Their stories were confused and strange. They told about iron cohorts of merciless fanatics destroying everything in their way and knowing no fear. They told about people and clones that felt no pain, no fear, no pity. They told about thousands of people carried off and no trace of the captives was found in any world. Of course, even in the uneasy times of Usurpation, Erkhart’s activity would earlier or late have caused a large-scale investigation and nobody could foretell how it all would end. But the upheaval happened. And Erkhart did not support any of the sides. Later he declared that he did not recognize Regent, but was not going to confront him.

Now Erkhart keeps under his control a vast remote area where his punitive fleet was acting during the last year and a half. Not interfering directly in the domestic affairs of the worlds under his control, he lays them under tribute, which includes also slaves. Nobody dare argue with Erkhart. Besides the grim aura of mystery and horror enveloping his fleet, all potential opponents are afraid of some “secret weapon” of Dead Fleet. What it is nobody knows, but everybody knows that Lord Erkhart had applied Star Rapier by the order of Usurper Diego during his punitive expeditions.

Fortunately, Erkhart has no longer Star Rapier – the only functioning copy of this weapon is located in the Inner Empire – but the rumors that Erkhart possesses something absolutely infernal hinder a half of the galaxy from sleeping calmly.

But these are only the rumors, which haven’t been confirmed with anything. On the contrary, the events of the recent months (when one of Erkhart’s commanders made an attempt to capture a prototype of Star Rapier during invasion into the space of Empire Confederation) make suppose that Erkhart has not have any super-weapon yet, but only is looking for it.