Before: The Moon.

Lewis went into the kitchen, where his wife was already having her breakfast. Meryl was sitting on one of the high bar stools at a large massive island table and was enjoying her morning portion of fruit salad. Pieces of mango, pear, apple, peach and melon, raspberry and blueberry rolled in a bowl in balls, carefully prepared by Paola from the list of recipes Everything as the lady likes. There was another smaller bowl of yogurt nearby, which was waiting for its turn to come.

‘Good morning, Meryl,’ Lewis greeted his wife.
‘Hello, dear! How did you sleep?’
‘Well, not really good. I’ve been tossing and turning since three AM.’
‘It’s taking ages to send a message,’ Meryl smiled.
‘Well, yes… And how are you?’
‘Great, thanks! I slept well. Cheerful and ready for new achievements!’
‘Well, at least someone should be.’

Meryl finished with the salad and set aside the plate with the cutlery. Paola came up to the table and took away the empty bowl.
‘Good morning, Lewis. Your breakfast is ready. Paola pointed to the plates of banana and porridge on the table next to Meryl, with the cutlery on a linen napkin.
‘Thanks, Paola.’
‘Bon appétit, Lewis,’ Paola said in a welcoming way, carrying away the used dishes.

‘What a marvel she is,’ Lewis said softly to his wife.
‘She’s been a marvel with us for ten years, Lewis.’
‘Yes, but one doesn’t get tired of miracles. Isn’t it true? Especially when someone takes care of all the household troubles and worries.’

A smile appeared on Paola’s faceplate. She, of course, have heard everything and was glad that the master positively evaluated her work—it means she is doing everything the right way.

‘What about going for a walk before lunch today, Meryl?’
‘I’m in. With pleasure. And the morning weather is promising!’
‘Well, that’s settled. Then let’s do it after breakfast, sometime about nine. There shouldn’t be many tourists in the park at this time. We can take a quiet walk.’

Having finished her breakfast, Meryl went up to the window. Crossing her stringy, thin arms over her chest, she closed her eyes, as if for a moment disappearing in the warm waves of sunlight.
Spring, day after day, was gaining her rights back from its predecessor. The changing shades in Central Park were barely noticeable—from the protective suspended animation of dark brown, to the newly awakening timid light green. The budding greenary of the park, following the ancient call of natural cycles, was clearly affirming the long-established laws of life. A flock of birds back home, was spinning over the island of a carefully preserved urban oasis, finally dispelling the last doubts—spring had come!
One could not deny that the city had changed a lot since Meryl and Lewis moved to New York. It was over 70 years that Meryl’s father had passed away in Washington,and almost immediately they decided to move into the house they had always dreamed of. The exorbitant cost of apartments on the 67th floor in the 432 Park Avenue residence did not stop the newlyweds. When they received a realtor’s offer, even the fact that Lewis could not come to terms with the obviously inflated price didn’t stop them from accepting it. The financial assets of Meryl’s father (she came onto the inheritance as his only daughter) allowed her to never worry about money in their family again.

Meryl was looking at an unnaturally flat rectangle of wildlife, inscribed in the concrete walls of the city surrounding it from all sides. No one dared to interfere with the famous park area of the capital of the world in any way. This pompous name for New York came into life in official sources after the Great Reform of 2107. It was then that the landscape of the political map of the world and the system of administrative management had been transformed, and a new flag was raised over the UN headquarters becoming a symbol of a new era.
The United Federation of Nations, a structure developed with the participation of artificial intelligence of the PAX quantum system, determined the roadmap for further development of the mankind. An important point on it was Central Park in New York, where the leaders of the world enjoyed walking unnoticed, discussing state issues, as well as ever inexhaustible flow of citizens and countless tourists, coming to the city from all the six continents.

From time to time plans for possible reconstructions of the park leaked to the press, as a rule causing an unambiguous reaction from New Yorkers. When it seemed that there was no way to avoid developers’ construction plans in the park, the citizens started protesting so violently that the mayor’s office had just one thing left to do—allocate additional funds from the budget for the development and maintenance of one of the most famous park areas in the world. Thinking of New York without Central Park was like admitting the possibility of retail space development in the Kremlin ensemble in Moscow. The shortage of a priceless asset—land in Manhattan—was made up by resorting to the latest engineering technologies and achievements. Skyscrapers were getting higher, and the underground urban infrastructure has been developed more actively.
New York had long came back into game stealing the leadership from St. Petersburg in Europe as the city with the tallest buildings in the world, holding the first three prizes over the past 15 years.
One kilometer and 276 meters—a seven-year project for the construction of the tallest building on the planet had been completed, finally determining the primacy of New York in this category.

The underground New York was also growing dynamically. The architectural projects implemented below the overground city line were gaining awards repeatedly at distinguished international competitions. The urban infrastructure was going down and down underground, forming a new urban culture and lifestyle. One of the defining conditions for such a transformation of urban development was primarily the economic factor. The inhabitants of New York underground levels were far from the most well-off residents. The city administration was trying to smooth out any hints about their social status.

All the details were important. Even with such a minor thing as the levels numbering, a mirror approach was adopted: the last level, the deepest, was marked as the first one, and vice versa—the closest to the ground line of the city became the last. Thirty seven levels—such was the depth of the urban infrastructure at the time.
More than 25 million residents of New York and almost 50 million in the agglomeration—the Big Apple has turned into a huge anthill.

Such a change was hardly to be missed. Especially looking from the height of the 67th floor. The city was no longer lying in front of your feet watching it from a bird’s-eye view. They have witnessed the transformation of the New York architecture, when its historical center was treated with respect, shifting the accents of modern high-rise buildings to areas that used to be called the periphery.

Mary liked watching from the windows of her house the changes in the urban landscape, the birth of new giants of glass and concrete. She liked to pick up binoculars and used to spend time looking at the construction of high-rise buildings on the horizon.
Meryl and Lewis loved New York. Their children were raised there, their grandson was growing up, sometimes visiting his grandparents. It was there that they made their careers—she as an art critic on modern painting, and he as a financial broker. There they felt at home and safe.

Smiling, Meryl looked down at the 57th Street—the city was coming to life, busy with morning chores.
‘Enjoy your meal, Lewis. I’ll see you in... an hour and a half,’ checking the time, Meryl went to clean herself up.

Walking at a fast pace as always, Lewis and Mary headed towards the park. They liked to combine chatting about nothing and near-athletic fitness session.

‘How’s your book going on?’ asked Meryl, crossing the street and looking around.
‘You know, Meryl, it’s much more complicated and much slower than I would have thought,’ Lewis replied. ‘I understand the general structure, I understand the characters’ personalities, I want to make the story about. I’ve already jotted down a couple of chapters. But what doesn’t work for me at all so far is the beginning. I don’t understand how to plot this whole story. And in general, I’d say this writer’s business is a much more difficult job. Sit down, write, Pulitzer… Unfortunately, that’s not how it works.’
‘It always seems easy when we stand by and watch someone working.’

‘Understanding the truth does not make the tempting mirage of self-deception less tempting, Meryl.
It’s so nice to believe that so easely pictured achievements of the series heroes or feats of the brave in popular novels you could repeat without much effort in your own life.’
‘There is definitely no reason for you to be mistaken about this, given your experience in business. Your company showed results above the market by 15–20 points. Did such indicators come easily for you? I have slightly different memories of this period of our life.’

‘Devote your life to what you really like, professionalism, diligence and continuous
development—the secret of success known to everyone but, in fact, an absolutely useless program of action.’
‘I’m afraid, Lewis, there’s no need for such complexities for most of us at all. Why overcome our fears and weakness, why do real work on ourselves, force ourselves to do something, go somewhere, read something... often we are not ready even for minimal restrictions in our own interests. So how many pages have you written already?’
‘About 15…’ Lewis smiled and they both laughed.

Meryl and Lewis came up to the first lake on one of their standard walking routes in the park. There have been several of these developed over the years. Depending on the entry point, the weather, the mood, the crowd—all the reasons for choosing the optimal path were taken into account and thought out.
‘D’you remember, Meryl, that we have an anniversary this year?’
‘Which one?’ Meryl looked at her husband.
‘The anniversary of our life together with you, dear. And the wedding anniversary.’
‘Oh, my God. I forgot, of course! And why are you talking about it so much in advance?’
‘I thought that we should celebrate such a significant anniversary in a special way?’
‘And how long have we been married, dear?’
’It will soon be 75 years!’
‘My God! Who would have thought that we would put up with each other for so long! Such relationships are not at all in favour among young people today—no one would live more than one year together,’ Meryl smiled. ‘On the other hand, I’m surprised that you keep in mind all this. As the Washington Post called you: The first of the best. The broker that everyone wants.’
‘Yeah. Something like that. But that was a long time ago.’
‘Talent, dear, is only gaining strength over time.’
‘Almost like a good whiskey. The main thing is not to forget about the correct storage temperature.’
‘So what’s your idea, Lewis?’
‘I think we should celebrate such a date in a special way.’
‘And which one, for example?’
‘We haven’t travelled together for a long time. What would you say if you and me would have a chance to admire, for example, the lunar landscape.’
‘Lewis, why waste our time. I suggest we get ready for the Martian mission right away,’ Meryl answered ironically.
‘I admit to having also considered this option. But this seems overly complicated though.’

Meryl stopped and looked at her husband:
‘Are you serious after all? At our 170 something we still can make astronauts?’
‘Nice joke. I like it. But yes, I’m serious.’

‘OK. If you are serious, then we need to think about it seriously. Well, really, technically, would they let old people like you and me apply for space flights?’ Meryl asked.
‘You’re in great physical shape. It will only benefit me to shape up a bit. I wouldn’t have thought there will be any questions about this, Meryl.’
‘Very well. There may be something to it. Let’s look at the details of this story. Would you please send me the program and a description of this lunar journey. I will also have a look at it, and we will discuss your idea in detail and thoroughly.’
‘Agreed!’
‘And how much we are talking?’ Meryl decided to clarify.

‘To be honest, I was surprised. The prices turned out to be quite affordable. I thought the idea would require serious investments. But the price starts from only one hundred thousand dollars. Of course, depending on the level of comfort, the various elements of the program available for selection, the total price will change significantly, but in general, everything is reasonable and justified. If desired, almost anyone can fly to the Moon today. With Mars, for example, the story is somewhat different. A one-way ticket is already 10 times more expensive. And the flight itself lasts about two weeks, not to mention all the risks accompanying the space travel. I think with the lunar program they make it by quantities, given its relatively low cost for tourists.
‘Clear, Lewis. Let’s see. It might be interesting.’

Having passed by The Metropolitan Museum, Meryl and Lewis came to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. The ducks bustled in anticipation of a hearty breakfast noticing an approaching group of tourists, who were immediately happy to fulfill the wishes of the experienced local feathered manipulators.

The park employee quickly approached the generous company distributing bread to the birds:
‘You can’t feed the ducks! It is strictly forbidden to throw anything into the water! You can see the notice here—It is forbidden to feed birds!’.
‘It’s just bread!’ the father of the family stood up for the children having fun.
‘I’ve clearly told you, sir! Ducks will be obese! We give them everything they need on a schedule. Put away your food and please step away from the fence!’
‘Good, good! Don’t you worry so much.’

‘Back home by car?’ Meryl suggested.
Lewis checked the activity rings on his watch:
‘Today we have completed our minimum exercising norm—over 40 minutes walking. So we may also go by car.’

They left the park, crossed the roadway and, approaching the Guggenheim Museum, booked a taxi:
‘Get the capsule home, Don,’ Lewis instructed the digital assistant, bringing his wristwatch closer to his face.

Meryl looked at the museum building, where tourists were already beginning to gather, lining up in a snaky way to the ticket office: Back to work tomorrow. Good!
The capsule drove up silently and the doors opened, inviting them to enter the cabin.

‘Good morning, Mrs Stern,’ with a welcoming smile, Tora, the museum administrator, handed Meryl a weighty folder with some papers straight away as they were passing through a spacious main hall.

‘Good morning, Tora. What’s it?’
‘And this is a project for the opening of a new exhibition in Milan. They offered us sending our Kandinsky paintings. They have a young European modernists biennial planned there at the end of May. They believe that Kandinsky can perfectly demonstrate the potential of new works.’
‘I have no doubt that it can. Kandinsky, however, has nothing to do with the Modernists. But it doesn’t matter anyway. Not really sophisticated guys they are. Have they really put it like We need the right background for new works?’
‘Well, no, of course not, Meryl. This is just my brief for you. So that you don’t waste your time getting into all the details.’
‘I see. And what do you think?’
‘Well, I think we may consider their request.’
‘Good. Thank you, Tora. Yet I will look at all the information sent to us on the project and will let you know my opinion. How much time do we have?’
‘Meryl, I don’t know... really. I think we should decide within a week.’
‘Agreed.’

Tora walked with Meryl to the second floor of the Guggenheim Museum, where staff offices were located:
‘Well, I gonna go. I’ve got things to do. Ok? If anything, you call me please!’
‘All right, dear. Thanks.’

Meryl walked over to her desk, which was littered with papers, folders, sketches, thick albums. ‘I’d need to find some time and sort out all this mess. The table will someday collapse under the weight of great names and their equally significant works. The choice on the picture—to show or not to show, is not an easy one, of course, but I just feel sorry for the table… looking at the mess in her workplace, Meryl was making fun of herself. Carefully, not to ruin the pile, she put the new folder handed over by Tora on a small table next to her desk and opened the tablet, getting ready for the analysis of mail, all kinds of appeals, checking meetings plans and similar administrative routine.

‘Hello, Meryl! What’s up? When are you going to show us anything new?! All same old stuff on the walls!’ Robert roared with laughter, greeting his colleague.
‘Hi, Rob! Yes, everything is fine! Thanks! How are you? Recovered, as I see?!’ Meryl stood up, greeting the old friend, whom she had known since her last job, for more than 30 years.’
‘Oh, Meryl, thank you. It’s all good. My leg almost doesn’t hurt anymore. The doctors say that in a couple of weeks I won’t even remember about this joint problem.’
‘What can I say, we’ll count on it. I’m glad you’re okay!’
‘How’s Lewis doing? How’s his book coming along? I remember him telling me something about a detective story, about a financial fraud... something very intriguing. We discussed it with him at the reception, here at the museum. I think a couple of months have already passed.’
‘Oh, Rob, it’s going on, but I understand that it’s slow.’

‘So I understand—don’t you really know what your husband’s doing?’ Robert frowned exemplary.
‘I know that he has not progressed very far. So I don’t want to bother him asking questions again and again.’
‘Ah, I see, Meryl. Well, here, you know how it happens… From the outside, it seems to all of us that the job is not that difficult. One, two and you’re done.’
‘Well, I think, Rob, that’s how Lewis has imagined this project to be. But you’re probably right—he didn’t fully appreciate the complexity of this venture. You know, if he undertakes anything, he usually gets the job done. Let’s give him some more time,’ smiled Meryl.
‘Since he has retired, he feels a little uneasy. I think Lewis still feels out of place. It is important for him to understand that what he is doing is needed and in demand. That his work is useful and does good.’
‘Like we all feel, Meryl.’
‘Of course. But you know that Lewis has been active and worked hard all his life. In his new status of a pensioner he is uncomfortable.’
‘Okay, I won’t distract you any more, Meryl. As I see it, you have a couple of things to work on here,’ Robert looked at Meryl’s cluttered desk and winked at her. ‘We’ll chat later at lunch! And you’d better change this horrible exposition on the fifth line! A mere disgrace!’ They laughed.
‘See you again, dear!’

The journey from home to the spaceport in New Mexico, located near Upham, with transfers and waiting took about five hours. Fifteen minutes took Meryl and Lewis to get to the Obama International Train Station, located on the thirty-seventh underground level not far from the house.
A high-speed shuttle from New York delivered them in 4 hours to El Paso. And then, by the capsule waiting for them, they finally reached the spaceport America.

Of course, it would be possible to fly by plane from the Kennedy Airport to the destination direct. It would have been even a little faster—might have saved two hours. But Meryl preferred trains.
And the journey itself, the feel of being on the road, pleased them. They often preferred more complex and long tourist routes. So that to see more of interesting things. The spaceport complex of buildings, its infrastructure, rather resembled a large international airport, except that the terminals were a little smaller, and the sound effect at the launch of spaceships worried the local birds more. Initially, America was conceived as a small private project. But over time, when flights and space tourism transformed from billionaires’ hobby at the beginning of the 21st century into big business, the spaceport had grown greatly. Direct flights from all over the world were accepted there, including hypersonic aircrafts which required special servicing, a terminal for NASA, Roscosmos, European, Chinese and Japanese space programs came to life. A little later, the military also pulled up with their tasks—the launching site did not reject budget money. So, once a modest and lonely, eternally idle hangar in the desert, in 150 years since the start of operation America has grown into a huge complex, a modern space hub, covering an area of 5,000 hectares, becoming the largest logistics center in the world. Near space and international space stations, various tourist destinations, including the Moon and Mars, launches for scientific research and military missions—about 10 launches were made from the site every day.

‘Mrs and Mr Podger, we are glad to welcome you at the Spaceport America,’ smiling broadly a young guy greeted Meryl and Lewis at the hotel complex entrance. ‘My name is Bo Eridon. I am at your complete disposal throughout the day. My main job is to provide you with comprehensive assistance and support in preparation for your flight to the Moon, which start, let me remind you, is scheduled for the evening, at 18:00.’

‘Hi, Bo,’ Lewis held out his hand, and then Meryl greeted him too. ‘Glad to meet you.’
‘How did you get to El Paso? Are you tired at all?’
‘It’s fine, Bo!’ Meryl replied cheerfully. ‘What’s next on the program? May we have the details please.’
‘Yes, of course, Mrs Podger.’
‘My last name is Stern. I didn’t take my husband’s last name,’ Meryl corrected him.
‘Oh, I’m sorry, Mrs Stern. In the documents both you and your husband are listed as Podger. I will definitely make the required corrections.’
‘No problem, dear. It’s all right. I remember my husband’s last name, of course, but mine is Stern. You may call me Meryl. And Mr Podger is Lewis.’
‘Thank you, Meryl. The main program we’re having for today is as follows. It’s lunchtime now and I’m glad to have the opportunity to offer you lunch at our magnificent Como restaurant, where Chef Peter is cooking. He has two Michelin stars! I hope you will like his cuisine.’
‘I have no doubt at all, dear. And what’s next?’ The three of them walked up to the elevator in the spacious hotel lobby.
‘Next, I am ready to give you a personal drone tour of the spaceport complex. After that, we will offer you a short briefing and an interview with a doctor. And the time to be ready for the start will come. At 17:30, all passengers should be already in their seats in the spaceship.’
‘Lunch, excursion, doctor, briefing, start—is that right, Bo?’ said Lewis.
‘That’s right, sir!’
‘Great. I suggest we do it this way. Right after lunch, Bo, please come over. We’ll be waiting for you,’ Lewis and Meryl stopped in front of the door to the room.
‘All right, Mr Podger. The restaurant is on the 17th floor. Two floors below.’
‘We’ll order a room service. Thank you, Bo,’ Meryl answered, opening the door.
‘I’ll send a waiter right away for you, Mrs Stern.’

A little more than an hour later, a four-seat drone, buzzing heavily, lifted the three passengers into the sky. It was quiet in the cabin—nothing distracted from conversations and exploration of the sights of the America spaceport. The drone took a position at the altitude of 500–600 meters, the most convenient observation level to watch what was happening below, on the grounds of the complex.
The security in the airspace of the spaceport was the function of a dispatcher control system. The movement of flying objects in the perimeter of the complex or approaching it was monitored online. Nothing should be missed, and all actions should be coordinated. Spaceships starting from the site and coming back, transport and passenger planes, sightseeing drones and security drones, even birds—the system was recording and tracking the movement of all the objects in the sky. If necessary, amendments were made to flight plans or to the sequence of take-offs and landings. Security drones interacted with biological objects, as birds were listed in the system, driving away flocks and single individuals. Accidents were unacceptable. The price of a mistake meant, at best, multimillion dollar losses. No one even thought about negative scenarios, preventing such extreme situations.

‘The Equilibrium spaceship will take off now from runway No. 1—please look to the right,’ Bo pointed with his hand.

Meryl and Lewis turned curiously in the direction indicated by the steward. At the beginning of the runaway strip, the spaceship was waiting for the command to take off. The disproportionately large diameter of the ship’s hull in comparison with the relatively short wings raised doubts about the possibility of fulfilling the first stage of the flight plan—to take off.
The drone with passengers was hovering at a safe distance from the runway. Lewis noticed a dozen more flying vehicles hovering in the air and eagerly awaiting the performance to start. They were watching the event from a perfect angle, as if they were sitting at home in the living room.

The propulsion system of a spacecraft consisted of two main parts. To accelerate and get off the runway, accelerators built into the wings were primarily used. Their position, the inclination relative to the wing, was adjusted depending on the take-off stage. At the beginning, the position of the engines was fixed in parallel to the ground. As the speed increased, the angle changed so as to more quickly provide the required lift to get off the ground, compensating for the short wing geometry and the heavy weight of the spacecraft. The tail engines at this stage performed only an auxiliary role. When reaching the stratosphere, at the level of 15,000 meters, the main accelerating engines were started to enable exit to outer space. The creation of such a shuttle spacecraft capable of taking off independently, going into outer space and smoothly descending into the atmosphere of the planet, landing on the runway, would be impossible without the involvement of the power of the PAX quantum computer. Artificial intelligence helped to perfect the early development of space shuttles, increasing their operational characteristics, reliability and safety. A solution was also found to one of the key tasks hindering the development of space travel—an efficient fuel and propulsion systems were developed. Previously, placing a payload into the Earth orbit was expensive, entailed significant time for preparation, and in addition caused damage to the environment. Fuel liquefaction to high degree and a hybrid accelerator system combining the potential of nuclear and classic jet engines—the solution suggested by PAX, allowed humanity to take the next step in space exploration. Theoretically, a fully fueled spaceship could take off and land twice without refueling and additional maintenance. A technological breakthrough determined the possibility of incredibly rapid development of space tourism as well, which gave impetus to the entire industry. The economy, as had been always before, served as the main sponsor and motivator of progress.

The booster engines of the spaceship, which Meryl and Lewis were watching, started working at full power. Clouds of dust rose. The spaceship began accelerating rapidly and after 10-15 seconds it took off into the air, starting the flight. After a couple of minutes, the Equilibrium had already turned into a dot that could only be tracked by the thin white trail left by the engines.

‘It looks a little casual somehow,’ Lewis looked at Meryl. ‘Don’t you think so, Meryl?’
‘I’m really glad about that, Lewis. Imagine the roar of engines, clouds of exhaust gases, crowds of cheering people greeting the start… To be honest, I would not be ready to go to such a feat—to be on board a rocket, the successful launch of which causes such a storm of emotions and delight. So it’s wonderful that it’s an everyday routine.’

Bo smiled. The tour continued further on.
‘There are four operating runways in the spaceport: two for airplanes and two for spaceships. At the moment, two more are under construction—one for each of the assignments. Every year the number of launches is coming up. Over ten years, we would expect that spaceships will take off at least once per hour. That is, it will double. Taking into account the need for backup strips, we will put into operation at least another one, plus these which construction has already started. Such indicators as the number of projected launches, the overall increase on the load of the spaceport, imply putting into operation new terminals.
Here, on the site to the right, below us,’ Bo pointed at the vacant plot already prepared for construction under the drone, ‘the fifth terminal for servicing tourists will be built in the very near future. Moreover, I am glad that I can tell you about one of the new and unique projects that our company is currently developing. Work is underway at the final stage now, to launch a new route: Earth–Venus! Just imagine an amazing space trip to our sister Venus!’ Bo said solemnly.

‘The guy is overacting a little…’ Meryl thought and answered:
‘Bo, by this time I will probably be another exhibit in the family columbarium. And on the other hand, you can’t land on Venus. What will tourists do there?’

Mrs Stern, I have no doubt that after the lunar program, you will definitely decide to fly to Mars and Venus when this new amazing travel destination is opened. We would expect this route to provoke no less interest than flights to Mars. As for the travel program, you are right, it really will not work to land on the surface. But to observe the atmosphere of the planet with your own eyes, to see its surface from the orbit with the help of scientific instruments, to take part in a number of unique experiments—all this is very much in demand now with our space travellers. In addition, the program of the flight to Venus will include the study of our star—the Sun. The orbit of Venus comes much closer to the Sun. It will be a unique experience.

‘Thank you, Bo, for your optimism and for the advertising. Who knows, maybe Lewis and I getting on in years will really become active space explorers of the solar system. Let’s see how our first lunar journey ends.’

A signal, preceding an announcement sounded in the cabin:
‘Dear passengers, we are ready to start. The flight will start in a few seconds. Please make sure that your seat belts are fastened, that you have put your hand luggage on the shelf above your seat. All your belongings must be put away and securely fixed.’

Meryl took Lewis’s hand (he was sitting to her right, by the aisle between the passenger seats) and squeezed it hard. Lewis was no less tense.
‘Meryl, don’t worry. It’s okay,’ he whispered in her ear. ‘Statistics show that yet there hasn’t been a single incident related to the new generation of spaceships. And they have been flying for over 10 years now.’
‘You’ve found the words to calm me down, Lewis. There hasn’t been yet—we can be part of that very first case.’
‘Everything will be fine.’

The whole machine suddenly began accelerating. Fastened with five-point seat belts, they were pressed into their seats. A few seconds and they felt lifting off the ground. In the porthole, the earth was rapidly moving away. A couple more seconds and the clouds were also left behind. The monitor flashed the current speed and altitude indicators, the number of seconds since the start. The scheme on the screen displayed the current stage of the flight: on the monitor, the spacecraft quickly passed the blue zone, approaching the next, saturated blue—the Stratosphere. Bang! A strong push in the back! Everything was shaking and buzzing. Meryl closed her eyes. Her lips moved soundlessly. Hands wet. The ship was breaking out of the grip of the Earth’s gravity.

Lewis looked out the cabin window: ‘Everything is getting black. Somehow I feel bad…’. He wanted to raise his hand to look at the watch—to check the pulse and blood pressure—but he couldn’t. Hands of stone. Would not lift. We’re going out into space! Oh, my God, my God! How scary!

Everything began to quiet down. The windows went almost black. They were lifted up from their seats. Everything and everyone calmed down. Lewis would love to change. He was sweating all over.

‘Dear passengers, Ezo-4 is reaching outer space. From this moment on, you are astronauts officially! Congratulations to you!’
A calm, pleasant female voice out of the loudspeakers was reassuring the excited passengers:
‘The flight is nominal. The approach time to the international space station Federation and docking will take no more than one hour. You can move freely around the cabin and enjoy the views of the planet Earth. We ask you to be careful when moving around the cabin of the ship in zero gravity. Please show respect to other passengers and maintain order.’

Bucked up everyone, and a commotion began. Having unbuckled from the seats, people began to flounder in zero gravity, trying to move away from their seats. Most of the passengers were adults, but there was no difference from children now.
Launch acceleration, fear and anxiety were replaced by delight, joy and laughter. Someone let water run through the cabin of the ship, which scattered in all directions in transparent, shapeless balls. A boy floated over the heads of Lewis and Meryl, casting mischievous glances at them. Meryl also came to her senses and looked out the window at the amazing beauty of the views of the planet: It was worth flying for this.

Lewis called the steward:
‘How can I help you, Mr Podger?’ hovering over Lewis’ head, the young man asked.
‘John,’ Lewis read his name on the badge, ‘do you have a spare set of clothes to change for me?’
‘Yes, of course, sir. I’ll get everything ready for you and invite you to the bathroom in a minute.’
‘Thank you, John.’
‘Mrs Stern, is there anything I can do for you?’ The steward turned to Meryl.
‘Yes, I would have thought so. Could I have some water, no gas please. I feel absolutely dry.’
‘Of course, Mrs Stern.’

Meryl and Lewis were sitting together in the front row of the cabin a little apart from the other passengers. Their seats were wider, with more personal adjustment choices available. First class passenger service implied a personal steward. Money gave wealthy travellers some privileges even in space.

‘Dear passengers, to the left of Ezo-4 you can observe the Federation international space station. We’ll dock to the station in 15 minutes. Please take your seats and fasten your seat belts.’

The modules of the Federation station were put into operation progressively, one ring after another. There were already eleven active modules, apart from the other two, work on which has been in full swing in four shifts non stop.

‘Reminds me a bit of the Guggenheim Museum, if only there were more levels to come on top. Don’t you think so, Lewis?’ Meryl turned to her husband.
‘Well, yes, the same tin can, only with lights, and everything is spinning,’ Lewis replied ironically.
‘You’re yourself the can!’


‘John,’ Meryl addressed the steward, ‘could you tell me which module we’re staying in?’
‘Mrs Stern, our ring is number six, counting from the left side. Up to one hundred people can be accommodated in each ring at a time. And as a rule all modules are fully booked—there are no vacancies. In total, there are almost 900 employees working at the station now. The remaining seats are reserved for guests.’
‘John, what are these little barrels? There, near the station.’ Meryl pointed to a series of cylindrical objects attached to the station around its perimeter.
‘Mrs Stern, these are the shuttles which are used for interplanetary flights. You will take one to fly to the Moon. You can even have a better look at it now. There it is, on the sixth ring. Blinking with red lights.’
‘I thought they were much bigger. And which way do we manage to be huddled there for so long!’ Meryl said, smiling.

‘Oh, Mrs Meryl, it just seems like these shuttles are small. This illusion is because of the size of the Federation. It’s huge. So it seems that interplanetary ships are small. The total height or length of the station, depending how you look at it, already now exceeds 300 meters, and the diameter is about 500. As you might have noted, its active construction continues.’
‘I see, John. It turns out that not everything is so bad,’ Meryl gave a wink.

‘I am absolutely sure that both you and Mr Podger will enjoy the trip. Moreover, it will not take much time—about 16 hours. Tomorrow you will wake up in lunar orbit already.’

‘Oh, come on, John!’ Meryl replied indignantly. ‘How is it possible to oversleep such a flight! I plan to be watching around all the time—the Earth disappearing, the Moon approaching. And, as far as I remember, during the flight we could take part in a number of experiments. Will such a program be available to us?’
‘I fully agree with you, Mrs Stern, it’s a fantastic sight and a unique experience. Please fasten up. We start docking now.’

The station already occupied the entire space in the cabin window.
‘It looks like a big modern business center that was just launched into orbit,’ Lewis noted, examining carefully the approaching station.
‘Yes, it’s impressive, dear.’

Each of the ring-modules or levels of the station were connected to each other by a set of crosswalks. All modules were numbered from 1 to 11 apart from the last two, the construction of which had not yet been completed. Each module had three-levels: two floors dedictaed for residential premises, scientific laboratories and administrative offices. The third was a technical one, where life support systems, communications and a system of engines maintaining a constant rotation speed of the station were located.
Artificial gravity at the station at 2/3 of the Earth’s gravity practically levelled the difference for its guests. The station staff and tourists felt quite comfortable. Despite the special living conditions on the Federation, as close as possible to those on the Earth, the duration of a business shift for the staff usually did not exceed six months. Doctors insisted on such regulations.

On the approach to the station, it became quite obvious that life would not stop there for a minute. The rings of the station were covered with lights, somewhere one could even see its staff in the large windows. In the opposite direction, the frame of the new modules under construction was visible, with some welding job on structures under way. Workers moved around in special chairs, designed for short distance travel. The chairs were equipped with everything required for welding. Elements and modules of the structure were also attached to them, significantly saving assembly time—there was no need to constantly fly to the hangar and back, dragging the necessary material for work.

‘My God, Lewis, who would have thought—we’ve got into the future!’ Meryl whispered. ‘Do you remember what the orbital station was like in our childhood—a Lego construction kit in comparison with this base! At the same time, it had cost thousands of times more to get to that constructor. It’s amazing how quickly things have changed…’
‘Meryl, it’s 150 years ago. Not so fast, if you’d think about it.’

Ezo-4 docked to the station silently, synchronizing the angle and rotation speed.
‘Dear passengers, welcome to the Federation International Space Station. The weather set fair today, the temperature outside is -270 °C,’ a laugh of approval went all over the cabin, ‘it’s still more comfortable at the station +22 ℃. Please note: the station uses the coordinated universal time corresponding to Greenwich Mean Time. So if you’ve come in from the UK, make yourself at home.’ Someone whistled a greeting.

‘Dear passengers, please remeber to collect your belongings when leaving the cabin. On behalf of New Horizons, thank you for choosing our company. Thank you for using our services and we wish you a very good evening! We will be glad to see you again!’
‘Mrs Stern, Mr Podger, let me escort you to your cabin.’
‘Of course, John. Thank you,’ Lewis replied.
‘Your shuttle to the Moon will start in a little over an hour. You will have some time to look around at your level. I’ll tell you everything on the way.’

Tourists arriving at the station did not need to register anywhere or undergo control, inspection, or any other checking procedures. Everything happened automatically, without direct human interaction. Scanning systems embedded in the cladding of the premises performed their functions imperceptibly, ensuring safety and order. The main element of the modern human communication system and the PAX system was the digital passport of a citizen of the Federation or Tracker, as it was also called. It was implanted into the human body prior to birth at the stage of fetal development. The tracker was designed to do the three main tasks—(1) communication with the PAX digital systems, starting with the basic representation of the personality, (2) continuous monitoring of medical indicators, (3) preventive security. Nothing else was required from anyone, but to go about their own business without being distracted by routine issues, which were delegated to smart systems.

John, Meryl and Lewis were walking along a lengthy corridor, about 2 meters wide. John was leading the way one step ahead. Recently knighted space tourists looked in all the directions turning their heads around, as if afraid to miss something important and interesting.
New York is not the last city on the planet, perhaps, and probably not the most boring. And they travelled quite a bit around the world, having visited all continents not for once. But neither Lewis nor Meryl expected so vivid impressions and such an acute interest they experienced on the Federation space station.
Preparing for the trip, Lewis managed to lose some weight. However, just a bit. But he was in good shape and felt great. Always solid on the ground, Lewis was holding Meryl’s hand and smiling, almost bouncing at every step: ‘Yes, the gravity is a third weaker here… What an old fool I am!’ Lewis suddenly realized the reasons for his elated mood. ‘But it’s still nice to feel a hundred years younger…’

‘When we were approaching the station, Meryl, I thought that we would run like guinea pigs in the big wheel of the station… But I must admit that my fears were unjustified. I don’t have such a feeling at all, although the round geometry, the visible rounding of the floor and ceiling, are noticeable to me.’

Meryl looked apprehensively at her husband:
‘Are you all right, Lewis? You’re strangely joyful and it’s like your thoughts are foggy. I’m worried about you.’
‘I’m just feeling great, darling!’
‘You know, Lewis,’ John started saying having carefully examined the two under his wardship, ‘this feeling of elation often happens here. This is especially true of newly arrived tourists from the Earth. Gravity, the purest filtered air saturated with oxygen—this effect is akin to a slight intoxication. But the body will soon adapt. Don’t worry, Mrs Stern,’ John smiled.

Two young men dressed in semi-athletic cotton suits came out of the room located on the right side along the way. The same as Lewis and Meryl were wearing, only white. Meryl saw the name and the number 3 embroidered on the sweatshirt of one of the guys.

‘John, tell me, what are the numbers embroidered on the front of the uniform and on our suits?’
‘They show the access level, Mrs Stern. There are many full-time employees at the station, far from everyone knowing each other. There have been cases when the guests of the station, violating the security regime, entered the work premises together with the staff. For example, in a laboratory where they were denied access. Of course, nothing special happened. Tourists were just curious, but still the administration decided that it would not be extra to single out, separate locals and visitors, so to speak, and visually as well.’
‘In such a case, I feel like a tipsy scientist!’
‘Why is that, Lewis?’ Meryl was surprised.
‘Firstly, the situation itself—we are in space on the orbit of the Earth! The assignment of the station—to carry out research. I’ve read that 6 rings out of 11, that is, 6 modules of the Federation are under scientific council management. And finally, look at this stunning interior here. The feeling is that you’ve got into an supermodern office of a high-tech company— everything is flooded with light, white floor, glossy walls and ceiling, large, huge windows in which you can see the opposite part of the station, its inner ring.’

‘Mr Podger, your perception by and large does not deceive you. The station is the largest scientific laboratory ever created by man. Moreover, it is important to note that most of the station’s budget is funded by a consortium of private companies.
Here’s your cabin,’ John gestured for Meryl and Lewis to enter the room. ‘Please come in.’
‘Oh my God, what a view!’ All Meryl’s attention was attracted by a large porthole. ‘Lewis, look at that! This is beautiful!’

The blue surface of the planet’s ocean was floating by the porthole, some places shrouded in fluffy clouds.
‘You can turn the porthole dark completely if this continuous movement in it bothers you. A monitor is built into the porthole. So if you prefer to display some static image, this option is also available,’ explained John. ‘The station is spinning all the time, creating artificial gravity. I hope this will not cause you any discomfort.’
‘In any case, we’ll have to put up with all these inconveniences and your local asceticism,’ Lewis winked at John.
‘If you need anything, please call me.’

‘Well, let’s call the children, shall we?!’ As soon as John left, Meryl suggested. ‘We promissed to contact them as soon as we arrive at the station.’
‘Let’s do it!’ Lewis took out a tablet from a small backpack and put it on a coffee table next to the porthole.
‘Don, call the children,’ Lewis asked his digital assistant.
Two photos appeared on the tablet screen: one of the daughter Ellie, her husband Cune and granddaughter Vannie, and next to them their son Edward and his husband Francesco.
‘Don, put the image on the big screen.’
The photos appeared on a monitor on the cabin wall.

‘Hi! Dear ones! Have you arrived yet?’
‘Hi, Mom, Dad!’

The video link with Ellie and Edward was established. The room was filled with loud voices.
‘Don, make it a little quieter,’ Lewis commanded.

‘Hi, Ellie! Hello, Edward, Francesco! My dear ones!’ Meryl started wiping away tears off her eyes.
‘Hello, children! We are glad to see you!’ Lewis was waving his hand vigorously.
‘Mom, are you crying?!’
‘No, of course, not, Ellie!’
‘If you cry, I won’t talk to you!’
‘Good, good, dear!’
‘Are you on the Moon already?! asked Edward, bursting into laughter and pushing Francesco in the side.
‘We haven’t managed yet, Eddie! On the Federation now. We’re leaving in about forty minutes,’ Lewis replied.
‘Ellie, where’s Vannie, where’s Cune?’
‘Mom, it’s already 2 o’clock in the morning here. I didn’t wake them up. Cune is leaving for a business trip tomorrow…’
‘I see, dear. Sorry we’re so late. But there was no way before.’
‘I am very glad to see you! You look great! What kind of suits do you have... somehow not typical of you,’ everyone smiled.
‘This is sort of a uniform for all astronauts. We have now, by the way, children, officially become astronauts! I don’t remember our numbers, though. Some kind of ten-thousandth…
But still—your parents are astronauts!’
‘Hooray, hooray, hooray!!!’
‘You are great, having decided on such a thing!’
‘It’s all down to your father, Ellie!’

‘How are you doing, Edward? But, you don’t have to answer though. I see that everything is fine!’
‘Yes, Dad! Everything is fine! Tomorrow we put a new collection into production. We are adding the finishing touches now. Tomorrow we will celebrate with the whole team!’
‘Will you send me a pair of new shoes?’
‘Only in return for your astronaut suit!’ Francesco shouted and laughed.
‘Agreed—suit for each one of you, new shoes for me!’

‘Let me show you something, kids. Now, just a second,’ Meryl picked up the tablet, activated the rear camera and came up to the porthole. ‘Well! How do you like that?!’
‘How beautiful, Mom!’
‘It’s divine, Meryl! But I think you’re just kidding us!’ Francesco started laughing again. ‘A video on YouTube on, and here you are, I’m an astronaut! In a moment you are going to show us a layka-dog in the porthole!’ The laughter rolled all over the cabin.

‘Okay, Francesco, that’s enough! Your jokes will wake up the kid!’ Ellie tried to sound as strict as possible, barely holding her smile back.
‘Would you call us straight from the Moon, people!’
‘All right, Eddie. Of course! Though, they say comms is a bit biting there. But we are at the expense of the host party,’ Lewis made a joke, switching the video back to the front camera.

‘Absolutely not! We’ve spent all the money on a new collection! So everything is at your expense, please!’
‘Have a good trip, Mom, Dad! And we are waiting for news from the Moon!’ Ellie said goodbye.
‘Thank you, guys! Say hi to Vannie! We will bring you some moonstones as souvenirs.’

‘Somehow I miss them a lot, Lewis,’ finishing the conversation said Meryl.
‘I miss them too, dear.’
‘We’ll all have to get together when we are back. At our place.’
‘All right, Meryl. We will definitely do that.’
‘Maybe better in the house in Washington? There’s more room there.’
‘Maybe it’s better. But it’s closer for Eddie to fly from Rio to New York.
‘That’s also true,’ Meryl smiled.
‘Well, it’s time to get ready. The departure time is close.’

John escorted Meryl and Lewis to the boarding gate of the Luna-7 shuttle:
‘Have a good trip, Mrs Stern, Mr Podger. It was a great pleasure to work for you.’
‘Thank you, John.’ Lewis shook his hand.

The commercial lunar shuttle service was completely different from the spaceship that took Meryl and Lewis to the international station. A squat, solid barrel. Its aerodynamic characteristics did not matter, since it never came into contact with the atmosphere. The shape was determined by the purpose—to deliver space tourists safely and quickly, with the maximum possible comfort. An additional bonus was the transportation of goods from the station to the Moon and back. The company also made good money on that. The flight to the Moon took 16 hours, and it was necessary to keep the passengers busy doing something throughout the flight. It was not technically possibility to create artificial gravity on the shuttle as it was too small for that, 20 m long and about 30 m wide.

About 2/3 of the internal volume of the ship was allocated for the crew and the needs of passengers. The rest of the space was occupied by boosters and nuclear engines, fuel compartments, various engineering systems necessary for the flight. The passenger cabin accommodated two separate first class cabins, each designed for two privileged passengers, and the rest of the space, which could accommodate another 10 people. Meryl and Lewis bought out both cabins. So initially two small rooms were combined into one, comfortable enough for a long flight for especially demanding travellers. Lately, everyone got out of the habit taking long trips. The flight from New York to Beijing took about 3 hours. So the inhabitants of the Earth were somewhat spoilеd by the possibilities of modern transport infrastructure on the planet, and were expecting a similar level of service in space. The space travel industry was forced to take into account new realities in the fight for customers. Billions were invested in the development of new rocket engines, which led to the required results. At the time of the Apollo program in the second half of the 20th century, it took three days for the spacecraft to reach the satellite. Today it takes a little more than half a day.

But even during this seemingly not too long a flight, space tourists needed to be entertained: all kinds of films and TV series suiting every taste, a Lunar café appropriate for the purpose and a telescope giving a chance to explore a number of planets of the solar system and other more distant objects to be studied during the flight. In the absence of the Earth’s atmosphere, which did not interfere with observations in outer space, the third option was quite in demand among passengers. It was also not forbidden to socialize with each other, read or just sleep.

‘Dear passengers, welcome aboard the Luna-7 shuttle. Our flight on the route of Federation International Space Station-Armstrong Lunar Spaceport will take no more than 16 hours. Stewards Olga and Philip will be happy to help you throughout the flight.’

The shuttle undocked from the station almost soundlessly and began to maneuver slowly, reaching the required flight path. Acceleration went very smoothly and unnoticed by passengers. It wasn’t as tough as the launch of a spaceship on the Earth at all. This time Lewis was sitting next to the porthole. Meryl settled next to him. The station was rapidly moving away and in a minute it was no longer visible against the background of a bright blue planet.

Lewis pressed the button to call the steward:
‘Good evening, Mrs Stern, Mr Podger. How can I help you,’ Olga got closer to them and hovered next to them, holding on to the handrail.
‘Could you bring us two rugs please. We’re a little cold.’
‘Of course, Mr Podger. You can also turn on seat heating. Here are the appropriate controls,’ Olga pointed to the buttons on the panel built into the armrest.’
‘Thanks.’

‘I’m so tired, dear,’ Lewis said to his wife... ‘Here you go... she’s already asleep.’
‘So we’re going to sleep after all.’ Carefully covering his wife with a blanket, Lewis pressed the button—the back of the chair lowered levelling with the seat, from under which an additional leg pillow was pushed out. His chair became the bed on which he settled down to sleep.

‘Mrs Stern, Mr Podger... Mrs Stern, Mr Podger,’ Olga lightly touched Meryl’s shoulder.
Meryl shuddered, waking up from the persistent attempts of the stewardess to wake them up:
‘What? What is it?’
‘It’s all right, Mrs Stern. Everything is fine. We are landing in less than 30 minutes.’
‘Have we slept for 16 hours?!’
‘Not really, Mrs Stern. It’s been 11 hours since we undocked from the station. The captain used a new improved operating mode for the engine, which significantly reduced the flight time.’
‘That’s good news, dear. Thanks. Now we’re... getting ready.’

Meryl looked at her husband, hovering over the armchair bed, next to which he was held by seat belts during the flight.
‘Lewis, dear, it’s time to wake up. Lewis. Lewis!’ Lewis was snoring softly. ‘Lewis!’ Meryl patted him on the shoulder. ‘Lewis, wake up. You will miss all the most interesting things sleeping like that.’

Overboard, fantastic and at the same time alien to human consciousness, lunar landscapes were replacing one another: small craters and the consequences of collisions with the distant messengers of the turbulent formation of the stellar system, which had been imprinted for millions of years; black spots gaping on the gray body of the satellite, in which nothing could be seen; huge boulders and stones; hilly fields of regolith and endless plains of emptiness. There, on the lifeless surface of the Moon, the gaze of a traveller who had just arrived from the planet with its life represented in such a bright and exuberant manifestation, was especially sensitive and receptive. A unique, priceless gift of the universe had become so familiar on the Earth that many began to take it for granted, stopped appreciating it. On the Moon, in the contrast of life and absolutely sterile emptiness, an understanding of the infinite value of the gift to humanity available on the native planet was manifested.

The shuttle was rapidly approaching its destination, the surface of the satellite was getting bigger.

There were three bases on the Moon. The first and the main, the largest, International Lunar Base Hipparchus was located on the southern border of the Mare Nubium. About 9,000 people were constantly engaged working in its four sectors—scientific, military, industrial and tourist. 99% of the infrastructure of the Hipparchus base was located below the surface, which allowed solving a number of problems, including severe temperature fluctuations caused by solar exposure, radiation, meteor showers. Prior to choosing the site for construction of the base, a long-term seismological research had been carried out, starting with the Apollo program in the 20th century. It prooved that the particular satellite zone was optimal from the point of view of moonquakes.
Despite the positive data on low tectonic activity in the Mare Nubium region, the indicators of moonshakes did not exceed 2.5 on the Richter scale, the construction of the base was carried out taking into account the most stringent standards. As a result, according to the design documentation, Hipparchus should have withstanded loads 3 times higher than the possible destructive impact of the satellite. Despite the fact that such an additional reliability of the project accounted for 7% of its total cost of $300 trillion, no one had any doubts about the expediency of such an approach. The reliability of the complex operations and safety of employees, requirement to minimize all possible risks was the basic rule guiding the coordination council of the lunar base construction at all stages, starting with the design. Despite the engineering achievements in the field of rocket engines and fuel systems, which had significantly reduced the time required to deliver cargo from the Earth, in the event of an emergency, the personnel of the lunar base would have to be self-reliant. The number of such potential crisis situations had to be brought down.

The ship slowed down. Gradually turning around, the shuttle started descending slowly through the opened gates of the landing shaft located below the surface of the Moon. A few minutes after the engines were turned off, a passenger telescopic airstairs locked on to the hull.

‘What fun it is to feel the weight of your own body again,’ Lewis finally recovered after the flight and was in a great mood. ‘After all I’ve got some weight again!’
After zero gravity in outer space, gravity on the Moon seemed quite sufficient for moving comfortably.

‘Dear ladies and gentlemen! The Luna-7 spacecraft landed at the Hipparchus International Lunar Base. Thank you for choosing the New Horizons company to travel to the Moon. Please do not leave your belongings in the cabin of the ship. We wish you exciting adventures on the Moon! All the best to you! We are waiting to see you again on board the New Horizons lunar shuttles!’

Having settled in their room on the third level of the tourist sector, Meryl and Lewis headed to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. The restaurant was one of those rare places on the Moon where one could watch the lunar landscape out of huge portholes. Armored portholes with built-in light filters automatically let just enough sunlight into the room to make guests feel safe and comfortable. The star-studded sky and the fantastic view of the Moon boulders scattered across the Sea of Clouds provided the restaurant with a five-star rating, even though the choice of dishes there was noticeably limited in comparison to the similar venues at the station.

Having made the order, Meryl and Lewis started looking around at the restaurant interior and visitors.
‘Good morning. Sorry to bother you. Are you Meryl Stern?’ A young woman approached the table where the couple was sitting.

‘Good morning. And who are you actually?’ Meryl replied warily.
‘I am Alessandra Bucinni from the Milan Gallery of Contemporary Art.’
Not hiding her surprise, Meryl was studying the stranger.
‘You work at the Guggenheim Museum, right?’
‘Yes, that’s right,’ Meryl confirmed.
‘We are doing a small exhibition of paintings by European modernists here in the cultural center. It would be a pleasure to invite you.’ Alessandra looked at Lewis, too.
‘My husband, Lewis Podger,’ Meryl introduced her husband, who was listening to the ladies’ conversation.
‘It is good to hear that art has already reached the Moon.’
‘Yes, it has. And we are glad with the opportunity to be part of this new process right here on the Moon. It’s an amazing experience. I’m sorry I’ve distracted you. The exhibition is on the first level, next to the main hall. Please come. Enjoy your meal.’
‘Thank you, Alessandra. It’s good that you came over.’

‘What’s all this about, Meryl?’
‘I don’t know exactly, dear. They’ve sent me a request for our Kandinsky collection. They’re asking to support their young artists. Tora had sent me their request back in New York. I haven’t made a decision yet. An amazing coincidence. To meet someone here on the Moon,’ Meryl tapped her index finger on the table, ‘the one with whom you communicate at home. It does look strange somehow… Or maybe she wants me to write some kind of review on the works of their young artists. Oh, I don’t know... So much for her!’
‘We are either becoming something more than just a civilization of the Earth, or our big village has simply expanded a little.’
‘Lewis, we’ve got out of the Earth for a long time, as you might remember. We have already a primary settlement on Mars.’
‘Yes, you’re right, Meryl—the village is growing up slowly.’
They smiled at each other.

‘Mrs Stern, Mr Podger, follow me, please. I’m from the Hipparchus Base security service.’
‘Who are you and strictly speaking, what is it?!’ Lewis took Meryl by the hand and turned to the young man who unexpectedly interrupted them while getting acquainted with the exhibits of the Museum of the Moon History.
‘Please come with me. You’ll be explained everything. Please, let’s not make a row here. I’m asking you to come with me.’
‘Listen, what’s the problem?! Confirm your credentials first. Which way could we know that you are from the security service, and not a terrorist!’ Meryl’s pulse started racing.
‘You’re welcome. All the information is available on your communicator, Mrs Stern.’

Meryl took out her communicator and carefully scanned the information about the employee of the Hipparchus station security department.
‘It is impossible to forge one’s digital passport,’ her anxiety intensified, ‘what could have happened so that a 170-year old couple had to be urgently pulled out of the Museum of the Moon History in broad daylight!’

The security officer, Lewis and Meryl were sitting at a large rectangular glass table. The table top, the base on which it rested, the chairs in the room—everything was transparent. The walls, floor and ceiling lined with video panels created a single visual space, bringing over the participants to any environment, historical event or any place in space.
The panels located on the floor were displaying the lunar surface. On the wall opposite Lewis and Meryl, where the young station officer was sitting, there was a blue ball with playfully twisted cloud spirals hanging in perspective.

‘Apparently, this room is used for seminars and presentations. It’s beautiful, but somehow it doesn’t feel right here... you feel like you’re going to start suffocating from the lack of air—it’s all too realistic,’ Meryl looked around.

An inscription appeared on the wall: ‘Welcome to the Museum of the Moon History! Let’s start our journey!’

‘On the other hand, we would hardly feel more confident if we were in an interrogation room with an iron table and chairs bolted to the floor,’ Meryl continued reflecting. Lewis,sitting next to her, was tapping his fingers on the table.

‘Good afternoon, Mrs Stern, Mr Podger,’ a man, about 120-130 years old in an officer’s uniform briskly entered the room. ‘My name is Ilya Tochkov. I am the senior security officer of the Hipparchus Lunar Station.’
Ilya combed his gray hair with his hand, poured himself a glass of water, pressed something on the control panel built into the table—a photo of Alessandra Bucinni, whom Meryl and Lewis had met a few hours ago at a restaurant for breakfast, appeared on the wall.
‘The thing is, Mrs Stern and Mr Podger, your Trackers have been hacked. And it was through them that, there were attempts taken to penetrate the PAX quantum system here at the Lunar Base.’

Meryl and Lewis didn’t move.
‘What do you mean hacked. It’s impossible,’ Lewis seemed to come to his senses.
‘Unfortunately, it turns out to be possible, Mr Podger. Possible.’

‘Perhaps. Let’s say. I don’t understand anything! What do us and the PAX have in common, why anything needs to be hacked, and this girl there!’ Meryl pointed at the screen.

‘The story is quite interesting. This girl, Mrs Stern, is exceptionally resourceful, and got down to business creatively. Attempts to hack both the Tracker and the PAX system have not stopped for decades. Unfortunately, your case, I think, will not be the last. The first contact with you, Meryl, the so called Alessandra Bucinni—her real name is Petra Orzhanka—tried to establish more than once during 8 months in the States. This is how we understand the situation at the moment. I would note that the investigation is not over yet. In the end, she managed to get partial access to your digital passport just recently. The folder with documents that your employee at the museum handed you allegedly with a request from a gallery in Milan, actually contained a built-in Tracker hacking system. The problem is, Mrs Stern, that it takes a considerable amount of time for this miniature system to provide full access to your chip. Any electronic system requires power, and the system of an active cyber-hacking chip even more so. The electronic components power supply embedded in the folder, I have to admit, is an extremely talented solution. The electromagnetic waves that surround us everywhere contain sufficient energy for the functioning of this low-voltage electronic pick-lock, so to speak. The energy of the waves remained to be collected and accumulated. But, as I noted, such a scheme works slowly. Luckily for you. A more powerful system would require a more capacious power supply.’

‘What’s that got to do with me? Why did I get into the focus of attention of some crazy hackers?’
‘Mrs Stern, you are far from the only one on the list of this group who was attacked.’ Orzhanka does not work on her own. We believe that they are connected with divergents and with a hacker group in Russia. We have recorded several dozens of such digital attacks in the U.S. alone. But they were especially lucky with you.
The PAX system at the lunar base is protected by several different protocols. Of course, for obvious reasons, I will not go into details. I’ll just note this. Firstly, there was a little more chance for them to penetrate, to hack the PAX through the base on the Moon than on the Earth. And, secondly, the main word here stands for was. Since now this, let’s say, back door has been already closed. The second time,’ continued Ilya, ‘Petra got into contact with you already here on the Moon, when you were having your breakfast. That’s when your Tracker was finally hacked, Mrs Stern.’

‘Are you saying that a couple of minutes of our communication with her were enough?’
‘That’s right. All she had to do was finish the work she had started in your office at the museum.’
‘Once again, Officer, I still don’t quite understand why they need me. If they flew to the Moon with their hacking system, why not do all the work themselves on the spot? They won’t interfere with themselves?!’

‘Meryl, the reasons are obvious. Your social status in society is slightly different from the achievements of Orzhanka after several years of her residence in the U.S. It is your name that provides you not only access to certain places, first of all, the level of your credebility is different. Secondly, why should they expose themselves when they can entrust the dirty work, so to speak, to be done by someone else.’

‘This is a complete nonsense.’ Meryl started rubbing her temples with her fingertips.
‘Let’s say for a while,’ Meryl continued, ‘what does Lewis have to do with it in such a case?’
‘Mr Podger, can you add something from your side?’
‘What do you mean, Officer?’
‘Can you guess, do you have any assumptions, where and under which circumstances an unauthorized contact with your Tracker could have occurred? Where could your Tracker have been hacked?’
‘No. I hardly understand what’s going on here and what we’re talking about!’
‘I see, Mr Podger. I should note that we don’t have the whole picture yet either. There are a number of assumptions about where, who and how they could have contacted you…’
‘I have no idea, Officer, where this hacking or attack, what did you call it, could have occurred.’

‘The basic reason determining the potential attractiveness of your chips, Meryl and Lewis, is as follows. You, as wealthy people, were among the first to implant these modules many years ago, when the relevant technology became available. As you understand, over the past hundred years, many changes have taken place in microelectronics. Unfortunately, your chip models are more vulnerable at the hardware level, rather than bugs in the software.
What we’d suggest to do promptly,’ after a short pause the senior officer Tochkov continued, ‘is to flash your chips here and now, which will ensure the required level of their reliability and smooth operation.’
‘I would prefer such an upgrade made by specialists on the Earth in full compliance with the regulations and safety requirements. I think it’s the right thing to do,’ Meryl looked at the gray-haired man sitting in front of her.

‘Of course, hypothetically, you can do that, Meryl. But in this case, you and your husband will have to be isolated, because, once again, I stress it, your Tracker has been hacked and is now configured to attack the infrastructure of the PAX system on the Moon. We just have no right to let you out and let you walk around the station. All and any of your actions and movements entail risks for its regular operation. Your very presence determines the risk of the system being hacked. It is exactly for this task that your chips have been now programmed. Yours, Meryl, and that of Lewis. All this is not some joke. The situation is extremely serious. The most straightforward and prompt solution, completely painless and safe, is to do flashing of the Tracker in a medical laboratory by an authorized specialist.’

‘My God! This is madness!’ Meryl’s thoughts were confused.
‘What do you think, Lewis?’ she turned to her husband.
‘I don’t even know what to say. The officer says the situation is serious. I agree—it’s extraordinary. I can’t remember a bearer’s Tracker being hacked without someone realizing it. The Tracker’s operating system is provided with a quantum…’
‘Lewis, Meryl, I do understand your concern. Believe me. If my Tracker had been hacked, I wouldn’t be here anymore—they would have definitely sent me back to the Earth in a sealed virtual digital container. And would have isolated me here on the Moon. Let’s make a decision and get over this problem!’

‘Lewis, secured by quantum...—secured by what? You didn’t finish.’ Meryl looked at her husband carefully.
‘Meryl, what’s all this got to do with it!’ Ilya interjected, interrupting again.
‘Secured by quantum encryption. Which means that it is theoretically impossible to hack the system.’ Lewis was looking at Meryl.

For a second, everyone in the room went silent.
‘I have to leave you for a couple of minutes now,’ Ilya said, checking the time. ‘When I get back, we’ll have to go to the laboratory, dear all.’

Casting a quick glance at his young colleague, who had brought Lewis and Mary into the room for exemplary presentations, Ilya Tochkov left as quickly as he had come in.

‘Let me get you some water,’ the junior officer said to the elderly couple. ‘These screens here have made my throat a little dry.’
‘Thank you,’ Lewis said after the officer leaving the room.

‘I mean, Meryl! I can’t believe we’ve got into such a trouble here!’
‘Almost got, dear! Don’t you understand?! They want to con us! I think they wanted to. Like old and naïve idiots, they just wanted to con! Oh, my God!’ Meryl slammed her fist on the table.
‘Well, yes! Wanted and did it! Hacked the damn chips, Meryl!’
‘They haven’t hacked anything, Lewis! They want to do this to us! Call the security service now!’

Meryl sat down helplessly in a chair in the hotel room and burst into tears.
‘Meryl, are you so upset about these crooks? They aren’t the first nor the last in our lives. They are not worth it… God, what’s wrong with you, darling?! Meryl, what’s happened?! Lewis knelt down in front of Meryl and hugged her. ‘What is it, Meryl?! Tell me… Meryl…’ Lewis almost whispered.

Meryl was shaking all over… She was crying and couldn’t utter a word…
‘I... I... I’m sorry, please, Lewis!’ she continued crying.
Meryl knelt down next to her husband and hugged him tightly…
‘It’s okay, sweetheart... please…’ Lewis soothed Meryl, gently stroking her on her head.

‘I thought for a moment that…’ Meryl started saying through tears nearly choking, ‘I thought that you had arranged it… You tried…’ endless despair was braking through Meryl’s sobs.
‘Forgive me… Forgive me! Sorry!’

Meryl and Lewis were kneeling in front of each other and crying.
‘I love you, Meryl.’