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墨書 Inktalez
Dreams of Return
It couldn't be delayed any longer; the Dream Seeker was about to surge toward the Kadar Black Hole...
Wenke seemed extremely excited, as if he had rushed over in a hurry.
His eyes darted quickly across everyone's faces. "Captain, Fan Qing, do you remember that gravitational field? The gravitational field! The one I mentioned during dinner?" A strange tone stirred everyone's hearts. "Guess what I discovered? I initially thought that gravitational field belonged to a comet, but today I realized it isn't caused by a comet at all. It's actually an independent gravitational field, and it's continuously expanding!"
"How is that possible?" Reynold pressed on. "If it's a universal gravitational field, there must be a massive celestial body present."
"But I can't observe any celestial body. The gravitational field seems to exist invisibly in space. In fact, I even considered whether it could be a black hole, but there can't be a black hole here." Wenke paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "Moreover, I feel we can't measure it with universal gravitation because I can't detect the specific structure of this field at all; the various field quantities inside are unknown to us. In other words, I can only know that it's there, but I can't determine its parameters."
"Then why didn't you tell us sooner?"
"Just when I was about to inform you, the gravitational field split. Now, what lies before us are two branches of a gravitational field, two branches that are rapidly strengthening!"
If merely having one gravitational field wasn't shocking enough, now there were two self-amplifying branches forming a gravitational field that completely defied conventional field theory.
It was simply unbelievable.
"Are we encountering a UFO?"
Reynold immediately interrupted Fan Qing's question. "I would rather not use that term. Although unidentified flying objects can be referred to as such, what we're facing now is definitely not a flying object! Besides, can you imagine that in the desolate outskirts of the Solar System, there could actually be some form of life? I refuse to believe it."
"But according to Wenke, the gravitational field doesn't seem to be natural either."
Wenke picked up the conversation. "Yes. I've never seen such a peculiar gravitational field before. Can't we consider the possibility that it is artificial?"
"Wenke, I always find it hard to believe everything you say," Reynold said, furrowing his brow. "Why do you have to explain things in such a mystical and obscure way?"
"Because I don't believe this gravitational field is natural. I think it has intelligent characteristics behind it. I would rather believe there is some kind of intelligence manipulating it. Otherwise, why would it appear just as we are about to return home?"
Wenke's words made Reynold alert: indeed, he had overlooked this factor.
"So, what exactly are you trying to say?" Reynold asked.
Wenke said cautiously, "Considering what has happened in the past few days, I think this might be related to the captain. Perhaps there's another subconscious at play."
Fan Qing's expression changed.
Another subconscious?!
The theory class suddenly recalled what Wenke had mentioned before.
A wave of thoughts swept through his mind. Could Wenke's prediction actually be true? Could the other party truly be a new form of life?
"I suddenly wonder why we are discussing the origins of that gravitational field. I don't care where it comes from; as long as it threatens the safety of the First Officer, I won't allow it! We have only three minutes left; we must prepare for our return. Now is not the time to debate the unknown!"
Under Reynold's urging, the seatbelts were fastened tightly around everyone. In the Control Room, Reynold and Fan Qing stared intently at the data on the computer screen. Wenke took the First Officer's seat, replacing Creson.
"All parameters are normal. Main engine ready to start. Countdown one minute. 60, 59..."
The red numbers flickered continuously. With each jump, Wenke felt a jolt in his heart, believing others felt the same way.
"30, 29, 28, all startup parameters corrected, restarting countdown one minute. 60, 59..."
The seatbelt pulled tightly against Reynold, who was about to stand up.
"What happened?" Fan Qing asked almost simultaneously with Wenke.
Wenke stared at the changing data in front of him. "Do I really need to say? That gravitational field is interfering with us! The ship won't start until all the parameters are set in the program!"
"40, 39, 38, all startup parameters corrected, countdown restarting for one minute. 60, 59..."
"Damn it!"
Wenke snapped back at Fan Qing's impatience. "It's not 'damn it,' it's that the gravitational field has increased again."
Then everything began anew: countdown, correction, countdown, correction... An invisible pressure was building deeper and deeper within all the crew members!
"At this rate, we'll never be able to start the main engine!"
"I'm afraid so. The current gravitational field is so strong that it will nearly drain all our energy. How can we start? Not only that—" Wenke gestured, and a growing green number appeared on the other crew members' computer screens. "Our speed is increasing. In other words, we're sliding toward that gravitational field!"
The massive ship became almost tangible in the vastness of space. An immense power controlled its fate amidst the boundless blackness. It felt as if an ordinary toy was being manipulated by someone—perhaps a wise elder or just a mischievous child; regardless, this control would be hard to escape. The crew's extraordinary intelligence seemed insignificant as the ship moved along a path it did not wish to take.
At a certain moment during this movement, a small white dot shot out from the body of the ship, tracing a beautiful straight line that announced its independence. The three crew members clearly saw the computer's report on this event.
"It looks like something flew out. Could it be debris? Are we falling apart?" Wenke said uncertainly.
Fan Qing's voice trembled slightly.
"If we're facing a black hole, I think so."
Reynold squinted, trying to see more clearly. "Can we magnify that white dot? I need a clearer image." He guessed that this couldn't be Heavenly Kadar, but with the course completely off track, the likelihood was slim.
"I was just thinking that," Wenke said as he began to operate the controls. "Now magnifying by 50 times."
The white dot on the screen revealed its outline. A slender rectangular prism, its upper half was crystal clear, while the lower half was composed of heavy metallic lines. It resembled a finely crafted industrial product, flying horizontally with steady precision.
Reynold finally discerned what it was.
"Not debris! That's... a maglev pod!"
Wenke stared at the captain.
"You can't be suggesting that... Creson is inside there?"
Fan Qing also looked nervously at Dr. S. But Reynold merely moved his lips, speechless.
They all turned their gaze back to the white dot. According to the data displayed on the computer, that white dot was not on their trajectory. It was heading towards another gravitational source.
"How could a maglev pod be thrown out of the ship?!" Wenke couldn't believe it.
"I don't know," Reynold said urgently, "the maglev chamber is fully sealed!" He unfastened his seatbelt and jumped up from his seat, unable to hide his inner turmoil any longer. "I need to confirm this!"
"Go ahead." Wenke immediately took action, the sound of his keystrokes becoming the only noise in the cabin. "The computer shows... the maglev chamber is empty. It's intact."
"What do we do now? What do we do?" Fan Qing seemed to be asking both of them and himself.
Reynold bumped into Tlat's side. "Give me the data: its distance from the ship, flight direction, flight speed... I'm going!"
Wenke hesitated.
"This is our only option! I'll activate the Thruster and go outside to retrieve Creson! Just like that, Tlat, give me navigation!"
Sweat beaded on Wenke's forehead. He wanted to say, "It's impossible; there would be no return—Thruster can't overcome the gravitational field." But Reynold's determined expression silenced him.
He wanted to nod.
At that moment, a voice surged within everyone's hearts.
"Crews of the Statue of Liberty, I am your First Officer."
Reynold suddenly jolted, "Creson? Where are you?" He looked up into the void, the lights on the deck blinding him.
"I am communicating with you through telepathy. I am preparing to merge with that mysterious force and traverse the cosmos together. I can assure you, I never imagined such an ending in my fate; it sounds like something out of a science fiction novel. Yet, it indeed comes from a civilization unknown to us, whose greatest characteristic seems to be a love for travel.
"I am not sure how they detected me; it is hard to believe they managed to contact me. When I could no longer delve deeper into the B1T2 area, they accurately penetrated my mind, helping my magnetic levitation pod breach the ship's barriers unscathed and guiding me with their gravitational field..."
"There truly is another subconscious! Essentially, it should be another form of intelligent civilization. However, I now understand the deeper meaning behind calling it a subconscious. It signifies the communicability and comprehensibility between different forms of life." Wenke suddenly exclaimed to Captain Reynold and Fan Qing, "Do you understand?"
Fan Qing's eyes seemed to sparkle with a glimmer.
All energy sources shut down.
The spaceship was engulfed in darkness.
Only a faint light from the comet's reflection trickled in, extremely weak.
It was difficult for them to see each other.
Reynold felt tears streaming down his face.
Reynold silently pondered, "Tlat, do you mean—"
"That's right. The subconscious is omnipresent. Only now do I realize that everyone possesses a subconscious. It’s just that the degree of motivation varies among individuals. As long as we do not give up our desires and pursuits within our hearts, we will surely be able to communicate with those we wish to find."
"Then? Can we contact the captain again?" Fan Qing said excitedly.
"Yes..." At that moment, another person walked into the cabin.
"Creson? I thought you had left?" Reynold said, somewhat incredulous.
"How could I leave? I shook hands with the captain to explore the black hole and rescue your friend!" Creson sat down in his seat, while Wenke took the initiative to switch places.
"Then..."
"Let's head back now!" Creson continued Reynold's thought, "This exploration has yielded results; I've moved that damned ore..."
"In that suspended pod?" Everyone stared at him.
"Yes! That was the last remaining fragment... It's infuriating how much time we've wasted!" Creson said, signaling Reynold to set sail.
A bright light flashed, and everyone's memories were instantly extracted, one by one entering the cryogenic chamber, where light awaited them.
Dream Seeker entered orbit, accelerating as it surged through the vast sea of stars toward Kadar Black Hole...
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