Sirix boarded one of the nearly complete Juggernauts, where overworked Hansa quality-control teams and EDF engineers were combing over the systems, anxious to give their stamp of approval. When the inspectors ran their diagnostics, they would see exactly the readings they expected. The microscopic booby traps were far too subtle to be found.

On the clean, sterile bridge of the giant ship, Sirix scuttled forward on fingerlike legs to stand before the pleased-looking team. “I am ready to pre-sent this vessel to your Earth Defense Forces, if it meets with your approval.”

“Oh, indeed! It’s as good as new.” The man clutched his electronic clipboard as if it were some kind of holy book. “Things are looking up.”

“You and your robots have our gratitude for the work you’re doing,” said the second inspector. “Faster and more efficient than our own crews could ever manage.”

They wanted so badly to believe that the robots really intended to help them. Sirix found it ironic, even amusing. “Then I look forward to the release of another one hundred robots from your manufactories.”

“We’ll put in the request. Everything seems to be in order here.”

The new robots would join existing work crews to keep the production moving at a rapid clip, which greatly pleased Chairman Wenceslas. As each new batch of robots was shipped up from the surface, four of Sirix’s comrades saw to their indoctrination, uploading true programming so that the new replacements were as close to real Klikiss robots as possible. They even installed shared memories in the new robots’ woefully empty storage modules. The new machines were like infants, but they were being educated rapidly.

Every one of them understood the overall mission.

For the first time since the end of the hydrogue war, Sirix actually began to feel strong again. Ah, yes, he and the humans, perfectly cooperative allies.

95

Adar Zan’nh

Even though they had provoked the Ildiran Empire, the Hansa would never be prepared for such an overwhelming attack by the Solar Navy—especially not now. With his own warliners and the nearly complete cohort led by Tal Ala’nh, Adar Zan’nh surely had enough firepower to resist the human military.

Even so, he also incorporated the five damaged warliners from Designate Ridek’h’s processional septa that had been burned by the faeros. After leaving Ildira, he had found two other maniples of warliners patrolling the outskirts of the Empire, guarding splinter colonies there. Now, his fleet swelled as they rushed toward Earth.

Every pilot, septar, qul, and tal received all the information Adar Zan’nh had on the strategic makeup of Earth, its Moon, the likely placement of EDF perimeter picket ships, and the positioning of defenses closer to the planet. While helping the humans stand against the hydrogues, the Adar had spent significant time near Earth, and he used that knowledge now.

As they approached their destination, Zan’nh reviewed the plans he had made before departing from Ildira. His warliners would perform a lightning strike: plunge toward the lunar base, take advantage of the element of surprise, overcome any Earth Defense Forces they found there, and rescue the Mage-Imperator. Instead of prolonging the engagement with the human military, he would make a clean escape and then ask his father for further orders.

After days of interstellar passage, the Solar Navy charged into Earth’s solar system and set course directly toward the Moon. They did not pause to survey or assess. As the warliners raced forward, he could feel the determination and enthusiasm resounding through the faint strands ofthism that bound them all together.

The Mage-Imperator was here, and he would sense their arrival. He would know the Solar Navy had come for him. Jora’h would be ready. As the ships grew closer, Zan’nh could feel the gratifying strength of his father’sthism. This was the reason these soldiers had accepted the destruction of Mijistra, why they had gambled everything to escape from the faeros.

The crew did not cheer in a wild and uncontained way, as humans might have. Their manner of celebrating was to complete a difficult task. Today, finally, they would free their beloved leader. The Mage-Imperator would return to his people.

Hundreds of ornate Ildiran battleships encircled the Moon in a breathtaking show of force, barely slowing enough to achieve orbital velocity. Two maniples stood off at a greater distance to forestall any EDF reinforcements that might arrive from farther out in the solar system.

Zan’nh was convinced that he could subdue any resistance from the relatively small number of soldiers at the lunar training base and free the Mage-Imperator. The rest would depend on timing. He hoped to be quick about this — in and out before a significant response could be mounted.

With the perfect coordination of a skyparade, innumerable warliners entered various orbits above the cratered surface and pointed their weapons toward the domed settlement and paved landing zones. As he had expected, the lunar base’s complement of heavy battleships, small cargo haulers, troop transports, and swift courier ships was minimal. Most of the fleet was closer to Earth.

To his great indignation, the Adar saw the captured flagship warliner — the Mage-Imperator’s own ship — drifting in low lunar orbit, darkened and mostly unmanned. Though it was tempting to dispatch a separate crew to board and recapture the stolen warliner, that was not his priority. He would not put the mission at risk.

“Transmit on all known EDF bands.” He stood at the command nucleus rail. “This is Adar Zan’nh of the Ildiran Solar Navy. Surrender Mage-Imperator Jora’h and all Ildiran prisoners. If you resist, you will suffer great harm — and we will still take our leader back.”

Alarms sounded down below. Cries of disbelief echoed across various communication bands. Within moments, troop transports rose, though it was clear they could not challenge the Solar Navy by hurling infantry at them. One Manta detached from an orbiting fuel depot and circled around as if to launch a solo attack against the entire Solar Navy, but fortunately the captain changed his mind. In a frenzy, several EDF courier craft raced away.

“Adar, numerous ships are slipping through our net. Several emergency transmissions have been directed toward Earth. They will know we are here.”

“It cannot be helped. We must act swiftly.”

The EDF base was locking down in what must have been standard emergency procedures. Access domes were sealed shut, and airlocks were deactivated so that Ildiran troops could not access them.

Zan’nh had not expected an immediate surrender. He issued his next command to his ships. “Dispatch all cutters to the lunar surface.All of them.” He knew precisely the impression that would make: Anyone in charge would be awestruck. The Earth Defense Forces could not stand against such show of strength, and it was far more than just show.