Both crews sat staring at the projector screen. A computer downloaded and played CNN videos of the devastation on Earth.

No one spoke. No one even breathed. Maps displayed areas of radioactive contamination from the missile misfiring over northern Mexico and Southern California. The Santa Ana winds had carried it far out to sea and the tides had washed radioactive debris as far as Japan and China.

The dust cloud had moved out of the states, and was dissipating over the Atlantic and Europe. But Aristov was right, it was going to hinder reentry above Russia.

World wide shipping had almost stopped. No planes, nor boats could travel anywhere safely. Hurricanes sprang up due to the dust and hurricane Zephyr was blasting the Carribbean, on its way to Florida.

Rain had pelted the midwest, tornadoes had ripped zig-zag paths through roads, railways, towns, and cities making long distance travel impossible. Not to mention flooding many of the highways that still remained.

“Vodka anyvun?” offered Aristov.