Azure, the Supreme Staff of the Allied Forces.
Fonseca, the new chief of staff of the coalition forces who was born in a small country in South Asia, sat upright at one end of the long table.
Because it is the last important meeting before the human expedition to Mars, the Azure Elders will be listening to today’s meeting.
Regarding this, Fonseca was clearly informed in advance.
Of course, the old guy will most likely not directly join the meeting agenda and express his opinions. All specific decisions and action plans related to the expedition will still have to be made by him and the staff.
According to the rules of Azure, the elders usually do not directly interfere with the specific operation of various aspects of Azure. They seem to have done this all the time... But Fonseca knows very well that once it is deemed necessary, those elders will The guys could actually easily replace him as chief of staff.
Regarding this mysterious and powerful Azure Elder Council, until now, not many people within Azure know about its existence. At the same time, even Fonseca, a general with such seniority, does not fully know who is among them.
In recent years, within the senior leadership of Wei Lan, there is probably only one member of the Elders Council who has been collectively confirmed. Xu Xiaohong, the only Chief of Staff of the Hua family who has witnessed the legion. (He is probably the youngest among them and the only one currently serving publicly in the blue military and political system.)
In addition, Speaker Kemore is definitely not so far, and even the invincible Chen Buxian may not be so in everyone's opinion (in fact, everyone's opinion is that there is a high probability that he is not).
"So, I think there is no need for us to doubt the wisdom and foresight of those people. Including their loyalty and selflessness to mankind, they should have been selected and tested for a long time, and can be fully trusted.
"It's just that those people have generally lived for too long, and they have all been in high positions of power for a long time, and have personally made too many difficult and cruel decisions...
"So, with the future destiny and hope of mankind as the ultimate goal, or even the only goal, that is probably a group of people who are absolutely rational and even cold-blooded."
Thinking of this, Fonseca became more confident about his thinking.
"Are the fleet and supplies ready?" he asked, looking at the long table.
The officers on one side of the long table began to stand up one after another to reply.
"Yes, with one year as the ultimate combat cycle, twice the amount of living and combat supplies have been loaded onto the ship."
"Because the space combat research group was established and maintained a long time ago, the breathing problem of Mars combat, although the plan may not be perfect, can generally be solved... One hundred thousand sets of 'Energy Powered Dead Iron Respiratory Masks' are currently available Two-thirds of it is completed, and production of the remaining parts is being stepped up and can be completed before the expedition."
"Three motherships, ten large spaceships, and forty small and medium-sized spacecrafts. The expedition fleet has been formed and distributed across all continents, ready to set off at any time."
"Okay." Fonseca first lowered his head and responded, then raised his head, his eyes suddenly became cautious and stern, and said: "As for the expedition fleet, let's send another mothership and two large spaceships."
"...Yes." The officer involved was confused for a moment before replying. The same was true for everyone else at the scene, because they couldn't figure out the reason and significance of adding three more spaceships.
Is it to make up 66 ships?
Because of Hua Xiya’s lucky logic?
Because it was the 066 exploration aircraft that captured Pegmount's request for help?
"These three spacecrafts, as the second echelon, will not participate in the landing, nor will they support operations under any circumstances." Fonseca continued, saying: "Let them remain hovering at an invisible distance from Mars, and then..."
"Then, if the failure of the expedition plan is determined, let them bring back Major Qing and Major General Pegmont (if he is still alive) for mankind at all costs."
"What I mean when I say no matter what the cost is that you can give up everything except this. Do you understand? Including during the evacuation process, you can use the other two non-carrying spaceships to hit the big spike to pursue the spacecraft and cut off the rear of the only spacecraft. .”
When Fonseca said this, everyone at the scene understood.
The unknown danger of the Mars expedition is too great. Once it is unable to recover and cannot be saved... those 100,000 blue veterans can give up, others can give up, and 65 of the 66 spacecraft in the expedition fleet can also give up.
But, we must bring back Major Qing and Pegmount (if he is still alive).
Because these two names are ranked first and second on the hope list of mankind, their life and death will, to a certain extent, determine whether there is any last glimmer of hope for the future of mankind after the defeat of Mars.
This seems right, but... emotionally, it is difficult for people to accept it for a while.
The scene fell into a continuous silence, and no one spoke.
"Report." A young officer appeared at the door of the conference room with an anxious look, breaking the silence in front of the long table.
Fonseca turned around and said, "Say."
"Report, Admiral Pochen requested to take Major Qing's place and lead the Mars expedition..."
"Reject him." Before the officer finished speaking, Fonseca gave a clear and firm answer.
"But he came in person, he is Bochen..." the officer emphasized.
Because of General Pochen's status and influence, even Fonseca probably wouldn't be able to act like the chief of general staff in front of him. The General Staff has never shown such disrespect to General Pochen. "
But, "I knew he was Admiral Poschen...rejected him."
Fonseca remained firm, and after a pause he added: "If he forces his way in, ask all the guards to go up together and stop him. He will not hurt you."
"this……"
"Well, if you really can't stop him, you can tell Admiral Bochen directly not to let him go to Mars in place of Major Qing, not to protect him, but because I think he is no longer decisive on the battlefield. "Fonseca said.
"...Wow." After two seconds of silence, the scene was in low-pitched uproar, because what Fonseca just said was tantamount to stabbing a knife in the chest of Admiral Pochen, a super general with outstanding merits.
Amid the uproar and low discussions, Fonseca remained unmoved: "He stayed and continued to work hard to recuperate, and maybe there was a chance to recover or even go further. His going... has no decisive meaning. Let's go, go." Tell Admiral Pochen what I say."
The officer at the door left.
Facing the silent conference room, Fonseca's eyes slowly turned around:
"The Mars expedition requires at least one decisive combat force. If there were other options now, we would never let Major Qing take the risk. But we don't have it, and humans don't have it. So we need him to go and fight for our last hope. .
“Then, no matter what, we have to bring him back, at… whatever the cost.
"This is the reality that we humans need to face today. Facing the future and the fate of mankind as a whole, ordinary people may still be emotional and consider morality and gratitude. But as decision-makers, we must be rational, even if it is cruel, and need I feel guilty for it my whole life.
"Finally, I also believe that if that happens, the blue veterans of the expedition will definitely agree and support my plan. They will make the same choice as me."
Fonseca stopped when he said this. As he said, there was deep guilt in his eyes, but at the same time, he was extremely determined.
"Okay, that's the end of this issue. You have all heard what I said. If necessary in the future, I can go to a military court for this." Fonseca turned over a page of documents and continued: "Now let's start the last deduction. Please People from the scientific research department will speak first..."
After the meeting, Fonseca received private feedback from the Council of Elders, a very brief sentence: Very good, you are doing the right thing. "
…………
Nepal, sharp base of streams.
He Tangtang walked into the conference room angrily with a pile of newspapers in his hand, "Hey! Do you know this? Veterans, one hundred thousand veterans! The people who are going to Mars with us this time are all retired veterans! What does Azure mean?" I can’t bring this back..."
Everyone in the conference room looked at him and said nothing.
Because only he knows about this matter now, it is already a foregone conclusion and a fait accompli, and from a realistic and rational perspective, it cannot be overturned and should not be overturned.
No one here wants to talk about it anymore.
"Hello, Mom?" Han Qingyu stood aside and answered the phone again.
"Yes, I am your mother. Son, I am telling you, our Master Longchi is lost!" The voice on the other end of the phone was extremely anxious, even crying. Mother Han said anxiously and guiltily: " When he disappeared at first, we all thought he would come back on his own. Every time in the past, he would come back on his own to seal Long'ao, but this time..."
"It's okay, Mom, I know where Admiral Jiang is." Han Qingyu quickly interrupted: "He is now at the Azure Hua sub-base. He is very safe. Don't worry."
"……real?!"
"Really, how dare I lie to you, my dear mother." Han Qingyu finished speaking pretending to be relaxed, then lowered his head and glanced at the telegram in his hand.
It said that Jiang Longchi was still in a state of severe amnesia. He could not even remember his own name. Others told him that he had no impression... But even so, the old man still went to the Veterans Mobilization and Recruitment Office.
Therefore, although Han Qingyu really wanted to, it was difficult to cross his name off the expedition list with his own hands.
Just like Xi Mei couldn't ask Shen Fengting, her biological grandfather, to be crossed off the list.
These old people were once the pillars of the blue sky and humanity. They fought for almost their whole lives for the survival of humanity... Now they are dying, and they themselves don't have much time left.
Rather than dying of old age and silence as time goes by, the generals may have just wanted to burn out the rest of their lives and die on the battlefield.
"That's good, that's good. Then why don't you ask someone to take him to your place? My parents are also planning to come over." Zhang Jiexia was finally relieved.
"What, you guys come here?!" Han Qingyu panicked.
It’s not that my parents have never been to the base, they have come to “travel” several times before. The problem is that in three days this time, Han Qingyu and others will set off for Mars. This matter has been deliberately concealed and kept in the dark by Han's parents and Han's mother.
"Yes, we are all ready to board the spaceship. We were too scared to pay attention at first. We wanted to go out and wander around looking for Master Longchi. Now, I just decided that I might as well come to your place. Okay, no. I told you, your dad and I are going to board the ship." After Zhang Jiexia finished speaking, she hung up the phone decisively.
"..." Han Qingyu frowned, turned around, and saw Wen Jifei standing in front of him.
"My parents are coming, what should I do?"
"Your parents are coming... it's none of my business." Wen Jifei said with a cold face: "I'm here to inform Major Qing that Wei Lan has a dead iron mask that can supply oxygen. You know that, right? I'm going to Mars."
"No." Han Qingyu shook his head firmly.
"It's not up to you to decide whether it's okay or not. Don't forget that Xixi Fengrui is in charge of everything inside and outside. I am the chief of general staff." Wen Jifei sneered and continued: "Xi Xi Fengrui's expedition list this time, ten minutes It has been announced to the public before.”
After he finished speaking, he turned around and left. After walking more than ten meters, he stopped and turned back: "I advise you to quickly find a way to deal with your uncle and aunt, hahahahaha... the strongest mommy in mankind."
The strongest mother's baby in mankind, this is the nickname given to Han Qingyu by the world after his blind date story spread. Of course, the six-character sentence is not the strongest mother's baby, but "the strongest human being, mother's baby."
…………
October 25, 1996, 9:30 in the morning.
When Father and Mother Han were still on the spacecraft coming to the Fengrui Base in Xixi, the whole world probably already knew that their son was going to Mars.
Xixi Fengrui's current three major forces and Second Lieutenant Wen Jifei (actually four major forces, but Second Lieutenant Shen Yixiu still appears under the name of Major General Yang Tieyu of Azure) will all go.
Then, joining the expedition were the 100,000 newly mobilized Azure veterans.
The people generally knew why the veterans were recalled to go on this expedition. Therefore, when the confirmed time for the deposition came, a general feeling of guilt, worry and sadness began to spread further around the world.
Moreover, this kind of sadness gradually began to expand its object and scope unknowingly, extending to people's thinking about Pegmont's life and death... Now, most people in the world have begun to accept that Pegmount has been fighting alone. Judgment of death on Mars.
This atmosphere, coupled with the media's exaggeration, made it seem as if he was really confirmed to have died in the battle.
On this day, people in many places around the world lit candles and began to mourn for Pegmount...
Of course, the calls from the rejecters did not stop.
"Hey, Major General Pegmount? Here are the Rejects, and we still haven't given up."
"Please reply."
"Our expeditionary force is about to set off to find you."
"Please reply."
There has been no response to the repeated calls, and since yesterday, the automatic calling signal of the intercom on the other side seems to have begun to gradually weaken... it may be running out of power.
At this point, even the Rejectors' communications soldiers were gradually beginning to feel desperate. They continued to call just because of the order and because they were unwilling to stop.
"We heard you, we located your intercom, Major General, are you there?"
"Please reply."
"We're afraid it's going to run out of power..."
"Please reply."
"Tsk, tsk tsk... FUCK, it seems the battery is almost out." The intercom made a rustling sound, "Hey, hey, can you hear me?"
"This is the Human Mars Source Energy Corps, and I am the commander of the Pegmont Corps."
"Yes, I'm on Mars. The current situation is... relatively normal."
