The clock showed 5:45, and there were fifteen minutes left until the interview with the Archon began. Vasily Yakimov had been appointed to this position almost twenty years ago, shortly after the discovery of Primordial Space. As the head of state, he achieved significant success. His policies reduced the gap between citizens and those serving their sentences. Now, the child of a convict could receive an education and choose a path in science, politics, or medicine. Although previous attempts to bridge this gap had not yielded serious results, fourteen years ago, he issued a decree for the modernization of educational centers. These centers taught and instilled the traditions of the Consolidated Nation to those arriving from the Tenth District.
According to the judicial system, a person convicted of a crime, such as theft or murder, lost their status as a citizen of the Consolidated Nation and was sent to the territory of the Tenth District. This punishment also applied to the children of the criminal. Depending on the term, a child had the right to return to the ideal world built seven centuries ago. But for this, they had to undergo an educational process and obtain the status of a citizen of the Consolidated Nation. Vasily Yakimov modernized the educational centers, accelerating the release of new citizens into the world.
But the greatest decision made by Vasily Yakimov was to redirect energy into the Cradle to close the rift in reality. Otherwise, a collapse could engulf the entire country, resulting in the deaths of billions. The decision of a man who dedicated himself entirely to the good of the Consolidated Nation changed the world that night. People working in offices and children going to school live because of his decision.
Ioanna opened the door to the conference room, where several cameras had already been set up, and cables had been laid and connected. Thomas was calibrating the lights to present Ioanna Averino and Vasily Yakimov to the world, showing how they sat in their chairs and how the Archon answered the questions troubling the citizens.
"How are you?" Ioanna, in black pants, a white shirt, and a black jacket, approached the young man. "Cables?"
"Everything's ready," Thomas snapped his fingers. "Fifteen minutes left until filming starts." The young man glanced at the clock. "Yes, the quality will be better," he pointed to a box that was completely filled with wires.
The girl walked over to the table, where several glasses of water stood on a tray. She took one, took a sip, and at that moment the door opened.
"Good evening," the Archon entered the hall.
"Welcome," Thomas stood up.
"Hello," Ioanna put down her glass and approached Vasily Yakimov. "It's a great honor for me to interview you."
"As it is for me to give it," the man warmly shook the reporter's hand.
"Please take your seats," Thomas gestured with his hand. "A "Thousand Cameras" have completed synchronization. I will notify you before recording starts."
"A thousand cameras?" the chairman asked in surprise.
"Yes," Ioanna replied. "These cameras are intended for subsequent formatting into a hologram. You will be in every home," she smiled slightly.
"Well, everything for everyone," Vasily Yakimov took the chair to the right of the cameras, for some reason believing he looked better from that side. "The channel mentioned that you are preparing a film about the project. Is that true?"
"Yes, Mr. Archon," during the project we interviewed the leaders of the Fracture Compound, including Professor Martha Crockford, Professor Richard Robinson, as well as Chairman Marcus Gray, who also oversaw the project. Moreover, we filmed during the installation of the Prime Reservoir, which some call the "Father."
"Father?" the chairman asked, surprised.
"Yes, in the Compound they believe that the Fracture Machine is the mother, and the Prime Reservoir is the father. Together they will create something great."
"That makes sense."
"Recording will begin in three," Thomas announced.
"You're doing a good job, Mrs. Averino," Vasily Yakimov addressed her.
"Thank you," Ioanna replied with a sense of pride.
"Two," the young man shouted.
"Most importantly, you are doing your job well."
"One," the recording began.
"So, good evening," Ioanna started. "Today we are interviewing the Archon of the Consolidated Nation, Vasily Yakimov."
"Good evening," the man bowed his head.
"This interview will be included in the film about the Fracture project. But the Fracture project is not just numbers and data. Everyone involved has their own story. This is a film about the stories of those who are currently working there. Leaders, scientists, even Wanderers have their stories that ultimately led them to the project one way or another. And I would like to ask you about your story. How and why did you take on this project, and how did you participate in it?"
"That's a very big question, Mrs. Averino. It's quite a long story."
"Our thousand cameras are ready to record every word you say," Ioanna smiled.
"Ha-ha," Vasily Yakimov chuckled. "My story is simple. As simple as yours. I was born in the Eighth District to a family of doctors who worked at the local hospital. Even in school, my teachers instilled in me a thirst for science, an understanding of how our world works. And they taught me to ask questions. Because I lived in a small town with a population of only a million people, and it was far enough from the power stations, there was never enough residual energy for our town, and every few months, we sat in the dark for several hours. Only emergency services were operational. And then I became curious, why was it like that?"
"And why?" Ioanna picked up.
"Our state is one, our peoples are united. Society is whole. But the energy system was built on the foundations of the old world. Although it was modernized every few decades, the structure itself remained the same. The power stations worked for a specific number of towns in the region. In case of nuclear depletion or breakdown of one of the stations, others could not share part of their energy with the towns left without light."
"And what happened next?"
"After I entered the university, it became my idea, my goal: to build a power security system in our state. For five years, I studied while simultaneously working on this system. Fortunately, it didn't take much. Almost everything I needed had already been invented before me. Disparate technologies that could become a unified whole. All it took was to assemble them: emitters, long-distance energy transmission installations. It was all right there in front of us, and I succeeded. My thesis was the blueprints and, consequently, a test project to unify our energy system. It was a success."
"Amazing," Ioanna confirmed.
"After graduating from university, I participated in a scientific exhibition with this project. There were many participants at the exhibition offering improved central systems for homes, exoskeletons that allowed factory workers to lift hundreds of kilograms... I was alone with a model and a stack of notebooks with calculations.
"And you were noticed?" The girl leaned slightly forward.
"Yes. Exactly. At that moment, my life changed. The Chairman of the Eighth District approached me. An elderly man saw me standing alone, noticing that none of the company representatives were approaching me. He asked, 'What do you have there?' and pointed at the model of the tower that transmits energy. My eyes lit up, and I began to explain to him how everything works. That with this, our energy system would be protected. In the event of a failure at one of the power stations, another would take its place..." The Archon stopped with a smile of nostalgia. "That's how I got into the District Council of the Eighth district. I spent years implementing the project, and ten years later, the last energy transmission tower was installed. Our energy system became unified, just as it should have been. Because of this project, I was promoted to Chairman of the eighth district. But I didn't stop at my project."
"And what did you do?"
"What each of us does when one project ends. I started a new one. I became interested in the work of the Ethers, how they slice through the air. But, as you know, the old model Ethers couldn't make long flights. And I wanted to change that. Just at that moment, Professor Simon Williams created a Mechanism that opened a window into Primordial Space. I still remember the newspaper headlines when Martha Crockford presented her calculation at the alliance meeting: 'We are not alone!' This became the impetus, the motivation to keep working. And in a few years, my team and I created an Ether engine capable of inter-district flights without recharging. The Consolidated Nation began producing new model Ethers and Hawks, supplying them to organizations, while citizens purchased them for personal use. And the time came when my candidacy was proposed for the position of Archon."
"And you became one," Ioanna confirmed.
"And I became one. But I became one thanks to the people I looked up to while in school, at university, and in the Council. I saw how they were building our future today. And that inspires me."
"So you became the Head of our world," Ioanna noted. "But how did you get involved in the Fracture project?"
"Like everyone else. Through pain," Vasily Yakimov said regretfully.
"The collapse?"
"Exactly," Vasily confirmed. "I became Archon when the decision to construct the Rift Gates had already been made. They were built and awaited activation. The Center of Primordial Space... A direct connection," he waved his hand in the air as if creating the Gates in his imagination, "Answers to questions. Infinite knowledge awaited us there. It was inspiring. My colleagues also went to the Cradle. Several Chairmen were there that night. All of the Consolidated Nation waited for the connection to be established. And it happened."
"Did you receive confirmation?"
"Yes," Vasily agreed. "Simon Williams sent a report on the establishment of the connection. The whole Council rejoiced. But shortly after that, another report came, or rather, a request..."
"Something was wrong?" Ioanna confirmed, walking alongside the Archon through history.
"The rift wouldn't close. It was uncontrollable. Their reactors didn't have enough capacity to contain the rift. And there was a request for the energy of the Consolidated Nation to be sent to the Rift Gate hall."
"Thanks to your system, that was possible."
"Yes... It was possible. But, to understand, the redirection process requires preparation. It takes time. And there was no time then. Every minute burned away, and with it, the Gates themselves were damaged."
"And you made a decision."
"Of two evils..." Vasily Yakimov emphasized.
"And what was on the other side? What was the alternative?"
"Eh..." the man sighed. "After the uprising a century ago, the acting Archon ordered the creation of energy field emitters around the capital. In case the Last Ones reached the capital, they wouldn't be able to take it by force. And the capital would have the chance to defend itself."
"And do those systems still work?"
"Yes, they are capable of activation."
"And what would have happened in that case?"
"Already after... Analysis showed that with the amount of energy they had, the collapse would have happened anyway. But the energy of Primordial Space would have surged through the entire Consolidated Nation, all the way to the capital. However, the energy field would have protected it."
"Billions..." Ioanna knew the outcomes, but that night, the Archon had a choice. That night he saw the consequences of that choice.
"Exactly," the Archon nodded. "We didn't know exact numbers, but we knew the scale of the consequences. And here's the choice: turn on the emitters, protect the capital, but sacrifice billions of lives, or redirect energy from all districts, including the capital, into the Rift hall, but millions would die. Sacrifice billions for millions, or sacrifice millions for billions?"
"And you made a choice," a tear rolled down Ioanna's cheek.
"And I made a choice. The only possible one at that moment. everything for everyone."
"And you did it"
"And we redirected the energy."
"And that closed the rift," Ioanna gazed into the Archon eyes, filled with pain.
"And created the collapse. The Third District disappeared from our maps, and the names of citizens appeared on the Cubes of Memory in the parks."
"I can't imagine how much strength it took for you to make such a decision."
"But it was not the end," the man continued. "It was the beginning. Due to the emergency energy redirection, numerous systems shut down. The streetlights went out. Hospitals plunged into darkness. Chaos and fear took over the streets. Factories also shut down unexpectedly. Damage was widespread. Trains shut down. One error caused another error, which led to the next. Until this cascading shutdown reached the emergency systems. And the magnetic tunnels in the cities began to shut down. The autopilots of the Ethers shut down, and passengers took control, trying to keep them airborne. But they collided with trains that had derailed from the magnetic tunnels. Fires and horror engulfed city after city. Until the energy system map lost "North," "Pole," and then "Star." After that, the ground began to tremble. The collapse caused earthquakes in the cities. Fortunately, our buildings are resistant to this.
"It was a waking nightmare."
"As I said, it was only the beginning," the Archon cleaned his glasses. "Energy flowed again through the veins of the Consolidated Nation, and we saw what had happened to our world. In flames, in ruins. But still alive. Then calls began flooding into hospitals, news channels, and District Council Halls. Citizens of the fourth and second districts saw a white wall moving toward them, dissolving at the last moment. They saw the Third District crumble, as people and the land beneath them burned. Pleas for help, tears, and cries echoed throughout the nation." Vasily Yakimov paused for a moment. "And then... an idea struck me. Our Ethers can make inter-district flights without refueling..."
"I remember that moment," Ioanna interrupted the Chairman. "You announced a nationwide rescue effort."
"We contacted the Department of Guardians, and they implemented a large-scale protocol typically used for apprehending criminals. Unlocking the Ethers of Hawk. Every citizen of our nation entered the nearest Ether."
"And thousands of them took off at once."
"And headed to rescue those at the border of the Third District... who were still alive. Hand in hand, we saved those we could. We pulled them from the flames, extracted them from the rubble... We all left the Capitol that night and went to hell with the others to save our citizens."
"And you saved," Ioanna held on as she recalled how, according to John's accounts, one of the Ethers landed near the wreckage of a train. The girl used a rescue kit, administered pain relief, and radioed that she had found a child at the border. She also remembered how she received a call the next day informing her that her brother was in critical condition, his heart struggling with the injuries. It had already stopped once, and next time the doctors wouldn't be able to restart it. But thanks to the Archon, thousands like her brother were saved, delivered to hospitals, and now live with their families.
"And we saved," Vasily Yakimov turned to the girl, "but not everyone," he continued. "That night showed us how fragile our world is, despite all our technologies. But it also showed our strength. On the darkest night, each of us held hands, fought against fear and the overwhelming force of Primordial Space. That night proved that we are united."
"I am sure that anyone who hears these words will believe in what we can all achieve together."
"I think the citizens are already confident in that."
"And yet, how was the decision made to launch Project Fracture after such a catastrophe?"
"It was a long process," the man raised his eyes, "very long. A decision was not made until we were absolutely certain of the project's safety. The entire Capitol reviewed the calculations and plans of Professor Martha Crockford. And even when we became confident in the safety of the Fracture Machine, a decision was not made. Only the condition that the Fracture Compound would be equipped with protective measures that would stop the Collapse within the Compound could lead to a positive outcome." The Archon glanced at the cameras for a moment. "Moreover. Although our systems are good, there is a risk of a crisis decades down the line. The research facilities are exploring prevention methods. But if we fail, there will be the Fracture project. Infinite energy will be available and at our disposal. This will prevent any energy crisis for the next centuries at least."
"Contain an explosion within the complex? You mean a controlled Collapse?"
"Precisely. In case of failure, the consequences are minimal. In case of success, we gain everything."
"Do you think such an outcome is possible?"
"No," the Chairman shook his head, "impossible. I personally was in the Compound, watching the construction of the Machine, the Prime Reservoir. I also spoke with Professor Crockford."
"Did she convince you?"
"She confirmed my beliefs that, given past experiences, she would not allow a repeat of such in the future. Moreover, the goal is different."
"Is it?"
"Technically yes. If the Rift Gates were used to establish a connection with the Center, then the Fracture Machine will connect with the nearest world. That's what the Wanderers are for."
"So, can I confidently say that this is it? We are on the brink of the greatest discovery."
"Exactly, and it is an honor for me to be part of this process."
"Well, I thank you for this interview, Mr. Chairman." Ioanna stood up from her chair, and so did the Chairman.
"And I thank you for this opportunity," the Chairman shook the girl's hand.
"And..." Thomas interjected, "the recording is finished."
"You did it," Vasily Yakimov smiled.
"We all did it," Ioanna confirmed.
Archon Vasily Yakimov left the conference room. Ioanna and Thomas were left alone.
"It was hard for them," Thomas said while taking down the cameras.
"It was hard for all of us," Ioanna glanced at the closed door. "Need help?"
"Don't worry about it," the young man waved his hand. "Rest, I'll clean up everything," and snapped his fingers.
"Thank you," the girl placed her hand on Thomas's shoulder. He turned.
"Just let me know."
Ioanna Averino left the conference room. Vasily Yakimov's words swirled in her mind like a whirlwind. He had to go through hell, just like everyone else. But the fact that he continues to walk, step by step proving to himself and the world that after a catastrophic failure, the possibility to rise from the ashes and move forward gives her strength. Vasily Yakimov saw his country burn but managed to save it. Ioanna saw her life burning. And she knew that if the other fifty percent came through in the end, she would survive it. With the help of Armando, with the help of John, with the help of the entire Consolidated Nation, she would be able to take a step into another life. After all, in the Consolidated Nation, everything is for everyone.