The Lost Starship

-36-

Maddox took several steps toward the holoimage and stiffened into parade ground attention. He snapped off the best salute of his life.

“What is the meaning of your action?” the holoimage asked.

“I formally request permission to offer my full services to you, sir,” Maddox said. “Not only that, but I will give you the complete use of my trained technical team to help with ship repairs.”

“Please, Captain, it is obvious that you indulge in theatrics.”

“Not so,” Maddox said. “I hate my enemy as much as you must have hated the Swarm.”

“You mean me as the once physical commander, I take it,” the holoimage said.

“Exactly.”

“Yes. I do dimly recall an emotional aspect to the conflict. It was both upsetting and pleasing.”

“Then you must understand that I will do anything I can to destroy the New Men.”

“Why, yes. I do understand. Hmm, a technical team, you said.”

“You probed my brain,” Maddox said. “You know that I have an excellent engineer in Meta of the Rouen Colony. Not only that, but I have the full use of Doctor Dana Rich. She is a genius and can do anything required of her.”

“I seem to recall you had trouble with Doctor Rich.”

“You’re right, of course,” Maddox said. “I did have trouble. Now, she has sworn a Star Watch oath. She will do exactly as I command. Since our desires are the same—to inflict as much damage as we can against the New Men—let me return to my team. Through me, you can tell us what to do. We will repair more of the starship than your robot could do on its own. That will allow you to give a better account of yourself.”

“I am heading straight for the enemy, Captain. We won’t have time for such repairs.”

“Then I suggest you take the time,” Maddox said. “You’ve waited six thousand years. What are a few more hours in order to achieve lasting glory?”

“You fail to perceive my goal. I am attempting a death ride, oblivion in the most honorable fashion possible.”

“Honor demands we destroy as many of them as we can,” Maddox said.

The holoimage froze.

Maddox waited. A desperate gamble had formed in his mind. First, he needed to get back to the others. Could he trick the AI? It struck him as doubtful. Yet, if he could… what bag of marvels did the ancient starship possess? It hadn’t surprised him that the ship was in a state of disrepair or that many of its weapons systems buckled under the strain of battle. If they could escape the star system and return to Earth…

The holoimage moved. “There,” it said, pointing a barely visible arm. “Go through that door until you come to a red-marked hatch. Your team waits by the AI receptacle.”

Maddox noticed a new hatch where a bank of machinery had been. Had the AI been hiding the exit with a holoimage? Whatever the case, for his plan to work, he needed to buy time.

“You must give us a few hours to help your robot repair failed systems,” the captain said.

“It seems senseless. The New Men are busy searching for us even now. Yet, maybe you can clear out the damage in my neutron charger. I will give you one hour. Then, I will attack from over the star’s top. It is my best chance of gaining nearness to them so I can rake them with the full power of my beams.”

“Since we are under combat conditions, I will hurry,” Maddox said.

“Go,” the holoimage said. “Time is critical.”

Maddox couldn’t agree more. Lowering his head, he sprinted for the exit.

Lieutenant Noonan picked herself off the decking. They had huddled around the open screen, listening to the dialogue between Maddox and someone they couldn’t hear.

Sergeant Riker had suggested the captain had taken leave of his senses. Dana had told him not to be ridiculous. If Captain Maddox had gone crazy, how had he figured out where the bridge was and how to use the ship’s systems?

With great interest, Doctor Rich had listened to Maddox’s one-sided conversation. As Dana groaned from the floor, holding her head, she sat up.

“What happened?” Meta asked.

“We’re still alive,” Dana said. “The engines don’t sound as strained now. The decking isn’t shivering, as it was earlier, either. I think there’s been a pause in the battle.”

“Listen,” Valerie said. “No sounds are coming out of the screen.”

Just then, something unseen opened. Valerie perked up, hearing panted breathing. The ancient starship frightened her. The halls of alien dead, of entwined corpses, intensified the feeling until dread had come to fill her.

“Someone’s coming,” Valerie whispered. She checked her assault rifle. Capture was out of the question. She didn’t want to end her life on a torture pad as Dana almost had on the shuttle. Planning to sell her life as dearly as possible, Valerie aimed down the corridor and was the first to see Captain Maddox. The man sprinted without his vacc-suit and his eyes looked wild.

“Don’t shoot!” Dana shouted.

Valerie lowered her weapon. She could see Maddox had been through hell. Well, they all had. Maybe they looked as unsteady to him as he did to her.

He stopped before them with sweat glistening on his face. “Listen carefully,” Maddox panted. “We have one chance to do this, so there’re can’t be any mistakes.”

“Do what?” Dana asked.

“Gather round,” Maddox said. “This is going to sound crazy, but it’s all true.”

He told them what he’d been doing. It did sound insane. It also made sense. Valerie couldn’t see how Maddox could have figured out how to use the alien vessel otherwise.

“It seems to have figured out a way to talk to you by reading your mind’s electrical pathways,” Dana said.

“Whatever,” Maddox whispered. “The point is the AI has a death wish. Maybe that has fixated its thinking. We have to…” the captain didn’t finish his thought, but he gave them a long, meaningful glance.

“I understand,” Dana said, with her eyes wide and staring.

Valerie figured that maybe she did too. Clearly, they had to hijack the starship from the AI. But they couldn’t do it too soon, or the New Men’s star cruisers would destroy Victory.

“Does that make sense?” Maddox asked.

“It does,” Dana said.

“I have to go back and talk the AI into a jump attack,” Maddox said. “That means we have to repair the neutron charger and the star drive.”

“How much time do we have?” Dana asked.

“He said one hour.”

“You do know that what you suggest is impossible for us to accomplish?” Dana said.

“I don’t know anything of the kind,” the captain said. “We’re rolling the dice for everything and looking for snake eyes. Now, let’s go to work.”

Valerie saw the doctor and Meta stare with disbelief at the captain. That wasn’t going to help. “Yes, sir,” Valerie said. “We’re going to do our best or die trying, Captain.”

Maddox grinned at her. “The Lord High Admiral picked the right navigator when he sent you, Lieutenant. It has been my distinct pleasure serving with you.”

Valerie saluted. “The pleasure has been all mine, sir.” She stepped up and thrust out her hand. He gripped it, shaking.

Then, Captain Maddox solemnly shook each of their hands. “If I don’t see you again—” He looked down, staring at the floor. Looking back up, his smile seemed forced. “Humanity doesn’t know it, but they’re counting on us. I’ve seen what this starship can do. With it, the Commonwealth has a chance. Star Watch might well defend our homes and go on to attack the New Men and end their menace forever. First, though, we have to win here. I know each of you will do your best, and then go beyond that to do what must be done for victory.” He took a deep breath before adding, “Speechmaking time is over. Now, it’s time for action.”

With that, Captain Maddox spun around and walked away. After three steps, he lowered his head and took off sprinting.

Valerie felt a lump in her throat. She nodded to herself. This hour was why she’d pushed through her suffering in Greater Detroit to win a spot in the Space Academy. This moment was why she’d climbed into the escape pod and survived the New Men when all her comrades had died in battle in the Pan System.

A robot on treads wheeled into sight. It was an ugly thing and stopped short. With a mechanical tentacle, it beckoned them.

Valerie swallowed and turned to the others. “We have a job to do. Doctor. You’d better use your intellect for all it’s worth. Our lives and the lives of humanity back home are resting on it.”

Dana stared at her. “No pressure, Lieutenant?”

“Wrong,” Valerie said. “All the pressure in the galaxy is on you now. I’m wondering if you have what it takes to surmount it.”

Doctor Rich’s eyes seemed to burn for a moment. Then she nodded, beginning to head for the robot. “We shall shortly find out,” Dana said.