The Saga of Emiko Station - Complete

[Just Jim]

1 hour ago, Geschosskopf said:

There is no known amount of mass in the entire KSP universe that a fallen Kerbal can't lift when standing back up on his feet. Just by butting his head against an obstacle while climbing a ladder, a Kerbal can achieve interplanetary flight. They are quire resourceful creatures and have abilities that us humans would consider superhuman but are just normal for Kerbals.  And surely all Kerbal astronauts received basic Stone Age survival training so Harfield can no doubt make expedient knives out of rock that are sharper than any steel blades that later Kerbals invented.  He can no doubt start fire by mere friction even in Eve's O2-poor atmosphere, He can no doubt make miles of cordage out of all kinds of fibrous stuff he can scavenge from the ships and wreckage around him. 

Let's just say I'm reminded of the Professor in the classic Gilligan's Island.  
The man could build a computer from a coconut and a couple bamboo poles, but he never could find a way to get them off of the island...  

[Geschosskopf]

53 minutes ago, Just Jim said:

Let's just say I'm reminded of the Professor in the classic Gilligan's Island.  
The man could build a computer from a coconut and a couple bamboo poles, but he never could find a way to get them off of the island...  

Every single scheme The Professor came up with actually worked.  It was just that they always had to wait a few hours between when he perfected it and when the stars aligned for it to actually connect them to the outside world.  It was during that time, often at the very last second, that Gilligan would innocently somehow manage to hose it up.  But Harfield is blessed with solitary confinement, meaning no Gilligans to ruin things for him.  I expect hiim to be headed home on the next Eve --> Kerbin window.

[Mjp1050]

On 5/6/2016 at 11:57 AM, Just Jim said:

"Three?  Who's piloting them?"
"Why <gurgle bubble> I am, of course."
"Of course."

Oh dear. Thompberry took control of MechJeb.

[Geschosskopf]

1 hour ago, Mjp1050 said:

Oh dear. Thompberry took control of MechJeb.

Well, according to the MJ-haters, he always has been.  But they confuse the Devil with MJ, and confuse MJ with Thompberry, and don't realize that the Devil, being "a man of wealth and taste", trades in other commodities besides souls.

[Just Jim]

10 hours ago, Geschosskopf said:

Well, according to the MJ-haters, he always has been.  But they confuse the Devil with MJ, and confuse MJ with Thompberry, and don't realize that the Devil, being "a man of wealth and taste", trades in other commodities besides souls.

Thompberry couldn't have taken it over, because I've never actually used MJ.  

 

[Just Jim]

OK, first off, Happy Mothers day to any and all Moms out there.  

I got everything I need to do another chapter tomorrow. 
And I checked with one of the Moderators, and it looks like it's OK to go ahead with my idea about adding a human sub-plot.

Spoiler

***Spoiler****  I'm thinking about adding a human sub-plot.... hehehe

But here's the deal.  I would like to use the Sims2 for the "Earth" screenshots. I know there are newer Sims out there, but in this case, I already own Sims2, along with every add-on package that came with it.  I'm also not proud to admit, I have well over 4,000 downloads and add-ons.  yup, I said thousand.  And I can do some really interesting stuff as far as making the screenshots work really well with the Emiko Station plot.  

Down side is I can't install it on my new computer.  At least not yet.  While I do own all the add-on packages, I purchased four of them online, and the website I bought them from just doesn't have them available anymore.  Rats.  So far it looks like my only choice is to try and get new (or used) copies on Amazon.

But until then I can use the old computer.  It just means the picture quality won't be as nice as I would like.  But once you all see where I'm heading with this, I'm hoping you'll ignore the fact...  

 

[RA3236]

21 minutes ago, Just Jim said:

OK, first off, Happy Mothers day to any and all Moms out there.  

I got everything I need to do another chapter tomorrow. 
And I checked with one of the Moderators, and it looks like it's OK to go ahead with my idea about adding a human sub-plot.

  Hide contents

***Spoiler****  I'm thinking about adding a human sub-plot.... hehehe

But here's the deal.  I would like to use the Sims2 for the "Earth" screenshots. I know there are newer Sims out there, but in this case, I already own Sims2, along with every add-on package that came with it.  I'm also not proud to admit, I have well over 4,000 downloads and add-ons.  yup, I said thousand.  And I can do some really interesting stuff as far as making the screenshots work really well with the Emiko Station plot.  

Down side is I can't install it on my new computer.  At least not yet.  While I do own all the add-on packages, I purchased four of them online, and the website I bought them from just doesn't have them available anymore.  Rats.  So far it looks like my only choice is to try and get new (or used) copies on Amazon.

But until then I can use the old computer.  It just means the picture quality won't be as nice as I would like.  But once you all see where I'm heading with this, I'm hoping you'll ignore the fact...  

 

K.

[Geschosskopf]

6 hours ago, Just Jim said:

I got everything I need to do another chapter tomorrow. 
And I checked with one of the Moderators, and it looks like it's OK to go ahead with my idea about adding a human sub-plot.

I'm sure human-Kerbal relations would go quite well right up until the Kerbals tried to land on Earth.  A "normal" Kerbal landing would be regared as an act of war by humans and things would go downhill from there.  But @Kerbiter has somehow avoided this problem so it might work.

 

Quote

But here's the deal.  I would like to use the Sims2 for the "Earth" screenshots. I know there are newer Sims out there, but in this case, I already own Sims2, along with every add-on package that came with it.  I'm also not proud to admit, I have well over 4,000 downloads and add-ons.  yup, I said thousand.  And I can do some really interesting stuff as far as making the screenshots work really well with the Emiko Station plot.  

AHA!  Now we know who is single-handedly responsible for the death of PC gaming!  We know who it was who made it so that searching Steam for "simulation" brought up nothing but the Sims and expansions thereof.   This pains me greatly because otherwise you're a likable guy who tells good stories and knows how to make and play old-school flutes.  As a fellow fugitive from the condign punishment of Bad Karma, I urge you to devote the rest of your life to those positive things.  I've been buying off Bad Karma these last 25 years but still have a long row to hoe to balance the scales.

 

Quote

But until then I can use the old computer.  It just means the picture quality won't be as nice as I would like.  But once you all see where I'm heading with this, I'm hoping you'll ignore the fact...  

If the Kerbals can perceive us at all, it would necessarily be quite hazy, so that's appropriate if the story is told from the POV of Kerbals.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Geschosskopf

[Kerbiter]

1 hour ago, Geschosskopf said:

I'm sure human-Kerbal relations would go quite well right up until the Kerbals tried to land on Earth.  A "normal" Kerbal landing would be regared as an act of war by humans and things would go downhill from there.  But @Kerbiter has somehow avoided this problem so it might work.

Note for future writers: If you want humans and Kerbals to intersect and land on Earth, make the humans supply the capsule and instructions. Because if not, then the Kerbals will not visit today.

Design cues for NASA: Contact SpaceX to borrow some Super Draco engines for retrorockets, ala Soyuz.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Kerbiter

[Just Jim]

12 hours ago, Geschosskopf said:

I'm sure human-Kerbal relations would go quite well right up until the Kerbals tried to land on Earth.  A "normal" Kerbal landing would be regared as an act of war by humans and things would go downhill from there.  But @Kerbiter has somehow avoided this problem so it might work.

You're probably right, but I think I have a clever way to avoid this...

 

12 hours ago, Geschosskopf said:

If the Kerbals can perceive us at all, it would necessarily be quite hazy, so that's appropriate if the story is told from the POV of Kerbals.

It will be from the POV of one of the main Kerbal characters, yes.  And I'm playing with Photoshop to see if I can do something with that as well.  Lots of cool filters and such to choose from.

 

12 hours ago, Geschosskopf said:

AHA!  Now we know who is single-handedly responsible for the death of PC gaming!  We know who it was who made it so that searching Steam for "simulation" brought up nothing but the Sims and expansions thereof.   This pains me greatly because otherwise you're a likable guy who tells good stories and knows how to make and play old-school flutes.  As a fellow fugitive from the condign punishment of Bad Karma, I urge you to devote the rest of your life to those positive things.  I've been buying off Bad Karma these last 25 years but still have a long row to hoe to balance the scales.

Guilty as charged, yes...  

I actually became addicted to the Sims2 for many of the same reasons I love KSP so much.  It's essentially a non-combat game, which I tend to prefer these days.  And it has no real ending.  In theory, depending on how you play, it can last indefinitely.  And it is very easy to become attached to both Kerbal and Sim characters.  

But if it will help my Karma, I can honestly say I haven't broken down to buy the Sims3 or 4 yet...  lol.... 

Edited May 9, 2016 by Just Jim

[Crystal_Mace]

22 hours ago, Just Jim said:

OK, first off, Happy Mothers day to any and all Moms out there.  

I got everything I need to do another chapter tomorrow. 
And I checked with one of the Moderators, and it looks like it's OK to go ahead with my idea about adding a human sub-plot.

  Reveal hidden contents

***Spoiler****  I'm thinking about adding a human sub-plot.... hehehe

But here's the deal.  I would like to use the Sims2 for the "Earth" screenshots. I know there are newer Sims out there, but in this case, I already own Sims2, along with every add-on package that came with it.  I'm also not proud to admit, I have well over 4,000 downloads and add-ons.  yup, I said thousand.  And I can do some really interesting stuff as far as making the screenshots work really well with the Emiko Station plot.  

Down side is I can't install it on my new computer.  At least not yet.  While I do own all the add-on packages, I purchased four of them online, and the website I bought them from just doesn't have them available anymore.  Rats.  So far it looks like my only choice is to try and get new (or used) copies on Amazon.

But until then I can use the old computer.  It just means the picture quality won't be as nice as I would like.  But once you all see where I'm heading with this, I'm hoping you'll ignore the fact...  

 

Ignore what fact....?   Did somebody notice a fact...?  'Cause I sure didn't...

 

On 5/7/2016 at 4:37 PM, Just Jim said:

Let's just say I'm reminded of the Professor in the classic Gilligan's Island.  
The man could build a computer from a coconut and a couple bamboo poles, but he never could find a way to get them off of the island...  

On 5/8/2016 at 5:36 PM, Geschosskopf said:

Every single scheme The Professor came up with actually worked.  It was just that they always had to wait a few hours between when he perfected it and when the stars aligned for it to actually connect them to the outside world.  It was during that time, often at the very last second, that Gilligan would innocently somehow manage to hose it up.  But Harfield is blessed with solitary confinement, meaning no Gilligans to ruin things for him.  I expect hiim to be headed home on the next Eve --> Kerbin window.

I agree about Harfield.  He is descended of the people that invented ladders, and now stand poised to walk among the stars...

....if they can just get that upper floor finished before the winter storms hit....

The Professor never had a chance....Gilligan was far too clever in his feigned stupidity.  It was all a plot to end up with either Ginger or Mary Ann.  You do realize of course that Gilligan was the TRUE mastermind behind the island on 'Lost'...?

I always thought Eve was such a beautiful planet... Not so sure I'm looking forward to getting there now.  Awful to think that before long Hanfield could even be missing THOMPBERRY'S voice.  Of course if he can't resist calling up Hansfield to gloat, he might unintentionally give his victim the anger based determination he needs to get through this, and get home eventually..

The Sims2......Oh my.......can Lego Batman be far behind....?  :giggle:  (You know I'm kidding, right?  Not against the cross gaming idea at all.  ) 
 

 

 

[Just Jim]

Chapter 47
The Northern Munolith

 

 

For nearly 80 days, all of Kerbin held it's breath and prayed for Piper Kerman's safe and speedy recovery. Nearly half the planet had been watching a live feed from the Mun when Piper screamed and fell from the great arch, and afterwards it was as if time itself had paused to look on in concern. Piper Kerman was a treasure and hero across Kerbin, and it was said that night, half the children on the planet cried themselves to sleep.

As soon as he could, Mun Colony Alpha's Commander Doski boarded Piper's explorer Raptor, and with total disregard of the dangerous terrain, he headed straight for the arch, along with all the medical supplies the small Raptor could carry.  

Not long after the Emiko Raptor arrived with KASA's best medical specialists and doctors, most of whom had never been off planet, but were too concerned with Piper's well-being to care.

As they examined her, it became clear her shoulder and back had been shattered severely, and she had fallen into a deep healing coma. This was actually quite common for Kerbans who had been badly injured, and usually meant they would recover. But the Rocklady had been at Piper's side since the accident, and hearing her mumbled whispers, she feared for Piper's sanity. For several hours after her fall, Piper kept mumbling the same horrific phrase over and over, until finally falling into her coma.

"Oh, please... please don't eat me!"

The one thing all the doctors agreed on was she could not be moved, so there was nothing they could do but wait, and care for her as best possible. Instead they took shifts watching and monitoring Piper, all but the Rocklady, who never once left her side. She had grown to care for Piper like a daughter, and could not bear the thought of losing her.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Piper stumbled to her feet and looked around, confused. "What... what happened?"

"Oh, thank all the Gods!" The Rocklady whispered, trying her best to hold back her tears.

Carefully the team helped Piper back onto the Chariot, and began examining her. She was still weak, and very disorientated, and when asked, claimed to have no memory of what had happened. But the Rocklady knew her friend well, and could clearly see Piper's smile was faked.

Not wanting to upset her friend, the Rocklady broke into a boisterous laugh and said, "Never mind... never mind, child. All in due time. For now all that matters is you are back with us!"

Although Piper was clearly on the mend, the team stayed another 4 Mun-days before the medics declared Piper fit enough to travel. But to their dismay, she refused to return to Kerbin, and just like her old self, insisted on continuing her Mun-trek. The doctors were horrified, but across Kerbin, Piper had once again achieved hero status.

Finally, over 100 Kerbin days after leaving the Mun colony, they set off once again, this time heading north towards [location classified]. And unbeknownst to the Chariot crew, this was the same day Harfield Kerman was landing on Eve. 

The trip was uneventful, and Piper was glad to be behind the wheel again. She really enjoyed driving; and in many ways it seemed to put her mind at ease.

Several hours later they were closing onto their objective, and the terrain seemed smooth enough.... at first.

But as she closed in, Piper brought the Chariot to a halt, and looked on in amazement. A great cliff spanned from horizon to horizon, and beneath it sat a hill of solid rock. And atop this hill of stone sat the monolith. It was all quite surreal, and both Piper and the Rocklady left the chariot to look upon the magnificent sight.

"Can we make it, child?" The Rocklady asked.

Piper looked on for a few minuted before answering. "If we come at it from the side, yes, I can get us up there."

Calmly, slowly, Piper guided the great chariot down to the base of the great cliff and up the slope of the hill of stone, until the ground beneath them finally leveled out, and before them stood a large, black object.

Remembering what Gene had said about the Kerbin monolith, Piper circled around this one, careful to maintain a safe distance, without also falling back down the steep hillside, until she was satisfied it was safe to stop.

Having no interest, and perhaps trying to hide her fear, Frannie immediately saw to the refueling while Piper and the Rocklady slowly approached the strange monolith.

"What in the worlds.....?" Piper whispered as they drew near, "What is that?"

The monolith was only a couple meters high, jet black, and had some sort of face engraved across the front of it, along with one word:

"Squad"

"OK," Piper said softly, "If that's an alien, then pardon my rudeness, but they are just.... ugly!"

"Now child," the Rocklady replied with a chuckle, "They might think the same of us."

Then Piper walked up to it and reached out her hand, and to her surprise, found it was quite solid!

"Gene... Gene, can you hear me? This is Piper.... Gene, come in.... oh, wait"

"What is it, my dear?" the Rocklady asked.

"I forgot, Gene said they lost contact with the space center when he got too close to the monolith on Kerbin. That must be what's happened here. But how odd we can still hear each other."

Then to the Rocklady's horror, Piper jumped up and landed atop the Monolith.

"Piper!" the Rocklady called out, "Piper, young lady, you be careful!"

"It's OK... I'm OK," Piper called back, "But this is fascinating! It feels like this thing is pulling at me! Not hard, you can barely feel it. Almost like a magnet pulling at my suit. Hold on, I'm coming back down."

"This thing is so weird!  I wonder if Neal and Armstrong built it?  We should go check the science gear and see what it tells us."

But as Piper turned to go, the Rocklady stopped her. "Child, about the science equipment..... are you sure no-one can hear us?"

Not liking the sound of this, Piper replied, "I believe so, yes, why do you ask?"

"Piper, something... odd... has been happening to the test equipment. I didn't say anything at first, thinking it might be KASA upgrading us remotely. But then I came to realize this cannot be KASA, and was waiting for the right time to speak to you in private."

A cold chill went down Piper's back. "Tell me everything."

"About two days after your accident I noticed some of the test equipment seemed to turn itself on and back off again. I was frankly too worried about you, and didn't give it much thought at first. But a few days later I realized the equipment was also re-calibrating and upgrading itself, and to an amazing degree! This is what made me suspicious, and why I held off saying anything until now. To my knowledge, KASA doesn't possess anything nearly this sophisticated."

Piper sighed, already suspecting who... or perhaps more appropriately, what, was behind this. And for the next couple hours, as Kerbol slowly passed behind Kerbin, Piper explained to the Rocklady of Thompberry Kerman's return, how he had subsequently taken over Duna Station, and was at this moment holding the crew hostage.

"Thompberry...." the Rocklady whispered in amazement and dread, "I should have known. No wonder you've been having nightmares. But what do you believe we should do?"

Piper thought a moment before answering, "For now, nothing. Thompberry is not just evil, he's brilliant and devious, and I fear that he has some mad scheme at work here. For now we need to learn more about what he's up to; what his plans are. Then, perhaps, we can find a way to stop him from hurting anyone ever again."

The Rocklady looked at Piper with pride, "You, child, are becoming quite wise. Very well, we will play along for now and try to learn what we can. Now, I believe you were saying something about checking the test equipment earlier?"

And with that the two walked back to the Chariot and began scanning the strange monolith. But withing a few minutes the Rocklady began to get the first results, and her face filled with wonder.

"Stunning... simply stunning! I have to re-run these scans, but if this is correct..." the Rocklady's voice drifted off in amazement.

"What?" Piper asked.

"That monolith out there.... Do you remember saying it seemed magnetic, like it was drawing you towards it?"

"Yes," Piper answered.

"Child, that was not magnetism.... it was gravity! That monolith has it's own gravitational field!"

Piper took a few minutes to digest what she had just heard before looking back out at the monolith.

"Gravity?  But that would mean it's mass..."

The Rocklady finished Piper's sentence in awe, "It's mass is roughly 100,000 times the mass of Emiko Station's asteriod!"

Piper gasped, but allowed the Rocklady continue.

"We have to stay and study this further. I don't how it got here, or who could have made something like this, or why, but child.... I believe that monolith out there, it's.... it's made of solid neutronium!"

 

The Saga of Emiko Station is far, far from over!

Go to Chapter 48
Return to Index

Edited December 7, 2019 by Just Jim

[TopHeavy11]

12 minutes ago, Just Jim said:

I believe that monolith out there, it's.... it's made of solid neutronium!"

What? Is this obscure plot twists at work, or...no, Neutronium is not a real element, but it's abbreviation would probably be Ntnm.

[Just Jim]

14 minutes ago, TopHeavy11 said:

What? Is this obscure plot twists at work, or...no, Neutronium is not a real element, but it's abbreviation would probably be Ntnm.

On a periodic chart, neutronium is located right next to the negative gravioli particle...  

[SaturnianBlue]

3 minutes ago, Just Jim said:

On a periodic chart, neutronium is located right next to the negative gravioli particle...  

Considering the density of kerbal planets, I'm sure the periodic table must be very different! I wonder how close the Monolith would be to becoming a black hole... Now what could the monolith be used for...?

[SpaceplaneAddict]

And prevail, he said, KASA, rise from the ashes, and bestow death upon your enemy.

It's hard to sound philisophical

*Determination.

[0111narwhalz]

Neutronium actually has an infinite number of isotopes. It's the true "element zero," since it has no protons. The isotopes range from Nu¹, a single free neutron, to Nu^Many-Many, as in the case of a neutron star.
I find it interesting to note that the free neutron has a half-life of roughly fifteen minutes, but the larger isotopes are far more stable. There seems to be something in the company of others that has a stabilizing effect.

The symbol Nu is of my own invention.

[Just Jim]

14 hours ago, SaturnianBlue said:

Considering the density of kerbal planets, I'm sure the periodic table must be very different! I wonder how close the Monolith would be to becoming a black hole... Now what could the monolith be used for...?

Next couple chapters I'll be getting into them more, as well as what they think the monoliths are made of...  

 

20 hours ago, Crystal_Mace said:

The Sims2......Oh my.......can Lego Batman be far behind....?  :giggle:  (You know I'm kidding, right?  Not against the cross gaming idea at all.  ) 
 

hehe, yeah, I can see it now....

Piper wakes from her long coma to see a dark, menacing figure standing over her.  
Slowly he leans in close to her, and with a deep, gravely voice, the figure growls:

"I am Batman...."

 

          

 

[Jeb!]

I hope Piper will fully recover... my Kerbals always do.

Spoiler

Even if it takes a Revert or two...

 

[Just Jim]

1 hour ago, Jeb! said:

I hope Piper will fully recover... my Kerbals always do.

  Reveal hidden contents

Even if it takes a Revert or two...

 

Truth be told, that arch must be right at the limit of what a Kerbal can tolerate, because when I was getting the screenshots she died twice and survived like 3-4 times.  Each time she fell I was never quite sure if she would bounce or go poof.  

And yes, I used F5 and F9 a lot doing the screenshots so I wouldn't lose her in the end...  

Edited May 11, 2016 by Just Jim

[Just Jim]

Hey everyone,

Sorry it's taking so long, hope I'm not losing you all.  I spent the last couple days building and testing something new.  Hoping to have the next chapter tomorrow, Saturday at the latest.  

[RA3236]

10 minutes ago, Just Jim said:

Hey everyone,

Sorry it's taking so long, hope I'm not losing you all.  I spent the last couple days building and testing something new.  Hoping to have the next chapter tomorrow, Saturday at the latest.  

Its only been two days.

Oh shoot, I need to start work for SCF...

[Foxbat]

No worries...take your time & have fun!

[Just Jim]

14 hours ago, Foxbat said:

No worries...take your time & have fun!

Thanks

It's just that I thought I'd have it done by now, but then I had to build a new rover because of the recent changes in the wheels and such.
But it's cool, I came up with something fun last night that also looks promising.

Spoiler

Dr. von Kerban wants his own science rover...  

 

[max_creative]

Didn't he already have a science rover in chapter one? Oh wait... That was Linus... 

Seriously, you need a small rover. All the big rovers are having problems with 1.1, so I saw someone make a small rover that attaches to a big one with KAS. That way, the big one drives somewhere, then the small one explores things like steep areas that the big one can't reach. I'm sure your not getting KAS just for that though.