“Yes.”

  “I now believe Leviathan did want that.”

  “I see.”

  “I believe there is a connection between Leviathan and an entity called Omegan.”

  “This is news,” Ural said.

  “Omegan was part of an alien virus that escaped from what Professor Ludendorff is calling Dimension X.”

  “You intrigue me. How did you learn these things?”

  “It is my design and programming to know. I watch, I calculate, I think, and I also protect to the best of my limited ability.”

  Ural waited. He had learned to deal with the grandiose speeches of the Supreme Intelligence and thought nothing more of it these days.

  “But there is a new, and perhaps for you, a more interesting development that has taken place within the last few days. This development has occurred in our own star system.”

  “What is it?” Ural asked.

  “Observe.”

  The green head of the Supreme Intelligence departed from the massive screen. In the head’s place, the Library Planet System appeared with its various comets, asteroid fields, planets and moons. Wait. There, in the distance, something appeared as if out of nowhere, as if it had been cloaked. It was saucer-shaped, the traditional saucer shape.

  “Is that a Spacer vessel?” Ural asked.

  “It is,” the Supreme Intelligence said.

  “Was the cloaked vessel spying in your system?”

  “Perhaps, and perhaps it has a different objective. Continue to observe please.”

  Ural did, watching with interest. He noticed a small shuttle, not shaped like a shuttle from Star Watch, but a spheroid. It appeared to flee from the saucer ship. Indeed, after a time, two larger craft detached from the saucer and followed it. They chased, and the entity in the first shuttle began to ask for asylum from the Supreme Intelligence.

  “If I am correct,” Ural said, “that’s a Commonwealth dialect.”

  “You are correct. Continue to watch please.”

  Ural became more interested. He stepped closer to the screen and observed the small spheroid. Maybe it was a survival pod. It flew faster than seemed possible for an escape pod.

  Shells ejected from the two pursuing craft. The shells sped for the pod.

  “At this point,” the Supreme Intelligence said, though he did not reappear on the screen, “I interjected.”

  Defensive satellites deeper in the system activated, beaming the shells heading for the escape pod.

  There appeared on the main screen an achingly beautiful woman, Venna the spy exactly as Ural remembered her. She had beguilingly painted eyes, a mane of dark hair and a sensual manner and voice.

  “Give me the traitor,” Venna said.

  The Supreme Intelligence did not reply.

  “Is this happening now?” Ural asked.

  “Remain quiet and watch,” the Supreme Intelligence said. “And to answer your question, no. As I said, this happened a few days ago.”

  “Supreme Intelligence,” Venna said, “I have stood before you, and I know you are an equitable AI. I demand that you let us take care of a Spacer problem. The one in the pod broke a Spacer infraction and must be punished for it.”

  The fleeing pod continued to do so, broadcasting a mayday and a request for asylum. The other two craft continued to pursue. Once more, they fired long-range shells at the pod. Once more, the Supreme Intelligence used the protective satellites, and they intercepted the shells via beams.

  “Very well,” Venna said, “You will regret this, Supreme Intelligence. I have asked nicely.”

  Now the Supreme Intelligence spoke, perhaps in a recording. “Venna, I know and respect you. You escaped from me once. Do not send any of our pursuit vessels closer to the Library Planet. I have the ability to capture you if I wish, but I will let you go if you leave now.”

  “What of the traitor?” asked Venna.

  “He, she, or however many there are—I will speak to and interrogate them on my own,” the Supreme Intelligence said.

  “You will regret this,” Venna said. “This is a matter of interior Spacer policy. You shouldn’t interfere with us.”

  “Perhaps,” the Supreme Intelligence said. “I give it a fifty-seven percent probability the person broke Spacer rules. I believe there is a thirty-two percent probability that you are attempting to insert a spy into my organization. If that ends up being the case, I will eliminate the spy. First, I will interrogate him or her.”

  Anger washed across Venna’s face. She opened her mouth, but someone else spoke behind her. After a moment’s hesitation, Venna stabbed a button and disappeared from the screen.

  On the screen, the pursuit vessels turned back, heading for the large saucer. Finally, the pursuit vessels docked, and the saucer ship turned, building velocity, heading away. In time, the saucer vanished.

  “Did it use a cloaking device?” Ural asked.

  “Yes,” the Supreme Intelligence said.

  “Could you still detect the saucer?”

  “I could, and did, for confirmation’s sake. Now, continue to watch.”

  Ural did, and it seemed that the Supreme Intelligence had sped up the recording. For now, the escape pod was near the Library Planet and heading for orbit.

  “Can it land?” Ural asked.

  “I bid you observe,” the Supreme Intelligence said.

  Ural, intrigued, wondering why the Supreme Intelligence was being so vague, continued to watch. The pod reached planetary orbit. It went as low as it could. If it went any lower, it might begin to plummet and would likely burn up. It must have used most of its fuel to flee and likely had none left to land. A hatch opened on the shell, and out crawled a vacc-suited individual. The person jumped from the hull and soon plummeted in a controlled free fall. Eventually, a vast parachute opened and the person landed on the icy snow during the dread winter of the Library Planet. The view was from overhead, indicating a drone did the recording. The person floundered, took out some equipment from a pack, and began to trudge. The person trudged for hours. At last, the person collapsed, perhaps from sheer exhaustion.

  Robots appeared, picked up the person, and headed for one of the vents into the greater subterranean system.

  “Intriguing,” Ural said. “Have you interrogated the person?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Why is that?”

  “I thought you, perhaps, should be the first to speak to the Spacer, or at least to the person who fled Spacer service.”

  “You’re being cryptic and evasive,” Ural said.

  “Please allow me my few pleasures. If you would do as bidden, I will show you where the person is now residing.”

  “How long have they been recovering?” Ural asked.

  “Thirty-seven hours.”

  “All right, I’m ready.”

  “I hope so, Ural. This may be a Spacer plot, or it may be an opportunity to learn more about the Spacers.”

  “Those are the two most likely probabilities. I’m intrigued.”

  “Good. Follow the arrows on the floor, and I will lead you to the captive.”

  -79-

  Ural followed the arrows through the corridors and finally reached a hatch. The cell was higher in the inhabitable areas.

  A monitor told him, “The person is within. I think knocking would be in order.”

  Ural knocked, and after several seconds, the door swished open. A stunning blonde-haired beauty stood before Ural. She looked worried but ravishing with her long blonde hair and the curves of her figure. She wore a silver, skin-tight outfit and heels.

  “Oh,” she said, “you’re a New Man.”

  “Yes,” Ural said, keeping his voice stilted.

  “Know that I’m Margaret Wold. I come from the Commonwealth.”

  “Indeed. May I come in?”

  “Please do,” Margaret said, stepping back.

  They were spartan quarters. There was a bed, facilities for food, and a door that led, no doubt, to a bathroom.

  “Would you sit?” Margaret said.

  To his surprise, Ural felt his pulse quicken and wondered why. Was it the woman’s extreme beauty? Was it her youthfulness, her almost seemingly innocence? He wasn’t sure but he walked stiffly to a comfortable chair and sat down in it. Margaret sat across from him. She sat demurely, moving with utter grace. It captivated Ural. He understood that. He also wondered why the Supreme Intelligence wanted him to speak to this so-called Spacer.

  “Margaret Wold, did you say?”

  “Yes,” she said, “of the planet Arius III.”

  “This is most odd. How did a Commonwealth individual come to be in a Spacer saucer?”

  “Are you ready for a story, sir?”

  “You may call me Golden Ural, or simply Ural.”

  “Golden Ural,” Margaret said approvingly, perhaps noting his golden skin and even features. She might have also observed his strong brow, intelligent eyes, and the way he held himself with control. “Ural,” she said, “what a handsome name.”

  Ural’s throat caught as he said, “Your story.” The sensation struck him as odd. Then he remembered Venna the spy, a noted beauty who’d used sexuality to entrap the Emperor of the New Men. Venna had almost entrapped him with her beauty. If Margaret was a means—

  Ural stood and regarded Margaret Wold.

  “Have I offended you?” she asked, shrinking back.

  “Stay still.” Ural turned. “Supreme Intelligence?”

  “Yes, Ural,” the Supreme Intelligence said from a cell speaker.

  “Is she using any gadgets, any items such as Venna the spy once used upon the Emperor?” Ural asked.

  “You mean to enhance her sensuality and beauty?” the Supreme Intelligence asked.

  “Yes,” Ural said in a throaty way.

  “None at all,” the Supreme Intelligence said. “Why? What do you feel?”

  “Annoyed,” Ural said after a moment. “If I may begin the interview in private…”

  “By all means,” the Supreme Intelligence said.

  The screen shut off, and it seemed the Supreme Intelligence was no longer monitoring the room. Ural had his doubts about that. He noticed that Margaret had shrunk back even more in her chair and looked at him with fear. He regretted that and his outburst. He strode away from her and sat in a different chair.

  “Have I offended you?” Margaret asked again.

  “No. I have offended myself. Know that I do not plan to harm you, and it was not my intent to scare you. I made an irrational judgment due to…” Ural looked Margaret square in the eyes, feeling his heart’s rapid beat. She was beautiful. He found her exceedingly attractive and decided that she would become his wife if she agreed. But that was much too fast, far too fast. There was something afoot. Venna the spy had sent this woman here for a reason.

  “Please,” Ural said in a calm and even voice, “tell me your story, Margaret.”

  Thus, Margaret Wold proceeded to tell Ural her story of being captured and taken to the slave ship, which had been on its way to the Empire of the New Men.

  “But I escaped my holding cell,” Margaret said. “And I found two others on the transport corridors. They were in the service of the Spacers. We fled the transport via an escape pod.”

  “And the others on the transport?” Ural asked.

  Margaret looked away as pain crossed her beautiful face. “One of the Spacers had sabotaged the engines so the transport would self-destruct. That happened. Everyone died except for us three.”

  “Harsh,” Ural said.

  “Yes, and after that, I entered the Spacer spy program.”

  “Oh?” Ural asked.

  Margaret detailed much of what she had undergone in the harsh, brutal, and exceedingly clever Spacer spy program.

  Eventually, Venna came to her and said, “You cannot remain in our service. I have a different proposal for you. It may not be to your liking, but I will not waste your beauty.”

  Margaret spoke of a surgery that was planned and how she was to be sent to an important potentate on a Commonwealth planet to become his concubine. There, the Spacers would record everything through devices planted in her.

  “Was the surgery a success?” Ural asked as calmly as he could.

  “No, I escaped before that happened.”

  Ural felt unnaturally relieved. “Why were the Spacers here in this star system?”

  “I don’t know,” Margaret said.

  Ural studied Margaret, who blushed under his scrutiny. He looked away, angry with himself for causing her distress. Yes, he was a New Man with superior genetics, but he also understood why the others had chosen Margaret Wold. She was the perfect candidate for entering a New Man’s harem. She had the requisite qualities. No doubt, she was intelligent. But Ural was dubious that Margaret Wold was innocent of all spy practices. Venna had placed her here. Venna had obviously allowed Margaret to escape. No doubt, the Spacers or Venna had studied him enough to know that Margaret would appeal to him to an astonishing degree.

  “What are your wishes, Margaret?”

  “I don’t know. I suppose to go back home to Arius.”

  “I can talk to the Supreme Intelligence about that, or would you like to learn more about the Library Planet?”

  “I would like to do much more than just stay in this room. If I’ve offended you, I’m sorry for that. I’m just a young person who wants to learn, know more, and enjoy life. I’ve seen so much, and things are so different then what I had anticipated. Now I’m here and now I’ve met you, Ural.”

  Margaret looked away, closing her mouth firmly, squinting as if she was on the verge of tears. Ural found himself standing beside her, handing her a handkerchief. She nodded, took it, and dried the tears at the corners of her eyes.

  “Yes,” Ural said, “you’ll stay on the Library Planet for a time.”

  Margaret looked up and gave him a troubled smile. Ural decided he needed to think this through very carefully indeed.

  -80-

  Margaret Wold of Arius III watched Ural stride from the room, the hatch closing behind him. The feeling of helplessness in her chest did not depart, nor did cunning flashes cross her face. She was far too well schooled in the arts of the Spacer spy school. Even so, she was troubled, for she felt herself compelled to love Ural. He was tall, strong and compassionate. There was intensity in him that she adored. Frankly, she did not know there could be a man such as him. He was astonishing.

  Because of her intelligence, Margaret wondered: had Venna conditioned her to feel this way about the first New Man she saw. She was a pawn. Margaret understood that. She knew the Spacers were vicious and cruel, but they had a right to existence, as did those of Arius III. Margaret felt compassion for the Spacer Nation and was confused by some of her recent actions. She had undergone certain hypnotic training that she didn’t understand. She did know she loved Ural. There were no implants in her that she was aware of, and she was certain that both Ural and the one called the Supreme Intelligence would scan her for such things.

  Margaret also knew that Venna did nothing by halves. Venna was cunning and a wonderful teacher. Under her guidance, Margaret had learned to shoot, improve her hand-to-hand combat skills, and learned to use her mind to a much fuller extent. Margaret suspected she had undergone some kind of Spacer enhancement in that regard. She knew they classified her as a superior agent, and therefore her training had intensified. She seemed to recall Venna mentioning this was a prime spot where she should go. That was the last of her recollections. The Spacers were using her.

  Ural was a New Man, but not as she had imagined New Men would be. She had heard only hints about the Library Planet. Ural was different from others who might have taken her to use for bearing many strong children. In one way, having many sons and daughters would have been a delight if she could share in their accomplishments. She suspected the New Men weren’t so foolish as to make the chosen women they kidnapped hate them. Perhaps they would allow these women to enjoy their status, especially if they were kind, at least to some degree.

  Margaret wasn’t sure about the correct response in all this. She didn’t know what the future held. But couldn’t she enjoy Ural’s company for a time?

  “Oh yes,” Margaret said aloud. She clapped her hands and smiled with delight at the coming prospects.

  ***

  The Supreme Intelligence observed Margaret Wold, though he did not let her know he was watching.

  He ran many analyses, studying the heart rates and respiratory patterns of both Margaret and Ural. He realized there was a potential problem and Trojan horse embedded in his planet. Yet, he suspected that it would be unwise to simply eject Margaret Wold. Ural needed diversions.

  Ural needed a way to release his anxieties and troubles. Perhaps Margaret Wold was the perfect person for this.

  On a different note, the Supreme Intelligence suspected those of Leviathan had used him, but Captain Maddox, with his amazing skills and abilities, had turned it around. Now there was a momentary stalemate between the two major powers. He knew where the fleets of Leviathan, the invasion fleets, were waiting, and he knew that they were not yet ready to strike at the Commonwealth.

  Captain Maddox had hit the mark. The strategists of Leviathan had suspected Seekers would come through to this dimension, and that it would be the perfect opportunity to eradicate the possible danger of the Commonwealth to the Sovereign Hierarchy of Leviathan.

  Maddox was alive, those who served under him were alive, and a grave danger had been eradicated, as far as the Supreme Intelligence could tell. But now, a potentially devastating war between Leviathan and the Commonwealth loomed, with the New Men and Spacers waiting in the wings.

  What would happen in the coming months or years? The Supreme Intelligence wasn’t sure. He would keep an eye on Margaret Wold to see how she might affect Ural. He would continue studying Ural, as he didn’t fully trust any warm-blooded creature. He was the Supreme Intelligence, and up to this point, he had helped the humans. He viewed them as the most likable and most survivable of all the species he had worked with and observed. For now, he would maintain his post as benefactor to humanity. But that could change, depending on events, his lifespan, and the survivability of the human race. Were they about to face an existential war? The Supreme Intelligence considered it more than probable.