“We all do that, sir,” Sardu said.

  “I believe you’re right.” Naram Sin gave the old man the faintest smile. “Yes. Thank you for your honesty. I appreciate it.”

  “You have always been honest with others. I’m just returning the favor.”

  “I truly appreciate that,” Naram Sin said. “Regarding your question… yes. Baal should live. We need to support him.”

  “Is that the best way to do this, sir?” Sardu asked.

  “What are you trying to say?”

  “You should be the new Chief Marshal of the Titan colony,” Sardu said.

  “No, no,” Naram Sin said, holding up a hand. “I’m the Chess Master. I do not want the responsibility of making the hard decisions. I do better as the counselor.”

  Sardu’s leathery face creased. “I believe that is a dishonest statement. I can guard your back. But we are going to have to make plans if Baal, you or I, hope to survive Titan. When Assur learns that Baal has not yet been slain, he will make himself ready for us.”

  “I see,” Naram Sin looked at Sardu with intent and speculation. “You have knowledge that I do not possess. And I feel I must possess it in order to make the correct decisions and the correct moves on the chessboard of life.”

  “That is a quaint way to say it. Does that mean you’re going to try for ruling power, sir?”

  Suddenly, Naram Sin became cautious. “Is this a loyalty test? Did the Chief Marshal send you two sets of messages?”

  Sardu grinned and gave a sardonic chuckle. “I’ve wondered if you have the right bent of mind to understand duplicity. You do not practice it yourself, but you must be aware of it, sir, because others will surely practice it against you. They fear your brainpower and your logic, and they will use cunning and duplicity against you.”

  “You’re talking now about the Chief Marshal?”

  “Him and others,” Sardu said.

  Naram Sin turned toward the hatch, staring at it. This was a pregnant moment. Until now, he had propped up Marshal Baal. But if he took this step… He used the brainpower that made him a deadly chess master, one who could see many moves ahead. He used that mental acuity, trying to see what would happen next versus Chief Marshal Assur and himself if he did this.

  Naram Sin did not know enough. That was the truth.

  He turned back to Sardu. “It is time you told me the secret ways of Chief Marshal Assur. I know some of them, but I must know the rest. That is, if you really are going to throw your weight behind me.”

  “Behind you, sir, not Marshal Baal?” Sardu asked.

  “That is correct,” Naram Sin said. “Baal was only a temporary means. For us to do more than survive, but win, I must take the reins of power.”

  “Will you annihilate the Earthers?”

  Naram Sin stared at Sardu, disliking the question’s timing. He needed time to think, but he also knew what Sardu wanted to hear. Although in his youth he had always been brutally, maybe stupidly honest, he had been practicing social pleasantries—telling lies, in other words—ones he did not believe to smooth his relations with others. It was time to take it a step further, starting with Sardu.

  “I will annihilate the Earthers with the mobile asteroids if I am the one who leads the fleet,” Naram Sin said.

  “Then I am behind you, sir, one hundred percent.”

  “Good,” Naram Sin said. “Now, let me get something to drink, and then I want to listen for as long as it takes you to fully explain the Chief Marshal. Are you ready for that, my friend?”

  “I am, Chess Master.”

  “Good,” Naram Sin said. “Let me get that drink so we can begin.”

  -8-

  A day later, ship-time, Naram Sin stood at one of the viewing ports. He stood tall, practicing squaring his shoulders.

  During all the chess matches, he had been stooping far too much. He admired how Tiglath walked with proud, thrust-back shoulders. Now, Naram Sin raised his chin and worked on pulling his shoulders back. He was much too young to stoop. Besides, that wouldn’t befit a leader of the Valiants. His shoulders were wide. He needed to accentuate that.

  Ever since he began considering ruling the colony—which started several months ago—he had been reading several Earth documents on the subject. These included The Prince by Machiavelli.

  What Machiavelli had to say about wielding power was interesting and intriguing. Later, Naram Sin read a book by Richard Nixon. Naram Sin learned that this Richard Nixon had studied The Prince, applying some of the principles during his presidency.

  Now, Naram Sin gazed at the beauty of deep space. He loved looking at the stars. It was marvelous and breathtaking, so pure.

  Tiglath approached. The group leader hesitated, but then came and stood beside Naram Sin, silently looking out the viewport with him.

  Finally, Tiglath turned and looked at him. “May I have a word with you, Chess Master?”

  “Please, my friend, that sounds so formal.”

  “I’m afraid it is formal. I have a complaint.”

  “Against Sardu?” Naram Sin asked.

  “No, against you,” Tiglath said.

  “Indeed,” Naram Sin said. He found that his chin had lifted a little higher, even higher than he had been practicing. “What is your complaint?”

  “The way you coddled me before, not playing your hardest. By doing that, you implied that my mind wasn’t strong enough to withstand the full force of yours. Instead, when you had to depart, you unleashed your mind and swept me aside as a nothing. Is that how you think of me, Naram Sin?”

  “Not at all. Why, I’m astounded that you would believe that. Those were not my thoughts at all.”

  Tiglath scowled. “You’ve been changing. Did you know that?”

  “You’re the second person who has said that in two days.”

  “Sardu told you?” Tiglath asked.

  “It doesn’t matter who,”

  “See,” Tiglath said, “before, you would have told me exactly who had said that. Now you hide it. You have become evasive on certain matters and imperious on others. I don’t know if I can play you chess anymore.”

  “Come now, my friend,” Naram Sin said. He put a hand on Tiglath’s shoulder.

  The space marine shook it off. “Don’t treat me like an underling. You do not even have a specific command. You are merely the counselor to the marshal.”

  “That is true.”

  Then Naram Sin fought a brief inner battle with himself. He admired Tiglath, the space marine’s bravery and skills. However, it was true. Tiglath was not as sharp mentally as others. Did that mean they could not be friends? Naram Sin felt he needed to keep Tiglath as a friend. Otherwise, it might unmoor him in this treacherous moment as he contemplated such a grand and glorious move. If he trusted someone like Sardu over honest Tiglath…

  Naram Sin clicked his heels together and bowed his head. “I formally apologize to you, Group Leader Tiglath. Yes, you are correct. Some of my mannerisms and ways have changed. I did not intend it in any grievous manner, but I will only play with the full blast of my intellect against you. I will do you that honor if you will do me the honor of teaching me space marine combat moves.”

  “You mean this?” Tiglath asked.

  “I most certainly do.”

  Some of the tension left Group Leader Tiglath. He extended a powerful hand.

  Naram Sin grabbed it, and they shook hard, maybe each applying more pressure than needed.

  “Tomorrow, then, on the mats,” Tiglath said, “if you really want to do that.”

  “I really do. I appreciate that you would come and tell me this in such a straightforward manner.”

  “I did it for the Naram Sin I knew. Now I think you are no longer Naram Sin, at least not the man that boarded the fleet long months ago. You are the Chess Master. I don’t know what you and that old spy chief are plotting, but if this is still the real you, you have my allegiance one hundred percent.”

  “Thank you,” Naram Sin said. He meant that, even as he had meant most of what he had said to Tiglath. There had been one or two slight non-truths, but in essence, he needed people like Tiglath. If he was not quite the friend that he had been, he still needed powerful fighters and opinion shakers like Tiglath. Many listened to the space marine, particularly because his assaults had been so successful each time on the Moon.

  “All right, let’s go play a quick chess match,” Naram Sin said.

  “No, no, not today,” Tiglath said, raising a hand. “I know you’re going to tear me apart. I want to go and study to at least give you a momentary challenge.”

  Naram Sin smiled and nodded.

  Tiglath left.

  In a sense, Naram Sin felt sad. He wasn’t quite the naive youth that had once saved Chief Marshal Assur’s life at the cost of those he had served. But he was learning and evolving. Wasn’t that what a person was supposed to do, become an adult?

  I was a youth. Now I’m a man, Naram Sin told himself. I am also the Chess Master, and I mean to rule the Valiants and conclude this war for good.

  -9-

  Naram Sin sat in deep contemplation in his quarters. He was hunched before a table with a chessboard and pieces. It was black versus white, with the pieces set at the beginning.

  Naram Sin did not so much look at the pieces as consider their situation. That meant those here in the three warships and auxiliary vessels. It was all of them against Chief Marshal Assur.

  Naram Sin heaved a sigh.

  First, Sardu had not slain Marshal Baal. Second, Sardu had thrown in his lot with the invasion fleet.

  Naram Sin shook his head. This wasn’t a straightforward situation. He needed to make the right decision regarding his next move. Their survival depended upon it, especially for Baal and his survival.

  Baal was a weak reed to set so much on. Baal had been arrogant in the past, but had since learned a little humility. Unfortunately, Baal was neither particularly intelligent nor energetic. Yet they would rely on him, as they were backing him for leadership. That meant—

  Above all, I must keep Baal alive.

  Naram Sin shook his head. That wasn’t the critical point. The critical point—

  Naram Sin raised his head and regarded the chessboard and the pieces arrayed before him. Abruptly, he removed half the pawns and one knight, one bishop, one rook, and… he removed the queen as well. There, that was the essence of their position versus Assur. Assur had more pieces and the dominant position.

  I cannot exchange pieces and win this battle. Assur has the preponderance of military force. He has the preponderance of political force, social force. He has the overwhelming hand.

  When Sardu first came to him, and he had decided to let Baal live, that was his entering the match. Naram Sin had done this without a strategy for victory.

  I must have a strategy if I hope to win. It is not going to happen through luck.

  What would such a winning strategy entail? Naram Sin thought back to his many chess matches, but couldn’t find anything helpful in them. He then considered what he had reread in The Prince by Machiavelli and in Richard Nixon’s book.

  Naram Sin frowned.

  Nixon had exited political life in disgrace. Was Nixon therefore a reliable advisor in this situation?

  Naram Sin stared at the board. He often read chess strategy by the various masters of Earth. No one among the Valiants had yet penned such a treatise.

  Naram Sin had debated writing one and had started to take notes. He would not publish it until the end of his life, as he wanted to continue being the Chess Master. Still, that was not the issue here.

  How did one defeat an overwhelming hand? They were in the seriously weaker position.

  Naram Sin stared at the board until he sat back and closed his eyes. He had reread a section that said, If you are too intent, you need to relax and then look at things from a different angle. Sometimes, that will show you what you cannot otherwise see.

  Naram Sin opened his eyes, placed his hands on the chessboard, and rotated it until he looked at it from the other side. He started at the overwhelming preponderance of force and then at the weak side across the board. He would crush such a one. Certainly, Assur should crush them.

  Therefore, duplicity was the answer. He was known for his strict honesty. Therefore, in this most dangerous moment, he must use duplicity once and to savage advantage. Given that, how could he win a game with such a serious handicap?

  Look at the weaker force. It was pitiful. If he held the stronger side, no one could defeat him. How then could he defeat Assur who held every spot of high ground? In a moment, as he stared at the chessboard, the answer came to Naram Sin. He knew how he could win. It was obvious. There was only one way.

  He could not make exchanges. It would be nearly impossible to set a trap. He had to capture the king. It is as simple as that. Or in this instance, they had to kill Assur.

  Naram Sin sat back again and crossed his big arms, staring at the board and the chess pieces. Kill Assur. Assassinate Assur. That was the only logical plan that could possibly succeed. Therefore, they had to get near Assur. That meant they needed to stay alive until someone with a knife, a gun, a powerful fist could take Assur out. That was where the duplicity would come in. They first needed to show utter allegiance to Assur so he let them live just long enough.

  Surely, though, Assur would expect assassination attempts. He would expect such a tactic as that had been his master plan.

  It began to dawn on Naram Sin what he must do. He must make Assur believe that what he was attempting to do was real, while the true plan remained hidden within it. Logically, reasonably, and rationally, Naram Sin had to make his case to the elders and the people. He had to do it so Assur believed that was the real plan: making their case. In reality, though, they would be lulling Assur in order to work in close and kill him.

  That’s brilliant.

  Naram Sin stood, picked up a bottle of water, and drank it. It was time to talk to Baal and give him the words to radio ahead to the elders and people of the colony. Then they had to prepare for however Assur would respond to that.

  What would be Assur’s most likely response?

  The secret link with Sardu was severed, so they no longer had to worry about anyone killing Baal while they were aboard the ships. Would it be a war of words then?

  I will have to wait and see how Assur responds. Now, however, it is time to talk to Marshal Baal.

  -10-

  A day and a half later, Marshal Baal sat before a screen, gathering his composure. He was not as corpulent as he had once been. He had thinned and appeared more authoritative, now speaking from a script that the Chess Master had written for him.

  The message detailed the hard decision to leave the Moon. The key was the colony’s need for the invaluable Enforcers and auxiliary ships, along with the soldiers aboard them. The soldiers, the Valiants, were the heart of the colony. Valiants were superior to the Earthers, although misfortune had plagued the invasion of the Moon.

  That was the tricky bit of the message.

  Baal admitted on screen, “I miscalculated.” He faced the screen intently, continuing solemnly. “‘I miscalculated and I take full responsibility for that. If that means I must step down as Marshal, I am willing if the elders make that decision. I am willing to obey the orders of Chief Marshal Assur. You, sir, gave us a masterful invasion plan, and as we followed it, we succeeded. We built a mass driver that hammered the enemy. In response, the Earthers expended massive, intensive force as we have shown in our previous missives. The Earthers exerted incredible effort in destroying the first mass driver. Had we built the others, victory would have been ours.”

  Marshal Baal sighed, shaking his head.

  “I should not have put all of the mass drivers in one cargo ship. I was following the philosophy: put all your eggs in one basket and watch that basket with all your might. I failed you, Valiants of Titan.

  “After the destruction of the mass drivers, I thought I could stay on the Moon, continuing the fight with the Enforcers. I did not want to admit my errors, but recover what I had lost through superior space war. Instead, with help from my advisors, I realized the warships and soldiers were more important than my ego. They needed to remain intact because, Chief Marshal Assur would devise another masterful strategy. Seeing the new mobile asteroids and new Enforcers, I realize that Chief Marshal Assur is indeed preparing the next strike. It is an honor to serve under such a one. It is an honor that the Elders of Titan support Chief Marshal Assur. Know that the Valiants of the invasion fleet and I support him to the hilt.

  “I desperately want to finish what the Chief Marshal granted me—trust and a plan that came within a hair’s breadth of succeeding. I’m confident we will succeed in our upcoming strike, for we have learned that the humans have one devious strategy, but we have superior hardware, superior soldiers, and superior plans. This time the Earthers will not be so lucky.

  “I am sad to have failed you. But we are very much united with you. I am proud to serve such a noble and valiant race, Valiants indeed. Thus, I, Marshal Baal, am the servant of the people and am most glad to do whatever the will of the people decides for me.”

  Baal nodded at the screen. “Chief Marshal Assur, until we meet soon in the coming weeks, goodbye and may An’Kar bless you and your efforts.”

  Baal thereupon clicked off the recorder.

  Naram Sin stepped up. “Well said, sir. Your delivery was spontaneous and moving. Don’t you agree, Security Chief Sardu?”

  “Indeed, indeed,” Sardu said, even though he grumbled and muttered. “Should we give Assur such leeway?” he asked quietly, pulling Naram Sin aside.

  “Do you mean Baal’s willingness to step down?” Naram Sin asked.

  “Exactly,” Sardu said. “We have said Baal is responsible for the failed campaign. Why won’t the elders sack him now?”

  “Don’t you see that by taking the full blame Baal demonstrates a manly bearing and attitude? After this, the elders will find it difficult to sweep Marshal Baal aside. But there is another more important reason we did it this way.”