“How do you think Ludendorff first learned about the Adok System?”
“That’s an interesting question,” Dana said. “I’m sure—”
Galyan appeared before Maddox. “I am finished with my search, Captain.”
The doctor turned with a start. Her gaze darted from Maddox to Galyan.
“Go ahead,” Maddox told the holoimage. “Tell me your finding.”
“I have searched every nook aboard the starship,” Galyan said. “Per Lomax is not aboard. I also analyzed the outer hull. The New Man is not there, either.”
“Thank you,” Maddox said. “I’d like you to return to the bridge and inform the lieutenant to head to our Laumer-Point on the double.”
“At once, Captain,” Galyan said, before vanishing.
“I’m curious,” Dana said, ignoring Galyan’s interruption. “Why do you think Ludendorff helped Per Lomax reach this ghostly vessel?”
Maddox began to pace as he ignored the doctor’s question. Per Lomax was gone, freed by one of the professor’s slarn trappers. The New Man had definitely used the jumpfighter in an attempt to reach the gigantic ship. The captain stopped abruptly and stared at Dana.
“I need your help, Doctor. How could Ludendorff have timed Victory’s appearance near the spatial anomaly?”
Dana patted her hair. “It seems obvious to me. There must be an override code in the AI.”
“How would it have gotten there?”
“Easily enough,” Dana said. “Ludendorff often worked alone when we flushed the Swarm virus from Galyan. He could have installed it then as a form of insurance for himself.”
“Then we’re Ludendorff’s captives,” Maddox said.
“I don’t think so. You stunned him twice and left him locked in his room. As long as you keep Galyan from speaking to him again, we should be okay.”
Maddox became thoughtful. “If Ludendorff had control of the AI, why did he allow me into his room?”
“Haven’t you figured it out yet?” Dana asked. “Ludendorff’s overconfidence is his weakness. He believes himself so brilliant that sometimes he misses the obvious. It’s how I managed to stage my mutiny against him many years ago.”
“I don’t understand. Why did he fix the disruptor cannon several weeks ago, helping us defeat Oran Rva’s armada? And now, he aids the New Men?”
“I’m not sure he did aid them,” Dana said.
“Per Lomax is no longer my prisoner.”
“You’re looking at this as a binary situation, Star Watch versus the New Men. The professor views himself as important as any political entity, no matter its size.”
“You’re saying Ludendorff has his own agenda?” Maddox asked.
“Precisely.”
“Do you care to speculate on what it might be?”
“Captain, I’ve been speculating on that for a long time, and I still haven’t come to a satisfactory conclusion.”
“Thank you for your help,” Maddox said.
“I don’t know that I did much.”
“Thinking of the professor as a third party is illuminating. It might help me understand him.”
“Good luck with that.”
Maddox nodded before heading for the annex to collect Sergeant Riker.
***
Maddox, Riker and Galyan stood on the bridge. At the captain’s orders, Valerie had left. She’d been dog-tired and needed rest.
Victory headed for the nearest Laumer-Point. The ship would use it to reach the next star system. Laumer-Point jumps were the normal method of interstellar travel, linking star systems in a connect-the-dots fashion with jump routes or “tramlines”. A vessel with a Laumer Drive pinpointed the wormhole and opened it so the ship could enter. Seconds later, the vessel popped out in a new star system. During those seconds, the ship traveled light-years. Moving to a new Laumer-Point in the new star system often took days of acceleration and deceleration.
“At least we know Per Lomax isn’t about to personally attack us,” Riker said.
Maddox glanced at the sergeant. “What if the New Man successfully gained entrance to the ghost ship? Maybe he could command it to reappear and attack us ship-to-ship.”
“Possibly, sir,” Riker said, who didn’t seem convinced. “Why do you think the ship was ghostly?”
“It appeared ghostly,” Maddox said. “Do you have any ideas about that, Galyan?”
“None at present,” the holoimage said.
“Could the ghostliness have been a result of the ion storm?” Riker asked.
“Possibly,” Maddox said. “I wonder why the magnetic storm end once the ghost ship disappeared into the opening.”
Riker snapped his fingers. “Maybe its opening was like a Laumer-Point.”
Maddox stared at the sergeant. That was an excellent comment. He should have already seen that.
“Galyan, are Victory’s sensors back on line?” Maddox asked.
“Affirmative.”
“Can you pinpoint the spatial coordinates where the ghost ship disappeared?”
“Do you mean the center of the former magnetic storm?” Galyan asked.
“That will do for now,” Maddox said.
“I have it.”
“Use all the ship’s sensors. Study the area. Do you sense anything unusual there?”
“Negative,” Galyan said.
“Maybe you should sweep for a longer length of time,” Maddox suggested.
“Give me the duration that will satisfy you,” Galyan said.
“Make it a minute.”
The holoimage stood perfectly still as they waited. After a minute, Galyan turned to Maddox, “I detect nothing unusual.”
“Maybe what you’re looking for can only be seen up close,” Riker suggested. “Maybe it’s like a Laumer-Point wormhole. The Laumer Drive has to be right next to one for it to appear on our instruments.”
“True,” Maddox said.
“Shall I return to the location?” Galyan asked.
Maddox considered going back. They would have to decelerate first and then accelerate back to the area. That would take time.
“No,” the captain said. “We have to reach Earth as fast as possible. We need to inform High Command about our victory over the New Men. Besides, I don’t know that I’m the right person to keep Ludendorff. Brigadier O’Hara must have more pertinent information about the professor.”
Riker glanced at Maddox with surprise.
“Is something bothering you, Sergeant?”
“Yes, sir,” Riker said. “I’ve never known you to admit failure in a case or to admit someone might know more than you do. We should squeeze Ludendorff. He knows why he did what he did. Let’s make him tell us.”
“There are three considerations hindering me from doing exactly that,” Maddox said. “One, the professor is unbelievably sly. He tricked the New Men. It’s more than conceivable he can trick me. Two is the stakes involved—control of Victory. This is a reckless place to practice the questioning, especially as he’s already sealed away.” Maddox had given Galyan orders to stay out of the professor’s room. “No. I’m thinking of putting the professor in stasis and—”
“Negative,” Galyan said.
Both men stared at the holoimage before exchanging glances with each other.
“Could you expand on your comment?” Maddox asked Galyan.
“I cannot allow you to place the professor in stasis,” the holoimage said.
“Do you have a reason?” Maddox asked.
“Negative,” Galyan said.
“That’s illogical,” Maddox said. “The law of cause and effect dictates you must have a reason for saying what you did.”
“Nevertheless—”
“Let me rephrase the question,” Maddox said. Speaking with the ancient AI could be challenging at times. “What compelled you to say what you just did?”