THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE

CHAPTER 11: URANSENE

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep!

Ugh, I hated the sound of my alarm clock. "VOXX, change the sound of my alarm clock. Something more pleasant."

"Alarm tone changed to bird sounds in the morning," VOXX replied.

"Ok, that's never gonna get me up," I mumbled to myself, but I let it slide for now.

Today was a big day – finally, I was going to complete my MSS project at Space Riders. After months of work, I had a meeting with David to present him the final pitch. The mobile space station was ready to be introduced to the public. Soon, almost anyone could buy an MSS like a car and go visit their family, no matter where in the Milky Way they lived. I was very excited, now can finally take Mom to visit my uncle Warren on Mars. I was reviewing everything one last time, making sure every detail was perfect when a knock at the door interrupted my focus. It was Neo.

"Hello Marc, do you have a moment? I have some news on the Uranium research."

"Oh yes, Neo, please come in," I said, gesturing for him to sit down. He pulled the chair closer to my desk and leaned in, speaking more quietly than usual. Almost whispering.

"Listen, Marc, I'm still not a hundred percent sure if what I've found out is true. I spent many hours on research, hence the delay. I wanted to come to you sooner, but I needed time to fully grasp the impact and significance of this discovery."

"Uh, okay, this sounds serious." My heart started beating a bit faster.

"Well, it truly is. I've come to the conclusion that when you mix kerosene with Uranium, then add liquid hydrogen and some gun powder, it creates an endless source of power."

"What do you mean, endless? How?"

"It's a chemical reaction that would allow you to create a fuel so powerful that once the elements are combined in the right amount, it just keeps going – indefinitely. The molecules work together in a way I have never seen before. They don't break down as expected. Instead, they reinforce one other. As one component starts to deplete, the others regenerate it. It's as if the components—though chemical—act like a biological life form, endlessly reproducing."

I was taken aback. "That's... astonishing. But do you realize what you're saying? Endless energy?"

"Exactly!" Neo's eyes were wide with excitement. "And think about what this could mean! This discovery, if utilized properly, could change everything—energy, space travel, technology. We're talking about a power source that could sustain a city, a spaceship, maybe even a planet. And it's not just theoretical; I've run simulations. It works, Marc."

I just had a nagging feeling this discovery would attract serious attention—both good and bad. I knew I had to tread carefully. Neo continued.

"The only problem is the Uranium. There are no natural deposits on Earth anymore. I was only able to simulate the process without it. So unfortunately, we are never going to create this new form of fuel. But even the discovery of this interaction is groundbreaking. With some adaptations, it can possibly be used in other fields of science or transportation. With your permission, I would like to publish this under Space Riders' name - after consulting David, of course." Neo said, his enthusiasm bubbling beneath the surface. "I even thought of a name: Uransene. A fusion of kerosene and uranium."

I smiled, impressed by his dedication. But Neo didn't know the full picture. His discovery, as groundbreaking as it was, wasn't entirely unattainable. If James could close the deal with Tanaka and Astrix, there was a real chance I could get my hands on some uranium—enough to test Neo's theory on a much larger scale. For now, I'd keep Neo focused on the science. Once I secured the uranium, then, maybe, I could let him in on the bigger plan.

"That's amazing, Neo. Really a unique breakthrough," I said, genuinely impressed. "Thank you for investing your time and also for sharing it with me. You could have easily kept this discovery to yourself."

Neo smiled modestly. "Yes, I could have. But the initial idea came from you—I just made some adjustments."

"Let me handle David. I'll make sure we approach this the right way." Neo's face lit up with pride, and I couldn't help but admire his innocence.

"I'm not against publishing your research," I continued, "but can you hold off until after the MSS launch? There's going to be quite a spectacle, I'm sure, and after that, Space Riders will get an even bigger public image boost with your article."

"That is actually a great idea, Marc. I can get everything ready for the article in the meantime.

Good luck on your meeting with David!"

He grabbed his tablet and left my office. Once he was gone, my thoughts started racing. How much uranium would it take to power a ship with this new fuel? Could I even entertain the idea of filling the MSS with Uransene? How far could it travel? How fast? It was all so surreal, like something out of a sci-fi novel. It made me even more anxious about manufacturing the MSS. The potential was enormous—so much that I wasn't sure if I was ready to wield it.

As expected, the pitch with David went smoothly. He was on board with the production of the MSS, and we scheduled a press conference for the following week. This was the culmination of years of work, yet my mind kept drifting back to Neo's discovery. I needed to move fast.

After leaving David's office, I grabbed my phone and immediately called James.

"James, we need to meet. It's about the uranium."