Unbroken Harmony

Chapter 1: Awakening in Unison

The alarm's chime cut through the silence like a sharp scalpel. Ethan's eyes snapped open, his heart pounding in his chest. He lay motionless, staring at the transparent ceiling of his apartment, watching as the first rays of artificial sunlight pierced through the glass walls of neighboring houses.

"Good morning, citizen U-7392," a mechanical voice sounded from the speakers. "Your chromatic balance for today is: 67% blue, 23% green, 10% red. It is recommended to increase the yellow portion for optimal harmony."

Ethan slowly sat up in bed, his slender figure reflected in the transparent walls. He squinted, trying to focus his gaze without his glasses. The world around him was blurry, like a watercolor painting left out in the rain.

"We remind you that today at 19:00 you have a mandatory paired activity scheduled. Please do not be late," the voice continued.

Ethan flinched. Paired activity. Another reminder of his loneliness, of the emptiness that had haunted him since that day...

He shook his head abruptly, pushing away the memories. He couldn't think about that. Not here, not now. The walls have eyes, and any sign of disharmony could lead to...

Ethan got out of bed and approached the closet. Inside hung rows of identical gray jumpsuits – the standard uniform for citizens of Unison. He mechanically put one on, feeling the soft fabric envelop his body.

Breakfast was as tasteless as always – a nutritional paste designed for "optimal nutrient balance." Ethan ate while looking through the transparent wall of his kitchen at the neighbors across the way. The couple was synchronously consuming their breakfast, their movements perfectly coordinated. Ethan felt a pang of envy, which he immediately suppressed. Envy is disharmony. Disharmony is unacceptable.

Leaving the house, Ethan merged into the flow of people moving along the streets of Unison. Everyone around was dressed in the same gray jumpsuits, their faces calm and emotionless. The city around them gleamed with cleanliness and order – transparent buildings reflecting the light of the artificial sun, neat rows of trees trimmed with mathematical precision.

"Hey, Ethan!" a voice called out behind him. Ethan turned and saw Victor, his colleague on the "Symbiosis" project. Victor was smiling broadly, his eyes shining with enthusiasm. "Ready for another wonderful day in our perfect society?"

Ethan tried to smile back, but felt that his smile came out forced. "Of course, Victor. As always."

Victor seemed not to notice the tension in Ethan's voice. He continued chatting as they walked to the magnetic train station. "You know, I just had another chromatic balance check yesterday. 98% conformity! Can you believe it? The consultant said I'm one of the most harmonious citizens in our sector!"

Ethan nodded, trying to look impressed. "That's... wonderful, Victor. Congratulations."

"How are your indicators, buddy?" Victor asked, still smiling.

Ethan hesitated for a moment. "67% blue, 23% green, 10% red," he finally replied, trying to keep his voice neutral.

Victor's smile dimmed slightly. "Oh... Well, don't worry. I'm sure that with the right adjustment, you'll soon achieve optimal balance. Maybe you should sign up for additional sessions at the Harmonization Center?"

Ethan felt a chill run down his spine. The Harmonization Center. The place where...

Suddenly the world around him blurred, and Ethan found himself in a memory he had been desperately trying to forget.

He stood before the door of their apartment, his hand trembling as he entered the access code. Something was wrong, he could feel it. Sarah hadn't responded to his messages all day, and her absence at work had been noticed.

The door opened with a soft hiss, and Ethan entered. "Sarah?" he called, his voice quivering with fear.

The silence was deafening. He walked through the living room, then the bedroom. Empty. Finally, he approached the bathroom. The door was locked.

"Sarah!" he began pounding on the door, panic rising with each second.

When the door finally gave way, Ethan's world collapsed. Sarah lay in the bathtub, the water tinged red. On the edge of the tub lay a note, written in shaky handwriting:

"I can't pretend anymore. I can't be who they want me to be. I'm sorry, Ethan. I love you."

"Ethan? Ethan, are you alright?"

Victor's voice pulled him out of his memories. Ethan blinked, realizing they were already standing on the station platform. The train was approaching, its magnetic rails humming quietly.

"Yes, I... I'm fine," Ethan mumbled, trying to collect his thoughts. "Just thinking about the project."

Victor looked at him with slight concern. "Are you sure? You look a bit... disharmonious."

Ethan forced himself to smile. "Everything's fine, really. Come on, we need to get to work."

They boarded the train, taking their seats among other passengers – all in identical gray jumpsuits, all with equally blank expressions. Ethan looked out the window, watching the city rush by – endless rows of transparent buildings reflecting the light of the artificial sun.

Arriving at work, Ethan and Victor headed to their department. The "Symbiosis" project was the pride of Unison – a massive spaceship that was to become a new home for thousands of citizens, spreading the ideals of harmony throughout the galaxy.

Ethan sat at his workstation, his fingers automatically beginning to input data into the computer. Around him, other engineers worked in perfect synchronization, their movements honed by years of training and adjustments.

"Attention all employees," a voice came over the speakers. "We remind you that today at 14:00 there will be a mandatory group meditation to increase collective harmony. Attendance is strictly required."

Ethan sighed, continuing to work. His thoughts began to wander again, returning to Sarah, to that night when everything changed. He remembered how the Harmony Service agents arrived just minutes after he discovered the body. They acted quickly and efficiently, removing all traces of the tragedy.

"This is an unfortunate incident," the lead agent had said then, his voice devoid of any emotion. "We will take care of everything. You will be assigned an intensive therapy course at the Harmonization Center."

Ethan spent three months at the Harmonization Center. Three months of endless sessions, lectures on the importance of chromatic balance, group meditations. When he came out, he was... different. Outwardly calm, obedient. But inside...

"Ethan!" Victor's voice yanked him out of his thoughts again. "Are you sure you're okay? You've been staring at one spot for five minutes."

Ethan blinked, realizing he had indeed been sitting motionless, staring into space. "I... yes, everything's normal. Just thinking about a new algorithm for the life support system."

Victor looked unconvinced. "Maybe you should go see a consultant? You know, a little adjustment sometimes works wonders."

"Thanks for your concern, but I'll manage," Ethan replied, trying to make his voice sound confident. "Let's focus on work instead."

The day dragged on slowly. Ethan mechanically performed his duties, his mind far away. He thought about Sarah, about her smile that became more and more strained with each passing day. About her eyes, in which the light gradually faded. How could he not have noticed? How could he not have understood that she was suffering?

After the mandatory group meditation, which, as always, left Ethan feeling empty, he returned to his workstation. But before he could sit down, his wrist communicator buzzed.

"Citizen U-7392, you are required to report to the Harmonization Center today at 18:00 for an unscheduled chromatic balance check."

Ethan felt his heart skip a beat. An unscheduled check? This was never a good sign.

"Is everything alright, Ethan?" Victor asked, noticing his reaction.

Ethan forced himself to smile. "Yes, just a reminder about a medical check-up. Nothing special."

The remaining hours of the workday passed in a haze. Ethan tried to concentrate on his work, but his thoughts kept returning to the upcoming check. What had they found? Had they noticed his moments of "disharmony"?

When it was time to leave, Ethan slowly gathered his things. Victor waved goodbye, still smiling his perfect smile of a perfect citizen.

"Good luck with your check-up, buddy! I'm sure everything will be great!"

Ethan nodded, not trusting his voice.

Leaving the building, he headed towards the Harmonization Center. The huge white building towered over the surrounding structures, its walls opaque – a rarity in Unison.

At the entrance, Ethan was met by a Harmony Service agent, his face impassive. "Citizen U-7392, follow me."

They walked through long white corridors, past rooms for individual therapy and halls for group sessions. Memories of the three months spent here after Sarah's death flooded back to Ethan with renewed force.

Finally, they stopped in front of a door labeled "Special Procedures Department". The agent turned to Ethan.

"The Director is expecting you," he said, opening the door.

Ethan entered the room, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst out of his chest. Behind the desk sat a man Ethan had never seen before but immediately recognized – the Director, the creator and leader of Unison.

The Director was an imposing figure in an impeccably white suit, contrasting with Ethan's gray uniform. His eyes, cold and penetrating, studied Ethan with undisguised interest.

"Citizen U-7392," the Director spoke, his voice calm and authoritative. "Please, sit down."

Ethan sank into the chair opposite the Director, feeling every muscle in his body tense.

"Do you know why you're here?" the Director asked, not taking his eyes off Ethan.

Ethan swallowed. "For... for a chromatic balance check, sir?"

The corner of the Director's mouth twitched slightly. "Not quite. We've been observing you for some time now, citizen U-7392. Your indicators are... concerning."

The Director pressed a button on the desk, and a holographic diagram appeared in the air. Ethan recognized his chromatic profile – lines of colors intertwining in a complex pattern.

"Do you see these fluctuations?" The Director pointed to sharp spikes in the blue line. "They indicate deep inner disharmony. We usually observe such patterns in... potential dissidents."

Ethan felt cold sweat break out on his forehead. "I... I don't understand. I always try to follow all the rules, I..."

The Director raised his hand, stopping him. "We know about your tragedy, citizen U-7392. About your wife."

At the mention of Sarah, Ethan felt his heart clench. He tried to maintain a neutral expression, but he knew the Director could see right through him.

"The loss of a partner is always a difficult process," the Director continued, his voice becoming almost sympathetic. "But in Unison, we don't allow personal tragedies to disrupt the overall harmony. You went through the standard rehabilitation course, but obviously, it wasn't enough."

The Director stood up and walked to the window, looking down at the city below. "You know, citizen U-7392, Unison is not just a city. It's an idea. An idea that humanity can achieve perfection through absolute harmony. Every citizen is a note in the great symphony of our society. And when one note sounds off-key..."

He turned to Ethan, his gaze hard. "We cannot allow disharmony to spread. Do you understand?"

Ethan nodded, not trusting his voice.

"Good," the Director returned to his desk. "We have two options, citizen U-7392. The first is an intensive rehabilitation course. Six months in the Harmonization Center, complete isolation from external influences. It's... not an easy process, but effective."

Ethan felt his stomach clench. Six months here? He wasn't sure he could endure that.

"And the second option?" he asked, his voice trembling.

The Director smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "The second option is more... experimental. We've developed a new program for cases like yours. A program that will help you find new harmony. A new partner."

Ethan blinked, not believing his ears. "A new partner? But I thought..."

"That after losing a partner you were doomed to solitude?" the Director finished for him. "That's an old rule, citizen U-7392. We evolve, we adapt. And we believe that in your case, a new relationship might be the key to restoring chromatic balance."

The Director took out a small device from his desk drawer, resembling a wristwatch. "This is an experimental Pair Matcher. It analyzes your chromatic profile in real-time and searches for compatible partners nearby. When it finds a match – it signals."

He held out the device to Ethan. "You will wear it constantly. When it finds a potential partner, you are obligated to meet with that person. Do you understand?"

Ethan took the device, feeling its weight in his hand. "And if... if I refuse?"

The Director's gaze turned cold. "Then we'll return to the first option. Six months in the Harmonization Center. And believe me, citizen U-7392, it won't be a pleasant experience."

Ethan looked at the device, then back at the Director. He felt cornered, but he had no choice.

"I... I agree to the experiment," he finally said.

The Director nodded, clearly pleased. "A wise decision, citizen U-7392. Put on the device."

Ethan fastened the Pair Matcher to his wrist. The device's screen lit up, showing his current chromatic profile.

"Remember, this is your chance to return to harmony," the Director said, standing up. "Don't waste it. You're dismissed."

Ethan left the Director's office feeling dazed. He walked slowly through the corridors of the Harmonization Center, trying to process everything that had just happened.

Stepping outside, he stopped, looking at the city around him. The transparent buildings reflected the last rays of the setting artificial sun, creating an illusion of warmth and comfort. But Ethan felt only cold.

He looked at the Pair Matcher on his wrist. The device hummed quietly, scanning the surrounding area for compatible partners. Ethan suddenly felt incredibly vulnerable, as if this small device had exposed his soul to the entire world.

Suddenly, the Pair Matcher vibrated. Ethan looked at the screen in surprise, where a message appeared:

"Match found. Citizen O-8147. Distance: 50 meters."

Ethan's heart began to beat faster. He looked around, trying to understand which of the surrounding people could be this mysterious O-8147. Everyone around looked the same in their gray jumpsuits, their faces emotionless masks.

The Pair Matcher vibrated again:

"Meeting scheduled for tomorrow, 19:00. Location: Harmony Park, Sector 7."

Ethan felt a lump form in his throat. Tomorrow. Tomorrow he would meet the person the system considered his perfect match. The person who was supposed to replace Sarah.

He slowly trudged home, feeling the gazes of passersby upon him. Or was it just paranoia? Did they know about his "disharmony"? Did they see him as a threat to the perfect society of Unison?

Entering his transparent apartment, Ethan sank onto the bed. He looked at the photograph of Sarah that he had hidden under the mattress – the only thing he had managed to keep after her death.

"What should I do, Sarah?" he whispered, looking at her smiling face. "How am I supposed to live in this world without you?"

But the photograph remained silent, and the Pair Matcher on his wrist continued to hum quietly, counting down the seconds to the meeting that could change his life forever.

Ethan closed his eyes, feeling fatigue wash over him in waves. Tomorrow. Tomorrow everything would change. But for now... for now he could allow himself a few hours of sleep, hoping that he wouldn't have nightmares about Sarah, about the Director, about the world that was suffocating him with its "harmony".

As he fell asleep, Ethan didn't notice how the Pair Matcher momentarily flashed brightly, sending data somewhere into the depths of the Unison system. Data that could determine his fate.