Brendan Burns

Winter

I watched intrepidly as my colleagues stared at various computer screens around the lab, trying to pay attention to the fifty-some-odd tasks that went into the current trial. They wore something akin to a hazmat suit, protecting themselves and the delicate machinery that was in the hermetically sealed room. I sighed, my breath fogging the window that separated me from the lab. I’m glad to not be as technically involved this time, as I didn’t care for the full-body protective gear. The suits grew uncomfortably warm after a few minutes of mild activity, and those actually in the room had to wear them for hours at a time. I did it once or twice in the beginning, but I eventually made it a priority to avoid wearing them at all costs. I suppose that's one of the perks of being one of the lead researchers involved, my job slowly morphed into an “overseeing” role as we made more progress and acquired more funding, allowing our initial group of four scientists to expand tenfold. So many new faces are being brought into our little world. I remember when Kelvin Laboratories first opened and I was a much younger man, working in a much smaller lab. They didn’t have as much funding, only taking on smaller projects, certainly not as important as the work I did now. When Kelvin opened a branch nearby, the smaller lab was destined to go under, being unable to compete with the pace that Kelvin was going to set. I left as soon as I could because I knew I was meant for more important work than the smaller lab could offer. Shortly after I joined Kelvin, we made massive contributions to the renewable energy community, thus establishing our dominance in the area and our position as the global forerunner of science and innovation. My specialty was in thermodynamics and much of my preliminary work was in that field. I worked in that path for the first half of my career, harnessing the laws of heat and energy to accomplish incredible feats. I was proud of my work and while satisfied with my current position, sought to rise higher. I thought that the opportunity would never come until I received a “summons” from the administrative council that ran the lab.