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罗曼诺夫盯着克里姆林宫窗外,天很黑,空气很冷。尽管布尔什维克解散了沙皇,但他们还没有时间埋葬最后一个沙皇。
他戴上皮帽,回到办公桌继续工作。
自沙皇时代以来,克里姆林宫的权力和威严已经大大提升。但尽管它富丽堂皇,规模庞大,但它仍然是人们工作的工作场所。这不是博物馆,也不是华丽的宫殿。
电话铃响了。
“你好,同志。”
“你好,总书记同志。莫洛托夫、卡冈诺维奇和马林科夫同志已抵达客厅,等待与您会面。”
“叫他们进来,”罗曼诺夫说,懒得转身。
门开了,他的一个助理,一个戴着牙套的年轻女子走了进来。
“谢谢你,”罗曼诺夫点头对她说,没有从桌子上抬起头来。“同志,你全名叫什么?”他问那个女孩。
“奥尔加·米哈伊洛夫娜·特雷古波娃,先生。”
“先生?这是克里姆林宫,请称呼同志。”
“是的,同志,”女孩礼貌地回答,有点困惑。
“你在干什么?”
“莫洛托夫同志刚到,同志。”
“你们年轻人总是容易在资本主义国家受到这些事情的影响,你是新来的,对吗?”
“是的,同志,”女孩再次回答。
“好吧,我们稍后再谈,奥尔加。你可以休息一天。永远记住你的职责。现在,带我去会议室,同志。然后,请离开。”
奥尔加点点头,离开房间,带着莫洛托夫、卡冈诺维奇和马林科夫同志来到会议室。她关上身后的门。
他不知道该如何看待她。她似乎是一个忠诚的共产主义者,但她也有一点斯大林主义的心态。不过,这是没有理由的。
罗曼诺夫还是习惯于维克多·阿尔卡季耶维奇·秋尔金助理的帮助,但是他已经去列宁格勒担任职务来增加资历了。克里姆林宫的生活并不令人不快,只是有点太孤立了。罗曼诺夫想象他的继任者会有同样的担忧,尽管它毕竟是苏联。
“莫洛托夫同志、卡冈诺维奇同志、还有马林科夫同志,我感谢您们能来到克里姆林宫。我代表党感谢您们为了社会主义的奋斗。”
所谓的“斯大林帮派”的三名成员来自所谓的“老卫兵”,这些人自革命以来一直存在。他们有自己的缺点,但他们受到党的信任,他们总是尽其所能支持苏联政府。
他们互致问候,然后坐下来,等待会议开始。他们没有一个人闲聊,都在等罗曼诺夫讲话。
“奥尔加·米哈伊洛夫娜·特雷古波娃同志去把我的经济方案递给大家,顺便准备咖啡。”
这立刻引起了三个人的注意。
“她?”卡冈诺维奇惊讶道。“同志要他那愚蠢的小情人干什么?”
“我不明白你的意思,同志。”
“别跟我装傻,同志。我们都知道你的意思。一个留着金长发的年轻女孩。你不难发现。”
“我可以问你这是什么意思吗?”罗曼诺夫皱着眉头问道。
“哦,那么你现在想扮演绅士了?别担心,同志,我们会开门见山的。我们知道你的小爱好。”
“我的……”
“是的,你的小。。。和这个女孩的关系。我们知道你是怎么和她关在一起的。怎样起初,我们只是认为这是无辜的。两个年轻、健康、有远见的共产主义者享受着彼此的陪伴。”
罗曼诺夫总书记带着愤怒地说:“这是诽谤!卡冈诺维奇同志!”卡冈诺维奇不悦地说:“总书记同志,我不喜欢你的助理,更不喜欢你的姓氏在克里姆林宫。”
莫洛托夫打断了两人的对话说:“好了,卡冈诺维奇同志你不能因为姓氏就这样说话。罗曼诺夫总书记,请不要在意他的胡言乱语,我们这群老头子还是对罗曼诺夫这个姓氏太敏感了。”
卡冈诺维奇愤怒地对莫洛托夫说:“你闭嘴,老家伙!你甚至还没到年龄!”
这句话引起了莫洛托夫的责骂,但罗曼诺夫笑了。
过了一会儿,奥尔加·米哈伊洛夫娜·特雷古波娃抱着一叠简要说明的经济方案文件回来递给了莫洛托夫、卡冈诺维奇与马林科夫。特雷古波娃然后紧张地去旁边准备咖啡。
这些人开始通读这些文件,翻阅其中一些文件,并驳回其他文件。房间里一片寂静,每个人都在等待有人打破寂静。
过了一会儿,卡冈诺维奇打破了沉默。
“这是背叛与电子法西斯主义!为了提高劳动生产率而加剧收入不平等形成物质刺激,并取消累进计件工资制与恢复食品供应处罚与奖励机制?国有企业管理与监察法、合法化小型私营企业与废除集体化农场是什么意思?”卡冈诺维奇说。
“是的,这很重要。我们不能让我们的公民变得太富裕。如果他们过得舒适,他们就不会继续努力工作。”罗曼诺夫回答说:“这些措施将确保工人的基本需求得到满足,并防止大部分人口挨饿。这些经济计划将使我们在与美国的军备竞赛中占上风。”
马林科夫说,“这些措施将摧毁伟大卫国战争的成果!
卡冈诺维奇继续说:“这些措施与党的路线相矛盾!党的路线是国家应该照顾每个人,而不是富人越来越富,穷人越来越穷!”
“这只是进步的代价。”
马林科夫反驳道。“这将导致腐败、低效和国家的削弱!因此,我们的帝国主义敌人将在世界上获得更多的权力和影响力!”
“我们必须务实!”罗曼诺夫严肃地说:“柯西金改革时期形成的那一批企业负责人已经控制了苏联工厂,我们不能让所有人全部撤职也不能阻止所有人虚报指标与黑市贩卖设备!这让所有人经手财政却又指望他们不腐败是不现实与反人性的。”
马林科夫愤怒地说:“在你的统治下,富人越来越富,穷人越来越穷。这不是我们光荣革命的基础!”
“并不是,我只是让企业负责人将国有企业股份化来让他们成为企业的股东,这样才能防止他们出卖国有企业。而且,这也将继续公有制防止他们尝试私有化。富人越来越富有,因为他们为改善人民生活所做的工作得到了回报。如果富人越来越富,那么穷人也必然越来越富。我们都需要工作才能生存,这是经济运行的唯一方式。”
莫洛托夫抬头盯着罗曼诺夫说:“你怎么防止这些企业负责人垄断财富?”
“我从来不相信这些人,他们会在之后十五年内陆续富有然后为了企业牟利努力工作,再然后被克格勃与监察委员会以腐败罪名逮捕执行死刑,财产也会没收。”
“你反应过度了,莫洛托夫同志。我们可以相信这些领导人。”
卡冈诺维奇打断了他的话,“相信他们吗?他们比党更忠于自己的私人利益,他们的前任也是如此,他们在白色恐怖时期对前政府忠诚了这么多年。我们需要继续振兴党的路线,以防止这些自大狂在已经统治了国家的情况下统治党。”
“我不能接受。但是我们会阻止他们的,经济是政治的奴隶。”罗曼诺夫说完,特雷古波娃端着几杯咖啡放在他们面前。他谢了她,接着说。
“当然,为了避免工农重新被剥削与压迫。我们绝对不会进行私有化与市场经济转型,但苏联指令型计划经济的滞后性与缺乏竞争能力必须解决。这就是为什么党将尝试推行列宁格勒模式发展下的集约化技术计划经济。”
“这到底是什么意思?”
罗曼诺夫解释说:“为了修正指令性计划经济下的问题,指令性计划经济滞后性是因为苏联计划经济结构是由国家计划委员会等各部委计算与指令等因素,而工业产品与消费品质量下降是由于缺乏竞争对手与官僚主义等因素。经济权力必须从各中央部委下放转移到区域经济部门,即所谓的经济区。与各部不同,这些经济区由民选人员管理,他们可以根据地区和生产力的最佳利益做出决策。这些技术官僚将得到经济区的支持与力求技术创新来竞争战胜其他经济区,国家计划委员会将逐步改组为仅仅保持宏观政策的国民经济发展委员会。当前党、国家和工会的官僚体系必须转变为技术专业化的微观管理体系。”
特雷古波娃笑着说:“听起来像是南斯拉夫人。”每个人都笑了。
罗曼诺夫挥手说:“任何纠正指挥经济问题的计划都必须考虑在这种压迫下受苦的群众。我们必须记住,人民已经做好了改变的准备,但还没有。我们将不得不求助于他们的技术和物质利益。我们的政策将以解放者的思想为基础。约瑟夫·斯大林同志。”
老人的脸上洋溢着骄傲。
卡冈诺维奇狼吞虎咽地喝了些咖啡,说,“请问,解放者的经济计划和其他经济计划有什么区别?”
“哦,其他计划侧重于利润,利润最终将转嫁给工人阶级。并且正如斯大林同志的一国社会主义观点,苏维埃联盟是社会主义的火种与长女。我们宁愿暂时减少世界革命对外援助的那两百多亿卢布资金,也必须优先保持苏维埃联盟的稳定。现在,资本主义国家针对我们的贸易与技术壁垒正如1929年前一样,党现在需要战略收缩来等待资本主义国家重新爆发一次周期性的世界经济危机。”
“我很困惑。在这个新计划中,工人阶级和所谓的劳动群众将扮演什么角色?”
“计划已经描述了工厂将逐渐在之后三十年内实行机器自动化生产,工人阶级与劳动群众将不会是工厂的管理者与技术人员。这并不违反社会主义工人国家的原则性。”
“我们如何防止外国资本主义剥削和技术绕过苏联?”
“我们的计划不仅有助于我们的经济,还将加强我们的军事力量。”
卡冈诺维奇问道:“怎么做?”
“奥加尔科夫元帅的信息化军队理论会对此有帮助。”罗曼诺夫回答后,莫洛托夫点点头说:“我们都是老人了,你们这些年轻人将继续带领祖国前行。”
罗曼诺夫点点头严肃地说:“是的,所以我真心请求莫洛托夫同志、卡冈诺维奇同志、马林科夫同志能担任苏联共产党中央顾问委员会成员,为苏共政治局提供建议。”
莫洛托夫脸上洋溢着自豪和支持。卡冈诺维奇皱起眉头沉思。过了一会儿,他说:“很好。”
“谢谢你,”罗曼诺夫回答。
莫洛托夫离开了,卡冈诺维奇对罗曼诺夫和特雷古波娃说:“我为我缺乏信任而道歉。我也曾经年轻过一次。”他也离开了。
特雷古波娃问罗曼诺夫:“我们现在该怎么办?”
“我们将继续执行该计划,”他说。
现在只有罗曼诺夫自己与特雷古波娃了,他在椅上放松并说:“帮我拿伏特加过来。”
“我想我应该再喝点咖啡,”他说。
特雷古波娃皱了皱眉头说:“不,你需要饮料。”
“是的,同志。”罗曼诺夫盯着她说:“我老了,我不知道我能不能在我近视变得更严重前让苏联平稳交给继任者。”
“别担心,我打赌你会活得比所有人都长。”
“也许,”他说,“但要留下继任者还需要很长时间。”
特雷古波娃躺在沙发上,盯着天花板。罗曼诺夫又喝了一口咖啡。
“你对斯大林同志怎么看?”罗曼诺夫打开收音机调到音乐电台播放现在流行的《最美好的前途》。
“哦,他,”特雷古波娃说。“他是一位伟大的领袖,我想你在很多方面都很相似。热情、固执、坚定。”
“不,我可不希望借助令人作呕的个人崇拜与领袖政治来统治世界。”
“你是什么意思?”
“我的意思是,我只是一位技术官僚,并不是什么神像或者魔鬼。我希望每个苏联领导人只出现在教科书课本、书籍与肖像中。毕竟,人们一般只认识最高领导者。”罗曼诺夫走到她面前,盯着她。“你是谁?我是谁?我们是什么?”
特雷古波娃回答说:“我们是苏联的最高领导人。”
罗曼诺夫点点头伸手抓住她的下巴说:“选择性遗忘是最好的,个人崇拜与抹黑攻击只会导致钟摆效应,而禁止又会导致禁果效应。”他放手继续说,“政治局的决定是由多数人统治作出的。”他看着她说:“我们正在做保卫祖国必须做的事情。”
特雷古波娃看着他说:“人民将跟随我们进入战斗和胜利。”
“是的,他们会的,同志。如果我们幸运的话,无知的乌合之众实际上会开始相信他们自己的新闻稿。”
“我注意到你没有戴党针。”
“胡说八道。你很难找到一个不是斯大林主义者的中央委员会成员。”罗曼诺夫把手放在她的脸上说:“你会接受某种检查吗?”
“不管怎样,他们可能很快就会这么做,”特雷古波娃一边说,一边把他的手从脸颊上移开。
“很快?张开你的嘴巴。”
“什么?”她问。“为什么?”
“我想看看你有多少颗牙齿……”
特雷古波娃张开嘴,罗曼诺夫检查了她的牙齿。他数了数,“一,二,三,四……等等,五,六,七?”
“你的臼齿不规则。”
“这种现象在工程师和建筑商中是众所周知的。这不是缺陷。”
“这并不意味着这是一种令人向往的特质。”
于是,两位领导人进行了一场友谊赛,看谁的蛆牙比对方多。
罗曼诺夫的手指在她的牙齿边摩擦,他盯着说:“你知道我62岁了,你才23岁。”他又靠近了她的脸。“我还可以和你有一段……肉体上的关系。”
“抱歉?”
“我仍然可以满足你的……肉体欲望……如果你愿意……和我一起……做这样的事。”他把手移到她的胸前,用力抓住她。“你仍然可以让我……快乐……如果你……帮一个老人一个小忙的话。”
特雷古波娃推开他说:“住手!马上住手!”
“你不愿意?毕竟,我们都是成年人。”
“我不是妓女!我不会像妓女一样被买卖!”特雷古波娃推开他说。
“当我满足你的……身体需求时,你仍然可以这样做。我们仍然可以从权力中获得食物、产品和金钱权力。你只会……嗯……嫉妒。”
“……我会的?我真不敢相信我处于这种境地。”
“那是什么情况?”
“我现在的处境是,一个男人用他的谎言欺骗了我,给了我……一笔交易。”
罗曼诺夫笑了笑说:“所以,你想参与并拥有我的权力还是被我开除?无论如何,我现在就在你面前。”
“我……我不知道在这里该做什么,”特雷古波娃说。“这对我有什么好处?”
“我想和你建立一种亲密的关系。我不想处理孩子们的麻烦或经营农场。作为回报,你将获得权力、财富和地位。想想在我的帮助下你可以拥有多大的特权!”
现在轮到特雷古波娃笑了。“有了这个提议,我可能会考虑这样的事情。”
“很好,”他说,“现在,让我们为你做好准备。”罗曼诺夫把她带到他的卧室。
他们很快就结束了。罗曼诺夫无法站起来,特雷古波娃也没有真正的心情。你们两个离开房间时,特雷古波娃擦去了眼泪。
“我很好,”她说,“我现在就细想一下。”
“这是你成长的一天,你成了我的女人。我们拥有了共同的污点,这将让我相信你。”“你这是什么意思?”
“我们所处的时代几乎没有什么确定性。最好乐观地展望未来,但也要有一点怀疑。未来将是我们创造的。我将帮助你们创造一个统治者和一个男人的未来。我们将活得很长,我无法想象有一个更好的人来分享这些年。我爱你,同志。”
你们两个拥抱了。
“我已经准备好迈出下一步了,”特雷古波娃说,“你想做什么?”
“忠诚地向我汇报一切,我不喜欢你欺骗我,还有你是我的。”罗曼诺夫拍了拍她的脸。“总有一天我们会成为富人,但让我们完成这第一步。毕竟,我也有需要。”
“是的,是的,”特雷古波娃笑着说,“我是你的。”
表演结束后,特雷古波娃睡着了。她上班得早起。罗曼诺夫仍然很清醒。现在怎么办?
他犯下了一个错误吗?
罗曼诺夫给酒杯又倒上伏特加说:“特雷古波娃,你认为我应该永远是廉洁自律的苏共总书记吗?不腐败?”
特雷古波娃在睡梦中动了动。“你在说什么?你当然是。”
“你认为我应该始终把党和人民放在首位吗?不是我的家人,不是我自己?”
特雷古波娃鼾声惊醒。“当然。”
她起身双手勾住罗曼诺夫的脖子吻他说:“你已经为党廉洁了几十年了,你可以拿到你应得的那部分。再说了,就是赫鲁晓夫也有福尔采娃呢!来吧!首先是党,然后是一切。”
他微微一笑,“你是个好人,特雷古波娃。你总是在不需要的时候支持我,在应该批评的时候批评我。你让生活变得有价值。”
她笑了,“你让它变得值得,你知道吗?”
“是的…我想我要去我的办公室。我睡不着。”
“为了什么?我觉得你太担心你的良心了,让你自己的欲望吞噬你。看着我,你不想要我吗?来操我。”
“你喝醉了,特雷古波娃。你根本不知道自己在说什么。”
“你想操我,不是吗?”她笑着说,“好吧,那就去吧。我不为我是谁感到羞耻。”
“我永远不会为你感到羞耻。”
特雷古波娃向一边望去。她用手指玩。她回头看看罗曼诺夫,看看他会怎么做。
“求求你,罗曼诺夫……我想感受你的公鸡在我内心深处的感觉。像你说的那样去做。”
他走到她床边,跪下。他拔出了那只跳动的公鸡。他把头放在她的嘴唇上,她急切地把它叼进嘴里,轻轻地吮吸着,透过睫毛抬起头看着他。
“就是这样,亲爱的,就是这样。”他一边呻吟着一边把她的头在他的公鸡上来回推。他抓住她的长发,引导她的步伐。他稳住她的头,开始从她的嘴里进进出出。“我仍然感到内疚。”
特雷古波娃停下来说:“为什么?难道你真正想工作到死,然后躺在新圣女公墓里?”她用手背擦了擦嘴。“你是个革命者,你不需要永远活着。”她抚摸着他的脸。“我知道你怎么能满足,就这样。拜托,操我的嘴,别担心其他别的。”她看着他,眨了眨睫毛,罗曼诺夫无法拒绝她。
特雷古波娃的嘴是他从未有过的感觉。紧,湿,渴望。他可以整天这样做,而且永远不会厌倦。她歪着头,他用手捂住她的嘴。
她拉开手说:“你尝起来像我。”他尝起来像烟草和伏特加。
当他吻她的时候,她开始脱衣服。很快,她全身赤裸,准备迎接他。他站起来,脱下衣服。
“在床上,亲爱的,”他命令道。她坐在她的背上,他站在她的上方,慢慢地把自己推到她身上。他们找到了自己的节奏。
他以前没想过,但他有点担心会伤害到她。这对他来说还是新鲜事,但他认为他会戴避孕套。她伸出双臂抓住床头板。
“过来,”她说。
“什么?”他气喘吁吁地说。
“走近点。当你走进我的身体时,我想看看你的眼睛。”
他照着吩咐的做了,跪在她身上,深深地推入她的内心深处。他们的眼睛紧闭着。
“我想我以后应该少喝点伏特加,酒精让我今天这样违反了生活原则。”罗曼诺夫吻着她的脖子后悔说。
“别担心,”她气喘吁吁地说。“生命是短暂的,我希望你在死前把你的孩子填满我。”
他笑了,“我不认为我会在战斗中死去。”
她笑着呻吟着,“你继续思考,我们将继续测试。”他笑着在她内心达到高潮。
太阳从城市上空升起时,他们一起躺在床上。
“所以,这就是拥有一个家庭的感觉,特雷古波娃。我很高兴。”
“我也很高兴,因为你是我的一部分。我们都一样,我们在任何地方都一样。”她睡意朦胧地说。她把手放在他的胸前,感觉到他的心跳。“你现在该走了。太阳再落山时我再见。”
罗曼诺夫起身穿衣服说:“对了,不要把我们的事情泄露出去,你知道这是多大的问题。”
她笑着说:“你太担心了。如果有人发现了,那就不是秘密了。整个城市都会知道的。”
“这才是问题,我是苏维埃联盟的领导人。更不要说我还有妻子了。”罗曼诺夫穿好衣服把苏联政治局别针戴上。“人们比有情人的已婚男人更尊重权力和安全。”
特雷古波娃咯咯地笑着说:“我认为他们不在乎你的妻子。你是一个有权势的人,不碍事。他们可能希望你给我带来鲜花和珠宝。”她摸了摸他的胸部。“像这样。”
罗曼诺夫笑了,“别那样说话。但是你说得对,如果我没有什么可以依靠的,人们不会尊重我。”他握住她的手,把它放在他的心上。“还有这里。你的也在这里。别忘了。”
特雷古波娃用手捂住他的心说:“我不会的。”
“对了,你以后搬到克里姆林宫我的房间住吧。”他一边打领带一边说。
“很好。”她瘫倒在床上,抬头看着华丽的天花板。她打了个哈欠。“是的,亲爱的,我在库尔斯克出生和长大,我负担不起这样奢侈的生活。”
“我想让你感觉特别。”罗曼诺夫开始亲吻她的身体。他舔了舔她的肚脐,说:“你是的。”
她笑着说:“我当然是。”
他们花了一整天的时间做爱。
那天晚上晚些时候,罗曼诺夫来到他在克里姆林宫的房间。特雷古波娃已经穿着睡衣,静静地坐在床上。她看着他说:“我等不及明天了。”
他笑了,“我也不能,亲爱的。我也不能。”
“我知道,你能不能帮我弄一辆ZIL-4104?我也想坐上国家领导人的豪车。”
“我相信我能。”他从抽屉里抓起一些东西。“来,请穿上这个。”他递给她一件黑色紧身连衣裙。“而且没有内裤。”
她翻了翻眼睛,但是把衣服穿上。
“我想知道为什么吗?”她问。
“不。”他边说边锁门。“只是增加一些情趣,你不喜欢?”
“嗯,不。”她一边说一边开始脱衣服。
他怀着既期待又恐惧的心情走近她。他很兴奋,但很焦虑。他希望这一天是完美的。
她走近他,裸露的身体已经成熟,准备迎接他。她用双腿搂住他的腰,俯身吻他。他俯下身去挤她的屁股。
他粗暴地对待她。她大声喘气。他咬着嘴唇,以免自己呻吟得太大声。特雷古波娃的阴部太紧了,太热了,太湿了。他觉得自己好像被分开了,但这种快乐太大了,无法停止。
他们干了多久,谁知道呢。特雷古波娃只知道痛苦,然后是快乐。她倒在他身上。
“太棒了,”她气喘吁吁地说。“我们能再做一次吗?”
他笑了,“也许以后吧。现在,我还有别的想法。”
特雷古波娃好奇地看着他。他下了床,走到抽屉前,拿着一个小盒子回来。
“那是什么?”她问。
他打开盒子,给她看了一对钻石戒指。
“我不知道该说什么,”她开始说,“我不知道……”
他打断她说:“我已经有了妻子,所以只能给你戒指了。你愿意陪我这个老人吗?”
特雷古波娃咯咯地笑着,“我不知道你说的‘老人’是什么意思,同志。但是如果你认为我会接受你的戒指,那我会的。”
“好吧,那就穿上吧,”他说着,把盒子递给她。
她拿了一枚戒指戴在手指上。
特雷古波娃是个乐观的女人。她相信党和领导人,所以她相信他们会结婚。当然,她会进入克里姆林宫。他们也会有更多的孩子。可以说,世界就是他们的牡蛎。
她爱罗曼诺夫。她不在乎他六十多岁。她知道他仍然是一个信守诺言的人,会为她提供良好的生活条件。他也会在她身边。她将能够与他讨论她的担忧。她可以信赖他。此外,她出生于60年代。这就是她所经历的。这对她来说很正常。当然,她想要生活中更好的东西,但她从来没有得到过。她为什么要担心有一个比她大得多的丈夫呢?
除了在历史转折时期的人以外,单一个体对于历史是无足轻重的。唯一的问题在于,罗曼诺夫能不能承担他的责任,世界依然在变化。未来掌握在他的手中。
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Romanov stares out of the Kremlin window. The sky is dark and the air is cold. Even though the Bolshevis dissolved the tsarists, they haven\\u0027t had time to bury the last one yet.
He puts on his fur hat and goes back to his desk to continue working.
The Kremlin\\u0027s power and grandeur has greatly since the days of the tsars. But despite the opulence and the size, it\\u0027s still a working building in which people work. It\\u0027s not a museum or a glorified palace.
The phone rings.
\\"Hello, comrade.\\"
\\"Hello, Comrade General Secretary. Comrades Molotov, Kaganovich and Malinkov have arrived in the parlor to wait for a meeting with you.\\"
\\"Tell them to come in,\\" says Romanov, not bothering to turn around.
The door opens and one of his assistants, a young woman with an overbite, enters.
\\"Thank you,\\" Romanov says to her with a nod, not looking up from his desk. \\"What\\u0027s your full name, comrade?\\" he asks the girl.
\\"Olga Mikhailovna Tregubova, sir.\\"
\\"Sir? This is the Kremlin, please address comrade.\\"
\\"Yes, comrade,\\" the girl replies politely, slightly confused.
\\"What are you doing?\\"
\\"Comrade Molotov has just arrived, comrade.\\"
\\"You young people are always susceptible to those things in capitalist countries, you\\u0027re new here, right?\\"
\\"Yes, comrade,\\" the girl replied again.
\\"Well, we\\u0027ll talk about that later, Olga. You can rest for the rest of the day. Always remember your duty. Now, just take me to the meeting room, comrade. After that, please leave.\\"
Olga nods, leaves the room and takes comrades Molotov, Kaganovich and Malinkov to the meeting room. She closes the door behind her.
Him not sure what to make of her. She seems to be a dedicated communist, but she also has a bit of a Stalinist mindset. There\\u0027s no reason for that, though.
Romanov was still accustomed to the help of assistant Viktor Arkadyevich Tyurkin, but he had gone to Leningrad to take up a post to increase his seniority. It wasn\\u0027t an unpleasant life in the Kremlin, but it was just a little too isolated. Romanov imagined his successor would have the same concerns, despite it being the USSR after all.
\\"Comrade Molotov, Comrade Kaganovich, and Comrade Malinkov, I thank you for coming to the Kremlin. On behalf of the Party, I thank you for your struggle for socialism.\\"
The three members of the so-called \\"Stalina Gang\\" were from the so-called \\"old guard\\", people who had been around since the days of the revolution. They had their faults, but they were trusted by the Party and they always did what they could to support the government.
They give their greetings in return and sit down, waiting for the meeting to start. None of them engage in idle chit chat, and they all just wait for Romanov to speak.
\\"Comrade Olga Mikhailovna Tregubova go and hand out my economic program and prepare coffee by the way.\\"
This got the attention of the three men immediately.
\\"Her?\\" Kaganovich exclaims. \\"What does comrade want with his silly little lover?\\"
\\"I am not sure what you mean, comrade.\\"
\\"Don\\u0027t play stupid with me, comrade. We all know what you mean. A young girl with a long blond hair. You\\u0027re not hard to spot.\\"
\\"May I ask what you mean by this?\\" Romanov asks with a frown.
\\"Oh, so now you want to play the gentleman? Don\\u0027t worry, comrade, we\\u0027re going to get to the point. We know about your little hobby.\\"
\\"My...?\\"
\\"Yes, your little... relationship with this girl. We know about how you\\u0027d spend hours upon hours locked up with her. How... at first, we just thought it was innocent. Two young, healthy, forward-thinking communists enjoying the company of each other.\\"
General Secretary Romanov said with anger: \\"This is slander! Comrade Kaganovich!\\" Kaganovich said unhappily, \\"Comrade General Secretary, I don\\u0027t like your assistant, and I like your surname even less in the Kremlin.\\"
Molotov interrupted the conversation between the two and said, \\"Well, Comrade Kaganovich you can\\u0027t talk like that just because of your surname. General Secretary Romanov, please disregard his nonsense, we old men are still too sensitive to the surname Romanov.\\"
Kaganovich angrily said to Molotov, \\"You shut up, old man! You\\u0027re not even of age!\\"
This remark caused a scolding from Molotov, but Romanov laughed.
After a while Olga Mikhailovna Tregubova returned with a stack of briefly described economic program documents and handed them to Molotov, Kaganovich and Malinkov. Tregubova then nervously went to the side to prepare coffee.
The men begin to read through the documents, going over some of them and dismissing others. The room is silent and everyone waits for someone to break the silence.
After a while Kaganovich breaks the silence.
\\"This is treachery and e-fascism! Increasing income inequality to create material incentives in order to increase labor productivity and abolishing the progressive piecework wage system and restoring food supply penalties and incentives? What does the state enterprise management and inspection law, the legalization of small private enterprise and the abolition of collectivized farms mean?\\" Kaganovich says.
\\"Yes, this is important. We can\\u0027t have our citizens become too prosperous. If they get too comfortable, they won\\u0027t continue to work hard.\\" Romanov answers. \\"These measures will ensure that a worker\\u0027s basic needs are met and prevent a large segment of the population from starving. These economic plans will give us the upper hand in the arms race with the US.\\"
Malinkev says, \\u0027These measures will dismantle the gains of the Great Patriotic War!
Kaganovich continues, \\"These measures contradict the Party line! The Party line is that the State should take care of everyone, that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer!\\"
\\"That\\u0027s just the price of progress.\\"
Marinkov countered. \\"This will lead to corruption, inefficiency and a weakening of the state! As a result, our imperialist enemies will gain more power and influence in the world!\\"
\\"We have to be pragmatic!\\"
Romanov said seriously, \\"The group of business leaders formed during the Kosygin reforms has taken control of the Soviet factories, and we can\\u0027t have everyone removed from their jobs nor can we stop everyone from misrepresenting their targets and selling equipment on the black market! It\\u0027s unrealistic and anti-human to let everyone handle the finances and expect them not to be corrupt.\\"
Malinkev angrily said, \\"The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer under your rule. This isn\\u0027t what our glorious revolution was founded upon!\\"
\\"Not really, I just let the heads of the companies demutualize the SOEs to make them shareholders of the companies so that they can prevent them from selling out the SOEs. Also, this will continue public ownership to prevent them from trying to privatize. The rich are getting richer, because they are being rewarded for their work to better the people\\u0027s lives. If the rich are getting richer, then the poor are getting richer as well by necessity. We all need to work to survive, that\\u0027s the only way the economy works.\\"
Molotov looked up and stared at Romanov and said, \\"How do you prevent the heads of these enterprises from monopolizing the wealth?\\"
\\"I never trusted these people, they would get rich one after another for the next fifteen years then work hard for corporate profit, and then be arrested and executed by the KGB and the Supervisory Commission for corruption and their property confiscated.\\"
\\"You\\u0027re over-reacting, Comrade Molotov. We can trust these leaders.\\"
Kaganovich interrupted, \\"Trust them? They\\u0027ve been more loyal to their private interests than the Party, and so have their predecessors who were loyal for so many years to the former government during the time of the White Terror. We need to continue to revitalize the Party line, to prevent these egomaniacs from dominating the Party once they\\u0027ve already dominated the state.\\"
\\"I can\\u0027t accept this. But we\\u0027ll stop them, the economy is a slave to politics.\\" As Romanov finished, Tregubova carried several cups of coffee and placed them in front of him. He thanked her and continued. \\"Of course, to avoid renewed exploitation and oppression of workers and peasants. We will definitely not undertake privatization and market economy transformation, but the lagging nature and lack of competitiveness of the Soviet command planned economy must be addressed. That is why the Party will try to pursue an intensively technically planned economy under the Leningrad model of development.\\"
\\"What does that mean exactly?\\"
Romanov explained: \\"In order to correct the problems under the command economy, the command economy lagged because the structure of the Soviet planned economy was calculated and directed by ministries such as the State Planning Committee, while the quality of industrial products and consumer goods declined due to factors such as lack of competitors and bureaucracy. Economic power had to be devolved from the central ministries to the regional economic departments, the so-called economic districts. These economic districts, unlike the ministries, were run by elected people who could make decisions in the best interest of the district and the productive forces. These technocrats will be supported by the economic zones and strive for technological innovation to compete over other economic zones, and the National Planning Commission will be gradually reorganized into a National Economic Development Commission that will simply maintain macro policy. The current hierarchy of Party, State and union bureaucracies must be changed into a micro-management system of technological specialization.\\"
Tregubova smiled and said, \\"Sounds like the Yugoslavs.\\" Everyone laughed.
Romanov waved his hand and said, \\"Any plan to correct the problems of the command economy must consider the masses who are suffering under this oppressive system. We will have to remember that the people are ready for change, but not yet. We will have to appeal to their technological and material interests. Our policies will be based on the ideas of the Liberator. Comrade Joseph Stalin.\\"
The old man\\u0027s face beamed with pride.
Kaganovich gulped down some coffee and said, \\"What, may I ask, is the difference between the Liberator\\u0027s economic plan and other economic plans?\\"
\\"Oh, other plans focus on profit, which ultimately will be passed onto the working class. And, as in Comrade Stalin\\u0027s socialist view of one country, the Soviet Union is the fire and eldest daughter of socialism. We would rather temporarily reduce the 20 billion rubles of foreign aid from the world revolution than give priority to maintaining the stability of the Soviet Union. Now that the capitalist countries are targeting us with trade and technical barriers as they did before 1929, the Party now needs a strategic contraction to wait for a renewed cyclical world economic crisis in the capitalist countries.\\"
\\"I\\u0027m confused. What role will the working class and the so-called toiling masses play in this new plan?\\"
\\"The plan has described that the factories will gradually automate their production by machines over the next thirty years and that the working class and the working masses will not be the managers and technicians of the factories. This does not violate the principled nature of the socialist workers\\u0027 state.\\"
\\"And how do we prevent foreign capitalist exploitation and technology from bypassing the Soviet Union?\\"
\\"Our plan will not only help our economy, but also strengthen our military.\\"
Kaganovich asks, \\"How?\\"
\\"Marshal Ogarkov\\u0027s informational army doctrine will help with that.\\" After Romanov answered, Molotov nodded and said, \\"We are all old people, you young people will continue to lead the motherland forward.\\"
Romanov nodded and said seriously, \\"Yes, that is why I sincerely request Comrade Molotov, Comrade Kaganovich, and Comrade Malinkov to be able to serve as members of the Central Advisory Council of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and advise the Politburo of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.\\"
Molotov beamed with pride and support. Kaganovich furrowed his eyebrows in thought. After a moment, he said, \\"Very well.\\"
\\"Thank you,\\" replied Romanov.
Molotov left and Kaganovich said to Romanov and Tregubova, \\"I apologize for my lack of trust. I was once young once too.\\" He left as well.
Tregubova asked Romanov, \\"What shall we do now?\\"
\\"We shall continue with the plan,\\" he said.
Now it was just Romanov himself with Tregubova, who relaxed in his chair and said, \\"Bring me the vodka.\\"
\\"I think I\\u0027ll have some more coffee instead,\\" he said.
Tregubova frowned and said, \\"No, you need the drink.\\"
\\"Yes, comrade.\\" Romanov stared at her and said, \\"I\\u0027m getting old, and I don\\u0027t know if I can get the Soviet Union handed over smoothly to my successor before my myopia gets worse.\\"
\\"Don\\u0027t worry, I\\u0027ll bet you\\u0027ll outlive everyone.\\"
\\"Perhaps,\\" he said, \\"but that\\u0027s still a long time to leave a successor.\\"
Tregubova lay back on the couch and stared at the ceiling. Romanov gulped down more coffee.
\\"What do you think of Comrade Stalin?\\" Romanov turned on the radio and tuned it to a music station playing the now popular \\"The Best Future\\".
\\"Oh, him,\\" said Tregubova. \\"He\\u0027s a great leader, I suppose you\\u0027re very similar in many ways. Passionate, stubborn, determined.\\"
\\"No, I don\\u0027t want to rule the world with the help of a sickening cult of the individual and leadership politics.\\"
\\"What do you mean?\\"
\\"I mean, I am just a technocrat, not some idol or devil. I wish every Soviet leader appeared only in textbooks textbooks, books & portraits. After all, people generally know only the top leaders.\\" Romanov walked up to her and stared at her. \\"Who are you? Who am I? What are we?\\"
Tregubova answered, \\"We are the top leaders of the Soviet Union.\\"
Romanov nodded reaching out to grab her chin and said, \\"Selective forgetting is best; personal adoration and smear attacks only lead to a pendulum effect, and prohibition leads to a forbidden fruit effect.\\" He let go and continued, \\"The decisions of the Politburo are made by majority rule.\\" He looked at her and said, \\"We are doing what must be done to defend the motherland.\\"
Tregubova eyed him and said, \\"The people will follow us into battle and into victory.\\"
\\"Yes, indeed they will, comrade. If we\\u0027re lucky, the ignorant rabble will actually start believing their own press releases.\\"
\\"I\\u0027ve noticed you don\\u0027t wear your Party pin.\\"
\\"Nonsense. You would be hard pressed to find a member of the Central Committee who isn\\u0027t a dedicated Stalinist.\\" Romanov put his hand on her face and said, \\"Will you undergo some kind of examination?\\"
\\"They\\u0027ll probably do that soon anyway,\\" Tregubova said as she moved his hand away from her cheek.
\\"Soon? Open your mouth.\\"
\\"What?\\" she asked. \\"Why?\\"
\\"I want to see how many teeth you\\u0027ve got...\\"
Tregubova opened her mouth, and Romanov examined her teeth. He counted them off, \\"One, two, three, four... wait, five, six, seven?\\"
\\"What is it?\\"
\\"Your molars are irregular.\\"
\\"That phenomenon is well-known in engineers and builders. It\\u0027s not a defect.\\"
\\"That doesn\\u0027t mean it\\u0027s a desirable trait.\\"
And so, the two leaders engaged in a friendly contest to see who could have more rotten teeth than the other.
Romanov\\u0027s fingers rubbed against her teeth as he stared and said, \\"You know I\\u0027m 62 and you\\u0027re 23.\\" He became close to her face again. \\"I could still have a ... physical relationship with you.\\"
\\"I\\u0027m sorry?\\"
\\"I could still satisfy your... physical desires... if you were willing to... do such a thing... with me.\\" He moved his hand to her chest and grabbed her hard. \\"You could still make me... happy... if you were to... perform a little favor for an old man.\\"
Tregubova pushed him back and said, \\"Stop it! Stop it right now!\\"
\\"You don\\u0027t want to? After all, we\\u0027re both adults.\\"
\\"I\\u0027m not a whore! I won\\u0027t be bought and sold like some whore!\\" Tregubova said pushing him back.
\\"When I meet your... Physical needs, you can still do so. We can still get our food, products and money power from power. You will only... Um... Envy.\\"
\\"... I will? I can\\u0027t believe I\\u0027m in this situation.\\"
\\"What situation is that?\\"
\\"I\\u0027m in a situation where a man has perverted me with his lies and has offered me... a deal.\\"
Romanov laughed and said, \\"So, do you want to participate and have my power or be fired from me? Either way, my is in front of you right now.\\"
\\"I\\u0027m... I\\u0027m not sure what to do here,\\" Tregubova said. \\"What is in it for me?\\"
\\"I want adetached relationship with you. I don\\u0027t want to have to deal with the hassle of children or running a farm. In return, you will get power and wealth and status. Think of the level of privilege you can have with my help!\\"
Now it was Tregubova\\u0027s turn to laugh. \\"With that offer, I might consider such a thing.\\"
\\"Good,\\" he said, \\"Now, let\\u0027s get you prepared.\\" Romanov led her to his bedroom.
They were over fairly quickly. Romanov couldn\\u0027t get it up and Tregubova wasn\\u0027t really in the mood either. Tregubova wiped away a tear as the two of you left the room.
\\"I\\u0027m fine,\\" she said, \\"I\\u0027ll just dwell on this for now.\\"
\\"This is the day you grow up and you become my woman. We have a shared stigma that will allow me to trust you.\\"\\"What do you mean by that?\\"
\\"We\\u0027re in a time where there are very few certainties. It\\u0027s best to look to the future with optimism, but also a bit of skepticism. The future will be what we make it. I will help you make a future as a ruler and as a man. We will live a long time and I can\\u0027t imagine a better person to share those years with. I love you, Comrade.\\"
The two of you embraced.
\\"I am ready to make the next step,\\" Tregubova said, \\"What do you want to do?\\"
\\"Report everything to me faithfully, I don\\u0027t like it when you lie to me, and the fact that you are mine.\\" Romanov patted her face. \\"We will be rich men one day, but let\\u0027s get through this first step. I still have needs too after all.\\"
\\"Yes, yes,\\" Tregubova laughed, \\"I\\u0027m yours.\\"
After the act, Tregubova fell asleep. She had to wake up early for work. Romanov was still wide awake. Now what?
Did he make a mistake?
Romanov poured another vodka into the glass and said, \\"Tregubova, do you think I should always be the General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party with integrity? Not corrupt?\\"
Tregubova stirred in her sleep. \\"What are you talking about? Of course you are.\\"
\\"Do you think I should always put the Party and the people first? Not my family? Not myself?\\"
Tregubova snorted awake. \\"Of course.\\"
She got up and hooked her hands around Romanov\\u0027s neck and kissed him, \\"You\\u0027ve been clean for the party for decades, you can get your fair share. Besides, even Khrushchev had Fultseva! Come on! Party first, then everything else.\\"
He gave her a small smile. \\"You\\u0027re a good person, Tregubova. You always supported me when you didn\\u0027t have to and criticize when you should. You make life worth living.\\"
She smiled, \\"And you make it worthwhile, you know that?\\"
\\"Yeah... I think I\\u0027ll go to my office. I can\\u0027t sleep.\\"
\\"For what? I think you\\u0027re too worried about your conscience to let your own desires consume you. Look at me, don\\u0027t you want me? Come and fuck me.\\"
\\"You\\u0027re drunk, Tregubova. You don\\u0027t know what the hell you\\u0027re saying.\\"
\\"You want to fuck me, don\\u0027t you?\\" She laughed, \\"Well, then go ahead. I\\u0027m not ashamed of who I am.\\"
\\"I could never be ashamed of you.\\"
Tregubova looked to the side. She played with her fingers. She looked back at Romanov to see what he would do.
\\"Please Romanov... I want to feel your cock deep inside me. Do it like you mean it.\\"
He walked to the side of her bed and dropped to his knees. He pulled out his throbbing cock. He put the head to her lips and she eagerly took it into her mouth, sucking gently as she looked up at him through her lashes.
\\"That\\u0027s it my darling, that\\u0027s it.\\" he moaned as he pushed her head back and forth on his cock. He grabbed her long hair and guided her pace. He held her head still and started thrusting in and out of her mouth. \\"I still feel guilty.\\"
Tregubova stopped and said, \\"Why? Do you really want to work until you die and then lie in the New Virgin\\u0027s cemetery?\\" She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. \\"You\\u0027re a revolutionary, you don\\u0027t need to live forever.\\" She touched his face. \\"And I know how you can be satisfied, just like this. Please, just fuck my mouth and don\\u0027t worry about anything else.\\" She looked at him and batted her eyelashes and Romanov couldn\\u0027t refuse her.
Tregubova\\u0027s mouth was like nothing he\\u0027d ever felt before. Tight, wet and wanting. He could do this all day and never get sick of it. She tilted her head and he covered her mouth with his.
She pulled away and said, \\"You taste like me.\\" He tasted like tobacco and vodka.
While he was kissing her, she started taking off her clothes. Soon she was completely naked and ready for him. He stood up and pulled away his clothes.
\\"On the bed, darling,\\" he ordered. She got on her back and he stood above her, slowly pushing himself into her. They found their rhythm.
He didn\\u0027t think about it before, but he was a little concerned that he would hurt her. It was still new to him, but he figured he would wear a condom. She stretched out her arms and grabbed the headboard.
\\"Come here,\\" she said.
\\"What?\\" he panted.
\\"Come closer. I want to see your eyes when you\\u0027re coming inside me.\\"
He did as he was told and knelt above her, thrusting deep inside her. Their eyes locked.
\\"I think I should drink less vodka in the future, alcohol has made me violate the principles of life like this today.\\" Romanov said with regret as he kissed her neck.
\\"Don\\u0027t worry,\\" she panted. \\"Life is short and I want you to fill me with your child before you die.\\"
He laughed, \\"I don\\u0027t think I\\u0027m going to die in battle.\\"
She laughed and moaned, \\"You keep thinking that and we\\u0027ll keep testing it out.\\" He laughed and climaxed inside her.
They lay together on the bed as the sun rose over the city.
\\"So, this is what it feels like to have a family, Tregubova. I\\u0027m happy.\\"
\\"I\\u0027m happy too, because you\\u0027re part of mine. We\\u0027re the same, we\\u0027re the same everywhere.\\" she said sleepily. She put her hands on his chest and felt his heart beating. \\"You should go now. I\\u0027ll see you when the sun sets again.\\"
Romanov got up to get dressed and said, \\"By the way, don\\u0027t let anything out about us, you know how big a problem that is.\\"
She laughed and said, \\"You worry too much. If anyone found out, it wouldn\\u0027t be a secret. The whole city would know about it.\\"
\\"That\\u0027s the problem, I\\u0027m the leader of the Soviet Union. Not to mention the fact that I have a wife.\\" Romanov got dressed to put the Soviet Politburo pin on. \\"People respect power and security more than they do a married man who has a lover.\\"
Tregubova giggled and said, \\"I don\\u0027t think they care about your wife. You\\u0027re a powerful man who is out of the way. They would probably want you to bring me flowers and jewelry.\\" She touched his chest. \\"Like this.\\"
Romanov smiled, \\"Don\\u0027t talk like that. But you\\u0027re right, the people wouldn\\u0027t respect me if I didn\\u0027t have something to fall back on.\\" He took her hand and placed it on his heart. \\"And here. Yours is here too. Don\\u0027t ever forget that.\\"
Tregubova cupped her hand over his heart and said, \\"I won\\u0027t.\\"
\\"By the way, you will move to my room in the Kremlin from now on.\\" he said as he was putting on his tie.
\\"Fine.\\" She slumped back on the bed and looked up at the ornate ceiling. she yawned. \\"Yes, dear, I was born and raised in of Kursk, I can\\u0027t afford to live in luxury like this.\\"
\\"I want you to feel special.\\" Romanov started kissing his way down her body. He licked her belly button and said, \\"And you are.\\"
She laughed and said, \\"Of course I am.\\"
They spent the rest of the day making love.
Later that evening, Romanov went to his room at the Kremlin. Tregubova was already in her pajamas and sitting quietly on the bed. She looked at him and said, \\"I can\\u0027t wait until tomorrow.\\"
He laughed, \\"Neither can I, darling. Neither can I.\\"
\\"I know, can you help me get a ZIL-4104?I also want to ride in the luxury car of the country\\u0027s leaders.\\"
\\"I\\u0027m sure I could.\\" He grabbed something out of his drawer. \\"Here, put this on please.\\" He handed her a tight black dress. \\"And no panties.\\"
She rolled her eyes, but put the clothes on.
\\"Do I want to know why?\\" she asked.
\\"No.\\" he said as he locked the door. \\"Just adding some spice, don\\u0027t you like it?\\"
\\"Mmmm, no.\\" she said as she started to take off her dress.
He approached her with a mix of anticipation and fear. He was excited, but anxious. He wanted this day to be perfect.
She approached him, her bare body ripe and ready for him. She wrapped her legs around his waist, leaning in to kiss him. He reached down and squeezed her ass.
He entered her roughly. She gasped loudly. He bit his lip to prevent himself from moaning too loudly. Tregubova\\u0027s pussy was so tight, so warm, so wet. He felt as if he\\u0027s being split apart, but the pleasure was too great to stop.
They fucked for who knew how long. All Tregubova was aware of was the pain and then the pleasure. She arched her back, pushing herself harder against him. She didn\\u0027t know how much longer she could keep this up, but then the pain started to fade into that wonderful feeling of climaxing. She collapsed on top of him.
\\"That was fantastic,\\" she panted. \\"Can we do that again?\\"
He laughed, \\"Maybe later. Right now, I have something else in mind.\\"
Tregubova looked at him curiously. He got off the bed and went to a drawer, coming back with a small box.
\\"What\\u0027s that?\\" she asked.
\\"Just a little something.\\" He opened the box and showed her a pair of diamond rings.
\\"I don\\u0027t know what to say,\\" she started, \\"I don\\u0027t know about...\\"
He cut her off and said, \\"I already have a wife, so I can only give you the ring. Will you stay with me, an old man?\\"
Tregubova giggled, \\"I don\\u0027t know what you mean by an \\u0027old man\\u0027, comrade. But if you think I\\u0027ll accept your ring, then I will.\\"
\\"Well, put it on then,\\" he said, handing her the box.
She took one of the rings and put it on her finger.
Tregubova was an optimistic woman. She believed in the Party and the Leader, so she believed they would get married. She would move into the Kremlin, of course. They would also have more children. The world was their oyster, so to speak.
She loved Romanov. She didn\\u0027t care that he was in his sixties. She knew he was still a man who kept his word and would provide well for her. He would also be there for her. She would be able to discuss her concerns with him. She would be able to rely on him. Besides, she was born in the Sixties. This was what she experienced. This was normal to her. Sure, she wanted the finer things in life, but she never got them. Why should she worry about having a husband much older than her?
A single individual is insignificant to history, except for those who are in a period of historical transitions. The only question is whether Romanov can assume his responsibility, the world is still changing. The future is in his hands.