Lev Abalkin
Encyclopedia
Lev Abalkin is a fictional character
in Boris and Arkady Strugatsky's series of science fiction
novels set in the Noon Universe
.
. Officially, his parents were Vyacheslav Tsyurupa and Stella Abalkina, who both participated in the "Yormala Project" (submersion into the black hole
EN-200056) in 2135, which means that Lev was a post mortem child, a child who, at the prior request of his parents, was grown "in vitro" from his mother's fertilized ovum. Such practice was common on Earth in XXII century among the scientist couples who weren't sure of their chances of survival in certain experiments.
The truth is, however, that Abalkin's official parents never requested a post mortem child and that Lev Abalkin was, in fact, one of the "Stepchildren
". This knowledge was kept away from the public and only a few people on Earth knew of his true origin. In 2139 he was the first "Stepchild" to obtain the s.c. "Wanderer's mark".
According to the Sikorski's Requirements, Abalkin was trained as a progressor
and since 2160 worked on Saraksh
. He was especially interested in the contact with Golovans, so until 2162 he led the diplomatic negotiations between them and Earth. In 2162-63 he was in charge of the Saraksh sub-project "Golovans in Space".
In 2163 Abalkin was the first (and only) human to work in pair with a Headie, Schyokn-Itrch, during the unsuccessful rescue operation "Dead World" on Hope. Between 2164 and 2166 he worked on Giganda, but after an accidental encounter with another "Stepchild", Korney Yashmaa, who already knew of his true origin (but not of Abalkin's one), COMCON-2 moved Abalkin back to Saraksh in 2170.
In 2178 Abalkin disappeared under suspicious circumstances and, without providing any reasons, returned to Earth. Being closely chased by Maxim Kammerer
and Rudolf Sikorski
, he tried to obtain his corresponding "detonator" from the Museum of Extraterrestrial Cultures (MEC). In the end, Abalkin managed to convince his childhood friend Maya Glumova to let him enter the forbidden sections of MEC, where the "detonators" were stored, but Sikorski has foreseen such outcome and set a trap for him. Lev Abalkin was killed by Sikorski moments before he could reach his "detonator".
of Abalkin was the retirement
of Rudolf Sikorski
, who, the public believed, was getting senile, paranoid
and as a consequence - dangerous. Abalkin's death has also somehow cleared the Wanderers
of all suspicion the public generally regarded them with.
, although the story of his life and death is told by Maxim Kammerer.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in Boris and Arkady Strugatsky's series of science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novels set in the Noon Universe
Noon Universe
The Noon Universe is a fictional future setting for a number of hard science fiction novels written by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. The universe is named after Noon: 22nd Century, the chronologically first novel from the series...
.
Biography
Lev Abalkin was born on 6. October 2138 on EarthEarth (Noon Universe)
In the Noon Universe created by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky Earth is one of the planets populated by humans as well as their assumed origin. It is identical to the modern Earth except for the fact that it is set in the 22nd century...
. Officially, his parents were Vyacheslav Tsyurupa and Stella Abalkina, who both participated in the "Yormala Project" (submersion into the black hole
Black hole
A black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...
EN-200056) in 2135, which means that Lev was a post mortem child, a child who, at the prior request of his parents, was grown "in vitro" from his mother's fertilized ovum. Such practice was common on Earth in XXII century among the scientist couples who weren't sure of their chances of survival in certain experiments.
The truth is, however, that Abalkin's official parents never requested a post mortem child and that Lev Abalkin was, in fact, one of the "Stepchildren
Stepchildren (Noon Universe)
In the Noon Universe created by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, the foundlings are a group of 13 humans, who evolved out of the embryos stored in the "sarcophagus". The embryos were discovered on December 26, 2137 by Boris Fokin's group of explorers on an unnamed planet in star system EN-9173...
". This knowledge was kept away from the public and only a few people on Earth knew of his true origin. In 2139 he was the first "Stepchild" to obtain the s.c. "Wanderer's mark".
According to the Sikorski's Requirements, Abalkin was trained as a progressor
Progressor
Progressors in science fiction are people of an advanced space-faring civilization who facilitate progress of less advanced civilizations. It comes from a perspective very much the opposite of what motivates Star Trek's famous Prime Directive....
and since 2160 worked on Saraksh
Saraksh
Saraksh is a fictional planet described in Prisoners of Power by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. This planet is a part of the so called Noon Universe and presents a world that survived an atomic war. As a result, the surface of the planet is mostly covered with debris and junk...
. He was especially interested in the contact with Golovans, so until 2162 he led the diplomatic negotiations between them and Earth. In 2162-63 he was in charge of the Saraksh sub-project "Golovans in Space".
In 2163 Abalkin was the first (and only) human to work in pair with a Headie, Schyokn-Itrch, during the unsuccessful rescue operation "Dead World" on Hope. Between 2164 and 2166 he worked on Giganda, but after an accidental encounter with another "Stepchild", Korney Yashmaa, who already knew of his true origin (but not of Abalkin's one), COMCON-2 moved Abalkin back to Saraksh in 2170.
In 2178 Abalkin disappeared under suspicious circumstances and, without providing any reasons, returned to Earth. Being closely chased by Maxim Kammerer
Maxim Kammerer
Maxim Kammerer is a fictional character in Arkady and Boris Strugatsky's series of science fiction novels set in the Noon Universe....
and Rudolf Sikorski
Rudolf Sikorski
Rudolf Sikorski is a fictional character in Boris and Arkady Strugatsky's series of science fiction novels set in the Noon Universe, also known as Exzellenz or Wanderer. Sikorski appears in Prisoners of Power and Beetle in the Anthill...
, he tried to obtain his corresponding "detonator" from the Museum of Extraterrestrial Cultures (MEC). In the end, Abalkin managed to convince his childhood friend Maya Glumova to let him enter the forbidden sections of MEC, where the "detonators" were stored, but Sikorski has foreseen such outcome and set a trap for him. Lev Abalkin was killed by Sikorski moments before he could reach his "detonator".
Aftermath of Abalkin's death
An immediate aftermath of the assassinationAssassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
of Abalkin was the retirement
Retirement
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow the person to...
of Rudolf Sikorski
Rudolf Sikorski
Rudolf Sikorski is a fictional character in Boris and Arkady Strugatsky's series of science fiction novels set in the Noon Universe, also known as Exzellenz or Wanderer. Sikorski appears in Prisoners of Power and Beetle in the Anthill...
, who, the public believed, was getting senile, paranoid
Paranoia
Paranoia [] is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself...
and as a consequence - dangerous. Abalkin's death has also somehow cleared the Wanderers
Wanderers (Noon Universe)
Wanderers are a fictional alien race from the Noon Universe created by Strugatsky brothers. Their homeworld is unknown. No official contact between Earth and Wanderers has ever been registered, although they've contacted humans from other planets, e.g...
of all suspicion the public generally regarded them with.
See also
Abalkin is virtually the main character of Beetle in the AnthillBeetle in the Anthill
Beetle in the Anthill is a 1979 sci-fi novel by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky set in the Noon Universe.-Explanation of the novel's title:Beetle in the Anthill is the title of a theory explaining the Stepchildren phenomenon...
, although the story of his life and death is told by Maxim Kammerer.