The fleet flew deep into the dark universe, trailing beautiful ion tails like a swarm of fireflies in the night. Simple, clear commands ran on their implanted chips.
Find and follow the human escape pods, then report to the base and await new instructions.
At times, they darted erratically through space, avoiding meteoroids in advance. Their sensors fed back vast amounts of data every second, and their primary data processing involved running extensive simulations.
Excellent programming. If they were controlled from the ground instead, signal conversion delays at the satellite station would delay each command by 0.1 to 1 second...
As Luo Qi thought this, the satellite station suddenly received an emergency signal.
One rescue craft failed to dodge in time and lost its signal. Although its activated electromagnetic cannon blasted the high-speed meteoroid to pieces, the unavoidable fragments sprayed everywhere.
Both sides were moving too fast. Their combined relative velocity had reached 260,000 kilometers per second.
Even with a body cast from zero alloy, the rescue craft's fragile internal components were destroyed by the violent shock.
Powerful impacts could damage precision instruments, and a rescue craft was precisely that-a precision machine integrating a whole range of technologies.
In the second world, Luo Qi's expression was grave as he watched the rescue craft signals on the panel before him.
"I hope those humans are lucky... It'll take at least three days before I can build another fifteen rescue craft."
"Three days, then another three days?"
A familiar line popped into Luo Qi's head: three years, then another three years.
"So, where are the mineral deposits-"
A blue spherical model replaced the panel, displaying ground scans from a network of thirty Prospecting Satellites.
Thanks to the prolonged ground-based clearing of the skies, these Prospecting Satellites had survived.
The high-powered communications satellite station outside the ground base was operating, maintaining signal links with the satellites overhead.
As the Prospecting Satellites spread out along Orange Star's orbit, Luo Qi quickly filled in the previous survey data. The surveyed area reached one-tenth of Orange Star's surface.
Within a radius of 3,000 kilometers centered on the base, 426 markers appeared.
Twelve were dark green, seventy-eight were green, and another 336 were lighter shades.
The nearest mineral deposit was a large, medium-green one seventy-eight kilometers east of the base. All the remaining mining areas were over a hundred kilometers away.
These markers indicated regions with high-density material readings.
For deposits within 2,000 meters of the surface, the denser the ore, the darker its marker. But he still needed to know exactly what minerals these deposits contained.
Whether there were associated ores and how pure the deposits were would also require the base to organize a team for on-site surveys and sampling.
"But the base doesn't have a damn survey team. Robots will do."
Luo Qi began his calculations, bringing out the base vehicle concept to launch a new plan. A convoy of mining vehicles would transport all the framework needed for a branch base.
Then construction of a mining and smelting facility could begin right on-site!
"It's time to deploy mining operations and establish a branch base."
Luo Qi issued another production assignment.
Since the new metal silicide had already replaced high-purity steel in most structures, the base's material utilization was undoubtedly excellent.
Most of the metals collected went toward building nuclear fusion power stations, producing metal items such as superconducting wires, and conducting research.
Without tying up other research or production assignments, Luo Qi began the [No. 1 Branch Base] expansion.
He wanted to build the kind of fully automated construction vehicle found in Red Alert.
Base Construction Vehicle construction progress: 0%
It would still use metal silicide in place of some of the high-purity steel.
The production lines inside Orange Star Base's factories began manufacturing the required components, preparing to assemble Base Vehicle No. 1.
Far beyond Orange Star's orbit lay the boundless depths of space. A curtain of darkness enveloped the human escape pod.
Two Solar Panel wings protruded from its cylindrical exterior. It could easily have passed for a satellite.
The AI Mom continued operating. Although it had received no communications from Orange Star, it followed its schedule, transmitting distress signals toward Orange Star at set times and in the designated direction.
Radiation from the stars struck the solar panels, continuously charging the escape pod.
Two rings of mounting racks lined the cylinder's interior walls, with six Stasis Pods neatly arranged in symmetrical positions along them.
Through the narrow windows, the peacefully sleeping humans inside were visible, black half-masks covering their faces.
Outside the escape craft, a rescue craft appeared in space, followed closely by ten more.
They approached at 20,000 kilometers per second, surrounding the fast-moving "satellite," which was only a quarter of their size.
The human escape pod had sensors and external cameras, bringing it face-to-face with the rescue craft.
"Requesting a communications link..." the AI Mom transmitted.
The rescue craft only reported the situation to Orange Star, ignoring external communications.
[3 rescue craft lost] [Target surrounded] [Maintaining speed of 7.2 kilometers per second] [Requesting new instructions]
Orange Star's satellite station received the message.
Luo Qi immediately created a Replica of himself.
In the second world, he looked at the Replica and said, "I'm counting on you for real-time control."
Then he packaged him up and sent him to the satellite station.
The Replica was converted into electromagnetic waves through the satellite station and transmitted into space. He soon entered one rescue craft and used local-area signals to take control of all twelve.
After taking command of the fleet, the Replica sent a message to the escape pod.
[This is Orange Star Base. Establish a signal link.]
A connection was established with the escape pod.
In the data world, the two sides' data differed, their territories distinctly separated like two towering walls. Data tendrils extended from the walls, merely touching one another.
The Replica read the basic information and confirmed that the occupants were alive.
Behind the opposing data wall, he saw a light source composed of core code.
But both sides strictly observed the rules.
Under the Replica's control.
One rescue craft moved close to the escape pod.
The escape pod also retracted its solar panels.
At 20,000 kilometers per second.
The slightest mistake would destroy the craft and kill everyone aboard!
Hooks extended from the rescue craft's belly and locked onto the cylinder. Under the Replica's control, capturing it took five minutes.
Carrying the escape pod, the rescue craft began slowing down. Eight small, symmetrically arranged nozzles appeared along the leading edges of its wings and began spraying blue ion streams.
Its other ion nozzles also activated, carrying the escape pod toward Orange Star.
The Replica dispatched another five rescue craft to search for the other escape pod, approximately 5,000 kilometers away.
Soon, the other escape pod was also captured by a rescue craft. Everything had ended well!
The fleet began returning to Orange Star. This operation had also served as a test of the rescue craft's performance.
[Current fleet speed: 17,000 kilometers per second] [Escape pods successfully secured] [Beginning return journey]
With escape pods attached, the rescue craft had more to consider and began decelerating early, making the return journey considerably slower.
The signals were relayed through satellites to the satellite station and back to Luo Qi. He hated those erratically moving meteoroids. Sooner or later, he would clear them all away and restore order to the skies.
The inner solar system, meanwhile, had been stable for many years. Stray meteoroids in its various regions had either become planetary satellites or long since fallen onto planets.
"Maybe something happened that I don't know about. It's time to put the Star Observation System on the agenda, too. The base still needs to increase production capacity and expand the research center!"
"Nanotechnology, the Carbon Nanotube Computer, the Atomic Computer, and the Photon Computer... so much to look forward to..."
"An energy weapons project needs to be established..."
"Work on the Electromagnetic Shield must accelerate..."
"Mineral output is still far too low to satisfy these money-devouring beasts..."
Before you continue