"So plastic bottles and a vest that can stop bullets?" Tiffania summed up the things she saw in the chemical engineering department. "It feels to me that you can create anything from plastic."
"Indeed it is Tiffania," Alexander agreed on her thoughts. "Plastics is a versatile material that can be turned into anything we see fit. From tools, clothes, tires, furniture, medicines, computers, communications, electronics, transportation, basically everything. That's just how powerful plastic is."
But sadly, all good has its own flaws. For example, plastic pollution from his original world was bad to the point there's a sea of plastic in the Pacific Ocean. What was the name of it? If his memory serves him right, it was the Great Pacific Garbage Patch where there were eighty thousand to one hundred thousand tons of plastic floating in that area.
It is quite ironic that humanity can create something virtually indestructible yet so cheap that they throw it away. For plastic to degrade naturally, it would take four hundred fifty years or five hundred years. But that is just an estimation, no one actually knows, including himself, when plastic breaks down. The reason being is that plastics are man-made, which basically come from monomers of propylene linked together by extremely strong carbon-carbon bonds. There is nothing like that in nature, so nature has no idea of how to break it down.
But, there's no denying the fact that plastic is a crucial element of the modern world. Without it, the modern world would simply cease to exist or revert back to how things were like in the 1870s.
"Sir Alexander, this is what we can show for today, the rest are still in the works," Nikolay said.
"It's fine since I saw what I needed to see in this department. We will be moving on from the next department now. Thank you for giving us this time, Doctor Nikolay. I know that you can't wait to return back to the lab and experiment with something that could benefit the country."
"You know me so well Sir Alexander," Nikolay smiled. "But it's all thanks to you since you were the one who opened my eyes to the field of chemical engineering and showed me the beauty of it," he bowed as he ended his praise.
"You flatter me Nikolay, I merely give you instructions but you are the one who finished it. You too deserve the credit."
"I am honored," Nikolay laughed at Alexander's compliment.
The two men bid their farewell before going their separate ways. It's been three years since their first meeting and both were happy with the progress made toward their work.
"Tiffania, do your feet still hurt? You want me to carry you again?" Alexander asked as Tiffania walked beside him.
"Oh, there's no need, brother. I think my feet have already recovered from the stop we made here. Still, I'm afraid that it will hurt again depending on how far the distance is to another department...Speaking of which department, what department are we going to visit next?"
"I'm glad you asked." Alexander stopped walking and turned to look at her. "It's one of the departments I am looking forward to seeing, the automotive department."
"Automotive department?" Tiffania repeated. "You mean a department that makes vehicles, correct?"
"Yes, that is exactly what I meant," Alexander grinned and put his arm around her shoulders while continuing to walk. "Come on! Let's go!"
"Brother...this is improper..." Tiffania shied under his touch and tried to get away. However, she recalled a memory of her where she improperly did something not befitting of her rank, like sniffing her brother without his knowledge. So in the end, she gave in and allowed her brother to place his arm around her.
"If you don't like it I can simply let go," Alexander said, informing her.
"No, actually it's fine brother. It's not like I don't want it or anything..."
"Sir we are closing in the automotive department," Philip informed Alex.
Alexander returned a nod as he flickered his eyes in front of him. And there he saw the entrance of the automotive department looming before them.
As they pass through the door, a person suddenly approached them.
Alexander's gaze landed upon the man's figure. From his appearance alone, one could tell that he is in his mid-twenties. His black hair is combed into a quiff, neatly cut, and slicked back as if it is a part of the style. He had a slim build and tall stature, wearing a three-piece brown suit with a white collared shirt. One noticeable feature of his was his missing finger in his right hand. Alexander knew the man whereas Tiffania recognize the man.
Memories flitted back inside her head where she visited in hospital after the conclusion of the Winter Palace March. His name is...
"Sir Alexander, I have been waiting for you since," the man paused as he checked his wristwatch. "thirty minutes. Did the presentation of the chemical engineering department satisfactorily go?"
His voice is also familiar.
"Are the vehicles ready in the showroom?" Alexander asked instead of answering his question.
"Yes sir, we are the only ones that are missing."
It was at that moment the man noticed the presence of Tiffania. He bowed his head politely in greetings. "Your Imperial Highness, it's a pleasure to see you again. I don't know if you still remember me but we have seen each other for a long time."
"It's what I was thinking too. Your face, your voice, and the missing index finger on your right-hand look familiar. But I can't remember your name. What I do know is that you participated in the Winter Palace March."
"So you remembered?" Alexander interjected. "That's good then since this will make introducing one another easier. Tiffania, his name is Sebastian. Yup, his name is similar to my National Security Advisor but the spelling is different. He was the first person I spoke to when I visited the hospital to see the condition of those who participated in the march."
"Sebastian Kozlov is the name, Your Imperial Highness," Sebastian said respectfully. "It is truly a great honor to see one of the revered Grand Duchess of the Ruthenia Empire."
"That's it! I remember now," Tiffania gasped. "I didn't expect that I'm going to see you again. So you are working here now?"
"That's correct, I am an assistant to the Director of the Imperial Dynamics System Automotive Division. At the same time, I'm pursuing a higher degree in mechanical engineering so that I can get off of this clerical job and create something useful," Sebastian spoke casually and then his face paled when he realized his position.
"Oh my, I apologize for speaking too casually in front of you," Sebastian quickly bowed again, earning him an amused smile from Tiffania.
"I don't mind," Tiffania dismissed his apology while shaking her head.
Sebastian raised his head and spoke again. "Thank you, Your Imperial Highness. Well, I've taken so much of your precious time speaking with you so shall we proceed?"
"Lead the way," Alexander said.
