wandering planet

What Xue Ming said was that he was not ready to meet women other than the base female staff.

Jiang Che didn't understand why he had to prepare, but Xue Ming looked very nervous, and even sneaked away during the meal, and when he came back and sat next to Jiang Che, Jiang Che could smell the faint smell of cologne on his body.

"The stationmaster gets nervous when he sees a strange woman." The deputy stationmaster explained to him, "Spraying this scented cologne can make him feel safe."

"Then you weren't nervous when seeing you?" Jiang Che was surprised.The Australian station has three deputy station chiefs, two of whom are women.

The deputy station master smiled: "I was nervous at the beginning, but it's fine after I get used to it. He's just like this, and he has no other problems. He was bullied when he was studying, and he was a little scared."

Tang Mo was sitting opposite Xue Ming, and he felt bitter about him not finding out that he was a woman just now: "I'm not good-looking? Why didn't you see that I was a woman?"

Xue Ming laughed dryly, turned his head to chat with Jiang Che, and distracted Tang Mo's attention.

"His glasses were blown off by the wind this morning and broke." The deputy station chief interjected. "There was something wrong with the gate of the takeoff and landing field. He climbed up to see it himself."

Jiang Che was so anxious to translate for them that he didn't have time to eat.

"Isn't he the stationmaster? The stationmaster also needs to do such a job?"

"You are coming, he is nervous, so he has to do something to divert his attention." The deputy station master was very serious, "Don't look at him like this, he is very good at repairing things."

Tang Mo was dubious, staring at Xue Ming suspiciously while sipping soup.

They have just escaped from the cosmic environment, and the chefs at the Australian station prepare something that is easy to eat and digest.At first, I thought that the people on the Phoenix would eat space food that didn’t pay much attention to taste and only wanted to fill their stomachs. Almost everyone's eyes widened in surprise: "How did you get these things?"

After eating this meal for a long time, Jiang Che kept talking almost the whole time. Occasionally, Song Junxing and Ovid mingled for a while, demonstrating how to fight Greya worker bees or winged snakes.

"It's so fun..." Xue Ming murmured, "Is space travel so exciting?"

Jiang Che: "If it were someone else, I wouldn't know."

He was even a little proud because of Phoenix and his companions.

Tang Mo was still thinking about Xue Ming's words over and over again: "What do you mean there are lesbians? Can't there be lesbians in Star Trek? Does he discriminate against lesbians?"

After the meal was finally finished, each Phoenix crew member stuffed a thumb-sized identification block into their hands.

The earth language tutorial is contained in the identification block, which can be played in the built-in video projection device in the room for people to learn.

Lin Ni pulled Jiang Che and Xue Ming to the side.

"The captain and I seem to agree." Xue Ming said happily, "Let's talk about what happened when the Phoenix sailed. Jiang Che just talked about killing the looters, so did you get any looters?" intestines of the victim?"

"I want to talk about something else." Lin Ni quickly said to Jiang Che.

Jiang Che understood that he was only here to act as an interpreter, so he obediently stood aside.

Lin Ni told Xue Ming the most important purpose of this trip.

As early as when the Phoenix was approaching the solar system, Xue Ming had communicated with him.The Phoenix has come all the way, which is equivalent to re-opening the channel from Marseille to the earth.But there is a section that cannot be used - the section where they turned to the Egret space station on the way, because it is too close to the Arlans star field, if ordinary civilian ships and more threatening military ships want to go to and from the earth through the channel With Marseille, it is inconvenient to pass through that place.

What's more, the opening of Egret Space Station is a secret and cannot be discovered.

So in another sense, the route is not fully determined.They just determined the route from Marseilles to the earth, but they haven't figured out what the path from the earth to Marseilles is.

"I understand what you mean." Xue Ming put away his laughing expression, and told Lin Ni seriously, "The Earth Headquarters actually has the same meaning. We will dispatch enough fleets to escort the Phoenix back to Marseilles, and confirm the route from Earth to Marseilles." Will there be other risks along the way."

Lin Ni and Jiang Che were a little surprised: the time for the headquarters to make this decision seemed to be too short.

"It's not short, we have been thinking about this matter for almost 500 years. Since the first day the Earth Defense Fleet was established, we have been waiting for a message from Marseille." Xue Ming said, "Since there is no response at all, we will no longer Not even a small ship came back from afar. We can only think that this road may have changed. There are no survivors, so there is no message sent back. Because of this, the fleet has not made a decision to explore again. Everyone is afraid. 500 The 'Great Retreat' years ago and the 'Big Impact' later were both very painful and terrifying disasters for mankind."

Jiang Che suddenly remembered something.

The reason why he tried his best to board Faust to participate in the "homecoming trip" is because the propaganda stated that this trip can return to the earth.

Xue Ming was also a little surprised.He has been at the Australian station for five or six years, but he has never seen the relevant ships arrive.

"The 'Journey Back Home' is just a gimmick." Linney told Jiang Che, "The destination of Route 18 is actually not the earth, but the outer reaches of the solar system. At that time, Marseilles had gradually stopped their exploration of the earth, and they thought it was of little significance. .I guess this should also have something to do with the establishment of the solar system crisis defense system. The defense system protects the solar system too tightly."

Jiang Che: "...So it's just a scam?"

Linney: "How much is the trip back home? With such a small amount of travel expenses, do you think you can really return to the earth and land for a longer trip? Impossible."

Jiang Che thought to himself that the travel expenses for the trip back home are quite a lot, especially for a low-income group like him.

He did not translate this conversation for Xue Ming.The Maasai are not keen on returning to Earth, especially since they believe Earth is worthless.If Xue Ming knew about it, Jiang Che felt intuitively that it would not be a good thing.

Lin Ni turned to Xue Ming: "There is another thing..."

He said a lot of words in one breath.

Xue Ming looked at Jiang Che: "Did the captain mention...the solar system crisis defense system?"

Linney controlled himself and expressed his interest in the defense system as gracefully as possible.

"The predators will attack Marseille, a devastating attack." Jiang Che explained to Xue Ming, "Marseille's current defense system can only protect Marseille itself, and cannot warn threatening visitors approaching the Alpha galaxy."

Xue Ming nodded.

His expression gradually became serious.

The Phoenix returned to Earth, bringing many new things to Earth and humanity.And now Linney's proposal may even change the strategic pattern of both Earth and Marseille.

This is very critical and he cannot decide for himself.

"I will report to the Earth headquarters." Xue Ming said, "After all your physiological indicators are adjusted, we will return to the Earth headquarters immediately."

At this time, in the take-off and landing field of the Australian Station, Fei Lian was releasing the connection status with the Homer.

He was the only one on the Phoenix, and he stood near the connecting bay, realizing that the ship hadn't been this quiet for a long time.

He couldn't detect human body temperature and heartbeat in the ship, and there was no sound of their voices. The smoke alarm in the kitchen might not go off again. I don't know if the small tomatoes and silver peppers in the cultivation room would still be there. keep growing.

Fei Lian suddenly felt lonely.

He thought to himself, is this also the uncomfortable feeling brought to him by the extremely troublesome human emotion processing system?

Human emotions are too complex.He is difficult to understand and can only be elicited and expressed with programs.

There are quite a few people walking around outside the ship.Maintenance crews at the Australian station inspect the damage to the Homer.

"Hello?" Someone poked his head in through the cabin door, "Is the connection disconnected? We need to disinfect the interior of the Homer."

"Wait." Fei Lian suddenly thought that he should tell Tolstoy.

The Birog ring of the Homer has stopped functioning, but there is still a very small amount of energy left.

Fei Lian woke up Tolstoy.

The energy of Birog's ring goes into the loss visible to the naked eye again.

"Fei Lian, long time no see." Tolstoy said slowly, "Have you returned to Earth?"

"Not yet, we are now docked on Neptune." Fei Lian said quickly, "Now we are going to clean up the interior of Homer."

Tolstoy was silent for a moment, and thanked him gently: "Thank you, Fei Lian. Commander and crew, are they leaving me?"

"Yes, Tolstoy." Fei Lian's emotional processing system was running hot and running at a high speed, and countless programs jumped out one after another, almost throwing him into a state of chaos, "Tolstoy, take a good rest here .When I return to Earth, my Biroger ring will be disassembled, transported back to Neptune, and installed on Homer. You will wake up again, and Homer will definitely be able to return to Earth."

He received no response.At some point, the energy of Homer's Biroger Ring has been completely reduced to 0.

Tolstoy fell into a deep sleep in the true sense.

Fei Lian stood blankly near the connecting cabin.

Something stronger than loneliness nearly overwhelmed him.

There's data flowing through his system.

Tolstoy, Eve, his two closest and most loyal companions.

There are also other companions who have completely left his side 500 years ago.

After receiving no response for a long time, the maintenance personnel got into the hatch of the Phoenix.He didn't find the boy-like artificial intelligence, he walked around in a random circle, and finally found Fei Lian in the cockpit.

The boy sat on the ground, staring blankly at the huge screen in the cockpit.

On the screen that occupied three walls, words were being written one by one, gradually filling all the blank spaces.

That was the name of all the crew members of the Phoenix.

The maintenance personnel did not call out, he knew that the artificial intelligence already knew that someone had entered the cabin, but did not respond as it should.

Fei Lian just sat in the cockpit, sitting in the silence that was more than 500 years late, recalling everyone's names one by one.

Earth language is not difficult to learn, and it can be said to have the same origin as Maasai language: they are basically based on English, and on this basis, derivative words and loanwords are constantly added to create a new language.

In the more than ten days spent at the Australian station, everyone on the Phoenix has basically learned the language of Earth.Tang Mo is the fastest learner, and she still has to write new stories in Earth language in her work full of artistic processing.

Xue Ming's interest in Tang Mo was obvious.

There are no such weird little girls in the Australian station, and there are not many people who can talk to Tang Mo.

When Tang Mo told him frankly that the reason he took Faust was to escape from Marseilles to avoid debts, Xue Ming's reaction was both surprised and happy: "You are just like the female knights in ancient times, who robbed the rich and gave to the poor."

"...I used the money myself." Tang Mo was almost ashamed, "I am helping myself."

"Then you are poor, there is nothing you can do." Xue Ming asked her, "Have you spent all your money?"

"Buying food."

Xue Ming was surprised again: "Why are you so powerful!"

Tang Mo felt that Xue Ming was much weirder than her.

Pierre has a serious sense of crisis. "Why doesn't Station Master Xue Ming chat with me?" He asked Lin Ni, "I keep chatting with Tang Mo, what's there to talk about?"

"What are you talking about?" Linney watched the simulated documentary of "Big Impact" intently, "Talk to you about how much money his family has, how much money your family has? Let me tell you, it's not easy, it's really not easy , I know the one who can catch up with Tang Mo's words and make Tang Mo have nothing to say."

As he was talking, he suddenly remembered that Pierre had said that he wanted to marry Tang Mo, and he immediately understood Little Curly's worries.

"You have to take the initiative." Lin Ni urged him, "Don't read it, what's so interesting about this book, go talk to Tang Mo."

Pierre lay motionless among the piles of books: "No, we're leaving the Australian station the day after tomorrow. These are the exclusive collections of the Australian station, and you won't be able to see them when you leave."

Linney: "..."

He gave up.

On the other side, Xue Ming was still chatting non-stop with Tang Mo.

"You have written so much." He smiled and stretched out his hand, "Can I take a look?"

Tang Mo thought that this person would not be nervous if he was familiar with him, now that he didn't even wear cologne, he dared to chat with him.

"This is Maasai, can you understand it?"

"I don't understand." Xue Ming immediately said, "You can read it to me."

At first, he just wanted to find a topic to talk to Tang Mo and attract Tang Mo's attention.But as Tang Mo was reading, Xue Ming's own attention turned away from Tang Mo's face, and fell into the recorder in her hand.

Tang Mo's recording method is completely different from Lin Ni's voyage notes.

In her own record, she writes her own feelings.That night in Greia F, she climbed to the top of the lifeboat and sat on it singing and eating.There are two bright stars above her head, and her hometown of Marseille is in the distance. Behind her, there is a blazing bonfire. Jiang Che is roasting enoki mushrooms. Lin Ni is lying on the ground, saying that she does not want to die anymore.

Xue Ming's heart was pounding, he even felt his skin was hot, and goosebumps appeared on his skin.

Seeing him in a daze, Tang Mo was a little unsure: "Is it boring?"

"It's not boring!" Xue Ming said quickly, "It's so interesting... It's even more interesting than the voyage notes that Lin Ni told me. Please continue reading——no, please, please continue reading."

Tang Mo scratched his head: "Is it really interesting?"

Xue Ming quickly nodded to confirm: "It's more interesting than Jiang Che's story."

He was observing this long and tortuous journey with Tang Mo's eyes.

"This will definitely become a very important record." Xue Ming stammered, desperately trying to convey to Tang Mo that what he said was not a flattering lie, "Perhaps people in the future will see your record and will A new perspective on our history with Marseilles, a new human being and a new brief history of the universe, things like that."

"...Wow, your imagination is stronger than mine." Tang Mo said with a smile, "When I read with Jiang Che and the others, although they also said it was interesting, we have all experienced this together, so even if it is interesting, no one can read it. Talking nonsense like you."

Xue Ming became nervous: "It's not nonsense! Absolutely not! When I have a child, I will let him study history and write a book about your experience."

Tang Mo finally became excited: "Then I can provide him with materials and charge a little material fee."

"Yes, yes." Xue Ming immediately agreed without saying a word.

Two days later, the Phoenix lifted off from the landing pad of the Australian station, left Neptune, and headed for Earth.

In addition to Xue Ming, there were more than 20 staff members from the Australian station.They were busy inside the Phoenix, repairing various damaged parts of the Phoenix.

A week later, Phoenix finally approached Earth.

It passed the moon that was about to be captured by Mars, passed through the newly formed dust halo, passed through the translucent atmosphere, and slowly landed in Mongolia.

The remaining paint on the outer layer of the Phoenix has been almost burned during the countless times it passed through the planet's atmosphere. At this time, it is just a huge silver starship.But the fiery red birds on the ship are still shining brightly under the scorching sun as if they were spray painted yesterday.

After landing, there was no expected welcome, and the Phoenix was immediately pushed into the disinfection field, and all the crew members also entered the sealed inspection place, and they stayed for three full days before leaving.

Without protective clothing, they would be completely exposed to an unfamiliar environment.Any kind of unfamiliar bacteria and viruses on earth can be fatal.

But joy and anticipation overwhelmed everything. They endured a long inspection and medication process, and after nearly ten days of observation, they finally left the inspection base.

Before leaving the base, Jiang Che and Ovid went to say goodbye to the Phoenix.

Fei Lian just felt baffled: "Why are you saying goodbye? Where are you going?"

"Ovid and I stayed on Earth." Jiang Che said, "Tomorrow, people from the headquarters of the Earth Defense Fleet and many international organizations will meet us. After this period passes, Linney will return with you. Marseilles."

"I know." Fei Lian nodded.

Linney had already told him about the plan.This time the route will also add an important part of "Earth-Marseille". Song Junhang will leave with Lin Ni, and they both want to return to Marseille to see General Lee Swright.Pierre must also go back, and Tang Mo wants to take the entire route again to complete her records.Those who went to Marseille with the Phoenix also included Xue Ming and several engineers from the Australian station. They are all experts in the solar system crisis defense system.

But Jiang Che and Ovid did not leave.

They decided to stay on the earth and stop traveling in the universe.

Jiang Che wanted to go back to his hometown to have a look, but the people in the base told him that the land had changed a lot, but miraculously, the rivers and mountains were still there.Old towns disappeared and new ones were born in scarred lands, but centuries passed and everything was alive again.

"Without you, what would we eat?" Fei Lian asked suddenly after being stunned for a long time.

"This time with a great chef, better than me."

Fei Lian said slowly, "There will be no better chef than you."

Ovid saw that he was not very happy, and quickly comforted him: "Fei Lian, do you know how the Earth Headquarters plans to name the new route we opened this time?"

Fei Lian had never heard of it.

"Phoenix Route. It's called Phoenix Route." Ovid stood on tiptoe and gestured, "Whether it's the 'Great Retreat' or now, the Phoenix is ​​a pioneer ship. They will build a ship where we landed." The stele of the Phoenix route, this was the starting point of that year, and it is also the end point of the present.”

There are no oaths or slogans on the stele.

It engraved the names of all the crew members of the Phoenix, and a small vanguard ship that was flying across the vast starry sky.