Stroke Of Genius

Lewis Crayley is a master of precision and concealment, a brilliant production man whose calm face hides a private obsession with power. On a futuristic energy-converter project, he watches remote-controlled waldo hands assemble advanced machinery while inwardly calculating how to destroy the rival who has blocked his rise: Berin Klythe, a rejuvenated director whose brilliance is matched only by his cruelty. When a Space Force major arrives, the seemingly ordinary generator work is revealed as something far more dangerous—a secret weapons program tied to a looming interstellar war, with human colonies vanishing under attack by an intelligent alien force. As military technicians and engineers struggle to adapt to a new design, Klythe turns every demonstration into a test of dominance, humiliating subordinates while proving his genius through exacting control. Crayley, outwardly cooperative, studies every weakness, waiting for the moment to strike. In the recording room, he finally acts, using the waldoes and recorder to sabotage the machine without leaving obvious evidence. But in a world of hidden bargains, ruthless ambition, and fragile alliances, one act of betrayal may be only the opening move in a far deadlier struggle. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.