Chapter 9 chapter eight

Carbon's deputy cleaned him up and asked him to go out to meet the Mars Kirwan.When he staggered out of the tunnel, he stepped on the ground and struggled desperately in the air. A deputy quickly grabbed his arm and dragged him back to the ground. "That's it." He winked at Quinn.His eyes were bloodshot and lifeless. "I talked to Bruen, she came to take over my shift, and helped evacuate everyone, and Jannot was about to be abandoned." "Captain!" Quinn suddenly felt worried, for Clay and Noel, but also for Jomo and all those who risked their lives to come to the aperture. "Some people would like to stay—"

"No." He raised his voice annoyed, as if wanting a drink.He gestured to the adjutant. "Read the order!" The adjutant shook out a piece of yellow plastic paper. Anmin Notice All residents of Aperture Station, please be sure to prepare for medical examination before 21:00 solar time today.Then go to Mars and evacuate the Kirvan.Clothes and other personal items are not required as you will be taking life-saving medicine on the way.After pre-checking permission, each person can bring a bag of personal items to the side of the sun.Maximum volume: 5 liters; maximum weight: 5 kg.

(Signed) Kean Carbon Webmaster "Life brake?" Quinn stared at Carbon in puzzlement. "Is that necessary?" "Very necessary." Carbon shrugged helplessly. "Bruen originally hoped that the Kapala could take some people out, but Uru told me that the antique ship could no longer fly. It is impossible for the Mars Kirwan to carry so many people with normal transportation." "Captain, many people will die in their lives." He shrugged again. "no way." "I have served life brake." Quinn stared at the order book for a while, recalling his slow recovery process. "I'm willing to take another chance just because I really want to go to the side of the sun.

Maybe I can survive.But what about those children and the elderly?Captain, you must keep them in the aperture! " "No. The aperture station will be destroyed." "Destroy it? Is it necessary?" "I'm very sorry." He lazily shook his shoulders as an expression of apology. "I spoke to Bruin about my friend McLean and his lovely bride, and their willingness to live the dream of Aperture. She said she was reluctant to give orders like that, but we had to leave Janoit is back to normal and must not leave any traces to expose us to the aliens." "And what about the Capala, Captain? If she really can't fly—"

"We're going to overdrive its main magnet so that it explodes on its own." "Captain, people will object to—" "Stop talking," he said a little annoyed. "Bruen will not tolerate any delays. She will give you the orders herself." He nodded at the link laser, then turned away. "Wait a minute, Captain!" Quinn went up and wanted to say something.Suddenly he stopped, remembering that he couldn't tell others about the aliens he saw.But that vicious guy still appeared in his mind from time to time.Right now it is still billions of kilometers away, and people cannot see it because it is already full, but it will always be hungry again!If it finds Jannot - take Lifebrake and get out is probably the best option for everyone.He stopped arguing.Seeing Carbon groping into the tunnel, like a child who has been severely punished, Quinn couldn't help feeling pity for him.

He went back to the machine, trying to call Clay and Noel.But no reply.He searched again where the Spica had floated before.nothing.He tried to connect to the Mars Kirwan, and got a bunch of messed up signals.He thought that Carbon and Brunn might be discussing the evacuation right now. At this time, Jomo jumped out of the tunnel, which gave him a big jump. "Life brake! Go to hell!" His eyes were angry, and he waved a laser welding torch in his hand, and another laser welding torch was hung on his shoulder. "To his carbon, to his giant, to his bastard! To hell with it all!" He thrust a welding torch in front of Quinn.

"Come on, Comrade! Come on. Clay's calling the crowd. To the gymnasium!" Comrade!Quinn felt a burst of joy.He was no longer a child, but their comrade!He took the torch and followed Jomo into the tunnel. They saw almost all the crowd gathered on the playground of the gymnasium, sitting blackly on the safety nets and the running track, or dangling from the ropes and cross bars, there were about two hundred people.The limited passenger cabin of the Mars Kirwan simply cannot accommodate so many people.Among them were a dozen or so children who were too young to take Lifesha. "Damn it!" Jomo muttered. "It's against the Empire of the Sun."

Quinn wasn't going to do that.He clung tightly to a crossbar next to Jomo, not knowing whether to feel regret or longing.The fire of temptation on the other side of the sun cannot be extinguished, but—he cannot abandon these people he loves! Clay stood tall on a cross-bar, and Noel stood beside him.His voice, bouncing off the walls and growing louder, told the people of Vera Brunn's orders and evacuation plans. He asked Jomo to talk about the Capala engine. "Kapala's engine can no longer be used as an ion thruster." Jomo grinned.After the echo amplified his voice, he went on to say: "It's used to power the aperture station, maybe it's okay. Today, everything is safe, and maybe tomorrow, everything is safe. If there is a problem, we will fix it."

He stretched out his black arms and opened his mouth wider. "Maybe we'll get lucky. Maybe fix the main magnet, maybe fix and fix until no parts are available. But the parts to fix the ion thrusters are all used up and gone." He shook his fist in the air and flew towards Clay, shouting, "Life is bad for everybody. Kill me, kill everybody, it's hard to eat. I'm in favor of staying here." He grabbed Stay on the crossbar, stand beside Noel and Clay. "Until the engine dies." The gymnasium was silent, and everyone was bowing their heads in thought.Quinn also flew over, and Jomo leaned over and grabbed his hand.As soon as he stood beside Nuo Er, he heard a few scattered applause and shouts, and then it became louder and louder, and the sound hit the wall with a huge echo.

"I've seen Carbon," he whispered to Clay. "Bruen sent an order to destroy everything here—" Clay only nodded slightly, then turned around and waved for everyone to be quiet, and he introduced Noel.Noel was shy and quiet at first, but soon she spoke passionately.She talked about the Revelators and the Saints, about the surging anti-Big movement. "I'll never—never go back!" Her voice echoed off the walls, clear and powerful. "If we say that we live here in danger, but this danger is much cleaner than the danger on the other side of the sun! On the other side of the sun, they use all kinds of dirty methods to destroy your mind, your self-esteem and your soul, while And you think you're alive! Here—as long as the engine keeps running—we can live sane, free!"

As soon as the cheering stopped, Clay began to speak again. "For those who would like to stay," his husky voice was much slower. "We have no commitment except hard work and hard work. Only by fighting can we survive. But at least a few of us have made a choice. Here, I declare that we are free and we want to save Jannot!" silence.Someone asked a few questions with trepidation.Two or three timid people slipped towards the door.At this time, people heard several applause and cheers from the drilling crew, who came from the well wearing cold armor.The rest of the people clapped and cheered, and soon the gymnasium was boiling.The loud rig crew proposes Clay as "Big Jannott." He didn't want the title, but no one but him wanted to go face-to-face with Carbon, Vera Brunn, and Sun Security.He is the patriarch of Aperture Station, people trust him. There was a cheer from the crowd when he said he would be the head of the Free Jannot. Quinn went back to the dome with him.Two adjutants of the security department blocked them at the tunnel entrance, looking at Quinn with a gloomy face.Seeing Quinn, Carbon jumped up, stared at Clay worriedly, then turned off the machine and shuffled towards them. "Please!" He blinked hard. "I'm not the captain anymore. Bruen is about to land. We're starting life brakes on the masses while she loads up. Evacuating the aperture is a no-brainer." He looked at Quinn displeased. "Dern, I told you to be on duty here—" "Sir," Clay said. "Now the aperture station is under my command." "You?" Carbon's smile faded. "Cut it off, I've heard that you anti-people—" "Sir, we have declared independence." "Independence!" He curled his lips and shook his head, as if he thought it was funny and angry. "Crazy. Bruun has ordered Jannot to be brought back to its original state, trampled down!" Clay scowled and said nothing. "Come on—come on." Carbon looked annoyed. "Bruen won't let you get in the way. Please, before she comes—" "She won't be here," Clay said. "We just let her stop and drive away those who are willing to get out of here." "It's so stupid." Carbon shrugged, turned around and gave the adjutant a look, and the adjutant in full armor immediately showed a look of vigilance.Quinn leveled the torch and confronted them.His heart was pounding.Clay had taught him how to use a welding torch long ago, when they used it to unclog garden hoses, but now his sweaty fingers trembled over the switch.He couldn't help feeling sick at the thought of what a human muscle would look like when it met the laser blade of the torch. "no, do not want!" Carbon swayed, turned around and waved for him to put down the weapon, and then waved for the adjutant to go back to the tunnel.His constricted face twitched, and tears welled up from his bloodshot eyes. "Old man, listen to me!" he begged, opening his hands to Clay. "We're old friends, and I can't go to war with you. But I beg you—again, give up your treason, or you'll die!" "Maybe I'll give up." Clay smiled coldly. "but not now." Carbon disappeared through the doorway, leaving them alone in the red-lit igloo. "A nasty accomplice," Clay said to himself. "But it's pathetic." "Clay—" Quinn grabbed his arm impulsively. "I have to tell you something, and it will scare me to say it, but it may convince you that we should go back with Brunn." "Children!" Clay was startled and angry. "Are you crazy?" Quinn told him what he saw in the monitor. "Something out of a nightmare—but it's true!" He shuddered again. "Even though it can't be seen through the telescope now, it's still there. In case it finds the aperture station—" Clay stared at him hard, then turned slowly to look out of the dark room, then turned his head slowly again, his face stern. "Did you report it?" "I informed Captain Bruen. One of her control technicians also saw that horrible guy, and was so frightened that he had to be sedated. But she told me to forget about it, because the politics of the Sun Kingdom- I don't know what politics is. She said the censors of the Chen family won't let anyone advertise aliens in space." He looked at Clay and took a sharp breath. "I saw that guy, really!" "You must have seen something." Clay absently shook a drop of star mist onto his hand. "There are a lot of things in the distance that we'll never know. Maybe it's better not to know. With such a large aperture, maybe we don't have to worry about it at all." Clay forgot to inhale the star mist, but stared at him closely. "Son, if you want to go back—" "Leave you here and I'd be a coward—" "We might die here." Clay's forced smile struck him as comical. "But after taking Bruen's life brake, you may die on the way. Even if you return to the sun, there are more ways to kill you. However, if you really want to go, if you are lucky and work hard, There's a way you might be able to save us all." Quinn couldn't understand and opened his eyes wide. "You're familiar with the Capala, aren't you?" "Too familiar." He was worried again. "By the way, there is another reason to leave—" "That's why you left, if you like. Those old engines need to be replaced." Clay's star-scented hand grasped his arm. "That's—that's up to you, boy. Go to the sun, get us some fission engines, and get us back here." "I—can I?" "There's a good chance you can't." Clay shrugged. "But advanced engines do exist, designed by Olaf Thorsen—your mother's husband now. He made thrusters for the Kirvan series of ships. If you can get that engine back—" "I—I'll do my best." "Excellent!" Clay waved his hand towards the tunnel. "Let's stop talking. You have been on duty for so long, go back to have breakfast, then pack a five-kilogram bag and prepare to leave." He pretended to be relaxed, smiled slightly, and walked towards the laser contact machine. "We are determined to have a showdown with Brunn." Quinn walked out of the dome in a panic, neither wanting to eat breakfast nor thinking of what to take with him on the road.Too much has happened lately, too fast.However—if the auspicious stars are really shining, if he can really return to the sun and get the status he longed for, then it will not be very difficult to get a few nuclear fission machines and send a few nuclear fission experts to put on the aperture thing!Perhaps, this is just a childish dream?After leaving the igloo, he found that all the tunnels were deserted, and there was an atmosphere of tension everywhere.On the passage to the Capala, two men with torches ordered him to stop.Then Jomo recognized him. "Comrade! We guard the ship and prepare for war. Maybe we will win, maybe we won't." He was sweating and said with a smile. "Whether you win or lose, we will see the outcome soon." Quinn returned to the dome.Clay was still at the laser communication machine, and Noel was sitting next to him.Carbon and his subordinates had already boarded the Capala, followed by a group of people who wanted to leave the aperture. Noel said Clay was trying to get through to Captain Brune. "An hour to go before she lands—" "That depends on whether we let her land." Clay turned to look at the dark sky. "It's showdown time. If she wants to fight, we'll fight. But I hope she doesn't fight us. When the signal is connected, Noel will make our position on our behalf." The display screen buzzed.Clay said something into the indistinct speaker, then turned around. "Bruen's line is busy, I guess she's talking to Carbon, and she'll get our signal when it's over." Waiting to hear back, they talked about Bruen.Noel said she had met Brune a long time ago. "At a Kewan reception, my father introduced her to me." She shook her head slightly, as if lost in thought. "Vera - I knew he loved her from the moment he uttered her name. After my father died I found a picture of her and many letters from her in his papers. I thought if it hadn't been for her Falling in love with Mars, she might be my mother." Clay looked bewildered. "Mars—that's the word that fills her letters. The Kodo people call her Mrs. Mars because she wants to land on the planet. It was a project in Kirwan's lab, but she seems to be more Enthusiasm. Not only was she thinking about it herself, but she was trying to get my father involved too. My father told her it was hopeless. As a result, the Mars mission got no funding, only a flight station was built, and the project was completely cancelled. .” "If she's really that determined—" Clay frowned uneasily. "Then how much sympathy do we have from her?" "Maybe not at all." Noel shook his head. "She is unpredictable." The display screen called again, and Brunn's image finally appeared.When she saw Noel, her rigid face seemed to loosen for a moment, but then returned to normal, and she looked at Clay. "What do you want to say?" "We wanted to stay with Jannot," Klay said. "For this reason, we are willing to sacrifice our lives." "Why?" "With everything we have." "You can't win, you can only seek your own death." "Even if it is a dead end, that is our own choice." "Noel—" Bruen paused, as if remembering something. "I've known your father for so many years, I never thought you were here." "I came with Commander Kirvan. Jannot is my home now. All we want is the Aperture Station, let it stay. This is where we can live." She turned and smiled at Ke thunder. "We're both married." "You married this desperado?" "His name is Clay McLean." She drew him close to her. "Just elected Head of Free Jannot." "Free Jannot?" Bruen's expression became serious. "Your good father is not a rebel. Don't fool around, our mission cannot be delayed." "Captain," Noll said. "Most of us will stay—" "A bunch of idiots!" Bruen interrupted her sharply, "I'm willing to make a concession—if you surrender immediately and undergo a medical examination taking life brake, I promise not to report your rebellion until after arriving in Kodo, if You refuse to-" "We refuse," Clay said, "However, we also want to make a deal with you." "We don't bargain with the rebels!" "Captain Brun, we are not unarmed." His voice was surprisingly calm. "Our annunciator is tracking you, and when you fly within range of it, it can attack you. You can order Carbon to turn off the power here, but the reserve system will keep us alive, and we have enough time." "Enough time?" Brunn frowned. "do what?" "You need processed reactive substances for your return trip. Of course, you can also get them directly from the aperture, but those unprocessed things will destroy your engine. Therefore, we want to exchange our lives for what you need. " She stared at him intently.Quinn saw that there was a flash of anger in her eyes, but it disappeared in an instant.She straightened her short white hair with rough fingers expressionlessly, then turned to look at Noel. "I agree." She said suddenly, her voice much calmer. "Your friend Carbon has always asked for the same, and now I understand the weight of his words." She looked at Noel. "It seems that you really want to die here." "We'll survive," Noel said, "do whatever it takes." "Maybe—maybe you will." She turned to Clay, her hard face becoming almost friendly. "Let's go over the terms again. You'll let us land, load up the reactive stuff, and be nice to us; we'll let you stay here and make no mistake about your aperture—I hope, it will let you Live a few more days." "Thank you, Captain," Clay laughed. "We've made our choice, and we're willing to take the risk." Bruen glanced at Noel again. "Little Noel." She shook her head slowly, as if a little sad. "It looks so cute." She rolled her eyes thoughtfully. "Before—" Her voice trembled a little. "I used to really love your father." Little mosquito! First it was that little mosquito outside the edge of the aperture, and now it ate something weird, like the wreckage of a dwarf spaceship, obviously the "masterpiece" of those little insect craftsmen.This star system must be full of such things. She hates these things.The metal of the toy spaceship sank coldly into her belly, too small and tasteless to satisfy the hungry little ones, who had to tear at her tired muscles desperately.She hasn't had a good meal for a long time. She craves live metal, hot and blazing with endless heat.Without living metal, her offspring would be deformed and even die.When the heat on her body cools down, she can only watch herself die on this great star. Her long flight will be exchanged for nothing, and the flesh and blood of the prince will rot in her body. You will be stained with failure, and the vast world before your eyes will remain empty and lifeless. To drive away these dreadful thoughts, she began humming her generational lullabies, which her unborn child would hear even if there was no air, and which would help them grow.These lofty old songs must be rooted in the hearts of children at an early age, forever shining in the history of her all-conquering race. These are the epics of their race's ancient wars, the tragic tales of being deceived and the heroic victories over the dwarf tricksters.Let your children hear these songs now, and they will be noble forever. It's just that she has to bring them out alive. The child's dream gave her a painful pause.Looking at the ups and downs of the stars in front of her eyes, she seemed to see the splendor of her own kingdom.The hurried workers are busy taking care of the next generation; her offspring, the queen, is as handsome and lovely as she is, as full of pride and ambition; breath of the divine seed. She stretched out her stiff wings, scooped up a bit of stellar heat, trying to melt the silent and frozen harbor below.She cheered up and flew towards the new world ahead with full confidence. The first planets she discovered were enormous, but devoid of heat.She vaguely felt that there was metal hidden in the depths of the planet, but due to the huge gravitational force, the metal was buried very deep, surrounded by violent gravitational fields, and covered with large pieces of waste foam and unpredictable atmosphere. Isn't it—the heat is coming! A tiny point of light flew from space, closer than a planet, and its heat awoke a painful feeling in her belly.She turned toward it impatiently, but could not help stopping, and let out a mocking laugh.This group of ignorant little mosquitoes! Flickering faintly under the light of the stars is another dwarf's "masterpiece".It looked like a polished metal ball, about the size of her eyeball.A long, narrow antenna protruded from it, so thin it was almost impossible to see.A signal receiver the size of a toy was pointed straight at her, making a faint creaking sound from one side.The crew was out of sight, but she laughed at their audacity. Their intelligence and courage are so cute!They created such gadgets to fly into space and fly in such a wide orbit. They must consider themselves lovers of the universe. Look at their arrogant looks. Could it be that they are here to seduce her?What does the little mosquito have to say?She yelled, and they immediately stopped their stupid screaming.Their feeble telegraphs were ablaze.Perhaps they were suddenly taken aback.But after a while they actually tried to fight her back. Their resistance made her laugh. Look at their dwarf missiles - full of hot metal, obviously meant to break her down and hurt her, but good enough to digest the cold snowballs in her belly.These little darts kept coming, and she caught them one by one. This is the energy she has longed for, catchy and pure.These ridiculous little bullets rained down, and suddenly she saw a dust-like jet flash blue light, and then a strange-looking little rocket flew away. The little mosquito wants to escape! They had seen her invincible strength, their race's glorious history, and their own insignificant abilities.Whoever is arrogant will have to pay the price. With this poetic joy, she rolled up them with her tongue and swallowed them in one gulp. "The Fall of the Empire" is a critical history of the Cowan Building written by Julie Chen in prison.Chen is not afraid of threats, saying that the various evils of the Sun Giants and the Sun Empire are due to human nature. "Any empire," he wrote, "is infected with a virus that destroys itself from the day it is founded."