Scorpius ( audio story ) Publisher ' s summary . " The human race is about to become extinct . " Mankind is fighting a long and costly war with its android creations in the Orion System . The deadlock must be broken at all costs . The President of Earth must think the unthinkable . . . " There is nothing to fear . . . " Plot . After receiving a phone call in the early morning , containing only the word “ Scorpius ” , Paul Hunt leaves his girlfriend Samantha Thorn , not expecting to see her again . Something has been found off the coast off the Isle of White , something that can aid the escalating conflict in Orion … After winning a victory over the Androids in Orion after years of defeats , Admiral Karen Brett is recalled to Earth to be promoted to Earth ’ s Commander - in - Chief . President Duncan Levinson is unhappy with the decision ( she tortured an android sympathiser to obtain the information ) , but she is popular and the promotion will boost morale . On route back to Earth , Brett receives a private message diverting them to an uninhabited planet , with her friend Captain Liam Barnaby providing discrete security . She is met by a holographic projection of Hunt , who strongly implies that President Levinson is unable or unwilling to do what is necessary to achieve victory , but perhaps she does and should Project Scorpius become more favourably viewed by a new administration , the war might be over much quicker . He disappears , leaving schematics of what appears to be a man in cybernetic battle armour . Upon returning to Earth , Brett is given a victory parade to the White House . Moments after Levinson informs her of his decision to appoint her Commander - in - Chief , a shuttle crashes into the grounds of the White House and armed figures in spacesuits storm the building . Overwhelming security , they break into the Oval Office and kill Levinson before informing Brett that she will now become the President of Earth . It then escapes by transmat . Following the assassination , the Senate invokes emergency powers and appoints Brett as Levinson ’ s replacement . She promotes Barnaby as her new Commander - in - Chief . However , the war is not going well , and Bretts Presidential popularity is also failing was the war worsens . Brett begins to consider what the mysterious Project Scorpius could offer , especially since the Androids are now targeting human civilians as well as soldiers . As they consider Scorpius , one of Levinson ’ s assassin ’ s transmats into the White House and heads for Brett ’ s living quarters . It reveals itself to Brett as one of the cybernetic warriors she saw in Hunts schematics . It gives Brett a holographic projector then transmits away . The war continues . Brett refuses to consider negotiating with the Androids and protests about the death toll of the war are increasing . One day , Barnaby delivers tragic news : the Androids launched an unprovoked assault on the undefended Vaslovian system , killing millions of civilians , including Brett ’ s parents . Brett is now single - minded in her desire to destroy the Androids forever . . . including turning to Project Scorpius . Unfortunately , all files relating to Scorpius have been deleted on Levinson ’ s orders . Brett uses the holographic projector to contact Hunt , who tells her to imagine what an army of cybernetic enhanced super - soldiers could do for the war effort . There is a transmat command in the projector ; all she has to do is activate it to see what Scorpius has to offer . After another Android attack on the civilian colony on Dracian VIII , Brett asks again about Scorpius . Barnaby has found very little , other than one communication to Levinson from Hunt . Although he had been all for the project , despite Levinson ’ s opposition since its inception , one day Hunt called to tell Levinson that Scorpius needed to be shut down and all mention of it deleted . Looking for answers , Brett activates the transmat and disappears .