Adventures with WildBlueIndustries - Blueshift and Kerbal Flying Saucers

[Ooglak Kerman]

"Hi Kanie.  Welcome to Alva!" said pilot Lamund to the new engineer
"Thanks.  Wow.  We got here just an hour ago and already at work.  You guys sure have made a lot of progress"
"Yeah, well - since we expanded, we've been really short on engineers for handling construction.  We will be able to really get moving on this place now with you guys"
"Glad to be here.  Lets see... more storage for the Fab-2 facility." said Kanie - consulting the work order.  "This one?"

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Similar conversations were happening around the colony as the new arrivals got settled in.  There was more work to expand the base, but more hands to make it go more quickly.

Which left the remaining nine who would be pursuing a more nomadic lifestyle and exploring the surroundings

"Hi everyone.  I'm Burely - Colony commander and de-facto mayor.  We will begin fabrication of your vehicles in an hour or so and it will take at least a couple of days to complete them.  We can only dedicate one of our fab facilities to this task.  In the meantime I hope we can count on you to help out around here.  We've got to get this facility you're in completed.

Nods all around

"Great.  Thank you!  Bobby-Ray - I understand your two scientists are med trained also?  Yes?  Please have them head over to our mobile medical truck and help get it in order."
"I'm a pilot, but I'm fully med trained and qualified" said SunDream
"Thank you.  Your chickens have been moved to Factory-2 and your vehicle is first up.  Thanks folks.  lets get to it"

[Ooglak Kerman]

Leaf and SunDreams K-Dub bus is completed.  SunDream has had her way - artistically - with the bus and some of the colony crew have come out to have a look.

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The first of the Ray-Clanne trailers is complete and they're busy getting it kitted out.

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[Ooglak Kerman]

A reminder that Alva is a hostile place.  In addition to building out the colony, the daily tasks also involve fixing what the environment destroys or damages.

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[Ooglak Kerman]

"Uhhh.." groaned Engineer Kanie at Alva "up the ladder.  down the ladder.  Feels like I've done this a hundred times today"

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The hard work is paying off though.  Alva City is very nearly complete.  It currenly has habitat facilities for 52 Kerbals with luxury apartments attached to park and recreation facilities and also with more affordable housing.  A common use city park and observatory is next on the plans.

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[Ooglak Kerman]

"Hey Boss" called Kanie to Burely "check out the video feed.  Hab-1 and Hab-2 are sliding together."
"Huhh..  ok.  Lets move one of the apartments over to the new City Park.  It needs an admin building anyway"

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In spite of being on level ground, many of the city buildings are slowly moving.

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[Ooglak Kerman]

"Hey mayor-dude.  Hey Bobby-Ray.  SunDream and me are gonna head on out and scout ahead." called Leaf
"Ok.  Drive safe and call in when you get to a stopping point"  replied Burely
"Cool man.  Peace-out"

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"I'm glad we came and didn't do the warp drive thing.  Groovy sunset" mused SunDream as they wound their way generally north
"Yeah man.  We got a whole planet.  Whatcha say we park here and camp?"
"No camp fees!" SunDream added with a giggle.
"Hey mayor-dude.  We're 6 kays straight to the north for the night.  Later dude!"

Edited February 18, 2023 by Ooglak Kerman

[Ooglak Kerman]

"I'm heading back to the galley.  Got some brownies that should just about be ready to come out.  And I want to check on the greenhouse too." said SunDream

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"Yeah man!  Bring me a brownie, would ya?"

Edited February 18, 2023 by Ooglak Kerman

[Ooglak Kerman]

Meanwhile, at the mining outpost on Leyn, the crew has grown weary of looking for a spot that is level enough on which to build and have taken matters into their own hands.  Patberry - the station scientist - was able to concoct an inadvisable quantity of K4 Standard Explosive which was placed by the engineers to level a spot.  The calculations for amount and placement are complex - dominated by the amount "P" which stands for "Plenty" 

A bit of shoveling and raking later and they were able to build Leyn Mining Outpost.  Still work to do, but they're not having to live crowded into the lander any more.  This worked out so well that Patberry is making yet another inadvisable quantity of K4 to create another level spot below this one.

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[Ooglak Kerman]

On Alva, in their trailer homes...  The clan has joined up and hooked up their trailers

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"Hey Billy-Ray - lets go an sit on the back porch" said Bobby-Ray
"Sure Paw.  Nice view."
"Yep.  Git us a cold one, why doncha, boy"
"Ok Paw.  Here ya go"

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"Uhh.. Paw..  How we supposed to drink these?  Can't take off our helmets"
"Huh.. dang.  Well, lets go on back in then."

"Where's them hippy folk?" asked Tee-Ray from the other trailer
"They went on ahead to scout around.  Said they'd be back in a day or two"

[Ooglak Kerman]

As Tee-Ray and Bill-Ray were talking, Leaf and SunDream were mashing across the Alva desert and catching unadvisable air with their K-Dub bus - which turns out to handle very well  in spite of its size.

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"Yeah man!!  You get it, SunDream" exulted Leaf as they sailed several meters up and over a ridge

[Ooglak Kerman]

With the mining outpost on Leyn and the colony on Alva well established, KZAM-11 has orders to scout other planets in the Nova Kirbani B system.

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Elno - the last major planet in the Nova Kirbani B system.  Surface gravity is 0.96 of Kerbin, so colonists would be quite comfortable there if they could stay warm.  It's a frozen world too far from the habitable zone to have liquid water.  It does sport a scenic ring system that would provide colonists a great view.  It also has a small moon - Anuq - which would make a good resource outpost due to its light gravity.

Edited February 22, 2023 by Ooglak Kerman

[Ooglak Kerman]

At the Alva Colony, a geology prospecting vehicle has been fabricated and sent to scout the surrounding area for resources.  The wide array of sample drawers, blinking lights, rocker switches, displays, and obviously scientific instruments all lead to the inescapable conclusion that this is a vehicle in which serious science is being conducted.

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Within a 10KM radius of Alva City, several high value concentrations of resources have been discovered, showing that if you bring enough science, the resources will come.

[Ooglak Kerman]

Another load of colonists destined for Alva City and Leyn Mining Outpost.  It was deemed more efficient, less risky, and an excellent training opportunity to have them meet their ride to Nova Kirbani the "old way".

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[Ooglak Kerman]

After the now routine jump ring transfer to Kerbin and back to Alva the Rodvis and Julred deliver their load of 14 more colonists to Alva City.  As can be seen, the city is under near constant evolution.

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Every crew needs to do a group photo and flag planting.  Half of this crew will be destined for the Leyn mining outpost which is being hindered by an extreme shortage of staff.

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How will they get there?  Angelo has delivered fabrication plans for mini jump gates to both Alva and Leyn.  The Alva mini gate has just finished assembly and is shown before deployment.

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These gates have limited range and capacity and require graviolium for operation.  It was theorized that most planets will likely have small, isolated deposits of graviolium and the specialized geology vehicle was able to locate just such a deposit.

A drilling and storage vehicle was quickly fabricated to extract the graviolium.  Once the Alva and Leyn mini gates are functional, Leyn will be able to supply this necessary resource to facilitate easy back and forth travel between the two planets.

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Edited February 25, 2023 by Ooglak Kerman

[Ooglak Kerman]

Alva City gate has been fueled and deployed

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As has Leyn Mining Outpost Gate

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All that is left now is to designate a volunteer to test the system.  Engineer Cambin was taking a nap when the call for a volunteer came.  Everyone pointed to him and he awoke to find himself being pushed into the gate.

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A moment of disorientation and stretchiness..  and..  Leyn

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Captain Gemzon called from the Leyn miner/rover..  "Cambin.. welcome to Leyn.  No extra - or less limbs - or unsightly personalities?  Good.  Over here to the miner/rover.  I need an engineer"

So, the next volunteer was chosen and the rest gathered to watch.  From a hopefully safe distance.  Behind something solid.

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[Ooglak Kerman]

Everyone made the jump over to Leyn from Alva City.  No extra - or less limbs.  No obvious unsightly extra unpleasant personalities.  A little disoriented though.

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[Ooglak Kerman]

On Alva, Sundream and Leaf have taken their leave of the Ray Clanne..

"We're out dude!  We're gonna go and find the sandwurms this place is supposed to have" said Leaf to Bobby-Ray
"Aw right.   Yall folks drive safe.  Looks like purdy rough country to the direction you're headed"

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The bus continues to serve them well across some extreme terrain

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"Your old man sure did a good job teaching you driving and piloting, babe" said Leaf
"Yeah.. Dad is a bit of a goof, but he's a great pilot" replied Sundream
"Well, I expect ol Jeb would be proud of you if he could see you driving this rig"

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Basically following the equator from 107W to the vicinity of 1E

[Ooglak Kerman]

"Whooaaaa babe" said Leaf.. "man... maybe the brownies were a little strong."
"Nah man... it's cool.  I got it" mused SunDream - dreamily

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[Ooglak Kerman]

Progress so far.  They are currently in the Ancient Continental Highlands of Alva.  The altitude is in excess of 5000m.  It's been a rough ride so far and SunDreams chickens are not happy.

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[Ooglak Kerman]

"Man, SunDream.  When Alva had water, I bet these mountains had some burley skiing!"

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[Ooglak Kerman]

"Hey Leaf.  I'm stopping.  Can ya check out the steering?  Bus ain't tracking straight any more after we got stuck in that tight canyon back a little"

A few minutes later after some clanging and banging and cursing

"Huhhhh..  Steering is pretty bent up.  It's solid, but it ain't straight and I don't have a big enough hammer.  Can ya deal with it?"
"Yeah.  It's a drag but we'll manage.  Brownie?  Ohhh... check out Tur!"

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Edited March 2, 2023 by Ooglak Kerman

[Ooglak Kerman]

After a while of listening to SunDream cursing and fighting the steering, Leaf was aft in the galley trying to heat them some Snacks.  There was a sudden shout of "hang on!" and a bone and teeth jarring thud and WHANG!!.

"Fiiixxxed iiittt!!" shouted SunDream "steering is all good now.  Take that hammer-boy"
"huhhh.. I don't want to see what it looks like now" muttered Leaf

[Ooglak Kerman]

Another day, another insane slope.

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Calling this "Mount Lookitdat"

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After a couple days of clattering and bashing, there was a sudden bang and smash from the rear of the bus.
"Hey SunDream.. looks like our cargo box came loose and has left the bus.  Nothing to salvage." said Leaf

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Alva has traps for the unwary and unprepared traveler.  Several hours, they had the bus dug out and were back on the way.

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After a long journey, they have arrived in the likely location for the sandwurms.  The target area is small but quite rugged.

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[Ooglak Kerman]

A long day of search for the sandwurms and into the night and they were dis-heartened and ready to say that the sandwurms were just a legend to scare away travelers to Alva.  They parked for the night - and in the morning...

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Leaf piled out of the bus excitedly.
"Oh man... this is just bomb.  Bad AF!!"

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"What - Are - You - Doing?" demanded SunDream - with arched eyebrows, pursed lips, and crossed arms exuding from her tone
"Whooooo... I am Leaf Kerb'dib.  WurmRider!!!"

The wurm... unimpressed and unresponsive to the efforts of Leaf.

[Ooglak Kerman]

VIA a relay from Kiwi - the warp engine on KWL-1000 "We're Goin' Down" in orbit with Rodvis and Julred...

"Hi Uncle Verny!" exclaimed SunDream
"Ahh.. My favorite niece.  How are you Sunny?" responded Werner von Kerman
"We found SandWurmmmmms!!!  Can you send a science team to study them?  Oh... and our bus is all broke and we need a lift."
"Vaattt??  Are you okay Sunny?  Of course zee science team"
"We're good, Uncle Verny and the wurms are huge and cute in a pretty horrific way.  They don't seem to know we're here."
"Zat iz good.  Ze science team will be zere soon.  Love and hugs, niece"
"Love and hugs Uncle Verny"