Tyranny of Steel

It had been twenty years since Berengar first reincarnated into this world. Despite all the trials and tribulations the man had faced, the last few years of his life had been utterly peaceful. Nearly five years had passed since the day the war with Japan ended, and during this time, Berengar had begun to lay down the foundation that would make his Empire unchallenged for centuries to come.

Since the victory in Japan, Berengar had been focused on the growth of the fatherland both abroad via its colonies, and at home, especially in regards to the weapons introduced into service. From third generation jet aircraft, such as the F-5e Tiger II, to the introduction of the main battle tank in the form of the Leopard 1A5. The military technology of the Reich had propelled itself several decades further into the future in a mere five years.

Yet until now, one critical piece of technology was dreadfully missing. Today was the day that Berengar's scientists and engineers had finally completed the project that the Kaiser had tasked them to fulfill over five years ago.

Standing in a top secret facility, located in a small town safely outside of the Empire's capital, a forty-year-old Berengar stood with a stoic expression on his handsome face. The man had aged quite graciously, and still contained his signature golden locks even now as he approached his middle years. Aside from the lines on his face, one other feature of the man's appearance had changed. Berengar's chiseled jawline was now obscured by a well-trimmed and oiled beard.

The project lead looked over at his Kaiser with a confident expression on his face, as he explained in a brief summary just what they had accomplished today.

"Your Majesty, you will be pleased to know that the directions you gave use on how to most efficiently, and safely build a nuclear reactor have born fruit. What you see in front of you is a small modular molten salt reactor. Not only is it less prone to meltdowns than our previous designs, but it also produces less radioactive waste, which our people are prepared to store in the colonies. I assure you that we have found a way to safely dispose of the waste in a safe and environmentally friendly manner."

Berengar silently nodded his head in affirmation of the news he had just received, while looking at the nuclear reactor which he and the project team were currently shielded from in a safe room. Though he was only a mechanical, and civil engineer during his past life, he knew enough about nuclear physics, and the proposed theories for improved reactors, that he had been able to set greater minds than himself on the correct path to achieve what it was that he desired.

Since the Kaiser had come all this way, from his home, he did not want to wait any further and coldly gave the order to fire up the reactor.

"Very well. I trust your calculations. Go ahead and turn the reactor on when you are ready. I dare say if you have succeeded in your endeavors, then we now have a means to provide safe and clean energy for the entirety of the Reich. Soon enough we will no longer need to burn bio-diesel to power our cars in the streets, instead we can spend the next decade or two transitioning to electric vehicles, powered by nuclear energy."

Though the logistics for such a futuristic society were not yet in place, Berengar knew it would not be long before his Empire that he had built from scratch surpassed the society which he had lived during his previous life.

It had only been twenty years since Berengar had reincarnated into this medieval world, and yet already the German Empire was in a technological state similar to the 1970s in many ways. With the introduction of nuclear power, Berengar would now be able to say that his state was fully on par with such an era.

As for the Project lead, he did not hesitate to give the order, and in just a few short moments, the world's first nuclear reactor had begun to power up. The computer systems within the facility confirmed that everything was functioning as it should, and within minutes, the small modular molten salt reactor was providing 300 megawatts of energy for the capital of the German Empire.

The Reich had never adopted coal power plants, and instead largely relied on hydroelectric and geothermal power until now. However, in the colonies where in many places such natural sources of energy were lacking, it had been difficult to establish reliable power without relying on some unclean source such as coal.

If there was one thing Berengar was concerned with, it was mitigating the impact his civilization had on the environment. Because of this, there were strict environmental regulations across the board, and many conservationist policies were in place.

The introduction of safe and clean nuclear power was a right step forward for humanity, and with his resources dedicated to the further development of nuclear power, Berengar believed that within the next one hundred years, nuclear fusion would be a reality.

As the reactor stabilized, and continue to produce a steady supply of power for the area, the team of scientists and engineers began to cheer. What they had just accomplished would provide a bright future for the German Reich, and as a result, even Berengar found himself smiling. The Kaiser placed his hand on the project lead's shoulder and congratulated the man on his and his team's success.

"Congratulations, it looks like you will be receiving the Imperial Order of Arts and Science for this outstanding feat!"

The scientist smiled and nodded his head in response to this statement. He had always hoped that he would one day work on a project that would lead to this award, and was gracious to accept the Kaiser's benevolence.

"You honor me my Kaiser, but we never would have been able to achieve this, in such a short timeframe if not for the direction you provided us. Even so, I thank you for your generosity!"

As for Berengar, he remained silent as he gazed upon the nuclear reactor. There were so many things that could be developed from this new technology. From nuclear-powered vessels, to nuclear propulsion for manned missions to other planets. The Atomic age was one of wonder, and was sadly squandered in his past life due to the failures of the Soviet Union and their Chernobyl disaster.

However, Berengar had ensured that only the strictest possible safety regulations were in place to prevent a nuclear meltdown on any scale. Thus, his people could freely develop nuclear technology without the fear of causing a worldwide disaster.

Despite this new technology, and the unlimited possibilities it granted to the German people, there was still one application of nuclear technology that Berengar would utterly refuse to develop. And that was nuclear weapons. With the power his Empire held, especially in regard to the other major Empires in the world. He could ensure that no state, even his own, ever developed such foolish and destructive weapons.

Thus, Berengar returned to his family that night in an exceptionally good mood. Luckily for him, his wives had been behaving themselves since the night of his eldest son's wedding, and he no longer had to worry about petty catfights breaking out between them.