One Mile Down, Millions of Light Years to Go
Baikonur Kosmodrome
"3...2...1...pusk!" - the rocket begun to slowly move up. Rumbling shook the ground and within the seconds the rocket was up in the air.
"Projectory stable...all readings normal...fuel deplition normal..." - Kraukhin was almost jumping from joy, even though he was not in charge of the project.
"Orbit achieved. The rocket is in stable orbit!" - Kraukhin was the first to yell out an
"ura" that was carried by the rest of the scientsits and military personel present.
Korolev, the designer of the rocket was probably second most excited person in the field. He was glowing with pride.
"Begining re-entry sequence...atmosphere breached, trajectory stable...all readings stable...re-entry complete." - the rocket would land in the Caspian Sea within a few minutes. The first ever test flight of a solid-hydrogen fueled rocket was complete.
And Korolev was looking into the past and was glad it worked. The Military was looking into the present and was glad it worked. Kraukhin was looking into the future and was even more glad it worked.
Sudan, Sahara Desert
"Faster, faster," - two men in desert uniform where hurrying across the monotonous landscape.
"Common Grigory, just a few more kilometers and we will be done." - The first man was Grigory Daugeh, a physisist and an adventurer who allowed his friend to drag him into this crazy expedition.
"Im going, Im going, do you have any water left?" - The other man was Alexei Bykov, an engineer and just as much a crazy adventurer like the first.
"Just a little bit, but we should save it," - The men were best of friends and this was by far not their first time in a desert together going through an adventure.
The Sun was up high, shining on the two men, and the moon was a little lower, barely visible due to the glare of the Sun. Bykov took his binoculars and looked in the direction of the moon where he thought he saw a little speck of light. And indeed a bright star was shining there - Venus. And his mind wondered off, thinking about a wonderful and crazy adventure on Venus.
Lake Baikal
A lone figure is walking through the dense forest surrounding the lake. A tall, very handsome man, with a backpack and a pair of binoculars. He treads slowly along the lake, stopping from time to time to examine something. Then he begins walking again, and sings to himself:
"Понимаешь, ето странно, очень странно..." - and so he walked along the far edge of the lake, with not a single other soul around. His name was Vladimir Yurkovsky, and as he walked he noticed the reflection of the moon and the stars in the lake. One was especially bright, and he looked up to find it.
"The Geology of Venus," - he thought to himself, -
"now that would be something to study."
Crimea, South Ukraine
"Good luck," - friends were cheering on a well built man who was climing into the cockpit of a military airplane.
"Thank you, I'll see you all in a few!" - a wonderfully bright smile spread over his tan fase as Bogdan Spitsin waved back to them.
Simple controls. Engine started, slowly turn the plane around and then start. The engines roared and the new plane dashed down the runway and lifted off, off into the night sky.
As he rose higher and higher the stars became brighter and brighter, and there was one straight ahead of him. A bright star, or maybe a planet, that was almost saying
"come here, try to reach me" to him. And he pressed on, straight for that star. Or was it a planet?
Vostok-4, Outer Space
"Docking doors sealed. Ready to disengage. Over." - Mikhail Krutikov was one of the Russian Austronaughts who piloted the Vostok spacecraft from one station to the next.
"Roger that. Releasing magnetic seals. You are free to go Vostok. Good Flight. Over." - on the other end was an American austronaught aboard MirII. Krutikov never liked Americans, but hey, if they had to work together he would work even with the devil if he would be allowed to pilot something in space.
"Thank you Mir. Krutikov out." - and then came the silence. Nothing and no one until Mikhail reached the Luna Station. He sighed and looked over the controls one last time. Everything was set and he had many a long hour ahead of him. Before dozing off he looked out towards a bright star he could see far away. Venus was especially pretty today. Now that would be a flight, a glorious flight.
Plesetsk Kosmodrome
Yermakov was slowly putting on his uniform. He never liked all this pompous stuff, a uniform with gold buttons, white gloves...what was it all for? He was no better than an ordinary man, just happened to be in charde of a whole Kosmodrome. But he put them on and went to work as usual.
"Good Morning Anatoly Vladmimirovich!" - that was a good worker greeting his boss. But then again, everyone greeted him that way, weather they were in a good mood or not.
"Everything going good, no emergencies." - the report for the night.
Of course there were no emergencies, what could possibly happen? People didnt understand that Anatoly wanted emergencies. Wanted new projects. Wanted to do something other than sit around and fill out bureacratic paperwork. Afterall, he was the best austronaught of RosKosmos, the legend who first landed on the Moon. And all he did now was paperwork. He sighed and looked up at a picture of Venus hanging in his office. Now, if only some day...
MGU, Moscow
Korolev was greeted with enthusiastic cheers by his coleagues. Broad smiles on everyone's fases were the result of a first milestone achieved in a great project that the MGU was working on.
"Now, everyone will have a chance to congratulate Sergey personally, but I want to have a quick meeting." - Kraukhin spoke out. He rose through administrative ranks very fast, and was not very respected amongst the scientists, but never the less they settled down.
"I just want a report from every other team if that is ok." - as if it might not be.
"The study of radiation and waves is in its last stages, we will be finished soon" - Sakharov's announcement brought about a new round of applause.
"The generator will also be completly perfected by the end of the year." - Kurchatov's announcement alos brought about cheering. Everyone remembered the incident with Ryazanov last year and did not want it to happen again.
"A year for the theory, another year for practical aplication," - the sceptical Cleomei spoke out. Nobody knew for sure what he was working on, but it was something big.
"Our work is hit or miss, but I think within two or three years we will have what we need," - Kharitonov's work was indeed hit and miss. Could find what they needed tomorrow, could find it in four years.
"Hios will be ready when we have the rest of the projects done. Design is going great, but we need solid designs from Kurchatov and Khariton." - Korolev was still smiling from the sucessful test yearlier this week.
"Four years?" - Kraukhin seemed please, -
"If its only four years I should start worrying about a crew for the mission."
RosKosmos Building, Moscow
"And now Gentelmen, I introduce the last member of your crew, Alexei Bykov." - All eyes turned towards a short and stout young man. The group indeed included people of all varieties.
"Vladimir Yurkovsky, a geologist" - A tall and handsome blonde man bowed politely.
"Bogdan Spitsin, pilot" - Average height, either very tan or having some Middle Eastern blood in him.
"Mikhail Krutikov, navogator," - This man was also tall, but very pale and skinny. He appeared to be a technical worker, and if it were not for a uniform Bykov could have mistaken him for a techy.
"Well, I don't think I need any introductions here," - Daugeh and Bykov hugged, and as they did Daugeh whispered, -
"Im so glad you are here pal, so glad."
"And now," - said Kraukhin a little forcefully to get Bykov's attention, -
"Anatoly Yermakov, commander." Bykov instantly turned around and brought himself up into a military salute. The ageing Astronaught with gray hair was a legend that even engineers who spent half their time in deserts have heard about.
"And now Gentelmen, lets talk about your mission..."