What if We Could Split Atoms Directly?

Rian had always been fascinated with outer space, with the physics of the sun and the far-off stars, of the fusing and splitting atoms creating light and powerful explosions. As he got older, Rian studied and learned how difficult this was and dangerous. But we could use it in so much technology, and when it is safely run and the byproducts utilized properly, it's a clean power source to get energy. With the constant worry of mismanagement and the harm uncaring governing bodies could do, Rian joined a group of multidisciplinary scientists and researchers worldwide, the Union of Concerned Scientists. Their goal was to bring clean power to the world and salvage and protect the resources left. They wanted to make a difference, to help save our planet for future generations. After years of training, he emerged from the cramped lab as Dr Rian Mierce and his colleagues went to the local pub to celebrate.

Not long after, the government got in touch with the newly minted doctor. They were aware of and actively watched his research on the utilization of large-scale fission and fusion reactors. Beyond all imagining, it had worked, by splitting certain atoms it was possible to channel enough power to light cities for days. Instead of relying on the diminishing amount of oil and coal, which was becoming more difficult to find and much more dangerous to collect, the superpowers of the world gleefully put fission research to good use.

Dr Rian had loftier dreams, the ability to channel that power into space flight, to travel amongst the stars that called to him as a child. He approached the Air Force with his ideas and was tasked with creating a new version of the space program and kick-starting the world’s venture out into the unknown universe. Rian experimented with creating heavier and heavier elements, and with the collaboration of many other scientists, new elements were created in microscopic quantities. These atoms could be put through a repeating cycle of splitting multiple times and then put through a fusion process in another chamber where they would go back to the heaviest element ever created. This, in a sense, created constant power, but needed to be precise with the atoms being split and the oversight and maintenance must be constant. The world took notice, they had power and prosperity, but that wasn’t enough. More and more world leaders saw it as a competition, that they could create the most energy to siphon it to achieve the most amazing things. The Space Race had begun.

With these new generators space travel was faster, easier, and safer than ever, as long as procedures were followed. Over the following years and decades, people were able to travel to further and further planets, and of course, other nations followed. Entire planets were being claimed, it was striking how quickly the galaxies were being flagged by one country or another, first for research, then for colonization. No matter how many resources they could create or find, and then use people always seemed to be at odds with each other. Fights were breaking out, like bar brawls in the old west, then feuds, and then wars. And Rian could see it all while watching news feeds from his home.

 The other military branches started getting involved. They explored and fought to win so they could take what they needed for the nation's fattening resources. As no one wants what they believe is theirs taken away the wars further escalated. No one wanted to convert their power sources to planet-annihilating weapons as that would strand them without the power to continue to survive in the vastness of space, or the best case scenario, would restrict them to one planet again without any means to even possibly terraform the land outside the colonial bubble. 

So the military began to ask for more and more ideas, bringing in all the living scientists from Rian’s original power-generating idea. They didn’t want to get involved, many of them were originally or still members of the UCS. With the pressure building the group decided to go to a quiet dive and catch-up, reminisce, and talk about what to do. No one wanted to help start the First Worlds War, even when it was inevitably called Star Wars as a joke. It got a chuckle, but that quickly turned into a quiet horror upon the realization that that was exactly what a war like this would become. It was so new, how could they know? Millions of people dead on dozens of worlds. They would be vaporized by the explosion that would follow the precise “uncontrolled” fusing and splitting of the atoms of the power stations. Then, inevitably the scale would grow and they’d target suns next. A silent agreement had been made to not mention this idea to those in the military and if anyone got a hint that it may have been thought of by someone else, they must stop it at all costs. While the attempt was made to leave the night on a happy note, no one had much of a stomach for fun anymore and slowly everyone went presumably back to their homes/hotel rooms.

The next day, the group of scientists who had gone out the night before were called into the conference room. Several military leaders and a few governmental officials were standing at one end, with another researcher Rian worked with on the original project standing next to them. They wouldn’t make eye contact and hunched to the point that it looked like they wanted to disappear.

“What did you tell them?” Rian asked, immediately knowing the answer, but hoping to be proved wrong.

“They know the plan,” the scientist choked out. “The terrible plan.”

Everyone stared with disbelief. “Why would you tell them?!” another scientist spat.

“I didn’t! They must have been listening in at the bar last night! I was just the first one here this morning and they cornered me!” Then their voice dropped. Threatened to take away my family’s healthcare and put us ALL on a watch list if I didn’t corroborate the story.”

The General spoke up.

“He told us, like with the Atomic bomb, you can get a lot of destructive power from splitting atoms. And, the power generation from detonating the atoms in the nuclear generators would cause a chain reaction that would cripple a colony. Sounds like a sound victory for us.”

The manipulated scientist on the other end of the room spoke up forcefully, “But I said it would be too massive, a monumentally destructive force. It wouldn’t just cripple the colony, IT WOULD DESTROY IT, AND TAKE THE WHOLE PLANET TOO!” 

The general made a dismissive grunt, “Bah! Splitting one atom wouldn’t cause that.”

Rian spoke out decisively, “It would!” Taking a breath. “And anything within range would get bombarded with debris and radiation. None of our ships are built to withstand that.”

“We don’t have shields,” a voice spoke out from behind Rian.

“This isn’t Star Trek!” shouted another voice.

“Then each of our ships will need you folk to make sure we are outside that range.” 

They were given no choice, some actively fought and would be sentenced as soon as they returned to Earth. Seeing all his colleagues disobey their orders in some way, but getting handcuffed, dragged, and even beaten, Rian knew he couldn’t prevent what was around to happen. They shoved him onto a ship a mere day later and his technology, what he pictured bringing the world clean energy and a means to peacefully explore the myriad of galaxies through the long potential future history of the human race, could be its permanent downfall. Dr Rian Mierce stood in the cockpit of the ship, looking at a planet claimed by another nation in a nearby solar system to Earth with other planets also claimed by other nations. They were too far to see any buildings but Rian had programmed the system to hit the right spot to do the least damage possible. Hopefully not many would die, but he knew that could not be guaranteed.

“We’ll have to move back hundreds of thousands of miles, to have more chance of avoiding the debris and leaving before the radiation hits us,” Rian warned, even though he knew that if it came to that it would spread too fast to do anything anyway.

The ship moved into a “safe” position and the countdown for the targeted atom manipulation started. Rian took a deep breath and tears fell from his eyes. At the last moment, the ship’s direction jolted suddenly and the adjustment caused the particles to stream in the wrong direction, straight into the sun. It happened slowly at first, then all at once. The fission had split the hydrogen atoms inside the sun, with a single hydrogen bomb level event all the hydrogen and subsequent atoms started a chain reaction of explosions that caused the sun to go supernova.

There was nothing, it was over in an instant. With a flash of light, this and the neighboring systems would be dust. Vishnu’s words range in his mind before the end.

Epilogue:

There was a bright flash in the night sky, but from their vantage point in space, they could barely sense a pinprick. It would have been astronomically enormous from that distance, but it was thousands of millions of years ago. They had been travelling the galaxy and purposely stayed away from our little corner of it. They saw what we were doing and thought we were stupid, short-sighted, and unkind. And they were right.

There was nothing left, all the history they thought to avoid, hoping they'd grow into a peaceful intergalactic species. But they destroyed themselves, with no record of them even having existed at all.