Section 1: We Have a Visitor – Chapter 1

‘Hello TsUP, this is RS0ISS. Reporting unidentified vessel in our region, holding orbit approximately two hundred metres aft of our location. Please confirm.’

The heavy Russian accent, laden with radio static, fell silent. Propped up with one elbow on his desk – which formed part of one row of five in the cavernous cylindrical room – Mission Control Capsule Communicator Aleksandar Dezhurov touched his lips against the stiffly protruding microphone of his headset and considered his response.

‘Mo...