This story begins on December 24, 1929, when the captain-engineer of the Tartar People's Liberation Army Daria Telegina, the adventurer Greta Worm, the intellectual monster Karl Mora and the merchant Mark de Vries met in the free city of Landskrona. A seemingly random meeting in non-random circumstances caused colossal consequences, including love and hatred, the pursuit of galactic treasure and the secrets of ancient empires. People and non-humans, secrets and battles, love and war. On Earth and in space, in the Ahan Empire and at the Venetian Carnival. The scenery and times change, but pride, dignity, courage and honor remain unchanged.