▁supp lier ▁of ▁nuclear ▁weapon ry ▁in ▁the ▁galax y , ▁and ▁using ▁this ▁asset ▁the ▁M ule ▁begins ▁rapidly ▁conqu ering ▁surrounding ▁territ ories , ▁all ▁of ▁which ▁lack ▁nuclear ▁power , ▁swe eping ▁aside ▁the ▁rem n ants ▁of ▁the ▁Gal actic ▁Empire ▁centered ▁on ▁Ne ot rant or . ▁ ▁The ▁M ule ' s ▁con quest ▁is ▁amaz ingly ▁fast : ▁he ▁defe ats ▁the ▁Foundation ▁and ▁establish es ▁the ▁Union ▁of ▁World s ▁after ▁only ▁five ▁years . ▁Then , ▁just ▁as ▁suddenly , ▁and ▁seem ingly ▁randomly , ▁he ▁stops ▁his ▁advance ▁and ▁sett les ▁into ▁a ▁five - year ▁period ▁of ▁cons olid ation . ▁This ▁is ▁actually ▁because ▁the ▁M ule ▁fear s ▁the ▁myster ious ▁Second ▁Foundation , ▁which ▁is ▁rum oured ▁to ▁be ▁capable ▁of ▁defe ating ▁a ▁mental ic ▁individual ▁like ▁himself . ▁According ▁to ▁a ▁hint ▁given ▁by ▁H ari ▁S eld on , ▁the ▁Second ▁Foundation ▁was ▁founded ▁at ▁" the ▁opposite ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁galax y " ▁from ▁the ▁First ▁Foundation , ▁which ▁was ▁itself ▁founded ▁on ▁the ▁distant ▁gal actic ▁rim ▁planet ▁Term inus . ▁However , ▁the ▁true ▁location ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁Foundation ▁is ▁a ▁total ▁mystery ▁and ▁popular ▁sentiment ▁is ▁that ▁it ▁does ▁not ▁exist . ▁Nevertheless , ▁the ▁M ule ▁launch es ▁repeated ▁exped itions ▁in ▁search ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁Foundation ▁during ▁this ▁period ▁of ▁cons olid ation . ▁ ▁These ▁exped itions , ▁particularly ▁the ▁last , ▁led ▁by ▁Han ▁P rit cher ▁and