Ship models made of bone, delicate painted eggs, rusted parts, and yellowed scraps of draft paper.
Old pieces hastily thrown together somehow form an unexpected harmony.
Name Day: No. 136, from near the Kolyma Mountains.
Name Day: Tells the tale of the Polar Star icebreaker. The crew suffered some kind of mass hysteria. The same thing happened later in the Kola Peninsula.
He labels the notebook, writes down its number, and stores it away.
Name Day: Our destination is close to the Arctic Circle. With any luck, we should get a great view of the aurora.
June 1987, Far East Branch of St. Pavlov Foundation
Name Day, Investigator for St. Pavlov Foundation. Currently serving for Far East Branch.
Why did I join this project? Well, it is a job, and I like to do as I am told.
Name Day: Neva River, Lake Ladoga, Svir River, then Lake Onega ... It takes less time to travel by water. Maybe I can even buy a small gift along the way.
Name Day: What sort of specialties does Mirny have other than diamonds? Oh, maybe I can stop by Petrozavodsk on my way back.
He examines the map, plotting out a workable route.
Name Day: Looks like I'll have to walk the rest of the way after landing. Ah, Plesetsk, a place of boundless snow and not much else.
Fortunately, endless white fields of snow are something with which he has a wealth of experience.
Trying to reach the stars in order to monitor the "Storm" from space, huh? Sounds like a good gig, even if it does mean being stationed at the northernmost frozen tip of the world.
Maybe it will go nowhere, but what would we be without a little pioneering spirit?
In legends, a meteor may signal incoming disasters or foreshadow good fortune.
Like the "eternal soul," it all depends on what the viewer chooses to believe.
Вечный?
"Eternal"?
Little Name Day: Leningrad is just on the other side of this snowfield.
Little Name Day: I'll let that meteor guide my way.
In the end, he made it to Leningrad.
Name Day: The Foundation never gives me a break, which I guess makes me equal parts lucky and unlucky.
???: Mr. Name Day?
Name Day: Yep. Hold on!
As the door opens, a bundle of energetic fluff appears, orbiting at his teacher's feet as expected.
Vila: I heard you were leaving for the north on a new mission. Is that true?
Name Day: Just for an errand. The Far East Branch is short on staff right now, so I'm going all on my own.
Name Day: Ms. Windsong should be on a field trip there. Is there anything you'd like me to give her?
Avgust: Where is it? Is it north of Rayashki? Could I come visit there with Vila?
Children speak more directly, but the mention of a familiar place brings a few seconds of silence.
Name Day: Well, so long as you finish all your classes and get good grades, I'm certain you'll be able to go anywhere with Ms. Vila, as long as it is safe.
Name Day: But things could change. I can't promise anything. Except maybe a little souvenir when I get back. Now, Avgust, do you have anything you want me to give Ms. Windsong?
Avgust: Yes, and Vila does too. I've written lots and lots of things. Comrade Windsong can read them when no one is there to tell her a bedtime story.
Avgust: And this, from my tallest and most spirited sunflower guards!
He fumbles through his coat pocket and pulls out his most prized possession.
Avgust: You must not water them too much, and they should be placed somewhere under the sun.
Vila passes an envelope over, placing it next to the seeds.
Vila: I'd like this to be delivered to Ms. Windsong.
Vila: She said in the last letter that she had started to teach again, and it was more difficult than she remembered.
Vila: I wrote a little bit about my own experience teaching. Hope it helps.
Vila: And please talk to her if you have any ideas. You're so good with kids. Nina, Pyotr, and Pasono ask about you all the time, always wondering when you'll visit again.
Avgust: I didn't ask. I know how busy you are, Mr. Raccoon, and so is Vila. Every day, she's either painting something or talking to the white clothes.
Name Day: With any luck, I'll be free for a while after this mission. I'll come back and do some magic for you kids. What do you say?
He crouches and hooks his finger around the leaf of the wobbling sunflower.
Name Day: Deal?
Avgust: A good comrade must always keep his word!
The fuzzy hat bobs up and down twice—an earnest and sincere nod.
The conversation shifts back to the two adults.
Name Day: Sounds like you've been doing well recently. The Foundation's textbook is an easy read, but I really hadn't expected just how effortlessly you'd be able to make your lesson plans.
Vila: Lesson plans are nothing compared to field missions. Just keep this in mind during your errand: your safety is our first priority here.
Name Day: Of course, but the good news is I'm quite familiar with this era.
Though in this era, the city hasn't yet reverted to its old name—Saint Petersburg.
Talk like this always seems to circle back to that little town swallowed in snow.
But now's not the time for that.
Name Day: Um, anyway, I'll make sure Ms. Windsong receives Avgust's seeds and your letter.
Vila: Thanks a lot. I don't want to make our goodbyes here too long-winded. Just take care, especially since you're going to be all on your own.
Name Day: Well, I won't exactly be "all on my own."
Han Zhang: Hey, so, any idea how far off this place is? I think we must be pretty close. I can almost see that unmistakable Laplace metal roof!
Han Zhang: I've actually got some business lined up in Mirny. Those diamonds of theirs are certain to fetch a tidy profit back in the East Branch.
Name Day: I should've never let you out. Can we make a deal? You stay quiet, and I'll get you safely to our destination. Then, you can say whatever you've got to say to whoever made the mistake of inviting you here.
Name Day: sigh You know you really, really, really like to talk? I'm beginning to understand why no one else would take this job!
Han Zhang: Whoever heard of a merchant who doesn't like to talk? Ha. Admit it, you'd be bored to tears if I were not here.
Han Zhang: ...?!
The chatty salamander is tucked under Name Day's coat, its muttering smothered along with it.
Name Day: Quiet.
Han Zhang: Bandits—in the Arctic Circle? That's new.
Nearby snowbanks serve perfectly as cover, shielding Name Day from view.
Robber I: Where is he? I saw someone coming this way.
Robber II: We can't let him get any further. There's some kind of military base up ahead. And it's heavily guarded.
Robber II: Think how far we've gone. We can't go home empty-handed. That arcane item they've got is probably worth a few Sharpodonties, don't you think?
Han Zhang: &%#*! (curses from the east) "Item." Hey! I'm a living, breathing creature!
Name Day: You don't need to yell at me. Say it to them if you like!
A branch heavy with snow snaps and is broken into a stick that fits his grip comfortably.
Han Zhang: What? Are you sure? Never mind. What should I yell?
Name Day: Anything. I just need you to draw their attention.
Name Day: I'm not letting them anywhere near Plesetsk.
Robber I: This way! I hear something. Keep up!
A dark shape juts out of the snow—the odd appearance of the strange metal vessel draws every eye.
Han Zhang: Errrr. Ro-Ro-Robbery! Hands up, and give me all your cash!
Name Day's blade lands right in time, stopping the hand reaching for the vessel.
Name Day: *Čабля.
COMBAT
Name Day tosses aside his stick and scoops up a handful of snow.
The robbers' footprints trail away into the distance. If they had one redeeming trait, it was knowing when to cut their losses.
Han Zhang: What were you waiting for with that knife?
Name Day: Oh, well, it's more of a collectible than a weapon.
Name Day: But I guess you understand now why they sent me to escort you instead of hiding you in the back of some truck, huh?
Han Zhang: I didn't see a single truck heading for Plesetsk on our whole journey here. By the way, was that knife thingy part of your arcane skill? Why don't you just make a gun instead?
Han Zhang: Times have changed, friend. Blades are out of date. You should give yourself an upgrade and start blasting!
Name Day: Nah. I'd probably be serving with Zeno if I was any good with guns.
Name Day: Have you ever heard of that legendary pilot from Zeno, the Barents Witch?
Name Day: If you were really important, then you would get a guard like that. All that being a noisy little salamander gets you is a guy that can turn trash into knives.
Han Zhang: Ah! That's nearly the most useless arcane skill I've ever heard of.
Han Zhang: I say "nearly" because it's still better than mine. So, I'm not in a position to criticize.
Name Day: What does your arcane skill do?
The salamander's silhouette flickers, crumbling into a puff of ash, then, in the blink of an eye, reforms itself.
Han Zhang: That's it.
Name Day: It's certainly ... something.
The rest of the journey is at last blessedly quiet.
Their destination draws near. The outlines of buildings take shape, and someone is already waiting in the snow.
Name Day: Ms. Windsong.
The so-called cosmodrome isn't nearly as grand as imagined.
Surrounded by the vast expanse of white, people and buildings alike feel small.
Windsong: Hello, gentlemen.
Windsong: Welcome to Plesetsk.