Then the Yun understood the threat; that was a capsule, a thermonuclear warhead. The monstrous device was meant to annihilate them down here.

  The warhead launched decoys and chaff. The counter rockets would surely fail. Thus, the Yun fusion strove to burn out the main firing mechanism. It used telekinetic force—

  Click.

  The Yun fusion did it, ruining the firing mechanism and thus disarming the bomb. The warhead came down with furious speed. It slammed against the desert sand, sinking, causing a slight tremor around it and sending up showers of sand, but otherwise not doing a damn thing.

  Wait!

  Two more warheads were coming down. They did so fast.

  The Yun fusion knew what to do now, as it had just done it with the first. The mental power once again raced up and manipulated with telekinesis. Something was different about this switch.

  No, no, no, we are panicking, the Yun fusion told itself.

  The Yun forced itself into objectivity and calmness. It utilized its mental power. The correct switch clicked.

  That warhead also came down, slamming upon the desert sands and not doing shinola.

  The Yun fusion strove upon the third warhead. It worked fast.

  Click.

  The Yun fusion experienced a moment of horror. The click was not it successfully shutting down everything. The click was the switch to a small detonation in the warhead. That detonation began a chain reaction.

  In a microsecond, a thermonuclear airburst showed as a new sun. Heat, radiation and EMP swept down near the sinkhole that led to the scientists that led to the great one. The explosion slaughtered Metamorphs around the sinkhole by the thousands. It also destroyed many two-brains, dissolving what remained of the Yun mind fusion.

  Many two-brains survived; those outside the immediate blast radius of the bomb. Some of the two-brained and regular Metamorphs looked up. They saw a great flash upon the horizon. Some were so close that the flash burned out their optic nerves. They would be blind until radiation poisoning killed them. Others even farther away saw an intense light that put splotches in their vision, but they would see normally soon enough. Nor would radiation kill them any time soon, as they were far enough away. More than average would grow cancerous tumors, though.

  In any case, one thermonuclear warhead had made it to the coordinates. That created a dead zone, and that was what those below in the labs had asked for.

  -69-

  Gallant Ophir sat in the command chair of the gigantic grav armor unit. It was a heavy grav tank from a time long ago. Unknown aliens had brought the tank to Gath, a relic from the great tank wars, from Cestus 9.

  The grav tank worked and was crammed with weapons and those who’d survived the time underground. That included Ophir, a Honey Man soldier, Hern, Gricks, Dravek, Mara and Maddox.

  The grav tank negotiated large tunnels until it reached a new chamber with a transport pad. Once on it, the activated pad caused the tank to dematerialize and then materialize at the bottom of the great sinkhole. This was forty-seven minutes after the detonation of the warhead.

  At Ophir’s command, the Honey Man driver manipulated the controls. The engine revved, giving the gravity repellers enough power for the massive tank to levitate upward. It did so much faster than the sky raft had descended.

  “Sir,” the driver said. “I detect massive levels of radiation up there.”

  “Excellent,” Ophir said. “That means Grandma was successful.” He glanced at the others sitting on the floor of the main tank chamber. “I don’t think we need to worry. The tank’s armor will keep us safe from radiation while we drive through the radiated zone. Luckily, we don’t have to travel all the way to the Highlands. Grandma said dirigibles are on the way, including a transport dirigible. It will pick us up and fly us to the Highlands.”

  “Good news indeed,” Maddox said.

  Dravek and Mara sat on the floor near Maddox. Dravek held one of Mara’s hands. They had been whispering together. Now Dravek leaned over and whispered so low that Maddox could barely hear him.

  “We dare not return to the Highlands. They’ll make us eunuchs for sure.”

  “No doubt, no doubt,” Maddox said equally as quietly.

  Maddox didn’t think the Honey Men would keep their word any more than he would have kept his if Ophir had chosen the wrong item. Fortunately, he had kept his word. In that sense, he sat in moral superiority over the Honey Men—if that was what he needed.

  In truth, Maddox thought about Meta, Jewel, and getting home. How could he get home? He didn’t think the Eye of Helion would stay long enough to see him to Earth. The crystal had already been contemplating about going back to Helion.

  It seemed like every kind of power source—mechanical, biological, whatever—imparted energy to the Eye. As it gained energy, it lost interest in what happened around it. That struck Maddox as odd. Yet perhaps that was the essence of the Eyes of Helion. Maybe that was why they were so antithetical to Yon Soths.

  “Captain, are you listening to me?” Dravek whispered.

  Maddox nodded, even as he kept watch of Ophir.

  “We’re almost to the surface,” Ophir said.

  The engines whined louder. The tank shivered, dipped lower and then rose again.

  Everyone waited in anticipation.

  Then, the tank made it out of the giant sinkhole, roaring across the radiated surface. Some of the sand had fused into glass, making sheets of it. There were no black, balloon-tired vehicles. No doubt, the thermonuclear warhead had shredded them along with slaying any nearby Metamorphs.

  In no time, the grav tank reached the impressive speed of one hundred and ten miles per hour. The ride was smooth, too. This thing was a marvel.

  Maddox leaned back where the Eye of Helion lay with its brightness dimmed.

  “Eye,” Maddox whispered. “Can you hear me?”

  “I hear you very well, Captain Maddox,” the Eye said so loudly that Ophir whirled around in his command chair.

  “I’m sorry, Gallant Ophir,” Maddox said. “I’ll keep quiet.”

  “No need, no need,” Ophir said, who studied Maddox with speculation.

  Ophir had gotten cockier already, but Maddox’s people outnumbered his in the tank. Perhaps Ophir trusted in his personal force field. Maddox had also seen a glint or two from the ruby rings. Ophir must have recharged them, at least to a degree. If their roles were reversed and Maddox was at the mercy of Ophir—now that he’d given the Honey Men what they wanted, Maddox didn’t believe he could rely upon their good will, especially once they reached Grandma Julia and Shofet Zadoury.

  “Captain Maddox,” the Eye whispered, “I thought you wanted to converse with me.”

  “Yes,” Maddox whispered. “Dravek, Mara and I rescued you from your internment as an inert nothing. Who knows how long you would have stayed there. Perhaps you would have stayed inert in the underground shuttle until the Yon Soth regenerated or regained its consciousness. Then perhaps it would have used and corrupted you.”

  “I do not contest your allegation,” the Eye whispered. “I am grateful. You must not believe that we of Helion do not understand obligation and debt. Thank you so much for your part in my revival. When I return home, I shall inform those of Helion of your wonderful generosity. I will insist that we always sing your praises when we hum about the glories of the past. Now, however, I’m afraid I don’t care for this radiated zone. Some is seeping through the armor. Thus, Captain Maddox, I wish to bid you—”

  “Now hold on, hold on,” Maddox whispered. “That’s not the way to show your gratitude.”

  “Who are you to tell a crystal of Helion how to show gratitude?” the Eye whispered haughtily.

  “What I mean,” Maddox said, “is if you’re going to make me feel grateful for what I did for you, I should feel grateful for what you did for me in return.”

  “That would demean your act of altruism, would it not?”

  “No, no, no. I purposely came to help you in order to win your help for me.”

  “Oh,” the Eye said. “Your action wasn’t purely altruistic?”

  “I told you that in the beginning. Surely you cannot have forgotten.”

  “I suppose not. I’d hoped you’d spoken with hyperbole about all that. Now, I fear you’re indeed serious. This is unwelcome news, I assure you. How do you wish me to sully myself? Do you know that those of the Triad always made me sully myself with this material act and that material act. It was most upsetting, most demeaning to my philosophic insights.”

  Maddox spoke carefully as he was sure the Eye was trying to wriggle out of its obligation. Therefore, it would be best to use precise statements so no ambiguity could seep into the conversation.

  “I have two critical problems,” Maddox whispered. “If you help me solve them, I’ll truly believe you’re grateful for what I did for you.”

  “Go on,” said the Eye. “Make your point.”

  “The first problem regards the Leviathan assault vessels heading for Gath.”

  “I’m aware of them. I don’t believe they present you much of a problem. My advice to you is to avoid the assault vessels.”

  “Surely, the assault vessels carry antimatter weaponry.”

  “What of it?” the Eye asked softly.

  “I don’t want the inhabitants of the planet to turn against me. The Soldiers of Leviathan might well threaten the population unless those of the planet turn me over to them.”

  “Did you ever think maybe that those of Leviathan came to destroy the Yon Soth?”

  “Do they know of its existence,” Maddox asked.

  “I find that doubtful,” the Eye admitted.

  “That means your premise is unlikely.”

  “Are you attempting to chop logic with an eye of Helion? Is this a contest, Captain Maddox? Please tell me if that is so.”

  “No. I admire those of Helion. But I’ll admire them even more after you do me these two small deeds out of gratitude.”

  Maddox glanced at Ophir in his command chair. The man was busy studying their progress. The chair was just far enough away to make this secret talk possible.

  “Oh, very well,” the Eye whispered. “Let’s get on with it. I weary of this gross and demeaning conversation. Why can’t you talk of high concepts and interesting propositions?”

  “I lack your loftiness,” Maddox said.

  “I believe you say that in jest. You don’t really mean it.”

  “Does it matter?” asked Maddox.

  “It does to me.”

  “I’ll stick to the point then,” Maddox said. “How can I destroy the three assault vessels of Leviathan with your help?”

  “Really, Captain, I’m not a war-waging artifact. I’m an eye of Helion. I was made to contemplate wonderful things, to teleport here, to teleport—”

  “Eye, Eye, Eye,” Maddox said. “I wish you’d calm down and help me figure this out.”

  “Very well. I have noted your first problem. What is the second one?”

  “In less than a year, I wish to go from here, Gath, to the Orion Spiral Arm, the edge of it. I desire this so I can go home to my wife and child.”

  “Oh, is that all? I suppose you want me to teleport you all the way there, too.”

  “If it’s not too much trouble—”

  “Yes! It is far too much trouble. It is much too far out of the way for me. And it would take me years of effort to achieve this. I’d have to re-energize constantly. With each teleportation—do you not realize, Captain, that it is a geometric problem? It isn’t merely an arithmetical problem. The longer the distance, the greater energy is expended in geometric proportion. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Indeed.”

  “But perhaps if I study star charts and anomalies—this is the Heydell Cloud, is it not?”

  “It most certainly is,” Maddox said.

  “Ah, yes, yes. Then you must take me to an astrophysical station. There, I may study the entirety of the Heydell Cloud, all the anomalies together, and as much as you can show me of the Scutum-Centaurus Spiral Arm. Then, perhaps, I will be able to supply you with a route you could use. I mean with an ordinary ship of this technological level that I detect on the planet.”

  “Could I make this journey within the year?” Maddox asked.

  “It’s theoretically possible if there are the needed anomalies I’m supposing. If not, do not expect more from me, Captain Maddox.”

  Maddox controlled his worry. Maybe it was time to take care of the first problem. “What do we do about the Leviathan assault vessels?”

  “You cannot stop worrying about all this, can you? This is really too much. All you did was wake me up and now you expect multiple miracles from me.”

  “We’ve already gone over that,” Maddox said. “You could have awoken in the tentacle of a Yon Soth after it had suborned you and twisted you to its ends. The Triad did so, why not a Yon Soth?”

  “Maybe you’re right. Besides, I’m tired of the grav tank, as it has an evil taint. I will, if you don’t mind, take us elsewhere from here.”

  “If you do that, my people need to go with me,” Maddox said. “Otherwise, Gallant Ophir will harm them.”

  “I know who your people are,” the Eye said.

  “Just to make sure, I want Gricks, Hern, Dravek and Mara, and me.”

  “Really? This is quite insulting. Do you think I’m a retard that you must be so specific?”

  “No, no, the opposite.”

  “That’s it then? That’s all you have to say?”

  “Yes,” Maddox said.

  “Very well,” the Eye said. “We are gone.”

  With that, there was a flash within the grav tank.

  Ophir whipped around, astonished to find that Maddox and the others, including the Eye, had disappeared.

  -70-

  Maddox and his party appeared at the spaceport in the North Pole region. Soon, with Gricks and Hern advising them, they sold some equipment for currency notes. With the notes, they rented a hotel room and bought supplies. Afterward, they made calculations and awaited events.

  During the wait, Maddox went to the library where Sub-Centurion Eddings had worked. Maddox rented a solo computer room, hiding the Eye of Helion in a pocket. Using the computer, Maddox and the Eye learned more about the Heydell Cloud.

  The cloud was a large region, spanning many hundreds of light years. Many of the planets were allied in treaties. There were many pirates, spatial and time anomalies, and other dangers. Leviathan seldom sent ships into the Heydell Cloud.

  That Leviathan had sent ships here…maybe he’d underestimated the hatred that Leviathan held for him when Victory had reached this spiral arm years ago. He’d also thwarted the small, alien Dhows on the planet Kregen. The Dhows had been connected to Leviathan. Could the Dhows have brought a bad report about him to the rulers of Leviathan? It seemed more than possible.

  The two days of rest and study were cut short as the assault vessels of Leviathan reached orbital space around Gath. From there, the warships launched several nuclear-tipped missiles. One landed near the spaceport. It wasn’t close enough to devastate the city, but it destroyed a giant farm complex the city used.

  A similar event took place in the Highlands of the South Pole.

  That provoked planetary retaliation. Masses of ballistic missiles rose to do battle against the assault vessels. Alas, the assault vessels of Leviathan proved superior, although one took damage, retreating into deeper space. There, its reactors blew. The vessel exploded in a furious ball of nuclear devastation. This left only two assault vessels in orbit.

  The Soldier in charge demanded via communications that those of the planet give up Captain Maddox or Dravek, his clone. If not, the planet would face further bombardment. If that were insufficient motivation, the assault vessels would leave to report to Leviathan so an even greater fleet would arrive at Gath to apply salutary justice.

  If there had been a Strategist along, he must have perished in the exploded assault vessel, as the enemy plan didn’t seem that complex or cunning.

  Still, fearing the worst, Maddox retreated into a dark alley with the Eye of Helion. He’d ducked here after two policemen looked at him keenly, his face just having been on vid screens everywhere.

  “It’s hit the fan,” Maddox told the Eye. “How do we solve this?”

  “By leaving Gath, of course,” the Eye said.

  “I’d need a spaceship for that, one which I don’t have.”

  “You could buy a spaceship.”

  “I lack the necessary funds,” Maddox said.

  “You could steal one, although that is highly unethical.”

  “Let’s say I succeeded in the theft. How could I slip past the assault vessels?”

  “Must I think of everything for you?”

  “So far, you’ve thought of nothing,” Maddox said.

  “Oh, very well, we come to the obvious conclusion. Nuclear weapons. You ordered nuclear weapons dropped on the poor desert Metamorphs in order that you could escape from the sinkhole. Are you not disgusted with yourself, Captain Maddox, with all the death and destruction you create? It is a stain upon my being to have been involved in this, and I frankly want no further part of it.”

  “You promised me aid.”

  The Eye brightened as if angry. “All right, there’s a way I can do this with nuclear weapons, but I have to do it quickly, and I have to do it now.”

  “What’s that?” Maddox asked.

  “More killing that will stain me—this time killing Soldiers of Leviathan.”

  Maddox had been wondering when the Eye would come to the obvious solution. He’d seen it days ago. Maybe he could smooth this for the crystal.

  “You should remember that Soldiers of Leviathan are hostile creatures threatening nuclear devastation of a planet. They’ll kill many through nuclear bombardment. By stopping them, you’re going to save millions of lives.”

  “I understand your sophistry, and it has a point,”

  the Eye said. “That’s what makes it such good sophistry. Still, I’m angry that you are forcing me to this. You should have accepted my gratitude and been done with it. Instead, you have dragged me down to the level of material well-being. Why do you not contemplate and enjoy whatever is given you and take it as a sign of the goodwill of the Creator?”