As day bowed to evening, the wild celebration that had previously filled the lab dwindled to a soft echo in Nik's mind. He stood quietly amidst the lingering remnants of their triumph, his gaze fixed on the silent form of the Save-Transmit Machine - the STM. "Teleporter" sounded too much like a child's fantasy for such a ground-breaking device.

  The thrill of their success still pulsed through his veins, yet beneath, anxiety tugged at him. He had leaped into the unknown, more like a daredevil than the diligent scientist he was supposed to be.

  He couldn't shake off the image of Ari's face when he’d emerged from the STM - a mosaic of disbelief, relief, and unspoken admonishment. An uncomfortable twinge tightened in his chest. He turned away from the machine, his gaze sweeping across the quiet, deserted lab.

  Nik caught sight of Ari, hunched over a console, his fingers a blur as they raced across the keys. The furrow in his brow mirrored the intensity etched in every keystroke. Despite their ordeal only hours before, Ari seemed undeterred, as if possessed.

  "You going to take a break anytime in the next century?" Nik asked

  Ari met Nik's gaze before quickly refocusing on his work. "Are you kidding? We just opened the door to something incredible, and you expect me just to sit back?"

  Nik sighed, rubbing his temples. Ari was always cautious, but some of Nik's bad habits seemed to have rubbed off on him. Guilt nipped at him as he remembered Ari's scolding for his impulsive decision to transmit back earlier.

  Ari peeled his eyes away from his screen, fixing Nik with a stern gaze

  "Nik, we almost lost you today. Doesn't that scare you?"

  The dread of stepping into the STM came rushing back to Nik. He had never really thought about what death meant up until that moment. Sure, they would have a save-state of him, which meant they could recreate him if the experiment had gone wrong, but that’s only assuming they ever got the machine working and had their lab power supply reinstated.

  That could have taken years. What if they hadn’t been able to recreate him for years, decades even? Nik shuddered at the thought of stepping out of an STM into a future reality.

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  Gambling with his life wasn't on his to-do list this morning, but with everything that had happened, what choice did he really have?

  "It scared the living shit out of me."

  Ari frowned, letting the silence bore into Nik.

  He and Ari shared the same ambition, but Nik often charged ahead without considering the consequences. Ari's silent expression told Nik more than words could. It was clear Ari felt the burden of their uncertainty.

  "Sorry," Nik whispered, "I shouldn't have let the moment carry me away like that. I didn't mean to put that kind of pressure on you."

  "You're fine." Ari sighed, leaning back in his chair. "It just… it just feels like we get sloppy sometimes."

  "Yeah," Nik smirked, "can't be breaking the limits of science with rough edges, can we? I'll be sure to make everything nice and tidy next time we conduct an earth-shattering experiment."

  Ari rolled his eyes, but the glint of an idea flashed before him. He shifted his attention back to the monitor.

  "Where did I put you?" He mumbled.

  "Put what?" Nik leaned in curiously.

  “There you are,” Ari said, opening a folder on his computer. Nik smirked when he saw the folder was labeled “IDIOCY.” A moment later, Ari plugged a small cylindrical drive into his computer to extract a file.

  Nik recognized the little device. The two of them had contrived it with special software that allowed them to circumvent the security on the government network.

  Ari pulled the drive from the console and thrust it into Nik's hand. Usually, Nik didn’t think twice about the little drive, but the cool metal pressing against his palm made him unsure.

  "Let this be a reminder," said Ari.

  "What is it?" Nik's thumb traced the drive's smooth edges. He already knew what Ari was going to say.

  "It's your save-state from today." Ari replied, "You know, the one from when you almost died. I want you to remember the risk you took today and how it almost cost us everything. Nik looked at the cylinder quietly as Ari shut down his console. "I'll see you tonight, and just remember, I’m still pissed off. You're buying the first round." Ari pushed himself up from the desk.

  "Of course." Nik felt the tension in his forehead ease a little. Ari gave a final shake of his head before exiting, leaving Nik with his stern words and the weighty silence. Holding the drive, Nik pondered the day's events. "A reminder of the risks..." he whispered.

  After another moment of ruminating, Nik shut down the lab's backup systems. Retrieving his jacket, he strolled to the exit, casting a fleeting glance at the now quiet lab. With a soft click, he shut off the lights and let the door close behind him. A new era had dawned, and its arrival had been whispered to a select few.

  ***???***

  Somewhere in the U.S. Department of Technological Affairs…

  “Yes, sir, I’ve verified the report. It’s accurate.” A young captain stood before his commanding officer. The commander's face betrayed nothing of his thoughts, but the Captain could tell he was pleased when the commander gave his next orders.

  “Put together a detail of your most efficient enlisted, Captain. We’re going to round up some white coats.”