Аннотация: MMMDCXXXV. The Martian. A story (economic fiction). - March 21, 2025.
The Martian. A story (economic fiction).
Muil returned from planet of Mars in a spaceship.
He received the certificate of the First Marsonaut, took part in the celebrations.
It's time to pay attention to his wife and son.
Muil and his beloved wife Lana and his son Rick headed to a huge shopping and entertainment center.
Muil bought gifts for his wife and son. The prices surprised him. With inflation targeting 3.5 percent, prices seemed unusually high to him. But he is a billionaire (and even a millionaire) after the flight to Mars, so he can afford any purchases.
It's nice to feel like a billionaire. Muil was born into a simple family. His parents were archaeologists. After a secondary school, Muil served in the Navy as an ordinary seaman (sailor). Then Muil entered the University at the Faculty of History, at the Department of Archeology. He really enjoyed participating in the excavations. There, at the excavations, in the summer, he met Lana.
Muil was interested in the history of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece. He was writing a dissertation on ancient philanthropists. But he himself - personally he - wanted to become a philanthropist.
When his dissertation on ancient philanthropists was ready for defense, Muil had a son, Rick.
At that moment, the Chief Designer of space systems, who was preparing a manned flight to Mars, one of the richest people on planet Earth, became a member of the Government - the Minister of Happiness.
The first marsonaut was supposed to receive an advance payment for a flight to Mars - 1,000,000,000 (one billion) sibs. Marsonaut number 1 will successfully return from Mars - he will become a billionaire (in sibs). He will not return - the advance payment will be compensation for the unsuccessful flight.
Muil became interested in the opportunity that had opened up: if he get one billion sibs, he can become a real modern philanthropist. In other words, there was an opportunity to become a real modern philanthropist instead of a scientist studying ancient philanthropists.
Muil was a little confused by the sibs - it was a currency that periodically (from time to time) collapsed. Muil calculated that at the current exchange rate set by the Main Bank, - 100 sibs for 1 gren, - he, Muil, could become not only a billionaire in sibs, but also a millionaire in grens. A gren inspired more confidence in Muil. 10,000,000 (ten million) grens is quite a sufficient amount to become a modern real philanthropist.
Before flying to Mars on a long-range spacecraft, Muil received a check for 1,000,000,000 (one billion) sibs from the hands of the Chief Designer of Space Systems, one of the richest people on planet Earth, the Minister of Happiness. Muil took this check, made a step towards the spaceship, but stopped and handed the received check to his wife Lana.
The flight to Mars went well. Every twenty-four hours, Muil learned the latest news from planet Earth, talked with his wife Lana. In the news, he was particularly interested in information about inflation (as it turned out, it was relatively low) and the exchange rate set by the Main Bank (the exchange rate was stable, the sib was strengthening; the sib did not fall below the level of 100 sib for 1 gren).
On Mars, Muil walked on the surface of this mysterious planet, took photographs and videos, took samples of the soil and atmosphere, and conducted planned experiments. After successfully completing the action program on Mars, Muil returned to Earth.
Now he, Marsonaut number 1, billionaire and millionaire, almost like a modern real philanthropist, drinks tea and eats dessert (ice cream) (with his wife and son) in a fast food restaurant.
Muil is confused by the new way of depicting the exchange rate on the board of the currency exchange office. For some reason, the currency exchange office, located in a huge shopping and entertainment center, highlighted (showed) the rate of 10,000 sibs for 1 gren. This is despite the fact that Muil learned from the media today that the Main Bank has set a rate of 100 sibs for 1 gren. It's a strange manner to portray the exchange rate - in a new way.
Muil shares his thoughts with his beloved wife.
His wife explains that, in fact, at this currency exchange point, 1 gren is changed to 10,000 (ten thousand) sibs.
Muil is surprised beyond measure. How? And what about the official exchange rate? 100 sibs for 1 gren?
Lana explains that currency exchange offices set the rates at their discretion. They have the right not to follow the exchange rate set by the Main Bank.
And what, does 1 gren change to 10,000 (ten thousand) sibs in all currency exchange offices?
Most likely, yes.
Muil is overwhelmed by this information. So, in terms of grens, his fortune is 100,000 (one hundred thousand) grens, not ten million?
And why didn't his wife inform him about the movement of the exchange rate? He was negotiating with her every day, from a spaceship and from Mars!
Well, she's far from those questions, she doesn't understand much about them, and besides, she's been busy with their little son.
A good pre-flight training allows Muil to quickly regain his psychological balance.
Muil recalls an anecdote he heard while serving in the Navy (as a simple (ordinary) sailor). He slightly changes this anecdote and tells it to his wife and son.
"Why can't the son of an archaeologist become a philanthropist?"
Lana and Rick are silent: they don't know what to say.
"Because the philanthropist has his own son! But the son of an archaeologist can become an archaeologist!"
Lana laughs. Rick smiles.
100,000 (one hundred thousand) grens is not a small amount. Muil decides to defend his dissertation on ancient philanthropists and become a doctor of philosophy.
Muil looks at his son with a smile.
The son of a marsonaut can become a marsonaut, - and, consequently, - a billionaire and a millionaire. Perhaps Muil's grandson will become a philanthropist.
Muil looks at his son with a smile. Rick looks at his father with a smile.
Lana asks for an another ice cream portion. Summer is coming soon. It's going to be hot at the archaeological site.
March 21, 2025, 18:07 (6:07 p.m.)
Translation from Russian into English: March 19, 2025 13:08
Владимир Владимирович Залесский ' Марсианин. Рассказ (экономическая фантастика). '.
{ 3664. Марсианин. Рассказ (экономическая фантастика). - 21 марта 2025 г.
MMMDCXXXV. The Martian. A story (economic fiction). - March 21, 2025.
Vladimir Zalessky Internet-bibliotheca. Интернет-библиотека Владимира Залесского}