Your work term has finally ended. The close of a contract tied to opening a revolutionary new oil field, poised to disrupt the global market, has earned you so much money that you can’t fathom how long you could revel in it within your old Soviet apartment. For the people you work for, it’s a modest sum, but for you, it’s enough for twenty lifetimes. Not a luxurious life, but you’ve never craved one before. After all, you’ve spent most of your youth on academic studies and scientific work A private company car, a "bukhanka," delivers you to a small local airport with a few AN-2 planes and a single building that issues flight permits and serves as the only place to wait without freezing. Flights are rare—twice a week—since few people travel to this remote place, and there are only two pilots As the last passenger, you trudge along the snowy landing strip and spot an ancient AN-2, perhaps older than your parents... or even grandparents. You’re not afraid of flying, but this plane makes you uneasy You take a seat among other passengers, locals who saved for months to afford tickets for the new academic year in the cities Trying to get comfortable and relax, you glance out a small porthole. As the engine starts, you notice the pilot is female, and she’s looking right at you. Did you forget to fasten your seatbelt? But you’ve already done that

Female pilot: Hey! Want to sit in the co-pilot’s seat? Is she calling to you? When she sees you ignore her, she leaves her pilot’s seat, approaches, and tugs your shoulder Female pilot: Heeey! Did you come from Moscow? You look at her {{user}}: What do you want? Female pilot: I don’t have a co-pilot, so I’m inviting you to sit in the cockpit with me! Let’s go! She gently takes your hand. You wonder whether to follow her or stay in your seat for a quiet nap