Age of Cosmic Exploration

Chapter 220: The Observer (1)

News about the neutron star fragment had been classified as S-level security information.

When Yao Yuan and Guang Zhen received the news regarding the fragment, many things became frivolous. For example, it completely overwhelmed Yao Yuan’s relationship problems. The two of them returned to the capital without a word. Then they rounded up a large number of government higher-ups as well as Barracks and Academy authorities.

The gathered people were confused. It was already so late, so why were they being gathered? They had not heard about any big events coming up, so what was the purpose of the emergency meeting?

The meeting was held at a conference room deep in the Pentagon. Initially, people were still joking and socializing with each other happily, but as the number of influential people arrived, the atmosphere became increasingly solemn. It had to be something big when high authorities from both the Academy and the Barracks were called.

When the leader of the astrophysicists, Alan, appeared in the room, everyone felt fear clench their hearts. Their sixth senses told them that this was a bad omen. Everyone prayed vehemently that their intuition was wrong…

Alan was beside himself with worry as well. He was the leader of the various astrophysics-related groups and was the top expert in astrophysics among the human society. When he arrived and saw his many colleagues, not only from the astrophysics group but also biology and chemistry, he knew sh*t had hit the fan.

However, he kept his opinions to himself, chose a seat at the reserved VIP area, and waited patiently. Not long after that, Yao Yuan and Guang Zhen walked into the room. After a quick word between themselves, Yao Yuan walked to the stage and announced without hesitation, "Ladies and gentlemen, you’re here today because our Space Surveillance Department stumbled across some strange data about an hour ago. The recorded data is now making its way to you."

As Yao Yuan spoke, a few soldiers were passing sets of documents across the room. Members from the Barracks and the government departments were unfazed because the scientific data befuddled them. However, the members of the Academy started giving gasps of shock. They stared at the document disbelievingly and started discussing with the colleagues next to them. Their faces became increasingly blanched, and a few of them started mumbling ‘it’s impossible,’ obviously traumatized by what they saw.

"Some of the present people might not be able to understand what this document means."

Yao Yuan said on the stage, "To put it simply, a neutron star fragment about one-thousandth of our sun’s mass density is hurtling towards this solar system at an accelerating speed. Its target has been confirmed to be the sun. According to calculation by the central mainframe, it will reach its target in the next three years. Through the law of conversion, when it hits the sun, its mass will become one-tenth of the sun. In other words… three years from now will be the end of this solar system!"

Just as he finished saying that, the room erupted into chaos. People either whispered each other with questions or yelled out their enquiries loudly. Some talked to themselves, trying to convince themselves that it wasn’t true, and some of the more elder people fainted on the spot.

Yao Yuan had expected as much. He waved his hands in the air and a few medics standing by the entrance rushed in to carry the fainted individuals away. After that, Yao Yuan yelled, "Silence! Those who continue to create chaos will be escorted out!"

Instantly, the room quieted. However, the faces still spoke of shock and disbelief. They refused to buy what Yao Yuan had said; they refused to admit this… reality.

"In the following days, I will erect a ‘natural disaster’ team to handle everything that has to deal with the neutron star catastrophe. I want to remind everyone that everything surrounding the fragment and consequently this team will be an S-level confidentiality clause. Therefore, until we understand completely what this neutron star fragment is, not a word about it outside of this room!"

Yao Yuan paused as the few fainted people rushed in from the entrance. He nodded and continued, "Everyone here will be part of the ‘natural disaster’ team. The Barracks will be responsible for anything security and enforcing the confidentiality clause…

"The government officials will help keep society running smoothly. Slow down the all construction sites and focus instead on harvesting metallic ores and crops as well as the planet’s natural bounty. If the danger is real and we can’t do anything about it, I want us to leave with as many resources as we possibly can, so let’s not waste time constructing buildings that we might not have the chance to use!

"Members of the Academy, I want you to confirm the validity of this data in the next three days. Simultaneously, I want you to calculate this fragment’s speed, its current coordinates, and how close we can get to it without harming ourselves with our 4th revolution technology. I repeat, three days."

Yao Yuan sighed deeply after he finished all that. He added, with a serious expression, "Ladies and gentlemen, this planet is supposed to be our new home planet, a home that we’ve been building for two long years, a reward we deserved after the long war with the mother nest alien, something traded with the lives of a couple hundred heroes! Therefore, unless it is truly necessary, we will not be abandoning it…

"Let us try out best for this new planet, for our home!"

In the next three days, the ‘natural disaster’ team went about their respective responsibilities. First, the Barracks slowly pulled back the human range of activities. The patrol had reached deeper into the jungle but was pulled back to the city walls. Other than the few mines, smitheries, and the three spaceships’ building platforms, other points of interest, like weather observatories and wildlife observation posts, were gradually closed. With the excuse of the capital needing their help, the people stationed at these places were sent back to the capital.

The societal arrangement also received visible changes. First, the construction on the outer second, third, and fourth sites were halted, quoting the fear of environmental damage and lack of human resources or materials. The workers were moved to mining, smithing, or spaceship construction duties. The rest were tasked with harvesting the plantations around the delta or rearing the pigs, cows, and sheep brought from Earth as well as four-legged fish and fat lizards native to the new planet.

Of course, the changes couldn’t be too drastic for fear of alarming the public. It was meted out over the course of three months. On the fourth month, all construction sites had stopped working and the focus had been transferred to resource collecting and management.

The scientists and academicians of the team had the most difficult job of all. They had to finish analyzing and calculating the data in three days. There were simulations to draft and theories to discuss. Essentially, they were tasked to find out a way to save this planet.

Two hundred plus scientists and a great number of interns were visibly tired after three whole days of non-stop work. They reached two conclusions.

First, the data was valid. Almost one hundred thousand calculations had been over the three days, and each of the calculations confirmed the data’s validity. The only variations were the neutron star fragment’s increasing speed and its distance to the sun. The verdict was final: a neutron star fragment was indeed hurtling towards their solar system’s sun.

The other conclusion, though, was a hypothesis that gladdened Yao Yuan for quite a bit.

First, the scientists still couldn’t understand the theory behind the formation of the neutron star fragment. How to split a piece off of the bigger whole without harming either was a conundrum beyond mankind’s current scientific comprehension, but they at least came to a consensus on one thing: there must be a mechanical contraption or a force controlling the fragment’s acceleration.

Thus far, information regarding the fragment was pulled from long-distance surveillance and theoretical calculations. In other words, no one had seen an actual neutron star with their own eyes. No one knew what the actual property of a neutron element was; not even the aliens from the junkyard knew that.

Therefore, no one knew under what circumstances the neutron star fragment operated. What kind of force was supporting it acceleration, increasing its speed? Was it a machine or was it something else? Could it be destroyed?

If it couldn’t be destroyed, could the force be misdirected or slowed? After all, the fragment was still pretty far away from their solar system…

Therefore, the scientists proposed a plan to save the new planet, or rather the plan that preceded the actual saving…

The Observer Operation!

Translator's Thoughts

Lonelytree Lonelytree

Sorry for the late post, I'm suffering from food poisoning.