Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: The Astral Drive Era
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When did humanity's full-scale push into space truly begin?
When the first manned spacecraft successfully landed on the Moon in July 1969?
Around 2100, when the lunar residential district's trial operations succeeded?
Around 2150, when the first localized terraforming on Mars was achieved?
No.
These were all milestones in space exploration, but none of them truly opened the 'path' for humanity.
That path opened in 2215.
It was the realization of the 'AD (Astral Dimension) Drive' that made interstellar distances measured in light-years as accessible as a trip from Earth to the Moon.
A realm unbound by the constraints of speed.
The theory behind the Astral Dimension is as follows.
A space where one can surpass the speed of light—the theoretical maximum physical velocity—and accelerate infinitely without resistance.
The Astral Dimension was discovered by accident.
It was empirically proven out of nowhere during research into warp technology, which folds space to connect distant points.
The world went wild.
This was the discovery of the century.
Nations and corporations worldwide recognized its potential and poured in capital, conducting study after study.
In just ten years, they succeeded in entering the Astral Dimension.
But then a problem arose.
Contact with the spacecraft that entered the Astral Dimension was cut off.
The ship was, of course, lost.
An incident of unknown cause.
But humanity, having taken that first step, didn't stop and kept pushing forward.
After several test flights, they miraculously recovered a spacecraft that returned from the Astral Dimension to real space.
All the crew who participated in the test were dead.
However, from the surviving records, they learned that no external communication was possible in the Astral Dimension, and nearly all measuring instruments were rendered useless.
The implication was simple.
Entering the Astral Dimension was like becoming blind and quadriplegic.
The reason previous lost ships hadn't returned was also revealed.
They had either failed to maintain the proper escape velocity when returning to real space or ventured too far from the solar system, becoming lost.
Humanity searched for a solution again.
Another decade of research followed.
The conclusion they reached was that they needed to build a lighthouse.
A massive one.
One that emitted signals powerful enough to be detected even in the vast Astral Dimension, comparable in scale to the universe itself.
Enormous construction projects took place in the orbits of Mars and Earth.
This was the first [Drive Gate].
After ten years of construction, this colossal space structure was completed.
The eagerly anticipated test run was a success.
Incorporating the advanced AD Drive technology developed in the meantime, it finally reduced the travel time from Earth to Mars to one hour.
The world erupted in euphoria.
An era of exploring uncharted space without relying on Drive Gates was already dawning.
Establishing safe AD Drive technology via Drive Gates was like pouring fuel on the fire.
The true age of space pioneering began.
Things simplified after that.
They sent probe ships via AD Drive into uncharted space, bearing the risks. When they found suitable planets, they concentrated all resources to build Drive Gates.
Stable transit was established between connected planets, using them as bases for further probe launches.
Humanity's expansion into space accelerated.
In this process, the first planet outside the solar system to join human civilization was the central hub of the Second Defense Line and humanity's second home: the planet Terra.
'And the Drive Gate I'm using right now is one of those.'
I organized my thoughts for a moment.
I remembered using Drive Gates four times during my last outing.
Even so, there was something indescribable about the inexplicable emotion that welled up inside me each time.
I wondered if the humanity from the world I once belonged to would ever get a chance like this.
It was deeply intriguing.
-Master. You need to fasten your seatbelt.
Just then, a mechanical voice came from beside me.
It was R3D3.
My companion, gifted to me by Fontana.
"I'm fine."
-Article 191, Section 3 of the Space Aviation Law...
It might be a nag, after all.
I stroked the smooth metal head of R3D3's body while buckling myself in.
It muttered a few more words, but when I ignored it, it shut up on its own.
The robot, dangling with its six legs twitching slightly, somehow looked cute.
Is this why people keep AI companion bots?
Then a sudden curiosity struck me, and I asked.
"Are you still at 30%?"
-I don't understand the precise intent of the question. My current functionality is over 100%.
"Not that. Combat power."
Yesterday, I'd heard it could go up to 1024 times.
Colonel Fontana said she'd tweak it, so it shouldn't be the same as yesterday.
-I've been supplied with 10% of available combat resources.
"So, 102.4 times?"
-No. The supply of available combat resources does not correlate linearly with combat power. My current combat capability is equivalent to 20 times that of a supply combat spider 2.1v.
Not bad.
It was impressive for a small robot the size of my upper body, though I wondered how it hid such power.
"Can't you get 100% supply?"
"According to the Creator, this is the best for now. If you're dissatisfied, she said to nag your master into getting more research lab support."
"Haha."
Come to think of it, I recalled yesterday.
I'd gone through hell testing the combat machine's performance.
The first one was a special unit prepared to mess with me, but from the second onward, they were proper models.
'The combat machines I'd encountered at the Academy were leagues apart in performance.'
Honestly, they weren't even comparable.
Unlike the outdated models infected with neural parasites, their movements jerky and unnatural, the test models were swift, bold, and thorough.
Moreover, combat machines don't value their own lives.
Retreat?
Not an option.
If the enemy was strong, they'd launch suicide attacks without hesitation or sacrifice themselves to aid allies.
It felt like facing emotionless aliens.
Honestly, it was hard to tell who had the edge.
I thought that if the technology kept advancing, combat machines alone might one day handle aliens.
-Astral Dimension entry imminent, Master.
"I'm watching."
I was aboard a regular shuttle running between Terra and Earth.
My personal shuttle was stowed in the hangar.
Beyond the transparent window, the star-studded universe stretched out.
Then the ship shook slightly, and the view outside changed.
It was like light streaming by.
It felt like swimming upstream against a flowing river, like a salmon.
That's why the captain who first experienced Astral Drive named it that.
'Star Stream'
Perhaps it was the massive current carrying the souls of everything in the universe.
-14 hours remaining until AD Drive shutdown.
"I was planning to enjoy the view a bit more. Got no thoughts on it?"
-My current computational capacity can't extract meaningful data from the irregular patterns of the Star Stream.
"...Who asked for that? What the hell is your AI even configured for?"
Maybe because it was so new.
The kid was a bit dense.
Anyway, R3D3 was an AI robot bound to me.
As its registered master, it wouldn't question my actions and would do whatever I commanded.
"Never thought I'd go to Earth like this."
Earth.
The planet where humanity was born.
The home of all humankind.
But I couldn't be sure if this world's Earth was the same planet as the one I'd lived on.
If it followed the original worldview, it would be, but it might not.
-Is this your first visit to Earth?
"Hmm... yeah, you could say that."
I was excited.
What would Earth look like?
I'd gazed at Terra's skies from the Academy every day—supposedly the most Earth-like planet—but it still thrilled me.
Would the Earth I saw with my own eyes match the photos and videos I'd seen so far?
What had become of Korea, where I'd lived?
Was there any record of 'me' left in Korea?
-I detect hesitation in Master's response.
"Why do you think that is?"
-Inferring answer to query. First, if Master grew up on a planet other than Earth and holds common fantasies about it. Second, if there's an acquaintance met online, such as a 'girlfriend.' Third...
"...It's getting weirder by the second? Stop. You don't need to list them all."
What the hell was its AI setup?
I eyed the back of R3D3's head intently.
-Beep! Unsettling emotions detected on Master's face.
"My gaze is unsettling?"
It bent its legs fully and scuttled up the wall, clinging to the ceiling corner.
Anyone would think it was a real spider.
But it was scared, which confirmed it was nothing like the AI in standard combat machines.
I really wanted to know why Colonel Fontana had made it this way.
R3D3 only came down from the ceiling after I ordered it.
"Can you adjust settings?"
-Shall I change the settings?
"Let me take a look first. I need to see what I'm dealing with."
AI generally improves the longer it's active.
Of course, there are limits.
After 50-100 years, they start consuming excessive resources relative to performance, so disposal is standard.
R3D3 would be the same.
It seemed like it'd stick with me long-term, so I should tweak its AI during the time left to Earth.
"...Everything's locked?"
-Only the Creator, Fontana Unté, can unlock those.
But upon inspection, it was different from what I'd expected.
Unlike standard systems, it was extremely complex, with little I could touch.
Not that they'd prioritized user-friendliness.
I gave up on directly editing the program.
"I see. How much time left to Earth?"
-About two days.
"Then I'll customize you till we arrive."
The only option left was to invest time.
While its AI still had 'behavioral learning' flexibility, I could teach and correct it step by step.
The more time I put in, the more convenient and familiar it'd become.
-Beep! I sense danger.
"It's okay. It's okay. It's safe, so come here."
I tugged on one of R3D3's legs, which was slowly sliding backward.
It didn't seem like the trip to Earth would be boring.
*
The blue home planet, Earth.
I'd arrived.
The Earth from photos and videos existed exactly as depicted.
"Hmm..."
-What's wrong, Master?
"It's not as moving as I thought."
Strangely, there was no real feeling.
Just, oh, so this is Earth.
To stir real emotions, I'd probably need to visit the Korea where I'd actually lived.
The regular shuttle docked at the station via the Drive Gate.
As humanity's origin, security was tight.
With redundant procedures, it took nearly three hours to become free.
First, I summoned my personal shuttle.
Now on Earth, I could move freely as long as I followed traffic regs.
"Let's go."
-Leave the driving to me.
"No, out. The controls are mine—don't covet them."
R3D3 backed off immediately and took on the role of balancing the craft.
My destination was a museum in old U.S. territory, New York.
Established around the 22nd century, this museum was Seoul-sized and housed an immense collection of artifacts.
In fact, it was the most famous museum in space.
'It's huge.'
I parked the shuttle and headed inside.
The entrance was swarming with people.
Most were tourists from across the universe.
Thousands were visible at a glance.
The museum's fame wasn't just from its size or collection.
It was the commercial aspect.
Every artifact on display was for sale.
Of course, 'exhibit' items were priced far above real value, so actual sales were rare.
But go a little further in, and things changed.