The Expeditionary One had made its choice, and Ou Zhanpeng finally understood why Ling Xiao had said such things. It was because he had no expectation of surviving.
"When will the alien species arrive at Jupiter?" he asked.
Liu Wenwen answered without hesitation, "If nothing unexpected happens, September 28th, which is four days from now."
"And the First Ship?"
"Around January next year."
"And us?"
"March." Liu Wenwen added, "I just found out that to speed up, the First Ship burned through all its fuel ahead of schedule, which is why they can reach Jupiter by January next year. They had already gone all-in with no possibility of turning back."
The First Ship departed at the end of June '65, and after a journey of 55 million kilometers, it arrived at Mars in November, a voyage lasting 4 months and 14 days.
However, from November '65 to January '67, in just one year and two months, it traversed the asteroid belt and reached Jupiter, crossing a vast cosmic distance of 550 million kilometers.
A full ten times the distance!
This was not just due to the warship's speed, but also the gravitational slingshot effect from Mars, and most importantly, it was the result of a desperate, all-out effort!
It was known that the First Ship had many shortcomings to save time and had never considered flying to Jupiter from the start. It didn't have enough fuel and couldn't have accelerated all the way to Jupiter.
Like most celestial probes, it flew mostly by inertia.
The Second Ship, however, was different. There was a reason why it was only two months behind the First Ship.
Even before departure, it had considered the possibility of a long voyage to Jupiter or even other planets. Its fuel and supplies were abundant, allowing for sustained acceleration. Combined with the changed positions of the planets, it was able to reach Jupiter by March next year.
Some might argue that the First Ship arrives in January and the Second Ship in March, only two months apart, so what's the big difference?
But looking at the alien base on Mars, once the alien species are given a chance to develop, they will advance at a speed far beyond imagination. Two months might seem insignificant, but for both sides, these two months could be the critical factor determining success or failure, survival or extinction!
"Can't our speed be any faster?" Xu Qing asked.
Liu Wenwen shook her head, "This is already the fastest."
"Is there any way to support the First Ship?" Ou Zhanpeng asked, still not giving up, "Even sending some supplies by missile would be good."
Liu Wenwen was instantly speechless. "Is it that simple? You're not an outsider. At this distance, do you think a missile we launch can accurately intercept Jupiter's orbit?"
Missiles are not probes; they lack remote control capabilities. The Second Ship is not an airbase with a professional tracking team. The probability of it hitting the target is incredibly low.
Despite their lingering unwillingness, Ou Zhanpeng and Xu Qing could only accept reality. They left the bridge and returned to their quarters, silently licking their emotional wounds.
However, Liu Wenwen, after seeing the two off, was lost in thought, hiding in a corner and staring blankly for a long time.
A full half-hour later, she finally made up her mind and called Ou Zhanpeng and Xu Qing back. "I have a way, but I don't know if it will work."
"What plan?" Xu Qing immediately pressed.
Liu Wenwen was usually straightforward, but she hesitated significantly at this point.
"What is it, just say it!" Ou Zhanpeng was also anxious.
Liu Wenwen bit her lip. "We brought 3D printing equipment and sufficient raw materials. As long as we have the design data, we can temporarily manufacture a spacecraft to carry a batch of supplies and reach Jupiter ahead of time..."
Ou Zhanpeng immediately understood, "Are you saying, me?"
Liu Wenwen nodded. "No one is more suitable than you, but to save space, you can only go alone. You can't bring Xu Qing."
The Second Ship's crew was small, with everyone having a specific role. Only Ou Zhanpeng and Xu Qing were considered auxiliary personnel. If he didn't go, who would?
"Okay, I'll go!" Ou Zhanpeng agreed without hesitation. Xu Qing's eyes immediately showed worry, but Ou Zhanpeng hardened his heart and pretended not to see it. "How much earlier can we get there?"
"I'm not sure, but we need to get approval from the ground first, and then design the spacecraft based on the amount of raw materials on board. I can't say for sure if it will work."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Ou Zhanpeng said.
He immediately discussed the plan's details with Liu Wenwen and quickly produced a general action plan, transmitting it back to Earth.
What followed was patient waiting. Xu Qing seized the opportunity to pull Ou Zhanpeng out of the bridge.
Ou Zhanpeng avoided her gaze, unable to look her in the eye.
Xu Qing's face was full of unspoken grievances. She had many things to blame him for, but seeing him like this, the words wouldn't come out.
Finally, she hugged Ou Zhanpeng tightly, her arms wrapped around his chest. Their hearts beat in unison, gradually synchronizing.
"I won't drag you down," Xu Qing said, holding back tears, her voice choked with emotion. "Be extremely careful... I'll wait for you."
As a soldier, being loyal to the country meant letting down his family. Xu Qing understood his predicament but couldn't suppress her sadness.
Ou Zhanpeng couldn't describe how he felt. It hurt, as if a knife was searing his heart. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
But he also knew that if he had to do it all over again, he would still make the same choice.
This was the responsibility and duty of a soldier.
"Did I interrupt you?"
Liu Wenwen's voice broke the atmosphere. Xu Qing quickly pushed Ou Zhanpeng away, but Ou Zhanpeng, like a child protecting his food, held Xu Qing's waist and refused to let go, clinging tightly.
"Next time, please wait a little longer," Ou Zhanpeng said.
"I didn't mean to interrupt you, but there's news from above," Liu Wenwen said.
Ou Zhanpeng and Xu Qing were both taken aback. So soon?
But upon checking the time, twenty minutes had already passed!
Xu Qing felt awkward, and Ou Zhanpeng felt awkward too, but outwardly, he showed no reaction. "What did they say?"
"They've agreed to our plan in principle and are organizing personnel to analyze the design. After the results are out, the ground will have to build one to test it before sending it to us. It will take at least a week or so to get the results." Liu Wenwen sighed.
The Second Ship carried limited raw materials, so the base had to design it cautiously based on the available quantities.
In simple terms, they had to achieve the best results with the least amount of material.
Ou Zhanpeng curled his lips, already knowing the likely outcome: it would probably be mostly solid-fuel rockets again!
Liu Wenwen added, "The basic data is already out. If nothing unexpected happens, it should be about forty to fifty days earlier than the warship."
A month and a half?
It wasn't a long time, but for the frugal First Ship, even one day's advance would be a significant help.
"I have a way, maybe we can be even faster!" Ou Zhanpeng said.