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[AAR] The Grand Tour - Voyage To The Planets


czokletmuss

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CHAPTER 62

END OF TRANSMISSION

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***

NED: No.

JEB: No? What do you mean by-

NED: I'm refusing to accept this decision. We have to land, it's obvious to everyone, but there's simply no way you are sending him with them. You hear me? No frakking way.

DANREY: Ned, we've been talking about this. If Jeb thinks this is the best way I'm fine with-

NED: You are fine? Oh, that changes everything, doesn't it? Please be so kind then and explain to me how in the hell it's fine to not only attempt landing on Duna in malfunctioning LAMGML but also with him in the cockpit?

JOHNDON: N-Ned, what are you saying is-

NED: What? Exaggerated? Insane? Are you frakking kidding me? You think sending three people to a base from which we haven't heard anything for more than a year is a good idea when one of these three is a koddamned murderer?!

CAMBO: What happened in Jool system-

NED: Don't even try to defend him! If we were on Kerbin and not on this damned ship, he would already be in a condemned cell – and you want to send him down with Cambo and Dan? Are you out of your mind?!

JEB: We've been through this – we don't know what to expect on Duna and that's why we're sending two pilots and a flight surgeon. If they find crew alive in the base, Cambo and Rozer will stay with them while Dan transports them to “Proteusâ€Â. It's going to take probably more than one flight, so reason dictates that-

NED: Reason? You are talking about reason? This is ridiculous!

JEB: This is the only way. I'm not willing to-

NED: This is bullcrap! Mark my words, you send him down there and there will be trouble.

JOHNDON: B-but Ned, we do n-need two pilots to p-pull this off, we can't-

NED: Two pilots, fine, I get it – so why you won't go?

JEB: I'm not leaving the ship with him on board.

NED: Why? Because you don't trust him? Then why you are willing to put him on LAMGML?

JEB: This is the only option we have, the safest way to rescue our men.

NED: No. No way.

CAMBO: Ned, you should also remember that Jeb's leg was-

NED: You are not sending him with them! He's a frakking murderer and a sociopath, for Kod's sake, and you think he is gonna help Dan and Cambo down there?

JEB: We don't have any other pilots, Ned.

NED: Well, allow me to repeat because clearly you don't understand – he's a murderer and he should be in a frakking execution chamber!

ROZER: It's your private opinion. I'm sure that every lawyer would agree with me that- ugh!

NED: You motherfraker!

ROZER: Get off me!

JEB: Ned!

NED: What the hell are you doing!

ROZER: Ugh!

JEB: Let him go!

CAMBO: For the love of Kod, stop fighting! Somebody stop him!

NED: You cold-hearted, manipulative scumbag! Where's your lawyer now, you frakking piece of crap?!

ROZER: :choking:

NED: I should've done this long ago! You're gonna pay for what- ugh!

JEB: I said let him go!

NED: You... hit me? To defend HIM?!

JEB: I need him. Back off.

NED: Argh!

CAMBO: Stop it!

ROZER: :gasps:

DANREY: Help me Johndon!

JEB: Don't'!

NED: What the frak are you- ugh!

JEB: You stupid son of gun! Do you think – ugh! - that I want this?!

NED: Uh!

JEB: That I ever wanted any of this?! Huh?!

NED: It's your fault!

JEB: Uh! My fault?!

NED: Uhf!

JEB: All you do is moan and complain! You think you've got it rough when Sid died?!

NED: Frak you! Uh!

DANREY: Jeb, stop!

JEB: Do you think it was easy for me when he died?! :heavy breathing: When they all died?!

ROZER: :coughs:

DANREY: What are you – uh!

JEB: And you were not responsible for them! :heavy breathing: While I had to make every. Frakking. Decision! :punching: And then watch them DIE! But no more! Nobody – GET OFF ME – nobody's going to die anymore, you hear me?!

DANREY: Uh! Help me Johndon!

CAMBO: Just stop it!

JEB: Every. :heavy breathing: Frakking. :heavy breathing: Decision I made...

NED: …

CAMBO: Dear Kod…

JEB: :looks at everyone: :heavy breathing:

DANREY: Are... are you...

JEB: Patch him up, doctor. :heavy breathing:

CAMBO: …

JEB: Do it.

CAMBO: Yes... Help me Dan.

DANREY: I... I think he's unconscious.

CAMBO: He is. Jeb? Your hand, it's, uh, you probably have some bone fractures.

JEB: :goes past Rozer:

ROZER: Thanks, commander.

CAMBO: Would you like me to-

JEB: :punches Rozer:

ROZER: Uhgh!

JEB: Patch him up too.

ROZER: Oh frak!

CAMBO: …

JEB: And prepare for undocking – you're landing on Duna in 8 hours.

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***

DANREY: Undocking completed, LAMGML separated. RCS online. All systems nominal.

JOHNDON: O-okay. Uhm. You can p-proceed.

DANREY: Copy that. Programming inclination change burn.

CAMBO: Johndon? How's... how's Ned holding up?

JOHNDON: Err, he's f-fine. I g-guess. He's unloading the s-supplies from the DSS with p-professor Mallock

DANREY: At least Mal didn't have to see it. I mean, Kod...

CAMBO: Understood. And, uhm. What about Jeb?

JOHNDON: He's... resting.

CAMBO: Oh.

JOHNDON: He s-said that he will oversee your landing.

DANREY: Initiating orbit change, thirty seconds. Alright Johndon, we're going to do some tests in the meantime.

JOHNDON: O-okay.

DANREY: You should have the mission plan on your screen, we'll just go through every step to make sure we're ready for landing. Fifteen seconds. It's easy, really.

JOHNDON: I'll d-do my best.

CAMBO: Johndon?

JOHNDON: Yes?

CAMBO: Did he take analgesics?

JOHNDON: You m-mean painkillers? No, he said he d-don't want to.

DANREY: Ten seconds. It's his damned hand, Cambo – if he wants to be in pain it's his choice. Prepare for ignition.

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***

DANREY: …and engines cutoff. Checking trajectory.

JOHNDON: Repeat p-please? I'm g-getting some interference.

CAMBO: We're checking trajectory, Johndon.

DANREY: And it's good – we're on course. Difference from target 268 meters, predicted maximum drag gees zero point one.

JOHNDON: So you will land in the b-base?

DANREY: Yup, just a short walk from the habitat.

JOHNDON: That's g-great. I -b-better tell Jeb.

DANREY: Yes, we may need someone more experienced in the command module. But you've done good, Johnny.

CAMBO: So when are we landing?

DANREY: In 20 minutes. Hey. Hey! We're about to land and you didn't say a word since we boarded LAMGML, so-

ROZER: There's nothing to talk about. I'm the second pilot – do your job and I won't have to do anything.

DANREY: I just wanted to make sure you're paying attention.

ROZER: I always do.

DANREY: :sighs:

JOHNDON: Listen, Jeb will t-take over in few minutes, he said you should t-test the b-broadcasting system and cameras in your h-helmets.

CAMBO: Huh. And I thought that overseeing and supervising were to be taken in a less literal way.

DANREY: It's a sound idea, we always can miss something and with him seeing what we see it won't happen. Let's start the tests then.

DANREY: Entering the atmosphere in ten seconds. Jeb, can you hear me?

JEB: Loud and clear.

DANREY: Preparing for a deceleration burn. Are you ready?

CAMBO: I'm ready.

ROZER: Yes.

JEB: Remember that there may be strong winds on lower altitudes.

DANREY: Copy that. Initiating the deceleration burn in five, four, three, two, one, ignition!

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JEB: Report.

DANREY: We're looking good, the readings are good. We're on course.

CAMBO: :fast breathing:

JEB: Roger that.

DANREY: I, uh, I'm picking some wind already, I'll correct that. 25 kilometers.

JEB: Just follow the preprogrammed ###

DANREY: Can't hear you, repeat please?

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CAMBO: :fast breathing:

ROZER: Relax, doctor.

JEB: ### altitude, I'm not getting the readings.

DANREY: Altitude is 19 kilometers, engines on 57 percent. We're still on course -dammit!

ROZER: You are too nervous – do it smoothly or you'll overshoot.

DANREY: Sixteen kilometers.

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JEB: You're doing fine. The base should be in sight now, use the camera to confirm.

DANREY: Copy that! Cambo?

CAMBO: I'm on it.

DANREY: Eleven kilometers, still on course. Wind is picking up.

JEB: Correct and you'll be good.

DANREY: Ten kilometers. Nine. Where's the base, doc?

CAMBO: …

DANREY: Eight. Doc?

CAMBO: Give me a moment please, it's not that easy to – I see it!

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JEB: What exactly do you see? Report!

CAMBO: There's a habitat and DAV I think. And there's also a... second habitat?

ROZER: The cargo resupply mission must've delivered more than just consumables.

DANREY: Five kilometers, wind speed is falling but we're 200 meters off course!

JEB: Correct and stabilize, when horizontal velocity is zero begin final descent.

DANREY: Copy that!

CAMBO: What's this? Another habitat?

DANREY: 250 meters off!

ROZER: Unlikely but it seems we're gonna land near it.

DANREY: 300 meters off! Jeb, the wind-

JEB: It doesn't matter, just land.

DANREY: I can try to get closer to-

JEB: Land!

DANREY: Roger that, one thousand meters, horizontal zero, final descent initiated.

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DANREY: Descent at 20 meters per second.

JEB: Too fast, lower it to ten on five hundred meters.

DANREY: Copy that.

CAMBO: It looks like some kind of a lab.

ROZER: Whatever it is, we're going to-

:internal lights starts to flicker:

ROZER: What the hell?!

JEB: Dan, I'm getting a strange power surge, could you confirm that you don't-

:internal lights go out:

DANREY: Jeb? Jeb!

ROZER: The main computer shut down!

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DANREY: Restart, restart!

CAMBO: We're falling down!

ROZER: It's dead, we don't have time!

DANREY: Come on!

ROZER: Move over!

DANREY: What the-

ROZER: I said move!

:charges go off:

CAMBO: Ugh!

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ROZER: Parachute deployed!

DANREY: NO! We won't land on Kerbin without-

ROZER: Prepare for impact, you idiot!

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***

JEB: Dan? I said I get a strange power spike, could you confirm?

LAMGML: …

JEB: LAMGML “Alfaâ€Â, come in!

LAMGML: …

JEB: Come in, kodammit! Dan, did you land? Dan, do you copy!?

LAMGML: …

JEB: Video feed! There were no interferences in the last few minutes, it should be-

PROTEUS: PROCESSING RECORDED TRANSMISSION FROM LAMGML ALFA. PLEASE STANDBY.

JEB: Please let there be no data corruption. Just this one time.

PROTEUS: PROCESSING COMPLETED. WARNING. DATA CORRUPTION DETECTED IN 00:01:56:48. DATA CORRUPTION DETECTED IN 00:03:59:32. DATA CORRUPTION-

JEB: Choose: zero-zero zero-six three-seven zero-zero. Play.

PROTEUS: AFFIRMATIVE.

- Altitude is 19 kilometers, engines on 57 percent. We're still on course -dammit!

- You are too nervous, do it smoothly or you'll overshoot.

- Sixteen kilometers.

JEB: Fast forward.

PROTEUS: AFFIRMATIVE.

JEB: Okay... stop. Play.

PROTEUS: AFFIRMATIVE.

- What's this? Another habitat?

- Two hundred fifty meters off!

- Unlikely but it seems we're gonna land near it.

JEB: Fast forward... and stop! Play.

PROTEUS: AFFIRMATIVE.

- It looks like some kind of a lab.

- Whatever it is, we're going to - what the hell?!

- Dan, I'm getting a strange power surge, could you confirm that-

- Jeb? Jeb!

- The main computer shut down!

- Restart, restart!

- We're falling down!

JEB: No!

- It's dead, we don't have time!

- Come on!

- Move over!

- What the-

- I said move!

- Ugh!

- Parachute deployed!

JEB: NO! No, no, NO!

- No! We won't land on Kerbin without-

- Prepare for impact, you idiot!

PROTEUS: END OF TRANSMISSION.

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ROZER: Uhh...

CAMBO: Oh thank Kod! Give me that medkit.

ROZER: What... what's...

CAMBO: Concentrate Rozer, we've crashed and I need this medkit which is right next to you or he's going to bleed out.

ROZER: Here. :coughs: And I'm fine, thanks for asking.

CAMBO: Come here, I need you to apply pressure here. Can you get out of the safety belts?

ROZER: Yes. Is the hull intact? There's no smoke and – oh frak me.

CAMBO: Just hold it right here and apply pressure, you got it?

ROZER: Is he...?

CAMBO: He's still alive but he's got multiple fractures and he's bleeding into the spacesuit so please apply pressure and I'll take care of the rest. I doubt that he'll be walking again, but if we take him to “Proteus†quick enough he's-

ROZER: Wait! What are you doing?!

CAMBO: I need to cut through the spacesuit to-

ROZER: We're on Duna, he'll die without a spacesuit and we may have hull breach!

CAMBO: Yes, he may die but he's going to die for sure if I won't stop the bleeding. Now shut up and help me.

ROZER: …

CAMBO: Harder.

ROZER: Like this?

CAMBO: Yes. Is your spacesuit intact?

ROZER: You didn't check?

CAMBO: Had to prioritize. Basic medical skill. Is it?

ROZER: I think so. Yours?

CAMBO: I'm good. So, what's the plan?

ROZER: What?

CAMBO: You're the pilot, right? Some kind of assessment of our situation seems necessary.

ROZER: You want me to talk with you while you-

CAMBO: Yes. I've spent years dealing with bone fractures, I'm good. But we need to start think what to do next and we need to start thinking fast. Give me this syringe. So, how are we looking?

ROZER: How are we looking? We've lost the engines, that for sure, which means we need to find another way of getting into orbit.

CAMBO: DAV?

ROZER: Maybe. The main computer is probably dead, so we're can contact “Proteus†and even if we could, there's no help coming – this was the last lander we have. The emergency lights are still on and I don't see frost on the windows so the life support is probably still working. But as soon as batteries die it'll become pretty cold here.

CAMBO: How cold? Bandage.

ROZER: Here. Like on the outside, minus 50 degrees centigrade. Hell, I'm not sure whether we can get out of here at all and if we can we may not repressurize again.

CAMBO: How much time do we have?

ROZER: We switched to spacesuit life support shortly before entering the atmosphere, so that should give us seven hours at most. But for him... when the batteries die, it's over. He'll freeze to death.

CAMBO: So we have to move him.

ROZER: Move? Where?

CAMBO: The habitat?

ROZER: If you think we can carry him-

CAMBO: He won't walk anytime soon if ever, I can assure you.

ROZER: Doesn't matter – you want us to carry him for few hundred meters in 0.3g? After spending years in microgravity in deep space? You're the doctor, tell me if it's even possible.

CAMBO: …

ROZER: No, we need some kind of vehicle to move him. And another spacesuit.

CAMBO: Can we do it?

ROZER: We have to. Are you done?

CAMBO: Yes.

ROZER: You keep an eye on him, I'll try to get us some juice. Maybe we're lucky and solar panels are intact.

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JEB: Play it.

- Jeb? Jeb!

- The main computer shut down!

- Restart, restart!

- We're falling down!

- It's dead, we don't have time!

- Come on!

- Move over!

- What the-

- I said move!

- Ugh!

- Parachute deployed!

- No! We won't land on Kerbin without-

- Prepare for impact, you idiot!

JEB: Rewind it.

PROTEUS: AFFIRMATIVE.

- Jeb? Jeb!

- The main computer shut down!

- Restart, restart!

- We're falling down!

- It's dead, we do-

JEB: Stop. Rewind.

PROTEUS: AFFIRMATIVE.

Jeb? Jeb!

- The main computer shut down!

- Restart, restart!

- We're falling down!

JEB: Rewind.

PROTEUS: AFFIRMATIVE.

- Jeb? Jeb!

- The main computer shu-

JEB: Stop and rewind.

PROTEUS: AFFIRMATIVE.

- Jeb? Jeb!

JEB: Loop it.

PROTEUS: AFFIRMATIVE.

- Jeb? Jeb!

PROTEUS: REWINDING.

- Jeb? Jeb!

PROTEUS: REWINDING.

- Jeb? Jeb!

PROTEUS: REWINDING.

JOHNDON: Hey. We're almost d-done with the first container.

- Jeb? Jeb!

PROTEUS: REWINDING.

JOHNDON: So, uhm, any n-news about LAMGML? D-did they land already?

- Jeb? Jeb!

PROTEUS: REWINDING.

JOHNDON: Jeb?

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***

ROZER: Hmm. Two hundred meters at most.

CAMBO: Uh!

ROZER: Need a hand?

CAMBO: I'm fine. :heavy breathing: Dammit...

ROZER: Zero point three gee doctor. How's Dan?

CAMBO: Stable. Not bleeding. Safe. :heavy breathing: As long as the life support system continues to work.

ROZER: At least we repressurized without problem and we still have power. It could've been worse.

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CAMBO: Are you sure?

ROZER: Yes. We could've crashed during the night for instance. But let's not waste breath on that. Come on, it'll take longer than you think.

CAMBO: I'm sure it will...

ROZER: Let's go, we – are you shaking?

CAMBO: It's nothing, just stress. Happens from time to time after surgery.

ROZER: Stress?

CAMBO: Acute stress reaction. Adrenaline and noradrenalline released from the medulla of the adrenal glands. Symptoms of anxiety or significant impairment in one of essential areas of functioning may occur. May lead to PTSD. :deep breath: Frak.

ROZER: Are... are you okay?

CAMBO: Let's just go, shall we?

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CAMBO: :heavy breathing:

ROZER: How are you holding up? :heavy breathing: You good?

CAMBO: No. :heavy breathing: It kinda looks like a research facility to me.

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ROZER: Let's hope we'll find a spare spacesuit there. :heavy breathing: We don't need any medicine, drug or-

CAMBO: I took everything with me from “Proteusâ€Â. :heavy breathing: Huh.

ROZER: What?

CAMBO: You are right. :heavy breathing: It could've been worse.

ROZER: It always can be. Let's go.

CAMBO: How are you going to open it? It's probably offline.

ROZER: Manually. Just... like... this!

CAMBO: Did you open it?!

ROZER: I think so. Come here!

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ROZER: I'm in the airlock, it seems to be intact, maybe even operational.

CAMBO: Wait a moment.

ROZER: There's the control panel.

CAMBO: :heavy breathing:

ROZER: Need a hand?

CAMBO: Yeah.

ROZER: On three. One, two – uhh!

CAMBO: Thanks. :heavy breathing: Frak, I'm weak.

ROZER: We all are. Let see whether this is still working.

:air hissing:

***

ROZER: Definitely a research station.

CAMBO: Oh yes. It resembles MPL a little.

ROZER: MPL?

CAMBO: Mobile Processing Lab. But it's more spacious.

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ROZER: Whatever, as long as there's a spare spacesuit somewhere here.

CAMBO: Hmm.

ROZER: What?

CAMBO: Pressure, humidity and temperature are nominal. It seems that life support system is still working.

ROZER: Really?

CAMBO: Yes. But don't remove your helmet, there may be some contaminant present here, I can't - hey, what are you doing? We were supposed to look for-

ROZER: If ECLSS is online it means there's power.

CAMBO: Uh, we've just used the airlock and it's working too.

ROZER: Yes but life support requires more power than airlock, which means it's not just a backup power generator but that the solar panels are working too. And if we have power-

DUNA LAB: SYSTEM ONLINE

ROZER: Bingo.

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CAMBO: Holy crap, it's working?

ROZER: Like every other piece of hardware on this planet, it was designed and built specifically to handle harsh environment on Duna for few years. It shouldn't be that surprising that it survived. Whatever happened here apparently it wasn't enough to-

CAMBO: What?

ROZER: ...

CAMBO: What is it?

ROZER: The distress signal from Duna we received in Jool system... it was sent from here.

CAMBO: From this lab? Of course, it was Duna Laboratory Module! But by whom?

ROZER: ...

CAMBO: Who sent it? Patlie? Jedgel? Corald? Maybe Fertop? Damn, it means that they were alive when the distress signal was-

ROZER: Nobody did. It was an automatic message, a fail-safe protocol created in order to preserve the results of their research and exploration.

CAMBO: Exploration of what?

ROZER: The Source.

CAMBO: The Sour... how do you know that?

ROZER: It's all here in the database. Everything. Personal logs, conducted experiments, dates, numbers, reports and even – oh Kod...

CAMBO: Rozer?

ROZER: I think... I think I know what happened here.

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***

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MISSION STATUS

***

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Edited by czokletmuss
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Well I already realized a few chapters ago that Rozer probably knows much less about the actual goals of this mission, than most of us might have thought.

Or indeed than he thought. Make someone think they know more than everyone else and they'll be happy to go along.

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Dun-dun-dun!

Damn, that was intense :D

I think they were never supposed to leave Duna again, so whatever happened to them was probably planned.

Or was it?! :)

Dun, Dun, DUNNN!

Apparently, All Will Be Revealed. Or Rozer's screwing with Cambo. Or the omniscient council of vagueness is pleased that everything is proceeding as they have forseen.

Or somethng :D

Nothing better than ominous vagueness proceeding as forseen! :D

Well I already realized a few chapters ago that Rozer probably knows much less about the actual goals of this mission, than most of us might have thought.
Or indeed than he thought. Make someone think they know more than everyone else and they'll be happy to go along.

Good observation :)

A new lander????

Not exactly - check the old chapters concerning landing on Duna.

That screenshot... deja-vu.

And intentional one :)

!!!!!!!!!

There's a new chapter! And it's amazing!

Yayyy!

A new chapter... and another cliffhanger. Dang, you're good at this.

(And more angst for Jeb, of course.)

Practice makes perfect :P I'm glad you enjoy it!

Yay new chapter!

What if the kerbals were killed by the KSC to protect.... "The Source"

I still don't trust Rozer.

:dun dun dun:

As always an exciting pleasure to kick off my weekend, Great work! But, for the love of Kod that is an amazingly big cliff hanger!! More, more, more please. :D

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Poor Jeb, every time he tries to do the right thing something horrible happens sending him deeper down his spiral of madness.
czokletmuss, you are a cruel, sick (something unpleasant). What did these kerbals ever do to you?! :(

I'm doing what has to be done for the sake of the Plot.

Meanwhile, back on Laythe...
I still wonder what is going on on Laythe....

Who knows, maybe you'll find out :P

Next chapter is coming Soon but in the meantime please take a look at „The Grand Tour†Tropes Contest - you may win "Crusader Kings II" if you know the story and are good with the tropes! :)

And one more sneak-peak screenshot into the incoming chapter (which may arrive sooner than you think):

HRm3wnw.jpg

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Or was it?! :)

And one more sneak-peak screenshot into the incoming chapter (which may arrive sooner than you think):

-imgsnip-

Excuse me if I'm wrong, but does this have to do with an "extension" of Proteus...?

Oh, damn. DAMN! My brain is shivering with anticipation.

Edited by FCISuperGuy
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I want this story to end with Jeb and his crew returning to Kerbin safley... but that isn't gonna happen, now is it?

Maybe only Jeb will survive. Or he won't, but the others will continue on. Or aliens will get involved. Or...

Yeah, this story is prone to wild theories. :)

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