Chapter 489: For Father (2/2)

“Ah…”

“This failure was my mistake alone. I was too greedy. I should have taken a different approach at this. I should have started by making a vehicle with a Magi Gravity Engine to gather data, then launch a regular satellite and get more data before trying to put a satellite in geosynchronous orbit. The satellite falling now is nothing more than my just desserts.”

“Father…”

Jin stared at the ceiling with a sad smile on his face, as if he was actually staring at the falling Satellite 001 through the walls of the laboratory.

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The dispirited Jin then left the laboratory, and seemed to be heading towards Stearleana’s house.

After seeing Jin’s depressed state, Laojun started to consider other possible ways to retrieve Satellite 001.

“Is there any other way…?”

Although he wasn’t as creative as Jin, Laojun was far superior to him in terms of thinking speed and ability to process multiple pieces of information at the same time.

After spending about 3 minutes, Laojun finally arrived at a conclusion. There was no other way. But he could make slight modifications to their previous plan.

Satellite 001’s current altitude was less than 20,000 kilometers, and its speed was close to 18 kilometers per second and increasing even further with every passing second. It was already impossible to catch it as it fell.

It would be possible to retrieve it by setting up a huge Warp Gate along its fall course, but that wasn’t something that could be prepared at a moment’s notice.

Before anything else, it was essential to reduce its falling speed.

“It should be narrowly possible to reduce Satellite 001’s inertia to 0 by using its remaining Ethenol in the span of approximately 3 seconds. In the meantime, we’d have to transfer the Falcon equipped with a transfer machine and transfer Satellite 001 to the surface.”

If its inertia is set to 0, Satellite 001 would stop instantly. Therefore, the coordinates would be specified and the Falcon would be sent close to those coordinates. Then, the Satellite 001 would be transferred using the Falcon’s transfer machine. The Falcon would be able to safely enter the atmosphere by deploying a “Barrier”.

This was Laojun’s conclusion. Satellite 001 was originally planned to act as a marker for transfer, so determining its position would be an easy task.

And although the principle behind transfer machines and Warp Gates were unknown to him, its inherent speed would be 0 (at relative velocity) at the time of reappearance, regardless of how fast it was at the time of being transferred out.

Fortunately, Falcon 1 still had its transfer machine installed after it was used to bring Stearleana’s house to Hourai Island.

Laojun consulted with Reiko through the Mana Comm. After all, Reiko’s reaction speed was necessary for this operation’s success.

“Let’s do it, Laojun. For Father.”

Immediately, Reiko acknowledged his message and left Stearleana’s house quietly so as to not arouse suspicion from Jin. Then, Reiko boarded Falcon 1, which was just outside the laboratory.

Since Jin had gone inside Stearleana’s house to talk to them about the satellite’s failure, he was unaware of any of this.

“Let’s hurry. Before it enters the stratosphere.”

Reiko put the transfer machine of Falcon 1 in Standby Mode while Laojun prepared the transfer machine that was installed outside the laboratory.

“Falcon 1 is ready.”

With that, Laojun reduced Satellite 001’s inertia to almost zero.

Satellite 001 stopped instantly, with only a slight resistance. Laojun then immediately transferred Falcon 1 to its target coordinates.

Falcon 1 was transferred to outer space in a mere 1.4 seconds. Reiko immediately aimed the transfer machine at Satellite 001, which took her only 0.7 seconds. Then she turned on the transfer machine, and 0.8 seconds later, the transfer started.

The entire operation to transfer Satellite 001 took exactly 2.9 seconds.

A moment later, Satellite 001 appeared in front of the laboratory. Its inertia had been restored at the same time as it was transferred, so there was no danger.

“With this, Satellite 001 has been safely retrieved. The rest is up to you, Reiko.”

Falcon 1 started to fall from an altitude of about 13,000 kilometers.

Its built-in Magi Jet Engine still wouldn’t start.

Reiko deployed Falcon 1’s “Barrier”.

They would enter the atmosphere after falling for another 100 kilometers, in approximately 27 minutes.

“If only we could transfer it ourselves without needing to send an aircraft to set up a transfer machine, this incident could have already been solved without any problems…”

The hints that Alciel the Puppeteer had previously given them about Transfer Magic hadn’t been fully analyzed yet.

“Reiko, please come back to us safely.”

At that moment, Jin stormed into the control room.

“Laojun! Where is Reiko!?”

“My Lord, Reiko is…”

<<Father, I’m aboard the Falcon 1.>>

Reiko’s voice echoed from the Mana Comm.

“Reiko! I told you not to do this!”

<<Sorry, Father. But I couldn’t bear watching the sadness in your face any longer. Laojun feels the same. So we discussed it and came up with this plan.>>

“Reiko…”

Laojun also explained himself to the worried Jin.

“My Lord, the Falcon 1 also has a Warp Gate, so in case of emergency, Reiko can escape to safety with it.”

“…That doesn’t mean I can feel at ease yet. Reiko, please come back safely. There’ll be time to scold you later.”

<<Yes, Father.>>

Then, after 27 minutes had passed, Falcon 1 finally entered the atmosphere.