A russian bear. Tsesarevich Mikhail Lantsov

(No ratings yet)

Title: Russian Bear. Tsesarevich

About the book “Russian Bear. Tsarevich" Mikhail Lantsov

An ordinary “getter” cannot change the past - the inertia of history is too great. To overcome it, you need to take possession of the consciousness of one of the great sovereigns. And so - a paratrooper from the future infiltrates the body of young Peter the Great.

Will the VIP “getter” be able to suppress the Streltsy riot with little bloodshed and cancel the “morning of the Streltsy execution”? How to recapture Crimea a century ahead of schedule and launch Peter’s reforms without monstrous sacrifices and losses? Is it worth cutting down the “window to Europe” at all? Or is it better to follow the advice of the real Peter: “Having accepted the fruits of Western European civilization, Russia can turn its back to Europe!

On our website about books lifeinbooks.net you can download for free without registration or read online the book “Russian Bear. Tsarevich" Mikhail Lantsov in epub, fb2, txt, rtf, pdf formats for iPad, iPhone, Android and Kindle. The book will give you a lot of pleasant moments and real pleasure from reading. You can buy the full version from our partner. Also, here you will find the latest news from the literary world, learn the biography of your favorite authors. For beginning writers, there is a separate section with useful tips and tricks, interesting articles, thanks to which you yourself can try your hand at literary crafts.

“Really,” Sophia shook her head. – What is he doing with them today? Does he lead mummers with drums?

“I ordered strange dresses, divided them up, gave them unusual titles, and engaged in what was, in my opinion, complete stupidity. I didn’t catch the morning classes, but they say that they are also curious. But I looked at how after lunch he took them to a strange area where everyone was stuck. And ditches, and wooden shields standing upright, and some kind of crossbars suspended, and logs raised above the ground, and much more. It’s difficult to even think of such a thing. It’s through this whole heap of oddities that they jump, run and climb. And Peter is with them. Moreover, it is clear that they are not doing it as a joke, but seriously. Sweat pours from them in three streams.

- Hm. What about in the morning?

- I don’t know. According to the stories, the action was no less amazing. Although what amuses people most is the jogging of this entire small detachment. They will stand in a formation of two or whatever and run, while they themselves sing a song. On the run and very strange.

– Do they run a lot?

- Yes, they fly almost several miles a day. And sometimes Peter takes them out on a so-called forced march. In those days, some classes are shortened, and they jog for fifteen to twenty miles.

– It seems to me that this is similar to military training.

“But it doesn’t teach them how to walk in formation or how to use weapons.” What kind of military training is this? It is known that the same saber needs to be taught for many years, otherwise it will be useless. And if they become agile and strong after several years of such chaos, so what? I talked with our and foreign captains. They just laughed, saying that it was all empty.

“Let’s hope,” Sophia smiled. “Is he just jumping on sticks like a buffoon with these boys, or is he doing something else?”

“Every day he forces everyone into classrooms, where he teaches reading, writing and arithmetic.

- Yes. Natalya Kirillovna was even indignant at first, but then she waved her hand. In the end, it wouldn’t hurt for Peter to learn to read and write himself.

“But this is already very strange... and, I would say, dangerous,” the princess said, scratching her earlobe. “We don’t need our brother’s interest in science at all.” Come on, he doesn’t only do reading and writing?

“Whatever,” Golitsyn waved his hand. “He spends half the day with the boys, and the rest of the time he does even more stupid things.” You see, he developed a craving for carpentry and other things. He swings an ax with simple men, and then makes something in all sorts of sheds. I talked to Natalya Kirillovna, she was so sad, so sad...

– So she doesn’t like all this?

“She complained and cried. She said that your brother got completely out of hand. He dreams of military campaigns, dreams of taking Constantinople from the hands of the Muslims, or even Jerusalem. That’s why he makes up all sorts of ideas and inventions. He messes with ordinary men. And don’t say anything contrary.

“Can’t she really control her son?”

“He has become completely violent and ebullient, according to her.” Doesn't know a minute of peace. In the morning neither light nor dawn rises. Immediately he carries out “water procedures” together with his amusing friends or with a peasant. And then - on your feet all day. No proper dignity or thoroughness. It boils, seethes, does not know or recognize peace, and does not give it to anyone nearby, considering it laziness and idleness and calling it nothing other than sin.

– Very interesting... What about the patriarch? They reported to me about a month and a half ago that he went to see his brother, talked about something and came out looking very thoughtful.

“He didn’t tell me about that.” But he speaks calmly about Peter. I went to see him in Preobrazhenskoye two weeks ago. I served a service in a local church at the request of your brother.

- By request?

“They say that, unlike in previous years, he began to venerate the holy fathers much more.

– Joachim confirmed about Constantinople and Jerusalem?

“He answered evasively, saying that there were no conversations about that between them. And it’s too early to be one - Peter is still young.

Sophia sighed heavily and began pacing again. Vasily watched silently, waiting for her reaction.

“We need to have our own person among these amusing people in order to know what he is actually preparing them for, and most importantly, what kind of conversations he is having among them.”

“But he limited himself to fifty,” the princess’s favorite shrugged.

“The kingdom will not become poor if we, by our grace, help our brother master the military profession and take his expenses to the treasury.” Fortunately, they are small, judging by your speeches. At the same time, we’ll assign our little man to look after the affairs in Preobrazhenskoye. Send money through it. But detailed reports about expenses and affairs should be sent to my desk regularly.

– What should we do with the artisans? Carpenters and others?

- Nothing. He is unlikely to let them in on his ideas. They are hired people. Therefore, try to select thirty or forty people among the youths who will agree to report to us. Just make sure they meet the requirements that Petka made during the first selection. How many days do you need for this and other preparation?

- A couple of weeks. Maybe sooner, but unlikely.

- That's good. When you are ready, tell me, I will write a letter to Natalya Kirillovna. The little man who will be responsible for money under Peter will go with a letter and stay there. And the boys, as brother begins a new recruitment, will go.

– Won’t he suspect? You never know, he’ll start asking where and what?

- Vasily, dear, is this what you’re telling me? – Sophia clasped her hands. - He is ten years old! I still don’t believe that he himself invented strange quirks to strengthen his body. It seems to me that some kind of adviser came to him from Kukui, which is very close. You never know among them all sorts of wonderful and wondrous ones.

“Perhaps,” Golitsyn nodded. - What if Peter wants to buy weapons?

“So let’s give him old squeaks or worn-out foreign muskets from our reserves.”

- They will be great for the youths. Peter will not agree to them, because he cannot put them to work. But next to Preobrazhensky, as you, my soul, correctly noticed, Kukui stands. This means overseas merchants and connections. How can he decide to buy anything through them? After all, in France and Holland, they say, the weapons will be better than ours. Yes, you can make it to order. Just for teenagers. I heard that they do this too.

“He has a small army,” said Sophia, after thinking a little, “that won’t empty the treasury.”

– By the way, about the army. How much do you want to take to support the funny ones?

“We need more new arrivals than those already recruited.” Otherwise our people will be exposed. He now has fifty. Let's take that much twice. Fifteen hundred youths, I believe, even with good weapons will not pose any threat to us. Or will we not resist?

- We will resist, of course. We will crush them with any regiment. Yes, a regiment - a single company.

- Okay, then we'll do it that way. And also be very careful with the patriarch.

- Do you think he's up to something?

- Don't know. Maybe all this is nonsense, but it seems to me that his behavior has some kind of intent.

Peter stood in a brand new barn, built barely a couple of months ago, and admired the work of the weaving loom. No, of course, there was nothing particularly surprising about it. Yes, to tell the truth, even on the contrary - a poor copy of Roberts' mechanical loom, the whole charm of which lay in only one thing - there was no analogue to it yet. At all. To the great pleasure of the young tsar, in the current situation, even in England, they didn’t even know a loom with an airplane shuttle, and there was no talk of mechanized looms even in the project, especially those that would allow us to weave something more complex than primitive canvases. And Peter did it. Of course, he initially knew the structure and principles, but this does not exclude considerable difficulties in implementing the project with local forces. After all, apart from a few albeit intelligent, but practically uneducated carpenters, he had nothing at hand.

Mikhail Lantsov

A russian bear. Tsesarevich

May 2081. Moscow. Skyscraper

transnational corporation "Phoenix"

Alexander stood near the window and looked somewhere into the distance. The huge, floor-high transparent panel was crystal clear, and the weather was so clear that the ever-bubbling city lying in front of him was in full view. But the man’s thoughts were somewhere far from these places. He was expecting very important news, but his measured breathing and cold gaze expressed colossal inner calm. He stood like a statue come to life, expressing power and monumentality with his entire appearance.

But then the silence was broken by a light trill, and the melodic voice of the secretary was heard:

Alexander Petrovich, Professor Samoilov is here to see you.

Okay, let him come in.

And again there was silence. The seconds ticked by slowly. He was used to calmly waiting when needed. It’s no joke, I recently celebrated the year one hundred and seventy-one in a small circle...

Behind him, a light, barely noticeable rustle was heard from the sliding doorway.

Hello, Alexander Petrovich.

And good day to you, Igor Sergeevich. What will you please?

There are some successes... - He hesitated slightly.

I am listening really carefully.

We completed scanning the space-time pocket we identified and were able to receive a return pulse. There was only one, but even he was very weak, so direct transfer of consciousness was impossible.

As I understand it, the issue will not be resolved by increasing the power of the emitter.

“You’re right,” Samoilov nodded.

How long will it take to find a new pocket?

It’s hard to say,” the professor shrugged. - We came across this one completely by accident. We may discover a new pocket tomorrow, or we may spend several more decades. Despite the fact that the new pocket does not necessarily have a suitable, even conditionally, object for transfer.

What could be the consequences of transferring to a detected object?

You have partial compatibility, which will entail the loss of many functions and aspects of consciousness, as well as their distortion. Roughly speaking, as a result you can get extensive mental damage, up to non-viable options.

“I see,” Alexander nodded, not expressing his attitude to what was happening, although everything was raging inside him due to barely restrained emotions. - What are you offering?

We can try now to establish an information channel between the two objects and begin synchronization... - said Igor Sergeevich, looking warily at his interlocutor.

And what's the catch?

There are two synchronization methods: alpha and beta. The alpha method in our case is not very acceptable, since we are able to connect you to life support and keep you unconscious for the next two weeks. But the object with which the merger will begin is unlikely to have such capabilities.

So you think he will die?

More likely. It is unrealistic to survive for two weeks without food and drink, and if he survives, having gone into a lethargic sleep, then you have every chance of waking up already buried. I think this is a little different from what we need.

“I can’t retell it,” Alexander grinned. - Fine. What is the second method?

You will need to implant a small sensor and move on with your life without thinking about anything. As well as the object, which, instead of losing consciousness and death, will continue to live as if nothing had happened. The matrix of symbiotic consciousness will accumulate on a subconscious level and will be activated only when there is a signal. That is, we will carefully and slowly carry out synchronization, after which, seizing the moment...

“I understand,” Alexander Petrovich interrupted him. - Will I know everything he knows, adding to my knowledge and skills?

Undoubtedly.

Great. What kind of object? Floor? Age? Social status? And what kind of world is there anyway?

The scan showed that there is actually a duplicate of our space-time pocket, differing only in the time shift. It's 1681 now. The object should be very familiar to you - this is Pyotr Alekseevich Romanov.

Future Emperor?! - the head of the corporation was surprised.

Yes,” the professor nodded. “It seemed to me that we were very lucky to have him.” An excellent candidate for creating symbiotic consciousness.

Curious... - Alexander Petrovich thought, struggling with waves of memories from the deep past. After all, he had already lived one life as a representative of the Romanov family. The absolutely incredible coincidence that had taken place gave him thoughts and bad associations. - Okay, Igor Sergeevich. Prepare me a detailed report on timing, risks and costs. And by the way, an important question: do you think it will be possible to organize a transport corridor?

There can be very big problems with the transport corridor. It is possible, but extremely flawed. Firstly, it will not be possible to convey anything living. It simply must die down to the last cell. Secondly, this is all very expensive - one gram of matter will approximately consume up to one hundred terajoules of energy. Although these are optimistic forecasts. Maybe more.

What are the costs of constantly maintaining the channel?

Quite modest, we won’t even notice them. Almost all energy consumption goes to channel formation. Breakdown.

“Excellent,” Alexander said with a satisfied look. “Then I’ll expect you in ten hours with a report.” Best wishes.

One year later. Ibid.

The laboratory always surprised him with its appearance. And now the head of one of the most powerful transnational corporations, Phoenix, looked with a fascinated gaze at all this wonderful equipment that was located in the room.

“Good day, professor,” Alexander said with a satisfied smile.

“Hello,” Igor Sergeevich nodded in response.

You were so worried. Something happened?

I have some news for you: some good and some terrible. Which one should I start with? - the scientist said, noticeably nervous.

With a monstrous one.

The space-time pocket we found is not a parallel world, as we thought.

So what is it then?

Don't know. But the observations lead to very strange thoughts.

Don't delay.

After our analysis, it seems to us that this space-time pocket is something of a backup copy. It is shifted to the minute... to the second by exactly four hundred years.

So you assume that this is our world?

Maybe. We can't really answer anything. But this scares me very much. After all, it is unknown how the control mechanism will react to an attempt to establish a direct connection between these worlds. Anything can happen here, including a rollback of our space-time pocket to a stable version.

That is…

Yes. If by our intervention we provoke a rollback, then we will all die, and this world will cease to exist.

But we cannot verify this. It is so?

And now you're not sure you want to participate in all this?

There’s no need to say that,” Igor Sergeevich said, narrowing his eyes. - You know that I am ready to give my life, without hesitation, for the sake of the goal that you and I are trying to achieve.

Then what bothers you?

But... all these people... are you ready to take their lives?

We're not sure about this.

But anyway.

Listen,” Alexander said in the most serious tone, “I’m not forcing you or urging you on.” We have time. And I, just like you, do not want to wipe out several billion innocent people. So let's first figure out what's happening there and what we should do. Did you understand me?

Yes, yes... of course,” the scientist said somewhat perplexedly, unsettled by the fact that his employer did not argue on such an important issue. - We synchronize your consciousnesses in real time, so if everything is resolved, activation can be carried out at any time.

Well, fine. By the way, what was the good news you wanted to tell me?

We were able to prepare a container weighing only thirty-five grams. A syringe with host generators of m-robots [M-robot is a molecular nanorobot.] and Septon class w-pc.

Are you confident that they will survive the transfer successfully?

“Quite,” the professor nodded. - Neither host generators nor w-pc contain any living organic matter.

Even a bioactive lens?

Yes. We had to tinker with her very seriously before she began to initiate normally and take root. However, it is not without side effects - after installing it, my eyes water and my head hurts a little for a week.

What to do with the head module? - Alexander said, looking at the extremely strange shape of the w-pc base component.

We reworked the basic Septon by removing all external communication modules. They won't be of any use to you...

An illustration by the artist P. Ilyin was used in the binding design

* * *

Prologue

May 2081. Moscow. Skyscraper of the transnational corporation "Phoenix"

But then the silence was broken by a light trill, and the melodic voice of the secretary was heard:

- Alexander Petrovich, Professor Samoilov is here to see you.

- Okay, let him come in.

And again there was silence. The seconds ticked by slowly. He was used to calmly waiting when needed. It’s no joke, I recently celebrated the year one hundred and seventy-one in a small circle...

Behind him, a light, barely noticeable rustle was heard from the sliding doorway.

– Hello, Alexander Petrovich.

– And good day to you, Igor Sergeevich. What will you please?

“There are some successes...” he hesitated slightly.

- I am listening really carefully.

“We completed scanning the space-time pocket we identified and were able to receive a return pulse. There was only one, but even he was very weak, so direct transfer of consciousness was impossible.

– As I understand, the issue will not be resolved by increasing the power of the emitter.

“You’re right,” Samoilov nodded.

– How long will it take to find a new pocket?

“It’s hard to say,” the professor shrugged. “We came across this one completely by accident.” We may discover a new pocket tomorrow, or we may spend several more decades. Despite the fact that the new pocket does not necessarily have a suitable, even conditionally, object for transfer.

– What could be the consequences of transfer to a detected object?

– You have partial compatibility, which will entail the loss of many functions and aspects of consciousness, as well as their distortion. Roughly speaking, as a result you can get extensive mental damage, up to non-viable options.

“I see,” Alexander nodded, not expressing his attitude to what was happening, although everything was raging inside him due to barely restrained emotions. - What are you offering?

“We can try now to establish an information channel between the two objects and begin synchronization...” said Igor Sergeevich, looking warily at his interlocutor.

– And what’s the catch?

– There are two synchronization methods: alpha and beta. The alpha method in our case is not very acceptable, since we are able to connect you to life support and keep you unconscious for the next two weeks.

But the object with which the merger will begin is unlikely to have such capabilities.

- So you think he will die?

- More likely. It is unrealistic to survive for two weeks without food and drink, and if he survives, having gone into a lethargic sleep, then you have every chance of waking up already buried. I think this is a little different from what we need.

“I can’t retell it,” Alexander grinned. - Fine. What is the second method?

– You will need to implant a small sensor and move on with your life without thinking about anything. As well as the object, which, instead of losing consciousness and death, will continue to live as if nothing had happened. The matrix of symbiotic consciousness will accumulate on a subconscious level and will be activated only when given a signal. That is, we will carefully and slowly carry out synchronization, after which, seizing the moment...

“I understand,” Alexander Petrovich interrupted him. – Will I know everything he knows, adding to my knowledge and skills?

- Undoubtedly.

- Great. What kind of object? Floor? Age? Social status? And what kind of world is there anyway?

– The scan showed that there is actually a duplicate of our space-time pocket, differing only in the time shift. It's 1681 now. The object should be very familiar to you - this is Pyotr Alekseevich Romanov.

- Future Emperor?! – the head of the corporation was surprised.

“Yes,” the professor nodded. “I thought we were very lucky to have him.” An excellent candidate for creating symbiotic consciousness.

“It’s curious...” Alexander Petrovich thought, struggling with waves of memories from the deep past. After all, he had already lived one life as a representative of the Romanov family. The absolutely incredible coincidence that had taken place gave him thoughts and bad associations. - Okay, Igor Sergeevich. Prepare me a detailed report on timing, risks and costs. And by the way, an important question: do you think it will be possible to organize a transport corridor?

– There can be very big problems with the transport corridor. It is possible, but extremely flawed. Firstly, it will not be possible to convey anything living. It simply must die down to the last cell. Secondly, all this is very expensive - one gram of matter will approximately consume up to one hundred terajoules of energy. Although these are optimistic forecasts. Maybe more.

– What are the costs of constantly maintaining the channel?

– Quite modest, we won’t even notice them. Almost all energy consumption goes to channel formation. Breakdown.

“Great,” Alexander said with a satisfied look. “Then I’ll expect you in ten hours with a report.” Best wishes.

One year later. Ibid.

“Good day, professor,” Alexander said with a satisfied smile.

“Hello,” Igor Sergeevich nodded in response.

“You were so worried.” Something happened?

– I have some news for you: some good and some terrible. Which one should I start with? – noticeably nervous, said the scientist.

- With a monstrous one.

– The space-time pocket we found is not a parallel world, as we thought.

- And what is it then?

- Don't know. But the observations lead to very strange thoughts.

- Don't delay.

– After the analysis, it seems to us that this space-time pocket is something like a backup copy. It is shifted to the minute... to the second by exactly four hundred years.

– So you assume that this is our world?

- Maybe. We can't really answer anything. But this scares me very much. After all, it is unknown how the control mechanism will react to an attempt to establish a direct connection between these worlds. Anything can happen here, including a rollback of our space-time pocket to a stable version.

- That is…

- Yes. If by our intervention we provoke a rollback, then we will all die, and this world will cease to exist.

“But we can’t verify this.” It is so?

– And now you’re not sure you want to participate in all this?

“There’s no need to say that,” Igor Sergeevich said, narrowing his eyes. – You know that I am ready to give my life, without hesitation, for the sake of the goal that you and I are trying to achieve.

- Then what bothers you?

– But... all these people... are you really ready to take their lives?

– We are not sure about this.

- But anyway.

“Listen,” Alexander said in the most serious tone, “I’m not forcing you or urging you on.” We have time. And I, just like you, do not want to wipe out several billion innocent people. So let's first figure out what's happening there and what we should do. Did you understand me?

“Yes, yes... of course,” the scientist said somewhat perplexedly, unsettled by the fact that his employer did not argue on such an important issue. – We synchronize your consciousnesses in real time, so if everything is resolved, activation can be carried out at any time.

- Well, fine. By the way, what was the good news you wanted to tell me?

“We were able to prepare a container weighing only thirty-five grams. Syringe with m-robot host generators 1
M-robot is a molecular nanorobot.

And w-pc 2
W-pc is a variation of wearable computers with a wireless communication interface - synthetic control, based on tracking the movement of the pupils using special lenses, which double as displays, and brain activity. Each w-pc is configured and calibrated after installation personally, according to the individual characteristics of the user.

Septon class.

– Are you sure that they will successfully survive the transfer?

“Quite,” the professor nodded. – Neither host generators nor w-pc contain any living organic matter.

– Even a bioactive lens?

- Yes. We had to tinker with her very seriously before she began to initiate normally and take root. However, it is not without side effects - after installing it, my eyes water and my head hurts a little for a week.

– What to do with the head module? - Alexander said, looking at the extremely strange shape of the w-pc base component.

– We reworked the basic “Septon” by removing all external communication modules. They won't be of any use to you...

– Who will perform the operation on me? – the head of the corporation interrupted him. – Judging by its shape, it is of an integrable type. And this means...

“We remade it,” the professor said emphatically. - Seriously strengthened...

- OK. They strengthened it so much. Do you guarantee that all this will work fine there if something happens?

“No one can guarantee this,” the professor threw up his hands.

– Yeah... news... How soon can we accumulate energy to transport the container?

- Already. We can do it now.

“Great,” Alexander sighed heavily and, saying goodbye, left. The rosy mood quickly dissipated.

After an hour

- How are you, dear friend? – asked the vaguely familiar voice of Alexander, who had dozed off on his personal plane.

- What? – he asked mechanically. He opened his eyes. And I instantly woke up from a strong surge of adrenaline in my blood. After all, sitting in front of him was the same strange creature that at one time threw him into a parallel world for more than sixty years, promising that it would give him a chance to change his home world.

“I suppose you can guess why I came?”

“Hardly,” Alexander answered gloomily, having finally woken up and pulled himself up.

“I invited you to play a big game, and you’re cheating,” the old acquaintance smiled in the sweetest way. - Not good. I don't like it when they try to deceive us.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” Alexander shrugged with a calm expression. – What exactly do you not like?

– Your attempt to get into the fourth-order reserve assembly. Besides, you're trying to trick me and create a symbiotic mind. This is also slightly not what I would like to see.

- So that's all you care about? – Alexander grinned. – Don’t worry, my scientists themselves have already realized that something is wrong with that space-time pocket, and neither I nor they are rushing there. After all, the threat to humanity is not at all ephemeral, and I don’t want to take on the lives of billions of people.

“This is wonderful,” the interlocutor smiled very nastily, “but you have learned information that is too dangerous for you.” This is unacceptable for us.

“Then erase our memory,” Alexander Petrovich shrugged, perplexed.

- Alas, after the trick that your scientist committed by your grace, we cannot do this. It's too late, and it's useless. Deliberate distortion of a stable fourth-order assembly... it boggles the mind! No one in their right mind would have the nerve to do this. But you managed to do it. Even I am strictly forbidden to interfere and change stable builds, especially such...

- What is it that makes you so worried?

– Your scientist was right. This is a kind of archive. And the activation of symbiotic consciousness will lead to errors in... well, that’s not the point. The main thing is that Adonai will roll back this world to a state of altered assembly. And he will punish the guilty. That is, me.

– Couldn’t you have warned us in advance?

– Warn about what? – the guest asked angrily. – Don’t try to cheat and don’t interfere with the stable assemblies of the world with your pig’s snout?!

- Calm down. Quiet. I don't want a billion people to die either. What needs to be done to prevent a rollback from happening?

- What do people have to do with it? Let them all die! I will suffer because of your trick. And very seriously. Adonai does not forgive such mistakes...” the guest literally whispered.

– Why didn’t you control me, since this is all so important?

– Do you think I’m the only one like this? I can’t really stop by to see you even once a decade! Who knew you were such a psycho? In any case, I came to tell you that the contract has been terminated. I am no longer interested in your participation. “Goodbye,” he said, and an incomprehensible click was heard in the air, barely perceptible by ear.

Immediately after this, the guest disappeared, both engines stalled, and the plane began to lose altitude.

Alexander Petrovich smiled coldly. He took out his satellite phone and dialed a well-known number.

- Igor Sergeevich? Sorry for interrupting. My plane is crashing. Yes. I have a couple of minutes left to live. The "spiders" intervened. Use your own discretion. Yes. I think they will clear you out too. Maybe it's already there. Farewell.

He turned off the phone and carefully placed it in the holder. The plane, in gentle acceleration, had almost reached flutter and was shaking terribly, trying to fall apart. But there was no fear. One hundred and sixty years. Few people on the planet have lived this long.

Alexander Petrovich moved into the cockpit. He understood that the “spider” left him no chance of salvation, but he could not give up and not try. Therefore, having unfastened the unconscious pilot, he turned on the brake flaps, trying to slow down, and pulled the steering wheel towards himself. After all, the plane had gained quite a bit of energy, and it had to be dumped.

But nothing worked out. An attempt to perform a loop ended only with the planes of the wings torn off due to overload. And how could it have been different after the “spider”?

For the last few seconds, Alexander looked at the approaching ground with a cold squint. But contrary to popular belief, the story of his entire life did not flash through his head. No. My head and soul were quiet, empty and surprisingly calm.

Darkness…

After some time

Alexander opened his eyes and winced from a headache.

“The activation went about as expected,” a teenage voice grumbled dissatisfied. And he froze, as memories of the last minutes of his life came flooding back to him. He felt stuffy and very unwell. “What the hell...” the teenager said quietly, looking around.

A few seconds later, he saw a small container of the same kit that he held in his hands in the laboratory. There was one word written on it in a well-known hand: “ sorry».

The teenager carefully took the container in his hand. He turned pale. And somehow he shrank. Which is not surprising. It's not every day that you're responsible for the deaths of several billion people... in one fell swoop...

- Satisfied? – an unfamiliar male voice was heard nearby. Alexander looked up and saw an already middle-aged man with thick gray hair and an incredibly piercing gaze.

- Who are you? – a man who stood up abruptly, and only by misunderstanding looked like a teenager, said defiantly.

– Don’t you guess? – asked the old man, whose mood clearly improved from his interlocutor’s reaction.

- Adonai? – after a short reflection, Alexander suggested.

- Hm. “That’s right,” the old man answered, nodding slightly. “Maybe you also know why I came?”

“It’s not that difficult,” Alexander Petrovich said, calmly and confidently looking into the eyes of his interlocutor. – Do you want to talk or do you need me for some reason?

- Insolent... oh, so insolent! – the old man shook his head. - But you're right. You are the first person who was able to do something like this. Now you have to worry about security issues from your interference in stable builds.

- Old man, do you want to offer me a deal?

- Ha! A deal between you and me is simply out of the question. Wrong weight category. And I will watch you. – Alexander involuntarily shuddered from such words and somehow reflexively tried to remove his hand with the container behind his back. “And this is what I’ll take.” Don't turn history into a farce.

“But...” the man tried to resist, but the container fell into fine dust onto the bed.

- That's it. Not saying goodbye. After the end of the game we will meet again. I hope you won't disappoint me. “The old man nodded briefly and disappeared. And a few seconds later, someone fell to the floor near the door.

« What a bastard! I just didn’t have enough witnesses...”

Part 1. Primo Victoria 3
Translated from Latin “First victory”.

- In a fair fight, I would defeat you!

“Then there’s no point in fighting honestly!”

film "Pirates of the Caribbean"

Chapter 1

Peter turned around at the sound of a falling body and found a silent picture - his dear mother Natalya Kirillovna stood with a completely white face, adorned with wide eyes, and one of the nannies lay like a sack of rags and bodies at her feet.

“Good morning,” Peter said as calmly as possible.

“Good,” the queen was able to squeeze out only a minute later. - Who was that? – But the young king did not answer, he only arched his eyebrow questioningly and silently waited for clarification. “A gray-haired old man,” the queen mother continued, “with a handsome face and in light clothes.”

There was a pause. Peter did not know what to say and pondered the situation. " To tell the truth? Is it necessary? Especially in such dark times. Of course, they won’t send you to the stake, but... how it will all end is unknown. And if Sophia finds out the wrong interpretation, then he definitely won’t be able to avoid the Streltsy berdysh».

« OK. We'll shoot from the hip“, the king thought and grinned internally, remembering literally the spitting image of the Architect from “The Matrix”, who in the eyes of his mother seemed like a “gracious old man.”

“It was Peter,” the young king finally answered.

- How? Who... - Natalya Kirillovna asked somehow confusedly, losing all feigned severity at once.

“It was a saint, my heavenly patron - the Apostle Peter,” the son repeated, sighing heavily and looking at his mother as if he were explaining obvious things to a small child. “And he came, by the grace of God, to guide me on the true path, to teach and admonish me.

The young king's mother, Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina, did not say another word. She just stood there for a few minutes, looking at her son with some strange look that mixed horror with surprise and respect, after which she silently left...

- My daughter, do you understand what you are saying? - asked Patriarch Joachim, surprised not only by the unexpected visit of the Queen Mother, but also by her extremely strange speeches.

“Vladyka, I saw it with my own eyes... the two girls also saw it.” Yes, Petya has changed too. I went to bed as a child, and in the morning... I meet his eyes, and there is no timidity or excitement.

“Maybe he’s bursting with pride?” The other day they were crowned kings, so they finally appreciated it and became proud.

- No, Vladyka. There was not pride there, but rather confidence, such a calm one.

- Okay, I'll talk to him. But, my daughter, keep this news secret. If someone finds out from his enemies, there will be trouble...

After an hour. Peter's chambers

“Sire,” the vaguely familiar servant bowed, “ Apparently, they already managed to replace it so that the old ones wouldn’t notice the oddities,”- flashed through the king’s head, - Vladyka is coming to you 4
The author is aware that the naming “Vladyko” was introduced in the 18th century, but he used it because before that there was no proper naming.

- So call him, fool! There’s no point in keeping an old man waiting,” muttered Peter, who was expecting the arrival of someone like that. They could not leave such an event without consequences.

Under rather sad thoughts, which, however, were not reflected in any way on the face of the young king, Joachim entered the chambers, trying to show monumentality and majesty with his whole appearance.

“Good health to you, Vladyka,” said the teenager, who had previously been standing near the table and leafing through the Gospel.

“And good health to you, sir,” the patriarch barely nodded his head, demonstrating nothing more than formal politeness, as well as his high status.

“I think my beloved mother has already told you all sorts of crazy things.”

“More like very strange things,” the patriarch corrected the king, carefully and with special interest examining the clearly and decisively changed teenager. - This is true?

- What exactly? – maintaining complete calm and composure, he clarified.

- That you talked with the Apostle Peter.

“You don’t believe in this and are unlikely to believe it,” the king smiled, avoiding answering. - It is so?

“Sir, this is hard to believe,” Joachim threw up his hands.

“And I understand you perfectly,” Peter nodded accommodatingly. - But let's get straight to the point. You and I both understand that the situation is... hmm... stalemate. – Joachim’s face expressed misunderstanding and surprise at a completely unfamiliar word from the young king. “It’s from chess,” Peter corrected himself. - Let me explain. If I say that all this is true, then you will consider my words a lie. Do the math. Don't make a face. Assuming the desire of my mother and I to use church hierarchs in the struggle for the throne. Agree, the king, to communicate with whom the apostle himself descends, has a much greater chance of sitting on the throne than another. Correct me if I’m wrong in my thoughts,” the teenager said and stared at the patriarch with a calm, attentive and intelligent look.

“You have changed a lot, Sovereign,” Joachim said quietly after almost a minute of silence. What he had just heard did not fit into his mind at all. This young lad could not say such a thing. And even if his mother taught him, then where does such confidence and firmness come from?

- Surprised?

“That’s not the right word, Sovereign,” the patriarch nodded with much more respect. “You don’t look like a teenager at all.” You rarely hear such speeches from an adult husband.

– You have to pay for everything, Vladyko.

- What do you mean? – the patriarch tensed.

– When a person comprehends the world, it takes years, and he completes his knowledge not as a carefree child, but as an adult husband, and that wisdom often comes with gray hair. If a true messenger of Him guides you on the path, it only takes a moment. For the body this remains completely unnoticeable, but the soul... it is forced to go all the way, step by step, and cannot help but grow up. Yes, Vladyka, in a few miserable minutes my carefree childhood was left in the past.

An illustration by the artist P. Ilyin was used in the binding design

* * *

Prologue

May 2081. Moscow. Skyscraper of the transnational corporation "Phoenix"

But then the silence was broken by a light trill, and the melodic voice of the secretary was heard:

- Alexander Petrovich, Professor Samoilov is here to see you.

- Okay, let him come in.

And again there was silence. The seconds ticked by slowly. He was used to calmly waiting when needed. It’s no joke, I recently celebrated the year one hundred and seventy-one in a small circle...

Behind him, a light, barely noticeable rustle was heard from the sliding doorway.

– Hello, Alexander Petrovich.

– And good day to you, Igor Sergeevich. What will you please?

“There are some successes...” he hesitated slightly.

- I am listening really carefully.

– As I understand, the issue will not be resolved by increasing the power of the emitter.

“You’re right,” Samoilov nodded.

– How long will it take to find a new pocket?

– What could be the consequences of transfer to a detected object?

“I see,” Alexander nodded, not expressing his attitude to what was happening, although everything was raging inside him due to barely restrained emotions. - What are you offering?

“We can try now to establish an information channel between the two objects and begin synchronization...” said Igor Sergeevich, looking warily at his interlocutor.

– And what’s the catch?

- So you think he will die?

“I can’t retell it,” Alexander grinned. - Fine. What is the second method?

“I understand,” Alexander Petrovich interrupted him. – Will I know everything he knows, adding to my knowledge and skills?

- Undoubtedly.

- Great. What kind of object? Floor? Age? Social status? And what kind of world is there anyway?

- Future Emperor?! – the head of the corporation was surprised.

“Yes,” the professor nodded. “I thought we were very lucky to have him.” An excellent candidate for creating symbiotic consciousness.

– What are the costs of constantly maintaining the channel?

– Quite modest, we won’t even notice them. Almost all energy consumption goes to channel formation. Breakdown.

“Great,” Alexander said with a satisfied look. “Then I’ll expect you in ten hours with a report.” Best wishes.