A friend asked me to answer this question: Who is an old friend of Doctor Hephaestus?, using the article: The farming world Akir is threatened by the tyrannical warlord Sador, who rules the sinister Malmori Empire and, his body parts deteriorating, is capturing and appropriating them from others. Sador's huge dreadnaught (nicknamed "Hammerhead") mounts a "Stellar Converter", a weapon that turns planets into small stars. He demands that the peaceful Akira submit to him when he returns in "seven risings of your red giant", or he'll turn his Stellar Converter on their planet. Zed, last of the famous Akira Corsairs, is old and nearly blind. He suggests they hire mercenaries to protect their world. Since Akir lacks valuable resources, its people can offer just food and shelter in payment. Unable to go in person, Zed offers his ship for the job if they can find a pilot. The ship is fast and well-armed, but, despite its AI navigation/tactical computer Nell, cannot defeat Sador alone. Shad, a young man who has piloted the ship and is well known to Nell, volunteers for the recruiting mission.
Seeking weapons, Shad goes to the space station of Doctor Hephaestus (perhaps named after the weaponsmith of the Olympians Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades), an old friend of Zed. The station is populated mostly by androids, except for two humans — Hephaestus, whose numerous life support-systems have turned him into a cyborg; and his beautiful daughter Nanelia, who looks after him and the androids. The doctor wants Shad to mate with his daughter, by force if necessary. Shad can't bring himself to abandon his people; he convinces Nanelia to help him escape. She follows in her own ship; although she has no weapons, her highly advanced computer systems might be useful. The two split up to look for more mercenaries., what would be the answer ?



Zed