The Before Short Story Series. Part 1 - Иван Перепелятник

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!’

Modernists on the Moon

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.’ Alexandra 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, Alexandra. 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.

A Seminar Room

‘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