072. Revolution, 7

(Uri)

We spent a few days around the old reactor. We extracted as much data as we could.

I almost got the link to the satellite working. But we lost it completely instead.

Crud.

Still no breakthrough. Only partial data again, more clues without decisive key.

Our current theory is a massive solar coronal ejection, strong enough to even impact seismographs. Which would imply some material hit the ground still. Perhaps a meteor shower.

We're not astrophysicists and we don't have satellite observation data, so we can't say whether it's likely. It seems far-fetched. But there's no simple hypothesis today.

For now we salvaged what we could and are ready to move toward the next place.

The car starts rolling toward the steep mountain side and its tunnel we found.

It turns out there is an astrophysics laboratory somewhere deep into this mountain side, so we're heading down there to check.

The tunnel is dark as you'd expect. We roll in for kilometres as a slight tilt heads down there.

U - I wonder why we would have built a neutrino detector in the Zagros more than the Alborz?

M - Volcanism perhaps?

U - Where are our geologist colleagues when we need them?

M - Digging rocks elsewhere I bet. You know mineralogists.

We do our best keeping things light. But more importantly we're curious to learn more, always. That is why we are scientists and not preachers. Nothing is more meaningful to a scientist than being proven wrong and learning a little more thanks to the new work someone else has done.

U - I bet we'll find some dehydrated coffee and tea.

M - I bet we'll find some better seismologic records.

U - We're playing it safe today. I guess the darkness of the tunnel makes us a little nervous hey?

We agree. The car rolls along this endless dim road. We pass by parallel tunnels for electricity and possible water overflows. Finally we reach the parking for the underground laboratory.

The doors are harder to open but we get in after some work.

Nothing collapsed.

We find maps of the place. It is a neutrinos detector of the older kind, using a pool of liquid deep below.

M - Are we even deep enough? It didn't feel like so.

I play with my ears and jaw to get an idea of the air pressure. Actually, it is quite higher.

U - I think we're below sea level at least.

Mushio focuses on finding the seismic detectors. There are some deep digs all around with sensors, a kilometre further in every direction radiating from here. I try to get the other computers working, but only after plundering the cafeteria.

No tea but some coffee yes. Stale and many years old, but still bitter enough. Good.

U - Things were apparently shut down a few years back, judging from these use-by dates.

M - Hm... It was worth checking.

It's a miss. But that's part of the job.

U - it's so quiet here. Feels weird.

M - Alright. Let's pick up these hard drives still. I'll check them later just in case and we can go.

I nod and follow.

~

Where to next? We roll out slowly from this deeper tomb discussing the possibilities.

We could look for the other universities and nuclear sites, there's a long list. We could try a space control station, and we could try all that on the other side of the sea again. It's endless.

It's not like anything's hopeless or that we have nothing to do. It's the contrary, only we have very low chances of success with every attempt.

M - Let's try Mesopotamia.

U - You want to see how other people are doing hm?

M - Let's have a look from above and gradual, as we head upstream. We'll be likely to find other settlements. And we'll reach eventually another high tech ground.

These regions were rich but we don't know what we'll find.

For now we turn north, toward Karoun.

~

We enter the delta area. We travel around the shipwrecks and the lakes. We even see wrecks of submarines that have been washed ashore like dead whales.

M - Shit, wait!

I stop the car hurryingly. Mushio shows me something apparently important, but all I see are damaged ships that have washed ashore over the years.

Some are less damaged than others, but nothing more jumping to me.

We get closer to it by foot. What bugged my friend is a weird little ship that does look quite different from the others. I needed to get closer to tell.

I can tell it's high tech. The hull is still spotless and shiny. Very advanced materials. They spared no expense on quality... Because it was beyond the old power of money.

Because it was easier to buy weaponry to keep the poor away than to share with equity.

Their symbol isn't in your face like a flag, it's discreet on this submersible and camouflaged ship.

But my friend does find the signature proving it belonged to Solaris. The blue sun symbol is there.

This was an autonomous stealth tech vessel from their defence grid... They lost a ship?

U - Times really have changed...

M - We can't let this opportunity go to waste. Bring the tools.

I'm a little nervous of incurring the wrath of them, but I concur. I get the equipment and we begin opening the ship.

~

The hull is nearly indestructible. The hatches are sealed tight. But we have an acetylene torch we seldom use.

It takes me sweaty hours, but I pierce the maintenance hatch open.

We get inside.

The nervous machine walls react to our unauthorised presence. They shiver. There's still some power everywhere. Good. I want that radioisotope thermoelectric generator they must use to fuel it. I carefully look for the reactor.

Mushio heads for the intelligence bay. Standards have had time to change between them and the rest of the world, making communication between systems harder, but if we don't get killed, this could be the golden prize.

I reach the nuclear pocket reactor. It still appears to work like a charm. Nice. I begin to unlock its securities and bindings to get it loose.

My friend manages to access some buffer memories and non encrypted logs. He probably won't be able to get a full override.

M - It's been trying to communicate just like everyone else... First on their usual spectrum, then any frequencies.

U - Meaning the throning city too never replied. Their loss.

I disconnect the last securities on my side. I'll be ready to steal my prize as soon as Mushio gets his.

M - The neural network appears to be in pieces... The intelligence is dead. Okay, go for it.

I remove the last connectors and pull the RTG out from its socket. My friend steals a few other elements, but its more mementos than real life-changing tools, not much.

We leave the dead mechanical animal on this beach.

It was calling for help for a long while too, and no one else came.

Meaning even the strongest nation on Earth has also likely lost its marine and aerial powers now. Possibly even space...

U - The higher they rise, the harder they fall.

M - Are you talking about the directors?

I grin. He helps me drag the heavy but long lasting source of power, 'cause it's freaking heavy.

~