Mars, July 5, 2027. 1400 Hours.
Li Wei stood in the Outpost’s engineering bay, his hands on the Dragon systems, a faint hum filling the air. “The AI-robots finished the fusion drive upgrade, Mitchell.”
John Mitchell inspected the sleek engine core, his leadership a steady force. “This’ll get us to Europa in under a day? That’s a game-changer.”
Xiaotong Zheng analyzed the schematics, her genius a brilliance, her presence magnetic. “Yes—20,000 kilometers per second. A breakthrough.”
Anika Sharma reviewed the AI logs, intrigued by the tech. “The robots learned from the shard’s energy patterns—ingenious.”
Elias Moretti adjusted his scanner, curious but hesitant. “That speed… it’s almost unreal for 2027. Are we sure it’s safe?”
Yuri smirked, leaning against a crate, his tone teasing. “Unreal? I say it’s about time we got some speed! What’s the matter, my friend—scared?”
Elias frowned, pushing up his glasses, his voice defensive. “Not scared, Yuri—just cautious. We’re pushing limits here.”
Yuri chuckled, clapping Elias on the shoulder. “Relax, Moretti. We’ve been through worse. This ship’s our ticket to glory.”
Elias sighed, a small smile forming. “Fine, you win. Let’s hope it holds together.”
Rachel Voigt checked the ship’s hull, her tone focused. “It’s installed. We’re ready to test it out.”
Kenji Sato monitored the comms, his voice steady. “Earth’s been quiet—too quiet. I don’t like it.”
Sarah Carter glanced at the crew, her concern evident. “Pushing tech this far… I hope it holds. We’ve got enough on our plates.”
Mikael Heikkinen grinned from the pilot’s seat, eager to get moving. “Let’s fire her up—I’m ready to fly this beast!”