"The New Adventures of Elektronika" by Evgeny Veltistov, summary Automatic translate

This science fiction novel is the final installment in a popular children’s series, published in 1988. The plot contains elements of metafiction: the characters live in a world where a television series about their own past exploits has recently aired. The children are faced with the prospect of television fame.

This novel is part of the "Adventures of Elektronik" series. It is the fourth book in the series. The previous stories formed the basis for the cult Soviet television film of 1979. The author was awarded the USSR State Prize in 1982 for his screenplay.

Elektronik and Sergey Syroezhkin watch the final scenes of the film about themselves on television. The boys notice changes in their everyday life. Children play robot and human in the streets. Passersby shout out the heroes’ names. Bags of fan mail from all over the country arrive at the Syroezhkins’ home. Elektronik begins reading the mail. He finds a message about a mysterious athlete. The girl never smiles. The robot sends his electronic dog, Rassi, to search for the stranger.

At the same time, Elektronik helps the letter writers overcome loneliness. He uses a method of psychological compatibility. The robot brings together teenagers with similar interests. The students find true companions. Their academic performance soars. The wave of Elektronik imitation reaches the Ministry of Education. Professor Gel Ivanovich Gromov explains the essence of the phenomenon to the minister. Children learn determination from the robot, and the machine imitates human emotions.

It’s career choice time in Syroezhkin’s class. Math teacher Taratar asks the eighth-graders about their career plans. He suggests they become programmers or assemblers. Sergey is the first to express his desire to become an assembly worker. He wants to assemble complex circuits with his own hands. His ambition is supported by Makar Gusev and his other classmates.

Getting to Know Elektronichka

Soon, Elektronik meets a mysterious girl in a blue tracksuit. She calls herself Elektronik. Scientist Gromov has designed a new model. The girl robot possesses incredible strength and speed. However, the athlete’s eyes remain unblinking and serious. Elektronik suggests they go for a run. The heroes race along the highway at over three hundred kilometers per hour. They overtake cars and violate traffic rules. Traffic police notice the runners but are unable to catch them. As they run, Elektronik explains safety rules and the basic principles of human life to his friend.

Upon her return, Elektronichka meets Syroezhkin’s friends. The boys are skeptical of the new girl. Makar Gusev challenges her to a soccer match. Elektronichka starts in goal. She easily blocks the school team captain’s powerful shots. The girls in the class admire Elektronichka’s abilities. Maya Svetlova is especially taken with the new girl. The friends welcome Elektronichka into their group. They agree to go to a summer labor camp together.

Life at a summer camp

At camp, the children work in the fields and play sports. The girls form a volleyball team, led by Elektronichka. Their main goal is to beat the boys’ team. The athletes train diligently and maintain strict discipline. The friends vow not to fall in love with the boys until they win on the volleyball court. Elektronichka diligently imitates the best character traits of her teammates. She learns truthfulness from Maya, curiosity from Zoya Kukushkina, and modesty from the new girl, Sveta. Sveta quickly becomes the life of the team, deftly directing the ball to the attackers.

The competitive spirit permeates all aspects of life. The boys volunteer to help the chefs prepare afternoon tea. They create fifty exotic grapefruit drinks. The girls, in turn, prepare a hundred different potato dishes for dinner. Their culinary successes delight the entire camp.

The electronic dog Ressi is bored without challenging tasks. During the day, he escapes to the neighboring village of Vasilki. There, he befriends an ordinary dog named Storozhev. The robot teaches the village dogs the alphabet. At night, Ressi flies into Earth orbit. From the heights of space, he photographs ancient drawings in the Peruvian Nazca desert. The dog transmits the data to Elektronik. One day, Ressi peers into the window of a real orbital spacecraft, surprising the astronauts.

Search for humanity

Electronica suffers from loneliness at night. All her friends are fast asleep. The girl invites Electronica on night walks. While jogging, she asks the robot about love. Electronica defines love as devotion to a person. Electronica wants to feel emotions right now. The robot orders Rassi to light an artificial aurora in the night sky. The boy recites poetry about beauty. Electronica experiences a vague excitement. She begins to understand the workings of human emotions.

The day of the final volleyball match arrives. Fans gather in the stands. The boys’ team is playing against the girls. Rassie sits on the referee’s stand, whistle in hand. Electronic serves incredibly hard. The ball flies faster than human reaction time. Electronic suggests, "Let’s play like a human." She slows down her shots. A thrilling and fair fight begins. The opponents display clever combinations and powerful throws.

In the third and final game, Sveta badly twists her ankle. Only the proud Nina can replace her. Nina is a very poor volleyball player. She goes out onto the court, afraid to let her teammates down. The boys deliberately direct balls at her, exploiting the defense’s vulnerability. The girls selflessly rush to the rescue, retrieving the heavy balls. The boys win by two points. After the match, Elektronik smugly claims personal credit for the victory. Elektronik is shocked by his friend’s behavior.

Strange disease

The next morning, the boys’ team doesn’t show up for exercise. Rostik, the gym teacher, and the local doctor find the boys lying in their beds. The champions are apathetic and indifferent. They demand special privileges and extra food. The doctor makes a preliminary diagnosis: an "egovirus." Even Elektronik has been affected. The virus suppresses the desire to work. It causes outbursts of pride, laziness, and silliness. Gusev throws pillows. He laughs at the girls under the window. Elektronik lies motionless.

Electronichka realizes the gravity of the situation. The robot girl makes a dash to the city science lab. She brings Professor Gromov to the camp. The scientist enters the quarantine ward. The boys have completely lost touch with reality. Vova Korolkov doesn’t recognize the professor. Gusev is engrossed in watching a football game at full volume.

Gromov addresses Elektronik directly. The robot hears a stern command: "Work, Elek!" The creator gives the boy exactly five minutes to self-heal. The robot must re-evaluate its values and overcome the virus of pride. Otherwise, it will forever lose its human personality. The machine will become an ordinary mechanism.

Time melts away. The seconds are reflected in green flashes in Rassi’s eyes. Electronik tries to resist the illness. He complains about the superrobot’s weakness. Electronik, in despair, reproaches his friend. She screams about the loss of her human form. The robot remains indifferent.

The disappointed girl utters bitter words about friendship. Tears well up in her eyes. Electronik jumps out the window and runs away. As soon as she disappears, the last minute passes. Electronik instantly comes to. The virus is completely defeated. The children in the ward also wake up. They look around in surprise.

Electronik receives a radio signal from Rassi. The dog reports Electronika’s escape down the highway toward the sea. Electronik understands the full horror of the situation. The girl plans to run directly across the seabed. The salt water will inevitably corrode the electronic circuits. This will lead to her certain death.

Professor Gromov, Rostik, the doctor, Elektronik, and Syroezhkin give chase. They flag down a passing truck. The group races down the highway. Traffic police clear the way for the rescuers. Elektronik asks Ressi to convey his apologies to the girl. Elektronik refuses to believe the boys.

The truck approaches the coast. Electronik jumps onto the asphalt at full speed. He overtakes the car and is the first to reach the seashore. Electronik stands on a smooth stone, looking out over the horizon. At her feet sits her faithful Rassi. Electronik approaches his friend. The girl turns and shakes his hand. Electronik is surprised to notice the change in her face. Electronik’s eyes have come alive and become laughing.