>>>9th March, 1991

>>>Leningrad streets

Pasha walked through the streets with Vanyok, the duo shaking their head to the rhythm of the beat in their respective headphones. "Fuck man, and you said you got this free?"

"Yeah. Dima knows a guy, made the connection."

"Who's the guy?"

Pasha grinned. "A guy. You don't have to know him to get it."

"Come on, man, really? You know me!"

"Yeah I do, but… well, your dad and everything."

A grimace came upon Vanyok. "Yeah, okay. So you keep me around to make sure he can get us out of shit but beyond that I'm 'one of them'. Fantastic."

"Why are you speaking for me? We've only been talking for like a month and I've only known who your dad is for, like, a week."

“Whatever. Let’s go.” he said, opening the door in the alley they entered. After greeting a few people they went up a flight of stairs where Kolyan and Dima were waiting. 

“You ready?” Pasha asked, picking up the guitar. 

“Yeah. Here we can sing some shit about workers of the world uniting eh Vanya?”

“Fuck off man.”

“Oh come on, I saw like twenty Polish plates you know. Something’s happening, we want you to look good for daddy. Got to forget any music that might point out we’re the same fascist capitalist bourgeiousie whatever your family preaches against. Got to forget anything that can get you kicked out of the Komsomol eh?”

Vanya began one of many teenage bouts of fisticuffs, his first dive on his counterpart ruining one of Leningrad’s greatest mohawks.

[hr]
>>>Leningrad Academy of Sciences

Shprotov smiled to the assembled company, nodding to the Romanian delegation as they took their seats in the meeting room. He looked down at his notes, once more mentally rehearsing the who’s-who. From the scientists of all the Warsaw pact states, to the military attaches, to the diplomats, to the strange Spetsnaz in an off-white uniform pouring himself a glass of water by the window. Pressing a button, the delegation from Cuba and other observer states of the Pact were immediately put on screen. 

“Comrades, it is so good to see you!” Shprotov said, giving a measured grin to everyone present in the hopes of ceasing the sweat upon most of them. Since The Arrival the Soviet Union had been far less dominating than it once was letting the rest of the Warsaw Pact nations run much of their own affairs. Unfortunately for the new PR image the Soviets wished to cultivate, most of the men in the room were alive in a time when this was not the case, when a wrong move in Russia could mean their death within their homelands. 

“I am sure you are all aware of current events and have read the agenda, but let us summarize. Several states have made moves to try demonstrate their efforts in the space race. They are laughable to the American NASA, not to speak of us — the glorious heirs of Gagarin, Korolev, Tereshkova. At the same time, there have been more recent researches into products of The Visit that leave us with the possibility of travel that is faster than light. A thought that once was the product of our pioneers in science-fiction is now a possibility to arise from Baikonur within our lifetimes. Comrades, brothers, we do not want the Soviet Union to be the only bearer of the bounties of the stars.”

The speaker licked his lips, pressing another button upon his desk. “We will reply affirmative to Rio. But we will remind the world who holds the orbit. As of today, the entirety of the Soviet holdings in space are being distributed amongst members of the Warsaw pact. Trucks are being driven to your nations to build the infrastructure for space flight, as well as factories to produce the actual spacecrafts. We shall have even the smallest of our glorious Pact’s members eclipse the upstarts. Indeed, even as this transfer happens the Soviet Union is preparing to launch entirely new lines of satellites and shuttles both automated and manned. Our astronauts will toast to the success of the worker united!”

Many a set of glasses were donned to review the figures before the delegations in shock. None dared raise the matter of global impact and perception of these announcements save the representative of the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “The space debris? The weapons? Do you not realize the amount of objections that will be had? Within our nations and without?”

“They will be quiet when we remind them this is all a prerequisite for our offer of free access to GLONASS to the entire damn world regardless of relations to the Soviet Union. Any who still whine will eventually see the light. Trust me.” The strange Spestnazer spoke. His lips curled in a smile, though the rest of his face hadn’t moved in the slightest. 

“Thank you Teimuraz.” Shprotov said, clearing his throat and shuffling a few papers. “A new age awaits us!” he said, trying to diffuse the situation. Nobody had raised any voices, and yet after the speech of the Tatar soldier Shprotov knew that everyone in the room had sweat pouring down their backs now more than ever. He made a mental note to ask of these strange new Corps. among his sources. Whatever they were they kept his mind uneasy even as he went through the boring bullshit of bureaucracy within the meeting of Internationale Vanguards.