Star Rider

Alcon's Journal #28 - Angel's Fall

DSF@9780fa6cd8847e72860a33a2dafce2cd

We finally reached the fork in our route. Mars and I were to accelerate towards Uranus using the gravitational slingshot to be thrown towards a region in the Kuiper Belt. Ami's 4177 would veer off to the other side and enter Uranus' gravitational slingshot a little later, and then be thrown towards another Kuiper Belt region closer to Neptune. As our paths diverged further, real-time communication would slowly become ineffective, and we would have to resort to asynchronous video messages.

As we began to enter the fork in our routes, we instinctively placed our hands on the display terminal and tried to feel and touch each other. Ami lowered her head and wiped her eyes, then looked up at me with a smile. "Alcon, I'm leaving..."

I placed my hand on the screen where Ami's face was. "Ami, I love you. Good luck and godspeed..."

Ami laughed through her tears. "Alcon, you silly goose! That's my special phrase. You can only say 'Fair winds and following seas...'"

And so, our routes formed a Y shape, and we slid into our respective destinies at a speed of 700,000 kilometers per hour...

After one clock cycle, our video delay had accumulated to about 7 seconds, and real-time video was cut off. Ami's first video message to me showed her holding Anguirus plushie and saying, "Alcon, take good care of yourself. Remember to eat and sleep on time. Don't worry, I have Anguirus."

I wasn't worried, I just missed her...

Soon after leaving Uranus, the distance between Ami and me grew larger and larger. The distance between Uranus and Neptune's orbits was 10 astronomical units, and by the time we reached Neptune's orbit, the distance between Ami and me would be three astronomical units, nearly 25 minutes at the speed of light. By the time we reached the Kuiper Belt, the distance would be more than 7 astronomical units, an hour at the speed of light...

I leaned against the porthole and sipped my coffee. Mars turned on the music. We still had over 80 days until we reached Neptune's orbit. From here, Neptune was just a bright spot, not much different from an ordinary star. But I knew that Ami was passing through Uranus' slingshot and flying towards Neptune. She would undergo another gravitational acceleration and enter the cold Kuiper Belt. It would be Ami's first trip through the Kuiper Belt...

--------------------------Remark--------------------------

When I write up to this point, I can no longer control my emotions. Ami has already passed away, and words can no longer transcend the barriers of time, space, and life and death. In this very moment, I find myself penning these memories in the remaining cabin section of 3137 on B-19997, attempting to piece together recollections I'd rather not revisit. But, in the end, we all eventually pass away, don't we? When we reunite in another world, how will our story be preserved in this realm?

---------------------End of Remark---------------------

When I arrived in Neptune's orbit, three months had already elapsed. Throughout that time, Ami and I contemplated our future together. Ami expressed her fondness for a house adorned with panoramic glass windows, illuminated by gentle sunlight. On the other hand, I yearned for warm wooden walls and a cozy fireplace. Hence, our dream house encompassed two distinct creative spaces, providing us with outlets for painting and writing. Beyond its walls, the tranquil undulations of the waves awaited, along with the expansive night sky where we once traversed amidst the celestial tapestry of stars...

I will never forget that moment when Mars urgently woke me up from my sleep, "Mayday DSF 4177 !!!!!!"

I almost tumbled out of my sleeping position, struggling to grab the tablet. The message read, "DSF 4177 encountered a meteorite. The propellant tank failed, and the fusion engine lost control. Neutron flux burst."

I looked at the detailed information in despair. It should be that Ami's 4177 encountered a meteorite, which shattered the propellant tank and pierced through the engine. The fusion engine lost magnetic confinement instantly, and the neutron flux generated by the fusion reaction burst in all directions. Although the spaceship had layers of cosmic ray isolation layers, the high-density neutron flux still penetrated the manned cabin where Ami was...

The message showed that I was ranked first in the rescue spacecraft queue, which meant that I could go and execute the rescue mission. Mars had already turned its course to Ami's location upon receiving the news...

I tried to look in Ami's direction, but I could only see the starry sky. At this moment, Mars prompted me, "Ami's message is coming in..."

After being struck by the neutron flux, Ami's life began to fade away. Summoning all her remaining strength, she sat upright in her seat and spoke to me, "Alcon, I'm sorry. I just lost consciousness, but don't worry, I saw that you came. Anguirus and I are attempting to adjust our trajectory and stabilize as much as we can." She struggled to catch her breath and continued slowly, "Alcon, I'm not afraid. We have always been together, haven't we?" With those words, she placed the pendant from her necklace into her mouth.

In the weightless confines of my cabin, grief engulfed me, and I called out Ami's name, tears streaming down my face. How could I traverse the vast expanse of over 400 million kilometers to reach you, my beloved?

Not long after, we received distressing news from Anguirus. Due to a malfunction, DSF-4177 had become ensnared by Neptune's powerful gravitational pull. Despite Anguirus' valiant efforts to utilize the remaining hydrogen propellant and oxygen from the life support system for conventional propulsion, escaping Neptune's grasp proved futile. 4177 had already entered Neptune's satellite orbit and was destined to collide with the planet's atmosphere in a mere seven days. Meanwhile, I was still roughly 30 days away from reaching Ami's location.

In silence, Mars continued to accelerate, pushing 3137 to its limits. The overwhelming sense of helplessness in the face of the vastness of space threatened to consume me with despair. I floated aimlessly within the confines of the cabin, my head colliding with the walls, desperate to bridge the gap of 400 million kilometers that separated us in this vast ocean of space and time. My messages to Ami became a relentless stream, urging her to hold on and assuring her of my unwavering love.

Why? I couldn't understand why fate had to take people away from me one after another. If there were a creator, I would rather fall into the arms of Satan and become an enemy of the world.

In the brief moments of Ami's consciousness, she responded to my messages, expressing, "Alcon, I apologize for my condition. I just vomited, but I am fine now. Please don't resent the hand of fate. I am eternally by your side. Discovering my own faith has been a solitary journey, and meeting you has been my blessing and destiny. Even in the face of death, I am filled with tranquility. I have you, my beloved Alcon, who loves me, and I hold no regrets in this lifetime. I simply do not wish to part from you. However, if an afterlife exists, we shall reunite once more..."

"I recall you speaking of the Cassini spacecraft, which gracefully met its end in the embrace of Saturn's atmosphere, without any regrets. If it possessed consciousness, what thoughts might it have held? Now, your Ami is also poised to enter Neptune's atmosphere. This cerulean planet is truly captivating. Blue, your favorite color, Alcon. I shall forever remain with you, my cherished Alcon..."

Ami's last message was, "Alcon, I love you. We may be in different worlds, but we share the same moon and stars."