E. Wayne Stucki

The Kthpok had slept for centuries as their scorched and battered ships traveled from star system to star system. Their human slaves had rebelled and exiled their masters. With what had happened in mind the Kthpok were very selective in the planet they would settle on. It couldn’t have any intelligent life. They’d learned that lesson with the humans. As the Kthpok entered a new star system they detected signs of a space-faring species. But before they could leave the system a fault was detected in the drive system of a colony ship. They couldn’t leave. With no other choice the Kthpok looked at the planet before them and made plans of conquest.