Time for Interstellar (Mainly Stock)

[Technical Ben]

Jeb and Bob board the atmospheric shuttle.

After Bill has attached the testing apparatus, Jeb lightly guides the craft away.

Using the old station tender probe, they get into position for an atmospheric entry.

Then deploy the parachutes and a gentle touchdown.

Jeb presses the pod release button, and Bob gets all the samples needed.

Looking over the rover, turns out the antenna unfolded into a rock, so it was not Hudsons fault after all.

[Technical Ben]

Now to return!

Using the last drop of fuel, running on the RCS to get the rendezvous, Jeb gets the vital data back to the orbiting station.

Jeb: That's the last of the data. This must be able to help Kerbin!

Bob: This planet appears to have survived a small supernova nearby. Along with the data from the moons of Kaiser, this should be enough to devise a way to protect Kerbin from solar flares and...

The rest of the crew look quietly out the window.

Bob: What's the problem?

Bill: We may not be able to transmit the data after all. Look at this recording we made while you two were on the planet.

The video screen shows Kol erupting out a giant burp. Then loads of static.

Bill: I've tried all the frequencies, boosting the antenna and everything. I don't think we can get a single out at all.

Jeb: What? All this for nothing. Can we not strap this science to an ion craft and get it back that way?

Bill: Considered that, using Lars' little shuttle. But will it even survive those solar flares?

Hudson: Hey, wait up guys... what's that beeping from the console?

Bill: You left something on? That's the service module broadcasting an automatic message.

Hudson: But I turned all our service modules off to save power... it's not coming from our craft!

Bob rushes to the console.

Bob: It's not local, there is nothing in orbit here. What's picking it up?

Bill: The antenna, it's still pointed towards Kerbin... but there is just static from them. It's something between us and home. It's a signal coming from Kaiser! One of our old landers?

Hudson: No, not ours. Now I recognise it. That's a service repair request! Only way to find out what it is, is to answer.

Jeb punches in some commands to the communicator.

Jeb: "Please come fix all this broken stuff Bill and Hudson keep throwing together out of scrap. K Thanks. Jeb the Awesome Pilot."

... nothing but silence.

Jeb: Well, that's rude, no reply.

Bob: Kaiser is about 15 light minutes away. The reply will take some time.

The crew wait, over half an hour passes. It's tense, and only Lars seems relatively calm, or asleep as usual.

Unknown: zzzzpt... Request accepted. Intercept planned. Burn in 1 day. Arrival 2 years. Plan B active. zzzzzpt...

Bob: What? There is someone else out there. Who are they?

All of the kerbals, except Lars who was still fast asleep, try to send another communication. "Who are you" Bob asks, "do you have boosters" Jeb requests, "any snacks?" Bill checks. But no response. Even the beeping on the console stopped.

Bill: They must be prepping for the transfer burn. We will have to wait. You set the suspended animation pod to 2 years, I'll get the snacks."

The station goes quiet, and the Kerbals wait out for their unknown visitors.

- - - Updated - - -

The station lies dormant for two whole years. Ever so often a great crashing noise and screeching erupts across the station. But that's just Jeb snoring.

Eventually the suspended animation system disengages, and the Kerbals step out to see who their visitors may be.

They look out the window to find a surprise.

Robot Kerbals: zzzzpt. All systems nominal, serviced and refuelled. zzzzpt.

Bob: Wow, where did those come from?

Jeb: What where they doing around Kaiser?

Bill: They look really high tech.

Hudson: Hmmm. Could they have been sent after our launch?

Bill grabs the comms.

Bill: Lead engineer, Bill Kerman, requesting mission statement and systems report.

Robot Kerbal: Mission "Plan B" Data Recovery Automated Kerbal Orbital System. Mission, to recover scientific data from Dolas, failure not an option. Craft inventory, 4 Automated Kerbals, one return craft.

The kerbals look at each other with big grins. Peering out the window, parked just by their station, a completely fitted and fuelled interstellar return craft.

[Technical Ben]

The Kerbals look over the DRAKOS manifest and specs.

Hudson: Four automated robots, a fully fuelled return section and a combined suspended animation and re-entry crew pod.

Jeb: Great, I'll be back flying boosters in no time.

Hudson: One small problem with the pod though.

Bob: Another? What is it this time?

Hudson: It was built to the original mission spec. Before we had a hitch-hiker.

Lars: Could you and Bill not just move across one of our pods from the Longburn?

Bill: Um, I think so, how many are still functioning?

Bob: You mean some have stopped working?

Hudson: They have been running for decades. The spares are used up.

Jeb: The shuttles have some parts, we can reuse those?

Hudson: I guess so. I'll go check to see if we can remove them.

Hudson floats across the station towards the atmospheric shuttle. The Longburn one had changed a lot since the start of it's voyage. Clean and tidy interiors were not dotted with tin foil patches and welded joints from maintenance. It felt like home though. Much more than Hudson could remember from Kerbin. Inside the shuttle he sat in the combined cockpit and suspended animation pod. These things were built only for short journeys. He could not see them working for the 50 years needed to get Lars back home. He know they would not work. It had been a lot of work making all the craft repairs and refits over their time in the Dolas system. Hudson and Bill had been able to fix and make anything they needed. But this time was different. This time Hudson knew, it would have to be something else he would make, and not a return craft...

*Clank* *Slush*

Lars: Is Hudson removing the pod already?

Jeb: That sounds an awful lot like a fuel transfer.

*Clunk* *whoosh*

Bob: He just detached the shuttle!

Bill: What? Where is he going? Hudson, what are you doing?"

Hudson: Sorry Bill. There are not enough working parts left. I can't risk Lars life if a pod fails. He can have mine.

Bob: But what about you? How are you getting back. In that shuttle?

Hudson: I'm not going back. I've decided. There is just enough snacks and parts for me to make a nice little place here.

Jeb: No you can't. I'll come out there and stop you!

Hudson: It's no use, I've got our only atmospheric shuttle.

Bob: That's never stopped Jeb before.

Hudson: I'll be fine here. I know the workings of the craft and have plenty of supplies. With the Longburn as a nice observatory too. It's like home.

The Kerbals left on the station look out the window. The shuttle slowly descends to the planet.

The crew slowly take what they need across to the transport. Not much is said between them. The end of an epic journey. Not many souvenirs except some rocks and science samples. Bill picks up one last thing, Hudson's spanner.

Bill: I'll leave my spanner here and take yours with us. We will swap over next time we meet. Right Hudson?

Hudson: Right Bill. I'll come visit, or you lot swing by next time you're passing.

The crew get into the pods, and the automated systems fire up the engines.

[Technical Ben]

One last look back at Dolas and CZF30 as the return craft continues it's burn.

Slight problem with the engines. For some reason they overheated, then exploded.

But explosions and failures are all part of this story, and it seems the craft works fine on one engine.

After a very long time, eventually a star and some planets come into view...

The first sight of Jool for over 100 years! The craft heads straight for Kerbin, and the pods wake up the crew.

The crew rush to the coms.

Bob: This is the crew of Longburn One. Come in KSC. Please respond...

There is a short period of silence, then a muddled reply.

KSC scientist 1: Hey, why is my coffee machine taking?

KSC scientist 2: That's no coffee machine, that's the old radio cupboard.

Bob: Hey guys, it's us! Were back!

KSC scientist 1: Is that some old recording? Who left that playing? I'd better turn it off.

Bob: No, it's Bob, Bill, Jeb and Lars. We are back from Dolas and we have the data to save Kerbin from the solar flares!

KSC scientist 2: The flares? They were decades ago. Last time a mission was launched for those, was when they sent Jeb and... wait! You guys are up there in orbit now?

Jeb: Yes. Do we have permission to land?

Bill: Since when do you ask for permission Jeb?

Jeb: Since I noticed my Booster pilots licence expired 125 years ago, and KSC is the only ones with the re-approval stamps!

KSC: Permission granted, welcome back. Just a little warning. Things may have changed a little since you were gone. I hope you packed some re-entry shielding, as the flares have energised and intensified our atmosphere. That and, well, there were some other changes. You're not going to believe what also happened...

So the Kerbals made it home. All in all I got 10600 science. Not amazing, but I was limited in part count and what I missions I could manage. They survived 1 or two game breaking bugs (unable to use rotation controls in interstellar space and SOI errors and other rounding errors) a lack of proper planning and some really unforgiving planets.

After all that... and I'm still planning to do it again in 1.1!

[Joshwoo70]

nice ending.. i like it!

That's no coffee machine, that's the old radio cupboard.

STAR WARS REFERENCE!

[DMSP]

Glad to see it end!

Great work!

[Technical Ben]

Thanks. I hope KSP gets new/different systems one day. It really changes how we play the game.