Summer holidays during wartime were nothing like ordinary student holidays. Half the students went home, but many remained in the capital – to work in military enterprises or assist in research projects. Although Corellia was not directly involved in the war, it was actively preparing for it. Moreover, it was fulfilling military orders for the Republic. Alex also stayed, but not out of patriotic motives.
For several days, he struggled, devising a way to access the KTI archives. Complex schemes and ingenious plans were born and died in his head until he realized a simple truth – sometimes the best way to get what you want is to simply ask.
"Associate Professor Well," he addressed her after another consultation, "is it possible for me to get access to the institute's historical archives?"
"Why would you want that?" she asked, surprised.
"I'm very interested in the period of the Republic's founding. I'd like to understand how technologies developed in that era, what key discoveries were made."
Well looked at him thoughtfully: "That's a very broad topic, Alex. The KTI archives are enormous – data accumulated over millennia. Even if the entire institute were to sort through this material, we wouldn't have enough time in our lives to understand what's there."
"But there must be search systems?"
"Of course. We use an archival neural network that can find almost any information. But there's one problem – as with all neural networks, the main thing is to ask the right question." She paused. "And to spend time productively. If I give you access, you must have a specific goal."
Alex thought quickly. He needed a topic related to his true interests but not one that would arouse suspicion.
"I'm interested in the origin of hyperdrives," he said. "How did these technologies arise?"
"That's still too broad," Well shook her head. "Let's narrow the topic. Prepare a detailed report on the evolution of hyperdrive systems of the Corellian Engineering Corporation. From the first prototypes to modern models. This will be useful for both your education and the history of our planet."
Alex nodded, hiding his satisfaction. The Corellian Corporation was one of the oldest hyperdrive manufacturers in the galaxy – by studying its history, he would inevitably stumble upon mentions of older technologies.
"Excellent. When can I start?"
"Tomorrow. I'll arrange it with the chief archivist."
The KTI archive storage was located in the underground levels of the main building. Huge halls, filled with server racks and holographic storage, stretched for hundreds of meters in the semi-darkness. The dim lighting created bizarre shadows, and the barely audible hum of climate control systems resembled the breath of a sleeping giant. Here, research, reports, and documents from millennia of the institute's existence were gathered – a true treasure trove of knowledge.
The chief archivist was an elderly man named Thorne Kessel – thin, gray-haired, with piercing eyes behind old-fashioned glasses.
"So, you're Associate Professor Well's student?" he asked, studying Alex with a keen gaze. "She says you want to study the history of hyperdrives."
"Yes, sir. Specifically, the evolution of Corellian Corporation technologies."
"A good topic. Practical." Kessel led him to a workstation in a quiet corner of the archive. "Here's your workspace. The terminal is connected to the archival neural network. Remember – the precision of your query determines the quality of the result."
Alex settled at the terminal and activated the system. The search interface appeared on the holoprojector – deceptively simple, but Alex understood that incredible complexity lay behind it.
For the first few days, he genuinely worked on the official topic, studying the history of the Corellian Corporation. But gradually, he began to formulate more cunning queries:
"Sources of technologies used in the early developments of the Corellian Corporation"
"Archaeological findings that influenced the development of hyperdrives"
"Ancient artifacts with unknown energy characteristics"
The neural network provided results, but they were often fragmentary. Alex stumbled upon mentions of strange terms – "Rakata," "Infinite Empire," "star charts" – but when he tried to find details, the system gave meager results or found nothing at all.
He was particularly intrigued by the term "Rakata." It appeared in several documents, but always in passing, without explanation. Alex wasn't even sure if it was the name of a race, a technology, or something else.
The breakthrough came unexpectedly. While studying a report on archaeological finds on Dantooine, he stumbled upon a mention of the "Great Hyperspace Collapse" – an event he had never heard of.
"Artifacts discovered in the ruins date back to the period before the Great Collapse. Their technological level significantly exceeds the capabilities of the modern era, which confirms theories about the existence of an advanced civilization in the pre-collapse period."
Alex requested information about the Great Hyperspace Collapse and received a brief summary:
"A catastrophic event that occurred approximately 25,000 years ago. It was characterized by the sudden destruction of hyperspace routes throughout the galaxy, leading to the isolation of star systems and the collapse of interstellar civilization. The causes of the event remain unknown. The recovery period took several millennia."
Alex leaned back in his chair, astonished. So, modern galactic civilization was not the first! Before it, there was another, more advanced one, which suddenly collapsed. And perhaps the mysterious "Rakata" were somehow connected to this ancient civilization.
He tried new queries:
"Civilization before the Great Hyperspace Collapse"
"Pre-collapse period technologies"
"Causes of the Great Collapse"
There were more results, but they still seemed incomplete. Many documents referred to materials that were not in the digital database, or contained fragments in archaic dialects.
It was working with ancient languages that gave him the next clue. Studying the linguistic analysis of old texts, he discovered that many terms had changed over time. What was called "Rakata" in modern documents might have been called something else in ancient texts.
Alex requested a dictionary of archaic terms and began experimenting. "Rakh-ata," "Rakh'ata," "Rakata"... And then – a breakthrough. The query "Rakata" in the ancient Coruscanti dialect yielded completely different results.
It was a personal correspondence between two scientists who lived twenty-five thousand years ago:
"Dear Renn, the situation is becoming critical. The Rakata networks are collapsing across the galaxy. Many worlds have already lost contact. I fear we are on the verge of a new dark age. If our civilization survives, future generations may not even know who the true creators of the hyperspace routes were."
Alex reread the letter several times, feeling his heart race. So, the Rakata were that ancient race! They controlled the hyperspace networks, and their fall led to the Great Collapse.
Using the correct spelling of the name, he gained access to a much larger body of information. Fragmentary, scattered, but enough to begin piecing together a picture.
The Rakata created the first galactic empire, based on incredibly advanced technologies. Their hyperspace gates connected thousands of worlds. They built self-replicating factories, created artificial intelligence, and developed principles that modern science still couldn't fully understand.
But the deeper he dug, the more often he encountered the same problem. The most interesting documents broke off halfway, referred to materials not in the digital database, or contained notes like "see Shane's collection, physical media."
"Mr. Kessel," he addressed the archivist, "what is this Shane collection? The system constantly refers to it, but there are no materials in the database."
The elderly archivist looked up from his papers: "Ah, Professor Revan Shane. A brilliant researcher of ancient history, lived about twenty thousand years ago. He had an extensive personal collection of artifacts and documents."
"And where is it now?"
"In physical storage. We don't digitize the oldest materials – the media are too fragile, and it's not always clear how to read them correctly." Kessel paused. "Besides, Shane's collection has always been considered... problematic."
"In what sense?"
"Shane researched controversial theories. He claimed that modern civilization was built on the ruins of an older one. He called them... what was it... Rakata, I think. The academic community was skeptical of his work."
Alex barely suppressed his excitement. So, Professor Shane was studying the same topic!
"And can I see these materials? For completeness."
"Theoretically, yes. You have research access." Kessel stood up. "But I warn you – it's quite grim down there. The physical storage is on the lowest levels."
They descended the stairs several more floors. The air here was more stagnant, the lighting dim, and the corridors seemed endless. Ancient shelves stretched into the darkness, filled with containers, boxes, and sealed capsules.
"Shane's collection is in sector D-7," Kessel said, handing Alex a portable lamp. "I can't leave you here alone for long, but you have an hour or two. Just be careful – some media are very fragile."
Sector D-7 turned out to be a particularly grim corner of the archive. Dust lay thick here, and some containers looked as if they hadn't been touched for decades. Alex methodically studied the labels, searching for something related to the Rakata.
And then he remembered a strange phrase from one document: "See my notes, section 'True Builders,' container behind shelf number seven, for details." He hadn't paid attention to it then, but now he understood – it could be a clue left by Shane himself.
Behind shelf number seven, in a narrow passage between rows, there was indeed a small metal container. It had no identifying marks, only a layer of dust and barely visible scratches on its surface.
Alex carefully retrieved the container from its hiding place. It was sealed with an old seal bearing symbols in an archaic dialect. The seal yielded easily, as if time had made the metal brittle.
Inside lay crystalline data carriers and handwritten notes. Alex carefully extracted one of the notes and tried to read it. The ancient dialect was complex, but he could decipher some phrases:
"A race known as the Rakata... the first truly galactic civilization... their technologies were based on a deep understanding of the connection between the Force and matter..."
"Their fall was sudden and catastrophic... the reasons remain unclear, but the consequences are still felt..."
"This knowledge is dangerous... too many are interested in the truth about the Rakata never becoming known... I am hiding the materials in the hope that someday someone will be found who can use them better..."
Alex felt goosebumps. Professor Shane wasn't just studying the Rakata – he had uncovered some dangerous truth and was forced to hide it. And now, twenty thousand years later, this truth had fallen into Alex's hands.
Alex carefully packed the materials back, but he wasn't going to leave them here. Ever since his uncle Garrek's time, he had a portable adapter for reading crystalline media – a universal device that had also come in handy in his secret laboratory. Now it lay in his backpack.
Making sure Kessel couldn't see him, Alex quickly connected the adapter to one of the crystals. The device hummed softly, copying the data to his personal drive. The process took several minutes – Professor Shane's archive turned out to be extensive. When the copying was finished, Alex carefully returned all the materials to the container and placed it back behind the shelf.
Going upstairs, he returned to his terminal with the air of a man who had spent time in a dusty archive without much result.
"So, did you find anything interesting?" Kessel inquired.
"Just general materials so far," Alex replied. "But it's a good basis for further work."
The following weeks he methodically traced the evolution of hyperdrives of the Corellian Corporation. The work turned out to be painstaking – the corporation was already fifteen thousand years old, and during that time it had released hundreds of different engine models.
Alex moved from the present to the past, studying each generation of technology. Modern KT-400 series engines were elegant and efficient. Models from a thousand years ago were more cumbersome but based on the same principles. The deeper into the past, the more primitive the periphery became – control systems, hulls, interfaces.
But one thing remained unchanged – the hyperspace resonator, the motivation chamber, and the navigation computational complex. These components, which formed the heart of any hyperdrive, had hardly changed over millennia. Their design was so perfect that engineers simply couldn't find ways to improve it.
Reaching the earliest prototypes from fifteen thousand years ago, Alex was struck by the contrast. The hulls were crude, the cooling systems primitive, the control interfaces clumsy. But the resonator, the motivation chamber, and the computational complex were just as complex and perfect as in modern engines.
It made no sense. How could ancient engineers, who couldn't create a decent hull, develop such a complex foundation?
Alex tried to trace the origin of the technologies even deeper, but stumbled upon a strangeness. The Corellian Engineering Corporation did not invent hyperdrives – it manufactured them under license. Moreover, the corporation itself was a union of several smaller firms, each specializing in certain components.
Digging further, he discovered that all these firms received key components from a single supplier – the company "Galactic Star Paths." This firm produced hyperspace resonators and navigation complexes not only for the Corellian Corporation but for all major hyperdrive manufacturers in the galaxy.
And most surprisingly, "Galactic Star Paths" existed even before the founding of the Republic. The company was older than modern galactic civilization!
Alex requested information about "Star Paths" and received an extensive archive. The company had a rich history, full of ups and downs, mergers and divisions. But invariably, it remained the sole manufacturer of critically important components for hyperspace travel.
He traced the company's history back through millennia. Models changed, names evolved, but the essence remained the same. And everywhere – the same basic components, practically unchanged for tens of thousands of years.
Finally, he reached the very beginning. The first prototype of the "Star Paths" hyperdrive was created twenty-seven thousand years ago – even before the Great Hyperspace Collapse. And what was astonishing – many documents from that era were classified for ten thousand years, a period that then seemed endless.
But the secrecy periods had expired. The irony was that no one even knew about the revealed secrets – who would be interested in studying documents from thirty thousand years ago now?
Alex gained access to the declassified materials and discovered an astonishing thing. Even the very first prototype used the same components. As if these technologies appeared out of nowhere, fully formed.
In the technical reports, he found mentions of "basic components of unknown origin" and "artifacts found during archaeological excavations." But details were missing – apparently, they were even more heavily classified.
And then he stumbled upon a work correspondence between scientists of that era. The messages were brief but eloquent:
"Doctor Krenn, we know for sure that a hyperspace engine is possible – we have wreckage of ancient devices. But all attempts to recreate them are failing. It seems that critically important components require some unknown energy field."
"Professor Valek, I have studied your reports. If I understand correctly, we are talking about the Force? Then recreate the device using the Force!"
"Doctor Krenn, where will I get a Star Forge? Only our ancient masters knew how to create mechanisms that use the Force on an industrial scale. Modern Jedi can move stones, but not produce complex devices."
A few months later, the tone of the correspondence changed:
"Professor Valek! The Star Forge has been found! An archaeological expedition on Talus discovered a partially functioning complex. The first tests show that it is capable of producing components identical to ancient samples!"
"Doctor Krenn, this is amazing news! Now the mass production of hyperdrives is a matter of the next twenty to thirty years!"
Alex leaned back in his chair, astonished by the discovery. So, modern hyperdrives were produced in ancient Rakata factories! The Star Forges were still working, creating components using technologies that no one fully understood.
Having reached a dead end with official sources, Alex decided to study Professor Shane's archive. He launched an automatic translator and began to browse the ancient texts. Most of the materials concerned general hypotheses about the Rakata, but in one of the documents, he found a detailed description of the Star Forges:
"Star Forges are automated production complexes capable of creating the most complex devices without the participation of sentient beings. They use the Force as an energy source and guiding principle, which allows them to produce technologies inaccessible by ordinary methods. The Rakata built thousands of such complexes throughout the galaxy, and many of them continue to function millennia after the fall of their creators."
Alex tried to find current information about Star Forges in the archives, but the system yielded no results. Perhaps different terms were used, or the information was too classified. He experimented with various queries – "automated factories," "ancient production complexes," "archaeological finds on Talus" – but received only fragmented mentions.
It was clear that information about the Star Forges was either carefully hidden or lost. But the connection seemed obvious – ancient automated factories of the Rakata continued to produce components for hyperdrives, and the entire modern galactic civilization depended on these forgotten technologies.
Alex copied all the found data to his personal drive. He now had an extensive database of information – from modern technical specifications to ancient theories of Professor Shane. The picture began to form, although many details remained unclear.
But officially, he needed to prepare a report for Associate Professor Well. Alex spent several days compiling a detailed document on the evolution of hyperdrive installations of the Corellian Engineering Corporation. He described the technical development, key models, key innovations – everything required for academic work.
But he didn't write a single word about his true discoveries. The connection between modern technologies and the ancient Rakata, the existence of Star Forges, the secrets of "Galactic Star Paths" – all this remained his personal secret.
When the report was ready, Alex took it to Associate Professor Well.
"Excellent work," she said, having reviewed the document. "Very detailed and systematic. It's clear you spent a lot of time on research."
"Thank you. It was indeed a fascinating topic."
"And what do you think about the development of technologies? Are there any patterns?"
Alex cautiously replied: "It's interesting that the basic principles have remained unchanged for millennia. Primarily the periphery develops – interfaces, control systems, hulls. But the heart of the technology hardly changes."
"Yes, that's characteristic of many mature technologies. When an optimal solution is found, further improvements become minimal."
If she knew where this "optimal solution" came from, Alex thought, but only nodded in response.
Leaving Associate Professor Well's office, he understood that his research was just beginning. The KTI archives had given him valuable information, but many questions remained unanswered. Where are the Star Forges now? Who controls "Galactic Star Paths"? And most importantly – do they themselves know about the true origin of their technologies?
Associate Professor Well looked thoughtfully at the closed door and said to herself,
"Well done, boy. Knows what not to talk about."
Then her gaze returned to the datapad, where his search queries were visible.
There was a notification of operation confirmation.
"Delete user Alex Corren's request history?"
She pressed the confirmation button.