The atmosphere in the room was electric. Everyone was on edge, the Dark Lord sat back in the chair beside the empty fireplace. Everyone waited for Him to begin. Taking a deep breath, that Dark Lord surveyed the group. To Grada, it seemed that He was considering how much He should reveal.

“It was some hundreds of years before the Ti Lepus crisis that I began to perceive a threat. The threat seemed to come from a set of galaxies to what could be called the west of the empire. It was amorphous and faint and I wondered if it would dissipate as many have done before from different directions.” At that revelation, shock and surprise appeared on all the faces, including the Ladies.

“Yes, it has happened before,” smiled the Dark Lord, “But never as persistent as this one. So I decided I needed to investigate.”

“And you never told us?” Lady Dana sounded outraged. The rest of the Ladies looked equally upset. There was some incoherent mumbling.

“If I had, in the first instance you would have been worried for nothing and in the second, you would have wanted to come with me. I needed to be inconspicuous, to be invisible, to work undercover and I needed to be able to move quickly from one place to another.” He smiled, “It was rather enjoyable in some ways actually, working by oneself again.”

The Ladies looked even more outraged if possible at that last statement.

*********

Vis Vistricer exchanged a look with the Steward. They were both contemplating the same thought. If it came to a fight between the Ladies and the Dark Lord, how far and fast should they run? Others in the room were thinking the same thing.

*********

“Relax, it was necessary, there were matters beyond your ken, hidden, which even I had to delve into with the lightest feather touch least I reveal myself before I should. Even my trips back to deal with matters here had to be carried out in the most circumspect manner. My journeys back equally so.” He sighed, waved his hand in the air. “A companion would have helped, would have been a comfort, yes, but would have also been exposed to dangers that were unnecessary.”

After a pause, although the Ladies seemed unsatisfied and the blue eyed companion looked hurt, He continued.

“Then Ti Lepus exploded in a critical manner and would not go away. I put a lot of effort into stabilizing that planet but failed in part as you know.” He took a breath. “After that I took the unique opening it gave me.” He smiled. “I disappeared and started the exploration into the galaxies that intrigued me.”

“It took me longer than expected to carry out my investigation. I had to travel through numerous galaxies. Most were void of higher life forms or had primitive cultures but all showed the painful evidence of civilisations that had risen and fallen. All on their own and none had become capable of space flight except in the most limited sense. Some had destroyed themselves and their planets, while others had simply died without any evidence of any external cause. So, I was always drawn on, through these to another. With trips back, it took me almost five hundred years to sniff out the danger that I had sensed from afar. Then I finally arrived at the locus of the threat.”

*********

The First Councillor, the legion officers and the palace staff all listened spellbound. This was something that none of them had ever entertained. The Dark Lord was taking them on a trip to the deepest mysteries of the Empire. Somewhere, where, it was evident that even the Ladies of the circle had never been. Both the Head Steward and the First Councillor also noted that the Dark Lord said failed in part when talking about Ti Lepus and wondered what that meant.

*********

“What I found intrigued me,” the Dark Lord continued, “The people in this galaxy were old, though not as old as the Empire; and powerful, yet not as powerful as the Empire. Nor had it grown as extensive as the Empire. So what was the danger? And where did it come from.”

*********

All four of the Ladies were now showing rapt interest to go with their angst. But Grada noted that they still had that We will talk later look on their faces. I will have to caution the palace staff to walk softly for a few days, maybe more, he thought.

*********

“As I penetrated into the galaxy, travelling planet by planet, talking to the people, always hidden, sometimes open, but disguised under an alias of course, I sensed that another mind was aware.”

“How could this be?” Whispered Lady Luca. She seem to be about to say something else, but after a glance at the rest of those present, kept her silence. The visitors noted that some of the hurt had faded from the Ladies faces but they still appeared unhappy.

“That made me cautious yet more. So I withdraw to a planet that had been ignored by the rulers of that galaxy. It was a primitive world, barely out of the hunter gatherer stage. But I could fit in nicely, be taken care of by the local people who looked on me as a good hunter, but needing help locally. At the same time I could let certain senses slide undetected into the rulers minds. There I found my first real clue, they had been altered.”

There was an audible gasp.

“Indeed, and that raised a lot of questions. I really wished that I had one of you to talk to then.” He looked at the Ladies who appeared somewhat mollified, but not completely. “But at the same time I was glad, and after I had thought things through, realised that if I had taken some forceful action it may have turned out disastrous. The mind that could do this had to be powerful and there were many possibilities. I had to decide how to find out which one was actually behind the work.”

“As we worked somewhat openly in the empire, if the controlling mind was aware of us, that is The Circle and Myself, it would also be aware of my disappearance. Therefore, I had to create a second front, as it were.” The Ladies nodded at that. “I sensed that it was crucial to keep the directing intelligence unaware that I had sensed him, for I felt that it was male, and wanted to keeps things that way.” At this, that Ladies gasped and exchanged further glances. The rest of the group noted, and wondered.

“So I moved things up, made a few surprise appearances here and there. I know that you were puzzled by them, which was to the good. I also set up the tunnels that lead to Trilla. That was not difficult. The tunnels actually exist in other dimensions. All I had to do was add a few aspects pertaining to ours.” He smiled. “I knew that word would soon leak out and when I was ready, everything would be in place.” The smile faded, “But we both had to be ready. The entity who directed the far galaxy, the one we refer to as K113, I slowly, almost too slowly sensed had now become aware of us and had decided to invade.”

At that revelation there was another gasp. The Dark Lord glanced at the First Councillor and the two Legionaries. With a smile he noted that they were unsurprised.

The Dark Lord stood, surveyed the group and smiled. “Indeed, we face invasion.”

Grada had nodded slowly, equally unsurprised. At this, Lady Dana threw him a look of respect.

“Sire, have you determined who this ‘directing intelligence’ is?” The First Councillor asked.

“Indeed I have and I have taken precautions to protect the people of the empire.” The Dark Lord smiled. “You need not worry about any of the minds of the citizens herein.”

The First Councillor frowned but before he could ask another question, Vis Vistricer spoke.

“Sire, this entity, will he, or it, be directly involved in the invasion of the empire?”

The Dark Lord frowned. “Dealing with a mind of such power it is difficult to say. The entity has always worked secretly, through others, never directly as far as I could determine.” He smiled grimly. “But he could disguise himself and take an innocuous position to be close to the action, so as to speak.” The Dark Lord laughed as he sat back down. “He, I will use that pronoun for convenience, cannot take open power without causing serious dislocation in his kingdom. That is a weakness. Also, his minions have ruled with discipline and terror. That is also a weakness.”

“On the other hand, sire, if you were to appear with your forces, they would be encouraged.” Mont De Templer smiled, “That is a strength.” He added, “Especially if the Ladies appeared with you.”

The Ladies frowned and exchanged glances at the Dark Lords use of the pronoun ‘he’. Garda noted as well that they had also changed their posture. They were sitting up, alert, listening carefully, paying even closer attention to what was being said.

“I am concerned however, my Lord over the possibility of attack by this entity in person, whoever ‘he’ may be. If he approaches your powers, I am at a loss as to how we should handle that.” The Admiral continued, a genuinely worried look on his face which was reflected in Vis Vistricers.

“The Zylions will help.” Sent further shocks through the room.

“How can they help?” The Star Commander was in shock. “Sire, they have fought beside us, and valiantly. Their personal loyalty to you is beyond question, but their fleet is only twenty seven ships and they are in the second galactic group, also they are forbidden to leave their own galaxy. All others are forbidden to go there except to trade at the rim transfer station.”

At this the Dark Lord coughed and looked somewhat embarrassed. “On one of my trips back, I made a side visit to the Prime Nest. It wasn’t an easy trip, some had forgotten me. I had to kill several of their warriors before they accepted that I was the real Eater, as they call me. But all is now well. They have, at my request increased their fleet by seventy ships, all of their scout class. It is not as capable as our light cruisers, but that is not what they are there for. They are acutely sensitive to psychic touches, indeed I have to be careful to not send them into shock. If they detect anything they will advise me and I will respond.”

The two officers exchanged glances. How this would happen they had no idea, this was all completely new to them and they were unsure how to respond.

Vis Vistricer took a breath. “Sire, we will leave this in your capable hands. But how do we get the Zylions to where they need to be.”

The reply came readily. “Send an intergalactic transport ship to the rim transfer station. They will be ready waiting in two weeks.”

*********

The Head Steward and the First Councillor exchanged glances. Once again they were surprised by the lengths that the Dark Lord was capable of. The many threads that he held. It was also obvious that the Ladies were just as taken aback. Lady Dana was now sitting back in her chair, arms crossed and an expression on her face that Grada recognised from his own wife. Lady Andrea and the others looked no happier. The thought ran through Grada’s head that, for the next few days, the Dark Lord might find the Prime Nest of the Zylions a more congenial place to be then the palace.

*********

“I realise that this is a surprise to most of you. But I have had time to prepare. Secondly, we have time as well. The first ships from K113 will not reach us before the New Year. Further, the first ships will most likely be scout ships, however, they may not. In any case, the heaviest ships that they could send are close to size of our battleships. They have nothing that resembles our armoured planetoids.”

“But I haven’t been in K113 for more than a hundred years and much may have changed in that time.” The Dark Lord warned. “Do not take my old knowledge for granted. I will give you all the information I have, but much could have changed. He has sensed us and may have sensed how powerful we are.” He held out a Rislian Data cube which Mont De Templer accepted.

“Now I have talked over long. Is there any pertinent questions you need answered?”

The First Councillor stirred. “I can see the military needs more clearly now sire, but they are not my direct concern. I am particularly concerned with the civilian population in the third and fourth clusters, the ones most directly under threat. I would like to take whatever precautions necessary to protect them. Also I want to preposition vessels that are equipped for rescue and medical assistance,”

“Of course First Councillor. That is one reason why I ordered detailed surveys of the affected galaxies. You now have craft in each galaxy that you can put to good use.”

“And information that the Legion can put to use regarding systems and their motions as well as other pertinent information, sire.” Les Doman Resta bowed his head to the Dark Lord in acknowledgement.

“Information has many uses.” The Dark Lord nodded his head.

“Yes, many.” Came in a cutting tone from Lady Dana. The glare, seconded by the other three Ladies sent a frisson of ice down the backs of the bystanders. The Dark Lord seemed unfazed.

“Do not be angry with me. There is much more that I must do and from now on, all of you will be standing by me. What I did up to now has had to be done in the shadows. But soon it will all be in the light.” He looked over the Ladies and all the others in the room. “I will be relying on you all.” He ran his eyes over the others again. “If you have any questions, I will hear them and give you what answer I can.”

The petite Lady companion stood and stepped forward, arms crossed, stopping inside a metre and locking stares with the Dark Lord. The other Ladies watched, their faces still showing their angst.

“Answer me one question now. Is it Phil?”

The question hung in the air like an unexploded bomb as the Dark Lord faced the Lady.

He nodded. “Yes.”

The two continued to stare at each other. None moved, not even the other Ladies. The others watching wondered who Phil was.

“Will you now take my advice, and deal with him properly this time?”

A slow smile transformed the Dark Lords forgettable face. “Oh yes.”