Read Escape Velocity: The Anthology for Free Online Page A
Authors: Unknown
me? I am waving at you.”
“ I see you.”
“ The largest boulders. We are working behind them.”
As Matthews and Davis made their way into the canyon, they spotted the very top of a large spacecraft that had landed among the gigantic stones. Rounding the last of the massive obstacles, both men stopped and stared in shock at what they saw.
It was not an unmanned lander, or a sample-return craft. It was a spacecraft sitting on four legs, similar to an old Apollo Lunar Module.
Alexei Gordonov snapped a picture and moved to his right for another shot from a different angle.
Greshchenko was standing at the top of the access ladder on the lander and peering into a circular window built into the hatch door. He said something in Russian and Gordonov replied with a grunt.
“ What the hell is this thing?” Matthews gasped.
Gordonov snapped another photograph. “It is an LK, the lunar lander section of a LOK system. It was launched from Earth by an N-1 rocket.”
“ This isn't for sample returns,” said Davis. “It's almost as large as an Apollo LEM!”
“ Yes. The LK was designed to carry one person to the lunar surface.”
“ Is there someone inside?”
“ Yes. He is dead, of course.”
Matthews was suddenly angry. “I don't understand!” He approached Gordonov as quickly as his bulky moon suit would allow and grabbed him by the arm. “What the hell is this all about? I've studied your lunar program. All the N-1 heavy-lift rockets exploded on the pad. The LOK system never made it to the moon.”
Alexei Gordonov answered the agitated Matthews calmly. “Try to understand. This is a historical site. Please stand aside and let us finish our work. I will explain everything afterward.” The cosmonaut pulled himself free of Matthews' grip and continued snapping pictures from different angles.
Greshchenko, standing at the top of the access ladder, spoke in Russian and pointed at the porthole.
Gordonov waved in response.
“ What did he say?” Matthews demanded.
“ The cosmonaut inside the craft is holding a notebook. He wants to retrieve it.”
“ Baloney.” Matthews walked toward the spacecraft and stopped at the bottom of the ladder. “Greshchenko! Come on down from there!”
The cosmonaut looked to his partner for advice.
Gordonov waved for him to come down and motioned to let Matthews take his place.
The cosmonaut shrugged and started down. As soon as he reached the ground, Matthews took the rungs in his hands.
Greshchenko grabbed Matthews by the arm and spoke angrily in Russian. Matthews shook him off brusquely and started up the ladder. “What did he say now, Gordonov?”
“ He says you should be more respectful of the dead. I agree with him. The man inside that spacecraft was a person of great courage.”
Matthews continued climbing.
Walt Davis pointed to the ground. “Look at that. You can still see the ejector blanket from the descent engine throwing dust.”
“ Yes,” said Gordonov. “The pilot was extremely lucky during the landing. You can see he had to put down between these boulders. He was our best pilot at the time.”
“ Why didn't he just fire his ascent engine and go home? Did something go wrong?”
“ Not exactly. The engine was operational. He chose to stay.”
“ Why?”
“ He knew we would come for him someday.”
“ That doesn't make any sense,” said Davis.
“ Of course it does,” said Gordonov.
Rick Matthews peered through the thick round glass. He adjusted his helmet light to maximum and shined it into the
“ I see you.”
“ The largest boulders. We are working behind them.”
As Matthews and Davis made their way into the canyon, they spotted the very top of a large spacecraft that had landed among the gigantic stones. Rounding the last of the massive obstacles, both men stopped and stared in shock at what they saw.
It was not an unmanned lander, or a sample-return craft. It was a spacecraft sitting on four legs, similar to an old Apollo Lunar Module.
Alexei Gordonov snapped a picture and moved to his right for another shot from a different angle.
Greshchenko was standing at the top of the access ladder on the lander and peering into a circular window built into the hatch door. He said something in Russian and Gordonov replied with a grunt.
“ What the hell is this thing?” Matthews gasped.
Gordonov snapped another photograph. “It is an LK, the lunar lander section of a LOK system. It was launched from Earth by an N-1 rocket.”
“ This isn't for sample returns,” said Davis. “It's almost as large as an Apollo LEM!”
“ Yes. The LK was designed to carry one person to the lunar surface.”
“ Is there someone inside?”
“ Yes. He is dead, of course.”
Matthews was suddenly angry. “I don't understand!” He approached Gordonov as quickly as his bulky moon suit would allow and grabbed him by the arm. “What the hell is this all about? I've studied your lunar program. All the N-1 heavy-lift rockets exploded on the pad. The LOK system never made it to the moon.”
Alexei Gordonov answered the agitated Matthews calmly. “Try to understand. This is a historical site. Please stand aside and let us finish our work. I will explain everything afterward.” The cosmonaut pulled himself free of Matthews' grip and continued snapping pictures from different angles.
Greshchenko, standing at the top of the access ladder, spoke in Russian and pointed at the porthole.
Gordonov waved in response.
“ What did he say?” Matthews demanded.
“ The cosmonaut inside the craft is holding a notebook. He wants to retrieve it.”
“ Baloney.” Matthews walked toward the spacecraft and stopped at the bottom of the ladder. “Greshchenko! Come on down from there!”
The cosmonaut looked to his partner for advice.
Gordonov waved for him to come down and motioned to let Matthews take his place.
The cosmonaut shrugged and started down. As soon as he reached the ground, Matthews took the rungs in his hands.
Greshchenko grabbed Matthews by the arm and spoke angrily in Russian. Matthews shook him off brusquely and started up the ladder. “What did he say now, Gordonov?”
“ He says you should be more respectful of the dead. I agree with him. The man inside that spacecraft was a person of great courage.”
Matthews continued climbing.
Walt Davis pointed to the ground. “Look at that. You can still see the ejector blanket from the descent engine throwing dust.”
“ Yes,” said Gordonov. “The pilot was extremely lucky during the landing. You can see he had to put down between these boulders. He was our best pilot at the time.”
“ Why didn't he just fire his ascent engine and go home? Did something go wrong?”
“ Not exactly. The engine was operational. He chose to stay.”
“ Why?”
“ He knew we would come for him someday.”
“ That doesn't make any sense,” said Davis.
“ Of course it does,” said Gordonov.
Rick Matthews peered through the thick round glass. He adjusted his helmet light to maximum and shined it into the