“Cadet from Earth” by Sergey Sadov is the first part of the novel The Price of Victory, which in turn is the title book of the eponymous дилогії. “If you want peace, prepare for war” is not a saying—it is one of the fundamental principles of the development of human society on Earth—the planet on the outskirts of the Galaxy.
Drawn out by millennia of internecine wars, this law remains a priority in the activities of Earth’s people after humanity unites. The rest of the Galaxy has long forgotten all about ruthless wars, the army, and combat clashes. But, as it turns out, not all of it. The renegades have only just appeared—only just started to flex their muscles—yet it’s known: if a gun shows up, it can and must fire.
A peaceful passenger ship became the first victim of aggression from these new would-be claimants to world domination. And it dies, throwing out in the last minutes a lifecapsule with little children.