This domed city was the last cradle left to humanity. One hundred thirty years since Earth's air turned to ash, fifteen thousand lives breathe only because a handful of engineers keep century-old machines limping forward—and none more vital than nineteen-year-old Hartin Alec, the youngest Chief Maintenance Technician in the dome's history.
Alec has lived his whole life inside Dome Varos's iron ribs, hated by the veterans he outranks, sustained only by exhaustion, duty, and the quiet companionsh
The Question Blooming on the Star of Ash - The Partition of Betrayal
The morning light never reached inside the dome.
Instead, white lights embedded in the ceiling slowly brightened at set times. That was the "morning" of Dome Valos.
Hartin Alec woke on a simple bed.
The memories of yesterday still lingered in his mind. The scratches left on the piping, as if scraped by tools. A story of similar scratches written in old records from thirty years ago. And the cold face of Technician Granate, who had dismissed it with a snort.
(Today, I'll confirm it. This time, with evidence.)
Alec reached for the bundle of old records placed beside his toolbox. The paper surface was cold to the touch.
(Silas will listen.)
The thought lightened his mood slightly. Alec sat up and smoothed out the wrinkles in his work clothes. Today was the day of major repairs to the water reclamation system. It was the most critical work on the machine that could be called the dome's lifeline.
***
When he arrived at the lower mechanical sector, Vain Silas was already waiting.
"Good morning. You're early again."
Silas wore his usual soft smile. His dark brown hair was illuminated by the lights of the narrow corridor. For Alec, it was a relationship that went back before he could even remember. When everyone on the council looked at Alec with cold eyes, Silas was always the only one by his side.
"Good morning. Before we start today's work, there's something I want to talk about."
Alec held up the bundle of records slightly to show him.
Silas's eyes narrowed for just a moment. Only a moment. It might have been the lighting. But Alec thought he saw that change.
"...What is it? You've got a serious face on."
Silas asked in his usual tone. But there was something different in his voice—a hardness that wasn't usually there.
"I found scratches on the piping deep in line three. Strange marks, like something was scraped with a tool. I checked the records, and apparently something similar happened thirty years ago."
Alec explained it all, one step at a time. Just being able to tell someone about it made the heavy weight in his chest feel a little lighter.
Silas listened silently. His expression remained the same gentle smile as always. But his hands gripped the edge of the toolbox harder than usual.
"...I see. That is certainly concerning."
Silas's voice was quiet. Quieter than usual.
"The council wouldn't listen. So after today's work, I want to investigate it properly again. Will you come look at it with me?"
"...Yeah. Of course."
Silas nodded. But his eyes weren't looking at Alec's face. They seemed to be fixed on something else, lost in thought.
(Must be my imagination.)
Alec didn't dwell on it further. For now, he needed to focus on the work ahead.
***
The water reclamation system was the deepest machine in the lower levels of the dome.
Massive cylindrical water tanks were connected by several thick pipes. A device created by engineers from over a hundred and thirty years ago, it transformed dirty water into drinkable water. If it stopped, fifteen thousand people would have no water to drink.
"Close valve three for me. I'll check the internal piping."
Alec gave the instruction in a steady voice. In situations like this, Alec always took command. The experience accumulated since he was fourteen had seeped into his very body.
"Got it."
Silas answered briefly and reached for the valve.
Alec crawled through the inspection port at the back of the tank and shone his light on the internal piping. He checked each joint of the thick pipes one by one.
(This looks fine too.)
It was a different location from the scratch he'd found yesterday. So it should be safe, Alec thought.
"Silas, the pressure gauge over here is reading strange. Can you take a look?"
Alec called out toward the inspection port.
No answer.
"...Silas?"
He called again. That's when it happened.
A heavy sound—*Goggo*—echoed from deep within the tank. The needle on the pressure gauge at the back of the pipe swung rapidly into the red zone.
(No way—)
An alarm blared in Alec's mind. He knew this sound. He'd heard it before. A dangerous sound.
"Silas, get away! Step back from the valve—"
His shout was cut short.
*DOOOOOM!!!*
A heavy sound that shook deep into his ears. The wall of the tank bulged inward, and the next moment, it burst.
Scalding water and metal fragments slammed into Alec's body. His vision turned white. He felt himself lifted off the ground. Something cut his right arm and cheek.
His back struck a hard wall.
He couldn't breathe.
It was hot. Burning hot. The sensation in his right arm faded more and more. When he opened his eyes, the edges of his vision blurred. Blood. His own blood was flowing from his forehead into his eyes.
(Move... move...)
Alec managed to push himself up with his trembling left hand. From his cheek to his right arm, his skin was split open, and a wave of searing pain washed over him.
(Silas...)
Through the smoke, he could vaguely see a human shape.
"Silas... are you okay..."
His voice came out hoarse.
In the smoke, Silas's figure gradually became clearer.
His face didn't have a single scratch on it.
***
Alec didn't remember much after that.
When he came to, he was lying on a hard bed in the makeshift medical room. Bandages were wrapped around his right arm and cheek. The wounds burned with pain. Every movement made him feel his skin being pulled.
"You're awake."
An unfamiliar female medical technician said it curtly. There wasn't even a hint of sympathy in her eyes.
"...What happened?"
Alec asked in a hoarse voice.
"The council has decided. You forgot to close the pressure valve on the water reclamation system. That's what caused the explosion."
"...That's not true. It wasn't me. I noticed the pressure gauge was abnormal and told Silas to—"
His words stopped midway.
(I told Silas to get away. It was Silas's job to close the valve.)
The situation connected in his mind. If the valve hadn't been closed. Or if it had been deliberately opened.
The water reclamation system would burst.
"You're being called. Come to the council chamber."
The medical technician said only that before leaving the room.
***
The council chamber was more crowded than usual.
The plaza of the council sector was packed with representatives of residents and technicians. The voice from the loudspeaker mounted on the wall would reach every corridor in the residential sector.
Fifteen thousand people. All the residents of Dome Valos were listening to this moment right now.
Alec was forced to stand in the center of the chamber, dragging his bandaged body.
Five council members looked down at Alec from a high platform. In the center was an elderly technician with gray hair—Granate.
"Chief Repair Technician, Hartin Alec. The council renders its judgment regarding responsibility for the water reclamation system explosion."
Granate's voice echoed to every corner of the plaza.
"...Wait. That wasn't an accident."
Alec raised his voice. The wound on his cheek pulled painfully.
"I noticed the pressure gauge was abnormal and issued a warning. Someone deliberately didn't operate the valve. I want you to investigate that."
Murmurs spread through the plaza. Someone let out a small breath. Granate silenced it with a gesture.
"Do you have evidence?"
"..."
Alec was at a loss for words. There was no evidence to speak of. All he had was memory. Just that one moment of silence when he called out and got no answer.
"Claims without evidence are nothing but excuses to escape punishment."
Granate said it coldly and decisively.
"According to the investigation team's report, only your fingerprints were found on the pressure valve's operation history. No involvement by anyone else has been confirmed."
"...That can't be..."
Alec stood there, his gaze sweeping around.
He searched for Silas's figure. He found it quickly. Standing beside the platform, right next to the council members, was Silas.
Without bandages, without wounds, with a clean face.
"Silas... you were there. You were supposed to close the valve."
Alec called out in a pleading voice.
Silas slowly looked up.
For a moment, Alec thought he saw something flicker in his eyes. Sadness, or something else. Alec didn't have the composure to tell the difference.
"...I'm sorry, but I don't remember. Just before the explosion, I had already left that area."
Silas's voice was quiet and unwavering.
It was a lie. Alec was sure of it. But he had no way to expose that lie now.
"...Why..."
Alec's voice trembled for the first time.
***
"The council has decided."
Granate's voice fell quietly over the plaza.
"Hartin Alec destroyed the water reclamation system through operational error, creating serious danger to the life support of the entire dome. Therefore, banishment is imposed."
The plaza stirred greatly. Someone let out a small cry.
"That's not true... it wasn't me...!"
Alec raised his voice. His injured body wavered with his protest.
But his voice was buried beneath the council's proclamation flowing from the loudspeaker.
"This is a merciful judgment. We grant you the opportunity to survive outside the dome."
Merciful? That was a lie. No one could last more than six hours outside without a protective suit. Throwing someone into that world couldn't possibly be mercy.
Technical soldiers grabbed both of Alec's arms. He had no strength left to resist.
As he was being led away through the corridors, Alec turned back one more time to look at Silas.
Silas was standing there. Looking straight at Alec with an expressionless face.
(Did you do this?)
He couldn't say it aloud. His throat wouldn't move.
Silas said nothing. He just looked at him quietly.
***
Alec was made to stand before the outer wall gate, "Last Door."
A steel door forty centimeters thick loomed before him. The only entrance and exit, opened only when banishment sentences were carried out.
A technical soldier thrust a tattered protective suit at Alec's body. The filter mask was an old model with gaps where wind leaked through.
"Go."
With that short word, he was pushed from behind.
The door slowly opened. With a roar, hot air from outside flowed in. A gray-tinted sky. A barren, reddish-brown wasteland stretching to the horizon.
This was the outside world. The Deadland.
Alec dragged his aching body and took one step outside.
When he turned back, Silas was still standing beyond the door. Beside the council members, motionless.
All emotion had completely vanished from his face.
"Silas... why..."
His voice was swallowed by the wind outside and probably never reached him.
The door closed.
With a heavy *clang*, the light of Dome Valos disappeared completely.
***
Alec fell to his knees on the dry earth.
The wound on his right arm burned as it touched the wind carrying toxic particles. With each breath, a stinging smell seeped in through the gaps in the filter mask.
Above, a gray sky. The sun's light passed through it, scorching his skin with a dry heat.
(Silas... was it you...)
He didn't want to believe it. His only friend since before he could remember. The one person who had always been by his side, even when the council was cold.
But those eyes. Alec couldn't forget those eyes with all emotion erased.
A tear fell to the ground. Or was it blood flowing from his forehead? He could no longer tell.
Alec slammed his fist against the reddish-brown earth.
"...Don't mess with me...!"
His voice echoed across the wasteland and was quickly swallowed by the wind.
There was no one far or near. No one to answer.
Alec slowly collapsed onto the dry sand.
The pain in his chest was far greater than the pain in his body.
The wind of the wasteland passed quietly over his wounded form.
In the distance, the round silhouette of Dome Valos was barely visible on the horizon.
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