Reborn In 17th century India with Black Technology - Chapter 879

Chapter 879: Steam Age 2
“Creek!!”

With the royal carriage coming to a squeaking halt, Vijay, wearing a pearl white dhoti, stepped down from the royal carriage as he looked at the tall but well-hidden sentry tower with anticipation. He was currently in the perimeter of the research facility located in the embrace of a tall forested mountain 59 kilometres from Nagpur city, with the whole research facility being the caves dug into the mountain.

Even though he was the owner of the research facility, as it is a unit under the Raya Research Institute, he hadn’t been here more than twice in a decade, so everything was still novel to him. Walking forward on the red carpet, he was welcomed by the third division of the Nagpur Regiment, a regiment composed of three divisions and 5,000 special urban warfare troops, all deployed to safeguard the state secrets and classified inventions of the empire.

Vijay moved forward with dignified steps as he accepted the salute of the soldiers who were waiting for him in the form of battalions lining next to each other, wearing the ceremonial uniforms only worn during the warriors’ day parade.

Usually, Vijay would greet the senior military officers when he came across them, but not right now. With the thoughts of the steam engine constantly lingering in his mind, he was already too occupied and feeling too restless, just like a kid waiting for the firecrackers brought by his father. Vijay didn’t want anything to slow him down on his way to inspect the steam engine Heyram had built.

Vijay crossed the perimeter and walked towards the research facility alone. The facility from the perimeter was not very far, only around a km, but with the eagerness Vijay was feeling, it felt like it was taking forever. Each second passed by like it was an hour. If not for the voice in his mind warning him to stay calm, he would want to start sprinting towards the research facility, just like an impatient kid running 100 metres to the bus stand to snatch the fireworks even before his father got home.

Finally, after a short walk which felt like forever, Vijay came to the entrance of the research facility he had commissioned to be built over 12 years ago, dedicated to the research of the first industrially usable steam engine in the world. In front of the research facility, which looked like a small cave opening, a familiar figure appeared in front of him. It had been several years since he had seen this figure, and every time he sees him, his emotions become complicated.

Who else could it be other than Heyram, the inventor of the steam engine, the person who had literally given everything to bring it into existence? Looking at the man who had lost all his hair over the span of a decade and who had lost a considerable amount of weight, which he couldn’t help but feel a little guilty about, a feeling of admiration spontaneously appeared in his heart. Before everything started, in order to maintain absolute secrecy of the project, Vijay did not allow anyone other than Heyram and a select group of helpers to work on the project for the last 10 years, meaning all the burden of the largest energy project of the empire had fallen on Heyram’s shoulders. This sort of responsibility was not something anyone could bear.

“Your Majesty!”

Heyram came forward and greeted with a smile on his face.

“Let’s see the machine, Heyram, I can hardly control my curiosity.”

Heyram’s eyebrows were raised in surprise, but soon a wide smile adorned his face, “It is but my honour, your majesty, please, this way.”

As Vijay got inside, he was greeted by the researchers, who came forward with a flower garland and a Kashmiri silk shawl. He wanted to skip past these formalities, and Heyram understood it as well, so he was about to stop the researchers with an expression of regret on his face because the researchers had prepared a long time for this moment, but he was going to respect the opinions of the emperor before anyone else. However, to his surprise, the next moment the emperor seemed to have changed his mind as he looked at him with an expression of, “it’s alright,” and he froze the words that were on the back of his throat.

Vijay, even in his impatience and eagerness, showed a rare sight of patience as he leisurely talked and thanked each and every researcher for a few words before he went on his journey.

The researchers, looking at the retreating back of the emperor, felt awe and respect rising in their hearts.

The reason why Vijay showed a sudden sign of consideration was because he remembered what the researchers had given to the project. Their contribution to the project was equal to or even greater than that of Heyram. While Heyram was the brains behind the research, those young researchers who spoke to him with trembling voices filled with admiration were the hands behind it.

As the new generation steam engine project was the most classified research of the empire, none of the parts were bought from outside; instead, everything was manufactured in the research facility. With all the latest machine tools installed in the facility, a lot of operators were needed from various backgrounds to make the place run. The researchers were the ones who took this role, responsible for multiple tasks like manufacturing the parts, constructing the engine, taking it apart, making modifications, servicing the machine, and many other things.

The thing which Vijay admired even more about the researchers was their persistence over the last decade. While Heyram, as the chief researcher and engineer, was allowed to go home to his family once a month, the researchers were not allowed to move out of the research facility, which contained all the living amenities, for the last decade. They essentially dedicated ten years of their life to the research facility without complaining or making any demands, in their conviction of making their empire stronger with their own two hands.

If he couldn’t even thank such honourable people, it’s very shameful to be an emperor; he might as well abdicate and let someone more capable take his place.

Vijay moved through the massive research facility, bathed in the sunlight brought by intricate mirror systems bringing light from the surface of the hill into the cave, feeling the warmth on his hands. He came across the steel fabrication workshop, where he could see steel rolls piled up in a hill, beside which a milling machine was seen. Moving further, he saw the metal workshop where all the remaining machines were installed. He came across the hydraulics workshop, metallurgy workshop, a furnace room which contained a Kabina Converter, and even a blast furnace.

Finally, he came across the rooms where the earlier prototypes of the steam engines were tested, all of them messy with parts lying all around. He even walked into a room where the walls were chipped, with rock powder all over the floor, with ashy blemishes scattered here and there. Even the mirror that let in the sunlight was broken; it was almost as if a frag grenade had exploded in the room.

Vijay looked at Heyram with a questioning gaze. Heyram suddenly became awkward, darting his eyes around, not wanting to face the eyes of His Majesty. “This is the lab where we tested one of our prototypes, Your Majesty. It was a failure. The steam valve exploded, causing a lot of damage to the walls and instruments in the lab, so we had to move to a new one.”

Vijay’s brow furrowed, but not because he was angry at the failure, but because he was angry at how the failure was seen as a shame. “This is not a failure, Hey Ram.” He picked up the debris and clenched his fist, causing his knuckles to crack. “This is the path that showed you the way to success. Failure is when one gives up the moment things are not going your way, and failure this is not.”

He pointed a finger at the walls and spoke sonorously, “These dense chippings on the wall, black blemishes, and the broken instruments are all witnesses and things that guided you in the right direction. These are not failures, Hey Ram, they can never be. These are the proof of the hard work and dedication you have shown, and your researchers have shown. They are not supposed to be hidden away as if nothing ever happened; instead, they should be shown proudly as a declaration to everyone: I fell, I bruised, I bled, but I got up—stronger, stronger each time, stronger than before.”

“In a few years, I will turn this research facility into a museum and proudly show the public the efforts you and your team have put in.”

To be continued…

P.S. The Value of RPM in the previous chapter is changed from 180 to 50