momentous
Dr. Tanner looked at the array of computers before him, and the men and women manning them. His team was going through the last minute checks of the system. He held his peace until they were done. When all of them finished, they turned to him, expecting some words to mark the occasion. He would do his best not to disappoint.
“Throughout human history, there have been many great, wonderous things created. Things that leave a mark on human history. But rarer are those few, truly momentous creations that actually change the course of society and mankind itself. Agriculture. The wheel. The printing press. The airplane. The computer. These are the kind of things that completely change how we as a species interact with each other and the world.
“Oh yes, there have been other great things. Things that change how we live. The telephone. The telescope. Even space travel. All great, amazing things. But those did not really change humanity itself like those former inventions did.
“Today, we have created what can only be considered one of those few truly revolutionary things. One of those few things that are not just remembered by history, but shape it. For today, we give mankind the means to travel farther, do more, create more. Today we do something that was thought to be a mere work of fiction. Today, we unlock the full potential of atomic power. Not the destructive, inefficient nuclear fission of old. No, today, we bring the world true cold fusion.
“Near limitless power from a tiny amount of matter. Power that is cheaper and safer than any other known power source created by mankind. Only the sun itself can be considered greater than what we are about to bring into the world today.
“All of you have worked hard on this. This great creation was the result of your countless hours of labor. Once this is activated and proven successful, you can all go home, proud of yourselves, and tell your families that you helped change human history forever. You didn’t just make something that improves a small aspect of life. You made something that changed everything.”
Dr. Tanner closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. The other members of the team prepared themselves. It was time.
“Begin the activation sequence.” He said.
The people there began to work. Each of them knew what they had to do, and they did it with fluidity that only came from years of work. The computers all showed various readouts of the machine. They could hear it. Although it was underneath several tons of rock and concrete, none of them doubted that they could feel its energy surging.
As it came to life, everyone held their breaths. It was out of their hands now. They all desperately hoped it would work. That nobody had forgotten to carry a one, or that a stray dust particle had somehow gotten in. Suddenly, lights turned green. Meters measured a stable power output. Predictive models showed that it was stable and would last for years, even if no fuel was added.
The room filled with cheers. The scientists hugged each other. Tears of joy were shed. They had done it. They had succeeded in their great endeavor. Dr. Tanner stood and shouted above them.
“History has been made!”
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