Richard Robinson, after his meeting with Martha, entered his office, uploaded data to his Pulse, put on his coat, and left the Compound grounds. As he walked along the road, he reflected on that sunny day and how, nearly a decade later, he would find himself in the Capitol again. In his five decades of life, he had only been there a few times, mostly for trivial reasons, which couldn't compare to the purpose of his current visit.
The Compound grounds were far behind him now, and he was entering the Gardens of Eternity. The expansive square was adorned with flowers and a living hedge. Green corridors created a network of mazes within themselves. Of course, there was a shortcut to the train station, but he wanted to take a stroll. After all, he had the time. The sun shone brightly, yet despite the April morning, the weather was still cool. He fastened the top button of his gray coat and began to explore the corridors. Along the white tiles that formed a narrow path, marble benches were placed, occasionally occupied by garden guests. This place could be called Eden, except this Eden was built on the ruins of Hell. A year after the incident in the Third District, the Consolidated Nation created parks like this, meant to serve as a reminder of the victims they had lost. Millions of lives vanished in an instant. And here lay their eternal memory.
The living hedge seemed to play with Richard, as if the ever-green corridors had no beginning or end. Turn a corner, and a long tunnel opens before you; turn another, and that tunnel will be even longer. Everything twisted around, while time continued to move inexorably. Turning yet another corner, Richard finally emerged into the main square, where a glass cube lay on one of its faces, inscribed with the names of the fallen from that night. Part of the cube was covered with vegetation. It was the guardian of eternity in that place. And it served time itself without question.
But time was running out, and Richard Robinson headed toward the stairs leading to the station; a few dozen steps separated him from the train already waiting, preparing to depart. As he reached the last step, a horn sounded, announcing to everyone at the station that the train would leave in five minutes. Richard turned and gazed at the breathtaking landscape. There was something that touched his heart and soul. No one ever left the Gardens of Eternity without peace. And at that moment, peace resided in his heart.
Somewhere in the distance, Richard saw distortions in the dome of the sky. They could only be noticed in certain light. The creation of the dome marked the official beginning of the Great Consolidation. Hundreds of towers, set around the perimeter of the Consolidated Nation, emitted a super-powerful energy field. Nothing could pass through it. The old world was dead, while the new thrived in isolation. A kilometer-thick layer of energy protected them from the horrors of the outside world. A perfect defense.
Despite the seriousness and responsibility of that day and the upcoming trip to the Capitol, Richard smiled. When a person works together with nature, something incredibly beautiful emerges. And beauty was present. It was there. In every name on the Cube, in every flower on the living hedge, in every bench made of white marble. It was there. And Richard had to leave it behind. He stepped into the train car, brushed his hand over the panel by the door, and a small green checkmark appeared around his Pulse, indicating successful ticket payment. Taking a seat by the window, he watched as the train door closed and the Gardens of Eternity faded behind the train. The train set off, its destination: the city of Revel.
More than forty minutes had passed since the train left the Gardens of Eternity station. Richard enjoyed the views outside the window: fields, meadows, forests... Through the true beauty of nature, the train carried him away. He didn't want it to end. The bumpiness of the ride rocked him gently, and he slowly sank into the world of Morpheus when suddenly, a girl with dark hair approached him. The sun, refracted through the glass, cast its rays on her face. Smooth tanned skin, dark eyes.
"Good afternoon, Professor Robinson. May I sit?" He blinked a bit, thereby leaving Morpheus without his presence.
"Good," he replied to the stranger, but then he looked closer and recognized the young journalist Ioanna Averino. He had seen her many times on the news channel and always marveled at her ability to find information behind seven seals. Pulling away from the dream world that had yet to begin, he answered, "Yes, of course. One moment," he rearranged his belongings from the opposite chair to the next one.
Ioanna sat across from Richard, placing her bag beside her. A couple of hours had passed since she made her decision. The question still remained unresolved. Was it fate that Maria got drunk and now Ioanna was heading to the Capitol? Was it fate that Mr. Volkov had persuaded her so convincingly, and that she had ultimately agreed? Was it fate that in this train, sitting opposite her, was the man who played a part in the creation of the Machine and the entire Fracture Project? Or was it just a series of random events? And if it were so, she was afraid to ask what would happen next.
"Professor Robinson, may I ask a question?" Ioanna began.
"Is this an interview?" Richard replied with a good-natured smile.
"Are you opposed?"
"No, not at all. We still have about an hour until we arrive in Revel. So feel free to ask..."
"Thank you," Ioanna smiled, "this will make a wonderful beginning for the film we're preparing to show before the launch of the Machine."
"I'm happy to help," Richard waved his hands. "Shall we begin?"
"Of course," Ioanna placed her finger on her Pulse and said, "Start recording." The lens of her right eye activated, and hundreds of tiny cameras began recording.
Richard smiled at her and placed his hand on hers. He wasn't prepared for the provocative questions that Ioanna Averino could ask — and most likely would ask —but he knew everything about the Project and could always respond.
"Professor Robinson..."
"Just Richard, please. No need for such formality."
"Alright. Richard, could you tell us how the preparations for the launch of the Machine are going?"
"Overall, everything is stable. We check the Machine several times a day, compare reports, and monitor the behavior of the energy disks. All elements are functioning like clockwork."
"Overall?"
"Oh, yes..." Richard chuckled, "during tests, deviations in parameters can occur. We always analyze their nature, whether they're related to one element of the Machine or another."
"And how often do they occur?"
"There have only been two deviations in the past year. All were within normal limits."
"You mentioned the energy disks. Can you tell us about them? What role do they play in the process of creating the fracture?" Ioanna already knew the answer, but it would make good material for the film.
"Of course. I consider them one of the most important parts of the Machine. We have five of them. Their purpose is to receive energy from the Prime Reservoir and transfer it to the core of the Machine. Once sufficient energy is obtained, the Machine will create the fracture."
"Why five?"
"That's a safety measure. Look... Five energy disks transfer energy to each other. If one of the seven starts to overload, we can divert some energy around the overloaded disk, thereby reducing the load. In the event of any serious deviations, we can shut down several disks, thus reducing the energy supply to the core of the Machine. The Machine will not be able to keep the fracture open, and it will close."
"You mentioned safety measures. The viewers of our channel, as well as everyone in the Consolidated Nation, are anxious because we all remember what happened last time. I would like to ask about the safety measures that exist in general."
"Ah..." Richard smiled, "that's quite a serious question. The answer is rather extensive."
"Well, if you could summarize?"
"In summary... I've already described one of them. The Machine operates both automatically and manually. However, the mechanism for creating the fracture is entirely different when comparing the Machine with the Rift Gates. In the case of the Gates, they created a rift and then had to close it, whereas with the Machine, we create a fracture in our reality and stretch it It's weak and unviable. A small window into reality And we maintain it in that state. But if there isn't enough energy, it closes on its own. That's the main difference."
"What about the others?"
"Your thirst for knowledge is insatiable." Richard smiled again and continued, "The next measure is the one I described to you regarding the energy disks. There's also a complete shutdown of all energy. The entire complex will be de-energized, and the fracture will close, as I already mentioned, by itself."
"And what if it doesn't?"
"In that case, we have a critical safety protocol... How can I put it... I don't want to use scary words, but we would create a collapse."
"A collapse?"
"We would create a controlled collapse," Richard corrected himself. "We would evacuate all personnel and activate energy shields throughout the Compound. Each Emitter contains over ten layers. Thus, the entire complex would be covered by one solid shield. But it would be reversed. So... upon an explosion, the entire Compound would be destroyed, but the energy of Primordial Space would not leave the range of the emitters. This would close the breach but destroy the Compound and the project. Therefore, we verify and check all parameters to prevent that from happening. In any case, no one would perish."
"On one hand, that's frightening, but on the other hand, it's amazing. And could that really happen?"
"No. It can't. More than twenty years have passed since the opening of Primordial Space. We have studied its behavior and its energy all these years. Thanks to Martha Crokford's work, we have discovered new laws, conducted new calculations, and accordingly, we have learned to control and harness the energy of Primordial Space. Therefore, such an outcome is impossible. But in our work, we must consider all probabilities. Even the most unfavorable ones. Does that answer satisfy you, Mrs. Averino?"
"Very much." Ioanna opened her notebook and read her notes, "I have a few more questions that I would like answers to. But unfortunately, time is limited. So, would you mind if I asked one last question for now?"
"Go ahead. We're already entering Revel," Richard glanced out the window, and the fields were replaced by ten- to twelve-story buildings.
"What will happen after the Machine is launched? So many resources and time have been spent on the development and promotion of the project, and it's not just for the Center of Primordial Space?"
"No, of course not. The goal of the project is the Center and the answer to the question of what is there. But the program for the Wanderers will also continue, and we've already announced recruitment for a new wave, receiving about fifty applications for participation. Some of them have already started training. But to answer your question about what will happen after the launch? I would like to talk about the Reservoirs. We didn't just build them in every district. Today we will launch them, and over the week they will accumulate charge. In seven days, they will transfer it to the Father, that is, the Prime Reservoir. As soon as the Machine creates the fracture, the Father will begin to draw energy from Primordial Space, thus charging itself while also sending energy to a kind of bank. After the last Wanderer is sent, the Father will distribute its full energy supply to the other reservoirs in the Nine Districts. This way, we will solve all energy issues in the Consolidated Nation. You know, in the old world, before the last war, before our Nation was created, people faced an energy crisis. They were dependent on oil, gas, and other resources. Some believed in renewable resources, like solar, water, and air. There were also several geothermal stations developed. But none of this was successful, and when their world was on the brink of destruction, they made the only right decision. They created the Consolidated Nation. Unfortunately, not everyone had the chance to be a part of it. And war still broke out. They all died in the war they themselves started. But we, the scientists and ordinary citizens of the Consolidated Nation, have created new energy sources. They last longer and provide more. But they aren't eternal either. The Fracture Project is an opportunity to create something eternal and infinite... thus, we will obtain a new energy source that will finally resolve the energy issues that were raised hundreds of years ago." Richard picked up his coat and stood up. Ioanna followed him. The train arrived at the southwest station and finished braking.
"Stop recording," Ioanna said, touching her wrist.
"I hope you liked the answers?" Professor Robinson asked as he put on his coat.
"This is very valuable material. I understand that you have answered these questions before. But I'm trying to create the quintessence of everything that is happening. I still have a few questions, and I would like to ask you..."
"And you will definitely ask them, Mrs. Averino. I will be happy to answer them, but now let's go. You're heading to the District Council Hall too, right?"
"Exactly." Ioanna buttoned her coat, grabbed her bag, and they left the carriage together.
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