Synthetic Heart [ENGLISH]

♥ TRIAL 01 ♥

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(FROM AUTHOR'S VIEW)

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     "Avalon was supposed to promise a warm and sheltered haven to the survivors,"

     Boomed a deep voice, echoing off the decrepit, dark granite walls of the Monument. Waves of light rippled from the domed ceiling, slithering like serpents in a bowl over the gathered members of the council. Hidayet Kardelen cleared his throat with a deliberate rasp, clasping his hands together on the table. Once more, he spoke with that gravelly, assertive yet disturbingly calm voice:

     "But you have stained the greatest promise of your own project." His eyes never once wavered from Timur. "Yes, perhaps you've achieved something unprecedented in human history, I'll give you that, congratulations. But now, your success threatens humanity's last bastion. And to rectify this mistake, you're attempting another one just like it! So, tell us, Professor Timur, what do you have to say for yourself?"

     All eyes turned to Timur, yet the silver-haired elder, resembling an old wolf, leaned back with his usual composure. Shadows clung to the deep hollows of his eyes. In a cold, measured tone, he responded:

     "If we wish to protect Avalon from external threats, if our goal is to resurrect humanity, to plant the seeds of civilization back into the dead earth, it can only be achieved through the path of science, Mr. Hidayet."

     "Yet your science has proven faulty."

     "Science is a cycle of trial and error; without trials, there can be no success. But what about you, Mr. Hidayet? Shall I start listing the countless mistakes of the Wolf Legion? What solution do you propose for the escalating issues Avalon faces?"

     A frigid smile briefly flickered across Hidayet's face. "Once again, I bring forth this idea: Instead of creating superhumans through artificial birth in laboratories, we should adopt a policy of gathering survivors from beyond our borders and enforcing a mandate of at least three children per family. One of these children must be taken from their families and directed into the military. By doing so, we can swiftly increase our population and fortify our army against external dangers."

     "Have you ever considered writing fairy tales, Mr. Hidayet? If not, I highly recommend it."

     "This is a professional setting, and professional conduct is expected of you, is it not?" Hidayet emphasized, his voice sharpening. "The artificial human you sent to hunt your previous creation was ambushed. Tell me, Professor, when will your toys cease to bring us trouble?"

     "I am not the one at fault for the failure of a military convoy entirely under the command and supervision of the Wolf Legion, Mr. Hidayet." Timur's reply was icily calm. A heavy silence gnawed at the room.

     The founder of V-Vortex Energy Corporation, Mrs. Vox, spoke with a poised and measured tone: "The disabling of our drillship during the operation has severely jeopardized Avalon's future in the energy sector. V-Vortex expects an explanation for this, Mr. Hidayet."

     Hidayet was indifferent. "Why didn't you choose a safer route for the convoy, Vox?"

     Vox was momentarily stunned, her surprise quickly turning to concealed fury: "I beg your pardon? What exactly does my chosen route have to do with your security failure?"

     "The route you selected passes through a zone where our ships were previously raided and sunk by the Hydra Terrorist Organization. You asked for an explanation; you should be the first to provide one."

     "That route was the safest among the alternatives, and..."

     "It clearly shows."

     "May I continue, Mr. Hidayet? What you're doing here is a great disrespect to the Monument. The route we chose was the most efficient in terms of fuel and time. All of your so-called safer paths take at least five days longer, and wasn't this operation supposed to be urgent? Your mercenary force failed to protect an entire convoy from Hydra's assaults, Mr. Hidayet. You are the one who owes us an explanation."

     "Hydra is like a handful of phantoms. You never know when they might strike; they don't appear on radar, they make no sound, you can't even see them coming because they are like ghosts. We could have countered them with more advanced technologies, if Professor Timur hadn't diverted the Wolf Legion's budget into his synthetic human projects." Hidayet rose from his seat, pressing both hands onto the table. "Kıraç reported that they barely survived the ambush. We have over a hundred dead, and AR22 is missing. Thanks to you, our 'most valuable weapon' is now in enemy hands, Professor Timur."

     Hidayet's last words were like a threatening whisper. Timur rose from his chair in opposition. "My creation has a name, Mr. Hidayet. When you speak of Aurora, I suggest you address her by the name I specifically chose for her."

     "Cut the theatrics, Timur." Hidayet's harsh words sent ripples of unease through the Monument members. "It's time this council faces reality. You," he pointed a finger, "are not thinking about Avalon's future. You simply want to play God. You crave power. You wish to create synthetic beings who worship you like disciples, and you are so desperate that your utopian fantasies have blinded you."

     Timur remained utterly unmoved by the heavy accusations. Not a single flicker crossed his face. "If the synthetic human project succeeds, consider what we could achieve, Mr. Hidayet. Do not be hasty. Avalon doesn't need more people; it needs more strength. Aurora alone has the capability of fifty men. The population boom you propose would drive Avalon into a catastrophic crisis, triggering famine and homelessness. This island is a small one; you cannot cram the world into dreams."

     Hidayet's aged lips curled into a mocking smirk. "I believe this hearing has gone on long enough and should be adjourned," he declared. The other council members slowly began to gather their belongings. "Clearly, the esteemed members of this table still need time to think. I've made my decision, and I will wait patiently. The synthetic human project is once again rejected, Professor Timur. If I were you, I would issue an international bounty instead of creating a third specimen. Aurora is a threat, plain and simple. No different from Erlik."

      Behind Timur's cold, veiled eyes, universes collided, hell raged; volcanoes erupted, and flames led the cosmos to ruin; yet none of this fury surfaced. Instead, he merely covered the seething inferno within him with ice. But that ice wouldn't hold for long; one day, it would thaw and melt away. One day.

     That evening, a foggy night enveloped Avalon after the trial. A cursed night. In the upper floors of the Storms Corporation's headquarters, the door to Timur's office opened, casting a long shadow. The sound of Timur's shoes echoed on the wooden floor as he slowly approached his desk. Beyond the glass wall, the darkness blurred the lights of Avalon into a hazy obscurity. He stood before his desk, still dressed in the pitch-black suit he wore during the trial.

     Scattered on the desk were various origami shapes Aurora had previously made. Timur carefully set one aside and pressed a camouflaged button embedded in the wooden surface. A square compartment opened at the edge, releasing a cloud of steam, revealing a tube filled with a greenish liquid. Timur delicately held it between two fingers, lifting it to the light. 

     After all, not every solution had to be found at the council table.

END OF TRIAL 1.