Prokhor Ozornin - On the Wings of Hope - Prose

- After the first Collision part of them have awakened, after all.

- I’ll let you know, Admiral, that after this very first Collision the communication system of the ship has been almost destroyed. Even the woken up crew are practically unable to perform two-way communication. We receive all their reports, while they hardly receive one-two percent of ours. Multiply this by two-three percent of those awakened. According to our calculations the probability that they will manage to correct a course of their vessel on coordinates, which we are trying to transfer to them, and avoid collision with the second Ring, is …

- I perfectly know this, mister Coordinator. I know it all. Current number of woken up crewmen of the space vessel does not allow us to rely on the successful ship-handling in a manual mode. And auto-navigation system has already been destroyed two thousand parsecs ago.

- What’s with other crew ? How successful were manual attempts to shutdown cryogenic systems ?

- Completely unsuccessful. After Collision electronics of ship’s systems has been seriously damaged. With manual shutdown the sleepers either die within several seconds, hardly able to realize what is happening with them, or get considerable spiritual-chemical brain damage.

- What sort of damage ?

- It’s symptoms are the uncontrollable flashes of aggression to all things living. They literally clawed with teeth those, who have awoken them.

- And so we have the following : manual unfreezing doesn’t function properly, and there are not enough awakened crew with required talents and skills onboard in order to activate automated systems. A vicious circle. And the second Ring is just ahead in current course. And ship acceleration has been increasing all the time, making new maneuvers more and more difficult.

- Everything is correct, mister Coordinator.

- What protection measures have been taken in case this vessel will not pass it ?

- We have activated closely located orbital modules. Have moved rescue fleet from the adjacent sector.

- How many crewmen can survive Ring Collision, Admiral ?

- All sleeping ones will surely die. And considering those awakened … very few, mister Coordinator. Very few. Collision will break vessel’s hull for more than forty percent. Space ship will be lost forever in any case.

- Is there is still a possibility to achieve hyperlight molecular jumping, when the vessel will be travelling through V sector, taking his current speed into account ? Being on board, you could help those awakened crew change ship’s course.

- The chance is small, but … but I am personally ready to try to rectify own mistake. With own blood, if it’s possible to say so.

- You know the consequences, Admiral. When molecular reassemblage in a process of jumping is performed, your memory will be erased. It’s restoration will require subsequently huge efforts afterwards.

- I know, Coordinator. No one is capable to perform this transition except you and me, anyway. It still gives a little spark of hope.

- For all of us. For even we are compelled to pay for errors of own children. Even we, Admiral. And may the miracle help them all.

- Just before I leave you now, Coordinator, possibly forever, I nevertheless would like to ask – how is this vessel called ? I mean, how do humanoids, inhabiting it, call their home ? We have our own name for it, but nevertheless …

- Admiral, don’t make me believe that you have already passed the process of molecular reassemblage directly before my eyes. You perfectly know how they call it, - and Coordinator smiled sadly, - that they call it “The Earth”…

29.09.2010

- The storm is approaching, - the captain of a vessel has noticed, - we may be not in time. We should better …

- We will be in time ! – the Mistress has unceremoniously interrupted. – If you have obeyed me three hundred and twenty seven strokes back, we wouldn’t even be caught by it. I have been telling you, dolt, to the south, to the south we had to row ! And what did you say – we’ll go north, we’ll go north ! Sail now to the east, oh my ingenious one ! And don’t even dare to break a boat !

- Oh, don’t start it, - the captain got confused. – Just imagine, how beautiful the north is ! The polar lights, colds, stopping the blood, wind’s howl, making one’s lose his hearing, penguins on ice floes, after all …

- Yeah, penguins is an interesting topic, - I would like to see at least one of them live, - the Middle brother has interrupted the conversation.

- And I desire to go to the West, - the Elder brother said suddenly. Life is a way better there and people are more cultural, don’t swear like some other.

- So you’ll swim there alone, in your next life. If you have sufficient brains. And now we’ll sail to the southeast ! – the Mistress was becoming even more angry.

- Heck, to the south or to the east, make up ye mind at last ! – it was obvious, that captain was already starting to feel the rage.

- At first to the south, and then to the east, wasn’t that clear enough ? Or do you need an instruction for each and every stroke ?

- Dunno need, - the captain has taken offence. - I’ll somehow manage it myself, move away !

And, having this said, he has flopped on vessel’s prow and started to fiercely beat water with oars, as if waves of salty moisture were capable to extinguish a fire, periodically inflaming his soul.

- And where are we sailing now ?! – the Mistress has exclaimed both unceremoniously and pathetically five minutes after the supervision over this nonsense. – There is a north over there ! You have not even turned a boat !

- If you are such a smarty one, take oars and row yourself ! – the captain bawled. - You cannot even appreciate the help !

- I don’t want such “help” even free of charge. You all are just useless, I have to do it all myself !

And with these words the Mistress has taken seat on a stern, and started to make elegant pirouettes on water with oars.

A stroke. And yet again. And several tens of strokes as well. Whooowwwhhh ! – and a wave, which has suddenly rolled on a vessel, washed away half of stock, which was located there, having not spared even banal food.

- What have you made, asshole ! – the Mistress cried out. – All our emergency rations were there, for evil day prepared ! The last gifts of my mother were there ! Not for you, for my children all that I’ve prepared, by grains collected ! What a clumsy one are you, indeed !

- As if I had not did it for children ! – the captain frowned. – And, yeah, if that’s so important for you, you must have fastened it better !

- So I did ! Attached everything, tied it all up ! Who might have known, that you will be able to wash it all away in a single flash !

- The luggage was washed away by a wave, - the Middle has had enough time to interrupt the skirmish. – A man cannot command waves.

- The storm is coming, - the Elder has noticed. – I can already see in on the horizon.

- Just look at what you have done ! – as though not hearing him, the Mistress continued to exclaim. - Has washed away our stock, woken the Younger.

- Yep, yep, - the Younger brother sniffed from a boat’s corner, still opening his eyes. – Has woken, woken ! Bad, nasty !

… and even managed to water our cat !

- Miaow ! – said the cat, who has just got out from under a seat and started to lick own wet wool extensively. - Miaow ! – she has repeated once more and with a reproach in her cattish eyes stared at all the heroes of element’s triumph.

- You row in opposite directions, - the Elder has sarcastically noticed. - Are you planning to continue or going to stop right away ? The storm is already close.