A short prequel story from the creator of the Nine Lives of Michal Piech series, featuring the uncle of the titular hero. Set in a multi-national steampunk fantasy empire, betrayed from within and reasserting itself with a vengeance. The Insulan Empire was invaded by a client state, Lenkija, desperate to inflict revenge for decades of humiliation by its larger neighbour. The Lenks have been beaten back, but there is still much to be done to reconquer the parts of the Empire still in Lenkish hands. Kostya Prilukhov volunteered to fight, but ended up swabbing floors and making tea in a hospital. When he meets Captain Zbigniew Piech, an offer to see the front ends up as a lot more.