An Antarctic Island.
10/27/2120
Zavirdyaev looked down. The circle with the illuminated rocky surface was getting closer and closer. Finally, the tunnel ended and a slight wind blew in his back. It was a normal Earth wind. Only now did Zavirdyaev realize that he had missed such trifles.
The surface of the earth looked untouched - the exhaust streams of the shuttle beat to the sides, leaving an untouched patch in the middle.
The metal landing legs gleamed in the light of the lanterns provided somewhere in the lower part of the ship.
The rocky island had a mostly flat relief. Somewhere a couple of hundred meters away the sea roared. The night sky shone with a phosphorescent green light. In the south, above the horizon, bunches of slightly yellowish lines rose up, reminiscent of the lights from Landskricht's fingers. Zavirdyaev looked around. Landskricht stood a little further away and watched him.
- Here's a trip to the other end of the Earth for you, - she said cheerfully.
- It looks somehow, I would say, alien, - Zavirdyaev answered and nodded towards the pole.
- Call it what you want. In general, yes, people all over the world are now under the impression of the spectacle, but it will not last long. Not in the sense that the glow will not last long, but in the sense that soon those who were squeezing their weapons in their hands will grab them tighter again. And some did not let go of them. That's how they are.
Zavirdyaev moved a little to the side of the shuttle and raised his head up.
- Be more careful, - shouted Landskricht, - some of the stones further on may still be hot.
- No wonder I feel a warmth coming from somewhere, - answered Zavirdyaev, trying to make out the place where the habitable compartment had been.
- The ship looks impressive, doesn't it? - said Landskricht, who had come up.
- And won't they spot us here? - asked Zavirdyaev.
- No, that's unlikely. Only the most important optical communications are working now, and even then, not quite correctly. Don't forget about my demarche of the machines. They'll be sorting this out for a long time.
Then they both headed towards the sea coast. Zavirdyaev was mostly silent, occasionally looking back and raising his head to the towering colossus.
The shore turned out to be flat, with small stones. Landskricht simply sat down and began to move her hand along the water, as if she, too, was missing something earthly.
Zavirdyaev silently sat down on a rock and began to peacefully observe what was happening. It wouldn't hurt to have a smoke, but where could he get cigarettes?
He inhaled the cool air. It was spring here in the southern hemisphere, but it was more like October in Superfederant.
- What are we going to do? - Zavirdyaev finally said. - It's cold here, don't you think? Just like there...
- Like there, with us, - Landskricht grinned. - You're talking about Superfederant, right?
- About that very one, - Zavirdyaev answered. - How long will we have to spend here? You were talking about a few days?
- Yes, we need to wait until the missile defense control system completely collapses. Then it will be safest for us to transfer the shuttle and especially to land.
- I see, - Zavirdyaev answered and silently stared into the distance.
- Okay, I suggest you take a walk somewhere. We can't hang around here all day.
- Where? To the other side of the island? I'd rather get on the shuttle. Of course, I could take a tent with me, - he added, trying to joke, - but to tell the truth, that's an acquired taste.
- You wanted to go to the Soviet Union, right?
- You said there was no time machine. And anyway, I wouldn't like to remember that.
- That's not what I meant. Remember, I was talking about a world where Soviet rules reign, and in the Western style. And with puppets on the podium. The SFS might remind you of something. It'll be fun. Do you want to?
- How are we going to get there? - Zavirdyaev perked up, knowing from experience that Landskricht would most likely not throw words around.
- Very simple. You just need to blindfold yourself. And not peek.
With these words, she extended her hand, in which she was holding a black scarf that had appeared out of nowhere.
- Well then. There's nothing else to do anyway, - Zavirdyaev answered, - Shouldn't the shuttle be locked?
- You'll be surprised, but we do, - Landskricht answered calmly and headed toward the ship, throwing the scarf around Zavirdyaev's neck along the way.
- What are you going to do?
Everything has been tested for centuries and millennia, - she said in a businesslike manner, standing at the stairs leading into the ship.
Then she grabbed a step and rose. The clanking of metal was heard.
Zavirdyaev strode toward the entrance node in bewilderment.
- Do you know what the matter is? - Landskricht's voice was heard. - Sometimes these birds climb where they are not wanted. I think seagulls fly here. Well, polar seagulls. Those are some birds. If they don't build a nest, they'll crawl higher and make a mess. That's what they are.
- So this grate is for birds, or what? - Zavirdyaev said in amazement, watching Landskricht descend back.
- It's for everything. Mainly for rocks, but also for cattle. For animals. How is it correct in Russian? Although all these live in a person's village. For animals. And also for savages of varying degrees of development. Do you see those nodes - she pointed to some niches in the lower part of the ship - do you know what they're for?
- For what?
- You can put turrets there. Electromagnetic guns mostly.
- Well, well. Did they foresee all this?
- Yes, but "they" is not AEX or GBA. I told you, these ships are countless years old. Constellations, or rather individual engineers, received the drawings. This is in addition to the fact that at first they were stunned to see real ships. The drawings in electronic form, of course, the artificial intelligence slightly adapted. They did not remove or change anything that was not entirely clear. That's how it turned out. Funny, huh?
- Well, well, - Zavirdyaev said once again.
- Okay, blindfold yourself. - Landskricht interrupted the story, - after all, for your stress during the flight, you are entitled to rest and entertainment. Eh, - she grumbled impatiently, - let me blindfold you.
At one point, when Zavirdyaev was standing at attention, Landskricht, as not for the first time, grabbed his wrist.
- Now you will feel something like weightlessness. Don't be afraid of it, - she announced.
Instead of weightlessness, Zavirdyaev suddenly felt... that he felt nothing. As if he had no body at all. This was not at all the sensation he had experienced after the paralyzing lights. The clarity of consciousness did not disappear anywhere. However, the unusual feeling soon subsided. It did not last very long - Landskricht managed to say only a few words - all this time she was chatting and all this time she could be heard.
- We are removing the bandage, - she announced solemnly.
Zavirdyaev opened his eyes and was not at all surprised - in front of him was a green area, like some kind of park. It was definitely a park, otherwise where would the asphalt sidewalks come from. Well, here we are on another Earth, - Landskricht announced. You need to change your clothes, otherwise you look... - she shook her head, - You look unusual.
- And you?
- I'm always fine. Let's go, - she pulled him by the hand somewhere down the sidewalk. - I have a car there and everything you need. You'll have something to see and how not to do. After all, you are now an outstanding figure too. Haven't you forgotten?