Chapter 73

Hindi na tumagal ang pagkagulat ng lahat sa naging anunsyo ni Pedro. No questions asked instead we proceed back with the situation.

"There were four smaller asteroids, we only had three satellites. We'll disregard the other one?" I asked Pedro.

I'm afraid about the possibility, what if those asteroids were missed? Would their collision be enough? Will it have a great impact?

Or..

Tipid akong lumingon kay Pedro. He's emotionless again.

He's just giving me fake hope?

Did Pedro had the accurate damage calculation? Is that even possible?

"We disregard the other one." Sagot ni Pedro.

"But what if--" hindi ako pinatapos ni Pedro sa halip ay pumalakpak na ito.

"Alright, we need to move people." Ilang beses akong napalunok sa sinabi niya.

This is it.

"Chairman, did Jensen receive my message?" tanong ni Pedro.

"He got it, they're already in their respective positions. Their just waiting for someone's command." My eyes narrowed with a lot of questions running on my mind.

Message? Hindi ba at dapat kami ni Graham Bell ang kausapin ni Commander Jensen?

What position? Why did Pedro hide the message? Hindi namin pwedeng malaman ni Graham Bell?

Commander Jensen is still our flight commander.

"Good, thanks chairman." Tumango si Chairman kay Pedro.

"Stay connected," tipid na sagot ni Pedro bago ito humarap sa aming tatlo. Graham Bell, Commander Sanders at maging ako.

"Dearest spacemates, I think this is the time that we should split our team. I'll have the Marsian 1732, alone."

No..

"I'll go with you Commander, I won't leave you. Commander Sanders and Graham Bell can handle the courier plane." Giit ko.

Kahit anong gawin nila sa akin, hinding-hindi ako aalis sa loob ng eroplanong ito na hindi kasama si Pedro.

Is it an order? I would gladly disobey it.

"Behati, you go with them."

"I said no, I'll not leave you here!" sigaw ko.

Sa unang pagkakataon ay tumalim ang mga asul na mata sa akin ni Pedro, but I never back off. Matalim ko rin siyang tinitigan.

"I WON'T LEAVE THIS DAMN PLANE WITHOUT YOU." Nagsukatan kami ng tingin ni Pedro.

Hindi ako dumanas nang napakaraming trahedya para lamang isuko siya sa mga oras na ito. Laban ito ng mundo, laban ito ng buhay at pag-ibig ko.

Ngayon pa ba ako aatras ngayong may kakayahan na ako?

"Armstrong, let her be. We can't just drag her." Sabat ni Commander Sanders.

"She's aggressive," kumento ni Graham Bell.

"Then go and please, we're counting on you two." Nang makita kong tumango si Graham Bell at Commander Sanders mabilis na akong tumayo.

At katulad ni Pedro ay agad akong tumindig nang tuwid at sumaludo sa dalawang lalaking kasama namin sa matinding laban na ito.

"I hope this is not our last salute together, Armstrong." Graham Bell said.

"We're all hoping," sagot ni Pedro.

Agad nang nawala sa aming harapan si Graham Bell at Commander Sanders.

They're both making their way to the main navigation room of the Martican X456, which is our courier plane. We need to split the control system between the two connected planes since the moment we went out from the planet Mars, we originally settled inside the Marsian 7832 navigation system.

In other words, we used the Marsian 7832 as the mind while Matican X456 as the body. But this time they need to work individually. At first, we doubted Martican X456, since it was said to be designed only to travel near the planets that it can't stand long enough to travel farther. But Commander Sanders gave us assurance that his courier plane could do better. He told us that it was just a reminder for him to travel less in outer space.

He did mention it before, but he made it clearer now.

In just a few minutes, the Marsian 7832 and Martican X456 had a successful separation. We immediately proceeded to our designated direction.

Pedro divided the three satellites that we're about to manipulate. The two were tasked to Commander Sanders and Graham Bell, while the remaining one will be on us.

The transferring of satellite controls will be easy, but the right timing of satellite destruction isn't. We should look and hit the damn button manually while looking at the radar movement of the asteroid and when it got the ideal spot near the satellite then this is the right time to have the satellite self-destruction. The impact will change the direction of its movement hitting the biggest asteroid.

I'm nervous.

Nang maiwan kami ni Pedro, hindi na ako nito kinausap. Nakaposisyon na kaming dalawa. Nasa likuran ko siya habang kapwa kami nakatitig sa paggalaw ng asteroid.

He gave me the order to communicate with the mother plane, the Gooseig 57 which has the full access to the satellites.

"This is Flight Lieutenant Monzanto- speaking,"

"Armstrong," pagtatama ni Pedro.

"Asking for immediate transfer of controls to the satellite Borne One."

"Gooseig 57, copy that. Currently sending the permission access." The loading data giving the running percentage appeared on my monitor.

12%---26%---42%---67%----79%---87% --- 94% --- 100%

"Completed, Commander." Nangangatal ang aking mga kamay habang nakatitig sa asteroid na siyang inaabangan namin.

"I'm counting on you, Lieutenant." Huminga ako nang malalim sa sinabi ni Pedro.

I can't miss this. Hindi ako pwedeng magmintis.

Magmumula ang unang pagpapasabog kay Commander Sanders at Graham Bell, their first satellite destruction will be ahead in one hour and fourteen minutes, then it will take another forty-five minutes before our last satellite explosion.

This is a one time shot, ito ang paulit-ulit na sinasabi ko sa aking sarili. One time or never.

Ipinikit ko ang aking mga mata at pinagdaop ko ang aking mga palad. Please, please.

Pilit kong pinakakalma ang sarili ko habang humihiling ng gabay sa panginoon.

Alam kong hindi sapat ang lahat ng nalalaman ko, ang kakayahan ko at ang tiwala sa aking sarili. Hindi ito magiging sapat, hindi ito magiging matibay na sandata kung wala ang inyong tulong, kung wala ang inyong kapangyarihan aking panginoon.

Nawa'y samahan nyo kami sa labang ito panginoon, nawa'y muli nyo kaming bigyan ng isa pang pagkakataon.

Tumakas ang mga patak ng aking mga luha mula sa aking mga mata. Nang magmulat ako ay sumalubong sa akin ang kasalukuyang pangyayaring nagaganap sa loob ng aking mundo.

We're all over the news. The four great heroes from Universal Aeronautics and Space Administration. Our names were flashing on the screens, different reporters were discussing our backgrounds, our accomplishments, achievements, and other information that we never asked for publicity.

But the national channels didn't just focus on us four, they were also viewing the thousands of different races all over the world. Iba't-ibang lahi mula sa napakaraming bansa.

Leaders, politicians, workers from blue and white collar jobs, families, children, olds as well as the religious group praying together for survival.

Isa-isang ipinakita ang iba't-ibang klase ng mga taong bumubuo sa mundong aming pilit ipinaglalaban.

Dito nasasalamin ang isang bagay. Isang bagay na alam kong tumatakbo na sa kanilang isipan sa oras na ito.

Status isn't a credit to survival.

Na kahit anong posisyon mo sa mundong ito, mayaman, mahirap, maimpluwensya ka man at lubos na tinitingala ng lahat, iisa pa rin ang kahihinatnan nating lahat.

Kamatayan, isang kamatayan dulot ng walang katapusang pang-aabuso sa kalikasan.

They were all looking up, some were praying, crying for hope, eyes of fear and most were faces asking for forgiveness.

It is late?

Huli na ba talaga ang lahat ng ito?

"But hey, we got the woman of hope on board! She's the face of survival and it is not just the women who've been saluting her, children, olds, soldiers, pilots, millions of people around the planet, and even us reporters."

"Yes, my wife has the beauty of hope." Sagot ni Pedro sa mga reporter na parang naririnig siya ng mga ito.

"We should send our support to these four heroes." Hindi nagtagal ay iisang channel na ang lumalabas sa aming monitor.

This means that the national channel took over all the channels around the globe.

"People of earth," nanguna ang kilalang reporter.

Tumayo ito at lumabas sa likuran ng kanilang lamesa. Sumunod ang kasama nitong lalaking reporter.

They showed different areas from number of countries who've been watching the whole news for live telecast.

"Lieutenant Monzanto," diretsong nakatitig ang babaeng reporter.

"Commander Armstrong," nagsalita ang lalaking reporter nito.

"Commander Graham Bell," saglit na ipinakita ang mukha ni chairman, naka-flash sa tv ang pangalan nito at ang posisyon sa UASA.

"Commander Sanders," mula ito sa Presidente ng Estados Unidos.

Hanggang sa napuno ng maliliit na screen ang buong hologram monitor namin ni Pedro. Ipinapakita nito ang pinakamatataas na mga tao.

Umawang ang bibig ko habang walang humpay sa pagkabog ang dibdib ko, naghahalo-halo na ang kaba, takot, pagkamangha, pasasalamat at napakarami pang emosyon.

Napapamura na si Pedro.

It couldn't be.

Habang tumagatal ay mas lumiliit ang mga screen dahil sa dami ng mga taong ipinakikita.

The leaders, ang iba't-ibang pinuno mula sa bawat mga bansa.

Tuluyan nang tumulo ang aking mga luha kasabay nang emoysonal kong pagtayo sa aking upuan. Narinig ko rin ang pagtayo ni Pedro mula sa aking likuran.

And they just did.

Marahan akong lumingon kay Pedro at kapwa kami sumaludo sa isa't-isa na may ngiti sa aming mga labi.

Lumapit ito sa akin at marahan niyang hinawakan ang aking kamay na nanlalamig.

The whole planet with my Survival Oath of Hope.

Buong mundo, itinataas ang kamay, dama ang pintig ng aming mga puso, naghihintay ng bagong umaga. 

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VentreCanard