Planet Wrecker

fingers into a fist, shaking it and snarling another savage laugh.

“The premen proved too puny for us,” Cassius told his officers. “Therefore, the universe threw up a tougher challenge—the cyborgs. They are hideous creatures, as much machine as flesh, coldly rational and soulless. Their powered strength almost matches our reckless vitality. But they lack our iron will, our relentless need to dominate. Thinking circuitry tireless, they have forgotten that an exalted spirit can fire a warrior to divine acts of glory.”

“Look!” roared Cassius, pointing at his holoimages. “Marvel at what our strength has achieved in such a short time.”

The other Highborn rose to their feet. Like kingly lions, they approached the expanded holoimages. They grinned and laughed aggressively.

Cassius put his hands on his hips and exuded in the achievement of the first phase. His heart swelled with thumping pride. Did the cyborgs think to smash the jewel of Earth? Well, they would have to think again.

Seventeen asteroids or debris-clusters appeared as holoimages. The rearmost five asteroids showed something else—incredibly long exhaust plumes that disappeared into the bridge’s bulkheads.

“We attacked five asteroids,” Cassius said. “We successfully stormed each and conquered each, ripping them out of weak titanium hands.”

“The cyborgs are filth,” a Highborn said.

“They are genocidal freaks,” said a second.

“We have put our boots on their armored torsos,” spoke a third.

“What about the other twelve asteroids?” another asked. “We still have to deal with them.”

Everyone on the bridge turned and stared at the speaker, an older Beta Highborn, a mere seven feet tall. The Beta Highborn scowled as he hunched his head. Stubbornly, he said, “Those twelve are still headed for Earth. And they will soon hit the planet.”

“Ah, Marcus Maximus,” said Cassius.

The other Highborn chuckled. Maximus was Marcus’s nickname, a slur on his inferior size and status. Cassius kept him on the bridge as a reminder that first there had been the Beta Highborn, a weaker subset of a superior breed. Marcus worked hard to maintain his rank, and he provided moments of amusement such as this because he lacked the raw power of a completed Highborn.

“Five isn’t even one third of the asteroid-strike,” Marcus said.

“Tell me, Maximus, what waits in our bays?”

Marcus Maximus’s head hunched just a little more as his scowl deepened, putting lines in his rugged features. “The bays hold armored shuttles, Grand Admiral,” Marcus said.

“And?” prompted Cassius.

“In the shuttles await Highborn commandoes.”

Cassius grinned. The five long plumes showed that on each captured asteroid the fusion cores worked. The plan moved according to schedule.

At that moment, a red flash winked among the holoimages.

“Back to your stations,” Cassius said. “We have a fight to finish.”

As the others returned to their posts, Cassius strode to his shell and reentered it, strapping in. He opened channels, having recognizing the call sign of Admiral Gaius. The Admiral’s holoimage appeared, showing his white uniform, Red Galaxy Medal and the short bill of his cap low over his eyes.

“There’s possible trouble,” Gaius said.

Cassius raised his eyebrows.

“The preman on D have monitored signals from the other asteroids,” said Gaius, “from the cyborg-controlled rocks.”

“And these cyborg rocks show…what?” asked Cassius.

“Interior explosions,” Gaius said, “likely of the fusion cores.”

The fierce joy and exaltation drained from Cassius.

“Given their mass and nearness to Earth,” Gaius said, “it will take many outer explosions to nudge those asteroids off course.”

Cassius thoughts were in turmoil and now flashed from item to item. Perhaps there had been a miscalculation. Or maybe the sequencing of the accelerating asteroids—he snapped forward. “Which captured asteroid first employed the cyborg-engines?”

“…I believe it was Asteroid E,” Gaius said.

“The Jovians,” whispered Cassius. His eyes narrowed. Marten Kluge led them, the ex-shock trooper.

“Do you suspect treachery?” asked Gaius.

Cassius stabbed a button. “Attention, Admiral Gaius of the Genghis Khan, Admiral Octavian of the Gustavus Adolphus and Vice-Admiral Mandela of the SU Fifth Fleet, report at once for a four-way.”

-81-

CASSIUS: By destroying each asteroid’s fusion core, the cyborgs have locked their rocks on a collision course for Earth. Fear obviously motivates them, as they recognize our ability to storm and capture the individual asteroids. They have sabotaged our ability to reroute the remainder of the planet wreckers.

OCTAVIAN: This means their asteroids cannot deviate from their course.

CASSIUS: Your tone indicates you believe that is beneficial to us.

OCTAVIAN: Yes! They can no longer maneuver in any fashion.

CASSIUS: At this late date, that is a limited asset.

OCTAVIAN: Yet it is something we must take into account. Like a good judo expert, we must use their maneuvers against them.

CASSIUS: (shaking his head) Time now operates against us. We shall therefore bore straight into their formation, obliterate all offensive capabilities and storm each asteroid. Afterward, we shall use nuclear pulse propulsion to deflect the planet wreckers from Earth.

MANDELA: Please forgive the interruption, Grand Admiral. But what do these landings gain us now? Earlier, we landed to take over the controls and reroute the asteroid through their own motive power.

GAIUS: Do not waste our time stating the obvious, preman.

MANDELA: I-I object to that term, Admiral.

CASSIUS: (to Gaius) Preman is a pejorative word and benefits none of us here. We shall need every vessel and nuclear weapon in our arsenals. Vice-Admiral Mandela, we must clear each asteroid in order to place precisely what will now be nuclear pulse propulsion, as I’ve stated. Some asteroids may also contain more nuclear bombs, which we need to find. What I now need from you, are the warheads from every one of your remaining missiles. They will be more beneficial to us as propulsion units than in their limited combat capabilities as SU weaponry.

MANDELA: That will only leave us with our lasers, which are shorter-ranged than yours. How, therefore, do you propose that we—

CASSIUS: We lack the time to engage in debating rituals. Our object remains the same. The methods have changed slightly. Perhaps you are unused to this, Vice-Admiral, but we Highborn adjust to new situations with fantastic speed. It is one of our many superiorities. The Julius Caesar will lead the attack. After shuttling us the warheads, the Fifth Fleet will follow in the rear, keeping a Doom Star between each of its ships and the enemy. Admirals, are there any questions?

MANDELA: I would like to point out—

CASSIUS: I’m sorry, Vice-Admiral, I was speaking to the Admirals of the Doom Stars. You already have your orders. Now remain silent until we have configured the exact attack sequence. Well, Highborn, do you have anything further to add?

GAIUS: We’re wasting time. We must attack.

OCTAVIAN: Attack!