Chapter 24 (All Fours, Part 2): The Ice Lantern

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December 2029, Rocket City, Sa State, Brightland

For decades, the Brightland Space Agency had launched a multitude of ships and probes, gradually shifting its focus from visiting every planet in the solar system to prioritizing celestial bodies with greater developmental potential, such as the Moon, Mars, and the asteroid belt.

Even as early as 2023, when the Lingguang probe was dispatched to Spirit Star, plans for exploring other asteroids in the belt were already underway.

After Lingguang was unexpectedly destroyed in August this year, project members—including Daphne Braun—persuaded agency executives to retrofit a probe originally intended for another asteroid, redirecting its mission to Spirit Star. This new probe was christened Lingguang II.

Michael Max, leading the Acebay Corporation, adapted and improved his new rocket design to accommodate the launch of Lingguang II.

Michael asserted that his rocket’s enhanced thrust would allow Lingguang II to enter orbit more precisely and swiftly, and achieve a greater initial velocity.

The launch site was packed, and a special VIP lounge was set up on the second floor of the command center. Prince Harufa, accompanied by Irene, had traveled from afar to witness the marvels of space technology up close.

Unsurprisingly, the launch of Lingguang II was a resounding success. Once the probe entered orbit, Michael’s mission was accomplished.

Daphne Braun was filled with anticipation for Lingguang II, joyful as a child. She eagerly joined Michael in approaching Prince Harufa.

“Mr. Max, congratulations on the successful launch! This is my first time witnessing a rocket ascend in person—it’s nothing like watching it on television; truly spectacular,” Prince Harufa remarked.

Irene, not well-versed in astronomy, was nonetheless awed by the thunderous roar at the launch site. Remembering Michael’s previous mention of the Enceladus spacecraft, she inquired:

“The spacecraft you mentioned last time, the one heading to Enceladus—where is it now? Can we see images from it?”

Prompted by her question, Prince Harufa also looked at Michael with curious eyes.

“The spacecraft has reached the Saturn system and is conducting an experiment above Saturn’s rings,” Michael replied, smiling at Professor Braun’s daughter, Daphne. “Next month, it will land on Enceladus and begin preparations for another experimental project.”

“What experiment? When will it start?” Daphne recalled Martha telling her that Michael’s experiment might damage Saturn’s rings.

“The experiment is scheduled for August 22, 2030,” Michael answered.

“Such a precise date? Is there something special about that day?” Irene asked.

Daphne Braun’s grasp of astronomy was formidable; colleagues often said her mind was like a perpetually rotating celestial sphere—input any date, and Daphne could swiftly recite the positions of major planets.

August 22, 2030—a day with extraordinary celestial phenomena, Daphne thought. On that date, with the Sun at the center, Saturn would be at four o’clock, Alpha Centauri at ten o’clock, Jupiter at sixteen o’clock, and Earth at twenty-two o’clock on the celestial sphere.

This meant Jupiter and Saturn, Alpha Centauri and Earth, would each be in opposition. Daphne had coined a term for this phenomenon: “Four Legs to the Sky.”

She had read a paper suggesting that when Jupiter and Saturn oppose each other, solar activity intensifies, triggering disasters on Earth such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

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The cycle of Jupiter and Saturn’s opposition is nearly twenty years; the last occurred on March 11, 2011, when Fusheng Nation suffered a nearly magnitude 9 earthquake.

Daphne was unaware that her father, Professor Braun, had entrusted Michael with an experiment: to measure the angular velocities of Saturn’s rings by scattering marker points, thus determining whether Newton’s law of universal gravitation or Nikola Tesla’s gravitational theory was correct.

She was even less aware that, following the spacecraft’s landing at Enceladus’s equator, Michael planned to launch a counterweight device aimed at the center of Saturn, connected to the ship by a carbon fiber tube over 170,000 kilometers long.

This tube would be straightened directly above multiple rings of Saturn, absorbing the full wavelength of superlight waves; as it heated, it would continuously draw vapor from melted ice particles below, condensing onto its surface.

This intricate structure, stretching over 170,000 kilometers, would accumulate heat and water vapor in a mutually reinforcing cycle, effectively thickening the carbon fiber tube. On distant Enceladus, humanity’s first superlight wave power station would rise.

This experimental power station would provide invaluable construction experience for Michael’s team, serving as the prelude to his ambitious plan for transforming Mars.

Convincing potential investors—such as Prince Harufa—was equally crucial for Michael. After the Enceladus power station was built, a portion of the heat would be injected into the moon’s subsurface core; the heated liquid water would erupt as water vapor in the form of cryovolcanoes.

Enceladus already possesses the highest reflectivity among all celestial bodies in the solar system, with a geometric albedo as high as 138%. On August 22, 2030, with Saturn and Jupiter in opposition, superlight wave diffraction on the far side of Enceladus’s orbit would intensify, causing its cryovolcanoes to erupt even more violently. Enceladus would be enveloped in a larger cloud of water vapor, its ultra-high reflectivity making it shine like an “ice lantern” lit within the solar system.

By then, Michael would invite his investors—including Prince Harufa—to view the “ice lantern” with ordinary amateur telescopes. If superlight waves could illuminate an icy moon, then their power could surely reshape Mars in unimaginable ways.

Lighting the “ice lantern” was one reason Michael chose Enceladus for the first superlight wave power station—a kind of astronomical fundraising “roadshow” for the Mars transformation project.

Michael and Daphne spent a wonderful evening together; even on the drive home, their excitement kept them talking endlessly.

Michael sat in the back seat of a Nikola-brand self-driving car produced by his company, gently stroking Daphne’s golden hair. He spoke with deep affection:

“You know, in just a few months we managed to tune the rocket and launch Lingguang II. To me, it’s the most romantic gift I could give you.”

Daphne was delighted, hesitated for a moment, then turned to gaze into Michael’s eyes and said:

“Michael, you understand me so well. Lingguang II truly is the best gift for me. Let me give you a gift in return—I’m pregnant.”

Michael was overjoyed, instinctively relaxing his embrace around Daphne, exclaiming:

“Wow, that’s wonderful! From today, you’ll receive my special protection.”

Daphne pursed her lips, unable to hide her happiness, as if suddenly recalling something, she asked:

“Michael, Martha told me your Enceladus experiment might damage Saturn’s rings. Is that true?”

“My dear, I’ve signed a confidentiality agreement—I can’t disclose details. Our team’s simulations show there are risks, but the probability is extremely low. There shouldn’t be any problems.”

“Michael, let me be clear: no one has the right to damage Saturn’s rings, no matter how low the risk—even one percent, or one ten-thousandth, is unacceptable.”

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Daphne’s phone vibrated. She opened it to see a message from Martha:

“Please forward this interview outline to Michael. I’d like to confirm a few points with him before any public coverage.”

Michael Max read Martha’s interview outline, which said: Is your company’s Enceladus spacecraft intended to verify Nikola Tesla’s superlight wave theory? Are you planning to build a superlight wave power station above Saturn’s rings? If parts of the rings melt due to heating, is there a risk of collapse?

Michael withdrew his arm from around Daphne, crossing his hands over his chest, his face tense as he leaned back in the seat.

“What is Martha saying? Are you really going to conduct this so-called superlight wave experiment? Would it partially melt or even destroy Saturn’s rings?” Daphne asked.

Michael sighed helplessly. “These journalists are relentless. I must stop her from publishing, or the secrets will cause a huge stir. Looks like I’ll have to suspend my experiment plans.”

Daphne wasn’t sure what to say. After thinking for a moment, she asked:

“How will you reply to Martha?”

Michael pondered briefly and composed a message:

“Martha, hello! I assure you that the so-called experiment you mentioned will not take place for now. Please ensure it is not publicly reported. In return for your assistance, I promise to provide you with exclusive results from another experiment involving gravitational theory.”

&

Poem of collected lines:

Suddenly the sky forms a union of four, Song Dynasty, Zhao Fan
The drooping rainbow winds across the long waves. Qing Dynasty, Xuan Ye
That which prospers, that which is great, the laws of nature, Yuan Dynasty, Liu Jiangsun
Water’s reflection and starlight, there are many strange wonders. Tang Dynasty, Zhou Tan