Pale Green Dot : The story of the Planet Kerbin

[TOMMY (JEB 2.0)]

more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

edit: keep up the good work  

Edited May 22, 2017 by TOMMY (JEB 2.0)

[Zerxal]

I just read everything so far, and I'm hooked. I've already bookmarked the page. 

 

Best KSP story I've read. 10/10

[NISSKEPCSIM]

On 5/27/2017 at 1:40 AM, Quarkz said:

Best KSP story I've read. 10/10

Seconded.

[Third_OfFive]

Wait, It's been a year? Already?

[Third_OfFive]

(Ignore this post)

Edited March 7, 2018 by Third_OfFive
2.4 is being rewritten

[IncongruousGoat]

Wait... LH/LOX?

If this is the early days of the space program, shouldn't it be something more like UDMH/IRFNA-III or 75% Ethanol/LOX? Or even RP-1/LOX?

[NISSKEPCSIM]

May I ask where the 1st stage engine of that rocket comes from?

[Third_OfFive]

10 hours ago, NISSKEPCSIM said:

May I ask where the 1st stage engine of that rocket comes from?

It's part of Porkjet's stock engine revamp mod.

 

Edited July 7, 2017 by Third_OfFive

[Third_OfFive]

Chapter 2.4 has been updated

[Frednoeyes]

Gotta love a good old Right Stuff-esque cold war space-race story, great job!

[Third_OfFive]

Hi guys just a quick update. I almost finished the next chapter but I was really f**king lazy during the last half of the summer and I didn't finish it. Sorry for the delays, I will try to make it worth the wait.

Edited November 15, 2017 by Third_OfFive

[Third_OfFive]

This thread is not dead!

Hi guys, sorry for the ridiculously long wait. I've been putting this project on hold in order to wait for the release of the Making History Expansion. Now that the release date is near, I'm picking up the project again, and will be writing the next few chapters very soon, as well as revising some of the old ones. 

If anyone is still here, don't give up. More content is coming soon!

[IncongruousGoat]

Don't worry, at least one person is still here. Although I may have to go back and read all of it again to remember what's happening.

[SiriusRocketry]

Yay! Finally!

[Third_OfFive]

On 2/28/2018 at 9:32 AM, IncongruousGoat said:

Don't worry, at least one person is still here. Although I may have to go back and read all of it again to remember what's happening.

 

On 2/28/2018 at 12:42 PM, SiriusRocketry said:

Yay! Finally!

Glad to see people are still here  

Don't worry guys, your wait will be worth it.

 

Anyway, I have updated the OP with a download link to the new PDF. Link also here:  https://mega.nz/#!1EpyjY6C!dwiGclFbngJZcWfLAWsVMk5FlyTmSRr2j3eduFUXvWY

I will update the other posts in this thread to match the PDF shortly.

[Third_OfFive]

I just finished the full political world map of Kerbin. It only took me a year and a half to complete  

Spoiler

Edited March 7, 2018 by Third_OfFive

[Third_OfFive]

Well guys, unfortunately I have some bad news.

In light of the new EULA, which I have just read, I have decided that I will no longer be continuing my work on Pale Green Dot.

It's just not worth it. Take Two Interactive clearly doesn't care about this community, and while the EULA hasn't killed the game, it has apparently struck it a fatal wound. As of today, all of my work, along with every single mod and fanfiction related to KSP is now the property of Take Two Interactive, and they can do with it whatever they want. The mere knowledge of this fact has killed my motivation to continue this story. I started writing this for my enjoyment as much as you guys', and writing simply isn't fun anymore knowing that now Take Two could take away all of my work at their discretion. 

In five days I will turn 20. I'm too old for this crap. I've already gone through the experience of watching a game I loved get destroyed, and its community along with it. I'm not going to sit by and watch that happen again. And I'm certainly not going to do all that just for a fan fiction that I started two summers ago for fun. I'm sorry.

I'm also probably not going to get the DLC, as much as I've been looking forward to it, for the simple reason that I don't want to give Take Two any of my money.

I finished up my revisions/additions to chapter 2.4, and modified the last parts a little so that it at least somewhat resembles an ending. I will also update and finalize the PDF, which I suggest you download via the link in the OP as soon as possible because Take Two may very well decide to take it down. I also uploaded all of the images that I never used to an imgur album, link for that is also in the OP.

So long guys, it was fun while it lasted.

-Third_OfFive

Spoiler

Chapter 2.4

---

UNKK: Kerbal Space Center

5221 YHD Day 26, 4:30 ST

---

               “Capcom”

               “Go!”

               “Telemetry”

               “Go”

               “Flight”

               “Go”

               “Life Support”

               “Go”

               “Recovery”

               “Go”

               “Pilot”

               “Go!”

               Just a few days after he had arrived at the Kerbal Space Center, Jebediah Kerman sat securely inside of the cramped Moho 1 spacecraft. Originally scheduled to be one in a series of previous un-kerballed test flights, the directors of the space program decided to move forward into manned flights immediately, following the UFKR’s successful launch of the Almach. Because of this, Jebediah had no sooner set foot on the runway at the KSC before he was rushed off by staff to be poked, prodded, and examined by doctors, taught everything he needed to know about the mission and tested thoroughly by instructors, and thrown into a crude flight simulator for a few hours, all without so much as a snack break in between. He was puzzled at first, but Jebediah had worked for the air force long enough to know exactly what they were doing. He was the guinea pig; the expendable newcomer, thrown into an unfinished test craft at the last minute, in a desperate attempt to keep up with the UFKR. He didn’t mind, however. He liked the excitement, and if he survived, he would get to pester the engineers all he wanted about the various flaws and things that didn’t work right.

               “Moho 1 is cleared for takeoff! T-minus 10 seconds to launch...”

               And he’d be the first New Kolusian in space. That did have a nice ring to it…

               “5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. Ignition!”

               Jebediah always though he was a little crazy. Surely, any sane kerbal would be shaking in terror as several tons of liquid hydrogen and oxygen were ignited just a few meters below them. But Jebediah couldn’t be bothered. He just wanted to go to space.

               “Liftoff!”

               The rocket bolted upward with considerable force, shuddering fiercely as the launch clamps released it upward into the awaiting sky.

 

---

“This is Channel 7 National News bringing you a live report from the Kerbal Space Center! Just moments ago, the KSP launched their first kerballed mission into space! Pilot Jebediah Kerman is reporting all systems go, rocket is performing admirably, and within just a few minutes, the capsule is expected to reach outer space! We will have more news for you as it develops, on this truly historic day!”

---

               “Cabin pressure is holding. Fuel is go. Approaching 2 gees!”

               Jebediah read aloud the readings on his control console intermittently, trying to stay focused as the g-forces started to build, and the rocket sailed higher and higher into the air.

               Beep!

               An alarm went off, and one of the dials began flashing red.

               “I’m getting a high-gee alarm.”

               “We read you, Jeb. Just hang in there, your acceleration will stabilize shortly.”

               Well that was reassuring.

               “Copy, Control. Currently reading 4 gees… 5 gees… approaching 6 gees…”

               Jebediah’s vision started to blur, and his breathing became increasingly difficult.

               “Jeb, your vitals are slipping. Please confirm.”

               Jeb opened his mouth to respond, but the words never came. The beeping of the alarms turned into a soft, distant echo, muffled increasingly by the sound of his own labored breathing.

               “…Jeb, how are you feeling…………………………………?”

               The faint whispers of the radio resounded emptily through the void, losing all coherent meaning as the last of Jebediah’s vision was encompassed by inescapable darkness…

---

               “…Jebediah, come in! This is KSC, if you can hear me, please respond! ”

               The sharp chattering of the radio only made Jebediah’s head throb more. His mind began to entertain all manner of obscenities with which to reply to this noise that disturbed him so. His voice, however, responded differently, as if his lips were operating entirely with a mind of their own;

               “What happened?” He groaned.

               “You blacked out, Jeb, but you’re alright. Just remain calm, and breathe slowly.”

               The interior of the Moho capsule slowly faded into existence, and with it Jeb’s memory of the situation.

               “Copy, control, I’ll give you my readings as soon as I can… see…”

               Through the small window in front of him, the sky stretched out before him like a watery canvas, meeting the empty void of space in a shimmering curtain of blue light. All of the pain and dizziness melted away instantly as Jeb gazed down at the curvature of Kerbin for the first time.

               “Congratulations Jeb, you’re officially the first New Kolusian in space!”

---

---

Somewhere in the ocean, west of the UNKK

A few minutes later

---

               “This is recovery patrol calling UKS Kermenia, we have just spotted the Moho capsule 2 kilometers from your position.”

               A small rescue helicopter flew over the ocean, tracking a yellow-and-white parachute descending slowly from the sky.

               “Roger, recovery patrol, we’re tracking your position now. Bring that capsule home, and be sure to give that space Kerbal a warm welcome!”

---

UNKK: Kerbal Space Center

5221 YHD Day 26, 5:25 ST

---

               The service helicopter had barely touched the ground before Jebediah was swarmed by the press, followed by generous applause and the flashing of cameras. He didn’t even try to keep up with the reporters, who were all desperately shouting over each other with questions for the nation’s first Kerbonaut. A group of military officers stood behind them, along with the President himself, who congratulated Jebediah.

               “You’ve made your country proud, Jebediah.” The President said, shaking his hand and smiling for the cameras. Rather taken aback, Jebediah didn’t really know how to respond to such a huge fanfare.

               “Glad to be of service, Mr. President.” Was all he could think to say.

               There was a moment of awkward silence between them, as they both smiled for the cameras, which assaulted them with a relentless barrage of camera flashes and clicking shutters. Jebediah walked over to the crowd of reporters to answer a few questions. Ironically, Jeb was glad to have some time to himself, now that he had an excuse to avoid being constantly pushed around by KSC staff. He quite liked the attention, in fact. He could get used to being famous…

 

P.S. If anyone would still like to remain in contact with me, PM me and I can friend you on discord or something.

[KSK]

Sorry to see this thread die @Third_OfFive but I respect your reasons - and I doubt you're the only one re-evaluating how much you wish to contribute - directly or indirectly - to Take Two's bottom line.

Good luck with whatever you do next!