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His last cue is the air blast that indicates that the fuel trunks have been jettisoned. This also marks the beginning of the internal launch program. Only the data link trunk remains connected securely nestled inside its slip-off hatch.
The mouth of the silo amplifies the air blast, as by a giant trumpet. Boris can easily hear it. It ruptures like a gun shot followed by a noise of rushing air that takes on the sound of a train conductor's whistle at it fades. Boris knows that within six seconds the internal sequence will be aborted. He checks his position against his final marker. He is right of on the mark, infinitely more precise than he needs to be. The bulldozer is now at top speed, racing towards a trough of loose dirt below which lies the cable. He reaches forward to lower the blade. Here he hesitates!
At this final instant at the crossroads of history, as if time itself stands still, he hesitates, pulls his fingers back from the lever. In this moment as if all time were frozen like in some galactic vortex of western SCIFI novels, a torrent of thoughts is flooding his mind from all conceivable directions; images of Tania - bright, sad, beautiful - of her waving, crying. She cries bitterly. She begs him. But whom is she crying for? For him? For the children? For mankind?
He sees the masses of humanity reaching out to him. He alone knows the secret! He alone has the key to change, the key for mankind to have a future. His plan is perfect! No one is in danger! Not a single person will die. Only the system will be destroyed that is poised to destroy humanity if it is not overcome.
Only why is he seeing Tania in tears? Is it a warning? Or is it just a reflection of his own fears, fears of the night, of doubts, of his reaction to emotions....
+ + +
Two weeks before this day he was free, unaware of his stupendous involvement with the destiny of humanity.
"Its time to get up, Boris!" Tania said when she woke him that last morning of his vacation, kissing him while he tried to open his eyes. She smiled at him when he saw her.
He pulled her head down and shut his eyes again. "I don't want to go back. I want to stay with you forever!"
"Oh you!" she grinned. "Except your wish doesn't count. They'll punish you if you don't get back on time!" She urged him to get up, but in vain. "Hey, you said yourself, they allow no excuses, not even missing the bus. It's four o'clock, Boris! You have no time to waste."
He shook his head vigorously and without opening his eyes, said no!
She kissed him once more. "I'll make some coffee for you. Would you like a fried egg for breakfast before you go?"
He yawned. "You're an angel, you know that," he said. He pulled her onto the bed. He kissed her three times in quick succession. "At least to me you are an angel," he grinned.
"Oh, go on!" she answered. She got up and disappeared through the open doorway into the kitchen.
"Ah, but you're also cruel," he called after her. "Don't you know they're heartless up there?"
"You shouldn't talk like that, Boris," her voice came thinly from the kitchen. Minutes later she came back to his bedside and urged him to get up.
"Did I ever tell you how pretty you are and how much I love you?" he said and smiled at her. "You're even lovelier now, than when we first met. Do you still remember that day in Kasli, in the Ural Mountains, that marvelously windy day in the spring?"
She smiled. "You really haven't got time for all that, but I love you for saying it." She went back into the kitchen.
He got up at her bidding. He paused briefly and looked at the photographs on the family shelf; a portrait of her; a black and white wedding photo; and pictures of the children. The shelf was by the window. There were other wedding pictures, and many small photographs, mostly of the children.
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