Rasputin of the East

＜ Episode 283 >

August 1, 1950. Russia.

“10.”

Someone shut their eyes tightly.

“9.”

“8.”

“7.”

“6.”

Someone clenched their sweaty fists.

“5.”

Some looked in wonder at the fruits of their efforts.

“4.”

Someone prayed.

“3.”

Someone stared blankly.

“2.”

Someone jumped up from their seats.

“One.”

A huge object flashed into the air with a thunderous sound. And it went away as it blew out flames.

Some cheered, but key officials did not celebrate. It was still too early to be reassured just because the rocket had successfully launched, or just because it had moved far enough to be hard to see with the naked eye.

But what if separation is not done properly? What if the pairing is not properly disconnected? It’s not too late to celebrate the success after the satellite went into orbit.

After eons of time, a call came in from the control center through communication.

“Sputnik has landed on orbit.”

Cheers erupted along with the voice.

Two months later, the Russian Empire launched Sputnik 2 with a dog named Albina, and then Sputnik 3 with a re-entry device for manned spaceflight.

The 2nd mission was successful without any problems, but due to the crash of the 3rd projectile, the Russian Empire relaunched the Sputnik 3 with a few dogs several months later and succeeded in bringing them back to Earth.

This was enough to shock the world.

***

Washington DC White House.

“Sir President.”

“Russians swore that they would send humans into space within two years.”

“……”

“What did we do?”

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Marshall clenched his teeth.

“Minister, we asked what we did. No, let’s change the question, what can you do?”

“The rocket was launched but failed…”

“Yeah, I failed, I was ridiculed by the whole world! An explosion right after takeoff in front of cameras all over the world.

“……”

“Is it just a matter of being able to go to space? No, they can load nukes and drop them over our heads, all we have are nukes from cruise missiles or bombers at best.”

“……I have nothing to tell you.”

“We need to consolidate all our rocket development capabilities, right now, without delay, gather all the rocket engineers in this country, and even abroad as far as we can reach, and make an appointment with Dr. Hughes and bring in Director Vandenberg, right away. !”

***

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Moscow, Russia.

“The CIA has been ordered to spy on imperial rocket technology. The kidnapping or conciliation of engineers, the theft of blueprints or technical data, etc.”

I clicked my tongue.

“You must have been in a hurry?”

Rather, Irina’s skill in planting Humints inside the CIA is amazing. If it leaks from the side and leaks from the bottom, no matter what you do, what will happen?

“Around 20 American rocket development plans, centered on NACA (the predecessor of NASA), were consolidated into a single project, and Congress approved a huge budget.”

“Howard Hughes spoke to the president at the White House.”

“Isn’t that person an airplane expert? I guess they have something in common in terms of flying.”

“Dr. Goddard has long since passed away.”

Dr. Goddard died five years ago, and Werner von Braun, who played a key role in the development of American rockets in original history, is in our hands.

“Are you going to take blueprints or technical data from us and then launch the rocket?”

“Actually, they do not have a better understanding of the rocket itself than we do, but once we get the basic data, they will do better than us when it comes to enhancing engine thrust and things like that. If you put in enough budget, that part will accumulate as you blow up the rocket.”

“Before that, we need to get ahead, how about the astronaut selection project? How are you doing?”

“…….. that is……”

“Something?”

“There is no problem in the procedure, but there was someone who applied under a pseudonym, so I followed up. Just looking at it, what’s awkward…”

“What do you mean?”

“The Archduke Nikolai has challenged the astronaut candidate…”

Before Irina could finish speaking, I was running out of the room without realizing it.

“Nikolai, you burn! Are you crazy!”

Left alone, Irina sighed and muttered.

“I knew it would be like this…”

***

“Nicky.”

“Yes,”

“Are you crazy now? You want to fly away on a bomb?”

“Father, I am also a fighter pilot. One of the best test pilots.”

“This is different from that! I had to guess the possibility that reincarnation would be impossible! Besides, you’re not alone!”

“I’ve done many aircraft tests. Jet planes and rocket-powered aircraft are equally dangerous. I have also had the experience of flying faster than sound in a rocket powered aircraft.”

People rushed to the Kremlin in a commotion that turned upside down, and most of them stopped it.

“Nikolai, do you really need to go on the most dangerous flight?”

“I want to do it. I’m not saying that I’m going to use my power to cheat unfairly, am I? As a fighter pilot of the Russian Empire, I also meet the Imperial Cosmonaut Recruitment Standards. If I am eliminated from the nomination because of my lack of ability, I will understand. But I don’t understand why I can’t even apply because I’m someone’s son or someone’s husband.”

Alexei was speechless.

“Nikolai, you are royalty. The weight is different.”

“As an imperial family, we have to take the first step into the unknown. Noblesse Oblige, the reason that all the soldiers fought bravely in the last war is because even the imperial family, including myself, Nikita and Lev, took the lead in fighting. If I say that I am dangerous, I will have to continue unmanned space exploration forever.”

Olga also shut her mouth.

“Tatiana, tell me something.”

“……”

“Tatiana?”

“Nikolai.”

“mother.”

There was a silent conversation between mother and son.

“I will only ask you one thing. I don’t think you said you were going without knowing it was dangerous, then, if something happens that you can’t control, and something you don’t want to talk about happens.”

Tatiana said softly.

“Have you thought about how I, your brothers, your father, your wife, all of them would feel, how much pain they would suffer.”

“……”

“Nikolai, I will not tell you not to go. But before you make a decision, think twice.”

***

The problems of the Russian Empire were diverse.

First, the development of the hydrogen bomb led by Dr. Andrei Sakharov and Dr. Igor Kurchatov, Dr. Sergei Korolev, Valentin Gluciko, Cellomei, Jangel, Mysin, etc. and German scientists were mobilized to stabilize and improve the performance of the ICBM. Development of SLBM and construction of SSBN for it.

Performance enhancement of practical nuclear reactors and construction of nuclear submarines. Research on light water reactors for nuclear submarines, heavy water reactors for plutonium production, and fast breeder reactors… It’s probably not because of my mood that a lot of them seem to be nuclear related.

Other than that, space exploration, artificial satellite research, satellite-based positioning device research, satellite weapon research, jet research, etc. were technical at first.

And diplomatically, finding a way to hinder the formation of the Anglo-French Empire, dividing the nations in preparation for a cold war with the United States, and decisively strengthening the isolationist opinion through agitation work within the United States.

It was Irina’s opinion that this last one was the most difficult.

The bloody espionage warfare was a bonus.

“There is a political problem between Qing and North China. The… The Qing Dynasty imperial family who cooperated with the Japanese army was arrested on treason charges, and it is said that leaving it alone will result in the death penalty, but the problem is…”

“Is it a crime?”

“That’s right.”

“no.”

for a while? Manchurian?

The Manchu are the Manchu, and the Han are the Han.

Do you want to attract minorities in China to the Han Chinese and allow them to claim one China in the future?

I laughed bitterly.

“It is not simply a matter of one person’s life at stake, but a matter of the identity of the Manchu people and the justification for the survival of the Qing Dynasty. Put pressure on Yan Shishan to release him.”

“Excuse me, but it’s her, not him…”

“anyway. I can’t see China reuniting. Qing should at least maintain North Korea.”

“All right.”

It’s so nice to see a map that is split in three like this, so maybe I’ll just let it be put back together.

“The United States has launched a satellite. It was successful.”

“This is the fourth satellite in the world, how about sending a congratulatory message?”

“…you are mean. your majesty.”

“haha.”

I smiled seriously.

“They have eyes, too, so it’s not completely absurd, but it’s okay to shed little by little for projects that consume huge resources, time, and funds to realize them. If they see it, refer to it, and try to follow it, it will save their time and money by that much.”

The budget they would spend on developing weapons and things like that would also be reduced by that much.

“On the other hand, if we believe we are really trying to push it and overestimate our abilities, that’s fine.”

“It’s bluffing.”

“Yeah, so let them go wild, within safe limits, and in case of an emergency, you have to catch their roots in advance.”

“You should make full use of double spying, okay?”

If only the US could hand over some useless data that could be obtained by itself and catch the CIA’s tentacles, it would be a viable business. Irina understood what I meant and nodded her head.

“And what happened to the feat of overthrowing interventionist politicians in the United States?”

“You don’t have to worry. Currently, all first-elected senators and second-term and higher-elected politicians are subject to Ohrana’s surveillance.”

“Yeah, well, find out the good things that can be overthrown, and blow them up at the right time and at the right timing to believe that the enemy did it. We need to think about supporting social movements without knowing it or not.”

It is unknown how many high-ranking figures are contained in Ohrana’s blackmail vault. A voyeur photo proving someone’s affair, evidence of bribery, clear evidence of breach of trust, embezzlement, perjury, various materials proving accounting fraud, etc.

It does not discriminate domestically or internationally. I said the only thing Irina didn’t touch was me…

“Irina, no matter what you answer, I won’t say anything… Do you have any Viktor in the files?”

“The tsar must have no teeth. No one can hold it and shake it.”

“It is.”

“Not yet, but before the coronation ceremony, all of them were destroyed. It is mainly about adultery.”

“Can you give me some of that?”

“I’ll give it to you if you need it, but may I ask why?”

“Hey, contraception failed again.”

In an instant, power entered Irina’s face. I’m holding back the laughter.

“I want to change that habit if I push pictures of myself wallowing with a woman on my face.”

“…I don’t think it will help much.”

“Damn, I shouldn’t have done that until I got married.”

“How many years do you still have? Wouldn’t it be more comfortable if you thought that we would rather take a look at how many people we touch?”

“What does the public say? Public opinion is more important than the truth.”

“What, non-electric warfare?”

“……”

“To be honest, I know the truth, but people tell different stories. First of all, it is rare to find a woman of marriageable age who has a pretty face or a high status, who has no connection with His Majesty, whether in Europe or not. These are people who write romance novels even after having a serious conversation between the two of them.”

“I will turn.”

“The extent to which your majesty has a higher percentage of rumors than truth, but the Crown Prince tells you that the percentage of truth is a little higher?”

“I taught him the wrong way.”

“……”

In fact, there was a part where Irina was a little guessing about Viktor’s behavior. There was something a bit absurd about simply revealing a woman.

‘Still, it’s still just a guess, and even if it’s true, it’s unlikely that it will turn into a huge problem…’

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More than anything else, he was concerned that his master would shave his head after speaking his conjecture as it is and straight forward.

Therefore, Irina decided to report at that time if there were any speculations and mere sympathy, any evidence or signs that it might become a problem.

‘Still, I’ll have to talk to Victor at least once.’

After adding one more note to the note in her head, Irina stepped back.