Space Apprentice by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. Short summary

5 seconds

All his life Yura Borodin has put the fulfillment of the mission above human life, and is ready to sacrifice it for the sake of the common cause. But the last expedition makes the young man change his views.

1 minute

Yuri Borodin is a trainee welder. He is convinced that it is always necessary to fully commit to work, and always perform the assigned tasks with a professional approach and zeal. If necessary, it is necessary to sacrifice oneself for the sake of the task. These are the attitudes with which the boy lives his life.

The youngster hoped to get on the Tahmasib ship that was headed toward Jupiter. However, it missed its flight and was now in an international staging area, waiting for the next flight to Amalthea. The welder really wanted to get on this space flight, but because it fell behind his group, he is forced to stay in the staging area for several more hours.

Walking into the local bar, Yuri stumbles upon a discussion. One man was vehemently defending communism in a discussion with the bartender. After getting to know the disputant, he invites the young man to his room at the local hotel. Yura agrees to the meeting, believing that the stranger can help him get to Amalthea.