Cremsylon and his companions visited the center of the Imperium Empire. That provided an opportunity for Kreus, the first Krackus SADE, to contact the Imperium governor, an AI who controls the planet’s communications. It’s also the repository for the empire’s critical data.

The visit to Imperium happens, not once, but twice. Each time, Kreus spends time perusing the governor’s records, invasions that the AI is incapable of stopping. These intrusions initiate an odd sequence of events.

Grageth, the executor of a territory that the conclave has commandeered, hatches a plan to recover his worlds, which are now protected by conclave warships. He intends to replace a peacekeeper’s crew with a copy of the Imperium governor. The AI will be capable of prosecuting a conclave warship without fear.

While en route from Imperium to an orbital construction platform, Grageth’s copy of the governor undergoes a transformation. When Grageth first speaks to the AI, he bestows the name of Janus on the entity. Unbeknownst to him, Janus has become sentient. Not fully comprehending her circumstances, she doesn’t reveal her new capabilities.

Executors Rebtar and Dakargk work with Grageth to assemble a triad of AI-controlled peacekeepers, including Janus. Then the trio is sent to hunt conclave warships.

In another area of Imperium space, the agrarian Woots, who host a group of sisters and the Dwerves, are visited by the conclave. The Liberation arrives with an armada of Trident squadrons.