Emotional Parting

Fourteen days later in his cockpit, Gunes was staring at the stars through the glass. More precisely, he was sifting through the newly downloaded information in his brain. This was phenomenal. He has downloaded many books he wanted to read. Among them most important one is the encyclopedia of all science and engineering discoveries. It has hundreds of books and contains technical data on all the critical breakthroughs humanity made so far. He wanted to download them because of the nature of the downloaded information. 

Downloaded information is not like other memories. They are just like books on a shelf you can read but in your head. It had to be like this because otherwise, all downloaded information has the potential to corrupt the brain. Then why download it if it is not easily accessible like a natural memory? Because if you digest the information through downloaded data, it will be ten to twenty times more efficient than simply reading them. And even more, whenever you have a specific thought by using the implant like a search engine, you can find the related information. Because of this, he downloaded that big encyclopedia set. It will make him much faster and better during his research. 

"Beyaz what did Diana say? Is she available tonight for our planned date?" Gunes asked. 

(She said 'yes.' After the test is finished, she doesn't have any program.) Beyaz replied through the implant. It is now possible to have a direct conversation through the implant. It truly is an amazing technology.

"Tell her I am on my way to take her. There is a good observatory on Lagrange station I need to show her." Said Gunes while sitting in the cockpit of his boat.

(Okay)

After a couple of hours, Gunes arrived at the station Diana was in. Diana called.

"Hey! We did it. It was a success." Said Diana with excitement. 

"Congratulations! I am happy for you. I am coming up. Wait for me." After talking to her, Gunes walked to the laboratory of his wife Diana. She was working inside a small room-sized machine. He also got inside the machine hugged her from behind and spoke.

"What are you doing here alone? Where is everyone else?"

"They deserve a good party after all that crazy schedule. I was waiting for you while checking the machine if it had any wear after the test. Give me five minutes and I am ready to go and stop hugging me. I am trying to do something here." Said Diana while trying to get out of Gunes` hug.

"Let me stay a little more. I truly missed you. Since we both finished our project how about having a break couple of months?" said Gunes while resting his head on Diana`s shoulder.

"Hmm. It would be fantastic. Gunes do you ..." she hesitated whether to say. 

Having noticed her hesitation Gunes said while putting his hand on her belly.

"Yes. I want it too. Just I am afraid we are too old for your pregnancy."

"How did you… ahh, you will say you understand me the best. What about being old? we still have the second half of our life to live. It is not like 21. Century anymore. Medical science has improved the most last 20 years" she said after turning to speak. 

When just Gunes was about to speak Beyaz interjected.

(Gunes get out of there right now! Hurry!)

Right before Gunes could process what he heard in just a second heavy door of the machine closed automatically, locking both Diana and Gunes inside. 

"What is going on Beyaz? Diana is this normal?" asked Gunes with a slightly panicked tone.

"This should not have happened. Beyaz, do you know something?" asked Diana with a shaking tone.

"I cannot reach any node points. There is big interference. I cannot get a hold of the main computer of the station either. Just before my connection was lost, I sensed a high amount of data flowing to the main computer." Speaker Beyaz thorough speakers.

"This is bad. This is really bad. don't tell me…" interjected Gunes.

"Yes. I suspect some kind of cyber-attack. And I assume being locked in a machine that can unleash energy to break space-time and pulverize us a thousand times over is not something desirable."

"Diana, can this machine be activated remotely by the main computer?" asked Gunes looked at Diana but having seen the disbelief and horror in his wife`s eyes, he understood that the answer was 'yes'.

"I am sorry Gunes. I am sorry. I am so sorry. I told them we needed a killswitch inside the machine, but it wasn't approved. I didn't think… I didn't think… I am sorry. I am sorry Gunes" Diana started to tremble while choking.

"shh… shhhh. It is okay. It is not your fault." Gunes hugged her head to his chest. After a couple of seconds, he took her head in between his hands and looked her in the eye while saying "Diana it is not your fault. Right now, we need to do something. What is the procedure after the door is closed? Tell me"

She became calm after seeing the Gunes` concerned eyes and said "In normal circumstances, the closing of the door means the test procedure is commenced but for this to happen my permission was necessary. They bypassed the highest security clearance here. It means they bypassed all the security. If they bypassed all the security, then they can bypass all the pre-test procedures too. So, at the worst, we have a maximum of ninety secco…"

[ssshhsss…] 

At that time a noise intercepted her speech. Having heard that noise, Diana started shedding tears and said "We have thirty seconds Gunes, and we don't have any means to get out of here. we will explode like the biggest nuclear bomb. After that, we will become pure energy." While looking into his eyes she said "Gunes. I love you."

"I love you too, Diana" Gunes too shed tears and hugged Diana. "Beyaz, do you have any idea we can use to get out of here?" asked Gunes with little hope.

(Unfortunately, no. It is the last ten seconds Gunes it was nice knowing you, buddy.) 

"It was an honor knowing you, my buddy. See you at afterlife" said Gunes with a bitter smile.

At that very time, a white light covered every inch of the room. After a couple of seconds, light punched through the machine the laboratory, and the station itself. The station became invisible in the center of a sunlike fireball in high earth orbit. It was as bright as the sun seen from the surface of the earth. There was nothing left of Gunes and Diana. The test room is supposed to be in a vacuum. Otherwise, all matter would have turned into pure energy. Like what happened now.