“Sir, I implore you,” Naram Sin said. “At least let some of us leave on the Voyager. The generational vessel will be here soon. This is the moment to ensure our race’s survival by implementing both plans at once.”

  Assur looked hard at Naram Sin. “You have a point. You have a point, and I shall consider it. Now, however, let us have a toast to victory.”

  Naram Sin stood and accepted a shot of liquor and threw it back. It tasted bitter. It tasted like defeat. Was this the end of the Valiant race? In his estimation, there was a one in four chance of winning the battle at the Moon, but maybe there were events he had not foreseen and perhaps, well, it would depend on the actual battle plan. Perhaps Assur did have a gift in these things. The man was clever, and he had maneuvered in a way Naram Sin had not foreseen.

  That troubled Naram Sin, and it made him wonder if Assur would have made a brilliant chess player after all.

  In any case, the two shook hands.

  “Good luck, my giant friend. May success in our united endeavor find you victorious at the other end of the solar system.”

  Naram Sin saluted Assur, for no other reason than recognition of the man’s guile. Then he turned and headed for the shuttle that would take him to the invasion fleet. The initiative had passed to the Valiants, and a yearlong voyage was about to begin. What would be the result?

  -10-

  Nearly four months after the trio of Enforcer-class vessels and other auxiliary ships blasted off from the edge of the Saturn system, heading on a hard burn for Jupiter, the grand old Voyager Akkad neared the end of its great deceleration.

  The Corsair warship awaited the Voyager as it maintained a steady orbit around Titan. Inside the command bridge, the atmosphere was one of focused anticipation. Assur stood by the primary viewport, his eyes fixed on space, watching as the Voyager Akkad made its final approach.

  The Akkad still bore scars of its battle against humans near Neptune. The Akkad had survived the long journey from there, with repairs evident along its hull. Even from here, Assur saw patches of materials marking where damage had been mended.

  The Akkad’s thrusters ignited once more. The giant vessel shuddered slightly, then began to slow its approach to Titan.

  “Thruster burn is nearing completion. The Akkad is on final approach,” reported the Corsair’s navigator.

  Minutes later, the thrusters ceased, and the cylindrical Akkad glided toward its designated orbit, dwarfing everything around it.

  Inside the Corsair, the crew monitored the Akkad’s approach. The generational vessel, a city in space, housed vast agricultural chambers, living quarters, and essential research and bio labs. It was a self-sustaining ecosystem, designed to support life for centuries.

  The Akkad’s maneuvering thrusters fired again, adjusting the vessel’s trajectory for a stable orbit around Titan.

  This was it. The Akkad had arrived. After the nearly two and half year journey from Neptune, the generational vessel now floated in the shadow of Titan, ready to begin its next phase.

  Several years previously, workers had repaired the massive vessel in the Neptune system so it could make this flight. Now, long-separated Valiants would rejoin the greater colony here in the Saturn system.

  Assur wondered if the integration might prove destabilizing. Nearly ten thousand “new” Valiants would join them. There would be an adjustment period for sure.

  Assur almost regretted sending Security Chief Sardu on the attack run against the Earth’s Moon. During the last few months, he had come to appreciate the dour, cranky old man and his ability to monitor people and their thoughts. Sardu’s replacement did not do as good a job.

  Because of that, Assur had reinserted himself into the problems of security. He had been pondering some ideas.

  Thus far, the invasion fleet had not encountered any overt problems. According to reports, events proceeded as he had anticipated, with Baal making one mistake after another. With Naram Sin and Sardu working overtime, they kept the mistakes manageable. Could Baal learn lessons? Baal’s very arrogance was one of the reasons Assur had chosen him for the post.

  As Assur watched the Akkad, he recalled his mother and the voyage through the great deep as they fled the interstellar missiles. He shuddered remembering those times.

  The People had come so far since then. They were spreading out, expanding, yet the reproduction rate was still too low. He knew there were children from the bio labs aboard the Akkad. Perhaps he would have to increase that number. Should he have the Earthlings aboard the Akkad killed, or could they learn more from them still?

  These were important questions, particularly to the smooth running of the colony.

  Assur had been reconsidering and analyzing his conversations with Naram Sin. He missed the young giant. He missed the man’s sharp mind and honesty. It was too bad the complexities of high command had stolen some of Naram Sin’s innocence.

  Assur smiled slyly. Despite all that, this was the moment to implement the second of his great ideas.

  He understood that Naram Sin and others had propagated the idea of fleeing aboard the Akkad to a different star system. With the Akkad intact and here, the possibility of repairing it permanently and leaving would become a reality to many.

  That was one of the reasons Assur had sent Naram Sin, Father Wolf and the others away in the invasion fleet. That way, they could not hector or whisper the idea to others, increasing the desire to flee.

  That was always a common solution to problems. When something became too onerous, running away seemed reasonable.

  Assur stepped closer to the viewing port. The Akkad had returned to the colony. For all their sakes, it would not remain here.

  Assur needed to show everyone that the Valiants had to stand and fight if they wanted to survive. He wouldn’t allow them a way to run away. He was going to dismantle the Akkad and use the parts to quickly build Enforcers. If some unforeseen disaster befell the invasion fleet, he could launch reinforcements sooner than otherwise, using the prefabricated material from the Akkad.

  Assur clapped his hands and exclaimed aloud on the bridge. The others knew better than to look at him, but he could feel their side-glances. So, he laughed and said, “It is happening. I am so delighted.”

  Now the bridge crew smiled and looked at him and gave him congratulations. “Well done, sir. This is marvelous.”

  “Indeed it is,” Assur said.

  No one yet knew his plan. He would be in a place of unassailable power when he gave the order.

  The old generational ship from the homeworld would help create new and better ships.

  Assur had listened to the pessimist, the one who saw far ahead. He had taken that Valiant’s talent and used it to the best of his ability. Now he was going to ensure that the Valiants exterminated the Earthlings, took their planet, and continued to build robotic factories and armaments. In fifty or one hundred years, the solar system would be unconquerable even if the Vims arrived.

  Assur was about to take away the last excuse. In that way, everyone could put their shoulders to the wheel, fighting and working with zeal and determination. There would be no leaving the solar system. This was going to be the new star system of the Valiants.

  “I will make it ours,” Assur murmured under his breath.

  Soon, the great battle for the solar system would take place around the Earth’s Moon. This was the moment of Valiant initiative, and Assur was going to make sure they never lost it.

  Part III

  Civil War

  -1-

  Three oval-shaped Enforcer-class warships, each weighing approximately 100,000 tons, maneuvered carefully as they neared the gas giant, Jupiter. The planet’s Great Red Spot, a massive storm larger than Earth, swirled menacingly as the ships approached. The Enkidu, Lagash, and Nabu led a flotilla of auxiliary ships or combat transporters, all of which were relying on Jupiter’s immense gravitational pull to slingshot them toward their ultimate destination: Earth’s Moon.

  Marshal Baal, an overweight and somewhat notorious figure, sat in the command chair of the lead ship, Enkidu. His eyes, dark and brooding, were fixed on the view screen displaying Jupiter. Baal’s reputation for inefficiency and bluster had already spread through the ranks of the flagship.

  The invasion fleet needed the gravity assist to cut down their travel time to thirteen months. Without it, the journey to the Moon would be longer, and that might give the Earthlings too much time to prepare for them.

  “All stations, prepare for the gravity assist maneuver,” Baal said, his voice echoing through the ship’s communication system.

  As the ships approached Jupiter’s magnetosphere, known for its erratic behavior, surged erratically, causing fluctuations in the navigational systems. Consoles flickered, alarms blared, and the magnetic interference threatened a disastrous course change.

  “Engineering, report,” Baal said.

  Sub-Commander Enlil, the ship’s first engineer, twisted in his seat. “The gas giant’s magnetic field is disrupting our guidance systems. If we don’t recalibrate, we risk a course deviation. Too much could prove disastrous.”

  Baal turned to Naram Sin. The large staff officer had proven invaluable, helping at critical points. Baal had come to rely upon him, maybe too much.

  Naram Sin had been expecting something like this, as this followed the most likely problems. “With your permission, sir?” Naram Sin asked.

  “Yes, proceed,” Baal said. “What should we do?”

  “We need to initiate a manual override on the navigational controls. Then plot a compensatory trajectory based on real-time magnetic readings. We’ll have to adjust continuously.”

  “Just give the order,” Baal said, as the ship began to shudder, possibly from the magnetic interference.

  “Engineering,” Naram Sin said, “initiate manual override on the navigational controls. Plot a compensatory trajectory and adjust in real-time based on current magnetic readings.”

  At his station, Enlil’s fingers danced over the controls, bypassing the automated systems and taking direct command of the ship’s thrusters. The Enkidu shuddered as it adjusted. The other ships followed suit, maintaining formation as they received continuous updates from the Enkidu.

  The main view screen displayed the new trajectory.

  “Keep it steady,” Naram Sin said. “On my mark, execute the course correction.”

  The Enkidu adjusted its angle, using the thrusters to counteract the magnetic interference. The ship stabilized, followed by the Lagash and Nabu as their paths realigned.

  Naram Sin nodded, glancing at Baal.

  “Is the problem solved?” Baal asked.

  “Yes, sir,” Naram Sin said. “We’re in the clear.”

  Baal exhaled with relief.

  As the ships neared the closest point to Jupiter, a new threat emerged. Sensors picked up an unexpected micrometeoroid field. It must have originated from volcanic activity on Io.

  Io was the most volcanically active body in the solar system, and its eruptions could eject vast amounts of material into space. Some of that must have contributed to the micrometeoroid field around Jupiter.

  What made it worse was that the micrometeoroids had been concealed in the shadow of the gas giant. The field was dense enough to pose collision risks.

  “Micrometeoroid field detected,” the tactical officer reported. “Collision course imminent. I recommend an immediate barrage from the point-defense guns to clear our path.”

  Eyes turned to Baal, who visibly tensed.

  After a moment, Naram Sin said, “Sir?”

  “What?” Baal snapped.

  “Should the helm also prepare for evasive maneuvers?” Naram Sin asked. “The point-defense guns might not clear all the micrometeoroids in time.”

  After a brief pause, Baal said, “Precisely, Helm, initiate evasive maneuvers.”

  The Enkidu’s forward point-defense guns roared to life, ejecting a rapid stream of projectiles at the micrometeoroids. However, the sheer number of micrometeoroids threatened to overwhelm the ship.

  “Marshal, we can’t hold this course,” the navigation officer said. “We need an alternate path.”

  “Yes, yes, find it,” Baal said. “I already gave the order. Why is nothing more happening?”

  “Helm,” Naram Sin said, “use short bursts from the thrusters to avoid the largest micrometeoroids. Tactical, keep the turrets firing and clear as many micro-asteroids as possible.”

  The Enkidu, followed by the Lagash and Nabu, and then the auxiliary vessels, began a strange jerky weave through the micrometeoroid field. Short, controlled bursts from the thrusters allowed them to shift away from the densest debris clouds, while defense turrets blasted other obstacles. The ships shuddered under the impact of micrometeoroids as their heavily armored hulls absorbed the blows.

  Time seemed to stretch as they navigated the field. Finally, the last of the micrometeoroids was behind them, and the warships and auxiliary vessels emerged intact, albeit scarred from the ordeal.

  By this time, the fleet had successfully executed the gravity assist maneuver, their velocity increasing as they hurtled toward Earth.

  “Course correction complete. We’re on track for lunar insertion,” the navigation officer said.

  From his command chair, Baal produced a handkerchief, dabbing sweat from his jowly face. “We’ve overcome the worst. Now, we press on to the Moon.”

  The ships streaked away from Jupiter, their course set for Earth’s Moon. They faced another six and a half months of travel and hard deceleration before the anticipated Battle for Luna could commence.

  -2-

  Five years ago, in mid-Earth orbit, a network of advanced reconnaissance satellites was launched as part of a top-secret defense initiative. The satellites were designed to monitor Valiant threats. Each satellite boasted cutting-edge high-resolution imaging systems, powerful sensor arrays, and sophisticated communication modules capable of transmitting data back to Earth. The network, code-named “Guardian Eyes,” had become sentinels, scanning the Solar System for any sign of danger.

  In the present, three AUs from Earth, midway between the Asteroid Belt and Jupiter, one such satellite, designated Watchdog-9, drifted silently in its predetermined solar orbit. Watchdog-9 was equipped with sensitive optics that could detect the faint thermal signatures of distant asteroids with spectrometers capable of analyzing the chemical composition of comets. It had been methodically scanning the solar system, its sensors constantly gathering a vast array of data. Every piece of information was meticulously processed by its advanced AI systems, ensuring that no anomaly went unnoticed.

  During a routine sweep, Watchdog-9’s AI detected something unusual. Initially, it was a mere blip on the sensor array—a faint heat signature against the backdrop of Jupiter’s storms. The satellite’s onboard AI initiated a series of diagnostic checks to rule out any malfunctions. The anomaly persisted, growing in intensity and revealing multiple objects moving with coordinated trajectories—an unusual pattern for natural celestial bodies.

  Intrigued and alert, Watchdog-9’s high-resolution cameras zoomed in, capturing a clear image of an Enforcer-class warship. Its advanced algorithms sharpened the images, unveiling three massive vessels in intricate detail. These colossal ships, with their dark hulls maneuvering through Jupiter’s magnetosphere, fired their thrusters in controlled bursts. The infrared sensors highlighted the heat signatures of the warships’ engines, clearly outlining their structures.

  Watchdog-9’s LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) system mapped the surfaces of the ships, revealing weapon emplacements, propulsion systems, and armored plating that encased them. The satellite’s spectrometers further analyzed the exhaust plumes, identifying the propellant as advanced deuterium-fusion propulsion, a technology superior to anything available on Earth.

  As the Enforcer-class warships executed their gravity assist maneuver around Jupiter, Watchdog-9’s instruments recorded changes in their velocity and trajectory. Calculations revealed that the warships were on a direct course to Earth.

  Watchdog-9’s AI prioritized the data for transmission back to Earth. Utilizing its high-gain antenna, the satellite initiated a laser communication link with O.S. Hera, an orbital station around the planet. The method ensured a virtually unjammable and secure transmission, superior to traditional radio waves. The data, compressed into terabyte-sized packets, was sent in rapid bursts.

  Twenty-five minutes later—the time needed for the laser message to travel three AUs—O.S. Hera received the signal. Engineers on duty were horrified. They activated emergency protocols, alerting the highest echelons of Orbital Earth Defense.

  In the command center of O.S. Aphrodite, the response was immediate. Screens filled with detailed images and sensor readouts from Watchdog-9. Analysts examined the data, confirming the presence of a Valiant fleet and its trajectory toward Earth.

  “Get this to CEO Petty immediately,” the lead analyst ordered. “This is confirmation of our worst fears.”

  As the information cascaded through the command hierarchy, orders began to issue. Because of Watchdog-9, Earth now knew the Valiants were on their way.

  -3-

  “Nothing good is going to come of this,” Colonel Garvey said. He spoke to two other space marines in the command module of a Vehicle Descent Shuttle (VDS), one of five in low orbit over Australia.

  Things had changed dramatically in terms of power politics, with the distinct possibility of an outright civil war. Director Livia Drusus no longer controlled the entire Earth. Instead, she controlled most of Africa and Eurasia minus Britain and Ireland. There were rebellious enclaves in Africa and India, but they had shrunk over the past few years. The Director also nominally controlled Australia, or had until several months ago.

  Dissidents within the corporations had risen in North and South America and had finally claimed independence, no longer sending excess tariffs for their goods to the World Government. They had made an arrangement with the Lord of Space, Petty, that increased his food and other shipments. In return, he looked the other way over their actions against the World Government, which meant Livia Drusus.