[AAR] The Grand Tour - Voyage To The Planets

[silentdragon]

Well, I don't understand why 'the mission' is so important for Rozer, if he does not even know it's real background (or does he?!?) Other than that, he might be quite cold-hearted but he also seems ambitious and he got a dark background, so I can't really hate him for that...

Anyway, the confrontation with Rozer and Jeb is certainly going to be interesting, I just hope no one will get killed Also, I'm curious to see who the crew will trust more...

[Cal'Mihe]

Regardless of the conclusion of the equations, Rozer is still making one crucial mistake which shows why he is unredeemable: He makes Sid's choice by himself.

Rozer says that he would have stayed behind himself if it had been possible, if we accept that assumption (Rozer has no lack of courage), then one resolution is simply for them to talk it over. Plain and simple. If Sid can be made to understand the situation (he understands it well enough at the end), then its not impossible that Sid might simply accept to stay behind. Choosing to sacrifice himself willingly.

Heck, they could even set it up so that Sid has as much chance of survival as possible, stretching the time, in case a rescue can be mounted.

And Sid is a prosaic guy, he might consider that dying on Laythe to give his new friend a chance of stopping BERTY (in order to help his other friends) is a worthy sacrifice.

Or they might have spent those 44 days teaching Sid how to fly the lander, Sid's a bright guy, not impossible.

Instead, Rozer simply reverts to his Lone Wolf mentality, considers that he alone can save the universe, and refuses to consider anyone else as being equal to the task. Or equal at all for that matter.

By invalidating Sid's choice, Rozer *does* murder him, by taking away his most valuable possession (his life) and leaving him stranded, just like Rozer's father did to him (which is brilliantly throught out czo )

[czokletmuss]

I take it back.

Ouch.

Rozer's thoughts- for the good of the mission, but to stop those who will bring it down

My opinion is that he doesn't realize what being kerbal is, but he is just starting to realize that he is not always right.

I would leave the samples in the hab. Even if the next Laythe Landing is years from now, Kerbin Touchdown is years from now. Better to leave the sentients alive than the microorganisms.

Thanks for sharing your opinion! However I can't really comment on that because I don't want to force my own interpretation of his character on you:)

Excellent craft, Czo. You've continued to raise the bar with every chapter, and I congratulate you. While I must lament the death of the kerbals, it now appears that we know Death Is Cheap for Czo, but it adds a bittersweet character to the story all the more that makes us treasure those still living.

As for Rozer, I think Jeb'll leave him to die. No doubt they'll play the great ethical debate, but I think Jeb'll be in the mood for the death penalty for Rozer, after performing such an atrocious desertion for science; no doubt crew deaths are definitely Jeb's Berserk Button. Props for subtly questioning the value of science over kerbal life, Czo. Personally, I'm all for a pardoning of Rozer, however. It's clear that beneath the veil of indoctrination he has something of a soul to be saved (he hesitated before 'murdering' Sid).

Thank you very much, I appretiate it BTW, the trope you are referring to (Death Is Cheap) means something slightly different - that the character's death doesn't matter because he's immortal, there are resurection spells or that you can just reload last save (think Gandalf the Grey -> Gandal the White). What you wanted to link to I believe is Anyone Can Die. But yes, indeed lifes of people he feels responsible for are very important to Jeb, hence Berserk Button.

P.S. : I also liked your tribute to the Apollo 13 disaster.

I believe this was the first indication of the problem that the Odyssey's sensors gave to the crew.

Yup:

This was one of my favourite movies when I was a kid, along with "Contact"

I want Sid to be rescued.

Or maybe he learns to eat sand, and survives on Laythe's oxygen and water..

And then the next mission finds him as an old hermit with a long beard, playing with his microbes.

Or perhaps:

-snip-

Haha, great comic strip And what about Sid (and Rozer), you'll find out in the next chapter!

Well, sympathy out the window. The trouble is, Rozer's right. Go read the short story The Cold Equations. The Laws of Physics don't bend for anyone. Not enough delta-V means everyone dies.

Rozer's basically the token prick. He's becoming less of a cold character, but he still has too much focus on "the mission". BERTY's hiding stuff from you, KSC is hiding stuff from you. So you figure, they must have our best interests at heart. Not all that bright.

But Rozer thinks he's doing what's best. So, I want to hate him, but I just can't quite go all the way. I hope he figures a way to save Sid, but I'm not holding my breath.

"The Cold Equations" is in public domain and I encourage everyone to read it, it's short, provoking and very interesting: http://photos.state.gov/libraries/hochiminh/646441/vantt/The%20Cold%20Equations.pdf

As for Rozer, I won't comment to not force my own interpretation on you. After all, what's worst than Word of God telling you what is what in the story, right?

Poor Sid I want a resuce mission, maybe the SPACE STATION AROUND IKE will come Into play

:dun dun dun:

He did what was best, even if doing what was best was a gruesome choice.

I'd argue with your definition of "best".

The Men First, and all that.

That's why IMHO more ambigous characters are better than perfect archetypes - not only they are more believable but also more intruiging. After all, IRL rarely there are situations as obvious as, say, decision whether to destroy the One Ring or not. Hard choices and complex circumstances make better story.

NNNNUUUUUUUUUUUUUU SIIIIIIIID! T.T

FRAK U ROZER! u and your frak sad orphan story! i hope u die before u reach the Proteus!

OK! Calm down... Sid have still 30 day of time in the base, so Jeb will think about something for sure! HE HAVE TO! SID! RESIST! KEEP BREATHE! WE'RE COMING FOR U!

Ah, cliffhangers... is there a better plot device?

I was wondering about that. Aborted arc or plot device? dun dun DUNNNN.

:dun dun dun:

Also. Proteus has a helluva lot of thrust on those 2 fusion engines. Enough to land on Laythe, perhaps?

More like crash. Even if it has the dv and thrust to spare it doesn't have any landing gear and is very tall. If they manage to land slowly enough to perch on the engines the thing would topple over very easily. High winds have already been mentioned remember.

I'll just post an image of the previous atmospheric entry:

Well, I don't understand why 'the mission' is so important for Rozer, if he does not even know it's real background (or does he?!?) Other than that, he might be quite cold-hearted but he also seems ambitious and he got a dark background, so I can't really hate him for that...

Anyway, the confrontation with Rozer and Jeb is certainly going to be interesting, I just hope no one will get killed Also, I'm curious to see who the crew will trust more...

Maybe I didn't emphasize this but if you think about it it's not such an Ass Pull - he worked his way from the underclass (if this is a correct term) to the top (spec-ops and kerbonaut corps). And yes, the confrontation is going to be interesting, just like the reaction of the crew...

Regardless of the conclusion of the equations' date=' Rozer is still making one crucial mistake which shows why he is unredeemable: He makes Sid's choice by himself.

Rozer says that he would have stayed behind himself if it had been possible, if we accept that assumption (Rozer has no lack of courage), then one resolution is simply for them to talk it over. Plain and simple. If Sid can be made to understand the situation (he understands it well enough at the end), then its not impossible that Sid might simply accept to stay behind. Choosing to sacrifice himself willingly.

Heck, they could even set it up so that Sid has as much chance of survival as possible, stretching the time, in case a rescue can be mounted.

And Sid is a prosaic guy, he might consider that dying on Laythe to give his new friend a chance of stopping BERTY (in order to help his other friends) is a worthy sacrifice.

Or they might have spent those 44 days teaching Sid how to fly the lander, Sid's a bright guy, not impossible.

Instead, Rozer simply reverts to his Lone Wolf mentality, considers that he alone can save the universe, and refuses to consider anyone else as being equal to the task. Or equal at all for that matter.

By invalidating Sid's choice, Rozer *does* murder him, by taking away his most valuable possession (his life) and leaving him stranded, just like Rozer's father did to him (which is brilliantly throught out czo )[/quote']

Spot-on analysis! I'm glad someone noticed these small details - well done. So well that I don't really have anything to add:

UPDATE

I'm going to be busy for the next several days but here's the plan of what I would like to do in the near future (1 week):

- next Grand Tour chapter

- next CK2 AAR chapter

- finish AAR guide

Of course, no ETA - and remember that this is just a plan, which may change like all plans do. And besides writing I also have to take care of my secret project which I mentioned few weeks ago I believe.

Anyways, MOAR Grand Tour is coming soon - take care and I hope that wherever you live, it's warmer there than it's in Warsaw right now

Edited January 25, 2014 by czokletmuss

[silentdragon]

[...] secret project [...]

Whoa, what might that be?

[SpaceSphereOfDeath]

I think I have the highest comment to :dun dun DUUNNNNN: ratio world record...

[Raptor831]

I think I have the highest comment to :dun dun DUUNNNNN: ratio world record...

I think that means you've been paying most attention!

I still think Rozer isn't finished yet. Heck, I'd love to see him and Jeb come to an agreement and finish the mission together. Now that would be a nifty plot twist! But there's still something too easy about him working his way up from the bottom, being a jerk the whole way. I just think there's something else going on.

Love/Hate for Rozer...

[BigOto2]

The fact that Sid got left behind on Laythe, which is already established to have oxygen in its atmosphere, really makes me think that there may be a plot twist waiting to happen. Either he takes his suit off and finds himself able to breathe, or somehow he is able to replenish his suit Oxium using the atmosphere? He'll probably die to radiation or something later on, but this plot possibility seems undeniable to me.

Also, usually when a crew member dies you post a mission status update to reflect the changes. I don't see one this time... hmmm.

Edited January 26, 2014 by BigOto2

[iDan122]

I f i were Rozer, I would've done the same.

The conditions Czok describes about Laythe are actually habitable. 0.8 bar is fine(same at around 4km above sea level on Earth),

minus 70-80 is Antarctic temperature, sooo......

Only he has food for only 30 days

Poor Sid, I hope he survives as well as Rozer.

[czokletmuss]

The conditions Czok describes about Laythe are actually habitable. 0.8 bar is fine(same at around 4km above sea level on Earth),

minus 70-80 is Antarctic temperature, sooo......

Well, it depends on how you define "habitable"

In my vision, Laythe's atmosphere consists of mostly ammonia (NH3), nitrogen oxide (NO), some traces of water vapor and oxium (O2), which BTW I call oxium and not oxygen because 1 year ago when Squad showed their planned resources system that was how they called it to. Anyways, where do we get nitrogen oxide from? 4NH3 (g) + 5O2 (g) --> 4NO (g) + 6H2O (l). Easy. But where do oxium come from? This is still a secret for everyone, just like Sid said two chapters ago Ocean in turn would be made of ammonium hydroxide (because there is lots of ammonia and we get water from NH3 reacting with O2).

So is it habitable? It's better than most of the planets and muns, that's for sure. However the popular view of Laythe as paradise-mun never convinced me - I always thought of this as a werid combination of Europa, Io and Titan. More like this:

This is from an album which someone posted on reddit with new textures for Laythe for Texture Replacer (http://pl.reddit.com/r/KerbalSpaceProgram/comments/1w1wvg/created_a_new_cloud_texture_for_laythe_a_hostile/), which unfortunately I can't use since Grand Tour is stuck in 0.20.2. But this Laythe would be closer to my vision than the stock one. Shame that I didn't have technical possibilities to use this (remember, both Universe Replacer and Texture Replacer showed up during summer; the Grand Tour started in March 2013). I'm glad that the first version of Universe Replacer works at all in this save

I think I have the highest comment to :dun dun DUUNNNNN: ratio world record...

Which means I can't comment on your comments without spoiling

Edited January 26, 2014 by czokletmuss

[Maxilica]

How cold IS IT in Warsaw?

We're being swept by an enourmous blizzard in Bucharest (and basically all of Romania)!

[czokletmuss]

Today is cosy -10C; I wasn't in the country last year but 2 years ago there was -30 in February.

EDIT: O crap, I just find out there is -35C coming soon...

[Krevsin]

What about the elephant in the room, Joolian radiation and Laythe's magnetosphere (or the lack thereof)?

[Maxilica]

I feel sorry for you! MINUS 35? With the same thing going on in America, you could say we're having an ice age... I just came up with an idea for the ending of this story!

[The Error]

Bah. That's only 248 K. Not that cold at all. At least, not to Canadians or Russians.

Anyway, looking forward to the Berserk Button that is Jeb.

[NuclearWarfare]

Today is cosy -10C; I wasn't in the country last year but 2 years ago there was -30 in February.

And I'm here being astonished by ice forming at all.

Deep southern U.S... it only snows here once every ten years....

[czokletmuss]

CHAPTER 56

RENDEZ-VOUS: LAV

***

JEB: Ned?

NED: Core Alfa is nominal, core Beta is slightly abnormal. How long?

JEB: Five.

NED: No problem.

JEB: Good. Two. One. Done.

NED: I'm slowing down the fusion. Efficiency at 11%. How long before the braking?

JEB: Four minutes thirty six seconds.

NED: It'll do. Jeb?

JEB: We won't use RCS.

NED: You know that forcing them to EVA is-

JEB: Is less dangerous than docking. Maybe if we still have robotic arms. But we don't. And without... no, I won't do this.

NED: The radiation fried our sensors in mere hours. And they already did one EVA here in orbit.

JEB: It's better than crashing both spacecraft into each other. There's no alternative. They will spacewalk.

NED: Jeb?

JEB: What?

NED: Maybe you shouldn't have done it.

JEB: …

JEB: LAV, this ### “Proteusâ€Â. LAV, do you copy?

ROZER: …

JEB: LAV, do you copy?

NED: Sid! Are you there?

ROZER: …uhh…

EMU: EVA Two. Oxium level – 75,25%. Suit temperature – 20 °C. External temperature – UNKNOWN. External pressure – 0 atm.

JEB: Rozer, Sid, can you hear me? This is “Proteusâ€Â, we've come to get you out of here. LAV, do you copy?

ROZER: :coughs up blood: Frak...

EMU: WARNING. DANGEROUSLY HIGH LEVEL OF RADIATION DETECTED. 17,139 MILISIVERTS PER HOUR. PLEASE SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

NED: Maybe their comms have ### damaged by the radiation?

JEB: It's possible. LAV, do you copy?

NED: Frak this, I'm going for an EVA!

JEB: You're not going anywhere unless-

ROZER: “Proteusâ€Â? :coughs up blood: “Proteusâ€Â, do you copy?

NED: It's them!

JEB: We copy. Listen, we're unable to perform docking operation, so you are going to do spacewalk to the ship as soon as possible.

ROZER: What?

JEB: What's ### condition?

ROZER: I must've passed out. I think I have several broken ribs. :coughs up blood: Isn't there any other way? I don't think I can-

JEB: You have to. It's only 200 meters, you can do it.

NED: What about Sid? Is ### alright?

ROZER: …

NED: Is he alright?!

ROZER: He's... he's going to be fine for the next few hours... but we're running low on consumables. His radio is broken though.

JEB: Understood. Do you have enough ###propellant?

ROZER: Yes, it should be enough. And we have the samples. :coughs: Listen-

JEB: We'll talk ### both of you are safe on board the ship. Doctor Cambo has ### the infirmary for you and Johndon and Neilgas are in the spacesuit waiting for you in the ### airlock. The sooner you get here the better. Do ### copy?

ROZER: …

JEB: Do you copy?

ROZER: Yes. We copy.

http://youtu.be/IDMzsK3ROo0

***

ROZER: Ugh! Hatch opened.

EMU: CRITICAL ALERT. LETHAL LEVEL OF RADIATION DETECTED. PLEASE SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

ROZER: I'm out.

EMU: 1526,295 MILISIVERTS PER HOUR. YOUR LIFE IS IN DANGER. CRITICAL ALERT.

NED: 1,5 sievert per ###? Good Kod...

ROZER: :coughs: EMU operational.

EMU: WARNING. ACUTE RADIATION SYNDROME IMMINENT. IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM WILL OCCUR IN 20 MINUTES.

ROZER: EMU operational. We're off the structure.

JEB: Very good, now keep it cool and ###, you don't want to approach us too quickly. Ned, ### you have a visual on them?

NED: Negative, it's too dark. I don't even see the LAV.

ROZER: Copy that.

EMU: CRITICAL ALERT. LETHAL LEVEL OF RADIATION DETECTED. PLEASE SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

ROZER: 150 meters.

JEB: Are you on course?

ROZER: Yes.

EMU: 1526,439 MILISIVERTS PER HOUR. YOUR LIFE IS IN DANGER. CRITICAL ALERT.

JEB: Just ### it easy, don't try to quicken it - with this speed you'll be there in a minute or so.

ROZER: I know how - :coughs: - how to do it.

NED: Johnny, Neil - are you ready?

NEILGAS: Yes, ### ready. We're at the airlock.

EMU: WARNING. ACUTE RADIATION SYNDROME IMMINENT. IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM WILL OCCUR IN 20 MINUTES.

NED: Prepare to open the hatch, they are almost there.

JOHNDON: Roger.

ROZER: What the-

JEB: It's just a sunrise, carry on. You're close.

ROZER: 30 meters. :coughs: We're – oh crap...

NED: What's going on?!

JEB: Talk to me Rozer.

ROZER: It's just a nosebleed. But... I'm feeling quite nauseous...

EMU: CRITICAL ALERT. LETHAL LEVEL OF RADIATION DETECTED. PLEASE SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

NED: Radiation. Frak!

JEB: You are almost ###, don't give up now.

ROZER: I don't... I don't think...

NED: Johndon, open the hatch! Tell Sid to ### you, you need just a small push and you're in!

JOHNDON: C-copy that!

JEB: He can't, Sid's radio is dead.

EMU: 1526,439 MILISIVERTS PER HOUR. YOUR LIFE IS IN DANGER. CRITICAL ALERT.

NEILGAS: Hatch ###! Damn, radiation readings are-

ROZER: Uh...

JEB: Stay inside! Rozer, can you hear me? You need to-

JOHNDON: He's in! And he has the s-samples with him!

NED: Screw the samples! Is Sid inside?

EMU: WARNING. ACUTE RADIATION SYNDROME IMMINENT. IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM WILL OCCUR IN 19 MINUTES.

JOHNDON: He p-passed out!

NED: What ### Sid? Is he inside?!

NEILGAS: He's... he's...

NED: Is he?!

***

NED: Let me go!

NEILGAS: Uh!

JOHNDON: Ned, w-what are you d-doing?!

NED: I said LET ME GO!

NEILGAS: You've heard the doctor, nobody-uhh!

JOHNDON: Ned, calm d-down!

NED: Calm down?! I'LL RIP OUT HIS FRAKING LUNGS!

JEB: Ned! What the hell is going on here?!

NEILGAS: He's trying to get into the infirmary!

JOHNDON: He w-wants to- umph!

NED: Move away! Doc, can you hear me?! Open the fraking hatch!

JEB: You can't go in there, he's trying to save him!

NED: He won't save him from me! Doc! OPEN THE HATCH!

CAMBO: Ned, I'm trying to stabilize him and you are not-

NED: Don't talk to me through the intercom!

NEILGAS: Umph!

NED: I said open up!

CAMBO: I can't let you harm my patient.

NED: Very well, I won't harm him, I'll just throw him out of the FRAKING AIRLOCK!

JEB: Good Kod, Ned, are you crazy?!

NED: CRAZY?! HE KILLED SID! HE'S A FRAKING MURDERER AND YOU THINK I'M CRAZY!?!

JOHNDON: He's not d-dead, we can-

NED: We can't do ****, no spacecraft we have can survive the fraking atmospheric entry!

JEB: Ned-

NED: Stay away from me! He murdered Sid! HE FRAKING KILLED HIM!

CAMBO: Jeb, I'll probably have to operate, I'm going to need some gravity.

JEB: Understood.

NED: You are going to help him survive? OVER MY DEAD BODY!

NEILGAS: Try to calm down!

JEB: Listen Ned, you have to- what the hell?!

NEILGAS: Damn it!

JOHNDON: Was this hull v-vibrating?

PROTEUS: WARNING. CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTED IN HABITATION MODULE B. PLEASE PUT ON YOUR OXIUM MASKS.

NEILGAS: Oh frak!

JEB: Quick, get the fire extinguishers!

JOHNDON: I'm o-on it!

JEB: Doctor, you'll have to wait a little before we spin up the ship, we've got a situation here! What the hell could've cause this?!

NED: Short circuit. Radiation could've damaged the software, “Proteus†wasn't supposed to even be in Laythe's orbit!

JEB: We've have to get the hell out of here!

NEILGAS: We'll take care of the fire!

JEB: Okay! Ned, come on, I need you to get the engines- Ned?

NED: …

PROTEUS: WARNING. CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTED IN HABITATION MODULE B. PLEASE PUT ON YOUR OXIUM MASKS.

JEB: Good Kod, Ned, there's no time! We can get another malfunction at any time!

NED: If we leave, he's going to die.

JEB: No, he won't, he still can use the supplies from the lander.

NED: …

JEB: Kod dammit Ned, you think you're the only one who cares about him?! We were on “Kadmos†together but if we don't leave now we may all die! We'll find a solution when we're safe – come on!

***

JEB: RCS go, SAS go, burn in T minus 30 seconds – how are we looking with the fusion cores? Ned?

NED: They're gonna work.

JEB: Neil, Johnny, what's the situation?

JOHNDON: We're g-good, the fire didn't have t-time to spread.

JEB: Great – prepare for the burn, T minus 19 seconds. Doc?

CAMBO: I'm ready.

NED: When we're out of here, you're going to let me talk with him. Do you understand?

JEB: Ned, for the love of Kod-

NED: You're going to let me.

JEB: T minus 5. Four. Three. Two. One. Ignition.

JEB: What the hell?!

PROTEUS: WARNING. INSTABILITY IN FUSION CORE A AND B DETECTED. LOWERING FUSION EFFICIENCY TO 5 PERCENT. ALL SYSTEMS SWITCHED INTO EMERGENCY MODE.

JOHNDON: We've lost the lights!

NEILGAS: And now the emergency lights are on – what's going on up there?!

JEB: Come to the command module now! Ned?

NED: I don't know. The engines demanded more power from the cores which they could provide on this level of efficiency - “Proteus†must have automatically shut down them down to prevent instability. Frak, the radiation must've damaged the software again!

JEB: Than do something about this!

NED: I can't! Managing the emergency systems was BERTY's job, they are too sophisticated for a kerbal to operate them!

JEB: But there must be something we can do!

NED: Let me think, let me think...

NEILGAS: What's going on?

JEB: Where's Johndon?

NEILGAS: He's helping the doctor. We aren't leaving?

JEB: We have a problem. But Ned is-

NED: I got it! There was a possibility to manually override the automatic emergency system, built in case the BERTY was for some reason unable to control them and there was a serious risk of chain reaction.

JEB: So?

NED: The explosion would create EMP strong enough to fry all electronic devices on half of the planet. So to prevent it from happening the crew chief engineer was supposed to channel the plasma through the engines thus ejecting the “Proteus†from the Kerbin orbit.

JEB: What? I didn't know about this!

NED: You don't?

NEILGAS: But if we use this, the fusion cores would be dead, right?

NED: No, they are nominal, the shut down is the result of the single-event upset probably. They'll work fine but if we want to use these engines we must override manually. What do you mean you don't know? They didn't tell you?

JEB: They didn't. What are you waiting for than? Just do this!

NED: Manual override requires direct access to the engines.

NEILGAS: You mean... EVA?

NED: …

NEILGAS: …

JEB: How... how long would it take?

NED: Unscrewing the panels, checking whether the manual control is operational, switching to emergency mode... 10 minutes per engine. If you know what you to do.

NEILGAS: 20 minutes?

NED: More – you need to get out there and come back.

JEB: “Proteusâ€Â, give me the radiation readings.

PROTEUS: 1526,879 MILISIVERTS PER HOUR.

JEB: That's 750 milisieverts in 30 minutes. And the lethal dose is-

NED: One sievert. And we've been in deep space for months, we already – where are you going?

JEB: You'll tell me what to do through the radio, I have the most experience in EVA from all of you.

NED: Are you insane?! This is suicide!

JEB: We don't have a choice. Neilgas, help me with the-

NED: You are not going anywhere! You're the last pilot we have!

JEB: There is Rozer and Danrey.

NED: Dan will meet with us in Vall orbit and if you think I'll let that piece of **** to even leave the infirmary-

JEB: Ned, let me go.

NED: YOU ARE NOT GOING! I can't let you, do you understand? I WON'T LET YOU! Plus you even don't know what to do – what if the radiation damages the spacesuit comms?

JEB: Ned-

NED: Shut the frak up! I'm going.

JEB: Ned! We need you to operate the fusion cores, you can't go!

NED: I said I'm going! We need you too to pilot the spacecraft, don't we?

JEB: Good Kod, Ned! You can't go!

NED: Well maybe I won't have to if you didn't DEACTIVATE THE FRAKING AI!

JEB: …

NED: Jeb, listen-

NEILGAS: I'll go.

NED: What?

JEB: Neil-

NEILGAS: Shut up, both of you. You are too important for us to afford to lose you.

NED: Too important? You're our life support system expert!

NEILGAS: If we don't get out of here it won't matter. Look, I've lost a friend too.

NED: HE'S NOT DEAD YET!

NEILGAS: I know what you feel – and I know it's just too much to handle so quickly. I mean, you're not even thinking clearly right now. Please, let me do this.

JEB: Neil, I can't-

NEILGAS: I spend the least time on EVA from all of you. I received the smallest dose of radiation during the mission. Someone has to get out there and I have the best chance to do it.

JEB: …

NED: For the love of Kod, Neil...

NEILGAS: Let me do this, Jeb. Let me do this. Please.

http://youtu.be/qihgTu3SmUI

***

JEB: Are you ready?

NED: Yes. Tell me when you're there, I'll use the video feed from your EVA cam to guide you.

JEB: One minute, Neil – you need to hurry.

NEILGAS: Copy that.

NED: Jeb, this is suicide. He-

JEB: He's right. He's the only one who can make it.

NED: No, he's not. You are rationalizing this – we have more experience than he has in extravehicular activity.

JEB: And this mean we've got much more radiation than he. He will survive this, trust me.

NEILGAS: I'm at the ### engine.

JEB: Repeat please, we're getting some interference here.

NEILGAS: I'm at the first engine.

NED: Can you give me the- okay, I have the feed.

JEB: Two minutes.

NEILGAS: I'm ready Ned, tell me what to do.

NED: Okay, first thing you need to do is to remove the panel. Unscrew it but be gentle. Than you'll have access to the motherboards.

NEILGAS: Roger that.

***

JEB: Sixteen minutes. Neil, are you alright?

NEILGAS: :breathing: I feel a little dizzy but besides this ### fine. I'm at the second engine.

NED: It's gonna be the same like the previous one, Neil. Don't be nervous, just do it nice and easy. Move slightly to your right.

NEILGAS: ### that. Could you ### me the radiation level? :breathing: My spacesuit's dosimeter turned completely black.

JEB: One second.

PROTEUS: 1815,146 MILISIVERTS PER HOUR.

JEB: What the-

NED: That's enough. Now unscrew the first panel.

JEB: Neil, you're getting 1,8 sievert per hour right now.

NEILGAS: Frak! It was 1,5 sievert few ###es ago!

JEB: Hey, listen to me, try to stay calm, okay? Your pulse-

NED: Just concentrate on the job, okay? You're gonna do the job and than you'll be back in no time. Come on, buddy.

NEILGAS: Okay. :breathing: Okay. I'm cool. I'm ###. I'm going to unscrew the first- crap!

JEB: It's just a sunset, Neil, just a sunset. Seventeen. Can you see with the spacesuit lights?

NEILGAS: Yeah, I'm fine. :breathing: Okay, unscrewing the first panel.

***

NEILGAS: :heavy breathing: How about now?

PROTEUS: WARNING. INSTABILITY IN FUSION CORE A AND B DETECTED. ALL SYSTEMS SWITCHED INTO EMERGENCY MODE.

NED: Nothing. Frak! Try again.

JEB: Twenty six minutes. Good Kod, he has to get out of there.

NEILGAS: Uh! :heavy breathing: And ### about now?

PROTEUS: WARNING. INSTABILITY IN FUSION CORE A AND B DETECTED. ALL SYSTEMS SWITCHED INTO EMERGENCY MODE.

NED: Still nothing. I don't understand this, the last switch is in the right position – why doesn't it work?!

NEILGAS: :heavy breathing: Maybe it's fried too? :heavy breathing: Huh? Can it ### fried?

JEB: Twenty seven minutes. Neil, in three minutes you're going back, do you copy?

NED: Three minutes? It's not enough time for me to find the cause of-

JEB: Think quicker. Neil, describe how are you feeling. Neil?

NEILGAS: :heavy breathing: Well, I ### a headache and I sweat like crazy. I think my vision is blurry but it may ### just the helmet. :heavy breathing: And I feel really nauseous. :heavy breathing: But besides that ### fine.

JEB: Ned?

NED: I don't know! These are thermonuclear reactors, not a fraking car!

JEB: He can't be there any longer.

NED: Dammit, I need more time!

JEB: We don't have it! What he's supposed to do, Ned?

NED: I DON'T KNOW!

NEILGAS: :heavy breathing: Guys? I feel like I ### up, can you please hurry?

JEB: Twenty eight minutes! Koddamit, Ned!

NED: What do you want me to tell him?! To hit it with a wrench like in a fraking Apollo?! There is confined plasma under the hull!!

NEILGAS: :heavy breathing: What? ###, repeat?

JEB: I don't care, he can kick it if it works!

NEILGAS: :heavy breathing: Copy that.

NED: What?! No! Neil, don't even think about-

PROTEUS: ATTENTION. MANUAL OVERRIDE OF THE AUTOMATIC ENGINE SHUT DOWN CONFIRMED. SWITCHING ALL SYSTEMS INTO THE MAIN OPERATIONAL MODE.

JEB: …

NED: Frak me…

NEILGAS: :heavy breathing: I ### it like you said, did it ###?

JEB: It's working! We've got the engines back!

PROTEUS: WARNING. INSTABILITY IN FUSION CORE A DETECTED.

NED: I'm on it!

NEILGAS: :heavy breathing: Is ### wrong?

JEB: Neil, you've done your job, now get the frak out of there. Do you hear me? Get the frak out of there!

NEILGAS: :heavy breathing: Copy that.

JEB: Ned?

NED: I'm good, just don't distract me.

JEB: Doctor, we've got the engines back – you'll get the gravity as soon as we perform the transfer burn.

CAMBO: Understood.

JEB: Do you still need Johndon? I want him to help Neil in the airlock in case-

NEILGAS: :heavy breathing: Oh frak...

JEB: Neil, what is it? Neil?

NEILGAS: :heavy breathing: I think I'm gonna ### up... I can't... ugh...

CAMBO: What's going on out there?

JEB: Neil, repeat. What's the-

NEILGAS: Blargh!

JEB: Oh my Kod, he's throwing up! Neil!

NEILGAS: :vomits:

NED: What the hell?!

JEB: Neil, hold your breath!

CAMBO: What did you say? Is he vomiting?!

JEB: Neil, do you copy?!

NEILGAS: :chokes:

JEB: Neil! Hold your breath, do you hear me?!

NEILGAS: :chokes:

NED: No!

PROTEUS: WARNING. INSTABILITY IN FUSION CORE A DETECTED.

JEB: Neil, do you copy?! Neil!

NEILGAS: ...

NED: Oh Kod, no!

JEB: Neil...

CAMBO: Good Lord...

NED: Neil! Answer to me, you motherfraker!

NEILGAS: ...

NED: Neil!

JEB: …

NED: Koddamn you, Neil! Answer me!

JEB: …

NED: NEIL!

JEB: …

NED: I'm going out to get him.

PROTEUS: WARNING. INSTABILITY IN FUSION CORE A AND B DETECTED.

JEB: No.

NED: We may still save him!

JEB: …

NED: For frak's sake, he's one of us! We can't just leave him! I won't leave him, do you hear me?!

JEB: Don't.

NED: What do you mean don't?! He's out there Jeb, we can still figure out something!

CAMBO: Ned, I'm afraid-

NED: Shut the frak up! You can still figure out something Jeb, you always figure out something!

JEB: …

NED: :weeps: Don't you dare give up on him now, Jeb! You hear me? DON'T YOU DARE!

JEB: …

NED: :weeps: You can't just leave him! Not you!

JEB: …

NED: :weeps: Jeb?

JEB: …

NED: :weeps: Jeb!

JEB: …

NED: Frak you! :weeps: Sid, I'm going for you!

JEB: You are not going anywhere.

NED: :weeps: Let me go!

JEB: I need you to oversee the fusion cores.

NED: :weeps: Get away from me, you sick frak! I'm going out!

JEB: I said no.

NED: :weeps: Neeeeil!

JEB: He's gone, Ned. We can't help him.

NED: :cries: Oh Kod no... oh Kod, oh Kod...

JEB: Doctor, prepare for the transfer burn. We're leaving.

***

MISSION STATUS

***

[TheDataMiner]

Wow! That was intense!

[The Error]

...I think Jool deserves a planetkiller about now.

[Raptor831]

Hrm, did Jeb get a bit heartless? He was a bit irrational trying to save Bill, so it's interesting that he didn't do it again. Ah, the complexities of ethics and logic. Neil was dead the second he stepped out, and I think he knew it. He was expendable, and the other two were not.

But at least he made the decision, unlike Sid.

Good chapter as always, but it just makes me want to read the next one!

[kenbobo]

Today is cosy -10C; I wasn't in the country last year but 2 years ago there was -30 in February.

EDIT: O crap, I just find out there is -35C coming soon...

THat is -22.000ºF

D: i feel so bad for u!

[Mad Potatoes]

No... Jeb can't become a cold motherfraker. Just no. No no no no no no. NO! ):

[mdatspace]

I am horrified by this chapter.

Where is danny2462 when you need him!

[Cooly568]

I'm starting to get an impression that writing my story about my grand tour that chronologically comes after this one is probably going to be harder than the grand tour itself.

[Henry01]

I think this will come down to only Jeb returning at this point.

[Director Smith]

I figure that, by the end of all this, Jeb will get back alone, tell the world's assembled press everything and commit suicide. I can't honestly see it ending any other way. Czokletmuss, you are a heartless fiend.