Teelium, the dream energy source that emerged after its initial support, boasted 40 times the efficiency of helium-deuterium nuclear fusion and was hailed as the ultimate energy source. Nautlix Inc. proved this by building the world’s first Teelium-deuterium nuclear fusion power plant, and even equipped the Magellan-1 spacecraft with a compact Teelium fusion reactor. As a result, many students began studying Teelium engineering with dreams of a bright future. Unlike rare earth elements, Teelium deposits were most abundant in North America and Australia, and recent discoveries in Qatar only strengthened its position. The world was inevitably heading toward nuclear fusion for carbon neutrality, and the shift from helium to Teelium seemed highly likely. Beyond fusion, Teelium played a crucial role in developing new superconducting materials. The byproduct of Teelium fusion was a superconductor named Hyperionium, named after Hyperion, the Titan of Greek mythology associated with the sun and light..

This Hyperionium replaced over 99 percent of existing rare earth elements, freeing industries from rare earth dependency. Batteries using Hyperionium became true solid-state cells with drastically reduced weight, no thermal runaway, and semiconductor efficiency jumped from 30 percent to over 60 percent when based on Teelium rather than rare earths. Hyperionium also became indispensable for maglev trains. With electricity prices dropping to around 50 dollars thanks to this technology, it represented both a materials revolution and an energy revolution.

This black rock, upon refining, liquefies and becomes the energy source that powers nuclear fusion plants. The byproduct of that energy source is Hyperionium. In that sense, we are closely connected to materials engineering, just as petroleum engineering and materials engineering are intertwined. The core bottleneck in the Teelium industry is not mining the ore but the high-purity refining process. The technology developed to solve this is the High-Temperature Phase Transition process, or HTP Process, which is covered in our textbooks. The HTP process is not simple purification but a next-generation separation technology that uses phase transitions of materials. It vaporizes Teelium under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions and then re-condenses it, pushing purity to the extreme.

Ultimately, this technology does not merely refine the material but reconstructs it at a fundamental level. This technology is currently possessed only by our country, even though Teelium refining itself is not monopolized but freely disclosed. The HTP process was originally developed by a Texas company called Hewitt Energy. Hewitt Energy was later acquired by the Volta Group, which made the technology public. However, the U.S. government took possession of the patent.

Liquid Teelium, produced after the high-temperature treatment, has become the standard and core method for transporting Teelium. The reason is that gaseous Teelium, like helium, is extremely light and would quickly escape into the air, so liquefaction is an unavoidable measure to prevent loss during transport. As a result, dedicated liquid Teelium carriers and tank trucks have been built, allowing large-scale produced Teelium to be stably transported and supplied to industrial sites. This logistics innovation has greatly enhanced the scalability of Teelium-based energy and terraforming industries. Liquid Teelium is now regarded as the most important energy source within the United States and its importance in the global energy market continues to grow. It is an essential resource for nuclear fusion energy and advanced terraforming technologies, making the securing of stable supply chains and transportation systems a national and industrial strategic priority.

Historically, liquid Teelium technology and transportation methods began with a patent filed by Hewitt Energy Corp. in 2012. The patent granted exclusive rights to Hewitt Energy until 2016, but after the acquisition by the Volta Group, U.S. government pressure and the need for market stabilization led to the patent being made public, which helped stabilize Teelium prices. This process is seen as a prime example of how technology development intersects with global energy markets and national policy. Consequently, liquid Teelium has secured its value in transportation, supply, industrial application, and as an energy resource all at once, establishing itself as a key resource driving future energy and advanced industries.

To produce liquid Teelium, the tanks must be perfectly constructed with no leaks, because during the HTP process the gas from the rock is vaporized and then undergoes a complex liquefaction procedure. Conventional players like Chevron and Exxon had a clear advantage when the Teelium industry expanded due to their cryogenic mastery. Liquefying natural gas requires maintaining temperatures as low as minus 162 degrees Celsius, and liquid Teelium demands equally or even more precise temperature control. Their decades of experience building LNG tanks gave them world-leading insulation technology with double and triple-layered tank designs that block external heat ingress and prevent vaporization. Pressure management is another area of expertise, as Teelium expands dramatically upon vaporization, requiring finely tuned valves and control systems. Their massive scalability infrastructure also sets them apart.

Turning laboratory-scale liquefaction into transporting hundreds of thousands of tons across the Pacific on giant ships is a completely different challenge, and the ability to convert existing LNG carriers or build new dedicated Teelium vessels is dominated by energy giants who have long collaborated with shipbuilders like Hyundai Heavy Industries. Terminal operations, including the construction of massive liquid Teelium storage facilities at ports and safe loading/unloading procedures, are already part of their established manuals. Startups, however, can keep pace by investing heavily in cryogenic control tanks and leasing container ships.

Of course, air transport of Teelium is possible, but it requires converting the aircraft fuselage into Teelium tanks, typically using specialized planes like Boeing 747s or Airbus A380s. In most cases, trains and cargo ships prove far more economical. Across the American continent, freight trains carrying liquid Teelium tanks have proliferated, Teelium tankers have appeared, Teelium pipelines are being built, and even Teelium funds have emerged.

You work at Chevron as part of the team responsible for developing and managing the Teelium transportation system. Today you have come to the port to personally inspect the Teelium shipping operations. Although Teelium-deuterium fusion plants currently exist only in California, overseas demand, especially from Europe and Asia, is substantial. These countries are stockpiling Teelium because Nautlix Inc. has already signed contracts to construct fusion power plants there. Jessica, your colleague, accompanies you.

"This Teelium is truly a game changer," Jessica said as you both stood overlooking the busy terminal. "But we have to liquefy it for a reason. Otherwise, thanks to its light gaseous nature, it would simply float away into the air."

Jessica pointed toward the large liquid Teelium tanker being loaded at the dock. "This is exactly why we need tankers of this scale. Plus, with the recent discovery of Teelium in Qatar, the need will only become greater."

She continued, her tone growing more serious. "If we didn't do this, we would suffer enormous losses as Teelium escapes during transit. And just like everything else, we have to prepare countermeasures. Think of Deepwater Horizon. If a large amount of Teelium were to leak all at once, it may not be toxic like oil or cause an environmental disaster like helium, but it would still be an industrial catastrophe."

Jessica paused briefly before adding, "And if a major accident occurs, the company would suffer devastating financial damage from such an industrial disaster."

Jessica turned to look at you, her eyes meeting yours as the sound of loading equipment and distant ship horns filled the air. The vast ocean stretched out before you, carrying both immense opportunity and the constant shadow of potential risk.