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Chapter 263 A Talk In Space
TL: Kyous
The vast expanse of the starry sea is often considered a realm of romance for men. But who says women can’t be just as adventurous?
When Natasha heard Leo’s question, her eyes immediately lit up, “The starry sea, it’s something I yearn for.”
During her training in the Soviet Union, she had been exposed to a wide range of knowledge. Among them, her encounter with astronomy sparked great interest and longing for the vast starry sea within her.
Moreover, she possessed a sharp mind and could effortlessly grasp complex physics problems. One could say that if it weren’t for her constrained upbringing, she might have become an exceptional astronomer or physicist.
Leo’s words now triggered some memories of her past studies in astronomy, rekindling her feelings for the universe’s grandeur. Her eyes glistened with a dreamy expression, a mix of yearning and anticipation.
“Stand up and raise your hands,” Leo suddenly voiced out.
Though uncertain of his intentions, Natasha obediently stood up and extended her hands forward with her palms facing up.
Leo spread his arms wide and stated, “Extend your arms out to the sides, like at airport security.”
Natasha followed his instructions but she abruptly felt a twinge of nervousness. In this position, her body was completely exposed and vulnerable, with minimal defenses against Leo.
‘What is he going to do?’ Natasha began to speculate anxiously. ‘He couldn’t possibly be that kind of person, right?’
Of course, Leo wasn’t that kind of person.
He, too, stood up, firmly tapping the “watch” on his left wrist, then swiftly swiping his hand across his waist. Instantly, his Smart Utility Belt seamlessly returned to its place.
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
Parts of Viper Mark IX flew out from the belt, but instead of heading toward Leo, they charged at Natasha, who stood with her arms outstretched. Each part of the suit enlarged in the air and rapidly covered Natasha’s body.
After a series of clicking sounds, the parts interlocked and left on the face mask opened,
Meanwhile, Leo sent a command to his belt via “Mechanical Force – Relay” and another set of Viper Mark IX came out from the belt, covering his body.
“What are you doing?” Natasha barely moved her limbs, feeling her movements restricted by the armor.
A thought popped into Leo’s mind as he connected to the intelligent chip in Natasha’s suit. He switched its operating mode from manual to fully automatic. Then, Natasha felt a slight release throughout her body as her movements became slightly more fluid but still felt somewhat uneasy.
“This is the Viper armor I usually wear. It’s equipped with a space life support system. I’m going to take you to space and let you experience the true vastness of the starry sea.”
“Can it go to space?” Natasha was astonished.
“Exactly,” Leo nodded. “How does the armor feel? If there’s anything wrong, let me know. If not, we can depart.”
Natasha’s cheeks flushed slightly and she lightly tapped her chest a couple of times. “It feels a bit tight.”
Realizing his oversight, Leo hurriedly apologized, “I’m sorry, the armor is specially designed for my body. So I didn’t consider that when you put it on.”
He promptly used his Mechanical Force to enlarge Natasha’s chest plate, “Better?”
“Better,” Natasha twisted her body slightly and nodded. “I’m good to go.”
“Alright then, shall we?” Leo asked.
Once again, Natasha nodded as her previously restless heart now completely settled down and was filled with anticipation for the so-called journey into space that Leo promised.
Thud!
Thud!
The face masks of the two suits snapped shut, and the two pairs of eyes were illuminated with a bluish-purple light. Futuristic holographic displays appeared, leaving Natasha in awe and wonder.
“Buzz! Armor’s self-diagnosing is complete. Ready to take off.” After Leo’s numerous upgrades, Steam’s voice had no difference between being at home and in the lab. It effortlessly connected to the satellites, providing assistance to the armor.
Natasha, stunned, heard Steam’s voice and greeted it with a smile.
Leo and Natasha shared the same audio channel, allowing Leo to hear the amusing conversation between Natasha and Steam. With a slight smile, he faced Natasha and said, “Give me your hand.”
Natasha raised her right hand and Leo reached out his left hand to hold it. The next moment, both suits instantly shrank and the Anti-gravity Pulse Blasters ignited. Leo pulled Natasha along as they soared into the sky.
Ten thousand meters

One hundred thousand meters

One million meters

In one go, he took Natasha to Earth’s synchronous orbit, where they located a communication satellite to land. Only then did Leo release Natasha’s hand.
Natasha found everything was a completely novel experience as she experienced complete weightlessness. Meanwhile, Steam, in its usual chatty manner, explained some simple physics concepts to her.
Although she was already familiar with what Steam was explaining, she didn’t interrupt and instead, listened with great interest.
“Look up at the real starry sky, then look down at the Earth,” Leo chimed in suddenly.
“It’s gorgeous!” Natasha exclaimed.
From their perspective, the Earth blocked the Sun perfectly. Facing away from the Earth was a splendid expanse of stars while looking towards the Earth revealed a blue and green planet adorned with a red border.
It was a breathtaking sight!
Natasha had only seen such beauty in photographs before. How could she have imagined seeing it with her eyes?
“Although I know you have a high level of technological expertise, I never imagined you had mastered such advanced spaceflight technology,” Natasha stated with astonishment. “All of these are truly remarkable.”
Leo merely smiled without answering. His vanity was immensely satisfied at the moment, accompanied by an inexplicable sense of accomplishment.
However, Natasha wasn’t an ordinary person and she couldn’t be judged by conventional standards. Soon, she adapted to the novelty in space and shifted her focus to more pressing matters.
“Leo, you brought me to space but what does it have to do with you wanting me to join Bucky and the others in eradicating the H.Y.D.R.A.? And what does it have to do with the ‘starry sea’ you mentioned back at
”
“Do you believe in alien beings?” Leo suddenly interrupted Natasha.
“I
 don’t know,” Natasha stared at Leo. “Originally, I didn’t believe it, but the fact that you’re asking me this means that you already have evidence.”
“Smart,” Leo made a soundless finger snap. “Do you still remember the Panther God I told you about? The one worshipped by the Wakandan?”
“The beautiful one?” Natasha continued, “You even gave her the name Lilith, how can I forget?!”
Ignoring the jealousy within her words, he continued, “The Panther God, or rather, Lilith, is an alien being. In fact, she told me that many of Earth’s so-called gods are aliens too!”
As Natasha looked at him skeptically, he began to spin a tale, “I’ve spent quite some time with her in Wakanda. She trusted me and asked for my help. She told me about the abundance of the universe and even provided a precise star chart to me! This made me realize that we humans aren’t alone in this vast universe. There are numerous intelligent lifeforms out there, with their own technological advancements and abilities that surpass our imagination. That’s why for the next three to five years I’m planning to leave Earth and venture into space. My initial plan was to take Bucky, Peter, Matt, and you as my partners into the universe. That’s why I had the idea for you all to bond as a team.”
“Now, do you understand what I mean?” Leo asked, seeking confirmation.