What drives fate, what forces control the world and determine the course of events? This question worries not only humanity, which is gradually settling in the galaxy, the kothi, representatives of a race that has absolute power within the material world, are also looking for an answer to it. In ancient times, they moved part of the population from Earth to another planet, wanting to direct it along the "optimal" path of development, but people went the usual road of wars, intrigues and social cataclysms. The militant inhabitants of a resource-rich planet became interested in a terrorist sect professing Manichaeism - a doctrine that recognizes the entire material world as the product of the devil and sets itself the goal of its complete destruction. The threat of extermination hangs over all of humanity. And a dilemma arises: either destroy a dangerous planet, or give people a chance to cope with the threat themselves...