When I reached it, I met the assistant Pythons there. A companion of his childhood, but not of the same age, since he was twenty-three years older than Raibonne. But the age difference never stopped them from being friends. On the contrary, they were often together, having fun and discussing various matches of games or drinking light drinks.

When Halliford lost his parents, Pythons was the only one who helped him cope with his grief. And now he, he specifically chose to support him, knowing the full value of friendship with him, even sometimes presenting him as his stepfather. They were somewhat similar, especially in their important gait. He was tall, blond, and slender at the waist. Strict, but fair to anyone, regardless of rank. His clothes were always flat against his body, showing the muscles that young Raibonne boys envied. Pythons, first class pilot! Always attentive to the people and animals around him.

The door of the hatch separating the room from the corridor compartment opened and they entered together.

The hall is spacious, well-lit, equipped to accommodate the crew, during breaks in working hours. Here you can safely drink, brewed leaves of chemusha, pleasantly cooling the body and toning it. Play Binko, a board game with chips for several people, which helps players to improve their mood. Get the latest news, from the information transmitter. It's good to discuss flight plans, in a non-formal setting. Yes, at least, just take a break from work.

Still, the form, especially higher in rank, somehow invisibly belittles the desire to speak openly and already the conversation does not give the desired result. And here, I want to communicate and think, on different topics, no one will say anything bad to you.

– Pythons, how's the pre-flight mood? Everything is fine? – Tomaka asked.

– Everything is fine, commander! – the assistant exclaimed, ironically.

Tomaka understood the joke, but did not answer, only smiled slightly, understanding the humor of the Python. His jokes were dry and not very understandable to the people around him, but Tomaka always understood or tried to understand. In fact, he let him get away with a lot, referring it to the ever-increasing age of respect. After all, approaching old age, no one is happy and thoughts about it, more and more distract from reality. It is good to be young, when you do not notice time and life, it seems to you beautiful, which you mostly spend on useless things and thoughts.

– Dr. Vella, he's holding up for now, – he continued, his voice already full of concern. We need to fly, and we can't leave without a doctor until we find it.

– Well, that's your recommendation, and the rest of the crew's agreement, – the chief said. – But I think, soon to appear, it is a pity that the communication at the spaceport, only internal, does not contact her.

– Here is this, well justified measures, not like, to under takeoff, computer failed, – Pithons unwittingly imagined in his mind, as they fall together with the ship, then explode and on his skin, ran goosebumps.

Each unit, on the "Flying Ferix" spacecraft, is separated by electronic hatches, controlled both by the main computer brain and manually, using magnetic cards, by the crew. In the recreation room, there are several such, on the sides of the center.

Now, such a hatch opened and a panting healer flew into the room. Her hair was tousled and hung down in a mess. Her eyes were bright, her face red, with a guilty smile. The girl stood and tried, not noticeably to catch her breath, but it did not work out, which was even more, it was not pleasant, since everyone was looking at her.

Her clothes, too, were untidy, and in some places, unbuttoned, and Vella's beauty could not excuse her for that. She stood up on one foot, trying to adjust her left shoe, which was caught on something and did not want to put it on her foot.

– I'm sorry, I'm a little late, but it's not my fault. This morning, a friend called, her child fell and severely damaged the kneecap, and the insurance is overdue. I had to go to her, provide medical assistance to the victim… – the girl would have continued to speak incessantly, but Tomaka interrupted her.

Finally, the mischievous shoe was still dressed, and Vella straightened up straight and sighed lightly, but as if heavily. She caught her breath and shifted from one foot to the other.

– Why you were late, I appreciated, tell me, and the patient is now normal? – Tomaka asked, his eyes accusing her of all her sins.

– Of course it's all right, my friend, she'll list the insurance money in the evening … – but before Vella could finish, he interrupted: – Does that mean we can fly safely?

The girl realized that she had talked too much and calmed down her adrenaline in her blood, she answered briefly: – Yes.

Tomaka, in bewilderment, spread his hands to the sides and inviting everyone to their work places, said:: – Well, great, get down to your business, place the equipment and tools, in the medical center and infirmary, we will fly out soon. He politely waved everyone out of the room, but remained standing in the break room. Pythons ignored Tomaki's words and stayed with him, in the room, apparently he wanted to say something. Tomaka didn't answer him at all.

– That's it, I'm running, – Vella said, and walked quickly to the hatch. It opened, the girl turned to the commander and smiled sweetly at him, then went out into the corridor compartment and the door closed behind her.

– Yes, we got a good, chatty brunette in a white coat! Tomaka exclaimed, more to himself than to the Python.

– I hope the doctor is at least normal? – Pythons asked, wary of his own health.

Tomaka and Pithons, after these words, began to discuss flight plans. It wasn't long before their conversation ended and they went to the command room in front of the cockpit.

There was no one in the command center, but they were sitting at a computer panel that glowed with all the colors of neon lights. It was the main brain of the spaceship, the Flying Ferix. All any electronic items that depended on this device and any breakage, also, here was recorded by the computer and reported to the team or in special cases to its commander.

The instruments made various subtle sounds, showing their work. The monitors displayed all system processes, incoming and outgoing data. The main computer brain, not only monitors the system memory itself, but also displays it on the main monitor, which is now, first of all, checked by Tomak, so that it does not hang and the flight does not break.

– Well, the main thing is checked, it's time to assemble a team! – Tomaka said.

– Yes, I agree, it's time, – said Pythons and on the intercom, notified the crew into the microphone.

Soon, the hatch opened and flight engineer Trimon entered the room. A middle-aged man, a cheerful but calm man. He didn't seem to be interested in anything but the screwdriver, just to twist something. True, he has a good recommendation, he knows a lot about his business.

– I finished the panel, the wiring was heated, now it's normal. I changed a couple of wires, I allow you to fly, – said flight engineer Trimon, holding two flight logs in his hands.

– All right, we're waiting for the others, – Tomak's commander said.

– Trimon, are you ready to give me the preflight report? – Pythons asked.

– Yes, I have prepared everything and indicated it in these accounting documents, – said Trimon, and handed them to Pythons. Who, began to carefully review the notes, and Trimon turned his attention to the door.

The hatch opened, Vella passed, followed by the copilot, who gave way to the woman, and the passage closed.

Before that, they had met in the hallway, where he had said to Vella, perhaps with a little more than ordinary propriety, a compliment. This is evident from the way she entered the command post, was a little confused and her face was glowing, not a constant shade of pink. Timba, on the other hand, was like a heroic, pompous male flirting with a female.

The crew, gathered in the command room, completely, five people, now had to hold, who is more convenient to call, a briefing or briefing, they are closer to the preflight divorce. From the words "dilute" in theory, the staff to their official places. Explain to people their work responsibilities, as well as, in case of unforeseen and emergency circumstances, what actions they will have to perform.

In a developed, intelligent civilization, there is usually a "meeting room and a table". On the Ribonne, this is also there, but the shape is more like a star and the number of rays in it depends on the number of participants in the conversation. When they sit, between them, on a flying soft disk, the distance approaches and it turns out to conduct a convenient dialogue, improving its result.

A table in the command center of the Flying Ferix spacecraft, with ten beams, designed half for the flight crew, and the rest for possible negotiators. The star table is located in the center of the room. At the heart of it, a powerful laser projector is installed, controlled by a computer brain.

Sitting at the "round table", you get to a business conversation and you have access to the universal information that has spread like a web throughout the entire space of space, built into the general information system, the space library. Although the distances are large, code signs instantly flash between computers, helping people, both in business and in their rest.

You can say, sitting at home, order a romantic dinner, on some planet Zigi-Zigi, in another galaxy. Then, immediately pay and get a "green ticket" by downloading it to the card and using it in the calculation.

– So, the team, all assembled, we can start a general divorce, – said Tomaka, taking the main place of the "round table". The rest of the crew settled down to their jobs, according to the "name", working plates.

To Tomaki's right, Pithons sat, his side of the table closest to the commander, and further away from him, Timba, Trimon, and Vella sat. All were on the same right side of the "round table". Tomaka looked at the small monitor