Past the haze - Over but soon to be revived

[VelocityPolaris]

Sorry, reader, this is taking a while. Here's another screenshot in the meantime, though it's story-relevant in some way, there's not really much going on. Mostly this is just me stopping to look at how weird the mountains look in the morning, with scatterer on. At the very least, I should have the next chapter out before the break ends. 

Spoiler

Status report: It happened again, that thing where the page suddenly and involuntarily reloads, and I lose everything I've written so far. I guess it's my own fault for not saving a backup of the text to notepad, I've definitely learned my lesson now. This next chapter's taken long enough just to get the images for, so I swear, in the name of all that is holy, that I will not rest until it is posted. Expect some grammatical errors.

Edited May 28, 2018 by VelocityPolaris

[VelocityPolaris]

Story 7: Test the Waters, Chapter 10: Can I go home now

(Author's note: Sorry this chapter took so goshdarn long to make, reader, but here it is. Now I can finally get some sleep.)

Today's fun fact: Though Kerbin once had many languages, each unique to their location, most have died out over the years, as an unfortunate side-effect of globalisation. Most commonly spoken modern languages are, in fact, different dialects of one another.

We rejoin the intrepid crew of the EV-1 Azade as their vessel hurtles on it's way past Duna, the laws of physics eager for it to leave. We join Captain Valentina and Planetary Scientist Lancott in the habitat module, waiting around the currently empty main screen. 

Lancott: You know, I never thought we'd see Duna. Sure, there's been telescope footage and artistic renditions, but looking at it with nothing in between you and your eyeball but a window, that's got to mean something special.

Val: Well, that's not all there is to it. You can't say you've been to Riresford if all you did was see it out of the window of your aircraft. We haven't been to Duna until we've kicked up the dust, seen the sky, climbed a hill, and taste-tested a rock.

Lancott: That last one sounds a bit admirably insane, Captain, would you like to explain?

Val: Oh, it's been unofficial procedure ever since the first Minmus landing. Once the first EVA is over, and you've made sure the samples aren't hazardous, you sample said sample. ...it wasn't mint ice cream. Also, if you still feel like you have to call me by my job title, can you call me skipper? It sounds cooler.

Lancott: Aye, skipper. Well, when we decide to go to Duna, I'd certainly be all for it. There might be a few other people in line for that mission, though.

Val: Yeah, if we can ever find the money - oh, speak of the Kraken, incoming call from Mortimer.

The screen lit up, and on it appeared the face of the KSP's finances lawyer (and only lawyer in general), Mortimer Kerman. From his receding hair to his wrinkles that looked like scars, he looked like his job was being a test subject in a lab that finds new and terrible ways to stress people out. And that he had held that job longer than most of the researchers. But on the plus side, he had a bowtie. But instead of his usual, grim, "what did you break this time", look, his face held a light, carefree smile, the kind that only those with the polar opposite of his career would be expected to have. Lancott gulped, assuming that the man's brief bliss was soon to be shattered by news of the trouble they'd gotten into with the government.

Val: Had a nice vacation, Mortimer? You look... happy?

Mortimer: Hello! Azade crew! Macory and I have just finished going through the money from the licenses your data and theories have brought. Suffice to say, we've made quite a bit of money, very well done. Oh yes, and Linus tells me you've done great things for science.

Lancott: Vacation? Where's he gone?

Val: Some cabin in Laeje. Rural Farund island, near enough nature for a musical number. 

Lancott: They've got those spherical totems, right? 

Val: Yeah! And that cool layer soup, I love that stuff. It's a great place to visit, if only you didn't have to fill out more paperwork than Macory's daily workload to get through.

Lancott: That's a lot. 

Val: I'm no history-of-cultures-ologist, but it'd be really interesting to learn about how the different cultures of Kerbin came about. It might make a good hobby.

Lancott: Oi, I'm from another country, do I get an interview?

Val: Uh, if you want. No offense, but Shaktin and Auclal are on the same continent, share the same language, and the accents are pretty similar, too, so they're more like regions than countries.

Lancott: None taken.

Val: Also, your nation's cuisine kinda sucks.

Lancott: Okay, some offense taken.

Mortimer: Ah, the vacation was alright. Just what the doctor ordered, quite literally. But it was pretty isolated - I like to know what's going on, and that was rather difficult without the internet. No, I'm like this because, erm, I'm retiring. The Drufin bank offered me an accounting job, and, well, I've had enough of the insanity here. My son, Mortsworth, will be taking my place in the finances department. It's for his own good.

Val: Oh, poor kid.

Mortimer: Ah yes, and before I go, there's the issue of royalties. The universities that bought our licenses each owe a certain amount to the scientists you have onboard...

Melfrey: 4,000 funds!? 

Lancott: Per Kerbal! The academies have always been sitting on big piles of money, even now.

Melfrey: And my essay on giant stars got published! Usually you have to pay them. I'm gonna buy a house! No, I'm gonna buy a boat. No, a house...

Lancott: You could buy a houseboat!

Melfrey: Brilliant! And, uh, I'll donate the rest, of course.

Lancott: Val told me about his son, Mortsworth. Doesn't seem fair, him being pressured to take the job.

Melfrey: Well, it's their family squabbles, I'm not one for gossip. Reminds me, I've got to call my pop sometime, though. Could we change the subject?

Lancott: Sure. Why've you been avoiding Bill?

Melfrey: ...Pardon? I haven't -

Lancott: Oh, please. I saw you try to hide in the storage closet when he came through the habitat. You can't avoid each other, it's too small of a ship for that.

Melfrey: Alright, fine. Look, I know it's a stupid reason, but we haven't really gotten along since the probe construction.

Lancott: Because he was hogging all of the probe construction to himself?

Melfrey: It's gone on for longer than that. Before we entered Duna space, the electron microscope wasn't working right, and I was trying to figure it out for myself, but he just had to take it and fix it himself. The probe kinda made sense, he's an experienced engineer, and I'm neither of those two things, but it was kinda just the last straw.

Lancott: Oh... Melfrey, that's not good. You're still technically the mission psychologst, you should know - 

Melfrey: "If even the most minor grudges stew in isolation, unreconciled, the grudges will eventually flare as hatred." I know. It's why they try to pick astronauts who'll be nothing but best buds, but being in space... maybe it's something about the experience, but people just kinda act different. But I don't wanna talk to Bill. What if I apologise or voice my grievance, and he's no idea what I'm talking about? Or he's just keeping the inexperienced kid out of danger? What do I say?

Lancott: Oi, science lab to control cabin! Whatcha doin'?

Bill: Looking over propulsion systems, we've got a burn in a couple of days. What's the problem?

Lancott: Melfrey just wanted to apologise for being snappy earlier, with the probe -

Melfrey: What!? No, Lancott, I don't wanna apologise, I'm the one who feels wronged!

Lancott: Sure, but can you really keep this up? Remember those stories about families that have shunned each other for years, all because someone's ancestor put snails on the other person's ancestor's chair? 

Melfrey: "In the long run, it is irrelevant who wronged who, it is only the nature of the current dispute which is relevant." But I don't think this quite qualifies -

Bill: Well, I've no idea what you two are on about, but if you're not working, you can compute the trajectory.

Lancott: There you go, Melfrey, something for you to do!

Melfrey: Technically true, but I'm off-duty right now...

...

Val: Final check, how's our trajectory?

Melfrey: It'll be close, but we've got enough fuel for the Kerbin return, roughly 200 days from now.

Bill: The backup thrusters seem to be in good order and the tank seals are holding, we've got enough fuel.

Val: Alrighty, everyone brace yourselves!

Bill: Val, we're getting a little shimmy here -

Val: Should I cut the engine?

Bill: No, no, we just need to throttle down a little. The strut connection should hold.

Val: Alright, KSC, we're throttling down. How's everyone back there?

Lancott: I feel slightly less crushed now, skipper. 

Melfrey: Looking forward to the Kerbin return!

Val: Alright, brace for decoupling, the propulsion section is just about out of fuel. 

Bill: Ejection OK, abort thrusters are all running at nominal. With luck, we should have a bit of monopropellant left for any fine-tuning later. Still, it...

Val: ...I know. I ran our safety margins pretty low with that spacecraft flyby. Still, it was the right thing to do.

...

The trip home was going to be a difficult one. Their equipment was slowly breaking down, their bones were getting weaker, they were slowly accumulating more and more radiation, and despite the great deal of science to be done, tempers aided by boredom were starting to set in. Val, in particular, was so bored that she put almost all of her time into helping and advising Ionic Symphonic Protonic Electronics, who were in the middle of an ambitious project, one to benefit all of Kerbin. The Deckhand geostationary network.

The working theory was that the more comm relays you had, the more people could communicate with one another at a lower cost. With this in mind, the four Deckhand geostationary satellites each carried 13 dishes, a more than suitable replacement for the crumbling remains of the previous geostationary satellite network. They certainly had a greater impact on the economy, as this time the benefits of a space programme were more than just a proof-of-concept. Suddenly, even the average Kerbal could make a satellite call, look up the weather, or even get a fix on their general location on the planet (though that last one was only useful for boats and planes).

...

Lancott: Bill, Melfrey wants to know about the magnetic field disturbance. You're working on that right now, yeah?

Melfrey: Lancott - I'm right here, I can ask him if I want to know!

Bill: Right. I'm thinking a bunch of charged particles have become trapped in some sort of pocket in the artificial magnetosphere, where they're repelled  every which way, so they stay there. 

Val: So we're about to give it a shove, so to speak.

Bill: Yep. There's not a lot there, it only shows up when we burn. That pocket's costing us extra power, though, so it's time to get rid of it. 

Melfrey: Finally! I've been sick of hearing "there's some kind of anomaly" every time we fire our engine.

Val: Say, besides speaking in analogies, exactly what are we about to do?

Bill (Val's perspective): Ah, it's quite simple. We're just going to reduce the multiphasic output of the omnivectral cabinet filing reverse tachyon flux, should fix things very easily.

Val: ...right, proceed.

Unfortunately... things went too well. Instead of seeing a blip appear then disappear, RADAR picked up something else.

Melfrey: Holy - I'm picking up a large mass, right in our face! Bill, you didn't turn this into a matter replicator, did you?

Bill: Don't be stupid, it's not me.

Lancott: Guys - look out the window.

They crowded to the window, and, feeling a chill of dread, Melfrey saw the anomaly. A ship, decloaking within mere metres of them, their orbits matched precisely.

The cloak had completely destabilized now, and he could see the ship clearly, for the briefest of moments. It was a badly kept secret that Combined National Aviation had some way of keeping their spacecraft hidden, but something just looked off - the debris of the CNAD ship used familiar parts, familiar technology, but this didn't. Maybe it was the fact that it looked like it had an eye, staring at them, but he slowly backed away from the window. But by the time he budged, it was already gone, having disappeared within seconds.

It had just disappeared, suddenly and quietly. Everyone just was silent for the longest moments, their mouths wide open but no sound coming out. Finally, Melfrey said the only thing he could think of.

Melfrey: Well that's not supposed to be there!

...

It was a grim time in mission control, too. The room had been cleared of unnecessary personnel again. The ever-stoic Felix's knee was bouncing up and down nervously, causing a minor Kerbinquake. The security guards had stepped back enough into the shadows for their faces to be obscured, and the government representative seemed to be unconsciously pulling out his hair. He didn't say what he was thinking, but it probably wasn't that optimistic. Gene was the only one staring straight at the screen the whole time.

Government Representative: The security risk is now too great... you're not to place any calls that aren't directly to mission control anymore.

Val: Was that - why the other ship - what happened to it? Were the crew -

Lancott: What's going to happen to us?

Melfrey: Why was it just sitting there? Where's it now? What is it? Was it a hallucination? I'd prefer it if it were.

Bill: Why... and why are we fine? 

Gene: We gotta tell 'em something, Gregmar.

Government Representative Gregmar: What we know, and how much we know, Gene, it's the most secret of secrets.

Gene: Do you know the answers to any of their questions?

Gregmar: ...Alright. ...we sent the ship after that. And I don't know why you're all fine, but if it didn't attack already, it probably won't ever.

Felix: Oh, that's comforting. 

...

Val: Alright, people... we're cut off from contact, and they won't tell us much of anything. Anybody got any explanations?

Bill: We only got a brief glimpse, but given its size and the apparent location of sensors, I'd assume it to be unmanned.

Melfrey: What if... these are the precursor aliens? The ones who built the monoliths?

Bill: Oh, please, that's ridiculous.

Melfrey: What, do you think the monoliths were built by enterprising con artists? 

Bill: No, but if anything could be advanced beyond our comprehension, how could we detect it, accidentally decloak it? It... it's quite a statement, but it still looks like a conventional spacecraft. This ain't them.

Val: And why would it attack one spacecraft, then silently follow the other?

Lancott: Then... how about this. A brilliant mad scientist created several intelligent, powerful probes, then launched them into space -

Bill: Why?

Lancott: -to get revenge on the military for their shady secret policies, by destroying all military spacecraft. That'd be why we weren't attacked.

Val: Lancott, while part of that sounds like it'd make a great story, I suppose we can't make sense of things by making crazy stuff up.

Melfrey: Why not? The universe seems to be doing it already!

Bill: Oh, and why would it be so close to our spacecraft?

Melfrey: It'd have to be looking in the windows, spying on us every day...

Val: Look. We're not too far from Kerbin. You heard the government guy, it hasn't destroyed us yet, so it wouldn't make sense for it to ever do so. Maybe it's not even anywhere nearby anymore, test burns of the monoprop engines didn't turn up any disturbances anymore. Just - keep it together, get home, ok?

...

But Melfrey wasn't keeping it together. At one point, the habitat was clear, and everyone was busy. He floated as sneakily as he could to the main screen, quickly hitting buttons. But when he finished, only a "technical difficulties" screen showed up.

"Come on, come on, why won't this work?"

(Author's note: In my defence, this is my first time using photoshop).

Bill groggily floated into the habitat, instantly giving Melfrey an accusing glare. 

Bill: Melfrey... you tried to call someone, didn't you.

Melfrey: ...I tried to call my parents.

Bill: You - you courbet cruiser! Why!?

Melfrey: You programmed it to give me this screen, didn't you. And to wake you up if anyone tried to call home.

Bill: Yeah, mission control's orders. But that doesn't answer my question! My first impression of you, Melfrey, it was that you were levelheaded! Instead, you go crazy, put people in danger?

Melfrey: I'm not! This is a non-critical system, and I'm just making a phone call! Crazy would be hitting abort switches and laughing maniacally!

Bill: Just making a phone call? Against orders? This - this isn't levelheaded!

Val and Lancott enter, both deliberate and unsure. 

Melfrey: This isn't levelheaded? Why not? Why is this wrong? Is it just because I'm breaking the rules!? We could be about to die at any moment, Bill, is that all you care about!?

Val: Don't go there, Melfrey. And we're not in that level of danger.

Melfrey: Captain, captain, this entire trip, you've been... you know, to heck with the rules, we're doing what's right! What makes the stupid rules the right thing to do now? Can't I just let them know I'm okay?

Bill: What would be the point of letting them know you're okay, if by your argument, we're about to be killed by aliens?

Melfrey: You just don't get it. 

Lancott: I don't. Do you want to get your family in trouble, Melfrey?

Melfrey: No, I - they wouldn't do that. I just - I wasn't meant to see that. Not yet, anyway. It just wasn't supposed to be there. There's things we're- we're not supposed to see.

Bill: Malarkey. It's a probe. It was there, it had a perfectly good explanation for being there, no laws of physics were violated, no perceptions were messed with. It's just a probe. We just don't know what it was doing there.

Melfrey: What if it's seeing this fight from right outside the window, and it thinks we're about to attack it? What if these are my last few minutes? DO the rules still mean everything then? Am I going to get them landed in prison, would they do that? Captain, what's the right thing to do?

Val: ...I don't really know. I've always been afraid of this exact situation, though. You know, when everyone's looking desperately to me for answers, and I draw a blank. This is the first time it's really, really happened.

Lancott: Skipper, he's obviously off his rock-

Val: Let me finish. I don't know the right thing to do, but I know what we're going to do. We're going to sit here and not call anyone who isn't mission control, as per orders. We're going to keep ourselves from doing anything crazy. Then we'll follow the mission plan to the letter, and then we'll get home. Melfrey, if you don't step away from the console, we're basically going to have to drag you away and give you a sedative.

Bill: ...Val. I wouldn't do that him.

Val: I know, Bill, you've both got a phobia of drugs.

Lancott: Yeah, Melfrey, doesn't even drink coffee.

Val: But it doesn't matter that you're not trying to flush us out into space yet, Melfrey, what you do next decides whether or not you're a danger to us all.

Melfrey (repels away from the screen): Well, one thing's for sure, Captain. I'm not a very good psychologist.

Lancott: Of course not! You took what, a two-week online course?

Melfrey: I don't think I'm a very good astronaut, either. 

Bill: Melfrey, you're a pain, but you're a brilliant scientist -

Melfrey: Sure, and thanks. But astronauts don't let themselves snap and endanger others. I hated movies like that, where they squabbled, bickered, and tomfooled their ways into the mouth of a waiting monster. And yet there I was.

Val: Well, we're only Kerbal.

Bill: Why'd you do it, though?

Melfrey: I've never really been at home here, Bill. I started out this mission as a background observer with a bit of snark, and, despite mainly Lancott's best efforts, well, I've never been able to make many friends, outside of my immediate family. I can act cool in front of you guys, then I call my friends and family and vent to them about work. Couldn't do that, so, well, I guess I'd better officially make some friends.

Val: Melfrey, Bill, really, you strike me as the sort of people who should get along great. Also, I'll call mission control, tell them not to panic.

Bill: Cue the "you and I are the same" speech, then.

Melfrey: Isn't that a bad guy thing? I shoulda used that.

Bill: Melfrey, by no stretch of the imagination could you be considered an antagonist, not even during your little breakdown.

Melfrey: Oh yeah, that? Ages ago, I'm a totally different person now. I remember it like it was about 5 minutes ago, though.

Bill: Well... don't feel too bad. I had my own panic moment back on Oculus station, Jeb had to tell me to calm down.

Lancott: Oi Melfrey?

Melfrey: Yeah?

Lancott: You wanna go back home?

Melfrey: Yes please.

Lancott: Let's do that, then.

Melfrey: Yeah, I've had enough space for a while. I'm surprised my hair isn't falling out yet.

Lancott: You know what, though? This trip was a great reminder of how little we know about the universe.

Bill: Some folks look up and say "well, we can mostly explain that stuff, we've basically been to the stars already. Why even have a space programme?"

Melfrey: Yeah, they're wrong. As an astrophysicist, I can confirm our absolute cluelessness about the universe. Eh, it's a big place.

Val: So everyone. Slight problem. 

Melfrey: Is the... probe back?

Val: No, the engineers just forgot the antenna on the escape pod.

Bill: Ah, those absolutely incompetent engineers. I kinda miss 'em.

Lancott: Also, should we call it the probe, the AI, or the alien?

Bill: We're not supposed to talk about it.

Val: We're spinning as fast... as possible. Heat levels seem to be stable.

Bill: Where are the barf bags?

Lancott: Oh, right, you get spin-sick.

Bill: I really hope they know where we landed.

Edited April 25, 2018 by VelocityPolaris

[VelocityPolaris]

Looks like more technical difficulties. The image host site stopped working, so hardly any of the images from any of the chapters are working. I'll get out the next chapter *tomorrow, then I'll start working on salvage / maintenance.

EDIT: I stupidly deleted all images from my computer as soon as the chapter with them comes out. Bad idea.

Edited April 14, 2018 by VelocityPolaris

[VelocityPolaris]

Story 8: Explore from a Safe Distance, Chapter 1: Recover vessel*
*Vessel recovery not included

(Author's note: The first screenshot in this chapter was accidentally taken with scatterer off. Also, if you happen to be reading this, I'd like your advice on something. Should I continue the screenplay-style "charactername:dialogue" talking, or switch to something more along the lines of "Bob's face scrunched into the grimace of grimaces, barely managing to grunt 'This food is really good'"?)

Today's Fun Fact: Kerbal technological development is quite weird. See, there hasn't been a war on Kerbin for the past 300 years, but about that long ago, the first and only global conflict took place. Early propeller and screw-driven vehicles had only recently come into widespread existence, and due to the necessities of the conflict, they rapidly progressed to the early forms of the ubiquitous jet engines we know today. To this date, the development of pure propeller propulsion is stagnated due to a lack of interest, and although some mechanically-inclined civilians have dabbled in the field, their engines remain relatively unreliable and impractical.

"Azade Abort System crew log, Captain Valentina Kerman. It's been about 1 and a half days since touchdown, and we've just been laying here like nauseous refrigerator magnets. We all had our expectations about how getting used to Kerbin gravity again would feel, but suffice to say, it's pretty bad. Standing up is like trying to sit up on one of those centrifuge rides, you suddenly lose almost all sense of balance. Plus, I'm used to just tapping an object and having it slowly float over, instead of having to put effort into every mundane task. This would all be fine, negligible, completely expected, were it not for one small problem.
Nobody's come to pick us up yet."

Bill: It's morning, crew!

Melfrey: Ugh... sorry, but what does it matter? We've all read through every book in the escape pod, there's not much to do.

Bill: It's all in the manual. If you're stranded, go over systems and resources every morning. Power's good, food and fresh water should hold us a little longer, floats and hull integrity -

Val: -are low, it's starting to get a bit damp in here. We've lost connection to heatshield sensors and RCS thrusters, not that it helps much, though the monopropellant tank's seal remains intact, thankfully. 

Lancott: Is the emergency transmitter still...

Melfrey: Burned up on re-entry, yep. Completely unsalvageable. 

Lancott: ...and the satellite phone is still broken from when the parachutes deployed?

Bill: I still can't get over that.

Lancott: I feel pretty bad for Mr. Von Kerman. He was so excited about modular spaceships assembled in orbit, reusable interplanetary motherships, that sort of thing. But instead of Warbler II picking us up from Kerbin orbit, we had to go and trash the EV-1, the first prototype. Of course we had no choice, though.

Bill: Maybe it's for the best. It was a great proof-of-concept, but the connection between CSM and propulsion sections was too shaky. If the Azade had just been handed a better engine stage and another mission, the strut linkage would have eventually snapped.

Melfrey: So... not that I don't like being back on Kerbin, it certainly beats being stalked by aliens / mad scientists, apparently, but is the plan to just sit here?

Val: Well - if rescue doesn't arrive, we won't just wait to sink. During our descent, I saw we were coming down along the west coast of Auclal. Now, even with the flotation devices on our flight suits, swimming all the way to land is a long shot, so maybe if just I go, I'll get help -

Lancott: Belay that, skipper. Who's to say you've got a better chance of making it than I do? I doubt any of us would make it if the oceans suddenly froze enough to walk on.

Bill: I could do it.

Val: Bill, just because you've spent more time on the exercise bike doesn't mean you can suddenly swim that far. What's the distance - 20 kilometres, minimum guesstimate?

Bill: With flotation devices. I know I probably missed the deadline for Todd's "run a kilometre" challenge, but I still feel like I could do it. Either way, I've got a better chance of making it than any of you, so if we're going to have one Kerbal swim to shore for help, I should do it.

Melfrey: You... do have a point.

Val: It's our best option. Get some gear together first, though. Then you can go for a little test swim around the capsule, inspect the pod from the outside. I've already got the little EVA suit beacon on top of the lander-can, just in case anybody happens to pass by here.

Later that afternoon...

Bill is outside of the escape pod, slowly and strenuously swimming in a circle around it. Suddenly, he catches a brief flash out of the corner of his eye, and, after peering at its source, he whirls back towards the pod, knocking on the hatch. After fumbling with the door handle, Lancott gets it open and pokes her head out.

Lancott: Good day, neighbour.

Bill: Lancott, you guys should have a look out of the cupola window, maybe about 160 degrees.

Val: Alright, let me have a look with the little telescope... oh!

Bill: What is it?

Val: Ship ahoy! My guess is that they're headed this way!

Melfrey: Sorry, Bill, looks like you'll have to save your heroic long-distance swim for later, because we're saved!

Bill: It's flashing again. Do you think they're signaling us?

Val: How many flashes? Do they vary in duration?

Bill: Um, just four short flashes, a pause, then two more.

Val: Okay, that's H-I.

Lancott: So that means they've definitely seen us!

Melfrey: Bill, do you wanna get back in? It'll be a few, they must be several kilometres out.

Bill: No thanks. I don't have to tread water, so it's almost as good as zero-g, as long as I don't have to go anywhere.

Over the span of several minutes, the helpful boat closed towards them, the first physical reminder of the existence of civilisation, proof that, despite all they've seen and been through, home still existed, not just some deserted look-alike. 

Bill: Unknown vessel, this is the spacecraft EV-1 Azade, are you here to help?

Unknown vessel: That's affirmative, Azade, moving in on your position now.

Lancott: Quick, do we have anything we could give them a present?

Melfrey: Give a gift to the rescuers? Is that a cultural thing?

Lancott: Uh, no, I just thought it'd be a nice thing to do.

Val: I don't think we have anything. All public pictures, data, and theories were already shared with the publics, and it's not like we brought back space samples. And any experiments, well, they're sailors, not sciencers.

Melfrey: If you have to look through the storage compartments, try to hurry - the floor's going to go from damp to waterlogged really soon. 

Val: There she is, Lancott. What do you think of our new ride?

Lancott: Looks like one nice party barge, skipper.

Bill: EV-1 Azade to party barge, please identify yourself.

Unknown vessel: This is the rescue vessel KSS Rubber Ducky, at your service.

Melfrey: KSS? No country's name starts with a K.

KSS Rubber Ducky: "Kerbal Sailing Ship", we're with the KSP recovery team. 

Val: We have a boat? I didn't know we had a boat!

KSS Rubber Ducky: Yep. Ever since the engineers had to improvise the BoatDuck on the spot, we've been trying to get a proper ship. This old survey vessel is a recent donation from the coast guard. And by recent, I mean last week.

Sailor with a hat: Why, hello there. We couldn't help but notice that you seem to be in a spot of bother. 

Bill: Yep, you know. Engine trouble. I don't suppose you could give us a ride to the space centre?

Sailor with a hat: What a lucky coincidence! We happen to be headed there ourselves, hop aboard!

Bill: Guys, get out of the escape pod, I found a more seaworthy raft. 

Melfrey: Alright, let's get out of this coffin before it sinks.

Lancott: Uh, that involves some amount of walking/climbing/swimming, though, doesn't it?

Val: Afraid so, Lancott. Think you can manage it?

Lancott: I can, but my stomach won't be too happy about it.

Sailor without a hat: Astronauts, sir! We get to rescue astronauts!

Sailor with a hat: Indeed we have. Give them some space, though, they've had quite the trip.

Melfrey: What's up with your uniforms? Are you military?

Sailor with a hat: Commodore Perry Kerman, Auclal coast guard, and this is Ensign Lagerbro. Since it was our ship originally, we're here to assist the recovery team with it's operations.

Lagerbro: How d'ya do?

(Author's note: Recovery team engineer Hilltrice, pictured right, is frowning for a very good reason. The life preserver/toridal fuel tank mounted on the side of the hull, when she ejected it, went right through the water and towards the seafloor. It appears to be a KAS-related glitch that items released by it don't acknowledge the existence of water.) 

Hilltrice: That is not good.

Person inside of the bridge: I'm sure our guests would appreciate being helped aboard, Felix.

Felix: Roger that, Macberry. Stachell, you and I give them a boost up the ladder. Lagerbro, you help them climb onto the deck.

Hilltrice: May I help?

Felix: We've got it under control, Hilltrice. 

Lancott: Hi, Stachell.

Stachell: Hi, Lancott. Welcome back.

Val: Felix? What are you doing out of mission control?

Felix: This is actually my main job, ma'am. 

Val: You just don't get a lot of astronauts in need of rescue?

Felix: Exactly. Up you go, then. 

After a climb up a ladder that felt like scaling a cliff face, Stachell helped the exhausted astronauts to the medical bay for examinations. Feeling bad about her wanting to help, Felix assigned Hilltrice to first watch as the boat pulled away.

Stachell: So, uh, Lancott, how was your trip? 

Lancott: Hold on, do you know about the, er...

The Bridge: Felix here, be advised Medic Stachell is not informed of the, er...

Stachell: Noodle incident?

Val: Something like that. 

Stachell: So, good news - none of you are in immediate mortal danger! How do you all feel?

Bill: Well, I feel really weak, I'm starting to lose my hair, and my vision's not as good as it used to be.

Stachell: Oh - gosh, that's really bad! The toll of radiation and zero-g must have been worse than predicted -

Bill: Actually, I was going to say that I'm getting older.

Stachell: Ah, understood. Still, medical operating procedures are to assume that whatever state you're all in, it's not perfect health.

Lancott: Makes sense. By the way, the KSS name? I like that it reflects the international nature and unity of the KSP, but I couldn't help but notice that there's no sails on this ship.

Stachell: Yep, you guys should have taken the acronym before we did. "Kerbal Space Ship" makes way more sense. ...are you all alright psychologically? All four of you have looked kind of... distant. More than usual with you, Lancott.

Melfrey: We're, uh, we're all fine. Just... reflecting upon the noodle incident.

Lagerbro: Commodore, sir? Now that Hilltrice's left the engine room for the first time, permission to attempt conversation? 

Perry: By all means. Just don't get distracted from your job.

Lagerbro: Understood, sir, I'll keep an eye out for boats, rocks, storms, and sea monsters. So, uh, Hilltrice, nice job getting the engine going again. 

Hilltrice: I am very sorry that I allowed it to fail at all, Ensign. 

Lagerbro: No, don't apologise! I'm sorry for not properly maintaining the ship late in its coast guard service life.

Hilltrice: Then I am not sorry.

Lagerbro: So, uh... how's the place which you're from? Aleviff, right?

Hilltrice: It is fine. 

Lagerbro: So... uh, what's in your country? You know, unique food, sports, uh, trees -

Hilltrice: Yes, we have those things. 

Lagerbro: ...and I assume the trees are also fine? 

Hilltrice: No. The great citame trees are now endangered. Much of their former land can no longer support them.

Lagerbro: Huh, that's actually really cool! I mean, bad for the trees, but it's interesting to learn about. That's because of temperature change stuff?

Hilltrice: And because of too much rain, yes.

Lagerbro: So, uh, are there any anomalous things near your home?

Hilltrice: There is not actually magic in Aleviff. Odd terrain is natural, like the gravity hill effect. It is annoying that everyone assumes paranormal involvement. Do you want paranormal? Look down at the ocean.

Lagerbro: Well, it brings in the tourists, right?

Hilltrice: This is true. 

Lagerbro: So, about the life preserver, I just wanted to say that it's not your fault - nobody knows what happened, and you're doing a great job keeping everything running. 

Hilltrice: How long will the conversation continue?

Lagerbro: Not one for small talk?

Hilltrice: No.

Lagerbro: You're right. Let's just sit here and contemplate, while quietly appreciating the wonder of this sunset.

Lagerbro: Argh, nevermind this is boring. Macberry, you're on the bridge, right?

Macberry: You are indeed correct.

Lagerbro: Alright then, tell me some random medieval trivia.

Macberry: Er, very well. The greyfirs line of Flesen implemented forts guarding their water pipelines, which were just far enough apart for a signal flame to be seen on the edge of the horizon.

[VelocityPolaris]

Just stopping by to give an excuse for the lack of chapters - this month's exam month, so I need to spend pretty much every waking hour studying.

[VelocityPolaris]

Story 8: Housekeeping, Chapter 2: Going Coastal

(Author's note: This chapter does not contain anything that could be remotely construed as going postal. Also, I'll be spending some time from now on to restore some of the lost images from the previous chapters.)

Today's fun fact: A Terefwirr is a small burrowing creature which cruises through Kerbin's soil and sand. On the frontal section of the Terefwirr is what appears to be a bone / keratin drill with a beak in the centre, protecting an 8-legged body. While most subspecies of Terefwirr grow to be no more than 5 cm in length, some rarer subspecies, such as the "Partycrasher", can grow up to 100 times that length. And the latter species, in recent years, has taken a liking to hanging out at the beach. Most Kerbals think they're gross.

KSS Rubber Ducky, south coast of Auclal

"Starboard! Turn us to starboard!"

From his perch atop the mast, Macberry spun the wheel a bit to the right, thus dodging a shallow patch of sand. This area was once called the Kape of Knope, but the geographical guild had recently won a petition to remove a K, spelling "Nope". As a result of the cataclysm, ocean currents had shifted a bit, and now a great deal of sediments were deposited here. This watch shift was proving to be particularly stressful for Macberry and Felix, who had to be constantly on the alert for unexpected shallow patches. 

Macberry: Well spotted, sir. 

Felix: Just keeping an eye out. Stay focused.

Macberry: Aye, but mayhaps I should steer further out to sea? 

Felix: Brrrr... are you sure that's necessary?

Macberry: I understand hesitation about leaving view of the coastline. Stars covered by clouds, water pitch-black... it could certainly be considered sensory deprivation.

Felix: I know you've been out there. I've just heard tales of sailors gone mad, and, well, you were so eager to get back that you almost rammed the beach at full speed.

Macberry: I have learned from that experience. And you, sir, are one of the most professional people I know. A brief foray to deep water holds less risk for us than the odds of running aground.

Felix: Can't argue with that, but we're not turning around. Once we make it past the island ahead, we'll go a bit further out to sea. I'm always wondering what's wrong with the water, though.   

Macberry: I cannot cease my curiosity about the oceans, either. At night, completely absorbent of light? There are many items which defy immediate explanation, but it must drive scientists mad, how inexplicable something so clearly visible can be. 

Felix: Not that I have an answer for you, but maybe it's related to the monoliths. They don't reflect much either. 

Macberry: So you would claim that every night, the properties of the monoliths somehow bleed into the entirety of the oceans of Kerbin? 

Felix: Heck, I'm not an ancient alien, Macberry, I can't say. Maybe it's just some undiscovered property of matter. What bugs me, though, is that we're still seeing our floodlights reflecting off of the bottom.

Macberry: Oh! I hadn't thought - nothing incredibly absorbent would allow the illumination of the surface behind it! Tell me, Felix, do you believe that a light shined at one of the monoliths would go right through?

Felix: I don't know, that's not my job. You could totally call the exhibit, though, maybe they haven't tried that. Oh - there's the island - steer us to port! Hard to port!

Macberry: The island is clear! But tell me, was it there before? Such a lump of sand could be a relatively new formation.

Felix: Well, the latest map is from an orbital survey last week, so I wouldn't know. I think you'd have to be an oceanographer to know, though.

Macberry: Shall we proceed away from the coast?

Felix: Check your screen. See what the SONAR scans are saying.

Macberry: Hmm. It cannot find any unexpected shallows ahead of us. 

Felix: No chance of the Commodore getting mad about a beached boat, then. Let's keep hugging the coast.

Felix: Do you see something?

Macberry: Scientifically speaking, yes. Could you please be more specific?

Felix: Looks like some sand is being churned up, on the beach alongside us.

Macberry glances over to the beach, where a few clouds of sand and faint flailing of appendages catch his eye.

Macberry: I should think that those are Terefwirrs, Felix! 

Felix: Ah, it's those freaky critters cruising along, huh? 

Macberry: Indeed. They can be quite majestic, in their own way.

Felix: I'll take your word for it. What do you suppose they're doing?

Macberry: They certainly could be chasing a quirm (worm). Or perhaps they could be mimicking us, attempting to understand the strange passerby to their beach.

Felix: Could be. I read an article about one that nabbed someone's picnic basket.

The two stout Kerbals kept up a near-silent watch for the rest of the night, wearily guiding the boat past the Kape of Knope, and up the east coast of Auclal. While keeping up a dialogue would have been a decent way to keep one another from nodding off, Macberry had a tendency to blather, and if he didn't know it, he at least knew that other people thought so. Felix stared out ahead at a void darker than the actual void, thinking. If he were asked to describe his thoughts at the moment, he would have been ashamed to admit that it wasn't anything profound. The status of the ship's engine, what day it was, the price of hair dye, his son's upcoming sportsball game. But at least there were no telepaths around.

A while later, as the first hint of sunlight began to appear on the water, Stachell's alarm rang. Like most, she wasn't a morning Kerbal. She tried her level best to be, though, and stumbled out of the bunk as soon as her eyes were able to identify the corners and edges of surfaces. After returning from the head (a sailor word for bathroom), her first duty was to check on the four patients. Only one problem. They weren't there.

She stumbled over to the bridge, partly from lack of coffee, partly from seasickness, and partly from surprise. When someone's been in zero-g for a year or two, standing up is one of those things that's technically feasible, but definitely a last resort, as there's quite a lot of effort involved. Imagine a group of bedridden patients simultaneously deciding to go for a walk, all while not informing the nurse. 

Perry: Doctor Stachell. What seems to be the problem? If it's breakfast that's the matter, you'll find it belowdecks, though you'd better hurry before Ensign Lagerbro eats it all.

Stachell: Well, um, the thing is, Commodore, my patients seem to have all vanished. And I was hoping that before I start panicking over paranormal kidnappers, you might have some clue as to what happened to them?

Perry: You're in luck, ma'am. They just so happen to be on deck right now. 

The Medic had a look through the window, then looked again. They were indeed seated on deck, staring out ahead at the water.

Stachell: But - sir, how did they get from there to here?

Perry: Well, you could ask them, but I suspect they got out and walked. 

She made her way onto the deck. The former Azade crew were all silently staring ahead, so she respectfully took a seat next to them. Felix and Macberry were still there, mostly because they were too tired to get up.

Finally, Lancott saw her, and gave a sheepishly apologetic look. 

Stachell: What are you doing?

Lancott: Watching the sunrise.

Stachell: Ah. Bet you haven't seen one of those in a while. 

Lancott (nodding): Always had this view to look forward to. Plus it's probably a metaphor for something.

A little later in the day, they found themselves in want of more entertainment than staring at the sun could provide. Fortunately, there was something interesting on the radio, namely a new launch. 

Jim: Hello everyone... if you're just tuning in, welcome back to treetop news, with the live launch coverage of the Orst rocket. Now, as I understand it, this launch is also funded entirely by a private company.

Tim: That's right. This one was actually built by Orzel Organisation, an engineering firm with some roots in the astronomer's guild.

Jim: So, I think the real question is... why is the KSP selling out? Admit the truth!

Tim: Aah! I don't work there!

Jim: Ah, there's the liftoff. There lies a greater mystery, what contraption lies behind that rocket's sinister shell?

Tim: Glad you asked for the audience, Jim. That rocket is carrying a probe meant to survey the sun. It's carrying a bunch of telescopes and scanners and such.

Jim: Indubitably. Hopefully this spacecraft will reveal the mysterious goings-on behind the sun's crazy antics lately. With any luck, we'll be able to find out what the sun gods want, and appease them.

Tim: And there goes the rocket, whooshing up towards the heavens like... er... a rocket.

Jim: Reminds me of those screaming Scurrbirds that hang out near the mountains, personally. Except those aren't usually on fire.

Jim: ...and that's why so many birds of prey are endangered-

Tim: Jim, the fairing's releasing!

Jim: Oh, right. 

After that, the trajectory planners had a look at the numbers. It was decided that they would perform the Kerbol orbital burns once Kerbin's SOI had been exited, so it didn't really matter if their exit angle was affected. With that in mind, they decided to pay a visit to an old friend.

Given that the Orst probe was going at Kerbin escape velocity, they couldn't exactly slow down and land, but either way, Kerbin's closest pal didn't mind visitors.

[VelocityPolaris]

Well Crap

If anybody reads this, I'm really sorry. Unfortunately, the final nail has been driven into the coffin at orbital velocities. So I tried to update KSP to 1.4, then added making history. When I opened the Past The Haze save, the ships were almost all gone. Oculus station, gone (and the crew labeled as MIA), the KSS Rubber Ducky, gone, the Inquirer probe, gone. The only ships that were still there, on the tracking station screen, was the network of GPS satellites I had launched just last week. I thought that I had properly reinstalled every single mod that was on there previously, but the only possibility I can think of is that I missed some part which was on almost all of the ships, and with those few modded parts missing, the ships that had them were all deleted. Usually it gives some kind of notification when that happens, though.

While it's possible to launch everything again and put them all back where they were (for the second time), this is really the Armour Piercing Composite Rigid straw that broke the camel's back. I've been dealing with a potato computer, loads of glitches, real life, a lack of computer knowledge, and having to explain my stupid past self's careless kudzu plot. I'm just not motivated to fix everything again and continue.

But I think I have an option. I can restart the story. A different thread, a different name - it would be in many ways a sequel/continuation of this one, though it would shed some of the confusing kudzu-y bits, like the light-absorbent water (and might embrace some of the other kudzu leaves that I think I have explanations for). So I'd make a new story. I just don't know what to name it.

EDIT: Again, sorry.

Edited June 1, 2018 by VelocityPolaris

[Pretorian28715]

, starts searching for new thread.

 

Hate it when that happens. Looking forward to the new start then. 

[Fraston]

Nice!

[VelocityPolaris]

11 hours ago, Pretorian28715 said:

, starts searching for new thread.

 

Hate it when that happens. Looking forward to the new start then. 

Oh, the praetorian guard's here, hooray!

I'm trying to throw together some crappy art, AKA meep morp, in google slides ('cuz I'm cheap) for the title page right now, but I've had it up to here with the lag. So I've been saving monies throughout last year, and I think I've got enough to buy myself a gaming computer. Astronomer's visual pack, here we come!  
Although there will be a fair few delays, represented below:

1. A family vacation really soon. We'll be cramming several weeks of touristness into one, so computer stuff is probably not happening.

2. Picking and ordering the parts, since I don't know anything about computers and have no idea what to get.

3. Making the meep morp while waiting for the parts to arrive. 

4. Computer assembly, getting software to do whatever it does.

5. KSP activity and screenshots for the story.

6. Putting together the title page, finally writing the first chapter.

A big obstacle but a strange one is the new story's name - it's a rule that engineers, or prospective engineers, are generally crap at naming things. Every title I can think of is either a cliché title or a dead meme. If anybody's feeling creative I can TG you a brief overview of what the new story is going to be like, and maybe you can help with the naming. 

[Kerbinchaser]

Sad to hear this was shut down, I just discovered it recently.