“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.”