CatastrophicFailure

What do you base that on? The D2 is meant to be reusable after all, I don't think the Orion is. And Orion isn't meant to be a crew ferry.

Ugh. I finally decided to try playing around with this some and see if I could get igniters working. I had 120-some files in the /RealFuels folder. I removed them, and replaced them with 50-some files from the RFStockalike 2.8.1 zip. Now the game won't load at all. It hangs when trying to load the engine below, if I'm reading this right. Previously, everything worked just fine with RF EXCEPT only a couple of engines had igniters, ullage, etc. I'ma just leave it alone till someone who knows more than me drops me a line. [LOG 20:59:19.752] PartLoader: Compiling Part 'Squad/Parts/Engine/liquidEngine24-77/liquidEngine24-77/smallRadialEngine' [LOG 20:59:19.793] PartLoader: Compiling Part 'Squad/Parts/Engine/liquidEngine48-7S/liquidEngine48-7S/liquidEngineMini' [LOG 20:59:19.842] PartLoader: Compiling Part 'Squad/Parts/Engine/liquidEngine48-7S/liquidEngine48-7S/liquidEngineMiniRescale' [EXC 20:59:19.858] NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object RealFuels.ModuleEnginesRF.OnLoad (.ConfigNode node) PartModule.Load (.ConfigNode node) Part.AddModule (.ConfigNode node) PartLoader.ParsePart (.UrlConfig urlConfig, .ConfigNode node) PartLoader+.MoveNext () [EXC 20:59:19.862] NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object PartLoader.GetDatabaseConfig (.Part p) PartLoader.GetDatabaseConfig (.Part p, System.String nodeName) DragCubeSystem.LoadDragCubes (.Part p) Part+.MoveNext () [LOG 20:59:19.863] *U* Ullage constructor called on liquidEngineMiniRescale [EXC 20:59:19.864] NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object RealFuels.ModuleEnginesRF.Start () For reference, also have Stock Revamp, RealPlume

Looks about perfect to me.

What do you use to record with, Hotaru?

That's from Kerbinside. Kerbin City looks to be, unfortunately, permanently defunct. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- In other news, I have discovered the secret to unlimited free energy. I have no idea what it is, but it went on exploding for a loooooooooooooooooooooooooong time till I got bored.

Aw yeah, that's the stuff. Love to see evolution at work like that, like how the humble Atlas became the monster it is today.

Tis a beast. 2.6G off the pad even with that heavy payload, tops out around 8. Probably a reason no ones ever rode a rocket like that, heh.

Quick question, after looking thru the wiki until my brain hurt: How do I tweak things to make simulation 10x more expensive?

Chapter 15: Krazniyy Oktyabr The Mission Control center was now a flurry of activity. Rows of technicians and engineers sat at their consoles, busily running the final checklists. On the launchpad beyond the massive multi-paned window, Krazniyy Oktyabr stood ready to launch. Dibella had named it for the Glorious Octember Revolution. Which actually happened in Septober. And in the middle of it all, Valentina Kerman stood, with a huge headset on her head and a mug of thick, black coffee in her hands. It nearly matched the shade of the bags under her bloodshot eyes. It was now her turn to assume the role of capsule communicator, and with the Director gone and the Kommissar, as always, sequestered in his office atop the vertical assembly building, she had become a mission coordinator of sorts as well. She took a sip of coffee and grimaced. It still tasted awful, but less so now. Weakening it with milk and honey didn't help, it needed to be stronger, that was the secret. She'd made it as strong as the funny little machine had allowed. Someone had told her the Kerblish name plate said "Mr. Koffee." What a ridiculous thing to call a machine! She took another sip. Stronger, that was the key. Tercella was really on to something there. Speaking of whom... Valentina keyed her microphone, "Recovery-1, what's your status?" Tercella's voice was barely audible above the familiar drone, "exactly the same as when you asked three minutes ago! I have enough Converters out here so that I could walk from Bylia to Gytep, to the ice cap without ever touching the ground! Relax. When Dibella lands, there will be no hunt, we'll be on scene in minutes." "Um, excuse--" "What?!" Valentina rounded on a wide-eyed technician. He swallowed hard, "um... the Kommissar sends word, final clearance has been given." "Very well, carry on," Valentina chuffed. She rubbed at her temples, she could feel another doozy of a headache brewing. She shouldn't have snapped at the fellow like that, that wasn't like her. She keyed up the alternate channel, " Krazniyy Oktyabr, final clearance has been received, ten minutes to launch." "Copy that," came Dibella's confident voice, "ready as I'll ever be!" "Nearly there, check your systems over once more." "Um... copy control." Valentina walked down the rows of flickering monitors and flashing lights, searching for anything out of place, anything that might have been missed. Everyone seemed to be discreetly avoiding eye contact. It vaguely registered to her that she was scowling, but she pushed it away. Now was not a time for pleasantries. Just routine. She finished this latest of many rounds and returned to staring out the window. Just follow the routine, and hope nothing goes wrong. " Krazniyy Oktyabr, control, five minute to launch, terminal countdown has commenced." " Krazniyy Oktyabr copies, final gyro synch complete, all my systems check out. Again." This was maddening. It was worse than being in the pod. Valentina could feel that odd twinge between her shoulder blades. They were all watching her, plotting, waiting for the moment to-- She blinked, sighed, and took another sip. Just follow the routine. "Krazniyy Oktyabr now on internal power, umbilicals clear," said an engineer, "ignition heaters beginning sequence. The key..." Valentina stepped to the console, took the key from around her neck, and inserted it into the panel. She took a breath, and turned it. The ignition clock began counting down. "One minute, Krazniyy Oktyabr key in, all systems go." "Copy, one minute. Let's kick this pig!" Valentina nearly giggled at that. "Désyat..." "Dévyat..." "Vósem..." "Sem..." "Shest..." "Pyat..." "Chetíreh..." "Tree..." "Dva..." "Odéen..." "Ignition!" Valentina jumped as Sound shook the windows like thunder. The rocket disappeared into smoke. Great billowing clouds of it poured forth and descended upon the building like the wrath of a fallen star. She was about to reach for the remote abort handle when an engineer called out, " Krazniyy Oktyabr has cleared the towers, all lights green!" Cheers erupted from the other controllers. "Holey yak!" Dibella crackled over the radio, "that was quite a kick. All my gauges read good. Can barely hear myself think." "Rocket is stabilizing. Course looks good," a technician confirmed. Valentina watched the display, watched the gee force quickly rising. Through the window, the rocket climbed higher and higher on an arcing pillar of smoke. Soon it was little more than a speck in the distance. She switched to the telephoto monitor. "Getting bumpy up here..." came Dibella's call, "can't see the panel anymore. The physical strain in her voice was evident. Valentina saw the gee climb past five. "Her heart rate's really rising," said the flight surgeon from his station. "Tracking, status?" Valentina said. "Course is spot on," said an engineer, "never seen a Strannik fly so straight before." Then shut up before you jinx it, Valentina thought. This early in the flight, the massive rocket was still uncontrolled. Only careful design and aerodynamics kept it going the right way. If it went just a little off-balance... She clenched her hand to keep from reaching for the abort handle again. Why was it so stuffy in here?! "Krazniyy Oktyabr, how are you doing?" She said into the mic. Nothing but muffled breathing returned. "Heart rate is spiking," the flight surgeon said. Seven gees... eight... "Five seconds to booster burn-out!" Valentina watched the dwindling camera feed, feeling helpless. The rocket was nearly imperceptible behind its plume of flame and smoke. "Tree... dva... odéen..." Something happened in the monitor. Valentina was sure her heart stopped for a moment... then the plume cleared, she could see the five spent boosters tumbling away trailing smoke... and Krazniyy Oktyabr accelerating onward on a new pillar of flame. "We have booster separation," said a technician, "core stage ignition good, course is good." "Whoo, that was intense!" Dibella nearly squealed from the radio, "think I blacked out for a moment... core stage is much smoother, all systems read green." "Heart rate coming back down. Vitals are stabilizing." On the monitor, the rocket disappeared into a mere point of light. Valentina realized she'd been holding her breath. Someone really needed to open a window. She began pacing up and down the rows of consoles again, unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong, despite everything going right. She watched the burn timer count down, saw the RCS guidance light illuminate exactly on time, the pre-stage indicators run through their sequence. "Ten seconds to core burnout, Krazniyy Oktyabr" "I am ready! Gee-force still tolerable, course is stable." The rocket was gone, now, from the monitors. Valentina could only stare at the panels of lights and gauges that represented the telemetry. This was it. This was where her own flight had gone so horribly wrong. She watched banks of lights swap between green and red. A drop of sweat dripped into her eye. Why weren't the air handlers working with so many people in here?! "Staging is good, what is your status, Krazniyy Oktyabr?" "Nominal. This stage is very gentle. I read guidance on point." The gee meter climbed, but slowly, very slowly. Something... something was... No, everything was exactly right. Perfectly on the numbers. The flight couldn't possibly be going better. Valentina wiped more sweat from her face. The knot between her shoulders tensed. "Stage burnout coming up... tree... dva... odéen..." "I have stage shutdown, control. Capsule is--oof!" "Krazniyy Oktyabr, what just happened? Krazniyy Oktyabr, do you copy?!" Valentina could feel her heart pounding in her chest. It matched the cadence of the throbbing in her head. "Final separation light," said an engineer. "Krazniyy Oktyabr, please respond!" "I..." The radio crackled. "Dibella...?" "I'm in space...!" Valentina let out a huff and rubbed her temples again. She moved to take a sip of coffee and realized her other hand was empty. Who took her mug? "That was quite the jolt again," Dibella said, "post launch checks good, ready to fire kick motor." Valentina blinked. A technician cleared his throat loudly and nodded toward the checklist on the console. She picked it up. It seemed very heavy. "Ah, um, yes, you are go for kick motor fire, Krazniyy Oktyabr" The small solid rocket motor on the back of the craft fired, this time boosting it faster along its sub-orbital path. The same engine would eventually be used to return Sergei's capsule from orbit. Valentina flipped through the coast checklist. Now was a series of observations, activation of a scientific payload, tests of the craft's manual attitude controls, and PЦTIИ'S ЗДЯS why was it so STДLIИLУ hot in here?! She went through the procedures, each breath seeming to take more effort. She was going to have to have a talk with the maintenance supervisor, this was unacceptable. "Um, lieutenant, ma'am," a nervous looking engineer tapped her on the shoulder, "maybe you should--" "What?!" She snapped at him, "now is not the time, we're in the middle of a flight!" He made a warding gesture and backed away hurriedly. Honestly, the pod would be hitting the atmosphere at any moment, why would he pester her at a time like this? Go pester the facilities guy, turn a fan on, open a window, something! Her vision was getting blurry, must be sweat in the eyes again. With difficulty, she watched the panel, watched the gauges climb, said a few things to Dibella but it was all indistinct, distant. Getting hard to think. Something wrong, but... but... what? What was...? Something about parachutes airbags... what did... "Augh!" Grunted Dibella. Valentina snapped back from wherever she had gone, "Krazniyy Oktyabr, did not copy, what happened?" Of course, now, now! She let her concentration slip and now the disaster would come! She feverishly scanned the instruments but nothing made sense. "Aack!" "Dibella, what--" "Oof! Landed on--ow! hill. Rolling down to--ugh! Deflated airbags too--gah! Ouch...! Ow...! Augh...! Thatsgonnaleavea--aargh...!" Silence. Valentina's head was swimming. She should be doing something... but what? The thought kept drifting away. Then a loud noise in her headset, a burst of static... then nothing. The silence stretched out. The room began to sway. A new voice buzzed over the radio, "this is Recovery-15, we have the pod in sight... the pilot is outside, she's ok! She's waving. She's in the mud near the river, we'll circle around and try to land." "Fifteen, this is Thirteen, we're at your three o'clock, moving in to assist." "Recovery-7, we copy too, changing course." Oh, good. That sounded good. It was good. Everything was good, now. But why did the wall look like the ceiling and-- Thud.

This is is a good strategy, but you do have to be careful. Stretch it out too long and you can trigger the "Global Thermonuclear War" mini game.

I was thinking more of like a concise history. Performance & capacity of the original HoundDog vs the later variants, & such.

This is your Captain speaking.... we have a little problem with our takeoff sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence, and then explode. Lost a wing... Doin' fine! There goes the other one... We shall now being our new feature, the Fly-Drive to Kerbin City (anyone have the actual line from Cannonball Run?) When Ah say whoah, Ah meeeeeeean.....

Hmm, 8 tonnes now. Do you have a timeline of capacity increases over the development of the Hounddog line?

Funny how art imitates life like that, eh? I mentally crafted a ship that could reach Jool that seemed at least remotely plausible. It adamantly refused to exist in KSP and merely attempting to create even a mockup broke the game in ways I didn't know possible. But on the other hand, good technobabble covers a multitude of sins XD

Naw man, in Challenger they still flew in shirt sleeves and helmets. It was BECAUSE of Challenger that they went to full ACES suits. We know they were conscious enough to activate their supplemental air supplies (useless at 80k feet), and to flip switches on the panel to try to restore power. If they'd had pressure suits and parachutes, it's at least possible they could have bailed out after the initial breakup. But yeah, the shuttle was a prime example of trying to do too much for too many. Those great big wings were only there cuz the Air Force wanted enough cross range ability to launch polar & overfly the USSR... which never actually happened.

Chapter 14: Waiting A full-stack Strannik launch vehicle stood on the new pad, bathed in floodlights, the tip of the abort tower on the nose pointed ever so slightly east. There was no scaffold this time, Valentina was seeing to that. She had been watching from the window of her simple room ever since night fall, with a set of "requisitioned" binoculars. Her room was spartan even by Ussari standards, she'd had little to bring from the old facility. A basic, sturdy bed, a nightstand and lamp, a real closet here filled mostly with uniforms. And of course, the Pictures, required to be displayed in every home by edict of the Imperium. Over the door was Her Imperial Majesty Alexandra II, Regent of the Union, First of Ussari and Nihacima, Lady High Vizier of the City of Kerman, and Doge of Erakonia. Valentina always thought she looked very stately with her golden Globe and Scepter and hair, but somehow, always sad. In a semi-circle above her, always looking down, were the eight glowering members of the Union Imperium. If they ruled the Union, Valentina thought (privately) they could have at least picked better pictures. She yawned, and went back to watching Dibella's rocket. She hadn't slept well at all lately, not since... the dream. Her nights were always restless, her dreams always bad. Running or falling, lights that refused to light in the shadows, or the Mün. She shuddered. She hated that one most of all. Suffocating, desiccating, her fingers burning or freezing or whatever it was Münar soil did to you. And something... something was there. Something she could never remember. Besides the dead girl. She was always there, always at the end. Valentina yawned again. The Mün. Pfft. The rocket she and Dibella had seen launch from Kermangrad had sent a probe past it, Müna-1, the first of its kind. It had sent back a grainy, haunting picture of the entire planet Kerbin over the limb of the Mün. The next day it was on the front page of every newspaper in the world. People found it oddly moving, and for one brief moment, there was talk of not just coexistence but cooperation, even collaboration. A joint mission with the Foreigners, a handshake in space. Then the probe left Kerbin's influence and all contact was lost. The Imperium publicly blamed the Foreigners, accusing them of tampering and espionage. Now the talk was of a new race, a race to put the first Kerbal on the Mün. Valentina was glad it wouldn't be her. "Sergei, let him go," she grumbled softly, "let him stay." Tinka! She jumped at her Deda's voice in her head, you were not raised to be so spiteful. She closed her bulging eyes, and rubbed the wide flat spot between them. She could feel another headache brewing just behind it. No, no she had not been raised to be resentful. Could Sergei really have had anything to do with her being grounded? He certainly gloated about it, but he had no real power. His father sat on the Imperium Council on Heavy Industry, but that had no connection to the space program. But of course, something else whispered in the dark part of her mind, he surely knows someone... who knows someone... Valentina sat back, and switched to rubbing her red eyes. Oh, how she despised politics. Sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation could do funny things to a person. Maybe she should talk to the flight surgeon. She'd heard there was a big blue pill now that could bring you sleep. Sleep, without dreams. She sighed, and returned to keeping watch. She soon fell asleep where she sat, and dreamt of the Mün. *** Valentina felt like a wreck the next morning at the breakfast table. Tercella was going through her steak and eggs like a thing possessed. Valentina wasn't even sure she was bothering to chew. Dibella seemed oddly quiet, and just a bit green. Er. The launch was in only a few hours. Sergei slammed through the door, also looking drained. Valentina didn't look up. "Wha appen oo you?" Tercella said around a mouthful of steak. Or maybe eggs. Or both, "wha were oo etherthay?" Sergei groaned, "oh, it was exhausting! The Political Officer is a slave driver. I had an all day photography session with the Empress, and--" "The Empress?!" Dibella said, agog. "Not the Empress, my Empress." "Oh," Tercella swallowed and set down her fork and knife, "your space ship." "A ship needs a name, yes?" Sergei puffed out his narrow chest, "the Empress Alexandra I, what better name for such a historic vessel? "Besides," he glanced at Valentina, "it's better than Pine Tree." Valentina still didn't move, but her fist clenched. "Haven't they taken enough photos of that thing already?" Said Tercella. Sergei twirled his hand idly, "it was part of some information request from another space program, but then--" "From who?" Asked Dibella. "I don't know," Sergei rolled his eyes, "some fellow with a big mustache, I did not speak with him. But--" "Which space agency has mustaches?" Tercella asked Dibella, "is it Dachland?" "Um..." "No, they don't like mustaches, Kruenia perhaps?" Dibella pondered. "Er..." "No, I do not think so, they only like the little square ones. Nefcarkaland?" Tercella offered. "If..." "But I thought they signed on with the KSA?" Dibella again. "Excuse--" "You may be right. Ryemnarg!" Tercella exclaimed, "lots of facial hair in Ryemnarg." "But--" "No, no I think they do beards there," Dibella rubbed her chin. Sergei cleared his throat loudly. The two looked at him. "I have been trying to say," he said with exasperation, "I spent all night going over the mockup of the new two-Kerb pod. The Kommissar has taken full control of the space program now, and he named me as commander of the new ship's first flight!" Valentina didn't move, but the knuckles in her fist cracked softly. "Wwhhaatt??!!" "But he's not an engineer, how could he..." Dibella trailed off. "So soon?! The prototype won't even be complete for months, why name any crew now?" asked Tercella incredulously. "The program has been advanced," Sergei puffed out his thin chest even more, "perhaps one of you girls will be my copilot, yes?" Valentina hand moved toward the serrated knife. "Since when does--" Dibella began, "Tia? You don't look well..." She put a hand on Valentina's arm. Valentina snapped back, and blinked, "wha--? I... um... I am just tired. Have not been sleeping. You do not look well either." Dibella smiled weakly, "just nervous. I am not brave like you, I will be ok once the routine starts." Valentina looked concerned, "you know, you do not have to do this..." "Have to?" Dibella said with surprise, "this is a great opportunity, I could not pass it up over nerves! To be among the first Kerbonauts... that is something special, something historic. I am humbled even by the opportunity." Sergei looked annoyed. No one else seemed to notice. Dibella looked at Valentina, "I told you, this is only the beginning. Your part is not yet done. Trust, even if understanding eludes you, yes?" Valentina saw the solace in her friend's face, and found some comfort. But it did little to assuage the rising feeling that she was just waiting for something awful to happen.

Pressure suits and parachutes could have made ALL the difference in Challenger, just saying... And no one has mentioned the economic aspect yet. SpaceX is already pushing that envelope developing an entirely new manned space craft. Developing an entirely new space suit, AND ship, AND reusable booster, AND all the little things... its taking on too much at once like that that killed all the Shuttle replacements before they even reached the pad. Evolution, not revolution.

So, I'm liking the new height maps... however, it's pushing me right over the memory limit & crashing the game. How can I disable it on Kerbin, or more ideally, disable it only around a specific area?

All things serve the Beam I pulled Dibella and Tercella's names from my last save, guess I got attached to them. Pity the fellow who did the map no longer seems to be around, he deserves some thanx

Every time I get a comment reply notification email I squeal like a little girl. Which can be awkward in public.

Failure is how we learn. Sometimes we learn a whole bunch all at once and it involves explosions and rockets breaking in half.

Guys, guys, guys... I've been watching this little exchange for a while now and the trouble this fellow is having is pretty obvious: Y'ALL ARE STARTING YOUR GRAVITY TURNS WAY! TOO! LATE! Ever since they gave us the new aerodynamics in 1.whatever, this old "go up several kilometers then turn right" thing that's so ingrained in us NO LONGER APPLIES. It doesn't work anymore! It's an obsolete procedure! The "proper" (read: efficient, stable, sustainable) way to launch now is to start your gravity turn AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, basically as soon as you've got enough speed for aerodynamic control, which is usually around 100m/s and perhaps one kilometer off the pad. Look at how real rockets do it. They start their pitchover maneuver virtually as soon as they've cleared the tower. The actual height may vary depending on TWR but 100m/s seems to be the ideal in nearly every case. Heck, I've got some high TWR all-solid launchers that start out on the pad tilted 10 or 15 degrees over. Those of us who use FAR have already been doing it this way for a while so it's a simple adjustment, but this old "go up, THEN turn right" mantra has got to go. It's simple physics. If you've got the momentum of a many-ton rocket going nearly the speed of sound straight up, it's gonna be REALLY hard to change that momentum. Start the turning impulse when your momentum is much lower, then just let gravity do its thing.

Chapter 13: Crimson Dawn Valentina awoke the next morning feeling very groggy, with a headache just bad enough to make it hard to think. Eyes still puffy with sleep, she made her way from her small room in the new Kerbonaut's dormitory. With only four of them still, the building was deserted at this early hour. She walked past dozens of doors, all propped open to air out the new construction, their shadowed interiors gaping at her in the dim hall. She tried again to blink away the sleep from her foggy mind as she plodded along the icy floor. This... isn't right, she thought, I should be wearing shoes, but the thought wavered and dissipated like a Mün shadow. She walked down the stairs, then across the expansive, darkened mess hall and its rows of stainless steel tables that reflected the low light in strange ways. One day, it would be filled with excited young Kerbonauts twittering about going to space. But I won't be among them, thought Valentina, and it's all because of Sergei. But... that wasn't right, was it? So hard to think... Through the shadowed kitchen, and into the little room the four had been given to take their meals. Here, the lights were on, Valentina blinked against the glare. Their scarred old table from the old launch site was here, but... where was everyone? A single pace setting occupied the table. Steak and eggs, more decadent Eastern food. Tercella had taken a particular liking to it over the last few days. She looked around, feeling the cold floor under her feet. "Valentina." PЦTIЙ! She started and spun. "Sergei." "You're still here." Why was he wearing his flightsuit? "Of course I am, you twit!" He chuckled darkly, "then you do not know?" "Know what? Where is everyone else?" "They have been reassigned. Dibella and Tercella have been granted additional missions and had to leave for training. Igor has... moved on too." "What are you talking about?" That smug grin was maddening. "I have been assigned to the first operational flight of the next-generation space craft. Perhaps I shall make one of them my copilot, yes?" "What...?" So hard to think. "You, on the other hand," his grin became a sneer, with teeth. Lots and lots of teeth, "your services will no longer be required." "I don't..." "You're being returned to Kernobyl for remedial training," his eyes burned with hate, "or perhaps someplace else, yes? Perhaps the other Kerberia." "No, I... I didn't... this isn't..." "Come now, Valentina, you didn't really think this was for you, did you?" "No, wait..." "A bumpkin... a hick... going into space..." "Stop..." "A silly backwoods peasant girl..." "Stop!" "And of course, let us not forget..." he smiled an icy smile with teeth... so many teeth... "Sergei stop!" "...the progeny of traitors." In an instant, the serrated steak knife was in her hand, in an instant, she swung it with all the power in her small frame, and jammed into the side of his neck. "Glub," said Sergei, as life ran out in a crimson gush over his lips. He stumbled, tried to pull back, but Valentina held him close, twisted the knife, then sliced it forward, tearing his throat open as wide as his former grin. Blood sprayed forth in a torrent. Valentina stared into his wide, panicked eyes. He fell against her, scrabbling, warm wetness soaking them. Her veins burned like fire. His mouth opened and closed helplessly. Just like a fish, when you cut its throat. Blood, so much blood. Finally he fell back, his terrified eyes staring up at her. He raised a pleading hand. Blood everywhere. The hand dropped, and his eyes stared the stare of the dead. The room was silent, save for a distant sound... Plip... plip... plip... She stared at his corpse, her heart pounding, her veins burning. This, this at last... Plip... plip... plip... This is what she had been craving all her life... So much blood... This was power... Plip... plip... plip... Such power! She down looked at her stained, dripping hands. Such power! She looked at Sergei again... only Sergei was gone. The fire in her veins turned to ice. No... It was a girl... some girl she'd never met, her green dress soaked and stained. No...! On a chain around her ruined neck was a small, gray, sparkly rock. I didn't... I didn't... She turned to look at Valentina with dry, white, dead eyes. Power... there was no power here... She raised an accusing finger... Only fear. The dead girl opened her lips. "D'yavol." Valentina bolted awake, panting, soaked in sweat, heart slamming in her chest. Light! Panicked, she fumbled with the lamp. The bulb flashed for a moment then popped. Wall switch! She threw herself out of bed, and immediately her feet went out from under her and she landed hard on the slick floor, in a puddle of sticky wetness. She raised trembling hands before her, the dark stain visible in the sickly pale light of the Mün. Blood, blood everywhere. She tried getting up again and fell right back down, staring straight into the face of Sergei's corpseless head. No... It turned to look at her. His eyes...! "Do you see?" Valentina awoke, screaming and flailing. She knocked the lamp from the nightstand with a crash, smeared wetness across the wall. Blood, blood everywhere! So much blood... The door flew open and Igor flicked on the light. No, he'll see! So much blood... "Where is he?! I pull head off!" He said as he looked around the room. Blood, blood everywhere! Valentina looked at her pale, shaking, sweaty hands, "a dream... just a dream..." Igor continued to look around suspiciously, "so... is no intruder?" Valentina looked out the window by the bed, her breath ragged. The Mün hung in a starless sky. "Just a bad dream..."