to do without these losses. Each electron comes at us to “the general copper”. In it all economic essence of a kustovaniye and uniform network – it is instructive Ignat told.
In the city already noticed arrival of “Taiga”. Several people in fur clothes hurried to the all-terrain vehicle.
– Well, how are you doing? did not burn down? – the young man asked, approaching Simakov and clapping a fur glove on his glove. It was the chairman of city council of Spheres.
– And you know? – the captain asked.
– Your radio operator told us.
– Likely, Grebenshchikov was in time – with some displeasure Simakov noticed. He prepared a surprise for October holidays and did not want that learned about “Taiga” ahead of time.
– I radiated the directed wave only here and on Chelyuskin – the confused Grebenshchikov told. – Situation was too serious, and I just in case arranged about the help. I believed that autogyros like “Dragonfly” could take out us from a flame.
– Nobody about it asked you. Misconduct…
– To you will quarrel, we go to our hotel. You will have a rest – you will tell. And you at us did not freeze, the companion? – Sharov addressed Jim. – Let’s warm, we will warm!
Jim smiled, having sparkled teeth as keys of the opened grand piano. He was still surprised by these “a big family”. Whoever they met, everywhere were as if old acquaintances whom left only yesterday. Common interests, common language, friendly address.
– My name is Sharov. And you? Jim? Well, we go. The frost is absolutely light, twenty two degrees. I will show you our town and production. How it is called? Without name. Somehow all was no time to think of it – with laughter Sharov answered Ignat’s question. – We for fun call its Medvezhansk. Perhaps, and there will be this name. And why Medvezhansk? Because when we arrived with the first party here and settled down in marching tents, bears pripozhalovat to us. Yes, how many! Ten two. We thought that to us here and the end came. However they did not touch us. Only went around at a respectful distance, smelled air, among themselves about something talked.
– Well, the end not to us, and their kingdom came – other young man dancing on snow responded. – We too here not with barehanded arrived. We had a machine gun. Ivan, the machine gunner, as cracked then laid dozen of bears, the others ran up. Fat at us how many was! These skins hang in the City Council as a banner of Medvezhansk.
At all arrived the mood was lightened. Fires, cheerful young voices, laughter, jokes worked excitingly. On one of these fires and vigorous laughter the victory over elements, proud joy of the person who conquered the dead desert was felt. Expansive Jim began to sing already, having forgotten for a while about the Florida sun, and Ignat declared that he was not tired at all and wants to examine first of all production, and then and the city. The others supported his desire.
– We go on the station if so – Sharov told. On the way to them some more people joined. All of them were young. A cheerful crowd surrounded visitors. Funny represented “wild natives” and executed the national dance “bear”. So with dances also brought to the place. Entered the small stone house.
Here it was warm also light-. The internal room is occupied with the cylindrical tanks connected by pipes. Near cars several people in blue special clothes worked. Jim looked narrowly at them and could not distinguish who here the worker who the engineer. In the beginning he thought that the chief engineer – the tall old thickset person wearing spectacles, but he was the simple worker. And the chief engineer – the pretty young man, and this young man called himself… companion Glebovoy.
The engineer Glebova was a little chilled and, offering explanations, spoke a gruffish contralto, but Jim did not even listen attentively to these explanations because he badly understood.
Having finished the station, they entered the small brick house. In the first room there was only a control panel, in the second – an elevator cabin. More than anything. Glebova started over again explaining. Ignat shortly answered an inquiring look of Jim:
– We examine new installation which turns energy of coal directly into electric current.
Jim pretended that understood, and nodded. Glebova pointed a finger down and told:
– Under your legs there is a battery of huge elements.
– Well, show us them rather! – Ignat exclaimed.
Glebova suggested to take off fur clothes.
– The elevator, unfortunately, can accomodate only four people, including the elevator operator – she told. Ignat asked to lower first of all him together with Jim.
The elevator operator turned the lever, and the cabin began to fall quickly.
– Leave!
Before them there was a spacious gallery in which there were huge tanks height about the house, similar to martin furnaces. Walls and the arches of gallery were fastened by reinforced concrete. Bright lamps lit this gallery. At the end of it the second was seen, behind it the third… the whole underground city leaving afar wide and high “streets” with “houses” – tanks. One wall had a glazed office. In it behind a desk the person worked, drinking tea from a glass. “Underground in the Arctic and as though at himself in the apartment” – Jim was surprised.
– My assistant, the engineer Stepanov – Glebova told.
On a sound of voices he turned back, nodded and continued
to work. Light of lamps was reflected in stone plates. Air pure, warm and… full deficiency. Steps were boomingly given under the arches of high gallery. Glebova went ahead and on the run told:
– For observation of this huge battery of elements at us only three engineers.
– Eh, it is a pity, Jim, you understand in it few – Ignat addressed Jolie. – I see, you are not concerned by an extraordinary element underground. If there was with me a friend Stepan Asatkin, in him the poet would start talking: “It is far behind the Polar circle, at a depth of one hundred meters the necessary, useless coal lay to nobody. People came – and this coal became heat, light, food, clothes, culture, joy…”
Day ended with “feast”. Sharov treated travelers with a tasty and various lunch, having surprised Jim is fresher greens and wild strawberry.
– Fruits of our polar electrogreenhouses – Sharov told. – Greens, vegetables in the north – a foremost thing. You, likely, did not eat long ago some greens? On “Taiga” nobody was ill you a scurvy?
– Since vitamins began to produce in the chemical way, the scurvy goes to the area of legends – Simakov answered. – But, certainly, fresh greens are unlike more pleasant than powders.
– Here oranges. These are yet not polar, unfortunately – on airplanes and airships bring – Sharov told. – But give term, perhaps, and we will live up to local. Here, look what is there, on Chelyuskin, becomes.
Jim with pleasure destroyed oranges. Hospitable a predgorsoveta allocated with them guests on the road. They decided to spend the night in “Taiga”. Dudin
