This is a fan translation of Emperors of Illusions (Императоры иллюзий) by the Russian science fiction and fantasy author Sergei Lukyanenko. The novel is a sequel to Lukyanenko's Line of Dreams (Линия грёз) novel and can be considered a fan fiction of the original Master of Orion game.

Part II

Wanda Kahowski

Chapter 1

"The universe does not understand the concepts of good and evil. By assuming the morality of other races or even various human social groups as starting points, we will get such different results that the criteria would be lost entirely. Is it ethical to eliminate weak individuals? Yes, from the viewpoint of the Bulrathi and the society of Kiit. Is it ethical to eliminate potentially sentient alien species? Yes, from the viewpoint of every race, except for the Alkari and the Psilons.

We have faced the problem of common morality from the moment humanity first began its galactic expansion and lost its unity. Neither the Church of the Unified Will, due to its artificiality, nor the Emperor's authority, due to the inevitable flexibility of his rule, is capable of giving humans collective moral values. The most unfortunate thing is that any attempt to implement a single ethical system into society will cause it to collapse, since the psychological changes of the inhabitants of different planets have gone too far…"

Reclining in his seat, Kay was listening to the ship's quiet voice. It was a well-calibrated voice without an ounce of emotion. When Tommy entered the cockpit, he glanced at him only in passing.

"The ideal solution to the problem of morality would be such a society, where every individual is utterly independent of others and can act in accordance with their own ideas about good and evil. Such a world would likely be terrible from the viewpoint of any external observer. Fortunately, such a thing is impossible, as it would, essentially, require the creation of billions of universes, one for every sentient organism.

The current state of affairs is eased by the great variety of social structures and the development of interstellar transportation. Any able-bodied person is capable of paying for transportation to any world that is to their liking. The Empire's Freedom of Migration Law, one of the few genuinely active laws, gives their such legal right. However, the very fact of existence of culling committees on Kiit and the tradition of early weddings on Kulthos seem amoral from the viewpoints of other colonies, resulting in tension and conflicts, such as the confrontation between Tauri and Rotan. Situations where different races come into conflict are even more complex. The tragedy of Haaran, which ended in the monstrous in its scale and cruelty massacre of helpless Imperial citizens, has clearly demonstrated this issue.

All that remains is to admit that, unless a miracle of some sort gives humans and, ideally, aliens universal laws of ethics, the tension will continue to rise. Tens or hundreds of years will pass, and the social antagonism of the colonies will eventually tear the Empire apart.

Stripping away the details, I can say that what I mean is the coming of God. Only an incomprehensible power is capable of becoming the kind of authority that will bend the human individualism to its will. Replacing the concept of 'God' with the idea of 'the Will' was the reflection of our disunity. It is time to get back to our roots and to feel the fear before the heavens."

Dutch burst out laughing. Then he addressed Tommy, "The fear before the heavens, that's right. That's useful."

"What were you listening to?"

"Label!" Kay commanded.

"Academician Nikolay Levin of the Imperial Social Problems Institute. Article in the Daily Imperial Digest dating May 17th, '516. Subsequent publications—"

"Enough. Is it funny, Tommy? Among all the tabloid dregs, the magazine has social articles too. Then they're duplicated two hundred times throughout the Empire."

"Curtis?"

"Yeah. Your daddy is laying the groundwork for the Line of Dreams. A few more months, and he's going to announce that the Empire's problems are solved. Anyone can get their own world… suitable to their own morality."

"I see. Dutch, do you really not want the Line of Dreams for yourself?"

Kay hesitated.

"I do. Only an idiot would refuse someone granting his wishes. But it's too big a gift for the aliens, to leave the universe… I would be constantly remembering our world, the one I left behind."

"So would I."

"You're lying," Kay said indifferently. "You have no feelings towards reality, no love and no hatred. You came with me and not with Curtis only because the role of a copy of a clone isn't particularly pleasant. Even Arthur, who was raised as Curtis's son, doesn't really mean anything. You would've been even more helpless. You're a walking mistake, reminding them of their recent misfortune."

"So what? I'd still have a better life than in your care."

"Of course. And yet you came with me."

"I did…"

Dutch laughed, "I even know why, even though you keep trying to fog it up. You're envious of van Curtis and hope to become his equal by interfering with his plans. Then to become a participant. Not like Arthur, who doesn't have a choice, being a parody of a son, but as his full partner, a brother. If I'd decided to destroy van Curtis, you would've tried to kill me. Nothing new there, and, as far as you're concerned, it wouldn't have been difficult."

Tommy was silent. Dutch reached out and patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't count on it, kid. No one has been able to kill me twice yet."

"If you think that, then you should've killed me," Tommy said spitefully. "Or sell me to some Jienakh brothel."

"Why? I wouldn't get much for you and would be left without a companion," Kay glanced at the screens. "Strap in, we're at the exit point."

"You're wrong. I treat you very well."

"Well is less than nothing. We never did become friends, that's what's sad. We're partners, whose interests match temporarily. Nothing more."

"You don't have any friends!"

"It's a luxury I don't deserve…"

The ship shuddered as the hyperdrive disengaged. Darkness replaced the white haze on the visual screens.

"The graveyard of unborn matter," Kay said. "This must be how the Alkari Probability looks. Right now, we're passing through trillions of nonexistent worlds."

"You're a poet…"

There was a flash, and it was dark on the screens once more, with scattered sparks of the stars diluting the darkness.

"We're pretty far away," Tommy noted.

"We can't get close to normal planets in our ship. Tauri has a very good defense network; if they detect a black hole generator, we'll be vaporized. Have you prepared the shuttle?"

"If you mean that rusted coffin you bought at a junkyard, then yes. I've prepared it. I shut off the security module, and the controls have unlocked."

"Good job. Go get your things, while I place the ship into a remote orbit."

Tommy went to the hatch, swaying slightly. The gravity generator hadn't been properly calibrated, so the artificial gravity field was strangely irregular. He stopped at the threshold, "Kay, why Tauri and not Endoria?"

"There's a woman here I could have fallen in love with."

"Why could have?"

"Our ages are too different."

If Rachelle were to hear this conversation, then her joy would've been short-lived.

"Oh, you mean that girl…" Tommy muttered.

"No, I mean that old woman."