The shuttle CX740 has crossed the North Pole orbit and is flying out of the shadow of the earth. The high-temperature paint on the fuselage is white, almost dazzling under the light of the stars.
This is its 175th mission and the last one. These old shuttles born in the last century are gradually being replaced by a new generation of cargo rockets and space elevators, and a second space elevator is also being built.
With the construction of New Guinea, a new airport was born. When it was completed, it was also the moment when this type of shuttle aircraft said goodbye to history.
When the shuttle entered the transfer orbit, Tang Xin could see the huge project under construction, like a spot of light in the distant sky, flickering slightly. The new port was funded and constructed by China, and it had a loud
Name Asia Pacific Ring.
There are a total of forty-two passengers on board, including crew members, but there are no selectors. Selectees usually take the military's shuttle or take the space elevator directly. Nowadays, shuttles are rarely used for cargo and are mainly responsible for
Transporting tourists, and for cx740, this is also its only historical mission
When the attitude engine of the huge shuttle starts operating, you can still feel a slight sense of gravity, but it is difficult to feel the passage of time in space. For Tang Xin, the meaning of time is that they arrived at Stargate Port at three o'clock in the afternoon.
Of course it's Dongba District, Beijing time.
After changing out of her anti-gravity suit and listening to the sound of air flowing in after the hatch was opened, Tang Xin flew into the space with the others under the guidance of a very friendly young lady.
As soon as she landed, she saw her friend flying around like a large doll in a weightless environment.
"Tangtang, this way!"
Looking at the girl waving to her excitedly on the gravity-free corridor of the space port, Tang Xin shook her head helplessly: "My little princess, my uncle and aunt asked us to go to the embassy area to get a visa. Can you come down first?"
"What's there to be anxious about?" the other party chuckled and didn't take it seriously: "This is sightseeing. When sightseeing, you should see more. By the way... what profession will you choose later? I heard that tourists are getting
When using crystal equipment, you have to choose a profession, which is different from choosing a person."
"You think so far ahead."
"Of course," the girl chirped, "By the way, there are shops selling Aitaria souvenirs and local-style clothes over there in the business district. Why don't we try them on first? Let's see what professional clothes look better.
Some?"
"I don't have to look at it anymore."
"Tangtang, you are so boring."
Tang Xin only smiled softly. This was not the first time someone had said that to her.
The pigeon she said this to last time was taught by her that she could no longer take care of herself.
The girl was flying to the side, putting her face next to the glass on the side of the corridor, and suddenly said loudly: "Tangtang, look at how beautiful the earth is, much more beautiful than what you have seen on TV. That is our country, and I see you
Home!”
Although Tang Xin didn't think that the other party could see her home at an altitude of nearly forty kilometers, unless her friend's eyes were precision optical instruments. But she had to admit that from this angle, the earth was indeed beautiful.
.
The huge spherical surface reflected the glowing light. Although Tang Xin knew that it was just the refraction and scattering of light in the atmosphere, it still made it look like a self-luminous body in a lonely universe.
A luminous, light blue crystal ball is full of vitality, making it embellish the light of life in the dark starry sky.
What's more, that is home, hometown.
At this time, Tang Xin's gaze suddenly stopped. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Scarpe flying out of the crowd. She was slightly startled, feeling that she had seen this woman somewhere.
Of course, Scarpe also noticed the girl who was looking at her. She floated in mid-air for a moment and subconsciously looked at herself. After making sure that there was nothing wrong, she couldn't help but look at the other person curiously and said: "We
Do you know this beautiful lady?"
Tang Xin only shook her head.
Scarpe looked around again, stopped, and said politely: "Then you don't mind if I'm here, I'm waiting for someone."
Tang Xin nodded lightly: "Please do it." This is a public area, and the other person asking her opinion is just out of politeness. Scarpe looked at the two girls and couldn't help but sigh in her heart, thinking that the girls in East Asia are all
Is it so exquisite?
She couldn't help but ask: "Are you tourists?"
Tang Xin nodded again.
Probably seeing that the girl in front of her was not talkative, and the other girl's attention had not been here, Scarpe saw this and stopped asking any more questions. She just looked down at her communicator, and then stood quietly.
aside.
Tang Xin wanted to pull her friend away, but the latter was obviously unwilling, so she could only wait helplessly. After a while, she saw a man walking from the direction of the airport, holding a small
Box.
The other party came over and met Scarpe at the side. The two exchanged glances before he handed the box in his hand to Scarpe. "Is this the thing?" Scarpe asked.
The man nodded.
"I'll take the first step." The man replied, "Those people are keeping an eye on me, so you should also be careful."
Scape was noncommittal.
Tang Xin saw that the man only said goodbye to Scarpe, then turned around and went back the way he came. The latter opened the box, glanced at it, and muttered something in a low voice. She spoke in Russian, and Tang Xin couldn't understand it.
What means.
But at this moment, she suddenly saw a man emerging from the tourists in the corridor and heading straight for Scarpe from behind.
Tang Xin was slightly startled when she saw this scene, and subconsciously said: "Be careful!"
She thought it was too late.
But Scarpe's reaction was faster than she expected. She turned around like lightning and launched a spinning kick, hitting the man in the abdomen. If he were on the ground, this kick would probably make the man fly up and fall back hard.
However, in a gravity-free environment, the opponent simply flew up and flew back among the tourists.
The tourists seemed to have just reacted and screamed in fright. The man used his strength to roll on the ground without looking back. He just dodged in that direction and disappeared into the crowd.
Scarpe chased for a few steps in that direction, but when she saw the other party disappearing, she stopped and gave up chasing. She looked in that direction and shook her head, then turned around and looked at Tang Xin who reminded her, with a look on her face.
A smile: "Thanks."
Tang Xin shut her mouth.
She had actually acted out of instinct before. After all, she had never seen this before on Earth. If she had only been driven by reason, she might not have spoken before.
It's just that her best friend's reaction was much more exaggerated than hers. The girl just turned around and saw the scene of Scarpe kicking back sideways. She couldn't help but her eyes shone: "So handsome!"
Scarpe looked at the two little girls and said with a smile: "Is this your first time to Stargate Port? To express my gratitude, how about I invite you to drink coffee in the circular hall?"
Tang Xin instinctively wanted to refuse.
But her friend on the side had already nodded: "Is the circular hall the famous sightseeing hall? I've heard of that place, and I originally planned to go and see it!" She looked at the badge on Scarpet's chest curiously.
: "Ah, you, you, you are the Chosen One?"
Scarpe lowered her head and glanced at her brooch, which showed the star ring symbol of Stargate Port. It was actually just a commemoration of the chosen one. She didn't expect that it would make the other person so excited.
However, although she was a selector of the older generation, she also knew that being a selector had become a popular profession now, with many star-chasers. She couldn't help but smile and nodded: "I'm just a former selector."
Unexpectedly, the girl became even more excited: "Ah, then you are the forerunner!?"
"It doesn't really count." Scarpet pursed her lips and smiled.
Tang Xin couldn't help but hold her forehead, and suddenly she regretted telling the 'little princess' the history of the Chosen Ones. She knew that her pigeon cousin was the most fond of the Forerunners, and because of the familiarity, she was more or less familiar with it.
I was a little curious at that time, but I didn't expect that it would also infect my friends.
Scarpe glanced at the two of them and thought that the little girl who broke the casserole and asked the truth was a bit cute. However, she was more curious about the taciturn girl beside her.
After all, it was the other party who reminded her earlier, and the way the girl looked at her directly before always made her think too much. It was a bit strange to say that she looked at Tang Xin more and felt vaguely familiar with the other party.
The feeling is so subtle that it's almost impossible to describe.
Thinking of this, she spoke again: "Are you going to get a visa? In fact, the Chinese Embassy area is not far from the circular hall, so there is no time to waste. I will give you a ride later and take you directly to the Embassy area.
alright."
"Okay, okay."
"little princess"
"What's the point, Tangtang, please reciprocate."
Tang Xin stared at the other person and sighed.
Compared to her companion's lack of moral integrity, she was obviously much more cautious. However, Tang Xin thought about it and finally nodded. It was her companion's insistence that it was not a big deal to come to Stargate Port. After all, this is actually a city that provides tens of thousands of people.
The space city where people live and lives is still expanding.
Moreover, this is a three-dimensional city, and the interior is like a maze.
If there is no one to guide you, a first-time visitor will probably waste an incredible amount of time on the road.
The time saved must be enough to drink a cup of coffee. And it was she who reminded the other party earlier that the other party should say thank you, which makes sense. After all, if you give something, you should get something in return. This is also one of Tang Xin's mottos.
After all, unlike her dull-witted cousin, she never works in vain.
Seeing that the two agreed, Scarpe took them out of the gravity-free corridor.
After entering the artificial gravity zone from the no-gravity zone, life in Stargate Port is actually not much different from that on the ground, except that the landscape here is more monotonous and boring. Even if you overlook the earth, there will always be a moment when you get tired of it day after day.
But for those who are here for the first time, everything is full of novelty. Even Tang Xin can't help but take a second look at this Stargate Port. After all, it is the largest, most complex and most systematic project in human history.
.
Although it may only be the starting point of the human space age, it is enough to shine in the history of civilization.
Only when you are inside this huge project, you can't help but sigh that the crystallization of human genius and creativity, as well as the portrayal of them transcending themselves, all belong here.
Compared to her friend who was simply amazed, Tang Xin was obviously more emotional.
Of course, these are just the feelings of newcomers.
As for Scarlett, she had no emotion at all. Living in such a place day after day, which only made her feel bored, was probably not as novel as meeting such two interesting little girls.
The circular hall that the three of them were going to was actually just a sightseeing hall that doubled as a famous space restaurant.
When Stargate Port was first established, every gram of rocket capacity was equal to the weight of gold. Of course, there could not be any living and sightseeing areas. At that time, every inch of Stargate Port was functional, and almost all of it was used for scientific research.
with military purposes.
Only with the process of commercialization and the rise of travel and sightseeing have these humanized modules gradually been added. For example, the circular hall was actually transformed from the original command center, and today's command center has been moved to the Stargate Port.
the central area.
Today's Stargate Port receives thousands of tourists every day. Of course, there is more than one sightseeing hall, but the most famous one is the circular hall.
After all, it is the first space restaurant to be officially opened in human history, and it is also a time-honored brand for nearly half a century. Its popularity is unmatched by other tourist destinations, both in terms of history and brand effect.
The three of them each ordered a cup of famous space coffee in the lobby.
This kind of coffee is actually a famous gimmick. If you are an airport resident, you will definitely not order such an expensive and unpleasant thing. But since it is to receive newcomers, Scarpe does not do anything special.
After all, it's like buying a souvenir, but actually drinking it reflects a mood.
The bartender obviously understood and directly gave the two girls a 20% discount. When the three of them came to their seats on the observation deck with coffee cups made of space materials, Scarpe quietly told them: "Don't
It looks like they are just waiters, but the operators here are actually people from the military and government."
She looked back and said: "Governments from all countries have investments and shares in this port. This is a big cake. There are actually many ways to visit here. I have to remind you."
She also introduced the history and many traditions of the airport to the two of them, as well as precautions.
After all, this is not a tourist destination in the ordinary sense. This port has gathered countless interests and eyes. The peacefulness on the surface cannot cover up some things underneath. On normal days, of course she would not have said it in such detail, but
Firstly, it was to express gratitude, and secondly, it was because of the inexplicable good feeling in my heart.
She always felt that she had seen that little girl in that place.
Tang Xin looked at her friend and listened with interest.
But then she couldn't help but ask: "Is it like before?"
Scarpe was slightly startled, not expecting the other party to be so sensitive, and then nodded after thinking for a moment.
Tang Xin asked again: "Why didn't you chase him back then? Stargate Port should be very strictly controlled, right? If you really wanted to chase him, you might not be able to catch him."
Scarpet heard this and shook her head slightly: "It's useless to catch it." However, she did not intend to go into depth on this topic, because it actually had nothing to do with the two little girls in front of her. Of course she knew it.
Which party the person belongs to, but this is not the first time.
She dealt with Chinese embassy personnel, and Russia provided asylum to her and Querod.
But privately, there are still some people who are still determined to give up.
Because of this, she and Quirod have recently reduced their contact with Fang Plover.
The topic reached a dead end for a while, and there was a bit of silence among the three of them. Scarpe sipped the unpleasant coffee without a sip, while Tang Xin looked at the airport scene outside through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows of the observation hall.
.
She thought to herself that this place didn't seem as safe as the rumors said.
Outside is the gravity-free area of the port, where staff wearing protective suits are going up and down. Several spaceships are parked in the port, shining with a dazzling white light in the sun. However, this direction is the cargo area, so it is not visible.
Go to No. CX740 that transported them.
She raised her head and looked at the dark starry sky in the distance and the blue arc of the earth. The glowing atmosphere seemed to have only a shallow layer of glitter. Against the background of the earth, the far end of the Stargate Port
There's also a massive composite frame.
Judging from the scale of that frame alone, it is almost twice the size of Stargate Port.
But when the sunlight passes through the back of the frame, it casts a huge shadow on the glass curtain wall of the circular hall.
So even the girl on the side noticed this scene and couldn't help asking vaguely: "What is that?"
"Area c plan."
Scape replied: "A new area construction plan for Stargate Port. When the construction there is completed, Stargate Port will be expanded to twice its current size. By then, the number of chosen people entering Stargate Port will further increase. This plan will be from
It was on the agenda thirty years ago."
"so big."
"It's very big." Scarpe looked at the shadow and nodded: "But it's actually almost completed. After the new space elevator is completed, the project here will be further accelerated, and it is expected to be officially completed in two years."
Tang Xin listened to the conversation between the two, but couldn't help but recall the scene she had seen on Earth.
Civilians are still protesting against the further expansion of the Stargate Port project. The voices of this protest have become louder and louder on social media, and even in some parts of Europe, protesters have taken to the streets.
But on the other hand, governments around the world are still determined to expand the size of the Stargate.
However, what surprised her was that she had heard that the glow material mining areas in the asteroid belt were close to being exhausted. Now many selectors are still using glow material equipment mined and manufactured ten years ago. Governments of various countries are still
Are you planning to further expand the number of electors?
Where does the glow come from?
She was thinking.
Suddenly there was a commotion from one side of the hall.
She couldn't help but subconsciously look over there. Since the circular hall was expanded and renovated from the old command center, the hall was actually quite large. When she looked in that direction, she could only see a few people gathered.
But Scape was holding the two of them down.
"Do not care."
She replied: "It's just a guild conflict."
Having said that, she still couldn't help but glance in that direction and frowned.
Among the crowd, she saw people from the Stargate Port Special Operations Team.