The Lost Prince (15 page)

“Thanks for that information. Don’t worry, we’ll find her.”

“I know how good your agents are, Your Highness. If she can be found, they are the best at making it happen.”

• • •

Doc arrived back at the planet in the middle of night ship’s time. He decided not to call E and awaken the crew. He looked at the other ship and saw the landing bay open and a shuttle exit. It flew over to Doc and entered the landing bay. He turned around and Andi walked in wearing silk pajamas. Drey’s mouth fell open. Andi smiled, “I told E to wake me as soon as you arrived without waking Ian and Violet. How did it go?”

Drey shook his head and said, “You’ve caused quite an uproar. Euclid is searching the Union to find you.”

Andi breathed a sigh of relief, “I was afraid they might suspect I was with you.”

“They did.”

“What?”

“The Head of Security, a Duke Montgomery, interrupted my conversation with Cole to see if I had seen you. They also scanned us.”

“What did you tell them?”

Drey leaned back and tried not to look at her. She was too beautiful to bear. “I asked him if he had seen my history and he said he did. I then asked him if any sane person would come anywhere close to me. He decided that you aren’t that crazy.”

Andi stared at Drey, “I know you don’t want me here. Why didn’t you take the opportunity to have me removed?”

Drey shook his head, “The idea crossed my mind but I just couldn’t do it.”

Andi continued to stare at him. She looked up and said, “Doc, I need to get some sleep. Wake me in the morning at eight ship’s time.”

“I will and welcome back on board.”

“Thanks, Doc.” Andi turned and started toward the exit. Just before she stepped out she stopped and said, “Drey.”

“Yeah.”

“The only one that would take the risk of being close to you would have to be someone that loves you.” She turned and walked out.

Drey sighed and muttered, “Where’s a miner when you need one.”

“I heard that!” Andi stuck her head back in the door.

“Does your family have super hearing!?!” Drey shook his head and turned his chair around and looked out the view port. He still saw Andi in her pajamas when his chair was suddenly spun around and Andi sat down on his lap.

“Is this what you meant by needing a miner?”

Drey stared into her eyes and didn’t know what to say. Andi put her arms around his neck and kissed him. After a long moment she stood up and smiled. She started toward the door and heard Drey say, “You just never know when a miner might show up.” Andi stopped and slowly shook her head laughing. Suddenly Drey was behind her with his arms around her. Andi said, “Doc, make that two wakeup calls.” Andi took Drey’s hand and pulled him through the door.

• • •

The next morning, Andi was walking toward the bridge and heard Drey speaking. She stopped and listened. “Ian, you know what we’re getting into with this search?”

“I do.”

“Why are you allowing Violet to go with you?”

“Because I like sleeping indoors.” Drey stared at Ian. “Something has happened?”

Drey gave a heavy sigh, “It has.”

And?”

“I don’t want to see Andi harmed.”

“You’re looking at it from your point of view.”

“What do you mean?”

“What do you think Violet would say about sending me into harm’s way without her? Or, what would you say about Andi going into danger and not allowing you to be with her.”

“That’s different.”

“How?” Drey struggled for a response and Ian said, “If I had to face anything I couldn’t choose anyone better than Violet to protect my back. I’d never have to worry about her leaving.”

“But living with the fear of seeing her harmed is frightening.” Drey stared at his display and said, “Ian, this is uncharted space for me. I’ve never had anything to prepare me for what I’m feeling. I’m lost.”

“What’s really bothering you, Drey?”

Drey slowly shook his head, “Ian, she deserves better. You know who I am.”

Ian smiled, “I believe I do. That’s why I wanted you here with us. Other than Violet, you are the only one I’d trust at my back. I know I won’t have to worry about you holding up your end.” Ian paused, “Besides, I know who you are but the real question is, do you?”

Drey stared at Ian and said, “Thanks for talking with me.”

“Anytime.”

Andi felt her tears and turned and went back to her quarters until she could get them under control. She finally went to the bridge and said, “Drey, I want you to know something.” Drey turned and looked at her. “There are people on Euclid that spend their whole lives there and never live a real minute. I’ve had more joy during the last few months than most people have in their whole life. Even if were to end tomorrow, it would be worth it.” She paused, “Do you understand?” Drey looked at her and rolled his eyes. “What?”

“That damn hearing of yours; you heard me.”

Andi started laughing and completely lost it. She held her ribs and tried to catch her breath but was having difficulty breathing. Drey smiled and said, “I don’t know where this is going but there’s one thing I’m certain of.”

Andi stopped laughing, “What is that?”

“This ship and my life would be empty without you in it.”

Andi stood up from her chair and went to his lap. She put her head on his chest and said, “This is where I feel safest.”

Drey stoked her hair and put his head on hers, “You’re right. For however long we have, it’s worth it.”

• • •

Suddenly Doc yelled, “E, something is coming this way! Drop out of space!” The two ships immediately dropped from view with only their scanners in normal space. A moment later three giant ships emerged into normal space.

Drey looked at the three ships and whistled. Andi said, “Doc, don’t scan them.”

“I’m not. I’ll only use optical systems.”

“Doc, once you get a recording, drop further down so that only the tip of the antenna is in space.”

“Moving now.”

• • •

“I know my sensors detected the presence of a ship here.”

“Well it’s not here now. Did you get an idea of its size?”

“It wasn’t big.”

“Are you sure? You know we sometimes have an anomaly ping our scanner.”

“I’m not certain.”

Well, they aren’t here now.”

“Sorry I wasted you time.”

“You did the right thing. Call us if you need us.”

Two of the ships disappeared and the Commander said, “Show me that sensor return again.” He stared at it and said, “This looks like a ship entering normal space.”

The crewman said, “I think they’re right, it’s an anomaly.”

“What makes you think that?”

“It’s taking too long to enter normal space.”

The commander stared at it again and watched the timer. “You’re right. I should have seen that. Besides who would want to come to this graveyard? Take us out of here.” The giant ship disappeared.

Drey watched his display and after an hour smiled. Andi said, “What are you thinking?”

“I expected Ian to emerge into normal space before now but he’s waiting on us. He’s smarter than I thought. He figured it out.”

“He’s using your experience.”

“No one has any experience in this. I just happen to possess patience. Doc, did you sense anything?”

“I felt the pressure of them leaving.”

“How were you able to sense them coming?”

“I was worried about E feeling the passing pressure wave so I kept the lower decks below normal space. I felt the pressure wave approaching.”

Andi smiled, “You think like Drey.”

“How could I do otherwise? I believe they have left.”

“Take us up.” E appeared as soon as Doc entered normal space.

“That was close.”

“That it was. Thank Doc for keeping part of his hull in the other space. He felt them coming.”

E said, “I should have thought of that.”

Doc said, “Each of us have different talents.”

Drey said, “Were you able to determine anything about those ships, Ian?”

“I was able to take an inferred reading on their hulls and get a location of their major components.”

Doc said, “I should have thought of that.”

Ian said, “Like you said, different talents. That ship is not an evolutionary step from the two ships we saw on the planet. It comes from a different place.”

“That means there is more than just two intelligent species in our galaxy.”

“The evidence points that way, but unless we’re able to see who’s in those ships we won’t know for certain.”

Andi said, “Their force fields are not that much stronger than ours.”

Drey looked at her and said, “How were you able to make that determination?”

“I read the energy of the cosmic rays that hit it. They were destroyed at the same power level as our field emits.”

Ian, Violet, and Drey stared at Andi. “What?”

“Did you find out anything else?”

“Yes, the reactors that power the ship are located a hundred yards in front of the thrusters at the rear. There is also a weapons bay a hundred yards in front of them.” The three stared at her and she said, “The scan on the cosmic rays showed a high level of gamma rays hitting the inside of the force field just above that location.”

Drey looked at Violet on his display and said, “Your sister is brilliant.”

“She’s older. She’s had longer to learn.”

“Not that much older!” Drey laughed and shook his head. Andi said, “I’m not.” Then she stopped, “How did you know we’re sisters?”

Drey saw Ian turn to Violet and knew he wasn’t aware of that either. “Cole told me.”

“Why would he do that?”

“He wanted to make sure I tried to take care of both of you.” Drey paused and said, “I would have never figured it out; the two of you don’t look anything like each other.”

Violet said, “That’s how genetics work. You just never know what will pop out of the oven.”

Drey raised his eyebrows and Andi said, “In our species, it’s the females that are colorful. The males are just drab.”

Both Ian and Drey looked at Andi and she said, “I’m joking!”

Drey said, “No you’re not.”

Andi looked up and said, “You’ll never know.”

Ian looked at Violet, but she had found something on her computer that she was staring at. Ian couldn’t see her smile but Drey did.

“We were really lucky.”

Ian looked at Drey, “Why do you say that?”

“The place on the planet we hit with our weapons has rotated away from our position. Those ships didn’t see it.” Ian slowly shook his head and then nodded.

“E
scape tactics.”

Ian looked up at his display and said, “What?”

“We need to discuss how to escape.”

“It’s pretty simple, you just jump your big behind away.”

Drey shook his head, “I don’t think it’s going to be that simple. How did those ships come back to where we were?”

Ian thought a moment, “I’m not sure.”

“They must have been able to detect our presence when they passed earlier. I suspect the ship that detected us called the other two and they came back. If they can detect the use of a jump drive it may not be so easy to escape a pursuit.”

“Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“I thought I would strangle Cole for his insistence at installing a Dark Matter System but now I could kiss him. If we’re being pursued, flip the switch to the Dark Matter field generator when you emerge in normal space and leave at your highest speed. You’ll be a hundred light years away in less than a second. If you can do it before your pursuer arrives in normal space, they’ll have no way of knowing which way you left.”

“What if they’re able to see another jump even that far away?”

“Don’t jump right away. I would probably find a good moon or planet, land, and shut down all systems except for essential environmental. If you could find a moon or a planet with a high metallic deposit, that would be where you’d want to lay low.”

“What has you bothered, Drey?”

“The blaster burns on the items we brought back to Euclid were more than three hundred years old. I’ve got to believe that whoever is out there has a way of pursuing another ship. We’re operating blind and trying to survive. I’ve always shot first and asked questions later, but I think this situation calls for a different tactic. Run is the operational word.”

“That still doesn’t answer how we were detected.”

Drey looked at Andi, “What do you think?”

“If you remember, E had half of him in that other place and half in normal space.”

“Yeah, so?”

“Well, I think that is what they detected. They didn’t detect us when most of our ships were in the other place with only a scanner in normal space. I suspect the half and half gives off some form of energy that can be detected.”

Ian said, “I think you’re right. They didn’t see us when they showed up or they wouldn’t have left.”

Drey said, “Then the first operational order is that E or Doc will be either all in except for a scanner or all out.”

E said, “So noted.”

“What if we have to separate?”

“We can’t come back to this planet.”

“Why not?”

“They know they sensed a ship here. We don’t need to risk them remembering it. We need to find a place where we can run to rendezvous and it can’t be anywhere near the Union.”

Ian shrugged, “That’s true. E, have you seen anything that would be a good candidate?”

“I’ve charted most of the stars in this area and there is one that is closer to the black hole that has planets.”

“Are any of them habitable?”

“No, but I suspect it would offer good places to hide.”

“Why.”

“Tad was right. The heavy metals are pulled to the surface by the singularity’s gravity working on them. Every one of those planets should have a very high metal content on their surface.”

Drey looked at Andi, “Have I missed anything?”

“I’ve been working with Doc and I’ve been able to determine a frequency that happens just before a ship enters normal space. I would suggest that even the environmental systems should be shut down and we wear our space suits if we detect that frequency.”

“Give that information to E.”