Drethon

Chapter 18 - Part 3 <On board the Kerbal Stormchaser> “KSC, this is the Stormchaser,” Surick said over the radio, her tone clipped with irritation. “We seem to have an issue with our food supply.” “Stormchaser, this is KSC,” asked Bobak, the calm voice of mission control’s CAPCOM filled the cabin. “Can you be more specific?” Surick glanced over her shoulder, where Mayberry was poking at storage lockers while snack flakes floated through the air. “When we reached freefall, some of our food stock started floating in the cockpit,” Surick was trying to stuff as much of the floating food into a bag as she could. “Maberry is trying to determine the cause now.” “KSC copies, update us when you know more.” “Well there is obviously a hole in the storage box,” Maberry told Surick as she stuck her ungloved finger in the hole. “It seems to be about five centi… ouch!” Maberry yanked her finger back and stuck it in her mouth with a wince. “There seems to be something sharp in the box. There isn’t supposed to be… oh!” Surick looked back and saw the head of a small creature poking its head through the hole, sniffing the air briefly, before ducking back into the box. “A gerbil!”* Maberry’ face lit up in delight. “A what?” asked Surick, disbelief in her tone that a sterile rocket cabin had some kind of rodent in it. “A gerbil,” Mayberry repeated, grinning as she gently rubbed her finger next to the hole. “Didn’t you know someone who had a gerbil for a pet growing up?” Maberry glanced at Surick, then back at the hole when the head popped out to investigate her finger. Maberry put a piece of food in front of the gerbil’s nose. The gerbil grabbed the food and disappeared back into the hole. “I grew up in a science academy,” said Surick who was peering toward where the gerbil had disappeared suspiciously. “We only had animals for carefully controlled experiments. Rodents were kept carefully locked away in their cages, not free range stowaways in our food supplies.” Maberry giggled. “You poor, deprived child.” She held a stray food pellet near the hole, coaxing the tiny creature to emerge. A twitching nose appeared, followed by a pair of wide, black eyes. The gerbil hesitated for a moment before darting out and snatching the food from Maberry’s hand, vanishing back into the box. Surick watched the exchange with increasing disapproval. “That thing’s contaminating our food. It should not even be here. We need to…” “...absolutely not harm a single hair on my little gerbil!” Maberry interrupted, cupping her hands protectively over the storage container. Surick raised an eyebrow, her tone flat. “Your gerbil? It doesn’t belong here, Maberry.” “Well, it does now,” Maberry replied cheerfully. “Oh! You need a name, little one.” As if on cue, the gerbil ventured out again, and Maberry held another food pellet just out of reach. The tiny creature stretched too far, tumbling weightlessly from the box with flailing limbs. Maberry deftly caught it mid-air, gently guiding it to her suit’s neck ring. The gerbil latched on, clinging for dear life as Maberry scratched it behind its tiny ears. “I know!” she announced proudly. “Your name is Newton. You just demonstrated freefall in its purest form!” “Newton? That rodent has more in common with Newton’s apple than with Newton himself” sighed Surick. “We need to report this to mission control.” As if summoned by Surick, Bobak’s voice crackled over the radio, “Stormchaser, this is KSC. Any updates?” “KSC, this is the Stormchaser,” Surick shook her head as she reported over the radio. “Maberry seems to have found herself a pet.” There was a long pause on the other end of the radio. “You will have to clarify that comment, Stormchaser,” radioed a perplexed Bobak. “But first, does this affect the mission?” “KSC, part of the food supply is compromised,” Surick reported, glancing over at Maberry, who was cuddling Newton. “However we have plenty left for the mission. In the future, I recommend the supply cabinets no longer be made of cardboard for weight savings. Cardboard is decidedly not rodent resistant.” “Stormchaser… rodent?” crackled an even more confused Bobak. “Maberry’s pet is a gerbil that seems to have found its way into our food supply,” responded Surick. “She seems to have adopted this rodent.” “KSC, this is Maberry,” Maberry cut in before Bobak could respond, beaming at her gerbil. “Our gerbil is going to be the good luck charm for this mission. Right, Newton?” Newton gave a tiny squeak of approval to more ear scratches. “Um, copy the good luck charm Stormchaser,” Bobak spoke hesitantly over the radio. “So long as this will not compromise your safety during this mission, proceed with caution.” “As long as Maberry keeps the rodent out of the rest of our food supply,” Surick glanced pointedly at Maberry who was hastily creating a gerbil “habitat” in the compromised storage container. “There is no risk to our safety.” “KSC copies Stormchaser,” crackled Bobak’s voice. “Good luck out there.” Surick turned back to her console, muttering something about professionalism. Despite herself, her scientific curiosity stirred. She pondered what experiments she could conduct with the gerbil, thinking fondly back to her experiences in the science academy practicing biology. Maybe Newton could be useful for some improvised experiments… if she should just convince Maberry. * Kerbalized variant on the name of Apollo 12’s Command Service Module, the Yankee Clipper. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_12 ** So many possible references. The Russians like sending gerbils to space, https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021cosp...43E2041G/abstract, though some did not fare so well. Mass effect had the space hamster, https://masseffect.fandom.com/wiki/Space_Hamster, oh come on, gerbils are just hamsters with tails. And Kerbal/gerbil, yeah!

Chapter 18 - Part 2 This is Walter Kerman reporting. While Valentina and Megdas hurtle through space, faster than any Kerbal before them on a course for Minmus, the Icarus Program continues to progress with exciting events back home. Enough time has passed, due to the long distance orbit of Minmus, that a new rocket has been constructed for a mission to the Mun. Yesterday, the Kerbal Stormchaser departed for the Mun. This mission is the first to use the cutting edge class E model of the Arethusa, a complete redesign optimized for Mun and Minmus landings. As Bob describes, “The rocket was designed from the last stage to the first, to be a Mun and Minmus lander”. Bob’s upper stage lander design was meticulously refined by Melfal, who also oversaw the assembly of this first new lander design by Gus’ expert team of technicians. Melfal’s final lander design features a dual engine configuration, separate ascent and descent LV-909 rockets. This design provides redundancy during the critical descent and landing phases. To achieve optimal stability on the uneven Munar terrain, the descent fuel tanks have been arranged in a wider configuration, ensuring a lower center of gravity and reducing the risk of tipping over. The compact ascender design does come at a cost. In order to return as much science as possible to Kerbin, and include solar panels and communications equipment, ladders have been omitted from the design, requiring Kerbalnauts to utilize jetpacks to travel to and from the KV-2 module. At liftoff, the Stormchaser will be powered by an impressive array of twelve RT-10 "Hammer" solid rocket boosters, double the count of its predecessor, the Arethusa class D. This increased thrust is necessary to lift the heavier moon exploration vehicle into orbit. This mission will be commanded by Surick, previously introduced to us during her ground test missions alongside Lizfal. She is an exceptional test pilot with a particularly calm and precise demeanor during the most stressful situations. Surick’s precision will be tested when landing the new Arethusa class E lander on the Mun. Mayberry’s background has prepared her for her first mission with the Icarus Program. Her work will focus on identifying promising areas for resource extraction, as well as collecting samples that could unlock new insights into the Mun’s formation and history. As she works to find new insights into the Mun’s history, Mayberry will be working on developing procedures for Kerbalnauts who are less experienced in field geology to be able to perform equally well in sample identification and collection. Maberry’s career has been shaped by both triumph and adversity. Maberry studied geology at the Kerbal Institute of Technology and received her PhD in geology* while working as a geologic planner for Rockomax Conglomerate. Her expertise became invaluable to the Conglomerate until a mission failure left her stranded in orbit. It was the Icarus Program’s rescue effort that brought her back to Kerbin, and to a new calling. Now, as one of the foremost experts in field geology, Maberry is using her second chance to advance Kerbal exploration. This latest mission exemplifies the Icarus Program’s unwavering commitment to progress. While the Endeavour races toward Minmus to break new ground in Kerbal history, the Stormchaser serves as a reminder that the Mun remains an integral part of our journey to the stars. The combination of cutting-edge technology, bravery of our Kerbalnauts, and the unshakable determination of the Icarus Program to push the boundaries of space exploration and seek out the knowledge to expand our capabilities in space. <Report to be continued> * Maberry is roughly based on “Pete” Harrison Schmitt, the only non-pilot astronaut to land on the Mun. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Schmitt.

Chapter 18 “Val,” said Gene. “You are up for the next mission.” “Great!” exclaimed Valentina, her eyes lighting up at the prospect of commanding a new mission. “Am I bringing a scientist to a new biome on the Mun?” “A little further out this time,” said Gene with a small smile, that hinted at something big. “You are heading out for a spacewalk in the orbit of Minmus.” “Minmus!” grinned Valentina, almost bouncing with excitement. Minmus had always held a fascination for all Kerbals. Valentina tried to hide her own fascination with Minmus by focusing on the exploration value of the mission. “This will be the first Kerballed mission to travel so far!” “Why Minmus now?” asked Jebediah, leaning back in his chair with a practiced casual air, but his naturally intense curiosity still peeked through. “You could have sent me and Bob there rather than landing on the Mun the last time.” “Bob just finished testing the new relay antenna,” Gene nodded at Bob who had his nose buried in a set of schematics and data readouts. “With the RA-2 relay antenna our communications network will reach Minmus, providing constant contact with mission control. Since it takes days to reach Minmus, stable communications is a critical upgrade.” “You aren’t plugging to head out to Minmus first,” asked Bill, raising an eyebrow in mock suspicion. “Are ya Jeb?” “Nope, was just curious,” responded Jebediah with an easy chuckle. “Val is next in the rotation and she deserves to go see the mint ice cream.” “Minmus is not ice cream,” muttered Bob without looking away from his schematics, exasperation leaking into his voice. “The green coloration is likely a thick layer of copper oxide, or a similar mineral deposit.” “Won’t know for sure until someone licks it,” quipped Jebediah, earning chuckles from the room, and an irritated scowl from Bob. “No one will be licking Minmus,” said Gene, glancing pointedly at Jebidiah. “This mission will simply provide our first close look at Minmus. “Before that, we need to rebuild our rescue fleet and launch the Minmus communications satellite. Then we will assemble the Minmus rocket for the main event.” This is Walter Kerman reporting live from the Kerbal Space Center. For millennia the green star captivated Kerbals. When Kalileo Kalilei’s first telescope revealed a green sphere floating in space, the first fuzzy images looking much like a scoop of minty ice cream, countless debates spanned the centuries as to the nature of this curious moon. Today, history is being made as we prepare to send two brave Kerbals further than any have travelled before, out beyond the Mun. Valentina and Megdas are moments away from lift off bound for Minmus. For the first time, Kerbal eyes will look down on the green moon from up close. Though this reporter can assure our viewers, who have sent many inquiries, that the rocket is not touching down on Minmus, and will not return with minty ice cream. Our viewers are well acquainted with the mission Commander Valentina and her already storied career. Valentino was the first Kerbal to orbit Kerbin and later the first to step foot on the Mun. This mission will provide Valentina with yet another first, a view of Minmus from orbit. Joining Valentina is Megdas in her first mission as a full fledged member of the Icarus Program. Megdas was recruited by the Icarus Program during the second rescue fleet mission. With a doctorate in Kerbin and Planetary Sciences, with a minor in Astronomy and Astrophysics, from the University of Cove*, Megdas was a rising star in the Rockomax Conglomerate, using her planetary science skills to find fuel deposits. Now Megdas is eager to apply her skills to analyzing the geology and formation of other bodies to predict where resources may be concentrated. Last week, a Halifax class F Minmus comm probe was launched into orbit high over Kerbin to establish a reliable communications link to Minmus for mission control. This week, the pair will embark on board the Endeavour, an Arethusa class B rocket, the class previously used to fly by the Mun. The rocket has been updated with its own RA-2 antenna to connect to the communications network from Minmus, solar panels to eliminate the need for large, heavy batteries, and sufficient snacks and oxygen to sustain our brave Kerbalnauts to Minmus and the return trip. After a smooth launch into Kerbin orbit, all operations seem to be going smoothly as we head to the transition burn. This will be the longest and most precise burn in history, and one of the most critical stages in the flight. Minmus lies over three times further from Kerbin than the Mun, and is a much smaller target to hit. Once the burn completes, the journey to Minmus will last approximately eight days, before our intrepid explorers enter Minmus’ sphere of influence, finally beginning to satisfy the shared Kerbal dream of learning what the minty moon is really made of. Engines ignite in a silent burn in space that we can see from our telescope network. After a short time, the engines on the Endeavour darken and shut down, signaling the completion of the transfer burn to Minmus. Mission control erupts into applause as our Kerbalnauts find themselves bound for the furthest distance any Kerbal has ever traveled, over fourty six thousand kilometers from Kerbin. Valentina’s voice sounds over the comms, her consummate professionalism tinged with excitement. “KSC, this is Endeavour. Transition burn to Minmus complete. Main engine shutdown is nominal at T plus forty one minutes, thirty six seconds.” In the days ahead, Valentina and Megdas will conduct scientific observations, mapping Minmus’ surface biomes and beginning initial analysis of its composition from orbit. Megdas, in particular, is eager to test theories about Minmus’ formation, which could yield insights into the early history of the Kerbol system, and identify potential resource concentrations on the surface of the minty moon. Providing a step toward future exploration and colonization. Mission Control will remain in constant contact, monitoring their progress and ensuring the safety of the most isolated Kerbals in history. We will closely monitor their journey, as well as provide updates on other missions launched during the Endeavour’s long travel. Until next time, this was a Walter Kerman report. * Background partially based on astronaut Anthony England. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_W._England.

Chapter 17 - Part 6 “Preflight complete, and the tower has cleared us for takeoff,” reported Lizfal, working through the now familiar cadence of preflight operations. “Is the test equipment ready?” “All systems go,” responded Tanbree, a clear hint of excitement in her tone. “Looking forward to seeing how well this thing works.” Lizfal advanced the throttles, then released the brakes, unleashing the full power of the test aircraft. The twin high bypass turbofans roared to life, their thrust propelling the prototype down the runway with rapid acceleration. These engines, optimized for efficiency and extended loiter times, were not as fast as the Panthers they had tested in the past, but their raw power at takeoff was an exhilarating tradeoff. The aircraft quickly accelerated through rotation speed, lifting off the runway smoothly and climbing to cruise altitude. “I appreciate you coming along to operate the experimental equipment,” said Lizfal once the initial climb was complete. “It’s not terribly complicated, but I prefer to keep my focus on flying when I’m in the pilot’s seat.” “Happy to help,” responded Tanbree warmly. “Your assistance with the Probodobodyne project was invaluable. I am sure whatever you are working on now is equally as important. This test is related to the radiation mapping by the recent Kerbol probe?” “Yep!” said Lizfal. “We plan to perform magnetometer scans alongside the radiation scans to better map the radiation environment in the Kerbin SOI. We will slowly spiral the new probe from LKO to HKO to capture data over the full orbit at various altitudes.” Lizfal was quiet for a few minutes as the aircraft progressed through the flightplan. “Entering the test holding pattern. Deploy the equipment when ready.” “Deploying,” Tanbree confirmed, entering control panel commands to activate the test magnetometer. “I enjoy the night flights,” said Lizfal conversationally, banking the aircraft into the next racetrack curve. “But usually we fly during the day so a chase airplane can keep an eye on the experiment. Why did you suggest flying the magnetometer in the dark?” “This magnetometer is much more sensitive than standard aircraft mounted ones,” said Tanbree distractedly as she monitored the readings. “That is why the magnetometer is mounted on a plastic boom and calibrated for all of the aircraft’s metallic parts. We will adapt for solar radiation in orbit, but for testing the accuracy, it is better to avoid any solar interference.” Tanbree was quiet as she examined the data. After a few minutes, Tanbree spoke with some concern. “This is unfortunate, the measurements are coming up with some anomalies. I have to ask, there have been no deviations from the planned holding pattern?” “Nope, I’ve been right over the racetrack pattern” said Lizfal. “I even double checked the flight timing against my watch.” “No flight deviations to explain the anomalies,” mused Tanbree. “I wonder if… wait, you have a watch?” “Sure,” said Lizfal. “I like to have something to compare against the flight equipment to ensure accurate timing.” “That explains it,” sighed Tanbree. “Everything is calibrated for what metal we cannot shield in the aircraft, but the calibration did not include a watch not attached to a fixture.* We will have to return to base to drop off the watch or recalibrate.” Lizfal did not respond immediately, instead Tanbree was hit by a sudden blast of wind. Tanbree gasped and instinctively reached for the ejection handle, her heart pounding, before catching sight of a small object tumbling away outside the canopy. It gleamed briefly in the moonlight as it disappeared into the darkness. A moment later everything quieted back to normal cockpit noises. “Wha… what…” Tanbree stammered. “Did you just throw your watch out of the aircraft?” “I didn’t want to fly back,” said Lizfal matter-of-factly. “We would need to refuel and perform maintenance. The aircraft wouldn’t be available for a couple of nights. Besides, they just released the next generation of the kWatch. I’ve been wanting to upgrade. How are the readings?” Tanbree snapped her mouth shut against her intended response and went back to monitoring the test readings. “All readings within tolerance. From this data, the magnetometer is ready for deployment.” “Great!” exclaimed Lizfal. “Let me know when you have all the readings you need, and we will head back to base.” Shaking her head with a bemused smile, Tanbree returned to her work. In the quiet hum of the cockpit, the test flight carried on. * Sure in the real world this is an issue for much more sensitive devices than basic magnetometers, but things are stretched a little in KSP. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210826090845.htm. Bob steered the rover carefully over the uneven highland terrain, the suspension was designed for lower gravity environments, so he proceeded somewhat slowly. Only a little further, he thought, just enough to put the rover out of direct line of sight from the tracking station. A few minutes driving down the hill to the grasslands and he felt he had travelled far enough. Bob shut down the rover and deployed the outriggers to stabilize the rover. He adjusted the mounted RA-2 antenna, aiming it back toward KSC, then scanned around the sky for a few minutes. He could pick up faint signals, but nothing strong enough to decode the signal from the noise. “Bob to mission control,” Bob called into the radio. “I am in position and ready to begin the test.” “Copy you are in position, Bob,” crackled Bobak’s voice from mission control. “We are realigning the tracking station antennas now. Expected the antennas to be on target in one minute.” Bob realigned the RA-2 antenna and watched the timer tick down on his watch. As the time ticked down the signal level increased, and at precisely one minute the signal level peaked. Bob reached for the radio when he noticed something unexpected in the signal. The signal was not the repeating test signal he was expecting, more like a hastily encoded data broadcast. Curious, Bob routed the signal through a simple PSK demodulator and characters started to scroll across the display. “Snacks…,” Bob read to himself, brow furrowing. The sequence appeared to be restarting. “If you are… receiving… this message.” The string of characters continued building, and as more characters appeared his eyes widened in disbelief. “We are stranded…” An SOS signal? Thought Bob as he continued to read. Possibly reflected off the ionosphere? “On Minmus.” On Minmus?! “Please send snacks!” Bob stopped and stared at the console in amazed silence. That could not be… then he looked at the whole message again. “If you are receiving this message. We are stranded on Minmus. Please send snacks.” Bob activated the radio and said in a dry tone. “I got your message loud and clear, Jeb.” “If you could read the whole message with the signal bounced off Minmus,” Bobak’s voice was laced with amusement and Jebediah’s laughter could be heard in the background. “Then two RA-2s can definitely handle communications between Kerbin and Minmus with enough signal to support Kerbal operational safety margins.” “Agreed,” said Bob. “The Icarus Program is ready for missions to Minmus.” End of Chapter 17

Chapter 17 - Part 5 This is Walter Kerman reporting. Today, the Icarus Program faced yet another busy and eventful day, yet again yet again working tirelessly to recover stranded Kerbalnauts scattered across Kerbin orbit. The day started with anticipation of the Rockomax Conglomerate and Goliath National Products latest large space expedition, following their previous success to orbit the Mun after their first attempt led to the Icarus Program’s first large rescue effort. The excitement quickly turned to major concern at the unexpected failure of a second Rockomax/GNP mission, again stranding multiple Kerbalnauts. Icarus program rescue rockets were launched in rapid succession, with meticulous coordination to rendezvous with each of the stranded Kerbalnauts. Unlike the previous, more complicated recovery effort, this latest incident did not result in any Kerbals being stranded beyond Kerbin's orbit, making today’s recovery operations relatively straightforward in comparison. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Icarus Program, every stranded Kerbalnaut was brought home safely. As a result of the successful rescues, the Icarus Program has enjoyed the addition of another new group of recruits to its ranks. The added expertise of these Kerbals is expected to drastically expand the capabilities of the Icarus Program. Allow me to introduce the newest addition to the Icarus Program: Melfal Kerman: A skilled lander pilot, Milfal led Rockomax’s efforts in development of moon landers. Her expertise will be instrumental in allowing the Icarus Program to further refine its lander designs, and spearhead the development of lander advancements. Megdas Kerman: A renowned mineral scientist with a passion for exploration, Megdas brings a wealth of knowledge to the program. Her ongoing research into orbital mineral scanners is expected to unlock new possibilities for resource identification and extraction. Maberry Kerman: As a seasoned field geologist, Maberry’s sharp eye and experience with geological collection will be a major boost to the Icarus Program’s science gathering efforts. She is excited to pass on her knowledge to the Icarus Program’s team of Kerbalnauts. Seanory Kerman: Actively pursuing the latest research in atmospheric physics and stellar observations. Seanory will help the Icarus Program with improvements in atmospheric flight and deep space navigation. Upon arrival at the KSC, the new recruits were swiftly debriefed and given time to recover from their harrowing experiences in space. Soon after, each was presented with their own, high-performance KT-38 trainer aircraft. These sleek, trainer aircraft will aid the new recruits in their duties, which include visiting various supplier sites to develop and integrate new hardware for the space program. The recruits wasted no time in taking to the skies for a series of test flights, demonstrating both their skills and eagerness to contribute to the Icarus Program’s mission. Meanwhile, sources within Rockomax Conglomerate have informed this reporter of a significant shift in the aerospace giant’s operational strategy. Following the recent costly failures, leading to the need for rescues by the Icarus Program, the Rockomax Conglomerate and Global National Produces partnership plans to scale back its ambitious multi-Kerbal missions. They aim to prioritize single-Kerbal missions in the near future, a calculated move to minimize risk and potential setbacks. This decision appears to be a direct response to the growing trend of rescued Kerbals joining the Icarus Program, often humorously referred to as “recruitment missions” by the KSC team. While the day’s rescue operations were another resounding success for the Icarus Program, questions linger about the growing frequency of these rescue missions and the long-term sustainability of the Rockmax Conglomerate and Goliath National Products space operations, even with their planned shift in strategy. Until next time, this was a Walter Kerman report. A little while after the day’s rescue operations had wrapped up, mission control had settled into an uncharacteristic calm. The room which had been bustling with activity only hours earlier was now a quiet haven. Most of the team had cleared out, eager to catch some much needed sleep after the grueling efforts. Since the rescue operation was flown with empty probe-operated capsules, CAPCOM’s role had been minimal during the operation, allowing Bobak Kerman to rest earlier. Now refreshed, Bobak was in charge of the skeleton crew monitoring systems in mission control. The dimly lit room was filled with the low hum of monitors and the occasional beeping of status alerts. With little activity on the ground, Bobak had spent much of the shift chatting with Julul, stationed aboard the KSS Ranger, currently in low Kerbin orbit. The conversation was a welcome relief from the previous intensity within mission control. “Are you keeping in shape,” asked Bobak as he scanned over the indicators on the console before him. The Ranger was the only active mission at the moment, so there was very little status to monitor. “I hear that floating around in space is fun, but does not help much with maintaining muscles.” “We have a treadmill and an exercise bike on board to keep us in shape,” Julul’s voice responded. “I’ve mostly been using the bike, but let me tell you, it’s not the same as biking in gravity.” “How’s that?” Bobak was curious. “The bike comes with a harness to keep us from floating away while we pedal,” Julul’s tone had a slight grimace. “It does the job, but the thing gives me sore muscles in places I’ve never felt from biking on Kerbin.” “Sounds like a design by Bob, does the job but does not account for ease of use,” Bobak frowned. “Though what alternative do you have to use the bike?” “We’ve got cleats that lock into the pedals and the ceiling is close enough to balance with our hands, making the harness unnecessary,” Julul’s voice sounded amused. “Quite often I do the opposite, use my hands to pedal and push against the ceiling with my feet. It wasn’t in the user manual but whatever works. Looks ridiculous though.”* “So you really have to rethink how you do everything up there?” Bobak smiled at the mental image. “Yeah,” Julul’s voice shifted to slight annoyance. “Just putting on socks up here is a workout. Any motion of sitting or bending over while putting them on is worse than doing situps in full gravity.”** “Sounds like a lot to put up with.” Bobak wondered if being up in space was worth all the trouble. “Ever feel like it isn’t worth the hassle?” “No,” Julul responded quickly and firmly, but with an unmistakable warmth. “All just minor annoyances, really. Floating around up here in the microgravity, playing zero-g games, there is nothing like it. And the view…” a note of awe crept into her voice. “The view up here is incredible. I wish you could be up here to share it with me. The stars are brighter and sharper than anything you’ve ever seen, and Kerbin is spread out, moving along below us. You really see how lucky we are with Kerbin as our home. I would not trade this experience for anything, even if I will be happy to walk on grass again.” Bobak smiled, her words painting a vivid picture in his mind. “Sounds like you’re having the time of your life up there.” “I am,” Julul said softly, and for a moment, the quiet hum of mission control seemed to fade away as Bobak shared in her wonder. * Pete Conrad liked pedaling on the bicycle ergometer on Skylab with his hands. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19840017669/downloads/19840017669.pdf pages 300, 301. ** Astronauts on skylab reported straining stomach muscles while on Skylab. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19840017669/downloads/19840017669.pdf 322. OOC: So in spite of being pretty busy with everything, I seem to be getting inspired with writing ideas. So you all will get a few parts that were planned to be posted separately compressed together.

Chapter 17 Part 4 As the rescue rockets maneuvered to rendezvous with the stranded Kerbals, Bob noticed one more rocket moving to the pad. “Gene,” asked Bob curiously. “What is the rocket arriving at the pad now?” “Oh, just a little something I wanted to launch,” grinned Gene. “Our Minmus science return probe has enough range to go out and visit Kebol’s SOI. Let us see what is out there.” Bob’s eyes widened with excitement as realization dawned. “You mean... you’re launching a mission beyond Kerbin’s SOI?” Gene nodded. “That’s right.” “Awesome!” Bob exclaimed, with atypical enthusiasm. “Jeb,” said Gene. “Please launch our Kerbol science rocket.” “On it,” Jebediah had barely had time to catch his breath after the final stranded Kerbal had reentered Kerbin, but he was never too tired to fly a rocket. Exhausted or not, Jebediah sent the commands with practiced precision and the rocket roared off the pad. “Such a tiny little probe, and a big TWR,” Bill grinned as the rocket accelerated upward. “That thing has TWR of 3 just sitting there on the pad, climbing to 5… 6, 7.5 at burnout. Faster than a holiday firework!” “Jeb,” said Gene as Jebediah focused on the controls. “You know how you normally complete the gravity turn to get the highest orbital velocity at an apoapsis just above the atmosphere.” “Yeah?” asked Jebediah as he prepared to start to circularize the orbit. “We don’t need to orbit this probe,” said Gene with a small grin. “Just point the rocket prograde and keep the throttle firewalled.” Jeb paused to glance at Gene. “Full throttle all the way up?” “Yep,” grinned Gene. “We have plenty of thrust on this rocket,” said Bob with a smile of his own. “We just need to build up enough velocity relative to Kerbin.” Jebeidah turned back with a broad smile as he held the rocket on its course, throttled to full. “No holding back, this is my kind of launch!” “That rockets going up like it's got something to prove!” whistled Bill. “No hesitation, nearly orbital velocity and still breathing atmosphere!” “The rocket is glowing like a rocket on reentry,” Bob squinted at the screen. “The probe core would melt down if the atmosphere was not thinning.” A minute later and the rocket’s apoapsis was outside of Kerbin orbit, aimed squarely for Kerbol’s SOI. “Two minutes and forty five seconds,” Gene noted from the mission control clock. “And just twelve days before the probe leaves Kerbin orbit. So little time for such a large distance.” “That is how you go somewhere in a hurry,” Jebediah leaned back in his seat, satisfied with a job well done.

Chapter 17 Part 3 Seanory floated serenely inside the MK1 Lander Can, a fragile bubble of metal and glass orbiting Kerbin. Outside the small window, the sun caused Kerbin’s atmosphere to glow against the infinite black of space, its blues and greens mesmerizing. It was breathtaking, a view that most Kerbals would give anything to see. Yet, the beauty of the moment was tinged with the stark reality of his predicament: the pod was stranded. The explosion that had ripped through the rocket had left him adrift, severed from the reentry stage. He had no engine to bring him home, no heat shield to protect him during reentry, and no word on the fate of his fellow Kerbalnauts. The cold calculations of his predicament loomed in the back of his mind. Supplies were minimal, the scientist road in the MK1 Can because “they are cheap”, as the Rockomax Conglomerate had so cheerfully put it. It was a barebones vessel, barely more than a tin can flung into orbit. Seanory let out a slow breath, watching the condensation briefly fog the glass. He had hoped this mission would mark the beginning of a long career exploring the universe, unraveling its mysteries. But now, it seemed, that dream was coming to an abrupt and ignoble end. He glanced at the sparse scientific instruments onboard. The Conglomerate, ever frugal, had sent him with the bare minimum. Seanory had already logged every bit of data he could. There was nothing more to be learned from science, not with what he had at his disposal. If he couldn’t learn from the universe, perhaps he could connect with it. Seanory allowed himself to drift freely, the restraints of his chair unbuckled. Floating in microgravity, he felt a surprising calm wash over him. The pod wasn’t exactly designed for meditation, but the stillness of space and the mesmerizing dance of Kerbin below seemed to invite reflection. He settled into a state of quietude, his breathing slow and rhythmic. Eyes open, he took in the vastness beyond the window. The stars twinkled like scattered diamonds, infinite and eternal. As Seanory focused on the universe, a calming sensation overtook him. He felt his consciousness begin to detach, as though his very essence was expanding, merging with the cosmos. In this moment of transcendence**, he felt something profound, a connection to the universe itself. It was as if the boundaries between his being and the stars dissolved. Seanory felt weightless in a way that went beyond the physical, a part of the grand tapestry of existence. His awareness drifted, carried by a sense of unity and peace. As he drifted, one of the stars outside his window seemed to move, slowly detaching itself from the celestial backdrop. At first, Seanory dismissed it as part of the experience, a metaphysical representation of the universe’s response to his meditation. The star grew brighter, larger, until some part of his rational mind kicked in. The “star” was moving with purpose, not as an abstract message from the universe, but as something made by Kerbals. As it drew nearer, details began to resolve: the metallic glint of solar panels, the unmistakable shape of an approaching rocket. Seanory blinked, his trance breaking as he snapped back to the present. The universe had answered him, not to carry his soul into some cosmic mystery, but to tell him his journey in this life would continue. He stared out the window, the calm expanding as the rescue craft drew closer, mingling with a curious sense of anticipation. This wasn’t just a rescue; he felt it in his bones. This moment, this intervention, was the beginning of something new. The universe hadn’t let him go because it wasn’t finished with him yet. Seanory took a deep breath, steadying himself. The rescue rocket burned to a stop relative to his pod, and he felt a flicker of gratitude, not just for the Kerbals coming to save him, but for the stars themselves, for reminding him that life and the universe were full of surprises yet to be discovered. * Rusty Schweickart, who Seanory is roughly based on, reported feeling a metaphysical experience while staring down at the Earth. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusty_Schweickart ** Edgar Mitchell felt an overwhelming sense of oneness and connectedness while in space. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overview_effect

Chapter 17 Part 2 Melfal found herself floating in the void, her breath hitching with every passing moment as her gloved hands worked furiously against the wheel of the command pod's hatch. Somehow the hatch had shut during her spacewalk. She had been so excited to be the first Kerbal for the Rockomax Conglomerate to go on a spacewalk, but now excitement was giving way to fear that was turning into terror. The cold metallic surface of the wheel spun loosely as the gears beneath unmeshed before engaging, leaving her shut out of her ship. If she was inside of the pod, she would have access to force the gears to mesh manually, but from the outside of the pod, none of the hatch mechanism was accessible. Melfal looked down at her suit indicators and found her oxygen was nearly empty.* Her suit indicators blinked an angry red at her. As she looked up to try opening the hatch one more time, she saw it was not the hatch wheel, but the control yoke of her chase aircraft. Ahead of her, the unmistakable silhouette of Surick’s rocket plane arced gracefully through its descent, plunging toward Kerbin’s atmosphere. The familiar chatter of mission control crackled over her radio, but the words were garbled, indistinct. Something was wrong - very wrong. Melfal was completely weightless. Not the weightlessness at the top of a rapid climb, but the weightlessness experienced beyond the atmosphere. Melfal tried to work her controls but the aircraft would not respond. Somehow her chase plane was outside of the atmosphere. Fine for Surick’s rocket plane, but Melfal’s chase aircraft had never been designed for flight beyond the atmosphere. With no control, Melfal helplessly sat in her aircraft as it arced back toward Kerbin and bounced off the atmosphere with a thump. A moment later, it skipped back out, the sensation jarring and unnatural. Something about this tickled at the back of Melfal’s mind, and when the aircraft thumped against the atmosphere again and she woke up.* “Unknown Kerbal, this is Bobak at KSC, are you OK in there?” called a worried voice over the radio. “We can return you to Kerbin, but we have no capability to transfer you to the rescue craft.” Melfal looked through the window in her command pod and saw a rocket outside, gently bumping her pod. With a rush, awareness came back to her. Melfal was not on a spacewalk, though one had been planned, and she was not in her chase aircraft back when Surick was attempting new altitude records with a spaceplane. Melfal had been on a Rockomax Conglomerate orbital spaceflight to test out new rocket equipment when something had caused the reentry stage to go off, separating all of the pods and popping the parachutes, uselessly out in the vacuum of orbit. “Copy KSC, this is Melfal,” Melfal said, clearing her horse voice and shaking her head to clear the rest of the cobwebs. “Sorry, I guess I dozed off out here.” “Good to hear you are alright Melfal,” the relief was tangible in Bobak’s voice. “I have a rescue contract for you to sign. Sending the contract to your suit for review.” Melfal glanced at the notification flashing on her suit display. She had heard about the KSC rescue contracts. A lifetime contract to work for the Icarus Program, Surick had told Melfal the contract pay was very competitive vs what Rockomax was paying. Melfal saw images flash through her mind of Surick’s last rocket flight that left her stranded in space, the failed rendezvous with GNP pilots when the two companies used different units**, and the unplanned RUD of the spacecraft she had just lifted off in. She quickly provided her digital signature to the contract as flying for the Icarus Program seemed like a much better decision than continuing on with Rockomax. * Melfal’s dreams are based roughly around Jim McDivitt’s background. During Gemini 4, Ed White was the one to go on the spacewalk, while McDivitt had to manually engage the gears to get the hatch to open and close, but I figure such a situation could lead to later nightmares (not saying McDivitt had nightmares, but that some people would have them after this). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_McDivitt. ** The mars climate orbiter was lost due to a mismatch NASA metric systems and Lockheed Martin imperial units. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Climate_Orbiter. Also, Air Canada Flight 143 suffered from a failure of the fuel quantity indicator system, the crew incorrectly converted the fuel dipstick reading (in part due to the aircraft being a new metric unit aircraft, unlike the imperial units used for older fleet aircraft), resulting in the aircraft running out of fuel halfway to its destination. The pilot managed to glide the aircraft to the former RCAF Station Glimli, a closed air force base currently hosting a drag race, then successfully landed on the decommissioned runway. There were no serious injuries on board the aircraft or among those attending the drag race at the runway. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimli_Glider.

Chapter 17 “Just what are you dragging me in so early for?” groused Jebediah who was being “escorted” by a security officer into mission control. “Your security goon nearly crushed my Koffee flask.” Jebediah was glowering at the retreating back of the security officer as he made a show of inspecting the flask.. “Rockomax had another RUD in LKO,” said Gene. “It is all hands on deck for another rescue fleet. I need my best pilots on the probe controls managing the intercepts so we rescue some new recruits, not obliterating them by plowing a barely controlled rocket through their pod.” “Couldn’t there at least be a breakfast burrito before the next emergency?” Jebediah flopped down in a chair, propping up his feet up on the nearest desk. “LKO rescue, so not the Mun, yet again.” “Gene!” Bob rushed in. “Hey,” blinked Jebediah. “Why do I get dragged in when Bob had not even arrived yet? What’s the point of being ‘all hands on deck’ if the science team’s late to the party?” Both Gene and Bob ignored Jebediah. “We just finished analyzing the latest Mun science,” Bob was breathless when he arrived at the group. “We figured out how to fix our problem with operating solar panels in vacuum. We can replace the fuel cells on the communication satellites with solar panels that will operate for years!” “Sprinkled some Mun dust on the panels to get them to work right in space?” asked Jebediah. “The existing cooling systems did not stand up to the range of temperatures we expect in space,” said Bob. “We had to go through thousands of variants of chemicals to come up with a coolant that…” “How long will it take to replace the fuel cells with solar panels?” interrupted Gene. “If we have panels available…” Gus, who had arrived as Bob had begun explaining the science of the coolant system, paused to think. “With everyone brought in for the recovery operation, we could retrofit each rocket in a couple hours each.” “We have enough test panels to equip all three comm rockets,” said Bob. “They are prototypes so we will need to use twice as many in case of failures, but we have enough.” “It will take us the better part of a day to launch all three comm rockets to their proper orbits,” Gene said as he flipped through his notes. “A couple hour delay will not make much difference. Go get started.” Gus nodded and rushed off, radioing orders to his team before he left the operations room. “When is the next Kerballed mission to a moon?” asked Jebediah. Gene did not even glance at Jebediah as he began scheduling recovery rocket operational times. “Maybe never if you spill that Koffee on a terminal and short it out.” “Hey,” protested Jebediah, raising his flask defensively. “Spill proof flask! See!” Shaking the flask slightly for emphasis, causing the Koffee to slosh around in the flask. As if on cue, a Kerbal technician sprinted in with a plate. “Your breakfast burrito, pilot Jebediah!” “There, now you will be properly fueled for the emergency.” Gene said as he continued optimizing launch times. “Now this is what I’m talking about!” exclaimed Jebediah as he sat up to accept the burrito.

Part 8 This is Walter Kerman reporting. Jebediah and Bob Kerman have returned from a scientific mission to the Mun. The mission was very successful, yielding 52.8 science from samples of the northwest crater of the Mun alone. They even returned with scientific measurements and images during a solar eclipse of the Mun. Our brave Kerbalnauts were very pleased with their mission on returning home. We look forward to what exploration and science come from the next mission of the Icarus Program. Until next time, this was a Walter Kerman report. Bob Chronicles - Year 2 Day 136 Finally a Mun mission that went pretty much by the book. Jeb followed my mission plan with minimal deviations. This goes to show how smoothly a mission can go when everyone follows proper planning. Even the unplanned for solar eclipse caused minimum problems once Jeb was directed to use proper instrument landing procedures. The science gathered was excellent with crew and eva reports, radiation and temperature scans and surface samples from the Lowlands. The patterns on the samples gathered might indicate a good location for mining ore for fuel production. All in all a good indicator of the progress the Icarus Program has made and how smooth future exploration could go. - Bob Jebediah Chronicles - Year 2 Day 136 Wow, what a near catastrophe for today’s mission. Bob and his planning for everything in a mission not accounting for a solar eclipse? We were lucky to be at a high enough altitude that I had time to adjust to an instrument approach. If we had almost been touching down and I lost sight of my landing cues, we could have easily crashed. Then Bob doesn’t even mention how he unbalanced the rocket while hanging outside the pod, it felt like it almost tipped over. With the land gear in the way, I doubt we could spin the rocket up like Valentina did. We really need to figure out how to put some landing lights on the rocket. We may not run into a solar eclipse that often, but at some point we will be landing on the dark side of a moon. When that happens we need enough light to be able to visually confirm the sensors are all reporting correctly. Additionally we need to make the next landers with a lower center of gravity to reduce the risk of tipping over. Otherwise the systems we had on the rocket performed flawlessly. The engines ignited immediately for each burn and responded fully to thrust inputs. Looks like Bill has worked out the previous kinks. If we can maintain this level of quality for new equipment going forward, maybe we can avoid stranding another Kerbal on a mission. - Jeb End of Chapter 16. Starting next week I will be teaching a class in addition to my full time job. I have a fair amount of content written ahead that just needs some polishing and images (I can't write in one pass, have to write the rough idea and then come back and refine and add content over multiple passes), so I should not have to pause the story, but I plan on sticking to two parts a week for a few months. If I do fall behind and have to pause, it isn't because I'm out of story to tell, just because the rest of my life is taking priority.

I suspect never in Kerbal cannon at least

Chapter 16 - Part 7 “Well, let us see what science is available out there,” Bob fitted his helmet and began depressurizing the cockpit. Once the pressure was close enough to zero he broke the seal on the hatch, swung the hatch open, and climbed out of the rocket. As he hung outside of the pod, looking down at the Mun’s surface, he was glad they had determined how to properly attach ladders to the spacecraft. Yet staring down at the surface twelve meters below looked like such a great height that he froze up, when the rocket he was holding onto began to sway. A panicked image of the rocket tipping over flashed through his mind, causing Bob to let go to stop unbalancing the rocket. Panic shot through him again as he began falling toward the surface. Bob flailed briefly before he realized he was not plummeting, but dropping gently toward the surface. He hit the ground and was easily able to absorb the impact with slightly bent knees. As the panic receded he was able to look around and let it sink in, he was standing on the Mun. After a few minutes of staring at the horizon, Bob’s attention was drawn a little closer to the surface he was standing on. The patterns in the gravel caught his eye, so he spent quite a bit of time gathering a representative sample. Having gathered all of the science samples and observations he could, Bob began setting up the flag. As he worked to complete naming the flag, he had a brief, unscientific and ironic thought. He documented the thought on the flag. All of his work completed for the mission, Bob walked carefully back to the spacecraft. He used the jetpack to lift up to the level of the KV-2, then radioed to Jebediah to open the hatch. Bob carefully reached into the pod to pull himself in as he shut off the jetpack, doing everything he could to avoid destabilizing the rocket. Once he was back in his seat he let out a deep breath and started strapping back in, preparing to return to Kerbin.

Chapter 16 - Part 6 “Did we land?” asked Bob quietly. He had not felt contact with the Mun, were they stopped? Everything outside the window was dark, except for the stars where they were not obscured by the Munar surface.* “Indicated altitude above the surface is zero,” Jebediah spoke just as quietly. “Vertical speed is zero and the rocket is shut down. Either we are on the ground, or a big thump is about to happen.” Both Kerbals continued to sit there with only the creaking of the rocket around them. “Well no thump,” said Jebediah. “You want to go plant the flag?” “I could plant the flag by suit lights,” responded Bob. “However the contract would prefer a good photo of the flag. We should wait until the eclipse ends.” “How long is that?” asked Jebediah. “Our landing will change the timing some,” Bob paused to think. “We should have sunlight again within an hour. Just do not accidentally stage the KV-2 like you did during simulations.” “Don’t worry,” Jebediah pointed at the decouple switch which had a note with “No” written on it.** “I made sure I wouldn’t do that.” “Have you told KSC we landed?” asked Bob. “KSC… told… oh,” Jebediah was glad Bob could not see his bright green face as he looked down at the illuminated controls. “I hit the radio switch when the Kerbol light went out.” Jebediah turned the radio back on. “Jeb! Bob! Come in!” Bobak’s frantic voice burst out over the radio. “What happened!” “KSC, this is Jeb,” said Jebediah. “We are safely landed on the Mun.” After a moment of silence, Bobak’s voice came over the radio again. “KSC copies you are landed. What happened Jebediah? We lost radio contact.” “Bob didn’t plan for the lights going out,” said Jebediah, glancing back at Bob who rolled his eyes. “Kerbin eclipsed Kerbol, and I accidentally turned off the radios while switching over to instrument procedures.” A longer moment of silence before Bobak spoke again. “KSC copies Jebediah. Are you ready to begin the Mun walk?” “KSC, we are waiting for the eclipse to end,” said Jebediah. “Bob predicts less than an hour.” “KSC copies Mun walk delayed for up to an hour,” said Bobak. “Please update if anything changes.” “Jebediah copies KSC, will update if anything changes,” Jebediah said. The Kerbals sat quietly in the darkness, only interrupted by the light of the instrument panel. Then in the blink of an eye, the Mun went from darkness to light. The Kerbals blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the seemingly blinding light. After a few moments they could see where they had landed on the Mun. * According to A Man on the Moon by Andrew Chaikin (IIRC), Apollo 11 touched down so gently that the astronauts only realized by the contact light (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Man_on_the_Moon). The touchdown was so gentle that the landing legs did not compress as expected (https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/37762/why-is-the-apollo-lem-ladder-so-far-from-the-ground) and Neil Armstrong jumped back up to make sure he could reach the ladder before Buzz Aldrin descended (http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum29/HTML/001685.html). **Jim Swigert tapped a paper with “No” written on it over the LM JETTISON switch to make sure he did not accidentally jettison the landing module, in place of the service module. https://www.americaspace.com/2012/04/17/we-show-you-on-the-mains-the-triumph-of-apollo-13/

OOC: The previous part was meant to be posted yesterday, but I missed it, so you all get two parts posted today! Chapter 16 - Part 5 “Jebediah, you are go for descent and landing,” Bobak’s voice crackled over the radio. After the rocket had regained radio contact with Kerbin, they ensured all of the checklists for landing on the Mun had been covered. “Rodger KSC, go for descent and landing,” Jebediah switched off his microphone and grinned at Bob. “Here is the fun part!” “I prefer a nice boring landing,” said Bob. “One where everything goes smoothly.” “Smooth landings is my middle name!” exclaimed Jebediah as the retro burn kicked in, beginning to drop the rocket toward the Mun. “You won’t even realize we’ve touched down!” “Smooth landings,” muttered Bob. “The first rocket flights were constructed with parts salvaged from your smooth landings.” “Those landings were from design failures,” Jebediah slowly rotated the rocket so it was now approaching the Mun vertically as the horizontal velocity dropped to zero. “Each and every one of them.” Bob started to respond when everything went dark. “Um Bob…” Jebediah’s voice quavered slightly. “Where is the Mun?” “Oh mulch,” said Bob. “We planned out everything for the flight except for the positions of Kerbin and the Mun relative to Kerbol. Kerbin just eclipsed Kerbol.” “So,” Jebediah drew out the word. “How do I land on the Mun if I can’t see it?” “Instrument landing procedure,” responded Bob immediately. “All you need to monitor is the attitude, altitude, vertical and horizontal velocities.” “I’ve never liked instrument landings,” groused Jebediah. “Have you ever crashed on an instrument landing?” asked Bob. “Well,” Jebediah considered. “No.” “Exactly.” For a time there was only the vibrations of the LV-909 decelerating the rocket as it approached the Mun, which swelled stronger and softer as the rocket descended. The vibration gently dwindled and then stopped. Only the creaking of the rocket could be heard, no motion was felt. Both Kerbals did not even breathe. OOC: Happy holidays to all who celebrate this holiday season!

Chapter 16 - Part 4 “Hey Julul,” Bobak’s voice crackled over the radio as Julul was looking out at Kerbin from the Hitchhiker windows. “Can you read me?” “Loud and clear,” responded Julul. “What is happening down there?” “Jeb and Bob are circling the backside of the Mun,” said Bobak. “Lizfal and Tanbree are flying out to a manufacturer site to refine some equipment for a future flight. Until Jeb and Bob finish their loop around the Mun, things are pretty quiet down here. What is happening up there?” “Doing some weather watching and taking pictures for the meteorologists right now,” said Julul. “I’m actually looking down at KSC right now. There is a pretty large hurricane to the south that should stay away from you.” “Glad to know you are watching out for us from way up there.” Julul was silent for a few moments. “It is kind of lonely looking down from way up here.” “Seaneny the quiet type?” asked Bobak. “No,” chuckled Julul. “Seaneny is a great crewmate. I’m learning a lot about biology up here, it is all rather interesting actually.” Julul thought for a moment. “Everything is rather interesting up here, I wouldn’t trade this mission for anything… I just miss shopping, getting snacks with you and the crew. Things I took for granted.” “When you get back down here we will throw you a shopping and snacking party,” said Bobak. “You can afford it with your hazard bonus from this mission.” Julul laughed out loud, feeling more like herself again. “Taking advantage of being friends with Kerbalnauts, are you Bobak?” “I don’t need benefits to be friends with Kerbalnauts,” Bobak had a twinkle in his voice. “But I won’t turn down any benefits.” “Thanks for taking time to talk with me, Bobak,” Julul said with a gentle smile. “It really helps me to stay connected with home while I’m up here.” “Any time Julul.”