The Lost Planet (Lost Starship Series Book 6)

by Vaughn Heppner

  “What should I do?” Keith shouted.

  “Can you maneuver at all?” Maddox asked.

  “No!”

  The captain peered over the edge. They left the sunlight and entered a different tunnel with a fungus jungle.

  “We have to jump before it crashes,” Maddox said. “Our only hope is that the fungus is good and thick. Maybe it will cushion our fall.”

  “You’re mad,” Ludendorff shouted.

  The captain lunged at Ludendorff, cut the rope securing the Methuselah Man, and picked him up. Ludendorff howled in pain, and he struck Maddox as if to make him let go.

  Hoisting the professor, Maddox pitched him off the edge. The captain jumped a second after the Methuselah Man.

  Keith wrung his hands. There wasn’t much time left. He stepped to the end of the raft as Meta leaped into the air.

  “I’m going to die,” Keith shouted. Then he leaped as hard as he could, hoping for the best.

  ***

  Five strange parcels dangled from chutes. They had floated for some time, ejected from Victory before the starship went off to battle the Juggernauts.

  The parcels were tough steel boxes. The chutes and their dangling boxes headed down toward the one-world city. Motion detectors on one box began to beep. Below, Vendels scampered toward the boxes’ probable landing site.

  The first chute released its box. The steel container plunged toward rusted girders and heaped junk. The other chutes did likewise. The various fabrics folded up like wisps, tossed to-and-fro by the wind. The boxes fell.

  The first container hit, bounced up, hit again and then slid briefly along concrete. Like giant pellets, the other boxes slammed onto the ground.

  In the distance, Vendels howled with delight, increasing speed.

  The first container clicked and popped open, the sides slamming onto the concrete. A snakelike portion writhed onto the ground. Tiny aerials with dishes sprouted from it and began to rotate.

  The other boxes also fell open, exposing similar packages that sprouted their own aerials. Each piece began to wriggle toward a central location between them. Like dumb brutes, the metal objects rolled, wriggled and moved.

  The Vendels howled, racing faster, trying to be first to reach the new toys.

  Before that happened, the first metal section met another. They rolled together and bumped back and forth to no appreciable effect. Then, other pieces joined the first two. Now the pieces melded and clicked together in order. In moments, it had become a long snakish device with many aerials all along its length.

  A Vendel with a lashing tail leaped onto a slab of concrete. It spied the long object. With a howl, the Vendel leaped again, landing beside the object. It grasped the thing—

  A powerful shock of electricity jolted through the Vendel. The hair on its head stood up. Its eyes bulged. The electric discharge stopped, and the Vendel toppled over, stunned and possibly dead.

  More giant creatures closed in on Ludendorff’s special object.

  A drill appeared from the snake-thing’s snout. The drill whirled, the nose pointed downward, and the thing wriggled. The drill bored into the metallic ground like a gigantic worm. Then, the metal object began to wriggle out of sight.

  Another Vendel leaped down, grabbing the end. The savage set its clawed feet and bunched its shoulders to drag the giant worm out of the earth.

  A second terrific jolt was emitted, shocking the savage. This time, the beast’s hands smoked and the creature gave an odd hissing gurgle. When the electricity stopped, the Vendel toppled over dead. Smoke curled from its charred body.

  A third Vendel landed on the ground. This one hesitated. That gave the long metal snake time to disappear from the surface. It continued to burrow, hunting according to Ludendorff’s special program.

  -33-

  Maddox had the terrible sensation of falling, falling, falling. He wanted to look at the ground but couldn’t. In fact, he couldn’t look at anything, couldn’t see anything. That frustrated him. It shouldn’t be that dark in here. Could he have already landed? Could the sensation of falling—

  Where am I?

  That seemed like an odd question. How could he not know? He had…he had…

  What’s wrong with me?

  Maddox strove to understand. He’d discovered something on Titan. He’d been with a Methuselah Man—

  Ludendorff!

  As he recalled the professor, the fight on Titan came flooding back. Androids had tried to kill him deep in Saturn’s moon. He’d come to the Junkyard Planet, had crashed-landed on the surface, run from Vendels, captured a flying raft—

  I jumped. What happened after I jumped?

  Maddox struggled to remember. He remembered falling, but he couldn’t remember anything after that. Suddenly he understood why he did not know.

  Chemicals in the brain shut down short-term memory. After a time, another chemical reaction turned that into long-term memory. The short-term memory track was erased in order to make room for more short-term events. He must have hit the fungus—Yet, he literally had no recollection of the end of the fall or the immediate aftermath.

  Still, I’m alive.

  Maddox struggled to look around. He failed in that, too, and he didn’t know why. That angered him, but he didn’t lash out. That wasn’t his way. He concentrated—

  Thrum…thrum…thrum…beat against his skull.

  Maddox groaned, and a wave of weakness broke his resolve. He relented from concentrating. The pounding in his skull receded like the tide. It left him bare, exposed, and his conscious thoughts drifted away…

  ***

  An incalculable passage of time later, Maddox felt gentle motion. It alerted him to a change. He heard wheezing, a rushing windy sound that filled his world.

  Something was wrong with his eyes. They wouldn’t open. That seemed so wrong that Maddox struggled against it. By tiny degrees, he forced his eyelids apart.

  A murky world with slow-motion movement confused him.

  The rushing wind sound continued. Finally, he realized that the sound was coming from him. It was his breathing echoing in his ears because of the mask he wore.

  A mask, he wore a mask.

  The realization brought greater focus, but it also brought horror and loathing.

  Twin canisters were attached to the mask. It appeared the canisters acted like gills, extracting oxygen from the liquid around him. That wasn’t what disgusted him the most, though. Twenty or more tubes were embedded under his skin. He was caught like a fly in a web. Thick, colored liquids surged through the tubing into him. Somebody was doing something to him.

  He squinted through the liquid and managed to make out some of the technicians on the other side. They were normal Vendels in long blue robes. Some held slates. Others monitored machines. One of the slate-holding Vendels lowered his and approached closer. The alien seemed to be examining him.

  The Vendel turned and seemed to shout.

  A cooling sensation flooded over Maddox. It made him drowsy. Did the shouting scientist have something to do with that?

  Maddox wanted to stay awake to see what they were going to do next. He lost the battle…slowly lost consciousness…

  ***

  A shuffling sound woke Maddox. He opened his eyes just in time to see a tall Vendel retreating from his cot. The alien held a long needle with a glistening point.

  Had the creature just injected him with something?

  Another Vendel came into focus. This one was thicker-bodied and wore a uniform with extra-large collars. He had a belt and what Maddox figured must be a weapon, a gun of sorts, holstered there.

  They were in a small room with a door at one side. The room contained monitors, he saw, and the bed he was lying in, and a high table to the side. Maddox couldn’t see what lay on the table.

  The military Vendel—if that’s what he was—put a doglike collar with a box around his own throat. He secured it and pressed a tab on the box. It vibrated a moment.

  The
Vendel spoke softly. Out of the throat-box came the words, “Do you understand me?”

  “Yes,” Maddox whispered.

  The Vendel held up a hand. Then he inserted something into an ear, clicked it, and asked the question a second time.

  “I understand you,” Maddox said, his voice stronger this time.

  The military alien motioned to the doctor or scientist. That Vendel retreated, moving to the table, turning his back to Maddox as he fiddled with something on the table.

  “Who are you?” the military Vendel asked.

  “I am Captain Maddox of Star Watch. Who are you?”

  “I am Sub-Chief Pascal le Mort. I operate under the direct authority of the Raja. I want to know why you have invaded Sind.”

  “What is Sind?”

  “It is the name of our beloved planet,” Pascal said.

  “I have invaded nothing,”

  “Your actions imply otherwise,” the Vendel said. “You have murdered many of the Raja’s subjects in a rash and reckless manner. Or did you think that your killing spree would go unnoticed?”

  “We defended ourselves, nothing more.”

  “Why did you come to Sind?”

  “We seek aid against the Swarm,” Maddox said.

  “The Swarm is a child’s legend, an ancient one at that. You will have to do better.”

  “The Swarm is all too real,” Maddox said. “I have seen one of their fleets. It was vast—”

  “You claim to have visited the Swarm homeworld?” the alien asked, interrupting.

  “No,” Maddox said in a weary voice. “I journeyed deep into the Beyond—”

  “I do not understand that word,” the Vendel said.

  “I traveled far from my homeworld.”

  “Where is your homeworld?”

  Maddox opened his mouth to answer and then closed it. He was so tired. But that didn’t mean he was a fool and would tell a possibly hostile alien about Earth. He needed to think. He—yes, it was time for a different approach.

  “Where are the rest of my people?” Maddox asked. “Where am I? What have you been doing to me?”

  Sub-chief Pascal le Mort studied him. The military Vendel turned off the throat box and spoke to the scientist. They exchanged rapid-fire words. Finally, the sub-chief turned his translator back on.

  “You almost died,” Pascal said. “You abandoned your sky-raft before it crashed. Each of you landed in the reef-mash. Some of you acquired vent, almost dying in the process. The Raja decided on using our best medical facility. The clutch has been active in your bloodstreams. We barely got to each of you in time to counteract the vent.”

  “Vent is what turned normal Vendels into those savages we saw topside?”

  “Those ‘savages’ are our brothers and sisters. Our scientists labor morning, noon and night for a cure. Yet, you came down and slaughtered them indiscriminately. That was a hostile action.”

  “You launched a cruise missile at us first,” Maddox said.

  “As a warning to leave Sind,” Pascal said.

  “You warned us too hard, wrecking our craft. We crashed—”

  “Yes, yes,” Pascal said. “We witnessed that, and we sent out a recue party. You slaughtered them as well.”

  “They threatened us.”

  “For their safety,” Pascal said. “You are great murderers. If it weren’t for your vessel’s victory over the besieging Juggernauts, the Raja would have executed the lot of you. Many on the council believe this victory over the Juggernauts is a trick. No doubt, you are spies for the Rull. Worse, you might be spies for their masters, the androids.”

  Maddox perked up before he could hide his interest. “You know about the androids?”

  Pascal studied him.

  Even though his brain felt fuzzy, Maddox decided to gamble. He doubted he could dig them in any deeper than they were already. A risk would more likely help than hurt them.

  “Do you know about the Builders?” Maddox asked, watching Pascal closely in case the Vendel tried to lie.

  The scientist at the table whirled around as the sub-chief staggered backward, slamming against a wall. The two Vendels exchanged startled, frightened glances.

  Without another word, Pascal le Mort spun around and dashed for the door, hurling it open. The scientist followed hot on his heels. The scientist slammed the door, and Maddox heard a lock click into place.

  The reaction stunned Maddox. He wanted to get up and explore the room. He even managed to whip off the covers. A hiss alerted him. He looked up in time to see a green mist billowing into the chamber from upper vents. Before he could decide what that meant, his eyes closed of their own accord, and Maddox fell unconscious.

  -34-

  Sergeant Treggason Riker was a plodder by nature, but he was far from being slow-witted. He would not have lasted as long as he had as Captain Maddox’s Intelligence Assistant otherwise.

  Riker removed his bionic arm from a diagnostic machine he kept in his quarters. The arm was still fully functional. That was good to know, now that he’d made his decision.

  On this journey into the Beyond, Riker had read endless gardening articles. He’d listened to Lieutenant Maker harp about Valerie and how she’d reacted badly to his impulsive kiss. The lad clearly needed a girl. There was no doubt about that.

  Riker sighed as he manipulated his bionic fingers. Maybe that’s what he should do after the mission, look for a good woman. Maybe after all this time, he should settle down. Maybe it was time to get out of the Service. These crazy missions took a toll on an old fart. It was true that he had to make sure the lad—Captain Maddox—returned to Earth in one piece. The Iron Lady might have a heart attack—a broken heart—if Maddox failed to return.

  Riker sighed again as he buttoned up his uniform. He’d felt as useless as a tit on a boar hog this mission. Not that he’d minded too much. An oldster like him needed his rest.

  Well, by damn, he had rested, all right. Riker had rested so much that he’d begun to feel itchy. He disliked the feeling because he knew it meant something bad was around the corner. An old salt like him seldom did anything impulsive, unlike the hotheaded pilot or the overconfident Captain Maddox. What itchiness like this did, though, was push his plodding nature into trouble.

  Riker belted on his service pistol. It was a squat, ugly thing with plenty of punch. It banged loudly when shot and delivered a heavy grain bullet. There had been too many dangerous creatures, androids and surprises for Riker to believe in smaller caliber guns anymore. He wanted knockdown, killing power. The captain might have a fancy, long-barreled weapon—

  Riker had a rule. Get in close and blast away. Let the young and overconfident practice the fancy tactics. The sergeant firmly believed in playing the percentages. Over the long run, that’s how a man came home in one piece.

  Someday, the captain’s di-far luck was going to run out. Maybe it already had.

  “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Riker muttered under his breath. He figured it was time someone did. Still, having raided the captain’s quarters for the needed technical goodie—

  The sergeant did not go into the lavatory to check himself in a mirror. He was too old for that. His jacket fit, the belt wasn’t too tight and he’d broken in these boots weeks ago.

  He now headed for the hatch to begin the Intelligence legwork for an illegal activity.

  ***

  These past days, Riker had been thinking the way a dog gnawed on a bone with several pieces of meat deep in the crevices. Riker had worked over the problem one way, turned it around and mulled it over in another. He had fit the pieces of the puzzle together, discarded stupid ideas and slowly begun to form an opinion.

  The problem was Professor Ludendorff and Doctor Dana Rich. The spur had been Keith trying to kiss Valerie.

  Riker loved the company of women. They were wonderful creatures, warm, loving, compassionate, helpful… And royal pains in the arse at other times. Riker had a theory about women. It involved God. He figured a m
an and a woman, a married couple, brought all the pieces together to give them all the attributes of God. Men usually lacked a woman’s compassion. A woman seldom had a man’s boldness. As a team, they helped shore up each other’s weaknesses. By living together and therefore antagonizing each other, they also helped sand out the rough spots in each other’s personalities.

  Riker didn’t believe in putting women up on pedestals. They were too flawed—but flawed in enjoyable and interesting ways that differed from men’s flaws.

  Thank God for that. Variety gave spice to life.

  In any case, Keith’s laments about Valerie had started Riker mulling over the professor’s behavior toward Dana. After several days of plodding, gnawing, and thinking, Riker saw a problem.

  He took a deep breath, opened a hatch into the gunnery range and locked the hatch behind him. No one was here practicing, as the starship was still on yellow alert.

  They’d beaten off the Juggernauts, but couldn’t find the captain or the landing party anywhere on the planet.

  Riker walked deeper into the chamber, took out an anti-snooper device and clicked it on. He studied the readings. This was good. Except for the recorder up in the far corner, there were no other listening bugs or snoopers in here.

  “Galyan,” the sergeant said into the air.

  Nothing happened.

  “Galyan,” Riker said. “I need your help.”

  A few seconds later, the holoimage appeared before him.

  “Is something wrong?” Galyan asked.

  “Yes. You’ve been studying each of us for several voyages, correct?”

  The AI floated back a little. “I am an individual entity just like the rest of you. I have my own prerogatives—”

  “Stand down, Galyan. I’m not accusing you of anything bad. I’m double checking my idea.”

  “Oh. I am sorry, Riker—”

  “Don’t be sorry. This could be important. I don’t know. Have you continued your psychological profiling of each of us?”

  “We are a family—”

  “Galyan, quit being defensive. Just answer my questions. I’m not interested in trickery like the captain.”