Imperium 0 - Mech Zero, The Dominant

Out along the rim of the galaxy hangs a loose configuration of some sixty stars known as the Faustian Chain. This whorl of sparkling suns is rich in planets and occupies an irregular volume of space some twenty lightyears in diameter. From an external viewpoint, the Chain presents a colorful display of plasma-streams, luminous nebulae and sparkling pinpoints of light.

The human colonists who settled the Chain were aware the region had recently been populated by other species--beings that had all but vanished after waging devastating wars thousands of years in the past. Little was known of them, but certain areas in which their artifacts still persisted were proscribed by interstellar law....

MECH ZERO is a novella (about 60 pages long) by bestselling author B. V. Larson. Set at the beginning of the Imperium Series, this story is a prequel to the outbreak of war. The series involves early human colonies in a region of space previously occupied by a vicious alien species.