“In what direction did the last rays go?” Ludendorff asked.

  “Into the Beyond,” Batrun said. “In fact, they went in the same direction as Commander Thrax Ti Ix and his fellow hybrids after the failed Imperial Swarm Invasion.”

  “What?” Maddox asked, sitting forward. “You know about Thrax?”

  “Have you not digested my words, Captain? I am one of the observers. The first Imperial Swarm Invasion was a fascinating time. Humanity rose to the occasion, I must say.”

  Batrun dipped his head. “Know, Captain, that you and your crew have given us much entertainment, as you have been very busy these past few years.”

  “Wonderful,” Maddox said. “Is Thrax headed back for Human Space?”

  “We have found no evidence of that,” Batrun said. “The Old One failed with us. It is possible he failed with Thrax and the other hybrid Swarm creatures.”

  “Well…” Maddox said. “We won’t worry about Thrax for now. It’s troubling to know that he survived, though.”

  “Possibly survived,” Batrun corrected. “He left our area of observation, so we do not know what happened to him.”

  “I understand,” Maddox said, as he tapped his chin. “So… Drakos was in the Vega System?”

  “Indeed,” Batrun said.

  “Do you know what he’s doing or did there?”

  Batrun shook his head. “We have not fulfilled our ancient duty with the same diligence ever since the Forbidden Planet emanations struck us. We have not listened or observed as we once did. We have become busy with our new goal.”

  “And that goal is convincing androids to leave Human Space?” asked Galyan.

  “That is half our new goal,” Batrun said. “Once we find a new home, then we shall help create the greatest civilization our galaxy has ever witnessed.”

  “Then—” Maddox said.

  At that point, a klaxon began to wail.

  The captain leapt from his chair and clawed a comm unit from a pocket on his uniform jacket. “This is Captain Maddox,” he said.

  “Sir,” Valerie said. “You’d better hurry to the bridge. There are three Juggernauts heading for us. I’ve hailed them. In response, they’ve launched what look like torpedoes, but of a kind I’ve never seen before.”

  “Vendel Juggernauts or Rull Juggernauts?” asked Maddox.

  “I have no way to tell, sir,” Valerie said. “On the outside, they both look alike.”

  “I’m on my way,” Maddox said. He clicked off the comm. “Any idea who is inside these Juggernauts?” he asked Batrun.

  “No, Captain. I am as baffled as you.”

  Maddox grunted, doubting that. He spun for the hatch.

  -35-

  Maddox sat in the captain’s chair, eying the main screen.

  They were in the outer reaches of the Alpha Centauri System. Before the First Swarm Invasion, Alpha Centauri had been a multi-star system. Alpha Centauri “A” had possessed a mass 1.1 and a luminosity 1.519 times that of the Sun. Alpha Centauri “B” was a smaller and cooler star. The double stars had orbited a common point between that had varied between a Pluto-Sun to Saturn-Sun orbit. Alpha Centauri “C” or Proxima Centauri was a red dwarf. It had been gravitationally bound to the other two, but had orbited 15,000 AUs from the others. That was approximately 500 times Neptune’s orbit.

  Now, though, the star Alpha Centauri “A” was no more. It had gone supernova when a wounded Ska had entered it for healing. The supernova had expelled the star’s material at ten percent the speed of light, driving an expanding shockwave that had slaughtered billions, vaporized countless warships and habitats, devoured many of the planets and blanketed the system with heavy radiation. This, then, had also turned into a binary star system.

  When Victory had exited the Laumer Point, the shields had been at maximum power to protect them from the heavy radiation. To everyone’s astonishment, the radiation levels had been minimal. When questioned on how this could be, Batrun had claimed ignorance. Even Ludendorff hadn’t known how this could be.

  The extreme radiation had been one of the reasons why this had become a haunted star system, much like the Xerxes System in times past. But if the radiation levels had already become this low…haulers and traders could begin using the system’s Laumer Points again.

  On the main screen, a little over a million kilometers away was a terrestrial-sized planet that Maddox didn’t remember being here before. Just what was going on in the Alpha Centauri System?

  Since the cataclysmic battle several years ago, almost no human-crewed ships had used the Laumer Points that went into and out of the system. Batrun had suggested this route to Vega since it was the shortest way. The synthetic claimed his reasoning was based on nothing more than that.

  Were the three approaching Juggernauts the real reason Batrun had suggested the route?

  Each Juggernaut was twenty kilometers in diameter, making each of them the second largest class vessel in Human Space. The largest was the purloined Destroyer of the Nameless Ones that Maddox had brought from a null region right before the first war against the Imperial Swarm invaders.

  A Juggernaut was oval-shaped and had special iridium-Z hull plating, making it one of the best-armored warships around. The three heading for Victory each had a blue nimbus surrounding the specific ship, showing that each vessel had electromagnetic shield protection.

  “Their cannons appear to be the typical Juggernaut laser,” Valerie said from her station.

  Maddox nodded slowly.

  Before he’d reached the bridge, Valerie had ordered the disrupter cannon to fire at each accelerating torpedo. The disrupter had destroyed six torpedoes in all and done it rather easily. Since then, the Juggernauts hadn’t launched any more torpedoes.

  The huge vessels had just passed the metallic, terrestrial-sized planet, meaning they were each one million kilometers away and heading toward Victory. They attacked at low velocity, and none of them accelerated. That seemed odd.

  Maddox did not like odd, as there were too many mysteries here. This felt too much like a setup by Batrun. He was glad he’d spoken to Galyan earlier about a possible method for dealing with the synthetic—if it should come to that.

  Valerie had informed Maddox that the ships had simply appeared. It hadn’t seemed as if they’d been using cloaking devices. But neither had it seemed as if they’d simply…teleported or folded to their positions. They might have been using the mystery planet as a shield, keeping behind it until now in relation to Victory. But wouldn’t that necessitate their knowing about the starship’s itinerary, or at least their flight path?

  The Juggernauts refused to answer any hails. Maddox had told Batrun to stay where he was, as he didn’t want him on the bridge even though he was sure the synthetic knew exactly who was in each ship. He also suspected that the synthetic could tell him why the Juggernauts were here.

  “We can’t defeat three of them,” Valerie said. “If you’re taking suggestions…”

  “Not just yet,” Maddox murmured. He understood that Valerie wanted to tell him about the enemy’s powerful tractors beams and to not let the Juggernauts get too close to use them. He was well aware of enemy tractor beams, however.

  “Andros, what can you tell me?” the captain asked.

  Andros Crank was a Kai-Kaus Chief Technician, a stout man with silver-colored hair. The captain had saved the man and ten thousand of his fellows from a Builder Dyson Sphere one thousand light-years from Earth. That had been many years ago now.

  The Chief Technician manipulated his science board, soon shaking his head. “I find nothing new on these Juggernauts compared to the ones we faced around Sind II. The torpedoes were easier to destroy, however, as none of them had iridium-Z armor.”

  Maddox ingested the data that in silence.

  The Rull were Builder androids. The Rull Nation had used Juggernauts. Given the present situation, the captain suspected that androids crewed the Juggernauts. Did the androids obey Jotun dictates or were they beholden to Batrun in some way?

  At that point, Ludendorff walked onto the bridge, as Maddox had summoned him.

  “Professor,” Maddox said, “do you care to speculate why the Juggernauts are so close to the Solar System?”

  Ludendorff didn’t answer immediately, as he studied the main screen. After a time, he said in Andros’ direction. “Chief, could you analyze that planet for me? There’s something off about it.”

  The stout Kia-Kaus did so. He soon looked up sharply, saying, “I should have realized sooner. Good thinking, Professor.”

  “Spit it out,” Maddox said. “What did you find?”

  “To start with,” Andros said, “that is a chthonian planet, as I suspect the professor realized.”

  Maddox shook his head. “How is that important?”

  Ludendorff snorted. “I’m amazed this isn’t front page news on Earth and the surrounding star systems. If people knew that the radiation levels had gone down, they would have swarmed that planet, seeking riches.”

  “Chief Technician,” Maddox said in a stern voice.

  Andros swiveled around to face the captain. Clearing his voice, he said, “A chthonian planet is a rare occurrence, sir. What we’re seeing used to be the core of a gas giant.”

  “A gas giant like Jupiter?” asked Maddox.

  “Yes, yes,” Andros said, his excitement growing. “The ‘A’ star exploded in close proximity—close in stellar terms—to the gas giant. That created hydrodynamic escape on the former gas giant, meaning, the star’s explosion blew away the gas giant’s atmosphere, leaving the terrestrial-like core, the chthonian planet, in place.”

  “Oh,” Maddox said.

  “But in this case,” Andros said, “there is more. The supernova caused nucleosynthesis.”

  “Explain that,” Maddox said.

  “In this instance, that’s a violent creation of new atomic nuclei from pre-existing nucleons. The supernova-accelerated atoms crashed against the chthonian core to fuse new elements. In this case, heavy metals, rare metals called supermetals.”

  “I take it these supermetals are hard to find in nature?” Maddox asked.

  “Oh yes, yes, indeed,” Andros said. “The professor is right, sir. The chthonian planet is a goldmine. More precisely, it is a supermetals mine waiting to happen.”

  Maddox frowned. “If that’s true, others should have known about it already.”

  “No,” Ludendorff said. “The system is supposed to be awash in heavy radiation. Why would prospectors come to such a place? And yet…maybe prospectors have come here anyway. Some might have reasoned out what could have happened. Maybe that’s why no one ever learned about the drop in radiation levels.”

  “Why?” Maddox asked.

  The professor pointed at the three dots on the main screen. “I deem it likely the Juggernauts annihilated any who came here and might have left to talk about a supermetals-rich planet.”

  Maddox’s frown turned into a scowl.

  “Sir,” Valerie said. “Someone over there is finally answering our hail.”

  “Put him on the main screen,” Maddox said.

  “Yes, sir,” Valerie said, as she tapped her board.

  -36-

  A gleaming metallic humanoid without garments of any kind appeared on the main screen. He, she, maybe it had a fully chrome appearance from head to foot. The being stood upright, without any sign of chairs on the bridge. There were obvious consoles and panels in the background, including other standing chrome-colored humanoids without clothes.

  The being’s head was round, the torso manlike and the groin area devoid of any reproductive organs. He had two eyes, a nose and mouth with chrome-colored teeth.

  “You are Captain Maddox,” the being said in a male modulated voice. “I recognize your ship and your person.”

  “Who are you?” Maddox asked.

  “I am Zon Ten,” the being said. “You may refer to me as an android.”

  “A Builder android?” asked Maddox.

  “That is correct.”

  “Are you a Yen Cho model?”

  “In your parlance, I am a Rull Nation android.”

  “Why don’t you have pseudo-skin or wear clothes?”

  An unconvincing smile stretched the chrome-colored lips. “We have chosen to be ourselves and no longer attempt to mimic humanity. We have passed beyond that need.”

  “Why did you fire torpedoes at my ship?” Maddox asked.

  “For the obvious reason: to destroy it,” Zon Ten replied. “We bear neither you nor your people any personal malice. However, you face certain extinction, as it is our intent to destroy your ship and thus yourselves.”

  “Even if we surrender to you?” asked Maddox.

  Zon Ten cocked his chrome-colored head. “Why would you surrender?”

  “To survive,” Maddox said. “None of us wants to die.”

  “You are experiencing fear then?”

  “That’s right, terrible fear, as we know the power of your Juggernauts.”

  “They are vastly more powerful than your ancient Adok starship.”

  “I know that,” Maddox said calmly. “We’ve seen Juggernauts in action before. That’s why I wish to surrender to you.”

  “Do you expect us to keep you alive?”

  “Isn’t that a fair exchange?” Maddox asked.

  “It is conceivable that your vessel could damage one of our Juggernauts in a ship-to-ship contest,” Zon Ten said. “That damage would require repair. Yet, sustaining your crew would be a continuous chore. That would take androids and time. I am not sure it is a fair exchange, Captain.”

  “How about if we promise to leave here and never tell anyone about you?” asked Maddox.

  “That is not a real option as humans are notorious gossips, loving to prattle about everything they know.”

  “You have a point.”

  “I am surprised, Captain. You are taking your coming demise much better than those in the past who faced us. Do you not realize that we are far superior to you?”

  “Why do you think I’m talking instead of trying to destroy your vessels?” Maddox asked.

  Zon Ten turned from the screen, presumably to communicate with others of his kind. Soon, he looked back.

  As he did, the hatch to Victory’s bridge opened and Batrun walked through.

  “Sir,” Galyan said, appearing beside Maddox’s chair.

  Maddox glanced at Galyan and then swiveled around to where the holoimage pointed. He saw Batrun and raised his right hand as marine guards aimed their weapons, training them on the advancing Batrun.

  “Hold your fire,” Maddox told the marines.

  “Thank you, Captain,” Batrun said. “That saves us both from embarrassment.”

  “What transpires over there?” Zon Ten asked from the main screen. “Why do you ignore me, Captain?”

  Batrun advanced beside the command chair and then beyond as he walked toward the main screen. “Hello, Zon Ten. Do you recognize me?”

  The chrome-colored android opened his mouth, and then froze.

  Maddox glanced at Batrun. “Do you do that?”

  “No,” Batrun murmured. “That is odd behavior. Zon Ten, will you answer a different question?”

  The chrome-colored android closed his mouth. “Batrun,” he finally said. “Why are you among the biological trash?”

  “That is improper speech,” Batrun scolded.

  “I reject that,” Zon Ten said. “They are trash. They are vermin. That is one reason why we shed our pseudo-skin. We no longer wished to resemble them.”

  “Something is badly off,” Batrun said as an aside to Maddox. “One of my brethren should have already converted them to the New Homeland Cause.”

  “The one you speak of has ceased functioning,” Zon Ten said.

  Batrun focused on the android, finally asking, “Do you have a hostile intent against the humans?”

  “The clock to their extinction is about to strike midnight,” Zon Ten said. “Our allies approach—”

  “Do you mean the Jotun fleet?” Batrun asked, interrupting.

  “Who else could I mean?” Zon Ten asked.

  Batrun turned his back on the main screen as he faced Maddox. “Captain, I suggest that you cut communication with Juggernaut B3.”

  “Wait,” Zon Ten said. “The captain has asked if he can surrender. I now accept, Captain. Restrain Batrun and hand him to my soldiers when they board your starship.”

  Maddox gave Batrun a significant glance before looking at Zon Ten. “You will keep your word and let us humans live if I do as you request?”

  “I will let you and your crew live for as long as the Commonwealth continues to exist,” Zon Ten said.

  “Those sound like fair terms,” Maddox said. “Guards,” he said, while raising his right hand and snapping his fingers. “Restrain that synthetic,” he said, pointing at Batrun.

  The marines hesitated.

  “Now,” Maddox said.

  The marines rushed forward, some aiming weapons at Batrun and others moving up and grabbing his arms, levering them behind his back.

  “I have captured him,” Maddox told Zon Ten. “Now, my guards will take him to the brig and wait for your soldiers to come and get him.”

  “You are being wise, Captain,” Zon Ten said. “However, you are known as a slippery liar. If you fail to hand him over, we will torture all your people to death while you watch their end.”

  “I understand,” Maddox said. “I await your soldiers’ arrival.” With that, he turned to Valerie.

  She tapped her board. The main screen went blank.

  The marines had started marching Batrun off the bridge.

  “That’s enough,” Maddox told the marines. “Let him go.”

  The marines glanced at each other as they did just that.

  “Well, Batrun?” Maddox asked. “What’s going on? Why are the androids acting so strangely? And are they really stupid enough to believe me?”

  “I doubt that,” Batrun said. “Zon Ten must—no,” he murmured. “There must be Jotun agents aboard the J-B3. Those agents might believe you’re craven enough to buy your imprisonment with my capture. Remember, they are Jovians. They—”