30-60 seconds

On the Minerva space station, Miller returned to the commander's office, eager to see if any important information had been stolen or destroyed in his office during the rebellion, and while he was checking the damage in his desk, Gao Jie knocked on the door and entered.

"Wait a minute, high...... You sit there and wait a while. Miller continued to check, and fifteen minutes later, at 9:03, he was finally done. At this moment, the office welcomed the next visitor, a representative of the researcher with a hurried expression.

"You speak first." Researcher Gao Jieqing entered the room, obviously reporting on an important matter. Miller was aware of this, too, and he felt like he was about to make a deliberate choice between two difficult options. Gao Jie was about to leave for now, but the researcher motioned for her not to.

The researcher's representative reported: "Commander, we have calculated the optimal time and location of the interception using the ballistic data of the Space Mine. Gao Jie could hear that his tone did not reveal any pride and pride, but also revealed some worry and trepidation.

"Excellent! Go ahead and do it. The commander's assessment was concise and to the point.

"No, Commander, I think you'...... We all have to think carefully about this countermeasure. ”

Miller looked up at the researcher representative, "Any questions?" ”

The researcher stepped forward and showed the PDA to Miller: "Look, this is an AI-simulated interception demonstration map, the best interception point is only 46,710 kilometers away from the space station, even if the interception is successful, the space station will definitely be hit by the debris generated by the explosion at high speed, just like ...... It's like ......"

"Like a meteorite shower?" Miller said coldly.

"Hmm...... Oh no, it's scarier than a meteorite shower. ”

"So what?"

"We thought that we could choose a longer-range interception point, and although the interception success rate was slightly lower, the space station would not be impacted...... It should be said that the impact will not be so great. The Institute said, but the wrinkles that loomed between his brows made Gao Jie next to him feel that he didn't think it was a good idea to intercept from a distance.

Gao Jie quietly gestured to Miller.

Miller understood what Gao Jie meant, and asked the researcher, "Friend, please tell me: What is the success rate of interception at the best interception point?" ”

"The post-AI simulation analysis is more than 70%."

"Farther away?"

“……”

"What are you hesitating about?" There was a not-so-happy mood in Miller's tone.

"About 50% ......," the researcher said with little confidence, and it was clear that the probability was inflated.

Miller did not give the other party the time and opportunity to explain: "Intercepting at the best interception point is about the lives of everyone on the space station, and this matter cannot be risked." ”

"Follow-up impact ......"

"You guys think about it first, but the choice of interception point can't be changed."

The researcher representative nodded and left, and finally it was Gao Jie's turn to speak: "Of course they know the risks brought by the probability, but they just don't dare to choose, and you need to make a decision for them." ”

"They just want me to take all the blame so that even if something goes wrong, I won't be blamed for it." Miller, of course, wasn't confused, "What are you coming to me for...... Oh, sorry for keeping you waiting so long. ”

Gao Jie smiled bitterly and waved his hand: "How is your injury?" ”

"It's fine as you can see...... Let's get straight to the point. ”

Gao Jie paused, and said with a solemn expression: "I want to talk to Lucien, and I hope you will give the communication permission of Research Room 3." ”

Hearing Lucien's name, Miller's expression suddenly became gloomy: "You know, Lucien is already 'dead'. ”

"That will be for later, and it will be necessary for you to communicate with the fugitive fleet, but we all know that he has not been completely subdued by us yet."

"I could attack Lab 3 and terminate him at any time, but as you heard from the researcher, our biggest crisis right now is to stop the attacking space spark and survive the onslaught, not to talk to a human traitor...... Also, what do you want to ask him? ”

Gao Jie walked to the commander's desk and said solemnly, "I only learned yesterday that Lucien seems to have manipulated the clone Sevia in some way, which means that there may be problems on the Watcher's side, and it may even affect the success or failure of the Stellar Project. ”

Miller's face was shocked and dazed when he heard the news that the clone had been used by Lucien, but then he showed skepticism: "But we have been able to receive 'control instructions' from the wormhole, and it has proven to be effective, how can this be explained?" ”

"I don't know either, so I'd like to ask Lucien."

"He won't necessarily answer you."

"Always give it a try." Gao Jie tried to get Miller to agree as soon as possible, "and he will continue to help validate and develop those new control commands in the future." She didn't expect that this sentence was like a bombshell, which angered Miller-

"Why do you think the Stars Project can save humanity?" Miller's tone suddenly became irritable, and he almost yelled, "We've invested so many resources and we haven't reaped a valuable return for so long, and now you want human traitors to continue to help you achieve this task that will never be completed?" ”

"I firmly believe that the Stellar Project can save humanity, and there is still some time before the deadline of May 1st." Although Miller's anger did not surprise Gao Jie, she did not back down, "Lucien can work with sin, and I will be responsible for his subsequent actions." ”

"You can't afford it!" Miller shouted, his voice echoing through the hallway, "I once believed that the Stellar Project would succeed, but now that the facts are in front of you, your plan has already failed the moment the fugitive fleet departs!" The previous timetable is all nullified, the extinction of humanity on Earth is inevitable, and all that remains is the fugitives to go to the new universe to develop a new civilization! ”

"It's too early to give up hope."

"I don't want to argue with you about this, so get out of here!" Miller issued an eviction order.

"About the communication permissions of Laboratory 3......"

Miller commanded the AI, "AI, allow Gao (Jie) to use the communicator in Lab 3, but only for 1 minute. ”

"Yes, Commander." The AI responded, "Permissions have been set. ”

"Thank you." Gao Jie said coldly and left the commander's office.

……

Gao Jie returned to his room, trying to keep his emotions from being affected by the commander's anger, thinking about how to make the most of the 1 minute to express what he wanted to say to Lucien. But she was more concerned about people's attitudes towards the Star Project than the Commander's anger. Gao Jie, of course, understands that the Star Project was born, developed, and continued in the midst of controversy...... To this day, the plan still did not deliver a qualified answer, especially the early departure of the fugitive fleet, which greatly damaged Gao Jie's confidence, so she was now anxious to know what kind of factor Lucien had injected into this plan, and why would he say such a thing as letting Sevia destroy humanity instead of him?

After sorting out her thoughts and taking out her PDA, Gao Jie began to sketch out what she said to Lucien, she knew that if she contacted Lucien at this time, the other party would respond to her with 100% silence, but she still had to use enough sincerity to make him understand that some things still needed his cooperation, even if he was a sinner now. When I called up the communication program, there was a 1-minute countdown next to the communication button with Laboratory 3, which meant that I had to finish the conversation within 1 minute after starting the communication.

Gao Jie pressed the button to start the communication-

"Lucien Brown, the preeminent astronomer of mankind, I am Gao Jie. Thank you for your continued assistance in the Stellar Project, helping to validate and develop the control instructions for controlling N particles, and I very much recognize your efforts and see the considerable results. Whatever your reasons for the rebellion, I believe none of this has anything to do with this plan. If you'd like, I'd like you to let me know how much you've channeled the clone Sevia into influencing the instructions that come back, and of course I'd like you to continue to assist me in developing and validating the control commands that only you can do on this station. If we can save humanity here, wouldn't it also be a good opportunity to redeem ourselves? ……”

"It's time." The AI's cold voice sounded, and 1 minute was over.

With no visual feedback, Gao Jie has no way of knowing how Lucien reacted when he heard this, or even whether Lucien heard it—perhaps he was sleeping at the time. But Gao Jie believes that what she has done is worth it.

……

After noon on March 17, 2104, Miller ordered the members in charge of logistics to transport the supplies and necessary materials stored in the Minerva space station's "lower disk" to the "upper disk". After the discussion and analysis of the previous researchers, they came up with a way to defend against the impact of debris after interception: the "lower disk" of the space station is oriented towards the direction of the impact, so as to reduce the impact of the "upper disk" of people's work and life, at least from the results of computer simulation, the probability of "no casualties" is still quite large.

Miller told the crew on the radio: "Everyone take care to fix everything in work and life, we will stop centrifugal gravity from 16 o'clock, and tilt the space station after that." At 17:21 we will launch an interception device, which is expected to be intercepted 20 minutes after launch. Before the expected impact, we stayed in assigned rooms in groups of three, and coordinated with each other if necessary. The corridors are automatically opened and closed, and if they cannot be opened automatically, the emergency switch on the door can be operated...... Next, I'm going to announce the list of assigned rooms and staff......"

……

"Looks like the three of us are together again." Ryan said to Gordon that he was next to Shilka.

Shilka nodded, "I think the commander arranged it on purpose. ”

"Yes, he thinks we can make a huge difference together...... Alas, it is a good effect or a bad effect to say bad. Gao Jie joked, but then said to Ryan very seriously, "Do you still have that hacking software?" ”

"Keep it. Do what? Ryan asked, puzzled.

Gao Jie whispered, "If necessary, I may need your help, you are now secretly obtaining AI control permissions, so as not to let Miller notice." If you are found out, you will say that I forced you ......"

"If something happens, I'll die with you, haha." Ryan said with a smile and began to operate the PDA.

"What are you going to do? High. Shilka didn't know why.

"Honestly...... I don't know," Gao Jie replied, "but there's always a hunch that I will need these permissions for something...... Hope is the right thing to do. ”

"Hope is the right thing to do." Shilka and Ryan repeated together.

……

The time finally came at 17:13, and it was only 8 minutes before the launch of the interception device.

Gao Jie, Ryan, and Shilka fixed themselves to the bulkhead, and the entire space station had already turned off centrifugal gravity and adjusted the angle. The three of them did not show obvious tension, and said something about the missile interception.

"I heard that this missile can't be detected by radar, so how can it be intercepted?" Shilka didn't know much about this.

Gao Jie thought for a while and said: "There is a kind of encounter problem in mathematics, and you must understand the principle. ”

"The missile data from the fugitive fleet is quite detailed," Ryan added, "and I heard from the researchers that the time and trajectory error of this space mine are very small, measured in milliseconds and centimeters, respectively." ”

"Then why don't we launch the interceptor in advance and let it explode and form a 'space junk net' to intercept this missile?" Shilka continued to ask.

Ryan was very appreciative of this view, and responded: "Your idea is very good, but unfortunately this missile is too fast, and there is a possibility of breaking through the 'net'." Therefore, it is necessary for the interceptor to reach the designated position and stop the missile with high-velocity fragments or impact from the explosion. ”

Shilka wanted to ask something, but at this moment, the voice of the commander came from the radio-

"Attention to all personnel, the interception device is about to be launched, and the expected arrival time of the impact is 18:01."

A moment of silence followed......

Just when the three of them thought the silence was long enough—

——

"Launch!"

The moment to decide the fate of the Minerva is coming.