Read Online Mech Zero: The Dominant by B. V. Larson - Free Book Online

vexation. His only consolation was that Goddard had already died in this ‘phantom’ minefield.
    “Emergency brake-jets!” Davenport shouted. “Take full evasive action. We’re in a minefield. Full detection scan in a thirty degree cone forward. Relay those orders to Sanger .”
    Bernard Shaw lurched upward then swung laterally with wrenching force. The other surviving ship did the same, but in the opposite direction.
    “Don’t you think you should get approval for these orders first, Davenport?” barked a familiar voice over the command channel.
    “Goddard? Glad to hear you made it out of that,” Davenport lied. “Please report your status and what hit your ship.”
    “My status is I’m in command. I’m in a shuttle and proceeding to Sanger .”
    “What happened to Galton ?”
    “If I knew that, I would have told you!” Goddard roared back. “Work your instruments, man. Report your findings. Goddard out.”
    Davenport sat back in his chair with a heavy thump. It was grossly unfair. He’d been right all along, but the single bright point of hope in the situation—Goddard’s demise—had been denied him. He could not believe his misfortune. Worse, the fool seemed committed to pressing onward, flying blindly into the face of the enemy. They’d just suffered a horrifying loss; fully one third of their force was gone. But Goddard’s only reaction was anger, and persistence in his folly.
    Not for the first time, Davenport doubted his people’s wisdom. The mentality of their greatest leaders was indeed extreme, but it was also inevitably flawed, unbalanced. He knew, of course, that it was in his nature to be a doubter. This trait he saw as further evidence of Mendelian weaknesses in their leadership. His parents had jockeyed his genes to produce a child with the proverbial Wisdom of Solomon. He had gone far with their cooked-up, unusual design. He’d impressed countless others who had been bred for sheer intellect or physical prowess. But internally, he had his misgivings concerning his mental configuration. Genetic tendencies meant to provide him with great wisdom had largely resulted in a cautious nature. He was a worrier, and had difficulty proceeding down a fixed path regardless of obstacles due to his unique ability to see all possible outcomes. In many ways, he and Goddard were opposites.
    Davenport’s first thought was to abandon the entire mission. They had lost Galton after destroying a half-dozen rickety patrol ships. In matters of sheer attrition, the enemy was winning. Worse, they still had no clear idea of the enemy’s true strength. And Davenport, naturally, suspected the worst.
    Minutes later, shocking him out of his reverie once more, Sanger exploded. Davenport stared at the screens, scarcely able to believe his eyes. His jaw fell open and hung there.
    “I requested a scanning cone—” he began in an accusing voice.
    “I know sir!” responded the senior operations officer. “I did just as you said. There was nothing there. We ran into absolutely nothing!”
    Davenport stared at him. He rose and pushed the man away from his station. He checked the boards carefully, then did it again. He could not see any error, so he stepped back to his command chair.
    “Open a general channel,” he said, sucking in a deep breath. “This is your commander speaking. The fleet has suffered a catastrophic loss. We—”
    “Davenport? Is that you assuming command again?”
    Davenport could not believe his ears. He stared up at the combat dome and there it was, a small contact coming toward his ship. Goddard had escaped again.
    “Admiral?” Davenport asked. “How did you escape that explosion?”
    “I didn’t,” Goddard said. “I merely inspected the ship then left. I was on my way to inspect your ship when the second attack occurred. I now suspect sabotage, Davenport. We may be in the grips of a mutiny, or the victims of a group of Tranquility sympathizers. I strongly suggest you search your