What they read online in this book:

You don't always have to go ahead to get to the enemy. Sometimes, although you know that your opponent is somewhere nearby, you can find the way to him only if you yourself can break out of the small world in which you live and look at everything from the outside. And if for this you have to break the blockade set up by the pirates, or seize their station, you will do it. Moreover, this will not only help you survive, but also give a chance to your new friends, found in this world, which they have been waiting for. A chance not only to declare oneself in a new capacity, but also to create a clan that the entire Commonwealth will soon be talking about.

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Konstantin Nikolaevich Muravyov

Cross the chasm. Clan

© Konstantin Muravyov, 2017

© AST Publishing House LLC, 2017

Frontier. The border of the Ataran Empire and free territories. Space

Unknown space sector. The main destroyer of the fourth squadron of the Second commando and reconnaissance directorate of the fleet of the Agar Empire. Day

“Mister Colonel,” a young naval officer, who ran up, addressed an elderly, but still quite strong and well-knit man in an ordinary landing suit standing on the bridge of a huge warship of the "Imperial Punisher" class.

- Yes, - Colonel Galt turned to the side of the short lieutenant stretched out next to him, - what have you got, Gilkas?

The latter quickly handed him a printout on a plastic carrier, but at the same time commented on what had been written in his voice:

The surprised colonel looked towards the speaker.

- But this is already interesting. Something else?

- No, - the officer shook his head negatively, - but we sent two small fighters to intercept, and they will conduct a more accurate scan.

- Okay, - Galt nodded, - we'll wait.

Sector space. Ten minutes later

- Says the leader alone, - reported the pilot of the first fighter, - there are two on board. Medium damage. Neural networks and other equipment are missing. I confirm the presence of the agraph aboard the escape pod. The second passenger is a person. I'm waiting for an order.

And two small fighters, aiming their battle blasters, hovered in front of a fragile shell spinning in the depths of space, behind which a couple of living creatures took refuge, still hoping for a miracle.

Unknown space sector. The main destroyer of the fourth squadron of the Second commando and reconnaissance directorate of the fleet of the Agar Empire. A few seconds later

“I don’t understand,” a tall, strong agar with a predatory face looked at the colonel, “what is this surprise?

The colonel shrugged calmly in response.

- What is there incomprehensible? - he said. - There are no neural networks, the average degree of damage, this is in the interpretation of the scanning system, but in fact it means that those who are there are beaten to the point of insanity, but are still alive. So draw your own conclusions.

And he looked at their non-staff agent from Holy See security, who was also serving as his assistant on the ship.

“These are the captives,” Galt explained, seeing that he still hadn't figured out what he was hinting at. - Most likely, they fled from the pirates. Without the neural network, they could only control the escape pod. So they left in a blind jump through the nearest anomaly. And they were very unlucky, they were thrown towards us ... - After that, the colonel looked indifferently in the direction of the small dot indicating the escape capsule. “The capsule must be destroyed,” he calmly commented on his future order.

But he was stopped by a security guard, who here also represented the service of the Holy See.

- No, wait. There is an agraph, I would like to interrogate him.

Here again a signal came from one of the fighters. And this time the voice of the pilot, seated on a small boat somewhere in the depths of the sector, was somewhat more excited than in the previous message. This was noticed by everyone who heard him.

- The main one, the leader says, - the pilot began the message, - the biological scanner has finished scanning. The racial identity of the passengers has been fully established. There are additional adjustments. There are two on board. Man and woman.

It was at this moment that the colonel felt that something was wrong, but did not have time to quickly give the order for destruction, as the pilot was already talking.

- Woman, agraf.

- Deliver them to the ship, - without even asking for permission to communicate, intervened in the conversation and gave the order to the security guard. After all, he was one of the few people who could do this. Any questions regarding the security of the Agar Empire always had the highest priority, and this person could appoint him himself.

But the colonel had no doubts why he had given this order just now. He did not need prisoners as such, he needed an agraf. Although the colonel himself would have preferred to shoot her in space. But now it was too late.

Two small fighters have now grabbed the rescue capsule and began towing it towards the destroyer.

Bastard, Galt whispered in his mind, looking at the contented security guard, whose eyes were rolling in front of him. Soon the prisoners, if they were in a normal state, should be brought to them, here, to the wheelhouse, this could not be canceled by the security guard. Well, and then this guardian of the safety of the holy throne will take care of them.

The man, most likely, will immediately be gutted and put into the expense, well, but what will become of the agrafka, it was not hard to guess. True, she will not live too long, exactly until the moment they return to their home port. After all, otherwise the dark affairs of the security guard can float out.

Unknown space sector. The main destroyer of the fourth squadron of the Second commando and reconnaissance directorate of the fleet of the Agar Empire. A few minutes later. Captain's cabin

Now, everyone present here saw what a soulless archetype meant when he spoke of an average degree of damage. The man could hardly stay on his feet, he was dragged and pushed into the room, but he could not resist, fell to the floor and rolled head over heels right to the very feet of Galt.

But the girl looked a little better, and that, apparently, because she was not tortured as much as the one that was now lying downstairs. It was evident from everything that the pirates were keeping this copy for absolutely the wrong purposes. She looked around in fright and tried to cover up the holes in her clothes.

“I am a citizen of the Agraf Empire,” the girl babbled, “I ask for protection from our allies in the Commonwealth. - She seems to have already guessed where she was, and therefore she herself perfectly understood how pitiful her words sounded.

Many of those present here were not much better than the pirates from whom they fled with this almost mortally beaten guy. And she didn't seem to think too adequately. Shock from what happened. Stress. Waiting for death. And now a second captivity. It was impossible to say otherwise. All this knocked out the last remnants of strength from the girl.

In addition, as the colonel saw, both prisoners who fell to them were severely exhausted. Of course, the man got more, who practically did not show signs of life and was now lying downstairs. But more attention was still paid to agrafka, it was too rare and extraordinary an event when such prisoners fell into the hands of the Agarians. Moreover, the girl herself attracted this very attention to herself, not allowing her to think about anything else. Her half-naked body, which peeped through the rips in her clothes, did not allow her to focus on anything but herself.

The colonel noticed that he himself wanted to feel in his hands her soft and pliable flesh, the silkiness of her skin, to hear her ragged breathing, her moans. It doesn't matter if they are moans of pain or pleasure. He even took several involuntary steps forward, towards the girl looking at them with huge beautiful and such bottomless eyes, in which boundless horror and fear splashed.

“I want to,” the colonel said, growled, and took another step forward. And it was this strange impulse that made him change his mind and stop. They were all so focused on the agraf that fell into their hands that they ignored everything else.

And Galt looked in the direction where the second prisoner was supposed to lie. But the man was no longer in that place.

- Danger ... - only managed to say the colonel, before his dead body fell down. The colonel no longer saw that this unknown person was the first to knock out those who least of all succumbed to the strange and incomprehensible influence of the agrafka, which had on them. Well, and then he did all the rest. And literally within the next minute, the control room of the destroyer was completely under the control of this unknown, who occupied it and blocked it.

- We are working, - said the stranger, who now did not at all resemble that exhausted and beaten prisoner to the girl who indifferently nodded to him in response. Yes, and now she did not resemble that frightened girl, whom she appeared in the eyes of the Agarians who captivated them, literally a moment ago. Now she was practically no different from the man who approached the control panel of the ship.

© Konstantin Muravyov, 2017

© AST Publishing House LLC, 2017

Chapter 1
Frontier. The border of the Ataran Empire and free territories. Space

Unknown space sector. The main destroyer of the fourth squadron of the Second commando and reconnaissance directorate of the fleet of the Agar Empire. Day

“Mister Colonel,” a young naval officer, who ran up, addressed an elderly, but still quite strong and well-knit man in an ordinary landing suit standing on the bridge of a huge warship of the "Imperial Punisher" class.

- Yes, - Colonel Galt turned to the side of the short lieutenant stretched out next to him, - what have you got, Gilkas?

The latter quickly handed him a printout on a plastic carrier, but at the same time commented on what had been written in his voice:

The surprised colonel looked towards the speaker.

- But this is already interesting. Something else?

- No, - the officer shook his head negatively, - but we sent two small fighters to intercept, and they will conduct a more accurate scan.

- Okay, - Galt nodded, - we'll wait.

Sector space. Ten minutes later

- Says the leader alone, - reported the pilot of the first fighter, - there are two on board. Medium damage. Neural networks and other equipment are missing. I confirm the presence of the agraph aboard the escape pod. The second passenger is a person. I'm waiting for an order.

And two small fighters, aiming their battle blasters, hovered in front of a fragile shell spinning in the depths of space, behind which a couple of living creatures took refuge, still hoping for a miracle.

Unknown space sector. The main destroyer of the fourth squadron of the Second commando and reconnaissance directorate of the fleet of the Agar Empire. A few seconds later

“I don’t understand,” a tall, strong agar with a predatory face looked at the colonel, “what is this surprise?

The colonel shrugged calmly in response.

- What is there incomprehensible? - he said. - There are no neural networks, the average degree of damage, this is in the interpretation of the scanning system, but in fact it means that those who are there are beaten to the point of insanity, but are still alive. So draw your own conclusions.

And he looked at their non-staff agent from Holy See security, who was also serving as his assistant on the ship.

“These are the captives,” Galt explained, seeing that he still hadn't figured out what he was hinting at. - Most likely, they fled from the pirates. Without the neural network, they could only control the escape pod. So they left in a blind jump through the nearest anomaly. And they were very unlucky, they were thrown towards us ... - After that, the colonel looked indifferently in the direction of the small dot indicating the escape capsule. “The capsule must be destroyed,” he calmly commented on his future order.

But he was stopped by a security guard, who here also represented the service of the Holy See.

- No, wait. There is an agraph, I would like to interrogate him.

Here again a signal came from one of the fighters. And this time the voice of the pilot, seated on a small boat somewhere in the depths of the sector, was somewhat more excited than in the previous message. This was noticed by everyone who heard him.

- The main one, the leader says, - the pilot began the message, - the biological scanner has finished scanning. The racial identity of the passengers has been fully established. There are additional adjustments. There are two on board. Man and woman.

It was at this moment that the colonel felt that something was wrong, but did not have time to quickly give the order for destruction, as the pilot was already talking.

- Woman, agraf.

- Deliver them to the ship, - without even asking for permission to communicate, intervened in the conversation and gave the order to the security guard. After all, he was one of the few people who could do this. Any questions regarding the security of the Agar Empire always had the highest priority, and this person could appoint him himself.

But the colonel had no doubts why he had given this order just now. He did not need prisoners as such, he needed an agraf. Although the colonel himself would have preferred to shoot her in space. But now it was too late.

Two small fighters have now grabbed the rescue capsule and began towing it towards the destroyer.

Bastard, Galt whispered in his mind, looking at the contented security guard, whose eyes were rolling in front of him. Soon the prisoners, if they were in a normal state, should be brought to them, here, to the wheelhouse, this could not be canceled by the security guard. Well, and then this guardian of the safety of the holy throne will take care of them.

The man, most likely, will immediately be gutted and put into the expense, well, but what will become of the agrafka, it was not hard to guess. True, she will not live too long, exactly until the moment they return to their home port. After all, otherwise the dark affairs of the security guard can float out.

Unknown space sector. The main destroyer of the fourth squadron of the Second commando and reconnaissance directorate of the fleet of the Agar Empire. A few minutes later. Captain's cabin

Now, everyone present here saw what a soulless archetype meant when he spoke of an average degree of damage. The man could hardly stay on his feet, he was dragged and pushed into the room, but he could not resist, fell to the floor and rolled head over heels right to the very feet of Galt.

But the girl looked a little better, and that, apparently, because she was not tortured as much as the one that was now lying downstairs. It was evident from everything that the pirates were keeping this copy for absolutely the wrong purposes. She looked around in fright and tried to cover up the holes in her clothes.

“I am a citizen of the Agraf Empire,” the girl babbled, “I ask for protection from our allies in the Commonwealth. - She seems to have already guessed where she was, and therefore she herself perfectly understood how pitiful her words sounded.

Many of those present here were not much better than the pirates from whom they fled with this almost mortally beaten guy. And she didn't seem to think too adequately. Shock from what happened. Stress. Waiting for death. And now a second captivity. It was impossible to say otherwise. All this knocked out the last remnants of strength from the girl.

In addition, as the colonel saw, both prisoners who fell to them were severely exhausted. Of course, the man got more, who practically did not show signs of life and was now lying downstairs. But more attention was still paid to agrafka, it was too rare and extraordinary an event when such prisoners fell into the hands of the Agarians. Moreover, the girl herself attracted this very attention to herself, not allowing her to think about anything else. Her half-naked body, which peeped through the rips in her clothes, did not allow her to focus on anything but herself.

The colonel noticed that he himself wanted to feel in his hands her soft and pliable flesh, the silkiness of her skin, to hear her ragged breathing, her moans. It doesn't matter if they are moans of pain or pleasure. He even took several involuntary steps forward, towards the girl looking at them with huge beautiful and such bottomless eyes, in which boundless horror and fear splashed.

“I want to,” the colonel said, growled, and took another step forward. And it was this strange impulse that made him change his mind and stop. They were all so focused on the agraf that fell into their hands that they ignored everything else.

And Galt looked in the direction where the second prisoner was supposed to lie. But the man was no longer in that place.

- Danger ... - only managed to say the colonel, before his dead body fell down. The colonel no longer saw that this unknown person was the first to knock out those who least of all succumbed to the strange and incomprehensible influence of the agrafka, which had on them. Well, and then he did all the rest. And literally within the next minute, the control room of the destroyer was completely under the control of this unknown, who occupied it and blocked it.

- We are working, - said the stranger, who now did not at all resemble that exhausted and beaten prisoner to the girl who indifferently nodded to him in response. Yes, and now she did not resemble that frightened girl, whom she appeared in the eyes of the Agarians who captivated them, literally a moment ago. Now she was practically no different from the man who approached the control panel of the ship.

Agrafka leaned over to one of the officers, whose body was literally at her feet, took off his weapon holster and fastened it to her belt.

- You this, - asked her boyfriend, - dress up a little, I think you yourself will be so handy and comfortable.

She first looked at him attentively, and then, nodding to some of her thoughts, she simply undressed under his gaze, not at all embarrassed by the young man looking at her, and, choosing the most suitable person in height, took his clothes.

After checking that the agrafka complied with his order, he again turned to the control panel and, having done some manipulations unknown to the girl, in a strange way activated the ship's manual control console. A little more time passed when a calm and confident voice rang out from the control panel at which the unknown man was standing:

- Now we are waiting.

Agrafka only nodded in response. She herself did not understand what this guy, who, in fact, was in charge of the operation, had to do.

So they waited here on the ship for more than thirty minutes, not even knowing what kind of hell was going on outside the walls of the destroyer in which they were.

“It's time,” the guy finally said, noticing some changes on the remote control, and, walking to the center of the room, like the girl, bent down and raised several blasters. After that, already completely indifferently looked around the captain's bridge of the destroyer and, apparently not noticing anything new, calmly headed towards the door.

- We first go to the armory. We need space suits, ”he said and opened the doors. Then, without even thinking, he fired into the corridor, although the door had not yet fully opened, and took a step outside the captain's cabin, leaving there the corpses of the command staff of this small squadron.

But for some reason, the girl who followed this young man was sure that these were far from the last corpses on their way. And more importantly, for some reason she was even more confident that this strange guy would no longer expose her to any danger, as he had promised then in the capsule.

Unknown outer space. Rescue capsule. A few hours ago

Hmmm, and where did they pull out this one-seater shell, into which they shoved us together with the girl.

Her name was Epica. We have already met here.

Honestly, I didn't want to somehow personalize it, but if you find yourself in a situation where a person literally lies on you for several hours in a row, then, against your will, you will have to somehow communicate with him. Especially if it's a girl.

I don’t know if I make her feel something or not, but she didn’t even move even once during our flight. So if there is something, then it is certainly not a feeling of deep sympathy. Rather contempt and antipathy.

So I didn’t even understand why she thought that I would want to pounce on her as soon as we were placed in the confined space of this escape pod.

I can lie down and not wiggle my limbs at least 24 hours a day. If you want to live, you will learn not this. Yes, and Daag was a very decent teacher, to be honest, and he taught conscientiously.

Although, for some reason, Zaar was also sure of how I would react to the presence of the agrafka. Apparently, he knew who she was. But there was nothing. That greatly surprised the girl herself and made her still look at me. And then speak.

It turns out that she was silent only because it was supposed to enhance the effect of the impact on me. But with me everything was wrong, and she did not understand and could not explain. It was then that I found out who she was and what her name was.

I, of course, assumed that the agraphs with the unearthly beauty of their girls had something like that, but I could not even imagine how much. There were very few people like Epica, and they could conquer anyone. Their strength consisted in an avalanche-like increase in desire among representatives of any gender and race, which is strange to me. For some reason, for some reason I thought only about men, but no. Everyone wanted people like her. And this is its property of animal magnetism and attractiveness, which flooded the mind and included all instincts, trying to develop them to the maximum.

As a result, agraphs learned to control it. And also deal with what follows.

Therefore, I was not greatly mistaken when I asked to choose one for me that anyone will fall for and who can survive it.

While the girl was telling me all this, she kept looking at me strangely. Although how not to look here? We had been lying on top of each other for more than two hours, and her face was right above mine, she breathed lips to lips, mouth to mouth, whoever liked it best.

It's just that the girl was already tired of lying on her outstretched arms and, having relaxed and surrendered to the will of I don't know who, she sank completely on me, clearly expecting what, in her opinion, was going to happen. But without waiting, she could not resist and asked:

- Why doesn't it work for you?

- Well, - I grinned, - according to the testimony of all your equipment, I am a complete down. And, perhaps, my brain simply cannot realize what happiness has come to him.

Although I had a more plausible idea. Having overlooked the girl's metric matrix, I realized that this is her innate property and it is spelled out at the level of parameters. And as a result, these are not some pheromones or hormones, this is a purposeful mental effect that the girl spreads around her. And I, as it has long been found out, is completely deaf to any mental influences, including, apparently, such.

So I quite calmly ran my hand along her body, only lightly stroking her. However, Epica did not even pull back and did not move.

“When they want me, they do it completely differently,” she said calmly and, already completely relaxed, settled on my chest. - It's much more convenient, - she explained, and then quietly asked: - Can I get some sleep?

“Yes,” I replied and hugged her to me.

She clearly understands that there are few like me, and she knows perfectly well what awaits her at the Agarians, and therefore wants to enjoy these last minutes or hours of tranquility, which suddenly fate gave her.

Hmmm. Somehow I was not going to become attached to her, but to give this to someone to be mocked. Thank you. I don't know what happened to her before meeting me, but this time nothing like this will happen. I will try very hard.

“Don't be afraid,” I said quietly, so as not to wake the girl up, “they won't touch you.

As it turned out, she is not sleeping.

Konstantin Nikolaevich Muravyov

Epica looked at this incomprehensible Dima in a strange way.

- So I already muffled it.

- Eh ... - and he first looked at her in response, and then somewhere down, - it looks like our opponents would have better hurry.

And only now Epica felt that something was resting on her just a little below the belly.

“You're weird,” the agraf said finally. - Now I am completely ordinary and no different from all other women.

“Apparently, you are different for me,” her companion grumbled and closed his eyes.

Epica felt her body begin to relax under her.

“The elephants helped,” Dim said an incomprehensible phrase and looked at her with a completely ordinary look, “I'm sorry. I did not even expect this.

Epica just shrugged.

- Yes, and I, too, - after which she looked at him and wanted to move slightly.

- No need, - the guy said quietly, - it's better this way. Otherwise, I can't vouch for myself.

The girl just nodded in surprise. She didn't understand anything at all. Now she was just an ordinary scribble, in which her Gift was completely drowned out. But this is what for some reason made the guy get aroused.

“Or,” and she looked somewhat amazed at the relaxed face of the calmed Dima, “did he react specifically to me? The real me? " This thought made the girl look at him again.

“He's really weird, but it looks like this is what allowed us to hold our entire route. After a little thought, she finished her thought. - I wonder, but how are we going to return back? "

And for some reason now she had absolutely no doubt that they would have this road home.

Some kind of ship of the Agarians. A few minutes later

The imperial executioner, who by some unknown means ended up here at the embassy, ​​worked on him much harder.

Epica had no idea what kind of work could be done in such a state. However, this guy was right. As soon as they were pulled out and saw who fell into their hands, they wanted to do Epica still here on deck. But then the almost insensitive Dim woke up and attacked a couple of military pilots closest to her, who had already pushed the girl to the floor.

Well, then they started beating him, adding additional injuries. However, while they were busy with the guy, a convoy arrived for them, which was sent from the captain's cabin, and they were led, or rather she was led, and Dima was dragged somewhere deep into the Agar ship.

The ship of the Agarians. Captain's cabin. A few minutes later

So, Epica coped with her task even better than I expected. I have never seen such an uncontrollable and preoccupied herd with one goal. All the attention of those present, and then there were two women, completely focused on the girl. They wanted her, they longed for her. The desire just spilled into the air.

It's time, I commanded myself. And smoothly rising from the floor, he moved behind the back of one of the soldiers in the landing suit. Aura of power and influence. Although there were no patches on his simple uniform, I realized that he was the main one. And I also chose him because he had a landing knife well known to me on his belt.

“What you need,” I realized, and, imperceptibly unlocking it, pulled it out of its scabbard. But either I did not do everything as imperceptibly as it seemed to me, or the very behavior of this subject, when he growled something like “I want” and took a step forward, in general, I don’t know what, - this man unexpectedly came to myself. And I immediately looked at the place where I rolled.

I needed to be where they would pay the least attention to me, and there was just a suitable place on the floor at the feet of this person. But I was no longer there, and the fighter understood that too.

- Danger ... - tried to pronounce the naval in the airborne overalls. But I didn't let him continue.

We are working on destruction, I do not need anything on this ship, everything that is needed will be done by a virus. Well, and I have no way of interrogating the enemy quickly. I left the "Psion", as well as Kira, at the station. Yes, and I will not particularly shine, the fact that I am a good fighter, it is already known at the station, and Arosh occasionally glances at me from time to time.

But there will be nothing extraordinary here. An ordinary fight. It is the one that Epica will describe to them when she gives a report.

Station Recura-4. Research Department. Doc. Before departure

- Why should you go? The admiral asked me just before our departure.

- How often you fought without your bells and whistles - here I mean neural networks and implants - how often you had to fight in close combat unarmed, with an enemy significantly superior to you in strength, agility and endurance.

He looked at me in a strange way.

- From this point of view, I was not suitable for this mission. My thinking about this situation was completed only at the stage of the successful introduction of the virus.

I shrugged.

- Well, and mine is at the stage of returning here, to the station. And that's why I'm going there. None of you and your people, as well as among agraphs, have such experience. One could choose a troll, but no one would believe in their defenselessness. That is why someone like me is needed there. The one in whom they will unconditionally believe. Someone who has never enjoyed the benefits that your civilization has given. Someone who is used to acting and trusting only himself and his forces.

The admiral nodded silently and, turning, was about to leave the ship when his gaze fell on the girl who had come aboard.

“She has no chance in this case,” he said quietly.

“I know,” I answered him calmly, “but she is needed for another. And if she succeeds, then I will try to do my part of the work myself.

The admiral nodded again. And already almost leaving the ship ready for takeoff, he said:

- And you are much different from your compatriots. And that's why they came for you. You see that and where the other will not notice it. But the main thing ... - and Arosh looked me straight in the eyes, - you are much more dangerous than any of them, despite everything that our equipment says about you. And that is why I believe you and will wait for your return.

I just nodded, I had nothing to say back to him. I myself will wait for our return.

The ship of the Agarians. Captain's cabin. a little while later

Hit. Evasion. Walk forward. No acceleration. Only foresight and tactics. Only what my body provides. I shouldn't be different from any other person.

Only what Daag taught me.

Only what I can always be sure of.

That's it, the last enemy, and I look around the empty room.

Quickly to the door. I block her. There is someone in the corridor behind her, and sooner or later they will try to break through here. But I don't need that.

I see that Epica is already armed, but this is not enough. She again turned into an ordinary, albeit no less dangerous than Anaka, girl.

Damn it, I seem to be really rushing from dangerous girls. So I turn to her. Yeah of course. Although he could not do it. But I wanted to see her.

- You this, - I said to her, - dress up a little, I think it will be more convenient and comfortable for you yourself.

Konstantin Muravyov

Frontier. The border of the Ataran Empire and free territories. Space

...

Unknown space sector. The main destroyer of the fourth squadron of the Second commando and reconnaissance directorate of the fleet of the Agar Empire. Day

Mister Colonel, - a young naval officer ran up to the elderly, but still quite strong and well-knit man in an ordinary landing suit, standing on the bridge of a huge warship of the "Imperial Punisher" class.

Yes, - Colonel Galt turned to the side of the short lieutenant stretched out next to him, - what have you got, Gilkas?

The latter quickly handed him a printout on a plastic carrier, but at the same time commented on what had been written in his voice:

The surprised colonel looked towards the speaker.

But this is already interesting. Something else?

No, - the officer shook his head negatively, - but we sent two small fighters to intercept, and they will conduct a more accurate scan.

Okay, - Galt nodded, - we'll wait.

...

Sector space. Ten minutes later

Leading one says, - reported the pilot of the first fighter, - there are two on board. Medium damage. Neural networks and other equipment are missing. I confirm the presence of the agraph aboard the escape pod. The second passenger is a person. I'm waiting for an order.

And two small fighters, aiming their battle blasters, hovered in front of a fragile shell spinning in the depths of space, behind which a couple of living creatures took refuge, still hoping for a miracle.

...

Unknown space sector. The main destroyer of the fourth squadron of the Second commando and reconnaissance directorate of the fleet of the Agar Empire. A few seconds later

I don’t understand, ”a tall, strong agar with a predatory face looked at the colonel,“ what is this surprise?

The colonel shrugged calmly in response.

And what is there incomprehensible? - he said. - There are no neural networks, the average degree of damage, this is in the interpretation of the scanning system, but in fact it means that those who are there are beaten to the point of insanity, but are still alive. So draw your own conclusions.

And he looked at their non-staff agent from Holy See security, who was also serving as his assistant on the ship.

These are prisoners, - explained Galt, seeing that he still did not realize what he was hinting at. - Most likely, they escaped from the pirates. Without the neural network, they could only control the escape pod. So they left in a blind jump through the nearest anomaly. And they were very unlucky, they were thrown towards us ... - After that, the colonel looked indifferently in the direction of the small dot indicating the escape capsule. “The capsule must be destroyed,” he calmly commented on his future order.

But he was stopped by a security guard, who here also represented the service of the Holy See.

No, wait. There is an agraph, I would like to interrogate him.

Here again a signal came from one of the fighters. And this time the voice of the pilot, seated on a small boat somewhere in the depths of the sector, was somewhat more excited than in the previous message. This was noticed by everyone who heard him.

The main one, the host says, - the pilot began the message, - has finished scanning the biological scanner. The racial identity of the passengers has been fully established. There are additional adjustments. There are two on board. Man and woman.

It was at this moment that the colonel felt that something was wrong, but did not have time to quickly give the order for destruction, as the pilot was already talking.

Woman, agrafka.

Deliver them to the ship, - without even requesting permission to communicate, intervened in the conversation and gave the order to the security guard. After all, he was one of the few people who could do this. Any questions regarding the security of the Agar Empire always had the highest priority, and this person could appoint him himself.

But the colonel had no doubts why he had given this order just now. He did not need prisoners as such, he needed an agraf. Although the colonel himself would have preferred to shoot her in space. But now it was too late.

Two small fighters have now grabbed the rescue capsule and began towing it towards the destroyer.

Bastard, Galt whispered in his mind, looking at the contented security guard, whose eyes were rolling in front of him. Soon the prisoners, if they were in a normal state, should be brought to them, here, to the wheelhouse, this could not be canceled by the security guard. Well, and then this guardian of the safety of the holy throne will take care of them.

The man, most likely, will immediately be gutted and put into the expense, well, but what will become of the agrafka, it was not hard to guess. True, she will not live too long, exactly until the moment they return to their home port. After all, otherwise the dark affairs of the security guard can float out.

...

Unknown space sector. The main destroyer of the fourth squadron of the Second commando and reconnaissance directorate of the fleet of the Agar Empire. A few minutes later. Captain's cabin

Now, everyone present here saw what a soulless archetype meant when he spoke of an average degree of damage. The man could hardly stay on his feet, he was dragged and pushed into the room, but he could not resist, fell to the floor and rolled head over heels right to the very feet of Galt.

But the girl looked a little better, and that, apparently, because she was not tortured as much as the one that was now lying downstairs. It was evident from everything that the pirates were keeping this copy for absolutely the wrong purposes. She looked around in fright and tried to cover up the holes in her clothes.

I am a citizen of the Empire of Agraf, - the girl babbled, - I ask for protection from our allies in the Commonwealth. - She seems to have already guessed where she was, and therefore she herself perfectly understood how pitiful her words sounded.

Many of those present here were not much better than the pirates from whom they fled with this almost mortally beaten guy. And she didn't seem to think too adequately. Shock from what happened. Stress. Waiting for death. And now a second captivity. It was impossible to say otherwise. All this knocked out the last remnants of strength from the girl.

In addition, as the colonel saw, both prisoners who fell to them were severely exhausted. Of course, the man got more, who practically did not show signs of life and was now lying downstairs. But more attention was still paid to agrafka, it was too rare and extraordinary an event when such prisoners fell into the hands of the Agarians. Moreover, the girl herself attracted this very attention to herself, not allowing her to think about anything else. Her half-naked body, which peeped through the rips in her clothes, did not allow her to focus on anything but herself.

The colonel noticed that he himself wanted to feel in his hands her soft and pliable flesh, the silkiness of her skin, to hear her ragged breathing, her moans. It doesn't matter if they are moans of pain or pleasure. He even took several involuntary steps forward, towards the girl looking at them with huge beautiful and such bottomless eyes, in which boundless horror and fear splashed.

I want to, ”the colonel said, growled, and took another step forward. And it was this strange impulse that made him change his mind and stop. They were all so focused on the agraf that fell into their hands that they ignored everything else.

And Galt looked in the direction where the second prisoner was supposed to lie. But the man was no longer in that place.

Danger ... - the colonel only managed to utter, before his dead body fell down. The colonel no longer saw that this unknown person was the first to knock out those who least of all succumbed to the strange and incomprehensible influence of the agrafka, which had on them. Well, and then he did all the rest. And literally within the next minute, the control room of the destroyer was completely under the control of this unknown, who occupied it and blocked it.

We are working, - said the stranger, who now did not at all resemble that tortured and beaten captive to the girl who indifferently nodded to him in response. Yes, and now she did not resemble that frightened girl, whom she appeared in the eyes of the Agarians who captivated them, literally a moment ago. Now she was practically no different from the man who approached the control panel of the ship.

Agrafka leaned over to one of the officers, whose body was literally at her feet, took off his weapon holster and fastened it to her belt.

You this, - the boyfriend asked her, - dress up a little, I think it will be more convenient and comfortable for you yourself.

She first looked at him attentively, and then, nodding to some of her thoughts, she simply undressed under his gaze, not at all embarrassed by the young man looking at her, and, choosing the most suitable person in height, took his clothes.