Chain of Attack by Gene DeWeese Read Free Book Online Page B

pattern exists and yet to be unable to define that pattern or even to describe logically why I suspect its existence."
    "It's called intuition," McCoy said, but without the grin that would normally have accompanied the remark. Here, in a universe of seemingly endless death, smiles had been rare. "It's from your mother's side of the family, that's all."
    "Perhaps you are right, Doctor," Spock said, without the argument or the arched eyebrow that, like McCoy's missing mischievous grin, would normally have been a part of their byplay.
    "An organic computer, then," Kirk said. "Remember, the Federation experimented with them for a time before Duotronics came along."
    "I have considered that possibility, Captain. I have also considered the possibility that the readings are the result of distortion caused by the intervening mass of rock or even the radiation. Neither theory, however, has proven satisfactory."
    "At least," McCoy said, "whatever it is isn't shooting at us the way those booby traps did."
    "And no sensor probes have been detected," Kirk added. "And Uhura's found no indication of subspace activity of any kind. My own guess is that, whatever it is, it was put out of commission when the surface of the planet was destroyed, and that was at least thirty-five thousand years ago. In any event, it is obviously not the builder of the gate, and I can see no way of learning more without beaming someone down—through five kilometers of solid rock and a thousand kilometers of radiation—to look."
    Spock stared at the readouts another few seconds and then straightened. "You are correct, Captain. Such a risk would be illogical simply to satisfy one's curiosity."

    After two standard weeks and twenty-seven planetary systems without finding anything more advanced than insects anywhere outside the oceans, even McCoy was becoming inured to the seemingly endless destruction. His eyes began, like everyone's, to glaze over with each new scene of devastation.
    Finally, as the twenty-seventh system fell astern, Kirk ordered a new course laid in, and they returned to their starting point. There was, however, no indication that the gate had reappeared, and after half a day, despite Dr. Crandall's strenuous objections, they resumed their explorations. Now, however, instead of spiraling slowly outward, the Enterprise struck out radially, putting as much distance as possible between itself and their starting point. And instead of stopping at every system that might hold a habitable world, they leapfrogged over ten for every one they investigated. For the first fourteen days, nothing changed. Destruction was everywhere, and everyone was beginning to wonder if every habitable world in this entire cluster had been destroyed.
    But then, on the fifteenth day, more than thirty parsecs out, as the Enterprise dropped to sublight velocity to take detailed readings on yet another planetary system, the routine they had fallen into was abruptly shattered.
    Spock, studying his instruments as always, was the first to spot the new intruder.
    "Captain," he announced, "sensors indicate approaching craft."
    Kirk, who had been concentrating on the magnified image of the planet they had dropped out of warp drive to inspect, looked around sharply. "Another booby trap?"
    "I do not think so, Captain. It is moving under its own power, and there are indications it is capable of warp speed."
    "Bearing, Mr. Chekov?"
    "Three-seventy-five, mark twenty-three, sir."
    "Mr. Sulu, get that on the screen, maximum magnification."
    "Aye-aye, sir." As the helmsman spoke, the planet vanished abruptly from the screen, replaced by yet another view of the impossibly dense star field. After an instant of hesitation, the view expanded, the countless stars spreading outward and shooting off the edges of the screen. Finally, near the center, something nonluminous appeared in the star field, and soon its seven-sided shape was fuzzily evident.
    "Details, Mr. Spock."
    "Mass approximately