The Lost Starship

by Vaughn Heppner

  After a time, Meta related a few details about the Rouen Colony: the harsh rules and that everyone had legally belonged to the Chabot family as property.

  “You were slaves?” Valerie asked.

  “Effectively,” Meta said.

  “That’s awful!”

  Meta cocked her head as if assessing Valerie’s words. After a few seconds, she smiled.

  The smile shocked Valerie. She realized it was the first time the woman had truly smiled while aboard the Geronimo. Despite her growing sympathy for Meta, it reminded Valerie how dangerous the woman was. Those other smiles—Did she use those to lull us?

  “Meta, I hope this doesn’t make you angry, but I’m going to call Captain Maddox. I want his permission for us to see Doctor Rich.”

  “Does he control you, then?” Meta asked sarcastically.

  “He’s the commanding officer. I belong to Star Watch. A little over a month ago, I captained an escort. When I gave an order, I expected my people to follow it. If I demand something from others, I should be willing to give it myself.”

  “We’ve worked hard to save the scout,” Meta said. “That has created a bond of friendship between us. Friends help each other.”

  “I agree. But this is a military vessel of the Star Watch. We have rules to govern our behavior.”

  “Rules to limit you,” Meta said.

  “No,” Valerie said. “The rules give us strength because we know we can trust each other. In that way, we can work together in order to accomplish a greater goal. The New Men have invaded, Meta. We have to stop them. Look what they did to your friend.”

  “I don’t know what they did,” Meta said. “I haven’t seen Dana since the mine attack.”

  Valerie took out a comm-unit, switching it on with her thumb. “Captain Maddox,” she said.

  “Yes, Lieutenant,” he said. He was outside helping Keith weld.

  “I would like permission to take Meta into medical so she can see Doctor Rich.”

  There was a pause until Maddox asked, “Is there a reason for this?”

  “Kindness for one thing,” Valerie said, “for another as a reward for a job well done. The engine will work, to an extent.”

  “May I remind you, Lieutenant, that Meta is dangerous?”

  “Ah, sir,” Valerie said, looking up at Meta. “She can hear you.”

  “Do you have a reason for this request you’re not sharing with me?” Maddox asked.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Very well, you may take her. But I want Sergeant Riker to join you.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “You’re welcome, lieutenant” he said. “And thank you, Meta, for helping repair the engine.”

  Meta stared at the comm-unit, making Valerie wonder what the woman was really thinking.

  ***

  Together with Meta, Valerie approached the robo-doctor. Sergeant Riker stood near the hatch, with a stunner in his regular hand.

  This and the control room had been the two chambers sealed from Meta.

  As Dana Rich lay prone, a metal dish sat over her skull. She’d received deep gashes there, as well as a broken arm, ribs and leg. In a parody of normalcy, as if she heard them, her brown features shifted into a grimace.

  “She’s in pain,” Meta said. “You must give her more painkillers.”

  “In time,” Riker said. “The robo-doctor is watching her now. It knows what to do.”

  Meta looked back to sneer at him. “What does a machine know? She’s in pain. You must help her.”

  “Have you thought that maybe the robo-doctor has analyzed that it will help her wake from the coma faster if she feels pain?” Riker asked.

  “I can’t believe you’d say that,” Meta told him.

  Valerie put a restraining hand on Meta’s right arm. The Rouen Colony woman looked up sharply. Valerie took her hand away.

  “Sorry,” the lieutenant said.

  “No…” Meta said, after a moment. “I’ve…I’ve been on Loki Prime four long years. They were nasty and brutal years. It’s… It’s hard to remember how normal people react.”

  “You’ve been under pressure far longer than that,” Valerie said. “Your concern for Doctor Rich—it’s good she has a friend like you.”

  Meta stared at Valerie, finally nodding. The two of them turned to study Doctor Rich. Finally, Meta’s shoulders sagged. It was the first sign she’d shown of being tired.

  “I’m exhausted, Valerie. I’m sick of…” Meta trailed off, waving her hand. “All my life, I’ve lived under other people’s rules. I don’t remember the last time I did something for myself. Dana…she’s a hard woman. She’s ambitious and driven like your captain. She’s angry at the universe.”

  Valerie wondered if she might also be angry at life. That would mean she had something in common with Doctor Rich.

  “I’m tired of being trapped by situations,” Meta said. “There’s something else, too. I don’t know if I’ve ever shared this with anyone. Vengeance doesn’t relieve you of pain like you think it should. Instead, it twists your heart with bitterness. This past week, I’ve had a lot more time to think than I normally would. With these repairs…I do some of my best thinking while working…”

  Valerie nodded sympathetically.

  “What I’m saying is that I don’t want anything more to do with wars and conquest, with knives and assassination. I thought I’d help Dana achieve her vengeance. But now, I’d rather slip away to somewhere quiet.”

  “The New Men aren’t going away, Meta. They’ve infiltrated the Commonwealth. They’re attacking the Oikumene. Oh, it’s probably just the first stage so far. Yet that means the war will likely last a long, long time.”

  “A lifetime?” asked Meta.

  “Do you mean your lifetime, as the war won’t reach you while you’re alive?”

  “That’s perceptive. Yes. That’s exactly what I mean.”

  Valerie first pretended to think about it. Then she faced Meta. “What good is that, really? I mean slipping away and building a life for yourself knowing that it’s all built with cards that will soon tumble away? I want to build a better world, to give my children more than I had.”

  “You want to have children?” Meta asked.

  “Someday.”

  “You’d bring them into this evil universe?”

  “Someone has to fight the good fight,” Valerie said, “to keep the human race alive.”

  Meta pursed her lips. Then she took several steps closer, putting a hand on Dana’s arm. On the table, the doctor’s grimace lessened.

  “She feels you,” Valerie said. “Maybe she can hear us.”

  “Dana,” Meta said. “Can you hear me?”

  Nothing happened.

  “Dana,” Meta said. “Would it be better to find this alien starship as Maddox wants or to…do what we planned?”

  Valerie would have liked to know what those plans were. She didn’t want to interrupt the moment, though. Was Meta really considering helping them? Did it make a difference that Dana Rich was in a coma? Did…

  Valerie’s mouth opened in shock. She turned to stare at Sergeant Riker. He met her look with innocence. Had Captain Maddox believed he could turn Meta their way without Doctor Rich always giving her negative opinion? In other words, had Maddox prolonged the injuries and kept Dana in a drugged coma?

  Valerie hoped Maddox wasn’t that ruthless.

  Riker looked away.

  Valerie wasn’t sure, but a guilty look seemed to come over the old man.

  “Do you think she’ll survive her injuries?” Meta asked.

  Valerie groped for the right words. She couldn’t dare tell Meta her suspicions. Finally, she said, “I think the odds are good.”

  Meta nodded and turned back to the unconscious doctor.

  “That’s long enough,” Riker said. His voice was softer than before. “It’s time to go,” he added.

  Meta nodded before heading for the hatch. “Thank you,” she told Valerie. “I apprec
iate this.”

  “You’re welcome,” Valerie said. “Maybe we should get back to work.”

  Meta said nothing more as she exited the medical room.

  -25-

  Captain Maddox sat down in the control room. Fatigue made his eyelids heavy. For the last few days, he’d been berating himself for failing to see the ploy with the hidden mine. Looking back, it was obvious why the enemy had been near the Class 3 Laumer-Point.

  Well, he couldn’t help that now. In this new star system, they limped toward the next Laumer-Point, hoping to leave before the destroyer appeared by working its way here through other jump routes. Had the enemy made it through the unstable point? Saint Petersburg’s destruction would be a great stroke of luck.

  We could use some of that about now. He would have shaken his head, but Lieutenant Noonan might notice. She piloted the scout. Ensign Maker slept, while Riker guarded Meta as she continued to effect repairs to the engine and propulsion systems.

  Maddox knew the importance of appearing confident. Never let them see you sweat. That intimidated opponents and bolstered allies. Right about now, his crew needed all the encouragement they could get.

  Lieutenant Noonan took the moment to swivel around and clear her throat. Her intentness alerted Maddox.

  “Captain, do I have permission to speak off the record?” she asked.

  “Please,” he said.

  “Sir…I’m not sure how to say this.”

  He waited, feeling as if it might be better if she didn’t.

  “Just how serious are Doctor Rich’s injuries?” Valerie asked.

  “She’s recovering,” answered Maddox.

  While watching him closely, Valerie asked, “Do you believe she’ll come out of the coma?”

  “The robo-doctor gives that a high percentage.”

  Valerie licked her lips. “Sir…did you drug her?”

  “Of course not,” Maddox said.

  Valerie brightened for just a moment. Then obvious suspicion furrowed her brow. “The robo-doctor administered the dosages, isn’t that what you mean?”

  He didn’t squirm. That wouldn’t do. Instead, he nodded.

  “Dana Rich is in an induced coma, isn’t she, sir?”

  “No,” Maddox said.

  “No?”

  He came to a swift decision. “Lieutenant, speaking precisely, she isn’t in a coma at all. By your questions and manner, I suspect you realize I decided to…inhibit her consciousness for a time.”

  “Because she’s too dangerous awake?” Valerie asked.

  “I agree Dana Rich is dangerous, but that wasn’t the totality of my reasoning.”

  “You’re trying to win Meta over to our quest, aren’t you, sir?”

  The lieutenant’s perception surprised Maddox. She had guessed that with hardly any clues to work on. He nodded as an answer.

  “Your methods are devious, sir.”

  “I suppose one could make that argument,” he said.

  “That isn’t the way to convince someone we’re trustable.”

  “You’re correct,” Maddox said.

  “But…” Valerie said. “You’re going to suggest that our mission means we must do whatever is necessary to achieve our goal.”

  Maddox waited. There were times when it was wiser to let a person argue a point with herself. The lieutenant knew what would convince her better than he did.

  “I can’t say I approve, sir.”

  “If it’s any consolation,” he said, “neither do I.”

  “I find that hard to believe,” Valerie said.

  “Lieutenant, it’s a given that you and I will never do anything as important with our lives than to complete this mission. Without the sentinel, do you think Star Watch can defeat the New Men?”

  “We don’t have enough information to make a perfect guess,” Valerie said.

  “You’re hedging,” Maddox said. “What we do know tells us we can’t match their cruisers, their advanced weaponry. Three of their ships took out a double-strength battle group.”

  “I understand your logic,” Valerie said, “and I’m not saying you don’t have a point. It’s just that I hate to practice deceit on people we’re hoping to trust with our lives. If Doctor Rich ever discovers what you did…”

  “I’m telling you this in strictest confidence,” Maddox said.

  “Yes, sir,” Valerie said.

  A red light began to blink on his screen. Seeing it, a cold feeling worked through Maddox. “Our discussion is over,” he said. He adjusted controls, using passive sensors. A ship had just entered the star system from a different Laumer-Point than the one they had used to get here. The computer analyzed the data and— “An SWS destroyer has just appeared at a distant jump point,” Maddox informed her. A few seconds later, he added, “It’s the Saint Petersburg.” He stood. “Take your station and engage the cloaking device.”

  “The cloak is damaged,” Valerie said. “Maybe if we waited to employ it, waited until their Jump Lag wore off—”

  “No,” Maddox said. “It’s too risky to cut it too fine. We don’t know how quickly New Men recover from Jump Lag—quicker than us, you once said. Maybe they brought computer systems with them that recover faster than ours do from jump. We have to fade away now and reach our next tramline in secret.”

  Valerie stood, moving from piloting to her controls.

  Maddox shifted as well, calling Keith on the ship’s intercom.

  “Will they try to follow us all the way to the alien star system?” Valerie asked.

  “That would be bad,” Maddox said. “How is the cloaking device responding?”

  “Do you hear the clicking noise?”

  Maddox listened. He could hear it, and he told Valerie so.

  “The cloaking device is straining, sir. I don’t know how long our jury-rigging is going to work. We need a dockyard and a major overhaul. The mine hurt us, sir, worse than I think you want to admit.”

  “It’s not how good our ship is but if we can beat the other fellow across the finish line.”

  The clicking noises increased.

  Maddox swore under his breath. The hatch opened and the sleepy-eyed ace entered. “Explain the situation to him, Lieutenant. Keep us cloaked at all costs. Ensign, at your judgment, engage the gravity generator to build our velocity.”

  Keith paused, rubbing his eyes, taking his time digesting the order. Finally, he said, “I’m not sure the scout can withstand more of that kind of stress, Captain, sir.”

  “I imagine we’re going to find out,” Maddox told him.

  “The cloaking device, sir—” Valerie said.

  “I’ll tell Meta to keep it operational,” Maddox said.

  “Do you know which Laumer-Point I’m supposed to aim us toward once we jump into the next system?” Valerie asked.

  Unfortunately, Maddox did not. A prolonged reading of Professor Ludendorff’s notes had convinced him the text was encrypted. Dana might understand the script, but so far, Maddox knew he didn’t.

  “I’m off to see if I can answer your question,” Maddox said.

  “You’re going to wake Doctor Rich?” Valerie asked.

  “Precisely,” Maddox answered. “Wish me luck on convincing her to stay with us to the end.”

  “Luck,” Valerie said.

  Maddox exited the control room.

  ***

  Sitting on a chair, the captain waited with his legs crossed as Doctor Rich slowly regained consciousness.

  Maddox had time to ponder his situation. Down on the prison planet, what had the appearance of the New Men truly meant? He kept replaying the incident on Loki Prime. The golden-skinned invader had dodged his gunshots. That was incredible. Only by anticipating the man had Maddox been able to shoot him to the ground. Could a regular man have done as well as him?

  That’s what I’m really asking, isn’t it? Am I a normal man, or do I have their blood in me? Was my mother a breeder for the New Men? Suppose she was. What does that mean for me?
r />   The idea of genetically altering humans was repugnant to most people. Making replicas such as clones also made people uneasy. The Clone Laws were there to halt the practice, and yet some rich folk on Earth bought clones from planets outside the Commonwealth.

  Did the New Men have feelings of racial superiority? Back before interstellar travel, Earth had fought world wars concerning such matters. The Eugenics War of the Twentieth Century had destroyed the nation attempting to fashion a master race. Had that horror now come to the Oikumene? If he and his crew failed to acquire the alien sentinel, would the Star Watch go down in defeat against the invincible cruisers?

  Maddox scowled. The New Man on Loki had fired into the undergrowth, unerringly hitting his targets. That had been uncanny. The man’s running speed was faster than Maddox could have sprinted. He also happened to know that he ran much faster than others could.

  Maybe this is my mission in life. I’m alive to halt a monstrous racial war. Yes, I drugged Doctor Rich. I did it to keep her out of the way for a time. The mine almost finished us. We had to fix the scout before the destroyer came and demolished us. The Saint Petersburg may annihilate us anyway. I drugged the doctor because it’s harder for one person to resist others mentally when they’re on their own. According to Valerie, Meta has come closer to our way of thinking. We need her.

  On the table, Dana smacked her lips. Even though her eyes remained closed, she reached up and began to rub her face.

  Even more than Meta, Maddox thought, we need this unpredictable woman. Without her, the operation is likely doomed to failure. How can I convince her to help us? Do I dare try to trick her? Maybe it’s better to lay my cards face-up. What will sway Dana Rich? What should I base my appeal on? You’re supposed to be a smart operator, Captain. What would appeal to me if I were in her shoes?

  Yes. That was the question. Know yourself and you could know others.

  “What…what happened to me?” Dana whispered in a dry voice.

  Maddox held his breath. Here we go. Then, he stood and approached her with a glass of water.

  Dana struggled to a sitting position. Although noticing it at first, she ignored the tumbler in his hand. First glancing around, she asked, “How long have I been here?”