THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE

CHAPTER 7: WORK

Public transportation in 4024 has made quite the progress since the downfall in 2024. Back then, there were only a few high-speed trains. Now, the average time for a 100-kilometer distance is about nine minutes. When you get onto the train and take a seat, a shell-like construct appears over you. It's like having your own compartment, and nobody will disturb you. When entering the train, an invisible scanner has already checked if you have a valid ticket, so not even a conductor will bother you.

The glass-looking building where Space Riders had their offices was so high you couldn't see the top. On the façade, there were all green plants, which were a dynamic part of the building - like a garden on the outside. Many buildings in the city looked similar to this. My favorite thing was the elevator. Once you got in, the cabin turned into a jungle, or the beach, or a mountain. All the walls were EOLED screens that created images of different scenes. My office was on the 46th floor. As green as the building was from the outside, the interior wasn't that much different - many potted plants, living walls, hanging plants and flowers. I wonder how many gardeners were employed here. The air was pleasant and pure. My office, overlooking the city, was also full of plants and glass windows.

I wasn't really the early bird type; I usually started my workday around 10 o'clock. Some colleagues would already be here at 6. Are they crazy? But I get it, since there was no planned working time, you could come and go as you pleased. You just had to get your job done. I opened my laptop and started looking for anything I could find about Uranium. There was just some basic information available on the internet.

Neo interrupted my research when he knocked on my door.

"Hey Marc, here are the reports you wanted. Do you need anything else?"

"No, I think this will do for the moment. Thanks, Neo."

Neo was known at the company as the quite type, polite and extremely smart. He was really into chemistry, historical stuff, and old artifacts. His knowledge even reached back the prehistorical age in ancient Egypt. As he was about to leave my office, I stopped him.

"Sorry, Neo, there is actually something else. I'm currently researching something. Do you have a moment?"

"Yes, of course".

"What can you tell me about the old element uranium?"

"Wow, I haven't heard that in a while." He was intrigued and took a seat in front of me.

"Ah, well Uranium is a silver, shiny chemical element from the group actinoids. All of its isotopes are radioactive. It used to be the heaviest natural element that occurred in large quantities on earth. That's not the case anymore, of course. In the old times, it was used as fuel for nuclear reactors and weapons."

"Yeah, I've come so far. Do you maybe know what would happen if you mixed uranium with kerosine? Or with liquid hydrogen or oxygen? Or all of it together?"

"Holy smokes, Marc, are you trying to build an atomic bomb?!" he laughed.

"Haha, gosh no! Can you imagine a world with atomic weapons?"

"Yeah, that's the stuff nightmares are made of. Thank God Uranium doesn't exist anymore. Or more like, the people back than were so greedy that they eradicated all of it".

He paused for a bit with a pensive look on his face.

"Hmm, I'm not quite sure, but I assume it would have immense power. I can look into that for you if you want?"

I wasn't sure if I should let anyone in on my plans. I didn't even know if I was onto something and what it was exactly. I just had this nagging feeling that would not go away, like it was something of great importance. But Neo was more of an expert at this field than I was.

"Yes, if you have time, that would be great. Thanks."

"Sure thing. I'll be in touch once I know more".

As it turned outlater, this was indeed the beginning of something big. So groundbreaking,mind-bending and revolutionary - something that would change the world. And itwas also the beginning of the end of my life.