Human worlds, backroom intrigues, the struggle for resources, and wars with aggressive non-humanoid neighbors. Our contemporary, Maksim Melnikov, finds himself at the very center of rapidly unfolding events and, gritting his teeth, is forced to do what he does best — protect people. But in this war, betrayal and a stab in the back are commonplace, and in spite of everything his main rule becomes: «Do what must be done, and let what may come.»