Three days before the Unified Forward Base was scheduled to be completed, an internal message arrived at Furqon and Zafran's private terminals.
PRIORITY INSTRUCTION:Location: Time Machine Facility, Basement Level-03Presence Required: Dr. IrziAgenda: Temporary Duty Adjustment
Wasting no time, they made their way to the facility that had long served as the heart of Fortex Intelligence's primary project.
That afternoon, the Time Machine Facility was quieter than usual.Soft lights illuminated the metal walls, and the hum of measurement instruments echoed gently in the background.In the center of the control room, Dr. Irzi was already waiting, casually leaning against a holographic desk.
As he saw Furqon and Zafran arrive, he raised his small hand and gave a wide smile."Ah, our two shining stars finally made it," he said lightly, his voice warm but purposeful.
Furqon gave a faint smile.Zafran merely nodded, his eyes sharp and observant.
Dr. Irzi approached with a slim tablet in hand."Listen, I know you're both about to get wrapped up building our dream ship—Interstellar X," he said, gesturing toward the scattered holographic files on the desk."So my team and I here are fully ready to keep the time machine running smoothly without you two."
He handed the tablet to Furqon."Everything's in here—requirements, checklists, even a guide titled 'How to Keep the Time Machine from Blowing Up Without You'," he joked, chuckling softly.
Furqon let out a quiet laugh.Zafran shook his head slowly, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Dr. Irzi returned to a more serious—but still relaxed—tone."I've assembled a Level-1 Backup Team.They might not be quite the geniuses you two are," he added with a playful glance,"but they're smart enough to make sure the world doesn't turn into a pile of ice—or fire—while you're gone."
He then pulled a small data drive from his lab coat pocket."If anything goes off-script, you'll still get reports.But the hope is... you'll be able to fully focus on Interstellar X—with no drama from this end."
Furqon took the drive with a firm nod."We trust this team, Doctor," he said calmly."If we didn't," Zafran added lightly,"we'd already be living in orbit."
Dr. Irzi laughed, full of pride for both of them.
Before they left, he gently patted Furqon and Zafran on the shoulder."Don't worry," he said with a faint smile."If something happens, I promise I'll scream before anything explodes."
The mood in the room grew a little lighter, without lessening the respect they all shared for the weight of their mission.
And just like that, the temporary handover was complete.Furqon and Zafran left the Time Machine Facility—to begin a new chapter with Project Interstellar X.