The near future. An unidentified object appears in Earth’s orbit and, without responding to contact attempts, begins generously seeding the planet’s surface with priceless artifacts. Choose: absolute health, ten million dollars, or seven years in prison, according to a fresh amendment to the law.
In “The Night of the Falling Stars,” Pavel and his friends scramble around the city, flinging themselves into the whirl of rapid fights with enraged townspeople, trying to get one of the artifacts. But is the help from the unknown aliens really so disinterested? What awaits a person who squeezes a precious crystal in his hand? Where will he wake up tomorrow?
And what if, opening his eyes, the first thing he sees is a flickering inscription: “Location loading: Virtpoligon ‘Kubinka-digital.’ Welcome, cadet! Now you are a fighter!”