I still remember the time when we were all over... TV, written media, radio, you name it. 'The Mini Star,' that's what our work was called. It was our greatest achievement. We were celebrities, not just in the scientific community but also to the academically less inclined.
A stable fusion core was just the beginning. The week following our publications, we were very sought after. All the big energy companies were bidding on our tech. A week later, our tech was transferred to a fancy company. With the fund, our nuclear physics lab had an upgrade. I became the managing director of the nuclear physics department. That one deal made my entire department fancy.
Now that I remember, it was six years ago. We are not the big personalities we used to be. The company that brought our work; brought off by another company and our work now has no way of being the sustainable energy source we thought it would be. Even though I carry the resentment of selling such a promising technology, we with our academic funding could not have it improved to a level that powers even a single apartment. Maybe selling it was the better idea, that's what I tell myself every time my mind crosses that subject.
//system_online
//system_date: 02/26/2021
>>write_file_.txt
Log entry: 1617
Date: 26 February 2021
Nuclear fission assisted nuclear fusion successful.
Fusion core lasted 1 week and 1 day. This is a significant improvement. The core lasted 24 hours and 2 seconds more compared to the first stable nuclear fusion.
The core has fused to solid iron. The core showed safe levels of radioactivity. The core is safe for disposal after a week.
Before disposal the exhausted core should be checked for any residual radioactivity.
>>save_file: 'FusionLogDaily26/02/2021'
"One extra day, in six years. Wow!" I shrug at myself.
I continue browsing the computer and open a text file to update the disposal logs.
>>write_file_.txt
Log entry: 231
Date: 26 February 2021
Iron Core Disposal Log.
Fusion initiation Date: 12 February 2021
Fusion Exhaustion Date: 18 February 2021
Fusion Duration: 7 days, 2 hours, 5 minutes and 35 seconds
Radioactivity level: 20 mSv.
Exhausted core disposed for recycling.
>>save_file: 'CoreDisposalLog26/02/2021'
After this, I would usually shut down the PC and log out of the university. But today I don't know, maybe I got nostalgic. I was going through the old logs, reminiscing about days when this lab was exciting. I know complaining won't do any good and I know it's normal in research. But...I sigh.
Then after a few minutes one folder catches my attention. It was named "Continuous Nuclear Fission assisted Nuclear Fusion." I have never seen this folder. I curiously pry into the folder. The screen was filled with folders. All of them were faded, I had no way to access them, it feels like someone was restricting access to it.
Maybe I thought someone hacked into our office PC. I tried deleting all the new files. I was not able to. A minute after being confused and minorly scared, I found one file. One file I can access.
Then, I heard a familiar song, faintly. Oh wait, my phone is ringing. I keep hearing it but where is it? I look around frantically. Then I remember that I'm still inside the nuclear reactor room. I look at the PC. Maybe, I can't do anything today. I doubt it can be hacked with all the firewalls around it. I'll check it tomorrow. I turn the system off and swiftly get into the dressing room which connects the common area and the nuclear reactor room. My wrist gets stuck in the protective gear while trying to remove it. I struggle for a few minutes and voila... my hand is out. Good job Kayal. That minor accomplishment got me grinning with pride.
I finally got changed and got out of the room. My phone has stopped ringing, obviously. I took it out of my handbag, and it was my husband. Awww...He must be missing me. I call him and he picks up in the first ring.
"Hi Kay," he says with the excitement of a child.
Hearing his voice calmed me down and he got me grinning. "Hi Purusha."
"When are you coming home?" I could sense his eagerness.
"Maybe in about half an hour, I'm just starting from work.
"I hear a sigh of disappointment, I'm sure he's pouting with his cute face on the other side of the phone.
"Just now? You know it's seven, right?"
"I know, I know, I'll be there."
"Seri, what do you want for dinner?" Thank you so much for asking that question.
"What you got?"
"Okay madam, here is the menu. I can cook paneer bhurji with a roti that is almost burnt. Or...A very bland Alfredo which you surprisingly seem to love. Or...You can have me."
Why does he find the need to do this every time he has a chance? Why am I smiling?
"I'll have your signature bland Alfredo, Mr. Inappropriate chef." I'm tired, but why am I here flirting with my husband of ten years like I met him yesterday? I love him.
"Okay your dinner will be waiting, get home."
"Ok, I'll be home Mr. Inappropriate chef." I cut the call and got on my cute lil' vespa. I reached home faster than I expected. I walk in and I see my husband dancing while cooking. He's not facing me so he might be completely oblivious to my presence. I walk over to him and hug him from behind.
"You know, this is a very inappropriate way to act with your chef." He sarcastically comments.
"But this chef is very cute, you know?"
"Okay, you can appreciate my cuteness later, but first go bath, you stink." He shakes his hand in front of his face as a joke.
I puff up my face, pretending to be mad but I'm sure he can see through it. I go take a bath, put on a little make up as if we're going on a date. Why am I acting like a 16-year-old who's fallen in love for the first time?
I puff up my face, pretending to be still mad at his previous comment. But then there's my six-year-old daughter sitting with him. I let go my pout of pretense. My daughter is listening to her dad tell her a story. I join them for dinner.
___
I wake up; six in the morning. I give my teeth a nice scrub. I hurried to the kitchen to cook. I see my sweet little husband cooking. He was dancing, and I let him do his thing. I took a long bath, got ready for work.
I join my husband in the kitchen "Thank you. I'll make you coffee. Now go relax"
"Thank you, sous chef, just make sure you're as good as a chef as me."
"I sure will." I play along.
I poured him some coffee that he oh so desperately needed. I pack my lunch, then the kid's and lastly his. I pick up my kid, my husband sees me off the house and I'm off. I drop her off at the school and I leave for work.
I'm back at the computer before I know it. We were planning to start the next fusion with some changes to some parameters.
//system_online
//system_date: 03/01/2021
>>write_file
Yesterday's file crossed my mind. I don't know, the feeling I'm getting is against all my scientific thought processes, but I feel like that file might have some answers.
>>open_file: 'FusionLogDaily01/03/2031.txt'
Log entry: 4310
Date: 01 March 2031
Continuous nuclear fission assisted nuclear fusion successful.
Fusion core stable until nuclear fission is assisting.
Fission Initiation Date: 02 March 2030
Fusion Termination Date: 23 February 2031
Fusion Exhaustion Date: 01 March 2031
Fusion Duration: 1 Year 3 hours 14 minutes 36 seconds.
Reason for Termination: Radioactivity levels in the nuclear reactor room nearing 50 mSv. Nuclear fission radioactivity not maintainable over long periods.
Further Focus: Nuclear fission radioactivity dissipation methods.
2031?? Is this true? Is this a prank? I call all my teammates. I showed them the file. They all were wondering why I took it so seriously. Even though unreasonable, I think I was somewhat believing that file.
The following week we ran a fusion as per our plan and it lasted a second more that the last. We recorded all logs on paper. The computer was under service. But why was I so eager to run the method suggested by the file?
The week after, I was so hooked onto the hypothesis, that I personally started working on it. At least theoretically. The math was hard. It would be very difficult to maintain the nuclear fission for a year. But after all the hassles, it theoretically can work.