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The legal proceedings had already begun. A short, fat man who gave the impression of a sphere with limbs sat in the judge's chair. "So, this is Mr. Valdez's son?" wiping his sweating forehead with a handkerchief, he pointed to the defendant.
"Yes, Your Honor, the forensic genetic examination has confirmed their kinship," the lawyer handed the documents to the judge. "The reason for being summoned to court as an accused party remains not entirely clear to my client."
A slender, black-haired woman from the prosecution side, dressed in tight-fitting clothes, shrieked: "Let your client eat my shit!" She looked to be about twenty-five years old, and with her voluptuous curves and attire, she looked more like a street whore than the wife of a highly respected businessman. With a sense of fear and rage, she looked toward the defendant—"A couple of weeks ago you didn't even know your father's last name, and you appeared as soon as it smelled of money!" she waved her arms and nearly leaped from behind the table—"you son of a bitch!"
The judge did not wish to make unnecessary movements or overexert himself, but recalling his duties, he forced himself to strike with the gavel. "Plaintiff, enough!" he said in a tired voice.
After many years, the judicial system had practically remained unchanged, at least where power was organized on the European model. Along with all the pros and cons, corruption also persisted; crooked judges were very reluctant to hear ordinary private cases where they could not make extra money. This is why Judge Abel wished to close this boring case as quickly as possible, of which he had already seen his fill.
"The will states that all property, including the deceased's bank account, must be transferred to his only son; therefore, Mrs. Valdez, even as a widow, you have no right to the property of your late husband." forgetting propriety, the judge yawned and announced the court's decision.
The enraged plaintiff had to be subdued by security using stun weapons, and the judge imposed a fine of 1000 credits on her. Before receiving the charge, she promised that she would kill the crooked judge, the greedy defendant, and even the defendant's lawyer. Although why him—it wasn't entirely clear. The lawyer and his client left the courthouse and stopped on the stairs.
"Hostor, thank you for everything you have done for me, not just for this trial, I am very..."
A tall man of strong build interrupted him—"no thanks are necessary. I worked for your father for a long time, serving as a universal worker. A good legal education helped me protect his interests in court, and thanks to soldiering skills, I was his personal bodyguard the rest of the time. I would be glad if I could continue working for you."
A few weeks ago, the well-known entrepreneur Aaron Valdez died of sudden cardiac arrest at the age of 43. The cause remains unknown, as the deceased had iron health and had never experienced any ailments. Knowing about the existence of his son, and even being aware of his location, he had never made contact with him. A trusted agent had special instructions in the event of the employer's death.
Hostor visited Valdez own junior, brought him up to speed on affairs, and spent the last few weeks helping him get settled with his father's business.
A couple of months later.
Trinity Club. Noon.
This was one of the largest clubs in the city, divided into three sections. The first, the largest, opened toward evening and had the status of a nightclub, usually visited by various non-conformists. There was a bar and a dance floor here. Drugs and other illegal goods could be obtained from the bartender. The second section was also divided in two: one was a casino, the second a "service center." The services provided were of various natures, ranging from ordinary massages to prostitution. The third was an ordinary 24-hour bar. As usual, the room smelled of cigarette smoke, which would make any unprepared person feel unwell. Such was Arandor. He had to force himself to pass through these clouds of foul smoke.
The red-haired girl sitting at one of the tables he was heading toward was Neyra Drake. She loved to drink a little and relax in this bar, and with great pleasure rewarded pestering drunks with blows from her fists.
"Neyra..." the guy said, coughing—"hi... Maybe we should go outside?"
A couple of minutes later they were outside the building. Arandor took a deep breath of "fresh" air. The girl smiled.
"Do you still can't stand that smell?" she was slightly shorter than him, so their eyes were practically at the same level.
"Do you still visit this stupid bar and drink those health-destroying drinks?" he turned away—"One would think my body's reaction or my attitude toward it could have changed." he pointed toward a sports car hovering above the ground. "We need to drive around a bit."
The girl looked at the "ride." "You know, such technology is irrelevant anywhere except on Earth, where incredibly tall buildings represent a second city for the wealthy class of the population." They climbed inside. This marvel of technology is a civilian variation of a military transport vehicle. A special design allowed this car, if necessary, to levitate at great heights, however, it consumed an immense amount of fuel.
"As if you've been there."
"Well, I've seen photos, videos and..." Arandor started his new toy and dashed forward along the road.
After twenty minutes they arrived at a civilian spaceport. There were hundreds of ships here—cargo and transport, all of different sizes, colors, models.
Arandor headed toward a fortified vessel, more military than civilian; Neyra followed him. He stopped by it, then turned to Neyra, speaking with joy and pride.
"Remember I once said that many music groups record self-titled albums and songs? I decided to follow their example and name this marvel after myself!"
The girl laughed. "You bought a ship? Why do you need it?"
"I want to fulfill my long-held dream. I... I will travel the galaxy, gather the best team of good guys. Also, I hope that in my travels I can help good people and at the same time punish the bad ones. Perhaps I'll make the world even a tiny bit better!"
"Arandor, you are an even bigger dreamer than I am." the smile still hadn't left the girl's face. "And since when is this your 'long-held' dream?"
"Since... I just didn't tell you."
This ship had everything to accommodate over a hundred people—mechanics, medics, other personnel and the rest of the crew. Engineering, medical, living quarters—all were present here. Numerous weapon systems were also installed on it, and since it was a ship from a new series, it had a good, strong hull.
Going up to the bridge, they met the same lawyer who had defended Arandor in court.
"Meet him," said Arandor—"this is Hostor, uh, my assistant." They greeted each other. "If you go a bit further you'll run into the pilot, his name is Vegtam, and this guy... let's better look at the galactic map. What do you say, Hostor?"
"Our planet, Arien, also once called New Europe, is a trade center and the most densely populated planet in the Alpha Centauri system. Since it was the closest system to the Sun, the colonies here are the largest and technologically most developed. However, the population level here is much lower than in Procion. This is explained by..."
"Okay, let's save the history for later. I think..." an assistant stepped onto the bridge.
"Captain!" the girl brought her hand to her head, performing a military salute—"an urgent message for you!"
"Yes, thank you... uh..."
"Assistant Alex Taylor, sir!"
"Right..." he hesitated. "You're free, basically." entering his data into one of the computers, he went through the recognition procedure and read the single message:
"From: Sheriff [secure channel]
Subject: Beheaded Piglet.
Mr. Arandor! If my data is correct, you have acquired a new ship, and I am sure you are eager to leave the spaceport and head for some asteroid field, but I have information that will surely interest you, and I would like to deliver it in person. Therefore, your ship will be blocked for some time, more precisely until we meet. I will be waiting for you within an hour near the Trinity club."
Arandor had no choice; he had to head back to that club again. He stopped by the courthouse, where a large crowd of people and photo-reporters had gathered. Someone's dismembered body lay near the entrance; seeing this gruesome sight, he decided to move on as quickly as possible.
When he reached the club, he found a policeman on the back side of the building. A black-haired man, bending one leg, leaned it against the wall, with his arms crossed over his chest. He met Arandor's gaze.
"What do you want from me, Silverfail?" Arandor decided to get straight to the point.
"Remember Judge Abel, who heard your father's widow's lawsuit against you? Well, someone killed him and dismembered the body"—Arandor immediately thought of that bitch, but Silver, understanding his thoughts, shook his head—"she is currently with us for questioning; she has an iron alibi. Moreover, all facts suggest it couldn't have been her."
"Then who? And why did you decide to tell me about this in person?"
"Because something is happening in the city; something has been preparing for the last few months. You chose a very opportune time to get out of here... I just wanted to warn you." The policeman ended the conversation with this phrase and left, leaving the young captain alone. He, in turn, hurried back to the spaceport.

7 years ago.
Earth Orbit. Military Cruiser "Jesus". March 4, 3998.
A deathly silence would have filled the captain's bridge if only the ship itself hadn't been breaking it. When the superiors, in the form of a stern captain, "stood over their shoulders," all personnel performed their duties without uttering a single word. The captain also silently and attentively observed the work of his subordinates. He was a sturdy old man with an aquiline nose that spoke of his severity and wisdom. Despite the age revealed by the gray hair visible beneath his cap, this man had retained an unwavering spirit and the energy of a child.
One of the lieutenants approached him.
- Captain Ackerman, a shuttle from Earth has just landed on board the "Jesus".
The old man was surprised. – Usually, such information is reported via intercom; why is it different this time?
- The fact is, sir, that this is an unplanned reinforcement of the crew. The reinforcements were approved by the Government of Earth and the fleet admiral.
- Is that so? I wish to see a brief dossier on the new arrivals.
- Yes, of course. - the lieutenant handed over a tablet with a graphical interface – two officers, a mechanic, a doctor, four privates, a special agent.
- Now, let's see.
"Lizard, White. Lieutenant, 19 years old, originally from Italy. Raised in a wealthy and influential family—the commander-in-chief of the Italian army and an American actress. His father was killed by one of the terrorist groups because he was a major obstacle to them. Lizard is friendly, sociable, and eloquent; possesses good intuition, incomparable charm, and a sense of duty, guilt, and justice."
"Commander Revan. 22 years old. Nothing known about his family. Until the tragic events that occurred four years ago, he studied to be a historian. The 'tragedy' broke and changed him. Currently has no friends or attachments to anything; tries to keep people at a distance. Always restrained, rarely loses self-control, capable of executing any order without suffering from own conscience. In ordinary times, can be absent-minded and clumsy."
- What young officers these days. – the captain commented.
"Evans, Dave. Mechanic, 43 years old. Married, has two sons. Spent a lot of time in his father's garage as a child, where he later worked part-time doing repairs. Despite having no higher education, he is a natural mechanic."
"Doctor Werewolf Carter. 20 years old. Born in London, later moved to Paris, where she lived, studied, and worked. Despite a rather difficult temperament, she is a selfless and benevolent person."
"Private Walker"...
Military Cruiser "Jesus". Hangar. March 4, 3998.
The crew of the last shuttle was met by a short midshipman with a funny expression on his face, accompanied by several soldiers. - Welcome aboard the "Jesus", gentlemen! - the friendly greeting and smile of the host were reflected accordingly in the mood of the arrivals. – but let's leave the introductions for later; I think you are tired after the flight and would like to go to your cabins as soon as possible and get some good rest, right? – The midshipman addressed his soldiers – Private Blau will lead the new soldiers to the living quarters; Private Frey will show the doctor and mechanic the staff living quarters, and I will personally accompany the officers to the officer's cabins.
After a couple of dozen minutes, both officers were at the doors of their cabins, having thoroughly enjoyed a short tour of the ship along the way.
- How do you like it? – the shorter one decided to start the conversation first – I've never been on space ships before, have you? My name is Lizard, by the way. – he extended his hand for a handshake.
Lizard was of medium height, had blond hair, blue eyes, and snow-white, straight teeth. His appearance suggested that he spent a considerable amount of time on his looks, as he looked "excellent."
His silent companion returned the handshake and introduced himself: "I am Revan," he said.
The blond laughed – very modest! – however, seeing that his interlocutor did not appreciate the joke, he returned to his question – so have you been in space before, or on other planets?
- Yes, I have.
Realizing that Revan was unlikely to be in the mood for a heartfelt conversation, Lizard decided to leave him. Both guys went to their cabins and began unpacking their belongings.
The talkative officer had several bags that had been brought by porters a few minutes ago. Among these things were various trinkets, a portable computer, a photograph of his father, and decorative items. Surroundings create the mood – so believed the owner of these things.
The second one, on the other hand, had only a few personal belongings with him.
A couple of hours later.
Revan was awakened by a voice coming from the speaker built into one of the walls of his cabin. The captain wished to see him.
Dressing in a snow-white officer's uniform, he left his cabin and looked at the clock on his handheld computer. "Plenty of time. I'll visit Doctor Carter on the way." Finding the required cabin, he unsuccessfully tried to call the doctor via intercom. Apparently, she had already settled into her new workplace.
- Are you looking for Doctor Carter?
Revan turned his head and saw a girl of about sixteen behind him. He turned around and introduced himself.
- Nice to meet you. My name is Jessica, or just Jess - the girl smiled shyly, while the young officer looked into her dark eyes, completely forgetting the purpose of his visit. This Asian girl evoked memories of the past that weighed so heavily on him and from which he tried to rid himself – You were looking for Doctor Carter, right?
- Correct.
He was right; the doctor was in the medical bay, likely settling into her new workplace. However, he did not waste any more time and headed to the captain's bridge, where he found the captain.
- Captain.
- Ah, Commander, glad to see you! How are you feeling?
- According to my own observations, my health is stable. At the time of my departure from Earth, doctors gave me exactly the same diagnosis.
- Yes, that's excellent... Revan, what do you know about the state of Asylum?
- Quite little; some rebels, or something like that.
- Asylum is a colonized planet in the Sirius system. A separate state, as such, emerged as a result of a successful rebellion twenty years ago. This is the only case where colonists managed to seize control over a planet. As you understand, Earth cannot allow colonies to gain independence, and this state negatively affects the mood of residents in other colonies—meaning, if others succeeded, then why shouldn't they try, roughly speaking. Now we are more ready than ever to take this planet back. Currently, global combat operations are already underway there. Reinforcements are gathering from all sectors. The "Jesus" will make a hyperjump to the Sirius system in two days. You will lead a company of soldiers and land on the planet. White Lizard will be your deputy.

Asylum. Metropolis. Bar. February 20, 3998.
The bar was very crowded and noisy, as is usually the case in such places. Most of the goods offered by the bartender were illegal throughout the known part of space, but not here. This is a great place for smugglers, bandits, drug dealers, and any other criminals – and there were plenty of all of them here. One could lose their life over any trifle, even if someone didn't like your face.
Regulars sat at the card table; they talked, laughed, drank, stuffed themselves with food, discussed the latest news, and naturally, played. A short fat man rose from the table and started an argument.
- You cheated! - the player declared loudly, staring at his opponent.
- Better not lose what's left of your dignity; you lost.
- I wouldn't have lost if it weren't for... I saw it, damn it! You're a cheat, let everyone know!
The fat man's nose met the winner's fist, and he collapsed to the floor, looking at his assailant with fear.
- Well, if you have nothing to pay with...
The losing card player was stripped naked and thrown out of the bar.
- Medgerson, why didn't you just kill him? – asked the bartender
- This guy held back 200 credits, even though for him they were pennies. I have no desire to soil my hands with filth.
- Here – the bartender handed his interlocutor a glass of bluish liquid – on me.
In the evening, two soldiers in power armor burst into the bar. A silence and tension instantly hung over the bar. The unexpected guests approached the bartender and, after asking a couple of questions, headed to the table where Medgerson was sitting.
Medgerson? - one of them asked, addressing him.
- No, I'm afraid you have me confused with someone else.
The soldier tried to hit him with an electric staff, but Medgerson reacted sooner and, swinging his heavy shotgun from behind his back, fired at point-blank range into the helmet, and immediately overturned the table onto the second soldier, blocking his view. He ran out into the street, where a squad of police and military were already waiting for him. He had no chance; he surrendered. One of the policemen approached him, and the last thing he saw was an electric baton hitting him on the head. His vision darkened...
Asylum Stratosphere. March 9, 3998.
Two dozen transports, carrying 4 hundred soldiers from aboard the "Jesus", gradually descended toward the ground while under fire from enemy air defenses. After disembarking from the transport, a soldier had not a moment's respite; he was obliged to grab his weapon and run to the front line.
When they entered the troposphere, the shelling became more frequent and intense. Artillery guns were added to the air defense systems. Incoming shells blew up transports along with their crews or forced them to lose altitude sharply.
A laser beam grazed the transport in which Lizard was located, and it began to spin in the air. In a normal situation, the crew would be obliged to take jetpacks and jump out, but everything happened very quickly – he crashed into a mountain ridge.
When Lizard woke up, he immediately unbuckled and climbed out as quickly as possible through the shattered front part of the ship. He took a heavy hit; his head ached and he felt dizzy. As soon as he got out, he vomited. But he had nothing to complain about – everyone else was dead. Spending a little over five minutes getting himself together, he looked around. It turned out that the mountain they crashed into had a cave inside. It was lit by light emanating from the burning transport. The communicator and RC were broken; he had no contact with his own. Examining every corner, he realized that the only passage was a hole in the ground. How deep was it? With such lighting, one couldn't say for sure, so he took a boulder and threw it down. The boulder splashed in water. "At least fifteen meters," he thought. Given the characteristic splash, one could say with certainty that the water level was at least half a meter. "I don't know what I'll do there, in the dark, without light, but there is no other way." He jumped into the hole "pencil-style" and plunged into the water. He was lucky and didn't break his legs; the water level turned out to be deep enough, even too deep. At first he thought he was drowning, but self-control returned to him, and he surfaced and stood up. The cave gave off a faint greenish glow produced by strange plants previously unknown to Lizard.
He found another passage which, like the hole, was the only exit here. The passage led somewhere down and straight, along the mountains. Lizard walked for a long time through the tunnel and stopped for a second upon hearing an echoing hiss. He turned around and noticed a vile creature. It looked like an Earth spider but was much larger and more disgusting. A three-foot body moved tremblingly on 8 legs. Lizard felt his legs give way, but he regained his composure in time and drew the knife from its sheath; when the "spider" lunged at him, he slashed the creature with the knife and dodged to the side. "Well, that turned out not to be so difficult." The officer wandered through the caves for hours, repeatedly encountering arachnid monsters until he emerged into a gorge. Walking a bit further, he found himself in a valley, and ahead of him, across a chasm, he saw an enemy fortified base—apparently, headquarters. He lay on the ground so as not to be noticed. A couple of meters away from himself, he noticed something like a climbing rope, and looking down the chasm, discovered a small ledge in the rock and, looking closer, saw a person lying in a sniper position. Lizard lay motionless. This continued for another half hour until he heard the shot of a sniper rifle. Who the sniper killed, or if he killed anyone at all, he did not know, but this man clearly intended to get out of here as quickly as possible. He dropped the rifle into the chasm and instantly climbed up the rope and looked with surprise at Lizard lying on the ground. He was about to shoot him, but saw the epaulettes of an Earth army officer, so he simply pointed the gun in his direction.
- Who are you? – he asked.
Lizard remained silent.
- Kid, I can shoot you right now; you'd better answer. – The officer stated his name and rank. – and what the hell are you doing here?
- We were landing on the planet and came under massive shelling. My transport crashed into a mountain ridge. There was a cave, and I...
- You're lying. The front line is very far from here.
- I wandered through caves for a long time, then emerged into a gorge.
- Really? Did you encounter anything in the caves?
- Yes. There were some arachnid creatures.
- Alright kid, I believe you. Just so you know – those were only hatchlings.
A shiver ran through Lizard as he tried to imagine the adult specimens. - Hey, where are you going? – he stopped the departing man.
- I'm going to get out of here as quickly as possible, and I advise you to follow my example – after a short silence, he added – if you want to reach your own, head northeast.

Arandor made sure that the mess hall on his ship was top-notch and truly a place where the crew could relax and unwind from hard work. The bartender could offer a variety of drinks and cocktails, and entertainment was available at the game tables or arcade machines. Almost always, lively conversation turned into a chaotic scene that was impossible to control without taking on the role of a strict captain.
When he entered the room, the crew was watching, or rather, listening to one of the many music channels that served as background for their conversations.
"Guys, I'm going to switch to the news channel, is anyone against it?" The crowd grumbled in protest – that's what he expected. He switched the channel, ignoring them.
"...The Ghost Ship – that's the name given by the public to the missing research vessel of Wong Advanced Pharmaceuticals. We remind you that its representatives previously denied unconfirmed rumors that one of their ships was 'lost,' but recently leaked information provides irrefutable facts. Right now, one of the corporation's representatives, Vervolka Carter, is going to comment on the situation.
The podium where the girl stood was surrounded by crowds of journalists and curious citizens. Two soldiers, dressed in nanosuits, stood on either side of her.
"Wong Advanced Pharmaceuticals apologizes for the misinformation provided to the public. Until recently, we were not completely sure of the truth of the information we received, so we could not give a positive answer without grounds. According to our estimates, contact with the ship was lost about a month ago. By calculating the time, we can find the approximate location of the ship and help the crew. WAP will also do everything possible to dispel the veil of mystery surrounding this mysterious disappearance."
"Hostor," Arandor called out to his new friend, who was playing at one of the game tables, "do you know anything about Wong Advanced Pharmaceuticals?"
"Not much. It's an influential Chinese pharmaceutical company that produces more than 20% of the drugs consumed on Earth. The head is some 'Ms. Wong'."
"Captain... we are entering the atmosphere of the planet Carradon," the pilot announced over the intercom.
The climate on this planet was very similar to the climate of western America.
As for the demographic situation, there were no large, densely populated cities at all; there were only small towns located far from each other and individual private houses, connected by a system of roads. Most of the population consisted of farmers using special, expensive equipment that allowed them to have a good harvest even in drought. Not much happened here, and life was quite monotonous. But it was also a great place for those who wanted to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Lizard was one of them.
He lived in a private house, not far from the town where the spaceport was located. Having "fought enough," he left the army two years ago, when he was twenty-four. Despite retiring at such a young age, he had seen all the horrors of war and was fed up with it. However, he never denied that he sometimes missed the old days, filled with adrenaline.
After waking up, he did his morning exercises and took a shower, as usual. The kitchen was empty, with no food. It was a common occurrence – he hadn't visited the residential cities where he bought groceries for a long time. Lizard put on his motorcycle jacket and went outside. His air-cushioned bike was parked in the yard. He put on his helmet and sat down at the controls. Being a military man and a disciplined person, he never neglected additional protective measures.
He drove along a straight road, continuing to accelerate, not letting off the gas. On all sides were only uninhabited wastelands... memories flooded over him like a tsunami on an unprotected coastal town, he remembered all the terrible events in which he had participated... He closed his eyes, and could no longer open them.
Lizard woke up on a couch in a room that reminded him of the medical bays on military ships. His head ached terribly, he struggled to sit up and looked around. How did he get here? He couldn't remember. Two people entered. The girl was saying something, but the guy stopped her – "look, he's awake," he said and nodded towards the couch.
"Who are you? What is this place?" Lizard was surprised by the weakness of his own voice.
"You are on..."
The girl interrupted him. "on board Captain Zanuda's ship... You've been through a lot, and you're lucky we were passing by. Arandor... the guy standing next to me needed to visit someone, and on the way back we found you and the wrecked motorcycle. Apparently, you had an accident."
"That's right. I was going to buy groceries in town. I'll leave your ship as soon as I can get up, if you'll allow me to stay until then."
Arandor exchanged glances with Neyra. "Yes, of course."

Arien. The center of the metropolis.
Anarchy reigned in the streets of the city; mass riots were taking place: enraged residents attacked police and any representatives of the Earth government, overturned/set fire to cars, smashed windows, and looted stores. The rebellious mood and propaganda had reached even the system closest to the Sun.
The main mass of organized rebels was heading towards the police headquarters, which was something like a fortress and the last bastion for the police. The entrance to the building was blocked by a force field, as well as several police officers with electric batons. The rest were inside the building and on the roof, where a considerable number of snipers had already gathered, waiting for the command. Silverfail was waiting for a decision from command, and until then, no one was allowed to open fire. Some guy from the crowd threw a Molotov cocktail, but it exploded in the air, as Silver shot it down with his pistol. One of the snipers wanted to open fire, thereby responding to such audacity, but Silver put his hand on his shoulder and, with gestures of his fingers, showed that it was not yet time. The crowd swarmed over the five police officers standing at the entrance. Their advantageous position, training, and equipment allowed them to repel the endless stream of rioters. Several vans with weapons arrived, which the rebels eagerly seized. "Not yet," Silver repeated.
The receiver received a voice message.
"Attention! Fire to kill is authorized if necessary; reinforcements will arrive from the nearest military bases soon, hold on!... I repeat, fire to kill is authorized!"
The police captain nodded to his subordinates, it was time to start clearing the streets.

... An officer in a military uniform ran with all his might through the long, monotonous corridors of a military cruiser, holding his rifle. The walls around him were cracking and exploding, spewing flames, but he kept running, ignoring the obstacles. When he reached the bridge and headed towards Captain Ackerman, who was still giving orders to the surviving crew members and demanding the impossible – to save the ship – another high-powered energy beam hit the cruiser, accompanied by a torpedo salvo. The Lizard regained consciousness a couple of minutes later and immediately realized that he couldn't move – he was buried under the wreckage of the ship. Only his head remained mobile; his legs and arms were crushed by the heavy weight, too heavy for him to move. He looked around, but couldn't see anything – after the explosion, there were only a few sources of light left. He couldn't even hear the groans of the other crew members who had been on the bridge; it seemed they were all dead. The Lizard had already resigned himself to his fate when he heard a soldier approaching, holding an energy-powered cutter. It was Revan – his comrade and friend. He silently began to free his comrade, sawing through the heavy metal that was crushing his body. A couple of minutes later, the Lizard was freed from his prison, but he couldn't speak, although he was conscious. Revan hoisted him onto his shoulder and carried him to the escape pods... "It was just a dream," he said to himself as he woke up, not in the rocky terrain, as it had been the time they left the escape pod, but on a soft bed on the Arandor's ship. Today he felt much better, which meant it was time to leave this ship – it wasn't in his nature to take advantage of someone's hospitality for too long. He found the captain and his friends in the mess hall, where they greeted him warmly and congratulated him on his recovery. The Lizard felt a little awkward, as all these people were strangers to him, and he was a stranger to them. "I've been looking into the data..." the captain said to him, "you really were an officer in the Earth Armed Forces and participated in the war for the Sirius system?" The Lizard hesitated for a moment, but replied, "Yes, from the very beginning to the victorious end. Well, if you can call it a victory." "What do you mean? What war for the Sirius system?" Neyra asked, puzzled. Arandor sighed. "Neyra, if you spent less time in silly bars, like the Trinity bar, you wouldn't be showing your ignorance now. Almost everyone knows about this war. The war began..." the captain glanced at the guest, "well, let their direct witness tell about these events, you won't mind, will you?" "No, of course not," said the Lizard, looking at the listeners. He had never told stories to an audience before. "The war for the Sirius system, also known simply as the Sirius War, began in 3998, but it has deeper roots. Almost thirty years ago, the only planet inhabited by humans in the system came under the control of rebels, who had long sought independence from Earth. The state of the fleet at that time did not allow Earth to carry out a full-scale operation to 'liberate' the planet. Twenty years of inaction allowed the new government to greatly increase its own armed forces and consolidate its power on the planet. Eventually, the Earth government decided to take back the colony in order to eliminate the growing rebel sentiment among other colonies." "The Earthlings clearly overestimated either their own strength or the skill of their generals. The war lasted for five years and ended with our troops completely taking control of the orbit and bombing the planet to hell with nuclear warheads. Unfortunately, at the present time, there is practically unlimited nuclear weapons based in military warehouses..." he lowered his eyes, "on this planet, there are still people living, doomed to wander the wastelands for the rest of their lives. And who knows what impact the radiation has had on nature and people." Arien. Police headquarters. A huge number of dead, mutilated bodies – police officers and rebels – were scattered throughout the building. Just as the walls were decorated with bloody paint, the floor was flooded with a crimson river of bleeding bodies. Silverfail lay on the floor, leaning his back against the wall – he was wounded, exhausted, and covered in blood – both his own and others'. He reloaded his pistol and slowly, using the wall as support, got to his feet. Continuing to lean against the wall, he headed towards the exit, which was once a door. Once one of the largest cities in the colonized world, the metropolis had turned into a city of the dead. Among the half-destroyed, still smoking skyscrapers, the streets were literally filled with corpses. A squad of space marines, clad in powered exoskeletons, who had landed a few minutes ago, walked disdainfully over the corpses and inspected the buildings in search of survivors. Reinforcements arrived too late, but Silver couldn't imagine that all the rebels and ordinary civilians would be killed in this way – it was the height of cruelty. The mess hall, the Arandor's ship. After several hours of conversation, the captain decided that a person like the Lizard could be useful in his team, and therefore offered to become a member of his crew. The former officer agreed – in any case, life on Carradonne had become a bit boring for him. On the screen, another news report was playing, but its strange content attracted his attention, and he turned up the volume. A male reporter stood in front of a smoking city. "... Now you can see exclusive footage of the events that took place in the Alpha Centauri system on the planet Arien. The dead... the city is simply filled with the dead bodies of people who used to live in the largest city on this colonized planet. It is impossible to say for sure what happened here, but as the Earth fleet warned us, landing on the planet is prohibited. We had to resort to trickery so that you can see these shots now... hey... what's that?!" One of the soldiers mistook the reporter for another resident of the rebel city, so he simply shot him at close range, and then the recording device with the rest of the team. A brief silence fell in the mess hall; almost every member of the crew came from this planet, had family and friends there, including Arandor.

The docking was completed; Arandor surveyed the corridor they had entered after leaving the airlock doors. The pilot had discovered this research vessel when their ship exited hyperspace and found itself in the Alpha Centauri system. The captain, as well as the other crew members, wished to reach their home planet as quickly as possible; the unprecedented cruelty of the humans had shaken them to the depths of their souls. It was worst for the youngest and weakest—Nayra, whose family were her only close people, aside from Arandor—her good friend.
When they first stumbled upon the ship, hanging against the backdrop of endless space, the letters "WAP" were discovered on the hull.
"- Hey, isn't this by any chance that ship they talked about in the news? - Arandor asked, examining the inscription with interest.
- I have no idea which 'ships from the news' you are talking about, but it is blocking our communication system. - the pilot replied.
- I see... it seems that is exactly why it wasn't found earlier. We are very lucky that we exited at this point and stumbled upon it.
- What do you mean by 'lucky'? - Hostor asked.
- As Vegtam said, communications are blocked, which means sending a message anywhere is impossible, while there may be survivors on board who require immediate help.
- What are you getting at?
- We will land on its deck, of course."
Now they stood on the unknown ship, armed and equipped, clad in military armor. Seeing the unlit corridors for the first time, Arandor had already regretted his decision to land here more than once, but there was no way back—that would seem a strange decision, unworthy of a captain—or so he believed.
The squad consisted of twelve people, among whom were Hostor, who did not leave his employer and friend by even a step; Lizard, being the most experienced soldier among them, could not remain on board; nine soldiers, and the captain himself. Arandor was prepared to categorically refuse Nayra's decision to go with them; however, to his surprise, she had no intention of going. She was devastated.
Besides the dark corridor, Arand---dor also discovered that the oxygen supply was still working, which meant the power had not been shut off. "Why, then, did no one send a distress signal?".
- Stay alert - the captain addressed the squad - we should reach the main research laboratory; all the latest data and perhaps camera recordings should be there. What does the map on your handheld say, Lizard?
- Right now we must make our way through the living quarters, then we need to split into two teams, as I am not sure where we should go next: either to the xenology lab or to the communications point.
As they moved toward the living quarters, a sound of an unknown nature suddenly rang out; Hostor accidentally leaned against the wall and felt a strange sensation. He turned around and discovered that there was something like slime on the wall, which he had stepped into. He grimaced, and when he caught its smell, he almost vomited. The lawyer and bodyguard had never encountered anything like it.
- What do you have there, Hostor? - the captain asked - are you okay?
- Yes, perfectly. Let's move on.
Bloody patterns left on the floors and walls of the living quarters spoke of a struggle and the resistance the victims put up against their killers. When the detailed inspection was completed, no one found a single corpse. By one of the beds, Arandor noticed a shiny object; approaching closer, he took it in his hands. It was an interactive pendant with a single function: the item showed a photograph of three people—a Black man and woman, as well as a small boy; apparently, this was the family of one of the scientists. Arandor clenched the pendant in his fist and lowered his head.
After the inspection, he, Hostor, and four others went to examine the xenology lab, while the rest of the team headed for the communications point.
The situation in the laboratory was identical to what they had seen in the living quarters—again, rivers of blood and not a single corpse. On one of the tables, Arandor found a research journal under the name of a xenologist named "Drakkoshka". Picking it up, Arandor shook off the strange slime that the journal was in.
Once again, everyone was frightened by the same unexpected strange sound they had heard earlier. Now, however, it seemed louder, or the source was closer. Hostor hastily checked the grenade loaded into his assault rifle and grew alert. The sound became closer and closer; all six brought their weapons to combat readiness and prepared for battle, but the sound began to fade.
- If my hearing doesn't deceive me, it sounded right above our heads! - one of the soldiers said with a sigh.
The soldier was right, and this made Arandor uneasy; if the sound was moving away from them, it meant it was heading toward the second squad. The captain began to shout loudly over the radio to Lizard. In response came gunfire and human screams, as well as frantic animal cries.
- Forward!
The six of them ran at full speed toward the communications point. The last thing they saw was Lizard smashing the head of a vile monster against the wall with the butt of his heavy rifle, then other creatures dragging him away and him losing his weapon. Hostor examined the monster—two to three meters long, huge claws on its paws, a shattered elongated skull with sharp fangs.
- What is this filth? - Arandor lost control. - What is it? What the hell is that?!

Earth. Hong Kong. Headquarters of Wong Advanced Pharmaceuticals.
Vervolka stood inside a private elevator rising to the highest floor of this building—the tallest in Hong Kong. She was nervous, as she was every time she had to speak with this man. The WAP corporation was founded by entrepreneur Li Wong in the distant past, and since those years, leadership had been passed from heir to heir. Throughout its history, it had been led by people completely different in both character and skills, but Chung Wong was the most successful of all. A cruel and calculating woman whose skills spanned entirely different fields. She was a perfect example of what could be achieved with modern medicine: at 46, she looked like a twenty-year-old girl, but behind the beauty's appearance hid a true Devil.
Vervolka entered the luxurious apartments; the head of the corporation lay on a sofa and slowly ate grapes, which were being held to her lips by a slender, athletic man dressed only in a towel. There were at least three others here; as Vervolka approached, Wong ordered the men to leave the room.
- Modern technology incredibly eases human life, but it never brings the pleasure derived from living and primitive force.
By the doors stood two latest-generation combat droids, which Vervolka did not notice immediately.
- Mistress Wong...
- Every second person breathing oxygen on this planet is aware of the "missing" ship; I wonder how that could happen? Vervolka Carter... You were the one responsible for this project, and besides allowing its disappearance, you also missed the information leak. - the woman's voice did not change and remained calm - I would like this matter to be resolved as soon as possible; it will be better not only for the company as a whole but for you personally.

Wong Advanced Pharmaceuticals research ship.
Lizard was limping; the leg that... creature had dragged him by across the floor hurt badly, but at least he could walk. A couple of minutes ago, he had shot the beast with his pistol, which was on his belt. As he walked and reflected, he was attacked several times by other aliens, though smaller ones—"Yes Lizard, these aren't spiders from Azylum" - he thought, recalling a similar situation seven years ago; back then he was also alone, but he still managed and survived. Although now the situation was clearly of a different nature.
Coordinated action allowed the second squad to reach the main research laboratory without losses.
The six took up various positions; the large size of the laboratory made them vulnerable to a sudden attack.
- Hostor, try to enter the main computer system, and if you succeed, transmit all stored information to the ship. - Arandor spoke hurriedly.
The bodyguard approached the computer and entered the system—it was not locked; apparently, the session had not been terminated last time. He didn't bother sorting one piece of information from another and simply set it to transmit absolutely everything that was there. - this will take some time!
Lizard slowly approached a small hall which, due to slime and other things, resembled an insect hive more than a room on a human ship. Cocoons were attached to the ceiling and walls. Lizard shot one of the creatures in the head, then a second, and a third. The accuracy developed over years of service made itself known. There were people in the cocoons, as he had thought. The former officer freed them, but all turned out to be dead—all except one. It was one of the soldiers who had been in his squad. He coughed and jerked away toward the wall, far from Lizard; he was incredibly frightened.
- Friend, calm down, you're safe... - Lizard looked around - for a short while. What is your name?
- My name... my name is Tieru.
Arandor and his guys continued to hold the defense while the data was being transmitted. There had not been a single death among them so far, while the monster corpses numbered in the hundreds; this boosted everyone's morale.
- If nothing changes, we'll get out whole, after putting down a good thousand of these beasts! - Hostor shouted.
Arandor smiled, not letting go of the trigger of his assault rifle. - We will have enough information to cover those WAP and put an end to all such experiments and research once and for all!
- "Captain... we have problems." - the pilot said. - "An unknown ship has docked with you"
Lizard was happy that the energy in his pistol recharged itself and had practically no limit, as he had already had to destroy several dozen beasts on the way to the lower decks.
- Where are we going? - his companion inquired.
- To the armory.
Eight people dressed in nano-suits left the airlock together with army backpacks containing explosive material and a mechanism inside. This type of explosive was enough to blow this ship to hell. They split into 4 pairs, each of which was supposed to deliver the backpacks to various sections of the ship. Two were also supposed to save all information from the main computer.
Stealth mode was unlikely to help against these monsters, but plasma rifles, on the other hand, killed the beasts in a matter of seconds. Those who were supposed to copy the data discovered the presence of people in the main research laboratory on their modernized handheld computers, so they prematurely entered stealth mode and prepared knives for combat.
- Almost done!
- Well done, Hostor! Soon we'll get out of this hole. Hear me, guys?! - Arandor laughed, but the laughter turned to horror as one comrade after another died at the hands of an unknown opponent. The captain of the dead squad felt a foreign presence near him, and just as the unknown approached within striking distance, Hostor pushed him away; it cost him his arm up to the elbow. Arandor maintained his composure and fired where the blow had come from, hitting almost point-blank right in the head. The nano-suit didn't help. He lifted the groaning Hostor to his feet and looked around. It was too early to relax; there was another one here.
The fighter in the nano-suit, who was now standing a level higher, hid his knife and re-armed himself with a plasma rifle. In this case, it was more effective and safer. He aimed, and a shot rang out... It wasn't his plasma weapon, but a heavy assault rifle made specifically for heavy military exoskeletons, one of which Lizard was now in, as well as Tieru, who stood behind and shot at the creatures. Now it became clear why their endless stream had stopped.
A plasma charge burned into the same-strength armor of Tieru's exoskeleton, then again and again. He fell to his knees and tried to leave the armor as quickly as possible. It was practically impossible to determine where they were shooting from; it seemed fire was coming from all sides. Lizard, being inside the exoskeleton, picked up Tieru and jumped down to Arandor and Hostor. Together they ran away toward the airlock, helping Hostor run. The doors were already open; Tieru ran in first, followed by Arandor, who tried to turn around and run back when he saw that Hostor had tripped, but Lizard pushed the captain back inside, and the airlock doors closed quickly.
Vegtam tried to bring the ship into a hyperjump as soon as he could, but he ran out of time—a continuous beam of most powerful energy emitted by the enemy ship's main weapon slashed across the hull and engine, making a hyperjump impossible.
Leading them away from enemy fire, the pilot directed the ship toward the nearest planet, being hit by the enemy beam a couple more times. When they were out of reach of the enemy beam, the attackers struck with a volley of torpedoes. Now the ship was no longer landing on the planet, but falling onto it.