Principal Scientist Farg was staring vacantly at his work consul when Yanda entered.

 

“Excuse me, Principal. It is time for us to leave.”

 

Farg snapped out of his reverie and fixed Yanda with a troubled look.

 

“I should never have allowed the military to talk me into executing an orbital perturbation on a planet with two moons.”

 

“Yes, Principal,” said the young assistant.

“Let this be a lesson to you, Yanda. Never allow your scientific judgment to be compromised by military bluster.”

 

“Yes, Principal. Thank you for imparting your wisdom. Er, your transportation to the award ceremony awaits.”

 

“What? Oh, that. I’m not going. Tell them I’m unwell or something.”

 

“But Principal, you are to be honored by the Supreme Leader herself.”

 

“For what? A failed mission?”

 

Yanda was used to dealing with her mentor’s mood swings, but this one seemed more acute than usual. He had been poring over his planetary models for days.

 

“But your latest success is being extolled across the empire, Principal.”

 

“The fools wouldn’t know successful science if it bit them in the back shank,” scoffed Farg.

 

Yanda was on the edge of desperation.

 

“But your strategy to detonate our antimatter missiles above a moon and disrupt its orbit, thereby triggering climate change on the parent planet, is pure genius!”

 

“Genius!” snapped the venerated scientist. “May I remind you, young acolyte, that instead of tipping the target planet into a climate conducive to occupation, the moon’s changed orbit tipped the world into an ice age?”

 

“With all due respect, Principal, your climate change strategy wiped out the planet’s inhabitants as planned. It enabled us to take ownership of a rich new source of raw materials without launching a single attack. And in time, the planet’s ice age will recede, allowing us to occupy the world.”

 

Farg grunted. “That is not the outcome envisaged – immediate occupation was the objective. But unfortunately, we failed to achieve that objective because a planetary system with two moons is too complex for our mathematical models. I told those military lunkheads that, but they would not listen. So tell them to shove their bauble,” said Farg, returning to his work console.

 

“Surely expecting perfection from such a complex mission is unreasonable?”

 

The scientist swiveled and glared at his assistant. “That attitude is why I have not authorized your graduation yet, Yanda.”

 

“Yes, Principal.”

 

Farg eyed his deflated assistant and felt a pang of guilt. “Look, why don’t you accept this award on my behalf? How’s that?”

 

“Thank you, Principal; that would be an honor beyond my wildest dreams.”

 

“Good. Then it is settled.”

 

“But there is another reason why you might reconsider.”

 

The scientist sighed impatiently. “Yes?”

“My contact in the High Command told me that another occupation target has been selected. The Supreme Leader herself will brief you. It is a small-sized planet with a single moon.”

 

“So, the idiots have come to their senses. Are you sure?”

 

“Yes, Principal,” said Yanda, omitting to tell Farg that her informant was an intelligence officer who had agreed to become her mate. “I have taken the liberty of uploading data on the target for you.”

 

Farg let out a chesty laugh. “Have you now!” he declared and activated his work console. A holographic image of a world sheathed in clouds orbited by a single small moon came into view. The scientist clucked appreciatively.

 

“Very well,” said Farg. “Let us go and accept this award from the Supreme Leader. What is it, by the way?”

 

“The Breakthrough Star, Principal. A highly prestigious prize.”

 

“Oh, that thing. I believe it serves as a good landing place for head adornments.”

 

“Indeed, Principal,” said Yanda, barely able to suppress a giggle.

 

“Well, let’s get a move on. Perhaps we can discuss your graduation on the way.”

 

“That would be an honor, Principal,” beamed Yanda.

 

* * *

 

The Asian Lunar Resource Extraction Security System detected the alien objects first. Then, microseconds later, security systems at other locations on the lunar surface operated by the European Union, the North American Lunar Agency, the Sino-Russian Alliance, and the United African Compact identified the nine objects streaking toward the Moon.

 

On Earth, the initial assumption that a shower of meteors was about to collide with the Moon was quickly dismissed. The mysterious objects were perfect spheres and made of unknown materials. The leaders and experts in Earth’s command centers were at a loss.

 

Their alarm turned to panic when the spheres dispersed and took up stationary positions in a geometric pattern two miles above the lunar surface. Then, seconds later, they detonated, causing shock waves to reverberate through the Moon.

 

The command centers watched helplessly as the Moon’s orbit shifted and Earth’s climate began to change with catastrophic consequences for its inhabitants.