After the Titans consolidated the dim, cloudy world of Bela Tegeuse as the cornerstone of their new cymek empire, they spent years reshaping the cities and the population into the format they desired. The trio of remaining Titans, along with Beowulf and several of the highest-ranked neos used the planet as a base from which they launched forays against Omnius update ships, finding weaknesses in other Synchronized Worlds, preparing for their ultimate expansion. Meanwhile, Bela Tegeuse remained secure and well defended against the evermind and against the hrethgir.

The arrival of another cymek ship surprised them. It dropped beneath the clouds and landed near their headquarters, an oval, gray structure with large doors and few windows.

Agamemnon and Juno, wearing stupendous walker forms designed to impress the already cowed populace, marched out to face the intruder, accompanied by a swarm of newly made Tegeusan neos.

The powerful machine walkers converged around the unidentified ship only moments after it set down on the flat, newly paved spaceport field. The vessel’s hull cracked open and an unusual, exotic machine form strutted forth. The cymek body glittered with diamond plates, and angular wings spread out like the plumage of a lacy condor. A galaxy of optic threads glittered atop a tall segmented neck.

As soon as Agamemnon observed the preening, extravagant shell that this cymek had fashioned for itself, he knew that Xerxes— for all his foolish flaws— had been correct in his suspicions. He recognized Hecate by the characteristic electrical discharges inside her brain canister.

He raised himself to tower over the flashy dragon form. “By the gods, look what crawled out of the dustbin of history. It has been a millennium since you dared show yourself, Hecate.”

Juno added snidely, “If only it could have been a bit longer.”

Hecate made a discordant laugh, a rasping noise from her dragon throat. “Old friends, is it the best use of your skill and longevity to nurse a grudge for ten centuries? I’ve changed, and I promise not to disappoint you.”

“You were nothing to start with, Hecate. How could we possibly be disappointed?” Juno sidled closer to her lover. “You stepped off the tread-mill of history long ago, and you cannot conceive of how much has changed since the Time of Titans.”

“Oh, but I did manage to avoid many ugly and unpleasant events,” Hecate said. “And I never had to serve in the thrall of Omnius. Can any of you say the same? Maybe the rest of you should have gone with me.”

Some of the Bela Tegeusan people milled around at a relatively safe distance, amazed by this confrontation of godlike machines, unable to understand the mental and historical grappling that was so far beyond their experience.

“We have secured our freedom now,” Agamemnon pointed out.

“That was thanks to my assistance. You would not be on Bela Tegeuse if I had not delivered my atomic ‘gift’ to the computer evermind, and if the human League had not been so slow and inept in responding to this opportunity.” She didn’t mention the deadly asteroid that she kept hidden away and her other, lesser known interventions over the years. Since her reemergence she had been keeping her hand in the war, secretly helping Iblis Ginjo in many small ways, but there was more to accomplish. To do this, she needed to let the other Titans know some of what she had done. She had a long-range vision, and the proposal she was about to make might change everything and finally resolve the struggle against Omnius.

Agamemnon was gruff. “What is it you want, Hecate? Why have you chosen to come back now? Do you believe we need your help?”

“Or do you simply miss our fascinating company?” Juno inquired with an abrasive snort. “Perhaps you grew lonely after so much time by yourself.”

Hecate straightened the posture of her magnificent dragon-walker, moved closer to them. “Maybe I decided it’s time for a change.” She sounded sweet and reasonable. “We can either stand by and watch the war, or we can step in and make a difference.”

Agamemnon growled. “I believe I made that very statement many times over the past thousand years, Hecate, but you wouldn’t know that, since you weren’t here to listen.”

“But now your alliances have shifted. You Titans and neo-cymeks have turned against the thinking machines, as have the humans. Why not form an alliance with the League of Nobles, dear Agamemnon? It could be to your advantage.”

“With hrethgir? Are you mad?”

“I don’t like where this is heading,” Juno said.

Hecate made a sound like a chuckle. “For once in your life, think like a real general. You and the humans share a common, entrenched enemy that is too powerful for either of you to defeat individually. But working together, cymeks and hrethgir just might obliterate all incarnations of the evermind.” Her dragonlike forelimbs twitched. “After that, feel free to destroy each other if it amuses you.”

A rude noise came from Juno, while Agamemnon refused the suggestion outright. “We don’t need you in our fight, Hecate… or the humans. What you’re asking would give legitimacy to my insolent son Vorian. Here on Bela Tegeuse I have plenty of loyal neo-cymeks, and the populace continues to volunteer all the candidates we require for new converts. You are out of touch, Hecate. Too much has happened since you left us.”

“I’m beginning to realize that,” Hecate said, simulating a sigh. “Since I’ve been gone, the great General Agamemnon has turned into a stubborn bore, and two of the remaining Titans still follow him blindly, without an original thought in their fossilized brains.” Swiveling her segmented head, she strode back toward her ship. “Without Tlaloc, you were never able to see the big picture.”

The cymek general amplified his voice to shout after her, “I have begun an empire of my own here that has no need of humans, except for the raw materials they contribute to new cymeks! I shall restore the Time of Titans. League humans have their own agenda— they would turn against me the moment Omnius was destroyed.”

“But only because you deserve it.” Hecate climbed back on board her carrier transport for the return to her artificial asteroid, which hovered in orbit high above Bela Tegeuse. Defiantly, she shouted, “I see I will have to fight in my own manner, regardless of whether my fellow Titans accept me. You fail to see the potential, Agamemnon, but I will not be swayed from my mission.”

She sealed her transport, and lifted off from the scarred surface of Bela Tegeuse.

Now Hecate would do something without them, to make everyone take notice.