“I’m reading half the mass of Mars,” Valerie said, surprised.

  Maddox absorbed that. The asteroid belt was many times thicker than the one in the Solar System.

  “There are heavy debris clouds in the belt,” Valerie continued. “So far, I’ve counted six.”

  Maddox turned to Elge, “Any comments so far?”

  “None,” Elge said as he studied the main screen. “This is highly interesting. We Okos had no idea.”

  “You’ve never studied the star system from several light-years away?” Maddox asked.

  “Why should we?” Elge replied.

  Which wasn’t an answer, but an evasion. Maddox let it pass nonetheless.

  “I have not detected any ship drives,” Valerie said, “or anything to indicate industrialization or habitation.”

  “Well, Elge?” Maddox asked. “Where’s the Builder relic?”

  The Oko raised his hands as a shrug.

  “You told us—”

  “Sir,” Galyan said, interrupting. “I have a suggestion.”

  Maddox glanced at Valerie.

  “That’s fine by me,” Valerie said. “I haven’t detected anything that implies Builders or these Sovereign Hierarchy people. I’m interested in what Galyan thinks.”

  “Not people,” Elge chided. “They are the Sovereign Hierarchy of Leviathan.”

  “What is Leviathan exactly?” Maddox asked.

  “A name that implies the whole,” Elge said.

  That didn’t seem like much of an answer. The captain turned to the Adok holoimage. “Galyan, you have an idea?”

  “I do, sir. The sheer mass of the asteroid belt implies Builder…meddling. I am not sure if that is the correct way to say it.”

  “Never mind that,” Maddox said. “How does the mass imply Builders?”

  “It should be obvious,” Galyan said. “No asteroid belt in my study or experience has such density or combined mass as the one out there. Since this is supposed to be a Builder star system, and since this is different from everything else we have encountered with asteroid belts—”

  “He’s right,” Valerie said. “The very mass does imply Builders. I should have seen it right away. Good reasoning, Galyan.”

  “Thank you, Valerie. I was worried you would think I was attempting to one-up you.”

  “If you were someone else, I might think that,” Valerie said. “But I know you always have our best interest at heart.”

  “You are generous with your praise,” Galyan said. “I appreciate it. I also appreciate the implication that I am a living entity with heart.”

  “Yes, yes,” Maddox said. “The lieutenant is a paragon of virtue. Since you’ve concluded the asteroid belt is Builder manufactured, have you been able to detect anything to indicate a nexus?”

  “Paragon of virtue…?” Galyan said. “Is that sarcasm, sir?”

  “It’s an indication that I want to get on with the analysis,” Maddox said. “We’re ten thousand light-years from home and—”

  “Yes,” Galyan said. “I will begin an immediate analysis…” The holoimage’s eyelids fluttered faster and faster. Abruptly, that ceased. “I suggest you call Professor Ludendorff to the bridge. He may be able to infer more than I can at this point.”

  “The debris clouds, sir,” Valerie said. “We can’t see through them. Might that indicate someone is attempting to hide a nexus in those places?”

  “Ah,” Galyan said. “That is good reasoning, Valerie. I should have thought of that.”

  The lieutenant didn’t reply, but glanced at Maddox, perhaps to gauge his reaction.

  Maddox rubbed his chin. “You really didn’t think of that, Galyan?”

  “I—”

  “The truth,” Maddox said. “If I can’t trust you…”

  “I am sorry, sir,” Galyan said. “I did think of that, but I…”

  Valerie’s cheeks had turned red. “You don’t have to worry about me, Galyan. I’m not a shrinking violet.”

  “I do not understand,” Galyan said. “Is shrinking violet a metaphor?”

  “Yes,” Valerie said. “I’m not hurt that you can analyze faster than I can. You’re…”

  “Yes?” asked Galyan.

  “You have a higher IQ…and an ability to run data faster than any of us does,” Valerie said.

  “You were going to say that I am a computer. Is that not correct, Valerie?”

  Maddox slapped an armrest in irritation. “We’ll stick to the issue. Galyan, I no longer want you to withhold information at such a critical juncture.”

  “Yes, sir,” Galyan said.

  “Elge,” Maddox said. “Do you know anything about the debris clouds?”

  The Oko hesitated.

  “You do,” Maddox said.

  “No…” Elge said.

  “Enough!” Maddox said with force, although he didn’t raise his voice. “Galyan—Valerie, plot a course to the nearest asteroid-belt debris cloud. Mr. Maker, once the course is plotted, you will head there.”

  “With a star-drive jump, sir?” asked Keith.

  “Negative,” Maddox said. “We will head there under regular velocity. If Leviathan Soldiers are watching us from the debris clouds, I don’t want them knowing about our star drive just yet.”

  “Clever,” Elge said, “and well thought out. I suggest you strain with utmost vigor to detect stealth missiles. The Soldiers are without peer and often destroy their opponents before the other is even aware they are in a fight.”

  “Stealth missiles,” Maddox said. “You could have mentioned them sooner.”

  “I did not want to encourage your madness,” Elge explained. “This way…” His slender fingers twitched and fluttered.

  “Shall I launch probes, sir?” Valerie asked, indicating the nearest debris cloud.

  “No…” Maddox said. “Probes would imply I’m expecting to find something there. If we simply head for a debris cloud as if by random chance…”

  The captain tapped an armrest with a fist. “We’re new to the region. The Soldiers have never seen a ship design like ours. As far as they know, we captured an Oko recovery vessel. If we don’t act as if we’re looking for Builder relics… That may give us an edge when the Soldiers order us to halt.”

  “Will these Soldiers order us or attack first?” Valerie asked.

  “A good question,” Maddox said. “We’re going to find out soon enough.”

  -49-

  The Gourvich and Victory had exited a Laumer Point in the general vicinity of a Venus planetary orbit—if this had been the Solar System. That meant roughly three AUs to the Asteroid Belt between the inner and outer system. Both vessels traveled at a leisurely velocity, trying to convey peaceful intentions to any observers.

  Thirty-seven hours later, the two vessels approached the first debris cloud. They were three million kilometers out and beginning deceleration. During the last thirty-seven hours, Valerie and her people had extensively mapped the star system, including the belt. There hadn’t been any indications of life or technology. So far, no sensor had penetrated any debris cloud, meaning the clouds were just as mysterious as when they had first entered the system.

  “Now’s a good time to launch a probe,” Maddox said. “At this point, it’s reasonable for us to worry about the debris cloud.”

  “Soldiers are not reasonable,” Elge muttered.

  Two probes sped from the starship, both accelerating. One targeted the nearest debris cloud, the other another cloud twenty-eight million kilometers out.

  The probes brought a swift reaction as two battleship-sized vessels eased out of the nearest cloud as if the warships had just left a base.

  “The Soldiers of Leviathan,” Elge moaned as he stared at the main screen. “We are doomed, doomed, I tell you.”

  “Give me data, people,” Maddox said. “I want to know exactly what we’re dealing with.”

  “Doom,” Elge told him. “You have condemned us both. Soon, stealth missiles will destroy my wonderful vessel. My wives, children and inheritance will all perish in a moment of radioactive explosions.”

  The two battleships were oval-shaped and appeared to have heavy hull armor.

  “Iridium-Z hull armor, sir,” Valerie said. She swiveled around. “I can’t believe this. Their hull armor is a match to Juggernaut hull armor.”

  “Are these androids?” Maddox asked, as he leaned forward, studying the two warships. “More specifically, are they Rull androids?”

  “I’m detecting…fusion beam cannons, sir,” Valerie said.

  “That’s New Men technology,” Maddox said.

  “Correction, sir,” Galyan said, “but fusion cannons are Builder technology. Remember, Methuselah Man Strand first gave the New Men fusion beam technology from his Builder store of knowledge.”

  Maddox tapped his chin. “Does iridium-Z hull armor for both androids and Soldiers derive from the same Builder source? That could be why the Soldiers protect nexuses so zealously.” Maddox faced the holoimage. “Galyan, summon the professor. I want him up here three minutes ago.”

  “At once, sir,” Galyan said, disappearing.

  “Maybe the Builders weren’t as stingy handing out their technology in this area of the galaxy as in ours,” Maddox said. “I wonder what could cause the difference.”

  “We don’t know Builders really handed out anything here,” Valerie said.

  “Iridium-Z hull armor is distinctive,” Maddox said. “Combined with the fusion cannons, the possibly of coincidence stretches credibility. These are Builder derived technologies.”

  Valerie went back to studying her panel. “The ships are using fusion drives,” she said shortly. “If this was a Builder-derived war society, wouldn’t the ships possess antimatter drives?”

  “An excellent question,” Maddox said. “Maybe once we see or speak with these Soldiers, we’ll know more.”

  “You will be dead by then,” Elge said glumly.

  Maddox studied the Oko, and said abruptly, “Do Soldiers possess translators?”

  “Like mine?” asked Elge, as he touched the one around his throat. “It is doubtful. Soldiers seldom talk, but attack and kill.”

  “Hail them, Lieutenant,” Maddox told Valerie.

  “With the new unit, sir?” she asked.

  “Not yet,” Maddox said.

  Ludendorff had installed the second translator into the bridge’s comm panel. He had also added Oko-derived Leviathan language files, matching them with English words and concepts.

  “The battleships are accelerating,” Keith said. “I don’t detect any hidden missiles, though I’d expect them somewhere...”

  Galyan reappeared. “The professor is on his way up, sir.”

  Maddox nodded. “Galyan, redouble your search for stealth missiles.”

  “Acknowledged,” Galyan said, as his eyelids began fluttering.

  “Are the Soldiers answering our hail?” Maddox asked Valerie.

  “Not yet. Should I keep trying?”

  “Do it,” Maddox said.

  “Ah,” Galyan said. “You have good instincts, sir. I have detected two stealth missiles. They are each heading from a different direction. One is bearing down on us from the star’s direction. The other—the one with the higher velocity—is coming through the Asteroid Belt. It will pass the debris cloud.”

  “Have you determined what kind of missiles?” asked Maddox.

  “To a degree,” Galyan said. “They are black ice-coated missiles. The star-ward missile is two million kilometers from us and closing. The Asteroid Belt-ward missile is four and a half million kilometers away.”

  “Target the first missile when it comes into range, Galyan. Use the neutron beam to destroy it.”

  Once more, Galyan’s eyelids fluttered. “I am activating the neutron cannon and tracking the missile. It has not made any deviations since detected. That would indicate the Soldiers believe their stealth technology is working.”

  “I’m stunned you’ve found their missiles,” Elge said. “I would gladly pay for such sensors.”

  “Noted,” Maddox said.

  Seconds passed as the bridge crew continued working at high alert.

  “I am firing,” Galyan announced.

  A purple neutron beam lashed toward the star. It did not seem to fire at any one thing. Abruptly, an intense light appeared and winked out.

  “Hit and destroyed,” Galyan said.

  “Now the other one,” Maddox said.

  “The enemy’s fusion cannons are coming online,” Valerie warned.

  Once more, the purple neutron beam speared into the darkness. Like before, it struck the stealth missile, causing a bright light to briefly flare into existence.

  The latter destruction was a mere five hundred thousand kilometers from the two Leviathan warships.

  “Any reply yet?” Maddox asked Valerie.

  “Nothing,” she said. “I am picking up a targeting lock. They’re getting ready to fire at us.”

  Maddox pursed his lips and nodded decisively. “Hail them with the translator. Use the Leviathan setting. Tell them we come in peace.” Maddox turned to Galyan. “Warm up the disrupter cannon. If they want to fight, we’ll destroy them as fast as we can.”

  “Are you mad?” Elge asked. “To provoke the Soldiers of Leviathan—”

  “They’re answering,” Valerie said, interrupting. “Shall I put the image on the main screen?”

  “Do it,” Maddox said, sitting back as he waited to see what a Soldier of Leviathan actually looked like.

  -50-

  The pattern on the main screen altered. A moment later, a narrow-faced individual appeared before a wall of computers with continuously shifting lights. The individual had two dark eyes, a nose and a thin mouth held in disapproval. He had a tall forehead, sparse hair and close-cropped ears. He wore a black uniform with a high collar.

  Maddox studied the eyes. The sockets appeared to be metal, the dark eyeballs made of hardened plastic. The skin around the sockets seemed like flesh—

  “A cyber,” Ludendorff said quietly.

  Maddox glanced back at the professor, who had just entered the bridge. “What’s that mean?”

  “See for yourself,” Ludendorff said, as he walked forward. “The creature is part machine and part biological, and seems almost human in origin. In any case, I call that a cyber.”

  “Like a cyborg?” asked Maddox.

  “Cyber, cyborg, two words that mean the same thing,” Ludendorff said. “I prefer cyber, however, as it is more elegant.”

  “You bicker among yourselves,” the cyber said. “That is unseemly. You have addressed me and should all be bowing in submission. I am the Supreme Soldier of Leviathan in the Caval System.”

  Maddox inclined his head. “I greet you with joy and peace in my heart, Supreme Soldier. I am Captain Maddox, an emissary from a distant region. It troubles me that you fired two missiles at my ship. I would like an explanation for your aggressive behavior.”

  Elge urgently motioned to Maddox, but the captain ignored the little Oko. Ludendorff put a hand on Elge’s left shoulder, drawing him back as they both moved out of visual screen range.

  “You have an Oko scavenger in your presence,” the cyber said. “He should have told you that this is a restricted system.”

  “He attempted to pirate my vessel,” Maddox said. “I have thus forced him to obey my wishes, with the threat of instant death hanging over his head.”

  The cyber concentrated on Maddox with greater intensity. “I am Mon Zabul,” he finally said. “I have determined that you utter the truth. You do not belong to the Sovereign Hierarchy of Leviathan, nor are you under our jurisdiction. You are therefore outside our normative strictures. My next question is critical, and I demand an honest answer. Are you here to attack Leviathan?”

  “I am not,” Maddox said.

  “Are you an industrial spy, perhaps?”

  “We are travelers, passing through your realm. While I am an emissary, I am also heading home in order to help defend our people.”

  “Where is your home, Emissary?”

  Maddox hesitated before saying, “In the Orion Spiral Arm.”

  “Is your home system a tributary to the Swarm Imperium?”

  “We are at war against the Swarm,” Maddox said.

  The cyber turned his head and appeared to be listening to something off-screen. He faced Maddox after a moment. “Before we proceed, you will return the Oko to his vessel and send him to us.”

  “His vessel is a prize of war,” Maddox said. “We claim it by right of combat.”

  “No, no,” Elge whispered. “Are you mad? You must not say such things to him.”

  “We have scanned the Recovery Vessel Gourvich,” the cyber said. “It is an Oko-run ship under our jurisdiction. According to the latest file, Master Elge runs the Gourvich. He is a licensed salvage operator in Mark 108.212 Region. Did he attempt to salvage your ship in that star system?”

  “He did.”

  “Presumably your ship appeared to be in derelict status, as an Oko of Master Elge’s emotional profile would not attempt a privateering capture. Once his error became clear, he would have voluntarily left. That indicates you restrained him. In fact, you have admitted as much. By keeping his vessel, you are in violation of the Leviathan Salvage Code, 10-381.”

  “I have no quarrel with you or Leviathan,” Maddox said smoothly. “We will gladly release the Gourvich. We ask for a small favor in return.”

  “Favors are meaningless, as the event occurred in Leviathan territory. Thus, it is just and right that you abide by Leviathan laws. Do you dispute that?”

  “I do not,” Maddox said.

  “Then you will release the Gourvich this instant.”

  “Some of my people are aboard the vessel. I will need to retrieve them first—”

  “The Gourvich will immediately head for our ships. Your compliance is mandated by the authority of Leviathan.”

  “Captain,” Valerie whispered. “His fusion cannons are hot, ready to fire.”

  “Mon Zabul,” Maddox said, “my ship is well protected and—”

  Two red fusion beams from each Leviathan warship speared at Recovery Vessel Gourvich. The four beams struck the Oko vessel in four different hull locations. Three fusion beams punched through the ship’s weak hull armor. The red beams played havoc inside the vessel, knocking down bulkheads, burning stores and killing Okos and space marines alike.