
Transcriber's Note:
In the midst of a tightly controlled Soviet capital, Colonel Ilya Simonov is summoned to a shadowy Ministry office where a seemingly ordinary report hides a dangerous truth. A loosely organized group of engineers, scientists, and local intelligentsia have begun meeting in private, daring to voice opinions that stretch beyond permissible critique. Their discussions, fueled by the intoxicating promise of genuine freedom, drift from harmless grievances to the perilous contemplation of overthrowing the state itself.
Simonov, a young but seasoned officer, must navigate the maze of marble halls and bureaucratic rituals while confronting the seductive allure of dissent. As he sips vodka with his superior, Minister Kliment Blagonravov, the colonel weighs his loyalty against the growing realization that ideas, once set free, spread like a contagion. The story captures the tense atmosphere of Cold‑War Moscow, where a single conversation can become a catalyst for far‑reaching consequences.
Language
en
Duration
~58 minutes (56K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2009-10-26
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1917–1983
Best known for lively, idea-driven science fiction, this prolific American writer explored politics, economics, and possible futures with a sharp, often satirical edge. His stories were especially popular in the 1950s and 1960s, when he became a familiar name in magazines such as Galaxy and If.
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