February 1–15, 2018
"Five Suns for India"
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1. Prithvi Energy Headquarters, Delhi
Shiva Shankar sat at the head of a polished walnut table in Prithvi Energy's brand-new corporate HQ. Around him were government officials, power sector executives, and senior engineers.
Projected on the holo-screen was a map of India dotted with five glowing markers:
1. Aurangabad, Maharashtra – drought-hit, frequent blackouts.
2. Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh – industrial hub needing stable power.
3. Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh – symbol of northern India's aspirations.
4. Chennai, Tamil Nadu – southern grid stress relief.
5. Guwahati, Assam – first reliable large-scale energy hub for the Northeast.
Shiva's deep voice filled the room:
> "These will not just be power plants. They will be suns of progress, planted across the soil of Bharat.
Each Arc Plant will generate ten gigawatts — enough to light up entire states. No coal. No gas. No carbon."
The ministers exchanged wary looks. Ten gigawatts was more than some entire nations produced.
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2. Deepak's Shadow Role
From his estate, Deepak listened to the meeting through Arya's live feed. He never appeared in person — the world thought Shiva was the genius CEO.
> Deepak (to Arya): "How's the fund diversion?"
Arya: "Seamless. We've routed profits from Shakti Semiconductors and Saraswati advertising into Prithvi accounts. Construction is fully financed. Zero loans. Zero leverage."
Deepak: "Good. No foreign banks. No vulnerabilities."
On his desk lay a folder: Emergency Reactor Expansion Plan. He already knew five reactors wouldn't be enough. This was only Phase One.
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3. Groundbreaking Ceremony — Aurangabad, Maharashtra
A dusty field outside Aurangabad had gathered a crowd of thousands. Farmers in faded turbans, children waving flags, local women in bright saris — all waiting for something they barely understood but deeply hoped for.
Shiva Shankar stood with the Chief Minister, holding a silver spade. Cameras rolled.
When he pressed the shovel into the soil, the crowd erupted. To them, this wasn't just a foundation — it was an end to darkness.
A farmer in the crowd muttered to his neighbor:
> "If this gives us power all day, my son won't have to leave for Mumbai. He can study here."
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4. POV: The Villagers' Hope
In a nearby village, twelve-year-old Kiran Patil ran home after school. His family's kerosene lamp smoked the tiny hut.
"Baba! Baba!" he shouted. "They say the new sun will light every home!"
His father, weary from the fields, looked up skeptically.
> "We've heard promises before, beta."
But Kiran's eyes sparkled with faith.
"No, Baba… this time it's Shiva-ji. He spoke to us. He said no more darkness."
For the first time in years, the old man dared to dream.
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5. Engineering Marvel
At the Bhopal site, shipments of titanium alloy casings, superconducting magnets, and AI-managed turbines arrived on convoys escorted by military vehicles.
Every nut and bolt was manufactured domestically, under Deepak's secret directive: no imports.
Arya oversaw logistics from orbit using ShaktiSat relays.
> Arya: "Reactor cores will be operational in six months. I've assigned drones to construction zones. Efficiency up by 46% compared to traditional builds."
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6. Global Reaction
In Houston, executives at ExxonMobil stared at a leaked report.
> "Five Arc Plants? This isn't theory. He's scaling."
In Riyadh, a Saudi energy minister slammed a folder shut.
> "If India exports this technology, the Kingdom's reign ends. We must stop them."
And in Beijing, a Politburo member muttered darkly:
> "Deepak Rawat… has declared war on fossil history."
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7. A Visit to Lucknow
At the Lucknow site, Ananya accompanied Shiva for inspection. Her background in environmental engineering made her a natural fit for advisory roles.
She whispered to Shiva after the speeches:
> "You know… for all the speeches, this is still dangerous. The oil cartels won't sit quietly."
Shiva smiled — the perfect corporate mask.
> "Let them rage. The sun doesn't ask permission before rising."
Deepak, monitoring the feed, allowed himself a moment of pride. Ananya's involvement meant she was already part of his world — whether she fully realized it or not.
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8. Closing Scene
By mid-February, foundation work had begun at all five sites. Drones poured concrete, AI-managed cranes lifted reactor shells, and night shifts ran without pause under Arya's invisible oversight.
The headlines flashed across the globe:
"India Begins Construction of Arc Reactor Plants."
"Five Suns to Power a Billion Dreams."
"Oil Age Ends?"
And in the quiet of his study, Deepak closed the newspaper, whispering to himself:
> "This is only the beginning. The fire is lit. Let's see who dares to put it out."
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