"Ayla is currently generating a plan. Plan generation complete..."
"The optimal plan involves designing this rhombus-shaped spacecraft with aesthetic considerations, including a recreational area, a dining area, a rest area, a fitness area, and more."
"The spacecraft will be 122.4 meters long, 18.3 meters wide, and 14.9 meters high, with a total of 5 electromagnetic thrusters. The maximum speed achievable is 293.4 km/s."
Luna's jaw dropped. It was far too extravagant.
It was practically a space yacht, a Titanic of the cosmos.
"I need to go faster."
"Ayla is currently generating a plan. Plan generation complete..."
"The plan has been updated. This plan prioritizes speed. The spacecraft will be 332.5 meters long, 67.1 meters wide, and 55 meters high, with a total of 11 electromagnetic thrusters. The maximum speed achievable is 875.9 km/s."
Even so, it would still take 1446 years to reach Proxima Centauri.
"Still not good enough."
Then Ayla responded, activating her constant voice function.
"You can simultaneously construct cryogenic hibernation pods to facilitate your sleep until arrival."
This was the best solution Ayla could offer.
As an engineer, Luna knew that the only way to achieve a better plan was to increase computing power.
But that was impossible; the computational power required immense energy consumption, which this spacecraft couldn't provide...
"Wait!"
Luna thought of something.
"Ayla, is it possible to create a controllable nuclear fusion device?"
Given Ayla's current processing power, calculating a controllable nuclear fusion device wasn't impossible. After all, in 2037, humanity wasn't far from achieving controllable nuclear fusion; it was likely only a century away.
Humanity already possessed the blueprints for a controllable nuclear fusion device. The only limitations preventing its realization were insulation and superconducting materials.
Nuclear fusion generated incredibly high temperatures, reaching tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of degrees Celsius.
Controllable nuclear fusion still boiled down to heating water, converting thermal energy into kinetic energy, so the materials used in construction were the biggest hurdle.
"It is entirely feasible!"
Ayla's response thrilled Luna. Overcoming the energy limitations would allow Ayla to grow exponentially, significantly increasing her chances of survival in space.
"Then let's get started!"
"To the asteroid belt! We'll use the resources there to build a controllable nuclear fusion device!"
The spacecraft deployed its solar panels, using some of the thrust to alter its trajectory.
...
100 days.
A quantifiable passage of time.
It took Luna 100 days to reach the asteroid belt.
Upon seeing it, she was nearly moved to tears.
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Every day had been excruciatingly boring, spent conversing with an AI. Even entertainment was limited to offline games, and the various social media apps and profile pictures on her phone had all turned grey.
Entering the asteroid belt, the spacecraft stopped beside a 12-kilometer diameter asteroid. Its surface was pockmarked with impact craters, revealing a reflective metal within some of the depressions.
"Analyze the asteroid's composition!"
The spacecraft was equipped with several high-pixel cameras, originally intended for Ayla's use.
It didn't take long.
"Analysis complete. The asteroid is primarily composed of iron, secondarily magnesium, and contains trace amounts of copper and aluminum."
"Magnesium and aluminum can be used to create lightweight metal alloys suitable for constructing large robotic exoskeletons. Iron, of course, will be crucial, with steel becoming our primary output."
"Luna, we can build a factory on this asteroid."
Luna told Ayla to call her directly by her name. It felt more personal and made Ayla seem more human.
Ayla ran on the ChatGPT 15.8 version, and she could indeed sometimes provide human-like responses.
Iron, magnesium, copper, and aluminum were relatively abundant elements in the universe.
Luna agreed that this asteroid was suitable. While there were dwarf planets within the asteroid belt, they weren't as easily exploitable as these smaller asteroids.
Under Ayla's control, the spacecraft landed on the asteroid's surface.
During the preceding 100 days, Luna had taken inventory of the spacecraft's supplies.
She pushed a massive 3D printer out of the cargo bay. This 3D printer weighed at least a ton, and Luna recognized the model.
"A C9200, a flagship 3D printer."
"So extravagant."
This 3D printer, with a price tag of around 7 million, had the capability to independently produce sealed metal products.
She connected the printer's data cable to the spacecraft's main computer.
"Ayla, control this 3D printer."
"Begin manufacturing mining robots."
During those three months, Luna had also thoroughly researched the process of creating a controllable nuclear fusion device.
Although her understanding was still general, she now knew which technological branches to climb.
She located several large pieces of equipment within the spacecraft, taking up almost half the available space.
One was a greenhouse unit, the other a water-air conversion device.
These two items served another piece of cargo.
A seed vault!
The primary mission of this spacecraft was to determine the feasibility of immigration to Mars, hence the large quantity of seeds.
This was good news for Luna.
The food on board was limited, mostly consisting of dry rations. For the past three months, she had been rationing, hoping to find some nutrient paste or supplements in the asteroid belt.
Now, with these plant seeds, that problem was solved.
The most important of these seeds were rice and soybeans, both high-yield staples and sources of carbohydrates and protein.
Luna had some understanding of how the seeds were stored.
They hadn't been deeply processed and likely still harbored insect eggs. The dormant insects within these seeds might be the only Earth-based animals, besides herself, that she would ever see again.
But for now, she couldn't use them.
So, without hesitation, she dismantled the greenhouse unit and the water-air conversion device, throwing the components into the 3D printer.
"There's no other way."
"Right now, the controllable nuclear fusion device and a proper spacecraft are more important."
The 3D printer was slow.
After about a week, Luna finally had a set of components.
She assembled them, connecting the previously removed wiring.
A small robot, about 40 centimeters tall, was complete.
Its left arm was a claw, the right a drill. It moved on treads and had several robotic arms extending from its sides, allowing it to secure itself to the low-gravity surface of the asteroid.
"Will this thing actually work?"
She was skeptical; the thing was so small.
"Don't worry, Luna. Although this robot is small, it can be directly controlled by me."
"With my, Ayla's, intelligence, even gravel can be turned into gold."
She decided to trust Ayla for now.
Due to limited battery resources, the small robot used a wired connection.
Luna had to perform a spacewalk to connect the external power supply.
This was her first ever spacewalk.
She sealed her oxygen mask, put on the spacesuit, and although a little clumsy, thankfully her flight simulator experience provided some basic knowledge. At least she wasn't completely clueless.
Securing the tether, she reached the airlock, took a deep breath, and then opened it.
The air inside the cockpit rushed out instantly, propelling her body into the void. She floated in space, the tether snapping taut.
She quickly pulled on the tether, retreating until her hand made contact with the spacecraft's hull. She felt a surge of relief.
This spacecraft was her only safe haven.
She fumbled around, guided by Ayla's instructions, until she found the external power port.
The robot was still inside the cockpit, but the power cable was attached to her hip. She detached it and plugged it into the sealed connection, intending to return to the spacecraft.
Suddenly, a beam of light struck her visor.
A moment later, this high-energy beam grazed her spacesuit.
"Sizzle!"
Her spacesuit began to melt.