HISTORY OF THE END OF THE WORLD (INTRODUCTION) " Master, please sit down." Orlov ordered the rest of the staff to take their seats. He especially had used the title Master. It meant that he was just a guest and scientific adviser and that he had no political or military task. Without hesitation the master sat down, while putting the sword in front of him. The silence thickened and the guards at the door movede uneasily, waiting for a Orlov's sign to intervene. Some say he gave the sword his own name, others that he adopted the sword's name. Orlov looked at the famous sword in front of him. It really existed or whas it a fake. "Master Jian, you know that it is forbidden to take weapons to a meeting like this. His opponent nodded. " Commander, this is not a weapon, yet." He drew the sword and it fell in pieces on the desk. Orlov had not the faintest idea, where Master Jian was heading. He never had been that interested in history and mythology. Which made him, in his own eyes and the eyes of the Empire, an efficient and component soldier. The way he had handled the sword immediately draw the attention of crewmembers. " They love weapons, expecially ancient ones.", he thought." Commander, this sword has a story to tell." Orlov shrugged his shoulders. " We are past the phase of storytelling, master Jian, the operation has begun and there is no way stopping it." " Commander, that's what von Moltke said to the Kaiser, when he wanted to stop World War 1 on this planet. There is alwaus a chance and there is always hope. Even for my people, though they have made a big mess of this world. Commander this sword carries a story and a power, that could save humankind." The meeting fell silent. Commander Orlov awoke from a silent slumber. All reports had been well. The planet was about to selfdestruct. The dominant human species were hopelessly drifting towards total destruction. Their was hardly any effect, when completing the operation, measurable on futute timeframes. The people were that desperate, that they were awaiting destruction. Hoping to be killed in some kind of disaster. Totally ignoring that they were totally following an, implanted, deathwish. People were living their life, if everyday was their last. And they werre right, even though they had no idea how terrible their fate would be. A quick death was a blessing, for them all. But this was impossible. Some humans were precious, to precious to waste. Their genes, ferocity, manpower and sexual distraction were in high demand. The slavetraders would be the first to move in. " I ask permission to speak." Orlov knew immediately, who had interrupted the beautiful harmony of this meeting. It was the only Earthling , he knew of, whio had fought his way into the Emprial hierarchy being the legitimate heir to this starsystem. He wore simple black clothes, with a seven-pointed star; a provocation Orlov thougnt, on his chest.