Текст книги "The Warriors Of Shambhala"

Автор книги: Sergii Sheludchenko

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‘You said that the Order of scientists is trying to control the process of creating viruses.’

‘But certainly not in that way. We are developing serums together with the researchers of Agharti that can detect viruses in the human body and activate the interferon. And we are creating viruses’ satellites that are harmless for living beings, but fatal to their malicious brethren.’

Eric listened attentively to the monk without understanding the meaning of most of the scientific terms, but clearly grasping the overall sense of the conversation. If to trust the old man the Galaxy faced serious danger. Exots have conceived something. Why we should risk the lives of soldiers with such weapons as a virus? An invisible murderer is able to empty the entire planetary system.

The teacher touched his shoulder gently.

‘What are you thinking about?’

‘I do not even know. Everything is not real. This is my first task and my first flight. I lost the commander of the ship, and here you are…’

‘With our problems? No, Lieutenant, this is the problem of all humanoid races that live in the Galaxy. Incidentally, the telegram that you took could exacerbate the situation. You are not familiar with the content of the order?’

‘No, not with my tolerance level.’

‘I think the admission packet boat commander, too, is not enough. I will try to explain something. The Imperial Military Medical Office learned about the developments on Terra. Moreover, they have pinpointed the coordinates of the laboratory, where one of the most dangerous strains was launched, which exceeds by several orders of the effectiveness of which were used to Ceres. The order that you brought, which was for the captain of the cruiser to capture a team of developers with all probes of viruses, was to strike at Terra.’

‘Hitting the inhabited planet? That's bullshit!’

‘You do not know the Emperor Charles, who is a young man. Maybe the officer, who was brought up in the spirit of unquestioning obedience and loyalty to their overlord, would like to hear something. I will try to base this solely on the facts, giving you the opportunity to analyze the situation. Are you ready to listen?’

Eric hesitated. As a loyal subject of the Empire, he was obliged to stop any attacks towards his ruler. But the information that had been obtained from teachers obliged the young man to continue the conversation. Probably, there will be nothing wrong with the fact that he will listen to the monk. Eric did not say anything, just nodded his head. The old man began to speak monotonously as a teacher in a lecture room.

‘Nederland is the capital of the Empire Cor, and sector alpha of Canes Venatici. This is a monarchic state with a clearly defined chain of command. During the conflict with the Confederation, the Nederland became a member of the Galactic Union. After the war, the Emperor decided not to break off the relationship, hoping to cover up their industrial sectors of combined ship forces, but was refused by the Council. Incidentally, during the war, Nederland did not put any warship, allowing only an auxiliary fleet and mobile repair shops and small financial help. In fact, staying in the Union, the Empire continued its colonial policy, under the slogan of democracy and equality of peoples. Let’s take, for example, your home planet. According to the surname, your family came from the Slavic group of Cepheus, perhaps even from the sector of Pomegranate star. How long have you lived in the Empire?’

‘I was born in Stayndzburg. My parents took citizenship twenty-three years ago.’

‘Everything converges. The sector of the Pomegranate star is one of the last conquests of Charles.’

‘Conquest? As far as I know, the world voluntarily came under the protectorate of the Empire.’

‘You told us about it in our history lectures, or did our parents tell us? Eric said nothing. Parents never think about those events.’

‘The Empire has received the Pomegranate Sector star after a long blockade and threats of Charles’ troops in the capital. Think about it, what benefits did your family receive, taking citizenship of the Empire? Where are they now?’

‘They are in Stayndzburg.’

‘Do they work in the mines? Previously, they worked for their own benefit, and now they are working for the prosperity of Charles, aren’t they? You are a lucky boy. As far as I know it is very difficult to get into the school of navigators. You raised your parents to a higher social level with your contract guaranteeing them security in old age. And what about the millions of other families living below the poverty line? What will happen with their children? The Empire belongs only to "Reich Nederland”! They are the owners; they are the bastions of the throne. Have you ever seen even one of the "nicht Nederland" taking up the post of technician or specialist? No, you haven't! What do you expect from the Empire? Twenty years of service, straps of Hauptmann, and if you're lucky, a place on Cabotage?’

‘Others do not even have that!’

‘You are right, they do not have. But the circumstances are such that Lieutenant Erik Malkovich can radically change his fate. The situation is getting out of control. A Magistrate of the Order decided to urgently contact scientists and physicians of the Sector habitat. We rely primarily on their help. We ask the military peacekeepers for military support. As you know, this is the only formation of a neutral which was not interested in the seizure of foreign territories. The only way is to destroy the plans of Exots and keep the planetary systems of the Sector. We have very little time. We have a maximum of a couple of weeks according to local time. Just think about that. The Council of the Order will hold a meeting in the afternoon, which will stipulate any further actions.’

* * *

Manlius added a little oil into the tea and gave a cup to the old man. The cave was pretty cold, the young man threw sticks into the fire, and the flames immediately became smaller.

‘That year was very difficult; the wildfowl went far into the mountains. Once, while hunting, I wandered into the cave located on the hillside. It was a good shelter and quite acceptable for resting. The underpass went somewhere deep into the rock, I decided to see what was in there. Legend has it that you can find hidden treasures in the mountain caves.’

‘I guess I wanted to be their owner, as I ventured into such folly. Moving into the main area of the cave I went to one of them. I wandered around for a long time, until I lost the way back. Some days I had to dodge the stone labyrinth. And suddenly, the light appeared at the end of one of the tunnels. Gathering my last strength, I got to the surface. A huge, sun-drenched valley stretched in front of me. A beautiful palace stood in the center. Reservoirs with a blossoming lotus, trees, previously unseen by me appeared before my eyes. Maitreya flashed a sign on the roof of the palace in the sun. I realized that the sky had led me to the Land of the Gods. Our Lama often talked about a tower that holds "Norbu" – stone, emitting streams of light. You know him as "Chintamani". I saw this tower. Then I do not remember anything, my mind clouded over, and I woke up not far from his village.’

‘Teacher, there are many stories of Shambhala. People tend to find their way to the Land of the Gods. Many try to grasp the teachings of the Buddha, others wandering in the mountains for years, hoping to get lucky and find the mercy of Heaven. Which way do you consider most faithful?’

‘The ancients said that there is a great variety of ways, but they all lead to one. Maybe it meant death, and perhaps it was spiritual enlightenment. So what happened is that Buddha brought knowledge of Kalachakra to Tibet. In this way he gained thousands of followers. The Shambhala teachings came to the people. The world is arranged in such a way that people think about the soul only during the hours when they are ready to go into Bardo. Only a monk who improves himself every day and always thinks that life is given to interrupt the chain of rebirths can do this. There are many religions that believe that faith leads to eternal bliss. Maybe it's true. The cult of female deities; Dakini spread in Tibet. Followers call them mothers. Dakini transmit to their admirers mystical truths and help to find the path to the world of Eternal Peace. Warlocks of "Benpo's" sect communicate with demons and spirits of the dead. They are worth nothing to tame the raging demon and persuade it to his will. But who will respond, how close are these magicians to the gates of heaven? Sects of red and yellow caps go their own way, trying to reach Eternal Peace. But are you sure that Avalon, preaching the Supreme Truth, does it for his own self-interest?’

‘Such thoughts are detrimental for the community in the monastery. The abbot sent me away for a lesser offense.’

‘All right, he said, that you do not belong to the community. You came to find a way; you will attain knowledge of the “way” among the brothers. Everyone should be improved. Perhaps the gates of Shambala will open in your heart. The Call of the Gods of Earth comes from our nature.’

‘They say that Buddha is omniscient, his teachings a guiding beacon for all seekers of true knowledge. We need to study the doctrine of the Enlightened One more diligently.’

‘The Blessed get knowledge and omniscience through research, as well as any mortal. So do not be easier to choose your path, maybe it will be much shorter? After all, there is the saying of Buddha by himself: "I do not have a teacher, and I do not find an equal, nor of the people, nor of the gods there is no one to compete with me." If the Blessed One could surpass men and gods, then why do you not try?’

‘Guru, we are looking for knowledge in order to break the chain of rebirth and go to nirvana. But none of the monks can explain what nirvana is.’

‘Nirvana is not comparable with anything, it is impossible to describe its shape and appearance. Since it is impossible to calculate exactly how many drops of water are in the ocean, it is impossible to assess the effects of nirvana. Like water quenches the thirst of people languishing in the heat, nirvana quenches the thirstiest. The basis of nirvana is late, happy and sublime. Imagine that a man fell into a pit, littered with the corpses of animals, humans and reptiles. He would hate to be in such a terrible place, it would be hell. Therefore, he makes an effort and breaks into a completely different world, where it is calm, safe and there are no corpses. In comparison it is necessary to imagine the transition from our life in nirvana. A person with wisdom and knowledge can easily imagine the “Way”. But only one who improves his spirit will be able to go down this path. Sensual seduction excites man. Only a freed soul from passion becomes pure. Liberation leads to peace and tranquility which in turn leads to perfection of mind. The perfection of mind allows you to focus your attention, of what is the source of insight. A spirit is an inherent insight. Daily self-improvement will lead to the knowledge of your own essence. And then the gates will be opened in the realm of the gods.’

‘Sometimes I think there is no point in searching for improvement. Legends about the afterlife are just a story. No one saw the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas. Nobody has been able to visit the Sky Gods.’

‘That is why you are looking for a way to Shambala? Only the gods can convince you to take the path of learning and improving, cannot they? You're not a monk, you are a moneylender. You need a guarantee that the time you will spend on the attainment of Supreme Knowledge will not disappear without a trace. Most of my life I spent in the mountains among hunters and shepherds. One day I was asked to pass some food to the hermit who lived in a cave in the mountains of "Five Dragons". I just went to those regions to hunt. Not often the opportunity comes to communicate with the holy elders living in solitude. I agreed. A few days had gone in which I travelled on the road to the pass. Although the year was the most suitable for long passages, the demon of the mountains in every way tried to discourage me. The "Tsang" monastery was located behind the pass. This is one of those who prepare walkers. You've never met monks, moving with great speed in the mountains, have you? They are achieving this effect, while they were lost in a trance. Of course, not only the inner perfection allows the holy brothers to overcome great distances quickly. They cannot do without the physical preparation and control of breathing. The secret of training walkers is kept in deep secrecy. I think it has one basis with the preparation of "jumping" lamas. Can you imagine a man who jumps from a sitting position to a great height? I happened to be present during their training. A Monk is put in a deep hole, and he tries with effort and will give strength to muscles in his body. In this way jumping improves gradually. Walking around the monastery of "Tsang," I saw the young monks, led by an old Lama practicing accelerated movements.’

‘After watching this for some time, I tried to repeat their movements. I did not get anything. I continued to retry while I was walking. I have noticed over time that my step quickened and fatigue had disappeared. Maybe I used the wrong breathing, but I tried to adjust the movement under my body. I do not know how I managed, but the way, in fact, seemed to be shorter. Five days later, I reached the cave hermit. What I saw shocked me when I came to the shelter. A nude man was sitting on a rock near the cave. A clay pitcher stood in front of him. It was filled with water. A man periodically dipped a piece of cloth into the water and threw a wet cloth on his shoulders. I shivered. Only a madman could mock himself in this way. I had heard about teachers who are able to stimulate the heat with the help of "Tummo"[16]16
  Tummo (Tibetan: gtum-mo; Sanskrit: caṇḍālī) is a form of breathing, found in the Six Yogas of Naropa, Lamdre, Kalachakra and Anuyoga teachings of Tibetan Vajrayana. Tummo originally derives from Indian Vajrayana tradition, including the instruction of the Mahasiddha Krishnacarya and the Hevajra Tantra. The purpose of tummo is to gain control over body processes during the completion stage of 'highest yoga tantra' (Anuttarayoga Tantra) or Anuyoga.


[Закрыть] exercises. To withstand low temperature in high mountains in a light dress, it is one method, and to wash the body of ice water sitting on snow is completely different. I greeted the hermit and put a bag of supplies in the stone. As I approached the Naldzhorpa,[17]17
  The Tibetan term "Naldzhorpa means hermit practice – master experienced in meditation and magical games. Naldzhorpa Literally means "tied to serenity", "true authentic personal reality" or "the personification of the union of masculine and feminine principle."


[Закрыть] it seemed to me that he was not so old. At least traces of sagging were not visible on the body. But seeing a hermit, I did not dare to pinpoint his age. The hermit got up from the stone and approached me slowly. I felt such warmth, as if I was placed in the boiling pot. The anchorite[18]18
  Hermit.


[Закрыть] smiled at my confusion.’

‘Human capabilities are endless. We are made of particles of the cosmos, like earth, wood, fire, water and iron. It is easy to give the body the quality of any of these elements. Nothing is simpler than the solution in space. But it is very difficult to keep the body from the temptations that lie in wait for us at every step. You can stay at my house. I see you've come from far away in search of food. Your craft is that you take the life of living creatures, then are selling their bodies and eating the remains. That is the destiny of many people in the Land of Snows. The Tathagatas Act says that it is difficult to become a man and mortal life is hard; there is a difficult birth of being enlightened. Not doing evil to achieve goodness, purification of the mind – that is the true path. Do not insult, not harming, restraint and moderation in food – these are the elements to the enlightened path. Even a downpour of gold coins will not bring satisfaction to the passions. The wise is a person who knows that painful passion brings little joy.

‘The venerable, but not all will be able to retire from the world. Who will cultivate the fields and raise livestock? If everybody will be engaged in self-improvement, a great famine would come upon the earth. We will die.’

‘There is no more fire than passion; there is no more trouble than hate; there is no more misery than the body; there is no happiness to equal calm. The body is given by heaven to punish, everyone wants to dump the load of physical forms and retire to the Mountain Worlds.’

‘But not everyone is able to cross the stream of existence and abandon the past, the future and all that is between them. They do not understand that if the mind is not released, they are waiting for the birth of the new and old. Only those who find satisfaction in quiet thought and constant meditation can attain perfection. He is fearless, he has no desires, he destroyed the thorns of existence, and his body will be the last in the chain of rebirth. You came to these mountains far from the thoughts of the inner knowledge. Maybe my words will awaken a desire to find the true “Way” in your heart. If you spend at least one day in self-improvement, it will be a great achievement. These are the words of the blissful: "Let the one thousand times a month by month for a hundred years makes sacrifices, and let the other reward honor – at least for a moment – the perfection is in itself.” Indeed, a century-old veneration is better than sacrifices.’

The hermit was draped in a toga and headed toward the caves, beckoning me to follow him. It was very interesting to talk with the hermit. However, the long conversation made me feel tired. As soon as I got to the home of the Arhat, I immediately fell asleep. The next morning, after having breakfast in a hurry, I left the shelter of the recluse, but the old man began to talk instructively again, and I realized that I was obliged to listen. This went on for a few days in this way as if some force was holding me to the old hermit. I would remember his lessons for the rest of my life. He talked about the journeys in the afterlife, the transmigration of souls, and of mystical rituals. Then I first heard of Dorje – this is a scepter, accumulating cosmic forces. The most powerful scepter lies in the hands of the ruler of Shambhala. They say that a rod created lightning. The Dalai Lama has also his scepter, which is stored in the Sera monastery in Lhasa. But no one knows if the scepter of the Dalai Lama is just a symbol, or it can be used to control the heavenly fire. The old man talked a lot about Shambhala, claiming that the first boundary of the Sacred Earth passes near his asylum. Several times he had seen the guards of Shambhala, dressed in white clothes like snow. Once the caravan came to his cave. A man from a distant land asked the old man about the world of the gods and the place where the Mahatma lived. The conductor refused to go to the area that the hermit pointed to. Then a stranger went to the border of the Holy Land by himself. He was gone for a few days. It was hard to believe that the "peel" who dared to cross the border of ownership of the Mahatmas would remain alive. But he came back. The stranger did not talk about his trip, but he kept saying that his life was not lived in vain. It seemed as if the earth of the Gods had taken away the mind of the traveler. The caravan left and no one bothered the hermit. The hermit was not just trying to find himself Earth Gods. The legend says that when man does not hear the call of Shambhala, he will not see the holy land. Gomshten stopped the fruitless search and continued cultivation in the hope that the Gates of Shambala will open in front of him sooner or later. Comprehending his essence, the yoga was more and more convinced that the material world is a primitive creature of the cosmos. Life on the physical level is only a moment in the chain of spiritual rebirth of nature. Without a teacher, he learned the truth of the astral contact by study and contemplation. One day the peasants came to the cave of the yoga from a nearby village. One of them asked for his deceased relative. The peasant had a dream that the deceased had gone into slavery to one of the demons, and now he was suffering with excruciating pain and unable to escape. The old man agreed to help the farmers, and I witnessed a mystical ritual. The hermit laid a kilhor with white stones – a magic circle protected from demons. Then, by doing some breathing exercises, he fell into a trance. It was hard to convey what was going on.

The old man cried, writhed around in a wild dance, and foam appeared on his lips. At times, he repeated the movement used in the sect of Sakia-pa for the enslavement of the spirit of Mahakala. Finally, the old man fell unconscious. For a while he lay motionless just like a corpse. Returning from another world requires considerable effort. Then he stood up and told the participants about his journey into the world of Bardo. He told relatives of the deceased that the difficulty was to release the soul of the deceased from the captivity of the evil demon. Gomshten spent his soul at the Judgment of seat of Shinje. Now everything will depend on the karma accumulated over the lifetime of the physical body. You cannot fool the mirror of life. The peasants profusely thanked the hermit and retired, leaving him something to eat. That evening the yoga told me about the temple, "Khang UGS" – it is a dwelling of life-giving spirit. "Ug" is stored there as a last breath of the dead. Female demons stole "the breath of life" and cut it into pieces with huge knives. To be honest, I do not understand why females crumble the last breaths of the dead, but did not specify it to the old man. Every day went by in this way. It was time to go home. And the yoga quenched his thirst of communication and gradually lost interest in me. The efforts of the old man did not succeed. I did not ask him to be his student, and therefore there was no point in wasting time on me. The choice was quite difficult, I have seen the advantages of a living Arhat, but he could see disadvantages too. My birthday resisted all essence of a solitary lifestyle. In cognitive terms, communicating with anchorite brought huge benefits. I was not ready to renounce my worldly temptations, and retire to a secluded cave at that time. Saying goodbye to the hermit, I went home. Along the way, without wasting time in vain, I decided to hunt. For a long time I had to roam the hills searching for prey. One day I came across a huge salt pyramid resembling a pillar of white stone. A strange feeling came over me; I could not quite understand the cause of the excitement. As soon as I went behind a pillar a shiver began pounding my body. At that moment I did not attach much importance to this, explaining everything about the antics of the demons. Continuing our journey, I could not imagine that once I shall get into the possession of the Great Mahatma. A white pillar is likely to be pointer for boundaries of the Holy Land. But why I was fortunate enough to visit the Land of the Gods? Perhaps Mahatma decided to dispel my doubts about certain life choices? After visiting the High Country of knowledge which I have already told, I regained consciousness far from the village where he was born and grew up. Without realizing it, I started to preach on the path, telling people about the old hermit and the Earth Gods. Many people believed, some doubted, but still they came to listen. Stories give rise to the hope and the desire for something in people's hearts. Without dedication, I still enjoyed greater popularity than those who were living in the neighborhood of the Lama. Sources were saying that my stay in the realm of the Great Mahatma was a sign from heaven. Some even got rid of the disease, having communicated with me. Maybe, in fact, the teachers gave me an inner strength, allowing for the healing of ailments and the prediction of the future. People were requesting this from me, and I passed people’s visions, plunging into a trance. The old yoga lessons were not forgotten. But one day the followers of the "ancient" sect broke into my house. They beat continuously, and then dragged me through the snow, tearing my clothes apart. I screamed, but no one was in a hurry to help me. Everyone was afraid of the sorcerer’s gnigma, who could send starvation and death upon the village. One of them cut me with a knife, and then left me to die in the snow. But, as you can see, I survived. I will not talk about all the misfortunes that I had experienced after. Fate brought me to the abode of Maitreya. For ten years, I learnt the Kalachakra teachings and a perfection of inner-self before traveling to the world of Bardo. Over the years, I discovered the secret of the structure of the universe. All beings are mortal. Where there is a form, be sure to look for chaos. Only man can achieve immortality by improving his spirituality. The Idaho people are always hungry to be subjected to various tortures in purgatory and tormented by thirst, seeking rebirth in the animal world. Animals are also reaching to attain perfection of good and evil spirits after rebirth. Above are gods and beings of divine origin. And between these forms man had got lost; the only incarnation of the mind, having the opportunity to achieve immortality. In many ways, the way of perfection is known. But higher knowledge can be obtained only in the Land of the Gods. Maybe these creatures are gods, and only because of your knowledge. You try to get in possession of the Great Mahatma. And though I say to everyone that I have forgotten my way, I'll tell you a secret of the caves in the mountains of Kunlun. I believe that you will reach the Holy Land. Then, after a little thought, the old man said:

‘I think I'll go with you.’

* * *

The band of concrete layer meandered between the buildings, taking the lieutenant farther off base. Eric had not gone so far away from the central building. A strange hum that came from somewhere out of the ground, caught the attention of the boys. It looked like a prelaunch to be the work of some shunting engines. Eric walked toward the source of the sound and stopped at the edge of a precipice. So here's the thing! The landing site was not placed on the surface but at the bottom of some huge depressions more like a canyon than an adoptive unit of the spaceport. The location had been well planned. As soon as we departed after a dozen steps, the canyon disappeared from sight. Given that the spaceport was equipped with a protective energy dome, the planting sector was safely hidden away from prying eyes. From the height on which was Malkovich two ships were standing on the site. To find the speed of the elevator cab did not take much effort. The boy fell to the working area. The starship had attracted the attention of Eric. Its size was like the imperial frigates. But the form, including several design features suggested that the ship was built outside the sphere.

Military starships were classified according to several criteria. The main class included battleships, monitors, aircraft carriers and cruisers of all types. These monsters had been made on the special orbital shipyards. They were based solely on the outer roads, without going into the atmosphere as a result of the design features and overall dimensions. The middle class united the torpedo boats, patrol ships and frigates. The small class consisted of ships of planetary protection, mine-layers, minesweepers, corvettes and landing ships. There were even so-called logistic support ships, rolling stock and logistics support vessels. The packet boat, which Eric served on belonged to the category of auxiliary. The starship, which was examined by the lieutenant in size, was treated at least to the middle class. The ship's hull looked like its outline interceptor "Spirit", which was used in the spheres and able to perform combat missions in outer space and in the atmosphere. The fact that this unit was at the base particularly interested Eric. Primary Ships and some vessels of middle-class were strictly prohibited to land on the planet's surface. They were usually served in giant docks located on the orbital complex. The young man held his hand over his rough armor starship. He was so handsome.

They had no difficulty in identifying the type of the second ship, because of the strange mirror plating covering the body from stem to stern. It was an old airborne assault boat of the "Drakkars" type, intended for landing and delivering cargoes to the surface of the planet, as well as for cover operations in the atmosphere. A distinctive feature of the model was that in addition to the main engines, "Drakkar" were equipped with a hyper drive. They could move independently in a modified coordinated system, regardless of carrier vehicles. They abandoned such models later, considerably reducing the size of the landing boats and turned them into a division of carrier aviation. Accordingly, the prefix of "assault" had sunk into oblivion, as the new model was intended only as landing ships on the planet's surface and bore the brunt of this minimal service. Erik heard the sound of the "Drakkar" engines at the top.

Technicians, who scurried around the ship, did not pay attention to the young man in imperial uniform, who was examining the starships. Eric had counted more than two dozen people working on the machine and how many were inside. He thought for a moment, the lieutenant went to the main gateway to the ship to which he gave the name of "Spirit." Spacious hallways met Malkovich with pleasant coolness. The young man understood the flickers on the walls of arrowheads, and went into the compartment power trains in the heart of the ship. Surprisingly, the engine room did not occupy a lot of space. Typically, military spacecraft were equipped with two types of engines. These were the planetary, that is marching or, as they are called the “principal”. Marching units were used for flight in atmospheric zones, and for moving at a relatively small distance in planetary sectors. They were allowed to increase speed for ships to go to hyper drive and accordingly prepare the crew to overload, following the activation of the main engines. Merchant ships had hyper generators, unlike the military, using long-haul flight hyper terminals installed in each inhabited system. Only the very wealthy ship-owners were able to equip commercial ships and private yachts with this hyper drive. They agreed on a design change with the military authorities and made these spaceships to a certain classification and placed on a special register. This state of affairs did not suit the smugglers, "scavengers" and all sorts of "gentlemen of fortune", traveling to the most distant reaches of space. Naturally, supply creates its own demand. Private shipyards established hyper drive for a reasonable fee to any ship that entered into the docks, in the free "neutral" zones. There was only one problem – the owner and the crew found themselves outside the law since the first launch of hyper drive. The penalty for such an offense depended on the Code of the State in territorial space, which detained the converted ship. Sanctions ranged from fines to the death penalty. For example, the Galactic Alliance, according to the recommendations of the Admiralty, all vessels equipped with hyper drive, and were not registered, were regarded as pirated. Commanders of military ships had orders to “shoot to kill” at the slightest attempt to avoid offending examination and go into hyperspace. According to the legislation of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds, such modernization was punished only by a fine. The master or owner of the ship could hide for a short time in jail or confiscate the ship during the second detention. Corruption had flourished. History of the proceedings of the League had not known a single case of confiscation and restriction on freedom of starships and their owners to this day. Officials stuffed their pockets with gold, and a crowd of rogues and adventurers had flocked to the borders of the League.