Another Theory of the Universe: Supernova

Another Theory of the Universe

Supernova

Copyright 2019 Cristiana Voinea

Published by Cristiana Voinea at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

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Table of Contents

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Epilogue

About the Author

Connect with the Author

Chapter I

Summer didn’t start for Hamsika only with a long list of exams passed with the highest grades, but also with the astrophysics scholarship she worked so hard for, which brought along an internship at Royce Robotics; the company that mainly sponsored the tech equipment of the university and various educational programs.

She would have loved to visit her family, since another year passed without seeing them, other than the video calls, but circumstances made it impossible for the moment. She promised herself she’d go during the next winter break, but until then was a long while to wait and lots of things waiting to be done.

The internship program came as a surprise. It was brought to her attention that one of the teachers spoke to Lucien Royce himself, since most of the science teachers had research contributions at Royce Robotics, and after hearing of her black holes project, he decided to offer her an opportunity; only the best got hired there, and this was a chance to get noticed, and perhaps after studies to jump into the field, since the company decided recently to focus beyond Earth as well.

But while the girl was busy with getting ready to jump from the studies straight into the research labs, Ryan had quit his job as janitor at the university under the pressure of the teacher that brought him and Hamsika to work together. However, despite the insistences of the older man, the boy still didn’t accept to get into studies yet, but agreed on joining some courses once in a while, since the afternoons were now more permissive with the second job gone. He had infinite knowledge to share after all, but even if one might consider it selfishness, he thought it was best to give out to the world he was living in just a small portion of it. The humans were not prepared for such a jump yet; technological progress came fast within the last hundred years naturally, but any boost might have caused a chaos. Time will know better when their greater periods would come, unless wars would bring them to ashes once again; he thought to himself often. The temptation of sharing more and more was big with Hamsika at his side, being continuously feed with her incredible curiosity and power of understanding.

His general feeling of repulsion towards humanity after witnessing the second World War, changed drastically with the accident and amnesia that brought him back to Earth. Meeting Hamsika had of course been the main element in the equation. It all kept his mind connected to his memories, even if they lied rather asleep deep inside his head. The rediscovery of his true nature truly felt like a twist, but did not change anything, except the fact that he was now able to leave anytime, anywhere he wanted, without any sort of boundaries, unless another worm hole accident occurred. If anything, it did point out to him once more the limitations of the human body; how fragile and temporary was everything regarding them. It did not affect him directly, but everything around him, including the girl he grew fond of. Time was passing for everyone, including her, which brought to him sometimes, late at night, dark thoughts, of the unavoidable situations he would have to face eventually. The thought gave him the coldest shivers, even in the hottest of the summer days. He pondered often whether it would’ve been better or not to leave when he first ascended through the atmosphere, after the car accident. He could have avoided dealing with the inevitable outcome, cowering away, back into his loneliness through space and time, until the end of it all. But a bunch of chemicals struck him harder than others at the moment of his choice, and return seemed to be the only possible outcome.

Ryan! A sudden call of his name and a sharp poke with the nail in his ribs jolted him awake from his thoughts and opened his eyes to Hamsika, who was looking at least displeased.

Have you heard anything in the last couple of minutes? Or should I say more than just a couple of? Her eyebrows furrowed as she pressed on, demanding and highly annoyed with his attitude.

No. He laughed it off, which only made her let out a low frustrated sound as she watched him pushing himself up on the elbows to look at her. The boy knew she had gotten used to his way of being, but he drifted off the track more than reasonably sometimes.

What’s with you, lately? Are my talks not interesting enough? I am sorry it’s not all a science babble and I actually try to have a life aside from it all.

It’s not that.

Then?

Must be the heat, or something in the air. Takes my mind off things so easily. He reached and brushed behind her ear a strand of hair covering her face.

Please, Ryan... We’re not even meeting that often to bore you with such. But if you don’t want to hear them at all, I will only report you whatever will happen from tomorrow on at Royce’s.

Report? He snorted with a laugh. Look, you can tell me whatever, and you know that. It’s just... All on me. It’s not you, okay?

Fix it.

I’ll try.

Like your waking up schedule? She gave him a tired look. I, myself, heard your colleagues complaining of it already countless times. I can’t imagine how often you did.

Speaking of them... Cole’s leaving soon. He got admitted at engineering.

So glad to hear! But honestly, I already feel bad for Alice. Maybe then you will try harder to show up when you’re needed.

Ryan only threw her an apologetic look, both knowing it wouldn’t happen, no matter how hard he’d try. Hopefully Cole would be replaced by someone, this if Tim would allow his hand to pay one more person, apart from the remaining two of them, or let his business be ruined by the boy’s pair of left hands and Alice’s impossible capability to keep it up for almost three people.

So, what about earlier? Which I didn’t hear... He chuckled, getting his nose pinched playfully by the girl in return.

"I was asking you what attitude you think would be best around there? What if I meet Royce himself? I heard from students, that have parents working there, he can be impossible to deal with, while some teachers that met him or worked with him, in his student years or after, praised him for the brilliance of his mind. But I am no teacher or parent of some student; I am just a student. I have no idea what I will be doing there anyway, aside from probably carry some papers... I actually don’t expect much."

She closed her quick, breathless rant with a small sigh. Ryan had not dealt much with difficult people at his jobs before, since the school one rarely had him meet anyone else than a secretary or some teachers, while at Tim’s the only thing he had trouble with was the old man’s temper, but it wasn’t much of a hassle anyway since he mostly stood inside his office.

I don’t know how much they expect you to know or do, but it may be best to ask tomorrow. I suppose you will have some sort of papers to sign, in which maybe you have some attributions written.

All I got right now is the invitation on the email.

I am sure you will do great. He smiled fondly, and she felt blood still rushing up to her cheeks, even if she was used to the sight. His smile would be her weakness forever on.

How much I hope you’re right. I really don’t wanna screw this up. She whined silently, her fingers playing together, nervously. The boy placed a hand over hers and their eyes met. No other words were needed to sustain the certainty in his gaze, to which she only nodded. He was always the brightest and only light that could penetrate the darkest of her thoughts and fears.

The next day came after a nearly sleepless night. Hamsika busied her brain with eventual scenarios and possible reactions she’d be supposed to have and others that would be horrible to occur. Being alone in the dorm room for the summer vacation was a bit of a relief, even if she missed sometimes her talks with Anna. Her roommate left for her family’s house, until the next study year began. She would’ve done the same if it wasn’t for the unexpected internship and Ryan. She missed her family, but him being a part of her life now, would have surely made her return faster than the beginning of school.

She found herself in the need of taking a taxi, since the science center was nearby the city and getting to it by buses would’ve been rather tedious. The Royce Robotics research base was at least two times bigger than the university campus, and offered to the people working there from cafeteria to apartments, in a nearby constructed assemble. Being hired there was both an honor, since it was among the biggest and most important tech developers in the world, and a lifechanging experience, because one would have to nearly put its own existence on the tray for science. They demanded lots from their employees and had the highest standards in all.

As soon as the taxi reached the gates, a small drone left its charging post and hovered to the window level, asking for identification. Hamsika gave her name and purpose, and they got directed towards the tallest glass building, bearing the company’s name, as soon as the gates opened. She heard of the place as of being filled with robotic technology and AI coordinated buildings and vehicles, but she was still highly impressed by it all.

After leaving the car, she got greeted by a sharp dressed woman, in a black attire, smiling and holding a tablet.

Welcome, miss Acharya. I hope your trip lacked unpleasant events. Please, follow me.

She motioned her hand towards the building entrance and they both walked the given way. The girl only let out a small salute and smiled shily, still absorbed by everything surrounding her. She didn’t expect being picked up like this, but the information must have reached this fast. If only the school secretaries would’ve welcomed students the same way, she thought to herself, remembering how she nearly got lost while trying to find her way during the first day at the university, when even sleeping was an issue, since she had no idea of where everything was placed in the campus, which included the dorm.

Before receiving your gear and claiming your working desk, we will make a small virtual tour of Royce Robotics.

But… Wasn’t there supposed to be an interview? I mean, that’s what I understood from the invitation.

Mister Royce unfortunately has his schedule full and might not be able to see you today, but he left word for you to get used to the place in the meanwhile.

The woman’s red lipstick lips split in a flashing smile again, making the entire protocol feel too high end for the girl’s tastes, but if that was what it took to achieve her goals, she was willing to endure it. Ryan’s words popped inside her mind for a brief moment, remembering why he didn’t want to find himself in such a place, considering it all cold and passion draining. And yet, perhaps he’d enjoy whatever was beneath the corporate surface. She only nodded to the explanation as a response and followed the woman into what seemed to be a long hallway, with a sliding door that closed behind them as they stepped inside. The light started to dim down and holograms began to spring from floor and ceiling, filling the space with a virtual, animated map of the company’s surroundings.

Royce Robotics was founded fifty years ago, by Thomas Royce, the father of our current company’s owner, Lucien Royce, and began by producing computer controlled equipment for assembling factories. Later on, the company started working on medical equipment, mostly prosthetics, which are still being developed today, leading the market in sales and technological advancement. The woman walked on, with Hamsika following at a safe distance between the holographic projections of the buildings starting to raise all around, as the timeline moved on.

The company is now involved in more than just the industrial robotics or the prosthetics field that brought it to its high level, developing various AI equipped machines, such as drones, cars, intelligent house systems, and most recent, space exploration units, the subject which I believe interests you the most.

She stopped for a moment, turning to face the girl, pointing to her side at a circular looking building.

The space research facility is located in the latest constructed buildings, and has a satellite monitoring area, a particle accelerator and many more that you will discover in the following weeks, during your internship. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to interrupt me.

All clear! She answered faster than anticipated, nearly screaming it out with enthusiasm.

Very well, then. Let’s proceed to the final destination.

The lights went on again and the blue shaded holograms faded slowly. Hamsika looked behind and saw the door they entered through being at quite a distance now, while a new one opened before them, right into an elevator, that led them straight to the underground parking, where a car awaited them. She thought at first that a car was too pretentious, and she could’ve walked without a problem, but only after they reached the destination, she realized that it would’ve been too much of a walk, filled most probably with an awkward talk or utter silence. The space research facility was the furthest away from the entrance and it was much bigger than she anticipated from the virtual map.

A colleague will pick you from here, since I am only allowed to get you this far. The lady smiled politely and gracefully motioned towards a man wearing a white robe heading their way. It was a pleasure to meet you, miss Acharya and I hope you will enjoy your experience at Royce Robotics.

Thank you for the tour!

Hamsika returned the smile and watched her head back towards the car, while she waited to be picked up from the hallway entrance. The man in white robe they spotted earlier was now standing next to her, wearing a more natural smile, and an instant feel of belonging hitting the girl’s guts. He was one of her kind, passionate about science, not a forced protocol employee.

Welcome to Royce Robotics. My name’s Todd and I will be your guide for the following days, ready to help you pick a path to follow in our various research fields. His smile grew as he spoke, genuinely imbued with passion for whatever was behind the main security gates.

Hamsika Acharya, pleased to meet you and glad to be here! She shook hands with him, feeling her entire body vibrate with enthusiasm. There was so much information to take in, and despite the fact that she