The Lost Fleet: Genesis: A Slaver Wars Novel by Raymond L. Weil Read Free Book Online

let out a long sigh. He knew Major Nolan and Captain Abrams wouldn’t
be happy to learn Sergeant Wilde and the scientists were missing. “Send the
exploration cutter back down. I want Captain Abrams and at least one squad of Marines
to go along. The cutter is to stay on location until I send down another
shuttle relieving them.” The exploration cutter was large enough that it could
stay down on the surface for weeks if necessary.
    “Yes, sir,”
Cowel answered as he turned away to carry out the orders.
    “At least
they’re inside,” Race said, leaning back in his command chair and wondering
just what was going on within the sphere. He wished they had communication with
the exploration team.
    “I’m sure
they’ll be fine,” Madelyn said. “Reesa has the other scientists with her as
well as Sergeant Wilde.”
    Race just
hoped Madelyn was right. What concerned him was that Reesa had the only key,
and there was no way for them to find out what had happened until the research
team reappeared. At least they had a full platoon of Marines as well as their
supplies with them.  All they could do was wait.
    Looking over
at a counter on one of the tactical displays, Race saw it would be another
twelve hours before Admiral Baasil arrived. Shifting his gaze to the big viewscreen
showing the Dyson Sphere, Race wondered what Ambassador Tureen would think of
all of this.
    -
    Reesa Jast let
out an exasperated breath. The corridor they had been following had led them to
another dead end. Once more, they had come up against a metallic wall with no evidence
of a slot for the key.
    She turned and
looked at Kelnor. “What now?”
    “There was a
junction a ways back,” he said. “I suggest we return to it and try another
corridor.”
    It took them
awhile to retrace their steps and then proceed along another well-lighted
corridor. After walking for several hours, they came to another seemingly
sealed wall, only this one had an indentation for the key.
    “Why is everything
in here so clean?” asked Sergeant Wilde as she looked around. “This place looks
as if it was built yesterday. And have you noticed, not a single light in the
ceiling is burned out.”
    Kelnor paused
and slowly nodded. “The material this place is constructed of is far beyond
anything our science has to offer. There may also be some type of automated
repair system operating.”
    “Do we use the
key?” asked Reesa, taking it out of her pocket.
    Kelnor looked
toward Brenda for her approval.
    The sergeant slowly
nodded her head. “I don’t think we have any choice. This is the first place
we’ve come across in a while that has an access point for the key. I think we
have to use it so we can find out what’s on the other side of this wall.”
    Reesa slowly
approached the key slot and with trepidation, gently put the key in place. With
an eerie silence the wall slid open, revealing a large lighted chamber.
Stepping inside, she stared around in wonder as the others cautiously followed
her. Once everyone was inside, Reesa turned around to retrieve the key only to
find it now rested in a slot on this side of the wall. Without hesitation, she
reached out and removed it. The wall instantly sealed back up but at least this
time the key slot remained.
    Turning back
around, she began examining the large chamber. “What is this place?”
    “A transportation
center,” Brenda said as she walked over to stand on a platform where some obvious
transit cars were waiting. “I’ve seen something like this in New York City. The
subways there still run, though they’ve been highly updated.”
    Kelnor walked over
to the front car and looked inside. “There’s a slot for the key inside,” he
reported.
    Reesa and the
rest walked over. “This might take us to the inside of the Dyson Sphere.”
    “That’s what
we came for,” Brenda said. Perhaps if they managed to actually find a way
inside, Captain Abrams and Major Nolan would let her off with only a mild
dressing down.