"Finally home."
As soon as Chen Hao finished speaking, the communication indicator light on the main control panel suddenly started flashing red. The originally stable signal waveform image had been scribbled on with a pen, and was now flickering intermittently.
Nana stared at the screen for two seconds, her voice flat: "Signal link interrupted, ground response lost."
Chen Hao's smile froze on his face. "What do you mean?"
“That means the ‘landing clearance’ we just heard may only be half-transmitted.” She ran her finger across the panel. “The data packet is incomplete, the encrypted handshake is not finished, and the system cannot generate an approach trajectory.”
"So they thought we didn't receive it?"
"Or they might think we're the source of the interference."
"No, we're definitely right here!" Chen Hao slammed his hand on the table. "I just said 'Finally home!' Such an emotional statement!"
“Emotions cannot enhance signal strength.” Nana had already pulled up the communication log. “The current signal-to-noise ratio is below the safe threshold, and the voice transmission distortion rate is 67%. What you just said may have been heard by the ground as ‘alien creatures invading Earth.’”
"It can't be that bad, can it?"
"We cannot rule out this possibility."
Chen Hao sighed, leaned back in his chair, his stomach pressing against the edge of the control panel. "I thought the hardest part was over. Now I'm stuck on the 'can't hear clearly' step?"
“Technical problems never come in stages.” Nana opened the device diagnostic interface. “The communication module is aging, the antenna array is offset by 0.3 degrees, and the interstellar ionospheric disturbance, combined with multiple factors, has led to link instability.”
Can it be repaired?
"It can be adjusted, but it requires manual calibration."
"Then do it."
"Your cooperation is needed."
“I knew it.” He slowly sat up straight. “Every time it comes to a crucial moment, I’m the one who has to step up.”
Nana handed him a pair of debugging gloves. "Shut down unnecessary power units and increase transmission power. At the same time, I need to reset the polarization frequency and switch to pulse code mode."
Speak like a human.
"Go and turn off the entertainment system, the kitchen heating module, and the air purifier."
"They even shut off the fridge? My last bottle of soda is still in there!"
Priority ranking: Going home > Soda
Chen Hao muttered something as he got up and walked to the main power switch, disconnecting several branch circuits in sequence. The main light dimmed briefly before returning to its original brightness.
"alright."
“Power increased by twelve percent.” Nana’s finger slid quickly across the screen. “Attempting to re-establish the connection.”
She pressed the send button.
A few seconds later, a static-like sound, similar to that of an old-fashioned radio tuning, came from the speaker, followed by a broken voice: "...SSV...identity...verification...duplicate submission...suspected...spam signal..."
"Are they calling us nuisance calls?" Chen Hao exclaimed, his eyes wide.
"More accurately, we are classified as invalid broadcast sources."
"What should we do then? Send it again?"
“This will only worsen the system’s assessment of it as abnormal behavior.” She pulled up the knowledge base records. “I suggest using directional pulse coding, sending a concise information packet every thirty seconds, including the spacecraft number, crew list, coordinates, and fuel status. This will reduce the probability of it being filtered.”
"It sounds like a distress signal."
"It is essentially a cry for help."
"But didn't I already say? Our system is stable, in good condition, and ready to land at any time—"
"You spoke too long; all that's left of the signal is the four words 'ready at any time'."
"Then I'll shorten it."
"Don't improvise. Follow the template."
Chen Hao leaned over to look at the format of the message she wrote and read it aloud: "SSV-097, coordinates locked, requesting access to standard waterway. Concise and powerful."
"It needs to be compressed further."
"How else can we pressure them?"
Remove 'request'.
"Isn't it too hard?"
"A firmer approach makes it easier to pass the review."
Sending for the second time.
After sending the signal, the two stared at the screen, waiting for a response.
Ten seconds.
Twenty seconds.
Thirty seconds.
“No feedback,” Nana said.
"Is the orientation wrong? Is the antenna crooked?"
“Possibly.” She brought up the antenna calibration interface. “Go to the equipment compartment and manually adjust the main array angle, tilting it upwards by five degrees.”
"Do I have to go back to work?"
"You're the one who does the physical work."
"I'm fat because of my low metabolic rate, not because I was designed for physical labor."
"This is a special case."
Chen Hao dawdled as he went to the equipment bay. He found the antenna control lever and pushed it upwards with force. The metal structure emitted a slight scraping sound as the angle slowly changed.
"Are you done yet?" Nana asked over the communicator.
"We pushed it up! My hands are about to break!"
"Testing signal reception quality... Significant improvement. Try again."
Third time sending.
This time, there was less static from the speaker. The mechanical female voice sounded intermittently: "...SSV-097...Signal identification in progress...Please maintain...link connectivity...Waiting...Data synchronization..."
"They've received us!" Chen Hao slammed his fist on the handrail.
“Two-way authentication has not yet been completed.” Nana continued, “We need to receive the landing parameter packet; otherwise, we cannot enter the approach orbit.”
"Then let's just wait."
“We can’t just wait passively.” She turned on the transmission power monitoring. “The ionospheric disturbance period is about four minutes, and the window is only ninety seconds. We must complete the data exchange within this time.”
"So we have to send it again?"
"Yes. And this time we need to bring the verification code."
What is a verification code?
"A set of numbers to prove that we are not random noise."
Where did it come from?
"I figured it out."
"You can even do this?"
"The database contains the algorithms."
"Robots are terrifying."
Fourth time sending.
After the signal was sent, the two held their breath and watched the progress bar.
Ten seconds later, a green dot lit up in the communication status bar.
"Link established," Nana said. "Start receiving data packets."
The screen begins scrolling with characters: approach route coordinates, atmospheric entry angle, wind speed forecast, guidance frequency, alternate landing point...
“It’s all done,” she said. “The navigation system has been imported, and the route visualization is complete.”
Chen Hao breathed a sigh of relief and slumped into his chair. "Finally done. I thought we were going to drift in outer space forever."
"Almost."
"What if the ground forces don't respond to us? Can we just charge in?"
"It will trigger the defense system."
"What if we disguise ourselves as a tourist spaceship? We can say we're here for sightseeing."
"Your weight does not meet the astronaut standard, making disguise difficult."
"Hey, I'm a legal returnee now!"
Nana didn't reply. Instead, she brought up the backup interface and copied all the received data to two separate storage modules.
Why save two copies?
"One copy for navigation, and one copy to keep as evidence."
"evidence?"
"This proves that we did receive the instructions. In case someone accuses us of illegal entry after we land, we can show this to them."
"You're quite cautious."
"I just don't want to have worked for nothing."
Chen Hao gazed out the window. The outline of their home planet grew clearer, its blue-white atmosphere shimmering at the edges, like a slowly peeling candy ball.
"Do you think anyone will remember us after we go back?"
"uncertain."
"I mean, after all, we crawled out of that hellish planet. No water, no electricity, not even a signal. I even grew melons."
"That melon triggered the air purification system's alarm."
"That was an accident!"
"But it's on record."
"Shouldn't we at least get an award certificate as a memento?"
“You can apply.”
"I want to hang it in the very center of the living room."
Nana suddenly looked up: "Final confirmation order from the ground. Clearance to enter outer standby orbit. Maintain current speed and await further guidance."
"This time it's for real." Chen Hao grinned. "We can really go down now."
"The premise is that the power is not cut off again."
“I promise I won’t touch any switches,” he said, raising his right hand. “Unless it breaks by itself.”
Nana glanced at him, said nothing, and simply switched the communication status from "debugging" back to "continuous monitoring".
The indicator light changed from red to green.
The cabin quieted down.
There was only a slight hum of the equipment running.
Chen Hao rubbed his face, feeling like he'd just finished a marathon. He picked up his water glass, took a sip, and found the taste a bit strange.
Did the food in the refrigerator defrost when the power was turned off?
"The possibility is very high."
"My soda..."
"It has spoiled."
"Does this count as a mission loss?"
"Personal property loss is not covered by the compensation."
"This is absolutely terrible luck."
As he was speaking, the control panel suddenly emitted a notification sound.
Nana looked down.
A new information pop-up appeared.
She read aloud: "SSV-097, please note that the pick-up procedure will begin in eighteen minutes. Please confirm that the crew list has been updated last time. Special reminder: Robots must not be declared as independent entities."
Chen Hao was stunned. "What do you mean?"
Nana looked at the screen, her finger hovering over the reply button.
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