The Cosmonaut Page #5

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When I woke up, in the dream,

the only thing that remained

from this planet was a faint light

a light prior to the instants,

something primeval... very... basic.

I remembered some words:

"I had been able to

glimpse the brain's autumn,

"the last scene of reason,

"and then a light that froze my blood. "

Paradise one were two seagulls

that flew over the water.

Paradise two were a cluster of clouds

in the northern east skies.

Yesterday I sensed a strange presence.

There was no one there but I still felt it.

You know I don't believe in ghosts

but still...

For a few seconds, I ceased to hear.

An absolute silence.

I screamed petrified and hit with

my fist the ash that covered it all.

I have forgotten your name.

You scared me.

You been there long?

No.

You could've knocked.

I've brought you some berries.

Hi, it's, it's me.

Do you know where Stas is?

Look, are you sitting down?

You're not going to believe

what I'm going to tell you.

The Americans are coming to Star City

to train with us.

There's going to be a joint mission

between Apollo and Soyuz.

Yes.

It's gonna be the first docking

of two countries in space.

And they've asked me to take charge

of our end of the mission.

I didn't know what to say.

Ok.

Ok, I'll see you later.

Andrei, Brehznev has asked me

to develop the UR- 700 programme.

Excuse me, sir?

The Moon Programme I designed.

The one they cancelled.

Yes, yes, of course. It's just that...

I know, the N1 is a big fat iron bird

that's never gonna fly.

We have a chance here

of doing things right for once.

An open mission?

- Don't be naive.

It'll only be disclosed

if we step foot on the Moon.

Wow... I don't know what to say...

I want you to take charge of the mission.

Sir?

- I won't take a no for an answer.

We'll talk soon.

Bye my dear Andrei.

A technician from over there at NASA

was telling me a joke the other day.

Made me promise I wouldn't get angry.

If only he knew the half of it...

So Brezhnev is in the Kremlin

and he's showing his mom

around the place, as you do.

He shows her rooms

with beautiful ornaments,

luxurious banqueting halls...

Oh, and the garage, which of course

is crammed full of limousines.

And he says to her:

"Don't you think your son has done pretty

well by himself mama? Are you proud?".

And his mother replies:

"Not so much proud,

darling, as worried.

"What if the Bolsheviks return?".

I want you to be serious Andrei.

Personal feelings aside for a moment,

no preferences, no judgments.

Who do you think should go?

I would say the situation is

almost comical...

except it isn't.

You wanna know the truth?

I bet if you find these tapes

you won't like to hear this, but...

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