Quantum Of Resistance

UpRising of Resistence

RCASR – Head Office The Director's Lab

Walls filled up with pictures of diagrams and calculations in numbers that were definitely not English

Books, scrolls, papyrus texts that seemed liked they had come straight out of the British Library archives. Books, in German, English, Latin, from scientists and inventors who lived centuries ago

Models of what seemed like the innermost sanctums of most Indian temples, complete with intricate carvings and the pyramid shaped elongation on the top. Prototypes of several tools that they had never seen before. A huge, cylindrical bronze tub, filled to the brim with a transparent liquid.

Avni and Anshul were shocked to find the kind of set up they had encountered in the Professor's lab,  in the Head Office. For a few minutes, they literally thought, they had entered a History Museum and not a science lab.

As they walked around the chamber, wondering what they were expected to do with all the texts and weird looking equipment, they sensed his presence. Avni and Anshul exchanged glances before turning around to look at Prof Agnivesh, observing them.

He walked wordlessly over to them and then walked past them, towards what seemed like the dead-end in the room. As he approached the wall, it seemed to split in half and open up, almost like glass doors in a mall. The wall splitting in half to become a door! This now became even more weird. From a museum, it was turning into the set of a Hollywood movie.

"Welcome to my lab. You are the first members to actually gain access the inner lab," said Prof Agnivesh, pointing towards the white, chairs around the white, glowing centre table in the middle of the room. It was a small pentagon shaped room.

Avni and Anshul, exchanged glances, still blank and unsure. "Please," said Prof Agnivesh, pointing to the glowing chairs. Avni observed a subtle change to his demeanor from their earlier meeting.

Earlier he had been playful and casual. But today he seemed more distant, more professional and he seemed to want to keep a professional rapport with them. Avni felt let down, almost disappointed at his attitude towards them. And it made her a tad rebellious.

"Your first job," said Prof Agnivesh, looking at his young assistants, "is to digitize all the manuscripts and scrolls you saw in the Room Of Pioneers..."

Avni and Anshul turned around and looked at the wall behind them, the wall that had opened up into this room. They looked around themselves. They were surrounded by similar looking walls on all 5 sides. Did that mean those walls too opened into more chambers? How was that possible.

Avni's mind immediately tried to map the blue print of the entire area. The Head Office was a large rectangular building. On the floor they were on, about 1/3 rd. of the area was taken for the reception, a small work floor and Professor's office. Of the remaining 2/3rd space available, could it be possible to be able to build something like this? Well it was not impossible!

"I can't stand people who cannot focus on their work and get distracted with unnecessary preoccupations," Professor Agnivesh's voice, took on an unusually stern tone.

Avni looked at the Professor, her eyes sharp, her mind racing. This was the second time in their two meeting that he had reacted almost as if he had read her mind. "I am sorry sir, but we are not interns. We are fully paid researchers and we are currently also working on a project that is very crucial to research in Quantum Physics. I am not willing to put my research aside just to be a librarian under you," she said, her words sharp and emphatic.

Professor Agnivesh, stood, ramrod stiff, not a muscle moving in his face or body. His eyes were like an unreadable wall, that gave away nothing. "You are suspended from your work, for insubordination, until further notice. You may leave right now. Anshul, please get to work," he said, turning to Anshul, his tone and tenor, just as they had been, before Avni's rude resistance.