Chapter 182 - Sol Three Hundred and Twenty-One, Ship to Mars (1/2)

The Hab didn’t have its lights on.

The monitor’s white background light illuminated two faces.

A human face.

And a cat’s face.

The two faces had a look of nervousness and excitement. Their brows were furrowed together in unease as though they were two dads waiting for the birth of their children outside a delivery ward.

Tomcat’s eyes widened as its paws hung over the keyboard, trembling.

Tang Yue moved a chair over, his eyes wider than Tomcat’s.

“Is that it?” Tang Yue’s voice trembled as he gulped a mouthful of saliva.

“I’m not sure. It needs confirmation,” Tomcat whispered. “But it’s highly likely to be it.”

Ever since Earth vanished, nothing had excited them more than these two words on the screen. This was the first time Kunlun Station had received a message that hadn’t come from the United Space Station.

After Tomcat discovered the “HELLO MARS” on the screen, it immediately rushed over to kick Tang Yue awake.

“Give it a try.” Tang Yue nudged Tomcat.

“Come on. Let’s see what it is!” Tomcat typed on the keyboard as it nodded.

Three seconds later, the page refreshed. Kunlun Station’s computer quickly gave a report. It had responded at its fastest possible speed to establish communications with the visitor. A communication mechanism was set up, allowing all its more intimate details to be exposed to Kunlun Station.

Tang Yue and Tomcat saw its stats. It was a white spacecraft that was twenty-two meters long. It looked similar to the Eagle, like a fat rod. It had a white back and black bottom, but it didn’t have an upper and lower vehicle or any windows. This was a disposable unmanned spacecraft. On the sides of the spacecraft were the gigantic words and label: CNSA and a red flag.

“Incredible. This little guy actually escaped the calamity and found its way here… It didn’t even have any control or coarse-adjustment commands from Mission Control. It has flown for so long and such great distance without getting lost.” Tomcat shook its head as it gasped.

Tang Yue’s grip on Tomcat’s shoulders suddenly tightened as his eyes turned red.

The thirteenth cargo spacecraft for the Mars Landing Project from the People’s Republic of China.

Tianzhou 37.

This cargo spacecraft had been launched the day before Earth vanished. It was to send supplies for the next Mars landing mission and also to start the second phase of Kunlun Station upgrades. This spacecraft carried fifteen tonnes of supplies, including large amounts of food, water, medicine, daily necessities, fuel, and electronic components for maintenance and upgrading. Kunlun Station’s second phase of upgrades was key to the expansion of the Mars Landing Project.

In the three-phase Mars Landing Project, Tang Yue’s and Mai Dong’s thirteenth scientific mission was the last step of the first phase. The second phase was about to begin to test the technology of setting up a Mars base. It included long-term farming, sealed ecospheres, as well as extraction of methane and water from Mars’s surface. Tianzhou 37 was the bell that signified the beginning of the second phase.

According to the original plan, the second year after Tianzhou 37 was launched, Tianzhou 38 and Tianzhou 39, as well as the brand-new Orion III spacecraft would be launched to begin humanity’s full colonization of Mars.

“Tianzhou, this is Mars Landing Project Payload Specialist, Mechanical and Electrical Engineer, Employee Number CNMEP390012C, Tang Yue. Do you copy?”

Tang Yue sent the greeting.

Moments later, the communications window presented the spacecraft’s reply.

“Specialist Tang Yue, this is Tianzhou 37. I wish you a happy life.”