A unique artifact, the Black Hand Register, found in Deep Space, has been stolen. Invaluable information about the military bases of civilizations that participated in the galactic conflicts of the past has been lost to people. Who is this space thief? Who is the mastermind behind this crime? Who needed information about the weapons of the dead worlds? For what? The tracks lead to the wrong side of our Universe, to Darkness. Escort Salyut goes there in search of answers with the expedition of Darislav Volkov, ready for any risk and clashes with the inhabitants of this dark region of the Multiverse. There's too much at stake. If ancient combat robots fall into the hands of the aggressors, there will be a disaster! A novel by the grandmaster of Russian science fiction. A continuation of the fantastic trilogy "Exoterrica", the intersection of heroes from different books, scientific concepts, space and secrets.