A summary of Sergei Lukyanenko’s "Dive to the Stars" Automatic translate

A collection of short fiction by a prominent master of Russian science fiction, first published in 2008. This book is a kaleidoscope of stories about deep space missions, unexpected encounters with alien intelligences, and the difficult moral choices of people in the future. The text demonstrates a huge diversity of plots and styles. Readers will find everything here: from gritty space battles to quiet personal dramas on abandoned asteroids and orbital stations. The author skillfully blends humor, philosophy, and action, compelling them to deeply empathize with each character. The writer asks complex questions about the responsibility of individuals for the fate of entire civilizations.

The short story of the same name, which gave the title to this entire series of works, was entered into the popular online literary competition "Torn Hot-water Bottle." There, the text received well-deserved recognition from readers and rigorous critics, cementing the author’s status as a superb master of the short form. Critics praised the unexpected plot twists and the characters’ profound psychological insight.

Mercenaries and loners

In the first story in the collection, the crew of the ship "Mirror-2," led by the experienced Captain Alex, undertakes the taming of an incredibly powerful but capricious halfling dreadnought called the "Silver Rose." The intelligent machine refuses to obey humans without a combat test. The heroes find an unconventional solution to the dangerous situation. They cleverly simulate a battle and infest the ship with Earth rats, proving the right of imperfect humans to control perfect technology. The story "L is for People" takes the reader to the planet Terfan. Special Impersonator Ingvar Wistin modifies his body to survive in a hostile atmosphere and engages in battle with the monster Org. Ingvar refuses to kill the beast, retaining his humanity.

On a small orbital station in deep space, lonely astrophysicist Maxim finds refuge from a prolonged depression. He adopts an ordinary Earth cat and secretly distills moonshine from food concentrates ("Buy a Cat"). Philosophical conversations with his fictional pet help the hero understand the true value of long-held love and return to normal life. In the dark story "The Heart of the Snark," Robert hunts sea giants. The beast’s entrails grant people a cure for fatal diseases. Tourists Alexander and Alina hire Robert, kill the snark, and eat its bleeding heart for a culinary pleasure. The captain is left alone with the weight of his cruel act.

Justice and Dreams

A stern Executor secretly arrives at the remote colony of New Hope ("We Are Not Slaves"). He quickly uncovers illegal alcohol sales to the backward local aborigines. A high-ranking official falls passionately in love with a female pilot, Zhanna, after taking a special pill that stimulates emotions. Despite his intense feelings, he fulfills his stern professional duty and delivers a guilty verdict against every colonist without exception. In the title story, "Dive to the Stars," a young boy, Sowi, dives to the very bottom of a rapidly shrinking ocean. The artificial intelligence of an ancient colonial starship, hidden beneath the water, deliberately violates direct programming directives. The enormous machine shifts heavy seafloor slabs and releases a jet stream to save the drowning child.

The Earth cruiser Rubezh destroys an enemy Lothan landing convoy in an unequal battle ("In the Name of the Earth"). Only the courageous gunner Demchenko survives. Soon, the damaged cruiser flies to suppress an armed rebellion on a densely populated planet. There, Captain Victor suddenly realizes the brutality of the punitive mission and orders an immediate ceasefire. Pilot Steve Blanders loudly quarrels with his ship’s insolent cyberbrain ("Captain"). The hero accidentally discovers an abandoned old starship and joyfully moves aboard. A tired guard escorts teenager Daniel Link ("Category Z"). The boy possesses a phenomenal ability to alter reality through the power of faith. The guard sincerely pities the prisoner and saves him from security agents.

On the outskirts of the universe

Paratrooper Timur Dorzhanov, at the cost of his life, makes his way to a crashed missile through the toxic jungles of Arana ("Very Important Cargo"). He connects a module to a surviving memory unit, hoping to salvage the data. A cynical deception is later revealed. Cunning doctors were recording the intense emotions of a man fighting for his life to treat apathetic patients on Earth. Captain Yan Troyev is peacefully resting in a forest house with old war buddies ("The Visit"). The idyll turns out to be a dream. In reality, Troyev swallows a sleeping pill to forget the faces of the men he shot. In the action-packed novella "The Ability to Pull the Trigger," engineer Viktor voluntarily accepts a hypnotic matrix — a combat behavior pattern downloaded into his memory. He gains lethal skills and easily rescues his comrades from captivity.

Cheerful reserve sergeant Ivan Pereletny lands in the quiet museum town of Sidonia on Mars ("Blood Orgy in Martian Hell"). He skillfully organizes a brutal rebuff to Baron Trash’s brutal gang. Terrified museum workers use ancient alien artifacts and confidently defeat the formidable invaders. In Moscow at night, Special Ambassador Anatoly Belov conducts complex diplomatic negotiations with arachnid aliens ("Evening Conversation with the Special Ambassador"). The arrogant Grags categorically demand half the Earth, but unexpectedly back down. The aliens leave the humans alone, terrified of humanity’s mythical guardians, who can easily form entire star systems from the cold vacuum of space.

Miracles and scams

In the ironic story "If You Contact Us Right Now…," a comical alien merchant sells defective spaceships and unprecedented technology to greedy Earth governments in exchange for gold. The purchased miracle technology operates solely according to the laws of an alien mind, bringing new, insoluble problems to its owners. Pilot David communicates with the multi-tentacled D-Doria ("Negotiators"). He proves to the alien the peaceful intentions of humans, exploiting the fundamental differences between male and female Earth psychology. Guide Andrei and biologist Pavel buy a dried alien paw in Chile ("Ahaulya lyalapta"). A cunning old Indian turns out to be a disguised alien who crashed, methodically selling off the body parts of his dead comrades.

Builders Petrovich and Lvovich take on a lucrative contract to build a gigantic sanatorium complex on Procyon-2 ("Construction Project of the Century"). The stern General Juan dictates spartan terms and demands extremely strong walls. The buildings’ grim true purpose soon becomes apparent. The partners have effectively erected a secure concentration camp for the deposed government. Due to the extremely poor quality of the materials, the buildings collapse, and the dictator is overthrown by escaped prisoners. In the final story, the cunning friends build a glass aquarium for a visiting delegation of the Buli race ("Dry from Water"). Due to the foreman’s negligence, a radioactive, rusty submarine and carnivorous piranhas end up in the tank. The frightened Buli hastily sign a peace treaty with humanity.