazing day,” Valerie said, giggling as she spoke. “With these four gone, we destroyed ten star cruisers altogether.”

“With Fletcher’s kills in the Battle of Caria,” Keith said. “That’s seventeen star cruisers destroyed. What do you think, sir? Did we blunt the invasion? Did we buy Star Watch enough time against the New Men?”

For an answer, Maddox pointed at the main screen. The first surviving warships of Fifth Fleet began to appear at the Laumer-Point exit. Fletcher had made it out of the Tannish System and into the Markus System.

“It’s time to get these warships home to Earth,” the captain said.

-45-

The battered Fifth Fleet came through the Laumer-Point into the Markus System.

There were three Laumer-Points altogether in the system. As the crews shook off Jump Lag, the battleships, heavy cruisers, carriers, destroyers and missile boats accelerated for the point midway to the reddish star. The jump route led to the Ember System and from there linked to Caria 323.

Lieutenant Noonan stood alone on
Victory’s
bridge with her hands behind her back, watching the disparate vessels on the main screen. Two years ago, she had escaped the death of Admiral von Gunther’s battle group. She alone had survived the horrible debacle against the New Men. Once she had returned to Earth, she’d gone before an emergency session of the Star Watch senior officers in Geneva, Switzerland. There, Admiral Fletcher had berated her for surviving the butchery. He’d said she had fled in the face of the enemy.

Valerie would like to ask the admiral about his thoughts concerning the accusation now. The lieutenant frowned. The thought wasn’t gracious, she knew. Fletcher had been through a terrible ordeal. For six harrowing months, the Fifth Fleet had journeyed through the void between the Caria and Tannish Systems. Fletcher must not have expected to win through to the Tannish Laumer-Point to the Markus System, yet he had.

Valerie’s eyes narrowed as she observed the half-wrecked ships out there. The fleet had faced the New Men in two major battles. The first time, the crews had lost. The second time, they watched the star cruisers flee before them. Now, the crews were heading home. They would be able to tell others the New Men weren’t invincible after all. Humanity could win this war.

We won one battle, but we wouldn’t have done it without
Victory
and without Captain Maddox leading us
.

Valerie thought about that. Before the present assignment, she’d wanted a line command. She’d wanted to show the universe that she was just as good—no, better—than the next person was. Yet, she had just helped save the Fifth Fleet. She had been in the right place, and in the right slot of command, to help Star Watch win its first critical battle against the New Men.

Maybe this is where I belong, not in command, but helping Captain Maddox defeat the enemy. Dana, Meta, Keith, Riker and Maddox are becoming my family
.

Valerie frowned. Then, a grin appeared. She realized something else. She felt good about what she had done here. She felt very good indeed.

***

Captain Maddox hurried along a corridor. A smile kept appearing and disappearing. It appeared as he thought about the victory over Oran Rva and the destruction of the four star cruisers attempting to ambush the fleet. The smile disappeared as he wondered about what would happen next.

I’m half New Men. I’m like them. Yet, I don’t think I’m like them at all. They have insane notions of right and wrong. They think nothing of contemplating the deaths of billions
.

A troubled look swam in the captain’s eyes. He owed his mother a fantastic debt. How had she escaped the New Men? How had she managed to commandeer a spaceship and leave their planet? She was gone. He couldn’t repay her for her sacrifice, but he might be able to pay if forward.

Maybe that’s what I’m doing. By defeating the New Men, I’m helping my mother’s people, my people.

That was another thing.
Who am I really? I am Captain Maddox of Star Watch. Yet, I’m half New Man
.

“No,” he said. He would not let his DNA decide his future. He had given his allegiance to Earth. He would fight for freedom and the right to choose in life. He would battle against tyranny and against the genetic manipulation of planets and star systems.

Maddox turned a corner and spied an open hatch. He smelled a faint perfume, recognizing it as Meta’s scent. Her voice drifted down the corridor. Maddox smelled coffee.

He burst into the cafeteria. Meta, Dana and Sergeant Riker played cards. All three looked up, with cautious Riker putting his cards face down on the table, no doubt to hide their value.

Maddox stood in the hatch. He wanted to shout. He wanted to jump into the air and click his heels. He’d seen a holo-vid once where a hero had done just that. Yet, that wasn’t like him. He was the cool and collected Intelligence officer.

The touch of a smile played upon his lips. He came into the cafeteria.

“You did it,” Meta said.

Maddox liked the raspy tone in her voice. He nodded.

Meta let her cards spill from her hand. Two of them showed. They were an ace of hearts and a ten of diamonds.

The captain ran his fingers through his hair. Why did his throat catch? This wasn’t like him.

There was something in Meta’s eyes as she stared at him. Was it hunger? Yes, he thought it might be. Maybe she needed too. She needed someone to sweep her off her feet.

Maddox laughed and took two swift strides toward Meta. He hugged her and picked her off her feet. Then, he spun around, holding her tightly against him. The feel of her breasts against his chest felt glorious. Letting her feet touch the floor, Maddox stared down into her eyes. He kissed her lingeringly. Then, he put his lips by her left ear.

“We won,” he said.

Her arms tightened around him. “We won!” Meta shouted.

Riker whooped with delight.

“I knew we could defeat them,” Dana said.

Maddox kissed Meta again.

Afterward, Meta pushed out of his grasp and clutched one of his hands. “Sit down with us,” she said. “Tell us what happened.”

Maddox sat down at the table. He began to describe the last battle. As he did, the captain used his hands, showing the various positions of the star cruisers and
Victory
.

The sergeant got up, bringing the captain a cup of coffee. Riker refilled everyone else’s cups and brought donuts from the dispenser.

Maddox continued the tale, enjoying the glow of delight in their eyes. Most of all, he appreciated Meta’s smile every time he looked at her.

***

Second Lieutenant Keith Maker gripped a bottle of long-necked whiskey in his fist. He laughed, raising the bottle high. He had kept the whiskey in his cabin the entire time, a test to his resolve to remain sober. The small ace moved down a corridor with his eyes alight.

A second later, he put his head down and ran. He raced, laughing as he went. “We beat them bastards!” he shouted. “We shoved their heads in a toilet and flushed.”

He had been worried. He could admit that to himself now. The journey to Wolf Prime had been wicked hard. Out here in the void between star systems, watching those enemy cruisers—

“You didn’t get our starship, and you didn’t kill the Fifth Fleet. We chased your asses so you had to piss a crustal field to escape.”

Keith gulped air, his side beginning to ache. Instead of slowing down, he ran harder. With his fist clutching the long-necked bottle, the second lieutenant moved the whiskey up and down like a baton. He’d raced from the bridge to his room to grab the bottle. Now, he sprinted to the cafeteria to join the others. He heard their voices.

“I love you all!” Keith shouted, leaping through the open hatch into the cafeteria.

Maddox, Meta, Riker and Dana sat at the table. Steam rose from their coffee cups.

“We paddled their bottoms!” Keith shouted, raising his arms in a victory salute.

“You’re drunk,” Dana said.

Keith laughed. And he noticed the captain’s frown of disapproval. Last voyage, the captain had threatened to toss him off the starship if he ever got drunk again.

“Oh no,” Meta said.

Maddox still said nothing.

Before the captain could get too upset, Keith marched to them, slamming the unopened whiskey bottle on the table. It shook their coffee cups. Some of the black liquid sloshed over the rim and splashed into a waiting saucer.

“I’m not drunk,” Keith said. “I haven’t tasted a drop, even though I’d like to. I’ve sworn off drinking. And I keep my word.”

Maddox glanced at the bottle’s top, and his eyebrows rose.

“Right,” Keith said. He tore off the wrapper, took out a jackknife and unfolded a blade. He worked the cork up. Finally, he brought the bottle near and used his teeth, removing the cork and spitting it onto the floor. He put the bottle back onto the table and went to a cupboard, grabbing four glasses.

“I can’t drink,” Keith said. “But that doesn’t mean you lovely people can’t toast our victory over the New Men.”

He put the glasses in a row, picked up the bottle and let whiskey gurgle into each one. Keith’s eyes shined as he glanced at each person in turn.

Sergeant Riker leaned forward, grabbing a glass. “Well, I don’t mind if I do.”

“Very well,” Dana said, taking another glass.

“Yes,” Meta agreed.

Silently, Maddox took a whiskey.

“Raise them high, mates!” Keith shouted. “You’re making a victory toast.”

Again, Riker led them, raising his glass into the air. Each of them did likewise.

“To defeating the enemy,” Keith called.

“To defeating the enemy,” Riker agreed. He clinked his glass against the others.

They each did likewise. Then, everything gulped.

Meta began coughing. Riker put his whiskey down easily. Dana sipped, while Maddox simply drank. The captain didn’t seem to enjoy the whiskey, but watched Keith.

The ace eyed the bottle. Seeing the others enjoy the whiskey put a pang in him. He licked his lips. And he lifted the bottle. Part of him wanted to put it against his mouth and chug. They had done it. But this wasn’t the last battle. This was the beginning of the war. He would need to stay sober for more battles to come.

With a sigh, Keith set the bottle on the table and made his fingers release the neck. Afterward, he stepped back.

“Congratulations,” Maddox told him.

“On how I piloted
Victory
?” Keith asked.

“Yes, on that too,” Maddox said.

Keith understood the captain congratulated him on remaining sober. He appreciated that. Maybe that’s why he’d brought the whiskey here: to show Maddox he could do it.

“Sit down with us,” Meta said. “The captain is telling us how he—”

“How
we
,” Maddox corrected her.

“How you people defeated the New Men,” Meta said.

“I’d love to,” Keith said. “First, let me take care of this.” He grabbed the bottle, walked to a sink and upended it, pouring the lovely whiskey away. For yet another mission, he had remained sober. That made two terrific victories.

As Keith thought about that, he grabbed a cup of coffee and a donut and joined the others at the table,

***

On the bridge, Valerie finally got tired of viewing the ships of Fifth Fleet. She went to her station and sat down.

Galyan appeared and moved to her. “What are you doing?” the holoimage asked.

“Keeping watch,” she said.

“You won a great victory,” Galyan said.

“We all did,” Valerie said, “you included.”

“I suppose I should come right out and say it. The others are celebrating. You should go to the cafeteria and join them.”

“Someone has to stay on guard,” Valerie said.

“I will do that,” Galyan said. “I have done it for six thousand years. I am used to the post.”

Valerie wanted to join the others, but she hesitated. Why hadn’t someone asked her to come down there? She almost told Galyan that.

The intercom buzzed.

“You see,” Valerie said. “There’s a reason I’m on the bridge.” She tapped the comm unit.

“Lieutenant,” Maddox said.

Valerie’s features twisted with surprise. “Yes, Captain?” she asked.

“Your presence is requested in the cafeteria.”

“Sir, someone has to keep watch—”

“Lieutenant,” Maddox said, interrupting. “Must I make it an order, or will you come down here and unwind with us? You have done excellent work, and we should celebrate that before we start on what could be a long voyage home.”

Valerie blinked several times and smiled. “I’m on my way, sir.”

“Good, and make sure you hurry, Lieutenant.” The connection cut.

Valerie stood, and she studied the holoimage of Galyan. “Did the captain send you here to get me?”

“The bridge is where I belong,” Galyan said.

“You’re evading the question.”

“It is possible the captain suggested it,” Galyan said. “Then he must have decided I was taking too long.”

The alien AI still seemed lonely. What did Galyan think? What did he feel?

“Come down to the cafeteria with me,” Valerie said. “You belong with us there.”

Galyan smiled. It was the first time Valerie had seen that.

“You are kind to suggest it, Lieutenant. I can watch the celebration through the interior ship sensors. Thus, I will be there in spirit. Someone should remain on watch, however, and I am the right candidate for the post.”