Mars, the "Bird's Nest" base.
With four women and one man, the "Bird's Nest" became lively.
Ivanka's long-awaited reunion brought Yui to tears for quite some time, and her interactions with Su Muran were also quite pleasant. It's hard not to like a girl with Ivanka's high emotional intelligence.
Ivanka recovered quickly, and within a week she was basically the same as a normal person.
The rest were just some playful little daily squabbles. Zhang Fan originally thought that this peaceful little life would last for a long time.
One evening, Ivanka walked into Zhang Fan's room.
"Fan, I want to talk to you about something."
"What is it?" Zhang Fan was somewhat surprised by Ivanka's arrival.
In the past, to avoid causing Yui unnecessary worry, Ivanka rarely entered his room alone at night.
"I want to go back."
"Go back?" Zhang Fan asked, somewhat surprised. "Go back where?"
"Blue Star".
"Blue Star?" Zhang Fan was stunned.
“Hmm.” Ivanka said, sitting on the bed opposite Zhang Fan, “I want to go back.”
"Why?" Zhang Fan asked, puzzled.
“Because the United States needs me.” Ivanka brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled faintly. “The United States is like a child who has done something wrong. Everyone around him is criticizing him. Even if he knows he is wrong, he doesn’t know what to do. He needs guidance from his parents.”
"I see..." Zhang Fan remained silent for a moment.
“My father is not free now, and as his daughter, I should go back and see him.” Ivanka’s tone was gentle. “If the United States is the child who has done something wrong, then I am now the mother of that child, so I must go back.”
"That is, after all, my country."
"Then how will you get back? We don't have a lander that can enter the atmosphere of Earth. Earth is also..." Zhang Fan knew that although Earth was preparing to launch artificial satellites into space, it did not yet have the capability to launch manned spacecraft.
“There’s a US ‘Explorer’ command module in lunar orbit,” Ivanka said. “That was originally intended to remain in lunar orbit as a return capsule for the next US manned lunar landing.”
"The asteroid debris did not affect the lunar orbit, and the command module should still be there. Both the Apollo spacecraft and the Explorer command module used US technology, so they can dock."
"So you want 'Firebird' to take 'Apollo' back to Earth, right?" Zhang Fan understood Ivanka's intention.
“Yes.” Ivanka nodded. “I will leave ‘Firebird’ in orbit around Earth and then take it to lunar orbit aboard ‘Apollo’. That way, ‘Firebird’ will become a satellite of Earth, which will be of great help to you.”
Ivanka leaned closer and sincerely held Zhang Fan's hands: "Fan, you will help me, right?"
"Sigh..." Zhang Fan sighed, "Now that you've said it, is there any possibility of changing it?"
"Hehe." Ivanka laughed happily, then shook her head. "No!"
"What day are you leaving?" Zhang Fan asked.
"the day after tomorrow."
Every 26 months, Mars will reach its closest point to Earth. If we count from the date "Firebird" departed, the day after tomorrow will be the most suitable day to return to Earth from Mars.
"Sister Ivanka, why are you leaving again after only a few days?" Yui was the one who was most reluctant to part.
“Something came up at home, so I had to go back.” Ivanka patted Yui’s head; she loved her silly little sister the most.
"So you went back alone first," Katerina said, somewhat displeased.
“There’s nothing I can do; there’s only one seat on the ‘Explorer’ chair.” Ivanka smiled. “Without me in the way, aren’t you more free?”
“You said it yourself.” Katerina raised an eyebrow. “If anything goes wrong later, don’t blame me.”
“Okay!” Ivanka hugged Katerina. “We were both locked up for six months, so we’re even now, right? We can still be good friends, okay?”
"Mmm." Katerina hugged Ivanka back, her eyes slightly moist.
“Although I haven’t known you for very long, you’re the most thoughtful person here,” Ivanka said, holding Su Muran’s hand. “Please take good care of these two big kids in the future.”
"Okay." Su Muran nodded with a smile. "I will."
All the supplies and food needed for the journey have been moved to the Apollo spacecraft, which has also been refueled.
"It's time to leave. I'll see you off." Zhang Fan, already dressed in his spacesuit, stood to the side.
"Goodbye, everyone, see you on Earth." Ivanka waved to everyone with a smile.
"goodbye."
Take good care of yourself.
"Bon Voyage."
...
The Apollo spacecraft shot into the sky like an arrow, leaving a long contrail from its thrusters that resembled a flag planted on Mars.
After the Apollo spacecraft docked with the Soyuz space station, Zhang Fan went to the Firebird and drove the Feather lander away from the docked transfer spacecraft node. The Apollo spacecraft also left the space station and exchanged positions with the Feather lander.
The two men moved the supplies from the Apollo cargo hold to the Firebird's multi-functional storage compartment.
It was already evening.
"What time are you planning to leave?" Zhang Fan asked.
“According to Martian time, it’s 7 a.m. tomorrow,” Ivanka replied.
Before its launch, Firebird will use the centrifugal force of Mars' rotation to accelerate, which will effectively shorten the time it takes to reach Earth.
"It's already past midnight on Mars. You should go back tomorrow morning; it'll be safer that way."
"OK."
The two ate something together, chatted for a while, and then went back to rest separately.
Goodnight, Fan.
Goodnight, Ivanka.
They were about to part ways.
I clearly have so much to say to the other person.
As the day of parting drew near, I found myself speechless...
I have so much to say, I don't even know where to begin.
Tomorrow, Ivanka will return to Earth alone, to that world riddled with holes, and to that country riddled with holes.
To be honest, Zhang Fan admired her a little.
This girl is clear about her likes and dislikes, and dares to love and act on them.
After we part tomorrow, I don't know when we'll see each other again, or even if we'll ever meet again...
Zhang Fan crawled into his sleeping bag inside the space breeding experiment module, felt his eyelids getting heavier and heavier, and soon fell into a deep sleep...
Zhang Fan had a dream.
I dreamt that when I was a child, I went to a pond with my friends to catch loaches. One of my naughty friends secretly put the loaches he caught into his collar. They were slippery and made him incredibly itchy. He hurriedly reached out to grab them, and his friends burst into laughter...
Finally, Zhang Fan managed to grab the loach with both hands. It was slippery, slimy, and had a milky aroma...
Um?
Zhang Fan opened his eyes.
Ivanka had somehow crawled into his sleeping bag.
"you……"
Shh~ Don't talk.
Ivanka slithered under her sleeping bag like an eel...
The space breeding experiment module continues to function on this Martian night...
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