Drakos strode to Nar Falcon’s station and looked down at the screen.

  “It’s a small moon,” Drakos noted.

  “According to the sensors, apparently made entirely of metal,” Nar Falcon said.

  “Is it an abandoned battle station?”

  Nar Falcon manipulated his board. “I do not think so, Lord.”

  “An old battleship then?” asked Drakos, wondering if he’d stumbled onto an ancient starship like Victory.

  “A moon, Lord,” said Nar Falcon.

  “You’re not suggesting it is a natural object?”

  “No…”

  “What then?”

  “We’ll know soon, Lord.”

  In his gut, Drakos felt a momentary thrill. The sensation might have been something like fear. But he enjoyed it too much for it to have been real fear. Gut clenches meant that he was alive, attempting mighty deeds.

  Those who never fear, never try something truly new. It was a Superior saying.

  “Battle stations,” Drakos said, as he headed to his command chair.

  An alert blared throughout the star cruiser, and then all was as before. New Men did not believe in having noisy sirens continuously shrieking as one tried to think and operate.

  The stealth ship continued to slow its approach. It took four hours and eighteen minutes for the bridge crew to see that it was an irregularly shaped asteroid and not a moon as such. The asteroid was eight hundred kilometers in irregular diameter.

  “You were right about it being a natural object,” Drakos told Nar Falcon. “I was certain we had found an ancient relic.”

  “It is a mother lode of an asteroid,” Nar Falcon said. “I cannot understand why the Vega System submen haven’t maneuvered it out of the dust belt to a manufacturing point.”

  “I do,” Drakos said. “The submen lack courage and have likely never explored this deeply into the circumstellar disc.”

  “It is hard to fathom such cowardice,” Nar Falcon said.

  Drakos nodded. Then he went to Nar Falcon’s board and watched it like a predatory beast. Had Commander Thrax Ti Ix been here? According to the faint trail of “E” radiation, an Imperial Swarm vessel had passed through the circumstellar disc several years ago. Maybe many such vessels had passed through the Vegan debris disc.

  Once more, Drakos rubbed his powerful hands together. He was a hardliner; some considered him the unofficial hardliner chief. He had many secret agents and many sources of information. Through hints stolen from Star Watch, and later from Brigadier O’Hara’s compromised mind, Drakos had learned an interesting truth. Not all of the original Imperial Swarm Invasion Fleet had perished in the supernova explosion of the “A” star of Alpha Centauri. The Imperial Swarm had originally invaded Human Space with 80,000 starships. Superiors and Star Watch submen had joined forces to defeat the invading insect horde.

  Back then, the unconventional Maddox had somehow induced the “A” star to go supernova, killing billions of submen in the Alpha Centauri System. The supernova explosion had also destroyed the remaining bulk of the Imperial Swarm armada.

  Unknown at the time to the Superiors, Commander Thrax Ti Ix had controlled something less than 200 saucer-shaped Swarm warships. According to O’Hara, who had learned it from Maddox, Thrax was a hybrid Swarm creature. Thrax had been at the Builder Dyson Sphere one thousand light-years from Earth. Thrax had gone to the Swarm Imperium and given the Queen knowledge about humanity, Laumer Points and hyper-spatial tubes. That was likely why the Swarm Imperium had first attacked this region of space from a hyper-spatial tube created at a Builder nexus several thousand light-years away.

  In any case, Thrax’s nearly two hundred vessels had used a star drive, a jump ability that didn’t need a Laumer Point to go from one star system to another. It would appear that Thrax’s jump ships had fled Alpha Centauri and fled the rest of the Imperial Swarm Invasion Fleet’s destruction.

  Had Thrax or one of his saucer-shaped Swarm ships truly come to the Vega System? Might the hybrid Swarm creatures be hiding out here in the circumstellar disc?

  Drakos licked his lips. It was incredibly daring of him to enter the circumstellar disc with just one star cruiser. He was likely the most daring Superior in all existence. To the victor go the spoils, and he who dares wins.

  Drakos’s lips stretched into a smile. He planned to win it all because he was going to dare it all. Not the Emperor, not the pathetic half-breed Captain Maddox and not his strange new allies were going to stop him either. If he had to—

  “Lord,” the tall helmsman said. “I’m picking up a strange reading.”

  “Put it on the main screen,” Drakos said.

  “It isn’t visual,” the helmsman said.

  “What then?”

  “A burst of energy, a flare, if you will,” the helmsman said. “The origin point seems to be behind the metal-rich asteroid.”

  Drakos thought fast. Could he have found Thrax’s resting place? The idea was fantastic.

  “Continue,” Drakos said softly.

  The star cruiser continued its stealthy approach to the asteroid in orbit around a cold gas giant hidden in the debris of the Vegan Kuiper Belt’s circumstellar disc.

  Two hours and nine minutes later, the stealthy star cruiser swung around the metal-rich asteroid. The bridge crew strained as they studied sensor readings.

  “Lord…” whispered the forehead-scarred Nar Falcon.

  “I see it,” Drakos said in as quiet a voice.

  There on Nar Falcon’s tiny screen was a saucer-shaped Swarm vessel. It did more than drift near the metal-rich asteroid. There was a jagged rent on the bubble part of the saucer-shaped craft.

  This Imperial Swarm ship was similar in design to a regular Spacer saucer-shaped vessel. That was likely because both types originated with the Builders. The Swarm saucer-shaped ship was bigger than a Spacer type, however.

  “Heavy radiation and other energies are spewing from the breach,” Nar Falcon said.

  “Any indication of more Swarm ships?” asked Drakos.

  “Negative, Lord,” said Nar Falcon.

  “We must look inside the stricken vessel.”

  “Even in a heavy radiation suit—” Nar Falcon said.

  “None of us will go aboard it,” Drakos said, interrupting his Intelligence chief. “We’ll use a drone to search the insides.”

  “Will a drone work in that radiation?”

  “We’re going to find out,” Drakos said. He laughed harshly. They had found an Imperial Swarm ship, found an indication about what had happened to Commander Thrax Ti Ix after the Imperial Swarm invasion. This was more than exciting. This could help with many of his deepest-laid plans…

  -25-

  A probe launched from the star cruiser crossed the distance to the stricken saucer-shaped vessel. While the probe flew there, the bridge crew watched the metal-rich asteroid for any signs of aggression.

  “How can we tell if there’s a robot outpost on the asteroid?” Drakos asked Nar Falcon. “As long as they keep a missile site or laser battery cold, we can’t tell if it’s there from any concentrations of metal.”

  Finally, the space probe parked near the stricken saucer-shaped ship. The probe’s nosecone opened, and a smaller robot craft exited, moving toward the hull breach. In time, the robot craft slid through the breach, entering the radiation-spewing wreck.

  Nar Falcon, the Intelligence chief, guided the robot vehicle from his weapons station, gathering data from the Imperial Swarm vessel, including sight of drifting dead Swarm creatures in various states of decomposition, sometimes just seeing drifting pincers, thoraxes or other giant insect parts.

  Sometime later in a science lab, Nar Falcon pored over the data.

  Finally, Drakos could bear it no more. He went to the science lab and entered without warning.

  Nar Falcon looked up from his screen. For a second, his puckered dueling scar reddened. He quickly composed his features.

  Drakos did not care for the scowl. He ran the star cruiser and he ran his people, as a Superior should. However, the Intelligence chief’s quick smothering of the scowl denoted the man’s fear of his better.

  That pleased Drakos. That pleased him a great deal.

  “Anything so far?” the shorter, broader-shouldered Superior demanded.

  Nar Falcon dipped his head. “Indeed, Lord, there is a plethora of data. I have learned more about the Swarm, the Imperium and its policies than I ever believed—”

  “No, no,” Drakos said. “I don’t care about that.”

  “It could be critical, Lord.”

  Drakos scowled, and he did nothing to hide it. “I don’t need lectures from my Intelligence chief unless I ask for lectures.”

  After a moment, Nar Falcon said, “You are correct, Lord.”

  Drakos’s eyes burned. The man should ask for forgiveness for the slight. Still, Drakos did not run his star cruiser as Methuselah Man Strand used to run his. Many of his people were independent persons. Despite the ugly dueling scar, Nar Falcon was a noted duelist and a Superior of some distinction. That was why the smothering of his scowl earlier had meant something.

  Drakos knew a secret that the Methuselah Man seemed to have forgotten. Others were capable, too, and a free agent, as it were, was usually a better worker than a slave. Nar Falcon would work hard because he would receive self-desired rewards for doing so.

  “I am pleased with your diligence,” Drakos said.

  Nar Falcon stared at him, and his thoughts were unreadable.

  “Share with me, brother Dominant, what you have found.”

  Nar Falcon’s shoulders straightened a minute degree. Drakos had given him a compliment and shown respect.

  “Lord, I may have found where Thrax and his hybrid creatures fled.”

  “They came here first?” Drakos asked.

  “I do not believe so. I think this ship sustained damage and dropped off from the main battle fleet.”

  “The one under Commander Thrax Ti Ix’s command?”

  Nar Falcon nodded.

  “Show me…please,” Drakos said.

  Nar Falcon stood abruptly, cracked his knuckles and resumed his seat. He manipulated his board, and for the next hour, he showed Drakos one factor after another.

  Drakos murmured many times. He nodded at others, understanding the significance of the various facts and data points.

  “Yes, yes,” Drakos said. “I’m beginning to see.”

  “I deem this region to be the most likely resting place for the original excursion,” Nar Falcon said.

  Drakos looked at the panel screen, noting the stellar region that Nar Falcon indicated. It was in the Beyond, as the submen referred to such things. It was quite a distance in the Beyond, meaning it was far from so-called Human Space. It was also a good distance from the Throne World. Had Thrax known of the Throne World’s existence and location?

  “I believe the hybrid creatures will have one significant problem with their new existence,” Nar Falcon said.

  Drakos took a guess. “They have no queen to sustain their race.”

  “Precisely, Lord. They can survive for a time, but they cannot multiply through breeding.”

  “Does that matter to us?”

  “It makes Thrax less dangerous to us in the long term.”

  “Yes, obviously,” Drakos murmured, “as they will eventually die out.”

  “More importantly, Lord, it gives us a possible bargaining chip with them.”

  “How so?”

  Nar Falcon told him.

  Once Drakos understood, he sat back and laughed, shaking his head. “You are fiendishly clever, Nar Falcon. This is brilliant.”

  Nar Falcon dipped his scarred forehead.

  “First, though,” Drakos said. “We must find the hybrid colony.”

  “True,” Nar Falcon said. “But…?”

  “Ask your question, my friend.”

  “Can we afford to leave as our other plans mature here?”

  Drakos squinted as he thought about that. Could he leave the region inside so-called Human Space at this critical juncture? The various rebellions were about to flare. And the strange allies he’d found…

  “A quick foray,” Drakos said. “We can afford that as the others gather in strength.”

  “The other hardliners, Lord?”

  “I think it is almost time to unleash the Great Plan.”

  “If we fail to find and sway Thrax to our side or fail to do it in time, Lord…”

  Drakos clapped his hands together. “He who dares wins,” he said. “This is the moment, Nar Falcon. I can feel it in my bones. Destiny would not have given us the ‘E’ radiation trail if it meant to thwart us.”

  “Destiny, Lord?”

  Drakos composed his features lest he give away his sudden displeasure at the question and the tone it had been asked. He had a belief in himself that went beyond mere confidence in his superior abilities. The proto-Superior Napoleon Bonaparte back in ancient times had believed in his star, in his destiny. Napoleon had been a subman with genius-level abilities, but he had still been a subman after all, and thus had failed to properly wield his destiny.

  Drakos knew that his destiny, or his star, had guided him for many years. He was destined for greatness, and had an iron will that had bent many, many others to his way of thinking and doing things. His “star” would not fail him, but only if he continued to dare greatly. Energy, zest, willpower and a willingness to risk everything and see the gifts destiny gave him would propel him to the highest level.

  Drakos knew that he would be the Emperor one day. What’s more, he would lead the Superiors to ultimate greatness as they conquered the submen. Every Superior would have herds and worlds of concubines, lovers and breeding stock. Every Superior would sire tens of thousands and perhaps hundreds of thousands of sons.

  The Superiors and Dominants would fill the galaxy and conquer their way to brilliance and supremacy.

  Yet, such a grand scheme and the knowledge that his star guided him would be too much even for most Superiors. Some so-called New Men might think him mad or unbalanced. Most Superiors did not believe in luck, destiny or a guiding star. Thus, he must hide that from Nar Falcon.

  It had been a slip of the tongue that had revealed his true thoughts…

  “A phrase,” Drakos now told Nar Falcon. “That we have found a saucer-shaped ship and quite possibly the hybrid Swarm planet…”

  Drakos eyed Nar Falcon and let a sudden grin show. “What do you think about all this, Intelligence chief? Come now. Give me your best advice.”

  Nar Falcon turned back to the screen as he thoughtfully pursed his lips. A moment later, he manipulated it as strange logic symbols flew across the screen like a giant mathematical formula.

  Drakos did not ascribe to such logic formulas in the formal Superior manner. But he knew other “New Men” held great store by it. The Emperor was a better logician than any other Dominant. Still, if this was the Intelligence chief’s way, it might be wisest to humor him today.

  Suddenly, Nar Falcon sat back and turned his head to stare at Drakos.

  “Well?” asked Drakos.

  Nar Falcon indicated the logic formula.

  Drakos refused to look at it. Given enough time, he could decipher it. Right now, he did not care to expend the mental effort.

  “I could go both ways, Lord,” Nar Falcon said. “There are grave risks in trying to find Thrax now. But as you pointed out, the rewards—we could win everything if everything falls our way.”

  Drakos grinned triumphantly. “The deciding factor is always willpower. The Superior with the greatest willpower shall dominate the situation through his greater inner force.”

  Nar Falcon did not seem convinced. “We thought likewise before the invasion of ‘C’ Quadrant.”

  Drakos made a dismissive gesture. “If you’re recall, Golden Ural commanded the invasion fleet. He was far too mellow to be a great conqueror. He took safe routes instead of boldly aiming for the enemy heart.”

  “You may be right, Lord,” Nar Falcon murmured.

  “I am right,” Drakos said, radiating force of will through his stare and his fierce bearing.

  Finally, Nar Falcon succumbed to the greater mental force, dipping his head. “Let us attempt the great dare, Lord. Let us win everything with one bold logical move.”

  “We will win through force of will,” Drakos declared.

  “Of will,” Nar Falcon said in a quieter voice, wilting under Drakos’s certainty.

  “Then it is decided,” Drakos said. “We leave tomorrow to find Commander Thrax Ti Ix in order to make him your oh-so-devious proposal.”

  -26-

  Back in the Solar System, in the Jupiter Region, six Bismarck-class and four Conqueror-class battleships, along with nine destroyers and thirteen escort-ships took up station around the great gas giant.

  That allowed Victory to leave and gave a respite to the three destroyers helping the ancient starship quarantine Jupiter. So far, no sensor buoy or ship sensor had detected the round hauler attempting to escape the gas giant.

  Other sensor stations kept watch in a great circumference around Jupiter to a distance of 400 million kilometers. That was in case the hauler attempted to fold out of the Jovian atmosphere. Four hundred million kilometers had appeared to be its fold range earlier.

  Victory headed back to Earth, using its star drive to expedite matters.

  A day later, Maddox came down from orbit in a shuttle. It was time to pay the piper, as the saying went. Marine MPs met him at the Geneva Spaceport and escorted him to Star Watch Headquarters.

  The military police led him to a large chamber where Major Stokes was reading a tablet.

  Stokes looked up, studying Maddox as a range of emotions played upon the major’s weary features. He had bags under red-rimmed eyes and sucked on a stimstick as if it was his energy source.

  Finally, Stokes said in a tired voice, “Leave him here, Lieutenant. I’ll watch him for a while.”

  “I’ll have to check if that’s okay, sir,” the stocky marine said.

  Stokes nodded as he took another drag on his stimstick.

  Soon, the marine lowered a hand comm. “I’m placing guards outside the door, sir.” The big man eyed Maddox. “They have orders to shoot to take you down if you try to escape.”