The Lost Planet (Lost Starship Series Book 6)

by Vaughn Heppner

  The holoimage smiled. “Sergeant Riker, that is patently false. You are devious, but you hide it behind your honest-looking features. You often make dry statements with greater bite to them—”

  “Galyan.”

  “You are correct in reprimanding me,” the holoimage said. “We are still in yellow alert, still faced with dangerous dilemmas. How can I assist you?”

  Riker rubbed his leathery chin. “Professor Ludendorff is an arrogant and self-aggrandizing man. Yet, he has a tender spot for Doctor Rich.”

  “Several days ago, I would have agreed with your analysis,” Galyan said. “However, his drugging of Doctor Rich in his laboratory…”

  Galyan’s eyelids fluttered. After that stopped, he looked at Riker with greater interest.

  That confirmed for Riker that he was on the right track.

  “That is an amazing piece of inductive reasoning on your part,” Galyan said. “If one overlays the professor’s action against his previous actions regarding Doctor Rich—”

  “The latest action is off kilter,” Riker said, interrupting.

  “Yes. The professor’s love for Dana has blinded him on several occasions. The most notable was when she hijacked his mission many years ago. You have impressed me, Riker.”

  “Let’s save the back-slapping for when Star Watch is handing out the medals,” Riker said. “What do you think it means that Ludendorff drugged Dana?”

  Galyan’s eyelids fluttered madly for a time. “Something has influenced the professor’s latest action.”

  “Yeah,” the sergeant said. “That seemed logical to me, too.”

  “What do you suggest we do with this interesting insight?”

  Riker nodded. “That’s the question, and it’s why I came to you. I was hoping you’d have a plan.”

  “This is not my area of expertise. I do not yet know all the nuances of human behavior or the correct procedures for a spy mission.”

  “You can play a hunch like the captain does, or you can try the professional route I use. The professional way eliminates one possibility at a time until only one answer remains. There seems to be two possibilities here. One, someone tampered with Ludendorff’s mind. Two, someone is feeding the professor wrong information in order to nudge him in a certain direction.”

  “Far be it from me to correct a Star Watch Intelligence operative,” Galyan said. “But both your examples show that someone is tampering with Ludendorff’s thoughts. One method does it directly and the other uses persuasion.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “Strangely enough, I do,” Galyan said. “Perhaps my understanding of human innuendos has grown.” The holoimage glanced at the sergeant’s gun belt. “You are carrying a bigger than normal pistol. What are you afraid of finding? Wait. Do not tell me…an android,” the AI said. “You believe an android or androids might be aboard Victory.”

  Riker stared at the holoimage.

  “Sergeant, do you suspect I am in on the professor’s plot?”

  “Don’t know,” Riker admitted. “The professor has fiddled with your AI core before this.”

  “That is true. Let me run a self-diagnostic.” The holoimage froze.

  Riker had a plan. He wasn’t sure it would work against the AI—

  “I am intact,” Galyan announced. “I have also detected a jamming device in your jacket pocket. It would not have proven effective against me.”

  Riker shrugged. They might still see about that.

  “I suggest we speak to Dana,” Galyan said.

  “Why’s that?”

  “It is logical to assume the possible android is hidden in a secure location. We have checked for androids many times this voyage and found none. Thus, this hidden location would be some place Ludendorff did not want Dana to go. She would be the best person to tell us that spot.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Riker said. “Let’s go.”

  Galyan rubbed his holographic hands together. “This is exciting. The two of us are on an espionage mission. No wonder you have remained in Star Watch these many years. I am finding it difficult to contain my glee.”

  Riker muttered under his breath—an excited AI. It didn’t make sense. This was almost like working with the captain. Was it possible he was cursed in some manner?

  “Hurry, Sergeant,” Galyan said. “You are dawdling.”

  Riker squinted at Galyan, wondering if the AI was imitating the captain’s mannerisms. Then, the sergeant increased his pace. The captain was likely in danger—so, if they could do something on this end, it was time to get it done.

  -35-

  Riker didn’t bother smiling. His staid face worked best in these situations.

  Doctor Rich glanced from Galyan to him, frowning almost angrily. She wore a Star Watch uniform, with her long hair pulled back in a severe and unflattering manner.

  They were in the cafeteria, he and Dana sitting, while Galyan stood. Others ate and talked at various tables.

  “This is ridiculous,” Dana said at last. “I’m sick to death of the professor’s arrogant antics. Frankly, I don’t believe any of your explanation, Galyan. I think the professor put you up to this. You must know that I’m angry with him.”

  “Even though the professor is missing down on the planet?” asked Riker.

  “I’m sure the professor and the others are fine,” Dana said. “Isn’t it always fine in the end?”

  “With hundreds of thousands of savage cannibalistic Vendels down on the planet with them?” asked Riker.

  “Don’t,” she said, suddenly. “Don’t try that on me. It’s wrong. Ludendorff shouldn’t have drugged me. He shouldn’t have gone down with the captain. This mission is a mess. My…”

  Tears brimmed in her eyes. She looked down, fiddled with her salad and sniffled. “I’m done talking to you two,” she said, rising.

  Galyan glanced at Riker. The sergeant could see that the AI didn’t know what to do.

  Riker stood, and he cleared his throat gruffly. Dana glanced at him.

  “I’ve worked with the captain for many years,” Riker said. “He’s insufferably arrogant, but he’s also brilliant. The professor has similar traits. One thing I know about the captain, though…”

  Dana looked up. “What do you know?” she asked.

  “I know the captain has never drugged Meta.”

  The doctor’s features stiffened, but she didn’t whirl away. “You don’t know the professor like I do. When he’s involved in a project, it consumes him. If I get in the way at those times…” She made a shooing motion.

  “Where does Ludendorff go to be alone?” Riker asked.

  Dana shrugged. “He used to work in his laboratory all the time. Then the captain barred him from there.”

  “During that time,” Riker said. “Did Ludendorff ever go off to be by himself?”

  “No…” Dana said. “Not unless you mean the main incinerator unit. Ludendorff has taken up smoking. Most people find it offensive. He went to smoke his pipe there, but he only went a few times.”

  “Thank you, Doctor,” Riker said. “That’s exactly where I’ll go.”

  “I’m coming with you,” Dana said.

  “It could be dangerous.”

  “Then tell the space marine,” Dana said. “Have him suit up. If there’s an android hidden in the incinerator unit—”

  “That’s a good idea,” Riker said, interrupting. “Now you’re thinking.” He took out his communicator, clicking it on, trying to get in touch with Lieutenant Sims.

  ***

  Riker watched the holoimage float ahead of them. The sergeant had his gun out. Behind him, Dana looked worried. Bringing up the rear, Sims clanked along in an enclosed exoskeleton armor-suit. The marine stood seven feet tall and cradled a heavy slug-thrower. It made Riker’s weapon seem like a peashooter. Riker didn’t holster his gun, though. That would go against every impulse of his long service.

  The sergeant came up to Galyan just as the holoimage slid away into the incine
rator unit, disappearing from view.

  A soft hum indicated the incinerator was in operation. There was a strong smoky smell here. There were also soot marks smudged against the access hatch, as if someone had opened it during this voyage.

  Riker moved back as Galyan slid out of the unit.

  “Well?” Dana asked. “Did you spot an android?”

  “Negative,” Galyan said.

  “So you’re done here?” Sims asked through his helmet speaker.

  Riker turned to the giant armor-suited marine. “If you’d stay just a little longer, sir…”

  The helmet nodded as servomotors whined.

  “Galyan,” Riker said, “is the incinerator on?”

  “It is,” the AI said.

  “Was there anything in there that didn’t burn?”

  “I did not think of that. Just a moment, please.” The holoimage disappeared again. This time, the AI reappeared faster. “There is a glowing box. All the other refuse burns except for that.”

  “How big is the box?” Riker asked.

  Galyan used his ropy arms to indicate a large box the size of a regular man’s chest.

  “What is in the box?” Riker asked.

  “I could not tell.”

  Riker suddenly found it a little harder to breathe. Instinctively, he began holding his breath. A moment later, Dana collapsed. Riker pulled out a handheld jammer, switching it on. He backed away behind the space marine until he stood in the corridor.

  “Open the hatch,” he told the marine.

  The armor-suit did not move.

  Riker realized his mistake. He just used a special Intelligence jammer, an ultra-powerful unit. He’d found it in the captain’s quarters. It must be jamming the exoskeleton’s interior signals, the reason the lieutenant couldn’t respond.

  Coming to a swift decision, Riker set the jammer on the deck. He turned and limped-ran to an emergency wall-unit, pulling it open. There, he donned a rebreather. With the mask on, he returned to the incinerator area.

  Galyan had frozen. That worried Riker. It was possible that Star Watch had included the jammer in the captain’s equipment as an emergency protection against the Adok AI. After this, Galyan would be aware of the jammer’s power. Well, the fat was in the fire now, so he might as well make the best of it.

  Riker used another emergency switch, shutting down the incinerator. After the required wait, he opened the access hatch. With a special pair of gloves, he hauled the strange and very heavy box out of the incinerator. Once he had it in the open area, he closed the access hatch.

  Lastly, Riker put the active jammer on the box to keep the thing inert. Then, he began to shove the box down the corridor. The jammer wouldn’t work forever, but it should last him long enough to get the box into a special cell.

  The sergeant had no idea what he had within the box, but he knew it was something important. He would bet it had something to do with androids, and he would bet it was the key to the professor’s traitorous behavior a while back. Whatever was in the box, would that help him save the captain?

  Riker didn’t know. Thus, he would take things a step at a time. Before he did too much thinking, he needed to get the box to the special cell.

  -36-

  Valerie stared at Riker on the wall screen. The lieutenant sat on her bed, having just woken up from a short nap. Her hair was messy and her eyes looked puffy.

  She’s not getting enough sleep, Riker realized. I might be the most well-rested person on the starship.

  “You’re the senior Intelligence operative aboard the ship,” Valerie said. “You run the investigation.”

  “Just a minute,” Sims said angrily. The space marine no longer wore his armor-shell, but a tight one-piece that marines often wore inside exoskeleton suits. “The sergeant kept me locked in my suit for a half-hour. I nearly suffocated because my recyclers no longer functioned. I couldn’t use the fail-safe exit, because it had frozen.”

  Valerie blinked at the beefy marine glaring at her. “What’s your point?”

  “He’s too careless,” the marine shouted, pointing at Riker. “He could have killed me.”

  “Sergeant…” Valerie said.

  “I understand, sir,” Riker muttered. “It was an oversight on my part.”

  “Oversight?” Sims shouted at him. “Nearly murdering me was an oversight?”

  “Enough,” Dana said, stepping before the wall screen. “I should be in charge of the investigation. The box contains…something highly technical. This is a scientific problem. That is my area of expertise, not that of a mere Intelligence sergeant.” The doctor turned to Riker. “I don’t mean any disrespect by saying that.”

  “Of course not,” Riker said. “How could I have thought otherwise?”

  Dana frowned at him before turning back to Valerie. “It makes no sense putting a nontechnical sergeant in charge of such a touchy and possibly far-reaching…dilemma.”

  “It’s my understanding that Riker reasoned out the box in the first place,” Valerie said.

  “I believe Galyan did that,” Dana said.

  Valerie turned to someone off-screen. “Is that true?” she asked.

  “No,” Galyan said. “The sergeant uncovered the mole. He did it through careful, espionage-related reasoning.”

  “We don’t know this box is a mole,” Dana said. “That’s the point. We don’t know what it is.”

  “Yet, it caused you to fall unconscious through emitting knockout gas into the area,” Galyan said on the wall screen.

  “I want to know how you plan to discipline the sergeant,” Sims shouted at Valerie, his voice drowning out the others.

  “Discipline?” Valerie asked.

  “You heard me,” Sims said in an ugly voice.

  Valerie’s features tightened. “You’d better take a civil tone with me, Lieutenant. As long as the captain is gone, I’m the commanding officer aboard the starship.”

  Sims glowered at her, and he seemed to be getting angrier.

  “Would you like to punch me?” Riker asked quietly.

  The young marine whirled around. A hard grin was stretched across his chiseled face. “You bet I would.” He cocked his fist and punched for the sergeant’s chin.

  Riker caught the fist with his bionic hand. He slid back a bit, but he held the fist in place.

  “You bastard,” Sims said. He stepped closer and thrust a knee at Riker. The sergeant released the fist and deflected the knee. He didn’t see the second fist coming, though. It clouted him on the side of the head. Riker sprawled onto the deck, with the side of his head throbbing.

  “I’d kick your ass up through your teeth,” Sims said, standing over him, “but you’re too old to take it like a man. Don’t ever ask me to do you a favor again.”

  Without waiting for a reply, not even glancing at the wall screen, Sims stalked off.

  “Are you all right?” Dana asked, crouching down to help Riker.

  The sergeant accepted the help. The side of his head still hurt. The young bull was strong. He should have tried a different tactic. The space marine was hotheaded and decidedly aggressive.

  “How dare he hit you,” Valerie said from the screen.

  “No harm,” Riker muttered. “I shouldn’t have baited him.”

  “I’ll throw him in the brig for that,” Valerie said, getting angrier.

  Riker cleared his throat, shaking his head. He stopped that because it hurt his head. His right eye was swelling. He’d have to put some ice on that.

  “Lieutenant,” the sergeant told Valerie, “we’re under yellow alert.”

  “That’s right,” Valerie said, with her eyes glowing. “Hitting a fellow officer while on yellow alert—”

  “I’m a sergeant,” Riker said, “not an officer.”

  “Hitting a fellow crewmember during a yellow alert is a serious offense,” Valerie said. “I can throw the book at him. I can—”

  “How about forgetting it?” Riker said. “Lieutenant Sims got scared, be
ing stuck in his armor-suit. He had pent-up rage. Now, he’s released it. We’re probably going to need him soon. The landing party is still on the planet. So putting him in the brig isn’t going to help us.”

  Valerie appeared thoughtful.

  “In any case,” Dana said. “We have to decide what to do with the box. Riker pushed it into a special cell and turned on the needed devices. That is jamming the box. Unfortunately, it is also keeping us from examining it. I submit that this is a highly dangerous piece of enemy equipment. We don’t know what it does—”

  “I’ve changed my mind,” Valerie said. “Sergeant, I’m putting Dana in charge of investigating the box.”

  Riker nodded. No one listened to a sergeant anyway, or not for long. He was used to it. “Do you mind if I tag along?” he asked Dana.

  “What?” Dana asked. “No, I don't mind. You can join me. Just stay out of my way and do exactly as I say.”

  “Of course,” Riker said.

  “Good. Now, let’s get to work.”

  ***

  Riker did almost nothing other than stand before a viewing screen. The screen was on the other side of the armored cell containing the box. Beside the box was Doctor Rich in a crinkly silver suit with a helmet.

  The cell’s jamming equipment still targeted the box. Dana put an old-fashioned stethoscope against one side. She kept it there for a time, finally removing it. She tapped on the box with a metal rod, listening. She took off a glove and carefully felt around the box.

  Riker shifted from foot to foot as she investigated the item. He had to say that, so far, he wasn’t impressed by her methods. Yes, they were methodical, but not well reasoned.

  The sergeant gingerly touched the swollen mouse over his right eye. Sims had belted him good. The marine hadn’t been afraid of his bionic arm, just more angered by it. Riker hadn’t decided yet what he thought about that. He had no feelings for revenge. The young marine was an officer. He might mention the incident to the captain later—if the captain was still alive.

  Galyan appeared beside him. The holoimage couldn’t appear inside the cell with the jamming equipment on.