The Dead Sun (Star Force Series) Read Online Free PDF

any kind of violent response from the Macros, who were undoubtedly waiting on the far side of the rings. Several times, we’d sent in stealth probes through the active ring in space, but we’d never gotten the probes to return, nor gotten any data back from them. It was as if those ring transported anything traversing through it directly into the heart of a black hole.
    “Which one are you talking about?” I asked Marvin.
    “The ring in space. The underwater ring is small and disconnected at this point.”
    “ The space ring…” I said. “Are you suggesting more probes? Because I don’t see much point to that. We’ve tried many times and failed consistently.”
    Marvin’s lower, thicker legs churned momentarily. He sidled closer to me.
    “There are two possible reasons why the probes aren’t working,” he said.
    “Yeah. The main one being that the Macros are instantly blowing them apart.”
    “I can be more precise than that.”
    “Okay,” I said cautiously, “let’s hear it.”
    Internally, I was already telling myself to be careful. This was one tricky robot. Rasputin himself couldn’t have talked the Czar ina into some of the crazy things Marvin had been able to get me to do.
    “Let me start with a list of possibilities,” he began, “one i s that, as you suggested, they’re being destroyed somehow the moment they go through the ring.”
    “That seems obvious. What’s your other possible reason?”
    “They’re unable to function due to an unforeseen system failure.”
    “That’s almost the same thing, Marvin. Your ‘theories’ are useless.”
    “Not so. If the latter situation is the case—and possibly even if the first one is the problem—I have a solution.”
    “Yeah?”
    We stared at one another for a second. I realized that Marvin was waiting for me to beg him to tell me his solution. I was annoyed, as this talk didn’t seem to be going anywhere, and I had the feeling it was going to end with Marvin requesting resources to do some strange thing that probably didn’t need doing in the first place.
    “Aren’t you curious as to the nature of my solution, Colonel Riggs?” he prompted finally.
    “‘Curious’ is too strong of a word,” I said. “I’d say I’m slightly interested—but getting bored fast.”
    “Unfortunate. I’d thought you would be intrigued, as I’m engaged in solving one of the remaining mysteries within Star Force’s sphere of infl uence. I want to discover what’s on the far side of the unexplored ring. A portion of my neural net has been working on that problem for over a year now.”
    “I’m happy for your brainbox, Marvin. But, personally, I’m just glad there haven’t been any more attacks coming from the Macros for a long time. If they stay on their side of the ring, I don’t care why they do so. I’m in favor of leaving them alone.”
    “A quiet stalemate isn’t going to be the final result of this conflict, Colonel Riggs. The enemy will not rest. They’re very busy right now, let me assure you. They will come to us by any means necessary when they’re ready.”
    I thought about it and realized that Marvin was probably right. The Macros weren’t like humans. They didn’t calm down and go into “peaceful mode” when no enemies were in sight. Instead, they built up for the next conflict.
    “All right, all right,” I said, heaving a sigh. “You’ve got me curious now about finally scouting that ring. Let’s hear whatever idea you have—but without listing any weird special equipment you might think you need.”
    Marvin’s tentacles curled and uncurled excitedly. He did that when one of his plans w as working out. I knew that he figured he had a fish on the line and was reeling the clueless bastard into the boat.
    “Let me start by explaining the supporting facts so you can understand the validity of my proposal,” he began.
    “Get on with it.”
    “Very well. If the probes are being destroyed when they cross into the enemy