No Names, No Signs. Technology I Virus I Life

Immediately upon arrival, they were offered the opportunity to fly to the Moon for good. There was a well-developed scientific colony. More importantly, it was isolated from the outside world. Yaroslava did not want such a future for herself. Once upon a time, when life was still normal, she flew there on vacation on an excursion. She no longer remembered what those scientists were doing, but the constant, dense darkness that accompanied her from the window of the hotel forever repulsed even an attempt to settle there in her.

Everything was alien, even the artificial sky of the lunar orangery did not resemble the real sky of the Earth – high, infinitely blue and windy.

The colony itself was interesting. From above, it looked like a huge octopus with long legs – tunnels that stretched in different directions bizarrely for many, many kilometers.

People have created large, closed, one-level rooms connected with each other by diametrical corridors and gateways between laboratories, orangery, residential compartments, places for recreation and entertainment.

Going out in the morning for a run or a walk with a dog or a beloved cat, through such tunnels one could go far into the lunar landscapes not entering the open, still hostile, space. The orangeries, with their solid and transparent dome, brightened up the lunar desert, interspersed with craters or mountain ranges of a monotonous black and gray color. The Moon has never been terraformed and people have never created nor an atmosphere neither a landscape reminiscent of Earth. There were such scientific projects at the beginning of the century, but those who captured the Earth’s satellite for mining were not distinguished by a romantic desire to turn the Moon into the Earth. Some even thought it was for the best. The Moon should remain the Moon, and not the likeness of the Earth.

Yaroslava remembered the bewitching feeling of the vast, starry distances, although illuminated by the Sun, but so cold and dark that she preferred the space station.

Chapter 5

Many years ago, circa in seventies of the XXI century, the founders of the project «Station» had the opportunity to use old one in orbit. It was a transit point for scientists, colonists and just travelers into deep space. Some of the bright minds began to realize that something inexplicable was happening on the planet, as if an invisible enemy was taking over… no, not the territory, but the consciousness of people, making them absolutely controllable puppets. Although, people continued to live as if nothing had happened – go to work, send their children to school, and go on vacations.

However, painstaking, analytical work was carried out in quiet offices of military research centers. They wanted to study global changes in the minds of the population. It soon became known that this misfortune struck more than one country. Some kind of force spread its «tentacles» across the planet, changing society slowly but surely. So slowly that people had time to get used to the new, albeit absurd reality that they could not seriously think about, well, at least three years earlier.

The authorities were discouraged… If this is a capture, then by whom? An unknown mind – where is he? There is no open aggression, no demands. With whom to fight? Where to send our fearless space fleets?

They did not declare a state of war or a state of emergency – no one needs panic. Attempts to deal with the situation were unsuccessful.

The more studies were done, the more surprising the findings seemed. People, mostly, became ……. happier. However, behind narcissism, there were burning through life, indifference, the desire for risk. Their outlook on life became easier. At first, such excessive optimism, a kind of confidence that everything was for the better, made it possible to find ways out of downs of life, but over time, it became obvious that people were beginning to relate to life and death too easily, and they were easy to manage. Their values and beliefs became flexible. In the end, they were haunted by inexplicable euphoria, incredible frivolity, tormented by mental burnout from the quick satisfaction of desires, and they ended their lives in mental hospitals or by suicide. Medical studies of such «patients» showed paradoxical changes, when the body produced the hormones of «happiness» for a long time firstly, and then, because of a sharp onset of depression, unable to cope, fell into a real psychosis. At the same time, all body systems suffered. It resembled the spread of a virus, but people who were not related to each other by family or friendship ties «got ill».

Then a seemingly crazy plan was developed – to take out «clean», uninfected people to the orbital space station. The «objects» were carefully and imperceptibly studied, then they were offered a «voluntary evacuation», before which, of course, the candidates were given time to think everything over.

***

Getting used to the space station be not easy. First, the shock of the voyage and doubts about the correctness of the decision to change life completely, then the realizing of a possible non-return to Earth. All this came slowly and painfully.

The people who had already settled here gave the impression of being strong in spirit, and this was a little encouraging. Of course, the doctors helped, they assessed of the general state of health, but the internal, spiritual war, did not let go of almost anyone. Many refused to accept the reality.

Chapter 6

The observation at the space station was superbly equipped. The medical staff, the wards, everything was designed to provide comfort and peace to the frightened arrivals. And there were reasons to be scared…

The newly arrived couple turned out to be a married couple. They were looking around with wide eyes. So many questions appeared at once, that it is impossible to express!

Not surprisingly, it was a completely different reality.

Having landed in the medical bay, where everything directly screamed with its cleanliness and sterility, they were immediately taken to the ward. There is a rule at the space station – all arrivals must go through the quarantine. On Earth, they were tested, then tests were repeated here, and they faced another two weeks of seclusion to guarantee the preservation of the colony.

To live these two quarantines weeks, they were supposed together as a married couple. It was a violation, allowed because they lived together on Earth. Perhaps, exactly that became a mistake.

In the meantime, a married couple, not yet elderly, got acquainted with their new home. The conditions were very comfortable. Two-room cabin, there was everything you need, and even comfortable. There was a double bed with high and very soft mattress at the one side of a big, for the station, bedroom. And the opposite wall was empty, but later they realized if someone waves a hand through the air very closely to the wall then there appears a screen to watch local news or movies. The wardrobe was so huge! They didn’t take so many clothes. The dim light in the hall let reach the bathroom without getting bruises in an unknown place.

The second room was a mixture between a living room and a dining room. They didn’t wait for quests except medical staff so they decided the room would be a reading room. Besides here they found the same screen. It is convenient when people want to watch different movies. The Earth was visible in the window.

Olga is a tall, pretty blonde, who retained her femininity and figure, by late middle age, was wary and a little slow to master the territory. It was usual for her to get accustomed to everything new. She was reasonable, level-headed, calm, even cold that helped her in stressful situations. But these features could overturn to stubbornness, excessive introspection.

Andrey, a stocky, short, dark-haired man, was distinguished by an accommodating character and tried, from a practical point of view, to accept everything unusual.

What caught their eye was the snow-white sterility and very good medical equipment, downright cosmic, which, ultimately, is logical.

Immediately the doctors came and began to test them and do researches. They were checked from all sides, but nothing was explained. No comments were given. The doctors were extremely polite and smiling. And this was very disturbing. Andrey and Olga did not like to sit in the dark.

One evening she asked her husband:

– What do you think about all this? Are we sick? – she blurted out at once everything that bothered her in her usual manner. But she still retained her most unpleasant presentiment. – We have had already all needed procedures.

– I don’t know, they will tell soon, – Andrey answered.

He was used to accepting fate as it is, he did not have a special ability to push his way in life, but you could always rely on him. Now he had no answer…

There was a good film library in quarantine. It was only necessary to select a movie, and an almost invisible, a very thin screen on the wall would light up. That way they could pass the time…

***

In mornings the nurse usually came, she took tests before breakfast, smiled cheerfully. Nastya was the most cheerful of the medical staff. Her bright, perky eyes and smile – the only thing that could be distinguished through the heavy, completely covering the body, medical suit. Such people in almost anti-plague suits frightened Olga at first. Then she got used to it. And in fact, this is already too much. She never considered herself contagious leper. But here things were different.

– You, guys, have a week left, – said Nastya, – and if everything goes well, we will go to the station.

– Are we going to stay here forever? —asked Olga caustically? She could not resist longer.

– All in due time, – cautiously answered Nastya.

There was another rule at the space station, a very reasonable one. DNA analysis was taken from all arrivals and compared with the DNA of locals. This contributed to the identification of relatives. If relatives died, then they could be carried out on their last journey in a relatively human way. If they turned out to be uninfected, then the family reunion took place in a very touching atmosphere, although not without difficulties, of course. Well, it was a good way to create a database of station residents – such a kind of population census. The station has grown over the years.

DNA analyzes of Olga and Andrey showed that little Andreyka, «that boy», is their son. The doctors have not yet told anything to anyone; they decided to let the quarantine period pass first.

– Well? How are our new ones? – the head of the medical unit asked their attending physician. He was very tall and completely thin. He was just a pole, not a figure, with a cold expressionless face. Sergey Sergeyevich glasses were sparkling slightly.

– While everything says about the absence of the disease.

***

By the end of the second week, Andrey and Olga’s anxiety grew. When they were taken out, they voluntarily took this step, but now, having lived in an unknown place for so long, not knowing their future, the previous arguments to fly to the station seemed doubtful. Suspicions accumulated, misunderstanding, lack of news, all this was very depressing.

– Why aren’t they telling us anything? Like we’re some kind of criminals? – Olga, with her impatient nature, was finding it increasingly difficult to survive isolation.

– They don’t know yet. Everything will become clearer later. Be patient, – tried to calm her husband.

– When later? Are all these rumors about some kind of disease really true?

***

One evening she asked him:

– What do you think, how is Andreyka? Where is he now?

Sergei did not answer. He shook his head more to his own thoughts than to hers.

This burden fell heavily on both of them. Everyone experienced the loss themselves. Probably, this alienated and brought them closer at the same time, became decisive to fly away.

So many forces were thrown into his search, volunteer search teams, all those sleepless nights. All in vain. His traces were never found. Why? It’s hard to say now, but he’s gone. For them, who lived for his sake, this was a terrible blow. Olga never acknowledged his death aloud, but the fact that she decided to leave the Earth became a sign for her husband that she considered her son was dead. As for Andrew, he took the blow silently. Nothing connected him with this unnecessary world. Flying even meant deliverance – a completely different life, a different job.

So, they flew away.

At first, of course, they were suspicious of the lanky man who was preparing them for the flight. It is hard to say goodbye to the Earth. The Earth is a home. Everything is native here. Especially, at their age. And there? What will be there? Uncertainty. New life. Is it that good?

Already here, at the station, Olga often remembered this young man with an open face and a very inviting smile. He was among the volunteers and immediately stood out from the general mass of search engines. He sincerely grieved when Andrey was never found. It was he who told them about the station.

Olga thought about all this for a long time – about the loss of her son, the decision to fly. Would she have taken this step if Andrey had been found, or if he had not been lost at all? She wasn’t so sure.

With her husband, in recent years, they did not talk much, and did not spend much time together. Did they live together out of inertia? Who knows? It is highly likely or it was some kind of internal mutual respect and distant understanding….

And here they are, together, and they need to talk again somehow.

Yet their seclusion was not absolute. They could watch station news like at home on TV. Sometimes, Nastya told the news, she even brought dominoes. She asked not to tell anyone – it was forbidden. This couple was sympathetic here. In general, time somehow passed.

***

– I do not like this slight deviation Olga has, – one nurse said to another, carefully studying her tests on the computer screen.

– Should we tell Sergei Sergeyevich? – Another responded, – or let’s look at the morning tests?

– Come on, let’s monitor it for a bit.

***

Since no symptoms of the disease were revealed, their exit to the general compartments of the station was scheduled for Tuesday.

Everyone was very happy, smiled like a mountain fell off their shoulders. Olga freshened up, began to get ready, she was afraid to plan, but the feeling of the end of quarantine and the curiosity to see the station, their new home, even had a therapeutic effect.

For such a solemn event, a small welcoming ceremony was usually prepared. Finally, everyone was informed about the DNA results, Andreyka was prepared and the parents. Everyone was very worried. They really wanted to meet as soon as possible, and to hug each other.

Kate was the wariest of all. She understood that potential patients were coming to her, and she would have to conduct a whole series of sessions not only to get used to the station, but also to reunite the family.

The med bay was separated from the common corridor by a large glass walkway. When the doctors went first, before Olga and Andrew, they immediately saw a very excited, but trying not to show it, little boy with goggle eyes, who was obviously outstood of the entire group of five people who were meeting newcomers.

Andrew smiled happily, Olga was a little pale, but also visibly happy. There were only ten meters to the airlock doors.

Unexpectedly, Olga stumbled, then inadvertently swayed and began to fall sharply. Her smiling face froze, replaced by a grimace of fear, she was overtaken by a strong attack of suffocation. She clutched her throat with her hand, desperately pulling the other towards her son. Her hand was sliding horribly across the glass.

Everyone was incredibly anxious. There was a commotion around Olga. She fell and barely moved. At this time, Andrew began to lose his balance. They also ran up to him. Doctors helped, but very quickly it was all over. Sergey Sergeevich, pale as chalk, not understanding anything, ordered that a stretcher be brought to pick up the bodies.

The stunned greeters froze. Everything happened before their eyes, behind the glass partitions of the airlock corridor.

Kate rushed to Andreyka, trying to hug him, so that he would not see any of this. Yara fell into a stupor, slowly realizing everything that had happened. From the other side, everyone returned to the med bay, and no one else came out. Since the illness of the spouses showed itself so unexpectedly, it meant that it was impossible to leave the infected gateway. The head of the Yara’s shift understanding that Sergey Sergeevich would disappear right now, quickly and abruptly came to the communicator, told something to Sergei Sergeyevich on the communicator, and they left.

It was so quiet that it was possible to hear the working ventilation. Yara finally came out of her stupor and also rushed to Andreyka. He’d rooted to the floor. He was all white, only eyes, huge, blue, drilled the empty corridor.

His parents died overnight. To say that Sergei Sergeevich was discouraged would be to say nothing. He was furious, the disease manifested itself at the very last moment, the life of the entire station was practically put in jeopardy. But there were no symptoms…

The briefing on the causes of the undetected virus was held in a closed atmosphere. The doctors, although they completed all the protocols for examinations and autopsies, answered the questions «Why?», «How did it happen?», evasively, as always. Perhaps, new features of the behavior of the virus have actually been revealed.

Chapter 7

The ceremony of farewell to the deceased at the space station had a very sad character. Here in space, the coffin was a one-man shuttle. The body of the deceased was immersed there and released into the open space. There was no other way. Relatives, but often just seeing off on their last journey, needed to be in spacesuits, because after the short last speech of the captain, they had to open the gateway and release the shuttle into space. The burial chamber, in fact, the docking bay, was not even designed properly. Everything at the station was strictly functional.

Space carefully accepted such shuttles. They slowly drifted off into the distance, into the blackness. In this slow movement to infinity, the Universe unbearably clearly showed its greatness, both giving life and taking it away.

Two shuttles of light metallic color were slowly sent on an eternal flight. There were no flowers, no memorabilia. They searched for a small spacesuit for a long time for Andrew, there was no way to persuade him to watch the procession on video.

When the lock closed, the whole procession returned to the station in mournful silence.