"Do all of them get—that?" asked Jacob, nodding toward the lifeless world below.
"Yes. I was instructed to render this solar system lifeless before I malfunctioned. Since then, the life of this system has spread, with my insane aid, to infest other systems. Of course, my task must now include all those new Hovan worlds."
"Now wait a minute!" said Jacob in terror. "I can't let you do that!"
"They are your enemies, Jacob," reminded the Weapon. "They meant to kill every human on Terra. Also, by your own words, they are soulless animals who live in sinful adultery. Ha! It amuses me to reason with you, Slave Jacob!"
"Godamighty, forgive me!" prayed Jacob, in horrified defeat.
he Weapon seemed to know how to find the Hovan planets from the markings of the cruiser's star charts. Jacob could not read the charts and saw no hope of getting back to earth and Suzy and the kids without the Weapon's help. Dully, he went about the tasks the Weapon ordered him to do.
Several weeks passed as one world after another was left a smoking ruin.
Finally the job was done.