Free Noble V: Greylancer by Hideyuki Kikuchi Page A

threatened to engulf the mother planet, the OSB devoted five thousand years to the
     construction of a massive space fleet. Resting their fates in the stars, they set
     out for another realm. Tens of thousands of years later, their wandering journey ended
     with the capture of a lone space probe.
    After thoroughly researching its mechanism, the OSB decided to set course for the
     star system that produced this probe. Their intent was not peaceful coexistence but
     invasion and conquest. Domination. Uncharted was just another word for wild. Civilizing the wild in their own image—such was the mission their god had appointed
     them. They were forgiven any means to carry it out.
    However, this would take another millennium. Although the OSB had developed a form
     of lightspeed technology, they discovered a habitable planet en route to the probe’s
     birthplace and settled there.
    They required no longer than a hundred years to make this planet their new home. The
     OSB slaughtered every extant species, and a strange civilization—one that began as
     amorphous creatures and later took the form of cyborgs—was born.
    The OSB seemed fated to solitude. Scientists concluded that, despite enjoying a period
     of great prosperity, their civilization would become more isolated and eventually
     perish. The neighboring star systems were devoid of intelligent life. There were no
     species left to conquer.
    Plagued by pangs of existentialism, the OSBs redirected their attention to the now-legendary
     probe and the distant stars.
    Thus, with a hundred billion stars reflecting in the bodies of their aircraft, they
     embarked on a millennium-long journey of conquest.
    By the time they entered Earth’s solar system, however, the Nobility were already
     aware of their existence. Anticipating an invasion from outer space, the Nobility
     had spread an elaborate surveillance network of satellites and planetoid bases throughout
     the star system.
    The first skirmish broke out somewhere near Pluto.
    Though the Nobility’s fleet was crushed by the awesome firepower of the OSB, the existence
     of the Nobility struck fear in the invaders.
    Why? Blown into space, the Noble warriors neither froze nor suffocated, but vanished
     into the void. After entering Pluto’s orbit, five hundred or so Nobles had drifted
     around the planet until being rescued.
    The second battle unfolded in Saturn’s orbit, but despite an eventual retreat, the
     Nobility had dealt a great blow to the OSB.
    Made to reckon with an uncommon foe, the OSB deployed an advance detachment to Earth.
    By possessing the humans they encountered, the OSB obtained intelligence on their
     vampire enemies. They were astounded to learn of the Noble gift of immortality.
    Meanwhile, the vampires captured an unfortunate OSB that had stolen the identity of
     a Noble.
    Predicting an even fight in a battle of brute force, the OSB built a permanent base
     on the far side of the moon in anticipation of a war of attrition. Because they subsisted
     by altering their form to absorb any nearby energy sources, they required nothing
     more than solar energy while in their lunar bivouac.
    Thus began the war between the OSB and Nobility that would span three thousand years.
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    The moon base was wrapped in silence. No audible alarm was necessary to alert an army
     of robots, nor was there air to carry any sound to a Noble’s ears.
    Robots on combat vehicles sped down the corridors, and fighters swooped down from
     above.
    Gravitational field spheres flew about in every direction. The enemy intended to neutralize
     Greylancer’s antigravitational field before unleashing an attack.
    “I’m going in. Anyone who is able, after me!” Greylancer shouted. He moved to switch
     off the chariot’s field.
    “Commander, you mustn’t do anything rash!” a voice said from the image of the console
     floating next to his ear. The two-dimensional grid contained all of the ship’s controls
     within easy reach. “You