As Allen pulled away Peter said, “Allen, we appreciate you trusting us with your baby. We have total confidence in her. I promise we’ll make you proud, not of us, but of your dream.”
Both men picked up their helmets and started marching toward the rocket, an unlikely pair of heroes; a short, old, bald Russian, and a tall, young, handsome American. As they walked, Peter put out his fist. To his delight, Viktor understood, and for the first time they successfully did the Galileo fist pump.
Peter said, “Let’s do this shit.”
Viktor looked straight ahead. “Yes… let’s shit!”
Peter laughed.
ANYA FOLLOWED BUD up the stairs of the launch control building to the roof top. He was taking her on a quick tour of the building per Allen’s request and this was their last stop. As Bud opened the door, a warm breeze struck them both. Anya rolled up her sleeves as she walked out.
“This is where our clients can watch the launch if they would like. You may want to be up here when the rocket blasts off,” Bud said.
Anya scanned the area, noticing they were the only ones on the roof top. The roof was beautiful. It looked like someone’s fancy backyard, with a covered patio area decorated with elegant patio furniture and neatly organized potted plants. On one side was a small bar with a TV above it; on the other, another TV hanging in the corner.
Bud crossed to the bar and leaned over it, looking for something. “Sorry, it looks like there’s nothing in the bar, but you will still find this a comfortable place to watch the launch. He lifted his hand in the air. “It shouldn’t be too hot up here.”
Anya smiled as she walked out from under the patio cover toward the side of the four-story building that pointed toward the Space Center. A railing was wrapped all along the rooftop edge. In front of the railing sat three outdoor plush couch seats aimed in the direction of the Cape, large umbrellas stationed behind them. As she approached and leaned against the railing, she was happy she could see the rocket out in the distance. This will be the perfect place to watch.
Suddenly speakers surrounding the roof top came alive. “We’ve passed the two-hour mark. T-minus one hour, 59 minutes, 54 seconds on our countdown for Newton 9.”
Bud said, “As you can hear, we have speakers out here too, so you’ll be able to hear everything. Since we’re at the two-hour mark, Peter and Viktor should be entering the rocket soon.” Bud walked back toward the bar and turned on the TV.
When the closed circuit picture cleared, Viktor and Peter were visible stepping onto the hoist to lift them up to the entrance of the rocket. She stared at the TV, knowing this was some of the last images she would see of the two men she loved most.
Bud bounced on his toes. “Well, I need to get back to work. Please feel free to stay up here as long as you’d like. If you need anything, just ask any of the workers below.”
Anya said, “Thanks,” as Bud left. She couldn’t take her eyes off the TV as she watched two technicians follow Viktor and Peter boarding the platform. Fortunately, the technicians stood behind her men so Anya could see both clearly, wearing their blue flight suits and carrying their helmets. Her dad was looking lovely and Peter was looking as handsome as ever. The platform started to lift and the camera followed them up. Though never panning in for a close up, the shot was still good enough to see their faces. Both men looked focused and determined, neither saying a word. She looked out behind her toward the Space Center and could see the rocket from where she stood, but it was too far to see the platform rising. She turned back to the TV, figuring the direction they were looking was toward the ocean. She grabbed her pendant hanging around her neck and rubbed the engraving that said Soul as she softly said, “I love you, Peter. I love you, Nana.”
The platform looked like it was nearing the top of the rocket when Peter turned away from the camera and looked to his right, which she assumed was in her direction. A strange feeling came over her, as if he was standing right next to her. To her surprise, Peter extended his arm over the side of the platform and pointed. Could he be pointing toward me? She watched him slowly bring his gloved hand to his lips and blow a kiss out in her direction, sending an electrical charge throughout her body. She turned around to look in the direction of the rocket and extended her hand up in the air, pretending to catch the kiss. Bringing her hand down to her cheek she gave a slight smile. She decided to blow a kiss back toward Peter, hoping he might sense it. After blowing the kiss she turned back to the TV. Her smile became even bigger when Peter reached in the air as if catching her kiss, and put his gloved hand to his face. She now knew for sure he was thinking of her; chills crawled throughout her body. She saw her father say something to Peter as they both looked in her direction and, after Peter said something, her dad waved. A single tear trickled down her cheek.
“THIS IS KENNEDY LAUNCH CONTROL. We have passed the one-hour mark. Now T-minus 59 minutes, 45 seconds and counting,” said Floyd at Launch Control.
Peter sat uncomfortably on his back in the Galileo capsule. Both he and Viktor had been busy after being strapped into the rocket, going through their prelaunch checklists. They finally had a few moments in the countdown to relax. Both men had their helmets on, visors up. Peter reached down and opened his small carry-on bag, Velcroed to the side of his seat. Not being able to look down into the bag, he moved his gloved hand around inside, searching. He was having a difficult time feeling through the glove but finally found what he was looking for. He pulled up his hand, and hanging from his gloved finger was the chain from Anya, the pendant dangling on the end. Peter took the chain and started to wrap it around a knob on the control panel in front of him.
Viktor looked over. “What’s that?”
“It’s a gift from your daughter,” Peter said proudly as he grabbed the pendant between his gloved fingers and turned it in Viktor’s direction so he could read it. “It’s half of a pendant. She has the other half, which reads ‘Soul’ and mine reads ‘Mate.’”
Viktor knew his daughter was a romantic. He gave Peter a sly smile. “She not think much of you to get half pendant.”
Peter smiled. “Yeah, but at least I got ‘Mate.’”
“True, since you got no soul,” said Viktor, smiling.
Peter chuckled. He flicked the pendant, spinning it around as it dangled in front of them. “I figure it will let us know when we’re in space.” Gravity forced the pendant to hang directly down toward the astronauts, perpendicular to the control panel, and the necklace would continue to hang that way throughout the launch. Once the rocket approached zero gravity, the pendent would start to float, signaling they were entering space.
“Good idea. Cosmonauts use tradition of stuffed animal to hang in similar manner, but this better.”
“Damn, you cosmonauts sure have a ton of traditions. You need a checklist just to keep track of them all!” Peter grinned.
Viktor smiled, then reached over into his bag and after a while fumbling through it pulled up a small picture and gazed at it.
Peter asked, “Is that Maria?”
Viktor nodded. “I brought as you said. I put Velcro on back.” He pulled a checklist off the control panel in front of him and moved it to the side. He attached his wife’s picture in its place, so he could look right at her. He stared at the picture. “It one of my favorite pictures of Maria. It at Dmitri’s wedding when she so happy.”
Peter watched his partner lovingly stroke the picture. Sensing he was having a private moment, Peter said nothing and looked out the window in front of him, watching the clouds pass over, thinking of Anya.