21st Century Bogatyr: A Pre-launch Reunion

by Zvi Baranoff

Dovid had his crews working in twelve hour shifts, nonstop from early morning on every Sontag until late into the afternoons every Freytag, with barely a break for Shabbos.

The sense of urgency was palatable. Dovid and his inner circle knew that they were racing against the clock.

Suspicion about the finances were growing by the day. Der Profesor had played a major role in camouflaging the irregularities of the operation. He was trusted globally. Der Profesor used that trust diligently and to the utmost in the interests of the project. Dovid was widely liked and even appreciated but he lacked the reputation of his mentor and the innate ability to deceive.

The two track plan was, of course, a sham. There was no actual mission to the Home Planet. As time spiraled forward, the complexity of the lies required more creative subterfuge and illusory constructs.

Initially, the consortium suggested sending a drone on a mission to Earth. This was a low cost and low energy approach and was even actually doable.

The idea of a drone, however, had little appeal to anyone. There were, indeed, some very practical reasons why sending a drone to the Home Planet might be a fool's errand.

More significantly, a drone was not proactive enough to capture the interest of any deep pocket investors. A lot of gelt was needed for the true goal, that is, to finance the Hatikvah expedition. A more marketable story was needed.

The consortium's public proclamations that a diplomatic and trade mission would be sent to Earth was a lie that needed to be believed by the general public and, most importantly, by the financial victims of the ponzi scheme.

The consortium dragged its feet but ultimately had to provide a plausible show. To that effect, they began a recruitment process for the supposed mission. An evident public mission resulted in all sorts of public input.

After much back and forth, it was determined that eighteen men would be sent and that they should be representative of the religious and business communities of Planet Birobidzhan.

An approval process was needed, even for a fake mission. When the eighteen supposed representatives were chosen, they were housed at a barrack adjacent to the airport and were put through a "training mission" for the nonexistent mission.

These eighteen volunteers were beginning to get anxious to be on their way. Of course, there was no functioning ship to take them anywhere.

The Hatikvah needed to be off the tarmac and heading to the stars, before everything unraveled and Dovid's inner circle faced the repercussions of Planet Birobidzhan's equivalent of a tar and feathering. The guidance that Dovid received from the Mushrooms of Planet Birobidzhan was of no help to sort through such human concerns.

Nearly three years had passed since Tamar had left First Landing with the traveling troupe of klezmorim. A few very short letters arrived from her as well as some picture postcards.

After an extended gap in communication, and with no explanation, the crates with Tamar's musical instruments and clothing were delivered. A few days later, a picture postcard from Eilat arrived. Then, nisht gornisht, not a word nor even a hint of communication or a clue as to where she was and what she was doing.

Tamar arrived in First Landing by train early in the morning, shortly after Sukkos. She had informed no one that she was on her way.

The First Landing airport serves as the train station as well so it was easy enough for Tamar to walk to the family home, even with her enlarged torso. Her rucksack was on her back and her violin case was in hand. Tamar's arrival was unexpected. Her family was unaware of her advanced pregnancy.

The morning light was just creeping over the horizon when Tamar appeared at the family home. At that early hour, Tamar surprised her father. She was nearly as surprised herself to find Dovid already up and working at a feverish pace.

Dovid was thrilled to see Tamar, his favorite child of the "dozen or so" kinder. He was also anxious about the work he had been doing.

Dovid's first inclination was postponing the reunion until he was done working. Tamar patted her abdomen and said emphatically, "We must eat!"

Tamar presented the same face and gestures that she had used to manipulate his heart since she was a baby. Dovid could never resist her demands when she was small and he still couldn't. Dovid put down the box that was in his hands and they headed together to the family kitchen.

This is not a Jewish story. It is, however, a story about Jews. One does not need to be Jewish to read this tale any more than one needs to be a Hobbit or an Elf to read Lord of the Rings.

This story is a work of fiction. The setting for this tale is in the distant future, on the far away Planet Birobidzhan. This planet was settled by Jewish exiles from Planet Earth.

The population of Planet Birobidzhan has been cut off from the Home Planet for a long time. They have developed their own unique culture, traditions and linguistics.

The language spoken on Planet Birobidzhan is primarily Yiddish. I have sprinkled a significant number of Yiddish words and phrases throughout the telling of the tale. I also refer to various Jewish religious and cultural touchstones.

To make this story more accessible, I have included a glossary of words and phrases in Yiddish and Hebrew that are used as well as some explanations of religious terms and holidays.

I hope that readers find this to be useful.

The link to the Glossary is here:

https://21stcenturybogatyr.blogspot.com/2023/01/a-useful-guide-glossary-to-planet.html?m=1

פּלאַנעט ביראָבידזשאַן

Do you want to read more about Planet Birobidzhan? Here are all the installments so far, in the order that they were posted. Just click your way through the story!

1 On A Planet Safe for Yidden

https://21stcenturybogatyr.blogspot.com/2022/02/on-planet-safe-for-yidden.html

2 Yenne Velt: A History of Planet Birobidzhan

https://21stcenturybogatyr.blogspot.com/2022/02/yenne-velt-history-of-planet-birobidzhan.html

3 Another Globe, Perhaps?

https://21stcenturybogatyr.blogspot.com/2022/02/another-globe-perhaps.html

4 Bereshis: The Transport & Transformation of the Founders

http://21stcenturybogatyr.blogspot.com/2022/03/bereshis-transport-transformation-of.html

5 The Town of First Landing

https://21stcenturybogatyr.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-town-of-first-landing.html

6 A Personal History of an Early Settler on Planet Birobidzhan

http://21stcenturybogatyr.blogspot.com/2022/05/a-personal-history-of-early-settler-on.html