Adventures with WildBlueIndustries - Blueshift and Kerbal Flying Saucers

[Ooglak Kerman]

I'm moving this out of the forums of @Angel-125 to here as a more appropriate place for these Mission Reports.

Bit of context and back story... 

The Kerbin Admiralty launched and commissioned their first Kerbin Warp Ship KWS-1 "Oh Please Don't Explode" and Valentina was made captain of said ship.  On the first cruise to the Jool system, Valentina came out of warp too close to Vall and did indeed explode the ship all across the planet..

Subsequently,

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Huhhhhh.,..  I'm sad to report that KWS-1 "Oh Please Don't Explode" has indeed exploded all across the surface of Vall.  Captain Valentina and 6 other kerbal crew who were on a training mission were lost.  Warped in too close to Vall, flamed out the warp drive and couldn't recover in time.  Sigh!

UPDATE:
About the same time that KWS-1 "Oh Please Don't Explode" departed on the training mission to the Jool system, KSP scientists and engineers completed development of technology to allow the upgrade of the tracking station to level-4.  This upgrade greatly increased the range of the tracking station and distress beacons have subsequently been detected in the Jool system indicating that at least some of the crew were able to get to life pods and eject before destruction of the ship.

KWS-2 "Are We There Yet" is nearly ready for launch and it appears that its maiden voyage will be a rescue mission.

in a follow-on

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Breaking news from the Kerbin Admiralty about the "Disaster At Vall"

Following the disaster at Vall with KWS-1 "Oh Please Don't Explode", Lt Chad Kerman was given command of KWS-2 "Are We There Yet" and dispatched with minimum resources to the Jool system to rescue any surviving crew of KWS-1.

In a happy twist of fate, Capt Valentina was able to get the entire crew off of the ship before it exploded all across the landscape of Vall and kept them together in low orbit of Vall in hopes that their distress beacons would bring aid.

In spite of having no prior experience with Warp Ships, Lt Chad was able to maneuver the ship into an eccentric orbit around Vall with a dangerously close perigee - well inside the warp cutoff limit - and rescue the crew from KWS-1 and return to Kerbin.

In recognition of his skill and bravery in this rescue, Lt Chad was promoted to full Captain (5-star) and given permanent command of KWS-2 "Are We There Yet".

Having lost KWS-1 "Oh Please Don't Explode" and over 75% of the Kerbin graviolium supply, Captain Valentina was reduced in rank to Ensign (0-stars) and reassigned to Minmus, piloting a supply shuttle.  This over objection of some Kerbin Admiralty members who wanted to just "feed her to Jool".

Edited March 11, 2022 by Ooglak Kerman

[Ooglak Kerman]

It was asked....  "Where is Jeb?"

Jeb has been on a mission driving a gigantic rover half-way around the Mun.  He and his crew have arrived at the Neal Armstrong memorial and set up Armstrong Base.

The Kerbin Admiralty has a shortage of well qualified pilots but many consider Jeb perhaps a bit too... enthusiastic..  to be entrusted with a warp ship representing a large percentage of the KSP bank.

There are younger Kerbals, eager for the opportunity to go where no Kerbal has gone before.  And not splash themselves and the ship across a whole planet.

Captain Chad and crew just returned in KWS-2 "Are We There Yet" from a mission near Sarnus to explore an unknown object that was being tracked.  It turned out to be an alien jump ring. 

There is great excitement in the science division of KSP and a follow-on mission is planned as soon as sufficiently trained engineers and scientists can be identified who will do more than "hit it with a hammer and see what happens".

[Ooglak Kerman]

From the Kerbin Admiralty: New Warp Ship Class

The successes of Captain Chad in command of KWS-2 "Are We There Yet" have led the Kirbin Admiralty to realize there is a supply chain problem for vital warp resources - namely chemical fuel , Xenon gas, and fusion pellets, and - once Jool orbital graviolium harvesting is in place - transfer of that vital resource.  And so the latest warp capable ship in the Kerbin fleet has been launched.  Warp Supply Ship WSS-42 "Please Sir Can I Have Some More" has been designed and built as a high capacity vessel with minimal warp capabilities to greatly shorten the warp resource supply chain between Kerbin and Minmus and Jool while limiting the consumption of those resources..

There being a considerable shortage of pilots with warp ship experience (exactly two), it was (grudgingly) decided to place this lead ship of the class in the command of Ensign Valentina.  Many in the Kerbin Admiralty still want to "just feed her to Jool" but the the necessities of the fleet must come first.

From the Kerbin Admiralty: New Resource Opportunities

As the Kerbin Admiralty begins to ramp up production of more warp capable ships at the KSP, the Kerbin League of Smart Technologists have been arguing theories of whether it is possible for a warp ship to conduct a warp rendezvous with an object in a highly eccentric orbit.  It is known from the exploits of Captain Chad in KWS-2 "Are We There Yet" that orbits around stars, planets and moons are easily and quickly achieved and that warp rendezvous with ships orbiting them can be done with proper planning.  When asked about the probability of success, the spokes-kerbal for the League Of Smart Technologists replied "we are not sure - we do not know the way"

To test these theories, Ensign Valentina was taken off of supply shuttle duty and after stripping the ship to the minimum resources for the mission, dispatched in WSS-42 "Please Sir Can I Have Some More" to attempt a warp rendezvous with a large class-E asteroid in an inclined and eccentric orbit of Kerbol and nearly 500,000 kilometers from Kerbin.  This mission appealed to those in the Admiralty who wanted to just "feed her to Jool" after the KWS-1 disaster since if she smashed into the asteroid it would likely yield interesting science and become "problem solved".

Setting out on the mission, Ensign Valentina was indeed able to warp rendezvous with the targeted asteroid, perform a cursory survey and return to Kerbin orbit in under 1 hour.

This ease of asteroid rendezvous means that the mining of asteroids for vital warp resources is now feasible and resource effective with the ability to return resources to Kerbin in hours rather than months or years.  The as-yet unnamed lead ship of the new warp capable asteroid mining ship class is under construction and will soon be dispatched.  There is also discussion about bringing Jeb back from his Mun mission at Armstrong Base to pilot a new warp capable resource survey ship.

There is great excitement with these developments at the Kerbin League Of Smart Technologists and in reply to a query of what this will mean for all Kerbal-kind the spokes-Kerbal replied "we are not sure - we do not know the way".  It was added that "we do wonder if it is possible for a warp ship to tow an asteroid.....  but... we are not sure......"

 

[Ooglak Kerman]

The yet unnamed warp capable asteroid mining ship currently under construction.  Soon to be launched and commissioned.

Massive storage for warp resources.   1100 graviolium 1600 fusion pellets 4800 xenon gas.
Space for 2 crew members - pilot and engineer. 
Able to make its own resources as needed with the micro ISRU
S2 "Planets Edge" Warp Core
S2 Warp Coil
Capable of about .2C at full load.

 

Edited May 20, 2022 by Ooglak Kerman

[Ooglak Kerman]

Image of KWS-1 "Oh Please Don't Explode" in carrying capacity tests before the final mission where it exploded all across Vall.  3 very long range relay satellites carried with ease.  Warp resource capacity for very extended mission duration without resupply.  KWS-2 "Are We There Yet" is the second of this class but with uprated comms for Outer Planets and Interstellar operations.

• MK-3 command pod and PPD-10 Hitchhiker for crew capacity of 7
• RCS tank and plasma contactor module to handle static charge
• S3 "Star Frontiers" Warp Engine
• RA-100 comms dishes
• Liquid fuel/Oxy tank/engines for in system maneuvering (fat lot of good that did)
• 8 total docking ports
• 6 gigantor solar arrays and 4 fuel cell arrays for auxiliary power
• 5C top speed interplanetary with no load
• Kerbin - Jool - Kerbin in 10 minutes
•  
• 

 

[Ooglak Kerman]

JadeOfMaar provided this advice to the Kerbin League of Smart Technologiest..
"You do not want to lean on ye olde chem engines for a warp ship. I highly recommend you find a mod for fusion rockets, or try those nice cone-shaped gravitic engines in Angel's Kerbal Flying Saucers. The "GND" series."
 

to which the League of Smart Technologists replied...

The League Of Smart Technologists at Kerbin have come to the exact conclusion you suggest.  Experiments with gravatic engines are in progress, but when asked about progress in this realm of research the lead spokes-Kerbal for the League Of Smart Technologists responded (predictably) "we are not sure.  we do not know the way".  They do add, "we wish that it might be possible for @JadeOfMaar to come assist us in our search for the way"

There is also the matter that the Kerbin Admiralty currently has a serious shortage of pilots at any level.  Lt(jg) Jeb is being recalled from his mission at Armstrong Station on the Mun and most orbital stations are being decommissioned and pilots and other crew recalled.

The warp capable scout ship to which Lt(jg) Jeb will be assigned has been assigned a hull number and name appropriate to the task.  Warp Scout WS-8675309 "Hold Mah Beer".  There were many raised eyebrows in the Kerbin Admiralty and all they could say is "yeah... Jeb".  Both Bill and Bob are being recalled to Kerbin to pair up with Jeb on this mission - given they tend to be the only ones who can keep him on an even keel.  The commissioning voyage of this ship should be "interesting".

 

[Ooglak Kerman]

Jeb and Bill saying goodbye to Armstrong Station before heading back to Kerbin and warp adventures.  The rover is showing the results of Jeb's "enthusiasm".

 

[Ooglak Kerman]

Jeb, Bill, and Bob back together at the KSP after a couple long years on various missions.  Having a look at the new class Warp Scout ship WS-8675309 "Hold Mah Beer" at initial launch pad tests.

Jeb: ditch those butane lighters.  I want that new gravatic engine
Bill: Umm..  those "butane lighters" are tried and true. You've never even seen the gravatic engine
Bob: I'm gonna die - aren't I?

Initial tests of the new uprated comms antennas.

Jeb:  Cool!  Now I can still play Earth Space Program all the way out at Jool or Sarnus.  The butane lighters go though.  Gimme the gravatic.
Bill: I'll be out fixing those huge things a lot.  I've heard good things about the mini-ISRU though.  We gonna grind us up some asteroid!
Bob:  We're just gonna explode, aren't we?

 

Edited May 20, 2022 by Ooglak Kerman

[Ooglak Kerman]

Initial tests of the gravatic engine.  Several hops to increasing altitude and back to the pad - culminating in 250m.

Jeb, Bill and Bob now need to go on a training mission with Captain Chad in KWS-2 "Are We There Yet" to learn about the warp engines.  When informed of this mission, Captain Chad had this to say...

"Jeb?  Not IN my ship"

[Ooglak Kerman]

The crew shuttle docked up with KWS-2 "Are We There Yet" in preparation for a mission to the Jool system and to the Sarnus system for warp systems training.

Captain Chad: Lieutenant (junior grade) Jeb....
Jeb:  Chad...
Captain Chad: Mmmm..????
Jeb: <mutter> Captain Chad..Sir...  permission to come aboard with my crew
Captain Chad:  permission <provisionally> granted
Jeb:  <looks around> umm..  a bit cramped.  Where do I sit?

Captain Chad:  Well Jeb.  We have a seat set aside just for you.  Once we are interplanetary, I'll transfer the helm to your station.  You are to take us into the Jool system and into orbit around Laythe.  Questions?
Jeb: Yeahhhh!  Bring it bro!!
Captain Chad:  Mmm... What was that Lieutenant - (junior grade)????
Jeb: <mutter>  Yes, sir.  Captain Chad.
Captain Chad:  You will be limited to .5C
Jeb: <mutter>

 

[Ooglak Kerman]

11 minutes later after warping away from Kerbin

Jeb: Boo Yah!!  Gimme that warp drive lovin!!!
Captain Chad:  Huhhhhhhh

 

Some quick stops at Vall and Tylo and then off to the Sarnus system to enter orbit around Tekto

10 minutes later....

Jeb:  Bwaaahahahaha... E-Ticket!!!   I'll be getting warp and gravatic drive.  Look out galaxy - here comes Jeb!!!
Captain Chad: This can't go well

[Ooglak Kerman]

From the Kerbin Admiralty: Unexpected Results From Experimental Tech

In an entirely unexpected development, the experimental technologies associated with the Warp Drive and the Gravatic Engines have proven to have "interesting and unforseen" behaviors - especially when the technologies are combined onto the same vessel.  Whoodathunk?

As shown by Captain Chad and KWS-2 "Are We There Yet", the Warp Drive technology has proven to be a major boon to drastically shorten the transit time between far flung destinations.  Likewise, initial testing of the Gravatic Engines have yielded exciting results for getting vessels into orbit without the expense, thundering noise, raining down of staged debris, general atmospheric pollution and other issues associated with "moar boosters". 

Combining these new, advanced technologies onto the same vessel have resulted in interactions that were "concerning".  Use of the Gravatic Engine rendered the Warp Engine non-functional except under specific circumstances - resulting in the near loss of an asteroid mining mission.

Fortunately, @Angel-125 Kerman - a member of the League Of Smart Technologists - was able to use words like "OUTPUT_RESOURCE drain" in conjunction with "GravityWaves", "StaticCharge", and "WBIGraviticGenerator" to describe the nature of the issue and to provide a fix.

After a review of available data, the lead spokes-Kerbal for the League of Smart Technologists offered this comment:  "we are not sure.  we do not know the way"

[Admiral Fluffy]

13 hours ago, Ooglak Kerman said:

As shown by Captain Chad and KWS-2 "Are We There Yet", the Warp Drive technology has proven to be a major boon to drastically shorten the transit time between far flung destinations.  Likewise, initial testing of the Gravatic Engines have yielded exciting results for getting vessels into orbit without the expense, thundering noise, raining down of staged debris, general atmospheric pollution and other issues associated with "moar boosters". 

Some unnamed kerbalnauts have protested the use of gravatic engines, complaining that they make launches "Boring".

[Angelo Kerman]

"Angelo Kerman" gets around the forums. Glad to help get things going again.

[Ooglak Kerman]

5 hours ago, Admiral Fluffy said:

Some unnamed kerbalnauts have protested the use of gravatic engines, complaining that they make launches "Boring".

While it is true that gravatic launches are likely to become routine and "sedate" when compared to the thunderous, rattling of conventional chemical rockets, the expense of the warp and gravatic drives and scarcity of graviolium will ensure that those chemical rockets will continue to have their place.  And there will continue to be a need for brave, intrepid Kerbals to pilot and crew atop those rockets.  In fact, the Kerbin Admiralty has decreed that any pilot who wishes to command a warp ship must first be qualified in chemical rocket operations.

Edited March 13, 2022 by Ooglak Kerman

[Ooglak Kerman]

From the Kerbin Admiralty: Engineering Rank Structure

With the introduction of the Warp and Gravatic propulsion systems being integrated into the Kerbin fleet has come the necessity of a more codified and upgraded training program for working on and maintaining these mostly poorly understood and exceedingly complex systems.  No longer is it sufficient to just "bash the bloody thing with a hammer" to make it work.  As any Engineer knows, very complex systems seem to acquire a life of their own and need to be spoken to appropriately.  That appears to be very much the case with the Warp and Gravatic propulsion systems - which have been derived from alien technologies and have traits that some find disturbing.

Well trained Engineers are vital for increasing the efficiency and reliability of these new engines.  The following Engineering rank structure has been implemented:

No Stars:  Hits it:  Breaks hands.  Chemical rockets tend to spontaneously explode around them.  Warp and Gravatic systems completely ignore them but eat them if they get too close.

: Hits it with a hammer:  Chemical rockets generally cooperate.  Warp and Gravatic systems don't recognize their presence but eat them if given a chance.

: Hits it harder with a hammer:  Has the attention of chemical rockets.  Warp and Gravatic systems invite them to play... and then eat them.

: Hits it with a bigger hammer:  Chemical rockets are polite and dV improvements are realized.  Stays away from the Warp and Gravatic systems - which laugh disconcertingly.

: Hits it harder with a bigger hammer:  Will get you to Sarnus with a chemical rocket - in 5 years.   Warp and Gravatic systems notice but laugh and open access hatches invitingly - and eats them.

: Scotty!:  No time for th' bloody blowtorches.  Says things like "aye laddie" and "ye skagger" and "ah dinna kin".   Speak lovingly to the Warp and Gravatic systems which are impressed and work well.  Interplanetary and Interstellar transit times are greatly reduced.

Edited March 17, 2022 by Ooglak Kerman

[Ooglak Kerman]

After Jeb, Bill, and Bob returned from the training run out to the Jool and Sarnus systems, they each received their 5-star rating in their respective specialties.

Now, in preparation for the launch and multi-year scouting voyage of WS-8675309 "Hold Mah Beer" they are honing their respective skills - Bob at an alien technologies conference hosted by the League of Smart Technologists and Jeb and Bill are back aboard KWS-2 "Are We There Yet" to work with Captain Chad and 1st Officer (Eng-5) Mous.

Mous: Awright Bill-laddie. It's guid tae see ye again.  Get ye here an comme blether tae me.
Bill: Awright Mous-lassie.  It's guid tae see ye. Howfur ur yur warpie motors?
Mous: Aye!  Thay be daein' gray weel. Wid ye be lik'tae come see and blether tae thaim?
Bill: Aye lassie. Tha's braw o'ye

The two engineers head off for the engineering spaces.

Jeb: Uhhhh...???
Chad: Yeah.  No clue.  For some reason, it's how the Scotty's speak.  The Warp drives won't have it any other way.
Jeb: The..... Warp drives won't.....????
Chad: Haha.  Yeah.  Those things definitely have "something" going on and personality.  That "Alien" tech I guess.
Jeb: huhhh..  and Sci-5's?
Chad: bwahahaha. You've not had a chance to "talk" to Bob then.  My advice - when they talk to you - just nod and say "make it so..."  I gather you will have the Gravatic drive in addition to a Warp drive.  I hope you are prepared for "differently normal"

Note to remember: Regardless of the actual rank, the individual in charge of a ship is the Captain.  Aboard a ship, there is only one Captain.  If another with the actual rank of "Captain" comes aboard, they are given a temporary courtesy "bump" in rank.  A Navy Captain would become a "Commodore" .  A Captain in the Marines would become a "Major". 

Edited March 19, 2022 by Ooglak Kerman

[Ooglak Kerman]

Meanwhile, at Minmus Orbital Depot:

Valentina completed the resource transfer for yet another load of fusion pellets, monoprop, liquid fuel and oxydizer to take back to Kerbin Orbital Depot.  She hoped that her term of penance for the loss of KWS-1 "Oh Please Don't Explode" would soon be at an end.  She missed her crew and in a brighter thought reflected on the fact that she did make level-5 ship captain before anyone else.

Settling into the command station, she ran the sequence to start main power and held her breath as she initiated the Warp engine start sequence.  As expected, instead of the humming purring of the Warp engine at idle - there came a wheezing cough and the unstart warning light.

Carefully not letting the frustration show - she remembered that bit of drama from the Warp engine a couple weeks ago...

"Oh come on sweetie.  Lets get this load back to Kerbin and I'll see if I can park us next to KWS-2 'Are We There Yet'.  You like him, eh? "

"Wooooaaannnaa Scoooootty" came the plaintive moan from back in engineering

Huhhhh... here we go again Val thought...  "Oh sweetie.  I know you want your own Scotty, but we gotta get these resources back.  The other Warp engines are depending on you.  Once we're back at Kerbin, I'll put in another request to get you a Scotty"

Reinitiating the Warp engine start sequence, she was rewarded with good start sequence indicators.  Quick check with Kerbin traffic control and off for the quick 5 minute run back to Kerbin and dock up with Kerbin Orbital Depot and hopefully receive a few units of graviolium.

"When did these engines start getting personalities like this?" she wondered.  Followed closely by.. "sure hope it's not just me."
 

[Ooglak Kerman]

Jeb:  There we are boys.  Warp Scout WS-8675309 "Hold Mah Beer".  We're equipped with the latest Warp and Gravatic drives.  We're set up to do asteroid and planetary surveys, deep space, orbital and surface science, and deep space rendezvous and rescue.  We're scheduled for a noon launch tomorrow and our first mission is to rendezvous with Valentina.  She's asked that you come to talk to.... errr.... work on her Warp drive, Bill.

Bill:  Aye Jeb laddie.  Ah kin dae that.  Poor lil Warpie lass, wit' nae Scotty.  It mak's me dowie ta think aboot it.  I'll blether tae th' poor lassie.

Jeb:  uhh.. Okaaayy..  Make it so.

Bob: Captain, these technologies are new and relative untried.  I calculate a 47.3560153 percent probability that we will experience a Catastrophic Rapid Unpleasant Disassembly.  Though additional calculations along those probability lines indicate......

Jeb: Huhhhhh.  <remembers what Chad said about "differently normal">.  Lets get final launch checks done.

 

Edited May 20, 2022 by Ooglak Kerman

[Ooglak Kerman]

WS-8675309 "Hold Mah Beer"

Habitation/Control/Engineering/Science:  PPD-12 Cupola Module,  Mk-2 Lander Can, MPL-LG-2
Docking:  Advanced Grabbing Unit, Clamp-o-tron docking ports (4)
Resource acquisition/Storage/Processing: Drill-o-matic Jr (2), S-2 FTL storage (2), Micro ISRU (2)
Electrical: Gigantor solar array (4), Fuel Cell Array (4)
Comms: RA-NKA-S1 (2) (GU antenna), Communitron HG-55 (2)
Science: All the science
Engines: S-2 "Planets Edge" Warp Core and S-3-2 Warp Ring.  GND-01 "Quantum" Gravatic Engine.  MK-55 Thud (3) chemical rockets - mostly for show

Max interplanetary warp: ~9.5C (no payload)
Notes:  provisioned to land on planets or moons - but needs a level landing spot.  RTS-1 Resource Transfer Station allow non-docked transfer of resources to other ships or vehicles.  Micro ISRU allows self-sufficiency of all needed resources given sufficient raw materials obtained from asteroid mining.

//image inadvertently deleted//

Edited May 20, 2022 by Ooglak Kerman

[Ooglak Kerman]

From the Kerbin Admiralty: Launch of New Warp Scout Ship

After some last minute upgrades, the newest Warp capable ship in the Kerbin Fleet was launched at noon from the Kerbin Space Center.  Warp Scout WS-8675309 "Hold Mah Beer" executed a flawless launch using its new Gravatic "GND-01 Quantum" engine.  Shown here rising silently and smoothly above the KSC, it prompted some to mutter "t'aint raight.  Gots no rockets".

Crewed by local hero Jeb Kerman as pilot, Scotty Engineer Bill Kerman, and Sci-5 Scientist Bob Kerman, the addition of this new ship class to the fleet is expected to usher in a new era of exploration and colonization with the furthest portions of the Kerbol system reachable in mere hours rather than decades.  There is discussion of the feasibility of interstellar exploration - with Nova Kerbani a frequently mentioned destination.

//Image inadvertently deleted//

 

Edited July 8, 2022 by Ooglak Kerman

[Ooglak Kerman]

Warp Scout WS-8675309 "Hold Mah Beer" is shown here continuing upward on Gravatic engine power to a 750KM apoapsis where the Warp engine can be safely engaged to place the ship into a stable orbit around Kerbin.  While the Warp engines are immensely  powerful and can translate a craft at apparent speeds greater than that of light, they will not function within 1 planetary radius of a planet or moon.  Great care must be exercised when approaching a planet or moon so as to not fall within that Warp engine cutoff altitude.

Traditional ascent profiles used with chemical rockets to reach a given apoapsis and then perform an orbit circularization burn are unnecessary with the Warp engine capable of performing a circularization as long as the craft is above the 1 planetary radius warp cutoff limit.

 

[Ooglak Kerman]

After a quick warp back to Kerbin expecting to rendezvous with Kerbin Orbital Depot to offload the resources, Valentina was instead ordered to an 850KM parking orbit and ordered to await rendezvous with another ship.  Curious, she thought.

A couple boring hours later, suddenly a Warp ship unlike any she had seen appeared 40 meters ahead of her out of nowhere.  The comms came alive:

Jeb: Val!  Good to see ya.  How's the gravy train?
Val: Jeb!  You're a sight for sore eyes.  So bored!  You got a new ship.  Pretty sweet!
Jeb: Yah, well... lemme tell ya, Warp... Gravatic...  I've lost track of what is normal any more
Val: Right?  Do.... ummm... yours... uhh... talk?
Jeb: You too?  Whew..  I thought I was losing it.  Hey, Bill is a Scotty now and he will be EVA'ing on over for a little chat with your Warp engine.  Lock onto us and begin station keeping.
Val: On it.  <signs off>

Hey sweetie!!!  A Scotty is coming to talk to you!!
MMMMMMmmmmMMMMMmmmmMMMMM
 

Edited March 20, 2022 by Ooglak Kerman

[Ooglak Kerman]

Several VERY strange hours later - listening to Bill and her Warp engine "talking", Bill finally came stomping out of engineering and without a word, cycled through the airlock and EVA'd back over to the other ship.  Shortly after his arrival, the comms came back alive with Bill having contacted the Kerbin Admiralty Engineering Department.  She couldn't understand much of what was said but there was a lot of angry shouting.  That comms having completed, Jeb came online:

Jeb:  Hey Val.  We're out.  <wink> get ready for a new normal!
Val:  Huh?  What happened?

And with that, Jebs ship turned and disappeared as it warped away.

A new mission assignment came up on the screen.  She was instructed to hold in the current orbit for a fuel shuttle and then until a crew shuttle arrived to take her down to the KSC.

New normal, indeed.

 

[Ooglak Kerman]

Val kept her ship steady as the drone fuel shuttle performed a rendezvous and docking.  She watched in amazement as her main graviolium and fusion pellet tanks were filled to capacity, with some extra in the auxiliary tanks.  She had never had this much available and had refined the Minmus to Kerbin and back run down to just over 2.5 units.  With this much, she calculated that she would be able to go to any planet in the system and back with ease.  More and more curious.

A couple of hours later she got a rendezvous and docking warning and waited while what was obviously the crew shuttle docked up.  "Hey sweetie... I'm headed down to the Space Center but will be back soon."
"Mmmmmmmm kayyy" came the muted reply.

Val cycled through the lock and into the command pod and strapped in, happy to see her old friend Labro at the command console

Val: Hey Labro.  Good to see you again girl!  They sent you up just for me?
Labro: Hey Val.  Hah.. no.  Seems some fool from WildBlue got his self stuck in orbit - again.  We're gonna pick him up on the way back down and snag the recovery fee to offset this trip.
Val: Hah.  Don't know how many of those fellows I've had to pull out of orbit. Sure seems they run a loose operation over at WildBlue, eh?

An uneventful rendezvous and rescue of a WildBlue Eng-0 completed, they deorbited back to the KSC and checked into the Astronaut Complex.

Val thought to herself - Jeb was not kidding about "new normal".

 

Edited March 21, 2022 by Ooglak Kerman