Iar Elterrus

Book II. Part II

We are! Faith

The one who saw death -

Can see hell.

The one who opens the door -

He won't be happy about that.

Those who come after -

They can save that garden

to which they then

They won't find their way back.

There may also be one

Who will shout that he

Already opened the doors to the house -

But there is no garden in that house.

Remember that the garden grows

Not only near bright waters.

Maybe it will bloom

The gloomy darkness of the swamps?

The one who looks into the distance

Can see the Light.

But he may fall

And fall into the Darkness for a hundred years!

Not only Darkness alone

Carries a shadow behind it.

Without night the day will come,

And all the fields will dry up.

Know that the time will come

When you can't save the garden.

And at that moment, look back -

You will see our shadows.

We are those who could

Choose your own path, but know:

Only you alone

Capable of creating your own paradise.

Heaven is what you are

I would like to create one for everyone.

But maybe they want

Deprive you of your beauty?

For many, mind you, your paradise is

It will only turn out to be Evil.

And heaven, where you are unhappy -

They will call it Good.

Those who come after -

The doors will open to the garden.

Knowing at the same time that

There will be no way back for them.

Only he will close

The door that leads to darkness

Who has been there himself -

Otherwise he won't understand.

George Lockhard

The wild cat at the entrance to the complex, looking like something broken and abstract, bristling into the greenish sky with dozens of crooked spiers, seemed alive. She pressed herself to the floor, her eyes burning with rage, no, rage. Nikita chuckled thoughtfully, looking at her, and sighed. His wife, Lavi, stood nearby. Beloved, the one and only, whom the officer finally met.

He and Nick decided not to wait, not to travel through Aarn Sarth, but to immediately head to the headquarters of the Mad Cats legion on the planet Argium-II. As an alpha coordinator, Nikita learned too much about the internal and external affairs of the order. After that, he was haunted by the feeling of impending disaster. Why? There seemed to be no reason for such feelings; the order was at the peak of its power. But the counterintelligence officer could not help himself and was nervous. The former commissar of the Red Army fully shared his concerns and agreed that there was no time for leisure. It’s worth sorting out current affairs, and then you can rest, if such a desire arises.

And so the three of them stood at the entrance to the building in which the legion commander was now located. Having transmitted a request for a meeting through the biocomp, which had become part of the brain, Nikita entered, holding his wife’s hand. There was only one thing that bothered him. That “Mad Cats” is a legion-family. Whereas he doesn’t need anyone except Lavi. Nick, who sensed his fears, quietly snorted and chuckled, causing Nikita to continually cast reproachful glances at the commissar, hugging his wife tighter to him.

A pointer appeared before my eyes and slowly floated ahead. And it’s good, otherwise it was impossible to find the way in the crazy maze of corridors and oval halls of the cats’ main residence. As usual in order buildings, gravity was completely unpredictable. It then dropped to almost zero, then gradually rose to two, or even three G. In one place weightlessness reigned, in another it was almost impossible to cross. Nikita frowned, not understanding why this was necessary, but remained silent. It's necessary for something. It is unlikely that at the counterintelligence headquarters the orders would simply play with gravity.

The corridor gave way to a corridor, and every now and then they met young men and women dressed in whatever they could, sometimes in something completely awkward. However, they looked young, and only he himself knew the real age of each. Some were naked, but they didn't seem to pay any attention to that here. But most often, people and guards wore light, light-colored shorts with shirts. Everyone they met greeted the trio; lively curiosity burned in the emo images of “cats” and “cats.”

Nikita was somewhat embarrassed - it seemed that everyone around already knew why they had come and greeted them like family. The Commissioner felt like a duck to water here, he kissed the girls he met, who immediately began to giggle, and threw emo images, which made everyone who felt them roar with laughter.

Entering the next round doorway, Nikita saw a beautiful young woman with shoulder-length straight black hair standing against the wall. She was wearing something that vaguely resembled a Japanese kimono, made of dark gray Tarmilan pseudo-silk. Large black eyes looked attentively at those who entered. Tina Varinkh, Bloody Cat, as her pasha is called. Commander of the legion for quite some time now.

“It’s great that you came yourself,” she said. “I was about to go look.” The Master is waiting for you and me, Nikita, in two hours. He also wanted to see Nick.

- Master? – the counterintelligence officer frowned. - For what?

“I don’t know,” Tina shook her head. “I’m afraid something serious and unpleasant is happening.” I haven’t seen Ilar this worried for quite some time. By the way, he was greatly impressed by your work, and he asked me to convey his gratitude and admiration to you.

“Thank you,” the counterintelligence officer smiled; it was pleasant as hell to hear such words. – And we, in fact, came to join the legion...

“I know,” Tina laughed. – I can immediately inform you that for the defeat of the Project, both of you were awarded the rank of ENT captains. You deserve it, damn it. Congratulations!

– Thank you for your trust, Madam Dwarkh-Colonel! – Nikita stood up as usual, Nick echoed him, although he looked somewhat surprised.

“Only the training and transformation of the body will still have to be completed in full,” the legion commander threw up his hands. “It won’t be easy, very difficult.” Cats have special equipment built into their bodies, non-standard for the rest of the legions; each of us becomes a thing in itself, a completely autonomous combat unit, capable of adequately responding to any external threat.

“Who would doubt it,” Nick chuckled, looking with interest at the woman who from that moment was his commander. – When to start?

– Now I’ll add you to the list of “Mad Cats” and show you where we have what. Then a meeting with the Master. What happens next depends on what he decides to entrust to us. Maybe this very second we’ll have to load onto a ship and drive somewhere in afterburner. Don't know.

“We’ll see,” Nikita sighed, concern shimmering in his emo-image. – First of all, I want to clarify one slippery situation...

“You don’t even have to say which one, I know it myself,” Tina looked at him thoughtfully. - We are Family. But no one ever imposes anything on anyone! In the environment of the order, this is simply impossible. None of the “cats” and “cats” will even come close to you or Lavi, unless it is your own desire. Understand?

“I understand,” the newly appointed ENT captain calmed down somewhat. - Sorry, but I was a little nervous.

“I was just as nervous back in the day,” a chuckle slipped into the Dwarkh-Colonel’s gaze. “You’ll understand everything later.” Everyone has the right to their own life and their own joy. The main thing is for you to know: everyone around you loves you and will always help you.

“We already know,” the former Red Commissioner smiled broadly.

“And I couldn’t...” Lavi sighed, continuing to hold her husband’s hand. - By the way, I also want to join the legion. If Nikita, then so am I.

“Who would doubt it,” Tina chuckled cheerfully, looking at the couple in love with some irony.

Nikita at first wanted to object, but almost immediately realized that it made no sense. Lavi was soft only when she wanted it to be. Otherwise, no pressure from the outside could force the girl to yield; she became steel. However, there is nothing to be surprised after everything that she experienced in her homeland. Now he was reading his wife’s memory and just sighed quietly. Lavi seemed to have had it no harder than he himself had in civilian life. During the war I got used to complete independence. And now she has made a decision and will not back down from it.

We are! Vera Iar Elterrus

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Title: We are! Faith

About the book “We Are! Faith" Iar Elterrus

Terrible events are approaching. But shouldn’t we wait for them, submissively throwing up our hands? Of course not. And again the cruisers of the Aarn Order emerge from hyperspace near the small planet Earth. And tens of thousands of earthlings become aarn. It is they who are destined to change very, very many things in the order. They are the ones who will be able to achieve what they have never achieved before.

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The one who saw death -
Can see hell.
The one who opens the door -
He won't be happy about that.
Those who come after -
They can save that garden
to which they then
They won't find their way back.
There may also be one
Who will shout that he
Already opened the doors to the house -
But there is no garden in that house.
Remember that the garden grows
Not only near bright waters.
Maybe it will bloom
The gloomy darkness of the swamps?
The one who looks into the distance
Can see the Light.
But he may fall
And fall into the Darkness for a hundred years!
Not only Darkness alone
Carries a shadow behind it.
Without night the day will come,
And all the fields will dry up.
Know that the time will come
When you can't save the garden.
And at that moment look back -
You will see our shadows.
We are those who could
Choose your own path, but know:
Only you alone
Capable of creating your own paradise.
Heaven is what you are
I would like to create one for everyone.
But maybe they want
Deprive you of your beauty?
For many, mind you, your paradise is
It will only turn out to be Evil.
And heaven, where you are unhappy -
They will call it Good.
Those who come after -
The doors will open to the garden.
Knowing at the same time that
There will be no way back for them.
Only he will close
The door that leads to darkness
Who has been there himself -
Otherwise he won't understand.

George Lockhard

Chapter 1

The wild cat at the entrance to the complex, looking like something broken and abstract, bristling into the greenish sky with dozens of crooked spiers, seemed alive. She pressed herself to the floor, her eyes burning with rage, no, rage. Nikita chuckled thoughtfully, looking at her, and sighed. His wife, Lavi, stood nearby. Beloved, the one and only, whom the officer finally met.

He and Nick decided not to wait, not to travel through Aarn Sarth, but to immediately head to the headquarters of the Mad Cats legion on the planet Argium-II. As an alpha coordinator, Nikita learned too much about the internal and external affairs of the order. After that, he was haunted by the feeling of impending disaster. Why? There seemed to be no reason for such feelings; the order was at the peak of its power. But the counterintelligence officer could not help himself and was nervous. The former commissar of the Red Army fully shared his concerns and agreed that there was no time for leisure. It’s worth sorting out current affairs, and then you can rest, if such a desire arises.

And so the three of them stood at the entrance to the building in which the legion commander was now located. Having transmitted a request for a meeting through the biocomp, which had become part of the brain, Nikita entered, holding his wife’s hand. There was only one thing that bothered him. That “Mad Cats” is a legion-family. Whereas he doesn’t need anyone except Lavi. Nick, who sensed his fears, quietly snorted and chuckled, causing Nikita to continually cast reproachful glances at the commissar, hugging his wife tighter to him.

A pointer appeared before my eyes and slowly floated ahead.

And it’s good, otherwise it was impossible to find the way in the crazy maze of corridors and oval halls of the cats’ main residence. As usual in order buildings, gravity was completely unpredictable. It then dropped to almost zero, then gradually rose to two, or even three G. In one place weightlessness reigned, in another it was almost impossible to cross. Nikita frowned, not understanding why this was necessary, but remained silent. It's necessary for something. It is unlikely that at the counterintelligence headquarters the orders would simply play with gravity.

The corridor gave way to a corridor, and every now and then they met young men and women dressed in whatever they could, sometimes in something completely awkward. However, they looked young, and only he himself knew the real age of each. Some were naked, but they didn't seem to pay any attention to that here. But most often, people and guards wore light, light-colored shorts with shirts. Everyone they met greeted the trio; lively curiosity burned in the emo images of “cats” and “cats.”

Nikita was somewhat embarrassed - it seemed that everyone around already knew why they had come and greeted them like family. The Commissioner felt like a duck to water here, he kissed the girls he met, who immediately began to giggle, and threw emo images, which made everyone who felt them roar with laughter.

Entering the next round doorway, Nikita saw a beautiful young woman with shoulder-length straight black hair standing against the wall. She was wearing something that vaguely resembled a Japanese kimono, made of dark gray Tarmilan pseudo-silk. Large black eyes looked attentively at those who entered. Tina Varinkh, Bloody Cat, as her pasha is called. Commander of the legion for quite some time now.

“It’s great that you came yourself,” she said. “I was about to go look.” The Master is waiting for you and me, Nikita, in two hours. He also wanted to see Nick.

- Master? – the counterintelligence officer frowned. - For what?

“I don’t know,” Tina shook her head. “I’m afraid something serious and unpleasant is happening.” I haven’t seen Ilar this worried for quite some time. By the way, he was greatly impressed by your work, and he asked me to convey his gratitude and admiration to you.

“Thank you,” the counterintelligence officer smiled; it was pleasant as hell to hear such words. – And we, in fact, came to join the legion...

“I know,” Tina laughed. – I can immediately inform you that for the defeat of the Project, both of you were awarded the rank of ENT captains. You deserve it, damn it. Congratulations!

– Thank you for your trust, Madam Dwarkh-Colonel! – Nikita stood up as usual, Nick echoed him, although he looked somewhat surprised.

“Only the training and transformation of the body will still have to be completed in full,” the legion commander threw up his hands. “It won’t be easy, very difficult.” Cats have special equipment built into their bodies, non-standard for the rest of the legions; each of us becomes a thing in itself, a completely autonomous combat unit, capable of adequately responding to any external threat.

“Who would doubt it,” Nick chuckled, looking with interest at the woman who from that moment was his commander. – When to start?

– Now I’ll add you to the list of “Mad Cats” and show you where we have what. Then a meeting with the Master. What happens next depends on what he decides to entrust to us. Maybe this very second we’ll have to load onto a ship and drive somewhere in afterburner. Don't know.

“We’ll see,” Nikita sighed, concern shimmering in his emo-image. – First of all, I want to clarify one slippery situation...

“You don’t even have to say which one, I know it myself,” Tina looked at him thoughtfully. - We are Family. But no one ever imposes anything on anyone! In the environment of the order, this is simply impossible. None of the “cats” and “cats” will even come close to you or Lavi, unless it is your own desire. Understand?

“I understand,” the newly appointed ENT captain calmed down somewhat. - Sorry, but I was a little nervous.

“I was just as nervous back in the day,” a chuckle slipped into the Dwarkh-Colonel’s gaze. “You’ll understand everything later.” Everyone has the right to their own life and their own joy. The main thing is for you to know: everyone around you loves you and will always help you.

“We already know,” the former Red Commissioner smiled broadly.

“And I couldn’t...” Lavi sighed, continuing to hold her husband’s hand. - By the way, I also want to join the legion. If Nikita, then so am I.

“Who would doubt it,” Tina chuckled cheerfully, looking at the couple in love with some irony.

Nikita at first wanted to object, but almost immediately realized that it made no sense. Lavi was soft only when she wanted it to be. Otherwise, no pressure from the outside could force the girl to yield; she became steel. However, there is nothing to be surprised after everything that she experienced in her homeland. Now he was reading his wife’s memory and just sighed quietly. Lavi seemed to have had it no harder than he himself had in civilian life. During the war I got used to complete independence. And now she has made a decision and will not back down from it.

Well, then so be it. His wife will become not just a wife, but a friend and ally. Nikita gently kissed Lavi's ear and sent her an image of a white lotus opening against the background of the rising sun. She responded with an image of a cloudless blue sky. Every day after the Initiation they merged more and more into something single, whole, they understood and felt each other better and better.

- Nerarch! – Tina called. – Meet Nikita, Nick and Lavi. I ask you to add them to the list of our legion. Nikita and Nika with the rank of lore captains, Lavi with the rank of private.

“Greetings, brothers and sisters,” an emo image filled with irony covered those standing in the room. “You yourself probably realized that I am the dwarch of the legion.” I am a cheerful and cheerful creature. Echiden. Please don't be offended by jokes.

He was silent for a while and asked:

– Which department should I be assigned to?

“Foreign intelligence,” answered Tina. – To Ras and Karina. Nikita and Nick are smart guys, they will be there in their place.

- In addition to those two idiots and these three? – Nerarch asked doubtfully. - Are you sure? The five of them will put the whole order on their ears!

- Let them bet! – the dvarkh-colonel burst out laughing. “It will only do the Order good to stand on their ears a little.” Notify Ras and the biocenter. Let them prepare the ti-ankh for the introduction of the equipment.

-What class?

- Higher. Including the latest modifications of combat nanorobots. For some reason, it seems to me that Nikita and Nick will not do their usual things. And if so, you understand.

“I’ll do it right now,” the dvarkh responded. - Ready. While I say goodbye, I have a lot of things to do today. I will have to do a double analysis of economic trends in Tium; I don’t like what’s happening with them after the defeat of the Project. Somehow the castes squabble among themselves in an unpleasant way, which is unusual for this country. It is very possible that we didn’t get everyone there. And in your native Nahrat, some kind of incomprehensible fermentation is beginning again.

- On Nahrat? – Tina raised her eyebrows with concern.

– Yes, but what exactly, I can’t say yet. The information network does not provide a complete picture of what is happening; I cannot achieve normal convergence of the model. I'm afraid someone will have to go there. It's better for you. Lord Stanis treats you well, and will cooperate much more willingly than with anyone else.

“We’ll see,” said the Dwarkh-Colonel. – Find out what you can, then report back. Thanks for your help, Nerarch. All the best.

Nikita, Nick and Lavi, who attentively listened to the exchange of quick emo-images that they did not very understand, also said goodbye to the dvarkh and wished him successful searches, he responded with an emo-image of soft irony and passed out. Tina stood for a while, thinking hard about something.

“It seems to me more and more that one legion is not enough for intelligence and counterintelligence,” she said after a few minutes. “There are, of course, Derek’s “Angels of Darkness,” but they only deal with our affairs from time to time.

– So why not specialize in reconnaissance for two or three more legions? – Nikita asked. “People, of course, will not learn right away, but you can temporarily assign experienced professionals to them who will help them get the job done as it should.

“I’m afraid that’s what we’ll have to do...” Tina sighed. “Every day the feeling that we are not coping becomes stronger. Perhaps I will raise this issue at a meeting with the Master.

“I would immediately advise taking Relyr’s legion,” Nick intervened. “The kids there are great, they learn quickly.” Nikita will confirm that in two weeks at the Project base, not a single one made a mistake or went out of character.

“I confirm,” the counterintelligence officer nodded. “The Mist Seekers did a great job.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Tina’s emo-image shimmered with the colors of concern. - Okay, let's go. I'll show you what's here and how. Open the input ports of the biocomps, now I’ll reset the information on our residence, training and residential complexes, biocenters and everything else.

“Lavi doesn’t have a biocomputer yet,” Nikita noted.

- Yes? – Tina was surprised. - That is OK. No later than tomorrow or the day after tomorrow you will go for transformation. Or maybe even tonight, so as not to waste time. While I’m passing on the information to you two, please share it with the girl yourself.

- Fine.

Nikita closed his eyes and habitually switched to accelerated thinking mode. A fiery wave hit the brain, fragments of geometric figures, scraps of formulas and rows of numbers flashed before my inner vision. Having finished receiving information, he activated the knowledge adaptation procedure. Two more seconds in the outside world, a good half hour of hard work for him, and Nikita came out of the accelerated mode. My head hurt a little, but the biocomp quickly dealt with this problem by regulating the hormonal balance. Having quickly scanned his own memory, the counterintelligence officer chuckled thoughtfully. Until now he had been amazed by this way of studying. Moreover, in this way not only theoretical knowledge was transferred, but also practical skills, which did not go anywhere at all. From that moment on, he felt at home at the main base of the legion. However, after joining the legion, the base became home for the newcomers.

“Let’s go,” Tina said busily and opened the hyperlink.

All four stepped into it and found themselves at the entrance to some huge white building, similar to a snail shell, only more twisted. Nikita rummaged through his memory and realized that in front of him was the residence of the foreign intelligence department, currently headed by Dwarkh Major Sh'Rav Heved, a dark green dragon.

The department was divided into four hundred main working groups from five to twenty reasonable in each. Often groups came together to develop complex projects. He and Nick were assigned to the team of lore captain Ras Tongo, which united ten other groups. Strange, the commander has the same rank as himself. Although, wait, as an alpha coordinator, Nikita more than once gave orders to dvarh colonels, and they obeyed. It seems that we need to understand in more detail the structure and hierarchy of the legion. And then he got a little confused...

Tina entered the triangular door, activated the internal conveyor, and soon they found themselves in a large oval hall with shaggy walls. In front of a holographic star map hanging in the air, two dragons, a white and blue arachne and a tall, white-haired man with round eyes, were furiously arguing about something. They did not pay any attention to those who entered.

“Sh”Rav!” Tina called, grinning maliciously.

- What do you want? – the dark green dragon turned dissatisfied to the commander. - Leave me alone, can't you see - I'm busy!

Nikita glanced sideways at him in surprise - this was the greeting of a superior officer. However, in the legions of the order there were almost no formal statutory relations, except in combat conditions. And in intelligence... But still he felt somewhat uneasy. This approach is unusual.

“I’ve brought you some reinforcements,” the Dwarkh-Colonel informed, continuing to grin sarcastically.

“Oh, those same ones...” Sh" Rav drawled with interest and carefully examined the newcomers. “Okay. Glad. Greetings, brothers and sister. So, to the Ras group? Welcome. I hope Nikita will bring at least some order to this mess. You already there, lore-captain, chasing them, it will do good. They're kind of lazy, they don't catch mice at all. But when it comes to organizing a booth, they're the first ones.

“I’ll try,” the counterintelligence officer smiled. – First you need to figure out what’s there and how.

“Figure it out, figure it out,” the dragon grumbled, tilting his head to the side. - By the way, meet me.

The blue dragon standing nearby was called M "Rang Vanhar, he also had the rank of dwarch major and served as the alpha coordinator of the general strategy department of the legion. Behra-Vlankhsa, a white and blue, very large arachne, had the rank of lor captain and was a beta -coordinator of the combat operations department. A tall, white-haired Tiumian, Xaven Echtimachus, turned out to be Arachne's immediate superior. Until recently, his current position was occupied by Tina, who a month ago officially headed the legion.

“Come to me in two hours,” Sh’Rav ordered the newcomers. “We need to discuss what issues you will deal with in the near future.”

“Sorry, it won’t work,” Tina shook her head negatively. “The Master is waiting for us in an hour, and it is unknown how long we will stay with him.” I have rarely seen the Commander so upset.

“I see...” the dragon drawled interestedly. - Then, it's OK. I'm waiting for you to be free. It looks like the current parking lot will soon seem like a vacation to us.

“I’m very afraid that you’re right,” the Dwarkh-Colonel sighed heavily, rubbing her cheek. - Something is coming. And something very nasty. I just wish I knew what it was and how to deal with it. It’s a shame that Kerzhak missed out on Sartad, it’s just incredibly sad.

“None of us are gods,” the Arachne snapped his mandibles. – Thanks to the Weaver of the Web, that at least they took the rest.

“Sorry, but it seems to me that our intelligence work is very poorly done,” Nikita said quietly. – If “Peak of Mist” had not accidentally stumbled upon the destroyed colony, we would still not know anything about the Project.

“Maybe you’re right,” Sh”Rav sighed. “Just keep in mind that initiative is punishable. You said you should be given this intelligence work.”

The counterintelligence officer ironically raised his eyebrows in response - wow, I forgot about this old truth. So, should we do undercover work? Okay, let's see what can be done in this matter. However, it was worth waiting for the conversation with the Master; it is still unknown what will have to be done after it. But he made a note in his memory, just in case.

“Okay, I’ll see you again today,” the image of the legion commander was somewhat gloomy. “I’ll take the guys, introduce them to Ras and Karina, and serve them together.”

She stepped into the hyper-transition crater that appeared on the nearby wall. Nikita nodded goodbye to the department coordinators who had started arguing about something again and followed the example of the commander. Nick and Lavi went after him. They found themselves in a large, rather cozy, bright room that looked like a crumpled ball from the inside. Several platforms hung right in the air, on which people, guards and arachnes, immersed in the information space, sat. At first glance, there were about thirty of them; Nikita did not count, carefully examining the place where he was to work. Interesting. A lot of incomprehensible equipment. Of course, Tina gave him enough information, and the counterintelligence officer was confident that his memory had everything he needed. But go figure out this heap of data right away.

A triangular platform hung just above the floor, on which stood the console of a large biocomputer, the power of which would be the envy of any computing center in the inhabited galaxy. On a huge holoscreen is a rapidly changing abstract figure. Three people sat in front of the screen - two men and a very young girl. They quickly exchanged complex multidimensional emo images, and the figure on the screen continued to change. It looks like they are developing some kind of sociomatic model. If someone at home had told Nikita that the development of such models is one of the main tasks of a counterintelligence officer, he would only have twisted his finger at his temple. But the earthling was no longer so naive for a long time and understood the usefulness of situational modeling.

– Ras, Karina, Stan! – Tina called, a kind, slightly ironic smile visible in her emo image.

- Hello, Tink! – all three answered in unison, turning around. - Ah, Nikita, Nick, Lavi! Nice to meet you guys!

“And we are with you,” the counterintelligence officer smiled, looking at his future colleagues with interest.

Ras was dark-skinned, with short black hair and a perky expression of attentive, steel-colored eyes. Stan is fair-haired, with a somewhat rough face, wary and suspicious. But the guy’s emophone felt clean and bright. Nikita did not read his memory; there will still be time for that. Karina looked very pretty, smiling and seemed serene. But inside she was seething and was very irritated by something.

“Ras is one of our best operatives,” Tina said. – Three successful deep penetrations. Stan is a very good analyst. Throw him a few seemingly completely random facts, and he will deduce all their relationships in a very short time. Karina is one of the order's top ten mentat tacticians. Moreover, Healer of Souls. True, he is still learning this art at the School of the Spirit. Well, everyone has heard about who Nikita and Nick are. Alpha and beta coordinators of such large-scale affairs do not remain in obscurity. Lavi is Nikita's wife.

- Hi again! – Ras stood up and brushed his bangs from his forehead. – I’m very glad that we will work together. There’s no end to the work, there’s no time to sleep, to be honest.

“We’ll figure it out,” Nikita smiled.

– What are you doing now? – asked the legion commander.

“Astve In Rag,” Stan sighed heavily. – Something vile is brewing there again. After the war and the destruction of the whitish ones, everything seemed to calm down. But not for long. By the way, fanatics are the only ones, besides the guards, who refused to accept our ambassadors. Synclite is definitely up to something. Just what? As if they wouldn't go into inferno again.

- They'll do it. By the way, how is our Messiah doing?

- Your ward? Tali? Sorry, she’s not doing well anymore... She was executed two days ago. In boiling oil, alive. And none of our people were nearby. Maybe they could have pulled it out...

“She finished, like all the messiahs before her...” Tina bit her lip, wiping away her tears. “I feel sorry for her, the child never saw love and kindness in her life, but tried to give them to everyone around her.” And they wouldn’t have pulled her out, he must understand. If this is her fate, it is not for us to violate the Creator’s plans.

“You’re right, her fate is not in our control...” Ras sighed heavily. - Interfere with God's providence? It is forbidden. The strangest thing is that legends that she was seen alive after her execution have already begun. Probably, the girl really needed to die in order to humanize this terrible country at least a little.

“Maybe,” before the eyes of the Dwarkh-Colonel stood a faintly smiling girl, almost a girl, with wide-open eyes filled with pity and kindness—that’s exactly how she remembered Tali. “It just hurts me to remember her.” I hope her sacrifice will not be in vain.

Iar Elterrus

We are! Faith

The one who saw death -
Can see hell.
The one who opens the door -
He won't be happy about that.
Those who come after -
They can save that garden
to which they then
They won't find their way back.
There may also be one
Who will shout that he
Already opened the doors to the house -
But there is no garden in that house.
Remember that the garden grows
Not only near bright waters.
Maybe it will bloom
The gloomy darkness of the swamps?
The one who looks into the distance
Can see the Light.
But he may fall
And fall into the Darkness for a hundred years!
Not only Darkness alone
Carries a shadow behind it.
Without night the day will come,
And all the fields will dry up.
Know that the time will come
When you can't save the garden.
And at that moment look back -
You will see our shadows.
We are those who could
Choose your own path, but know:
Only you alone
Capable of creating your own paradise.
Heaven is what you are
I would like to create one for everyone.
But maybe they want
Deprive you of your beauty?
For many, mind you, your paradise is
It will only turn out to be Evil.
And heaven, where you are unhappy -
They will call it Good.
Those who come after -
The doors will open to the garden.
Knowing at the same time that
There will be no way back for them.
Only he will close
The door that leads to darkness
Who has been there himself -
Otherwise he won't understand.

George Lockhard

The wild cat at the entrance to the complex, looking like something broken and abstract, bristling into the greenish sky with dozens of crooked spiers, seemed alive. She pressed herself to the floor, her eyes burning with rage, no, rage. Nikita chuckled thoughtfully, looking at her, and sighed. His wife, Lavi, stood nearby. Beloved, the one and only, whom the officer finally met.

He and Nick decided not to wait, not to travel through Aarn Sarth, but to immediately head to the headquarters of the Mad Cats legion on the planet Argium-II. As an alpha coordinator, Nikita learned too much about the internal and external affairs of the order. After that, he was haunted by the feeling of impending disaster. Why? There seemed to be no reason for such feelings; the order was at the peak of its power. But the counterintelligence officer could not help himself and was nervous. The former commissar of the Red Army fully shared his concerns and agreed that there was no time for leisure. It’s worth sorting out current affairs, and then you can rest, if such a desire arises.

And so the three of them stood at the entrance to the building in which the legion commander was now located. Having transmitted a request for a meeting through the biocomp, which had become part of the brain, Nikita entered, holding his wife’s hand. There was only one thing that bothered him. That “Mad Cats” is a legion-family. Whereas he doesn’t need anyone except Lavi. Nick, who sensed his fears, quietly snorted and chuckled, causing Nikita to continually cast reproachful glances at the commissar, hugging his wife tighter to him.

A pointer appeared before my eyes and slowly floated ahead. And it’s good, otherwise it was impossible to find the way in the crazy maze of corridors and oval halls of the cats’ main residence. As usual in order buildings, gravity was completely unpredictable. It then dropped to almost zero, then gradually rose to two, or even three G. In one place weightlessness reigned, in another it was almost impossible to cross. Nikita frowned, not understanding why this was necessary, but remained silent. It's necessary for something. It is unlikely that at the counterintelligence headquarters the orders would simply play with gravity.

The corridor gave way to a corridor, and every now and then they met young men and women dressed in whatever they could, sometimes in something completely awkward. However, they looked young, and only he himself knew the real age of each. Some were naked, but they didn't seem to pay any attention to that here. But most often, people and guards wore light, light-colored shorts with shirts. Everyone they met greeted the trio; lively curiosity burned in the emo images of “cats” and “cats.”

Nikita was somewhat embarrassed - it seemed that everyone around already knew why they had come and greeted them like family. The Commissioner felt like a duck to water here, he kissed the girls he met, who immediately began to giggle, and threw emo images, which made everyone who felt them roar with laughter.

Entering the next round doorway, Nikita saw a beautiful young woman with shoulder-length straight black hair standing against the wall. She was wearing something that vaguely resembled a Japanese kimono, made of dark gray Tarmilan pseudo-silk. Large black eyes looked attentively at those who entered. Tina Varinkh, Bloody Cat, as her pasha is called. Commander of the legion for quite some time now.

“It’s great that you came yourself,” she said. “I was about to go look.” The Master is waiting for you and me, Nikita, in two hours. He also wanted to see Nick.

- Master? – the counterintelligence officer frowned. - For what?

“I don’t know,” Tina shook her head. “I’m afraid something serious and unpleasant is happening.” I haven’t seen Ilar this worried for quite some time. By the way, he was greatly impressed by your work, and he asked me to convey his gratitude and admiration to you.

“Thank you,” the counterintelligence officer smiled; it was pleasant as hell to hear such words. – And we, in fact, came to join the legion...

“I know,” Tina laughed. – I can immediately inform you that for the defeat of the Project, both of you were awarded the rank of ENT captains. You deserve it, damn it. Congratulations!

– Thank you for your trust, Madam Dwarkh-Colonel! – Nikita stood up as usual, Nick echoed him, although he looked somewhat surprised.

“Only the training and transformation of the body will still have to be completed in full,” the legion commander threw up his hands. “It won’t be easy, very difficult.” Cats have special equipment built into their bodies, non-standard for the rest of the legions; each of us becomes a thing in itself, a completely autonomous combat unit, capable of adequately responding to any external threat.

“Who would doubt it,” Nick chuckled, looking with interest at the woman who from that moment was his commander. – When to start?

– Now I’ll add you to the list of “Mad Cats” and show you where we have what. Then a meeting with the Master. What happens next depends on what he decides to entrust to us. Maybe this very second we’ll have to load onto a ship and drive somewhere in afterburner. Don't know.

“We’ll see,” Nikita sighed, concern shimmering in his emo-image. – First of all, I want to clarify one slippery situation...

“You don’t even have to say which one, I know it myself,” Tina looked at him thoughtfully. - We are Family. But no one ever imposes anything on anyone! In the environment of the order, this is simply impossible. None of the “cats” and “cats” will even come close to you or Lavi, unless it is your own desire. Understand?

“I understand,” the newly appointed ENT captain calmed down somewhat. - Sorry, but I was a little nervous.

“I was just as nervous back in the day,” a chuckle slipped into the Dwarkh-Colonel’s gaze. “You’ll understand everything later.” Everyone has the right to their own life and their own joy. The main thing is for you to know: everyone around you loves you and will always help you.

“We already know,” the former Red Commissioner smiled broadly.

“And I couldn’t...” Lavi sighed, continuing to hold her husband’s hand. - By the way, I also want to join the legion. If Nikita, then so am I.

“Who would doubt it,” Tina chuckled cheerfully, looking at the couple in love with some irony.

Nikita at first wanted to object, but almost immediately realized that it made no sense. Lavi was soft only when she wanted it to be. Otherwise, no pressure from the outside could force the girl to yield; she became steel. However, there is nothing to be surprised after everything that she experienced in her homeland. Now he was reading his wife’s memory and just sighed quietly. Lavi seemed to have had it no harder than he himself had in civilian life. During the war I got used to complete independence. And now she has made a decision and will not back down from it.

Well, then so be it. His wife will become not just a wife, but a friend and ally. Nikita gently kissed Lavi's ear and sent her an image of a white lotus opening against the background of the rising sun. She responded with an image of a cloudless blue sky. Every day after the Initiation they merged more and more into something single, whole, they understood and felt each other better and better.

- Nerarch! – Tina called. – Meet Nikita, Nick and Lavi. I ask you to add them to the list of our legion. Nikita and Nika with the rank of lore captains, Lavi with the rank of private.

“Greetings, brothers and sisters,” an emo image filled with irony covered those standing in the room. “You yourself probably realized that I am the dwarch of the legion.” I am a cheerful and cheerful creature. Echiden. Please don't be offended by jokes.

He was silent for a while and asked:

– Which department should I be assigned to?

“Foreign intelligence,” answered Tina. – To Ras and Karina. Nikita and Nick are smart guys, they will be there in their place.

The one who saw death -

Can see hell.

The one who opens the door -

He won't be happy about that.

Those who come after -

They can save that garden

to which they then

They won't find their way back.

There may also be one

Who will shout that he

Already opened the doors to the house -

But there is no garden in that house.

Remember that the garden grows

Not only near bright waters.

Maybe it will bloom

The gloomy darkness of the swamps?

The one who looks into the distance

Can see the Light.

But he may fall

And fall into the Darkness for a hundred years!

Not only Darkness alone

Carries a shadow behind it.

Without night the day will come,

And all the fields will dry up.

Know that the time will come

When you can't save the garden.

And at that moment, look back -

You will see our shadows.

We are those who could

Choose your own path, but know:

Only you alone

Capable of creating your own paradise.

Heaven is what you are

I would like to create one for everyone.

But maybe they want

Deprive you of your beauty?

For many, mind you, your paradise is

It will only turn out to be Evil.

And heaven, where you are unhappy -

They will call it Good.

Those who come after -

The doors will open to the garden.

Knowing at the same time that

There will be no way back for them.

Only he will close

The door that leads to darkness

Who has been there himself -

Otherwise he won't understand.

George Lockhard

Chapter 1

The wild cat at the entrance to the complex, looking like something broken and abstract, bristling into the greenish sky with dozens of crooked spiers, seemed alive. She pressed herself to the floor, her eyes burning with rage, no, rage. Nikita chuckled thoughtfully, looking at her, and sighed. His wife, Lavi, stood nearby. Beloved, the one and only, whom the officer finally met.

He and Nick decided not to wait, not to travel through Aarn Sarth, but to immediately head to the headquarters of the Mad Cats legion on the planet Argium-II. As an alpha coordinator, Nikita learned too much about the internal and external affairs of the order. After that, he was haunted by the feeling of impending disaster. Why? There seemed to be no reason for such feelings; the order was at the peak of its power. But the counterintelligence officer could not help himself and was nervous. The former commissar of the Red Army fully shared his concerns and agreed that there was no time for leisure. It’s worth sorting out current affairs, and then you can rest, if such a desire arises.

And so the three of them stood at the entrance to the building in which the legion commander was now located. Having transmitted a request for a meeting through the biocomp, which had become part of the brain, Nikita entered, holding his wife’s hand. There was only one thing that bothered him. That “Mad Cats” is a legion-family. Whereas he doesn’t need anyone except Lavi. Nick, who sensed his fears, quietly snorted and chuckled, causing Nikita to continually cast reproachful glances at the commissar, hugging his wife tighter to him.

A pointer appeared before my eyes and slowly floated ahead. And it’s good, otherwise it was impossible to find the way in the crazy maze of corridors and oval halls of the cats’ main residence. As usual in order buildings, gravity was completely unpredictable. It then dropped to almost zero, then gradually rose to two, or even three G. In one place weightlessness reigned, in another it was almost impossible to cross. Nikita frowned, not understanding why this was necessary, but remained silent. It's necessary for something. It is unlikely that at the counterintelligence headquarters the orders would simply play with gravity.

The corridor gave way to a corridor, and every now and then they met young men and women dressed in whatever they could, sometimes in something completely awkward. However, they looked young, and only he himself knew the real age of each. Some were naked, but they didn't seem to pay any attention to that here. But most often, people and guards wore light, light-colored shorts with shirts. Everyone they met greeted the trio; lively curiosity burned in the emo images of “cats” and “cats.”

Nikita was somewhat embarrassed - it seemed that everyone around already knew why they had come and greeted them like family. The Commissioner felt like a duck to water here, he kissed the girls he met, who immediately began to giggle, and threw emo images, which made everyone who felt them roar with laughter.

Entering the next round doorway, Nikita saw a beautiful young woman with shoulder-length straight black hair standing against the wall. She was wearing something that vaguely resembled a Japanese kimono, made of dark gray Tarmilan pseudo-silk. Large black eyes looked attentively at those who entered. Tina Varinkh, Bloody Cat, as her pasha is called. Commander of the legion for quite some time now.

“It’s great that you came yourself,” she said. “I was about to go look.” The Master is waiting for you and me, Nikita, in two hours. He also wanted to see Nick.

- Master? – the counterintelligence officer frowned. - For what?

“I don’t know,” Tina shook her head. “I’m afraid something serious and unpleasant is happening.” I haven’t seen Ilar this worried for quite some time. By the way, he was greatly impressed by your work, and he asked me to convey his gratitude and admiration to you.

“Thank you,” the counterintelligence officer smiled; it was pleasant as hell to hear such words. – And we, in fact, came to join the legion...

“I know,” Tina laughed. – I can immediately inform you that for the defeat of the Project, both of you were awarded the rank of ENT captains. You deserve it, damn it. Congratulations!

– Thank you for your trust, Madam Dwarkh-Colonel! – Nikita stood up as usual, Nick echoed him, although he looked somewhat surprised.

“Only the training and transformation of the body will still have to be completed in full,” the legion commander threw up his hands. “It won’t be easy, very difficult.” Cats have special equipment built into their bodies, non-standard for the rest of the legions; each of us becomes a thing in itself, a completely autonomous combat unit, capable of adequately responding to any external threat.