“YEAH, BUT WHAT DID YOU expect?” Kostyan waved his arms in indignation. “Was I supposed to die there?”
The joys of insolence. The deserter who had abandoned us under sniper fire didn’t even look guilty. On the contrary, he was smiling as usual, hiding his true intentions behind a cheerful mask. Right now, his face was begging for a brick.
“Yes,” Ilyin nodded. “You took an oath.”
“Well, sorry. But did I break it? I had a day off yesterday. Due to the funeral of my comrades. I wasn’t told to report for duty. I’m not obliged to stand under bullets for no reason!”
It was a pathetic excuse, but it felt like Kostyan had mentally rehearsed it so many times that he believed it himself.
“You ran away from the battlefield. That’s desertion.”
“I know a bit about the law. We’re not at a war, we haven’t even declared a state of emergency yet. What desertion are you talking about, mate? Dis-cre-di-tation, at most. Fine, so I didn’t come to work. Did you pay the others overtime? Is Alex going to get a posthumous medal?”
This behavior was a mistake. The former criminal was clearly a terrible tactician. I was surprised that he had enough sense to give himself up. Simple-mindedness? Luck? Or had someone suggested the best option to him? The players were being watched, and he was put on the wanted list almost immediately, so he wouldn’t have lasted long in hiding. And anything could happen during an arrest.
“You’ve totally lost your mind,” the lieutenant colonel declared.
“I’m...”
“Steel is alive and will soon return to service,” I interrupted. “Khan, too, if you’ve heard about his injury.”
I wasn’t going to mention Yokai’s disappearance. It wasn’t clear what should be done with him, but I definitely didn’t want him in the combat group.
“So, there were no losses?” Konstantin threw up his hands. “Well then, why the complaints? I’m not at fault! Anyway, I’ve decided to quit. So out with your reprimand, even a strict one, and then I’m off to see HR.”
“More like the lockup with a guard.”
“Nah, what guard are you talking about, chief?” Kostyan wrinkled his nose. “I’m not going to say that prison is my home, those were the mistakes of youth. It just hasn’t worked out, you know. I came, like, to show my respect, so that you wouldn’t hunt me down with dogs all over the country. Plus, I need a foreign passport. I’ve been invited to move to Europe, to civilization. They say there are fewer breaches and weaker creatures there.”
The last argument didn’t hold water — most of the incursions were in the Hunting Zone. And the strength and type of monster weren’t tied to geography.
“You’ve decided to defect, then?”
“Change to a more profitable job.” Our deserter rubbed his neck. “Please note, I’ve already contacted the EU Embassy. So, if I disappear on the way, or croak from some poison, the enlightened public will be extremely outraged. Besides, you can be sure that I’ve prepared a letter in case of my death. Do you need a new scandal?”
The situation was basically clear, but the conversation had to be brought to its logical conclusion.
“Do you seriously think we’re going to eliminate you? You’ve watched too many spy thrillers. A tribunal, a sentence, and a cozy cell for the next 5-7 years is what you can expect.”
“How about we skip all that? Less hassle for you, that’s for sure. I’m a player, so unless you shoot me, no walls are going to hold me, nor state borders. I won’t even get to court, I’ll disappear. Will you charge me with escaping justice? Interpol won’t give a shit about your piece of paper. Let me leave in peace and I won’t tell anyone about your affairs. I swear on my grave.”
The colonel glanced at me, and I gave a slight nod. Not because I believed Kostyan — he was bound to spill everything he knew. But Kostyan had been initially assessed as unreliable, so he didn’t know much. Otherwise, he would be begging us to understand and forgive him, not provoking us into kicking him out. Killing him was pointless, it would only cause us problems, but we could turn the betrayal to our benefit.
“Private Sokolov,” Ilyin sighed and stood up. “For fleeing from the battlefield and for behavior discrediting the title of an FSB officer, you are dishonorably discharged from our ranks. You will receive the order from the HR Department, where you will now be escorted.”
“Good luck in your new place,” I added, smiling.
“Thank you.” The ex-criminal’s smiled wilted a little this time. “I doubt I’ll see you again, Major, but I won’t say goodbye to Comrade Vasily. Don’t hold it against me, Commander. We’re all doing the same thing — trying to save our skin, aren’t we?”
What an idiot… I smiled even wider, giving him a promising look. He was a walking corpse. A few seconds later, the guard led him out of the office. To hell with him.
* * *
“Hmm,” said Ilyin. “It’s obvious that he won’t keep quiet, but not dire. He doesn’t really know anything important. Yet it sets a bad example.”
The hint was more than clear — betrayal should not go unpunished. I waited until Bri had checked if our guest had left behind any bugs, and only then answered, “On the contrary, a good example. Kostyan has made too many mistakes and won’t last long even without our involvement.”
“Do you think so?”
“He chose the wrong patron. Odin doesn’t like cowards,” I reminded him. Although the ‘image’ affected each ‘donor’ differently, the new gods had inherited many of the key features. “And no one likes traitors. I doubt he’ll be welcomed in the European Squad. He doesn’t have a particularly useful skill, so all that remains is information. Let him go, I’d recommend even helping him with the passport to make sure he leaves our country quickly and unhindered.”
Such promptness with the documents could arouse suspicion at the other end, but that wasn’t our problem.
“Then that’s what we’ll do. Let’s get back to business now. The last loads should arrive in three hours, but we won’t have time for the rest…”
The recent missions had caused management to bring forward the expedition launch. Initially, I was supposed to return from Hong Kong first, but the decision was made not to delay — new losses among the players were unacceptable. The Shard promised not only increased strength, but also temporary safety. As for the breaches, they were relatively rare and didn’t yet threaten the country. Even if random players failed, there was always the military. Bullets may not penetrate divine protection, but it still wasn’t absolute. Nets, instantly hardening foam, drowning, massive shelling, rams, gas… one of these was bound to work. Perhaps losses would be slightly higher, but around a million people served in the army and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, so they would manage. Panic among the civilians was much more dangerous, but the media was already working on this by enthusiastically discussing what to do during a breach, monster features, safety measures, and so on. The chance of dying from the flu was hundreds of times higher than from the claws of an alien beast. The great power of statistics. The specialists would make sure that everything was in order on that front…
“I’m always ready,” I shrugged. “But I need to discuss one more matter concerning the upcoming conference. We might need to notify the president.”
“He’s very busy, you know.”
I put my hand in the inventory window and placed the folder containing the prepared report on the table. For a situation just like this.
“Please have a read, it’s important. Best if we agree on our position in advance.”
The final game was drawing closer and it was time to show my hand. Yet I couldn’t predict the result — I could only hedge my bets and make sure I had something to fall back on. It was funny, but as time went on, I feared death less and less. The game was sucking me in, and if I didn’t want to remain a simple piece on the board, it would soon be time to make my move. No matter how snobby this sounded.
* * *
The squad was developing. Removing Ilyin from his post for a hundred days wasn’t practical, so another specialist was selected to lead the expedition.
“I am Colonel Zubrov. Many of you will remember me from the Japanese Campaign, where I commanded the land operation, if you can call it that. I will be leading the upcoming expedition.”
We didn’t have much to do with each other last time, but the colonel had made a good impression on me, so I didn’t object to his candidacy. I wouldn’t have time to deal with the administrative, scientific, and technical issues myself. Moreover, as the head of Mordor, I had comparable or even greater rights, complete freedom of action, and the colonel was expected to provide all possible assistance.
“Most of you are volunteers. You passed a tough selection process and two weeks of training, the essence of which you didn’t even understand. It’s finally time to tell you what’s going on. I’ll tell you what, guys... and girls: you’ve drawn the winning ticket.”
Not only military personnel, but also civilians were among the expedition members lined up before the podium. About a third were women. The plan had been to “add bromine to the tea”, but even with it, there was a risk that the desperate men would start molesting even the female goblins after three months. Although I wasn’t sure they’d object, given the skewed numbers and the prospect of strong offspring. More likely, they’d even send in their own daughters.
“Thanks to...” the colonel hesitated, apparently reluctant to use the word ‘magic’, “captured alien technology, scientists have managed to find a way to another world! A network of caves suitable for life, inhabited by rats, insects, and goblins. A place containing resources that are critical for defense against the invasion. I’ll say right away that we do not foresee any resistance from the natives. They filed a petition to join the Russian Federation, and this petition was granted. This will be officially announced at the international level once our expedition has concluded. Preliminary exploration has been completed, and the world is considered safe for study and colonization. Our task is to set up a base, secure key points and conduct a geological survey.”
His words didn’t convince everyone — movies had been preparing us for something like this for years, and many thought about the possible risks. Starting with monsters and ending with epidemics. But what could I do?
“As it happens, our fellow citizen, Captain Ivanov, has become the ruler of the goblin people. He was the one who conducted the initial negotiations and made such an impression that the natives invited him to rule their caves.”
Yeah, right, just like the Varangians were invited to Rus, “Our land is large and abundant, but there is no order in it. Come rule and own us.” I suspected that it had been a similar situation in ancient times. However, the goblins were much more optimistic and, I thought, sincerely loyal to me.
“I’m sure you all know Captain Ivanov. According to the agreement between our countries, he retains the title of Overlord. My role will be military and civilian administration alongside him.”
I stepped forward, accompanied by Hun in armor. The goblin looked quite impressive in his new outfit. Although he was a little nervous as he gazed out at the crowd, he carefully hid his emotions.
“Hun is the second elder of the Spiritual Rat tribe. The goblins are looking forward to our arrival, so we’re not expecting any problems in this regard.”
“The best meat for the Lord!” The goblin shouted, raising his hand. It sounded strange, but almost no one understood the System language. It also wasn’t in the script…
“Did you hear what our brave ally said?” Zubrov took it in his stride. “In their language it means “Glory to Russia”! We will provide our allies with all possible assistance, while all conflicts are prohibited. Is that clear? Now to the drawbacks. There is glowing moss in the caves, but it’s still quite dark there. The cockroaches aren’t dangerous, but there are a lot of them and they’re everywhere. In addition to the goblins, the caves are inhabited by monsters — giant rats. They are aggressive and quite dangerous if you’re not careful. They may well devour you if you don’t watch out. Fortunately, the lower tiers, where the base will be set up, are relatively safe. There will be no communication or supplies for the duration of the mission — the conditions mean that the portal will only reopen in a hundred days. During this time, we will be isolated from our world.”
“Will we definitely be able to come back?” someone shouted.
“Without a doubt,” the colonel nodded. “The system is reliable and there is a back-up. You can be sure that we’ll be brought back. And we’ll be part of the first interplanetary expedition. Our names might even get into the history books!”
This wasn’t exactly reassuring — living people rarely made it into such books — but no one paid attention to this.
“Our main objective is not only to take control of the new territories, but also to assist our superheroes in leveling up. You should have been told about the nature of their development, while the monsters living there will be an ideal source of experience. Now, why you are lucky. In addition to the decent pay and a chance to go down in history, many of you will get the opportunity to become a unit. You should all know exactly what this means. The ability to use cards, learn skills and level up!”
The people perked up at this. Even if the expedition details had been kept a secret, the participants had been thoroughly prepared, and this kind of information had been conveyed to them.
“This is your last chance to refuse. Anyone who changes their mind can leave the hall. You will spend the next six months at an isolated retreat, with your previous salary being paid to you.”
The offer was purely formal, yet several people took advantage of it. Never mind. Even if we couldn’t find replacements, this wouldn’t affect the expedition since key specialists knew where they were going in advance. Best to get rid of the weaker links.
* * *
— Portal to the Shard (1,000 SP). Allows you to open a stable two-way portal. Duration — 1 hour. Cooldown — 100 days.
We chose and set up the place for the portal in advance, but we were in sore need of information. I couldn’t even say how big I could stretch the gate — System descriptions were often quite generalized, and I didn’t want to experiment. I wasn’t sure that I could stop a partially activated skill, which meant that I either had to wait one hundred days for the cooldown, or just like now, test it all in practice. However, the goblins had watched the portal opening numerous times, and according to them, we should be able to get a truck through.
“Stand by,” came the announcement. “Everyone take shelter inside the transport!”
We were being extra careful. Among the possible dangers was the pressure difference between worlds. It was a direct portal, without the intermediary of the personal room. Even if the portal itself didn’t let air through, thus preventing the two communicating vessels from equalizing the pressure, the difference during transfer was unlikely to be enjoyable. The goblins certainly talked about some very unpleasant effects. That was why the launch site was in an enormous, sealed hangar, hastily converted for these new purposes.
“Stand by, ten minutes. Turn on the fans!”
We couldn’t measure the exact pressure on the other side, but the scientists had calculated an approximate range based on indirect evidence.
“Here we go!”
I stood in front of the first truck, holding a small box with the “high-tech device” in my hands. People didn’t need to know that their lives depended on magic.
Attention! Would you like to open a Portal to Shard No. 1029424? (1,000 SP)
Yes/No
Fortunately, payment was taken from the card reserve, which was almost full.
Select a destination:
— True Heart.
— False Heart No. 19.
I froze, considering the number of the False Heart — since it was the only one, this meant that there had once been many more — and then chose the second option.
Attention. Set the Portal boundaries.
I saw the outline of the opening in front of me, which began to expand as soon as I wished it. More... more... the boundary reached the markings that indicated the required size — the drivers had been training for several days, passing through them over and over again. There were a few more markings, and I stretched the boundary to the limit, making sure that even trains could pass through if necessary. But not this time — the bigger the portal, the faster it would collapse, so it was better to stick to the absolute minimum. The outline shrunk back to the size of the first gate. Now increase it a little more, so that the steel slats weren’t cut off by the portal, and that’s enough…
“The size is fine,” I said into the walkie-talkie. “The trucks will fit through. I don’t yet know how long the portal will stay open for. Get ready. Three, two, one... activation.”
A gate appeared in front of me, with nothing to see beyond the haze unless someone had a very lively imagination. I immediately stepped aside, according to the instructions. A scout, dressed in what was practically a spacesuit, dived through the Shroud.
Time remaining: 0 hours, 43 minutes and 23 seconds.
“A timer has appeared,” I said into the walkie-talkie. “We have forty-three and a half minutes.”
Less than I would have liked, but more than I had expected, as they say. I automatically checked the card balance:
Reserve: 8,227/10,000.
“Roger, we’ll make it.”
Ten seconds later, the portal shuddered as the scout stepped back. He waved his hand, indicating that everything was in order.
“The natives are here,” came a voice in my ear. “They’re calm and welcoming us. The cargo is waiting for us. The difference in pressure is insignificant, but the radio doesn’t work.”
The goblins were supposed to prepare goods — primarily, samples of flora and fauna. We were going to breed the rats, but the “parcel” had a lower priority right now, since it was more important to shove as much as possible to the other side.
“Follow the plan.”
An advance party of thirty people, armed to the teeth, passed through the portal. Their job was to ensure safety on the other side. Not so much to defend us from possible goblin or rat aggression, but to regulate the movement of transport. We knew the dimensions of the hall on the other side, had drawn diagrams, and the cargo was supposed to be promptly stacked. The drivers had passed the exams, but management preferred to play it safe. The last soldier was pulling the coil of a wire phone behind him…
A few seconds later, the phone remaining on our side rang, which ensured communication and made arranging “two-way traffic” much easier. Although I could simply summon a “walking interplanetary courier” as an alternative. The important thing was to prevent any collisions around the gate, since every minute of delay meant cargo left behind on this side. Weapons, tech, tools, construction materials, camping tents, research equipment, and various kinds of goods and food. Even I couldn’t list everything we were bringing over there. But the cargo had to be transferred in order of priority. A number had been drawn on each car for visual clarity. From 1 to 83, which I wasn’t even sure would have time to get through.
“Combat group!” Ilyin, who was personally acting as the supervisor, barked.
A pair of armored personnel carriers and an old Soviet tank entered the portal. We weren’t planning to fight; their main purpose was to ensure control of the Heart and serve as part of the fortress defenses.
“Technical group!”
The system technicians came next, unwinding a coil of cables. Since the phone was working, this meant that we could, hopefully, run electricity and transmit a signal over a twisted pair cable. Although we still needed to determine the effect of Qi on high-tech devices.
“Vasily speaking. I’m heading to the other side,” I said. “ Let’s go, Hun.”
“I will go first, my Lord.”
* * *
The transfer was barely noticeable, except that my ears felt blocked for a moment. And again — from the cheers of the goblins.
“Your loyal servants are awaiting your orders, my Lord!” Uli ran up to me and bowed. The others remained at a distance.
He had been responsible for preparing for the arrival of the cargo, and as far as I could see, he had managed well. The portal opened at almost the same location, and goblin goods were waiting nearby. Some bug tried to skip the queue and was crushed under my heel. Another expected threat — we would all be thoroughly disinfected at the end of the operation.
I glanced at the wall, making sure that the slab covering the tunnel to the True Heart had been carefully camouflaged. Moreover, a shrine had been erected near it, which was strictly forbidden to touch. The path was on a need-to-know basis.
“Follow the plan. You know what, get all the extra hunters out of here…”
My presence was necessary to set up a Defensive Formation, which was only letting goblins through at present. I didn’t have time to list everyone individually, so I’d have to turn it off altogether.
Disable the External Defensive Formation? (10 SP)
Yes/No
“The Formation has been disabled,” I said. “We can move on.”
Military vehicles slowly crawled towards the exit, assuming previously agreed positions. The tank remained a little behind, close to the False Heart. The technicians installed cameras and launched drones, which were supposed to send back images to management, but something wasn’t working, judging by the swearing.
“Transport number one, go.”
The telephone operator gave the order to the other side, waiting until I cleared the transport area. A closed truck followed and, turning slightly, dropped off a group of players, then followed the traffic controller and the goblin accompanying him to the far corner. Our bags remained in the cars — they were being used to transport bulky cargo and had been filled to the brim. There was no way a single person could lift them.
Twenty-four players were taking part in the expedition, not counting me. Eva, Diamond, Gorgon, Dragonfly, Yuki, Saiko, Leeloo, Red Queen... Ilyas, Warlock, Owl, Scout, Kasoy, Krist, Shanks, Chemist, and the newbie, Leshy. Armet remained inside the card for the time being — I didn’t want him to see too much, and his betrayal, even if it had been forced, was known inside the group. There was no need to provoke conflict.
Alf and Sahel had arrived last night, in the nick of time, and had jumped straight into the action. The conversation was brief, but both gladly accepted the offer — a chance for each one to become much stronger. One hundred days of almost resort conditions, without the fear of another mission from which you wouldn’t return, or monsters with bullets bouncing off them. The rats could be deadly, but it was a controlled, predictable danger.
Rodyakha kept hanging around Nata, obviously hoping to realize the once voiced desire. He had a chance, for the girl needed support. I wasn’t exactly worried, but I did remember presenting her as my youngest wife to the goblins. Even if it was a joke, they were unlikely to understand this sort of betrayal. Did I have to announce that I’d grown tired of her, and publicly present her to my friend? I’d think about it later — in any case, she wouldn’t stay here. My three “slaves” would keep me company on my upcoming trip to Hong Kong.
The wounded had also recovered. Khan looked a little pale, and Dark Steele kept rubbing his stomach, which had an impressive hole in it yesterday, but they no longer needed my help. Most players were below the fourth level but would grow significantly during the expedition.
“Transport number two…”
The vehicles began to appear one after another, as an almost continuous stream. Air was a limited resource in the caves, so we would keep them turned off until our return. Nevertheless, we’d tried to use hybrid vehicles as much as possible.
My work was almost done at this point. Now, all that remained was to admire the perfectly orchestrated process and wait for something to go wrong. After all, everything couldn’t go exactly according to plan, could it?
Two buses came next, releasing fifty specialists from the “special team”. These were future units, whom I hoped not only to initiate, but also provide with useful abilities. Even the professionals probably couldn’t compete with the players when it came to fighting, but they could form a solid backup. Healers, crafters, “ghostbusters”... the list of useful professions was almost indefinite. However, most of them wouldn’t get any of this — leveling up my direct subordinates was the priority. Plans to develop the rear guard were for the distant future.
It’s a shame that neither you nor I
Will get to live in this beautiful time...
I wasn’t a big fan of classics, but the Bard skill was making itself known. Even if I couldn’t compose something suitable myself, I could always borrow the wisdom of our ancestors. Although the lines of poetry might be lying — in theory, players could live forever. By investing in future generations, I had a chance to witness this future in person. It really motivated me not to kick the bucket too early.
* * *
Time remaining: 0 hours, 13 minutes and 34 seconds.
“Colonel?” I looked quizzically at the expedition leader as he came up to me. He looked tired — while I slept, others had tried to fit a week’s worth of plans into the remaining hours. Judging by the way things were going, they had done quite well.
“We’ll be working together, so let’s not stand on ceremony. Just call me by name.”
“Sure thing, Konstantin,” I nodded. “Is something wrong?”
“No. I just don’t like the idea of you not staying with us. If something goes wrong, we’ll have problems returning. I wouldn’t want to establish a proper colony here, to avoid our descendants hunting rats with stone clubs only a generation later.”
More likely with steel clubs, given all this machinery, but that wasn’t important.
“We’ve already discussed this. The meeting in Hong Kong is important, and I will be representing our country’s interests. Even if something happens to me, the backup cards will remain with you.”
“You know that this doesn’t completely guarantee anything.”
Of course, a new trial might not activate immediately, and several years could pass, until our soldiers went completely wild here... yet the decision had been made. Each person here had been given a choice, and there were no fools among the players — just like me, they felt the danger hanging over us. As for the technical staff... what you don’t know can’t hurt you. They were simply told that the portal would reopen in a hundred days. That it would open, not that “it might open if everything went according to plan”.
“I’ll join you soon. Don’t start the combat part of the operation without me. We’ll keep in touch through the goblins. Right, I better get back to the other side.”
Time remaining: 0 hours, 5 minutes and 04 seconds.
“Stop the cargo!” The colonel barked. “Prepare the return corridor. Everyone who isn’t staying in the caves, get in the cars!”
My “slave girls” separated from the other players watching the preparation. But the girls climbed aboard the bus, while I hopped onto the front seat of the truck with the “tribute”. The rats in the back were squeaking, but they had been carefully tied up. The car shuddered and drove into the portal. Once on the other side, I glanced in the rear-view mirror to make sure that the bus had also exited in one piece. As soon as we jumped out, another truck dove inside. Even the last few minutes were being used to the maximum, as cars continued to disappear through the portal.
“Thirty seconds. This is the last transport!”
All movement stopped, and the portal soon disappeared, leaving behind a vague feeling of anxiety. Although the expedition launch had gone smoothly, everything was only just beginning. It now up to me whether hundreds of people would ever get back to Earth.
* * *
I can’t say that the conversation with the president went smoothly… It was a full-scale meeting, involving several people, but we eventually worked out a position, and I got my point across. Otherwise, I wouldn’t now be on board the plane.
The negotiations in Hong Kong were a major international event, so a whole delegation was being sent over. Moreover, I found myself with a diplomatic status.
The plane rolled down the runway, gaining speed. I’d never liked flying, but it was getting easier every time. I was mostly calm this time. My current abilities meant that I could survive even a plane crash. If I had enough time to react, of course.
The future remained uncertain — I had a general plan of action, but too much depended on the circumstances. I’d have to figure it out along the way. Just like always.