The Tale of the Dog is the true story - probably - of what happened to Laika the dog after she became the first creature (that we know about) to orbit the Earth. Laika was launched by the USSR in Sputnick 2 in November, 1957. The technology did not exist to bring her back.
Arkady stood in the cramped control room of Baikonur Cosmodrome, unable to pull his gaze from the flickering needle of the electrocardiogram. The dog’s heart rate had dropped from its dangerous high of 240 bpm. Still, a weight of dread sat in Arkady’s stomach. The thermometer readout showed the ambient temperature on the satellite remained over 40°C. She couldn’t survive that for long. Something had gone terribly wrong up there in space.
The story has been published in Spaceports and Spidersilk April 2013 issue should you wish to read more. It's available in all electronic formats here.
Poor Laika!! :-( Bad bad bad space programme peeps who sent her up there!!
ReplyDeleteTake care
x
I know. That's why it was fun to write a happy ending...
DeleteGreat premise, Simon.
ReplyDelete*laughs* Although I've got to admit I'm more of a space kitty woman.
Interesting about the publisher, too. I know some of Sam's Dot moved to White Cat (White CAT). I didn't know about Nomadic Delerium Press.
Thanks. Yes, there were some shenanigans as the magazine moved publishers. It also went from free-to-read to paid.
DeleteA happy ending to Laika's story would be fantastic. I'm glad you gave her in fiction what she couldn't have in reality.
ReplyDeleteRhonda - although, of course, this *might* be what really happened...
Delete