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From: Wernher von Kerman (Minister of Space Affairs) To: Nijn Kerman, Commander of the Space Fleet Date: 10th of November 1948 Commander, Thank you for your recent report! I know you've been very busy, so it's good that you've taken some time to inform your Minister of what you're getting up to. The Voyager-1 launch is a truly monumental undertaking, a testament to our species' insatiable curiosity and ambition. I am particularly intrigued by the prospect of its extended lifespan, offering our descendants a glimpse into the cosmic canvas beyond our solar system. I would like to receive frequent updates on this mission, and encourage you to launch a second one. Perhaps we could even create a digital personae for these spacecraft, allowing Kerbals to interact with it directly (not really, of course, we'll get some intern to play the craft) and ask questions. I believe the Minister of Information would be well-suited to oversee such an initiative. The discovery of the ASSes remains a perplexing and potentially perilous situation, especially since we have been unable to decipher the nature or purpose of these alien transmissions. Perhaps we need to rethink our approach. Perhaps we should shift our focus to identifying who or what is listening to them, by establishing a dedicated scientific outpost in orbit, a place where our best sensors can look for the target of these enigmatic transmissions. In the mean time, I am pleased to note that our distributed alien detection network has, at this time, detected no new aliens on our planet. I am also pleased to hear of your progress with the satellite recon missions. The idea of repurposing these satellites into a communications network is ingenious and cost-effective. I wholeheartedly endorse your plans to send communication satellites to all the planets in our system. We should carefully analyze the data from the initial missions to determine the optimal timing and payload configurations for the second wave of launches. Regarding the Space Cadet school, I believe establishing it in Minmus orbit would be a wise decision. Not only would it provide a gateway to the surface, but it would also offer a unique and immersive learning experience for our young cadets. Being removed from the distractions of Kerbin would allow them to fully immerse themselves in their studies and develop the skills necessary to become future space pioneers. My daughter aspires to be one of those, I hear, so she will probably enjoy flight on your new FR-49, something I'm personally terrified about, but also powerless to stop her, unfortunately. I'll see what I can do about funding a second one, IF my family survives your idea of a flying machine. I shall certainly rock this launch festival of yours, that is, when I told Ginny that I would, she mentioned "cringe", a concept I'm not familiar with. You seem to be around younger ladies a lot, maybe you can enlighten me? Regards, Wernher von Kerman (Minister of Space Affairs)

From: Nijn Kerman, Commander of the Space Fleet To: Wernher von Kerman (Minister of Space Affairs) Date: 10th of November 1948 Minister, It's been a while since my last update, we've all been very busy preparing for the launch festival, as we're been calling the event, while also working on detecting alien signals, testing new craft and launching probes. I did promise to keep you up to date when we last spoke, so here goes. Voyager-1 We launched Voyager-1, our large probe (it's technically not a satellite), in the direction of Outer Space. We intend to use slingshot maneuvers around several planets to increase its speed, as it doesn't have a lot of delta-V on board. It does have a Very Large Antenna, enough solar panels to roast a pig and lots of shielding. Technically, this probe should keep going for about two hundred and fifty (!) years, so our grand5-children will still enjoy it long after we're gone. It doesn't have a lot of sensors apart from a camera and a MAD boom, but in a few years, we'll be able to see the outer planets up close. ASS discovery I'm happy to say that we have now marked every active ASS on the planet, installed sensors near them, and secured their locations. This has, however, resulted in an anticlimax: nothing whatsoever has changed about the transmitters. They're still sending out the same type of code, which Marie incidentally still hasn't decrypted. We're not sure how to proceed on this - maybe you can advise. Satellite recon of our Moons Following our decision, we've now sent one multi-purpose satellite to the Mun, and a stack of mini cubesats, each with its own function, to Minmus. Our observations so far: The small satellites are harder to manage, as each needs to be deployed separately. This takes time, but once done, we can just let the sensors record, sit back and watch data come in. When we're done with scanning, we can raise the orbits of these cubesats to a maximum height for that gravity field, and turn the satellites into an extensive relay communications network. Multipurpose satellites are far cheaper, but their sensors are not always compatible and managing these systems takes a lot of effort. When scanning is done, we tend to crash these probes into whatever they were scanning, but we're going to attempt returning one to a Kerbin orbit, grabbing it and bringing it back to KSC for refurbishing and re-use. But that's for the future. FR-49 (Fast Recon-49) Wow, that's a bit of a plane! Algy took it up to twenty kilometers and a thousand knots plus, on fire like a meteorite, crashing through the atmosphere. We saw the streak he made from the ground! I'm not so sure the thing is practical, but who cares, this is our new mascot. Can I have the money for another one, please? (Bribe: yes, you can come. And if you don't pay up, we'll take along your daughter instead!) Launch windows We've determined launch windows for all planets in our system and prepare to launch a long range communications satellite at each when its time comes. On a second window, we'll send a recon payload, on a third a robot lander and so on - that is far into our future. Launch Festival Be there, or be □ regards, Nijn Kerman, Commander of the Space Fleet

From: Nijn Kerman, Commander of the Space Fleet To: Wernher von Kerman (Minister of Space Affairs), Marcus Tullius Kerman (Minister of Information) Date: 8th of November 1948 Gentlemen, this morning I saw your proposal for the party to be held in honour of our first launch. This is quite a show you're putting on! I know that Therese suggested we make impromptu bands out of various celebrities, but wow, this is next level. This is going to be the best party to ever grace the face of Kerbin! We're starting construction of the stadium so that the rocket pad is behind the stage, at a safe distance, but close enough to make the launch a life changing event. You may be assured that the launch will proceed as planned: the rocket is ready to go, the weather is stable and warm, the crew is prepared. Seven days to go! Can't wait. Regards, Nijn Kerman, Commander of the Space Fleet

From: Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Kerman, Minister of Defence To: Nijn Kerman, Commander of the Space Fleet Date: 5th of November 1948 Oberst, ich habe Ihre Nachricht erhalten und bin über das Gelesene sehr besorgt. Es scheint, wir Kerbals stehen erneut am Vorabend eines großen Wandels, einer gefährlichen Zeit, in der wir zu Größe aufsteigen oder völlig zerstört werden können. Letzteres muss nicht sein. Wir sollen unser Volk und unseren Planeten schützen, aber gleichzeitig auch zeigen, dass wir friedlich sind. Denn ein guter Soldat ist ja kein Schläger, sondern ein Ritter sans peur et sans reproche, ein Paladin der die Schönheit und Freundschaft unseres Volkes und unserer Welt schützt. Ich muss Ihnen daher raten, eine Stoßtruppe auf Ihre Reise mitzunehmen, um Sie zu schützen, aber auch um den Außerirdischen zu zeigen, dass mit uns nicht zu spielen ist, dass wir gefährlich sein können, wenn wir es wollen. Und als letzte Möglichkeit schlage ich vor, Sie nehmen eine meiner sorgfältig gehüteten Zehn-Megatonnen-Bomben mit, für den Fall, dass die Bedrohung durch die Außerirdischen nicht so bewältigt werden kann, wie wir es uns wünschen. Gute Jagd! HGS XXXX START TRANSLATION XXXX------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Colonel, I have received your message and am very concerned about what I have read. It seems we Kerbals are once again on the eve of a great change, a dangerous time in which we can rise to greatness or be utterly destroyed. The latter should not be so. We should protect our people and our planet, but at the same time show that we are peaceful. After all, a good soldier is not a thug, but a knight sans peur et sans reproche, a paladin who protects the beauty and friendship of our people and our world. I must therefore advise you to take a strike force with you on your journey to protect you, but also to show the aliens that we are not to be played with, that we can be dangerous if we want to be. And as a last resort, I suggest you take one of my carefully guarded ten megaton bombs with you, just in case the alien threat can't be dealt with the way we want it to be. Good hunting! HGS XXXX END TRANSLATION XXXX------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Wernher von Kerman, Minister of Space Affairs To: Nijn Kerman, Commander of the Space Fleet Date: 28th of October 1948 Commander Nijn, I have been pondering the recent events involving the alien bio-robots. The more I think about it, the more peculiar it becomes. I mentioned before that I would speak with mr. Prefect, an old friend of mine. He is a man of great knowledge and experience, and he advises us to go to Minmus, to meet the aliens there. If I may quote him: "I understand you've been having some... interesting encounters with extrakerbal life. Now, there's this Daneel fellow on Minmus, which is a rather inhospitable place, if I recall correctly. He's there hiding from you lot because for some reason, he's very worried about something, and he may want to blow up your planet. You should go there and talk to him, and maybe at the same time you can give me a lift off this planet? There's this really wild party on Fregulon IV that I need to get to." Isn't that quite something? It seems we may be dealing with a race of aliens who are more scared of us than we are of them! I believe it is imperative that we investigate this matter further before we cease to exist. As soon as we have the capability to reach Minmus, we should send a mission there to speak with this Daneel. Until then, we must remain vigilant and prepared for any further incidents. Yours sincerely, Wernher von Kerman Minister of Space Affairs

Thanks! I'll post them to KerbalX soon & add a link to my sub for anyone interested

[Meeting notes] Date: October 25, 1948 Present: Wernher von Kerman: Minister of Space Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Kerman: Minister of Defense Marcus Tullius Kerman: Minister of Information Nijn Kerman: Commander of the Space Fleet Colonel Sterling Kerman: Commander of Special Operations Group Therese Kerman, acting secretary Topics: Kerbin mapping project Communications Network Studying Mun and Minmus Public reconnaissance mission to Moho Discover and record unknown, outer Kerbin transmitting stations Establish secret bases in the desert and under the North Pole Proposed attitude toward extra-kerbin life forms Kerbin Mapping Project Since their launch, our satellites have created a high-resolution model of our planet. We have digitized this model and made it available to all Kerbals as "Mercator", accessible through their personal electronic devices. This gives our Kerbals a better alternative to paper maps. Allowing them to add their own local data to the system will save us a lot of effort and take advantage of the extensive local knowledge of our population. Kerbin Communications Network The radio base stations are now equipped with the new digital technology and are interconnected with fiber optic cables. Combined with the new communications satellites, we can now provide instant communications between any location on Kerbin. The Kerbal population will be able to use this "Marconi" system for a token fee, although we reserve at least half of the available capacity for government use. The Minister of Information will present the availability of the Mercator and Marconi systems to the public as the first general benefit of our space program, in order to increase general enthusiasm for our project. Exploration of Mun and Minmus As suggested by the Commander of the Space Fleet, two different series of satellites will be designed, each to be tested on a different moon. This will help us determine which system is best suited for interplanetary exploration. The discoveries we make on both moons will not be released directly to the public, but will first be evaluated by this steering committee. Exploration mission to Moho The Minister of Space suggests that before we attempt to explore any planets, we should place communications satellites in their orbits to serve as relay stations. The Space Fleet Commander recognizes the usefulness of this idea and promises to have a suitable satellite designed. Moho is chosen as a first target, as this planet has the soonest launch window and is within our technical capabilities. The satellite will be launched with great fanfare to get the public excited about our program. The SOG commander suggests setting up an AC/DC concert and launching the rocket when they usually fire the cannon. Deep Space Mission We have decided to launch a deep space mission, to be called "Voyager". It's purpose is to explore the outer edge of our solar system and beyond, but also to act as a "companion" to the current generations of Kerbals, who will be able to follow the ship's progress throughout their lifetimes and perhaps celebrate their mutual birthdays. The Minister of Information suggests establishing an annual "Voyager Day" for this purpose. Further investigation of ASS'es Any alien signal source or other extra-Kerbin anomaly must be detected and secured. This will require funding for the planned supersonic reconnaissance jet; detection will be the responsibility of the Space Fleet, while security will be the responsibility of the Minister of Defense and the SOG. ACTION POINTS The Space Fleet Commander will have two series of reconnaissance satellites designed to gain experience with carrier systems. One system will visit the Mun, the other will be used in Minmus. The Minister of Information will present the Mercator and Marconi systems to the public as the first general benefits of our space program, in order to increase general enthusiasm for our project. The Minister of Information is working on a popular science television program about the Moho and Voyager missions. This assembly will be invited to the first screening when editing is done. The Minister of Space Affairs releases the budget for the construction of Kelly Kerman's supersonic reconnaissance aircraft 'Valkyrie'. The Minister of Space will invite Her Majesty to the manned R2 launch and set a time with her. The Minister of Information will invite some interesting celebrities on this day. The Commander of the Space Fleet will continue the research on the ASS'es and present the status of this project at the next meeting. The Secretary asked all other participants to confirm their presence, their agreement with the content discussed, and their commitment to carry out the action points assigned to them.

Hawker Scout Mk I Blondie, the dangerous commando and sniper, was very much interested in Bigglesworth Kerman. However, as sometimes happens with dangerous women, she was completely unable to tell him, or even be near him without turning red and losing the ability to speak. Luckily for her, Marie -who had her own affair with Biggles' former enemy - whispered in the hero's ear and see? Now they're on a date. In a plane. Heinkel He-111E "Keilschwanz" A very capable little C3 / survey craft, the "Keilschwanz" is probably the last development of the venerable Heinkel design. Here, Isambard and Shinji are at the Secret Base in the Western Desert, preparing a mission to search for ASS'es. XB-29 Biggles, Algy and Ginger, grinning like maniacs, flying the massive ex-bomber It can stay up for weeks, acting as a control center, providing overwatch and relaying communications. Or, occasionally, hosting intimate parties! Also capable of carrying (and launching) a parasite glider to further investigate locations on the surface.

TO: Commander Nijn Kerman FROM: Minister for Space Affairs, Wernher von Kerman DATE: 15th October 1948 Dear Commander, Your report gives a comprehensive overview of our progress and plans for the future. I am very pleased to hear about the R2's ability to carry a manned spaceship. This is what we Kerbals, and I myself, have been waiting for. If Kerbinkind does not spread its genes throughout the universe, I am convinced that we will become extinct. We currently exist on a single planet, and the question is not IF a great catastrophe will occur, but WHEN. A giant snowball floating between the stars could wipe us out completely without warning. The Mons Saturnaliorum may explode and kill us all, and if that does not come to bear, a nasty virus will surely wipe us out. And may I say, I like us Kerbals, and I think we should have a great future ahead of us. And if we remain bonded to our planet, that history will be very short indeed. So allow me to repeat myself: I am very excited about our new-found abilities. Your achievement is the first step in a most honourable direction, one that we must take with enthusiasm and vigour. We will do it, you, me and Kerbalkind, even if it costs us blood and sweat. Ad astra, per aspera! A secondary public interest launch of a satellite to another body in our Kerbol system seems an excellent way to get Kerbals excited about our programme. However, I would suggest that we first send communications relays to all planets as a precursor to future visits. My team has just introduced me to the concept of launch windows, and my understanding is that the first planet we can launch to is Moho. Secondly, I would encourage you to launch a long-term deep space mission. That way, a hundred years from now, Kerbals will still be able to follow its signals, hopefully creating a lasting interest and emotional connection to this spacecraft. Perhaps we could ask a singer to record a stirring song about the ship we will call Voyager. I suggest Kimple Minds, or maybe the Krodigy. I'm sure kids will like that, and they're our target audience. As for the satellite designs, I think your proposed approach is sound, although I expect these delivery systems to merge in the future. For now, the smaller, more specialised satellites would be ideal for specific missions, while the larger, multifunctional satellites could serve as command centres or platforms for future exploration. I suggest calling the smaller satellites "Kolombo" and the larger ones "Kopernikus", with a suffix indicating the function, as you have done with the Galileo series. The development of new aircraft is also essential for our operations. I suggest that you look at an independent design by Kelly Kerman for the reconnaissance aircraft - it's magnificent. You will remember that at one time we had designs for the XB-29 flying wing; that looked like an excellent C3 aircraft to me. And the Hawker Scout is, I'm told, a solid jet, but its range is very limited. I would suggest adding drop tanks as a simple improvement. I also suggest the development of a heavy transport aircraft to carry cargo and personnel to remote locations and act as a carrier for parachute drops by the SOG. We must strive to be the first to reach the distant worlds of our solar system. This is not just a scientific endeavour; it is a testament to the spirit of Kerbol and our unwavering determination to explore the unknown. Yours sincerely, Wernher von Kerman Minister for Space Affairs

TO: Commander Nijn Kerman FROM: Minister of Space Affairs, Wernher von Kerman DATE: 15 October 1948 Minister, If we can put aside the mysteries and extra-terrestrials for a moment, we still have a space programme to run, and it's time for my monthly status report. Satellites At the moment we are attaching sensors, solar panels and antennas directly to the upper stage of the R1 rocket. This is a simple and cheap solution, but not efficient or versatile. We are thinking of developing two different sets of satellites to explore our two moons: one set of small, minimalist satellites, of which a rocket can carry several (each with a different function) and place them in the correct orbit. The second type is a larger, more complex satellite, or rather an autonomous robotic spacecraft, combining various sensors and systems. Do you agree with this approach, and do you have any suggestions on what to call these two types? R2 The R2 is more primitive than the R1 in terms of technology, but it's also much bigger - that's Isambard's hand. The rocket can carry a decent payload into orbit, so we are now in a position to carry out manned space flights. Wallis is designing a space capsule that will be able to handle the return to Kerbin. Once it's built, we will invite Her Majesty, yourself, Marcus Tullius Kerman and a few celebrities for launch day. Planes Now that we have mastered the technology of jet engines, I would like to have some new aircraft built: - We need a fast reconnaissance plane that can drop off the unmanned ground vehicle MARVIN, so that we can quickly reach and survey any part of Kerbin. - I would also like a large aircraft, preferably a flying wing, as a command and communications post. Ideally it would have a detachable glider for a similar mission to the MARVIN robot. (No, not to sulk around.) - The Hawker Scout, a single-engine jet, seems an ideal replacement for the Junkers 42. - a low-cost, unmanned, disposable 'drone' that we could use to explore dangerous areas. I think it would also be a good idea to give a public demonstration of our new capabilities, for example by sending an (unmanned!) spaceship to the planet Duna or Eve. This will give us experience, the public will become more familiar with (and hopefully enthusiastic about) our capabilities, and we'll distract a bit from the alien threat. Warm regards, Nijn Kerman commander of the space fleet.

TO: Commander Nijn Kerman FROM: Minister of Space Affairs, Wernher von Kerman DATE: 2 October 1948 Dear Commander Kerman, I'm well aware that riding a bicycle is a kind of meditation for you. I recently read a good book about it, "Flow" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. It confirms what you've been saying all these years: the Buddhist way is valuable and good, but it's not the only way to mediate or to achieve enlightenment. Like those Kinto archers, or wingsuit divers - anything that streamlines your mind sufficiently is a form of meditation. Anyway, it's good that you can use such methods to calm your mind and gain insights. And indeed, your analysis is very perceptive. Hypothesis A: If this is the case, we desperately need your detection equipment and ways to deal with the invaders. But why have they kept themselves in hiding for such a long time? What are their true intentions? Hypothesis B: Perhaps the aliens have lived among us for so long that they have met Kassandra, who must have known their truth. This possibility is also intriguing because it would imply that their intentions are not evil. Your suggestion that there may be other places in our legends that correspond to real places in our Kerbol system is quite wild. My team eagerly dove into their library and I haven't seen them since. I feel that in order to determine the truth of this, we need more information and, possibly, more contact with aliens. In order to find them, I have asked the Ministry of Forestry to set up a detection network in secret. I would also like to ask you to launch one or more long-range communication relays, officially for use by later spacecraft, but really to determine the precise direction of our ASS'es radio beams. I hope this will enable us to locate the alien base. I seem to remember you telling me that Marie was working on deciphering the Base-12 codes. Has he made any progress? To be honest, my department hasn't, and I understand the Minister of Defence is at a loss as well. It's a big challenge, of course, but I'm convinced that with a concerted effort, we will overcome. Yours sincerely, Wernher von Kerman Minister of Space Affairs

TO: Commander Nijn Kerman FROM: Minister of Space, Wernher von Kerman DATE: 30th September 1948 Mr. Minister, Something has been bothering me for some time, and I have not been able to figure it out. As you know, I often come to insights on long motorbike rides, so I took out my Suzuki and set off. Jebediah, Bill and Bob used violence to steal the research data, but Bill's 'corpse' cooperated in the interrogation. Why would he do that? The interrogation contains references to legends from our distant past. How do alien beings know our legends? It seems to me that there are two possibilities: The extra-Kerbin creatures, or their bio-robots, have been living among us for some time. In that time they have gathered enough of our cultural information to create a plausible story as a cover. In this case, what we learned from Bill is really a ruse, and we should not be fooled by esoteric nonsense. This is by far the simplest answer, see Ockham's razor, but not the only possibility. There are more things happening on this planet than we Kerbals know about, but over the centuries we have recorded what we do know in legends. Then the legends would not be stories, but a distorted version of reality. Can your team look for other similarities between places in the legends and places in our own solar system? As you know, we have now developed sensors that can identify bio-robots. I suggest that we place these sensors in many high-traffic locations. If we then discover another such robot, we might be able to have it observed. It is also clear that we need to do more research into the ASS'es, but we must not let fear and uncertainty hold us back. Yours sincerely, Nijn Kerman, Commander of the Space Fleet.

TO: Commander Nijn Kerman FROM: Minister of Space Affairs, Wernher von Kerman DATE: 27 September 1948 Dear Commander, Thank you for your detailed report. Your team's progress on the R2 rocket and reconnaissance satellite is impressive. This machine opens the way to manned spaceflight and I know we're both very much excited about that prospect. The observation satellite is a great thing to have, able to look both in- and outward. While Shinji's choice of target was certainly... unconventional, the capabilities of this new technology are undeniable. I'm certain that it will be a valuable asset in our future endeavors. I also appreciate your suggestion regarding Count Strachwitz; his experience with clandestine operations would certainly be an asset. I will ply him with Remy Martin and discuss the matter further. As for the analysis of Bill’s interrogation, our linguists have not made significant progress. It is clear that the alien bio-robots have perfect command of our language, and we have not heard them speak their own tongue. What he said, however, shows that they possess a deep knowledge of our history and culture. I have also made significant progress in my own research. The old friend I mentioned has provided me with some valuable insights into the nature of the aliens and their intentions. While I cannot share the specifics of his findings at this time, I can assure you that they are both fascinating and disturbing. It appears that we are on the cusp of a new era. The discovery of extrakerbinal life has forced us to reconsider our place in the universe. I am confident that with our combined efforts, we will be able to meet this challenge and ensure the safety and prosperity of our people. On a more personal note, Therese tells me she really enjoys her new job at the Space Center. You're all a bunch of strong, adventurous dudes (Valentina included) but you all need your safe harbour, and she's very happy to provide that for you. At dinner, I hear stories of mighty jet engines and moon shots. It makes me very happy to see my wife so engaged. However, Ginny. While I'm certainly proud of her determination and adventurous spirit, and I know that it's her choice, and I know Algernon is beyond experienced, but what the bloody cheese is he doing teaching her to fly in a damned museum piece? Yes, I know, "If you can fly a Sopwith Camel, you can fly anything!" If she'd get hurt, I don't know, please for the love of Kerbol, PLEASE take care of her and at least give her a parachute. Sincerely, Wernher von Kerman Minister of Space Affairs

TO: Minister of Space, Wernher von Kerman FROM: Commander Nijn Kerman DATE: 25 September 1948 Dear Minister, My thanks for your incisive action in analysing Bill's interrogation, and engaging external experts. Did the analysis by your own team yield any new insights? I find it remarkable that an extra-Kerbin biological robot refers to ancient, almost legendary knowledge from our own culture. And were you able to contact that old friend you mentioned earlier? Your suggestion that Count Strachwitz may already have your desired, underground Arctic base seems justified. As far as I know, he has several secret installations scattered around Kerbin. Officially, I know nothing of this, so it seems advisable to discuss it with him directly. It might also be a good idea to bring a good bottle of Cognac to this meeting, I know the old hunter likes a good Chateau de Montifaud VSOP. As for our actual operations, I can happily report that Wallis and Isambard make a good team. Together they have built a heavier rocket, the R2, and used it to launch a large, optical reconnaissance satellite. This device allows us to directly observe any location on our planet, which Shinji immediately demonstrated by parking the satellite over Kopakabana beach and ogling bikini girls. I banned that, of course, but it shows the resolution at which we can watch. Regards, Nijn Kerman, commander of the Space Fleet

TO: Commander Nijn Kerman FROM: Minister of Space Affairs, Wernher von Kerman DATE: 13 September 1948 Dear Commander, The reactivation of the biorobot called Bill, and the subsequent exchange, have far-reaching implications. I have tasked my team with a comprehensive analysis of the transcript, and also consulted with several experts in linguistics and cultural studies. They feel that the alien's message contains allusions to some of our ancient myths and legends. If this is indeed the case, it is possible that these references hold the key to understanding the alien's purpose. For myself, I seem to remember the term "Mule" that was mentioned somewhere, but I can't put my finger on it. Actually, the entire exchange makes me feel I have heard this before. This is why I contacted an old friend of mine, Mr. Prefect, who is an expert in esoteric knowledge. He may be able to provide additional insights into the meaning of the alien's message. Please let me know if you find out more. I will of course inform you as soon as I hear from my experts. Sincerely, Wernher von Kerman Minister of Space Affairs

FROM: Nijn Kerman, commander of the Space Fleet TO: Minister of Space Affairs, Wernher von Kerman Date: 12-9-48 Minister, To our great surprise, we have been able to reactivate the ‘corpse’ of Bill Kerman. That is, the biological body is largely broken and fractured, but some bits apparently provide enough energy to run the robotic components. The result is pretty terrifying, something that looks like one of us, but slightly exploded and with electric bits sticking out. We were able to talk to the creature briefly. This is a transcript: Q: ‘Hello, can you hear me?’ A: ‘Kkkzkkkzzzzzz gggzziiiiiiii krrrr can hear iiiiiiiiiiie’ Q: ‘Who are you? What did you come here to do?’ A: ‘Ggggggzzzzz...... pl...eat on iiiiiiiiizzzzzz side...... universu....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz’ Q: ‘A planet? What's it called?’ A: ‘iiiiiiii....Ter...gggzzghhh...us......’ Q: ‘What did you come here to do? Are you spying on us?’ A: ‘......oberen....zzzzggggggg......univers...m......million...ong....z....zzzzzziiiiiii’ Q: ‘What do you want with us?’ A: ‘Wiiiiiiiizzgggghhhh.Mule....find....here’ Q: ‘Mule? That's a kind of horse, isn't it?’ A: ‘iieeed d d d d d ....plan..llllleeeezzzzzzz’ After that exchange, the bio-robot's systems unfortunately melted, but what we could register was not explicitly hostile. Can you have your people research the semantic content of Bill's replies, and perhaps cultural references overlooked by us? Regards, Nijn Kerman Commander of the Space Fleet

TO: Commander Nijn Kerman FROM: Wernher von Kerman, Minister of Space Affairs DATE: 03-09-1948 Dear Commander, Your report is most encouraging. The addition of the Special Operations Group is a wise move, and the recruits you propose are an impressive lot. It is clear that we have assembled a team that is well-equipped to face the challenges that lie ahead. I am particularly intrigued by the progress you have made regarding the monoliths. I have decided on the term 'Alien Signal Source' to be used for these mysterious emissions. It is of the utmost importance that we decipher the nature of these signals as soon as possible. Your proposal for MARVIN the research vehicle is excellent, I expect that it will be a valuable asset in our exploration of the monoliths. Further issues that may need your attention: Your command and associated Kerbals have been under a lot of stress lately. Have you provides psychological aid to those who need it? I feel that especially the "strong" men need to be cared for, as they usually repress their feelings until far too late. Every single ASS on this planet needs to be marked and investigated. Please do this as quickly as you can, but in without letting the public know. Try to proceed with manned spaceflight as soon as possible, as a cover for our more secretive activities. The now again Minister of Defense assures me that the secret, underground base that I want already exists. Do you maybe know anything about that? You two know each other rather well. I am confident that with your leadership and the dedication of our team, we will overcome any obstacles that may arise. Sincerely, Wernher von Kerman Minister of Space Affairs

FROM: Nijn Kerman, Commander Space Fleet TO: Wernhet von Kerman, Minister of Space Affairs DATE: 28-8-48 Dear Minister, The SOG group has now been fully assigned to us by Count Strachwitz. The group now has four members, which at first glance is sufficient manpower. Colonel Sterling 'Geezer' Kerman: Strategy, Tactics, Weapons Systems. Unknown, inconspicuous, unseen, but very dangerous and crazy as hell. Corporal Elizée 'Guépière' Kerman: Disguise, infiltration, communication. Likes to disguise herself as a 'courtisane' to cause chaos and despair in the enemy's house. Captain Skorzeny 'Bubi' Kerman: Winter warfare, skiing, carving: Also a part-time ski instructor with a penchant for Heineken. Beer? Lieutenant Helga 'Blondie' Kerman: Marksmanship, sabotage, reconnaissance: Lies in a ditch for days, waiting for the right shot. Athletic, beautiful and very much in love with Biggles. As these are experienced and quite dangerous soldiers, I would like your express permission for each of them to be recruited permanently. They are already improving the security of our facilities. I would also like you to to ask the following people to join us. Wallis Kerman: Skilled technical inventor, known for the 'Tallboy' and 'Grand Slam' bombs, and the attack on the Koehne and Keder dams. Douglas Kerman: Extremely skilled and brave pilot, with two prosthetic legs (his real ones were shot off during the war). Feynman Kerman: Science, inventor of Kuantum physics, bongo player supreme. Do you know of any Kerbals who would be an interesting addition to our project? I can also report that we have examined the monolith (#1) at the KRC. It is a seamless black object that emits a low hum and sends out noticeable radio signals into space. We have installed a flag, cameras, radio detectors, lidars and many other sensors there, and plan to do the same at the other radio sources. developed a parachute deployable research vehicle. This is a small robotic vehicle that can be dropped from an aircraft over the target area and survey the off-core facilities there; and want to drop this robot (called MARVIN) on a second monolith that we have triangulated about 50km to the west. Can you think of a good acronym for the unknown off-core radio transmitters? That would make communication a bit easier. Kind regards Nijn Kerman, Commander of the Space Fleet

TO: Commander Nijn Kerman FROM: Minister of Space, Wernher von Kerman DATE: 29th August 1948 Commander Kerman, Your report of the attack on the Space Centre by Kerbal-like biorobots is both shocking and frightening. Fortunately, you and your Kerbals acted admirably, securing the future of KSC and perhaps our planet. The suggestion that these are alien Kerbots is both interesting and horrifying; we may be at the dawn of a new era in which we must become aware of our place in the universe. Thank you for your suggestions. It is good to know that we can count on the expertise of the SOG in these uncertain times. I also suggest that this unit be used to scout the unknown transmitters and other alien installations. I will see to it that they are given all the resources they need to carry out their task. Your operators Bigglesworth, Stalhein and Marie have proven themselves to be intelligent, adventurous and battle-ready Kerbals. Her Majesty has expressed that she wishes to visit the Centre herself to see them personally decorated. On a technical level, we support your idea for a communications network, but we would like you to deliver a working system as soon as possible. A better 'second generation' system can be built later as a kerbosynchronous system, as you call it. Also, I think that publishing the new maps in digital form is an excellent idea that will surely contribute to a better world for all Kerbals. Best regards Wernher von Kerman Minister of Space Affairs ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Secret order: I have asked the (now not so ex-) Minister of Defence to provide us with personal weapons so that we can respond adequately to new threats, but he has refused. However, he assures me that in such a case he can respond immediately and forcefully without having to give weapons to clumsy scientists. I also strongly suspect that he has a secret, heavily armed base somewhere. What kind of weapons would he keep there? In any case, I want the vehicles under your control to all be capable of carrying weapons should the need arise. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Personal note: Nijn, thank you. Therese and Ginny are on their way and expect to arrive this evening. I'm sure Therese will go straight into the kitchen to cook something delicious for everyone, but I'm worried about Ginny. Will she have anything to do? She gets bored so easily and I hope she doesn't get into any mischief....

FROM: Nijn Kerman, Commander Space Fleet TO: Wernhet von Kerman, Minister of Aerospace DATE: 28-8-48 Minister, Now that the chaos and panic has subsided, it's time to cross some T's. 1- The Special Operations Group ('SOG') arrived here two hours after my call with two Land Rovers. They have taken charge of securing the complex. You don't see them, but they're there. That is very reassuring, and I was very pleased to spot Mr Skorzeny and Mr Stirling. It is great to see these illustrious commandos, once on opposite sides of the trench, now working together - just like Biggles and Stalhein. They are inspiring examples of professionalism and forgiveness. 2 - The post-mortem examination of Bob Kerman has been completed. We do not yet know exactly what we are looking at, but the anatomist's initial conclusion is that Bob was neither a Kerbal nor a living being in the literal sense of the word. He most closely resembles a biological but lifeless Kerbal puppet, animated with robotic parts. It appears to be of extraterrestrial origin, as the technology required is clearly still beyond our reach. This conclusion is also supported by the illegible writing on some parts. Fortunately, we have developed a simple method of detecting such bio-robots, so we hope to prevent further infiltration. 3- Biggles and Stalhein are true heroes of our time, worthy of our admiration. Both have risked their lives and unwaveringly dedicated themselves to their fellow Kerbals and society in general. It is my request that both gentlemen be recommended to Her Majesty for the award of the St George's Cross. Valentina has also acted heroically. She was seriously injured in the service of her planet. I propose that we a) make her an official member of our Navigator Team (with the wings that go with it), b) award her the Purple Heart, and c) have it pinned on her by the most beautiful young Kerbal we can find. 4 - Marie is in good health and she has a copy of the data that was stolen, so nothing has really been lost. She has resumed her research and hopes to crack the code soon. 5- The preliminary conclusion we have to draw is that there are extraterrestrial beings active on our planet. They are in contact with a receiver or base station somewhere in our solar system. We can no longer detect individual bio-robots on the KRC, and we regularly monitor the current personnel. The unknown transmitting stations need to be investigated further; we now know the approximate location of about six of them. With your approval, we intend to set up a network of communications satellites so that we can respond more quickly and effectively to emergencies and threats Investigate that beautiful stone next to the KRC which appears to be one of the transmitters. (SOG seems best suited for this mission) buy a new He111, since the old one crashed during the crisis. We can also equip it with jet engines! build an autonomous ground vehicle to remotely search for transmitters and hazards. make the new high resolution land maps that we have thanks to our satellites available to the public as an 'open source' navigation system, so that every Kerbal can use them and never get lost again. Yours sincerely Nijn Kerman, Space Fleet Commander ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Personal note] Wernher, we no longer know where it is safe and where it is not. If you would like your wife and daughter to stay with us for a while, we certainly have room, and the best soldiers on our planet to protect them. They would be most welcome. Regards, Nijn

[TOP SECRET] [YOUR EYES ONLY] Date: 260848 Time: 1435Z URGENT KERMAN RESEARCH CENTER UNDER ATTACK. RESEARCH FACILITY SABOTAGED BY UNEXPECTED HOSTILE FORCE: JEBEDIAH, BILL, AND BOB KERMAN. MARIE DE KERMAN ASSASSINATION FOILED BY OBERST STALHEIN. COMPUTERS DESTROYED, DATA COMPROMISED. HE111-B STOLEN, VALENTINA KERMAN KIDNAPPED AND FORCIBLY EJECTED MID-FLIGHT. VALENTINA EMPLOYED INNOVATIVE SURVIVAL TACTICS BY UTILIZING UNWILLING ENEMY AS SURF BOARD AND IMPACT ABSORBER. CURRENTLY RECOVERING IN INFIRMARY. CORPSE OF BOB KERMAN RETRIEVED FOR POST MORTEM ANALYSIS. BIGGLES NEUTRALIZED HE111B WITH PERSONAL MB9, DESTROYING HEINKEL AND OCCUPANTS. KRC ON HIGH ALERT. SECURITY BREACHES SUSPECTED. ALL OPERATIONS SUSPENDED. REQUEST IMMEDIATE DEPLOYMENT OF ADDITIONAL SECURITY PERSONNEL. IMPLEMENT COMMUNICATIONS BLACKOUT. FURTHER UPDATES TO FOLLOW. SITUATION CRITICAL. REQUIRE YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE. CinCSpace [TOP SECRET] [YOUR EYES ONLY]

From: Commander Nijn Kerman To: Wernher von Kerman, Minister for Space Affairs Date: August 18, 1948 Dear Minister, First of all, I would like to inform you that the emergency detection satellite has detected several Alien Signal Sources (ASS'es). These sources are all in remote, uninhabited areas, and are spread all over our planet. We will soon set up an expedition to investigate a number of them. Obviously, as soon as we know more, I will inform you immediately. Count S also informs me that, if necessary, we can respond with force to any threat on the Kerbin surface, but our striking power in space is limited. In addition, I would like to inform you about the current state of affairs of our actual space program: For the current level of activity, our staff is sufficient, although I would like to expand our design team. At the moment, only Isambard is busy with design, while Ginger and Shinji are more practical engineers and prefer to build or fix things. Wallis Kerman, who developed the bomb for "Chastise" and the Tall Boy during the war, seems to me an excellent choice, if you can convince him to work for us. I suspect that expansion will be necessary if we are going to perform manned space flights. Can you suggest any experienced pilots who want to work for us? For the Galileo project, aka. the mapping of Kerbin, we are using sensors directly mounted on the upper stage of the R1. That is cheaper than designing independent satellites, but also less efficient. Within this mapping project, the RAM (Radar AltiMeter), ARSD (Anomalous Radio Signal Detector) and MARS (Multiple Antenna Radar Scan) satellites have been launched. These systems are already providing a much improved cartography of our planet, more insight into our geology location of previously unknown resources. The idea of communication satellites has proven to be very useful and usable, but at the moment the system only works when Arthur, our only radio satellite, is directly overhead. We will need multiple satellites, in different orbits. In the long run, we plan to launch a kerbo-synchronous communication satellite constellation. We have equipped our He111-B with small jet engines, which has resulted in an extremely useful aircraft. The range has decreased somewhat, but the speed has almost doubled! Regards, Nijn Kerman, Commander Space Fleet Heinkel He-111B

Obviously, a German count with a long name speaks German... -------------------------------------------------------------- AN: Oberst Nijn Kerman VON: Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Kerman Oberst, Ihre Nachricht hat mich erreicht. Sie sprechen von einer Angelegenheit von größter Bedeutung. Sie haben Recht, ein friedliches Volk muss auch in der Lage sein, sich zu verteidigen. Und es ist klug, sich auf alle Eventualitäten vorzubereiten. Was Ihre Frage nach den Waffen betrifft, so können Sie sicher sein, dass einige Überraschungen auf Sie warten. Die Lunenburger Heide ist ein guter Ort für ein solches Gespräch. Ich schlage vor, wir treffen uns an der alten Eiche, am dritten Dienstag im Monat, um die Uhrzeit des Sonnenuntergangs. Bringen Sie einen guten Wein mit, und ich sorge für die Geschichten. Mit kameradschaftlichen Grüßen, Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Kerman -------------------------------------------------------------- Let me translate that lyrical Teutonic for you... TO: Colonel Nijn Kerman FROM: Hyazinth Count Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche and Kerman Colonel, Your message has reached me. You speak of a matter of the utmost importance. You are right, a peaceful nation must also be able to defend itself. And it is wise to prepare for all eventualities. As for your question about weapons, you can be sure that some surprises await you. Lunenburg Heath is a good place for such a conversation. I suggest we meet at the old oak tree, on the third Tuesday of the month, around sunset time. Bring a good wine and I'll provide the stories. With best regards, Hyazinth Count Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche and Kerman

TO: Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Kerman, former Minister of Defence FROM: Commander Space Fleet Minister, as you know, the Minister for Space Affairs is a peaceful man. However, we are not. I don't want to wait for an alien threat to suddenly materialize and overwhelm us. I want to be able to meet any ‘alien’ civilization in Space, armed and from a position of strength, and not on our planet, at the bottom of a gravity well. But I hope we don't have to use those weapons, that we can just be nice to them! What weapons can we still have at our disposal? I know most of the weaponry has been publicly destroyed, but I know who you are and I am sure you have a secret stash. Maybe a walk on the Lunenburg Heath is an idea, so we can discuss these things a bit more freely. Goodbye, Oberst Nijn Kerman