The professor and his team were hard at work at their stations. The captain motioned Ludendorff near, staring at him fixedly as the Methuselah Man approached. “I have just finished speaking with Shu 15,” Maddox said, injecting a pompous tone into his voice. “Oh. I see. Was it a rewarding experience?” “Very,” Maddox said. “We are about to embark on a historic assault. I will swing Victory out, gaining velocity, racing Chitin missiles, until I can see around the present curvature of the red giant.” “What do you hope to see?” “A golden pyramid,” Maddox said in a lofty manner. Ludendorff didn’t raise his eyebrows or show any other indication of surprise. He just stared at Maddox. “We will free the glorious Builder within,” Maddox said, “who will then join our ship. She will—”
