Exilian

Acheron Prime Star Sector.

The battle with the League Crown Fleet "Avessalom" is in full swing.

Camera 1-2 footage.

The bridge of the dreadnought "Sol Invictus" is crowded. Admiral Cadmus Florin, who has already won at least 50 victories over the neo-fascists of the Acheron League, sits in the command chair. Officers scurry around. The first mate, a representative of the non-human race N-Sai named Dalotl, gives the admiral's orders.

Florin is worried. He knows that the armada "Silabirdin" is utterly defeated. The Khazaar fleet of Zindropa helped in this. Everyone knows that the Khazaars abandoned the League, raising an armed mutiny. They were much luckier than the Ho-Nari, whose worlds were bombed. However, Cadmus understands that the worst thing is to rejoice too soon.
The battle is not over yet. The entire Acheron sector is literally torn apart by energy flashes. Hundreds of ships have met each other in a terrifying fight.

Cadmus (to the bridge):
- Shields at 45. Prepare the gun deck for the release of "Ravagers"! I want these blockheads turned to dust! Five of them will be enough to annihilate them!

Executive (towards the admiral):
- Yes, sir! Commander's orders! Prepare five warheads for launch!

A hololithic window appears in front of Cadmus's chair. The clear and very worried face of Captain Owen the Scorcher appears. He commands the battleship "Salvation Army". Owen is clean-shaven, dressed in the same blue uniform with shoulder straps as the admiral.

Owen:
- Sir! The Absalom is almost destroyed. But the Unn-chorr have activated their weapons from Acheron Prime. The probes have detected energy spikes from the surface! Intelligence data did not tell us that the enemy had such power!

Cadmus (furiously):
- Damn them! The portugaling scouts didn't report anything? I was told that the subversive drones had already destroyed their air defenses! Holy armadillo... This bug just won't give up! But never mind... Olmec will die today!

Owen (loudly):
- What should we do, sir? We weren't warned about their howitzers!

After that, the captain's image disappears. The first mate immediately runs up to the admiral. His gray skin was covered with bluish spots. For N-sai, this meant serious concern.

Dalotl:
- Sir! The Unn-chor are preparing to fire on the fleet! They'll reach the forward detachment in a few minutes! I recommend that you immediately strike the capital with the Ravagers!

Cadmus (twitching):
- But the Absalom hasn't been destroyed yet! And that's a war crime! Do you even realize what we'll get ourselves into if we hit the planet with warheads? The League isn't just populated by portugaling fascists! Many don't support their regime!

Dalotl (nods):
- I understand, sir. But what about the howitzers? Owen and his crew will die immediately! And the rest of them! There are almost 20 ships in the line of fire! We weren't warned about this outcome! Intelligence has screwed up again!

Cadmus realizes that Olmec won't give up so easily. The League's High Priest, who leads this brutal formation, uses everything in order to prevent the Coalition from winning. For him, the very word "democracy" is hostile.

Owen's face appears again in front of the admiral's chair. Alarms are clearly audible. It's obvious that one of the enemy ships has hit the Salvation Army after all.

Owen (beside himself):
- They're targeting half the fleet, sir! Absalom is pressing hard! We've got a hit in Compartment 6! Three dead! Dozens injured!

Cadmus (with the same emotion):
- Damn you! We're coming to the rescue! I repeat! We're coming to the rescue! Code Scarlet!

Owen (shuddering):
- You said Code Scarlet?

Cadmus (at the top of his voice):
- Yes, Code Scarlet, portugal it! Take your ship to a safe distance!

Owen:
- But that's a violation of directive!

Cadmus (yelling loudly):
- I command the fleet! I'm a portugaling admiral of the 1st rank! So obey!

Dalotl quickly runs up to the admiral. He intends to find out if his order is still valid. Destroying the fortifications with nuclear weapons threatens to contaminate the entire planet. One of the Coalition's directives states that it is unacceptable to endanger civilians during a planetary siege. It is known that not everyone on Acheron Prime supports the League.

Dalotl (towards the admiral):
- Sir! Should I order the entire vanguard to withdraw?

Cadmus (through clenched teeth):
- Let them retreat!

Then the admiral turns his gaze to the rest of the crew. There are many of them. There are not only humans here, but also representatives of other races of the galaxy. And they all look at their commander. They look with incomprehension. They were clearly not prepared for this.
Everything that happened clearly did not correspond to the information from the briefing.

Cadmus (loudly):
- Artillery deck! Prepare the "Ravagers" for combat! 24 warheads! The intelligence was incorrect! The enemy is using anti-aircraft defense. If we do not strike now, they will strike us!

Dalotl (towards the crew):
- Order the vanguard to retreat from the line of fire! Redeploy to subsector 2! Execute immediately!

They still can't get over what they heard. It is a clear violation of the directive.
One of the communications officers looks at the admiral in bewilderment. His eyes are blazing with indignation.

Officer:
- But sir, did our intelligence tell us that Olmec had such powerful anti-aircraft defenses?

Kadm:
- Until we find this "Phantom-13", we will always have surprises! Follow my orders!

The admiral had no secrets from the crew. Everyone knew about the presence of the "Phantom". This was the very spy who, as the Artandir Security Council believed, was directly responsible for unleashing this terrible war. It was believed that it was he, thanks to his extensive connections, who created the League, and then turned the galaxy into a battlefield.
Intelligence claimed that "Phantom" occupied the highest post in the Galactic Coalition. But who exactly it was, no one knew. All the years spent searching for the "mole" were unsuccessful.

Cadmus (again):
- Aim the guns at Acheron Prime! One-minute readiness!

Dalotl (towards the commander):
- Our ships are beginning to redeploy! The Unn-Chorr guns have not yet fired!

Cadmus (nods):
- If a man does not strike first... He will be struck first.

---

Acheron Prime, Unn-Chorris Ultra, Main City.

Camera Recording 4-5

Anaxotl (to Olmec):
- Honored One! We don't know what's going on, but our enemies are retreating! That's strange! Strange, considering they've turned so many of our ships into scrap!

The four-armed Unn-Chor officer, like the rest of his kind, is now in the Defense Command Post. Officers and soldiers of all sorts are scurrying around. Many of them are alien races. But mostly Unn-Chor.

The oval screens display the incoming data. As it turns out, the vanguard fleet that arrived to eliminate the planet's defense fleet has begun to retreat. At the same time, Admiral Florin's flagship remained in its position.
Moreover, the Elfurran Empire Admiral Ahmanet User-Kaf successfully took all the surrounding worlds of the system. The Coalition's retreat was not real. Cadmus is clearly preparing something. But Anaxotl is too naive to admit the truth.

Olmek stands to the right of his kinsman. He is dressed in scarlet armor. There is confusion and chaos in his eyes. He knows that the Coalition does not intend to leave. Almost all the worlds of the system have been taken, except for Acheron Prime.

The anti-aircraft guns managed to fire at the ships above. The most powerful salvos hit only two corvettes and destroyed one monitor. The remaining Coalition ships safely teleported.

Olmek (to Anaxotl):
- Don't be a fool! They are not retreating! They are preparing something new!

At this moment, one of the Arangutto officers rises from his chair in horror. He hurries towards Olmec. Judging by his appearance, the news is not good at all.

Officer:
- Your Honor! ...mm.... They are preparing the "Ravagers"! They will attack our city right now!

Olmec (turns pale):
- What?.... Will the shields hold?

Anaxotl realizes how wrong he was. He understands that in this case, the League headquarters will not be able to withstand. Part of the government managed to evacuate. But Olmec and his advisers still remain in the Crown World.
During all this time, the League has already lost dozens of star systems. The Hecatoncheiran worlds rebelled and expelled its representatives. So the days of this once mighty organization were truly coming to an end.

Anaxotl (beside himself with horror):
- Only 4 strikes.

Olmec (hanging his head sadly):
- Yeah... Now we can't cook anything up.... For so many years we've been feeding our kinsmen lies about how strong we are..... And now.... I'm simply speechless.... The Phantom has betrayed us.

This is the first time Anaxotl has heard this from his master. Usually, Olmec preferred to tell the whole world how strong the League's army was, and how shamefully its enemies were fleeing. Only recently, only the League's troops were fleeing. Propaganda nonsense had become laughable even for the ardent supporters of the regime, not to mention those who doubted the superiority of the government.

Anaxotl:
- Are you sure that the Phantom has betrayed us, master?

Olmec (furious):
- What? Isn't that betrayal? He and Marfur-Nirari promised us victory in the war! And not only are we losing all our worlds, but this planet is about to be bombed! They betrayed us!

Anaxotl and the others are horrified by the commander's words. For the first time, he allowed himself to insult the one he had called "god" for so long.

Olmec (with eyes burning with anger):
- Shields at maximum! We will not surrender! Tell everyone! Everyone right now! The enemy will not pass!

Anaxotl (towards the officers and fighters at the checkpoint):
- Did you hear the order? We are not leaving! Shields at 100! We will hold off this attack!

But the officer from the Aranguto race no longer believes the words of the commanders. He has just received information about exactly how many warheads were launched at the planet. The warrior knew that the "Ravagers" were handed over to the Coalition long before the war. Not only could these missiles reach their target in a matter of moments, but they could easily dodge missile defenses. Elfurran secret technology, like the Jerutael.
Sure, a few warheads could be shot down before they arrived. But not 24. That number was too high. Acheron Prime was doomed, as was the Main City.

Officer (staring at Olmec in horror):
- Honored one! The shields won't hold 24 warheads! That's not...

Anaxotl quickly draws his laspistol and burns the arangutto's head with a bright beam. The officer falls dead. His charred body moves for a while, then goes silent.

Olmec (furious):
- Shields at 100!

Anaxotl (to Olmec, but in a whisper):
- But he's right.... We won't be able to repel 24 warheads....

Olmec (with sorrow, and in the same tone):
- We have no other choice. The League is finished, my friend. We shouldn't have started all this.... Only now do I understand how stupid it was to listen to these aliens..... Marfur-Nirari won't save us. For him, we are just tools. And now... he doesn't need them anymore. We... are no longer needed.

In a few minutes, the Main City turns into a fireball. The defense systems were able to repel only 3 warheads. The rest hit the target directly. Bright flashes began to appear all over the planet in an instant. Then they turned into red mushroom clouds.
Olmec died in the first minutes along with the entire command. And the propaganda screens continued and continued their broadcast. Even a minute before they disappeared in blinding flashes, they told of the great power contained in the League government and of its mighty warriors who knew neither fear nor fatigue.

------

Two weeks later.

"Good morning, Artandir!"

Artandir-Prime, television center of Rafael Quinto, head of the Union of Journalists of the Republic.

Rafael Quinto appears on the screen. His face is lit up with a smile. His gait is dancing, his mood is light and joyful. He is dressed in a bright purple jacket and dark trousers.

A probe-assistant flies next to him, chirping, carrying a couple of glasses of water on its saucer-shaped "head".

Sam Valarti, the red-haired sister of the famous admiral Katarina Valarti, is already waiting for him in the studio. Her face has the same emotions as her boss. She is dressed no less elegantly - a pink blouse with embroidered hearts and a dark skirt. On her feet are high-heeled shoes. Sam sits on a luxurious sofa, waiting for Raphael to sit down next to her.

Quinto, without thinking twice, plops down on the sofa. The joy on his face doesn't fade.

Quinto (towards the cameras):
- Good morning, Artandir!

Sam (smiles):
- I hope everyone's up already?

Quinto (grins):
- I don't know, I don't know. But after we kicked the League's ass, I think we can sleep. If I didn't have to get here by 7 today, I'd be lying around on my own bed right now! God... How I want to go back there...

Sam (laughs):
- You can do without it!

Quinto (enthusiastically, towards the cameras):
- You see?! Not a moment's peace!

Sam:
- Do you know who our guests are today?

Quinto (with a grin):
- Probably some brutal machos from the flotilla again!

Sam (with the same emotion, shaking his head):
- No! We have three celebrities as our guests today! Three real heroes! Everyone knows that we have had different guys as our guests! And even President Cedric himself! But today is an important day for us.

Quinto (with feigned amazement):
- Wait... Wait.... Really.... Really, Admiral Florin himself as our guest? Cadmus Florin himself, thunder strike me?!

Sam (friendly claps Raphael on the shoulder):
- Right! And not only him!

Quinto:
- Meet! In our program! Heroes of our Galaxy! Glorious brave men who brought us victory! Victory over the armadillotiest regime in the history of the universe!

Sam:
- It is thanks to these brave warriors that our Galaxy is now free! Free from the misunderstanding called the Acheron League!
---

After a while, the camera shows three people sitting in the studio, who have long served the Galactic Coalition faithfully and truly.

In the center is the dark-skinned Admiral of the 1st rank Cadmus Florin. Until recently, he was just an admiral, and now he threatens to displace the legendary Alexio, one of the most outstanding naval commanders of Artandir, from the "pedestal".
And despite all the regalia, Florin decided to dress modestly. He put on a simple gray jacket with a tie and dark trousers. Although, at the same time, he did not forget about the medal awarded to him for the capture of Acheron Prime. Cadmus pinned it on his left breast pocket.

Next to Cadmus is Captain General Asinius Fernand. Former President of Artandir, and now Secretary General of the Security Council. A stern, mannish girl with a short white haircut, a cybermonocle in her right eye and two cyberimplants sticking out of her forehead. She is wearing the blue uniform of the General Secretary of Security of Artandir and scarlet trousers.
A little further away from Florin, on the right, sits none other than James Nolan from the Earth Alliance. A dark-skinned middle-aged man, dressed in a bluish-colored service jacket. He came with all his medals. Nolan is the only one smiling among this company. Apparently, Asinius and Florin are not too happy to visit such a popular program in the republic.

On the screen, Sam Valarti playfully sits down next to Asinius Fernand. The mannish girl remains calm.

Sam (towards Fernand):
- Tell me, Eisi... That's what they call you, isn't it?

Asinius (in a stern and low voice):
- I don't like the word "ma'am". My subordinates call me Fernand or Eisi. I've always been indifferent to regalia and all sorts of addresses. So yes, for you I'm just Eisi.

Sam (nods and gets to the heart of the matter):
- Tell me, Eisi, what do you think about the upcoming elections for the General Secretary of the Coalition? You three are obvious candidates. True, there are still several august persons who refused to come to us.

Asinius:
- I don't think anything. To hell with these regalia! If I'm appointed, then so be it! But to make predictions? No, that's not my thing... As it will be, so be it. True, I don't think at all that I will be appointed General Secretary of the Coalition. Rather, our Cadmus!

Everyone has long known about Asinius' passion for swearing in public places. Many journalists are sometimes horrified by her expressions. But considering her enormous contribution to the victory over the League, we have to turn a blind eye to it.

Cadmus (hearing Fernand's boast):
- Eysi, I don't think I deserve this fate. But if they choose me, I won't disgrace the honor of the Coalition. However..... I don't think they'll choose me anyway. As for me, you deserve this position.

James Nolan sits silently and smiles. He is amused by the dialogue of his neighbors on the couch. You can tell from just one look that James would not mind leading the Coalition himself. And all his supposed modesty is nothing more than a feigned phenomenon.

Raphael appears on the screen. The robot assistant places a stool for him, on which the host sits down.

Quinto (towards the guests):
- As for me, you are all good! Thanks to you, the galaxy is free from the horrors of the League! Just a year ago, the filthy bastard Olmec threatened all states with bloodshed! Remember how he mobilized entire families to send them to the front? Not everyone wanted to fight for the tyrant and his minions! And now, it's all over! Thanks to you, the League has ceased to exist.

Cadmus (shaking his head):
- That's not all, Mister Quinto. The League still has some systems under its control. Admiral Tertis is busy driving these bastards out of there. And you know... We're surrendering entire regiments, not to mention battalions! No one wants to fight for these sybarites!

Sam (towards the guests):
- When do you think exactly we'll be able to admit complete victory over the League?

Asinius (with the same stern look):
- When the last of the creatures controlling this pack of terrorists will know the fury of the Coalition. Well, something like that... Those who were captured and who commanded the fascist hordes, we will publicly judge. But our tribunals, you know... don't work fast. It's been two weeks since.... the victory on Acheron Prime, and they're still making some lists about Trotskevich, who was finished off on Tevkris Prime. Although everything is already clear. All the League commanders responsible for the crimes will be punished. And it won't be life sentences... No, some of them will go to the scaffold.

Quinto:
- So we'll wait until these scoundrels are judged in front of the entire Galaxy!

Cadmus (nods):
- And that will be soon. Asinius is a little pessimistic. But I think we'll catch all the bad guys soon. They'll all face a tribunal. May each one get what they deserve!

Nolan (for the first time, he decides to speak):
- I agree with Admiral Florin! On behalf of Earth, I assure you that all the criminals will be caught. Long live the Coalition!

Everyone present repeats Nolan's words.
However, Sam notices that Asinius still looks too sad. She is hiding something, but clearly does not intend to discuss it in public.

Sam (towards Cadmus):
- Admiral, tell me, the public is interested in one small question. We all expected to see the Unn-Chorr ayllus Olmec R-Llandris in chains. It was he, as is known, who started this whole mess with the creation of the League. He was the first to recognize the Coalition as hostile, initiated the withdrawal of the Unn-Chorr government from it, and then subjugated not only his country, but also some other races. For example, the St-Fings willingly swore allegiance to the League. Fortunately, now their state is defeated, and our allies from Rummaldyn are celebrating their victory! But still... Why hasn't Olmec fallen into the hands of justice? I heard he was killed during the siege of Acheron Prime.

Valarti notices Asinius's growing gloomier. Cadmus winces at the question. The Admiral quickly tries to pull himself together and rush to find an answer.

Cadmus (not looking at the journalists):
- Not all criminals make it to court... Hm... That's a known fact. Unfortunately, Olmec fell during the siege. We shelled his palace to knock out his defenses, and then sent in landing parties. But they found only ashes. Besides... Olmec had no intention of surrendering. It was his choice.

Sam (nodding understandingly):
- I see. But it's still a shame... By the way, some journalists claim that you used the "Ravagers" during the attack on the enemy fortress. Tell me...

Asinius (sharply):
- All this is nonsense! There were no "Ravagers". Or do you not believe Admiral Florin? In that case, why invite him here....

Sam (shudders in surprise, but then comes to his senses):
- Forgive me, Eisi. I did not think that this would somehow affect you. These are just rumors... Circulating among the press.

Cadmus (towards Valarti):
- Well, let them continue to circulate. I will tell you, as a responsible and honest admiral of the 1st rank of the Artandir Republic, may it be famous for all time... No one used any "Ravagers". And the fact that Olmec decided to die is his choice. In any case, we will organize a posthumous tribunal for him. Everyone will soon know about his crimes. He has already entered history as one of the most terrible rulers in the galaxy! A disgrace for all time! What else do you need?

---

- Darned nukes.... darned genocide.... What have we come to...
Half an hour had passed since the interview. Asinius was still in the television center. She was standing on the balcony of one of the tiers and nervously smoking. A majestic city stretched out before her. The oldest of the republic's capitals. The local skyscrapers were so high that they reached the stratosphere. And almost everywhere tiny dots were scurrying - flying cars, taxi drones and other mechanical "products".
Fernand did not forget to look around in order to hide her bad habit in time. After all, if Kat saw her with a cigarette in her teeth, she would definitely be in trouble.
- To hell with it all... - Asinius rasped.
Without thinking twice, she took a small flask of liqueur out of her small bag. It was half full. Kat was worried about her health and nerves. But now Fernand simply could not overcome herself. She barely carried the flask into the center, disguising it as a bottle of water with the help of a special device. Many in intelligence were capable of this. She had been taught this in her early years, when she served on Zabergan.
There were no cameras on the balcony, and Fernand could calmly allow herself to take a sip of "hot". But here, a rather familiar voice was heard behind her.
- Eisi!
Asinius turned around. And so she remained standing with a flask and a cigarette in her teeth.
Caitlin was in front of her. She came to support Fernand during the interview. As a press secretary for the Ministry of Defense, the girl knew very well what exactly happened on Acheron. And she also knew how painful it was for Eisi when she lied to the entire galaxy. "There were no "Ravagers" there. Kat had an idea of ��what Cadmus had done.
If they found out about it now in "Good Morning", the people would quickly demand a tribunal for all participants in the operation. The only exception would be those like Owen the Scorcher, who were against the bombardment of an entire world. During the siege, the Artandir fleet destroyed at least 500 million enemies. Among them were 300 million civilians.
Yes, they were all unn-chor. About 90% supported the League and its tyranny. But not all of them deserved to die. Cadmus believed that he simply cleansed Acheron from "filth". But at what cost? And Asinius had to answer for everything. She made a deal with Admiral Ahmanet from the Elfurr Empire.
Now experts from Elfurr worked on Acheron Prime and cleaned the atmosphere. These pointy-eared creatures had special means to rid worlds of radiation. However, it will not be possible to remove the craters urgently. And the surviving Unn-Chorr will be prisoners of Elfurr. No one will allow them to leave the planet. No one should blab. And if someone dares, then Ahmanet swore to sort it out.
Asinius was tormented by her conscience. She did not know how to deal with this.
- Eisi! - Kat's voice was heard again.
Caitlin quickly took the flask from Fernand. A little more, and she would have broken it. But Kat was not like that. A moment later, the flask was already lying in the nearest trash can, standing not far from the exit to the balcony.
- I asked you!
- Of course ... - Asinius said nervously, and spat out the burning cigarette on the floor, - I asked. But how tired I am of talking this crap! Every day I tell them that we're portugaling heroes! And by the way, we almost brought an entire race to the brink of extinction! portugal all of this!
Kaitlin had long suspected that Fernand couldn't cope. Even this morning, when she got out of bed, she left for work without even drinking coffee. And this had been going on for too long. Since the moment Cadmus bombed Acheron.
- What should I do? - Fernand screamed in a trembling voice, looking at Kat, - If I've been lying for so long! And these portugaling journalists...
- Just calm down... - her friend said quietly.
She kissed Eisie tenderly on the forehead, and then on the lips.
- I know how hard it is for you.
Kat took Asinius' hand and pressed it to her chest. It helped Fernand recover from the horrors she had experienced, and worked much better than any motherwort.
- Yes... - Eisi said more calmly, - 24 nukes. 24 warheads. And how are we better than the League then? How?
- Did I disturb you? - a voice suddenly came from behind the two friends.

The voice was familiar to both Caitlin and Fernand herself. Asinius almost grimaced in displeasure. Of all people, she certainly didn't expect to see Admiral Cadmus here. She assumed that he had already left or was talking to someone from the press, telling them another story about a resounding victory over the League.
Kat and Asinius immediately pulled away from each other. They didn't really like showing their relationship in front of the admiral. The dark-skinned naval commander walked slowly onto the balcony. There was so much sadness in his eyes that it seemed like it was about to spill out. Cadmus was worried too, and everyone knew it. But as he had said two weeks ago, there was simply no way out. If they hadn't struck with the Ravagers, a good half of the fleet would have died. And all because of that crooked intelligence.
- I thought you were already flying to Tingladel... - Asinius said without pleasure, trying not to look the admiral in the face, - And you, I see, are still here.
- I have news here.... About Phantom.
Eisi and Kat shuddered. They knew what that name meant. Phantom-13... This mysterious alien, who had caused a monstrous massacre in the galaxy, was never caught. And while he is alive, the war is not over yet. The truth about the Phantom was known only in the highest military departments, as well as in the leadership of the psi-adepts.
- Have you learned anything? - Eisi asked with interest.
- Yes, our Kosatian friend Ser'Kiraani went to cooperate... - answered Cadmus, - She was recently transferred from the Elfurr prison to Suflet. It's in the Tol-Tissengol system. And there is already our man there... Vespasian Salieri, the former president of Artandir, the same as you. He interrogated her. Ser'Kiraani, you see, repented...
- What is it?

Cadmus thoughtfully looked at Asinius and her beloved. Only after a short pause did he dare to continue.
- It seems we have found out the weak spot of this Phantom. Salieri tried his best.
- And can we find him? - asked Fernand, puzzled.
But Cadmus shook his head at this.
- Not yet... But a weak spot is something. I decided to lead the operation to catch the Phantom. We'll discuss all this at the briefing tomorrow. And not here.

----
Salieri spent two days interrogating the Cossatii. As it turned out, she truly repented. In the end, she even asked the Draconian embassy for help. Vespasian only had to make one call, and diplomats were already on their way to her. After the fall of the League, the Cossati announced their withdrawal from the union, which was more unfriendly to them. The Council of Elders moved closer to the Draconian Empire, which already meant a new round of relations. Vespasian got everything he needed. But these words left by Ser'Kiraani alarmed the former president. "The Phantom only wants revenge," he could still hear her hissing voice in his head, "The Phantom submitted to the enemy in order to take revenge. He lost someone... A long time ago. And he can't come to his senses. He longs to get her back... I don't know who it was - his wife, or his lover, or maybe his sister. But that's the reason for his anger. The Elfurrs took away the most precious thing from him." The old sly Salieri never liked accusations against the Elfurrs. After leaving the post of president of Artandir, he chose the "Elfurr lot." Since then, he lived on Taladusia with his wife, who looked no more than 20, but in fact, she had long since exchanged her eighth decade. However, Vespasian knew that the Elfurrs were not such "good fairies" as they were presented in the galaxy. Salieri also knew about the recent events on Acheron. After all, it was his betrothed, together with Ahmanet User-kaf, who ordered the "cleaning up" of the radiation. The giant craters on the planet were to be built up with buildings.
"Phantom-13" was completely sure that it was Elfurr who were responsible for the death of his wife, or whoever she seemed to him to be. He believed that the woman had revealed the "pointy-eared" secrets, and they were not too pleased, and so they threw a demolition drone into her starship. This led to a monstrous explosion. Not only she died, but also all the servants flying with her. Of course, everything was written off as an accident. Ser'Kiraani told Salieri that the Phantom had spoken to her about this. Only even the Cossatian did not know who was hiding behind the guise of this creature. He always wore a mask and a cloak, and no one could recognize his identity. Ser'Kiraani had psi-potential, but so did the Phantom, and so he closed himself off from everyone as best he could. Even the greatest of psionics would not have revealed it if he had decided to meet him in person.
Vespasian was now heading towards Ser'Naveh. The draconian had long served Artandir faithfully and truly, and it was he who had been one of the initiators of a serious investigation into the Ser'Kiraani case. The upright lizard was already waiting for Salieri on a small platform, which offered a truly grandiose view of the Soufflet Base skyscrapers. The oxygen generator was working at full capacity, and the holo-systems were successfully generating a beautiful evening sky. Soufflet did not have its own atmosphere; it had to be created artificially immediately after colonization.

- The Phantom wants revenge, - Salieri told Ser'Naveh, having barely found him on the platform, - That's his weakness. He's been planning this for a long time. About fifteen years ago. He tried to set the Draconids and Elfurr at odds. Then he staged mass terrorist attacks in different parts of the galaxy. All of this eventually led to the creation of the League. He did business with both pirate cartels and the Poachers' Guild. This guy is a real "Napoleon" of the criminal world, if you can call it that.
The Draconid snorted at this. In addition, he noticed that Salieri was an obvious fan of the works of the ancient Earth writer Arthur Conan Doyle. That's why the old man expressed himself accordingly.
- And he's hiding somewhere... Somewhere among us, - Ser'Naveh creaked thoughtfully, - We tried to find him. Fernand tried... But he always slipped away. I remember Khorshed, where he fooled us. Then Tevkris-Prim, where Owen and Totkhemris' team noticed him. Trotskevich... That bastard fought to the last. Unfortunately, he didn't know who this Phantom was either. He's a ghost... A shadow.
- And yet he's with us, - Vespasian nodded, - He penetrated the Coalition network so deeply that he became an integral part of it. Frankly, I suspected that it was Rakachinka, the Farrukh military leader. And by the way, he also had a wife... Who died during Ara-Nia's attack. Elfurr couldn't save everyone back then... But Rakachinka was taken out three weeks ago. And the guy was something. He was aiming to become the General Secretary of the Coalition. Only he's gone. And the Phantom is still at large. I suspect that we see him every day. We just don't know who he really is.
Ser'Naveh remained silent to this. He had already brought this up during his conversations with Fernand. The Draconid felt that the Phantom was always too close. So close that he could very well be his best friend or ally.
- Admiral Cadmus is going to lead the operation to catch the bastard, - Salieri continued his speech, - I have already informed him of Ser'Kiraani's repentance. And what she said. We have a lead. We need to look for those who lost someone. Those who have a story. A sad story.
- Do you think Florin can handle it? - Ser'Naveh suddenly exclaimed.
Salieri did not doubt the loyalty of the most prominent of all the Coalition commanders. In addition, he felt that it was Cadmus who would soon take the post of Secretary General. The powers of the current leadership had come to an end, and the elections were just around the corner. - I believe in Cadmus, - Vespasian answered honestly, - He won at least 50 victories in the war with the League. And before that... Pirate cartels, Ara-Nii, Khazaar renegades, mercenary gangs... Cadmus is not just a naval commander, not just a warrior and a man of his word. He is a legend. He has almost never suffered defeats in his life. And he will cope with this too. I believe in him.
- Well, we will believe in it, - the dragonid nodded, - Good. If Florin said that he would find him, then he will find him. Only the question is - when? Time passes. And the situation does not change. We defeated the League, but as long as the Phantom is alive, our galaxy will be in danger.
- There is no word "when" here, - the old man's voice was heard, - He will find him. Definitely.

-

"He's already here... You don't understand Owen....."
A familiar face appeared before Captain Burner. It was too big. It was definitely a dream. Such faces couldn't exist in reality. And for some reason Owen knew the one who was talking to him.
"You can't fly to Minegard... The trap will destroy you... He planned it all."
Owen's eyes widened. The first thing he saw was the ceiling. A ceiling with dimly lit light shades. He had forgotten to turn off the light when he fell asleep. Apparently, he was too tired after this whole investigation saga.
Suddenly, the captain remembered who he had seen in his dream. It was Him. Cha-Arun or whatever his name was... Ephraim-Arhun-Bey. They had encountered this alien on Griffin when the League had intended to destroy this world. They used an alien from ancient times to fight the Coalition. But Cha-Arun was not so simple. There was already remorse inside him.
But why exactly did he appear in Owen's dream now? As far as the Scorcher knew, the alien had been destroyed. He should have been in the world of the dead a long time ago. Or could one also contact the living from there? Cha-Arun was not a simple alien. He had almost unlimited psi-potential... However, just like Owen.
A moment later, the Scorcher's transmitter beeped. He used it to contact the top management. The numbers that the device included were not available to a mere mortal. And if the transmitter lit up, it meant that someone had dialed it. Dialed from somewhere outside... Someone tried to contact Owen.
The Scorcher quickly picked up the device. For a moment, it seemed to him that some inscriptions appeared on the screen. And very unnatural and delirious ones at that. "Don't fly to Minegard."
- Minegard? - Owen asked himself, - We weren't going there at all!
The inscriptions disappeared. The captain saw in front of him the usual desktop of the device given to him by the command. He preferred to set something related to nature as a screensaver, since he often spent time in space. Looking through the list of incoming calls, he realized that no one had called him. But for some reason the device started working... On its own.
A few seconds later, the call finally rang. It was Akhmanet. The clock said it was too early. Forty minutes before wake-up. But for some reason, Akhmanet decided to call him back. And obviously not just to chat. How could an admiral chat with a captain in the middle of lights out.
Owen answered the call without delay.
- I'm listening.... Akhmanet? Why are you so early? I was still asleep!
They had been talking like friends for a long time. There was no "Madam Admiral" or "Ma'am". Ahmanet, like her sister Totkhemris, did not like such formalities when it came to their closest associates.
- Owen, I beg your pardon, - the elfhurrka's voice was heard, - Urgent news. Admiral Cadmus is taking control of the flotilla. He has already formed it. It is called "Galaxy-Invictus". From tomorrow, you will be transferred to his command.
Owen shook his head. What a shame... Cadmus Florin will be in charge of his ship, especially after Acheron Prime. Hundreds of millions of Unn-chorr died there. After that, the Scorcher distanced himself from the admiral. But the captain did not like the concealment of information even more. The same League acted in a similar way. All information about the crimes was carefully concealed. But the admiral, like no one else, violated the directive. Violated and concealed. - And yes, he is going to come to you tomorrow... More precisely, today. Admiral Florin may lead not only the largest fleet of the Coalition, but also the organization itself. Many in the Council are inclined to believe that he should become the secretary... Sorry... Secretary General.
- And why him? - Owen suddenly asked himself, - As for me, it would be better if Fernand or you.
Ahmanet knew that the Scorcher was not very well disposed towards Cadmus.
- This is our common decision. The decision of the Coalition command. So your ship is at the disposal of Cadmus.
- I am not too happy about this... - the Scorcher honestly admitted, - He is a war criminal, not a hero. He destroyed so many Unn-Chor. It is clear that they were completely zombified by the League's propaganda. But why use the "Ravagers"? Why kill so many people? He brought an entire race to the brink of extinction!
- Yes, but that's already been decided, - the admiral answered coldly, - I just warned you in advance. Forgive me... I'm in Vintil now. I hope you've received the information. Now we have to go.
After that, the connection was cut off. Owen really wanted to smash the transmitter, or throw it into outer space.
- Cadmus Florin... Hero of the Galaxy... Legend of the fleet... - a rasp escaped from the captain's lips, - The crew will be "delighted"... Darn it...

Ishken Derkh had recently been appointed chief of contacts with alien races. He had heard that Captain Owen was going to turn his ship into a research vessel. The war with the League was over. And life had to go on somehow. Ishken really liked this idea.
Explore the galaxy in search of various intelligent races. Without a doubt, there were a great many of them in the Milky Way. But there were other areas, unexplored and mysterious. Ishken dreamed of doing exactly this - contacts with other civilizations. Owen accepted his idea, and therefore gave him this title on the ship. He was no longer an agent for searching for psi-threats.
Only Derkh did not yet know that Florin had taken over the fleet, and this meant some changes.
Now the agent was heading to the ship's mess hall. On the way, he noticed Gold, a dark-skinned big guy who was taking two days off. They said he went to see his cousin on Vintil-Ultima. Looking at Gold, Ishken was amazed at how heavy the bags were under his eyes. And his face looked a bit puffy.
Gold, dressed in the blue uniform of the head of security, stood in front of a small TV screen built into the wall of the deck. There, from the monitor, the world-famous Raphael Quinto was telling about various news, which he rightly called "the top of the Galaxy." Either Doctor Hassan from the Nargon Republic had added another company to his concern, or "Libra Nicomedica" had ended a dispute about further business strategy. Quite recently, Quinto had even talked to prominent representatives of the flotilla, such as Florin, Fernand, and that earthling Nolan.
- Hello, Gold! How are you? Here already? - Ishken asked with a grin.
The dark-skinned man turned around. He tried to smile, but he did it in a strange and stupid way. Apparently, he had been relaxing a lot these past few days.
- Oh, and you're here... - Gold replied to this, - Yes, hi. Sorry, I don't look so great.
- Rested? Hmm... I see that you rested.
- Yeah, - his comrade chuckled, - My cousin Jerry married his boyfriend. A couple of days ago on Vintil. In short, we had a blast. How could I miss that... I've never drunk so much. It's just... It's just brutal. Vodka, martini, portugaling Vintil liqueur... No,... I can't do this anymore.
Ishken laughed heartily at Gold. Only deep down, he wondered how this big guy would now come to his senses and fulfill his duties. Judging by his appearance, the alcohol hadn't worn off yet. Well, at least it had worn off halfway.
- Tell Cap I'm okay, okay? - Gold said quickly, then turned back to the screen.
- Okay, I'm going to the canteen, - Ishken answered, - I'll tell him that. You're okay... Relative.
- Hey-hey, - a playful voice rang out, - Just don't even think about it. Don't even think about it.
A few minutes later, Ishken Derkh was already entering the canteen. It was full of people and representatives of different races. There were also androids there, who were always making those nasty chirping sounds.
The agent looked for Viktor Kartavin there, but did not find him. Apparently, Viktor was just getting dressed. He had become too slow lately. He often said that there was no point in "slogging" since the League was defeated and the fleet was in relative stagnation. What was the rush then?
However, Ishken knew that until the Phantom was found, there could be no talk of any stagnation. And inside he felt that all his dreams of exploring the outer reaches of space would remain dreams for now. Phantom 13 was a global threat to the entire galaxy. As long as he was alive, peace would not last long. Surely, this "mole" had something else in mind. Derkh noticed that the broadcast monitor in the dining room was working at full capacity. From there, Raphael Quinto's voice was heard every now and then. Then it quickly changed to a female one, belonging to Sam Valarti, a relative of the famous admiral. It seemed that no one on this ship could spend the morning without Quinto and his program.

Soon the captain came to the dining room. This was unusual, considering that Owen preferred to dine with his closest comrades - First Mate Balderan from Etteria, Totkhemris User-Kaf from the Elfurr Empire, Castellan Snofru from Neferirikara and the psi-adept Kerret from Nicomedia. Today he decided to look into the general dining room. Moreover, he came not only with the above-mentioned persons, but also with Ser'Naveh, who was responsible for countering espionage on the ship. Such company quickly attracted the attention of everyone present.
Everyone immediately stood up, saluting Owen. The captain only nodded his head and continued his march to a free table. Almost free. A table at which Ishken had already sat down. Only a minute later Viktor Kartavin ran into the room, but he had to sit at a distance, since he could not cope with the time. Owen and his comrades sat down next to Ishken. Derkh had not dined next to the captain for a long time, and he was very impressed by his behavior.
- I have something to talk about... - the Scorcher said quietly, addressing everyone who sat at his table, including Ishken, - Just forgive me, I'll switch to Elfurr. I don't want the others to know... At least for now.
Owen had to tell about the night conversation with Ahmanet. Yes, there is neither night nor day in space, but the Scorcher preferred to call it a "night conversation". The senior officers had to know about it from the very beginning. And only then - the rest of the crew. The news was not very good. Cadmus Florin, who was reviled by everyone on the "Salvation Army", intended to lead the fleet. Owen also told about the possible election of the admiral to the post of General Secretary.
Everyone remembered that day on Acheron Prime very well. The day when Cadmus used the "Ravagers" and destroyed almost the entire Main City, which belonged to the Unn-Chor. It was the end of the war. The end of the monstrous massacre unleashed by the Phantom. But the admiral himself did not act like the hero that most of the galaxy considered him to be.
The companions sat at the table for about thirty minutes and spoke only in Elfurr, and in the dialect spoken in the Nefrusabek system. This language was not understood by the rest of the crew, many of whom were generally Nicomedians, and knew only Artandir and Nicomedian.
- What kind of admiral is he... - Sneferu grimaced with displeasure, having heard the captain's speech, - He is a condom, not an admiral. Yes, I hate the Unn-Chor bastards, but why was it necessary to kill so many people? Almost half a billion were simply burned off the planet...
- Please refrain from swearing, - Owen interrupted the short-legged alien, - But overall... Yes... I agree with you. What Florin did defies common sense. The Coalition doesn't do that. But they managed not only to divert him from suspicion, but also turned him into a hero of the galaxy. Now his face is on every screen.
As if by the will of Owen's thoughts, the monitor hanging in the dining room above the crew members suddenly showed the face of Cadmus Florin. As it turned out, this was Quinto's trick again. The restless host continued to broadcast his image almost every episode. Once again, enthusiastic words were heard about heroism and selflessness, about the resounding victory over the League and other things.
- I don't know what to say, - Ishken said honestly, having listened to Owen from beginning to end, - Florin certainly acted like a bastard. But at the same time, he didn't lose a single fight. 50 victories is nothing.
- It's not about victories, but about the price, - the voice of the first mate Balderan was heard.
This stern-looking long-haired Etterian was already finishing his cornflakes. Then he was ready to take on a small muffin, and after that - wash it down with strong coffee.
- You're right, - Owen agreed with the first mate, - Acheron's price is too high. We kicked the League's ass. But now we have to deal with military secrets. If anyone wants to blab that so many Unn-chorr died, it will lead to problems. Asinius even talked about bringing such truth-tellers to justice for treason.
And then Ishken couldn't stand it anymore. He didn't like these words very much.
- What treason? Are we the League? - the agent exclaimed discontentedly, - I hope Fernand is joking.
- I don't know, - the captain said to this, - I don't know anything anymore. But the fact is the fact. Florin will fly to us today. In the evening we are having a festive dinner in my cabin. Everyone at this table is invited.
Ishken noticed that Totkhemris had been silent all this time. But her beautiful eyes were, at the same time, incredibly sad. Totkhemris had condemned Cadmus from the very beginning, and when Ahmanet User-kaf started talking about military secrets, she didn't want to listen to her. In the end, of course, she had to submit. But the exaltation of Cadmus? No, that's clearly not what she wanted to see.
- If Cadmus leads us... - Totkhemris finally decided to break the silence, - So be it. But I won't show him the respect he expects.
"Then I'll have to be the one to do the politeness," Owen said with a sigh. "Okay... I guess that's how it should be. But know this... Cadmus is the worst thing that's happened to the fleet."

--

---

Eyes.... Her eyes were so beautiful that he was literally drowning in them.

He looked at her again. At her photograph from long forgotten times. She was too beautiful.
Tears flowed freely from his eyes. Once upon a time, he felt happy. Felt a flame flaring up in his soul. Like Light illuminating his path. Her unquenchable Light. But Elfurr... Elfurr took her away. Took away everything he loved. Everything he fought for. What he fought for. What he lived for.
- Where are you.... Yuriko..... - he moaned quietly, bending over the photograph.
There were dark candles lit all around on the table. When he prayed to him... The one he asked to return her. The one who promised to grant him great magic. The one who promised to make him happy. Again, like then.
"Phantom-13" continued to sit at the table and look at Yuriko's gentle face.
- Forgive me... I'm doing this for you, - he said, burying his face in the photo, wet with his own tears, - I have to do this. Forgive me, I've done your terrible things. But it's only for you. For you to come back. I can't live without you...
Phantom kissed her face tenderly. He sobbed from the great pain that pierced his heart. Pain so monstrous that it didn't even let him breathe.
- Forgive me... - he repeated again, turning to Yuriko, - I have to do this. Mainguard is the key to everything. The key to salvation. He promised that he would return you to me. He will return you if I do this. I have to...
- Kill them all... - suddenly a terrible grinding sound was heard behind Phantom.
The candle flames, which had somehow illuminated this gloomy room, instantly went out. There was no more warmth. The Phantom felt the cold. He appeared as if from nowhere. His entire body was immediately covered in goose bumps. His pulse quickened sharply.
The Phantom knew that He was already close. He was behind him now... And listening to him. Hearing his every thought.
- Stop... Don't turn around, - now this voice resembled a baby's.
The greatest of all terrorists in the galaxy remained in place. He followed the order of his master and did not even move. He knew that he should not hinder Him even in this. His every order was law.
- Now the time has come, my friend, - the voice became similar to a woman's, as if its owner really was a young maiden, - You must complete the task. A responsible one. If you want to bring Yuriko back. Yuriko - she is truly beautiful, don't you think? Do you want to see her face again? Her true face!
Tears once again gushed from Phantom's eyes. He remembered how he and Yuriko went to that wonderful clearing in Artandir Park. Fernand was still president then, but her term was coming to an end. He remembered how he and Yuriko discussed what would happen when Asinius left her post. It seemed like an ordinary dialogue. An ordinary innocent conversation. But for him, that was happiness. All he wanted now was to return there again to that beautiful park, full of grass and trees.
- I'll do everything... Monsignor... - Phantom whispered quietly when the heavy memories left him.
- You're good... - the playful young girl's voice was heard again, - Very good, I know. You've never let me down. I understand that you felt sorry for Olmec. You know, I feel a little sorry for him too... He was good too. But not like you. He did his job. His story is over. And yours is not.
The Phantom knew what a risk he would have to take now. To lure an entire fleet is a difficult task. But it would be even more difficult not to reveal himself and maintain control. More than anything in the world, he wanted Elfurr dead. He longed to see them die, to see them suffer such torments that they could not even dream of. But deep down, the Phantom did not want to kill his comrades from Artandir. Especially Fernand.
And yet, he knew that it was better to leave the attachment to old friends. Otherwise, the one he served would be angry and punish him. And then the Phantom would know a fate worse than Olmec.
- Only you must remember, - the singing was heard behind him, - Must remember. Must remember. And what must you remember? Tell me, knight! What must you remember? And what must you forget?
- I must kill them all .... I must remember, - the Phantom groaned barely audibly.
The mysterious entity behind him laughed loudly. But the cold in the room continued to grow. The Phantom could already feel his feet starting to tremble, not to mention the rest of his body. The air temperature was dropping.
- What should I forget?
- Forget about weakness, - the Phantom answered more firmly.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that the porthole in the wall was already covered with frost. Almost everything in this room threatened to turn into ice. A little more, and he himself would turn into something cold and hard.
- But know, if you fail, I will make you... I will make you...
The Phantom was ready to collapse from impotence. When he communicated with Him, his energy usually waned. And it took hours to restore it. It was lucky that he knew how not to show how bad he was. Otherwise, how could he have infiltrated the very top of the Coalition and remained unnoticed? - I'll make you... - the young maiden's voice quickly turned into a guttural growl, - SCREAM!!!!

---

-

- Hello, sir! It is a great honor to see you on board!
Owen forced himself to smile with great difficulty. He prayed to all the Gods that Cadmus would not notice his disgust.
- It is indeed a great honor, - Ser'Naveh smiled slyly, and then added, - Sir!
Admiral Florin's welcome went as it should. When his shuttle landed in the Salvation Army hangar, almost the entire ship came out to greet the crowned personage. Everyone on the ship, without exception, saluted Cadmus. Some here truly believed in the miraculous power of the naval commander. They believed that it was he who brought victory over the League. And it is now he who will rightfully inherit the entire Coalition.
When Cadmus, all dressed up in a blue uniform with shiny epaulettes, came down the gangway, the local robot servants even laid out a scarlet carpet for him. Owen had taken care of everything so as not to show his true attitude to what was happening.
- Flattered, very flattered.
- On the contrary, it is we who are flattered, sir, - Ishken Derkh said slyly, - Your efforts in the fight against the enemies... are legendary.
- I would armadillo on this carpet for him... but it's a pity, I can't, - a quiet voice of Sneferu standing nearby was heard.
The Neferirikar said this in Old Elfurr, which Ishken knew. Totkhemris was not far from the dwarf and smiled slightly. She admitted with surprise that she would like to do the same.
- Believe me, I have the same thoughts, - User-Kaf said even more quietly.
Next came the most interesting part for the admiral... and the most boring and unpleasant for most of the crew. Owen showed Cadmus all the ship's decks. The day before, of course, they had been cleaned and scrubbed, so some of the robots were recharging. Walking along the decks, the admiral felt an unprecedented admiration. And Owen continued to play along with him.
And almost never did without flattery. The Scorcher did not know whether Cadmus guessed about everything or not. But even if he guessed, then apparently he tried not to show it. Two hours passed before the naval commander's walk around the ship was over. He even managed to talk to the technical personnel sent to the ship "Hasan Industries". The Nargonians not only shook his hand, but also asked to take pictures. Of course, it was not against the regulations, but the admiral agreed to make a couple of pictures.
Ishken and his comrades continued to follow Owen and the admiral. They quietly talked among themselves. Victor Kartavin tried to listen to their conversations more than once, but for some reason he always thought he heard Elfurran curses.

"Yes, sir," Owen constantly answered Cadmus, trying to stay in character, "Yes, sir. This ship is what we need. It was a little battered on Acheron, until that day on Tevcris Prime. But as you can see, it is afloat. As long as I am captain here, the Salvation Army will fight for the glory of the Galaxy.
"I heard that you want to do research in Deep Space?" Cadmus suddenly allowed himself to ask.
Ishken heard these words, because more than anything in the world he wanted this dream to come true. Only, as before, deep inside he understood that complete peace and quiet was still far away.
- Yes, we have such ideas, but everything depends on you, Admiral, - Owen answered, - As you know, the end of the war is still a long way off. The fragments of the League still remain, although they will soon be finished off.
- It is too early to rejoice in victory, - Florin said to this, - But we will find one bastard... You know who I am talking about. And then all the troubles will end.

A little later, something began that Owen would have liked to avoid most of all. A festive dinner... Fortunately, not all crew members took part in it, but only the senior officers, including Ishken Derkh, an expert on contacts with aliens.
This whole misunderstanding took place in the captain's personal cabin. The robots laid a truly royal table. No one had seen so many dishes for a long time. But the arrival of the legendary admiral is certainly an event. Such things usually do not go without celebrations.
Cadmus enjoyed trying all the dishes. And then he wanted to let loose something like that. Multiple toasts were born in his head. The adjutants and personal guards sitting next to Florin tried not to drink alcohol, because they had to be vigilant and sensible. The situation could change at any second. That was their job. That is why their faces reflected bitter annoyance. But the admiral, on the contrary, ate and drank, and did not even hesitate to pour all sorts of "potions" into himself.
At one fine moment, the naval commander rose from his chair with the sixth glass, filled to the very top with Vintilian wine. All those present followed the example of their guest.
- Gentlemen! I want to drink to all of you! And to the Coalition, of course! - his thunderous voice was heard, - Who, if not you... Brought us many victories! Everyone says that I am the legend. That I am a hero... But there is no heroism in me, damn it...
Sneferu barely restrained himself from nodding. Because after that massacre, arranged in the capital of the League, Cadmus, in his opinion, could not be considered a hero. Everyone else remained unperturbed.
- I am not a hero, - the admiral continued his speech, - I am an ordinary person. The same as you....
Then he looked at Ser'Naveh, as well as Totkhemris and the Nicomedians present in the hall.
- Hm.... Well, not all representatives of the human race are here, but you understand me. I am not a hero. You are the heroes. You have done so much for the Coalition that we all... Our entire Security Council... The Generals... The Admiral's Council... And all-all-all of these portugaling authorities should be grateful to you! And I want to tell you again very loudly! Thank you very much!
- Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir! - the voices of the rest of the crowd rang out.
After that, the admiral tipped the entire glass into his mouth, and in a couple of moments there was nothing left of what he had drunk.
Gold, who was sitting nearby, tried not to drink too much. After all, not long ago at his cousin's wedding he had poured so much into himself that he still could not recover.
- He drinks worse than Jerry, - Gold whispered quietly, turning to Ishken.
He heard his comrade and smiled.
- Yeah, and he's too talkative.
- Do you think he thinks he's cool?
Gold himself didn't notice how this question arose in his head. But imagine his surprise when he discovered that he asked Derkh about it.
- I don't know... If he drinks so much..., - Ishken answered, hiding his smile, - Maybe he still doubts? Doubts what he's doing.....
- Quieter there... - Snofru muttered discontentedly, already quite tipsy.
He really wanted this whole "great celebration" to end as quickly as possible.

--
Asinius Fernand was finishing work and was about to go home. Caitlin had finished earlier, and Eisie knew about it. And now, more than ever, she wanted to be alone with her chosen one. Usually, the ex-president carefully checked her mailbox before leaving. After that, she had to turn off the holo-computer and quickly go to the auto-glider. The car was already waiting for Fernand. The glider's artificial intelligence would gladly take Eisie home. But something went wrong.
Eisie examined all the e-mail in detail. And suddenly, literally a second later, she saw an incoming letter. It was not in the "Spam" category. But at the same time, the address was classified. She simply did not see either the name or the sender's code. Shuddering from the tension, Fernand opened the letter. What she saw almost deprived her of her senses.

Address: not identified
To: Asinius Fernand ArtSCouncil
From: not identified.

"Hello, Eisie. I'm sorry I'm writing to you from this address.
You probably don't know who this is. But I know you. And for a long time.
I'm asking you to make a choice.
This thing called the Coalition shouldn't exist. Look at how they kept the massacre that Cadmus committed on Acheron secret. The death toll was almost 1 billion. These are the real numbers that no one will reveal to you. Elfurr and the Coalition are poisoning our Galaxy. If they allowed this to happen, they'll allow it again. And next time it will be someone else. Like you... Humans or other races. Who knows if the Elfurr will want to destroy Artandir if they don't like something? You have to understand what's going on.
Elfurr and the Coalition are destroying our Galaxy, destroying entire races at their whim. Do you know how many Elfurrs have destroyed species in its path? Hundreds? Thousands? Maybe more. The Coalition has failed. It cannot continue to exist and submit to the Elfurran slavers.
You must make a responsible choice. Submit to the inevitable. You have a chance. The Coalition must be destroyed.

It will happen soon. When the storm begins, support the True Power. And then you will win forgiveness.
And you will be free.
The entire galaxy will be free.

Soon... Soon it will be over. Pain is only temporary.

Sincerely yours, Phantom-13."

- How do you know me?! What the hell?! - Asinius cursed, having read the letter to the end.
She was about to call the security service and summon the chief cyberneticist. But the letter suddenly simply disappeared. It was deleted from her mail by itself.
After that, the holo-computer was filled with a bright glow. Thousands of numerical sequences appeared on the flaring screen. And only a few seconds later, all this stopped. The device simply burned out. And along with the computer, entire terabytes of data were destroyed.
Without thinking twice, Fernand took the remote transmitter from the table and urgently called security.

---

---

- ��I don't care that they feel bad! Let them drag it faster!
The Farrukh officer on the Sol Invictus had been famous for his loudmouthedness for a week now. He had recently joined the service and had already managed to acquire a corresponding reputation. Zheng Chupalorkhorn. That was his name. He came from an ancient Farrukh family. He preferred to take the form of a man with bright green eyes and dress in gray armor. Zheng always had a sharp saber with him. But he did not respect pistols and firearms at all.
Now Zheng was shouting loudly at his subordinates from the Arangutto race. It was them that he ordered to drag the mysterious device, which had an equally mysterious name. The device, or rather, the artifact, was called the "Ark." Chupalorkhorn knew that it had a negative effect on automatons. At first, he even wanted to entrust this whole matter to robots, but one of them broke down after ten minutes, and the second suddenly began to attack the personnel. The rebellious machine had to be liquidated. And the work had to be entrusted to living beings.
- Faster! Faster, monkey offspring! - Zheng barked with contempt, - Move!
The Arangutos tried to deliver it to a special compartment of the artillery deck. From there it should be transported to the already prepared missile capsule. But Zheng could easily cope with this with the help of one of his comrades. He knew how to resist this force. At least five minutes he would definitely be able to hold out and not go crazy. As for his colleague, she could resist much more.
The metal doors parted, and an oval room with piles of screens and consoles appeared before the eyes of those present. It was here that the Arangutos were supposed to leave the device... The mysterious "Ark".
- Will they keep their sanity? - a question was heard from a man-like woman, devoid of any hair on her head.
Her name was Inna. That was all that needed to be known. First Mate Dalotl trusted her, as did Zheng himself. They said that she had once been a member of the Esoteric Conclave. It was from those days that almost her entire body was covered with multiple tattoos. The only exception was her head.
- If not, I will find a way to get rid of them, - Zheng smiled slyly, - We will blame it on an escape.
As if by a wave of the hand, one of the arangutos suddenly fell to the deck and began to writhe in incredible pain. Several guards standing nearby immediately rushed to the monkey-like creature. They grabbed him and instantly dragged him away from the special compartment. - When we were digging up the "Ark", half of the archaeologists went crazy, - Inna noted mournfully, remembering the price they had to pay to get this mysterious relic, - One of them beat himself with a stone. He hit himself with such force that his skull split.
- And what about the second one?
Zheng clearly wanted to know the fate of the other archaeologists. Of course, he knew that half of the researchers did not survive. But he still did not know the true price. And that is why the farrukh decided to ask another question.
- The second one died from masturbation... - the woman said with a slight grin, - He was found in a neighboring cave. He broke his penis. And his heart simply could not take it. These Stones affect living beings in different ways. Some are limited to glossolalia, others harm their comrades or themselves. That is why these Stones are called Cursed. They existed long before all of us. The power they contain is older than the stars themselves.
Zheng's skin suddenly became so white that it seemed as if he had been doused with paint. Farrukh expressed great excitement in this way. Chupalorkhorn understood how ancient and unbridled this power was. The League tried to study and subdue it. Apparently, nothing worked. And now, the whole thing has fallen to "Invictus".
"While Cadmus is drinking with his bastard friends, we are preparing a nice surprise," Inna smiled even wider, "A surprise for them all."
"Do you think when we load this stone into the capsule... And then blow it up..." Zheng tried to ask.
However, a moment later, he realized that he could not bring himself to say what he wanted.
"There will be a big-big BANG," the woman grinned again, "Thousands of times more powerful than the "Destroyer". And then the funnel will swallow everything around it. And there will be nothing left of this miserable galaxy.


Dalotl stood in front of the washbasin. The grey-skinned N-sai hadn't washed his hands for a long time. And now the moment had come. He turned on the water and rinsed his palms thoroughly. When the deed was done, he turned off the appliances, and the water stopped flowing.
But when he looked in the mirror, he recoiled. The fair-haired maiden, dressed in a soldier's jacket, appeared too suddenly. N-sai hadn't noticed that she had been here all this time. Or always....
- Sorry... - her guilty voice was heard.
The lampshades burning on the ceiling of the bathroom blinked several times. Once they even turned off, and then lit up again.
N-sai admitted that he hadn't expected to see her here. Anywhere - but not here.
- Yes... yes... I just decided to wash my hands.... I'm worried... - Dalotl said nervously, covered in small blue spots, - In our race, this is called a sign of anxiety...
He tried not to turn around and look at the sink. He knew that without her permission he couldn't even move. She was too unpredictable.
- I know that, but you can turn around, I don't bite... - the girl spoke more affectionately.
N-sai was amazed by such kindness. He knew that her unpredictability could be frightening. Usually, he just stood and looked into the void, but he didn't dare even glance in her direction.
With great difficulty, Dalotl forced himself to turn around. The girl was still standing in the same jacket and looking into his eyes. For a second, N-sai saw the planet tearing itself apart. After that, the vision dissolved. Everything happened too unexpectedly. He was again in that same toilet. But the girl did not disappear.
- Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, - the mysterious person smiled playfully, - Just not you.
- If you're talking about... our idea... - N-sai whispered, overcoming his fear, - Then Zheng and Inna are working. The "Ark" is already loaded. One of the warheads is loaded. And no one knows what it's capable of.
The mysterious maiden smiled. She gently touched Dalotl. He was stunned by her touch. He felt an incredible force piercing him through and through. For a second, N-sai again saw how the entire planet was torn apart. The vision disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Everything was repeating itself, just like a few seconds ago.
- Why doesn't anyone know... - the maiden noted with the same smile, - This force was invented long before you. I, like no one else, remember this. This was before the first of you awakened. The first larvae.
"The Ancient Days?" N-sai asked, but deep down he already knew what the answer would be.
The people to which Dalotl belonged believed that the first of them appeared in the form of pupae. And so among the N-sai they often spoke of "the first larvae." The first embryos sent by Those-Who-Created-Worlds-and-Stars. The N-sai always worshiped them. And they never forgot that it was They, the Forefathers, who once owned this universe.
- The Ancient Days are returning again, - the voice of the fair-haired girl was heard again, but this time it was no longer cheerful and playful, - They still think that these stars were created for them. But Maingard will show them otherwise. What is the readiness?
N-sai knew that she would ask about this, and had already prepared an answer.
- 100 percent readiness, - the alien honestly admitted, - But Artandir specialists can sniff out everything.....
- No, no... What should you not do? Answer!
Dalotl turned pale. He knew that this question could be the last thing he would hear in his life. He knew that he should not. He should not doubt.
= Yes, forgive me.... - N-sai answered obediently, - I must not let doubts in. I ask... This is the last time. Please... I beg....
But the mysterious maiden did not even think of being angry with him. She smiled again, as she had in the first moments of their meeting.
- No, no... I didn't mean to hurt you.... - her scarlet lips said, - Don't be afraid of Artandir. Artandir only seems like an ancient power. I remember the day when there were voids in this place. When there was nothing here... No stars, no planets... Not to mention these huge megalopolises.... Soon everything will repeat itself. Soon everything will be like in the Ancient Days. So why should you be afraid of those who will soon disappear?
Dalotl gave the mysterious person a slight bow. By doing so, he admitted his guilt. Those who knew the customs and culture of the n-sai understood such gestures perfectly well.
- Thank you... - the submissive speech of the first mate was heard.
- It's not worth it, - the beauty grinned, - You are not like Phantom. You are faithful... Because you know who is stronger. Because you know that your race is worthy. And Phantom... he fights only for the sake of an illusion. He really thinks that I will return her to him... Let him think for now.
At the word "Phantom" n-sai involuntarily shuddered. He heard his story. Partly he even felt sorry that such a story happened to him. To lose a loved one is the worst of misfortunes. And he fought only for this.
- So, Phantom will die? - thoughts burst from Dalotl's lips.
The mysterious maiden smiled for the umpteenth time. But this time it was not at all kind. Not a drop of the previous emotions remained on her face.
- Everyone is mortal, - the answer followed in an instant, - Everyone, except for those like us. After all, we were ancient even when the first stars were born.

Tinglaatel System.
The border between Artandir and the Elfurr Empire.

- So you're saying your holo-computer was hacked?
Akhmanet, standing in the private cabin of the penteconter, had just listened to Fernand's entire story. Asinius had told her what had happened. Phantom had calculated everything. He had even gotten to the secret correspondence. Only the highest representatives of the Coalition could write to Eisi. For all questions, she had a common mail, which was monitored by several secretaries. The ex-president herself simply could not have read everything that was written to her.
What Phantom had done clearly suggested that he knew all the personal accounts of the Coalition representatives, and in particular those who had access to the secret archives. Fernand's account had been destroyed. The holo-computer had simply been burned from the outside. It was not possible to restore it even with the help of technologists from Artandir-Cybertech. The company's specialists could "get back on their feet" even the coils of the Smaragd era and make them perform any tasks. But even they couldn't cope here.
Luckily, Asinius had spare accounts. All vital data was actively copied and placed under a triple layer of protection. But Fernand was sure that the enemy would get to them too.
Ahmanet had no doubt that Eisi was right. The only thing that Phantom had not yet managed to do was hack the Elfurr security systems. The Admiral intended to ensure the protection of accounts and involve his experts in this. The Digit Blacksmiths were capable of a lot.
- He hacked me in literally a second, - Asinius's holo-image continued to broadcast, - This bastard is too strong. I'm ready to bet that he tried to neutralize you, too. He's everywhere. Everywhere...
- So, we'll send you Kuznetsov, - concluded Akhmanet, - I told you back at the beginning of the war that Artandir-Cybertech wouldn't protect you. But you were stubborn.
For a moment, Fernand's face turned purple. Apparently, she wanted to reproach her comrade for unfounded accusations. But then Eysi realized that this was far from the best option.
- If that's what it takes, then send your guys, - Eysi answered, - But I don't know what to do anymore. I told him what he wrote to me. Phantom was planning more terrorist attacks. Something similar came to President Salieri's email a year before the war. He immediately called me and showed me what was written. It was impossible to track down the addressee. He's been hiding for several years now. There's nothing we can do at all...
- I remember, - User-Kaf nodded, - When Salieri received the letter, literally a week later the hive fleets of Ara-Nia began to attack. Then their attacks were repelled, but this led to many casualties. Then there were strife between us and the Draconids. And then there was war. One of the bloodiest and most brutal in the Galaxy. Phantom planned all of this. And as long as he is alive, there will be no peace for anyone.
Ahmanet was touched by Asinius's words. "There's nothing we can do at all." Pessimistic, but true. The bitter truth. All these years, the Coalition has been trying in vain to catch Phantom-13. But none of the operations have been successful.
The fact that Fernand's personal account was hacked clearly indicated that Phantom has access to the high command. It is already clear to anyone that he has been commanding both sides all this time. He is somewhere nearby... Somewhere nearby. He orchestrated the war with the League, pitted entire alliances against each other, and led the galaxy to the death of billions. And he's going to repeat his "exploits" again.
- What would that mean... The destruction of the galaxy... the entire Coalition, - Fernand said thoughtfully, - I suppose it could be connected with mass terrorist attacks. Or with the use of some kind of weapon... Unknown to us. Or known.
- You're excited, - Ahmanet noted, - I don't know if this is appropriate..., but you're no longer in control of yourself.
- Yes... My wife says the same thing.
- Look, you need to calm down. I know it's difficult now. And I'll think about what can be done. And what kind of threat is this. Phantom had already written to Salieri about liberating the galaxy and destroying the Coalition. Then the events that led to the war began. It's obvious that he's planning to do something now, too.
Asinius's face smiled slightly. But Ahmanet knew that the head of the Artandir Security Council was on the verge of a breakdown. Fernand had to be an example for those around her. She was an example. But not now, not at this moment.
She was in the same state when she learned that the League had attacked the Earth Alliance. This led to a global confrontation. Several years of war and blood.
- We need to declare a level 1 alarm, - concluded Eisi, - Warn intelligence. All the specialists.
- That's what he wants, - the admiral said to this, - He wants everyone to be afraid of him.
- We have no other choice, - Asinius spoke in a harsher voice, - We are at war again.

---

Ishken couldn't fall asleep after what he had seen. He knew that there were still a few hours until wake-up. But sleep just wouldn't come to him. Especially after the mysterious bearded man, hanging over him, screamed shrilly about Meinhard. Ishken didn't remember who it was. He just saw this strange bearded face on the ceiling of the cabin. And when he screamed at the top of his voice, the head disappeared, and with it - the dream. Something strange seemed to Ishken. He couldn't remember where he had seen this face before. As if on the Griffin. But if there, then who was it? And was it a man? The creature's face resembled a human, only the eyes lit up with scarlet lights. "Meinhard... You can't fly to Meinhard." Ishken didn't understand why they suddenly couldn't go there. And the captain hadn't said anything about sending them to those lousy systems. Maingard had enough to worry about now.
After the Domna War, this republic was isolated from the Coalition, and only after the conflict with the League began, it was temporarily accepted back. The Maingard "upper crust" did not like the Artandirs, but preferred an alliance with their former enemies. After all, the League seemed something terrible and terrifying to them. In these days, the Maingard Council of Geronts had to make an important decision about continuing to be part of the Coalition, as well as about a possible rapprochement with Artandir and Vintil. The elders had enough to do. And no presence of the fleet was required.
Derkh suddenly thought that all this bearded head with talk about Maingard was nothing more than a figment of the imagination. He decided to go down to a small bar. It was located not far from his cabin. Although, during quiet hours, it was impossible to do this, he still decided to break the rule and drink some water. The day before, Ishken had discovered that the flask he kept with him while sleeping was empty.
Imagine Derkh's surprise when, in addition to his robot assistants, he found a not entirely sober Snofru in the bar. This short alien was sitting at a small table and slowly drinking something purple. He was, after all, a member of the high command, and was not at all afraid of sanctions. But Ishken, even though he was the captain's friend, was threatened with consequences for going to the bar like this.
Snofru noticed his comrade approaching. But he was not thinking about any sanctions.
- Tell me, - the little bearded man said slowly, - Why... Why, when you drank one glass... You pissed two at once... I'm sitting here and thinking. Why is that? You drank one, and pissed two...
- Snofru, forgive me, I just wanted to drink some water, - Ishken admitted honestly, - I've run out.
He tried not to pay attention to the words of this "gnome". Besides, he was dead drunk.
- Yes, you drink... - Snofru muttered quietly, - Don't be afraid... Owen is kind. He'll just lock you up for a day. And that's it...
- Oh well... - Derkh chuckled at this, - I'll explain. And I had a bad dream.
Snofru immediately looked at him with drunken eyes. Purple liquid was slowly trickling down his mustache and beard.
- Just don't tell me it's about Maingard again... - the dwarf muttered, and then burped thunderously.
Ishken perked up. How did this "gnome" know about his dream? And, as was known, neither Admiral Cadmus nor Captain Owen had announced any operations on Maingard. Nobody was going to go there, at least for the next six months.
Derkh remembered that mysterious face with a long beard again. It was just a dream... But it seemed as if someone or something was trying to contact and tell him something.
- What do you mean? - Ishken's puzzled voice was heard.
- That's what I mean... - Snofru muttered in response, - I've been dreaming about some kind of crap for so many nights now... Some bearded bastard is trying to tell me not to fly to Maingard... Yes, screw this Maingard... It's such a hole in the galaxy, if only you knew...
Ishken turned pale. This "gnome" described the same dream. All these dreams coincided, and this could no longer be a coincidence.
- And what kind of... bastard?
Derkh decided to find out the details from Snofru. He needed details. That would explain everything right away.
- I don't know.... - came the lazy answer, - Some dude.... with red eyes.... I don't remember, I think I saw him somewhere.... On the Griffin. I don't remember.... But for some reason he's driving me nuts.....
- So he was hovering over you and talking about Maingard? Like he was warning you, right?
- Yeah..... You get it? Like.... Don't fly to Maingard! Don't fly! And I'm telling you again, screw all this....

- It would be possible to do without expressions, Mr. Snofru.... Neferirikar.
Totkhemris appeared here as suddenly as Ishken. No one could have thought that she would dare to come here. But since she was a member of the upper staff, she was allowed almost everything. As it turned out, the elfurka did not sleep. Everyone knows that representatives of their race sleep no more than three hours.
- And where are you from... - Snofru muttered drunkenly, - We are here, like, about Maingard... Yes, about Maingard... Yes, I don't need this groin area of ��the galaxy...
Ishken didn't really like it when the "gnome" swore in front of women. But that was his peculiarity. And to be honest, Snofru swore almost always. Often, the crew members made fun of him. Asinius Fernand had practically the same habit.
- Yes, we are not going to Maingard, - Derkh said, trying to quickly move away from the topic, - We were just talking about the fact that it is better not to fly to Maingard now.
- Yes, yes, my joy, of course ... - Totkhemris said with an accent, - But the captain will not be too happy when you are sent away for a day ...
Ishken lowered his head guiltily. So, he was in trouble after all. But he did not know that User-Kaf was clearly not here for this. Of course, Derkh was guilty, but no one would send him to the guardhouse. Owen did this only once - with Viktor Kartavin, when he was rude to him.
- Maingard ... - the elfurr said thoughtfully, - And why did you remember about it?
- Yes, I had a dream, - Ishken allowed himself to look at Totkhemris, - It was just a dream. Someone told me that we should not fly there. And I thought, why should we do this? They have enough problems without this.
Snofru had already managed to finish the purple liquid. He looked at his two comrades once more, and then fell head first into the mug. Only a couple of seconds passed, and a loud snore was heard from his side.
- A dream about Maingard? - Totkhemris asked with interest, not even paying attention to the "gnome", - Strange... Humans call it "déjà vu".
Ishken shuddered. For a moment it seemed to him that User-Kaf would now also talk about it. About the very dream that he and Snofru had seen. A dream... Or a message from an unknown creature.
Moments later, Derkh realized that this was what would happen. Totkhemris walked a few meters across the hall, and then plopped down on the reclined seat.
- I dreamed it too... - she answered, - We shouldn't fly to Maingard.
- It was Cha-Arun, right? - Ishken asked unexpectedly.
He remembered the operation on the Griffin, when they rescued Owen and Balderan the Swordsman from the clutches of a monstrous entity summoned by the League and its minions. He still had memories of it.
What happened then affected everyone even more than the events on Tevkris Prime. Then Owen's team tried to pull out one mad scientist, who turned out to be a terrible experimenter and the embodiment of death itself. The League was trying to create some kind of hybrids of organics and machines. The scientist helped them with this. Fortunately, Owen and his guys did everything as they should. The madman was eliminated, and then they managed to eliminate Trotskevich.
But the events on the Griffin still did not leave Derkh's mind.
- Perhaps, - Totkhemris answered, - The face was similar. But why would he come to us? He's dead. Or... No. It was a psionic message.... And if so, then something must happen.... On Meingard.
- Let's hope nothing, - Ishken said to this, - Although until we find the Bad Guy, I think anything can happen.

Maingard Prime.
Maingard Union Land.
Government Palace Dungeon.

Supreme Geront Agesilaus finished his procession. Now he and Horace Denfir, the Vintilian envoy, were alone in the majestic and spacious hall. The lamps were turned off. Almost nothing could be seen.
The old ruler clapped his hands, and at his signal all the lamps in this huge room immediately lit up. It happened quite suddenly.
- I didn't know that you had psi-abilities, - Horace's surprised voice was heard, - Is this one of the secrets?
- Yes, - the geront answered, - I carefully hid this from you. I beg your pardon.
- Well, nothing, - said the fellow traveler, - The main thing is that you said.
The ambassador of the Vintilian Federation Denfir was perplexed. He had just found out that the head of the Maingard government had kept silent about his abilities. For several weeks he had seemed like a completely ordinary old man to the Vintilians. And now it turns out that he is almost a sorcerer.
- I brought you here to reveal a great secret, - Agesilaus said, pointing his finger at a small pedestal visible in the distance of the room.
- This is interesting, - said Horace, - This is something... Does it belong to a long-forgotten time?
- Perhaps, - the old man answered, - My wife loves all sorts of foreign trinkets. But this is clearly not one of them. What I want to show you now is a valuable relic. It was discovered quite recently. Unfortunately, Doctor Tilino's expedition has thinned out considerably... Traps, snares and other things. But science requires sacrifices.
Agesilaus and the Vintilian envoy approached the pedestal almost point-blank. Before their eyes appeared an incredibly beautiful spherical device, created from unknown minerals.
Horace gasped in surprise. It had been a long time since he had encountered something like this. Admiration completely and utterly overwhelmed his soul. But Denfir was a considerable collector of all sorts of artifacts left over from long-forgotten times. He loved to communicate with archaeologists, learn their secrets, and even once personally took part in an expedition to Barbariko.
- What is this? - Denfir asked in amazement.
- We do not know, - the geront explained, straightening his dark tie, - A great artifact of antiquity. A sphere. You can call it that. We discovered it literally a week before the League was bombed by Admiral Cadmus.
- What does it do? - Horace asked immediately, - Can you fight with it?
For a second, it seemed to Denfir that the room had become colder. And the reason for this could be hidden in the device. But then he quickly pushed away all unnecessary thoughts.
- We don't know for sure.
- Then what does it do? - Horace exclaimed, - And why did the expedition that tried to find it almost all perish?
- A strange device, but it can heal people, - Agesilaus said to this.
In his already quite middle-aged eyes with yellow whites, an inspired fire gaped. His gray hair was tousled.
- You know that I might not be standing in front of you now, - the old man soon continued his speech, - I could have been lying in the grave a long time ago.
- Why?
Agesilaus sighed heavily.
- This year I was diagnosed with black carcinoma, - the old man said in a mournful tone, - Even my abilities could not prevent the spread of the disease. I am already over 80. At such an age, it is incurable. This is not just cancer ... This is a disaster. And given our complicated relationship with Elfurr, we had no medicine for this... Thanks to Antonin Domna for everything... This dirty bastard. So... I deigned to touch this..... weapon. The disease retreated in moments. The very next day I was already rushing to work, full of health and vigor. Amazing, right?
- Wait... - Denfir cried out in wild amazement, - This.... This ball cured the black carcinoma?
The old man nodded.
- As soon as I touched it, the metastases disappeared. Immediately. I can give you another example. The Minister of Justice Hengist Harsaf, an Etterian, but a citizen of Maingard. He caught a purulent disease during intercourse with aliens, in particular with Kinos ladies... and let himself go. He also cured himself with one touch. This artifact cures any disease. No matter how terrible the illness, this sphere kills it.
- Amazing, - muttered Horace, - Simply amazing.....
Denfir was a psionicist himself, and had been for a very long time. He felt powerful magical waves emanating from the lying artifact. He did not see their outlines, but he felt them deep inside. The power of the Sphere was immeasurable. It's just obvious that it was created long before the galaxy was populated by humans.
- If the Coalition needs help with a disease that can't be cured, and the Elfurr prefer to be greedy, - the old man said honestly, - You can bring the sick to me, and we will allow them to touch the Sphere.
- I am grateful to you, - Denfir answered, - But it would be better... if this relic was kept in the Coalition's archives... And not with you.
Agesilaus tensed. He clearly did not like what he heard.
- I'm afraid that's impossible, - the geront said with displeasure, - We found it on Maingard. Which means the Sphere belongs to this land. We will not share it with anyone. If anyone wants to be cured, let them come to us. We can even conclude a special agreement with you... But we will not give up the relic. And this is not even up for discussion.

- Ah... bitch... - Denfir said, feeling the heat in his mouth, - A good bitch......
And indeed, the whiskey was quite high quality. He had gotten this flask back in New Caesarea, during his visit to the head of security Feotokius. Only one thing made Horace sad. There was only one flask.
A few seconds later, there was a knock on the door. Denfir quickly opened it and, seeing the one standing behind it, was not at all surprised. He had long been waiting for the appearance of Serae Dendrov, who was his first assistant in the group. The warrior was dressed in a dark green uniform, dark trousers and a low red cap. He was distinguished not only by his eyes, but also by his small mustache hanging down.
- Sire, - the warrior said obediently, bowing slightly, - I wanted to talk. - Come in here already, your portugaling company, - spat Denfir, - I was just waiting for you.
- Any news? - asked Serae.
- Yes, yes. Come in, why are you standing there like a virgin ready to marry?!
- You swear too much, - the assistant noted smilingly.
As soon as Dendrov entered the chief's office, the door immediately closed behind him. Vintilets was not just a warrior, but also a powerful psi-adept. He was quite capable of opening and closing doors with the power of his thoughts.
Serae and Denfir sat down at a large square table, and the envoy immediately began his story. He told his assistant everything he had seen in Agesilaus's hiding place.
Horace told Dendrov the truth. He told all the details about the power of the artifact called the Sphere... True, this was not yet the final name of the relic. When Denfir mentioned the geront's refusal to hand over the weapon to the Coalition, his lips trembled nervously. Apparently, he was too depressed by the ruler's decision.
- And he refused? - asked Serae, after listening to the story, - How could he? Poor old fart...
- He could, - answered Horace, tugging at his little beard, - He could. He is the king of kings here, not me. If I were the head of the government of this armadilloty village, I would immediately tell the Coalition about everything, and all these Elfurran "give it to us" could go to hell. But no, this bast-shoe wearer dug his claws into the relic and declared it his own. Like, we found it on Maingard, and that's it, it's ours. And what should the rest of us do? Come to them, bow and ask for treatment. And if not, suck... their paw. Or something else. Anyway, you get my point. This Agesilaus and all his Maingard hedonists are no better than all the other rulers of this hole. As much as I can remember, it has always been like this in Maingard. The people have had terrible luck with the government. Some are complete ghouls and lovers of girls.
- But how many people could have recovered! - the warrior said nervously, - How many people! My grandmother was an archaeologist and she grabbed something on Rostis... She died from a disease that affected her entire body! Entirely! No one could save her! No one! Elfurr was never given anything.
- A lot, - Horace growled with the same irritation, - This is the perfect cure! Even better than Elfurr potions. How many creatures could have been cured by barely touching the ball! I can't even imagine it.
Denfir was never a supporter of Elfurr. He always knew that they were too cunning and greedy. Naturally, if Agesilaus had told Ahmanet about the relic, she could have demanded it for her empire. The Elfurr often did just that. All ancient artifacts somehow ended up in their possession. They used almost all the methods they knew, but they got what they wanted.
Without a doubt, Elfurran medicine was top-notch. But it couldn't put you back on your feet with just one touch. This was a completely different case.
- Agesilaus is doing something bad, - Dendrov concluded, crossing his fingers, - Very bad. We need to demand the relic from the old man. That's what I would do! I would threaten them with new isolation.
- Let's try, - Horace said rudely, - Let's threaten Agesilaus. What can we do? You and I are diplomats. Diplomats only know how to threaten, right? In that case, why don't we join the pirates? Pirates are diplomatic too.
- I get it... I said something stupid.
- Of course, it's stupid. If you want, go demand the Sphere from him. And do you know what he'll tell you? Kiss my rough one! That's how you'll leave Maingard... And most likely forever.
A moment later, the envoy's private office shook noticeably. This phenomenon occurred so suddenly that Dendrov almost fell off his chair. The jolt was strong, and the sound it emanated was simply deafening.
Then the shaking began again, and this time it was much more powerful than the previous one. Horace turned noticeably pale, feeling these strange and out-of-nowhere tremors.
It looked like serious seismic activity. But according to climatologists, this area was not subject to tremors. However, there was another option - an enemy invasion.
- What are we doing? Is this an earthquake? - the assistant's frightened voice was heard.
- What are we doing? Let's get out of here!

Horace no longer remembered how he had ended up upstairs. How he had run out of the office. How he had run down the corridor. He and his comrade had acted "by inertia." Nothing to think about - just run and run.
Having somehow reached the loggia, Serae and Denfir finally reached their desired goal. They found themselves on a fairly spacious platform that could accommodate up to thirty people. Many of those present in the Gerontov palace ran up to the broken windows and began to look up in surprise.
Denfir first looked high into the sky and barely restrained himself from cursing with some furious words in his native Vintilian.
- Damn you ... - he said barely audibly.
What was revealed to everyone present on the loggia almost deprived them of their minds. What they saw made them turn pale and freeze in a daze. No one clearly expected to see this.
A strange structure of unknown origin hung over the majestic city, dotted with all sorts of buildings and pipes. It literally hung in the air. Its origin was clearly alien.
As far as Denfir knew, none of the inhabitants of the Main Galaxy moved on such inventions. The unknown ship looked like a giant cube, painted in dark tones. There were no lights on it, and this inspired fierce fear.
The cube materialized out of nowhere, and thereby led to seismic activity. Who knew what else this unknown structure was capable of.
- What kind of nonsense is this! - voices of people around were heard, - What is this... an attack? Where are the specialists? Where is the orbital support? Call the orbit immediately! Where is the army? The fleet?
- Maybe this is an Elfurr ship?
- Elfurr do not fly on cubes. This is something not from our galaxy. - I have never seen anything like this before, - Dendrov admitted honestly, - There are no ships like this in the Milky Way!
- Call the Silentis immediately! - Horace demanded.
One of Vintil's shuttles had long been in orbit around Maingard. Its captain had been working there with the permission of the local authorities. They were monitoring the situation around the planet, and at the same time monitoring the safety of the ambassadors.
- The Silentis is silent! Communication is being jammed! - came the disappointing answer.
Dendrov tried to dial all the necessary codes. He kept poking at the small holo-tablet built into his right armband. But each of his attempts ended in failure.
At that very moment, Agesilaus himself appeared on the loggia. Along with him were other gerontes, as well as local guards, clad in armor from head to toe.
- The orbit is not responding! Call the Ministry of Defense!
- The Ministry of Defense is not responding!
Agesilaus looked in horror at the alien structure hovering above the city. Then he darted towards Horace.
- What is this? - came the question, which had no answer.
- I don't know, sir, but it doesn't look like the ship we saw... - without even looking at the elder, Denfir answered, - This vessel is not identified. I don't know what it is. Or where it came from.
- Look!
High in the sky above the cube, a bright flash flashed. Then it evaporated. And for some reason, at that moment, Horace thought about something bad. A thought ran through his mind that this would be the end. The end for all of them.
A lonely planet appeared before his eyes. A strange planet that he did not know at all. And a moment later, it split into pieces. Scattered into small pieces all over space.
Denfir shuddered. A severe pain pierced his head. He barely allowed himself to stand still and not collapse. He glanced around out of the corner of his eye. His comrade Serae was already lying on the floor and convulsing terribly. Almost the same thing was happening to old Agesilaus. From the terrible apoplectic attacks, his eyes turned into scarlet dots. Dots from which blood flowed profusely.
Horace realized that he could no longer hold on. Terrible screams were heard everywhere. Cries for help. Pleas.
- Psi-explosion ... - Denfir whispered, finally guessing what exactly had befallen them.
Another minute passed, and the messenger tore himself off the floor. His body began to rapidly fill with a blindingly bright glow, and then .... Then an explosion. No less bright and blinding.

Artandir Prime.
The Palace of the Republic Security Council.

"We must join forces against the Phantom," Cadmus Florin declared loudly. "I have decided to deal with the villain personally. And I will not let you down. But you must help me. And not just me. The entire galaxy."
Fernand sat next to the renowned naval commander and nodded to him. She had already managed to report what had happened in the office. All members of the Security Council understood that the criminal was not so simple. If he knew even the personal accounts of the high command, then everything was available to him. Almost everything. Naturally, the Council agreed to switch completely to Elfurran security systems.
"Our enemy has not yet been destroyed," the admiral continued his speech, sitting at the head of the table. "The League Fragments are about to fall. Iabarra and all their remaining worlds are under siege. Artandir will avenge them for all our fallen. But until we find the Phantom, we can only dream of victory. If the League falls completely, the bastard will do everything to create a new one. He will try to split us once again, to quarrel... To crush us.
- I agree with the admiral, - the voice of the naval commander Violet Tertis was heard.
This girl looked about 30 years old, although everyone knew her true age. She recently turned 62. The whole secret lay in her half-Elfurr origin. Many admirals respected her for her bravery and selflessness. And they were ready to fight next to her. And everyone was attracted by her extraordinary beauty.
- It's time to put an end to this story, - Tertis said sternly, - The Phantom must be stopped.
- And with joint efforts with other powers, - Violet Asinius finished her speech, - Even with those who are not part of the Coalition. We must join forces. The entire Coalition must know that as long as the Phantom is alive, there will be no peace. He has already blown up my computer... And next time he will plant a bomb in your car... Or detonate a nuclear charge in some market. Remember Nargon? If it were not for the merits of President Shane, his entire country would have long ago turned into a terrorist stronghold.
This time it was Cadmus' turn to nod. Asinius's speeches tempted him.
- Naturally, only by united efforts will we stop the scoundrel, - Florin said menacingly, - The war is not over. Nothing is over. We will look for him... And when we find him, we will hand him over to a tribunal. And for everyone to see this trial. The entire galaxy to see his crimes. That is what we need to achieve!
- Yes! - the venerable Admiral Salerno, whose chest was occupied by nothing but medals, spoke here, - All this began long before the war with the League. But enough now! Seriously, gentlemen! Enough!
But this conversation was not destined to continue. A deafening roar of sirens was heard from the street. Cadmus, like no one else, knew what it was. This often happened during the war with the League. Either the neo-fascists, led by Olmec, launched their shells, or drones fell.
The admirals immediately stopped talking. They began to look around. One of them even ran to the open window. Cadmus and Tertis looked at the tablets built into their gloves. They clearly displayed the alarm signal. The planet was under attack. But that was not the case. We were talking about Artandir Prime, and not about some distant colony. The defense systems installed in space should have worked in time.
Seconds later, loud shots were heard. They came from the street. The air defense was working. Moreover, it was the automatic systems that were involved. It would be unlikely for living personnel to repel attacks with such speed.
The doors of the assembly hall opened, and security personnel armed with plasma fuses quickly flew into the room. One of them, a stern-looking dark-skinned lieutenant, was holding an EMP weapon in his hands. It was intended to destroy enemy drones and replicants.
- Gentlemen! Level 1 alert! Attack on the city! Leave the premises immediately!
The lieutenant's words resembled a sentence. The admirals had to obey. Obviously, the situation was getting out of control.
- Who attacked? - Cadmus asked menacingly, literally piercing the officer with his gaze.
- Thousands of drones, sir... Kamikaze drones, - the lieutenant answered, - Leave immediately! They are flying here! The speed is extremely high!
- What about planetary defense? - Violet's worried voice rang out, - Where is the Orbital Headquarters?
But the lieutenant chose to ignore her question.
- Leave immediately! Otherwise, you will all be killed here!

---

Three days later.

"Good morning, Artandir!"
The text on the TV screen is in black letters. Black, as a sign of mourning.

The camera shows Sam Valarti, sitting at a large round table. There is nothing on it except for tablets, a written speech and a glass of water. Moreover, the glass is already half drunk.

Sam's look is too serious, even mournful. Just recently, a global attack took place. And it affected not only Artandir.

Quinto is not in the studio. Rafael received serious burns, and is now in the hospital. One of the drones hit his hacienda outside Artandir City. The enemy clearly knew where to hit. Many government officials were damaged. Only the president and some officials, including, of course, members of the Security Council, managed to escape injury.

Sam (looking at the camera):
- Good morning, Artandir! Although, frankly, you can't call him kind. I think everyone now knows what happened in the Galaxy. This didn't happen even during the League. What happened defies common sense. The management of our company offers condolences to the families of the victims.

Then the screen shows terrifying footage. Dozens of cities from different galactic states are shown. Here, in first place is Artandir City, where large-scale destruction occurred in the very center. One of the skyscrapers belonging to the Republic Bank almost completely collapsed. Then footage is shown from Vintil, Griffin, the Earth Alliance, Byzantiana and many other powers belonging to different races and peoples.
Even the Elfurran planet Kumborr got it. Several drones destroyed the governor's palace, including the surrounding defensive structures. The attack that took place just recently was monstrous.

Sam's voice (off-screen):
- According to our data, 10,000 citizens of the republic were killed during the attack on Artandir City. More than a hundred thousand were injured to varying degrees. It's scary to even think who would do such a thing.

The camera again shows the destruction in the capital of Artandir. The streets are full of police and military. Dozens of combat shuttles and security helicopters are flying in the air. Smoke and rare flashes of fire are everywhere.

Sam's voice:
- This attack was the largest in all the past years. Even during the war with the League, we did not see anything like this. The only question is, who exactly launched the drones? And who is behind this monstrous attack?

Then footage from Minegard is shown. The journalists do not have exact data on what exactly happened on the main planet of the Union. But the probes managed to make the necessary recordings. Minegard Prime looks empty and deserted. Usually, there were multiple lights coming from the megalopolises there. But now it looks like this world is simply extinct.

Sam:
- According to the latest data, we have lost contact with the Mainguard Union. The Council of Gerontians is not answering our calls. Our probes have detected a cube-shaped ship. Its origin is unknown. Artandir Command believes that this is the reason for such a powerful attack on the Coalition. The enemy drones used a "portal system". The command believes that the drones were teleported to different planets to carry out their mission. The enemy command center may well be located in the Mainguard Cube... Yes, that is the name that is relevant now.

Again, footage coming from Mainguard. Then multiple destructions are shown on other worlds, subordinate to a state once hostile to Artandir.

Voice of the host:
- Admiral 1st rank Cadmus Florin has already made a corresponding statement.

Soon the camera shows the admiral himself.
Cadmus Florin is grim and stern. He stands in full dress uniform in the city square behind a small podium. Small reconnaissance probes fly above and on either side of the naval commander. They carefully monitor the situation. One of the probes is designed to amplify the sound so that everyone can hear the commander's speech.
Guardsmen dressed in combat suits stand not far from the admiral. Among them is Asinius Fernande, but she is unarmored. She is dressed in a thick blue uniform with shoulder straps and scarlet trousers.
Multiple flashes on Florin's face indicate the presence of journalists who have come to listen to his speech.
Behind Cadmus is a majestic building, the Palace of the Artandir Security Council. The air defense systems still managed to repel the drone attack, and the building did not receive too much damage.

Cadmus Florin (at the top of his voice):
- The attack on Artandir and our allies will not be forgotten! By my order, coordinated with the President and the Security Council of the Republic, martial law will be declared in every city... in every world, until the situation is clarified! I declare a Scarlet Alert throughout the country!

He coughs several times, and then continues his fiery speech.

Cadmus:
- I am initiating Operation Sol Invictus. It will bear the same name as my flagship. The combined fleet of the Coalition will head to Maingard. We will find out what caused such a massive drone attack. I suspect that the fragments of the League that have not yet been defeated have called in unknown aliens for help! But whatever it is, we will find these creatures and punish them! The enemy will be routed! The dead will be avenged! Long live Artandir!

Multiple voices from the crowd:
- Long live Artandir! Long live Artandir!

----

----

- Oh... Well, that's it, we've played too much.
Owen the Scorcher gathered the entire officer corps in his cabin. Among them were such personalities as Ishken Derkh and Gold. Now everyone understood that the dream had been a good one. True, the ghost had warned no one to fly to Maingard. Owen admitted that the dream was too strange. Why not fly - if such evil was coming from there.
Scorcher and the other captains subordinate to Cadmus clearly understood that the cube was the cause of everything. Maingard was most likely already empty. Or the enemy could have simply used an EMP to disable the electronics on the entire planet. Thus, he simply turned Maingard into a medieval world.
Ahmanet had a different opinion. User-Kaf had shared with Owen and Totkhemris the day before that the enemy could have used a much more terrible weapon. Psionics were too sensitive to all sorts of disturbances in space. A psionic storm or "explosion" often resulted in a creature with such powerful potential not only losing its mind, but also turning into a small bomb. But not everyone had such means.
If someone used "explosion", then this unknown was clearly a powerful entity. Ser'Kiraani was capable of such a thing. But recently she was considered repentant. At Owen's request, the Cossathian was even released from the Elfurr prison. The alien certainly could not have been the cause of such a blow.
- So, after all, it was the darned Mainguard... - Sneferu cursed discontentedly.
- Please do not swear, - Owen answered sharply, - Although, yes, you are right... The darned Mainguard. As it turned out, our dreams coincided. And I thought it was just from fatigue. Hmm... What a fool I am.
- Then why did the ghost advise us not to fly there? - Ishken's question was suddenly heard.
Derkh clearly remembered how the face of Cha-Arun prevented their flight to these distant systems. The mysterious "intruder" did not want their journey to Maingard. He managed to tell the entire officer corps of the "Salvation Army" about this. No one could find any logic. If there was danger in Maingard, then why couldn't they fly? On the contrary, they had to save the unfortunate inhabitants.
The cube had clearly caused multiple destructions on the planet. The probes confirmed this. Mysterious cracks were recorded on the surface of Maingard Prime. There was no connection with anyone. And if anyone remained there, they clearly needed help.
- I don't know, - the Scorcher said honestly, - I don't know why the ghost told us not to fly. But we have orders. The orders of Admiral Cadmus Florin. We need to find out what happened there. And yes... There is no communication there. It is quite possible that there will be no contact with orbit during the landing. That is why we have prepared for everything.
- How many ships will fly in total? - asked Gold.
But it was not the captain who chose to answer him, but his senior assistant - Balderan from Etteria, nicknamed the Swordsman.
- 35 units. The best of the entire Coalition fleet, - the rough voice of the Etterian was heard, - Lady Admiral Ahmanet will also be with us. She will monitor the situation in the sector. All these ships will be enough to repel the threat.
Here Owen realized that he had not yet said the most important thing.
- There is just one but... - he said somehow uncertainly.
He was going to say this phrase, but his tongue simply refused to obey him. He had to clear his throat several times.
- Cadmus wants us to capture this cube.
- What the.....! - Sneferu immediately cried out, - portugal him! We don't even know what it is! And how are we supposed to get in there... And if it's a portugaling...
Owen glared harshly at the dwarf, making him shut up. For a moment, his eyes lit up with a scarlet flame. This meant that the captain was very angry.
Then he looked at everyone else, and realized that his comrades were no less excited.
- This is an order! - Owen said firmly, - An order from the commander. Is everything clear to everyone? This is an order from Admiral Cadmus Florin. And this task has been entrusted to us! So all that remains for us is to shut up and carry it out!
The comrades fell silent for a while. There was simply nothing to say. Owen himself was not happy with such an order, but arguing in this case was simply useless.
- That's all I have. Tomorrow we fly to Maingard.

- What's the readiness?
- 100 percent, ma'am!
- Course to Maingard Prime set!
- Systems check complete! Commencing hyperdrive activation!
- Everyone, get ready!
Ahmanet User-Kaf stood on her flagship and watched the crew work. This operation was supposed to be decisive. Deep down, she felt that Maingard was the key to everything. And perhaps to capturing the Phantom.
Not even a moment had passed before the pyramidal Elfurran ship entered non-space. Everything around outside the porthole turned into blinding sheaves of sparks.
And now, after some 20 real minutes, the entire Coalition space fleet, assembled by Cadmus, was within the system.
Florin himself was the last to fly out to the Sol Invictus. Along with him were his loyal assistants and comrades, especially such as the first mate Dalotl. Cadmus ordered to place on his ship at least 20 heavy tanks, in case of a serious ground operation. But most of all he was interested in the weapons decks and their contents.
By personal order of the naval commander, up to 35 warheads, nicknamed "Destroyers", were already placed on the ship. If Owen and his team failed, these weapons would gladly send to hell any of the enemy objects, be it a giant cube or a gigantic diamond-shaped vessel.
The "Salvation Army" under the command of the Scorcher took off almost at the same time as Cadmus. But they could be considered penultimate on the list. Owen was terribly worried that this operation could be the last in his campaign. His comrades shared his worries. Until recently, they all thought that the war was over, and soon they would become explorers of the distant regions of the galaxy. But it seemed that fate was not ready to grant them this opportunity.
Ahmanet carefully followed the list of Coalition ships. They were displayed on the screen in the form of Elfurran hieroglyphs.
- "Ten Executions" in touch! - the admiral said, intending to hear the rest of the naval commanders' voices.
- "Crown of the Galaxy" in touch! "Doramino" in touch! "Ubiquitous" in touch!
The roll call was held for both Elfurran and human ships. There was also one frigate in the fleet, completely filled with kinos. The rest of the ships preferred to be served by crews from different races, such as on the "Sol Invictus".
- "Salvation Army" in touch! - Owen's voice was soon heard.
Ahmanet sighed with relief. Lately, their communication with the Scorcher had been too frequent. Sometimes she even thought that she liked him. But given the circumstances, the admiral tried to suppress her feelings in every possible way.
- Admiral Cadmus Florin on the line! - finally, the voice of the greatest of all the naval commanders in the galaxy was heard, - Sol Invictus is ready! In the name of Artandir!
For a second, User-Kaf thought that Cadmus was speaking with some strange pleasure. As if he had been waiting for a long time to send an entire fleet here. However, then, Ahmanet realized that these thoughts were more like nonsense.
- Initiating Operation Sol Invictus! - Florin continued his speech, - Order the first group to move to Maingard Prime! Owen! Prepare the capsules and pterixes!
- Sir! Yes sir! - the voice of the Scorcher came from the speakers.

Darotl had to plead need to leave the bridge. Cadmus didn't like it when the first mate suddenly left. But if the body demanded it, he had to put up with everything. Especially since they weren't in combat yet. And the latrine was practically next to the bridge. After all, it was the officers' restroom.
The gray-skinned N-sai walked past Zheng and Inna and winked at them with his right eye. They, in turn, responded with the same wink. It meant trust. And they knew it very well.
A few seconds later, N-sai was already standing in the latrine. But he hadn't come here to cleanse himself of harmful impurities. He went to the sink and washed his hands in a hurry. The mirror built into the wall of the deck showed only his own reflection. Darotl washed his face and hands and sighed heavily. He imagined how difficult this task would be. But as She said... What shouldn't he do? He shouldn't let weakness and doubts in. He should go towards his goal, so that the galaxy would become free.
- Hey... - a female voice suddenly rang out behind N-sai.
Darotl turned around abruptly. She was in front of him. Still in the same jacket. The girl looked at him with such love that it almost manifested itself in N-sai himself. Only then did he realize that it wasn't love at all. She was just playing with him.
- How are you? - she asked affectionately.
- Preparing for the inevitable... - Darotl answered obediently.
He understood that his time was coming. Very soon, he would have to fulfill her will. And not let her down.
- Good, - the mysterious maiden smiled, - You understand that your mission is responsible. Today... Everything will happen today. Not tomorrow and not in a month. But today.
Darotl perked up. For a moment, he imagined what would happen when the "Ark" went off. The warhead would destroy not only the entire Coalition fleet. Its unbridled power was capable of much. Those who studied this energy said that it could rip reality apart. Create the most powerful of all black holes.
- I hope that everything will go as it should... - N-sai tried to speak more confidently, - More precisely, no, I believe that everything will go as it should. This is all for the sake of the Galaxy. For the sake of everything. For the sake of... you.
For a second, the girl's face showed strong disgust. It seemed that she really didn't like the last word. But then the disgust quickly turned into a smile.
- Yes, I know, - the mysterious person said cheerfully, - You can handle it. This is all for me. That's what you wanted to say, right? Really?
Darotl was horrified. He knew that he shouldn't have said those words. But she... She was too attractive to him. She beckoned him to her. On the other hand... The connection between her and N-sai. It was hardly possible even in thoughts.
- No, no, don't be afraid, - the girl smiled again, - You shouldn't be afraid of what you say. If it's for me, then I accept it. For my sake, many were ready to destroy everything. I think 35 ships would be quite suitable. 35 small ships... And thousands of soldiers and officers..... Quite suitable.
N-sai felt a sharp relief. She forgave him. She didn't punish him for his insolence. So, she considers him someone important. Perhaps even the chosen one from his entire race.
- I won't let you down, - Darotl bowed to his companion, - Today they will all die. As promised.
- Very nice, - the girl giggled joyfully, - Very nice!
--

It took two and a half hours to land and prepare for further penetration of the mysterious cube.
As it turned out, the Mainguardians were so afraid of their fate that they did not even send a fleet to help the Coalition. Their entire command preferred to leave the ships in orbit around the remaining worlds, which, although they were attacked by drones, at least somehow survived. The Mainguardians were never particularly brave.
Owen acted first. Having agreed on all the plans with Cadmus and Ahmanet, his team set off. When the Scorcher talked to User-Kaf, he felt like she was caring about him. She even asked if he had changed his mind. But orders are orders. Admiral Cadmus did not tolerate insubordination.
After a while, the shuttles entered the atmosphere and managed to reach the main city. But looking at all this - there were simply not enough emotions. The capital, once teeming with life, was empty. All of Maingard turned into darkness. The majestic buildings were empty. There was nothing in the air - no air taxis, no cars, no gliders. There were no traces of Maingard aviation. It became clear to everyone that the cube had not only used the "explosion", but also activated a powerful EMP pulse.
The only question left was where all the people had gone. The planet's population was at least 4 billion living beings. The Coalition command assumed that the Maingardians had either locked themselves in the dungeons or fled beyond the capital.
The closer Owen and his comrades got to the cube, the worse the connection became. And then there were control failures. The Scorcher ordered the pilots to turn around and fly into orbit. As Cadmus had assured earlier, the Coalition has the means for any operations. In this case, the Draconid Pteryxes approached.
These majestic reptiles were not afraid to move towards the mysterious structure. In just ten minutes, Owen's entire team, intended to penetrate the alien ship, changed vehicles. They managed to fly around the structure on pterixes and inspect it entirely. They had to act as in the Age of Swords. There was no communication. Only Totkhemris and Kerret could transmit telepathic messages. And even that was very difficult.
The alien cube showed no signs of life at all. This enormous structure, the size of an entire stadium, was still hanging over the city sky. The warriors examined the ship in detail. According to them, it resembled a giant temple rather than some kind of vehicle. They discovered that it had no semblance of portholes at all. The method of its control was a mystery. Probably, it had its own systems, internal and beyond the control of the inhabitants of the Milky Way. However, hieroglyphs of unknown origin were found on its hull. Totkhemris determined the possible origin of the symbols, and was extremely surprised. She noted that the hieroglyphs were similar to Elfurran writing, but not of this era, but of a long-forgotten, past one. As was known, the Elfurran language evolved, and with each century it acquired new words. Here were such ancient words that even for Totkhemris it became a difficult test. Soon the Elfurran determined the meaning of the symbols. "What is coming is inevitable," read several hieroglyphs.
The cube, hanging in the air, looked more and more ominous. Totkhemris and the rest of her comrades felt a strange indignation. The same Owen felt very unnatural. For a moment it seemed to him that the cube was exploding, and then turning into something terrible. He had to blink several times to drive away the mysterious visions.
However, there was also news that could be called good. A giant hole was found on the cube, which could be entered by an entire group. It resembled a huge entrance to some ancient mysterious temple. The reconnaissance fighters subordinate to the captain saw that the entrance led to a staircase, which in turn rose somewhere upward. But it was possible to get there only on pterixes. Many scouts were perplexed. For what purpose such a powerful structure was created, no one could even guess.
- Stick together! - Owen said in sign language, while continuing to control the majestic pterix, - All as one!
- All as one! - his comrades answered in the same language, - All as one!
- Let's go in!
Now it was necessary to check what was inside. In this mysterious cube, which came from nowhere. And why its arrival led to the disappearance of many Maingardians.

- "Pegasus" sent to Argos! "Pegasus" sent to Argos!
Srilankur Jr., the Kinos navigator, was left on the "Salvation Army" to communicate with the rest of the fleet. While Owen and most of the crew were absent, this tall, upright wolf had to carefully monitor everything that was happening in orbit. The communications specialists hardly rested. The scanners worked at full capacity.
Srilankur had already contacted Cadmus and transmitted the necessary information. The admiral's face appeared on the holo-screen in front of the navigator. It seemed to the alien that the naval commander was smiling. As if the information that Owen and his team had reached Maingard pleased him too much. But there was no particular reason. After all, no information had yet arrived from there.
Moreover, the cubic device jammed any signals. This meant that there would be no communication with the Scorcher and his warriors until they at least reached the stratosphere.
- Excellent! - Florin's answer was heard soon, - The captain will not let me down. I believe in him.
- Sir, may I speak to you? - a question arose in Kinos's head that he simply had to ask.
Cadmus looked at the alien in bewilderment. He clearly did not expect Srilankur to continue the conversation.
- I'm listening, - Cadmus said coldly, crossing his arms.
Kinos was concerned about Owen's mission. He had known the Scorcher for many years, and he did not really want to expose him to danger. But deep down, the wolf-like officer was afraid for his comrade. Srilankur realized with surprise that if he were in the admiral's place, the mission would have changed dramatically. He would never have sent the Scorcher to an unknown object, and certainly would not have demanded that he penetrate it.
- What do you think the captain will see there? - escaped from the lips of the kinos.
Cadmus allowed himself to smile. This time it was not a figment of Srilankur's imagination.
- I suppose whatever it is, it must be afraid, - the naval commander said with a strange grin, - Captain Owen is an experienced man. A top-class psionicist. A worthy warrior. And with him a whole group of specialists! What else is needed for a complete victory?
After a while, the admiral disconnected. He no longer wanted to waste time on conversations. But Srilankur found that the naval commander's words did not cheer him up in any way. On the contrary, he felt danger. Serious danger. And it came from this very cube.

---

One of the shuttles still remained within the city. It was a kind of stable for the beasts. The pterixes went back to the ship as soon as the warriors were dropped off. These animals were too smart.
An hour and a half was allotted for the operation today. Exactly after this time, the pterixes were supposed to return. The Coalition warriors had good contacts with their riding beasts. They understood them as if they were their own kind. And the beasts, in turn, always knew what their valiant riders wanted.
As soon as Owen and his warriors stepped into the gloomy corridor that opened up to them, they immediately felt uneasy. The fear was most evident in the Nicomedian Kerret, who followed behind the detachment together with two guardsmen. The green-skinned alien nervously looked around, intending to find some imaginary enemy. Soon the fear was transmitted to most of the other fighters. Only the commander himself remained calm and brave. At least, he tried to look that way. He walked forward along the corridor. His whole soul longed to find out the reason for the appearance of this cube on Maingard.
A gloomy corridor, starting with a huge hole in the ship, led to a staircase. This staircase rushed high up. Where it led, none of the fighters knew. Usually, the design of ships that could travel in space was completely different. Why did the builders of this vessel need to make an opening in the hull, and even with a staircase. As if the creators of the design involuntarily knew about the upcoming appearance of warriors from the Coalition here.
"This ship is here for a reason," Owen suddenly thought.
The commander looked around, moving the lantern and laspistol. To the left and to the right, he saw painted walls. They were engraved with unknown letters, the purpose of which no one knew. Again, it looked like Elfurr, but of a very ancient type. The stairs led high up, and there was simply no way out. But the warriors continued on their way, despite the fact that the steps were high. Some of the guards, dressed in spacesuits, began to get short of breath. This whole path seemed too long for ordinary people who did not have any psi-abilities. And the temperature here was not very suitable for life. When breathing, many warriors released dense clouds of steam.
- Will this staircase ever end? - the voices of the warriors were heard everywhere.
Ishken, who was following along with the detachment, admitted that he had the same question.
- Quiet, - Owen finally interrupted them, raising his hand up, - You will attract attention like that. - What attention, it's as quiet as a crypt here, - one of the soldiers responded.
And indeed, the silence was absolute. It could well be called dead. If the soldiers froze in place for an instant, they would be able to hear not only their own breathing, but also the beating of their hearts.
They walked up this staircase with huge steps for half an hour. Soon the exit finally opened for them. The staircase led them to huge doors, which were wide open. Owen discovered with interest that the entrance to the unknown room was also covered with strange hieroglyphs. They resembled some kind of complex mathematical equations, accessible only to the most experienced engineers and architects. For a second, Owen thought that these were magic spells, sigils, and not just decorative writing.

- Thank the Creator, - the joyful whisper of the fighters was heard, - At least we got to something.
- Don't thank me so early, - Totkhemris said, - Who knows what awaits us next.
- And indeed, my knees are already aching, - Snofru grumbled, who had put on a heavy spacesuit, - I'll soon die in this tin can.
- Don't bring trouble, - Gold pulled him up.
- Listen, go to hell, okay?
Owen and his warriors quickly entered through the doors and found themselves in a rather spacious room. It strongly resembled the prayer hall of one of the Elfurran temples. The room was square and spacious, and its walls were painted not with hieroglyphs at all, but with beautiful and mysterious frescoes depicting some strange creatures. Several painted chandeliers hung from the ceilings, their lamps burning brightly. It seemed that they had been lit quite recently. As Owen noticed in passing, they had built-in electric lamps, which meant that the ship had a fairly stable generator. In the center of the huge hall there was a small pedestal, as if intended for a monument. Obviously, this could be some kind of sacred altar. Around the pedestal were placed candlesticks with black candles burning in them. Owen also noticed that the candles were fresh, and had been lit quite recently. The ship simply could not be abandoned. There was clearly a crew here, and it only remained to find out who was on board.
- There is definitely someone here, - Kerret's voice was heard, - I can feel it.
- These candles clearly did not light themselves, - the captain noted, looking around the room, - And the bulbs on the chandelier are burning brightly. This ship is fully functioning. The only question is, who controls it. Or what.
- There should obviously be a captain's bridge here, - Totkhemris said, - All ships have one. And we, apparently, have ended up in a prayer room.

Elfurr female stood next to Ishken and looked at the pedestal with interest. But for some reason she felt a strange danger inside. Despite the fact that Totkhemris's body was encased in thick armor, she felt an approaching cold.

- It looks like the interior of an Elfurr temple, - Owen said, - The frescoes are similar too...
- Not quite, - one of the fighters responded here.
- At least take a look at these paintings, - exclaimed the second soldier, subordinate to Gold.
And the frescoes were clearly not of Elfurr origin. Usually, such paintings were considered blasphemy in temples. Images of strange maidens could be found on all the walls. Each of them was more beautiful than her companion. None of them even had a tunic. All of them, without exception, were naked.
Moreover, some of the drawings even showed scenes of copulation. Strange androgynous creatures were having sex with each other using some kind of devices. Having seen the details of the frescoes, Owen recoiled. He felt his mind rejecting this whole nightmare.
- Horror... horror! - Totkhemris said with disgust, also having looked at the images, - Sacrilege. Who came up with this? This is a parody of our prayer house!
Ishken discovered with horror that there were many more scenes of copulation here than it seemed before. On one of the walls, he saw two young maidens thrusting something sharp into each other's wombs. It resembled a giant steel stake. - This is some kind of outrage, - Ser'Naveh, who was also with Owen's squad, croaked indignantly, - This ship reeks of evil.
- Whoever it was, he will answer for this, - Owen's voice was heard here.
- If only I knew how he would answer, - Ishken Derkh expressed his thoughts.
He, more than anyone else, wanted to get out of this place. And preferably as soon as possible.

Suddenly, Gold and several of his fighters flew into the air, and then went on a long flight across this vast hall. It happened so quickly that Owen did not have time to come to his senses. Soon, other soldiers also lifted their feet off the floor and flew across the room in different directions. Only Totkhemris and several of the captain's comrades remained on their feet.
- What the hell! - Sneferu cursed furiously.
A moment later, this valiant dwarf was also thrown back by an unknown force. Some still remained on their feet, but a moment later, they began to fly. Terrible screams were heard from people and aliens who almost broke their backs from the strongest blows. One of the fighters even hit his head on the wall, almost breaking it completely. It was Thomas, Gold's comrade. The wound was serious, and it would not have been possible to save him even if they wanted to. Only Owen remained standing and watching the picture. All this shocked him so much that he could not make a single movement. His whole body seemed to be frozen from all sides.
The only thing he managed to do was to turn back. Soon a truly incredible picture appeared before him. He could not even imagine such a thing. In his entire life, he had seen many wonders, but he had never seen anything like this before.
Right in front of him and the warriors who remained on their feet stood a strange creature, shining from all sides. It was filled with blindingly bright blue lightning. Owen could not determine who exactly it was. The glow was so bright that it almost blinded. It would not take long for such a light to completely lose his sight. The commander felt a sharp pain in his eyes.
But for some reason, he felt cold inside. Mysterious and unknown. The cold was getting stronger with every second.
- Who are you? - Owen cried out sharply at the top of his voice, - Who are you?
The bright glow disappeared in an instant, and the commander finally allowed himself to see a wondrous and beautiful picture. Right in front of him stood a rather beautiful and tall girl, devoid of any clothes. But despite her great height, her body was incredibly fragile, and it seemed ready to split from one touch. Her hair was dark blond and long, and her eyes were bright blue dots. The pupils in them were not visible at all. Despite the fact that the unbearable glow had disappeared, electric discharges were still running through her beautiful naked body.
- Who are you? - Owen asked, beside himself with amazement.
But the alien maiden did not answer him. As soon as she looked at the commander's face, pupils appeared in her eyes. Her lips immediately twisted into a grimace of fear and some disgust. Without thinking twice, she thrust her right hand forward, and the captain flew into the air. With all his might, he hit the walls of this terrible hall and almost broke his spine. The blow was quite strong and painful. He miraculously avoided a terrible back injury. His whole body groaned and ached.
- Ha-ha! It's very funny, isn't it? - her strange voice rang out, more like a nightingale's chirping.
Owen glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. The disgust disappeared. Now the strange maiden looked at him with a sly smile. She was clearly having fun.... playing with everyone.
- Who are you... - the Scorcher barely audibly whispered.
The smile never left the beauty's face. She waved her hand again, and tore the captain's body off the floor. Then she quickly sent him into the nearest wall.
This time the blow was stronger. Only his armor saved Owen. Otherwise, he would have had to wait for a spinal replacement. And that was mortally dangerous.
- The most important question.... Not who am I, but who are you.... - the alien said with a grin, - Who are you today?

- What do you need..... - the captain wheezed through the fierce pain.
The girl disappeared for a moment, and then appeared right next to Owen. This time she was dressed in a gray jacket. The fire in her eyes disappeared. No magic or alien power. In this form, she could easily be mistaken for Officer Artandir.
The Scorcher continued to moan in pain. He could hardly even move. And this mysterious person only mocked him. She came close to him and looked straight into his eyes.
- Yes, and you are cute... Very much, - the sorceress smiled once again, - Too bad... Your powers could be useful to me. But he wanted you to die. Unfortunately... I can't refuse his request. He served me so much...
- What do you want..... - the captain's wheezing was heard again.
He tried not to lose consciousness. Deep inside, Owen felt that his strength had not yet left him. But the mysterious magic emanating from the alien blocked all his abilities. He had never encountered anything like this before.
- I told you, - the mysterious person said with the same emotion, - He wanted you to die. And I did too. I wanted it too.
Owen discovered that she had spoken about herself in the masculine gender. Was it a mistake, or did the maiden really not consider herself a woman.

- Hey you! Leave the captain alone! - the elfurr's voice suddenly rang out.
Totkhemris had recovered from the blows and was already standing in front of the alien. She held a plasma pistol in her hands. She aimed its barrel at the girl's head.
The sorceress immediately turned to the elfurr. The smile did not leave her face.
- You dare not threaten me... - she said in a bass voice, too low for such a beauty, - You are nothing. And I am everything. I was here long before the likes of you...
Her voice became lower and lower until it began to resemble a terrible wheeze.
Totkhemris knew that the enemy was dangerous, and that the battle would be hot. And she also had excellent peripheral vision. Elfur girl noticed how the rest of the squad's warriors began to get to their feet. Some of them had already taken up their weapons. Balderan was very close, and was already aiming the plasma gun at the alien, hoping to melt her.
- Fire! - Totkhemris's loud cry was heard here, - Fire! Fire everyone!
Elfurr understood that she could not wait any longer. She immediately pressed the trigger and fired a shining projectile. Balderan followed her example. Then Ishken, Ser'Naveh and Sneferu. The rest of the warriors also rose from the floor and began to shoot as they had never shot before. Dozens of projectiles flew at the girl or at what had taken her form from all sides. The roar of gunfire in the room was truly deafening.
But the mysterious stranger was not so easy to destroy. The projectiles moving towards her instantly evaporated in the air. The soldiers spent entire magazines on unsuccessful attempts to finish her off. When the warriors realized that firearms were useless, they immediately grabbed their blades. Several fighters from Gold's team snatched sharp Elfurr sabers from their sheaths and rushed forward with furious cries.
However, this attack was also useless. The aliens instantly thrust forward their hands, pulsating with lightning. The running warriors immediately flew into the air, and then hit each other with furious force. After that, they went on a long flight across the entire hall. Gold's soldiers were trained, and they were very lucky to avoid serious injuries. And their spacesuits did not fail. Ordinary people would easily break their bones from such powerful blows.
- Fire! Shoot at her! Shoot!
Owen had already managed to somehow recover. Overcoming the pain, he jumped to his feet. He barely restrained himself from screaming. The Scorcher did not hesitate and entered into battle with the unknown alien. His psionic power was unbearably great. He could already feel the fire bursting out of his body. How the flame penetrated every cell of his organism. Flame... Fire... Element.... He was ready to turn into a giant fireball. The captain waved his arms and released a powerful column of flame at the alien. Ishken, who was standing nearby, also prepared for battle. He was not a fighter in the usual sense of the word. But he respected and appreciated the captain. Derkh immediately released energy clots from the fusee, capable of splitting anyone into atoms. These glowing and shimmering spheres headed towards the girl with furious speed. But here, too, everything went wrong.
The plasma balls never reached their target. They flew away from the sorceress and crashed into the walls. A deafening roar and crackle were heard. The most powerful force made many cracks in the walls of this terrible hall. Several frescoes were simply swept away.
No matter how hard Owen tried to set his enemy on fire, he could not do anything. The flames bounced off her jacket. He did not even manage to knock the alien over. All his efforts were useless.
- Nothing affects her! - Sneferu growled angrily, replacing another magazine, - How can I kill her?
As soon as the bearded man said these words, he was immediately thrown back a good ten meters. Fate gave him a chance to avoid death. His body did not hit the wall, but only rolled along the floor. .
- Stop! - Owen's voice was heard here.
The commander realized that mortal weapons were powerless against this mysterious maiden.
- Hold up the fire! - the Scorcher screamed at the top of his lungs. - Hold up the fire!
The warriors immediately stopped their attempts to destroy the alien. It was impossible to kill her with plasma or even psionic power. She was simply invulnerable. However, the fighters did not take the girl out of their sights. At any moment, they were ready to continue this fierce fight. And if necessary, to die with honor.
The girl, seeing that the fighters had stopped firing, immediately lowered her hands. But the sinister smile did not leave her lips.
- And if you repeat the blows often, even a small axe will chop down a mighty oak ... - her mocking voice was heard, - But this is not about you at all. But about what we did to the Coalition. Everyone already understands that your union is powerless. We are the axe that made you weaker.
- Tell me who you are! - Owen growled menacingly, taking a step forward towards the maiden, - Who are you!
- I am the End of Everything, - the beauty immediately answered, - The End of the Old. And the Beginning of the New. I was here long before you. And soon... I am Coming again.
On the last word, her voice again turned into a low bass, so eerie that Owen's knees began to tremble.

---
Ahmanet felt that something was wrong with the Scorcher. His image began to flash through her mind more and more often. Before, it had only flickered occasionally. But in the last hours, it had been happening more and more often.
She did not understand what was happening to her. Owen was a man. She was the greatest of the Elfurrs. But for some reason, she was very worried. There was no contact with the Salvation Army team. Almost the entire crew, except perhaps the captain's deputies, had headed to Maingard to investigate the mysterious cube.
No one had yet sent any signals. There were no radio messages, no telepathic messages. But the danger... Ahmanet felt it too strongly. Owen's face kept flashing before her eyes. A face engulfed in flames. Something had happened to them up there on the surface. Something serious.
"Ma'am," Captain Arxes' voice was suddenly heard.
Elfurr noticed that the commander was too preoccupied. She kept looking somewhere into the distance, towards the portholes. But for some reason, Arkses felt that she was thinking about something other than what was outside the ship.
- Something wrong? - Ahmanet responded.
Arkses realized that he had distracted the admiral from his thoughts. His gaze made it clear that he had admitted his mistake.
- No, I just noticed that you were worried, - the captain admitted honestly, - If everything is in order, we will continue observation.
- Good, - User-Kaf answered dryly.
Owen's face appeared before her eyes for the umpteenth time. They had talked about upcoming operations for so long, but almost never had a heart-to-heart talk. And suddenly she wanted to see him again. And to discuss more than just military plans. This desire was too great. She could hardly suppress it.
- Roll call soon, - Arkses reminded.
"I know," Ahmanet said with the same emotion, "In four minutes." The Scorcher's face continued to appear in her mind.


---

Captain Botnik was appointed to his post by Cadmus quite recently. Literally after the war. Only three days had passed, and he had already become a commander. Until now, Preslav Botnik had never dreamed of a captain's chair. He served on the ship of Admiral Fialka Tertis with the rank of commander.
Now his fate had changed, and he commanded the "Ubiquitous". The main task was to patrol the territories around Maingard Prime. Botnik gladly volunteered for this operation. He almost lost his own brother during the drone attack. He still remembered how hundreds of drones flew over Artandir City, and then sharply descended and crashed into buildings.
His brother Carol was at the Admiralty headquarters. He was lucky that he managed to get out in time. Although an unpleasant surprise awaited him on the street. A concussion from an exploded car. One of the drones flew into an air taxi and blew it up. It happened just a few meters away.
Botnik had heard about it. He was already fed up with this whole story with the League. In truth, he believed that it was the League that was guilty of the monstrous attacks on galactic states. All the evil had been coming from there for a long time.
Now Preslav was in the captain's chair, carefully studying the reports from Maingard. He cursed these unbearable cowards who had not even sent a fleet. Botnik had long suspected that the Maingardians were not brave. But what they had done now was beyond good and evil. They locked themselves in their systems and did not even think of getting close to the capital. Which meant that the Coalition would have to clean up all the mess.
- Sir! Why didn't the Maingardians come to our aid?
This question was asked by the first mate Jimmy. He was a man, but with greenish skin and yellow eyes. Nicomedian blood was clearly visible in him. His mother, as you know, was from Nicomedia.
- Because they are portugaling cowards, - Botnik answered honestly, turning off the display in front of him, - The Mainguardians have always been known as them. Even during the war. The League almost pulled them to the limit. And who had to pull them out of the sewers? The glorious army of Artandir, bless it!
- Yes, it was not for nothing that my father did not tolerate these guys, - the voice of Lieutenant Gorelsky was heard.
Gorelsky was a Vintilian, from the Terafinti holdings. He volunteered for the operation when he learned that his cousin Horace Denfir had disappeared on Mainguard. The lieutenant had no doubt that Denfir had died. But whoever did this had to be punished.
- The Mainguardians were never known for their bravery, - Preslav agreed, - And you know, when Tertis and I flew to pull their asses out of Pollux, none of them even said thank you.
- I bet it's the same this time, Cap? - the lieutenant exclaimed.
Despite the bitterness of the loss because of his cousin, he allowed himself to smile slightly.
- I don't even doubt it, - the captain nodded, - Cowards are cowards. And arrogant ones too. What's the point of talking about them.
- I haven't heard from Owen, - another crew member, the dark-skinned Frank, suddenly spoke up.
It was the communications officer. He was sitting at a giant oval computer and carefully analyzing the data. Frank noticed that there had been no news from the group sent to the cube for a long time.
- Actually, he's not Owen to you, he's Captain Owen, - Jimmy corrected, and then continued, - And there really is no news. But I don't think we should rush them. In the end, they still need to find out what's in this damn cube.

---


Darotl knew that he had to act quickly. Inna and Zheng were ready. They had already managed to gather their comrades on all decks. The plan was very risky. And it could go down the drain at any moment.
First, all the specialists sent here by this intolerable Fernand had to be eliminated. Then, several officers loyal to Artandir to the grave had to be destroyed. After all, the bridge had to be cleared of unwanted people. Cadmus had to be surrounded on all sides.
Then, Sol Invictus would finally come under the control of those worthy of living in a free galaxy. Dalotl knew that he must not doubt. After all, if he dared to doubt this plan, a fate worse than death awaited him. She would not forgive him for this... She would not spare him. And N-sai did not even doubt this.
Everything had to start from the weapons decks. Dalotl slowly walked away from Cadmus, who was giving orders to the communications specialists and hacking experts. The gray-skinned man quietly put the transmitter to his lips, which connected him with Inna and Zheng.
- Begin.
It was a code word. A word that was followed by deeds.
Zheng and Inna immediately pulled out their pistols and began firing at the gunners working on the deck. The officers and soldiers loyal to them successfully helped. The gunners did not even have time to understand where they were being shot at. Within moments, they were all lying down. Bloody and torn to pieces.
Then the militants began to destroy the Artandir specialists. The guards did not even have time to contact each other. These healthy armored guys were trampled in an instant. They were not allowed to redeploy or hide. The attacks occurred throughout the ship in a matter of moments. In just two minutes, several decks were in the hands of Dalotl's comrades.
Next, it was necessary to clear the captain's bridge. And here it was much more difficult. Dalotl once again imagined her beautiful face in his mind. He knew that he must not let her down. He had to cope. He had to do it.
Cadmus continued to give orders to the officers. He did not even look at the gray-skinned first mate. N-sai took advantage of this. In the blink of an eye, he pulled a pistol from his holster and began shooting everyone who was loyal to Artandir. Florin did not even have time to come to his senses. He continued to sit in the command chair and watch everything.
Several officers from the Nicomedian race, being centrists, finished off five communications officers in seconds. Then Dalotl shot a pink-skinned felk'tranii in the head. His head instantly turned into a fountain of blood and brains. As N-sai noted, everything ended quite successfully. The operation was carried out with surgical precision. Without any flaws.
Inna and Zheng soon appeared on the bridge. They were tracking the three remaining Artandirs. These guys tried to call for backup, but all was in vain. The bridge controlled the entire connection. No leaks, no failures. These three special forces fought to the last, until the loyal Dalotl arangutos tore them apart. Even the heavy spacesuits did not save the unfortunate fighters.
Dalotl greeted his loyal comrades who had arrived on the bridge. Zheng and Inna entered there as victors. Their entire appearance from head to toe spoke of unprecedented success. The farrukh looked especially important. He was smiling too widely.
- Well then... The Coalition bastards have known our fury, - Zheng hissed ominously, looking at the carnage on the bridge, - And what next? Next, perhaps, is the most interesting part.
Dalotl allowed himself to repeat the farrukh's smile. He turned sharply towards Cadmus. He continued to sit in his chair and stare intently at his comrades.
- Admiral Cadmus Florin, - said the n-sai, grinning, without taking his eyes off the naval commander, - Legend of the Galaxy.
Cadmus, however, remained unperturbed. But suddenly his face lit up with a sparkle of unprecedented happiness. His eyes sparkled with terrible pleasure.
- Yeah... Legend of the Galaxy, - Cadmus allowed himself to laugh, - To hell with all this! Get the "Ravagers" ready!
- Yes! - Inna happily picked up, - "Ravagers"!
Florin finally allowed himself to rise from his chair. He once again looked around the entire bridge, filled with bloody corpses.
- Brilliant work! - He noted the merits of his comrades, - I was even afraid that you would accidentally shoot me.
- Never, sir! - Dalotl exclaimed, hiding his smile, - Don't even think about it! You are the best of all those with whom I had to serve!
Cadmus was already pacing the deck. He continued to look at those who had just moments ago declared their loyalty to the Coalition. None of them even guessed about their impending fate.
- It's good to hear that, - Cadmus muttered without looking at his comrades, - Okay... Enough chatter! Kill these bastards every single one! Prepare the "Ravagers"! The main target is the Coalition fleet!

---

- Sir! - Jimmy cried out in horror, - Something is wrong with the Invictus. They are activating the missile launchers! But against whom? There are no enemies in sight!
Botnik could not believe his ears. He carefully studied the scanner readings. It all really seemed true. The Invictus was preparing for battle. Moreover, it clearly intended to use the Ravagers. Preslav remembered what Cadmus had done on Acheron Prime. He did not blame the admiral too much, because there was no other way out. If he had not released his deadly "spears of light" then, half the fleet would have simply "lain down". But here, in this situation, superweapons were not needed.
The entire sector was deaf. Apart from the mysterious cube on Maingard, not a single hostile vessel was detected. Moreover, the Maingard fleet immediately left the systems when the EMP strike occurred. Such was the decision of the new Union government. No one was going to consider old Agesilaus the ruler, especially after his palace had been reduced to ruins... In front of everyone. They said that the supreme power would go to Erwin, a churchman of Meinhard, but this had not yet been confirmed.
- What the hell are they doing... - Gorelsky cursed.
He did not understand at all what was happening. There was no talk of any attack. And if Cadmus intended to destroy the cube, then he should have informed the fleet about it. Something truly incredible was happening here.
- Call the Invictus! Immediately! - the captain's loud order was heard. - I want to know what they are planning! There was no such thing at the briefing!
Jimmy and the communications specialists tried to fulfill the commander's words. But to no avail. Cadmus simply remained silent. They sent him many messages. And so it went on until it was too late.
The instruments showed that the missiles were targeting the entire fleet. The entire Coalition fleet orbiting Maingard.
- What the hell is going on with this Cadmus? - Botnik continued, - They're targeting us!
- Sir! We have to leave! - Jimmy suddenly exclaimed, - Their ship could have been captured!
- Captured by whom?
- I don't know, but this doesn't look like Cadmus' actions! This is some kind of nonsense!

A moment later, the entire crew of the "Omnipresent" realized their terrible mistake. One of the missiles was fired right in the direction of the ship. It could reach it in a matter of minutes. Even Artandir's best shields were powerless against this technology. The "Ravagers" destroyed everything in their path. Absolutely everything without exception.
- Shields at 100! Shields at 100! Prepare for impact! - the captain's screams were heard.
Sirens were ringing everywhere. Officers and signalmen were running around the bridge in terror. None of them knew how to stop it.
But soon everything went quiet. The ship simply disappeared. Vanished in a blindingly bright flame. Very soon there was no trace left of the "Omnipresent". As well as of its crew.

---

Totkhemris knew what to do. And Owen, it seemed, knew it too. The creature before them could not be defeated with weapons. And even less so if we were talking about mortal weapons. Not blasters, not plasma fuses, not laspistols, not anything else. If they had used combat grenades, it would have had the same effect.
Elfurr always wore a talisman against evil around her neck. It depicted the God of the Sun, the main patron of her state. In different places of the galaxy He was called by different names. It was believed that Khaton, who was worshiped in Artandir and in other states, could be His incarnation. Amulets were feared by any entities that were rejected by the Gods.
Owen needed to speak to this mysterious girl who had tried to kill them all just moments ago. He needed to distract her attention while Totkhemris took out her amulet. Only this could really work.
- Why are you here? - the Scorcher decided to ask, - Why do you need all this? To kill... to arrange a massacre! Are you really so bad without it?
The mysterious sorceress smiled, but this time very angrily. Her teeth immediately turned into the sharpest fangs. Fangs that were ready to sink into anyone.
- I am here because you yourself brought me here, - the girl gnashed furiously, - Do you think this galaxy is yours? You are mistaken. We are its true masters. And you sit here and think that you are allowed everything. Absolutely everything. But you feed me every day. And you do not know about it. You worship me every day.
Here Balderan, Owen's best friend and first mate, decided to speak. He stepped forward, not taking this person out of his sight.
- And how do we worship you? - his menacing voice was heard, - We serve for the good of the Coalition!
- Even when you are angry, you serve me, - the mysterious maiden retorted, - Any of your vile desires.... A desire that does not come from you, but from what makes you want more. This is worship. Worship me. The Coalition was not created from good. But from the lowest. From what wants more, fool.
Snofru was angered by such words. He always believed in the Coalition, and never allowed it to be insulted. For him, this system was ideal, in the truest sense of the word.
- Nonsense! - the "gnome" shouted, - The Coalition was created for peace and quiet! For security! For stability!
- And where is your security? - the girl grinned maliciously, - You only care about resources and power. The League was an experiment. It split you. Very easily. And believe me, as long as you continue to behave like this, the League will not disappear. It will appear again... In a different guise. In a different form.
Totkhemris turned away from the terrible sorceress. She threw her weapon on the floor and tried with all her might to tear off the amulet. But for some reason she could not. The amulet was getting heavier. She had to pull and pull to finally pull it off her neck.
- But everyone has a chance to improve! - Owen exclaimed, not taking his eyes off the otherworldly woman, - Only you do not have it.
- In vain you think so, - the person growled maliciously, - As you can see, I always win. Even now. You are my captive. You are in my kingdom. And you will not leave here. Because I will not let any of you out.
The voice of the sorceress literally spilled over the walls. With each second it only multiplied. It split into two, split into two and more. Soon, it turned into a deafening roar of a thousand throats.

It took a gigantic effort for Totkhemris to pull out the amulet, to break its chains and take it in her hand. Without thinking twice, she turned towards the maiden.
- Even if you don't want to let us go, you are not the one to rule here! - the warrior's menacing words were heard.
As soon as the sorceress saw what the elfur was holding in her hand, she suddenly recoiled. Fear appeared in her eyes, animal and unbridled.
- You have no power here, Marfur-Nirari!
Totkhemris called this entity by name for the first time. Everything was clear from the very beginning.
Long before this entire operation, Ahmanet User-Kaf and the members of the Droen Council warned of a serious threat. Marfur-Nirari had already penetrated this galaxy. He was the one in whom the Phantom so zealously believed, and whom he served faithfully and truly. This creature could not be called either a woman or a man. Rather, something neutral, without gender.
Marfur-Nirari existed long before Artandir and the Earth Alliance, long before this galaxy was inhabited. And every time, he tried to sow darkness and chaos here. In ancient times, this entity caused such a massacre that it affected not only the Milky Way, but also several other galaxies. Every race knew about it. Each people called Marfur-Nirari differently.

The war with the League was only a consequence of the monster's arrival. The Phantom was a pawn, a servant. Dangerous, but still vulnerable. But Marfur-Nirari, on the contrary, was the crown of all evil in the universe. All that he could carry within himself was chaos, war and death. He split nations, forced representatives of one race to kill their own kind, arranged bloody conflicts and led to the disappearance of entire civilizations. The Elfurr had always known about this. Not everything was disclosed even at the secret meetings of the Coalition. But the War with the League revealed the terrible truth. Better the bitter truth than a sweet lie. Marfur-Nirari had long been planning this. To destroy the familiar galaxy and turn it into darkness. And now, he was advancing again.
- You have no power here! - Totkhemris exclaimed again, holding her amulet in front of her.
Nicomedean Kerret followed her example. He also wore a medallion around his neck, which had saved him from death more than once.
- I banish you! - his cry was heard, - Banish!
Marfur-Nirari was strong. No one knew his true age. Many peoples feared him. In legends, his name sounded differently, but always in a whisper, so as not to attract his attention. So that he would not hear how they remembered him. But this entity also had fear. He, like no one else, feared those who could fight him and win.
Legends spoke of the War of the Gods. Marfur-Nirari was defeated and retreated to distant worlds, where the Light had not yet been laid. It was there, in this pitch darkness, that the source of his power resided. It was beyond the power of mortals to destroy it. And so he manifested himself in the world of the living in the form of various creatures. But not for long. For months or days. His energy was waning, since the power of the Gods in the worlds for mortals was stronger. Amulets and Charms were a terrible curse for him.
He manifested himself only for a time, and then returned to the source again. And so for all the long millions of years. But everything that was somehow connected with the True Faith, frightened him more than anything in the world.
Seeing the elfurr's amulet, the mysterious maiden retreated. Fear was reflected on her beautiful face. - What, are you afraid of the medallion? - Owen's voice rang out, feeling more confident, - You shouldn't compete with us. You will never rule here!

Soon Marfur-Nirari's fear was replaced by rage. Bloodthirsty and powerful. The entity's face began to change rapidly. The eyes turned into black coals. Multiple cracks appeared on the cheeks.
- This will not help you... - creaked what had previously seemed like a beautiful maiden, - It will not help... I am coming again. You'll see.....
The jacket on the entity's body quickly flared up. With each passing moment, the flame grew more and more.
- My power is great... And my strength... Endless...
Totkhemris continued to hold the amulet in front of her. Kerret did the same. There was no more fear. No fear or horror. Only Faith and Courage could force this entity to retreat - send it back to hell.
- You have no power here! - Totkhemris's voice was heard again.
In the blink of an eye, Light burst out of the elfurka's amulet. The brightest beam that immediately hit the sorceress in the chest. Marfur-Nirari flew back, engulfed in flames from all sides. He hit the wall with such force that it cracked. The terrible and frightening frescoes that were full here began to collapse at a furious speed.
- Burn! - Owen shouted at the top of his voice.
He only had to wave his hands once, and streams of fire immediately flew out of them. The flames surrounded the demon from all sides. They literally melted him, burned him alive in a matter of seconds.
- Fire! Fire! - the cries of the fighters were heard around.
Those who had already recovered from the fall began to fire at Marfur-Nirari from all the weapons they had. Blasters, laspistols and fusees were used. Gold's surviving fighters opened fire from assault rifles.
- Hit him! Hit him! - Balderan's orders were heard, - Don't let him recover!
Then there was a jolt. A powerful wave. The light-bearing impulse was so bright that it almost blinded the fighters. Totkhemris recoiled and barely managed to stay on her feet. The same thing happened to the others.
The medallion worked. The monster disappeared. Nothing remained of the once beautiful maiden posing as a voluptuous woman. Marfur-Nirari lost again. How many times had he tried to harm the galaxy. And now he was sent into the darkness again.
The power of the amulet was enough to overthrow this evil. Of course, it can return and try to plot its intrigues again. But this will clearly not be now, but somewhere in the unfinished future.
The flame from Owen's hands died out. He did his job perfectly. But after that, a terrible headache arose. Usually this always happened after using abilities. The pain passed only after a while.
- Is that all? - Ishken's voice was soon heard.
Derkh had already realized that the monster was no more. The sinister ghost created by Marfur-Nirari had been incinerated. But there were still many questions. One of them was how to get out. The second was dedicated to Admiral Cadmus. Florin had undoubtedly sent Owen and his crew to certain death.
- Why did Cadmus do this? - Totkhemris repeated Ishken's thoughts.
She no longer needed the medallion, but she still continued to hold it in her hands.
They had destroyed the monster. However, the reason they had been directed at the cube was still unsolved. Florin had calmly sent them here, not even thinking that there was danger here, and a terrible one at that. Or was he counting on Owen's luck? The captain and his warriors had already cheated death several times.

The Scorcher heard this and was amazed to realize that he was thinking the same thing. It all seemed short-sighted. And anyway, why did Cadmus send them here, knowing that there would be no connection? Did he know that Marfur-Nirari could be in the cube?
This whole mission seemed ridiculous from the very beginning. Even before the flight, Ahmanet warned Owen to think it through carefully, and if he refused, it would be no big deal. The Scorcher, however, was completely confident that everything would go smoothly. He had no idea that they would be led into a trap from which they would miraculously escape.
"Cadmus is a portugaling bastard," Snofru's voice was finally heard.
This "gnome" disliked Florin from the very beginning. It seemed to him that he was not as sincere as people saw him. But Sneferu's suspicions had grown sharply when Cadmus had bombed Acheron Prime. He had endangered an entire race with his missiles. The Unn-chorr were certainly involved in the League's plans, but not all of them deserved it.
"I'll ask the Admiral that question when we get out," Owen said menacingly.
"But we haven't looked at everything yet," Totkhemris noted.
"Enough!" Sneferu growled at that. "We nearly died here! I'm all for getting out of here!" Owen glanced at his crew. They were all more supportive of the Neferirikar than anyone else. And Totkhemris knew that nothing good awaited them in this cube.
There could be devices on the ship that no one had even suspected. Who knew what Marfur-Nirari could have hidden here. There might have been thousands of drones here. But it could have been worse. Combat clones or supersoldiers, or even living corpses.
- We have to leave, - the captain concluded after some serious thought, - Let's say the cube is dangerous.
- Right! - Ishken picked up, - Take it down with Aswaram! Right from orbit!
But Totkhemris didn't agree with that. She understood that the energy beam coming into contact with something like a cube could have fatal consequences. The ship's structure was made of minerals that weren't in the Milky Way. No one knew what kind of chain reaction could happen. The entire Maingard could easily fly apart, and there were still survivors here. Millions or even billions.
- No! We will return and report everything... - said Totkhemris, - But I do not advise you, Owen, to talk to Cadmus... After this, there will be no trust in him.
- Did we have it? - Snofru muttered discontentedly.
Owen simply nodded, preferring not to enter into polemics. Especially now, when almost everyone died.
A few seconds later it became clear that it was no longer possible to stay here. The walls of the prayer hall began to crack at an incredible speed. This threatened the destruction of the entire structure. Delay was impossible.
- Let's get out! - the captain immediately commanded.
- Cap, where to? - asked Ishken, remembering that the pterixes were not there yet, - Our beasts are on shuttles!
- I don't give a damn about it! - cursed Snofru, and a moment later he was running to the doors leading to the exit. This whole "walk around the temple" got on his nerves.

----

- Load three more warheads!
Cadmus' commanding voice echoed throughout the bridge. The corpses that had been lying all over the deck had already been cleared away. Only the blood had not yet been washed away.
Florin had already destroyed the "Ubiquitous." Captain Botnik had gone to the Gods. But the Elfurran ships that had come from Ahmanet were still threatening the "Invictus." They decided to leave User-Kaf for dessert. First, they had to eliminate three penteconters.
- Target the engines!
- Yes, we'll disable their engines! - Zheng happily chimed in.
A team of officers and fighters loyal to Florin had been occupying the bridge for several minutes. Everyone was working tirelessly. They carefully monitored the instruments. They did not miss a single detail.
The Elfurran ships were not prepared for the strike. Most likely, their captains received news of the destruction of the "Ubiquitous." But while they were investigating that the salvo had come from the Invictus, a lot of time would pass. Cadmus understood that "time is money" and it could not be wasted.
- Destroy! - his loud order was heard.
- Sir! Yes sir! - there were cheers.
A moment later, three more warheads were launched. Three nuclear missiles based on Elfurr technology.
Dalotl sat at the console and carefully monitored their movement. To prevent the shells from being shot down, they had to be teleported closer to the engines. He coped with this task quite easily.
A minute later, the missiles were already flying to their designated target. The Elfurrs did not have time to prepare. They could not even turn on the shields to somehow protect themselves. The deadly shells destroyed them all. - Yes, a present for Ahmanet, - Inna laughed, looking with interest at the flashes of light visible from the portholes, - I wonder what she thinks?
- I don't care what she thinks, - Cadmus answered menacingly, - I'll make them all pay.
- Well.... After all, the show is just beginning!

Ahmanet User-Kaf couldn't believe what was happening. More and more information was coming in with every passing second. Tragic.
The Invictus opened fire. The Ravagers were used. In a few moments, four ships of the flotilla were destroyed. Three of these ships belonged to the Elfurr Empire. Ahmanet couldn't contact them. She knew all these captains very well, and now that was it. They were dead.
"Has Cadmus gone mad?" Arxes shouted, beside himself with horror.
User-Kaf didn't want to believe it. Deep down, she wished that it was all a lie. Some part of her hoped that the Invictus had been captured by terrorists. But for some reason, her heart said otherwise. Was Cadmus, in fact, that same loyal friend and ally? Or were they all mistaken. They saw in him someone he had not been for a long time. - Call the Invictus for communication! Immediately! - Ahmanet screamed almost in a frenzy.
But the communications specialists could not fulfill her will. The flagship did not respond. All attempts to contact were unsuccessful.
- Warn the fleet that the Invictus may be captured by the enemy! - new orders from the admiral soon followed, - Do not interrupt attempts to contact him! Shields at 100!
Arxes and his subordinates immediately transmitted the information to all ships in the Maingard sector. Most horrified of all was Srilankur, who was left in charge of the Salvation Army. He could not even imagine that Cadmus would decide to kill his comrades. He, like Ahmanet, wanted all this to be untrue.
- I am taking command!
User-Kaf understood that if the Invictus was really captured, all powers of fleet management would pass to her. Cadmus can no longer be considered a commander.
- Everyone listen to me! - the elfurka's orders rang out, - Shields at 100! Prepare Honor-class drones for battle! Ships that do not have such weapons are to immediately redeploy towards Fortis-Maingard!
Fortis-Maingard was the name of a small satellite of the planet. Long ago, the Mainguardians built a military base there. But after recent events, it was abandoned. Such was the shameful order of the command that came to power.
In the current situation, Fortis was a safer place. It was quite possible to hide on its dark side.
---

Cadmus clapped his hands joyfully. Already four ships. But still, dozens of Coalition ships remained in service. Many of the captains had already noticed that the fire was coming from the Invictus. A little more, and they would start shooting back.
- 10 "Ravagers" to battle! - the order was heard, - Prepare to destroy the Artandir fleet!
- Yes, sir! - Dalotl answered loudly.
Soon a dozen warheads were brought to readiness. N-sai was already anticipating how death would fall on everyone who still believed in the Coalition. This time, they were supposed to fire at Artandir ships. The only exceptions were Ahmanet's flagship and the "Salvation Army". Cadmus had his own plans for Owen's ship.
- Sir, the "Ten Plagues" have been trying to contact us for ten minutes! - one of the officers reported.
Cadmus immediately understood what was happening. Ahmanet was not letting up. Perhaps she even thought that the "Invictus" was captured. But the admiral did not want to talk to her yet. Their dialogue would be soon, but not now.
- Do not accept the signal! - Florin commanded clearly, - Maintain silence.
- The "Ravagers" are 100% ready! - Dalotl's voice was heard at the same moment, - We are targeting.
The admiral knew perfectly well that his comrades were flying on the nearest ships. Many of them respected and valued him. They could not even imagine that such a famous naval commander would dare to do such a thing. Florin did not want to reveal the secret to them. It was better to let them die in oblivion. As they say, when you know less, it becomes easier to die.
- Fire! - the commander's order was soon heard.
- Yes, sir!

Owen was beside himself with surprise when he discovered that they had spent at least two hours in the cube. It seemed to them that twenty or twenty-five minutes had passed. But as it turned out, time worked differently inside the ship.
The Pterix were already waiting for them along with two specialists. The stable ship was obviously nearby. All that was left was to jump on these creatures and leave this godforsaken place.
- Nice to meet you, sir! - exclaimed one of the special forces, dressed in armor from head to toe, - We've been waiting for you. For half an hour. We were about to send for you!
- It's good that they didn't send, - muttered the Scorcher, - You would have all been killed.
The special forces soldier looked at the captain in bewilderment. He did not see his gaze because of his helmet, but he felt the emotions perfectly well.
- We were attacked, - Owen continued his speech, - It was a trap. One person died.
The dead warrior had to be carried out by Gold's soldiers. These strong guys were already tired, but duty remained duty. They had to get their comrade out at any cost.
- Who attacked you? - the warrior asked with anxiety in his heart.
- It's better for you not to know, - Totkhemris's voice was already heard, - We're flying away from here. We need to get back to the Salvation Army immediately.
The special forces soldier understood everything at once. He ordered his comrade, who was standing nearby, to prepare the pterixes. They had to fly out to the shuttle immediately, and then go into orbit. Staying here was useless.
The "temple" structure was starting to crack. The upper part of the cube had almost collapsed. A little more, and the ship would simply collapse on the city. Owen understood that there were still people left in Maingard, and if the cube fell, the destruction would be massive. But now they could do nothing about it.
- Let's go! - Owen commanded loudly.

Captain Demetrios had just received horrific news. The Invictus had begun firing on its own flotilla. And it wasn't ordinary weapons that were used.


The Ravagers were deadly to all living things. Elfurr technology allowed the missiles to reach their target without delay. They could dodge missile defenses or any other weapons designed to prevent a strike. If necessary, the Ravagers were able to teleport.
It was the perfect "thinking" weapon. The highest form of WMD. The Invictus was the only ship in the flotilla that had such missiles. The others didn't have access to them. Even Ahmanet tried not to use the Ravagers during the war with the League. She couldn't even imagine that Cadmus would start using all this against his comrades. Or maybe it wasn't Cadmus who did it, but the one who seized control of the Invictus.
Demetrios had been in command of the Bellatoris for a long time. He had had this ship since the beginning of the war. He had been through at least 8 military campaigns against the League. Together with Cadmus, he had managed to destroy up to 20 enemy ships. The captain valued and respected the admiral, and tried to follow his example in everything.
But now he could not believe that the fire was coming from Florin. Demetrios did not even think that Cadmus was capable of betraying them all.
- Sir! The Invictus fired shells again!
It was the voice of the senior assistant, a Nicomedian named Charita.
- Sir! They are flying in our direction! I recommend that you immediately engage the hyperdrive! We must leave!
Demetrios clearly understood that he simply could not escape from the missiles. By the time the engine came into action, the Ravager would have time to destroy the Bellatoris a hundred times. No shields could protect him from such a powerful blow. - Shields at 100!
- It won't help, sir, - Charita admitted honestly.
At that moment, the captain wanted to take something heavy and smash the entire captain's bridge. A moment later, this desire disappeared. And with it, everything he believed in disappeared.
"Bellatoris" flew apart in twenty seconds. And then followed ten powerful flashes, reminiscent of small supernovas.

- What do you mean, attacks? Who attacked? Who? Explain to me!
Owen didn't know what to say. The power of speech simply left him, as well as all his comrades.
The transporter, which was often called the "stable", returned for the pterixes. After all, there was a special compartment for the pterixes. The Scorcher believed that the shuttle would quickly deliver them to orbit. But the news from the pilots was not very encouraging. The guys claimed that a real war was going on in the space of Maingard.
- "Invictus" began to fire at its own ships, - one of the pilots said with horror.
Owen and his team were already sitting inside the shuttle. All the tests of the cube were behind them. When they flew away, they clearly saw how the structure of this mysterious vessel was slowly falling apart.
But the Scorcher no longer cared. The captain himself made his way into the control cabin and decided to question his comrades from the aviation in detail.
- "Invictus"? - Owen cried out in wild amazement, - Admiral Cadmus? Someone captured his ship?
- Admiral Akhmanet thinks the same, - the pilot answered, - Maybe it was the Mainguardians?
The pilot was clearly of Artandir origin. Owen did not remember the names of his subordinates, only his closest comrades. After all, what were the special name stripes for then? But judging by the conversation, this pilot definitely had his eye on the Mainguardians. Most likely, this was due to the long-standing feud between the two powers.
- I don't think the Mainguardians would dare to attack us, - the captain noted, - They are too cowardly. And we no longer have any quarrels with them.
- Then who captured Cadmus' ship? - a question rang out, - What if the filthy Mainguardians lured us here themselves? Anything could have happened. My father died during the Domna War! I will not forgive them for that.
Totkhemris appeared in the cockpit. She wanted to defuse the situation a little. Elfurr heard the conversation, and she did not like it much. And besides, her instincts told her that the Mainguardians had nothing to do with it at all.
- The Mainguard scum are always digging up some artifacts, - the pilot continued to grumble, - They take them for themselves. Maybe it's the same with this cube. And with the drones. I feel it in my ass.... It's all their fault. They attacked us.
- Enough!
Totkhemris decided to calm the disgruntled pilot.
- You shouldn't blame the Mainguardians without evidence! It wasn't them!
- What the f..... - suddenly came from the Scorcher's lips.
He almost followed Sneferu's example. At that moment, he really wanted to curse, and very dirty.
- Something wrong? - Totkhemris asked in bewilderment.
But then everything became clear to her. Looking out the portholes, she saw the brightest flashes somewhere there... in the distance. A dozen flashes. This usually happened after the use of the "Ravagers". This meant only one thing - even more ships were destroyed than expected. The day before, the pilots reported four lost ships.


- Sir, may I address you!
Inna was very interested in using the "Ark". The warhead was already prepared. All that remained was to use it. But no orders had come from Cadmus yet. He ordered to continue firing the "Ravagers".
Florin clearly understood what Inna wanted to ask. After all, he was a psionic, just a hidden one. He hid his abilities from his comrades so carefully that sometimes he even forgot about their existence.
- "The Ark" can wait," Cadmus answered, "It's not time yet."
- But it will come, right?
The Admiral cast a stern look at Inna. This witch simply longed to see the star system turn to darkness. The use of "living darkness" threatened to destroy not only the people of Maingard, but even neighboring worlds. In ancient times, there were even cases when this led to the formation of a "supermassive." Such a black hole was capable of absorbing not only dozens of planets, but also carrying half the galaxy into its bosom.
- It can wait for now, - Florin growled sharply, causing Inna to recoil, - If anything, I will give the order. And now be quiet.
For now, he was enjoying the fact that he had destroyed 14 Coalition ships.

Ahmanet could not recover from what she saw.
Three ships of her kind. Then 14 more ships of Artandir. All these brave men and women went through the Acheron War, and came out of it victorious. Now they are dead. Ignominiously dead from blows to the back.
Luckily, some were saved. Srilankur Jr. hastily led the Salvation Army to the Maingard moon. The others followed his example. Ahmanet tried with all her might to save them.
Invictus continued to fire at the fleet. It fired a couple more shells, and turned two frigates into dust. These were ships belonging to the Coalition. Artandirians, Vintilians, and even Earthlings served there.
- The drones are ready, mistress! - Admiral Arxes suddenly shouted, - Ready to use!
User-Kaf had no choice but to give the order to destroy the Invictus. If this madness was not stopped, there would be nothing left of the fleet. Everyone would die here.
Suddenly, one of the young communications girls reported. She said that Owen's shuttles had appeared in orbit. The Burner's crew had survived. They had managed to escape from the cube.
Ahmanet immediately turned her gaze to the girl.
- Where are they? Where is the captain? - she exclaimed.
- They are entering space, - the elfurr woman said, - They will soon approach the Y-mark.


Owen demanded to be connected with Elfurr immediately. Ahmanet's ship was nearby. But something terrible was happening to the rest of the fleet. The last time he had seen something like this was on Tevcris, when the Coalition armada had turned the League's battleships into dust.
The captain noticed that the Salvation Army was nowhere to be seen. Obviously, the ship had been destroyed or relocated. That meant they couldn't go back. You can't fly far on shuttles like that. They need refueling and maintenance. The transporters weren't designed for heavy space combat. They just carried soldiers.
The pilots soon reached Ahmanet. The elfhurrka's beautiful face appeared on the holo-screen.
- Owen, are you okay? - she suddenly asked him in a completely unofficial tone.
But the Scorcher didn't pay attention to it.
- We just went into outer space, - he answered, - What's going on here? Why did the Invictus start the attack? What happened to Admiral Florin? I'm sorry... I have so many questions.
Ahmanet nodded. She understood his concern. And the elfhurrka herself was almost losing control.
- The Invictus destroyed dozens of our ships! It continues to fire! Cadmus isn't responding!
- Damn it..... Where is the Salvation Army?
User-kaf had to tell him the truth.
- We sent him to Fortis.
Owen barely restrained himself from cursing. That meant they simply wouldn't make it to the ship.
- We were attacked in the cube by a creature known as Marfur-Nirari, - Totkhemris decided to speak.
At this word, Ahmanet turned pale. This could be the reason - the mysterious creature that had been poisoning life in the universe for so long. Everything that was happening around could well have been its creation.
- We dealt with it, - the warrior said without waiting for a new question, - We destroyed it with the medallion. But Cadmus clearly knew where he was sending us. Something was wrong with it.
Ahmanet turned pale. She certainly didn't expect to hear this from Totkhemris. Direct accusations of treason against the admiral.
- I don't know what's wrong with him, - Owen continued, - And I don't know what's going on here! But Cadmus is somehow connected to this! To all this armadillo!
The Scorcher was horrified by his own words. The captain hadn't even thought of talking about it. They somehow burst out of his mouth. Just now he had almost directly accused Cadmus of treason.
If he had started such conversations in another situation, he would have been considered an instigator and deprived of the ship.
- Those are dangerous words, - Ahmanet noted, - Cadmus is not responding to our signals.
- Maybe we should call him? - Totkhemris suggested.
Her sister-admiral had only a few seconds to think.
- Do it! Just stay away from the fight! If they detect you, fly away to Fortis!
- Understood! - Owen immediately exclaimed, - That's what we'll do... If "Invictus" is ignoring you, then maybe they'll contact me? Maybe I'll get lucky?

--
All those long minutes, while the shuttles were flying out of Maingard, different thoughts were swirling in Ishken's head. He tried to find answers, but he couldn't do it. One of the main questions was dedicated to Admiral Cadmus. Derkh couldn't figure out why Florin had sent them to their deaths. And even more so, he didn't know what had happened to the naval commander that he had started firing at his own.
Ishken doubted that the Invictus had been captured. Not long ago, this ship had been held up as an example. Ex-President Fernand had called it the Impregnable Stronghold. The security systems there worked like a charm. In addition, the ship was full of specialists sent by Asinius to protect the admiral and his officers. No one could have captured it from the outside.
- Some nonsense... - Balderan, who was sitting next to him, muttered through his teeth, - Why did he do this...
The first mate couldn't understand the admiral's logic. He also knew that the Invictus could not be captured so easily. Whoever organized this massacre was somehow connected to Cadmus. Or maybe Florin really organized all this. In that case, he was not such a loyal naval commander to the Coalition.
- Listen, does Cadmus have a family? - Ishken suddenly decided to ask.
For some reason, this is exactly what came to mind. He did not remember Cadmus ever talking about his wife.
Everyone knew, for example, that Owen had a free heart. Asinius preferred girls to boys. The famous Admiral Nolan, as he recalled, had a wife, and not from the human race. Florin, of whose family Ishken had never heard, was a different matter.
- He doesn't have a family, - the first mate muttered, not even looking at his comrade, - What does this have to do with... I'm trying to figure out who exactly organized this massacre.
Here Kerret decided to intervene in the conversation. This green-skinned Nicomedian heard everything, and he clearly had something to share.
- He was never married, as far as I know, - the alien's words were heard, - Only a civilian. And that was a long time ago. Many, many years ago. Then it all ended.
Ishken looked at his comrade with interest. He wanted to quickly find out what happened to Cadmus' beloved. Somewhere inside, he felt that the answer lay in this. The answer to everything.
But instead of the Nicomedian, Derhu answered Ser'Naveh.
- He had a companion, - the draconian hissed somehow excitedly, - He had a companion... Exactly. She worked in the government of Artandir, I think even with Fernand and her colleagues.
- And what happened to her? - Ishken's voice was immediately heard, - Something happened?
Ser'Naveh looked at his comrade with sorrow.
- She died. Well, how can I say... It seems like a plane crash. Cadmus was very worried. He even thought that Elfurr did it... The girl got wind of something, something was wrong. Fernand said that Cadmus was delirious... and was about to go on pills. And then he seemed to have recovered. He was strong. He always was.
- Of course he recovered! - Kerret finished after his comrade, - I don't believe in Cadmus' betrayal at all. He had won so many victories! The Hero of the Galaxy! So enough suspicions already...


Dalotl reported some unpleasant news to Cadmus. Owen and his team had somehow miraculously survived. And that meant that whatever was waiting for them in the cube had failed.
Florin's soul seemed to sink into his heels. He didn't understand at all how it was possible to survive after that. She had to kill them all... without pity and without mercy. He begged Her to do it.
- Sir! - the first mate shouted, still not taking his eyes off the screens, - The captain is trying to contact us.
Deep inside, Cadmus did not want to talk to the Scorcher. But he simply could not help but find out how they had miraculously survived. And how they had managed to get out of the cube.
- Maybe we should convince him to join us? - Zheng suggested here.
Florin clearly understood that he liked the idea very much. But he was also not going to give any second chances. Either the Scorcher accepts his offer, or turns to dust, like all the others.
- Well then... Let's try, - Cadmus agreed, - Just one chance. If he refuses, he will die. I will not stand on ceremony with him. He should already be in the realm of the dead...
- We'll happily destroy his shuttles, - the farrukh grinned ominously, - Our drones have dealt with worse.
Florin rose from the commander's chair and approached Dalotl. For the first time, he would speak to his former comrade not on behalf of the Coalition. And not as an admiral. The Coalition was and remained his main enemy.
- Connect him!

All of Owen's fears were confirmed. The shuttle's main screen showed an image of Cadmus. It was none other than Admiral 1st Rank Artandir and future head of the Coalition Security Council, Hero of the Galaxy and winner of the League.
The naval commander stood before him with a proud posture and an arrogant look. He was dressed in his signature blue uniform with all the regalia. A golden saber hung at his side, and a miniature pistol stuck out of a brown holster. Owen remembered very well how this pistol was presented to the admiral by President Cedric.
- Admiral Cadmus! - Owen exclaimed loudly.
His comrades from the Salvation Army quickly advanced towards the Scorcher. They were all amazed at what they saw. No one had captured Sol Invictus. No one had seized control. All these horrors were created by the naval commander himself. - What happened to you, sir? - the captain continued his sentence, - Why did you attack the allies? These are our ships! Our flotilla!
- Your flotilla, - Florin croaked furiously.
His gaze changed dramatically. Now he looked at Owen and his comrades with undisguised hatred. It literally overwhelmed him.
- No, our flotilla! - the Scorcher retorted, - You are the Admiral of the Coalition! The winner of the League! The Hero of the Galaxy! Why did you allow yourself to do this? To turn against everyone! This is treason, sir!
- Treason? - Cadmus shouted angrily, - This is justice! All these bastards deserve to die! Those who sold us out to the Elfurr Empire. The entire Coalition is an integral part of it. The Elfurrs do as they please with us. And we listen to them every now and then and bow to their leaders. Enough of this evil! Over the long years of serving the Coalition, I have learned one skill remarkably well... Lies. I have learned to lie. I pretended to serve you, but I never forgot... I never forgot who you are. And what you are made of.
Owen was beside himself with horror and amazement. Florin did not speak at all like the Admiral of Artandir, nor like his loyal brother in arms. These were the words of a traitor, a provocateur and a supporter of the League.
"For what purpose is all this?" Totkhemris, standing not far from Owen and observing the conversation, decided to ask.
"Have you ever felt pain?" Cadmus rasped at this.
The Scorcher noticed that the Admiral was no longer speaking with hatred, but with a deeper feeling. Tears quickly appeared in his eyes. He tried not to show these emotions. But the tears spoke of many things. Of grief. He clearly had some kind of secret. Perhaps the question about pain was not without reason.
- You do not know me... At all, - Florin continued to speak, - You do not know what I have been through. Elfurr took everything from me. You have no idea what it is like to live with pain. Every day. And it does not go away. And all these initiates only repeat that life is suffering.
- What do you want? - Owen shouted at the top of his voice, - Pain is not a reason for betrayal!
- Betrayal? - Cadmus immediately broke into a shout, - You are committing betrayal by serving Elfurr! They killed everything I knew! And only He! Only He can help me! Can save her! Can give her back to me!
A moment later, Florin coughed. He realized that he had said too much. The admiral scolded himself for not holding back. But apparently, all this had been sitting inside for a long time. And now it decided to break out.
- So you are... a heretic... - Totkhemris said barely audibly, realizing it all at once.
Owen and the others were unable to respond. The gift of speech simply vanished into oblivion. Florin was far worse than just a traitor. He had arranged all of this. This entire war. This entire cruel and bloody massacre.
He knew about it all from the very beginning. All of his victories were just a show.
- Enough! - the admiral said more dryly, - Our conversation is over. Farewell.
After that, the image of Cadmus dissolved. The connection between the ships was broken.

- You shouldn't have been frank with him.
Dalotl didn't like the way Cadmus behaved at all. He almost burst into tears in front of Owen. He allowed himself to be weak.
If She had seen everything now, Her rage would have known no bounds. N-sai even wanted to shoot the admiral for this. That's how angry he was with him.
But Cadmus didn't like the first mate's behavior either. Dalotl was acting more and more confidently. It was as if he felt more important than the naval commander.
- I know what to do myself! - Florin growled menacingly, putting the assistant in his place, - And you have no right to tell me what to do! I hope I made myself clear?!
N-sai recoiled. He realized that the admiral was terribly angry. It was better not to provoke him in such a state.
- Forgive me, sir... My lord, - Dalotl squeezed out.
He even bowed slightly to the commander. Although inside, he already felt a strong disgust.
- My Lord Phantom, - Zheng's voice was heard.
For the first time in a long time, Farrukh addressed Cadmus not by rank. This was how they communicated in private. But now there was no point in hiding anything. Pointless and useless.
- I'm listening, - Florin answered coldly.
- What about the new strikes? I noticed that you stopped using the "Ravagers". We have warheads ...
- No, we will deal with the rest with the help of the "Dragonflies".
Cadmus felt that the pain was slowly weakening. Clarity of mind was returning to him again.
- Prepare the drones! - Phantom soon commanded, - Kill everyone except Ahmanet User-Kaf. We will save her for dessert.
- Yes, my lord! - Zheng answered obediently.

There had long been a special deck on the Invictus. Its code name was "X-systems". It was there that all sorts of technical devices were placed. They did not require maintenance personnel. The main inhabitants of the "systems" were androids.
Recently, by order of Cadmus, they had constructed no less than 10 thousand small insectoid probes. Probes that brought death to all living things. These were demolition drones, designed to destroy enemy defenses.
Thanks to Inna and her acolytes from the Esoteric Conclave, the drones were reinforced. Moreover, they were reinforced masterfully. It was not only a matter of technological improvement, but also the use of a special code, the language of Marfur-Nirari. Inna had been taught this during her stay at the Monastery of Dawn. She was not only an experienced coder, but also possessed secret knowledge. All the relevant sigils were drawn. It was these drones that in turn carried out a large-scale attack on the Coalition. They could appear out of nowhere and disappear into nowhere. This was their main secret. Inna prescribed them the necessary coordinates. The drones struck, some of them were shot down, others exploded. The rest retreated back.
The products worked almost the same way as the "Ravagers". They could destroy any ship, and then teleport to another system - and strike there. Cadmus liked her inventions. He called them "Dragonflies".
And now, hundreds of such "Dragonflies" were released. Multiple dots appeared in space, which were constantly shimmering. They were heading straight for the remaining Coalition ships. All they wanted was to kill. Killing and the pleasure of it. Inna managed to give them these emotions ... inherent in living beings. - Well, now they'll all definitely die, - the witch smiled ominously, looking at the hundreds of dots that had appeared.
There was no need to monitor the drones. They didn't require it at all.

Seeing the approaching armada of killer probes, Ahmanet immediately warned all the surrounding ships. The devices no longer recorded the activation of the "Ravagers". But what came out of the "Invictus" was much more terrible. These drones were so fast that they could fly to the desired target in a matter of moments.
- Prepare the missile defense! - User-Kaf's commands were heard throughout the bridge, - Release 3 divisions!
Dozens of "Honor" class combat drones burst out of the ship's special compartments. They were supposed to hold back the blow and prevent the "Dragonflies" from approaching. These miniature but dangerous scarabs could stop the attack for some time.
But most of all, Ahmanet was afraid that the enemy beasts would rush towards Owen. The shuttles on which the Burner and his team were flying simply would not withstand it. These creatures would destroy them all in a couple of seconds. - Pilots ready! - Arxes' voice rang out, - Should we release fighters?
- No! - the admiral shouted sharply, - Do not use manpower! Only drones and missile defense systems!
- Yes sir! - the ship's captain saluted.
Very soon, the scarab drones entered the battle with the huge armada of "Dragonflies". The operators tried not to lose sight of a single target. They shot and shot, pressing special buttons. Several scarabs fired "paralyzer missiles". They managed to disable at least 40 enemy drones.
But this was still not enough. The "Dragonflies" began to split up. Akhmanet's fears were quickly confirmed.
Several divisions quickly turned around and headed towards the remaining ships that had not managed to leave the subsector. Several more Artandir frigates came under attack. Their captains opened fire from all available weapons.
The first to fall was "Doramino". The drones hit him right in the bridge. The disabled consoles immediately deprived him of control. Some of the probes hit the frigate's reactor and caused a powerful explosion. The entire crew died in literally twenty seconds. It was a real massacre. Some burned alive. Others, due to depressurization, escaped into open space.
Ahmanet looked out the portholes in horror. She saw how hundreds of people flew out... into the abode of death and cold. They died there in moments. Their lungs were torn to pieces.
- "Invictus" will pay for this... - User-Kaf growled quietly, swearing that she would find all the culprits.
The second to be destroyed was the "Tol-Fiorrin". This was the ship of Byzantiana, who always helped Artandir. Captain Sklir tried with all his might to rectify the situation. His missile defense even managed to destroy several groups of approaching "Dragonflies". But others went around the ship from behind and hit the reactor.
- Two more ships destroyed! - the disappointing data came to the bridge of Akhmanet.
- The drones have broken up into three more divisions! - the voice of the young communications officer was heard, - Heading towards the shuttles!
User-Kaf's heart sank. All these creatures are flying towards Minegard... Straight to Owen's positions.

---

- There are dozens of these monsters heading our way!
The pilot's conclusions were full of despair. The transports weren't combat ships. They would simply be blown apart. The Phantom knew what it was getting into. He definitely knew. He had already signed Owen's death warrant and was going to carry it out.
- We have weapons! - concluded the Scorcher, - We're not flying on barges!
- Sir, we don't have enough strength to resist these creatures, - the pilot didn't let up, - We're screwed.
This guy had clearly given in to panic. His whole appearance betrayed the hopelessness and senselessness of continuing their journey. But panic is the worst thing that can happen in such a situation.
- Stop it! - Owen cried almost in a frenzy, - I'm the captain here! And as long as I'm in command, none of this crap will touch us! Prepare for battle!
The pilots had to obey. Inside, they knew that they would hardly be able to withstand the Dragonflies. But what was the solution then? No one was going to just fly and wait for death. They had to at least try to engage in battle.
Totkhemris had already prepared the appropriate spells. As a psionic, she had to ensure the ships' protection. Her power could destroy a dozen of such creatures. But deep down, she felt that the drones were "enchanted". This was the only word that came to the elfurka's mind.
Someone or something used forbidden knowledge to design the probe-demolition devices. They could resist psionic influence, and this was what was really scary.
As far as the pilots calculated, the Dragonflies were already 600 kilometers away from the shuttles. They were rapidly approaching the Scorcher's positions. A few more minutes would pass, and they would be very close.
- Everyone to the guns! - Owen shouted, - Fight to the end! Phantom can't break us!
He said Admiral Cadmus's real name for the first time.
The crew members quickly began to take up their combat posts. Ishken and Kerret went to the main gun turret. The rest took control of the missile and plasma launchers. No one in the squad wanted to surrender.
- They're flying towards us! - the pilots reported, - At breakneck speed, sir!
- Gun turret! Fire! - the Scorcher immediately commanded.
Ishken and Kerret did their job. A powerful shot rang out. They managed to hit at least five enemy drones.

Ahmanet knew that Owen was finished. She suddenly realized that she might never see him again. And suddenly she felt so much pain that she could barely stand on the deck.
The officers on the bridge noticed her anxiety. Many of them understood that the admiral was afraid for his comrades. But no one could have guessed about her secret feelings for the human captain.
- Send 2 divisions to the shuttle positions! - the admiral's order was heard.
- This is impossible, mistress! They won't make it in time!
- I'm afraid our friends are finished.
User-Kaf tried her best to save Owen. But she didn't know how to do it. The order seemed rather stupid. The scarabs simply wouldn't have time to fly to their targets. The enemy drones would have destroyed the shuttles by then.
However, fate did not seem to favor Cadmus. Literally a second later, it became clear as day. Everything that Phantom had planned had gone wrong. All his plans had turned into nothing.
In the blink of an eye, dozens of ships began to appear near the orbit of Maingard. One after another, they emerged from non-space. These were not only corvettes, but also battleships, frigates, and even caravels. Imagine Ahmanet's surprise when she noticed the Maingard symbols on their hull.
Suddenly, an entire armada appeared in space. It seemed that it was the Union government fleet. Apparently, its representatives had finally decided to recapture their home world.
One of the Maingard corvettes fired a dozen salvos at the flying Dragonflies. The drones were not ready for this. They did not have time to plan their next steps, and this led to a failure. Within a few minutes, not a single piece remained of the enemy's three divisions.
Then the caravels entered the battle. Dozens of fighters and attack aircraft flew out of their hangars. They instantly headed towards the approaching armada of probes. The pilots were prepared for such a battle, and immediately opened fire. They destroyed drones by the hundreds. They shot them down with plasma turrets and missile carriers.
- We are being called! - soon the voice of the communications operator was heard, not taking her eyes off the monitors.
Ahmanet felt an unprecedented relief. The Mainguardians saved Owen and his team. The "Dragonflies" were eliminated. This surprise saved thousands of lives.
- Answer! Immediately! - User-Kaf shouted.

---

"Paladin"
The flagship battleship of Patriarch Erwin Telamon of Maingard.

The Patriarch of the Khatonian Church of Maingard had long suspected Cadmus Florin of everything. But since the Maingardians always preferred to act only in their own interests, they were not eager to cooperate with the Coalition's intelligence. Blessed Erwin Telamon, nicknamed the Fat, had been studying the behavior of the Artandir admiral for a year. And an interesting thought occurred to him. The famous naval commander of the Coalition could well be playing a double game.
Erwin had been friends with Geront Agesilaus for a long time. He even allowed himself to touch the very Sphere that was still kept in the dungeons of the elders' palace. And one day, the patriarch admitted to his friend that Cadmus was not the hero he was considered to be almost everywhere. He had noticed one interesting detail. All of Florin's military campaigns resulted in a large number of victims. Both his soldiers and the enemy's were dying. And there were always problems with intelligence.
The truth was revealed only when Erwin decided to attach one of the reconnaissance probes to the hull of the Invictus. This happened immediately after the Coalition fleet advanced towards Maingard. The Patriarch carefully monitored everything. And finally, he had an epiphany. Cadmus was the Phantom that had been sought for so long. The reconnaissance probe transmitted all the necessary information to the cleric's headquarters.
The Patriarch was incredibly sorry that it was done so late. If he had discovered the Phantom earlier, there probably would not have been an attack on Maingard. An attack that led to the deaths of tens of thousands.
The Maingardians always acted only in their own interests. And Erwin was one of them. But without a doubt, he was incredibly sorry about how people died in other states. The mysterious drone attack made him turn pale with horror.
After Cadmus began bombarding his own comrades, Erwin raised the entire Mainguard fleet, concentrated in the Annasios system. Preparations were made quickly enough, and soon the fleet was sent to battle. There was no longer any doubt that Cadmus was Phantom-13.
It was lucky that the Mainguardians left in time. They managed to defeat the Dragonfly armada and deprive Florin of his main trump card.
- Admiral Akhmanet! - the patriarch addressed him with feigned sycophancy.
On his orders, the elfhurr flagship was called in. He saw the alarmed face of the beautiful alien.
- Patriarch! We did not expect to see you here! - the admiral admitted honestly.
The bearded confessor gave the elfhurr woman a low bow. Captain Stovan, standing nearby, repeated his movements. All the other officers on the bridge also bowed to User-Kaf.
- Mainguard is our land, - Erwin noted, - I admit that we did not come for you, but to take our world back from Phantom. Let it be known to you that the name of Phantom-13 is Admiral Cadmus Florin.
Ahmanet did not know what to answer. The words spoken by the confessor shocked her. But deep down she understood that there was no need to lie to the patriarch.
- It was he who arranged everything, - the Mainguardian continued his speech, - It is a pity that we did not understand this earlier. Now we want to help you. And at the same time, to take back our home. Or did you think that we were cowards?
- Not at all... your holiness, - the elf answered this.
Although at the same time, Ahmanet understood that most of the Artandirians considered the Mainguardians to be cowardly.
- Well, now we'll send you all the data on the Phantom, - Erwin said soon, - And then we'll arrest him. We have some way of getting onto the Invictus. I don't think you'll object.

- Fuking Mainguard bastards!
Dalotl understood everything immediately. He preferred not to use such dirty expressions. But after he saw the Mainguard army crushing the Dragonflies, he simply could not hold back. N-sai was filled with rage and hatred.
However, Cadmus had the same emotions. His eyes flashed when several enemy caravels appeared in his rear. As it turned out, Erwin had brought almost the entire flotilla of the republic with him. His ships took aim at the Invictus. As soon as they twitched, the Mainguards would immediately open fire. From such a distance, any shot was fatal for the ship.
The Invictus was sucked into a trap. And not even the Phantom could get out of this trap. Erwin outplayed him. Cadmus always considered the Mainguards cowards, hedonists and egocentrics. What was the cost of their idea to hide the Sphere. The mysterious alien device could easily cure any disease in moments. But the old "seniles" declared it theirs.
Now the Mainguard fleet was fully determined to destroy the Invictus with its entire crew. Erwin and his comrades had every opportunity to do so. But Cadmus assumed the worst. He was afraid not of death, but of a cage. A cage in which he would never find his Yuriko. Never find the way to his beloved.
Phantom did everything to get her back. But Marfur-Nirari left him to be torn apart by the Mainguards. Florin looked around in horror. All members of his team were in a panic. They did not think that everything would turn out like this.
- What to do now, my lord? - asked Zheng.
Farrukh knew that for such crimes he would be imprisoned in a pagoda. Dalotlya - the death penalty. Inna would most likely be sentenced to life imprisonment. She was a citizen of Artandir, namely the planet Trinacrine. Although, Elfurr could have easily come to an agreement with the republic and handed the sorceress over to the Inquisitors.
- Bastards! Bastards! - Cadmus screamed at the top of his voice.
He wanted to smash everything on the bridge. Turn every console into a pile of rubble. Rage overwhelmed him.
- Dirty, worthless embryos! Placenta rats! Degenerates!
Inna already knew what awaited her for her crimes. Without thinking twice, she raised her pistol and shot herself in the chin. A moment later, her lifeless body lay on the deck. Blood oozed profusely from the horrific wound.
But Cadmus did not even notice how his comrade had passed away.
- Never mind... This bug will still pay! I will destroy this Erwin! I will rip out his guts!
A moment later, glowing rings appeared all over the bridge of the Invictus. Within seconds, heavily armored fighters began to jump out of them. They belonged to the Arsenalotte-Legio, the Mainguard Special Forces. All these warriors looked more like ancient knights than space marines.
The specialists held plasma rifles in their hands. They appeared with such speed that the members of Cadmus' team did not have time to react. The Mainguards had already eliminated several criminals.
Cadmus and his remaining comrades clearly understood what fate awaited them now. The Mainguards would not leave them alone until they avenged the dead. And there were a great many killed at the behest of Florin.
The knights surrounded the admiral from all sides. One of the Mainguards, a stern commander with a tattoo under his eye, did not have a helmet on his head. He pulled a pistol from his bosom and pointed it at the Phantom's forehead. He hadn't forgotten to cock it first. All that was left was to pull the trigger and knock the admiral out of his mind.
- In the name of the Maingard Union! - the officer said menacingly, not taking his eyes off the criminal, - In the name of His Holiness, the Blessed Patriarch Erwin Telamon, temporary ruler of Maingard! You are under arrest!
Florin spat contemptuously at this. Drops of his caustic saliva almost touched the commander's boots.
- Curse you... - Cadmus shouted furiously.
But it seemed that the officer was prepared for this.
A second later, he brought the barrel of the pistol down on the admiral's head. Cadmus fell to the ground unconscious.
- Clear the rest of the decks! - the Mainguardian commanded, - "Invictus" is now the property of the Union. We confiscate this ship for the glory of His Holiness!

---
Joy... Of course there was. But not as much as he would have liked.
Owen the Scorcher and his crew survived. They managed not only to repel the wave of the enemy approaching the transporters, but also to wait for help. It was not for nothing that they said that help usually comes from where you least expect it.
The Mainguardians have long been called cowards and hedonists. Their army was considered the weakest in the galaxy. But for some reason, it was Mainguard that won the terrible massacre. It was Erwin and his troops who prevented a catastrophe.
Owen knew that Artandir was now in debt to Mainguard. Only unresolved issues remained regarding the confiscation of the Invictus and the capture of Admiral Cadmus.
Florin, in the opinion of the Scorcher, should have been brought to trial on Artandir Prime. The Mainguardians made it clear that they would not give it to the Coalition... At least for now.
They also talked about an unknown weapon found on the flagship. The Mainguardians also decided to take it.
But all these matters had yet to be resolved. And not at this moment, but later, after all the victors returned home.
The Scorcher was unspeakably happy when he found himself on Ahmanet's flagship. In the unforgettable Elfurr hangar. The commander herself reacted rather strangely to the appearance of the captain. Owen was amazed by her emotions. She almost hugged him. But then, strangely, she pulled back and simply shook his hand.
- Thank you, - Owen bowed slightly, - We thought that they would finish us all off there.
A strong relief was felt on Ahmanet's face. And just recently, she was afraid that she would lose the captain forever. Lose him forever. - We are all happy... - User-Kaf answered reservedly, - Happy that you are alive. But the Maingardians are cunning. Frankly, I could not even imagine that they would do everything. Erwin is a real scoundrel. But today we are indebted to him.
- Yes, indeed, ma'am, - Ishken, who was standing nearby, allowed himself to speak, - They are not so bad. Only Snofru says that Maingard is a black hole. A hole in the galaxy. I wonder what he will say now?
Snofru was standing very close. He heard fragments of the conversation out of the corner of his ear, and immediately hurried to intervene.
- Who mentioned me here? - his grumbling was soon heard, - When did I call Maingard a hole? Quite a nice place... And the guys are good. If it weren't for them, we would no longer exist! Our asses.....
- In general, I understand, - interrupted his comrade Balderan, - You changed my opinion of them.
The first mate really did not want to hear another curse.
Ishken and Owen smiled. This "gnome" had long been famous for his quirks. He would always do something like that. Or get drunk to death before the battle. But nevertheless, he was a devoted member of the team and a brave fighter.
- It's a pity that there were too many dead, - said Ahmanet, and her beautiful eyes lit up with sorrow, - Cadmus must appear before our court. Before the Empire. But we will sort this out.
Owen's smile immediately disappeared. He remembered at what price they achieved victory. Dozens of Coalition ships were destroyed. Thousands of sons and daughters will never see their families again. Thousands of husbands and wives, brothers and sisters. What the Phantom did was beyond reason.
- Never mind, we'll deal with Cadmus Florin later, ma'am, - the captain said after a moment, - By the way, when exactly are we scheduled to return to the ship? To the Salvation Army.
Ahmanet was surprised to discover that she didn't want Owen to leave her ship. But he simply couldn't help but return. Srilankur and many brothers in arms were waiting for him.
- Whenever you like, - User-Kaf responded to this, - But I would recommend not rushing with this. You are very tired. You have worked well today. Allow me to show you to the rest rooms. Elfurr hospitality will not upset you.
Totkhemris had already ducked between Ishken and Snofru and quickly found herself next to Owen. She winked at him. This meant that Ahmanet had better not refuse.
- Well... We accept your offer, - the Burner finally gave in.

"Good morning, Artandir!"

Sam Valarti sits at her favorite table. There are texts and data-tablets on it. The mug of water is only half full.
The woman looks worried. Her pupils are constantly running. Not long ago, she received sad news from Maingard. But this is not what shocked Sam the most.

More than anything else, she believed in the power of the legendary admiral of the Coalition - Cadmus Florin. This continued throughout the war with the League. Now her faith has turned to nothing. She no longer saw Cadmus as a protector. Her former feelings turned into terrible hatred.

Despite the fact that Fernand tried to counteract the leak of information, Patriarch Erwin calmly leaked all the necessary data to the network. The entire galaxy learned about Cadmus Florin.

Sam (towards the cameras):
- Good morning, Artandir! True, today it is not so kind.

She nervously touches the mug and takes a few sips.

Sam (continues speaking):
- We are all shocked by what happened. Each of us. We all, without exception, believed in the strength and courage of the legendary naval commander. The naval commander who turned out to be the embodiment of evil. We thank the Maingard Union for transmitting this information.

The camera then displays three photographs. Three prisoners appear on the screen. All in Maingard prison uniforms.
On the left is Admiral Cadmus Florin. The marks of beatings are clearly visible on his gloomy face.

A little to the right is the Farrukh military leader Zheng Chupalorkhorn. He looks down dejectedly. One can tell from his gaze that he is in the deepest despair.
In the far right corner is N-sai Dalotl. His gray face is literally filled with pain and fear.

Sam (voiceover):
- At the moment, three of these criminals are on the territory of Minegard Prime. Thanks to the joint efforts of the Coalition and the new ruler of the Union, Patriarch and Lord Protector Erwin Telamon, the cities of this planet are being restored. But there is still destruction. According to analysts, the damage from the attack of the criminal group led by Cadmus Florin amounts to at least 700 quadrillion denarii. The death toll exceeds 30,000. Many citizens of Minegard still have to be pulled out from under the rubble.

The camera shows the monstrous destruction on Minegard Prime, caused by the psi-detonation. Now everyone in the galaxy knows that all this is the work of Cadmus. Cadmus and his criminals.

Sam (continuing):
- It will take at least six months to fully restore the capital. Patriarch Erwin promises to speed up the process. But only one question remains open. The trial date for Cadmus Florin and his henchmen has not yet been announced. Artandir and the Elfurran Empire have already made a request. The Republic demands that Florin be handed over to the Artandir court. The Elfurran side has made similar statements. At this stage, all our requests remain unanswered.

The image changes abruptly. It shows Admiral Florin in full battle gear. But here artificial red lines appear. They cross out the photo of Cadmus.

Sam:
- Cadmus Florin will forever go down in history as the greatest criminal in the Galaxy. Personally, I hope that ex-President Fernand will be able to return him to Artandir. The criminal must be convicted for all his deeds. Let's hope and pray that the Mainguardians will meet us halfway.

-----

The end.

If you want to see the rus-lang version, just write me here.

Sorry again for translation bugs. But i made it quite readable. If you have some questions and issues, feel free to write here, friends. ;)

This work i have finished in the spring of 2024 year.

All ways turn to Shatsk-Prime

(small scenario, after "Sol Invictus" story)

Stage 1.

Coalition holdings.
Shatsk star system.

A small dark blue starship is rapidly approaching a green agricultural planet. As it approaches the Nogdis Force security station, it slows down. It cannot fly any further without scanning.

Several inspection drones quickly fly out of the station, surround the starship, piercing it with scanning beams, and then return to the base at the same speed.

The shuttle pilot's name is Ishken Derkh. He is dressed in a uniform of the same color as his ship. The stripes and symbols of the Galactic Coalition are clearly visible. His gaze is calm, despite everything.

Ishken (towards the console):
- Ishken Derkh. Captain Owen's team. The Coalition psionic fleet.

The operator's voice from the console:
- Landing is authorized. Proceed to the Averich terminal. Escort recalled.

Ishken:
- Accepted.

For a moment he considers visiting Nogdis. But given the busy schedule of the Shatsk-Prime administrator, this is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

Ishken's starship picks up speed again. The drones have left. His ship has been scanned. There is no threat. So, we can land. The main thing is to reach the terminal safe and sound.

Stage 2.

The Averich spaceport is already behind us. The ship is under reliable protection. It will be refueled, cleaned and prepared for departure.
But this will not happen right away.

Ishken Derkh continues his journey on foot. He is on the territory of the settlement. He would like to stay here for a month, but now it is impossible. Only five hours, and not a minute more.

Many of the villagers are still asleep. Mostly, of course, these are visitors or those who were drunk in the evening and in the morning are still in the world of Dreams.

Only a few people are awake: those who can safely be called "locals". Someone needs to go to the garden, someone to the temple, someone went to pick mushrooms in the Grove, and someone to go fishing.

Older people usually always get up early: to find out the morning news, check the chicken coops and all sorts of livestock. And where would they be without morning prayer. Without it, you can't take a step here.

Along the way, Ishken managed to greet several villagers. But his main goal was the House of Nyura Kolobchikhen.
That's where he was heading.

Ishken (towards the visible red house):
- Pyatkin house.....

He looks towards the house, the walls of which are painted red. He remembers that it belongs to the famous Pyatka Family.

It is worth giving credit to Ivon Pyatka, who half a century before all these events fought on the side of Kraskovo against the Nargon Republic. At one time, Nargon threatened not only Kraskovo, but also Shatsk. However, in Shatsk they immediately said that "if the Nargon army appears, it will get the full treatment." And Ivon Pyatka himself became famous for the phrase - Whoever comes to us with a spear will fall from it.
Unfortunately, Ivon has long since died. But the memory of him remained among the villagers, as well as of the noblewoman from the House of Lida-Vasilna, who loved to gather on holidays and tell interesting stories. And her life was no worse than Pyatka's.

Passing by a small temple with blue paint, Ishken approached the cherished goal.
The house of Nyura Kolobchikhen towered before him. But the porch was empty. So, Nyura was somewhere in the garden or inside the house.
The Kolobchikhens usually did not stand out among the villagers. And this was their main feature. They lived quietly in the central part of the settlement, did not bother anyone and were friends with everyone. But their family was much more ancient than that of all who lived on Shatsk.
And Nyura herself in the past was an extremely interesting person with a very long life story.

Ishken (towards the house of Kolobchikhen):
- Why without security.... Times are hard.

A voice from somewhere on the left:
- I told her too, don't refuse.

Ishken turns around. He didn't even notice how Sasha was next to him. An elderly man in a simple white shirt and with a small basket.
Derkh also knew him well, as well as Nyura. He lived on the outskirts of the village, a little further from the Vyselik district.

Sasha (smiling):
- Nogdis offered a robot for every house. But Nyura, as always...

Ishken (joyfully):
- Glad to see you!

Sasha (nods):
- And I see you too! I remember you when you were so little, when you came with your grandfather. Ah... those were the days.

Ishken and Sasha hug and pat each other on the shoulders. Derkh hasn't seen the village and its inhabitants for too long. But it's good that none of them have forgotten him.

Sasha:
- I went to Yandova. They say there are so many mushrooms there now that you can take them out in trucks.

Ishken notices that Sasha's basket is empty. Someone would now say that it's a bad sign. But considering all the years that have passed, Derkh understood perfectly well that such superstitions are nothing more than fairy tales.

Ishken:
- I would go too. But there's no time. I need to go see someone here.

Sasha (nodding towards Kolobchikhen's house):
- Of course... I already understood everything right away.

Ishken:
- Is Bab'Nyura at least home now? Have you heard anything?

Sasha:
- Home... Who will evict her from here. She's always home.

Ishken (with some regret):
- I would like to talk some more. But I need to go to her already.

Sasha (with understanding):
- Look, be careful. She's become too strange lately... Although... Maybe it's all of us who have become strange. Especially after what we heard from Fernand.

Stage 3.

Ishken on the porch. While Sasha went to pick mushrooms, hoping to return with a "rich catch".
Derkh wasn't interested in mushrooms. He had to check on Nyura. And what would she say after seeing what Ishken would show her.

The Kolobchikhens had long been cooperating with the Coalition, namely with the Artandir Security Council. Sasha was a retired liaison. He received some information, but did not have "red access", which cannot be said about Anna Romashken, Nyura Kolobchikhen or Serge Nogdis.

After the appearance of mysterious reconnaissance drones in the Rovoam system and several strange and even frightening events, Captain Owen sent Ishken to Shatsk Prime to negotiate with Nyura. Especially since Derkh was known there and had not been seen for a long time. Nyura had information that was of great interest to both Owen and the Artandir Security Council. Perhaps she could give at least part of the answer to the riddle. And that was worth a lot.

Ishken stood there for half a minute, and then decided to call. Nyura was definitely inside the building. Being a psionic, he clearly felt it.

Ishken (loudly):
- Bab`Nyur! It's me!

Kolobchikhen was already well over 80. They said that her hearing was sometimes poor. But her "brain" worked at full capacity.

Not even a moment had passed before Nyura opened the door. She was dressed in her usual village clothes, and her head was wrapped in a white kerchief. Her age was already making itself felt, and she could not walk calmly without the help of a cane.

Ishken (loudly):
- Bab`Nur.....

Nyura (joyfully):
- Aaaaaah! Who came to visit us! I was peeling potatoes today.... And suddenly I heard a voice.... It seemed familiar.... I was wondering who it was, but it was he who......

Ishken (with the same joy):
- I really won't be long.....

Nyura:
- I just happen to have morning tea..... Come in.

Ishken:
- I have..... "red". I decided to say it right away so there wouldn't be any questions.

Nyura (shudders for a second, then smiles again):
- So, something serious.... Otherwise, you would have come to rest. And you, I see, are on assignment.

Ishken (nods):
- Yes..... On assignment. And I'm afraid it's very serious. Do you have the book?

Nyura:
- Come in, come in..... Where would it go.......

The old woman goes through the corridor into the depths of the house, to the kitchen. Her voice gradually fades away.

Nyura (from the kitchen):
- That I would miss the book... No way. Let Ara-ni, or the Khazar khans... Or the Nargon alamgirs come here. I will cherish it until my very death. Like the apple of my eye.

Stage 4.

Nyura has already poured tea into cups and sat down. Her cane is standing by a small cupboard.
Ishken is sitting at the table, tea and candy nearby. He looks at the kitchen of the house with interest and understands that he would have stayed here for a long time if not for the task.

The kitchen looks more like a living room than a place for a meal. There are cupboards, pictures with photographs of Kolobchikhen's departed relatives on the walls, a lot of different dishes, there are even exotic souvenirs.

Ishken pays attention to a small wardrobe standing almost by the window.

Nyura, meanwhile, sat down at the table and checked the tea for warmth. Ishken followed her example. To his surprise, he discovered that her tea was Nargonian, although Nargonians are not digested in these parts.

Nyura (towards the cupboard by the window):
- Everyone thinks, an old granny.... Good for nothing... But I was not always like this. Want me to show you?

Ishken (with interest):
- Oh, come on... No one thinks so. What you should show?

Not even a second has passed before Nyura has a strange device in her hands, similar to a remote control for a TV screen. Without thinking twice, she presses a button, and the doors of the cabinet standing by the window swing open wide.
Ishken shudders. In front of him, he sees a ceremonial weapon made of a foreign material, carefully nailed to the inside of the cabinet. He notes with surprise that this is an Elfurran plasma "Jet". A weapon given to Nyura by someone from the top management, maybe even from Fernand herself.

Nyura (towards Ishken):
- A gift from Fernand, by the way. I, too, like you... From the psi-squad. When I was 20, I dreamed of getting something like this. It would have been useful in battles with the Nargonians when they decided to encroach on us...

Ishken:
- This is the "Jet". Amazing firepower! Light, simple, convenient and deadly strong.

Nyura (smiles):
- Of course..... It took out the queen cockroach Ara-Ni in a matter of moments.... A precise shot to the head. Bedbugs, cockroaches... It kills everyone. When these beasts attacked our ship, and we were protecting the colonists then..... Wow... There was so much fire... It used up almost the entire supply. We sweated a lot then, but we drove the beasts away. Three years have passed, and I'm already retired. But everything remains in my memory.....

Ishken (remembers that he came on business):
- Are you ready to use it again?

Nyura (laughs):
- If necessary......

Ishken:
- Considering what we saw..... I don't know anymore. Anything is possible.

Ishken himself did not notice how his voice became serious. After all, he did not come to chat about the "good old days". Nyura, realizing this, poked the button on the remote control, and the cabinet doors quickly slammed shut, leaving the relic safe and sound as a keepsake for posterity.

Stage 5.

Ishken pulls a portable data device from his bosom. It was made in Artandir for Owen's squad.

It stored all sorts of records and materials from past operations. The device looked like a small transmitter. But the amount of information it held was too large. It could hold the entire database of Shatsk's defensive stations.

Owen entrusted Ishken with the "keeper", knowing that he was going to meet with Nyura. Perhaps she would be able to give the necessary answers. If, of course, luck is on Ishken's side.

Nyura (looking at the "keeper"):
- They used these at Fernand's headquarters about 20 years ago. Now you have them too?

Ishken (nods):
- I'll show you something.... Owen thinks that you can give an answer.

Nyura (in a more serious voice):
- Why did you ask about the book? Could this be related?

Ishken:
- And if it can? We are talking about reconnaissance ships.... obviously not from our galaxy.

Ishken performs several manipulations with the device and shows everything to Nyura Kolobchikhen.

He turns on the holo-projector and puts the "keeper" on the table. Several holographic projections of ships appear in the air. Only 3 pieces.

In appearance, they are similar to the bio-constructs of Ara-Nia, but these are clearly not those ill-fated insectoids.
The ships are made of strange minerals, probably mined outside the Milky Way. Ishken increases the clarity and shows details. One of them is a mysterious symbol. A crying face. Creepy, ugly.

Ishken (without taking his eyes off the images):
- What you once showed me in a book.... The symbolism is similar.

Nyura turns pale. She looks at the ships in detail, and her heart fills with horror. For a second, her mouth falls open.
It is clear that this was a surprise for Nyura, and not the most pleasant one.

Nyura (with the same emotion):
- Holy cow...

Ishken:
- They were discovered in the Briony system, then disappeared. And then in several worlds at once. 7 probes within the Rovoam system, where leprosy is rampant. And the symbolism is the same again.

Nyura:
- Rovoam.... There seems to be a plague there. Fernand scared us all.

Ishken (correcting her):
- Leprosy. And they say there are no cures. For now, anyway. The governor hopes that the Elfurran healers will cope with everything.

Nyura (towards Ishken):
- And the number of sick? How many already?

Ishken (anxiously):
- Yesterday there were 50,000 in the central region. The governor closed this part. But these are the official figures.

Nyura:
- And the unofficial ones.... There are even more of them. Everything is clear....

Ishken:
- And these ships. Three more probes were spotted within Nargon.

Nura (irritated):
- Damn these Nargonians..... I'm worried about Rovoam. There's a population of 10 billion there.

Ishken (in an excited voice):
- Leprosy..... Unknown ships..... I think there's a connection.

Nura (nodding):
- Yes..... Have you finished your drink?

Ishken looks at the cup. There's no tea left. He didn't even notice how he drank it all.

Nura:
- Let's go. I'll show you.... You were looking for this, right?

Stage 6.

Nyura and Ishken find themselves in a spacious living room. It was also full of all sorts of furniture and exotic dishes. There were cabinets, sideboards and a large round table. Nearby was an armchair on which the old woman liked to relax. Bright daylight penetrated the room through the square windows, so there was no need to turn on the lamps.

On the table, Derkh noticed, in addition to blood pressure medication, a book in a black cover. On its cover was clearly engraved the symbol of the Shatsk Empire. Ishken knew that in ancient times, Shatsk made itself known to all the nearby powers. No one dared to encroach on the power of the monarchs. But there was something else.

At one time, the empire faced an unimaginable threat. And therefore, not far from the Yards, in the old era, the "Yandovy" system was created. Yandova is not only a district on Shatsk Prime, where there are only meadows, hills and plantings. These are also the most powerful battle stations left over from those times. One of them was ordered to be activated after the war with the League began by Nogdis, the planet's administrator.

Nyura (towards the book):
- That's why you asked about it. You already knew that we would be talking about an ancient threat.

Ishken (nods):
- Exactly. You told me about the creation of "Yandova".

Nyura:
- Oh yes... "Yandova" was invented back in the time of the Caesars. Then the sovereign of sovereigns ordered the chief Architect of Ships to create the most powerful structures for the war with......

Nyura does not dare to pronounce this word. She remains standing in place. It is clear from her face that the old woman is thinking about whether to continue further or to stop in time.

Ishken:
- With the Horrific Horde. That was the name of this threat. I remember....

Nyura (looking at the book again):
- Tear. I saw the symbol in the book. You too. Father Gordy from our temple also knows the legend. He even told us about it after the service. But he mistakenly believes that everything is gone. And that they will not return. And when it started with the League... I already knew that this was preparation.

Ishken (alarmed):
- Preparations?.... For what?

Nyura:
- Then, thousands of years ago, everything also began with a war between kingdoms. But then they showed up.... It is always more effective to seize what is fragmented... Broken.... Destroyed.... What is engulfed in sedition.

Ishken (with the same emotion):
- Do you think this is connected? This is what Owen wanted to know?

Nyura (shaking her head):
- These ships did not just appear out of nowhere. Why did the war start first, then they captured Cadmus, the whole galaxy was reduced to dust... And now they... These strange ships. Don't you think? There is a connection, Ishken. There is a connection....

Ishken:
- We also forgot about leprosy.

Nyura:
- All this is one crazy plan. The plan of our ancient enemy.

Stage 7.

Nyura opens the book in front of Ishken. The psionicist clearly sees ancient paintings.

In those days, Shatsk artists preferred to apply images by hand. The fight between armored warriors and terrible six-eyed monsters catches the eye. Moreover, the eyes of some monsters had double pupils.
All weapons are firearms, but not like what is used now. Shatsk warriors have long shooting rods, probably plasma guns of a bygone era. The monsters have strange dark-colored devices, more like severed limbs of arthropods, but with energy flashes.

Ishken continues to examine the paintings. He turns over several pages and finds the same ships.

The psionicist shudders and turns pale. He had recently seen the same ships on the monitors. It was not for nothing that Owen raised the alarm, and Fernand along with him. There was something mysterious and very evil coming from these ships. Just their image made me shudder.

Ishken (without taking his eyes off the pages):
- The terrifying Horde..... But who are they....

Nyura (with anxiety in her voice):
- Their names were forbidden to be spoken back in the time of the Caesars. In many countries, all this is fairy tales. And in vain... There is a grain of truth in every fairy tale. The same is true here. You are looking at the Book of Legends of the Shatsk Empire. And you see the truth....

Ishken:
- Have they already invaded the galaxy? It's just that when you showed me this... I thought I was reading a fairy tale.

Nyura:
- Their invasion was stopped. But at what cost... They destroyed dozens of star kingdoms, Ishken. The Shatsk Empire survived only thanks to its alien friends... Elfurr helped. Nicomedes, Draconians. But will they help this time?!

Ishken:
- Invasion is inevitable?

Nyura (bitterly):
- It looks like that. The same ships from the book. And these are scouts. First came the scouts, then the horde. It didn't happen all at once. In Shatsk they thought it was a new contact. Another race wanted to negotiate. They thought these beasts just wanted to chat. But it wasn't that way.

Ishken (towards Nyura):
- Intelligence teams. Scanning our defenses. Now everything fell into place.

Nyura (nods):
- The Horde invaded suddenly. But some knew it was inevitable. Sedition, illness... Before the invasion, Shatsk fought with three kingdoms. With Amphora. With the ancestors of the Artandirs. With the Nicomedians. Before invading, our enemies sow discord and illness. But then all the kingdoms of people united when the Horde began to capture system after system... When their ships landed millions of fighters. When their gunshots pierced the surfaces of worlds to the lava... It was a war that is not spoken of. There is no such event in history... It was erased. So that everyone living in the galaxy would forget about the Ancient Nightmare, destroying stars and burning hundreds of planets.

Ishken:
- But you won then.....

Nyura:
- We won. But the price was high. My father told me about it, and his father told him, and he told him.... And so from generation to generation, the House of Kolobchikhen kept this book. Lide-Vasilna offered to give it to the museum, saying that "the old woman was stubborn". But I will never give it... To anyone. This book belongs to my House. And it will belong.

Ishken:
- So, the invasion was stopped. Otherwise, none of us would be here anymore.

Nyura (thoughtfully):
- Only this time... Will it be possible to do it? Our galaxy is fragmented. Recently, a war thundered. And now the disease is spreading to Rovoam. So my question is very timely...

Stage 8.

The time allotted for visiting Nyura has passed. Ishken must return to the ship, to the Amphora system.
And it is quite far. But he has learned everything he needed. Owen will not like this information, but there are no other options. He will have to tell him everything in detail.

Ishken says goodbye to Nyura Kolobchikhen. He is standing on the porch. The old woman is on the threshold of the house. She looks worried. She had no idea that the legends from the old book would ever become reality. But it happened. And there is no escape from this.

Nyura blesses Ishken on the road. They hug tightly.

Nyura (to Ishken):
- May the Light-faced One protect you. He is always with you.

Ishken:
- Thank you. And you too. Don't get sick here... And if I find time, I will stop by again.

Nyura (nods):
- Yeah... But first, business. Tell Owen everything. Tell him everything you saw and heard. It's serious.

Ishken understands that the captain must know everything. However, he decides to ask one more question. It was about a certain Terrible Horde. The book told how a once cruel race of aliens invaded the galaxy and crushed entire kingdoms. Only a few managed to survive and defeat the threat. The Shatsk Empire, together with its allies, stopped the evil.

But Ishken never found a real name anywhere in the book. Moreover, everywhere and always the chroniclers mentioned only the Horde and the "aliens". The drawings depicted them as terrible multi-eyed creatures armed with unknown weapons. But what... if they have another name. What if Nyura knows much more about them.

Ishken (towards Nyura):
- One more question remains.

Nyura (with interest):
- Why Nargon tea? You wanted to ask that, right? Well, I'll answer that right away.... Because there was no other in the store. And this one is the best....

Ishken (shakes his head):
- No, not about the tea.

For a moment, Nyura's eyes lit up with a bright glow. This meant that she had read Derkh's thoughts. During her service in the psionic troops, she knew the orders of the command even before they were officially announced.

But with age, using psi energy became increasingly difficult. And Nyura almost never resorted to it.

Ishken:
- What were their names? In reality?

Nyura's face became as gloomy as the night itself. But she understood that she could trust her old friend. And that perhaps this word would be useful for Owen and his team, even if it was forbidden.

Nyura (almost in a whisper):
- Voids..... That's what my father called them. A terrifying Horde, burning everything in its path.

Ishken (nods):
- Thank you.... Whoever they are, we'll tear them to pieces.

Nyura (with a slight smile):
- Grandfather would be proud of you.

Stage 9.

Ishken had already left Shatsk Prime. He had entered orbit and was heading towards Chernevis, the third planet in the system, to then jump to Amphora and hand everything over to Owen.

The ship was refueled and cleaned, so there was no need to bother with it. Just in case, Ishken asked to check the plasma "incinerators", which was arranged. He explained this as a precautionary measure in case his ship suddenly encountered pirates. But given the safe zones around Shatsk, this was not necessary. Ishken did this not because of the pirates. After talking with Nyura, he clearly understood that in the current reality you need to be prepared for literally anything, including meeting the Void.

While Derkh was flying to Chernevis, he decided to turn on the galactic news and listen to what they were saying in Artandir. The question of Rovoam was of greatest concern to him. How's the leprosy going, what about the sick? He picked up the Artandir channel too quickly, as if the space heard his thoughts.

The holo-screen showed the red-haired presenter Sam Valarti, broadcasting from Artandir Prime. She looked very depressed. There were small dents on her work suit.

Sam (with concern in his voice):
- So far, the situation on Rovoam remains the same. Over the past 24 hours, an increase of 30,000 cases has been recorded. The Minister of Health claims that the disease is curable, and that work is underway. At the moment, President Cedric is deciding on the supply of vaccines from the Elfurr Empire. It is obvious that the vaccine will soon arrive on Rovoam. The system governor maintains quarantine zones. The curfew on the planet has been extended for another two months.

A huge metropolis appears on the screen, literally filled with skyscrapers and towers. Ishken immediately recognizes the footage from Rovoam City, the planetary capital. There are many helicopters and medical shuttles flying in the sky. The commandants' menacing voices are heard from the loudspeakers. It is already clear from this picture that there will be no improvements in sight.

Sam (continuing to broadcast):
- The governor promises to send up to 20,000 medics to the quarantine zone. The Nicomedia Commonwealth has agreed to help Rovoam. Ten medical teams will be sent there soon. Containment of the infection is in full swing. There is nothing to worry about. According to the governor, there will be no trace of the disease left in a month. The Minister of Health calls for optimism. The disease is curable.

Ishken (confused):
- There is nothing to worry about... Except the coming alien invasion and the planetary epidemic. I bet this leprosy is somehow connected to the Void.

Sam (from the holo-screen):
- Meanwhile, the social networks are already starting to discuss the situation on Rovoam. The authorities are asking commentators to stop whipping up panic. Let's not forget that Leprosy is curable. And despite the emergence of such an aggressive form of the disease, it can be stopped. Our doctors are doing everything to prevent its spread beyond Rovoam.

Ishken:
- And not a word about 10,000 dead. Okay... As they say, our job is to save the galaxy. That's what we'll do. We've been in worse troubles.

Derkh's shuttle flies to the required flight point, after which it quickly disappears in a blinding flash. In just a few hours, Ishken will find himself on Amphora, where he will have a very serious conversation with the captain.

-----

The end