Chapter 134: The Hum of Energy |
When the energy towers of the starport began to hum, Lin Mo was calibrating the navigation system for the new starway. On the holographic screen, the silver veins of the "Stardust Starway" stretched along Chenxing's orbit like a ribbon studded with stars. His fingertip traced a point on the virtual star map marked with a small smiley face—a location Lin Chen had drawn in his logs, now transformed into a relay station where every passing starship would pause to broadcast real-time footage of Chenxing's auroras.
"The first group of migrant families has arrived in the Zell system," said the investigator's hologram appearing beside the screen, various flags floating in the command center behind her. "The Zellians built an observation tower with crystals for their children, saying they want every child to be able to count Chenxing's rings." She pulled up a video showing human and Zell children holding hands atop the tower, crystal-refracted light flowing across their faces like the glowing particles from the Stardust wreckage.
A scrap-collecting robot suddenly barged into the command center, a rusted metal box dangling from its salvage ship's hook. "Found this in the Obsidian Legion's abandoned fortress!" Its optical lens flashed excited red as its mechanical arm carefully pried open the box, revealing a faded badge—identical to the star crystal badge on Lin Mo's chest, except engraved with the character "Chen" in its patterns.
Lin Mo's mechanical arm trembled. As the badge touched his star crystal badge, pale blue particles erupted, forming a holographic recording in midair: a young Lin Chen crouched in the Stardust's engine room, holding two newly forged badges. "Big bro, when the starway opens, let's bury these under Chenxing's auroras, like time capsules." He pinned the "Chen"-engraved badge to his chest, his smile brighter than the starlight outside the screen.
When the recording faded, carved words appeared at the box's bottom: "Coordinates: Aurora Valley, 37°N of Chenxing." Lin Mo immediately pulled up the star map—the exact location of the new starway's energy core. "Guess we're going to Chenxing," he patted the robot's salvage ship. "Can your nav system handle the starway's energy currents?" The robot straightened abruptly, its cockpit screen instantly displaying a flight path. "Coordinates synced! Guaranteed smoother than passenger ships!"
As the salvage ship traversed subspace, stellar currents outside the window flowed like molten galaxies. Lin Mo touched the "Chen" badge, suddenly recalling Lin Chen's words: "Time folds in subspace—maybe the departed are hiding in those folds, watching us." Back then he'd dismissed it as his little brother's fantasy, but now every glowing particle in the cabin felt like a gaze across time.
Chenxing's Aurora Valley was more magnificent than the logs described. Pale green auroras cascaded over the valley, dyeing the rocks translucent jade. The robot's laser scanner marked the valley walls until it found a depression—perfectly sized for two badges. When Lin Mo placed the "Chen" badge inside, his own star crystal badge flew out, joining to form a complete circle. Connecting patterns lit up like a closing stellar ring.
"Energy field activation detected!" the robot announced with delighted alarms. A stone door slid open in the valley wall, revealing an old observation device—Lin Chen's hand-assembled equipment from twenty years ago, its screen still displaying a standby image: the brothers giving thumbs-up before Stardust's viewport, with Chenxing's nascent auroras behind them. The device ejected a data card that, when inserted into the salvage ship, played a recording:
"Big bro, if I don't see the starway's completion, set Aurora Valley as a relay station. The star crystal deposits here can power the starway, like... like I'm still handing you energy bars." A soft laugh followed. "Oh, if that robot keeps hoarding junk, get it a bigger trailer. Last time it secretly kept the wrench I dropped—definitely saving up for parts."
Returning, the salvage ship carried special cargo—the restored observation device. Lin Mo placed it in the starport's memorial hall beside the joined badges. Daily, children came to watch Chenxing's auroras through it. One pigtailed girl always said, "There are two shadows dancing in the auroras, chasing stars."
When the investigator delivered the latest starway report, the Stardust network linked thirty-seven systems. "The High Council wants to name the next starport after you." She pointed to new branch lines on the star map extending like capillaries to previously isolated worlds. "Chenxing's star crystals keep powering everything, like they'll never deplete."
Lin Mo approached the viewport where starport lights intertwined with the starway's energy flows. Below, the scrap robot's salvage ship passed, its cockpit plastered with children's thank-you cards—one reading, "Thanks for the stars Robot Uncle collected—Dad can finally come home for New Year." A subspace channel glowed blue in the distance as another passenger ship departed, its exhaust writing new coordinates—unfinished routes from Lin Chen's logs now continued by countless others.
His star crystal badge grew warm against his chest. Lin Mo almost heard Stardust's AI whispering—or perhaps Lin Chen's voice across lightyears: "Big bro, look—our starway is filled with light." Touching the viewport, the glass reflected both badges' silhouettes forming a complete smiley face among the stars.
The starway keeps expanding. The story continues. Once-scattered light particles have woven a warm net among the stars, reminding every lonely planet: the universe never forgot you.