My Little Pony: My Little Pony The Martian

AMICITAS Mission Three – Mission Day 491

ARES 3 solar day 482

As nature dictates, ordinary rocks pile up on ordinary piles of rocks.

However, the stone in front of you is different from ordinary stubborn rocks. Its two ends are supported by carefully built rock ledges, and the middle part is lifted away from the ground. A small piece of clear crystal is precisely mounted on the underside of the stone, facing a slightly larger crystal placed directly below. This second crystal is connected by a series of cables to a larger crystal covered with metal about twenty meters away, followed by a switch, and the switch itself is connected to a ten-meter-long The changeling made a rope, and the end was held in the hands of a guy with a somewhat worn spacesuit.

The stone doesn't know its fate yet, but it will soon leave the earth for a ride.

After helping to collect the stones needed to build the launch ledge, Spitfire returned to the mobile home and stared outdoors through the cockpit's observation window, feeling envious of the stone in his heart. Stones can go up to heaven but I have no chance, she said to herself, how can this fate be so miserable?

"If my calculations are correct," Starlight Glimmer reported on the channel, "the target will accelerate to 250 meters per second at an altitude of about one thousand meters. After that, a shock wave should be formed, so that there is no need to enter The escape track can also achieve the effect of driving away dust haze."

"That's what you said," Mark asked again, "Fireball, is the camera running?"

"No," Fireball responded with confusion in his tone, "I'm holding the camera. Do you want to ask me to make the camera run?"

"I mean, are you recording?" Mark said in a different way.

"Oh..." Fireball replied with a look of realization, "Are you recording? That's different. Let's start recording."

"You definitely did this on purpose," Mark complained, "I was so touched."

"Everyone, please focus on the mission," launch commander Cherry Berry stood beside Spitfire, observing the situation at the launch site through another window, "The launch is ready. Ten. Nine. Eight. .seven."

Dragonfly, who was also in a safe zone indoors, paced back and forth in the limited open space on the bridge.

"Six. Five. Four."

Spitfire stretched out a front hoof against the bulkhead next to the window, staring at the blurry figures a hundred meters away in the dusty sky; they had already positioned themselves to face the spacecraft, ready to fly at high speed at the command. Escape the launch area.

"Three. Two. One!"

A hundred yards away, Mark struggled to twitch the leash that triggered the switch, and then immediately ran and jumped on the gravel-strewn surface of Mars back to the rover.

Compared to their first previous test, the payload used this time was not only larger but also much heavier, so Spitfire was able to watch the rock lift off all the way. Despite this, the acceleration during the ascent was still very fast, and it was out of the limited field of view of the porthole within a few seconds of launch, but it was certainly much slower than the performance in previous booster system tests.

"While tracking, the trajectory is shifting to the west," a report of a fireball came. "At least it won't hit our heads."

"I've reached the ladder," Starlight gasped, "and started climbing up."

"I followed behind," Mark also said, "but I didn't see any shock waves."

"Target lost," Fireball said, "No shock wave. All I can see is a little vortex in the dust." After a pause, "The wind is picking up."

"You're riding a horse!" Cherry Berry scolded, "Why doesn't it work? Is it not fast enough?"

"It will continue to accelerate as it rises," Starlight signaled everyone to calm down, "and most of the dust is concentrated in the upper atmosphere. It's better to wait a little longer."

Spitfire continued to stare at the sky outside the porthole. What she saw was endless dust. The thick gravel that was originally too heavy to be moved by the weak dust storm was now swept up by the strong winds, forming clusters of small clouds on the surface. move. A stream of dust swept along the slope and hit the launch point, causing ripples to ripple from the rover to the launch point.

The haze seems to be flying around the launch point not far away, rotating... like...

Updrafts.

The updrafts and the large amount of heat generated by the friction of the stones that continue to accelerate to break the sound barrier.

"Commander," she shouted directly in pony language in desperation, "I strongly suggest that we all return to the car immediately. The equipment should be left outdoors."

Cherry Berry turned and stared into Spitfire's eyes. After staring for a moment, she realized what was going on and immediately turned to call out the window, "Emergency termination of launch." She switched to English and gave the order, "Everyone returns immediately."

"What are you making all the fuss about? It's just a gust of wind." Fireball disagreed.

"It won't happen later," Spitfire also switched back to English and replied, "The dust swirl is forming. A tornado. Come back quickly!"

"Wait a minute!" Xingguang said in a panic, "Let me go back and get it..."

"No." The call was interrupted by a burst of noise, and then Mark's voice on the channel continued, "Starlight is here with me. Fireball, open the door for me."

"it is good."

Spitfire was just staring out the window more intently at this time. A large amount of sand continued to roll towards the launch points. Under the influence of the strong updraft they created, a large amount of air surged towards the launch point, lifting a dust column that was now clearly visible in the air.

"But the battery is still out there!"

"The equipment can be thrown away, life is the first priority," Mark still couldn't help but drag her, "Starlight, stop twisting around!"

"Then please let me go first!!!"

The outer hatch of the airlock slammed shut, and the sound of metal clanking echoed through the trailer.

"Coming in," Fireball said only, "the airlock starts pumping."

The sky outside quickly darkened, and for the first time since they encountered the dust storm, they heard the rustling sound of dust hitting the hull, and from time to time, it was accompanied by the crisp click of gravel being rolled up by the increasing wind and hitting the cabin.

"You may not care," Dragonfly said suddenly, "but Mars started talking again."

Cherry Berry sighed, "What is it saying this time? Is it still 'go die'?"

"No," Dragonfly replied, "Did you hear the sound of rocks hitting each other? It sounds exactly like the laughter in the ancient Changeling language."

The planet laughed at them.

The dust devil outside the window absorbed the energy provided to it by the launch... hungry for more, it tightened and tightened, cornering them.

The battery still connected to the Boost Enchantment Repulsion Crystal poured all its energy into the storm.

The next two hours were spent in a tense and busy manner, and they conducted another EVA under the protection provided by the power of two magic batteries. Just because they had to go out and cover the front of the cockpit with a simple tarpaulin, Starlight also retrieved the entire launch system while maintaining the force field spell; this temporary protective net was actually what they had left. The spare cabin canvas was hastily sewn together with all the sleeping bags using changeling string. The windows of the rover are equipped with movable window guards, but Amicitas does not have such equipment; although it has experienced many more severe dust storms in the past without being damaged, considering that their current living environment completely depends on mobility RV, the team members did not have the confidence to take such a risk.