Выпуск 21. Михаил Судаков

up. I was wearing a pantsuit, did the styling in a beauty salon, light makeup, put on my favorite shoes from Jimmy Choo. After all, I was invited to «Roscosmos» and I wanted to make an impression. They met me and escorted to the office. The door opened, and in the office I saw a bunch of ragged men. Everyone's eyes were wild, all faces were red, rumpled, shirts worn out, ties loosened and the ashtrays were full of cigarette butts.

      Terry looked at Anastasia in surprise.

      ANASTASIA GRADECKAYA

      – Then I realized: they were clearly discussing my nominee. Having noticed me, they calmed down, straightened their, so to speak, shirts and ties. Baranov Sergey Antonovich, the head of «Roscosmos», started introducing me and telling them who I was and that I was one of many candidates for the position of linguist and psychologist. The management wanted to have two Russian cosmonauts on board of the shuttle, as this would increase the prestige of our country. After a short meeting Sergei Antonovich led me to introduce Igor Vladimirovich. Then Igor came up to me and looked at me with an appraising look.

      Anastasia Gradeckaya frowned and put on deep voice.

      ANASTASIA GRADECKAYA

      – Hi, my name is Igor Vladimirovich. I’m your mentor and will prepare you for the flight in orbit. From your personal files, I know that you are a professor of psychology and linguistics at Moscow State Technological University named after N.E. Bauman. Perhaps, these skills will be useful to you on the Earth, but not in space. So don’t expect pity from me. Neither I’m going to see your tears during the training! If you don’t like it, the four doors on the first floor are always open.

      Terry turned to Anastasia.

      TERRY TAYLOR

      – Did he really say so? Don’t expect pity from me and don’t pour tears?

      ANASTASIA GRADECKAYA

      – Yes! Can you imagine? And then it started: eight months of hell, torment, cries and tears.

      Terry laughed.

      ANASTASIA GRADECKAYA

      – He is a physical education coach – I'm in tears. Survival courses – I'm in tears. Fire training courses – I'm in tears. He is at the controls of an airplane – I am unconscious, but without tears.

      Anastasia and Terry laughed.

      TERRY TAYLOR

      – I didn't know these stories.

      ANASTASIA GRADECKAYA

      – In general, it sucks. But I’m not what they think of me: they press me and I push harder in response.

      TERRY TAYLOR

      – Wow.

      ANASTASIA GRADECKAYA

      – But then, eight months later, after passing the tests, he came up to me with grades and congratulated me on being a member of the «New World» shuttle team. I had competed with 10 applicants from different countries, and even men were among them. But they chose me, a simple teacher from the university, because my indicators were better than others.

      TERRY TAYLOR

      – Since they chose you, it means that you are not so simple.

      Terry confused Anastasia with his gaze and words.

      ANASTASIA GRADECKAYA

      – Igor Vladimirovich is a great fellow! I am very grateful to him for my training and for being here now.

      Igor Vladimirovich flew up to Terry and Anastasia. The girl stood up, giving way to the second pilot Igor. Her mentor put his hand on her shoulder and thereby stopped his colleague.

      IGOR VLADIMIROVICH

      – Sit, sit. What about diagnostics?

      TERRY TAYLOR

      – I checked 8 out of 12 nodes, so there is work.

      IGOR VLADIMIROVICH

      – Will you manage it yourself?

      TERRY TAYLOR

      – Yes, of course.

      IGOR VLADIMIROVICH

      – Moreover, you have a great assistant, she is the future of the Russian space.

      Anastasia with her head held high, looked at Igor, as she liked his words about her.

      IGOR VLADIMIROVICH

      – If you need me, I’m in the cabin.

      TERRY TAYLOR

      – Good.

      Igor went on the first level again.

      TERRY TAYLOR

      – Well, you see, Nastya, he isn’t so scary.

      She appreciated Terry's sarcasm. They continued the conversation and performed diagnostics of the orbital nodes. 20 minutes passed, and the team gathered again in the cockpit. Everyone took his or her place. Terry and Igor discussed further actions and possible contingencies. Igor nodded his head, and the captain opened a channel of communication with the FCC.

      TERRY TAYLOR

      – Rich, are you receiving me?

      Rich was walking around the FCC with a tuna sandwich washing it down with tea. He was going around his colleagues, asking them about their personal life. Having bitten off a good piece, he enjoyed it with pleasure. Hearing Terry's voice in the headset, Rich spat out the chewed leftovers in the first ballot box before he could swallow them.

      RICH RUDIGER

      – I’m receiving you, Terry.

      TERRY TAYLOR

      – The shuttle and the crew is ready to start spatial move.

      RICH RUDIGER

      – Roger that.

      Walking to his workplace, Rich ate in a hurry the rest of the sandwich and drank some tea. He put the mug on the table and turned on the speakerphone.

      RICH RUDIGER

      – FCC team! I’m announcing a three-minute preparation for the start of spatial displacement.

      In a separate room of the FCC, where the high society and guest stars were located, after the announcement of a three-minute readiness, the eyes of all gathered guests turned to the huge central screen of the FCC. Television and Internet broadcasts started gaining viewers massively.

      Rich's colleagues set aside their personal affairs as well as fast food and drinks. They began to prepare for the next phase of the «New World» mission. The excitement and tension in the FCC had been growing with every second. Rich switched the communication channel to the International Orbiting Satellite.

      RICH RUDIGER

      – IOS, this is FCC, come in!

      Indian astronaut Sadhir Bin Osman, Russian astronaut Ruslan Nikolayevich, British astronaut Andrew Scott and Charlie Holond from the United States of America sat in one of the IOS residential modules at the monitors and computers. They were getting ready to launch equipment for spatial movement.

      CHARLIE HOLLAND

      – Rich, this is IOS, I’m receiving you.

      RICH RUDIGER

      – Charlie, the «New World» shuttle is ready for spatial displacement. I give permission to run the collider.

      CHARLIE HOLLAND

      – Rich, roger that, starting.

      Charlie Holland began to lead his colleagues, preparing IOS for the launch of the collider. Ruslan Nikolaevich and Sudhir Bin Osman activated huge solar panels and aligned them in the direction of the Sun. Andrew Scott and Charlie Holland were watching the indicators and the data arriving on computers.

      SUDHIR BIN OSMAN

      – Energy is at the maximum, we are ready to run the collider.

      CHARLIE HOLLAND

      – Great.

      On his