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Mikhail and Akilina work well together; I rather enjoy their dynamic. Also, blending backstory as you set the stage for the present is working nicely for me.

Glad this works for you. I'm definitely trying something different from my other AARs.

Akilina seems to be the one who dominates both the couple and the Soviet Union, but the two together complete each other, making for a good tandem to lead the Soviets into space.

I like having the backstory, and if you don't find it to be too much, it will maje for a good additional part of the AAR.

It's not too much work. It's been very fun to come up with this backstory from scratch. :)

Now the real question is can this virtual reality device be used to play Stellaris? A game within a game. :p

Sounds like Mikhail will keep the people happy while Akilina does the hard work.

We're just using their strengths. :p


Welcome! :)

Can the namelist be fixed to include more Soviet names? It is kind of strange to see that people with English-speaking-world names get to the top positions of the (Soviet Union?)

I will eventually explain why this is the case. Let's say the backstory will include a lot more just the Soviet Union. :D

Very interesting! I will follow this thread.

Welcome! :)

Chapter 3

Glazkov was bored as there was little to see in the countryside. The landscape was fairly barren with the occasional bush. The Second World War saw a lot of changes happen to the local landscape and not enough time had passed to reverse those changes. The boring ride almost saw Glazkov doze off which could have been catastrophic. Luckily, something got his attention in the distance so he focused on getting there to investigate.

The young man wasn't aware that there was any inhabited town or village near his home. Based on what he was told, the Third World War saw the people in villages and towns evacuated to cities where the bunkers were located. The bunkers lacked the capacity for everyone but that certainly didn't stop people from trying. He could assume that, upon discovering that bunkers couldn't offer them shelter, the people simply returned to their homes.

Living inside the bunker meant he and everyone inside got limited information of the outside world. No one knew exactly what happened to the war or if the war was even over. All they knew was their home was hit by a few nuclear weapons making various sectors too dangerous for humans to venture into. Faced with shortages of the basic necessities, many explored the city and only few survived long enough to find anything worthwhile.

In the distance, Glazkov could see a light serving as a beacon for his journey. With no real direction, this was the only possible avenue for him to explore. There were both excitement and fear within him as he was unsure what awaited him there. The light was getting close when, abruptly, it stopped moving towards him. It took Glazkov a moment to realize that the jeep was no longer running. No matter what he did, the jeep refused to continue forward.

He turned around and could see the outline of his city in the distance. Those who survived the nuclear weapons but were unable to live in bunkers had to build their own shelters outdoors and their fires helped illuminate the nearby ruins at night. There was considerable distance between him and the city so Glazkov decided that he might as well investigate the light before heading home on foot. He hoped to bring home some worthwhile things.

Glazkov walked steadily uphill towards the light. He soon sensed that he might not be alone but, whoever or whatever he sensed, he couldn't feel any hostilities. He only felt sadness and loneliness which puzzled him more. Being more curious than terrified, Glazkov carried on towards the light in search for answers. Then, he felt dizzy with his surroundings changing in ways that disorientated him greatly.

____________________________________________________________________________

"There he goes," said Sharapov to his close friend. "A great man whose place should be right here."

"Don't let anyone hear you say that," replied Kosyak. "They might just label you a traitor and have you shot."

"I'm not afraid, my friend." Sharapov sighed as he turned to his friend. "I have seen things men weren't supposed to come in contact with. I have no more regrets in life as a scientist." He then pointed to the plane in the air. "Vasily will live with regrets knowing he would miss the results he had worked so hard for. All his time and sweat made this possible but, at the very last minute, he had to throw away everything for a war."

"Need I remind you two that this war involves the Soviet Union, your home?"

Sharapov and Kosyak turned to the voice and both shut their mouth. Standing behind them was a high ranking military officer called Dragov who liked to use his rank to bully the people around him. Everyone despised him but few dared to do so openly. The man had killed people for a simple insult as he would let no one below him challenge his superiority. Sharapov and Kosyak knew better than antagonizing the man.

The two of them tried to walk away but a few of Dragov's henchmen blocked their path. They looked to the officer for an explanation and the man offered them a smile.

"I couldn't help but overhear your little conversation," he said. "I hope you aren't accusing the Soviet Union of something. After all, they are merely recalling a loyal man so he could carry out his duties."

"We are merely stating that Vasily's skills are better utilized here," replied Sharapov in the calmest voice he could muster. "We don't question the decisions of our superiors knowing that Vasily is indeed skilled in many areas. We, like you, only care about our contributions to the Soviet Union. Nothing more. Nothing less."

This explanation seemed to satisfy Dragov who nodded his head a few times. He signaled for his men to move aside and the two scientists scurried off as soon as they could. The more distance they could put between themselves and the snake, the safer they would be. Neither wanted to miss the results of all their hard work at Kapustin Yar. History was about to be made in the Soviet science community and they would be amongst those first to see the major breakthroughs that would no doubt propel the Soviet Union to a new age.
 
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It's not very surprising, but the new Soviet Union seems heavily influenced by its military. Kind of comes from dragging humanity back from the brink.
 
It's not very surprising, but the new Soviet Union seems heavily influenced by its military. Kind of comes from dragging humanity back from the brink.

We haven't exactly had a good look at the new Soviet Union yet.

Chapter 4

Akilina sat down and began going through the documents on her desk. Her husband might despise paperwork but she enjoyed learning what these had to offer. Most of the documents she had with her were related to what was discussed in the last meeting. Mikhail had patiently went through the meeting without any complaints which was a rare accomplishment for him.

One of the matters they discussed was their planet. Earth had went through three world wars which had changed the political landscape greatly. The Third World War was the last global conflict which had threatened the existence of the human race. There was one more global conflict that happened after it but this conflict resulted in the eventual unification of all humans under one leader.

Ever since the unification, humans began to repopulate the planet. The aftermath of the Third World War had a devastating impact on the human population seeing it drop to numbers estimated around forty million worldwide. Such numbers were difficult to comprehend given how much the human population had rebounded. According to the document in her hand, the human population was hitting roughly seven billion and rising.

The dramatic drop in population was attributed to many factors with the nuclear winters being one of the critical contributors. Luckily, these were issues of the past which one could only experience through the virtual simulator which her husband happened to be addicted to. For Akilina, she felt it was better to look at reality and the issues it had to offer. Earth was becoming a better place to live but it was far from being perfect.

The industrial wasteland left by several generations in the past remained an issue to this day. The chemicals used by the industries of the time remained potent and couldn't be eliminated by nature itself. If they wished to make these areas livable, efforts must be put in restoring them to habitable locations. Akilina knew that they simply lacked the resources to deal with such matters for the time being.

Another issue remained to be resolved was the poor and outcast. Despite efforts to bridge the gaps between the haves and have nots, there were still sprawling slums in many parts of Earth. The people of the slums didn't contribute anything to the empire as a whole but they were still technically inhabitants of Earth. Integrating these people into the general society would be one of the goals Akilina hoped to reach.

Hc0HiGW.png
 
Akilina and Mikhail will face some tough challenges in the year to come if they want to eradicate poverty and remove those industrial wastelands to make them inhabitable.
 
Great style and fascinating backstory! Can't wait to read more background detail.

One thing though is that neither Glazkov nor Glakov can credibly be a given name, both are surnames. The closest thing to that which is a name is Iakov. Akilina is insanely uncommon but can probably work due to futuristic setting:)
 
Earth is in better shape than I'd expected. That said, I don't know how long it's been since WW3.
 
What year are we in? How has the earth rebounded from 40m to 7bn in only a few decades?
 
Akilina and Mikhail will face some tough challenges in the year to come if they want to eradicate poverty and remove those industrial wastelands to make them inhabitable.

They probably have numerous other challenges before they could return to clearing these tiles.

Great style and fascinating backstory! Can't wait to read more background detail.

One thing though is that neither Glazkov nor Glakov can credibly be a given name, both are surnames. The closest thing to that which is a name is Iakov. Akilina is insanely uncommon but can probably work due to futuristic setting:)

Thanks! The best part is I enjoy writing the backstory too.

As for non-English names, I'm afraid I'm terrible so be merciful there. As long as they are recognizable throughout the story (Glakov is a typo), I'll be content. :p

Earth is in better shape than I'd expected. That said, I don't know how long it's been since WW3.

What year are we in? How has the earth rebounded from 40m to 7bn in only a few decades?

The game start year is 2200 and the Cuban Missile Crisis is 1962. I won't disclose how long the war went but we still have two centuries to work with even if the war ended in the year 2000.

Chapter 5

Glazkov slowly opened his eyes and rubbed his head which hurt a lot. He could only assume that he had fallen on his head but couldn't recall much more before that. He remember being disorientated when he was close to the light. A look around revealed that the sun had risen and he could see his surroundings better. He was inside a courtyard which was filled with abandoned machinery, vehicles and rubbish left behind by those who once lived there.

Upon remembering the light, Glazkov glanced around to see it. He could see nothing out of the ordinary but he hadn't expected to see it when the sun was up. He estimated that it was roughly noon since the sun was more or less directly above him. As he slowly picked himself up, Glazkov heard something and froze where he stood. The feeling of not being alone had returned and, this time, what he sensed was much closer.

Feeling no fear, Glazkov calmly studied his surrounding for any slight movement. The courtyard was enormous and the various rubbish could easily conceal anyone. The place could easily be home to other people but his gut feeling told him what he sensed wasn't a human. The only logical explanation was a wild beast but there were few in these parts who didn't see a human as a meal and Glazkov didn't think he was being hunted.

Eventually, the young man recognized that the answers he sought were likely inside the large facility before him. The facility seemed like a military base but its overall design differed from what they used for buildings in cities. The facility had only one obvious entrance which Glazkov entered without hesitation. Being hungry and thirsty, he didn't think remaining under the sun without cover was a good idea.

The entrance gate wasn't locked so he pushed it enough to squeeze inside. The facility interior was cool which was refreshing for someone who had been exposed to the sun for several hours if it was indeed noon. While squeezing inside, Glazkov noticed some red paint near the handles of the gate. The paint had long dried but their presence gave the young man an uneasy feeling for the first time since he left the bunker.

Glazkov took a moment to sit down while he studied the interior. It took him a few minutes to realize that the interior was lit which suggested that someone or something might be living in the facility. A click behind him saw the young man turn his attention to the gate. As hard as he tried, the gate refused to budge trapping him inside. He then realized that this was the same sound he heard when he was picking himself up earlier.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Sharapov and Kosyak stood amongst the other scientists in the large room. Armed soldiers were also present and, unlike the scientists who seemed excited, they were tense with their fingers on the triggers ready to fire at anything that got their attention. The soldiers had reasons to be tense since their gut instinct told them this was a terrible idea. Unfortunately, they didn't get to call the shots in this case.

At the center of the room was a cryogenic chamber holding the end results of daring proposal by Vasily. The proposal he made had been the dream of many ambitious yet mad people in the past and was only made possible with what was found aboard the alien spacecraft. This was a day for history to be changed as the being frozen in the cryogenic chamber would finally be woken from its slumber. It would be the first of many.

The being was somewhat artificial as it no longer resembled what it was when it was given birth by its parents. There were combinations of both human DNA and the genetic strands of the aliens who managed to survive the crash. The aliens had incredible regenerative properties which explained how they survived the crash. Sadly for them, these properties also turned them into the perfect test subjects.

Samples were taken from the aliens to be studied before the scientists performed any tests. Unwilling volunteers were first taken to the base where they were basically prisoners. Each of them was given a number and, by random draws of the numbers, they were then picked for a specific test which often saw the samples forced into their bodies through surgery. As many suspected, the majority of the volunteers didn't survive.

Because these unwilling volunteers were often criminals or those labeled as traitors to the Soviet Union, their disappearances often went unnoticed. Due to the secrecy of these tests, it was better that no one chose to search for them. In many ways, the scientists working at the base saw themselves as those given the authority to cleanse these people. The criminals or traitors were given a last chance to contribute to the Soviet Union.

By miracle, there was one subject who not only survived the initial stages where the alien cells were introduced into its body but also evolved on its own. The majority of the test subjects died in the initial stages where their bodies saw the alien cells as invading organisms. The alien cells had their own defensive mechanisms and fought back furiously. The test subject would then be subjected to extreme pain until his or her body finally succumbed to death.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Akilina was also given the difficult task of picking what technology her three departments should research. The last two centuries were good indications of what good technology could do for humans or, as commonly seen at the time, Soviets. If the Soviets were to continue advancing forward, they would need to make new breakthroughs while their goals became more and more ambitious.

In the last census taken, it was obvious that the Soviets weren't happy with what they had accomplished thus far. The Third World War had greatly hindered the progress of their space exploration. With so much to be learned just inside the Solar System, there was much work to be done. The Soviets wouldn't be content until, at the very least, all of the Solar System was completely under their control.

Of course, there were plans to go much further. Distant systems could hold many secrets and even possibly advanced lifeforms. The Soviets had recently made advances which saw them capable of some space travel. There were limits to what they could reach but, compared to only a century ago, their options were limitless. Akilina intended on leading her people to new worlds which were once accessible through a telescope only.

One of the projects that interested Akilina was the powered exoskeletons. Body armor had been a well known concept in human history and were still used to this day. They protected the user ensuring greater survivability. However, some armors, in exchange for greater protection, were much heavier in weight which would cost the user his or her maneuverability. The exoskeletons put a greater emphasis on speed.

A person wearing an exoskeleton suit had augmented strength and speed which were unachievable through normal methods. Clearly, this could be used in an offensive scenario working with the idea that the best defense was a good offense. If anything was learned from the tragedy at Kapustin Yar, it was that agility could be the deciding factor in a close battle where one side had numbers and the other side was better equipped.

Akilina also didn't overlook the function of powered exoskeletons in non-military applications. In various jobs like mining, a person's productivity was entirely limited to what his or her body could handle. A powered exoskeleton would greatly raise that limit while also offering some protection. The resource sector could produce a considerable amount if power exoskeletons were utilized by its workers.

frsBkSF.png


_____________________________________________________________________________

With his only known exit barred, Glazkov could only move forward. There might be another exit but he couldn't find it by remaining where he was. His growling stomach was also telling him to find some food which was the most annoying thing he had to deal with at the time. One step at a time, the young man ventured forward cautiously with his ears opened for any sound. He wasn't about to die in this place without making sense of what was happening.

It was only when he entered the facility that some of the things he had forgotten were coming back to him. He recalled the conversation between two men and the entrance of a third. He couldn't hear their words but he could see everyone and everything as though he was present. They were standing in a large space similar to the courtyard he was in. The facility in the background was in a better shape as well.

Then, he was teleported to a large room where many people were gathered. These people seemed excited about something and, standing amongst them, Glazkov felt the same emotion as them. He noticed the main focus was what stood in the middle of the room which appeared as a pod of some sort. He couldn't see what was exactly in it but something told him whatever was inside also happened to be watching him that very moment.

These realizations returned his thoughts to what he thought was red paint. If he wasn't careful, he might share the same fate of those who were at the facility before him. Suddenly, he saw a shadow in his peripheral vision but, when he turned, there was nothing there. Either whatever lured him there was toying with him or it was trying to lead him somewhere. Glazkov decided to pick the latter and took a chance.

He eventually walked out of the winding hallways and arrived in a large room exactly like that he saw in his vision or dream. He was unsure which of those it was but he knew he had seen the room before. There were weapons on the ground scattered here and there. While he was never trained to use weapons, Glazkov felt safer if he had one of these in his hands. He might never fire it but it gave him some reassurance he didn't have earlier.

Walking up to the pod in the center of the room, the young man knew his every step was being monitored. Standing before the pod, he noticed the bullet holes in the pod and guessed that the soldiers were probably trying to kill whatever came out. They had failed which resulted in Glazkov being stranded alone in the facility while the creature was in the shadows plotting who knows what.
 
Combining alien DNA with humans, likely making super soldiers... The Soviets are definitely fine with morally ambiguous science. Still, the uses of said super soldiers are obvious.
 
While he was never trained to use weapons, Glazkov...
Never trained to use weapons? Unlikely: USSR had compulsory military service for all males with very few exceptions. And school lessons of Life Safety Fundamentals often included teaching how to assemble and disassemble the AK.
If the time is some days/months after the WW3(1962), then Glazkov, who was a "young man" at the time (suppose 25-30yr old), should have attended the military service unless he had.. reasons.

P.S.: And yes, Glazkov is a family name. ;)
 
An interesting set of circumstances-am intrigued to understand more of what is being hinted at
 
Genetic mutation? I could see the Soviets doing that if they had alien DNA on hand. :p

Who doesn't want to do these tests. :p

Combining alien DNA with humans, likely making super soldiers... The Soviets are definitely fine with morally ambiguous science. Still, the uses of said super soldiers are obvious.

They aren't the first and won't be the last. :)

Never trained to use weapons? Unlikely: USSR had compulsory military service for all males with very few exceptions. And school lessons of Life Safety Fundamentals often included teaching how to assemble and disassemble the AK.
If the time is some days/months after the WW3(1962), then Glazkov, who was a "young man" at the time (suppose 25-30yr old), should have attended the military service unless he had.. reasons.

P.S.: And yes, Glazkov is a family name. ;)

Well, he could've entered the bunker at an age below that of compulsory military services and never got a chance to do so due to the war with all the nuclear weapons flying around. I see a young man as someone being as young as 18 years old. I'm not certain but I would think that the USSR would have set compulsory military service age limit from 18 to mid-20s. Correct me if I'm wrong because I do want to know.

As for the names, there's no hope of me getting them right. Luckily, I'll be mostly using in-game names from this point onwards. :p

An interesting set of circumstances-am intrigued to understand more of what is being hinted at

More will be given but there's only so much I can write in a single day. I have around two centuries to cover so plenty of backstory.

Chapter 6

The cryogenic chamber was opening and the scientists watched with anticipation. They had waited for this moment for far too long and, despite the odds they faced, they finally met some incredible success. The result of their hard work was about to be presented before all in the room while the soldiers eyed the cryogenic chamber with doubt. These men never trusted what the scientists were attempting as they tried to play God.

Their weapons were trained and they basically dared the creature to give them a reason to shoot it. If the creature had to be frozen to keep it restrained, the soldiers could only wonder what made it so dangerous in the first place. Their guts told them that freezing it might not change the instincts it relied upon. Based on the rumors they heard, the creature was nothing more than wild beast with a killer instinct.

The project for super soldiers had been in place since the birth of the Soviet Union. The government officials of the nation firmly believed that, with super soldiers, they could have sustained far fewer losses in the Second World War against the Germans. With the tense relations between the Eastern Bloc and the Western Bloc, these same men wanted super soldiers to ensure their victory should war break out between them and the Americans.

The soldiers watching the cryogenic chamber from a distance didn't see the creature as a super soldier. It was basically a modified beast with more speed and killing capabilities. Without reasoning, it was lesser than a trained hound. A trained hound could obey its owner and its loyalty was unquestionable. This beast would likely kill its owner the first chance it got and go on a killing rampage.

The scientists claimed that they had a chemical which they could inject into the beast before it had regained its physical functions. The chemical would make it more meek allowing them to give it orders. The soldiers just wanted to shoot the creature and be done with it. Their weapons had armor piercing rounds which should guarantee them hits of the creature's organs. Based on what they were told, the insides of the creature was still very similar to that of a human.

The door of the cryogenic chamber was finally opened and a few scientists stepped towards it with the chemical in their hand. They were going to quickly inject the chemical and the creature would be more or less subdued. Then, there were screams near the front and the soldiers saw the creature striking down the scientists who approached it. Without hesitation, the soldiers opened fire hoping to deliver as many rounds into the creature as they could.
_____________________________________________________________________________

Akilina stared at the drawings of a solar panel prototype. It was certainly more advanced than what they were using at the time. Julianne recommended this research claiming that the benefits would be quite noticeable. The only downside of these solar panels was that they needed to be attached to the spaceport which weren't exactly big themselves. No additional attachments could be made until the spaceport was upgraded.

IaHfIab.png


Under the urgent request of Felicity, Akilina was also considering the idea of building colony ships. Earth could only support so many people before it would be overcrowded. Their technology had come a lot way in increasing the carrying capacity of Earth but there was only so much Earth could support for the time being. They had two real solutions before them. They could either make enormous technological breakthroughs or they could start colonizing other habitable planets.

The breakthroughs needed to make Earth habitable for more people was definitely out of reach. There were too many areas needing immediate attention and Akilina was faced with many difficult decisions regarding what research to take. There had been lengthy discussions over what the options were and their pros and cons. Narrowing down to one in each department was difficult and Akilina didn't think any form of terraforming was possible until the distant future.

Building colony ships seemed the most plausible for the time being. There were always Soviets willing to head to new frontiers and start new lives. Ships were already sent out to survey the nearby planets for anything habitable. No one expected the perfect planets to appear but there had to be some resembling Earth. The resemblance was critical since only slight modifications would be needed for structures to be built there.

While the colony ships were being designed, the engineers were already considering the energy problems they could face. Unlike other ships, these colony ships would need be carrying ordinary civilians en mass while meant their many needs had to be met. These would put substantial strain on the energy production until the colony was established. Losing power would be catastrophic for the various industries on Earth.

The response was the idea of capacity overload. Energy would be much needed and the only short-term solution was overloading the power grids. The increased energy would allow the industries to continue functioning until the colony was established and power was restored to optimal levels. Such a method was a last ditch effort to avert catastrophe if things went terribly wrong so Akilina hoped they wouldn't need to resort to it.

MQ539kK.png


_____________________________________________________________________________

Glakov turned to what sounded like a growl. There was a shadow in the doorway before it vanished. It might be wiser to not pick that path but the young man believed he had to take it. The creature was trying to lead him somewhere because there was something only he could do. Otherwise, he would be already dead the moment he was locked in the facility without any weapons to protect him, not that the one in his hands protected its previous owner very well.

He made his way to the doorway and stared down another long hallway. Whoever designed this facility must really liked hallways because Glazkov was getting tired of going through them. He also expected to catch a glimpse of the creature but the hallway was empty. How the creature managed to cover such distance so quickly puzzled him but he could only steadily make his way towards the end.

He couldn't even see the end which meant he would be walking for quite a while. There were doors along the way and he tried to open them but they refused to budge at all. If he could hazard a guess, he would assume that the doors didn't open the conventional way given how much they differed from the doors in the bunker. Instead of a key hole, there were narrow slits which seemed only large enough for a small piece of paper.

Eventually, he gave up on opening the doors and proceeded forward. He knew he was probably starving and dehydrating but the atmosphere in the facility made him forget all that. A dangerous beast was somewhere in this facility watching his every move so food and water were the least of his concern. If he could get out in one piece, he might just start looking for food and water in the courtyard. One of those vehicles might have something.

Glazkov soon arrived at the end of the hallway where he was greeted by a dark room. There was a dim glow inside that provided some illumination but there wasn't enough for him to have a proper look at what was inside or what was waiting for him. Feeling tense and terrified, the young man took his first step into the room only to be instantly blinded by the lights that came on very abruptly.

He had previously stood nearby the doorway so his eyes could grow accustomed to the darkness. The light completely blinded him and immobilized him for a minute until his eyes were finally accustomed to the new brightness. This room was much smaller than the one he was in earlier and, at the center, there was a machinery unlike anything he had every seen. Glazkov walked up to get a closer look.
 
It seems the super soldier was a bit of a failure, considering it wasn't very obedient. Try again, I guess?
 
I'm not certain but I would think that the USSR would have set compulsory military service age limit from 18 to mid-20s.
You got into military in USSR (and Russia here is essentially the same) at 18yr old, unless you were:
  1. Ill(not like unfit for service at all, like just broke a leg recently), which gives you a temporary pass until you are healthy again
  2. Only family's income producer or other family reasons
  3. College/University student (but then you had to take up courses to be a reserve officer)
If you finished the university without taking those courses and still were under 27, then you got conscripted as a private. GL,HF.
You were also expected to take Basic Military Training lessons (since 16yr old) and get a useful specialty like driver, radioman etc. unless you wanted to peel potatoes all the time.
Well, he could've entered the bunker at an age below that of compulsory military services and never got a chance to do so due to the war
So they're at war, right? Surely a young man, even a teenager, would be taught arms. The Great Patriotic War had tens of thousands of boys and girls hiding their age and saying they are already 18 and can fight, even if they could have been 14/15.
 
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Caught up again, nice story. So there are aleady some aliens, lets see what can be learned from studying them. Maybe a way to get off the devastated planet?
 
Subscribed. I'm curious about how these Soviets get from ruins to orbit.

Welcome! The story of the Soviets will be pretty lengthy so it might take awhile to get there.

It seems the super soldier was a bit of a failure, considering it wasn't very obedient. Try again, I guess?

I don't think those scientists got a second chance. Maybe their descendents will carry on their work but I don't know at this point.

You got into military in USSR (and Russia here is essentially the same) at 18yr old, unless you were:
  1. Ill(not like unfit for service at all, like just broke a leg recently), which gives you a temporary pass until you are healthy again
  2. Only family's income producer or other family reasons
  3. College/University student (but then you had to take up courses to be a reserve officer)
If you finished the university without taking those courses and still were under 27, then you got conscripted as a private. GL,HF.
You were also expected to take Basic Military Training lessons (since 16yr old) and get a useful specialty like driver, radioman etc. unless you wanted to peel potatoes all the time.

So they're at war, right? Surely a young man, even a teenager, would be taught arms. The Great Patriotic War had tens of thousands of boys and girls hiding their age and saying they are already 18 and can fight, even if they could have been 14/15.

Thanks for the information! It's always nice to learn a bit more facts I normally won't read about.

War occurred and the two siblings were separated from their parents. Glazkov felt he had duties to care for his brother until they were reunited with their parents. This might not be the most convincing argument but it's a bit late to change that. I'll keep this in mind next time. Thanks for your insight. :)

Subscribed!

Welcome! :)

Caught up again, nice story. So there are aleady some aliens, lets see what can be learned from studying them. Maybe a way to get off the devastated planet?

When you have fun writing the updates, it's easy to overdo it. I'm glad you are enjoying it all and the answers will be revealed bit by bit.

Chapter 7

Mikhail reluctantly agreed to follow Akilina to the space port. The man would have rather preferred to spend his time with his virtual simulator but his wife was quite convincing about what might happen if he wasn't present. Losing some time on the virtual simulator was a small price to pay compared to what Akilina might do to him. Mikhail wisely came along to spare himself some punishment.

The spaceport was basically a large space station orbiting Earth so they couldn't get to it by conventional methods. A small transport ship would take the two of them and, given that the trip was made quite often, there were no risks associated to it at all. Mikhail was certain that they wouldn't need a pilot onboard since Akilina usually preferred to navigate one of these by herself. She was one of the better pilots on Earth when it came to these small crafts.

Having no doubt about his wife's abilities, Mikhail got onto the ship without any hesitation while Akilina was making final checks. She expected the ship to be well maintained and never flew any ships which had any questionable aspects. After a careful analysis of the ship, Akilina entered the ship and the two of them were on their way to the spaceport. They expected to be there for half a day before their return to Earth.

The couple waited patiently as their ship was placed in queue behind the numerous other ships which were also heading up. The launching bay was exceptionally busy due to the new construction taking place on the spaceport. Ships carrying resources and goods were making their rounds. Akilina and Mikhail were heading up there for this construction which still needed Mikhail's signature after getting approval from the officials.

Once given the thumbs up, Akilina flew the transport ship out of the launching pad and sped past the ships carrying cargo. Their ship was designed for speed but she still followed the speed limit placed on everyone. The cargo ships flew slower due to the extra weight they carried so they remained in a single line while the transport ship flew past them with ease. Akilina wanted to get this over with since she had other matters to attend to on Earth.

The couple reached the spaceport an hour after leaving the launching pad. They were greeted by the officials posted there and were led to the hanger where the construction was ready to take place. The resources and workers were all present and they just need Mikhail's signature. Mikhail signed the paperwork and the science ship was put into production. Afterwards, the couple was given a tour of the spaceport before they returned back to Earth.

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Glazkov found himself standing before a dimly lit screen. On the screen was what appeared to be a wheel and controls not different from what he saw in the jeep. As he pondered about this, he heard heavy breathing behind his and turned to see the creature towering over him. The darkness helped conceal most of its characteristics but the young man didn't fear what he was seeing. He knew he wasn't about to die.

"How interesting," said the creature. "To think you don't actually fear me. The elder was right after all with his prediction. What's your name child?"

"Glazkov," he said in a calm voice. "What's yours?"

"My name was long forgotten when the scientists in this facility merged me with alien cells. I never bothered with a new name." The creature moved beside the young man. "I need you to do one thing for us and you'll be set free."


"How can I communicate with you?" asked Glazkov.

"Did you not hear the conversations?" the creature said simply. "The memories were given to you for a reason."

"Why me?"

"You're the first human to set foot here since I slaughtered all those who took part in my experiment. It wasn't that difficult of a choice."

"What do I have that you need?" asked the young man. "I was raised in a sheltered family. I lost my parents on the day the war broke out and my little brother is deathlyly ill. I have not done anything out of the ordinary and, yet, you say that I must do one thing for you. The you is also plural so that must mean you're not alone. There are more of you creatures walking these halls? What is really happening here in this facility? You gave me memories but they pass by so quickly I could never absorb everything."

"I understand your frustrations. There were many things that went on here and human experiments were the main focus. A few years before the war, an alien ship was shot down and there were survivors onboard. These survivors became test subjects and their cells were then implanted into me as the scientists looked to make super soldiers. I then sought out revenge and killed all those who knew what went on down here. Afterwards, I came in contact with the aliens. They were on life support and, due to the tests performed on them, they were dying."

"The us you mentioned included you and the aliens?" asked Glazkov.

"Indeed, they were resilient aliens but they had limits to what they could endure. While on life support, they were in no condition to do anything. Yet, they refused to stand idle while the humans strove to destroy this planet."

"That's not possible," said the young man. "We humans lacked the ability to destroy the planet. We can destroy nations but not the planet itself."

"Maybe I wasn't too clear," responded the creature. "You are on the verge of wiping out all life on the planet and making the surface uninhabitable. You must have seen the devastation caused where you lived. The radiation from the nuclear weapons are killing your kind off. A phenomenon called nuclear winter had already occurred in various parts of the planet. Humans are destined to become extinct if things continued like this."

The creature gestured Glazkov to follow it as they headed to the room next door. This room was relatively small and there was little room to stand. Even the creature was struggling to find room to fit inside but it managed somehow. The room wasn't lit by any lights but an opening in the ceiling brought some sunlight inside. The young man stared at the device in awe and wondered what it was.

"This is the device you will be activating," said the creature as if it could read his mind. "The aliens used their last ounce of energy developing this device which they had intended on teaching the humans when they arrived. Sadly, they were considered enemies and the humans turned hostile with the intent to kill. The aliens survived but their nightmare had only just began as the ruthless scientists did what they pleased."

"What does it do?" asked Glazkov.

"It will save the survivors of the war. I don't know the details to how it works but the aliens guaranteed that it could mitigate the damage done by the nuclear weapons our people had done. You asked earlier when you are needed. Do you see this?" The creature raised its claws before Glazkov. "I cannot use the controls with these. We needed someone with opposable thumbs and the intelligence to follow instructions. I believe you are capable of that?"

Glazkov nodded and the creature led him back to the screen.

"Time is short, young one. You must follow my instructions exactly or this won't work. Now, focus on the screen and I will take you through the steps."

Glazkov followed the creature's instructions and, moments after he pressed the last button on the touchscreen, the device in the other room activated and fired a beam into the sky. When the young man turned around, the creature was no longer there and another door to the room had been opened to him. He called out but the creature no longer replied. That was the last time he saw the creature.