Chapter 224 The Unknown Bystander
In the cold universe, Amber was concentrating on driving the experimental MK1 towards the area designated by Lilith at high speed.
The main propulsion array close to the rear of the cockpit is emitting a stable low-frequency tremor.
In Amber's opinion, staying in this small cockpit and listening to this familiar noise made him, a 'visitor' who did not belong to this world, feel a moment of peace of mind.
As for the additional propulsion unit that was 'cooked' by the preparation team leader, Eugene and Orns, there was no abnormality that would cause Amber's cardiopulmonary arrest.
Looking at the various parameters that had remained stable on the multi-function display, Amber glanced at the 'throttle' on the left.
Since the Air Force was involved in the initial militarization transformation of HCP, many components in the cockpit continued to use the names of atmospheric fighters and aerospace fighters.
And in order to facilitate pilots to quickly adapt to the operation of HCP, the functions of these control devices were actually the same as those on fighter aircraft.
Amber once again confirmed that all parameters were normal and showed a smile that no one could see.
He took a slow breath to prepare himself, then put his left hand on the throttle and pushed it forward gently.
Pushing forward from 'High Speed Cruise', we came to a gear called 'Test (Warning)'.
The two additional propulsion units on the legs of the experimental MK1 had previously adjusted their angle to a position parallel to the main propulsion array. At this time, a more dazzling blue light emerged.
As the blue-white trail continued to lengthen, the relative speed on the multi-function display in the cockpit soared like a rocket.
"Huhu. Huh. Ha. Ha. Hahahaha!"
Amber, who gradually got used to the strong push on her back, let out a hearty laugh.
No man who loves ‘big robots’ can remain calm at this moment.
As a fanatic, Amber is even more so.
At this moment, the airspace around the body is actually not that vast, but filled with countless cold and silent observers - this is a dense and intricate asteroid belt.
How could this asteroid belt, which stretches for several astronomical distances, be breached so easily as a famous 'rich mineral area' in the game?
In this dangerous asteroid belt, Amber also "performed" her extraordinary driving skills and understanding of the performance limits of the experimental MK1 to the universe alone.
This is the confidence he has after being deeply involved in the airframe development process as a requirement proposer and 'test pilot'.
The red paint on the experimental MK1 fuselage reflects a cold metallic luster under the light of extremely distant stars.
The short-range defense laser arrays on both sides of the main monitor on the head flash at high frequency under the guidance of the continuous operation of the power recharge system and the navigation, detection, and fire control systems taken over by Lilith. .
Each flash represents a beam of light accurately cutting through gravel that may affect navigation safety.
These gravels were instantly shattered and vaporized under the impact of high-energy lasers, turning from potential safety hazards into a piece of cosmic dust in an instant.
Whenever the experimental MK1 flew past huge asteroids in a nearly ground-hugging manner, Amber would look at them through the full-circle monitor.
The surface covered with potholes and meteorite impact craters seemed to be only a short distance away from the cockpit. The unique cold atmosphere of deep space asteroids hit the face through the sealed helmet.
Amber calmly adjusted the posture and flight path of the aircraft. Every time she passed by these 'giants', Lilith, who was quietly observing, broke into a cold sweat.
But she knew that her Master was sailing according to the shortest path given by the navigation system.
When the experimental MK1 passed by the last larger asteroid nearby and entered a relatively safe airspace, Lilith, who had been holding back for a long time, couldn't help but said:
"Master, this is the first time I've seen you so happy since you brought me out of the laboratory."
Lilith's avatar appeared in the cockpit, and she is still Amber's favorite That set of 'JK skins'.
“Although I am not very involved in psychology and have only read a few thousand related books during this period, I can still see some problems in you, Master.”
"A few thousand copies are fine, what's the problem?"
"I don't know why, but I always feel that you are a little out of tune with this universe, like an 'outsider'. But at the same time, you seem to have a lot of potential. Pressure, although you have been saying weird things to Randall and others about wanting to be a 'club young model', but in fact you don't seem to have really relaxed."
Lilith's voice was so serious that Amber had never heard before.
At this moment, Amber realized that the strong artificial intelligence's 'emotional partition' might have completed another iteration.
“It wasn’t until just now, when you were traveling unscrupulously in this asteroid belt, that I felt the joy from the bottom of my heart.”
“How happy?”
Amber asked while controlling the aircraft to fly along the virtual track line on the screen.
"At least I am happier than when I was with Ms. Isabel and did bad things with me in the virtual space."
"."
Looking at Lilith, who was covering her face with her hands in a shy manner, she was caught in a car Amber was immediately choked when the wheel hit her face.
"To be honest, Lilith, if it hadn't been for the last sentence you just said, I might have been moved to tears."
"Really? Master~"
"False."
What Amber said was naturally a lie.
He had to admit that what Lilith said did make some sense.
To a certain extent, this strong artificial intelligence that is 'symbiotic' with him is the only one in the world who can know his true thoughts.
The brief heart-to-heart talk between ‘master and servant’ was finally interrupted by a short buzzing sound from the police device.
This means that Amber has flown half the distance and can start preparing to detect this area.
The transformation of the experimental MK1 was originally intended to achieve the ultimate in HCP in terms of long-distance navigation and acceleration performance.
It really comes in handy at this moment.
When Lilith told him that she had found an abnormal electromagnetic signal, Amber did not hesitate for a moment and rushed towards the area.
Because he trusts Lilith’s judgment.
After all, she is a strong artificial intelligence, not a human.
There is no such thing as ‘feeling’.
If Lilith detected an abnormal electromagnetic signal, it means that she really discovered the signal through the detection array of the asteroid base.
Although this mysterious signal has disappeared at this time, Amber knows that electromagnetic signals cannot appear out of thin air.
It can pass the filtering of the asteroid base detection array, which further proves that this signal is not clutter.
So there will be something emitting signals in this area anyway.
And judging from the current situation, this unknown unit is very likely to have the ability to operate covertly.
But no matter what, Amber believes that as long as the distance continues to shrink, this mysterious unit will be discovered. Because the experimental MK1 was envisioned by Amber and the maintenance team leader as a long-distance assault aircraft with heavy firepower.
To put it bluntly, Amber was developed according to the positioning of ‘deep attack’.
Red paint, deep attack.
What a perfect combination except not being able to fly kick.
Although it is still a prototype now, it is not even equipped with any weapons that can change the situation of the battle.
But Amber believes that as long as he continues to accumulate combat data and make adjustments, he will eventually be able to develop a 'phantom machine' suitable for this universe.
As a long-distance assault machine, Amber and others also racked their brains to improve the performance of the machine's detection components.
In the end, Orns, who still 'abandoned the dark and turned to the bright', took out the technology that Mary Bay Industries was still experimenting with - a new detection unit that has battleship-level detection capabilities but can be miniaturized and equipped on large HCPs.
This is why Amber is confident that she can find this guy who is hiding.
In the asteroid belt, the target airspace defined by Lilith.
A two-seater reconnaissance boat with optical camouflage turned on is quietly lurking here.
On the EWAC (Early Waning And Control) backpack mounted on the rear half of the boat, release The 10 200-meter-long nanotube lines, together with the detection units at the end of the pipelines, formed a temporary detection array.
In this state, the reconnaissance boat can detect and collect battlefield intelligence at extremely long distances and with a certain degree of precision in the area directly ahead of the axis.
In the tandem two-seater cockpit at the front of the reconnaissance boat, the driver in the front seat is looking at the interface of the omnidirectional warning device, and from time to time he raises his head and looks around at the dark universe around him - although this kind of vision Observation is nothing but an act of comforting oneself.
The electronic warfare officer in the back seat of the cockpit was staring intently at the tactical control interface on the screen in front of him.
The battlefield information collected from the EWAC backpack is constantly updating on the screen.
"The exchange of fire has basically disappeared. It seems that the battle has come to an end. Hey, the Timler family and the fleet of some company in the federation are really easy to fight."
"Does this mean we can also prepare to withdraw?"
Ignoring the 'critical comment' part of his partner's sentence, the driver asked back, shaking his neck, and then raised his hands in the small space. He stretched out reluctantly in the cockpit.
"Almost, I'm going to change the mode and do another round of detection, and then we will retreat."
"Are you sure? Don't overturn the situation at the last step."
"An Xin, I have done this operation countless times. Even if it is discovered, it will only be a momentary signal and will basically be ignored by the radar controller."
Although his partner said reassuring words, the pilot of the reconnaissance boat silently put his hand back on the control column.
"Why did the superiors suddenly want us to collect information about this battle?"
"Who knows? Or the captain came directly to give orders, which is indeed quite rare. "
"Hmm~"
The electronic warfare officer skillfully operated the screen and the surrounding volumetric light buttons while continuing:
"I heard from the captain before departure that it seemed that the captain was also given a direct order from above. This order even went beyond the fleet commander."
"Oh, we can't guess what these big shots are thinking, don't even think about it. That’s a lot. Let’s end the mission and evacuate. I don’t know why, but I always feel anxious.”
“Why, are you feeling weak? Is it because you have been doing too much ‘self-generation’ on the ship lately?”
"Fuck you, uncle" the scout boat pilot laughed and cursed.
He was just about to say something more when he suddenly heard the panicked voice of his partner behind him.
"Isn't it possible? We seem to have been discovered?!"
As soon as these words came out, the driver who was already a little tired suddenly woke up.
He looked at the situational awareness interface on the screen in front of him. His partner in the back seat had already shared the information, and he saw a red dot rushing towards the area at a very high speed.
"What the hell is this speed?" the electronic warfare officer was still sighing,
"Are you sure this thing is coming for us? HCP?"
"The characteristics of the maneuver look like HCP, but the speed is too outrageous. Anyway, the predicted track is coming in this direction. It is probably that the last round of detection was detected just now."
While speaking, , this electronic warfare officer has begun to recover the detection array deployed on the EWAC backpack.
“It feels bad”
The electronic warfare officer looked up at the nanotube lines being recycled and shook his head.
“The maintenance team has long been asked to report the problem of slow recycling of EWAC backpacks to the manufacturer, but they have never given us a reply! These stupid aristocratic capitalists.”
The electronic warfare officer cursed to himself, and then opened a new interface on the screen.
"I am going to activate the backup plan, at least let the intelligence of this investigation be sent back."
The driver in the front seat did not speak, but the tacit understanding in the past let the electronic warfare officer know , the other party has already realized.
He quickly clicked a few times on the screen, and soon a progress bar appeared and began to operate.
“Okay, we are encrypting and packaging it, and it will be sent out in a while.”
"I think we may not have 'a while', we have already entered the attack range. If it is the HCP, they will probably use the diffusion mode of the heavy particle cannon to force us out."
"This thing under our butts, Even the diffusion mode can’t handle it, right?”
“That’s right, so I’m going to run away.”
At the same time, the electronic warfare officer heard the driver’s voice coming from the front. I also felt that the reconnaissance boat turned 180°.
A strong pushing sensation suddenly appeared on his back, causing him to be temporarily pressed on the chair and unable to operate.
He looked at the EWAC backpack module with a red light on the schematic diagram representing the various modules of the reconnaissance boat on the screen, and reached out with difficulty to press a physical button.
“Bang!”
With a slight explosion, before it could be fully recovered, the reconnaissance unit that was dragged behind the reconnaissance boat was thrown away.
At the same time, the progress bar on the screen also came to an end.
The electronic warfare officer, who has gradually adapted to the forward G force, pressed the send button without hesitation.
An invisible electronic signal was immediately sent out into the depths of the universe.
The electronic warfare officer, who had already anticipated something, just wanted to quickly say a word to his partner.
While a deadly blue charged particle beam tore apart the dark space, it also tore the basically unprotected reconnaissance boat into pieces.
Looking at the fire bursting out of the locking frame, Amber put away the charged particle cannon, her face under the helmet mask expressionless.
(End of this chapter)