FIVE WEEKS AFTER LAUNCH - STARR LABS, REPLICATOR FACILITY
Dr. Sofia Martinez stood in the observation room overlooking the first operational replicator. The machine was massive—ten meters tall, five meters in diameter. A cylindrical chamber at its center where atomic assembly occurred.
"Final system check complete," a technician announced. "All subsystems green. Ready for first production run."
Sofia took a deep breath. This was it. Six weeks of intensive manufacturing to build this machine. If it worked, everything changed. If it failed...
She pushed the thought away. "Initiate startup sequence."
The replicator hummed to life. Lights appeared along its surface. The massive chamber began rotating slowly.
"Loading feedstock," another technician said.
Refined materials flowed into the input hopper. Tons of elemental dust—carbon, iron, silicon, oxygen, nitrogen, trace elements. All sorted and ready.
