totm aug 2016 Kerny Kerman's Journal (mission reports from a Kerbal's point of view) [Chapter 87: "Among the growing shadows."]

[Dman979]

2 minutes ago, adsii1970 said:

She thinks it's good old fashioned competition among colleagues. Jedediah thinks it's about being the undisputed top dog...so he sees her as a rival. Or at least it's how I see it playing out in my mind.

I want to see how it plays out in the story.

[adsii1970]

Urlum 26, Y003
"Kerny...wake up...VOX is...dammit, Aldas... switch to the emergency band..."
Chapter 24

Earlier this morning, based on center time, we prepared to fire the main engine of the second stage to slow us into orbit around Minimus. It was really exilerating to know that we're the first Kermen to venture this far from Kerbin since Neidon Y001. For some reason, every time I have put in a request for information on Bill's mission - the only mission - to Minimus, I get the same results. Even my most recent request was returned denied. Bobak told me that I have to have a level seven clearance to receive the information. "I'd love to give it to you but all I have is a level five!" was the last thing he said to me before I entered the simulator back on the 5th of Urlum.

About two hours before we began our orbital insertion burn and right on time, we received confirmation on my calculations and verified the telemetry reported by our computer with the information provided by the tracking station.   Within a few minutes of our receiving the final data packet, the main engine was fired and we settled into a nearly round fifty-two kilometer orbit above Minimus. For the first time in my career as a Kerbalnaut, I was amazed at the appearance of Sarnus, Duna, and Eve as we entered Minimus' shadow. It was truly a beautiful sight!

About thirty minutes later, we were a quarter of the way through our first orbit of Minimus. Sure, the ride to get here was difficult. Our craft, after fourteen days in service, is too small for this kind of mission. And Aldas has finally quit farting! But all those problems were worth it this afternoon as I saw, with my own eyes, the beauty of space...

Urlum 27 -

Looking at the pad, I realize that I fell asleep last night while recording my journal. It's about forty minutes after daylight at the KSC. It has already beginning to look like a long and stressful day. About an hour ago, I was woke up by Karloff frantically screaming, "Kerny...wake up! The VOX is exploding in overlapping signals from all over Kerbin! Dammit, Aldas, switch us to the emergency band NOW!"

I will admit that waking up to all that excitement was  - unnerving to say the least. "What's going on, guys... can you slow down a bit, Karloff?"

"Aldas, dammit, no... you change bands with this switch..." frustration was clearly present in his voice. "Kerny, there's been more alien craft sighted - and this time there are reports from all over Kerbin..."

As he changed to the emergency band, we all sat in the silence of space, listening to the drama unfolding back on Kerbin. "Gene, this is Bob - Bill's left the infirmary..." /static/

"Roger, Bob...we've got sightings all over Kerbin this time... even the Minimus Explorer has picked up something..." /static/ "Bobak, send a flash message to Minimus 2..."

"Dammit, Gene... are you seeing this? Bob - radar is showing it's on the..."

"Yes, it's landed! and Bill's running towards it... Gene!" and with Bob's latest observations, it was too obvious that not only could we do anything to help but that we might also be in danger.

Over the next few minutes, we listened as Bob, chasing after Bill, reported his pursuit to Gene back in the tracking station. "Gene, he's... My gods, Gene... he's...he's going inside! My gods... Bill..." Bob began to describe the alien craft extending a ladder and Bill, as if by invitation climbed up the ladder and entered the waiting spacecraft.

What we heard next was unimaginable - Bobak could be heard over the emergency band scrambling all KDF assets as a second alien craft was on course towards the space center. "Mission control, this is Joker," Jebediah's voice cut in. "Request clearance for..."

"Gene... that alien craft is taking off... and they have Bill!" We could all hear the disbelief and anger in Bob's voice. "Gene, it's taking a southwesterly path and is about three hundred meters in altitude... Gene, they've got him..." I imagine that at that moment Bob probably felt as useless as my crew and I did. All any of us could do is to be a spectator in the events unfolding what felt like half a galaxy away.

"My gods, Kerny, we have incoming..."

Karloff called out, wanting to be heard over all the continuing chatter on the emergency band. For nearly twenty minutes, he and I tracked an object rising off the surface of Minimus, it's radar signature unmistakable - an alien craft much like the ones sighted on Kerbin.

"Aldas, Karloff, let's track it... let's not get caught off guard..." By this point I really didn't care what our mission orders or objectives were - I wanted to make sure we didn't share the same fate as Bill. "Gene, this is Minimus 2, we are tracking another alien craft..." /static/

"Kerny, we're on the far side of Minimus and are experiencing temporary radio signal... holy gods... Kerny? Aldas? are y'all seeing this?"

Right outside the window of our capsule, some fifty meters from us, the alien craft quietly glided past us. "Aldas, activate external cameras and record this..." I know the external cameras had a limited field of vision, but I hoped that anything it could record about this contact would be more data available for Dr. Haywood and the rest of those researching the recent outbreak of alien activity.

As we emerged from the far side of Minimus, we were out of the radio signal dead zone and again receiving he emergency band radio signals from Kerbin. Jebediah's voice was the first we heard, "Mission control, this is Joker. I've got visual to the south-west, near the Island Airfield. Going weapons hot..."

"Roger, Joker, " Bobak's unusually calm voice called back, " go weapons hot. You are authorized to engage the alien craft. Repeat, you are authorized to engage the alien craft..."

"Holy gods, Gene, this thing is really moving. It's heading towards the space center... I see it's... it's green... It's changed direction and is heading towards the monolith. I'm in pursuit... Bob... are you still there...near that thing?" /static/

"Not anymore... I see it coming, Jebediah, but I'm not staying..." Under the circumstances, I don't blame Bob. The last thing I want to do is to be anywhere near one of those alien crafts. What I don't understand is the connection it has with the monolith. Is it just this monolith or is there connection with all the monoliths in our system, both the ones we've discovered and the ones we've yet to find.

"Mission control, it is now heading north-north-east at about a hundred and twenty meters per second... well, here goes really breaking in this bird... I still have visual..." /static/

"Roger..." /static/ "You are free to engage, Joker. /static/ ...eat, free to enga..." /static/

"Roger, Mission Control. My gods... it's taking an easterly heading and, oh, no you don't... tone lock, firing one... firing two..." And with that radio transmission, Jebediah became the first Kerman to engage this unknown enemy who has taken one of our own. "My gods... I'm no longer tracking it. Dammit, no visual, no radar lock... Gene... it's gone... Bill's gone..."

"Joker, this is Gene. Return to the barn," Gene ordered. "None of the craft are even on radar or visual any more...  We did what we could; now let's just work on..."

"Getting Bill back..." Jebediah cut in. "My missiles didn't even come close to..."

"KDF, this is Mission Control..." Kuzzter's voice cut in. "We are at defense standard BULUC CHABTAN. Repeat, BULUC CHABTAN. By order of the Prime Consul and the concurrence of the Associate Prime Consul, Protocol Four now in effect..." And with that, for the first time since the Fifth Great War of Kerbin, every craft within the KDF would be patrolling the skies, land, and sea with the main objective of defending Kerbin's population at all costs. For the first time in over three thousand years, a government on Kerbin has declared us in a state of war.

As we prepare to begin our voyage back to Kerbin, I wonder what awaits us when we are finally home. Already, Karloff has really performed well not only as our mission's engineer, but has even been able to do some of the work that Aldas has been unable to to. I've checked his math; with us still having a third of the fuel remaining in our second stage engine, he has proposed we use it at maximum throttle to break out of Minumus' orbit and increase our speed on the journey home. If his math is correct, we should be able to trim nearly four days off our travel time to Kerbin. We've been ordered into a sleep cycle before we begin our journey home; in spite of everything we did achieve our orbital goals. In three hours, I'll ask Bobak to verify our calculations and prepare our craft to begin our long journey home.

Edited January 16, 2017 by adsii1970
Fixing image problems.

[Just Jim]

Wow.... poor Bill.... 

Oh, and I love the red/green marker lights on the jet... not just accurate, but a great way to add some subtle ambient lighting light to the wings.

[adsii1970]

Thanks! I do try to be accurate with things like marker lights... It's part of my nerdy-ness!

I love OPM with Distant Object mod... Amazing seeing the planets from orbiting Minimus... Didn't know if you noticed the three planets in the one picture...

[Dman979]

1 hour ago, adsii1970 said:

Thanks! I do try to be accurate with things like marker lights... It's part of my nerdy-ness!

It does make good ambient light, but I was under the impression that most military vehicles wouldn't use them in a night fighting engagement.

And such a chapter, BTW. The tension is ratcheting up.

[Angelo Kerman]

It's kerbal XCOM! I love it!

[adsii1970]

5 hours ago, Dman979 said:

It does make good ambient light, but I was under the impression that most military vehicles wouldn't use them in a night fighting engagement.

And such a chapter, BTW. The tension is ratcheting up.

You're right, they wouldn't. But remember, one of Jedediah's original crew mates has just been nabbed by aliens... If he forgot to kill the lights, who'd really care at that point?

Also, I needed the ambient light so the weapons payload could be easily seen...

[Orion Kerman]

So when will the 

Spoiler

Submarine you told me about (this is just in case no one likes surprised early)

be implemented because that would be cool. Love this story.

[Orion Kerman]

Also I would like to see a photo of all your  boats to see size comparison and other types of compsrrison. I would like some inspiration for my warships which of ive made a few. I have also made torpedoes without another bda mod. I use the amrams. The fist ship in the drydock looks tiny compared to the new one but I can't tell because of the angle.

Edited December 13, 2016 by Orion Kerman
Sorry if it's unorganised

[AviosAdku]

I'm back and thank you for clarifying about the calendar and chronology of that earlier post.

As for this "episode": well, that happened

Is it just me or this and A Jool Odyssey both hitting climatic points around the same time?

[adsii1970]

1 hour ago, AkuAerospace said:

I'm back and thank you for clarifying about the calendar and chronology of that earlier post.

As for this "episode": well, that happened

Is it just me or this and A Jool Odyssey both hitting climatic points around the same time?

I have just discovered that the Kerbin year changed with 1.0... and I've been using the standard (pre-release) year of 411 Kerbin-days in a year. According to what the game's wiki and chronometer now show, Kerbin's year has been changed to 426 days.  So - I'm going to have to add another month to the calendar or maybe fill in some of the shorter months with a few extra days. Back to OPM to create a 15 day month! The wiki shows that between 1.0.5 and 1.2, the mass of Kerbin was changed. I wonder if this has anything to do with it.

Yes, it has happened - Bill has been abducted by the alien craft. I've been wanting to do this for some time but didn't know how to write it into the story. Since there are breadcrumbs I have left throughout the earlier chapters about Bill being the only one who had ever been to the extreme edges of the Kerbin system and he did a solo orbit of Minimus in Year 001. Even at that time, he encountered aliens... and there's a bit more to be revealed, within the next few chapters, about that in the next few chapters. I cannot give too much of the story line away or y'all won't come back!

As a profession, I teach at the college/university level - and my mood turns incredibly dark at that time of the semester. That last chapter was "doomed" to have something happen, since I wrote it during the middle of exam week. Maybe I was influenced by @Kuzzter's or @Just Jim's great stories... or maybe it is just that time of the year for others as well... who knows!

[adsii1970]

Just wanted to let everyone know I now have a new computer and have had to transfer all things to it. I've gotten all the screenshots I need for the next chapter uploaded and should be able to finish writing it tomorrow.

[adsii1970]

Urlum 35, Y003
"A lot happens when you're away from home..."
Chapter 25

We've now been back on Kerbin for close to four hours - nearly an entire day! It's definitely been a busy four hours and there is still a lot to do before I can be released from Mission Control and go back to my quarters. Just as Karloff and I suspected, we were able to shave nearly five days off our return trip by adding close to a minute to our burn time during the course correction. The return trip to Kerbin was uneventful compared to the orbital encounter with the alien craft near Minimus. Once we were stable in our high altitude orbit, both Gene and Dr. Wernher wanted to know exactly how much fuel we had left in our second stage. Dr. Wernher's last statement really has my mind racing, "It seems the second stage we have may be perfect for the module..."

About three hours before we began our de-orbit burn, it was time to check our math with the tracking center. Just for the sake of not having to be in the capsule any longer, I decided that I would do the calculations rather than to have Aldas do them. I had already determined the necessity of talking to Gene about Aldas before Gene brought him up in the crew evaluation portion of the debriefing. Once we had confirmation from Kuzzter that the calculations were correct, Karloff worked his way through the engineer's reentry checklist. "Aldas, go ahead and jettison the second stage..." and with that, Karloff continued working down the required steps he needed to do before our next burn.

"Kerny, we are ready to do our final de-orbit burn. Awaiting your command..." I could hear the excitement in Karloff's voice. This was the second major mission we had flown together. From what Jebediah told me, once you've got a good working crew, Gene and Bobak work hard to keep the team intact. I have no doubts about Karloff's abilities.

"Um, yeah, wait a moment..." /ka---chunk/ "Second stage separation complete, status normal!" Aldas gladly announced. The problem was that his delay in following the procedures now meant we would be entering the atmosphere in the same reentry window as the second stage. Our planned landing area was within the ten kilometer radius zone of the KSC. This meant the second stage would also land nearby.

"Gene, this is Miniumus 2," It was the only thing I could think to do. "Aldas thought it would be neat to delay second stage separation until the last minute... it's heading your way..." I knew this would become a major issue during our mission debriefing.

"Minimus 2, this is Tracking," the calm voice of Kuzzter responded to my warning. "We've got it on radar. Not much we can do now, estimate landing between runway and launch pad..."

About the only thing I can say about our landing was my calculations placed us well within our landing area. Within twenty minutes of the capsule touching down, we were taken to medical, cleared for duty, and in the briefing room. While we were waiting for Gene to come down from his second story office, Bobak began to fill us in on everything that had happened since the night Bill was abducted by aliens earlier on the 26th.

On the 27th, Dr. Haywood ordered a team of scientists and engineers to perform a complete study of the monolith and the site where the alien craft landed. He placed Thompberry in operational command of the mission. But as Geisel was preparing to deploy the mobile command post and lab near the monolith, Jebeidah came racing up in one of the space center's doodlebugs, demanding that Geisel place the structure closer to the monolith. Bobak told us the exchange between Thompberry and Jebeidah began on the radio and continued even once Thompberry arrived on the scene.

"I don't care where Thompberry told you to put it... you'll NEVER learn anything way back there! We've got to do everything we can to find Bill! You either help me or get out of my way!" Jebediah screamed in the radio at Geisel.

"Jebediah, I have my orders..." Geisel calmly replied. "Thompberry's who Gene put in charge, and I'm going to do what he says..."

"As of right now, I'm in charge!" Jebediah yelled back over the radio. "Now you bring that thing here and let's get going. I'll deal with Thompberry and Gene later."

"Geisel, don't listen to him..." Thompberry broke in. "Sigthy and I are on our way. And for the gods' sake, don't push Jebediah!"

Bobak told us that within a few minutes of the last radio transmission, Thompberry and Jebediah were arguing in front of the monolith. "Dammit, Jeb, Bill is important to me, too!" Thompberry yelled, mainly out of exasperation. "You're too close to all this... and that's why Gene put me in charge of this..."

"We'll see about this..." Jebediah shot back. "Gene, this is Jebediah, tell Thompberry to stand down... I've got this!"

"And that's when I told him..." Gene interrupted as he entered the conference room, "that he was to stand down and report back here immediately."  He then told myself, Aldas, and Karloff about temporarily assigning Jebediah to the Island Air Field until Thompberry's study of the site could be complete. Gene told us he had given Thompberry and his team full access to the resources of the space center. So far, the forensic evidence confirms Bob's account of what happened. The alien craft had landed and Bill walked to the craft and boarded it. There were no drag marks or separate set of tracks. Every footprint around the area was Bill's!

I've never been to the monolith near the KSC, but do remember the one we saw on the Mun. Sigthy made the comment she never realized the monolith was so big; I am still convinced that I could probably put a lander on top of one! Gene said her observations and measurements didn't mention any audible hum or the visual star effect Bill reported the two times he was found curled up in front of it.

Once the primary debriefing was completed, Gene dismissed Aldas and Karloff. As both Kerman left the room, Dr. Haywood and Senior Consul Herodikus joined myself, Bobak, and Gene. For the next thirty minutes I was asked questions about the alien craft we observed leaving the surface of Minimus. I told them that the alien craft didn't even seem to be bothered by our presence. It simply appeared on our ship's radar, broke orbit, and flew past us at a high rate of speed. And with that, the questions turned to my evaluation of the crew.

"Kerny, I'm not sure how to tell you this..." Gene started out.

"Fine, I'll say it." Dr. Haywood interrupted. "I know he's completed a Mun landing mission and a handful of orbital missions but..."

"Quite frankly, he sucks...!" I could not believe I just blurted that out. Since the mistake with the second stage, I decided to rehearse exactly what I wanted to say about him. I didn't want to be overly critical, but I didn't want to go on another space mission with him as a part of the crew. The problem was once I started talking about him, I couldn't stop. I continued on, "He smells bad, he can't do math, he gets distracted by his own shadow, and he nearly dropped the second stage on top of..."

"I see," Gene interrupted. "First, we're going to promote Karloff to the rank of Lieutenant. He is going to remain a member of your crew since you both work together well." This was definitely good news. Karloff, like me, was eager to be in space and to explore its secrets.

"And we've decided, partly based on your recommendation," Dr. Haywood interrupted, to retain Aldas in the Kerbalnaut program, but as a Petty Officer. That way he will always be commanded by someone more capable than himself. We've also decided to reassign him, possibly to the Zebulan Kerman." At least that's good to know. I found out that he had been certified as a Kerbalnaut simply because Jebediah, Bob, and a few others didn't want to have to spend any more time with him. He was certified and moved up in rotation because - well, I've learned bureaucracy seems to promote the incompetent rather than ridding itself of them. The Zebulan Kerman and the rest of her crew will never be the same once this walking, farting disaster area arrives!

"Kerny, the reason why I'm here is not to participate in this briefing," began Herodikus. "While on your last mission, you were aware that every Kerbal assigned in the Kerbal Defense Forces, to include the space program, would be assigned a rank based on their experiences, abilities, and level of professionalism." He paused a moment to take a drink of water from the cup in front of him, then continued. "Kerny, please stand. Gene, Dr Haywood, please assist me. Upon the recommendation of Gene, Dr. Haywood, and Dr. Wernher, and upon confirmation by the Grand Committee, you are hereby promoted to the rank of Commander. Congratulations, Commander Kerny!"

Once all the handshaking and back slapping was done, Gene, Bobak and myself were the only three left in the room. Gene explained that both myself, Thompberry, and Ralph were promoted to the same grade. Jebediah, Valentina, Bob, and Bill being promoted to the rank of Captain, just one grade above me. I'm not worried at all and am really not concerned about what rank I've been assigned. I'm just more interested in learning when my next mission will be.

"There's one last thing you need to know, Kerny..." Gene said, almost in a whisper. "Jebediah is really taking the disappearance of Bill pretty hard. We're suspending his space flight status for a while..." What Gene said next was bittersweet. "For now, you've moved up in the rotation, your next mission is in fifteen days. You're heading back to Minimus!"

Edited January 16, 2017 by adsii1970
Fixing image problems.

[Angelo Kerman]

OOO, back to Minmus he goes!

[Orion Kerman]

Thank you for another, loving this. I like making stories but I get two problems

1. I don't focus on it so I dont do it.

2. I can't think of ideas when I just want to write a book, I have to be inspired or well I don't focus on it.

To aliens to suspense to something I don't know but kerbal-like

EDIT: Interesting you've added kuzzster and thompberry to this story so far...

Edited December 21, 2016 by Orion Kerman

[StupidAndy]

Very good story! just read all of it! very good!

[Just Jim]

Congrats Kerny!!!  

[adsii1970]

1 hour ago, StupidAndy said:

Very good story! just read all of it! very good!

Thank you for your kind words!

 

4 hours ago, Orion Kerman said:

Thank you for another, loving this. I like making stories but I get two problems

1. I don't focus on it so I dont do it.

2. I can't think of ideas when I just want to write a book, I have to be inspired or well I don't focus on it.

To aliens to suspense to something I don't know but kerbal-like

EDIT: Interesting you've added kuzzster and thompberry to this story so far...

That happens to all of us. There are times where I just do not feel like writing. So, on those days, I'll just play KSP or one of my other games and simply let the mind wander.

The reason I don't overly focus on aliens is I need to do some setup before they are encountered again. For now, all we know is the alien craft look sorta like the ones discovered on the Mun and in the polar region of Kerbin. It's not the craft I need to set up, but there are some story elements that I need to put into place before they reappear. Trust me, it will be worth it.

@Kuzzter was added as a tribute to the encouragement he gave when I first began writing. Thompberry actually showed up in my roster and I could not resist using him, especially when I decided to make him the complete opposite of @Just Jim's Thompberry. I will say this - the showdown between Jebediah and Thompberry is not over with yet...

Edited December 22, 2016 by adsii1970

[Just Jim]

38 minutes ago, adsii1970 said:

Thompberry actually showed up in my roster and I could not resist using him, especially when I decided to make him the complete opposite of @Just Jim's Thompberry. I will say this - the showdown between Jebediah and Thompberry is not over with yet...

Yup, Thompberry is a game generated name, and I knew it was just a matter of time before someone got him. And for the record, @adsii1970 was nice enough to contact me way ahead and let me know what he was planning. And when he told me how he wanted to use my Emiko Station as a fictional claymation TV series in his universe, and how some of his characters, like Thompberry, might react to how they're being portrayed in Emiko Station (the claymation series), I thought it was a really brilliant twist, and absolutely said yes. I find it really amusing his characters spend their off time, or sometimes goof off on duty, watching my story... and I think at least one of his characters hates it... lol.  

[Orion Kerman]

I must of got confused with saga of emiko station or a jool odesty. It was night when I posted that. Also have I mentioned that kerny once turned up in my rooster. I do know most names are name generated. My personal favourites are "Jebgas" "Katze" and a few others I'll remember later. 

Also I just thought I would do a random phrase so this one will hopefully be better.

To space or to explosion...

[adsii1970]

10 hours ago, Just Jim said:

Yup, Thompberry is a game generated name, and I knew it was just a matter of time before someone got him. And for the record, @adsii1970 was nice enough to contact me way ahead and let me know what he was planning. And when he told me how he wanted to use my Emiko Station as a fictional claymation TV series in his universe, and how some of his characters, like Thompberry, might react to how they're being portrayed in Emiko Station (the claymation series), I thought it was a really brilliant twist, and absolutely said yes. I find it really amusing his characters spend their off time, or sometimes goof off on duty, watching my story... and I think at least one of his characters hates it... lol.  

Exactly... and to date, Gene is the only one that actually hates it. There's a slight impression he gets worked up when he sees someone watching The Saga of Emiko Station while on duty. I'm trying to work out an image in PhotoShop I believe will be an excellent agitator for Gene example of how serious Kerbals in my universe take this claymation science fiction soap opera!  At this point, I am not sure Thompberry is aware of how he is being portrayed... but that might change. I can already think of half a dozen scenarios to use...

[Spacetraindriver]

I was getting kinda worried that most of "Mission Reports" became more story oriented rather than pure missions. Now I know that's not a problem. 

Yet to rep the old chapters though. I'm on my way!

[adsii1970]

1 hour ago, Spacetraindriver said:

I was getting kinda worried that most of "Mission Reports" became more story oriented rather than pure missions. Now I know that's not a problem. 

Yet to rep the old chapters though. I'm on my way!

@Spacetraindriver: thank you for you kind words. Firstly, when I set out to do this "mission report," I wanted to do something completely different than what I have seen before. I wanted to make it more of an individual journal with Kerny telling his own story and his own observations on what's going on. It is a hard balance to achieve without making the journal style give way to straight out story telling.

Hopefully, I've gotten the balance right so that the reader feels they are hearing the story being told by Kerny - and that his experiences and thoughts remain the center part of the story.

Edited December 22, 2016 by adsii1970

[adsii1970]

In a previous post I explained the calendar system I use for Kerny's journal:

I also mentioned in a later post that the Kerbin year has changed and is no longer 411 days but has been extended to 426 days somewhere between versions .90 and 1.1. So, it became necessary to update the calendar to include the new days. I was torn between adding a new 15 day month OR simply redistributing the new days to the existing months. I decided to go ahead and keep Kerbin's ten month year and extend the length of some of the months. I'll incorporate it into the next few chapters to try and explain the changes AND to make it where I don't have to go back and redate the previous entries that may be affected.

For those of you interested, here's the new calendar breakdown:

The Kerbin Year (426 days)

Moho	40	Dres	36
Eve	40	Eeloo	40
Duna	40	Urlum	45
Jool	50	Neidon	45
Sarnus	50	Plock	40

I kept the months in the same order but simply redistributed the number of days in each month. For those of you who are Dres lovers, I PURPOSELY have kept Dres as the shortest month of the Kerbin year.

[The solid fuel chemist]

(reads previous chapter)(super deep voice)

In light of the recent alien incursion, this council of nations has convened to approve the activation of the XKOM PROJECT.

Good luck, Commander