Alexander Werner, 53 years old, an experienced engineer, historian, and political analyst, had no idea that his life was about to change in the most unexpected way. It was an ordinary workday, his commute home from the office, the familiar bustling streets, and thoughts about upcoming tasks. But everything changed in an instant.
A dull blow to the head. He remembered how his seemingly clear and understandable world dimmed, consumed by a fog, and then darkness fell.
When Alexander regained consciousness, the first thing he noticed was the peculiar air. It was cold, fresh, yet oddly unfamiliar. The familiar surroundings had vanished, replaced by an entirely different reality. He was lying on the ground, surrounded by towering mountains, unable to comprehend how he had ended up in this place.
Everything around him was alien and ancient. There were no familiar silhouettes of skyscrapers on the horizon, and even the sky seemed somehow different. He stood up, trying to make sense of his location, but no answer came. All he knew was that he had been transported to the past.
Alexander was a man of science and technology. His education was the result of years of hard work and study at the world's best universities. Not only did he understand political and military strategies, but he was also a brilliant engineer who developed cutting-edge weapons and military equipment. He had his own laboratory and a small factory where he designed new models of weaponry and armored vehicles, using only available materials.
His fascination with military technology began in his youth, when he read books about World War II and started creating his own projects in a garage. Initially, these were small experimental models of armored vehicles, but over the years, his ideas became increasingly ambitious. He designed tanks, drones, and even weapons based on ancient principles, enhanced by his knowledge of modern technology.
Alexander was always convinced that the world could change suddenly, and if a catastrophe were to occur, he would be prepared. But he never imagined that such a catastrophe would transport him to another time—a completely new reality.
When Alexander awoke, his initial sensation was strange—not just physical discomfort but also the feeling that his mind was splitting in two. One part was him, a modern man with experience, knowledge, and personality. But the other part was a foreign voice in his head, as if his own thoughts were blending with the memories and experiences of someone else. He felt an unsettling sense of familiarity with images of another life—a life involving Georgia, war, and revolution.
At some point, as he tried to regain his senses, his mind was flooded with vivid images: the sounds of streets, stars in the sky, and unfamiliar people speaking Georgian. He began experiencing flashes of memories, where he saw this man named Giorgi standing in a line, participating in rallies, talking to soldiers, and feeling the revolutionary spirit of the time. Among these recollections was a striking scene of Giorgi observing the events unfolding as Georgia teetered on the brink of revolution. Amid conversations about "new freedom" and attempts at self-determination against the backdrop of Bolshevik unrest, Alexander felt names of Georgian politicians and revolutionaries of that era surfacing in his mind.
Within moments, he could clearly identify his location. Giorgi's inner voice told him: "Georgia. 1917. After the February Revolution, but before the storms of world wars consume the nations."
Alexander realized this wasn't just a random body swap. His new body, now belonging to Giorgi, was intricately tied to the history of this land. Breathing in the fresh, cold air, he was still trying to grasp the situation, but his awareness of this new world intensified as thoughts such as "I need to adapt to these circumstances. If this is 1917, I need to act quickly" surfaced in his mind.
After a few moments of silence, standing amidst unfamiliar landscapes, he muttered:
"Interesting."
While he acknowledged the need to act quickly, he also knew he needed to think things through.
"Who am I? I am Giorgi Gechadze, technically a nobleman, but the only noble thing I own is land. And while it's fairly large for a single person—1,500 square meters—it was inherited from my father. I'm the only child in the family, and for a year now, there's been no one left. Either they've passed away, or they're no longer in Georgia. So, I'm alone."
"By the way, I've just turned 18, and I'm currently in an area near Tbilisi—the capital of Georgia. Back then, the city was called Tiflis. I've studied the history of Georgia during this period, and I can say it was in a dire state—economically, politically, militarily, and ethnically. Despite this, Georgia managed to hold on longer than most; it was the last to be overtaken by Soviet Russia, after which the Soviet Union was established. Perhaps it might be possible to delay Georgia's fall, at least temporarily, if the country could better utilize its resources—especially its manpower, as it had over 200,000 World War I veterans. If only the generals hadn't so quickly abandoned the capital, causing the army to lose all morale. Unfortunately, that's Georgian history. But still."
"What should I do in this situation? Many might use their future knowledge to get rich and retire to some resort, living out their lives without interfering in history. It's like the butterfly effect theory, but that's not interesting to me at all. I was wealthy in the past—or rather, the future—but I'm an ambitious person, and I'm simply curious to see what would happen if I changed history. What if, instead of the Soviet Union and the USA, Georgia sent the first human into space or built a nuclear bomb? Thinking about this brought a cold smile to my face."
But all his musings were interrupted when a blue screen appeared before him with the words:
ACTIVATION OF THE GREAT SYSTEM.
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Hello everyone, this is my first serious work. I've always been interested in such topics, and after reading several politically-themed novels, I decided to write my own. I apologize in advance for any inaccuracies—I may often make mistakes while writing. I ask for your understanding, as I don't have much experience yet.