I would like to thank Kuilin for editing this chapter.

Chapter 51.

Space Travel, Part VIII: Bionics

8:25 am, July 25th, 1993 (Kiev time)

Severus skimmed through the third page of Magical Pravda delivered to his hotel room in Kiev, and found that Baikov was merely fined twenty galleons by the Kazakhstan Ministry of Magic for the incident where he reportedly got too drunk and thought flying trucks would be fun. Of course, Magical Pravda, which was published in Moscow, reported this in a mocking way - probably to show its readers what a chaos the other former Soviet states were in, so that its readers would feel better about their own lives, which wasn't great, either. It seemed that after Soviet Union collapsed, the magical society in Kazakhstan finally reversed back to how things should be run in the magical society: the most powerful wizard in the nation could safely disregard rules set by regular people as long as they pleased, instead of obeying the ridiculous rules set by Shakhov or the laws accepted by Dumbledore, where bureaucrats like Smirnov could intimidate the students of Comrades. Therefore, Baikov, who was currently the most powerful wizard in Kazakhstan, and who could be quite unreasonable after several bottles of Vodka, escaped the incident on July 22nd unscathed.

Although Severus agreed that powerful witches and wizards should have privileges, and he didn't want the innocent man to be in too much trouble, this quick turn of events certainly didn't quite work in Severus' way. Severus got mentally prepared to duel Baikov or someone like Baikov again, and planned his journey accordingly.

Severus briefly praised himself for the many benefits that the raid of the British Library provided. For example, before the raid, none of the people on their side knew that NPP Zvezda was the primary spacesuit manufacturer in former Soviet Union. And although the Boy-Who-Lived had some vague memory of the name "RSC Energia", his memory didn't quite put that name together with the Soyuz spaceships, nor did he knew where the company was. Now with the results from the book raid, Severus had a clear idea about where to go, and what to get from these places. However, a trip to Baikonur Cosmodrome was still necessary, for they needed more detailed information on space launches and retrievals. Moreover, three days ago, due to Severus' injury and fatigue, and the fact that he was running out of time on his Time-Turner, Severus' search and investigation of Baikov wasn't as thorough as he hoped - he didn't even get any notes with things that he couldn't understand.

After going over the list of things that he would need to get from NPP Zvezda, Severus applied the usual sequence of concealing charms, plus one extra - according to the Boy-Who-Lived and his dad, since the color saw through the green goggles that Baikov wore exhibit more intense colors for the fireplace than a human being, the goggles were some sort of heat detection - something called "infrared". Thanks to the creativity of generations of criminals, Mad-Eye already knew a charm that could mask the true temperature of things, and it could work against the green goggles. Therefore, Severus added a "Temperacelus" charm to his usual sequence. This matter also served as a warning to Severus, that he wasn't the only wizard who could think of other detection methods besides the regular sense of human being. Professor Verres-Evans had said that certain kinds of snakes had infrared detectors as well. Severus wondered if the sneaky Blue Krait had the thing called "pit organs", and conveniently hid the fact from everyone. Well, considering the fact that Severus hadn't told Lucius about his echolocation system - though the blond bastard probably had already figured it out - Severus could only blame his own stupidity and ignorance of Muggle biology.

Severus sighed inwardly, and applied the same sequence of charms on Stella. "Stella, let's go to the southeast side of Moscow, and get both of us some material for spacesuits."

Stella cawed, and a flame later, Severus began to look for proper Muggles to Legilimens for the exact location of the spacesuit production place in NPP Zvezda. After two days in Baikonur Cosmodrome, Severus already got better with identifying proper Muggles and navigating through the ugly and clunky Russian buildings. Moreover, luckily for Severus, although certain signs showed that Zvezda had once been guarded by wizards like Baikov, it was no longer the case now. A few hours later, Severus got duplicates of multiple spacesuits that looked different from the ones that he already had, plus enough lithium oxide, active charcoal, compressed oxygen and air tanks, and other consumable supplies he directly stealed - Severus didn't want to trust his life on transfigured Muggle chemicals. Judging from the level of theft that became so common these days in this country, Severus supposed the Muggle wouldn't even be surprised. However, just to be safe, Severus still fabricated a scene where some Muggle manager took the materials, and inserted the memory into the mind of two Muggle storehouse keepers, and left them some rubles as tips.

The trip to RSC Energia went quite smoothly as well, where the biggest challenge had been how to find the things he needed.

By 7:30 pm Moscow time, which was 4:30 pm Almaty time, it was time for Baikonur Cosmodrome again. Severus licked his lips, and said to Stella: "Stella, let's go to somewhere outside the apartment building of Baikov's home."

This time, Severus decided that he would subdue Baikov and search his apartment first, instead of worrying where that wizard would be all the time while he was in Baikonur Cosmodrome - Severus really wanted to know the secrets of Shakhov's Hammer among other Interdicted magic, and there was no better time to grab them than before his trip to the Moon.

Severus landed among several yellow apartment buildings. By this point, Severus already got used to the strange custom the Russian Muggles adopted - for some reason, all the apartment buildings across the former USSR looked almost identical to each other, and a wizard could easily mistake an apartment complex in Kiev for one in Almaty. Severus needed check the plates on the buildings and his echolocation charm to know which one was the building that he was looking for. To Severus' slight surprise, his echolocation charm pointed out at least five apartments that had magically concealed something. Severus reasoned that there could be other magical guards who lived around here. Severus could see that the magic on three of these apartments showed signs of wearing out, which might mean that owners were no longer maintaining them. Severus decided that he need to check these places as well, just in case it was some sort of cover-up on Baikov's side.

Severus focused his echolocation charm on the apartment that was three windows away from Baikov's supposed home, where the window was opened a slit, and -

A stout figure with a bottle in one hand and a wand in another was peeking out from the window.

It seemed that Baikov, who was once considered a Comrade-to-be, wasn't a completely wasted idiot after all. Probably, he had developed some suspicion on the events three days ago. And Baikov probably had occupied vacant apartments, and he had magically altered the inner structure of the part that he took as residence.

Severus knew that challenging a prepared wizard who was more powerful than yourself at his own place was an extremely bad idea. Therefore, he needed to cheat.

Severus thought for a while, and then turned towards the nearest liquor store. Severus estimated, if there were a long queue of people lining up in the front door of the liquor store, Baikov should be able to notice the commotion, and might decide to add something to his Vodka storage. If this failed, Severus wouldn't lose much except some cheap liquor, which, for some reason, worked better than money in equal amounts in the former USSR.

A few memory charms later, the two salesman there both thought that they had gotten quite some Vodka cheaply from black market, and they needed to sell the hard liquor after hours behind their manager's back. Therefore, after the manager left after the store was closed, the two salesman returned, and secretly called their friends. Within ten minutes, people began to rush toward the liquor store, and all left with quite some Vodka that Severus secretly put in the storage . And as good Russians did, a lot of people began to line up upon seeing that there were people in front of a store, without even asking what the line was for. And after they knew it was cheap Vodka, many rushed to get more cash.

As Severus had expected, Baikov noticed the commotion. And Severus was sure, with some simple charms, Baikov could hear what the long line was for.

Maybe years of alcohol consumption had compromised Baikov's judgement, maybe Shakhov had taught his student too well, Baikov didn't directly Apparate to the storage room of liquor store, and took liberties from there. Instead, the most powerful wizard in Kazakhstan left his home on foot to join the line for cheap Vodka.

The second that Baikov stepped near Severus' magical trap at the entrance of the apartment building, Severus simultaneously trigger five magical pebbles, three fully loaded with Breaking Drill Hexes, stunners, powerful sleeping hexes, and anesthesia gases, and the other two loaded with light, sound and shock-wave cancelling charms.

The most powerful wizard in Kazakhstan was a lot more alert and powerful when he was not fully drunk, but clearly, he wasn't thirty times more powerful than Severus. Baikov's shield and magical protective items all winked out before all the spells on the three attacking pebbles were released. Needless to say, Severus bounded Baikov with more ways before he cleaned the scene.

"Stella, let's go to the hotel room in Kiev." Severus grabbed Baikov, and said.

A flame later, Severus began his thorough search on Baikov and his pouch. Just as Severus was half way through with Baikov's pouch, Stella suddenly cawed. Severus' wand moved faster than his mind, it was after Severus jabbed his wand on the throat of the grey-haired man on the floor that Severus realized Baikov's fingers twitched.

"Don't move!" Severus demanded with the best American accent he could manage. Thanks to Shakhov Vocational School, Baikov should be able to understand English.

Baikov slowly opened his eyes, and saw Severus as he took off the disillusionment.

Of course, Severus still have some magical and non-magical concealments on, he just showed his face to have a smoother conversation.

"It was you, I know it!" The man on the floor groaned with a heavy Russian accent.

"You know what I want." Severus calmly said, just in case he could cheat some extra information out from Baikov.

"You're here after the Muggle space technology, aren't you? Where are you from? France? Japan? China? India?" Baikov asked instead.

Severus felt a bit ashamed of his Muggle countrymen that they weren't even considered potential opponents in the space race, and Severus supposed, Baikov didn't mention the Americans because the Americans already got what they wanted. Plus, Baikov might have been trained to give true but elusive information to interrogators by the KGB, which added problems to this conversation.

"It doesn't matter where I am from. I can be quite generous." Severus decided to directly ask, "What progresses have Russians made with magic and space technology?"

A flash of pain passed through Baikov's blue eyes as he answered: "Ah, not much. You know, magic doesn't work well with electronics."

"What were the successes and failures? What happened when you tried to send wizards up to the space?" Severus knew Baikov wasn't giving any real information. He asked more specifically.

"Wizards blow up rockets, I assume you already know?" Baikov smiled sardonically. "Or maybe I shouldn't tell you, so there is a chance that one of yours would become a gigantic fire."

Severus briefly wondered if he should try torture, but the disillusioned Stella cried angrily toward him.

Severus sighed inwardly: Merlin, should I give up all my evil thoughts from now on?

Baikov heard phoenix's cry, and exclaimed: "A phoenix?! You have a phoenix? You are from the Great Britain!"

Severus almost groaned. Well, given the fact that the only known domesticated phoenix was Fawkes, it wasn't a hard guess - in recent history, there had been one owned by a New Zealand wizard when he fought against Grindelwald, but the owner passed away under some mysterious conditions in the 1950s; the phoenix owned by a brave and powerful Russian sorceress, but the witch was killed by none other than Grindelwald himself; and Severus heard a Gryffindor got a phoenix shortly after Severus graduated Hogwarts, but that student failed to save anyone he wanted to save, and was killed in the first mission.

"How did you know that I didn't get a new one?" Severus replied.

Baikov replied: "Nah, too unlikely. - Wait, you want to, you get this phoenix to, to - " The most powerful wizard in Kazakhstan stuttered.

-Shit! Should I erase his memory, and do this again?

Baikov was relieved, and excited: "Oh, you have a phoenix! You can't be an evil guy."

Severus was quite annoyed when someone pointed out that he couldn't torture or kill innocent people anymore, unless he could honestly explain to Stella that by not doing so might endanger an entire planet - which was clearly not the case here. Severus gritted his teeth, and considered erasing Baikov's memory, and conduct this conversation all over again.

Baikov continued: "How did you get this phoenix? We wanted to try that, phoenix, but Dumbledore was the only one who owned it!"

"Dumbledore didn't agree to try this idea?" Severus was more surprised about the implication that Dumbledore didn't agree than the fact that someone had wanted to try.

"Oh, we didn't ask. I guess the Americans weren't exactly friends with Dumbledore, either." Baikov was still quite excited.

Severus supposed, he shouldn't be too surprised about the fact that the world was loaded with politically shrewd idiots, and this made him feel a little bit better for his upcoming mission, since nobody had failed with a phoenix-powered space mission yet.

Baikov continued: "You know, I have always been thinking, when I want to end - OK, by the end of my life, I would get into a space capsule, grab it, and get it to side-along Apparitions with me multiple times, and see where I can get to until -"

Severus knew the distance one could Apparate had an limit. For someone like Severus himself, the limit for one Apparition was approximately eight hundred miles; and Severus estimated, if he were to grab something as heavy as a space capsule to side-along Apparate with him, the distance would be limited to somewhere around forty miles, not to mention that he needed to keep the relative position of himself and the space capsule all the time. Severus did a quick estimate, and found that he himself would probably lost the grasp on the relative position, and be killed within four or five Apparitions, which wasn't even enough distance for bypassing the half-botched Interdict on Electronics, not to mention the Interdict of Merlin. Even if Baikov was twenty times stronger than Severus, Severus still estimated that Baikov would be killed before he reached the so-called "geostationary orbit". Severus hoped he had spelt the name of the orbit right - anyway, according to the Boy-Who-Lived, that's where a lot of satellites stayed. However, from the way Baikov spoke about it, Severus guessed that had been Baikov's suicide plan for quite a while - maybe because of the collapse of the Soviet Union, or maybe because of his failure in the power games in Moscow, Baikov wanted to pursue something more meaningful than the petty mundane matters on Earth. However, it seemed Baikov had given up on an immediate suicide plan, probably thanks to the news about the Stone. And this meant -

Severus smiled to himself, and asked: "What preparations have you made for your plan?"

Baikov gazed Severus for quite a while, then answered: "If you swear you are going to the space, and tell me the result if you succeed, I will tell you."

Severus frowned: "You want an Unbreakable Vow? Are you trying to have a third person here as an escape plan?"

Baikov answered: "No! You see the golden Vodka bottle that you've casually thrown over there? It is an one-time Hammer - you know the Hammer, right? I can tell you how to make an one-time Hammer if you come back alive."

Severus thought of it for a while, and then answered: "I have to block your memory for a while, and you can't reveal it to anyone or anything in any way or form at anytime under any circumstances. And I have other requests as well."

In another room of the same Muggle hotel, Salazar let out a sigh: In the name of Atlantis, one day, I shall tell Godric how much work I have done to Baikov and Severus to make them this gullible. Otherwise, I can hardly figure out a way to let Severus explain the source of my many uninterpretable notes. And this would certainly undermine Severus' relationship with my crazy descendant.

-By the way, the Boy-Who-Lived's Muggle stepfather said that some snakes have pit organs, but I don't have it. Hmm, I heard Merlin could adapt many animagus forms, wonder if I can do something about my animagus form, or if I can change into another type of snake.

-And there is something else that I need to figure out. It seems that the mudblood unicorn girl can learn to read written Parseltongue. How can this be possible? Is one of the two squib servants my descendant? This is such a dreadful thought.

Note: Kraits don't have pit organs, so Lucius was wrongfully blamed here - his reputation didn't do him a lot of good here.