– Kharitonov! Kharitonov!
The doors of the flyer opened smoothly, releasing a cloud of scented vapour, and out of them, like an ancient god descending to earth, stepped a young man. His slender figure was clad in a leather jacket with a standing collar, which seemed to have a life of its own, shimmering and changing shades in time with the movements of its owner. Kharitonov’s face seemed to glow from within – the result of the latest advances in bionics and nanotechnology. Every feature of his face was perfect, as if moulded by a talented sculptor.
Several female admirers immediately rushed to him like moths to a flame. Their eyes shone with adoration and their hands trembled with excitement as they held them out for autographs.
Kharitonov smiled, and that smile seemed to light up the entire red carpet. On the skin of his palm, as if by magic, a glowing signature appeared – the last word in biotattoo technology. He leisurely touched the hands of his admirers, leaving his autograph on them – a temporary, but incredibly beautiful biotattoo, glowing with a soft neon light.
Anna and Dash watched this spectacle with bated breath. Their eyes, wide with amazement and delight, shone brighter than any neon lights, reflecting the glitter of the signs and glowing outfits. They stood still, afraid to miss even a moment of this magical action.
When the long-awaited premiere began, the girls, along with hundreds of other spectators, took their seats in the huge hall of the cinema. Despite the fact that their seats were on the back rows, they were not upset in the least. Caught up in excitement and anticipation, Anna and Dash stretched their necks, trying to see every detail on the giant screen that took up the entire wall of the auditorium.
The film began, and the audience, as if on cue, held their breath. Incredible special effects, created with the help of the latest technology, literally erased the line between reality and fiction. It seemed that the action was unfolding right in the hall, around the audience. Anna and Dash, as well as everyone else, were completely immersed in a wonderful world of adventure, love and intrigue, created by talented directors and actors.
After the screening, tired but overflowing with impressions and emotions, Anna and Dash returned home. Their cheeks were burning with excitement, and their eyes were still shining with the glow of the magic they had seen on the screen. The clock on the wall of their cosy flat showed exactly 23:59 when they crossed the threshold.
At the same second, the melodious, almost maternal voice of NeuraHub’s neural network sounded, filling the room with a soft, soothing sound:
– «Good evening, Anna and Dash,» the artificial intelligence said, care and attention audible in its tone. – I hope the premiere met all your expectations and gave you an unforgettable experience. Let me remind you that you have a working day tomorrow. I would strongly advise you to go to bed to be in top form.
Chapter 3
Anna Buyanova, a young laboratory employee, stood in front of an impressive industrial 3D printer in a huge production hall flooded with blindingly bright light, where high ceilings that seemed to go into infinity were lost in an intricate maze of ventilation pipes, cables and neon signs.
The printer, a marvel of modern technology, was striking in its sleek, streamlined forms made of gleaming chrome-plated metal. Its design was a stark contrast to the crude functionality of the surrounding equipment, as if to remind us that even in a world of soulless machines, there is room for aesthetics. Every curve, every line of this mechanical behemoth had been thought out to the smallest detail, giving the impression that the machine in front of you was not just a machine, but a work of art.
The printer worked with hypnotising precision and grace, creating the housings for implanted mechanisms – an integral part of life in the world of the future. Every movement of its many manipulators, every twist and bend was honed to perfection, as if in an intricate dance of technology where each step had its own meaning and purpose. The whirring and humming of the machine filled the air, creating a symphony of progress, a melody that blended the sounds of working machinery, the hiss of molten metal, and the subtle crackle of electrical discharges.
Anna, a junior member of the laboratory, but already proving herself to be a promising specialist, stood, fully immersed in her work. Her gaze was fixed on the display of the latest generation tablet. The girl’s slender, graceful fingers, topped with a neat manicure with barely visible neon flecks, flew over the keyboard with incredible speed. She entered commands and adjusted parameters with ease and confidence.
Every now and then Anna looked up from her tablet to check the printer was working. At those moments, her eyes, framed by long lashes, reflected the bright glare from the sparks of the molten metal, making it look as if tiny stars were dancing in them.
Around Anna was the life of a huge techno-factory, the heart of the industrial district of the megalopolis of the future. Dozens, if not hundreds, of similar machines, presses and systems filled the space, creating a real maze of high-tech equipment. Each machine, each unit was like a separate organism, living its own life, but at the same time being a part of a single, complex mechanism.
Workers in uniforms, adorned with badges that shimmered and changed colour depending on the level of access and current tasks, scurried between the machines. Their movements were honed by years of practice, each gesture having its own purpose. They monitored readings, adjusted settings, sometimes exchanging short phrases or gestures only they could understand. The air was filled not only with the sounds of working machines, but also with muffled voices, curt commands and rare exclamations of satisfaction when another difficult task was successfully completed.
Suddenly Anna felt someone’s gaze on her. The sensation was so strong that she involuntarily flinched and broke away from her work for a moment. When she turned around, she saw the shop foreman, a tall, well-built middle-aged man with grey hair and eyes that showed years of experience with the most complex technologies. He had been watching her from a distance for some time, as if assessing her work, and now he seemed to have decided to approach her.
The Master Commander approached Anna with the leisurely, confident gait of a man accustomed to the fact that his every movement had weight and meaning. His face expressed a mixture of surprise and respect, an emotion he didn’t seem to be used to hiding.
– Did you really work it all out yourself? – His low, husky voice was full of surprise. He put his hand around the space around him, as if pointing out the complexity of the technological splendour around them.
Anna, without stopping her work, nonchalantly shrugged her shoulder. This gesture, full of self-confidence and even a certain challenge, contrasted with her youth and seeming fragility. She took her eyes off the display for a moment to look at the master commander:
– What, am I supposed to wait for your hackers until morning now? – She said, her voice tinged with irony and a touch of irritation. – My shift might be over before they even bother to show up.
The Master Commander shook his head slowly, his gaze full of thought and perhaps even a little sadness:
– Yes, systems engineers are in short supply right now. Not enough specialists,» he sighed, as if the problem were a personal concern that had been bothering him for a long time.
He continued to watch as Anna deftly manipulated the complex system code on the tablet. Her fingers moved with incredible speed, adjusting the various gauges and adjusting the temperature settings of the 3D printer. Her every action was precise and confident, as if she’d been working with this sophisticated machine her whole life.
– Well done,» he said with obvious approval and genuine admiration in his voice. – A real good girl.
Anna smiled faintly as she continued