Subs by hristo8484 & ypse & beastless swatura@yahoo.com
Ordo Draconis - (K) Kopyleft 2014. All Rites Reversed...
A Billion Years Before the End of the World
Based on the book of
Written by
Starring
Come here, kittie-kittie!
You're hungry, aren't you? Even though I already fed you this morning.
Or... Was that yesterday?
Ah! You poor thing! So. Wait. I'll look around.
There's nothing here...
Nothing. You can see for yourself. We've got nothing.
You know, Kaliam. I just got into a damn hard integral.
Not again...
- Yes! - Mithya?
- What number did you call? - Intourist.
No! Private residence!
Hello! Customer Service?
I already called you once yesterday! I cannot go on working like this!
- People keep calling me by mistake! - What's your number?
93-987!
They keep looking for Intourist and some storage place at my number!
- Put down the phone. We'll check it. - Thank you.
Well, yes... This integral...
is such an interesting little integral.
It's symmetric on all sides,
and in addition, it's not a constant...
But, we'll get back to this. I don't like to leave anything unfinished.
I'm great, aren't I?
This is something I did, at last! I hope I don't speak too soon.
Honestly! Everybody seems to have gone crazy this morning.
- What do you want? - Tax-seal check.
- I beg your pardon, but... - We must check it.
Well, if you're from the House Management,
we've got a tap in the bathroom that's been leaking for...
- ...because... - I'm from the grocery.
- Sign here. - What's this? Home delivery?
This must be a misunderstanding. I didn't order anything.
Dear God!
Two bottles of cognac, vodka! I don't even have this much money at home.
Look at the stamp. It says it's already paid.
So! And there is the name of the customer, too. I. Malianova!
It's Irka, my wife. Well, who knows?
So, you just sign it. Here, where I marked it.
Thank you very much! Well, thank you, but unfortunately I have no change.
But, thanks a million, anyway, thanks.
Strange, isn't it? Well... Let's see.
All this... It seems like Irka's gone crazy!
We have a debt of 500 rubles and she just goes away and
then sends me a gift pack. This bottle must have cost at least 15 rubles!
- Mithka? - Yes. Who's that?
Don't you recognize my voice, you bastard? It's Weingarten!
- Ah! What is it? What do you want? - Tell me! Why don't you answer the phone?
I'm working. I mean, I'd like to, if people would let me.
And what are you working on?
You've never asked me about that in your life before!
- Are you bored, perhaps? - No, not at all.
I'll tell you if you want. As a biologist you'll surely find it fascinating!
- So? - I finally moved out of a deadlock yesterday.
I found out that beside the most general assumptions
about the potential function,
my motion equations have an additional integral
next to the integrals of energy and impulse.
And if I put down the motion equations in the form of a vector,
and apply the Hartwig transformation, then the integration by volume is doable!
The entire problem is rooted in the Feller integral-differential equations!
- But are you listening to me? - Yes. I'm listening to you very carefully.
- And do you understand me as well? - Maybe.
- Val, did anything happen perhaps? - With me? Ah! Nah, pal!
It's just some silly stuff. But listen...
Snegovoi. Does this name mean anything to you?
Snegovoi? I got a neighbour with that name across the corridor,
- living on the same floor as me. Why? - What does this Snegovoi of yours do?
As far as I know, he's a physicist. He works for some secret research institute.
A top secret one.
- And how do you know him? - No. No. I don't really know him.
Wait, somebody's ringing. It seems everybody's gone crazy here today!
I'm coming! So impatient!
Mithka! Mithka!
- Dmitri Alexeyevich? - Yes.
Ah, forgive me, Dmitri Alexeyevich. I obviously came at a bad time. Here.
She's Lidia Ponomareva. My best friend from school.
Receive her kindly. She won't stay for long, and don't be cheeky with her!
Kisses, Irma! Ah, yes.
Nice to meet you! Come in, please.
Excuse my appearance. But the heat, you know. I was on my own, working.
Let me carry your suitcase.
Like that. Come along, don't be shy. There!
This way.
This will be your room. This one.
There's the bathroom. You'd probably like to take a shower.
- Mithka! Mithka! - What's this?
- Holy God! The phone! Excuse me. - Answer me!
Just make yourself at home. Sit down if you please, and I'll be back...
- in a minute... - Hello! Hello! Mithka!
- Hello! Listen to me! - At last!
- Is something wrong with you? Is it you? - Why the shouting? What could be wrong?
I have a guest. Forgive me. I'll call you back later.
Mithka! Who's that? Who's come to you?
What's got into you? A woman! Irka's friend.
You pig! You scoundrel!
Red wine supposedly shouldn't be cooled, but I still say we should try it with ice.
Err... try it, Miss... I mean try it!
Well, that's it. Like that.
So, Lidochka? How is it?
- Nice. - Well, isn't it true that
drinking ice-cold red wine makes women extremely beautiful?
They even start to resemble a witch.
- No, no, Mithka! - But...
Err... In my opinion a husband and wife are primarily
good friends and allies. The most important thing is honesty.
For example, me and Irka... but you know Irochka...
Who else will God still send me here now?
It's 10 past. Everybody's at home around here already, am I not right?
Well, then... yes!
Good evening!
- Ah! Comrade Snegovoi! - Forgive me for the late intrusion,
but due to the circumstances I'm forced
to disturb you now. I'm sorry.
Good evening!
He's... Arnold Pavlovich, my neighbour.
- Snegovoi. - Lidochka, this man standing here
in front of you is a totally mysterious, secretive man,
who tends to disappear from time to time. For a month, two months, and then
there's absolutely no news of him. He just leaves the key and vanishes into the mist!
And then he suddenly reappears,
rings the bell, and shows up again.
By the way, you're well aware that I like you very much,
and that I always welcome you here!
- You're very kind! - Therefore you can't just
- disappear again in the near-future! - Of course, my dear friend!
- Of course. - This is Lidochka here.
My wife's best friend from school. From Odessa.
Have you come to Leningrad for an extended period, perhaps?
Well, I don't really know yet. I've heard so much about the white nights.
I don't want to disturb you. But please,
come over for a second for that book
I promised you yesterday. I'll hand it to you straight away.
Don't you remember? I prepared one or two for you on the table.
I'm sure you'll know which one.
It was my pleasure to meet you! Good bye.
- You're a very kind man. - But I...
Ah, so you are a Colonel, Comrade Snegovoi!
I wasn't aware of that. But what kind of book is it about?
Take it, please. Take any of them.
Thank you. But I don't understand.
- You've drunk a bit too much, you know. - Ah.
Have a cigarette, please. And sit down for a minute.
- Good. - First of all, who is this woman?
Lidochka? But I already told you.
- She's my wife's friend. Why? - Do you know her well?
Well, actually not. We just got to know each other today. She came with a letter.
- Why? Are you trying to say that I... - I'm the one asking questions here!
Our time is short. What are you working on now?
Strange! Everybody keeps asking me about that today.
Who else inquired about your work? This woman?
Ah, of course, not! It was Weingarten, my friend.
Weingarten.
Come on, we used to go to school together.
And our friendship is still on.
Does the name Gubar mean anything to you?
Gubar? No. But what happened?
Who else inquired about your work?
- Nobody else! - And what is it you're working on?
Listen to me! I don't want to tell you that it's none of your business...
Are you working on a classified project?
Why the hell would it be classified? It's basic astrophysics
and the dynamics of planets.
The interplay between stars and diffuse materials.
There's nothing classified about it! Why? What are you working on?
Stars and diffuse materials...
Can they make head or tail of it? And none of it is classified in any way...
- Not a single letter. - And are you sure you don't know Gubar?
I don't know any Gubar.
What doesn't exist can't be known.
Thanks very much, I'm done, Comrade Malianov.
- Please forgive me. - But I'm not done yet.
And I really want to know what this whole thing is about.
I can't do that.
Please take the book. Take whichever of them,
but don't forget to take the... maybe that one.
And what... I see, you've understood me.
But go now, please! Lending a book shouldn't take so long after all.
We'll get back to this tomorrow.
- Goodbye. - Goodbye.
- Criminal Investigation Department! - Yes. I'm here.
- Are you Dmitri Alexeyevich Malianov? - Yes, but...
I'd like to ask you a couple of questions, if you don't mind.
Not at all. Please forgive me.
I just woke up, and it's a little messy here...
But what is it that's happened?
- Who else lives here? - My wife and my son.
But they're not at home at the moment.
They're in Odessa, having a holiday at my mother-in-law's place.
Well, then... Let's get to know each other.
I'm Chief Inspector of the CID. My name is Igor Petrovich Zykov.
- Pleased to meet you. - Do you know Arnold Pavlovich Snegovoi?
Yes. I know Colonel Snegovoi.
- How do you know he's a colonel? - Er, I've known him quite some time.
For how long?
Well, for at least five years. Since we moved into this house.
- Are you friends? - From time to time he visits us, brings some books and...
when he goes away on business, he gives us the keys...
- Why? - What do you mean why? Anything could happen!
Like a leakage, or an unexpected visitor.
And did he have any of that?
No. Or at least, as far as I can remember, he didn't have any.
I see. And did you talk about anything?
I mean about science, work...
- Whose work? - The Colonel's, of course.
He was a physicist, as far as I know.
Rather some sort of rocket expert, or something along those lines.
But why do you say 'he was'? Dear Lord! What happened?
Tell me! How did this end up in your hands?
- Come on, answer quickly! How did these data end up in your hands? - What data?
These are my calculations!
These are NOT your calculations!
Where did you get this diagram?
Well, from my head, of course! This is the function of density
in proportion to the distance from a star! - No, it's not.
This is the growth of criminal activities in our district
during the last quarter.
You're very quiet all of a sudden.
Of course, you can't even copy it properly!
This curve doesn't go like this! And this is absolutely wrong, too.
- No! No! - And here, not like this, but like that! Eh!
This is just crap!
You ruined my diagram!
When did you meet the Colonel for the last time?
Yesterday, late in the evening.
I got this book from him. This one, here.
What language is this book in?
Well... er... hmm... I suppose it's in English.
You suppose wrong. This text uses Cyrillic letters instead of Latin.
This is a Russian text.
- Well, he's so forgetful... - Come on, stop this!
- Who do you think I look like? - Who? Well... er... a Tonton Macoute.
Secret Service policemen are called that in Haiti.
You're wrong. Think about it a bit longer!
You've peculiar ideas about our investigative units.
- A Tonton Macoute... - I see. I'm sorry.
- Well then... - The invisible man!
There is only one common feature between me and a Tonton Macoute,
and that is that both of us wears dark sunglasses.
Somebody's calling you. Pick it up!
- Hello! - Hi! Why didn't you call me, you bastard?
You know, I had no time.
- Doing women? - Yes. I mean no.
What is it? What is it?
What is it? If my wife would entrust me with her friend...
Yes... Listen, Val! I'll call you back later!
- What is it with you? You sound so strange! - Nothing. I'll tell you later.
- Is it about a woman? - No.
- A man? - Yes.
You, listen! I'm coming to your place right away. I can feel you're in trouble.
- Do you want me to come? - Come on! Don't be stupid!
- All right. I'll call you later. - But do call me, really!
Listen! Is the man with you a red-haired one by any chance?
What? I'll call you later!
Pardon. A friend of mine.
Of course. So, you visited Snegovoi last evening.
- Yes. - Did you go there to get that book?
- Yes. - When did this happen?
Late. At around midnight.
Well, I have to tell you, your case seems rather messy.
Obviously it's up to the court to give the final verdict, but
I do have some experience in such matters.
You won't get a life-sentence, but I can guarantee you 15 years in jail at least.
Of course, there could be mitigating factors, but right now I can't see them.
I'd like to know what this is actually about!
Of course you can.
Well, a car came for Snegovoi today at 8 am to take him to the airport.
The driver was surprised that the Colonel was not waiting for him at the door,
as usual. He waited a while, and then walked up to his flat and rang the bell.
But nobody opened the door.
Then he went down, and reported the situation to his boss from a phonebooth.
The HQ called the Colonel immediately,
but the line was always busy.
In the meantime the driver walked around the house, and he was surprised to see
that the windows of the Colonel's flat were all wide open,
and that the lights were on in every room, even though the Sun was long risen.
The arriving authorities broke the door down,
and found the Colonel's packed suitcase
in the bedroom.
Snegovoi was sitting at his desk, in his study,
with the phone in one hand and a revolver in the other.
It was declared that the Colonel
died from a gunshot,
which was delivered from close range to his right temple.
He died immediately. Approximately around 3 or 4 am.
Dear God. Poor Snegovoi was killed.
But... what does this have to do with me?
You killed him.
Come on, leave me alone! Why would I have killed Snegovoi?
The deceased was left-handed.
And strangely, it seems as if he shot himself in the head with his right hand.
But I was asleep all night long!
And... I don't get it! Well... Why would I have killed him? Why?
Well, if you didn't killed him, then who?
How would I know? It's your job to find out who!
What a strange noise.
- What was that? - My wife's friend is there.
She can witness what I just said. I slept at home all night, I didn't go anywhere.
Pardon!
Interesting. Very interesting.
- Is that her? - No. This is our tomcat.
But then where is Lidochka?
- Obviously she left. - Obviously.
- Because she's not here. - That was a fine vase! You idiot!
Aren't you ashamed of yourself?
- Did she spend the night here with you? - Yes.
When was the last time you saw her?
Yesterday. I mean, no. Last night. I gave her a bedsheet and a blanket.
All right, citizen. Then I'm going to leave you to yourself now.
I think we'll see each other quite soon.
- Goodbye. - Goodbye.
- Are you working? - As always.
Well, I just... I just came by.
Come in, please.
- Would you like some coffee? - Wouldn't I just?
There you go. Here's some milk and sugar.
Listen! Has that detective visited you as well?
Why would any detective visit me?
Because Snegovoi shot himself dead, or somebody killed him.
- They came to me already. - Who's this Snegovoi?
That old man living next to us. Some rocket-expert.
I'm completely lost now! This detective was here,
and he scared me. He said I could get 15 years, and all that! - Really?
Tell me, what's the name of this detective of yours?
I hope you asked for his ID at least?
Zykov. Igor Petrovich Zykov, Chief Inspector.
- Is that so? - Yes.
Let's see whether you were fooled or not.
Hello! I want to talk to detective Zykov. Yes.
Zykov, just as I said. Igor Petrovich. Thank you.
Detective Zykov, Chief Inspector, is currently out on operations.
Which means, he exists.
Of course, he does! He showed me his ID!
- Tell me, Mithya. Was Snegovoi curious about your work, perhaps? - Yes.
- Even though he never shown any interest before. - And what did you tell him?
I only told him some general stuff about it.
And I think he was disappointed that he couldn't understand it.
He said he doesn't know how to make head or tail of it.
And how far did you get since Thursday?
As I recall, the last time we talked about it was on Thursday.
What does that has to do with all this? I wouldn't ever think about that now!
By the way, I tried to apply the Hartwig function.
Everything went well. And when I got to the conform mapping,
those stupid phonecalls started, and then a guy came from home delivery,
and when Lidochka appeared, the whole thing went to waste.
Not bad. Not bad.
As I see it, you probably stopped work at the most interesting part.
I didn't stop it, I was stopped by others!
- Yes! - I was just simply
unable to think anymore!
I don't even know where I stand any more! I'm startled by the tiniest noise
in my own flat. And you know what? I started to hallucinate, too.
I could clearly hear somebody coughing behind me!
Then I searched through the entire flat, but of course I found nothing.
And all these staggering prospects, like
that I could be jailed for 15 years because of poor Snegovoi.
- What's gonna happen now? What? - Look...
When I worry about something, I work.
When I'm depressed or have inconveniences,
when I'm in a bad mood, I work. Obviously there might be some other methods too.
I'm not familiar with them. - Thanks, but this much I know all by myself already.
And I can only work, when I'm not threatened by anything.
So, I'm going to call Weingarten.
Please. Don't you want to stay here at my place?
- No thanks, Phil. I'd rather go home. - As you wish.
I'm holding some exams tomorrow, but I'm at home all day today.
Come and visit me if you feel like, or call me.
Thank you, Phil. Please forgive me. Bye.
Ah, you dork! Look! It went on your trousers.
- Ah, it's such a waste! - I'm an idiot!
So! You're here at last. Hi!
So, don't worry. Relax! We didn't touch the caviar, we waited for you.
Ah, and where did you get all the good booze from?
- And the food? - Gentlemen, allow me, forgive me. We came with Zavo. I'm sorry.
I made a bit of a mess, but I'm the guilty one.
- This man is a coward! - Come on, keep quiet! - Dear boy!
You just sit on your butt! We gave you this bar of chocolate,
stuff it in your mouth, and don't pester the grown-ups! Have a drink. Come on!
- I'm not drinking. - Don't be shy! Sit down!
- Tell us what happened to you. - Where did you get that?
Look! It's the three of us, and something happened to everybody, so don't hold back,
and tell us exactly what that little red-haired man told you.
What little red-haired man? It's much more extreme than that.
But why do you think that something happened to me?
- Tell me! - You tell us! - Ah, relax.
Easy, Easy. - Is this kid yours?
- I think so. - Of course of course it's his. Come on!
Mithya, stop teasing us. Tell us.
But first, you tell me who's that little red-haired man.
All right, then. I've been doing a very difficult series of experiments
in the Institute, which, if I may say so, has Nobel prize potential.
I wasn't even halfway through, when I was unofficially informed
that a brand new, super-modern biological center was just built,
and they want me as its director. - Is that so?
And obviously you accepted it.
Ah, of course, not! I was totally confused.
What's more, I stayed completely cool, because I surmised what it means
to be a director. It would hold me back in my experiments for at least two years.
A Nobel prize is a Nobel prize, isn't it?
But the position of director is also worth something, right?
Of course, I was trying to make the best decision.
But I continued with the experiments.
Two days later the director called me and the bastard told me
to stop this dubious nonsense,
and start another, from an economic point of view
much more significant experiment.
Well, obviously I told everything to everybody at home,
and they all urged me to accept the position of director.
And to forget about the reverse transcriptases.
But I didn't.
And the day before yesterday, I realized
that the discovery that is worth the Nobel prize
is basically ready, I just have to write it down.
So I went home, sent everybody away, and set to it.
You are Valentin Andreyevich Weingarten, aren't you?
Yes, I am, please, but...
how did you get here, and who do you think you are?
Relax, Mr. Weingarten!
Unfortunately I can't disclose my name to you, because I don't have one.
Are you kidding? What do you mean, you don't have one?
And who are you anyway, and what do you want from me?
It's important that you believe I'm not joking with you.
A certain extraterrestrial civilization,
represented here by my humble self, has been
observing the work of certain scientists, including yours, with ever growing worry.
Your latest work is making us especially nervous.
Therefore I've been authorized to respectfully suggest to you,
that you stop your research immediately, and
destroy all the relevant materials.
What? But why?
And how dare you demand such things from anyone?
There is no need for you to know why and for what purpose
do we demand this. But you must know that we've already taken certain steps
to ensure that everything will happen in the most natural way.
And don't think, even for a moment, that the director's post you were offered
was only a matter of coincidence.
We tried to stop you, and to distract your attention.
So, it was you. And I thought
I'd been terribly lucky!
Anyway, it's hard to believe.
But since we could only slow you down for a while,
we're forced to use such ultimate methods, as this current visit.
You should know, that all our previously made promises regarding the directorship
are still valid, should you choose to fulfill our demand.
What's even more, in that case, we're willing to help you
to satisfy your minor,
and perfectly understandable, typical human desires as well.
We know that you collect stamps.
As a token of our trust,
allow me to hand you this little present.
But these are wonderful stamps!
Some of these can't be found, not even in the Postal Museum!
- This is worth a small fortune! - I'm glad you like it.
Naturally, you mustn't think
you're the only earthling who's come into our civilization's sphere of influence.
There are at least 3 more among your close acquaintances,
whose activities we must stop.
For example, Malianov, the astronomist,
Gubar, the engineer, Snegovoi, the physico-chemist.
We give you 3 days to think about it, Mr. Weingarten.
Did you understand what I told you?
I did, you dirty scum!
And then, pal, he just vanished! Into the mist!
I swallowed at least a handful of tranquillizers!
Then I checked up the stamps, one more time. They weren't forgeries for sure!
Then I called Gubar, but he wasn't at home, after that I called you,
and I almost freaked out, when you went out to open the door!
That's why I kept shouting Mithka! Mithka! Where are you?
I was just about to start convincing myself that I've either gone crazy,
or I'm just imagining things, when I learned that you were also targeted.
Are you sure, you didn't just drink a bit too much that day?
I didn't drink and I wasn't having hallucinations either!
OK! The stamps are real, but it doesn't take a Martian to be able to do that.
No? Well! Listen to Gubar's story then.
Gubar? Ah!
Gubar... Gubar...
Snegovoi was talking about you yesterday.
- About me? - Yes. Yesterday evening.
Did you know him?
This is the first time I've heard his name.
Gubar, are you a rocket expert?
Ah! Come on! An Electrician!
He's got the golden touch. Come on, Gubar, don't be shy! Tell it to him!
May I? I have to start with admitting
that I used to be a fairly lazy kid in my childhood, and
ever since I've been continously interested
in all things sexual.
To put it simply, it means
he has always been a womanizer!
All right! Why are you so envious?
So, I didn't finish, not even the 10th grade,
and then I become a hospital scrub, a driver, a technician,
and that's how I landed in the field of energy.
I never had any professional training,
but I was a passionate radio amateur.
and er... I'm fairly good at electronics, too.
I've been working on the practical use of fading lately, for example,
I think that's why they are messing with you!
- They? With me? Well, er... - They!
The whole thing started with me having some rashes on my legs.
So I went to the doctor and he gave me something,
and then the rashes disappeared by the next morning,
but I just took my sick-leave anyway, since I wanted to look after my fading,
and that's when the invasion began.
Stop all this, will you!
What got into you? I'm begging you all!
What do you want here, anyway?
You miserable bastard!
You womanizer! What do you think of yourself?
- Luring all these women here! - Me?
- Get off him! - You're mine, aren't you, my dear?
What do you mean - yours, you wench?
Send them away, or I'll poison myself!
You say you'd poison yourself?
She has the ring on her finger, and still she runs after another man!
My Zahar doesn't need such a flat-bosomed slut!
Don't bother about them!
My husband is not at home, and the children are in the kindergarten!
Love me! I want you to love me, you, dear Don Juan!
Not this! I had enough of all this!
Get out of here!
What do you think of yourselves? Damned women!
Very good! Just throw them out, Zahar!
It's good you finally came to your senses! I won't share you with anyone!
You really think he's after you? No man would ever look at you, you cobra!
I swear to God, I'll poison myself!
Better just to jump out of the window! That's much easier!
You just open the door to the balcony, and that's it!
I told you to leave them here, where they are, dear Zahar!
And this just kept going on for ten days, but with different women, of course.
I had no idea what they wanted from me.
But I had the feeling that they themselves didn't know what they wanted either.
They broke all the dishes, ruined my furniture...
My life was pure hell. I lost 6 kilos,
and my body was covered with rashes. - Well, I don't envy you.
How did you get out of it?
The day before yesterday, another woman showed up. With a child!
I thought you might not even recognize me anymore, Zahar!
I mean, I got old, and ugly...
Well, yes... Eh, come on! What are you talking about?
You're prettier than ever... just like in the good old days...
As if it only had happened a couple of days ago!
- I got married in the meantime. - Congratulations.
It's been five years already. My husband is a very worthy, decent man.
And now, I've brought you Kolya, because he's yours.
He's your son. - Mine?
What do you mean, mine? - Well, then! You know!
I mean... I got pregnant after that, and...
at first.. at first, I wasn't sure if it was from you,
but then I counted back, and... and...
Well, he really looks a lot like you, don't you think?
I don't know. I don't think, but...
Anyway, why didn't you tell me back then? For heaven's sake!
But I just told you that I wasn't sure about it back then.
But... but now I've brought him for you, and... and you take care of him!
- Why me? And why for me? - Because he's your son!
And Kolya needs a father now, and...
Kolya, you stay here! Come on!
What do you want now?
Listen, Zahar! What I'm about to tell you now,
must stay just between you and me. I'll tell you, but you didn't hear it from me!
Since ancient times there's been a secret alliance on Earth,
called the Alliance of the Nine.
It's members are miraculously wise, and live prolonged lives,
but they might even be immortals!
They collect and learn all the
scientific results on Earth.
And on the other hand, they make sure that certain inventions can't become
a suicidal weapon in the hands of humanity. Do you understand?
Bullshit! Do you really think I'll believe that? And why the running water?
That's because these wise men are always there, everywhere!
And they're practically all-powerful! Do you understand?
This Alliance picked you now, Zahar.
I don't know what is it you did, you must know better than anyone,
but I suppose you must have had some unpleasantness recently.
I just wanted to warn you.
And they sent me here to you as a warning, too!
And they ordered you not to forget this warning,
that's why I'm to leave Kolya with you! - This is madness! Do you really want to
leave the kid here with me with such a story?
No! No! Please, take very good care of Kolya!
And don't oppose them! And think about what you do!
- I must go now. - Nina! Wait! Nina!
Nina! Listen! Hey! Hey! So, here is the...
Man! I'm hungry!
I didn't ask for food! I wanted to drink!
All right then. So, you asked for drink.
Basically I don't understand anything at all of all this.
In my case, everything is explicable.
It started when people started to call Intourist and some depot on my number.
I suggest that we should report this
wherever it belongs to!
Really? And where do you think such things belong to? Where should we report them?
How would I know? But there must be some public bodies to deal with it!
Like Internal Affairs, for example.
When I imagine you arriving at the right place,
and telling your tales to a careworn officer,
about a red dwarf dressed in a black suit,
and the Alliance of the Nine, then I must laugh out loud.
Anyway, it's pointless for me to go to the police.
I think they'll come to collect me soon.
That's right, lads! There's nobody to ask for advice now,
we, ourselves, have to clear things up.
The first fact is that somebody or some people didn't
like our work. Question is, who are they?
This is crazy! Just think about it! In my case,
it was about stars, gas and dust in a shell, in your case
it was some biological stuff, in Zahar's it was electronics,
and poor Snegovoi didn't even know how to make head or tail of what I'm doing!
Have we simultaneously offended three or four different interests?
I keep thinking about Snegovoi.
Obviously he was also told to stop some sort of experiment.
But how could he,
since he was a soldier! And his subject was, obviously...
Who knows? Fantastic! Unbelievable!
After all there really are such things as hypnosis,
and suggestions! Perhaps even telepathy exists!
Perhaps there is an ancient, intelligent race on Earth, other than humans!
Our rivals, who were patiently waiting, and preparing until now,
but all of a sudden they decided to strike! And they know well
that piles of corpses can be dangerous,
so they decided to start with the most promising scientific research, you see?
I see. It's big-time bullshit!
You should write a novel about it for adolescents
but drink some more first, to help you dream up more stupidities!
You idiot! If we can't even believe each other, they'll finish us off in no time!
They're just waiting for us to get isolated!
All right, all right, forgive me. I just don't like when
we try to explain unbelievable things with unbelievable causes.
I just think, if we really were in somebody's way,
they could take care of us with much easier methods.
- For example what? - Well, I don't know.
But if they really have telepathic powers,
they could simply just suggest us to forget everything.
One by one! - One moment!
I was in hospital last year, and I got to know an orientalist while in there,
who kept complaining to me that his 10 year research went up in flames,
because he was being tortured by some strange idiosyncrasy.
Every time he started to write, a terrible headache came over him,
with nausea, and he nearly fainted. He's called Glukhov.
- Do you know his address? - Of course, and the phone number, too.
Go and call him here! He's our man!
It would be too awkward! In his case it might be just some sort of sickness.
All of us are being tortured by the same sickness!
Stop. An orientalist is a completely different kind of field.
You know what we should do instead? Let's call Vecherovsky here instead!
- He might be much more use to us. - You're right! He's got a lot of brains.
But you just call that Gluhov anyway. Tell him to come here as soon as he can!
The more we are, the safer we are!
Trust me.
No! No! Nothing like that happened to me.
Forgive me, but I cannot even imagine such a thing existing.
I'm afraid my field of research is quite far from yours,
It's the USA's cultural influence on Japan.
But the doctors said there is no reason to worry,
it's only because of too much work. Although it's a fairly rare kind of case.
But you were undoubtably talking about astounding things.
Well, here you are! All the facts currently at our disposal.
Right. As you can see,
there are at least two different kinds of opinions about all this.
Malianov says that all this can be explained by natural and logical reasons.
While I'm of the opinion that we are faced with the intervention of
absolutely unknown forces. What do you think?
So, you think that you drew the attention of a... how should I put it?
a supercivilization on yourselves?
Tell me, please. What kind of supercivilization can it be?
We got my detectives! And then Zahar's women! Val's stamp-collection!
Where is the principle of reason behind all this?
Where is the expediency, the practicality?
Why would we measure a non-human expediency
by human standards?
Think about how hard you're willing to slap your own face to squash a mosquito.
It's about humanity or at least human dignity now.
Which means, we must keep on fighting! Their weapon of choice is secrecy,
therefore ours must be publicity.
We must tell our acquaintances all this. I mean, all those with enough prestige,
and imagination, to convince their leaders.
Pardon me, but you must think, you're closed in with idiots here!
I only know one or two academics,
but I'm sure they would more or less share Malianov's opinion,
even though strange things happened to him, too!
And I would be afraid to confront
my boss with such ideas.
After all I don't want to end up in a madhouse!
Of course! They'd simply just call me a sexual-pathologic case.
And oops! I'd be on my way to the booby-hatch in no time.
Ah! It's no good like this! We'd immediately cease to be scientists.
Nothing would be left of our credibility.
And even if we found one or two compassionate souls at the academy,
how could we confront the government with this feverish nightmare?
Publicity is a double-edged sword! - Right! Credibility is very important.
You know when the human race would believe in such a supercivilization's existence?
When this supercivilization came down to our level,
and started to divebomb us.
Now, that's when they'd all start to believe it! - That's exactly right.
By the way, my boss is a woman.
A very smart, and kind, educated woman.
You could imagine if I told her this story about myself!
What a tea! I haven't drunk such a good one in a long time.
Yes, yes! Of course, it's hard.
These are inexplicable things.
But on the other hand, look, how wonderful the sky is!
The Moon, the tea, and a cigarette,
and the TV-serials on air are not so bad either.
I don't know... I don't know...
Comrade Malianov, you're researching the stars
and the interstellar gas, aren't you?
Basically, what business is all that of yours?
I mean, if we think about it, what's the point of all this curiosity?
The sky is not out there to be researched,
but to be admired.
Let's have a tea, and watch TV.
- You're a cunning man! - Relax, buddy!
Well, I'm happy to declare our conclusions. There's no escape!
It's pointless to look for the reasons, you're all on your own.
Nobody will help you, and nobody will decide instead of you.
Neither the academics, nor the government,
not even progressive humanity! - But why me, and why us?
After all it doesn't matter what kind of forces we're dealing with.
For a louse it makes no difference whether it's squashed by half a brick, or a coin.
Except... I'm not a louse!
- I do have a choice! - A choice?
But that's exactly what... we absolutely don't have!
But isn't it clear what you must choose?
You must choose life!
We must live, love, and enjoy nature instead of digging in it.
We've known each other for a long time already, haven't we?
Do you remember? Estonia! The US-Soviet Scientific Coordination Committee.
Followed by all the saunas and beers.
Yes, yes, yes!
You were an entirely different man back then.
Of course! But that was then.
One gets older, you know.
Old men can fight just as well, if needed. And it wasn't that long ago, anyway.
Forgive me.
But I must go now. It's getting late.
Listen! Did they kill Snegovoi?
- Who? - Well, them!
Snegovoi shot himself in the head.
He couldn't deal with the pressure, and made a choice.
In his own way.
That discussion between you and Glukhov was strange.
He upset me!
He's ashamed to be weak among strong people.
He'd like the others to be weak as well.
He thinks that would make it easier for him.
Are you trying to say that Glukhov is under pressure as well?
He already was under pressure. Haven't you figured that out?
He used to be a lively, strong man. With an excitable, sarcastic nature.
At first I just felt sorry for him, but when he started to popularize
his new worldview, I got mad.
This man was simply just trampled on!
Although his life was left, he's not the man he used to be.
And it's not because of his decision that I'm mad at him.
But because he's trying to dismount others too!
In other words, he further strenghtens the unknown forces.
Could you give me some more tea? - I'm glad you're here, and that you're so calm.
This whole thing is terribly interesting!
After all, we found out that they do exist!
All those talks, predictions and lies!
Rumours about silly flying saucers!
Yet, still they do exist!
Except not exactly as we imagined.
A supercivilization! - There are no supercivilizations.
And I think I already know why.
But if this one is not a supercivilization,
if they are not alien creatures, then who are they?
Do you actually know something, or are you bluffing now? A man committed suicide!
Another one was turned into a sissy without a will of his own!
And us into fools, at least for the time being!
This entire supercivilization thing was your idea.
It's way too simple. A modern myth, nothing more.
A novel in a fancy paper binding.
But this thing is not about that.
All of you are so lonely that you don't even have enemies!
And you just don't want to understand it. - What, that we don't even have enemies?
Somebody must have needed all this to happen.
Tell me, who is it who needs a stone
to fall with a 9.81 acceleration towards the surface of the ground?
Nobody. It's just the way it is.
And you don't have to drag out some sort of supercivilization for that, do you?
We're dealing with a natural phenomenon here.
The basis of my theory is the idea of the homeostatic universe.
In other words, the universe is trying to protect,
and it DOES protect its fabric, and its structural equilibrium.
This equilibrium could only be moved out of balance by two kinds of forces:
one of them is accelerating degeneration, in other words
the way into cooling, into Chaos.
We know that the Universe protects itself against that!
But similarly it has to protect itself against another force as well.
Which is the increase of human reason,
and its intention to become omnipotent.
I see.
Therefore if only the law of accelerating degeneration existed,
the fabric of the universe would disappear,
and Chaos would reign. But on the other hand,
if ever-evolving reason became omnipotent,
the fabric of the universe would similarly fall apart.
Excellent, sonny!
Therefore the basis of the homeostatic universe
lies in maintenance of equilibrium.
Therefore there isn't, and cannot even be any kind of supercivilization!
And what is happening to you now is nothing else,
but the first reactions of the homeostatic universe
to the threat that the human race might become a supercivilization!
- The universe is protecting itself. - But why against us?
I have no idea. Don't ask me.
But obviously things are happening in such a way that, let's say
a billion years from now, the works of
Malianov, Glukhov and Weingarten and Gubar, and many others,
would not cause the end of the world.
Well, if it really is like that,
then to hell with all my researches!
A choice? How could there be any choice at work here?
Relax, Mithya! I'm here with you.
Mithka! Mithka! My God, so you are alive!
So many crazy things have crossed my mind!
Of course, I'm alive. Why are you here? What happened? And Bobka?
I almost went crazy! I thought I'd never get here!
- What's all this? - What happened? Anything happened to Bobka?
To Bobka? What does this have to do with Bobka?
You're why I almost went crazy! What kind of thing is it? I thought you were sick!
You're all fine! - I don't get it.
Did you receive some bad news about Mithya?
Exactly! Here is the telegram!
My God. Where did I put it?
And I couldn't understand any of it!
How could someone send a telegram like this? Here!
Mithya is ill STOP Hurry back home STOP
Snegovoi. Why Snegovoi of all people?
Show me! It was sent this morning.
- When? - This morning.
At 9 h 22 minutes.
Dear God! Why did he play such an awful trick on me?
We were always on good terms.
And I just hurried to the airport right away.
Of course I couldn't get any tickets, so I finally I boarded a plane to Harkov.
And once there, waving the telegram in my hand,
I took the train to Moscow, which transported
freezers and coffins only!
I only caught the Leningrad flight the very last minute.
I didn't eat anything at all throughout the entire journey,
and I cried my eyes out!
I'll go the post office tomorrow, and find out who did this awful thing to me.
Because it couldn't be Snegovoi, right?
The most likely option is that the telex machine at Odessa did it all by itself.
Come on, Mithya is just kidding!
But indeed, it couldn't be Snegovoi who sent it.
But I'm telling you! Olga Fyodorovna Sergeyenko.
Born in 1919, Phil! What's this?
No! Irka's photo.
Well, not this one! No. She just resembles her.
A woman, who resembles Irka, but she's not her!
Olga Fyodorovna Sergeyenko!
I'm not imagining things, believe me! I'm afraid to go to sleep!
All right. I'll check.
But I'm afraid. I'm ashamed of it, but I'm afraid.
What is it, Mithka? Are you feeling bad?
Was I snoring, perhaps?
Nothing's wrong, Irochka! You just sleep! Sleep!
Nonsense! It's her. No doubts about that.
I already think my own wife's turned into some sort of witch or something.
Forgive me, Phil. Good night.
What is it? You haven't slept again?
You know, my little skylark, I'm the night owl in the family.
What was that?
Mithka! Come quickly! That's what I call a miracle!
- I think it was meant for me! - What were you saying?
I was just kidding.
I'll go and do some shopping. You don't feel like working?
I took a day off for today. I'll be working at home.
- Bye! - Bye!
- What was that explosion? - You can talk louder. Come in.
- Was that tree because of you? - Because of me.
Or if it suits you better, they couldn't hit me yet.
So it's better to die standing proud,
than to live crawling on your knees. Ah, you're so stupid!
- Did you at least go down to have a look at it? - Do you want some Valerian drops?
- Do you have some vodka? - No. Nor wine. Nor anything else.
- What are you carrying in that bag? - My Nobel prize.
My Nobel prize! I brought it with me. But not for you, you idiot!
- Your own problems are more than enough for you! - Did you get scared?
Hell no! I was bought, pal.
Good choice! I'd either be smashed to dust,
or I'll be given a new institute, that two academics have fought to the death for!
I'm not gonna piss against the wind!
Are you trying to convince me or yourself?
And where are you taking your Nobel prize? - To Vecherovsky!
- Why the heck would he want your Nobel? - Because he wasn't hit on the head!
It seems like he doesn't care if he's swept off the face of the earth!
Well, then just burn it! Here in the bathroom! Right now!
- So? - No! I'm sorry! You understand? I'm sorry!
An excellent work! Superb work! A classic work!
What are you looking at? I'm ashamed! Yes! I'm ashamed! Don't you get it?
But there are times when one must know how to retreat!
This is not a retreat but a capitulation,
or running away! Leave me alone! - Eh, you're being so proud!
But you'll come down to my level soon, too! I'm going to Vecherovsky now!
- Go ahead, you great hero! - You know what?
- Hi, Malianov! Forgive me for disturbing you. - Come in.
Come, I'm very pleased you're here! - Thanks. I thought I'd just pop in.
Weingarten disappeared. He's not at home. I've been calling him all day,
but nobody picks up the phone. I was on my way to Vecherovsky
- and I thought I'd check here, too. - Check for whom?
Vecherovsky? - No! Weingarten!
- He also went to Vecherovsky. - Is that so? Long ago?
Just some time ago.
Well... good. I don't want to hold you up any longer then.
- Which flat does Vecherovsky live in? - In 812. And where's your son, Zahar?
They left me alone, and I think they will in the future as well.
Goodbye.
- What's this? - I'd love to know that too!
By the way, it's a bra!
- Honey! - Don't touch me!
But Irka! Irochka! What happened? Are you unwell?
You animal!
What's going on here? What do you want with that bra?
Now I understand everything! Including the telegram!
How could we get to this point? Who's that woman? - Who?
I've had enough of all this!
You always kept saying that love is a contract!
Of course, love, honesty, friendship!
You should have at least been careful enough not to leave behind a bra!
Or if I searched long enough, perhaps I'd find panties as well?
Irka! But it was obviously Lidochka who left it here.
- What Lidochka? - Well, your friend!
The one you sent here for me! I mean, to me!
Never in my whole life have I ever had any friend called Lida!
But it was you, who wrote that letter!
Well, I put it somewhere here among the letters! Wait! I'll look it up.
It must be here! There you go! Here it is! This is the one! So?
But this is not even my writing!
Listen to me! I swear to you nothing happened between us!
I swear! Nothing happened! Look! Listen to what happened to me!
I'll listen to you for one last time only!
- But don't you dare lying to me! - I'm not lying!
As soon as you left, a man came from home delivery.
Just don't worry about me. Make your decisions as if I didn't even exist,
because I'll stay with you, anyway, no matter how you decide.
- Thank you. - Dirty bunch! Whoever they are.
But they will never be able to separate us from each other, right?
Of course! And now, let's make a strong coffee!
What now?
Good morning! Telegram!
- Thank you. - Sign here, please.
Thank you. Good bye.
- Who was that? - A telegram. From your mother.
We'll be arriving with Bobka tomorrow. Wait for us! Flight 425.
Bobka is silent. He violates the homeostatic universe.
Kisses, Mum. - What's all that crap?
What is a homeostatic?
Well, it means, your mother will be arriving with Bobka tomorrow!
And I will...
- What are you doing now? - I'm going to Vecherovsky. I'll be back soon.
- So you've brought it after all? - Because of my son.
I've been expecting you. But not so early.
To ease the nerves. Cheers!
What is it? Aren't you going to ask something at least?
No. I have no questions, only answers.
- Are they going to kill me in the end? - I don't think so.
They'll miss that one, and a war is a war.
Let's drink!
- And then we'll discuss everything. - There's nothing to discuss.
There is my son, Bobka!
I see. There is no need for you to say anything more.
You know, I would like to go away from here.
I'll definitely leave the Institute. I'll hide away somewhere, like on the Pamir.
They always need meteorologists during the autumn and winter seasons.
Stupid idea! What would it be good for if you, the mathematician turned
into a simple meteorologist? You think they wouldn't find you there?
- They'll find you, pal! - And what's your suggestion?
Just dump all this into the garbage!
The Weingarten revertase, and the
cultural influence of the USA on Japan,
just like the fading, and my stuff, too!
And just mind your own business, after all,
you're a unique expert, aren't you?
You've got your own work! Well, then work!
Why do you meddle into our things?
You didn't understand me at all.
I've already got mine because of my work two weeks ago.
Except that I know how to control myself.
But this is none of your business. You poor, little sheep!
- Go to hell! - Calm down! Calm down! And have a drink!
You've got bit of Weingarten in you.
Yes. And I also got a bit of Zahar, Glukhov and of you, too!
But especially of Glukhov! The peaceful life!
The longing for a life without responsibilities.
To become one with the bushes, the grass, the air, and the water!
- Don't make me mad! - Do you really think
I'd be willing to go against tanks with my bare hands?
Absolutely not! It's foolish to fight against a natural law.
But on the other hand, surrendering to natural law is a shame.
We must study them and use them.
This is the only possible solution.
- I don't really follow. - I'll explain to you.
This law didn't really show itself until now.
Even though, mentioning only one example for the moment,
Archimedes wasn't killed by a soldier by accident either! But that's an assumption.
But this law is manifesting itself now in a single form.
In the form of unbearable pressure!
This pressure is such that it's dangerous not just for the psyche,
but for life itself. And perhaps, in a couple of years from now,
we'll learn how to channel this pressure, and learn to use it to our own purposes.
We have a billion years ahead of us still!
And then you can start it all over again. Let's say, after Bobka grows up.
Ten or twenty years? It doesn't really matter.
Of course it does! I'll be absolutely useless ten years from now.
And in 20 years I won't give a damn about the whole thing! And you'll be ruined!
Not necessarily. I wouldn't be the only one there.
And not just there. And not just me.
We've got a billion years ahead of us!
Let's hope!