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.

Chapter 4

The only guard Kay recognized was Andrey. The cyborg had been significantly transformed over the past few years: his manipulators were now much larger, losing any resemblance to human hands. There were probably weapons built into them, since Andrey had no external weapons. The other three were human, clearly flunkies… and Kay suddenly had a bad feeling about their subsequent fate. Obviously, Lyka was indeed trying to keep their meeting a secret.

"Hey, partner," Dutch said to Andrey.

"Hey. Remove your spacesuits. Try to avoid making any sudden movements."

"I hope you can tell them apart from aggression."

"I can. They probably can't."

The cyborg had no intention of being polite towards his partners.

The airlock was spacious, and the guards were keeping their distance. Kay helped Tommy get out of his suit, since the boy hadn't had much practice with them, and then disrobed himself. They were left wearing light track suits, and Kay said, "All our weapons are in the container. There's no need to bother with an inspection."

Andrey took a step forward. He passed his hand along Dutch's body and nodded. He went up to Tommy.

"Take it out. Very slowly."

The surprised Kay watched Tommy awkwardly pull a pen out of a breast pocket.

"Scared we might start writing slogans on the walls?" he said sarcastically.

Andrey threw an indifferent glance towards Kay. He extended the manipulator gripping the pen. There was a crackling sound. A stream of fire licked the metal wall and fell away lazily. A crimson stain was left on the wall.

"Yes."

"Wanda gave it to me… just in case…" Tommy said, looking away. "I forgot…"

"Such forgetfulness often costs lives," the cyborg informed him. "Follow me."

In the hallway that led from the airlock, they were met by two people in full-body suits with jetpacks. Their reflective sealed helmets hid their faces.

"Who's the captain?" one of them asked, lifting the visor up slightly.

"I am."

"Does the ship's computer have a personality?"

"No."

"Any surprises?"

"All the passwords have been removed," Kay said wearily.

"Hope so."

They continued walking. Andrey was walking ahead, which likely didn't stop him from monitoring the prisoners. The flunkies were clattering along behind them.

"Is Lyka here?" Dutch inquired.

"The Mother of the Family will see you."

"That's something… Did you get back okay? From Ursa?"

"I did, thank you."

Two turns. An elevator. Another short hallway. An elevator. The ship was large, clearly refitted from a military destroyer… probably retaining most of the weapons.

The Mother of the Family was waiting for them in a room that had once been an officer bar. It had mostly remained the same, only the painting reproductions on the walls were now the real ones, which would have astonished a true connoisseur, while the modest collection of Fleet-permissible alcoholic beverages had grown to the assortment of the best restaurants. The lamps on the tables were dimly lit, but Lyka's long white dress was glowing with a light of its own. Kay hadn't noticed Seiker's passion for fashionable clothing before.

"Hi, sis," he said.

"Have you seen the news today?"

Dutch shook his head.

"Your head is worth twelve aTans paid for by the Empire. And amnesty to any criminal who brings you in."

Kay whistled.

"Why twelve? Any particular reason?"

"You should know. You're the greatest specialist in the Emperor's psychology at the moment."

"I wasn't the one who programmed the agent… May I sit?"

"Sit. Andrey, you're the only one I need for my security."

The cyborg nodded to the flunkies, who left quickly.

"May I drink?" Kay asked.

"Go ahead. I'll have a glass of dry wine."

Dutch took his time selecting a bottle of wine produced on Terra, gave a meticulous examination of the collection of glasses, and settled on the simplest ones. He poured wine into them.

"A toast to our meeting?"

"Why not?"

The wine in the glasses was quivering slightly.

"Where is the ship going?" Kay inquired.

"Towards the edge of the system. Did you forget anything on your ship?"

"No."

"Good. It'll be sent into hyperspace until the end of time."

They drank, Tommy downed his glass like a shot of vodka, causing both Kay and Lyka to grimace.

"A marvelous wine," Kay poured Tommy another glass. "Relax. But try to taste the palate. Andrey, a drink?"

The cyborg produced something that looked like a smile, "I don't drink on duty."

Dutch addressed Seiker again, "There's much I need to tell you."

"You've been promising me that for a long time."

Kay nodded, accepting the rebuke.

"Four years ago, I was killed… by Tommy. My aTan hadn't been paid for."

The Mother of the Family raised her eyebrows.

"Curtis van Curtis resurrected me in his residence on Terra. He needed a professional to escort his son Arthur to a planet called Grail… Lyka, do you want to turn on lie detectors? Just to make sure, this will be a very strange story."

"It's already extremely strange. I don't need any detectors, Kay. I can sense lies."

"Okay. We left Terra via aTan under false identities. Arthur was sixteen real and twelve biological years. He had gone through aTan. According to Curtis, just once. In reality, seventy-three times."

"My God…" Lyka said quietly.

"Tommy is a side effect of some of Arthur's attempts to get to Grail. His personality was erased… all right, let me do it in order. First, we made it to a planet called Incedios…"