“Reversed polarity,” Dag said. “Did they mean it’s going to fire the other way?” His eyebrows shot up. Dag finally understood. “Rock!’ he shouted. “Emergency procedures! Get out of the ring’s way.”
Rock turned back to him from the helm.
“The asteroid is going to launch at the heavy planet,” Dag shouted. “We don’t want to be in its way.”
Rock’s face crumbled for just a moment as understanding lit his eyes. He turned to his pilot board and began to manipulate like mad.
Dag walked like a condemned man to the captain’s chair. “Maddox,” he whispered. “This must be his doing.” Dag slumped into his seat as the Koniggratz began to expel propellant from its thrusters. The Bismarck-class battleship began maneuvering out of the ring’s way.
In these last few seconds, it seemed as if the ship moved sluggishly. Maybe it was the nullity affecting Dag’s brain.
The ring glowed redder, and blue pressor beams appeared. They shoved the asteroid, shoved it in the direction of the heavy planet in the null region. It was firing the wrong way.
“Faster!” Dag shouted.
“I’m accelerating as fast as we can,” Rock shouted back.
The people at their posts watched in frozen horror as the asteroid left the cradle of the Inertialess Accelerator. The blue pressor beams pushed it faster and faster. The S-type asteroid lacked inertia, was lighter than a feather, almost acting like light itself as the pressor beams gave it one-quarter light-speed. In those precious seconds, the inertia returned to the accelerated object. That was part of the Builder process as envisioned so many millennia ago.
The Koniggratz barely lifted out of the way as the one-hundred-kilometer asteroid flashed for the heavy planet. The distance was as nothing. The asteroid plowed at one-quarter light-speed, missing the orbital spaceships, but hammering the great metal object of the planet.
The collision shattered the silicate asteroid, but it horribly dented the heavy metal planet as it smashed against it with terrific force. The asteroid moved the badly dented heavy planet, pushing it away from the ring and away from its position in the null region that it had held for millennia.
Inside the heavy planet, things were much different. The shock created quakes, broke millions of objects and burst tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of bulkheads.
The people two kilometers underground all perished in the shaking, smashing, crashing destruction. Rocket warheads ignited. Fusion generators exploded and ancient machinery smashed, crashed and disintegrated in the planetary demolition.
During the terror of it all, the giant hauler activated. Unfortunately, debris flew everywhere from the former asteroid, and several of the smallest pieces sheered into the hauler, breaking off parts of the mighty vessel.
The hauler did not explode. Some space-suited people tumbled into space, caught in the null region as their limbs failed uselessly. Was one of those Methuselah Woman Lisa Meyers?
It was impossible to know.
The badly dented heavy planet was moving, leaving the debris, the ring and the once orbital spaceships behind. Smoke began to pour from planetary cracks. Methane winds tried to dissipate the smoke, but more boiled and billowed out of cracks around the entire metal world. Fires raged below. Nuclear and antimatter explosions flared. It was mayhem to the ancient construct. If the world itself was still intact—in one piece, anyway—the vast majority of the technological prizes it had held only moments ago were gone or in the process of burning or melting out of existence…
-70-
Maddox, Meta and Ludendorff stared at the large screen in the Ring Accelerator’s control chamber. Maddox stood at the screen controls, switching views so they could see various outcomes.
They saw the Koniggratz barely avoid annihilation. They saw the giant hauler split into pieces. They witnessed the heavy planet leaving as it began to roll like a wild twirling ball. If nothing else, the increasing rotation would likely slaughter any survivors in the planet’s subterranean chambers.
“I did it,” Ludendorff said, sounding sad.
“Better the heavy planet than the Earth,” Maddox said in a clipped voice.
“Easy for you to say,” Ludendorff complained, “as you’re not responsible for all the destruction.”
“Of course, I’m responsible,” Maddox said. “It was my suggestion to reverse the polarity.”
“No, it was the Hormagaunt’s suggestion.”
“I passed it along to you, which means I bear responsibility for it. Without me as the conduit, nothing would have taken place.”
Ludendorff turned to him. “Are you trying to take credit for the victory?”
“Please, Professor,” Meta said. “You must give it a rest. Don’t be so bitter all the time.”
“Do you think I’m bitter?”
“Oh, yes, very much,” Meta said. “It’s been eating you alive…for as long as I’ve known you. You should release it and live life for real.”
“Bitter,” Ludendorff said, as if surprised. “Am I truly bitter? I wonder if that’s so.”
Maddox had grown tired of the conversation and was manipulating the screen. The planet left the area. The—
“Look, is that a QX-Tube?” Maddox asked.
“By George, you’re right,” Ludendorff said, looking up. “That would indicate Meyers survived the asteroid.”
“What ship is making the tube?” Meta asked.
“Captain, if you would be so good as to center on the hauler,” Ludendorff said.
Maddox did just that. There was a glow of power from the largest piece of the broken hauler. Engines were obviously online, and a great tube appeared, departing from the null region, it would seem.
Another of the ships—an ex-Star Watch heavy cruiser—headed for the tube opening.
Maddox turned to Ludendorff. “Can you activate any of the ring’s cannons?”
Ludendorff threw up his gloved hands. “I surely haven’t had time to figure that out. I won’t in the minutes I have, either.”
Maddox seethed. Was Meyers getting away? That was bad. He wanted to put an end to her machinations against Star Watch. She was a witch, and far too cunning, too full of knowledge of ancient things. Look at this place, the damned null region. Not even Strand had thrown something like this at Star Watch.
The heavy cruiser maneuvered, building up velocity as it dodged debris. Another huge pile of debris headed toward the broken part of hauler.
“A race,” Maddox said. “Cross your fingers or pray to God that the piece of debris hits the operative part of the hauler before the heavy cruiser can leave.”
“Don’t be superstitious, my boy. What will be will be.”
Maddox did not reply. He was too busy watching the drama play out before him. It was galling not to be able to do anything about it.
The heavy cruiser reached the QX-Tube entrance, entering the swirling portal and zipping away to who knew where. Seconds later, the drifting tumbling debris struck the operative hauler part, smashing it—causing a terrific explosion.
The QX-Tube wavered, became translucent and then vanished, no longer powered by the equipment in the hauler.
Maddox laughed harshly.
“What was that for?” asked Ludendorff.
“Maybe the tube’s destruction destroyed the heavy cruiser.”
“Oh, I see your reasoning. I would not count on it.”
“Maybe it warped the tube and threw the heavy cruiser into a different place altogether,” Maddox said.
“That idea has greater merit.”
“If Meyers was in the tube, maybe she’s dead or as good as dead.”
“It’s improper to hope someone is dead,” Ludendorff said.
Maddox laughed harshly again. “Then I’m improper, as I certainly wish Lisa Meyers dead.”
“Well…I can understand your primitive thinking,” Ludendorff said. “It shows you have a long way to go before you’re fully civilized.”
Maddox glanced at
Meta.
She must have caught the hint. Meta went to Ludendorff, rubbing his suited shoulders. “You’re tired,” she said. “You’ve been working overtime again. It must be a terrific strain on you.”
“Odious,” Ludendorff said in an exhausted voice. “I realize I’ve become weary of all this death and destruction. Maybe it’s the nullity seeping through the photon suit. The suits weren’t meant to operate this long in the null region. Or maybe I’ve been around the captain too long. Destruction follows him like a plague. Why do you think that is, my boy?”
“Clean living,” Maddox said.
“You witness this awful destruction, and all you can summon is a snarky reply? That’s beneath you.”
Maddox didn’t respond. He was too busy manipulating the screen. A premonition was growing in him. He felt the Hormagaunt out there. It was coming, leaving the envelope and heading for the ring. Maybe the professor had a point earlier. They’d listened to the Hormagaunt. It was almost as if the monster had been waiting for exactly that precise situation. Could the heavy planet have been the key to its imprisonment? Maddox was beginning to believe so. Would the creature devour billions if it escaped from the null region?
He kept manipulating the screen as he searched.
“What are looking you?” Ludendorff asked. “Oh, no, do you feel that?”
“I do,” Maddox said.
“I dread this.”
“I second your dread, Professor.”
“Oh, now you see what I meant, now, when it’s too late for us.”
“No. Now, it’s stage two. We eliminated the threat of the mobile null region. We took care of it. Now, we have to finish this and make sure the Hormagaunt doesn’t replace the Accelerator as the extinction-level threat to humanity.”
“And how to we achieve this miracle?” Ludendorff asked, his voice rising.
“I’m open to suggestions.”
“While I have none to give,” Ludendorff said. “You caused this mess. You fix it. It’s all on you, Captain.”
Maddox continued searching, straining, with the premonition continuing to build in him. What would the Hormagaunt do? Would the thing keep its word? Could he save his crew?
The frustration was growing in Maddox, until he saw something, a moving speck in the blackness. Was that the Hormagaunt? He had a feeling they were going to find out all too soon.
-71-
Dag sat slumped upon the captain’s chair on the bridge of the Koniggratz. The metal planet was gone, hurled away by the deviant asteroid. The hauler was demolished, the Queen fleeing aboard a heavy cruiser through a QX-Tube moments before the hauler’s destruction. The grimness of the nullity ate at Dag’s resolve. The bridge crew acted defeated. The battleship was stuck in the null, unless…that was why he sat slumped. He didn’t have any answers.
“Champion,” Rock said. “What are your orders?”
Dag raised his head. Was he the Champion? He didn’t feel like one. He’d followed the Queen, and lusted after her body, and she’d left him like that. It made him sick. It was starting to make him angry. How could she just go like that without trying to save him?
Another part of him realized it had been an emergency. That the Queen had escaped was good. She could come back for them; rescue them from the horrible nullity. But until then, how did they survive in this dreadful place?
Keep your wits, Dag told himself.
Thinking that, he forced himself to sit straight and squared his shoulders. He studied his people: they slouched or sat back as if totally exhausted.
Dag cleared his throat. “The planet is gone,” he said.
Hardly anyone looked up. They were listless, defeated in spirit. He couldn’t blame them. He felt the same way.
Dag forced himself to his feet. “Listen,” he said. “Are you people listening to me?”
A few of the Merovingians looked up at him. They didn’t sit up, though, or appear interested.
Dag wondered what he should do. Maybe he should sit down and give up. What was the point of all this? If they were trapped in the nullity—
“No,” he said. He picked the nearest person, a former Surbus-independent at a console. He strode to the man. The fellow barely watched him. At the last moment, he may have realized something was wrong.
Dag slapped him across the head, knocking the man off his seat. “Are you listening to me?” Dag shouted.
People began sitting up.
Dag kicked the fool in the gut, making the slight man retch and vomit onto the floor.
“Get up,” Dag told him.
The man scrambled to his feet, gasping as he did so.
“Are you quitting on me?” Dag shouted at him.
“N-no, Captain.”
Dag slapped him across the head again, knocking him back onto the floor. He kicked him savagely, and the man screamed. Dag grabbed him by the back collar—the man cowered and whimpered, pleading for mercy. Dag lifted and shoved him back onto his seat. Then he turned and regarded his bridge crew. They were all watching now.
“I’m the Champion,” Dag said in a loud voice. “I’m not about to quit because we’ve had a little setback.”
“But—” the comm tech said.
Dag focused on her.
She cowered, frightened by his glance.
“There are no buts,” Dag said. “We have a battleship. We’re free agents. We’re going to use our ship and fight our way to freedom!”
“How?” asked Rock.
Dag pointed a finger at Rock. “Are you giving up?”
“No, Champion. I just don’t know what to do. How do we get out of the null region?”
That was the question, and Dag knew it. He couldn’t tell them to keep up hope that the Queen would return for them. That was uncertain, anyway. If they were going to get out—they were going to have figure out a means of doing so themselves.
“Are you thinking about using the ring?” Rock asked.
Dag stared at the pilot. That was genius. That was—“Maddox,” Dag said. “We know Maddox was near the ring. Surbus tried to kill him and failed. Maddox must have gained entry into the ring. He must have caused the asteroid to come out the wrong end. That means the ring works, right? That means we can storm the ring and force Maddox to make it work for us.”
A few of the Merovingians glanced at each other. Two of them nodded.
“Where do we board the ring?” Rock asked.
“Damn it,” Dag said. “We have a battleship. We have a disruptor cannon and missiles. Maddox doesn’t have that.”
“What if he turns the ring against us?” Rock said. “I saw some heavy armaments on the ring the last time we went through.”
“What if your legs fall off?” Dag said sternly. “We’re stuck in the null, and you all know it. The only way out is through the ring. Well, by damn, we’re going to take the ring or die trying. We’re going to fight until we drop—or does anyone have a better idea?”
Dag made a show of looking around the entire bridge. A few people dropped their gaze. Three shook their heads.
“It’s settled then,” Dag said. “Rock, head directly for the ring. Sensors, find me something useful—and comm.” Dag turned around to face the woman. “Start hailing the ring. Ask for Maddox. If we can get him talking—that will be key for us.”
“Roger,” Rock said, with renewed life in his voice.
The sensor operator swiveled around and began manipulating his panel.
“Uh, Captain Maddox,” the comm operator said into a microphone. “This is the Koniggratz. We demand that you respond to us.”
Dag nodded, and he returned to his captain’s chair. He’d acted. He’d made a plan and a decision. Now, he would have to see—“I’m going to do this,” Dag said under this breath. “I’m not going to stay in this hell-place. I’m breaking out, and I’m going to do it now.”
-72-
Maddox scanned deep into the null, searching for the Hormagaunt that he felt approaching.
Ludendor
ff had gone to a different part of the chamber. He labored over something. Meta was with him.
The captain frowned. There was a blinking light on his panel. He tried one switch, another and a third—abruptly, the main screen changed. It showed the Koniggratz heading straight for the ring.
Maddox muttered under his breath, using zoom. The battleship’s missile port was open. The Koniggratz was ready to launch one. What kind of missile did it have, nuclear or antimatter? If the battleship had enough missiles—
“Are you thinking about destroying the ring?” Maddox asked quietly. Right, he thought. Surbus had taken potshots at the shuttle earlier. The others—if Surbus was no longer in charge—would know the shuttle had been near the ring. How would they explain the asteroid attack? They should logically suspect that he’d gotten aboard the ring and had done the worst to them.
“We have company coming,” Maddox said over the helmet comm.
“Yes, I see,” Ludendorff said. “That’s why I’m attempting to gain control of the ring’s defensive net. If I can, the ring will easily destroy the battleship.”
“Good thinking, Professor.”
“Humph,” Ludendorff said, as he went back to work on whatever he was doing.
“Darling, do you see that light over there?” Meta asked.
Maddox turned and saw her pointing at a panel midway between them. “Why don’t you check it out,” he said.
Meta took several jumps in the one-third gravity, halting by it. She tried several controls: words suddenly rang through their helmet comms.
“This is the Koniggratz. We demand that Captain Maddox respond to us.”
Maddox straightened, turned and took several jumps until he stood by Meta. “Can we send a message?”
“Try that control,” she said.
Maddox first used his tongue to click an inner helmet control. It turned on an outer helmet speaker. Then he tried the alien comm panel.
A screen activated, and Maddox found himself staring at a scruffy, frightened-looking woman.
“I’m Captain Maddox. Put your captain on.”
The Lost Tech Page 35
