Age of Cosmic Exploration

Chapter 190: A Tour

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Two months after the war with the mother nest…

The Hope had spent 2 months above ground, flying about until half a month ago when it settled upon the delta plateau to be used as mankind’s future capital.

However, because the Ultimate Vaccine that could be used by the public was still in production, the Hope’s citizens weren’t allowed out of the ship. This didn’t mean that nothing was done in the meantime. Within the past 15 days, hundreds of builder robots were sent down to the ground to set up the concrete foundation for future buildings according to the planned blueprint. Viewed from the Hope, the planet began to gain some air of civility.

However, not everyone was satisfied with this development. Other than the exasperation that was pooled from the Confinement Order, they were outraged that the planet’s natural bounty was destroyed by the construction… In reality, to decrease effort, the building site was located around flatlands and its marshlands, leaving the forest that was further away completely untouched. However, since mankind had suffered greatly from natural pollution, they were extra sensitive to acts of destruction against nature. Deforestation, animal poaching, and urbanization, they didn’t wish to witness these acts anymore…

Even though mankind had gotten used to life in the modern age and basic amenities, like concrete housing and tarred road had become common knowledge, a small group of people still greatly implored the Hope to construct the new capital with as little destruction to nature as possible. Needless to say, this demand was a bit officious.

Regardless, two months after the war with the mother nest, the citizen’s yearning to feel the earth again had reached a critical peak. Even Yao Yuan could feel the palpability of their desire despite the fact that the nature of this planet was not ready to receive them yet.

"Speaker Matt, Professor Peto, and Professor Ivan, let me guess, all three of you come to see me today to talk about descending to the surface, right?" Yao Yuan was in a conversation with Bo Li when Barbie opened the door with an apologetic smile, bringing the trio into the room. Even Yao Yuan stood up to welcome them.

The three were respectively the House of Representatives’ speaker, the entomologist who provided her genius insight with regards to the mother nest embryo, and the biology committee’s head. They were all respected members of the Hope, so Yao Yuan couldn’t just blow them off.

Speaker Matt had the appearance of a middle-aged man in his forties… when in reality, his actual age was already in the 70s. This was also thanks to the genetic mesomeric technology. His initially emaciated body had even begun to bulk up. He was a severe-looking English gentleman who was said to be a duke before he came on to the Hope. He was a well-respected figure among the westerners.

It was him who spoke first. "Captain, we really didn’t want to come to disturb you, but you yourself must have already noticed the mounting desire among the public to leave the Hope. I will not deny that the house that I currently preside over has some bad blood in it, but you can’t punish the rest of us due to the few of them."

Yao Yuan laughed politely, then he extended his hand for a handshake with Matt and quickly invited them for a seat. Yao Yuan began, "Of course I understand the public’s wish to leave the Hope. It is depressing waking up to the dull, steely interior of the ship when nature is taunting us right outside of our windows. I am extremely sorry about this inconvenience because I know how much every single one of us misses the feel of sunlight on our skin. I know there have been a few representatives trying to stimulate the citizens into a mutiny, but I see this as a lesson to be learned for the government to improve. After all, they won’t have any fodder to mount a resistance if they have nothing to complain about. Wouldn’t you agree, Speaker Matt?"

Matt’s serious expression broke into a smile, adding, "Captain, you’re still the same brilliant and kind leader that I admire. To be honest, I’ve heard about the new governing system the Hope’s authority is planning to use when the new government’s all set up. I personally would prefer you settle for a constitutional monarchy, like my once beloved country. And, like Queen Elizabeth, I hope you’ll take full reign of the country, bringing it towards a more glorious future…"

Ivan, who sat beside him, coughed lightly, and Matt caught himself and chuckled. He patted his head and said, "When you’re old, you tend to not stay on tangent anymore. Back to business. We know the Ultimate Vaccine for the general public isn’t ready yet, so leaving the Hope is practically a death sentence, but it is a basic human right to feel and experience nature. We hope the authority will consider allowing small batches of people to tour our future home planet in rotation."

Yao Yuan nodded and opened his mouth to reply, but Matt wasn’t done. "Plus, Captain you have to think about… our children."

Yao Yuan frowned and asked, "The children? What about them?"

Matt continued seriously, "Our children, specifically those that joined the ship when they were 7 or 8, have spent the most of their childhood on a spaceship. The sunlight, flowers, grass, and clouds that once characterized their childhood are no longer in their memory. Things are worse for those that were born on the Hope. Captain, I’m begging you as the Speaker for the House of Representatives. Could you allow the kids to go down to the planet with sufficient protection? We shouldn’t strip them of what is theirs by right."

Yao Yuan was silenced for a while before he smiled. Then he pulled Bo Li to his side, adding, "Actually, Professor Bo Li and myself were just discussing this. We are working on a design for an anti-gravitational, fully-enclosed tour hovercraft. The craft will have a battery that can last for 48 hours and will be fitted with the best life support system. Should it come into contact with danger, it could fly 5,000 meters into the air.

"The hovercraft should be able to fit 40 people, and the plan is to first manufacture 50 of these tour crafts within the next month. This way, 2,000 people can go on a tour every day. Of course, the tour will be limited to this plateau and not into the forest. In other words, it must be within 50 meters from the sea. If everyone here agrees with the design, then we should start discussing the details of the selection list."

The three were overjoyed, but the situation quickly devolved into a series of arguments. Matt naturally believed the tour crafts should be carrying the general public with the majority being children. There also needed to be teachers so that the tour would be educational.

Ivan and Peto, though, believed that a section of the crafts should be given to the scientists. At least 5 crafts should be exclusive to biologists, geologists, and other scientists from related fields that needed to conduct sampling and analysis on the planet. The arguments were incessant.

Yao Yuan and Bo Li stood and watched in silence. Bo Li surreptitiously pulled her hand out of Yao Yuan’s grasp and a faint blush rose to her face.

Yao Yuan didn’t notice Bo Li’s action. He stared at the three people arguing before him, and instead of annoyance, he felt gratified and satisfied as it meant that his efforts were not for naught and his struggle to be fair was validated…

After the first tour craft was manufactured, it was tried out by the Black Star Troopers to ensure its safety. Then everyone on the Hope went through every possible channel to find out more about the tours. The common questions were: are the seats purchased through H-coins? Is the seating only available for certain people? How to get selected?

Everything about the tour craft was the talk of the town.

Yao Yuan thought that this might happen, so details about the seating arrangement and the tours were quickly released on the Hope Weekly.

First, H-coins weren’t required because the selection arrangement had its own criteria. It had nothing to do with one’s wealth or societal position.

If you were a direct relative to an individual honored with the hero, the warrior, the guardian, or the defender’s badge, then you would be given priority according to that order.

After that, if the date of birth on your children’s id could show that he or she was born on the Hope, you too could register for the tour, but your priority would be after the previous four noted groups of individuals.

Lastly were the children who ascended the Hope when he or she was less than 10 years old.

Yao Yuan also specifically relegated 3 tour crafts to the Academy, but they were renamed inspection crafts.

Finally, 2 months after the war with the mother nest, the first batch of civilians stepped onto firm ground again. Before their eyes was a verdant paradise…

At that moment, the eyes of every adult were filled with tears…