Read Online The Lost Destroyer (Lost Starship Series Book 3) by Vaughn Heppner - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Vaughn Heppner
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The space out there looked empty now. The enemy must possess an advanced cloaking device. That was terrible news all by itself.
Would the New Men on the star cruiser know she had seen them? Would the star cruiser come after them?
Before Kris could worry too much, Osprey entered the Laumer-Point, heading to a new star system.
-7-
Maddox and Valerie were on the bridge breathing heavily as they waited for their Jump Lag to wear off.
Since the ion storm and sighting the fifty-kilometer mystery vessel several days ago, they had raced even faster for Earth. At Maddox’s orders, they waited a shorter duration between Laumer-Point jumps and the use of the star drive. The accelerated travel schedule had left everyone exhausted and irritable from too much Jump Lag too quickly.
Maddox stirred on his command chair. He breathed deeply, stretching his chest muscles. A minute later, he moved his jaw. It felt as if someone had punched him in the face. He might have to wait several hours before the next jump. If he felt this badly, the others must feel even worse.
Valerie had been moving sluggishly for the past few minutes. Now, she straightened, tapping her panel with greater purpose. She stared at her board for some time.
“Trouble?” Maddox asked.
Valerie swiveled around. Her eyes were red-rimmed from lack of sleep. Keith had been sick for the last few days, meaning the lieutenant had double duty.
“The professor must still have access to the AI,” Valerie said. “That’s the only way I can explain this.”
“Explain what?” Maddox asked.
The lieutenant tapped her panel. A star chart appeared on the main screen. It showed the Commonwealth Laumer-Point routes, a bewildering array of bright dots and red jump routes. Another tap against the panel took a small section of the chart, expanding it as the rest disappeared. With a quick manipulation, Valerie highlighted the Nicholas 89 System.
“We should be in this star system heading on this route.” The lieutenant highlighted a series of tramlines that led to the edge of the screen. “The path eventually leads to Earth. Instead, we’re here ,” she said, tapping the panel again.
The Nicholas 89 System and star route went dim as the QV-7 System brightened on the chart.
Maddox frowned at the screen. “You’re saying we’re not in the right star system?”
“Correct,” Valerie said. “If you’ll notice, QV-7 is nine light-years from Nicholas 89 where we’re supposed to be.”
“That means we didn’t change course in one jump.”
“That’s right,” Valerie said. “We’ve be using the star drive for the last three transfers, making a three light-year jump each time.”
Maddox studied the chart. Although it was only a nine light-year difference, the direction of travel was like a right turn. The Laumer Drive tramlines from QV-7 lead away from Earth.
“Galyan had to have changed the coordinates after I entered them into the star drive for three jumps now,” Valerie said.
“The AI must have also tampered with your earlier sensor readings, too.”
“Agreed,” Valerie said.
Maddox pressed a button on the arm of his command chair. It was time to clip Ludendorff for good. “Sergeant,” he said.
“Yes, sir,” Riker replied several seconds later.
Before Maddox could order the man to meet him near the professor’s quarters, the captain snatched his hand away from the control. The plate on the armrest had become unbearably hot.
“Captain!” Valerie shouted.
Maddox looked up. The lieutenant sat frozen in place, stiff and unmoving, her eyes wide with fear as she stared past him.
Maddox whirled around.
Ludendorff stood just inside the hatch. The man’s bald dome looked slick, and he panted heavily as if he’d been sprinting. He held a flat device with one hand, the other fiddling with the controls on it.
With an oath, Maddox reached for the gun under his jacket. He jerked his hand away from it. The handle was red-hot.
Maddox slid off
Would the New Men on the star cruiser know she had seen them? Would the star cruiser come after them?
Before Kris could worry too much, Osprey entered the Laumer-Point, heading to a new star system.
-7-
Maddox and Valerie were on the bridge breathing heavily as they waited for their Jump Lag to wear off.
Since the ion storm and sighting the fifty-kilometer mystery vessel several days ago, they had raced even faster for Earth. At Maddox’s orders, they waited a shorter duration between Laumer-Point jumps and the use of the star drive. The accelerated travel schedule had left everyone exhausted and irritable from too much Jump Lag too quickly.
Maddox stirred on his command chair. He breathed deeply, stretching his chest muscles. A minute later, he moved his jaw. It felt as if someone had punched him in the face. He might have to wait several hours before the next jump. If he felt this badly, the others must feel even worse.
Valerie had been moving sluggishly for the past few minutes. Now, she straightened, tapping her panel with greater purpose. She stared at her board for some time.
“Trouble?” Maddox asked.
Valerie swiveled around. Her eyes were red-rimmed from lack of sleep. Keith had been sick for the last few days, meaning the lieutenant had double duty.
“The professor must still have access to the AI,” Valerie said. “That’s the only way I can explain this.”
“Explain what?” Maddox asked.
The lieutenant tapped her panel. A star chart appeared on the main screen. It showed the Commonwealth Laumer-Point routes, a bewildering array of bright dots and red jump routes. Another tap against the panel took a small section of the chart, expanding it as the rest disappeared. With a quick manipulation, Valerie highlighted the Nicholas 89 System.
“We should be in this star system heading on this route.” The lieutenant highlighted a series of tramlines that led to the edge of the screen. “The path eventually leads to Earth. Instead, we’re here ,” she said, tapping the panel again.
The Nicholas 89 System and star route went dim as the QV-7 System brightened on the chart.
Maddox frowned at the screen. “You’re saying we’re not in the right star system?”
“Correct,” Valerie said. “If you’ll notice, QV-7 is nine light-years from Nicholas 89 where we’re supposed to be.”
“That means we didn’t change course in one jump.”
“That’s right,” Valerie said. “We’ve be using the star drive for the last three transfers, making a three light-year jump each time.”
Maddox studied the chart. Although it was only a nine light-year difference, the direction of travel was like a right turn. The Laumer Drive tramlines from QV-7 lead away from Earth.
“Galyan had to have changed the coordinates after I entered them into the star drive for three jumps now,” Valerie said.
“The AI must have also tampered with your earlier sensor readings, too.”
“Agreed,” Valerie said.
Maddox pressed a button on the arm of his command chair. It was time to clip Ludendorff for good. “Sergeant,” he said.
“Yes, sir,” Riker replied several seconds later.
Before Maddox could order the man to meet him near the professor’s quarters, the captain snatched his hand away from the control. The plate on the armrest had become unbearably hot.
“Captain!” Valerie shouted.
Maddox looked up. The lieutenant sat frozen in place, stiff and unmoving, her eyes wide with fear as she stared past him.
Maddox whirled around.
Ludendorff stood just inside the hatch. The man’s bald dome looked slick, and he panted heavily as if he’d been sprinting. He held a flat device with one hand, the other fiddling with the controls on it.
With an oath, Maddox reached for the gun under his jacket. He jerked his hand away from it. The handle was red-hot.
Maddox slid off
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