Lieutenant Colonel Vershinin, who arrived in the Empire to gather intelligence for Russian special services and find a way to help Earth repel the second invasion by the Crons, suddenly turns out to be a small cog in a vast military machine of the Empire—one rapidly gaining momentum in a border conflict with the Tanalans. This alien war is completely unnecessary for Viktor. But now he is a citizen of the Empire, and whether he wants to take part in hostilities is, of course, no one bothers to ask.