Colson's Defiance

Alvin stepped between Stark and Ivan, hoping to stop their argument. This really wasn't the time to argue.

He held up his hands to separate the two men, who were practically at each other's throats. "Hey, hey, hey, guys, do me a favor!

We're on the same side. Put those clever minds to work—we need to solve this problem, and fast."

Stark glared at Ivan in displeasure. "I always thought Russians had guts, but it looks like that's not the case!"

Ivan stared at Stark with lifeless eyes. "If it weren't for Alvin, I wouldn't give a damn about the Deluge. You're dragging everyone down with your crazy schemes, you idiot!"

Alvin patted Stark's shoulder in frustration. "Buddy, everything we're doing is to reduce the risk..."

Stark raised both hands beside his head, interrupting Alvin with a hint of anxiety. "Everything I know tells me that the artificial sun's runaway reaction can't be reversed.

"Dr. Otto is using nuclear fusion to mimic the way the sun works, but the artificial sun he built doesn't have the mass of a star.

"Trust me, trying to stop it now by reversing the fusion process will only make it explode sooner.

"That's the real gamble..."

Alvin froze for a moment, then turned to Ivan, hoping for some help. He didn't understand the things Stark had said, but there were plenty of people here who did.

Under Alvin's gaze, Ivan fell silent for a moment. "I'm not sure...

"But Stark's plan to send the base's lower levels into space just won't work.

"The temperature at the core of that thing is unbelievably high. Once it leaves the cold seawater, it'll explode before it can escape the atmosphere. Maybe the moment it breaks the surface."

Alvin paused, more or less understanding Ivan's point. He agreed