The X-Ship by Heppner Vaughn

Author:Heppner, Vaughn [Heppner, Vaughn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Fantasy
Amazon: B08G87HKQX
Goodreads: 55026079
Published: 2020-08-18T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Six

Dr. Halifax hadn’t left the Avalon System, although he had moved farther away from the proscribed planet.

The Descartes was approximately two million kilometers from Cade. The scout ship drifted with nearly zero velocity. It was, in fact, in silent running mode, the engine off and life-support systems working off battery power. That meant minimal energy expenditures. The ex-Patrol vessel still had its dark anti-sensor coating. Scouting sometimes meant sneaking around while other enemy vessels went about their duties.

Halifax had hunched over the sensor scope, watching Cade make his drop. The powerful sensor had seen the orbital laser strike—and Halifax had muttered an ancient prayer for Cade. He had continued watching and seen the man separate from the damaged thruster-pack. With growing disbelief, Halifax had even witnessed the drogue chutes slowing Cade’s upper atmospheric entry.

The soldier had survived the orbital laser strike. That had sent Halifax to thinking. Through the scope, he’d followed Cade’s descent as far as he could, finally losing sight of him in the lower atmosphere.

It would appear the Ultra made it down. That meant Rohan Mars might have known what he was talking about when he made Brune the offer.

Halifax rose from the sensor seat and walked slowly toward the polarized window. Avalon IV hung in the middle of the stars. Why was he staying in an obviously dangerous location?

Halifax had several reasons that he enumerated to himself. He was curious about Cade’s fate. He wondered if the androids would appear. He was hesitant about switching on the Intersplit engine and risking traveling at FTL speeds again. If the androids appeared, might detailed knowledge about the proceedings be worth credits to Director Titus? What did Rohan—the tech company—want with the woman? Clearly, the proceedings had greatly stoked Halifax’s curiosity. Might this be a pivotal moment between androids, possibly cyborgs, and the ancient Ultras? Or had the Director played him for a fool, and really, this was about an Ultra resurgence?

Likely, he should have maneuvered the Descartes farther from Avalon IV, but that would have taken time and energy. Others might have shown up in the interim, spotting him. Besides, while the scout possessed a relatively powerful scope, the farther he went from the planet, the less he would see. He was trusting in the scout’s stealth capacity while running silently.

As Halifax waited, he regretted attempting to kill Cade. He had acted out of fear. Why had the man shown him mercy? It struck a chord in the doctor, that was for damn sure.

Halifax chuckled. “I’ll be,” he said. “I like him.” He nodded. He liked the soldier’s stoical ways and calm certainty. He sensed great loyalty in Cade.

A soft alarm alerted him. The doctor whirled around, racing to the sensor scope. He put his eyes against the rubber lining as he manipulated the controls. Ah. He saw it. A ship with a green Intersplit Field moved in-system. The field flickered, flickered again and winked out. That allowed Halifax to inspect the ship behind the field.

The new vessel was oblong like a giant teardrop.

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