“Gentlemen. And ladies.” Gene glanced at Galena, the only woman there. “We’ve just received approval from the highest level to proceed as planned with Apollo 18. We still need to confirm with the Soviets, but the current intent is to have the cosmonaut on board”—he checked his papers for the name—“Svetlana Gromova, ride in place of Luke Hemming. I need TELMU to work suit-check and sizing, and Ops and Procedures to start revising checklists for the Commander to fly the LM without the usual help and to minimize total mission time.”
TELMU was the console in charge of the spacewalking suit while on the lunar surface. The technicians nodded their heads at the Flight Director’s instruction.
Gene continued. “We’re fortunate to have a Russian speaker already on staff, to help CAPCOM and the crew communicate.”
Galena looked around uncomfortably and waved.
“We’ll gen up more translation help shortly, and the plan is undoubtedly going to shift as the Russians get involved.”
He turned and looked at JW. “SURGEON, I need you to sort out a plan for Captain Hemming’s body using the cosmonaut’s spacesuit.”
JW nodded. He’d already been looking up flesh decay rates and off-gassing concerns in a confined living area.
“That is all for now, people. Let’s rethink our assumptions, given these new circumstances, and revise the plan to get the crew what they need and Apollo 18 safely to the surface of the Moon and back. CAPCOM, let’s get the crew working the timeline, and offer up Miss Northcutt to help them talk to each other. Let’s have Kaz talk to the crew directly on this, as he has the latest details.”
The CAPCOM nodded.
“You ready?” Kaz asked Galena. Her eyes were wide, but she nodded.
Kaz pushed the transmit button. “Apollo 18, Houston, how do you hear?”
Chad’s voice came back through Kaz’s headset. “Loud and clear, Houston.”
“18, we’d like you to keep working the timeline, but meanwhile we have someone here to translate for you. My suggestion is to get the cosmonaut on a headset, and then we can act as relay for your conversation.”
“Copy, Houston, in work.”
Svetlana was floating next to Michael, watching with interest as he aligned the ship and methodically recorded the star angles into the computer. It intrigued her how similar it was to the system they had on Almaz. She felt the commander tug on her sleeve.
“Put this on,” he said, holding out a headset on a long white cord. She held his gaze as she took it and slipped it into place over her ear, swinging the mic boom in front of her mouth. She frowned, wondering who she would be talking to.
“Houston, the cosmonaut has a headset on and should be able to hear you now.” As he spoke, Chad showed her the volume thumbwheel on the cockpit side panel. She nodded and lowered it slightly.
Kaz looked at Galena. “Just repeat what I say in Russian, okay?” She nodded, moving her thumb on the unfamiliar transmit button.
“Svetlana, this is Mission Control Houston. How do you hear me?”
Galena repeated what he’d said in Russian. “Privyet Svetlana, zdyess tsenter upravlenia polyotami ve Houstonyeh. Kak nas slooshetyeh?”
Warily, Svetlana responded, and Galena translated for the room.
“She said, ‘Houston, this is Senior Lieutenant Svetlana Gromova, I hear you.’ ”
Kaz nodded, and continued. “Tell her your name and that you’re a NASA flight controller who speaks Russian. You’re here to help interpret for her with the Apollo crew and with us in Mission Control. Also tell her we’re contacting her team in Moscow to enable them to talk with her as soon as possible.”
Galena blinked up at him. The CAPCOM slid a piece of paper and a pen in front of her, and she scribbled the key points and then broadcast it to Svetlana.
There was a pause, and then Svetlana spoke rapidly, Galena taking notes and translating.
“She’d like to know what happened to her crewmate, and to her ship. She also wants to know what’s going to happen now.”
Kaz looked at Gene, and at Al Shepard. Both men shrugged, as if to say “Tell her the truth.” He pushed the transmit button.
“Apollo 18, for simplicity, let’s just communicate like usual and allow time for Galena here to translate as we go, sentence by sentence.” He paused while Galena interpreted.
“Senior Lieutenant Gromova, this is Lieutenant Commander Kaz Zemeckis. I am sorry to have to tell you that your crewmate has died, and that your spaceship was fatally damaged. We are glad you have survived and are safely aboard Apollo. The mission is continuing to the Moon, as planned, for now. We’ll get you more details soon.”