The tension began to drain from Meta’s features, and, her head shifted to the side. Soon, Meta fell into a restful doze, her chest rising and falling rhythmically.
Dana sat in the chair, with an index finger on her lower lip. Meta had referred to them as a team, and she was right. I’m part of it, too, Dana reminded herself. I have to help the team—the family—the best I know how.
Dana realized that she had more than one friend now. She had several. Surprisingly, Captain Maddox was one of them. They had successfully worked together to overcome several difficult situations. Earlier, Ludendorff had acted as a friend in order to help them free Admiral Fletcher’s fleet. Now, the professor was up to his old ploys, doing things in his highhanded manner. Not this time, Professor. She wasn’t going to let Ludendorff ruin it for any of them.
If Ludendorff took Meta, there would be war because Maddox would never accept that. Villars had ensured a bloodbath between them. Dana had to forestall such a situation any way she could. The professor was too useful to throw away, and she owed this to the others.
Yet, how do I accomplish such a thing? Meta simply can’t remember. The mental block is too strong. But if Ludendorff doesn’t get his answers…
Dana’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Ludendorff must be watching the session through Galyan’s surveillance system. Yes, of course the professor watched. Yet, it had been dim in here for quite some time. He might not realize that Meta had fallen asleep as deeply as she had.
“What was that?” Dana whispered, leaning closer to Meta. “You’re mumbling. I want you to speak clearly so I can understand you.”
Meta didn’t say a thing. She was fast asleep.
Dana’s head moved back as if in surprise. “You can remember some of the events now? Why, this is…is very good, dear.”
Meta continued to breathe rhythmically, never stirring.
“Let me ask you this again then,” Dana said, reading from the list. The doctor waited and then cocked her head as if listening. “Oh, that’s very interesting. Please, continue.”
Dana picked up a slate and stylus and began to write fictitious answers. As Meta slept, Dana wrote what she thought Ludendorff would expect to hear. The made-up answers would quite possibly endanger the starship and the crew, but the false answers would forestall Maddox from going to war with Ludendorff before they defeated the planet-killer.
This unity is going to come at a price. Maybe it would be better to unlock Meta’s mind with the professor’s tools. But I don’t trust the professor. And there’s always the possibility Villars would get to her while she’s in the professor’s custody.
Finally, Dana stopped asking her softly spoken questions. She urged Meta to wake up, and told the lights to brighten.
As greater visibility lit the chamber, Meta opened sleepy eyes. “Did I remember this time?” she asked, hopefully.
“You did,” Dana lied. “We did it.”
Meta smiled uncertainly. “Why don’t I remember any of it then?”
“That’s part of the healing process,” Dana said. “Don’t let it trouble you. Come. Let’s take this to the captain. He’s going to want to give the answers to Ludendorff. I have a feeling the ship is almost to the Xerxes System.”
“Will entering the system be dangerous?” Meta asked.
“Not now that we know what Kane did there,” Dana said.
“Good,” Meta said. “Because I do remember that being in the star system frightened me.”
What have I done? Dana asked herself. Then, she smiled inwardly. Kane and Meta survived the Xerxes System. We will too. We have Starship Victory, a vastly more powerful vessel than they used. Everything will be fine.
-13-
“Given these coordinates,” Ludendorff said, lifting a tablet. “We’ll use the star drive and appear just outside the asteroid field.”
Maddox nodded thoughtfully. The Xerxes System was a mere three light-years away. Fortunately, for everyone, Dana had come through, piercing the mental block holding Meta’s memories prisoner. That had solved the coming dilemma with the professor. If they followed Kane’s approach, they should be able to successfully navigate the haunted star system. The question was this: how could the star system help them against the planet-killer? Ludendorff still hadn’t spelled it out exactly.
“Are you familiar with the Xerxes System?” Maddox asked the professor.
“Now I am,” Ludendorff said.
“You’ve never been there before?”
“I haven’t dared,” Ludendorff said. He seemed to be in especially good humor today. “You once called it the Bermuda Triangle of space. That’s a good summation. Frankly, I think the New Men have played it far too loose by using the Nexus. So far, they’ve gotten away with it, but I find that surprising.”
Valerie swiveled around on her piloting chair. “I have a question, sir. How did the New Men learn to use the Nexus?”
“That’s an excellent question,” Ludendorff said, “an excellent question indeed.” Unfortunately, he did not expand on the topic.
Valerie glanced at Maddox. The captain shrugged minutely.
“Lieutenant, plot these coordinates.” The professor read the numbers off the tablet.
Once more, Valerie glanced at Maddox. The captain nodded, and she began to tap in the coordinates.
“The coordinates are laid in, sir,” Valerie said.
“Good,” Maddox said. “Then begin the jump sequence.” After giving the order, the captain sat down, mentally preparing for the event.
Ludendorff also took a seat.
After warning the crew, the lieutenant shut off the ship’s intercom. “Preparing for transfer,” Valerie said. “Three, two, one…zero,” she said, tapping her panel.
Starship Victory used its unique star drive, jumping from its location to the one given by Ludendorff three light-years away.
Maddox felt the wavering disorientation. Dizziness made his vision blurry. Then, a klaxon blared a warning. Instead of the awful feeling of Jump Lag, something worse occurred. There was a sliding sensation that made everything lurch within the captain’s mind and body. The universe seemed to turn dark and then explode with brightness. The klaxon’s shrieking intensified, and the brightness pulsated, causing the captain to shield his eyes with his hands. Finally, the lurching sensation ended, and the starship shuddered as gigantic clangs hammered against the hull armor and made the bridge shiver with motion.
The captain gripped the arms of his command chair. An intense wave of nausea made his flesh tremble. Maddox struggled to keep from vomiting.
By the retching sounds nearby, others hadn’t been so successful.
Maddox strove to regain the full use of his eyes. They were still blurry. Something had definitely gone wrong with the transfer, and he didn’t know what it was. He spoke but his words came out in a garbled manner. No one seemed to hear, as the retching sounds increased.
Maddox massaged his jaw and spoke again. “Turn that off,” he said, relieved that his words finally made sense.
Valerie dragged a hand across her board and pressed a switch. The klaxon stopped abruptly.
Maddox clutched his head, willing the pain to stop and his eyes to focus. It took twenty seconds of effort. Finally, he saw the main screen. His eyes widened in surprise.
Small asteroids and debris in profoundly close proximity to each other and the starship appeared in an endless succession of rocks large and small. Even as Maddox watched the screen, a boulder grew in size. Then, it slammed against the giant vessel, with a clang rocking Victory, almost throwing Maddox from his chair.