Chapter 604 Stress and Excitement

Name：Getting a Technology System in Modern Day Author：
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Chapter 604 Stress and Excitement

Two days later.

[Analysis complete, Admiral. No signs of advanced alien life detected in space,] the Proxima’s AI reported. It had spent a few hours repeatedly examining every pixel of the completed map and come to the conclusion that, if alien lifeforms existed in the Proxima Centauri system, they were either incapable of spaceflight or used a means too advanced for it to detect.

“Signal the fleet: the fleet will prepare to launch after crossing Proxima Centauri’s heliopause. Once launched, the escorts will take up formation around the TSF Proxima. Exploration Fleet is to remain docked but move to Condition Yellow. They will launch once we’re ten AU inside the system,” Admiral of the Red Bianchi ordered.

[Signal sent and acknowledged, Admiral,] the AI replied, then engaged the Proxima’s gravity drives. They were close enough to the star to get at least minimal acceleration out of them.

“Proxima, all hands announcement.”

[Recording, Admiral.]

“All hands hear this. We have completed the initial system scan and detected no signs of advanced alien life thus far. We are currently moving into the system on gravity drive. Your captains have their orders and you are released from Stationkeeping status. Bianchi clear.”

The announcement played from every speaker and within every one of the stasis and VR pods, then repeated itself twice as crews began stirring, the lids of their pods sliding open and letting the people contained within climb out and get dressed.

......

“Then...” the commander looked around the large VR briefing room everyone was in, “you.” She pointed to the lucky first-

footer, Ordinary Crewman Lance Parker. “Stand up and give us a briefing on Proxima Centauri b.”

She was perhaps being unfair to the man, but she was only human and felt a little bitter about not being the first-footer by right of her rank and position.

“Yes, Ma’am,” OC Parker said as he stood, then began regurgitating the information contained in the data file on the Proxima Centauri system. “To understand Proxima Centauri b, we first have to begin with the system it inhabits and the star it orbits. Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf star....”

Ayaka interrupted him when his explanation began to falter as he struggled to recall more information about the solar system and its sole inhabitant. “Excellent, OC Parker. You’ve memorized our briefing material to an outstanding degree.”

She changed tack and continued, “I’m sure everyone’s also familiar with the precautions we’ll be taking as we approach the planet, so there’s no need to repeat them. You’ve all—

we’ve all—been drilled on it enough in VR, both in training for the mission and during the trip out here. There will be one more drill this evening, ship time....”

The briefing continued for a few minutes before Ayaka clapped her hands and dismissed everyone. They all disappeared from the virtual briefing room in dribs and drabs until she was the only one left, then she tottered over to one of the seats in the room on wobbling knees and fell into it.

The stress of her position was getting to her, but the time to explore had almost arrived and it had brought excitement with it.