CHAPTER 2: THE RIGHT STUFF
Time is: Spring 1958
MURCA
THE CAPE
Sam Francisco was hard at work. He was sitting in his office, even tinier than the Director's. The floor was littered by crumpled pieces of paper that contained budget proposals with arithmetic errors in them.
"Six plus two plus four plus twenty...yes! It all adds up!", he finally declared, holding up the newest paper, covered in pencil scribblings.
He stared at the numbers for a while and cursed.
"FUCK!"
How could this be? The numbers danced! They danced before him, not wanting to line up properly!
"Are you done, Sam?", von Braun poked his head in, "The budget meeting's about to start!"
"NO!", Francisco spat back, "Not yet! Not now!"
"Well, hurry up already! The situation's becoming critical, the astronauts have been walking majestically for days and are about to collapse! They need to know if we can hire them!"
"ARGH CAN'T DO IT TOO MUCH PRESSURE!!!"
Director Johnny von Braun was a keen observer of the human condition (he had to be, in order to replace slaves that were about to break down before they could cause damage) and could see something was wrong, so he took charge of the situation. He did some quick calcs and fed Sam the correct numbers.
"There. Now haul ass!"
Shamed, but not defeated, Sam headed to the budget meeting. The research team would be most satisfied indeed, and the astronauts could finally rest, for the budget also included lavish facilities for them.
Code: Select all
Current funds: 64 megabucks
Current astronaut roster: MODEMJR, FLASHHEART, CUNTSER, MCCAIN, KELLY, HARDBEEF, OHJESUS
Programs running: Explorer, Atlas
Launch pads: 1
Missions planned: Launch Pad A, orbital satellite ; SCRUBBED
ZENOBIA
BAIKONUREK
The mood inside the tiny, hot and humid bunker was grim. Well, not for everyone. Two people were unbelievably smug this season - the representative from the
Krasnyj Oktabr rocket factory, who managed to avoid being sent to Zyberia thanks to his extensive library containing copies of memoranda he sent to von Evilstein last year, and of course the newly appointed Director of Operations, Syrgy Pavylyvych. The latter was being continuously glared at by von Evilstein.
"...and so, we are going to scrub this season's planned missions in order to perform the scheduled upgrades. Refer to budget document page 54 for summaries of the total budgets for rocket and satellite research. We will attempt two new launches in the fall, to allow for the improvements to be properly integrated, but still outrun the vile Murcans."
The smugness increased tenfold. For Syrgy Pavylyvych, it smelled like victory. He had to be cautious, though, as his position was still too tenous to be entirely secure.
Syrgy Pavylyvych would resign himself to incessant grumbling about everything, but without outright obstructionism.That should bring the most...politically expedient results. After the Thanasian inevitably failed, it would be the time to strike.
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Current funds: 50 megabucks
Current astronaut roster: KARZANOVSKI, IVANOV, FAAABIO, DOSTAROVASKI, IVANOVICH, NIKOV, TITOV
Programs running: Sputnik, A-Series
Launch pads: 2
Missions planned: Launch Pad A, orbital satellite; SCRUBBED
Launch Pad B, orbital satellite; SCRUBBED
Time is: Fall 1958
MURCA
THE CAPE
"Stupid Randians...", muttered Director Johnny von Braun as he put down the morning paper. His bumpy, shakey Geepers had just come to a stop and wait just a minute!
The Geepers came to a stop in front of a really nice white building. And there were other buildings where a huge open field was just yesterday.
"Whoa", von Braun said, "Where are we? Where's my office?"
"Inside, sir! Over here!"
That was Sam Francisco, with a huge shit-eating grin on his face. He ushered the Director through posh, expensive-looking corridors that smelled of newness, right into von Braun's new office.
The moment von Braun sat down on his brand new leather chair, thoughts of asking where the money for all that came from just went *poof* and evaporated.
"I am glad you like it, Director!", Sam beamed and immediately slammed von Braun with a string of reports, "And I have lots of other good news, too! We are right on schedule with the Atlas and Explorer programs! The new launch pad will be done by January, so we've taken the liberty of scheduling two Explorer missions for the spring. The satellite is thoroughly tested, we estimate a 95% reliability factor on it...the Atlas is a little weaker, but we can get the kinks worked out on time provided we get the funding to do so before the missions launch.
And the Zenobians are struggling to catch up to our manly Murcan endavours, despite the stall in production!"
Johnn von Braun would grin and drink to that, but he decided against celebrating just yet. You never knew with the damn Zenobian communoids.
Code: Select all
Current funds: 35 megabucks
Current astronaut roster: MODEMJR, FLASHHEART, CUNTSER, MCCAIN, KELLY, HARDBEEF, OHJESUS
Programs running: Explorer, Atlas
Launch pads: 2
ZENOBIA
BAIKONUREK
And damn, the Zenobians were doing entirely too well for a bunch of inefficient communist sympathizers.
"Jawohl! Das ist excellent!", von Evilstein exclaimed. That strange Czech man was a true genius, although he was associated with the damned Zenobian upstart with delusions of grandeur. Still, since the name of the game for the last six months were technological improvements, von Evilstein could not reject such a huge improvement to the
Sputnik. He'd approve the modifications...and think about disposing of his enemies later.
Ja. They would rue the day still! For taking his glory away...
The rockets were prepared, the buttons were all done. In two months, von Evilstein would become a hero!
Code: Select all
Current funds: 15 megabucks
Current astronaut roster: KARZANOVSKI, IVANOV, FAAABIO, DOSTAROVASKI, IVANOVICH, NIKOV, TITOV
Programs running: Sputnik, A-Series
Launch pads: 2
Missions planned: Launch Pad A, orbital satellite
Launch Pad B, orbital satellite
***
MISSIONS LAUNCH
SPUTNIK V, OCTOBER 1958
"Engines running! Rocket lifting off...readouts green..."
"Rising...rising...rising!"
Yes! Yes! Yes! Rise harder! Higher!, von Evilstein thought while hyperventillating furiously.
"NEIN! NEIN! NEINEINEINEINEINEIN!"
"Director, come with me, please.", Comissar Omeganski urged. It was not a request.
As von Evilstein left the command bunker, he couldn't help but notice a satisfied grin on Syrgy Pavylyvych's face...and a thought struck him. Yes. A very EVIL THOUGHT.
SPUTNIK VI, DECEMBER 1958
It only took an anonymous letter written to the correct authorities. Only a small letter, yet so much has changed for the December launch.
Syrgy Pavylyvych was now standing right next to von Evilstein in the command bunker. And behind them, a squad of Interior Ministry troops however menacingly, ready to arrest both of them should the launch fail. Suspicion of sabotage abounded, since many people noticed how antagonistic the new Director of Operations was towards his nominal boss.
It wasn't that Doom von Evilstein was a vindictive man. It was that he was a
fucking vindictive man, and if he was going to Zyberia for failure, he'd be taking everyone he could with him.
Both men held their breaths as the countdown finished, and the ground rumbled.
"Rocket cleared the pad...", the technician reading out status updates was dismayed and pessimistic, "Readouts green...rising..."
Something strange was going on. Minutes passed, yet no catastrophe.
"Altitude 50...60...80 kilometres...engines running according to parameters..."
Ja! Ja! Ja, baby! Rise!
"Orbital insertion complete...separating payload..."
"Hardware powering up. Initiating beeping...beeping initiated, comrades! WE ARE BEEPING!"
The control room erupted in spontaneous celebration. Yes! Zenobia had gained the ability to annoy the world with beeping beamed from orbit!