Old design was like this:
Fusion plasma (100 million degrees) → First wall made of tungsten (blocks neutrons and radiation) → Breeding blanket (thick layer of steel and lithium to absorb heat) → Coolant channels (water flowing through pipes) → Heat exchanger (transfers heat to secondary loop) → Steam generator → Turbine (spinning blades) → Generator (converts spinning to electricity)
Seven steps. Massive infrastructure. Buildings full of equipment.
New design:
Fusion plasma (100 million degrees) → First wall made of Thermoelectric blanket (neutron carries heat to the blanket and the blanket directly converts heat to electricity, this new special material also blocks radiation) → Cooling system on back side (keeps cold side at 50-100°C) → Electricity output
Four steps. No turbines. No steam. No moving parts.
The thermoelectric blanket would surround the plasma like a shell. Hot side facing the fusion reaction, reaching 2000°C from neutron bombardment and plasma radiation. Cold side cooled by water or helium, kept at 50-100°C.
Temperature difference: 1500-1900°C.
With 80% efficiency, it would convert nearly all that heat directly to electricity.
The blanket itself would be 10-50 centimeters thick—a layer cake of the nanostructured material. Electrical contacts at the cold side would collect the generated current.
Compact. Simple. Elegant.
"This is brilliant," Orion said. "We eliminate the entire thermal conversion system. Just fusion core plus thermoelectric shell. The whole reactor could fit in a building the size of a warehouse instead of a stadium."
"Correct," Rene confirmed. "The design is approximately 70% smaller than conventional fusion reactors with equivalent power output."
"And more reliable. No moving parts means nothing to break down mechanically."
"Additionally, the solid-state conversion allows instant power adjustment. No waiting for turbines to spin up or down."
Orion saved the design. Ran full simulations through ORION.
The virtual reactor worked perfectly. Plasma contained by magnetic fields. Heat absorbed by the thermoelectric blanket. Electricity flowing out at 80% efficiency.
Power output: 1000 megawatts continuous. Enough to power a whole city.
Fuel: Deuterium and Deuterium. Effectively unlimited fuel because Deuterium was everywhere—in seawater, easy to extract.
Waste: Helium. Completely harmless. Could be sold for industrial use.
No carbon emissions. No radioactive waste. Just clean, endless energy.
"We need to build the thermoelectric material first," Orion said. "Before we can construct the reactor, we need to prove the material works in reality, not just simulation."
"Agreed. Shall I schedule the meeting with Helix Research Facility?"
"Not yet. The reactor still needs more work. This thermoelectric breakthrough is huge, but there are other components that need upgrading. The magnetic containment system, for one."
"The superconducting magnets?"
"Yeah. Current superconductors aren't powerful enough for what we need. If we're going to contain plasma at 100 million degrees in a compact reactor, we need better magnets. Way better."
"Understood. Postponing Helix meeting. Shall we begin superconductor research?"
"Give me a few hours. I need a break first."
Orion stood up. Stretched. His body felt fine—the breathing technique kept him energized—but his mind needed a moment to process everything.
He went downstairs.
Cassia was in the living room, sitting on the couch with her tablet. She looked up when he entered.
"You're finally taking a break," she said. "I was starting to worry you'd forgotten how to leave your room."
"Just got absorbed in the work."
"I can tell." She patted the couch next to her. "Sit. I want to talk to you about this." She held up the tablet running Aether OS.
Orion sat down. "What do you think?"
Cassia's expression was serious. "Orion, this software is incredible. I've been testing it for two days. The productivity apps, the creative tools, the games—everything is polished beyond anything I've seen professionally. The AI integration is seamless. The performance is flawless."
"But?"
"No but. This is world-changing. Genuinely world-changing." She swiped through screens. "I work in data systems. I know what good software looks like. This isn't just good. This is revolutionary. If we launch this properly, Innovatia could become one of the largest tech companies in the Federation within a year."
"You think it's that good?"
"I know it's that good. The question is: are you ready for what happens when we release this? Because once it's out there, everything changes. You'll have competitors trying to copy it. Corporations trying to buy you out. Governments wanting access to your technology. Media attention. Everything."
Orion nodded slowly. "I know. That's why I need you as CEO. I can build the technology, but I can't handle all that other stuff."
Cassia was quiet for a moment. Then she smiled. "You really thought this through, didn't you?"
"Had to. I can't do this alone."
"Alright." She set the tablet down. "I'll do it. I'll quit my job and run Innovatia. But you need to promise me something."
"What?"
"Don't disappear into your work completely. You're brilliant, Orion. But you're also twenty-one. Don't forget to actually live your life while you're changing the world."
Orion smiled. "I promise."
"Good. Now, when are we launching this OS?"
"Soon. I want to get a few more things ready first. The office building should be finished soon. We'll need staff. Marketing. Distribution channels."
"Leave that to me. You focus on your project or whatever else you're building in that room."
"Actually, about that..." Orion hesitated. "I'm working on some advanced technology. Energy systems. It's going to be big."
"Bigger than Aether OS?"
"Way bigger."
Cassia studied his face. "You're not joking."
"No."
"Should I be worried?"
"No. It's all legal. All safe. Just... very advanced."
"Alright. I trust you." She picked up her tablet again. "Now go eat something. You look thin. When's the last time you had a proper meal?"
"Yesterday. Maybe."
"Kitchen. Now. I made soup."
Orion laughed. "Yes, mom."
He ate the soup. It was good—some kind of vegetable broth with noodles. His enhanced senses picked up every ingredient. Carrots, celery, garlic, thyme.
After eating, he went back to his room.
"Rene, let's talk superconductors."
"Ready. What are the requirements?"
"Current superconducting magnets max out around 20-25 Tesla for sustained operation. We need at least 40 Tesla, preferably 50 or higher, to contain the plasma in our compact reactor design."
"Significant improvement required," Rene said. "Current materials reach their critical field limits before achieving those strengths."
"Exactly. So we need a new superconductor. One that can handle higher magnetic fields without losing superconductivity."
"Loading relevant data from the library," Rene said.
Information flooded Orion's monitor. Superconductor physics. Material science. Quantum mechanics of Cooper pairs—the electron pairs that moved through superconductors without resistance.
The problem was simple: superconductors stopped working above certain temperatures, magnetic fields, or current densities. Push too hard and they "quenched"—suddenly became normal conductors again. In a fusion reactor, that meant the magnetic containment would fail catastrophically.
Current best superconductors were materials like niobium-tin or REBCO (rare-earth barium copper oxide). Good, but not good enough.
"Let's start designing," Orion said. "Load up ORION. We're building a better superconductor from scratch."
The simulation environment appeared. Time to push physics to its limits again.
One breakthrough at a time.