Story Reader / Affection / Qu: Shukra / Story
You and Qu have arrived at the astronomical observatory located in the upper levels of Babylonia.
Compared to ground facilities, this place is closer to the outer domain, and it took both you and Qu quite some time just to get up here.
Crazy how much time it took us to get up here even when we took the elevator. Is this place closer to space than it is to the ground?
The observatory is in a sealed room and very safe.
This way, please. This is the astronomical observatory my tutor designed.
The design is much simpler than I imagined.
Your tummy growls as Qu speaks...
Did you skip breakfast?
Well, guess you do have a special place for me in your heart. At least it's more special than your breakfast, I can tell.
Qu takes out a block of candy and carefully unwraps it.
Maltose block, a specialty of Kowloong. Kids love it.
There ain't no rule that says you gotta be a kid to eat candy. Here, give it a try.
You don't need to. Here, open your mouth.
Qu raises her hand and places the candy in your mouth.
You notice the blush on Qu's face when you meet her eye. In those bright eyes of hers, you see yourself looking back this way.
So?
Pretty sure you wouldn't complain, and the fact that I was the one feeding it to you made it even better.
I don't do this for just anyone, [player name]. You're not looking as happy as you should be.
You really need to take good care of yourself. See, the human body is weak and all...
A robot slowly makes its way toward you and Qu as you gnaw on the candy.
Hey, there you are.
Hello, I am Robot A from the Astronomical Observation Station. It's my job to observe, identify, and map out...
Right then, Qiqi kicks the robot in the head.
With a clank, the metal panel on Robot A's abdomen flips open, and out come several observation blueprints that feel warm to the touch.
Ah, don't worry. See, it's just built that way. You gotta be a little rough with it to get what you need since the buttons on it don't work anymore.
You're strongly advised against using violence, as violence increases the likelihood of mechanical damage!
So I just need to do the same thing to it that you did just now if I want to close it, right?
Pretty much, yes.
Qu kicks Robot A, which flips its belly panel into place.
You learn fast.
Qiqi, is that a star map taken with the observation equipment?
Yes, except it's too blurry for us to actually see anything on it.
Have you checked the robot?
Pretty sure there's nothing wrong with the robot. I mean, we installed the visual imaging part of the observation equipment on the outside of the Astronomical Observation Station. The robot works pretty much like a terminal in that it only receives the data coming from the observation equipment.
Well, doesn't hurt to check.
Qu walks up to the central console of the observation station and operates it like a professional. With it, the internal holographic projection is activated—only to show nothing but pitch blackness.
Makes sense now that you don't see any couples coming here these days. No one feels romantic looking at a black canvas.
Exactly, hence the double whammy we're going through here.
I could if it were an internal issue.
Except the part that went wrong is out there, and we'd have to take the elevator to the outer domain to perform maintenance there. That's where we'll be able to remove the damaged part and replace it with a new optical part.
Our Engineering Force is usually in charge of that.
Except they've been out servicing Babylonia's gravity system since its annual maintenance began a few days ago, which leaves no one to take care of us here, and it will take them several months to get to us according to their schedule.
A manpower shortage? Never thought this would happen in Babylonia.
So how do we access the outer domain from here? I gotta live up to my promise to you from earlier.
Yes, but the place is closest to the vacuum and at the end of gravity interference, and it shakes and jolts like crazy during meteor showers or emergency stops.
Qiqi, I am a Construct.
And to a Construct, this is barely risky.
And on top of that, I'm not just going to sit around waiting for Hengzhu's legacy to rot.
I hope you can carry on with his research and make good use of these resources to explore the future.
I'll help you the same way Hengzhu used to help me, in whatever way I can.
Thank you so much. That's exactly what I needed to hear.
But it takes two to get the part swapped.
As in two people? Why, though?
One of them has to hold the hood covering the part open because it might close at any time while the other person swaps the old part out.
I'll go with you.
C'mon, you can barely stand still as we speak.
[player name], I know you're the Chief and all, but that doesn't make you invincible against what it's like out there.
I know you've had a fair amount of training and you've got that superior physique there...
But the human body simply isn't meant to cope with environments like that.
I don't want to put your life on the line...
So, no, you can't go with me.
Yes, I just need to punch in the password to make that happen, except...
That part is dead, too.
Currently, the hood can only be opened manually.
And when it's on manual mode, you'll need someone there to keep the hood open, or else it'll auto-lock in 10 seconds.
Like a sensor faucet? That's some impressive tech coming out of Babylonia.
24 hours. If we fail today, we'll have to wait until tomorrow before we can give it another go.
Gotta say that's some great design. I see it's meant to make things safer around here, but the safer it is, the harder it makes your life when it needs fixing.
Is there no oxygen out there?
Almost non-existent. We have a few old portable oxygen generators but they don't work that well.
They weren't designed for humans to begin with anyway. These oxygen generators just don't get rid of that intense discomfort humans feel when they're out there wearing them.
Which is sad, to say the least.
Well... so I guess you still wanna go?
I know this is not something you find daunting, but I still want you to think it over before making a decision.
I won't think any less of you even if you decide to stay here.
A childish show of pride, but I can't say I don't like it.
Well, do as you please, then.
Let's get up there and get this thing fixed, then.
Anything we need to do before we head up there, Qiqi?
You can go up light, but the Chief needs to get changed to the task.
Let me take you both to the equipment room and see what we can dig up there.
But don't get your hopes up. Most of the stuff there is old and out of use because we don't have the money to get ourselves new ones.
It'd really help if Celica could just give us more budget.
Instead of always brushing us off with "You guys are not the only department suffering now."
Don't worry. You're in good hands here.
I'll put you before myself no matter what happens.
And I mean it.
