Commander Dmitry Aleshin returns to Chloria to destroy the cult of the Waiters before they free the Star Eaters and plunge the Galaxy into chaos. Admiral Gorchakov wants to achieve the integration of the Alliance into the pan-galactic society of Krul Kai at any cost, but this is hampered by a serious circumstance - people are not a star faction and are officially still under the protectorate of the Dayaks. While conducting an investigation, Aleshin learns about the conspiracy and suspects that some senior Starfleet officers are also involved in it. To divert attention from their plans, the Waiters organize attacks on the Alliance's infrastructure. The star transport “Elysium” sends a distress signal, and then suddenly communication with the Martian base “Ceres” and the lunar dock “Luna-Max” is lost. The intervention begins. The entire human society is on the verge of great upheavals. Commander Dmitry Aleshin is inexorably approaching solving the mystery of the Dark Planet, entering into a brutal confrontation with fanatics who are doing everything to prevent him from doing this. The search leads to dangerous radioactive cities of Vegans, secret research centers of Bellatrians and a series of bizarre spaces beyond imagination. The dying world of Verdry, living according to old laws, is full of ghosts of a terrible past. The descendants of the conquerors of the Galaxy do not favor strangers and fight for their shrines with the fury of berserkers. Cruel trials and death become inseparable companions of desperate adventurers who dare to challenge alien intelligence.