The Lost Destroyer (Lost Starship Series Book 3)

by Vaughn Heppner

  “I am using my probability processors to guide me in this,” Galyan said.

  Maddox nodded absently.

  The hull looked smooth. Then, a jumpfighter appeared. It looked just like the one Maddox had used to journey to Wolf Prime with Dana and Keith. The jumpfighter maneuvered expertly, gliding beside the ancient wrecking machine. A port opened on the jumpfighter. The people inside must have used the latest experimental drug to hinder Jump Lag to be able to exit the jumpfighter so quickly. Three people in vacc-suits and maneuver packs left the tiny craft. How could they survive in the ion storm? It must be more Builder tech that allowed it. The visors were silver-colored, hiding the people’s features. A trail of hydrogen spray spewed from the thruster-packs.

  Soon, the three, suited voyagers landed on the neutroium hull. The disjointed way they walked indicated that they used magnetic boots—boots that worked in the magnetic storm!

  “Why doesn’t the planet-killer destroy them?” Valerie said.

  “I cannot answer that,” Galyan said. “Perhaps the original builders did not envision anyone appearing so close near the hull. The others out there must have understood the particular design feature. Ah, this is difficult, but I am sensing a faint signal from one of them. It comes from a small object that the prime person carries.”

  “Two questions,” Maddox said. “How can you sense all this through the ion storm? And how can you tell which one is the prime person?”

  “My sensors are vastly superior now, able to pierce the magnetic interference,” Galyan said. “I sense the prime individual from the manner of his locomotion. Due to my heightened senses, it is an easy thing to decipher.”

  Maddox and Valerie traded glances.

  “The magnetic storm is beginning to dissipate,” Valerie said.

  “The lieutenant is correct,” Galyan said. “The ionic particles are vanishing into the portal. This will aid me in my analysis. Ah, let me correct the image into a truer picture.”

  The main screen wavered. Now, the neutroium hull showed pitted marks, obvious wear and tear.

  “Is that a hatch in the machine’s hull?” Maddox asked.

  “You are correct,” Galyan said. “The three walk to the closed hatch.”

  “I can’t believe we’re seeing something so detailed that is happening well beyond Mars’ orbital path,” Valerie said.

  “Starship Victory is an Adok marvel,” Galyan said with pride. “Now that I am beginning to operate at maximum efficacy, you will soon become used to greater things than this.”

  “I’m glad to hear it,” Valerie said.

  Maddox wondered if the AI caught the sarcasm. The AI likely would learn about it in time. If we have more time to live that is.

  “No,” Valerie said.

  Maddox’s throat tightened. The hatch on the neutroium hull slid open. The three space-suited people entered the doomsday machine. After the last one vanished within, the hatch slid shut.

  For several seconds, no one said a word.

  “At least we know it’s possible to enter the doomsday machine,” Maddox said, softy.

  “Fat lot of good that does us,” Valerie said. “You said Ludendorff had a key. I imagine so did they out there. But we’re left hanging to rot out here without one.”

  “Ah,” Galyan said. “A key—that is most interesting. Yes, I suppose that was the wave frequencies I detected a moment ago.”

  “Explain that,” Maddox said.

  “There is little to tell,” Galyan said. “I picked up signals. They were faint, as I said. Soon after the wave sequence emitted, the hatch opened.”

  “Could you duplicate those signals?” Maddox asked.

  “They were a complicated series of hard-to-reach frequencies—”

  “Can you do it?” Maddox asked.

  Galyan glanced at him. “It would take time to build such an emitter. You would have to take the device along with you to the vessel.”

  “How long would it take you build this emitter?” the captain asked.

  “Two, maybe three days,” Galyan said.

  Valerie swore softly under her breath.

  Maddox began to pace. Because a pilot had bought a jumpfighter to precisely the right spot, three people had entered the doomsday machine. Could one of those people have been Meta? Hopefully, he would know more in an hour. Star Watch raced smash-and-grab teams to the selected Cestus hauler. Soon, everyone on that ship would enter interrogation. Someone there might have seen Meta.

  “The planet-killer is accelerating,” Valerie said. “It’s headed in-system.”

  “Given its trajectory what’s its probable destination?” Maddox asked. Would it attack Mars first or head straight for Earth? Just maybe, they could sacrifice Mars in order to gain time for Galyan to construct the emitter. But if—

  “It looks as if the machine is heading for Earth,” Valerie said. “It’s going to bypass Mars, which is quite a ways out from the machine’s initial appearance point.”

  “I wish I could remember the range of its beam,” Maddox said. “I wasn’t paying attention to that when Ludendorff showed me his recording. How long do we have until it begins the attack sequence?”

  “Star Watch battleships and heavy cruisers are already leaving Earth orbit,” Valerie said. “According to their headings, they appear to be on an intercept course with the machine.” The lieutenant shook her head. “It’s too bad the Home Fleet doesn’t already have the ten battleships coming in from Pluto. The readings from that thing—the doomsday machine has vastly more mass than our combined Home Fleet, sir.”

  “I doubt we’re going to beat it in a head-to-head battle,” Maddox said.

  “What other option is there?” Valerie asked. “Can we delay the planet-killer for three days while Galyan fashions his emitter?”

  Maddox watched the giant machine. How could a spaceship be fifty kilometer’s long? Who had built it anyway? If the New Men gained control of the doomsday machine—

  The captain whirled around to stare at Galyan. “Question,” Maddox said, “could you beam the wave frequencies from Victory in order to unlock the hatch?”

  Galyan’s eyelids fluttered. “Theoretically, it is possible.”

  “I’m not asking that. Can you do it?”

  “If I came in close enough, I should be able to,” Galyan said.

  “How close would Victory need to be?” Maddox asked.

  “Four hundred thousand kilometers,” the AI said.

  “I’d imagine our starship would be in range of the enemy beam at four hundred thousand kilometers range,” Valerie said.

  “Which means it would be suicidal to use the star drive to get that close,” Maddox said. “Unfortunately, by the time we flew out there the normal way to meet it… Galyan, you’re going to have to do better than that. You have to reach farther with your special beam.”

  “One cannot wish expert marksmanship into existence,” the AI said.

  Maddox wasn’t interested in excuses. “You said the key or device emitted a wave frequency.”

  “In an extremely narrow band and beam,” Galyan said. “That is correct.”

  “Did you see where exactly the beam struck?”

  “That is one of the variables,” the AI said. “That is why I must be in such near proximity.”

  “What’s your plan, sir?” Valerie asked the captain.

  “Ludendorff sent Per Lomax in a jumpfighter to board the doomsday machine,” Maddox said. “The enemy just did that now. We’ll have to do the same thing.”

  “Who could pilot…” Valerie said, her words dwindling away.

  “You understand just like me that Keith will have to pilot our jumpfighter,” Maddox said. “The ace is always telling us how good he is. Here’s a chance to see if he’s as good as a New Man.”

  “Can any of us doubt that?” Valerie asked. “But that’s not all, is it, sir?”

  “No,” Maddox said. “Galyan has to strike the lock with a tight and correct wave frequency beam to
open the hatch for us.”

  “Open it for whom, sir?” Valerie asked.

  Maddox considered that for two seconds. “Riker and me,” the captain said. “I’ll take the sergeant along.”

  “The two of you against the three of them?” asked Valerie.

  “It will be three of us against two of them,” Maddox corrected. “I think one of those people is Meta.”

  “What makes you think that, sir?”

  “Per Lomax wanted Meta to join him,” Maddox said. “Why not whoever kidnapped her? It’s just a guess, though.” The captain shook his head. “This talk is pissing in the wind so far. Galyan, you’re going to have to fire a long-distance beam at precisely the right spot. Otherwise, humanity dies. I don’t care if you think you can’t do it, you’re going to give it your best shot.”

  “When do you envision this attempt?” the AI asked.

  “In less than an hour,” Maddox said. “Speed is of the essence. Who knows how fast the doomsday machine will accelerate into range of Earth. Once we enter the thing, if we can, we’re going to have to figure out how to stop it. That’s all going to take time. Lieutenant Noonan, you have the bridge. Alert the sergeant and second lieutenant of their assignments. Then call the brigadier in Geneva and tell her what we’re doing. I’m heading to the armory to collect what I need.”

  ***

  Dana halted the captain in a corridor. He seemed preoccupied, and for good reason.

  “Just a minute,” she said.

  Maddox halted, but he seemed antsy. “I have no time, Doctor. I’m—”

  “I know very well what you’re doing. I’ve been listening. Captain…I want to give you something. But you must promise to give these objects back to me when you’re finished.”

  “What are you talking about?” Maddox asked.

  “These,” Dana said, holding out the small chain and force field emitting ball, along with the flat device.

  The captain looked startled. “What are you doing with those?”

  “I can use them,” Dana said.

  Understanding lit the captain’s eyes. “You tested them?”

  “I did,” Dana admitted. “When you first told me about Ludendorff—I became so wrought-up inside, I had to do something. I decided to figure out some of the professor’s secrets.”

  “That took courage.”

  “No. I was foolhardy. Sometimes, however, fools succeed where angels fear to tread. This was one of those times. Take them.”

  “I don’t know how to use them,” Maddox said.

  “I’m going to show you. This seems like the final confrontation. You may need an equalizer aboard the doomsday machine, especially if there are New Men involved.”

  “Yes, good thinking,” Maddox said. “How long will it take for you to explain how to use them?”

  “Not long,” Dana said. “Now pay attention. You have to use these items correctly. The force field emitter could be the most dangerous to you. You cannot wear it will wearing a vacc-suit.”

  “Then what good is it?”

  “You’ll have it,” Dana said, “just in case you find yourself in that sort of situation.”

  Maddox grinned. “Doctor, thank you. This is most welcome. We need an edge.”

  Dana wasn’t sure what to feel. She allowed herself a small smile. “I suppose I want to do my part.”

  “You already have, but this doubles it.”

  “Good. I wish you luck, Captain. The human race may well be resting on your shoulders.”

  “Then we’d better get started.”

  “Yes,” Dana said. “Now, notice this protrusion…”

  -38-

  Ninety minutes later, Maddox and Riker wore vacc-suits inside a jumpfighter drifting near the starship. The ace piloted them to the doomsday machine.

  Instead of regular space marine weaponry or even the Intelligence tools of the trade, both operatives wore New Men blasters on their hips. Each of them had two at full battery power.

  Maddox had picked these up from the enemy when the New Men had stormed the starship in Wolf Prime orbit several months ago. The failed attempt had left enemy weapons scattered throughout the vessel’s corridors, and the captain had stored them in Victory’s armory.

  The more esoteric New Men weapons, he’d left in the armory. Both he and Riker had shot the blasters before. The weapons fired bolts of deadly energy able to pierce the best body armor. A simple selector switch allowed one to change the intensity of the beam. The narrowest setting produced a needle-thin ray. The widest could act like a giant shotgun blast.

  Just in case the enemy had defensive equipment that could render a blaster ineffective, both men brought their personal guns with extra magazines. Maddox also had a slarn knife, Villars’ old blade. The sergeant had a smaller knife attached to a set of tungsten knuckles. He would slip that over his bionic hand to aid his blows if the need arose.

  “Valerie is ready, mate. I mean, sir,” Keith said. The ace had been flipping switches and tapping controls. The jumpfighter now vibrated: with the engine ready to perform its miracle.

  Maddox tested his straps once again.

  “Hold on,” Keith said. “Sir, the brigadier is on the line.”

  “Patch her through,” Maddox said, looking up.

  “Aye, Captain,” Keith said.

  A moment later, the brigadier appeared on the jumpfighter’s screen.

  Maddox had his visor open. “News, Ma’am?” he asked.

  “I’ve just received a report from Major Stokes,” O’Hara said. “He led the Intelligence team onto the designated Cestus hauler. The major, ah, persuaded the right person to speak. Meta definitely left on the enemy jumpfighter. So did an enemy agent named Kane.”

  Maddox nodded. “That explains why they kidnapped her.”

  “Captain, I have further bad news. You were correct about a New Man having come to Earth. I can hardly fathom the major’s data. Yet, it appears that Oran Rva is in the Solar System.”

  The captain’s lips tightened.

  “That makes little sense to me, though,” the brigadier said. “If Star Watch had an important Intelligence mission, we wouldn’t send the Lord High Admiral to do it.”

  “No, we wouldn’t,” Maddox said. “But we don’t think like the New Men. They view themselves—they are—highly competent at whatever they choose to do. I imagine it might be more than that, Ma’am.”

  “What do you mean?” O’Hara asked.

  “Oran Rva’s goal must be to gain control of the doomsday machine. Might that control give him greater authority among the New Men?”

  “You mean that this could be a power play among them,” O’Hara said.

  “It’s just a guess, Ma’am.”

  “That’s an interesting point, though,” the brigadier said. She grew quiet before asking, “Can you truly defeat Oran Rva and Kane? They are exceptional soldiers, I’d warrant.”

  “We’ve all seen the Odin video,” Maddox said. “I doubt you think I can best them. But I’ve faced the New Men before and beaten them. What else do you suggest we try?”

  “I suggest we wait a few more hours,” the brigadier said. “Let’s send teams of space marines in power armor against them.”

  “I’m done waiting,” Maddox said. “Besides, we don’t have time. The doomsday machine is racing toward Earth. If we begin too late, it won’t matter if we win against the planet-killer or not.”

  “I’m sending space marine backups,” the brigadier said.

  “Fine,” Maddox said. “We’ll be the tip of the spear. My pilot is signaling me. I have to go. I have to let Second Lieutenant Maker concentrate so he makes the perfect jump.”

  “I wish you well, Captain.”

  “Right,” Maddox said. “I appreciate that.”

  The brigadier’s image vanished. In its place appeared a visual of outer space.

  “Ready?” Maddox asked Keith.

  “Not yet, Captain,” the ace said “Galyan doesn’t have the wave frequencies
down just right.”

  Maddox exhaled impatiently. Then, he nodded. “Right, we’re likely only going to get this one shot at doing it.”

  The minutes ticked away until a half hour had passed and then forty-five minutes.

  Keith sat up. “Got some news, sir,” he said. “The doomsday machine has increased acceleration again. The Lord High Admiral has given the word. The Home Fleet is accelerating on its intercept course.”

  “What’s taking Galyan so long?” Maddox asked, impatiently.

  “Should I call him, sir?” Keith asked.

  “Yes,” Maddox said.

  A moment later, the deified AI stared at them from the screen.

  “Galyan,” Maddox said, “how long until you’re ready?”

  “In several hours I should be able to try the first—”

  “Listen to me,” Maddox said, interrupting Galyan. “We’ve run out of time. I don’t remember the range of the planet-killer’s beam. I’m sure it badly outranges our vessels. If we defeat the machine but our Home Fleet is destroyed, that just means a slower death for Earth when the New Men renew their invasion.”

  “I recognize the situation for what it is,” Galyan said. “A premature attempt will not aid us. I have already begun to suspect that failed attempts will freeze the doomsday machine’s entry lock.”

  “How can you tell?” Maddox asked.

  “It seems like a logical safety feature.”

  Maddox shook his head. “That doesn’t change the fact that I have to stop the machine before it destroys Cook’s fleet. It’s time to act.”

  “Perhaps you could persuade the Lord High Admiral to delay his present effort,” the AI said.

  I doubt I’m going to have any luck with that,” Maddox said. “If I fail, the admiral will want to fight it out with the doomsday machine. Earth isn’t going to die without a struggle.”

  “That is a noble sentiment. However—”

  “We’re jumping, Galyan. You’re going to have to fire that wave frequency beam as best you can.”

  “I cannot guarantee success.”

  “I’m not asking for that. I just want you to give it your best shot. We have to go now before the doomsday machine builds up too great of a velocity. We’re going to be hard pressed to match it as it is.”