“How far are the aliens in the process of planetary conversion?” Keith asked.

  “That’s an excellent question. But I don’t know the answer.”

  “It can’t be that far yet,” Valerie said. “Consider: the Fusion fleet set out for Remus, thinking to conquer it for Social Harmony. Once they arrived, however, they found what we see. I suspect they faced whatever remained of the Remus AirSpace Service and any other vessels the Unity possessed. Given the debris in orbital space, there must have been a sharp space battle, but not enough to drive off the First Fleet. They did retreat to two million kilometers away, however. Since then, the Fusion people have settled in for a planetary siege, towing asteroids presumably to drop on Remus.”

  “If these things are true,” Ludendorff said, “what’s our purpose in all this? What is our goal?”

  “Precisely,” Maddox said. “What is our goal? Or, to put it another way, what should be our goal?”

  “To kill off the Unity,” Valerie said with heat.

  Maddox pointed at her. “Yes. That’s exactly right. The worst threat to us, to the Commonwealth, is the Unity. Thus, they are the enemy.”

  “Does that make the Fusion our friend?” Ludendorff asked.

  “Not necessarily,” Maddox said. “But if we have to choose a loser and thus mandate a winner, we want the Unity to lose.”

  “How do we kill the aliens, sir?” Valerie asked. “They hide in subterranean regions, forcing their puppets to fight for them.”

  Maddox stood up, turning away from the others. He scowled, taking several steps and then turning around. “The First Fleet arrived here to conquer Remus.”

  “Ah,” Ludendorff said. “Then, it’s obvious, isn’t it? We get the Fusion to land and hunt down the aliens for us.”

  “The Unity will throw the cerebrater puppets at the Fusion soldiers,” Valerie said. “It would mean a bloodbath.”

  Maddox pulled his chair out, sitting down. “What happens to the uncontrolled humans on Remus? Those who are presently free?”

  “If we do nothing, they die,” Valerie said. “Or the aliens or their puppets grab them and force them into cerebrater-fitting chambers where they become alien-controlled puppets.”

  “That’s it,” Maddox said. “In other words, the free people on Remus are facing utter doom: death or mental slavery to the Unity. Would they be better off as Fusion subjects?”

  “I’d say so,” Ludendorff said. “They’d still be alive and able to rebel in the future.”

  “That’s my thinking as well.”

  “What does that mean in practical terms?” Valerie asked.

  “It means…” Maddox said slowly, “all-out war against the Unity and their cerebrater puppets.”

  “A planetary bloodbath,” Ludendorff said.

  “Planetary conquest certainly,” Maddox said. “Perhaps our aid means it doesn’t have to be a bloodbath.”

  “I have a question,” Galyan said. “Does the First Fleet possess enough Fusion soldiers to defeat all of Remus?”

  Maddox stared at Galyan. “Maybe that isn’t the right question. Does the Fusion have enough soldiers to defeat the Unity if the free people of Remus rally to their fellow humans and aid in hunting down the maggot aliens?”

  Ludendorff smiled. “That’s brilliantly reasoned and strategically sound.”

  “If we can get the Fusion to agree to all this,” Maddox said.

  “Yes,” Ludendorff said. “I imagine that could be the sticking point.”

  -74-

  Professor Ludendorff’s qualm proved prophetic. The captain sent data to the Karl Radek about the Unity and about what had happened on Remus. Afterward, via comm, Maddox explained to Grand Director Shinto the complication they’d had with Director Anora on the Josef Stalin before arriving in the Remus System.

  That started an argument that nearly broke off the talks.

  Maddox explained as best he could, and then he told Shinto that he would wait to communicate further. During that time, he wanted Shinto and Anora to talk.

  Starship Victory pulled away from the First Fleet, using the time to approach Remus and scan the surface in earnest. Galyan went on many forays to the planet, pinpointing Unity strongholds. The crew learned that many places on Remus held free but mostly bewildered people.

  Maddox opened communications with the remaining free military on Remus. To Valerie’s surprise, she found that Consul T.F. Arrius ran the truncated Remus Ground Force.

  Square-faced Arrius looked much older and worn down than when Valerie had seen him last in her Diana Varus memories, although his eyes blazed with grim determination.

  “What are you saying?” Arrius asked with a scowl as he stared out of the main screen on the bridge.

  Maddox told Arrius just about everything, including the Commonwealth, the Fusion First Fleet, the Unity, the alien satellites and the memories he and Valerie had experienced. When Arrius proved doubting about the latter part, Valerie asked if she could speak to him.

  Maddox nodded.

  The Lieutenant Commander stepped before the main screen on the bridge of Victory and related many experiences Diana Varus had had with Arrius throughout the years.

  “Astounding,” the Consul finally said. “These white alien maggots, the Unity, has captured Diana?”

  “More than that,” Maddox said. “They control Diana by putting a cerebrater in her forehead. She’s their mental puppet, forced to do their alien bidding.”

  “How horrible,” Arrius whispered.

  “It is,” Maddox agreed.

  “That explains so much, though,” Arrius said.

  “I have a possible solution to your plight,” Maddox said.

  Arrius looked up.

  Maddox told him the greater plan, which included the use of the Fusion First Fleet.

  The iron-faced Consul became downcast as he listened. “Remus would come under the heel of the Fusion then. That’s something we’ve been trying to avoid for years.”

  “You’d have to in order to keep your people free of alien control,” Maddox said.

  Arrius stared at Maddox. “You realize, they’ll probably put me on trial once this is all over. The Fusion will execute me as a war criminal.”

  “Maybe,” Maddox said. “Maybe before that happens you can become a Social Harmony true believer and avoid such a fate.”

  Arrius studied Maddox, nodding slowly. “You’re a cunning man, Captain. I think I understand. I doubt they’ll believe me, though.”

  “Make them believe,” Maddox said. “Show them you’re worth having around.”

  “Yes, I understand. And I see the stakes. I doubt Remus can defeat the aliens on its own. The Unity has too many resources, too many highly advanced weapons. But with Fusion help…I like it, Captain, and I hate it. But I’d rather save my people than my hide.”

  “Strive to do both.”

  Arrius snorted, shaking his head. “Now that I know what’s happening…yes, you’re right. Please get in contact with Grand Director Shinto and tell him I’m ready to swear allegiance to his Chairman on New Trotsky.”

  “I’ll do that, sir,” Maddox said.

  “You’d better hurry, though. We’ve detected a buildup of underground forces near our headquarters. I may not be around by the time we hammer out the issues.”

  “I’ll start today,” Maddox said. “Until then, sir.”

  “Thank you, Captain. I appreciate this. I really do.”

  ***

  Via screen, Maddox held another meeting with Grand Director Shinto, with the stout security officer watching from behind the commander’s chair.

  “You spoke to this Consul Arrius, did you?” Shinto said with a sneer.

  “Consul Arrius is desperate, sir. He said he’s willing to swear allegiance to the Chairman on New Trotsky—”

  Grand Director Shinto swore mightily as he slammed a fist on his chair’s armrest. “That shows you the lack of political acuity of this Arrius. We don’t serve the Chairman. We serve Social Harmony. The Chairman—”

  “Sir,” the security officer said sharply, interrupting the tirade.

  Grand Director Shinto turned pale, and his lips trembled. He turned. “I-I meant to say…”

  The security officer looked at the Grand Director staring up at him. He then looked at Maddox watching on the screen. The stout man bent low, whispering to the Grand Director.

  Recovering some of his poise and color, Shinto faced Maddox. “I…spoke hastily a moment ago. The Chairman is our revered guardian, the very essence of Social Harmony. If Consul Arrius is willing to swear loyalty to him…” Shinto cleared his throat, and he cleared it again. “That…that means Arrius is swearing allegiance to Social Harmony. They fooled us once, you understand, years ago, but I believe Arrius has seen the error of his ways. He wishes to stand with the Fusion against these heinous aliens. If he’s serious, we could begin to work on a strategy to defeat the enemy on Remus.”

  “Consul Arrius will be happy to hear that, sir,” Maddox said. “I, ah, would also like to add our efforts to yours.”

  “Meaning what?” asked Shinto, becoming alert.

  “We have been scanning the surface. For one thing, we can give you the subterranean coordinates to many of the Unity fortress locations. One of them at least is used to convert humans into their puppet slaves.”

  “Subterranean fortresses?” asked Shinto.

  “You could drop an asteroid on the biggest,” Maddox suggested.

  “The asteroids are not yet here.”

  “If the people of Remus gladly join the Fusion and agree to run their lives under the principles of Social Harmony…perhaps with the soldiers in the First Fleet, you could achieve complete victory over the aliens.”

  Shinto studied Maddox.

  “Such a victory would likely mean you’d gain in the Chairman’s esteem.”

  Shinto cleared his throat once more. “I serve the Chairman at his pleasure. My gains mean nothing to me, just the gains for Social Harmony.”

  “Ah,” Maddox said. “Even now, I’m learning your ways and the ways of Social Harmony. It is the highest form of government after all. That is clear by your actions.”

  Shinto nodded. “I’m glad to hear you say that, Captain. If you could bring your starship into the First Fleet—”

  “Perhaps I can do that when I’m finished with my other duties,” Maddox said smoothly, interrupting. “I am a loyal subject of the Commonwealth, however. How could you trust me if I told you that I’d willingly betray the trust of my superiors?”

  “Very well,” Shinto said. “Please relate what I’ve said to the Consul. I will speak to my ground forces people and see what they have to say. Until then, Captain.”

  Maddox bowed his head low, while Meta cut the connection.

  -75-

  Grutch the Morag watched all this take place from his stealth ship. He also monitored the starship from time to time. Each of those times, he discovered that Galyan scanned for his stealth ship. In Grutch’s estimation, it meant the holoimage was ready for him. Captain Maddox was well protected therefore, and the captain hadn’t left the starship since returning from the planet.

  Oh, this was a very unproductive turn of events. It was possible that Maddox was beyond him for now. Thus, Grutch shifted to his secondary option. He studied the aliens, this Unity.

  He’d overheard enough from scanning Fusion communications, especially between the slowly moving flotilla, as it continued to head inward toward Remus, and the Flagship Karl Radek.

  The Unity was a telepathic collective of tiny white maggot-sized aliens. Their main method of operation was taking over weaker-willed if bigger humans to work for them.

  Grutch observed for several weeks—human time. He watched as Fusion battlewagons detached from the First Fleet, moving into orbital space and launching landers and atmospheric fighters. At times, heavy lasers drilled down through the atmosphere. At other times, missiles launched and struck Unity strongpoints on the surface. Once finished with their task, the battlewagons redeployed with the First Fleet two million kilometers from the planet.

  Grutch repositioned his stealth ship and launched stealth probes. He learned that the Remus Ground Service battled against Unity human ground forces.

  There were hidden launches from the depths, striking Remus strongpoints and tank companies. Drones flitted through the air. Missiles struck at them. Counter-missiles struck at them in turn.

  It was a ground war. One side had orbital aid. The other had subterranean help. Fusion soldiers deployed with Remus Ground Service people.

  People, hundreds of thousands of people—most of them civilians—died or were captured by Unity soldiers. No doubt, the captured individuals were converted into new Unity soldiers.

  The asteroids reached orbital space, and the Fusion dropped two. One hit its designated target. Massed Unity missiles hit the other asteroid together with heavy graviton beams. That asteroid broke up and rained in pieces, doing no real damage to the Unity holdout. It turned out, that was where Maddox, Riker and Keith had gone down.

  As yet, no Unity spacecraft had appeared. The graviton beam was a rude surprise. They struck the next time Fusion battlewagons reached orbital space. Unity missiles also rose: sleek ordnance quite unlike the crude Remus missiles that had launched weeks earlier.

  The Fusion battlewagons used lasers and missiles to fight back. They dropped bombs, used shield spray and took heavy damage, as three battlewagons broke up in orbital space, destroyed. Some of the crews survived in escape pods. Most perished, though, and the First Fleet was down three powerful battlewagons.

  Director Anora’s flotilla addition helped restore the First Fleet to its former strength of twelve battlewagons. But the surface-orbital battle brought consternation and discord to Grand Director Shinto’s morale and resolve.

  “You can’t quit now,” Maddox said via screen. “You’ve sent too many Fusion soldiers to the surface.”

  Unbeknownst to Maddox, Grutch intercepted the communications, listening in.

  “The Chairman did not send me to Remus to lose his First Fleet,” Shinto said sullenly.

  “Drop the last asteroid on the area you failed to demolish,” Maddox suggested.

  “And lose the asteroid’s threat because it’s gone?” Shinto asked petulantly.

  “This is the decisive moment. You must risk everything to achieve total victory.”

  “If you think I’m bringing the entire fleet into orbital space—”

  “No,” Maddox said, interrupting. “I’ll protect the asteroid on its way down.”

  Shinto sat up as he calculated. “…No. We don’t dare risk your precious starship—”

  Maddox laughed, once more interrupting the Grand Director.

  “What’s the meaning of such laughter, sir?”

  “I didn’t realize you lacked the necessary tenacity to see this through.” Maddox raised a hand, forestalling a rebuttal. “If you’re not trying to utterly destroy the aliens, we’ve no more reason for staying. We’ve scanned the subterranean areas in detail. This is the strategic locale. This is where the Unity is hiding. Destroy them, the head, as it were, the brain, and the rest should be easy in comparison.”

  “You believe the asteroid strike there is that important?”

  “I do indeed.”

  The Grand Director hunched in thought, soon nodding. “Very well, we shall order it and watch your progress. Those of Social Harmony wish you well, sir.”

  “Thank you,” Maddox said. “We’ll do our best.”

  Grutch continued to watch this via his sensors, and he monitored the towed asteroid closely, the biggest the Fusion had brought from the Asteroid Belt. The tugs brought it near the planet as Victory maneuvered into position.

  Then, all hell broke loose as the Unity used its graviton beams and missiles. Victory surged to the forefront, using its shields to block the rays from striking the tugs or the asteroid. At the same time, the disrupter beam from the starship struck surface areas, taking out underground graviton silo stations, one after another.

  Victory launched antimatter missiles, which detonated partway into the atmosphere, destroying masses of Unity rockets on their way up into orbital space to demolish the asteroid.

  The technology of Maddox’s starship compared to the Fusion and Remus hardware was several factors better. It also proved far superior to the Unity battle technology. That made a huge difference to the asteroid drop.

  The tugs rushed into low orbital space as best they could and released the asteroid so it streaked down on target.

  Victory maintained its orbital position, using its disrupter cannon to deadly effect every time a Unity missile launched against the falling rock.

  The last graviton silos opened up, targeting the asteroid burning its way down to the surface. Pieces of asteroid flew off or burned up, but a solid core of it over two kilometers wide slammed into the targeted location with devastating effect.

  Quakes radiated outward. Billions of tons of dust and debris billowed into the atmosphere. Shock waves struck downward so mayhem ensued, surely destroying everything down there all the way to the mantle.

  After watching the asteroid strike, Grutch teleported farther away from Remus. He could stay and record more, but now he realized that Victory would remain intact and Maddox would not risk his person for an easy kidnapping. Besides, that annoying Galyan was always searching for his stealth ship.

  I must demand more tellurium bars for this. My sponsors have not been honest with me. Not that he, Grutch, had ever been honest with them. But that wasn’t the point. He was a Morag, an inherently superior being. For beings of their lowly type to be so clever, trying to trick him…

  Grutch slapped two tentacles together in slow motion. A human might have shaken his head. This was most unfortunate. The entire trip, well, it hadn’t been a waste. But for the moment, he didn’t see profit in any of it. How he could use the knowledge of the Unity—he didn’t see that yet either.