Conscience
Chapter 7 Part 4
The missile object was in a gorge near the ruined city. It was formed by a giant river in ancient times. It was over a kilometer in depth. Barely any vegetation grew. Only new layers of earth had appeared. A part of the vertical wall began to move. This was a huge passage entrance, disguised as a cliff.
From the depth of the tunnel, a rocket appeared, installed on a launchpad. There was a white icy mist. To preserve the low-melting oxidizer, liquid nitrogen was used to store as much of the nitrous oxide in liquid form as possible. This is where the launch will be done.
The security service arhan detachments had not found this place yet. They didn’t know that the rocket was ready for an emergency launch, so they were only thinking of how to get rid of Pioneer’s accomplices. If they were to find out that the rocket was ready for launch, their highest priority would be to destroy it. To ease the weight, they had to get rid of its armor. It was enough to press, and the aluminum case would have a dent. If a laser or a machine gun were to get it, it wouldn’t fly anywhere.
Just a bit more, but this was the most dangerous moment. Angela’s arhan was damaged throughout its whole body. Fighting ten opponents, it was at its limit. The right hand was lost in battle, and the second carried the shield. A rocket launcher and a blade were built into it. This was a special weapon, but it was impossible to resist all the enemies coming one after another.
Almost all of Dingo’s traps had been used. There were no homemade explosive devices left, but the missile systems left by Angela were reused. However, the security service’s detachment was too large.
Somehow getting rid of her pursuers, Angela got to the next container. She arrived next to a container by a ruined building and gave an order. And then, a danger message popped up.
“It can’t be. They found it?”
Surprised, Angela turned around. She thought of outwitting them. But through the monitor, she saw how a lot of missiles were coming her way. They were aware that one of the containers were here. Angela turned on the accelerators and began to gain altitude. The missiles hit the container and destroyed it. One of the missiles got Angela’s arhan as its target.
She rose above the buildings where she was already awaited by two other areas. They began to shoot at her from machine guns. From afar she was being fired upon by an arhan with a long-range rifle. Angela destroyed attacking missiles by using the ones on the launcher of her shield. In the midst of the explosions, she had a chance to hide from her pursuers among the buildings. Perhaps they knew the locations of all the containers and were waiting in ambush at the next one. But she couldn’t withstand them with just one shield. Due to constant shooting, the electromagnetic protection was almost at its limit, and there were almost no missiles left. It was necessary to keep it up, and when there was a chance, take away the enemy’s weapon.
She heard Dingo’s voice.
“Pioneer, how much longer?”
<All is according to schedule.>
Angela asked, “Has anyone from Deva joined you?”
<There was not a single message on the communication line.>
“Got it…”
Angela’s face was grim.
<It was an expected result. I should have talked to the inhabitants of Deva one by one from the very start. Without that, those who wish to go wouldn’t be found.>
Dingo said, “You will fly anyways? Alone, without comrades?”
<Well I am hoping, that one person will still agree.>
A security service arhan flew past Angela. And then it turned. Angela accelerated sharply. It opened fire with a machine gun, but could hardly get her. She managed to escape. But now she was pursued by one more arhan.
Pioneer named the person he was hoping for.
<You, Angela Balzac.>
“Me?”
She received a signal that told her that missiles were launched in her direction. Thanks to the back camera, she saw them following her.
<You were kicked out of Deva, and you have nowhere to go. Do you want to come travel with me? To the edge of the galaxy!>
She opened fire on them, but she ran out of ammunition. The remaining missiles were getting closer. She flew into a narrow line of buildings. She maneuvered through the ruined buildings at top speed. The missiles flew into walls and ruins. All the missiles blew up, and Angela went out into a T-shaped road.
“Damn it!”
From both sides, arhans opened fire on her. She was too busy with the missiles to track the enemy’s movements. She reversed at full speed. If she were to slow down, she would immediately be caught in a flurry of bullets.
“No!”
Angela pulled with all her might at the controller. She squeezed the gas pedal all the way. The nozzles opened the whole way and she soared up. At the same time, Angela was thinking over Pioneer’s offer. The offer was tempting.
Pioneer would get a large amount of memory just for her. There will be no discomfort. She would no longer have to think of any missions nor about career growth, for many years she would be able to explore the unknown universe. It is certain that there will be a lot of incredible things there. They may even meet reasonable forms of life. It would be so exciting. Just the thought made one tremble.
A message appeared on the display saying that the arhan had reached maximum height. The two pursuers fell behind, she was all alone at an altitude of 5000 meters. She was being fired at from machine guns and long-range rifles, but perhaps because of the height, the target was out of reach.
It was so quiet in the cockpit that the battle seemed unreal. All around Angela was the real world. Absolutely no nature… She thought and then it seemed to her that the color of the horizon changed.
“A sea?”
The horizon line. She was too far to be sure. Yet in this devastated land, the sea could appear once more. If one were to go there, they can reach the beach. And this wasn’t a virtual beach, but a real, unfamiliar beach to Angela.
“Sorry…”
She told Pioneer and began to descend at full speed. She was hit by a cloud of bullets, but none could get her. She took the blades from her shield. With one sharp movement, Angela destroyed the enemy. She put the shield in standby mode, it went back into its original shape and Angela took the enemy’s machine gun.
She shot another arhan. One more was destroyed. Since the enemy has been firing for a long time, there was only one cartridge left. On a roof nearby was an arhan with a long-range rifle. For accurate hits, Pioneer did the aiming. For accurate shooting, it was necessary to use environmental data, the velocity of the wind, air temperature, and changes in gravity and the Coriolis force. Ballistics, the biography of weapons, the barrel’s temperature and all the information on the identifiers available in the weapon’s memory. All available information was used for firing.
The last bullet went into flight. It went along the planned trajectory and went directly into the barrel of the long-range rifle. The bullet collided with the loaded ammunition. The ammunition stuffed with explosives detonated. The debris of the exploded rifle touched the sensors on the head and antenna. The arhan lost balance stumbled and fell off the roof.
Angela said, “I still don’t know this world well. I want to see so many things. Until I see all this, I can’t leave.”
<I see… A pity.>
There were 10 more security service arhans left. But, by now, they were so intimidated by Angela’s and Dingo’s traps that they were constantly on their guard. More than half of the equipment was simply crushed so it was not surprising. There was still a little time left before returning to the rocket.
Angela threw out the machine gun and landed on the roof of the complex, where the working robot was. Dingo already returned to this place.
“Excellent work,” He waved to Angela’s arhan.
Pioneer said, <Sadly, the goal of the “Ark”, to find a new cradle for humanity, can be considered a failure. I will stop the launch of the rocket and will buy some time so you can escape…>
“Hey,” Angela cut him short, “What’s with you? Do you not want to fly?”
<I…>
Pioneer hesitated.
“You’ve been waiting for this moment for a century. What does it matter if it’s important to you?”
<But to go there with people was the proof of my existence.>
“Hey, Pioneer,” Dingo said, “The word ‘man’ has many different meanings. There is no exact definition of what ‘people’ are. You sing songs, act with your conscience, and don’t forget your old comrades. Who are you, if not a man?”
<Really…?>
“There were things left in you, that we long since lost and forgot. So you can go with pride. If you meet someone on the way, introduce yourself with pride. You are a descendant of man from Earth.”
Immersed in his thoughts, Pioneer was silent.
“It’s ready,” muttered Kristine in a tired voice. The bisected arhan’s system was successfully restarted. Of course, she would not be able to move. A large part of the monitors and sensors were also out of order. And the antenna shot by Dingo was irreparable, so there was no tactical support. However, the manipulator equipped with a laser was still in working condition. And the power supply was still working. The fire control system also recovered. There was no support system from Deva either, but she was going to provide it at the expense of her resources. Kristine was still going to complete her mission.
Pioneer was going to make an emergency launch of the rocket. Angela was fighting the security forces in a battle that she can not defeat, just to gain time. The position of the launch pad was unknown. But when the rocket starts, everything will be clear.
This was exactly where she was going to direct the entire charge of the laser.
“Just you wait, Angela.”
Kristine grabbed the control system and waited.
Gently, Angela said to the silent Pioneer.
“Tell us what you feel.”
Dingo agreed.
“Right. Tell us what you’re thinking.
<What I’m thinking..?>
“Do you want to fly? Or not?”
After a pause, he answered, <I want to. Yes. I want to fly. Every time I conducted an experiment on the launching of the rocket, I imagined how I would explore space. As you said, I always dreamed of it.>
Angela smiled.
“Well, then fly Pioneer.”
Dingo nodded.
“Go ahead. No matter how far you are, we will always be with you.”
<Yes.>
This time Pioneer answered without hesitation, resuming the launch. He returned the control to a startup mode.
<I will fly.>
Disconnection of external power.
Removal of fuses.
<Thank you both. I will tell stories of this star to the whole world.>
Auxiliary rocket engines, from the first to the sixth were unlocked.
From the seventh to the tenth were unlocked.
<If I meet new forms of life, I will definitely tell them about you. About how I appeared on earth, and how you helped me make my decision to travel.>
Oxidizer mixing valves were ready.
There were no deviations.
<Angela, Dingo, I’ll be going.>
Angela saw that the dashboard display showed the message “not online”. Connection with Pioneer disappeared. The robot stopped his work. His cap fell. Dingo smiled sadly.
An ignition.
The engines lit up, white smoke poured out.
Ignition was successful.
Maximum thrust.
Putting on the cap, Dingo stared into the great ravine. Angela was staring too.
Launching.
The ground rumbled. The ferocious roar of engines was heard everywhere. The smoke-shielded rocket fuel burned brightly. The rocket fuel, which was collected for many years, was finally used for its intended purpose.
The rocket started to break away from the ground.
And then an enemy signal appeared on the radars of the arhans. An alarm sounded. Angela glanced at the information display. It was not a signal from Pioneer’s rocket. Someone was directing their weapons at them. The target was not Angela or Dingo, but the launching rocket.
“I will not allow this to happen!”
Angela pressed the gas pedal. The nozzles worked at full capacity. The arhan flew up at full speed. She went to the signal. The screen showed Kristine’s arhan. The laser was aimed. It was aimed directly at the rocket. The ballistic calculation of the new arhan gave such a conclusion immediately. Angela opened up her shield, to cover the rocket. The autopilot was going after the rocket at top speed. For some time, she was behind it.
The laser beam of maximum power shot up into the air. Angela used her shield. The electromagnetic protection already exhausted itself, only the composite armor covered in scratches was left. The laser sparks glowed red because of the high temperature.
“Get out of the way, Angela!”
She heard Kristine’s angry voice.
The shield began to melt. Unable to change directions, the laser charge was aimed at knocking down the rocket.
“Open your eyes! Do you want to die? Stop, or else you’ll be cooked!”
“Die…?”
The red-hot shield was melting. This way a high power laser beam can also melt a backup recovery disc inside the cockpit. There was no death in Paradise. But Angela was expelled from Deva. She had to live in the real world. Someday, her body will rot. And then Angela will die. Sooner or later, it was inevitable.
Inside her, a primitive fear raged along with an excitement which she had never experienced before. Instinct prompted her. It was the desire to live.
“I won’t get cooked. I decided everything for myself. I will not fulfill any more orders, I will follow my dreams and do only what I want. And I will not let you destroy Pioneer’s dreams.”
The shield melted completely. And still, the laser beam did not reach the cockpit. Angela didn’t get hurt. The laser charge was stopped. The attack prevented.
“Fool!”
Kristine shouted and disconnected. There was a signal about a shortage of fuel. The arhan’s accelerators used the whole stock. Its supply ran out and the arhan began to fall. She was at a height of 10,000 meters. On the monitor, she saw the rocket rise, leaving a white trail behind it. Angela repeated the gesture of gratitude and smiled.
Edited by: Akshaythedon
Conscience
Chapter 7 Part 4
The missile object was in a gorge near the ruined city. It was formed by a giant river in ancient times. It was over a kilometer in depth. Barely any vegetation grew. Only new layers of earth had appeared. A part of the vertical wall began to move. This was a huge passage entrance, disguised as a cliff.
From the depth of the tunnel, a rocket appeared, installed on a launchpad. There was a white icy mist. To preserve the low-melting oxidizer, liquid nitrogen was used to store as much of the nitrous oxide in liquid form as possible. This is where the launch will be done.
The security service arhan detachments had not found this place yet. They didn’t know that the rocket was ready for an emergency launch, so they were only thinking of how to get rid of Pioneer’s accomplices. If they were to find out that the rocket was ready for launch, their highest priority would be to destroy it. To ease the weight, they had to get rid of its armor. It was enough to press, and the aluminum case would have a dent. If a laser or a machine gun were to get it, it wouldn’t fly anywhere.
Just a bit more, but this was the most dangerous moment. Angela’s arhan was damaged throughout its whole body. Fighting ten opponents, it was at its limit. The right hand was lost in battle, and the second carried the shield. A rocket launcher and a blade were built into it. This was a special weapon, but it was impossible to resist all the enemies coming one after another.
Almost all of Dingo’s traps had been used. There were no homemade explosive devices left, but the missile systems left by Angela were reused. However, the security service’s detachment was too large.
Somehow getting rid of her pursuers, Angela got to the next container. She arrived next to a container by a ruined building and gave an order. And then, a danger message popped up.
“It can’t be. They found it?”
Surprised, Angela turned around. She thought of outwitting them. But through the monitor, she saw how a lot of missiles were coming her way. They were aware that one of the containers were here. Angela turned on the accelerators and began to gain altitude. The missiles hit the container and destroyed it. One of the missiles got Angela’s arhan as its target.
She rose above the buildings where she was already awaited by two other areas. They began to shoot at her from machine guns. From afar she was being fired upon by an arhan with a long-range rifle. Angela destroyed attacking missiles by using the ones on the launcher of her shield. In the midst of the explosions, she had a chance to hide from her pursuers among the buildings. Perhaps they knew the locations of all the containers and were waiting in ambush at the next one. But she couldn’t withstand them with just one shield. Due to constant shooting, the electromagnetic protection was almost at its limit, and there were almost no missiles left. It was necessary to keep it up, and when there was a chance, take away the enemy’s weapon.
She heard Dingo’s voice.
“Pioneer, how much longer?”
<All is according to schedule.>
Angela asked, “Has anyone from Deva joined you?”
<There was not a single message on the communication line.>
“Got it…”
Angela’s face was grim.
<It was an expected result. I should have talked to the inhabitants of Deva one by one from the very start. Without that, those who wish to go wouldn’t be found.>
Dingo said, “You will fly anyways? Alone, without comrades?”
<Well I am hoping, that one person will still agree.>
A security service arhan flew past Angela. And then it turned. Angela accelerated sharply. It opened fire with a machine gun, but could hardly get her. She managed to escape. But now she was pursued by one more arhan.
Pioneer named the person he was hoping for.
<You, Angela Balzac.>
“Me?”
She received a signal that told her that missiles were launched in her direction. Thanks to the back camera, she saw them following her.
<You were kicked out of Deva, and you have nowhere to go. Do you want to come travel with me? To the edge of the galaxy!>
She opened fire on them, but she ran out of ammunition. The remaining missiles were getting closer. She flew into a narrow line of buildings. She maneuvered through the ruined buildings at top speed. The missiles flew into walls and ruins. All the missiles blew up, and Angela went out into a T-shaped road.
“Damn it!”
From both sides, arhans opened fire on her. She was too busy with the missiles to track the enemy’s movements. She reversed at full speed. If she were to slow down, she would immediately be caught in a flurry of bullets.
“No!”
Angela pulled with all her might at the controller. She squeezed the gas pedal all the way. The nozzles opened the whole way and she soared up. At the same time, Angela was thinking over Pioneer’s offer. The offer was tempting.
Pioneer would get a large amount of memory just for her. There will be no discomfort. She would no longer have to think of any missions nor about career growth, for many years she would be able to explore the unknown universe. It is certain that there will be a lot of incredible things there. They may even meet reasonable forms of life. It would be so exciting. Just the thought made one tremble.
A message appeared on the display saying that the arhan had reached maximum height. The two pursuers fell behind, she was all alone at an altitude of 5000 meters. She was being fired at from machine guns and long-range rifles, but perhaps because of the height, the target was out of reach.
It was so quiet in the cockpit that the battle seemed unreal. All around Angela was the real world. Absolutely no nature… She thought and then it seemed to her that the color of the horizon changed.
“A sea?”
The horizon line. She was too far to be sure. Yet in this devastated land, the sea could appear once more. If one were to go there, they can reach the beach. And this wasn’t a virtual beach, but a real, unfamiliar beach to Angela.
“Sorry…”
She told Pioneer and began to descend at full speed. She was hit by a cloud of bullets, but none could get her. She took the blades from her shield. With one sharp movement, Angela destroyed the enemy. She put the shield in standby mode, it went back into its original shape and Angela took the enemy’s machine gun.
She shot another arhan. One more was destroyed. Since the enemy has been firing for a long time, there was only one cartridge left. On a roof nearby was an arhan with a long-range rifle. For accurate hits, Pioneer did the aiming. For accurate shooting, it was necessary to use environmental data, the velocity of the wind, air temperature, and changes in gravity and the Coriolis force. Ballistics, the biography of weapons, the barrel’s temperature and all the information on the identifiers available in the weapon’s memory. All available information was used for firing.
The last bullet went into flight. It went along the planned trajectory and went directly into the barrel of the long-range rifle. The bullet collided with the loaded ammunition. The ammunition stuffed with explosives detonated. The debris of the exploded rifle touched the sensors on the head and antenna. The arhan lost balance stumbled and fell off the roof.
Angela said, “I still don’t know this world well. I want to see so many things. Until I see all this, I can’t leave.”
<I see… A pity.>
There were 10 more security service arhans left. But, by now, they were so intimidated by Angela’s and Dingo’s traps that they were constantly on their guard. More than half of the equipment was simply crushed so it was not surprising. There was still a little time left before returning to the rocket.
Angela threw out the machine gun and landed on the roof of the complex, where the working robot was. Dingo already returned to this place.
“Excellent work,” He waved to Angela’s arhan.
Pioneer said, <Sadly, the goal of the “Ark”, to find a new cradle for humanity, can be considered a failure. I will stop the launch of the rocket and will buy some time so you can escape…>
“Hey,” Angela cut him short, “What’s with you? Do you not want to fly?”
<I…>
Pioneer hesitated.
“You’ve been waiting for this moment for a century. What does it matter if it’s important to you?”
<But to go there with people was the proof of my existence.>
“Hey, Pioneer,” Dingo said, “The word ‘man’ has many different meanings. There is no exact definition of what ‘people’ are. You sing songs, act with your conscience, and don’t forget your old comrades. Who are you, if not a man?”
<Really…?>
“There were things left in you, that we long since lost and forgot. So you can go with pride. If you meet someone on the way, introduce yourself with pride. You are a descendant of man from Earth.”
Immersed in his thoughts, Pioneer was silent.
“It’s ready,” muttered Kristine in a tired voice. The bisected arhan’s system was successfully restarted. Of course, she would not be able to move. A large part of the monitors and sensors were also out of order. And the antenna shot by Dingo was irreparable, so there was no tactical support. However, the manipulator equipped with a laser was still in working condition. And the power supply was still working. The fire control system also recovered. There was no support system from Deva either, but she was going to provide it at the expense of her resources. Kristine was still going to complete her mission.
Pioneer was going to make an emergency launch of the rocket. Angela was fighting the security forces in a battle that she can not defeat, just to gain time. The position of the launch pad was unknown. But when the rocket starts, everything will be clear.
This was exactly where she was going to direct the entire charge of the laser.
“Just you wait, Angela.”
Kristine grabbed the control system and waited.
Gently, Angela said to the silent Pioneer.
“Tell us what you feel.”
Dingo agreed.
“Right. Tell us what you’re thinking.
<What I’m thinking..?>
“Do you want to fly? Or not?”
After a pause, he answered, <I want to. Yes. I want to fly. Every time I conducted an experiment on the launching of the rocket, I imagined how I would explore space. As you said, I always dreamed of it.>
Angela smiled.
“Well, then fly Pioneer.”
Dingo nodded.
“Go ahead. No matter how far you are, we will always be with you.”
<Yes.>
This time Pioneer answered without hesitation, resuming the launch. He returned the control to a startup mode.
<I will fly.>
Disconnection of external power.
Removal of fuses.
<Thank you both. I will tell stories of this star to the whole world.>
Auxiliary rocket engines, from the first to the sixth were unlocked.
From the seventh to the tenth were unlocked.
<If I meet new forms of life, I will definitely tell them about you. About how I appeared on earth, and how you helped me make my decision to travel.>
Oxidizer mixing valves were ready.
There were no deviations.
<Angela, Dingo, I’ll be going.>
Angela saw that the dashboard display showed the message “not online”. Connection with Pioneer disappeared. The robot stopped his work. His cap fell. Dingo smiled sadly.
An ignition.
The engines lit up, white smoke poured out.
Ignition was successful.
Maximum thrust.
Putting on the cap, Dingo stared into the great ravine. Angela was staring too.
Launching.
The ground rumbled. The ferocious roar of engines was heard everywhere. The smoke-shielded rocket fuel burned brightly. The rocket fuel, which was collected for many years, was finally used for its intended purpose.
The rocket started to break away from the ground.
And then an enemy signal appeared on the radars of the arhans. An alarm sounded. Angela glanced at the information display. It was not a signal from Pioneer’s rocket. Someone was directing their weapons at them. The target was not Angela or Dingo, but the launching rocket.
“I will not allow this to happen!”
Angela pressed the gas pedal. The nozzles worked at full capacity. The arhan flew up at full speed. She went to the signal. The screen showed Kristine’s arhan. The laser was aimed. It was aimed directly at the rocket. The ballistic calculation of the new arhan gave such a conclusion immediately. Angela opened up her shield, to cover the rocket. The autopilot was going after the rocket at top speed. For some time, she was behind it.
The laser beam of maximum power shot up into the air. Angela used her shield. The electromagnetic protection already exhausted itself, only the composite armor covered in scratches was left. The laser sparks glowed red because of the high temperature.
“Get out of the way, Angela!”
She heard Kristine’s angry voice.
The shield began to melt. Unable to change directions, the laser charge was aimed at knocking down the rocket.
“Open your eyes! Do you want to die? Stop, or else you’ll be cooked!”
“Die…?”
The red-hot shield was melting. This way a high power laser beam can also melt a backup recovery disc inside the cockpit. There was no death in Paradise. But Angela was expelled from Deva. She had to live in the real world. Someday, her body will rot. And then Angela will die. Sooner or later, it was inevitable.
Inside her, a primitive fear raged along with an excitement which she had never experienced before. Instinct prompted her. It was the desire to live.
“I won’t get cooked. I decided everything for myself. I will not fulfill any more orders, I will follow my dreams and do only what I want. And I will not let you destroy Pioneer’s dreams.”
The shield melted completely. And still, the laser beam did not reach the cockpit. Angela didn’t get hurt. The laser charge was stopped. The attack prevented.
“Fool!”
Kristine shouted and disconnected. There was a signal about a shortage of fuel. The arhan’s accelerators used the whole stock. Its supply ran out and the arhan began to fall. She was at a height of 10,000 meters. On the monitor, she saw the rocket rise, leaving a white trail behind it. Angela repeated the gesture of gratitude and smiled.
Edited by: Akshaythedon
