"Eve: Order Zero" -- a KSP Graphic Novel (POSTLUDE COMPLETE...bet you didn't see THAT coming.)

[Geschosskopf]

Barratry...... Ooooh, I feel a trope coming on. And to keep off my own soapbox, I'll leave it to the master to say it .

http://www.thereturnedmissionary.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Inigo-Montoya-WORD-MEANS.jpg

[Parkaboy]

Oh, I've been waiting for a looong time for that title drop! And guess what: it didn't disappoint!

[Foxbat]

Sierra Hotel!!!

[passinglurker]

As to whether he himself issued an unlawful command to strand Bob and Tedus, if so accused he could always present a defense saying he was just establishing a base. I've had scientists hanging out on Mun and Minmus since basically the beginning of the save, so there's precedent

If he stranded anyone other than bob the regulation lawyer I would have believed he'd get away with that.

[Dman979]

Kuzzter: What is the exact text of each Order?

I have a feeling that I am going to go all lawyer in here.

[Mister Dilsby]

Kuzzter: What is the exact text of each Order?

Oh my goodness no, I have enough trouble staying consistent with my own canon without giving you lot the tools you need to catch me out! In any case they exist only as quoted by the characters in the story. I do not have any list of them other than what appears there. That part where Mort trails off while quoting General Order Three? I have not even completed the sentence in my own mind. All I have is a list of which numbers I've 'checked out' already so I don't re-use them.

Now as to the lawyering thing, that's always fun. I've dabbled a little in patent law and appreciate a good argument as much as anyone else on the Internet. But in this case I can't see Mort getting convicted on GO #3, Bob or no Bob. For one thing, Mort is not a Kerbfleet officer. He's a civilian administrator, as is the rest of the Mission Control staff. (though Gene may or may not have held rank in the Air Service at one point, shhhh) Even if Mort were a KF officer he was not given any order, lawful or otherwise, that he could have disobeyed. Remember, the Dipperkraft crashed before the re-org. He simply ordered on his own prerogative as Chairkerb that due to the expense and extreme danger no rescue should be attempted. This actually follows GO#1 and GO#2 pretty well, and Lawyer Bob agrees or he would not have put that flag up.

If anyone was guilty of anything, it would be under GO#2 which says you only send the minimum crew required to accomplish a dangerous mission. Bob quoted that when he objected to the Dipperkraft mission for the final time. Dilsby decided that the mission did not violate that Order, being that a pilot was required to fly the craft and a scientist was required to reset the experiments. Yes, they could have done some of the science with a probe--but not all of it, and in fact there was no such probe present.

In any case it might surprise you to know that there is no General Order--canonical or otherwise--designed to prevent stupidity, negligence, poor design, boneheadedness, nincompoopery, dereliction of the senses, or, to put it it more generally, being kerbal.

Edited September 12, 2015 by Kuzzter

[Starwhip]

No one gets left behind

Best line ever.

[Dman979]

In any case it might surprise you to know that there is no General Order--canonical or otherwise--designed to prevent stupidity, negligence, poor design, boneheadedness, nincompoopery, dereliction of the senses, or, to put it it more generally, being kerbal.

Nope, no surprise at all.

EDIT: Can someone put together a list of all the text from each General Order?

Also, Kuzzter, I think you have a good place to start work from for your next interlude: the kexpedia.kom ratings.

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

Might I suggest that this be put in Fan Works?

[Dman979]

Might I suggest that this be put in Fan Works?

It is, under the under-sub-forum "Mission Reports"

[Starhawk]

Oh my goodness no, ... there is no General Order--canonical or otherwise--designed to prevent stupidity, negligence, poor design, boneheadedness, nincompoopery, dereliction of the senses, or, to put it it more generally, being kerbal.

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Kuzzter again."

Just so you know.

Happy landings!

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

It is, under the under-sub-forum "Mission Reports"

Ah! Maybe it should be in Fan Works proper?

[Dman979]

Ah! Maybe it should be in Fan Works proper?

Nope, I don't think so. the quote from the forums says "Tell us your tales of mission successes, or failures.."

But I would ask a mod if you think it should be changed.

[Mister Dilsby]

Might I suggest that this be put in Fan Works?

I asked that question myself long, long ago on the first page or two of D,OB! The response from the mod was that since I am reporting on events occuring in gameplay, it's a Mission Report rather than a Fan Fiction. Now... one could argue that I can and have contrived said Missions solely to tell a certain pre-concieved Fiction. Dunno. I've certainly blurred the line a bit as the story progressed--I mean, was Jeb climbing a flagpole and Bill driving a 100-ton crawler around the campus a "mission"? Maybe not, but all of the ship flights certainly are, and the outcome is often as much in doubt for me as it is for the reader until I actually play it through.

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

I asked that question myself long, long ago on the first page or two of D,OB! The response from the mod was that since I am reporting on events occuring in gameplay, it's a Mission Report rather than a Fan Fiction. Now... one could argue that I can and have contrived said Missions solely to tell a certain pre-concieved Fiction. Dunno. I've certainly blurred the line a bit as the story progressed--I mean, was Jeb climbing a flagpole and Bill driving a 100-ton crawler around the campus a "mission"? Maybe not, but all of the ship flights certainly are, and the outcome is often as much in doubt for me as it is for the reader until I actually play it through.

OK! Just a suggestion.

[Sharkman Briton]

Hmmm, so since we just got into the "order zero" part, then technically everything before this was prologue, and we're just getting into the true beginning of this story now the DOB crew is back, so we must have alot more to go! Woohoo!

[Deddly]

That was glorious! The unnamed guy who licks the markers is now one of my favourite characters. But the new information means Werner wasn't only in on the plan - he appears to actually be the mastermind behind it; moving the M7 to a launchpad so far away must have been done whilst the Humlebee crew were still in hibernation and unaware of all the administrational changes, correct? So I'm still a bit confused why Jebediah, Bill, Val and Lisa arranged the flagpole spectacle, unless it was a ploy to get Jebediah in a plane...? Am I missing something?

Oh, and I loved the pause for dramatic dialogue

[Mister Dilsby]

But the new information means Werner wasn't only in on the plan - he appears to actually be the mastermind behind it; moving the M7 to a launchpad so far away must have been done whilst the Humlebee crew were still in hibernation and unaware of all the administrational changes, correct?

Yes, he moved it well before the Hummlebee crew were aware of any of the goings-on at KSC. So either he masterminded the whole plan, or he set the M7 aside just in case it would become useful for Bill later, or he had a plan of some kind that merged with Bill's plan when Bill showed up. All three of those (and maybe more) are possible explanations, I'm going to take this approach to it than this one, and let the canon sort itself out (or not) in the comic.

ETA: The whole flagpole thing was indeed required to get Jeb and Bill to the M7. I suppose another way would have been for them to resign their commissions and join the Bobak Space Program, but this way was awesomer for me Also, yet another trope.

Edited September 12, 2015 by Kuzzter

[Parkaboy]

Yes, he moved it well before the Hummlebee crew were aware of any of the goings-on at KSC. So either he masterminded the whole plan, or he set the M7 aside just in case it would become useful for Bill later, or he had a plan of some kind that merged with Bill's plan when Bill showed up. All three of those (and maybe more) are possible explanations, I'm going to take this approach to it than this one, and let the canon sort itself out (or not) in the comic.

So you're basically doing this?

[Mister Dilsby]

So you're basically doing this?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Parkaboy]

BTW, the whole grand theft rocket thing reminded me of Xkcd's Apollo speeches, particularly the "In case astronauts abscond with spaceship" one.

[Thegamer211]

The whole grand theft rocket thing reminded me of this video:

[Mister Dilsby]

BTW, the whole grand theft rocket thing reminded me of Xkcd's Apollo speeches, particularly the "In case astronauts abscond with spaceship" one.

Ha! Well, come to think of it your comic reminds me of the one where they come back with three extra astronauts:)

[Deddly]

I'm going to take this approach to it than this one, and let the canon sort itself out (or not) in the comic.

Haha, good call!

Sorry if I appeared nitpicky, I just wanted to make sure I'm not missing something I should know. For the record, your original idea of having all the former KSC staff disguised as the tourists would have been perfect and would have made it all clear, even though the real tourists were great fun

Edited September 12, 2015 by Deddly

[Alchemist]

To be honest, the very beginning, where Herr Wernher was talking about how impossible it is to get from the surface of Eve, was practically a foreshadowing of them having to get somebody out of there.

The Chekhov's Gun hint about the Dipperkraft - the actual trope implies the object (originally - hunting rifle, not really meant to be pointed at people) being used the way originally not intended (from the characters' point of view). The only way to work like that in this case was landing of the unlandable ship.

And, of course, the Order Zero - I was suspecting that it is what it actually is (maybe not the way it was introduced) for quite a while.

Of course, everybody running to KSC2 was a good surprise (on the other hand, M7 can launch from anywhere if it's meant to launch from Eve). Looks like Wernher had this planned for quite a while. And that's the answer to the question who is really in charge!

Oh well, still brilliant beginning, and now that being Kerbal for the purpose of the script is kinda mostly over... now the actual big mission the Kerbal way may start!

And what's the crew capacity of M7? 5 Kerbals? Holey Moho! Wasn't 1 Kerbal EAV already quite a challenge before? I definitely was expecting a 2-Kerbal ascent vehicle just to pick the guys up. But looks like there will be quite a trip on Eve.

Love these series and can't wait to see where it goes now!