The Lost Prince (18 page)

“I used the energy receivers to examine the ships flying above the planet. The infrared and spectrometer measured different frequencies emanating from the glass on those vehicles. I saw four different readings.”

Drey shook his head and Andi said, “What?”

“You are without doubt the best I have ever seen with energy analysis. You are unbelievable.”

Andi’s face turned red, “Like E said, we all have different talents.”

“And that means you are not going to like what happens next.”

Andi lowered her eyebrows and Ian said, “I don’t want to agree but you’re probably right.”

Violet looked at the three and said, “Ok, you two have lost me. What is she not going to like?”

“Drey is going to take on one of those giant ships and Andi won’t be on board.”

“The hell I won’t.”

Drey looked at her and said, “You won’t, because you’re not stupid enough to pass the opportunity to learn.” Andi glared at him and Drey said, “Ian you need to explain it to her. She’ll take it better coming from you.”

“I took a close look at the giant space facility and Drey is right. That ship’s weapons are not as powerful as they appear. It’s the ships that came to the dead planet that pose the real problem. We need to take on one of the giants to determine everything we can about their technological level. We must have you making the scans of what happens during that confrontation. Violet and I would not do as good a job.”

“I could do it from Doc.”

Drey shook his head, “No, you couldn’t and get a good scan. I’ll be jumping and flying such that all you’ll be able to do is strap in and hope you don’t lose your lunch.”

“He’s right, Andi. And if you see something really dangerous, we can warn him and allow him to escape. We couldn’t do that if you’re on the ship with him.”

Andi was furious and Drey saw her glare and shrugged which made her angrier, “You know that ship has more danger than we’ve seen. We haven’t even done an active scan yet.”

Violet sighed and Andi looked at her display and saw Violet shaking her head, “What!?

“Andi, you know spaceships are designed with a purpose in mine.”

“Yeah, so what?”

“You need to calm down, Sis and use your head and not your emotions. You’re not going to help us if you’re not thinking clearly.”

Andi glared at Violet, closed her eyes, and Drey was amazed at the sudden change. “Alright, go ahead.”

“A commercial ship is designed differently from a warship. They’re built to handle different purposes. Warships are also designed to accomplish different tasks as well. Drey asked me to focus on the blaster that killed Tad and I hated him asking me to dredge up those memories, but now I see why he did. The building on the moon that fired the beam that killed Tad did not fire a narrow beam and hit his ship. It simply fired an extremely wide beam and allowed Tad’s ship to run into it. I saw the small explosion, but if I had concentrated I would have seen that the beam was huge. However, it didn’t have a lot of power. It wasn’t that intense.”

Andi thought a moment and said, “So you think that ship is designed to kill FTL ships.”

Violet smiled, “Very good. Now you’re thinking. Those giant blasters that line the giant ship’s hull are similar to the ones put on the moons around that planet. They will fire all those beams and put a huge barrier in front of a FTL ship. The speed of the FTL is what will kill it when it hits those beams. At those speeds, the fleeting ship wouldn’t be much more than an energy wave and that weak beam will be enough to kill it. It will strip the Skinner field from the ship and without it the ship will convert to energy and explode.”

Andi’s expression changed and she said, “That would have to mean they can see the line a FTL takes.” Violet nodded. “It would also have to mean they would be able to immediately jump on that track so the system would have to be automatic.”

Ian said, “You lost me. Why would it have to be automatic?”

“They invested a huge amount in building a ship that big. They wouldn’t do that unless it performed its function. Time is always on the side of a FTL ship. If you delay any time at all, it will change course and you’ll lose it. It has to be done by computers.”

“And that will be their undoing.”

Andi looked at Drey with raised eyebrows, “We have the better computers.”

“That is true and false.”

Drey jerked his head toward the intercom, “Why do you say that, E.”

“The computer that directs that space facility is close to me. However, it is gigantic in size compared to us.”

Drey tilted his head, “Well, it’s a good thing we found them now.”

Violet said, “Why?”

Andi shook her head, “First they are made large and over time the size is decreased. I suspect in a hundred years or less they will have that computer on the facility directing their ships.” She paused and said, “This still won’t work.” Drey looked at her and she said, “How will we be able to follow you or that ship to view what happens? I can see why I need to be with Ian and Violet, but I don’t see any way to be where the confrontation takes place.”

Drey said, “Andi, I bet you could do it if you put your mind to it.”

“How?”

“Well, you know they’ll have my escape velocity.”

“Yeah.”

“They will also have the line I’m moving.”

“Go on.”

“You know how fast computer circuits operate. Though they’re close to the speed of light, they do take time to make a computation and energize a jump drive. If we know they’ve got to do it before the ship they’re chasing can change course and that should dictate where they would appear.”

Andi thought for a moment and then said, “You’ll be in real danger of getting killed, Drey.”

“Not really.”

“How can you say that? They’ll be on you quicker than white on rice.”

“Yes, but I have a computer that will stop my ship before the location you determine they’ll arrive. I’ll be there first and that’s where I’ll introduce them to Doc and myself.”

Andi shook her head, “If they can do it, there has to be away to track a ship that’s jumping.”

“That is where you come in again. I suspect that if E can observe one of their ships approaching in that other space, we’ll learn enough to determine what process they use. You need to be there to make sure we gather enough information to give us a chance to make that determination.”

“That means this will have to be done under very tightly controlled conditions. You will have to appear a specified distance from that ship and the route you take will also have to be predetermined. That’s the only way to make this happen.”

“How long will it take you to make your guess about where the ship will arrive?” Andi thought a moment, “If Doc will work with me I can set up the program to function within a half second.”

“Then that’s how long I have to appear and remain until I run away. That will allow you to be at the site ready to record.”

“That ship also has the high powered blasters as well.”

“Yes, but I suspect they will not be able to detect me and make a decision to fire them. The pursuit will be done automatically. I’ll have the force field at maximum until I go FTL.”

Andi shook her head, “I’m holding off my emotions and I still see there are many variables that could throw this whole idea off.” Andi looked at Drey, “You know as soon as I allow my emotions to return, I’m going to have a discussion with you.”

Drey turned his head and sighed, “I would think you would know this is the right thing to do.”

“That has nothing to do with emotions.”

Drey glanced at his display and saw Violet nodding.

Drey rubbed his forehead with his right hand and said, “I think I feel an aneurism coming on.”

Ian laughed and Violet immediately glared at him. Ian stopped laughing and said, “Welcome to the real world.”

Drey looked up and said, “I hope I remember how to turn my emotions off.”

Ian laughed out loud and Violet had to smile as well. Andi just shook her head.

• • •

Drey stared at Andi as she yelled at him and did not show any emotion. She stopped and said, “You had better come out from behind that wall and talk to me!”

Drey continued to stare at her and said in an emotionless tone, “I am not equipped to handle this. Arguments like this are not something I’ve ever had to deal with.”

“No, you just shot the one who disagreed. It’s time to start growing up and this is part of it. You settle the differences between yourself and those that love you.” Drey’s expression underwent a myriad of changes and Andi said, “What!?”

“Did I hear you say you love me?”

“You big dummy of a genius; of course I love you. You haven’t been able to see that?”

“I just find it impossible to believe. How can you love someone like me?”

“I decided when you were having your arguments with my brother about the ship that you were the one I’d want in my life.”

“For God’s sake, why?”

“Because no one ever wins an argument with Cole and you did; that told me more about you than anything else.” Drey shook his head. Andi sighed and sat down in his lap. “Drey, you did it with patience. Maintaining patience with my brother is next to impossible but you did. That told me you weren’t the same Dark Nebula Officer everyone feared. I could see your brilliance and knew you were the one for me. You’ve only confirmed it since.”

“Andi, I’m not close to being worthy of someone like you.” Drey looked in her eyes and said, “I’m just not.”

“That is what convinced me, Drey. If you didn’t feel bad about all you’ve done, I’d have a different opinion.” She sighed and said, “I saw you go and put flowers on Natalie’s’ grave.”

Drey’s head shot up, “No one saw that. I did it when no one could see.”

“I know. But you should have known that you would be monitored once you came to Euclid and worked on that ship. You had a device placed in your uniform to track you. I watched with my brother on his display when you left the week before liftoff.” She stared into Drey’s eyes and said, “I heard what you said.”

Drey lowered his head and slowly shook it.

Andi softly said, “That is the reason Cole finally relented and allowed me to escape with you.”

“She didn’t deserve what I did to her.”

“It wasn’t you that did it. It was the ones that drove out all of your emotions and created a monster. That monster died when you found your family.” Andi looked at Drey and for the second time she saw his tears. The first time was at Natalie’s grave.

• • •

The next morning Drey was up early sitting in his command chair staring out at the giant spiral galaxy below. His display illuminated and he saw Ian, “Hey, what’s up?”

Drey looked at the display and said, “I’ve never thanked you for not killing me at the restaurant.”

“It was a close call, Drey.”

“I’m just glad it wasn’t me making it.”

“What if you had to make it now?”

Drey thought a moment and said, “I’m not sure, Ian, and that bothers me.”

“Tell me what you’re thinking.”

Drey sighed, “I’m complicated in some areas but in others I’m somewhat inflexible. The Nebula was my home and I was determined to defend it against all enemies whether they were perceived or real. I’m still like that.”

“Oh?”

“It’s different now. The Nebula will always be something I’ll protect to the absolute best of my ability, but Euclid is now a place that I’ll defend to the death.” Ian stared at Drey and he said, “My mother and brother are there.” Drey paused and looked at Ian, “By extension that includes the Union. If it falls, Euclid goes with it. I’ll not allow that to happen if I can do something about it. However, I know I might be brutal in that defense. Holding back is not something I’ll easily do.”

“That’s what made me decide to not kill you.”

Drey stared at Ian and shook his head, “I’m not sure what you’re saying.”

“Once I learned that you were a Genetic from Euclid, I knew you had been twisted by the Dictator’s government. I had no doubt that once you learned what had been done to you and the way your family suffered, you would do something about it. I confess I used you as a weapon against the Nebula. You actually did things I never expected. I need you on this mission.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ll try to think things through and find a way to avoid unnecessary bloodshed; somewhere between the two of us is the right way to act. We balance each other out, but I’m coming closer to your point of view.”

Drey smiled, “Do tell.”

“This civilization that is enslaving other species is not one that will easily change their ways. To stop slavery, their worlds will have to die. That’s the only way they can survive.”

“I agree. There’s no civilization that would send all the products of their labor to feed them. They’ll die if the slaves are freed.”

“Their structure makes it impossible to deal with them and I know they realize it. I have no doubt they’ll shoot first. The only reason they wouldn’t is to uncover where we came from.”

“There’s something else we’ve got to factor into our decisions, Ian.”

“What is that?”

“The core of the galaxy is forty thousand light years from the Union.”

“Yeah?”

“Well if they move out toward our spiral arm, they will encounter the electromagnetic transmissions that started on Earth during the Industrial Revolution and the early nineteenth century. They’ll know where we live.”

“You’re right! I didn’t see that.”

“Andi saw it and mentioned it to me last night. That means we can’t attack one of their ships on the Union’s side of the black hole. We need to do it on this side so they move all their search operations here.”

“There is still a huge risk.”

“Not as much as you might think. We need to see if their ships have the small missiles.”

“Why?”

“You know the power of the Obelisk system. I don’t believe these aliens could break through our current defenses with their current beam technology.”

Ian thought a moment and said, “You might be right. We really won’t know until we take on one of their ship killers.”

“They are smaller but are really much more powerful than the giant ships.”