PROLOUGE: Pad Abort Test 001 It was a humid evening at the South Returian state of Deseret, at the Gornallesville Space Center. Something large was happening, the South Returian president, Pascilla Vohannes, was having a meeting, about the future of the South Returian Celestial Exploration Division. "Listen up." Pascilla said, clearing his throat. "We have alot of work to do, and don't expect it to be easy. But in the end, it's going to be a milestone for our country, and that we can fly the bird to those Plutonic bastards. I don't care if they were the first country to put a satellite in orbit, third country to put a Kerbal into orbit, or even first on the Mun and Minmus." Pascilla sighed as he activated the projector. "This is the Flatwoods spacecraft, and it's launch abort system. Can hold two South Returian kerbonauts, and a fistful of snacks." Pascilla said. The rest, will be left to the South Returian administer of spaceflight, Millfrey Burgundy." Pascilla Vohannes said, leaving the situation to Millfrey Burgundy. "O-oh! Right." Millfrey said, bolting awake and shuffling his papers. "Mr. President, sir, why did you have to call this meeting after lunch? Anyway; the spacecraft will be launch aboard a South Returian Air Force orbital launch vehicle, because Himmelilandic-born rocket scientist Verinherr Karmacc couldn't make it here, and he couldn't design the launch vehicle, anyway. " Millfrey sighed, and took a breath. "Plus, Verinherr is currently designing the Wexx 1b rocket that'll be used to launch the Lupa spacecraft, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there." Millfrey sighed. The meeting lasted a good half-hour after that. THE NEXT MONTH It was a cold, dry, March morning, yet at the Gornallesville Space Center, a newly-constructed Flatwoods Spacecraft was on the launchpad, awaiting the abort sequence. At Mission Control, flight director Jermona Orwell was at his desk. "Twenty seconds until abort procedure, and counting; " He said, as he nervously fidgeted at his keyboard. "Fifteen and counting." Jermona said. "All systems are active;" One of the flight directors, Bobak Kermonn said, with a thick Plutonic accent. Ten seconds. Nine seconds. Eight seconds. Seven seconds. Six seconds. Five seconds. Four seconds. Three seconds. Two seconds. One second. The escape tower on the capsule activated, and the command module quickly separated from the main spacecraft body, within seconds, the tower exhausted it's aluminum oxide solid fuel supply, and it jettisoned away from the command module and it's parachutes deployed. Two minutes passed, the capsule gently maintained contact with the sand, and it was recovered. Next abort sequence, however...