Star Rider

Alcon's Journal #17 - Europa

DSF@93339b59cfa8c8085cc4fa2733e4783a

I returned to the rest station, lay on the bed, and a question suddenly crossed my mind. I used voice command to contact Mars and asked, "Mars, is it possible for me to request a transfer back to the asteroid belt mining survey mission?"

After a moment, Mars replied, "You can submit a request, but please be aware that there may be a reduction in your salary and subsidies. Additionally, the 3137's engine may need to be replaced with a smaller one."

I responded, "Alright, authorize the request and submit it for my return to the asteroid belt survey mission on the 3137."

Mars confirmed, saying, "Understood, no problem."

I have to admit, I have developed feelings for Ami. I'm not exactly sure when it started, but suddenly the idea of going to the distant Kuiper Belt doesn't appeal to me anymore. I also sent a message to Mr. and Mrs. Bryan, briefly describing my fortunate encounter with Ami. Soon after, Mrs. Bryan replied, "Alcon, we're delighted to hear about your connection with Ami. Deep space exploration is always a lonely journey. Take care of yourselves. If you have the opportunity, let us know when and where we can meet. We would love to meet you and Ami. We are truly happy for you and wish you both the best."

Not long after, Mars responded to me, saying, "The authorization for the asteroid belt survey has been approved by the DSF command center. Considering the current busyness of the Galileo#1 docking station, there is no need to replace the engine of the 3137."

That's fantastic news! It means I can utilize the powerful engine designed for the Kuiper Belt and have more flexibility in navigating between the asteroid belt, Jupiter, and Mars.

The following day, I shared with Ami that all my future missions would be focused on the asteroid belt. I could sense her joy and excitement. In the days that followed, I invited her to my rest station to meet Mars and engage in playing games. She, in turn, invited me to her rest station where she introduced me to Anguirus, her AI assistant. We watched movies, had conversations, listened to music, and shared meals together. We spent a lot of time gazing at space and having deep discussions on the observation deck. We strolled along the street from 1B to 1C, and then to 1A, pausing to explore intriguing shops and indulge in delicious snacks. Eventually, we took the escalator back to 1B. Days like these continued for a while, and we blossomed into a deeply in love couple...

I introduced Ami to Mr. and Mrs. Bryan through a video call. Shortly after, Mrs.Bryan responded with a video, in which she said, "Alcon, we all really like Ami..." Before she could finish, Mr.Bryan interjected, "Do you want to go on a vacation to Europa?" (Note: Europa is one of Jupiter's moons.)

After watching the video message, I looked at Ami, who hesitated for a moment before saying, "Isn't it very expensive?"

I thought about it and told her that I had previously taken on the Koiber belt exploration mission and had a decent income. Plus, I currently had no expenses, so it wasn't a problem for me to cover her costs. Ami thought for a moment and said, "No, I want to pay for myself."

"How about we split the cost of transportation and accommodations, and as for food and entertainment, I'll pay since I would have to pay for myself anyway. So it's just a matter of bringing you along," I suggested.