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

By now, they must know the exploration team was missing.
    “Then we all
enter the car and try the key?” asked Kelnor. “There’s no way to tell where
this car will take us and it’s large enough to hold all of us and the supplies.’
    “Why the hell
not?” said Corporal Metz, standing there cradling his assault rifle in his arms.
“Maybe we’ll find someone living inside the sphere. We’ve come this far, we
might as well go on.”
    “God, I hope we
don’t find anyone,” spoke Private Richard Trent with a frown. “Whoever built
this place would look at us as if we’re insects.”
    “The Originators
were a peaceful race,” Kelnor said in mild reproach. “If we were to find any of
them still living inside, I don’t believe we would be in any danger.”
    “I don’t think
there’s anyone home,” Melvin Blair commented. Melvin was a Human scientist well
versed in the study of alien civilizations. “I believe we would have found some
evidence by now if anyone was around.”
    “I agree,”
added Maalon Delz one of the other Alton scientists. “If the Dyson Sphere was
inhabited, I believe we would have been contacted by now.”
    “Then let’s
go,” Brenda said as she stepped inside the transit car. “I want everyone in the
same car and we’ll see what happens.”
    It didn’t take
long and everyone was inside. It was a tight fit with all the supplies they
were carrying. It was instantly obvious the seats in the car were designed for
a race much taller than the Humans or even the Altons.
    “These
Originators must have been giants,” commented Corporal Metz. His feet just
barely touched the floor. He looked small sitting in one of the large seats.
    “All signs
indicate they were a large race,” Kelnor responded as he sat down. Being taller
than the Humans, the cushioned seat felt more comfortable to him.
    “Ready?” asked
Reesa as she took the key out of her pocket once more.
    Brenda took a
deep breath. “We’re as ready as we’re going to be. Let’s do this.”
    With a nod,
Reesa slowly inserted the key. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but then the
door slowly slid shut and the car began moving forward. Reesa was a little
nervous. She knew the inner surface of the Dyson Sphere was easily the equivalent
of over two million planets the size of Earth. She had no idea where the
transit car might be taking them, but it would be very easy to become hopelessly
lost in something with an interior area as large as the Dyson Sphere.
    For long minutes,
the car moved along a wide and brightly lit tunnel. Several times they approached
large hatches, which slid open as the car approached and then sealed back shut
once they passed. Finally, the car began to slow and then it came to a stop.
They had arrived at a transit platform very similar to the one they had just
left.
    “What now?”
asked Brenda as she grasped her assault rifle.
    “There seems
to be a key slot on that far wall,” Kelnor said pointing.
    The group quickly
left the car and made their way to the indicated wall.
    Taking a deep
breath, Reesa inserted the key and waited.
    The wall slid
open, revealing another tunnel.
    “Here we go
again,” muttered Private Trent. “This place is a maze. I don’t think we’ll ever
find our way out.”
    “Do we go down
the corridor?” asked Reesa, glancing over at Sergeant Wilde.
    It was a
relief the sergeant didn’t seem to have a problem with making decisions. Reesa
didn’t want the responsibility as so many lives were at stake. Private Trent’s
words worried her. If they couldn’t find a way to the inner surface or back
out, they could all very well die down here in these endless corridors.
    “Yes,” Brenda
answered without hesitation. “If we go back into the car it will probably just
take us back to where we just left. I think we at least need to find out where
this corridor leads.”
    Nodding her
head, she stepped inside and Reesa saw, as in the last transit station, that
her key was now on