The name of Captain Tim Grove as the last witness for the defense is called by an alien accused of murdering a representative of the allied race of earthlings. At the request of the planetary prosecutor's office of the Earth, Tim returns from the far reaches of space and finds himself confronted with his own fears and mistakes. After the evidence provided by Captain Grove, the investigation comes to a dead end. For the sake of planetary interests, investigator Larsky must make a difficult moral choice and decide to expose a mentally traumatized person to attack. Events are twisted, but none of the characters understands that behind this tangle there is something worse than an unsolved crime. Earth is facing the threat of invasion. From the author: This work is the first part of the “Far Limits” series, which is dedicated to the fate of humanity in the distant technologically advanced future. The first book is more of an exposition to the main events. It unfolds slowly, in detail, in places painfully and mournfully, with psychological twists. Gradually, events accelerate, become more complex, intertwine, there are more and more heroes, and nothing can be overlooked. In short, difficult reading. I gave you fair warning.