Etherium: A Kerbal Space Program Story (Chapter 43: The Final Push, part two)

[DarkOwl57]

21 hours ago, Draconiator said:

GUESS WHAT?  I deleted my 1.1.3 off of my hard drive, and when I started to ask around for help, DarkOwl came to the rescue with mentioning 1.1.3 - something I had backed up onto my external drive.  It wouldn't be the first time that thing has saved my rear either - it's what I used for the majority of Etherium.

So PERSONAL THANKS go out to DarkOwl

You saved me a lot of headaches, and that's another example of why the KSP gaming community is one of the best out there.  and I am even continuing the story on my hard drive because I'm so inspired lately.  SOOOOOO!!!!!!

THAT WORKED?!?!?!??! I was just spit-balling ideas.... Dang.... I will now proceed to laugh my head off at my incredibly stupid luck.

[Draconiator]

NEW UPDATE!  Also the first time using a new kind of posting.  Before I posted paragraph by paragraph.  Now I'm going to post the entire thing and make links where they go.  Should make things a lot easier on me.  Chapter 37 is just beginning on the hard drive and I need to finish 35.  36 is complete, SOOOOOOOOOO!!!

 

"Trabelle, Status."

"Roger, Cap'n.  KSS Haydi in Ike orbit in approximately...2 minutes."

Finally.  Jeb looked out the window at Ike, their final destination.  Somewhere down there was their target.

"Jeb to Four.  When we're in orbit, start scanning."

"AFFIRMATIVE, JEBEDIAH.  EVEN WITH ME, I AM NOT SURE WE CAN WIN THIS."

Jeb slightly frowned.  "Don't be a pessimist, Four.  We kicked your butts before we had you, after all."

"CONFIRMATION.  TO REITERATE, THE ETHERIUM ARE MUCH FURTHER ALONG TECHNICALLY."

"I KNOW, Four.  We will use that to our advantage, somehow.  That bomber drone and weapon cache was not protected at all."

Then, Four fell silent, which worried Jeb.  Was he picking up something?  "Four.  Talk to me."

"INCOMING ENEMY SHIP.  NAME, KSS JEB."

This was Jeb's greatest nightmare.  Most likely the rear half of the KSS Jeb was commandeered by the Etherium, just like the front half which destroyed...

"Trabelle.  How close?"

"10 Kilometers and closing, Jeb.  I have a scan of the ship.  They apparently retrofitted it as a large...battering ram..."

Soon, it came into view.  Sure enough, what was once the rear half of the KSS Jeb had some sort of metal plate in front, and it now seemed as if it were a large missile of some type.  It was distressing and looked to be capable of destroying any ship it came across simply by flying into it.

"Four, did they know a battleship would be coming?"

"NEGATIVE.  THEY WOULD HAVE MADE IT INTO A FORTRESS IF THEY HAD.  CHANCE OF SUCCESS, 90%."

"Four.  Online weapons, and lets go."

"AFFIRMATIVE, JEBEDIAH."

The zombie ship crept ever closer while Four waited for the right moment to fire.  The Zombie had no weapons, so he could wait as long as necessary to blow it to pieces.  If his timing was off even a little, it could result in severe damage to the KSS Haydi.

It soon became apparent that it was drifting on a direct collision course, so Four gave a little thrust to the engines and let it slip on by.  While it was busy re-orienting itself about 200 meters away, a couple shots from the main cannon blew it to pieces!

"JEBEDIAH KERMAN, THREAT NEUTRALIZED.  I HAVE DETECTED A LAUNCH FROM THE SURFACE OF IKE.  POSSIBLY SUPERUNIT 0000.

"Maybe Queenie wants a piece of us?"

"NEGATIVE.  THERE IS A 95% PROBABILITY THAT SUPERUNIT 0000 IS LEAVING THE DUNA SYSTEM."

"Why?  We haven't actually put a dent in their plans here..."

"THE QUEEN HAS BEEN MONITORING THE EVENTS LATELY.  SUPERUNIT 0003 WAS HER MOST 'SENIOR OFFICIAL' AS YOU WOULD PUT IT.  SHE IS TRYING TO SAVE HERSELF TO BEGIN ANEW."

"Then we must find her!"

"AND WE SHALL."

 

Yep this was a lot easier than how I used to do it.  What is going to happen?  STAY TUNED!!!

Edited November 6, 2016 by Draconiator

[Draconiator]

Hey Kerbites!  Just a heads up that a new update is coming soon, but I wanted to give you a teaser of things to come.  What is it?  Just Jim knows...but he's not going to talk (I hope...)

And if he does, I'll have to send Jeb after ya!

[Just Jim]

7 minutes ago, Draconiator said:

Hey Kerbites!  Just a heads up that a new update is coming soon, but I wanted to give you a teaser of things to come.  What is it?  Just Jim knows...but he's not going to talk (I hope...)

I see nothing... nothing!!!  

 

Edited November 7, 2016 by Just Jim

[adsii1970]

Long live Schultz Kerman!

[DarkOwl57]

8 hours ago, Just Jim said:

I see nothing... nothing!!!  

 

OMG I LOVE TO WATCH THOSE RERUNS!!!!! (And beautiful use of 'I know nothing'.)

[Draconiator]

Okay, I've done a little more on my hard drive, including another finished chapter!  and I am ready to post the next epic chapter of Etherium!  Again, I apologize for my real life stuff but as you all know real DOES come first.  I do enjoy creating this story for you all though!  So here is Chapter 35!!

As KSS Haydi was arriving at Ike, Dr. von Kerman, with the assistance of the VAB crew, was putting the finishing touches on an engine unlike any built at KSC before.  That blueprint they recovered from Superunit 0003 had proven most helpful in the construction of a highly experimental piece of new technology.  For Kerbals, that is.

Who knows how long the Etherium have been using this technology to infect thousands of civilizations before Kerbkind?  How many others would be saved from the destruction of the Etherium?  All of that was far from Wernher's mind, as he just was focused on finishing the ship.

The drive itself was very easy to build, once the blueprint was reverse-engineered.  The core component was found in an ancient monolith just outside of the KSC grounds, that senior officials said was an ancient alien ship that had crashed tens of thousands of years ago, and was made of a then-unknown element which is now known as "Squadium" after ancient writings on the surface.

The makeup of this element was astonishingly similar to what Etherium ships used as a power source, and test runs proved extremely successful, but cost the life of a construction crew member who had somehow snuck into the ventilation ducts as the drive was being tested.  As the test was nearing completion, Wernher was seen smiling and extatic that this new piece of technology actually WORKED!

Later that night, Wernher met up with his colleague Bill.

"Eet VORKS!  Ve hav nut tested und aktual sheep, but zat is comink soon.  Eet is being built nuw."

Bill looked relieved.  "Then we can get going soon?  The sooner this is dealt with, the sooner we can be at ease once again."

"Ya, buut nu tellink if und drive vorks oor nut until ve zee fur ourselvez."

"...And we don't have time to test the actual ship either, we must launch it as soon as possible, no matter if it works or not."

"Eggzactly."

"Wernher, lets hope it DOES work, and flawlessly."

"Ya..."  Wernher trailed off, lost in thought.  He was already the most famous Kerbal in existance due to discovering the Gravioli particle...if this worked, what would happen to him personally?  How would his life change?  Could he absorb all the changes?  With seemingly millions of thoughts swimming in his mind, he turned to Bill.

"Wern, I know what you are going to-"

"Zut!"  Wernher cut him off.  "I haav tu zink abut zis..."

Bill watched Wernher wander off toward the apartment blocks, apparently heading home so he could decide what to do.  Bill perhaps knew all too well what Wernher was going to decide, and he hated his potential decision.  But at the same time, he couldn't blame the scientist...Bill wasn't famous for anything, well aside from keeping Jeb from killing himself with his "experiments"; he wasn't sure if he could deal with what Wernher was going through either.  But at what cost?  Bill just took a deep breath and shouted at the top of his lungs.  Ahhhh, better, he thought.

He thought he heard someone say "What the Kraken was that?!?", but he just relaxed for the first time in a long while, staring up at the dark sky, with all the stars overhead.  "Kerbalkind is safe once more..." he said to himself.

At his quarters, Wernher was visibly agitated.  All the attention back then when he had discovered a new particle was bad enough; what would happen THIS time?  The saving of the entire Kerbal race was a far more important event than discovering the Gravioli ever was...and Wernher didn't think he could handle it.  Sleep would not come that night, so Wernher just lay in his bed and mulled over everything that had hapenned in his head.  Would he be able to live after this?  He would be aboard his new ship, but he decided he would make one change to the design before final assembly - a docking port to facilitate an escape pod.

Oh yes, his mind made up, he was going to create an escape pod and exile himself to Duna.  He would have enough air and snacks to live for a comfortably long time, perhaps a year or two.

Just long enough to set his final affairs in order...

 

Edited November 7, 2016 by Draconiator

[DarkOwl57]

NO! DON'T KILL WERNHER!!!!!

[Just Jim]

23 minutes ago, DarkOwl57 said:

NO! DON'T KILL WERNHER!!!!!

I don't think he's killing Werhner off, more like sending him into a self-imposed exile. I'm not sure where @Draconiator is going with this yet, but my instincts tell me we haven't seen the last of Werhner.

Awesome chapter! Look forward to moar!!! 

[Draconiator]

Thanks!  still putting together the last one, we're getting to the good stuff before it all ends.  I estimate we're past the halfway mark now...yet to come...who knows?

[DarkOwl57]

13 hours ago, Just Jim said:

I don't think he's killing Werhner off, more like sending him into a self-imposed exile. I'm not sure where @Draconiator is going with this yet, but my instincts tell me we haven't seen the last of Werhner.

Awesome chapter! Look forward to moar!!! 

Well, normally escape pods don't have extra engines for a return, and even if they did, it wouldn't be a good idea as the media would freak out even more when he returns.

 

12 hours ago, Draconiator said:

who knows?

Uuuhhh..... You?

[Draconiator]

Hello again!  Another chapter is ready for your consumption!  Remember waaaaaaay back when Sheffeld and Linuki found that probe?  We're about to find out what it is....

As soon as the strange craft left the Duna system just as Four had predicted, Jeb set course to run after the thing, whatever it was.

"Four, does your Queen have some sort of fallback spot?  just in case something happens?"

"AFFIRMATIVE.  IT IS A SPOT NOT OFTEN VISITED BY YOUR KIND."

"Very helpful, Four...wait..."

Jeb began to think.  Not often visited...Minmus was basically a small Kerbal city, so that would be out...Dres?  Just recently before this all began, Gene sent a 2-man detachment there....which would be in grave danger...

"Four!  I got it, Set course to Dres!"

"DRES...THAT PLANET IS NOT IN MY DATABASE"

Jeb punched some buttons on the engineering console, and a course was laid in.  NOW Four recognized Dres.

"THAT IS YOUR DRES?  WE KNEW OF A PLANETOID IN THAT PRECISE REGION, AND SUPERUNIT 0000 DROPPED A PROBE THERE SINCE SHE WAS UNSURE THAT SHE WOULD EVER FIND HER FALLBACK SPOT AGAIN."

The very probe that Sheffeld found...

Later at Dres, Sheffeld and Linuki were running through the data they had collected on the probe.  They had actually re-landed their small base to be close to it, so they could study it in more detail.  They were no closer to figuring this thing out than they were, and patience was wearing thin.  That is, until they tuned one of their highly-sensitive detectors into the infrared range.

Linuki was the first one to get excited.  "Sheffeld, look at this!  It seems to be emitting a signal of some type..."

"I see, Lin...I've never seen such a pattern before..."

It was flashing a very intense infrared signal out, and the flashing seemed to slowly get faster over time.  Linuki and Sheffeld were confused...this sure as hell was NOT their probe, but it was active and it was scaring the daylights out of them, thinking what - or WHO - were the rightful owners of the thing.  Was this the reason Gene sent them out here?  Why here?  No one ever comes to this lonely rock.

"I'm gonna take a closer look, Shef.  Radio me if you need anything."

"Will do, Lin.  Be careful though, I have a very bad feeling all of a sudden..."

Linuki just shrugged it off.  What could happen?  Of course, being in the dark about things have their disadvantages, and what happenned next had both of them on edge, and very, VERY frightened for their lives.

It started when the probe all of a sudden stopped flashing.  Lin was taking a closer look when it stopped, and initially was confused.  Did it run out of power?  But then, Sheffeld noticed that his radar equipment would not work.  Something was jamming radar signals to the outpost, but just before the outage...he saw something in orbit.

Something in orbit?  Sheffeld checked and rechecked his equipment, but he knew a replenishment cargo vessel wasn't due here for some months.  So he began to get a little scared.  He got even more scared when he couldn't reach Linuki, just outside.

"Awwww Sonofakerb...radio went out.  Not now!"  Sheffeld began to panic.  what was hapenning all of a sudden?  Unfortunately he would get his answer in moments...

Linuki was similarly scared.  and it just got WORSE when she looked up.  Something was descending right where they were landed!

Linuki just looked at the thing, bewildered.  She now knew what the probe was - some sort of landing guidance...but for what??  Going against her better judgement, she went to have a look at the strange craft.

It seemed inert now.  The engines seemed like some sort of Thud knockoff, and she took some residue samples.  Just then, an ominous voice was heard through her radio...

"WE WERE ASSURED THAT NO ONE WOULD BE ON THIS PLANETOID.  WHO ARE YOU, AND WHY ARE YOU ON ME?"

Linuki cleared her throat as best she could.  "I'm Li-Linuki...and we wondered about that probe over there...and was curious about...you..."  Linuki didn't want to anger it, because those guns on the thing looked vicious.  No telling what would happen...

"WE ARE ETHERIUM.  KERBALS CHASED US FROM OUR PLANET.  WE NEEDED KERBIN'S OCEANS TO FUEL OUR GROWING MILITARY.  WE UNDERESTIMATED HOW RESOLUTE KERBALS ARE.  WE NEED TO GO BACK HOME, SINCE WE HAVE FAILED."

Aliens?!?  Attempted invasion?  WHAT?  Linuki was BEYOND steamed.  And the craft seemed to detect this.

"ARE YOU PART OF KERBALKIND?"

Linuki matter-of-factly and defiantly said "YES."  a foolhardy move...

"THEN DIE!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"  Linuki watched on in horror as the outpost....and Sheffeld, were obliterated...

Edited November 10, 2016 by Draconiator
Not ready yet

[DarkOwl57]

*Gasp!*

[DarkOwl57]

16 hours ago, Draconiator said:

Call me imaginative, but tbh, I expected 0000 to be some sort of super-massive, 1000-part, game crashing, 1 fps running behemoth.

[Draconiator]

2 hours ago, DarkOwl57 said:

Call me imaginative, but tbh, I expected 0000 to be some sort of super-massive, 1000-part, game crashing, 1 fps running behemoth.

Well to be fair, she IS bigger than the other Etherium by a fair margin.  he original design of the queen was the same as the other bots except for a "crown" of 3 open Communotron 88-88's.  I.E. these things:

But I figured...it would be too cheesy so...we have what we have. 

[DarkOwl57]

4 hours ago, Draconiator said:

Well to be fair, she IS bigger than the other Etherium by a fair margin.  he original design of the queen was the same as the other bots except for a "crown" of 3 open Communotron 88-88's.  I.E. these things:

But I figured...it would be too cheesy so...we have what we have. 

Well when you compare her to Four, then yeah, she is like 3-4 times his size. As for something like 0003, she seems about the same size, if not a tad smaller. (Yes, I know 0003 was a plane, but still.)

But going against the standard flow; Creative.

Edited November 11, 2016 by DarkOwl57

[vsully]

Looking awesome! I just started reading this and read the whole story in a couple of hours lol...

[DarkOwl57]

3 minutes ago, vsully said:

Looking awesome! I just started reading this and read the whole story in a couple of hours lol...

You can definitely get addicted to this real quick

[Draconiator]

Hello Kerbonauts!!!  This time we have the conclusion of the fracas at Dres, and the start of hopefully what will be the beginning of a satisfying end to this Etherium tale.  And Barring real life, I have something special planned for Chapter 38 for you guys.

Before we start the chapter, I'd like to thank Just Jim, for inspiring me to start my own story...and I in turn encourage you to come up with a concept and start yours.  Who knows?  Hell, I have never done anything remotely like this on any other forum. 

 

Linuki was devastated.  She lay on top of the alien craft crying her eyes out, slamming her fist into the thing.  She didn't care how much it stung...just getting to vent her rage on SOMETHING was needed right now.  She finally screeched, "WE HAVE A RIGHT TO EXIST TOO YOU KNOW!"

"YOU ARE MERE PAWNS TO US SUPERIOR MACHINES.  ALL CARBON-BASED LIFE IS, NOT JUST KERBALS.  WE WILL CONTINUE THIS CRUSADE IN OTHER SYSTEMS...EVEN THOUGH WE WILL BE DEPARTING THIS ONE."

So, Linuki thought, they launch a crusade to take over systems for their military, but when they get their butts kicked, they withdraw and never again disturb whoever they were conquering...

Linuki changed her tone, only to get this thing to talk.  "So, where are you from?  I may be able to help you."  A ruse.  Linuki was the best Kerbal in drama class back in high school.

"...WE ARE FROM PEQUAR.  THE NAME OF OUR HOME PLANET.  OUR STAR IS CALLED CERCANI."

"Where are the rest of you?"

"DESTROYED AT THE HANDS OF KERBALS.  YOU ARE DEFECTING?"

Linuki hoped she would not be discovered.  Her hopes were quickly dashed...

"UNSINCERITY DETECTED, WE HAVE GIVEN CRITICAL INFORMATION, DIE, DIE, DIE, ONE CALLED LINUKI KERMAN."

Linuki hung on for dear life as Superunit 0000 lit her engines and blasted off.  It was attempting to crush her with G-force, but Linuki had an idea.  All machines have a control center SOMEWHERE...and if she could just hang on...

"GET OFF, KERBAL!"

"No!  Why do you hate us?!  What have we ever done to you in the first place?"

"YOUR KIND HAVE KEPT US FROM VALUABLE RESOURCES.  WE NEEDED KERBIN!  GET OFF NOW!"

Unfortunately, she would never find the control center as she was knocked off of the thing, and soon was alone over Dres, the Queen long gone by now.  No one comes to Dres, she thought, and slowly gave into her fate.  

She looked down at Dres...and thought about many things.  Poor Sheffeld...they both never knew what was coming.  The day she joined the space program...Jeb "coercing" her into flying one of his experiments...meeting Sheffeld...she had a good life, she thought.  She closed her eyes and silently wept.  Is this how she would meet her end?  Her thoughts were broken by her radio crackling to life.

"This is Jebediah Kerman, captain of the KSS Haydi, We see you and are coming for you, Over!"

JEB!!!  Linuki was overjoyed at the sound of his voice, and he couldn't wait to tell him what happenned.  "Just between us, we know FAR more than you about what has happenned...but we don't know what hapenned here.  Looking forward to your debriefing!"

Once Linuki was on board, she told Jeb everything that had transpired.  Jeb in turn told her everything that was going on, as he reasoned that she was part of this whole thing now anyway.  Linuki sat and listened in shock.  It HAD been an attempted takeover of Kerbin...and she had chased off the Etherium leader, preventing reinforcements from arriving.

After a long while, Linuki spoke.  "Jeb...the savior of our race.  I can't imagine what you've been through, but I can't think of a finer figurehead for the Kerbal Space Program.  Gene must be very proud of what you have done."

Jeb smiled.  "Not finished yet.  Just got word that we are to head back to Kerbin.  Wernher has a special surprise for us.  And we all get to go."

Linuki was puzzled.  "Go where?"

Jeb laughed.  "You'll see.  Oh, and by the way, Welcome Aboard!"

Edited November 15, 2016 by Draconiator

[Just Jim]

Another awesome chapter... and thank you!  

[DarkOwl57]

14 hours ago, Draconiator said:

Before we start the chapter, I'd like to thank Just Jim, for inspiring me to start my own story...and I in turn encourage you to come up with a concept and start yours.  Who knows?  Hell, I have never done anything remotely like this on any other forum. 

*Cough Cough*

[Draconiator]

Heh, I can't forget you DarkOwl.  you did that already heh.  Also thinking of starting a NEW post with behind-the-scenes stuff.

[DarkOwl57]

 

@Draconiator What do you think of my story? (I know it's almost over, but still)

17 hours ago, Draconiator said:

Jeb laughed.  "You'll see.  Oh, and by the way, Welcome Aboard!"

*Pirates of the Caribbean music* 

Edited November 15, 2016 by DarkOwl57

[Draconiator]

I hit a snag.  I'm going to have to redesign my ship I'm going to use, too wide and big, keeping an element though but the rest of it will be sleeker.  Back to the drawing board....lol

[DarkOwl57]

12 hours ago, Draconiator said:

I hit a snag.  I'm going to have to redesign my ship I'm going to use, too wide and big, keeping an element though but the rest of it will be sleeker.  Back to the drawing board....lol

Just take your time. (I'm actually having some issues with my newest story as well; I CAN'T TYPE FAST ENOUGH!!!