A Summary of Roman Zlotnikov’s "Step to the Stars"

Roman Zlotnikov’s science fiction novel, written in 2013, tells the story of an Earthling’s social adaptation in an alien cultural environment, set against the backdrop of a rigidly structured alien society. The text reveals the mechanisms of legitimizing a free person within a closed caste system through rigorous trials.

This work continues the "Earthling" cycle, being the second book in the series. This literary cycle includes the novels "Earthling," "The Russians Never Surrender," and "In the Service of the Great House."

Medical manipulations on Cigars

Protagonist Nick arrives on the planet Cigari at Professor Neishel’s prestigious clinic. He is joined by Scarecrow Tris, engineer Gra Niopol, and several other loyal crew members. The group urgently requires advanced medical knowledge and complex parallel body modifications. The professor is experiencing significant difficulties obtaining a local license due to the machinations of envious competitors. Nick quickly discovers a legal loophole in international law, allowing the experienced doctor to legally operate on foreign citizens on the planet. The satisfied professor immediately grants the team a maximum package of services with a substantial discount and bonuses. The entire order for eight people costs the hero almost 160 million credits.

Breaking into an abandoned vehicle

After a major base upgrade, Nick, Tris, and Gra Niopol head to the Kokotka orbital junk station. A damaged Lusitania supply transport, the Alcrin-44, drifts at the edge of the system. Using a modern decryption system, the companions hack the outer defenses. They enter the airlock in a small rescue boat. The ship’s artificial intelligence blocks access to the vessel’s inner decks. The military defense program allows only full citizens of Lusitania inside. An engineer converts a bulky Krion-5RM repair droid into a mobile cloaking suit. Nick hides inside a cramped, hot mechanism and makes his way through the decks straight to the captain’s block.

The former transport commander secretly altered the security settings for his nightly visits. The system responds to Nick’s intrusion with an orange alert instead of red. The automatic security alert is canceled. The hero gains unimpeded physical access to the ship’s servers. He downloads classified military protocols of the Lusitanian fleet. A detailed analysis reveals a basic recognition algorithm. The artificial intelligence checks only for Lusitanian citizenship. The computing system strictly ignores racial, ethnic, or genetic biological markers.

Life on the planet Lusitania

The team understands the urgent need for legalization. The heroes depart for Lusitania on a passenger transit liner. In a comfortable cabin, Nick confesses to his partners his true Earth origins. He plans to convert the recovered transport into a heavy cartographic cruiser. The profitable sale of accurate maps of star systems will provide enormous funds for the lengthy search for Earth. Engineer Gra Niopol and Scarecrow Tris fully approve of this plan. The experienced engineer immediately begins designing new scanning modules.

At the Lusitania orbital terminal, Nick receives a basic zero social adaptation rating. To earn additional points, he descends to the industrial city of Beauvais. The hero officially joins the city’s fire brigade. Local cultural traditions require regular male participation in brutal, friendly hand-to-hand combat. The Earthling joins a local community led by the Lusitanian Dakrit. The influential captain of the community highly values the newcomer’s combat potential. Dakrit helps Nick find a high-quality, rank 3 hand-to-hand combat base. The hero begins competing in the amateur planetary championship "Chain." Experience in tough fights in garbage dumps helps him quickly advance through the tournament bracket.

Nick wins several fights in a row. The hero earns the long-awaited residence permit. He communicates regularly with his colleagues at the fire station, Glaudid and Trob. The clever Earthling carefully studies the mood of the Lusitanians. Full citizenship of Lusitania requires a practically unattainable social adaptation rating of 10. An ordinary immigrant accumulates such high scores for about 80 years. The Earthling stubbornly continues to perform in the arena.

Terrorist attack at the hotel

Scarecrow Tris restores her damaged face using advanced regenerative medicine. She flies to the semi-criminal transit station of Trunque. Tris secretly purchases a very expensive yacht, the "Shot." The high-speed vessel previously belonged to the exiled Lusitanian clan Cort. The partners meet at the rooftop bar of the elite Pritentiott Hotel. Tris informs Nick of the colossal financial outlay for the ship’s purchase. After a brief businesslike conversation, she dons a pilot’s helmet and takes off.

Minutes later, unknown saboteurs blow up the lower floors of the enormous building. The 220-story skyscraper begins to collapse, leaving confused civilians on the roof. Nick takes command, supported by Commander Huron, who happens to be nearby. He forces the survivors to lie flat on a huge floor mat. The structure slides off the falling roof. This daring maneuver significantly slows the final fall. The survivors hit the ground next to a mobile regeneration complex used by fire brigades. Medics urgently rescue 29 injured people.

Recognition of the Conclave of Houses

Lusitania’s society is genuinely impressed by the alien’s courageous act. Nick is automatically inducted into the elite ranks of fighters — the "Golden Ten." The ceremonial initiation ceremony takes place in the ancient Temple of Swords. The influential Chairman of the House Conclave, Taibren, personally presents the hero with the heavy officer’s sword of House Cort. Dakrit quietly explains to the human the nature of a hidden political intrigue. The powerful Kernet clan has decided to cruelly humiliate the exiled House Cort. Cynical politicians have elevated a random outsider to the rightful rank of officer of the disgraced clan.

The hero achieves his main goal and receives full Lusitanian citizenship. He quickly flees the planet. The companions fly on the yacht "Brosok" to the abandoned supply transport. In deep space, powerful sensors unexpectedly detect the wreckage of the courier vessel "Molniya-009." Inside the explosion-ravaged compartments, the heroes find the dead crew and the desiccated corpse of the head of House Cort. The courier’s crew performed a ritual murder of the dishonored leader. Then the loyal crew destroyed themselves. A cache of the valuable metal rhodium is discovered in the captain’s cabin. A secret military artificial intelligence is also stored there.

Awakening the crew

The yacht successfully docks with the Lusitanian transport Alcrin-44. The ship’s artificial intelligence instantly scans Nick’s updated network. The intelligent program firmly establishes the legal status of the Cort clan officer. The enormous supply transport comes under the full control of the human. The command network appoints the hero the high-ranking position of interim captain. The automatic defense kinetic turrets are deactivated. The companions joyfully celebrate their first major success in the captain’s quarters.

Engineer Niopol hurriedly heads to the medical bay. He’s looking for a specific capsule containing his old teenage crush, pilot Akrinen. The engineer enters a system command to open the electronic locks. The automated system simultaneously awakens 219 Kort Clan soldiers from deep suspended animation. The tired crew slept in field liquid regenerators for 70 long years.

The awakened, sturdy stormtroopers, led by experienced Sergeants Grokk and Pinolli, launch a surprise attack on Nick and Tris. The soldiers quickly capture the companions. The marines meticulously verify updated information via the ship’s command network. An impartial confirmation of the House Cort officer’s status radically changes the situation. Assault Sergeant Grokk issues a formal apology. The confused soldiers submit completely and unconditionally to the Earthman’s command.

Forming a new team

Nick gathers all the awakened marines in the spacious bar on deck six. He explains in detail the current political situation on the planet Lusitania. Their native House Cort has been ignominiously exiled. The influence of the Great Houses on society has noticeably weakened. Free return to the planet requires publicly renouncing their sacred military oath. For soldiers loyal to their oath, this is considered an indelible disgrace. The hero offers the military a logical alternative. The resourceful technician Vaerli finds a suitable law in ancient codes.

Former paratroopers can take a personal oath of allegiance to Nick. The Earthling is officially recognized as an officer of their clan. This legal act will preserve their impeccable military honor. In exchange, Nick promises to fully cover extensive retraining, the purchase of new specialized bases, and the installation of expensive, high-quality implants. The cash advance is covered by a future, secure 10-year service aboard the ship. Former career military personnel readily agree to become reliable civilian specialists. The holds are unloaded, and surplus salvaged equipment is sold at a profit at the Gakkei orbital station.

The beginning of the star expedition

The soldiers accept a lucrative offer. During border control on Lusitania, the close-knit team exploits a legal loophole created by Vaerli. Confused, the border guards allow the fighters through without publicly disavowing their clan. The transport is safely dispatched to the Samlora Cannubias orbital repair shipyard. The restored ship receives the official registration name "Terra Seeker." Former stormtroopers are diligently retrained as flight engineers, pilots, and systems cartographers. The purchased modules are installed in new mapping probes.

To ensure proper flight documentation, Nick hires a temporary, retired captain, Duhemi Eul. The humble earthling himself temporarily serves as an intern. En route to their destination, the ship makes a stop at the Tripolie military station in the Republic of Ontgram. The crew actively assists local Admiral Aliro in repairing the fleet after heavy fighting with pirates. The crew gains valuable practical experience. The massive cruiser sets off on its first long expedition to the dark frontier for commercial mapping of unexplored star systems.