Chapter 33 - Technical Class 2

Professor Karasov's class progressed with his detailed explanation of the Konfederacia Lanĉilo rocket and its Energio-Kerno engine. Though the classroom was cold and metallic, it was filled with attentive cadets, some already with slightly dazed looks after hours of instruction.

Liam, propping his chin on his hand, leaned toward Mammoth and whispered in a low voice: "Hey, any idea how much longer this is gonna take?" Mammoth, stifling a giggle, replied in the same hushed tone:

"No clue, but I hope it's soon." Professor Karasov, who was writing on the board, slowly turned his head and said in a clear, calm voice: "If the class doesn't interest you, gentlemen, the door is open."

A murmur of surprise rippled through the room, and the cadets straightened in their seats instantly. Liam and Mammoth exchanged a quick, sheepish glance. After a brief pause, Karasov nodded firmly and continued in his usual deep tone: "Good, let's proceed with the engine. Pay attention—this is essential."

His voice filled the space with the same quiet authority. He turned to the projector and, with a click, switched the slide, revealing a close-up of the glowing core of the Energio-Kerno.

"This," Karasov said, his voice firm but tinged with a rare spark of intensity, "is no ordinary engine.The Energio-Kerno doesn't burn fuel like those rusted relics from before the war. It's a beast that traps plasma currents—imagine bottled lightning, ripped from a star and stuffed into a containment core. That's what drives this rocket."

He tapped the screen with a finger, and a holographic diagram sprang to life, displaying swirling blue and purple energy flowing through sleek conduits. "See this?" he continued, pointing at the glowing core. "The Confederation figured out how to stabilize plasma with a crystal lattice, something they call 'lunarite,' extracted straight from the Moon. Mix that with cryogenic hydrogen, and you've got thrust that punches through Earth's gravity like it's nothing. Three hundred of you could reach the Moon in less than a day—faster than your ancestors ever dreamed."

The cadets leaned forward, eyes wide. Even Liam lifted his head, sleepiness fading as Karasov's words painted a picture of raw power and cosmic adventure. "It's not just about speed," Karasov added, lowering his voice slightly as if sharing a secret. "Its modular design means if a plasma conduit fails mid-flight, you can swap it out in minutes. No drifting dead in space."

With another click, Professor Karasov switched the slide. The screen filled with an animated diagram that looked straight out of a movie: a network of translucent crystals shimmering with blue glints, while swirling purple and white plasma flowed through them in rhythmic pulses. The cadets, who just minutes ago seemed drowsy, were now fully alert, their eyes glued to the projection.

"Here's the real miracle," Karasov said, pointing at the animation with a laser pointer that cast a red line across the crystals. "This is 'lunarite' in action. It's not just some pretty lunar rock—it's the heart that keeps the Energio-Kerno in check. Think of it like a rifle's recoil damper: without it, the plasma's kick would be chaos, and our rocket would tear itself apart before leaving the atmosphere. With it, everything flows as it should."

The diagram showed plasma rushing into the crystal lattice at breakneck speed. Suddenly, the lunarite flared brightly, soaking up excess energy like a cosmic sponge. The flow steadied, smooth and constant, as fluctuations vanished.

"When the plasma passes through here," Karasov went on, his voice firm yet edged with a rare hint of excitement, "the lunarite traps the surplus energy, like it's breathing starfire. That stops the engine from overheating or losing control. But here's the best part…" He paused dramatically and pointed at the screen again.

In the animation, the crystals, now brimming with energy, released dazzling pulses that merged with the plasma flow, boosting its intensity. The engine reacted instantly, and a holographic gauge spiked with power.

"Boom!" Karasov exclaimed, slamming his fist on the table, prompting nervous laughter from the cadets. "When we need more thrust, the lunarite unleashes that stored energy like a stellar turbo. It's like flooring the gas in a racecar, but instead of burning fuel, we're taming the power of trapped lightning. That's how we reach the Moon in less than a day—faster than your ancestors ever dreamed."

Just then, Sergeant Volkov let out a dry cough from the back of the room, cutting through the air like a muffled shot. With a deep voice and a faint, ironic glint in his eyes, he said: "Of course, this information is classified too… though I suppose you already knew that, didn't you?" Stifled laughs spread among the cadets, briefly easing the military tension, while Karasov, with a faint half-smile, carried on as if nothing had happened.

The cadets murmured among themselves, impressed. Liam, with a crooked grin, whispered to Mammoth:"Okay, this is pretty cool." Mammoth nodded, eyes locked on the screen where the lunarite pulses seemed to beat like a living beast's heart.

Karasov crossed his arms, letting the animation run its course. "But don't be fooled," he added, returning to his usual stern tone. "Without lunarite, this engine would be a bomb waiting to blow. It's what gives us stability for long hauls. And here's something to etch into your minds: lunarite doesn't just grow anywhere. It only forms in specific lunar regions, in deep craters where the vacuum and low gravity have baked these crystals for millions of years. It's the Confederation's treasure—and one day, you might be up there mining it."

A stunned silence filled the room. Even Robert, the group's joker, stayed quiet, perhaps picturing a mission on the lunar surface with pressurized suits and laser picks. "Imagine that," Karasov continued, almost as if speaking to himself. "A material that only exists on the Moon, letting us conquer space. That's what the Confederation has made possible. So pay attention, cadets, because this isn't just an engine—it's your one-way trip beyond the stars."