For four months, Tercero Xavier Harkonnen and his six Armada survey vessels traveled along a predetermined route, stopping to inspect and assess the military facilities and defensive preparations of the League Worlds. After many years of no more than a few skirmishes, no one knew where Omnius might strike next.

Xavier had never wavered from the difficult decision he’d made during the cymek attack on Zimia. The Viceroy had praised him for his nerve and determination; even so, Manion Butler had wisely sent the young officer away during the major rebuilding activities, giving Salusans time to heal their wounds without looking for a scapegoat.

Xavier listened to no excuses from tightwad nobles unwilling to commit the necessary resources. No expense must be spared. Any free world that fell to machine aggression would be a loss for the entire human race.

The survey ships traveled from the mines of Hagal to the broad river plains of Poritrin, then made their way to Seneca where the weather was poor and the rain so corrosive that even thinking machines would break down soon after a conquest.

The League planets of Relicon followed, then Kirana III, then Richese, with its burgeoning high-tech industries that made so many other League noblemen uneasy. In theory, the sophisticated manufacturing devices contained no computerization or artificial intelligence, but there were always questions, always doubts.

Finally Xavier’s team arrived at their final inspection stop, Giedi Prime. At last, his tour was about to end. He could return home, see Serena again, and they could make good on their promises to each other. . . .

All other League Worlds had installed scrambler field towers. The shields’ known weakness against cymeks did not completely devalue Holtzman’s ingenious work, and the costly barriers still provided substantial protection against all-out thinking machine offensives. In addition, every human world had long ago built up enormous stockpiles of atomics as part of a doomsday defense. With so many nuclear warheads, an iron-willed planetary governor could turn his world into slag rather than allowing it to fall to Omnius.

Although the thinking machines also had access to atomics, Omnius had concluded that atomics were an inefficient and nonselective way to impose control, and radioactive cleanup afterward was difficult. Besides, with unlimited resources and a deep reservoir of patience, the relentless evermind had no need of such weapons.

Now, as Xavier disembarked from the lead survey ship at the Giedi City spaceport, he blinked under bright sunlight. The well-maintained metropolis sprawled in front of him, with its habitation complexes and productive industrial buildings amid manicured parks and canals. The colors were bright and fresh, and flowers bloomed in ornate beds, although with his new Tlulaxa lungs and tissues he could smell only a hint of the most potent scents, even when he breathed deeply.

“This would be a fine place to bring Serena one day,” he said wistfully as he stood in the heat-shimmer of spaceship exhaust. If he married her, perhaps this would be a suitable world for their honeymoon. During the current inspection tour, he had kept his eyes open, trying to find a likely spot.

After four months in space, Xavier missed Serena terribly. He knew the two of them were destined for each other. His life operated on a smooth, clearly defined path. When he returned to Salusa, he promised himself that he would formalize their betrothal. He saw no point in waiting any longer.

Viceroy Butler already treated him like a son, and the young officer had received the blessing of his adoptive father Emil Tantor. As far as Xavier could determine, everyone in the League agreed it would be a fine joining of noble houses.

He smiled, thinking of Serena’s face, of her intriguing lavender eyes . . . and then looked across the landing field to see Magnus Sumi approaching the survey ships. The elected leader was accompanied by a dozen members of the Giedi Prime Home Guard.

The Magnus was a thin man in late middle age with pale skin and gray-blond hair that hung to his shoulders. Sumi raised a hand. “Ah, Tercero Harkonnen! We welcome the League Armada and are eager to see how Giedi Prime can improve its defenses against the thinking machines.”

Xavier snapped a stiff bow in return. “Your cooperation pleases me, Eminence. Against Omnius, we must not use low-cost materials or stopgap systems that would not adequately protect your people.”

After the Battle of Zimia, Xavier’s corps of engineers had made requests for mandatory strategic improvements throughout the League. The nobles dug into their coffers, increasing taxes on their subjects and spending the necessary money to build up their defenses. At each stop, planet after planet, month after month, Xavier had assigned teams of engineers and Armada troops where he deemed they were most needed.

Soon, though, he would be going back home. Soon. As the time drew near, he thought of Serena more and more.

Well dressed and well armed, the Home Guard stood at attention around the survey ships. Magnus Sumi gestured for Xavier to follow him. “I look forward to clarifying everything over a sumptuous banquet, Tercero Harkonnen. I’ve set up twelve fine courses with dancers, musicians, and our best poets. You and I can relax in my government residence while we discuss plans. I am certain you must be weary from your journey. How long can you stay with us?”

Xavier could form only a tight smile, thinking of how far away he was from Salusa Secundus. Even after leaving Giedi Prime, the ships would still need another month of fast space travel to return home. The sooner he departed here, the sooner he could hold Serena in his arms again.

“Eminence, this is the final stop on our long tour. If it pleases you, I would prefer to spend less time with festivities and more on the inspection.” He gestured toward his survey ship. “We have a schedule to keep. I’m afraid I can allot only two days for Giedi Prime. It is best that we concentrate on our work.”

The Magnus looked crestfallen. “Yes, I suppose celebration is not appropriate after the damage done to Salusa Secundus.”

FOR TWO DAYS, Xavier gave the planetary defenses a quick, almost cursory inspection. He found Giedi Prime to be a dazzling and prosperous world with many resources, perhaps even a suitable place to settle down and start an estate of his own one day.

He gave a favorable assessment, accompanied by a warning. “This is undoubtedly a planet the thinking machines will want to conquer, Eminence.” He studied the city blueprints and the distribution of resources across the main continents. “Any cymek attack would most likely attempt to keep the industries intact so that robots could exploit them. Omnius preaches efficiency.”

Beside him, Magnus Sumi reacted with pride. He pointed out substations on the diagrams. “We intend to install secondary field-transmitting towers at several strategic points.” As he spoke, highlights appeared on the blueprint screen. “We have already built a completely redundant transmitting station on one of the uninhabited islands in the northern sea, which can provide full overlap from a polar projection. We hope to have it online within another month.”

Xavier nodded distractedly, his mind weary from months of such details. “I am glad to hear that, though I doubt a second transmitting complex is entirely necessary.”

“We want to feel safe, Tercero.”

When the two men stood under silvery parabolic towers that throbbed into the sky over Giedi City, Xavier paced around the plascrete embankments that blocked access to large vehicles. He had no doubt a cymek warrior could easily crash through.

“Eminence, I suggest you station more ground troops and obstacles here. Increase your planetside missile-defense batteries to protect against any intrusion from space. On Salusa, the cymek strategy was to focus their entire attack on the destruction of the towers, and they might try that again.” He rapped his knuckles against the tower’s heavy paristeel support pillar. “These shields are your first and last line of defense, your most effective blockade against thinking machines. Do not neglect them.”

“Indeed. Our munitions factories are building heavy artillery and armored ground vehicles. As soon as possible, we intend to surround this complex with a large concentration of military power.”

As for the uncompleted secondary generating station, it was too isolated to be protected from a massive assault. But its existence seemed to comfort the Magnus and his populace.

“Very good,” Xavier said, then glanced at the chronometer on his wrist. Everything was going so well, perhaps his survey ships could depart before sunset. . . .

The Magnus continued, his voice uncertain, “Tercero, are you concerned about Giedi Prime’s limited space military defenses? Our Home Guard has few large ships in orbit to drive back an approaching machine fleet, and our picket ships and scouts are minimal. I admit to feeling vulnerable in that area. What if Omnius attacks us directly from orbit?”

“You have ground-based missile defenses in place, and they have always proved reliable.” Impatient, Xavier looked up into the clear sky. “I believe your best hope is to protect your shield complex here on the ground. No quantity of Armada battleships can match the deterrent power of scrambler shields. When the robot fleet attacking Salusa realized they could not take down the scramblers, they retreated.”

“But what if they blockade Giedi Prime from orbit?”

“Your world is self-sufficient enough to wait out any siege until the arrival of a League rescue force.” Anxious to be back at the spaceport, Xavier decided to appease the governor. “Nevertheless, I will recommend that a javelin-class destroyer or two be stationed around Giedi Prime.”

THAT EVENING, THE Magnus threw a departure banquet for the Armada service performed on his behalf. “Someday,” he said, “we may all thank you for our lives.”

Xavier excused himself midway through the meal. The food and wine seemed to lack taste. “My apologies, Eminence, but my squadron must not miss the optimal departure window.” He bowed at the doorway, then hurried to his vessel. Some of his troops would have liked to remain longer, but most were also eager to get home. They had their own sweethearts and families, and these soldiers had more than earned furloughs.

With his inspection tour behind him, Xavier left lovely Giedi Prime, confident that he had seen and done everything necessary.

And completely unaware of the vulnerabilities he had not bothered to discover. . . .