Planet Wrecker

-95-

Scipio faced the wall as Supreme Commander James Hawthorne appeared on it. The Earthling sat at a desk, with his hands folded on top.

“The habitats have struck,” Scipio said. “My projections say that four of the asteroids will not hit the planet, but will pass between the Earth and the Moon.”

Hawthorne nodded solemnly. He had discolored bags under his eyes.

“There are three major asteroids still coming,” Scipio said. “And there is much debris, enough to annihilate life on your planet.”

“We’ve been monitoring their progress,” Hawthorne said in a raw voice.

Scipio tried to refrain, but he had to know. “Can you stop the barrage and save Earth?”

“We’re about to find out,” Hawthorne said. His chair scraped back as he rose to feet and gave the Party salute. “Long live Social Unity!” Hawthorne shouted. Then the connection ended abruptly, as if planned.

What did all that signify? Scipio ignored his throbbing bionic hand. One thing he’d learned while working with these premen: they were more technologically cunning than he’d ever given them credit for. Maybe conquering and ruling them wasn’t going to be as easy as the Grand Admiral believed. If there was anything left to conquer, that was.