[AAR] Construction: A Journey to Space --- WARNING: IMAGE HEAVY

[Mekan1k]

I hope you don't mind if I streamline the design? With all my mods, such a launcher should be doable.

[Fox62]

Not at all, so long as it's still reasonably obvious it's the Saturn IX. And the company will be using it as a heavy lifter, not so much for Mun landing missions (they've got licensed copies of the Constellation equipment for that).

[GusTurbo]

It will lift 100 tons to LKO in stock form, even with useless frippery like the large interstage after stage 1. If anything were to go, I would suggest getting rid of that.

Edited July 13, 2013 by GusTurbo

[Fox62]

The designer of the Saturn IX graces us with his arrival. (Took me damn long enough to figure out what to put in that slot for the last word. D: )

Edited July 13, 2013 by Fox62
Darn Malfunctioning Emoticons! >:(

[Mekan1k]

Sorry everyone- I spent most of today with my friends, then I came home and found out I had a fever.

Update will be before sunday- most of it is written, but I need to finish, and I had to extract my keyboard from my forehead about 20 minutes ago....

So I will update on chapter 4 on 7/13, as soon as I wake up.... And take my medicine.

[Pigbear]

This story is awesome. Too bad those darn space snakes keep tapping on the rover.

[Mekan1k]

Fox62: Alright, I will see what I can do. I tried to impose the 36 tonne mass limit so that I could give a bit of reality, as until the commercial companies get used to space travel, and the rigors therein, there is a pretty good chance that companies, even ambitious ones, will have very small payloads at first, with increasing rapidity, rather than larger ones, as they cost exponentially more. I have a design for a SSTO that can put over 100 tons in LKO, and land, with enough fuel to take off again and get to duna, land, and return, but it uses tech that is far beyond chemical rockets (IE, my souped up ion engines, and the frameshift drive), but at this stage, a multi-launch system is cheaper than a single super-advance large lifter.

GusTurbo: I will see, but there is a rather high likelyhood that I will end up keeping the overall structure (Large lower lifter segment, then containment & secondary ascent stage.) Gotta say, it seems a bit... Inefficient, without a primary lifter stage that utilizes an asparagus system to drop empty tanks. I was thinking of replacing the multiple lower tanks with a couple larger tanks of equivalent capacity (but less parts), and maybe a utilization of the new fairing-generator mod to streamline it a little.... We will see. Nice design, for all stock. Oh, and GusTurbo, I did not know you read this!

Pigbear: Nice guess. Wrong though.

It's always nice to hear from my readers. Anyway: onto the story!

Chapter 4: So that's what was tapping... Ew

*TAP-TAP-TAP-SKLERTCH*

Jeb: Guys! We are coming up on the- wait, sklertch?

Kirk: Jeb, I can't vomit anymore from you driving, so can you please stop trying acrobatic manuvers or making weird sounds....

Jeb: No I... Nevermind.

Jeb: Anyway, I am going to go park.

*TAP-TAP-TAP*

Jeb: That is getting annoying.

Kirk: The tapping?

Jeb: That, and the occasional bump.

Bob: Well, I'm getting out.

Bill & Kirk: We're coming with you.

Jeb: Alright.

*A shadow flits through the lights illuminating the landers

Jeb: OHWHATWASTHAT!!?!?!?!?

Kirk: What?

Bob: What's Jeb yelling about now?

Bill: I think he saw something outside his capsule. Possibly a shadow moving.

Jeb: I SAW THE TAPPING THING.

Bill: Alright. What was it?

Jeb: The....

Kirk: The what?

Jeb: The Meatloaf.

Bill:...

Bob:....

Jeb:....

Kirk:.....

Bill: Are you OK Jeb?

Kirk: Mission Command, this is Kirk. Jeb is acting weird.

MC: Kirk, please define 'weird' for Jeb.

Jeb: THERE! IT MOVED AGAIN!

Kirk: Hallucinations.

Jeb: Guys, please be careful.

Kirk: And significant deviation from normal mannerisms.

MC: Noted.

Bill: Come-on guys. Lets see if we can get a better view on what Jeb sees- he might be right, or he might be hallucinating from some error in the trimix.

Jeb: YOU ARE JUST SAYING THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE ON EVA.

Bill: Yeah... But you know what faulty tri-mix can do.

Jeb:....

Bob: Jeb, you know better than anyone what an error in the tri-mix can do.

Kirk: What happens with faulty tri-mix? Wait- what is tri-mix?

Bill: You don't know what tri-mix is and you are a kerbalnaught?

MC: Kirk, you should really read your manual.

Bob: Guys... I think I saw something move too.

Bill: Jeb: What happened to the lights?

Jeb: I told you there was something out there.

Kirk: Wait- I saw something....

Bob: I am starting to think something is actually out here....

Kirk: I saw it! It went into the ascent-stage lander's engine!

Jeb: That can't be good.

Kirk: Yup. It's stuck in there.... And wriggling.

Bob: I want to see!

Bill: Is everyone hallucinating?

MC: Bill, either everyone is hallucinating due to a tri-mix error, or there is actually something there?

Kirk: Hey Jeb- come look!

Jeb: I am.

Jeb: And this is as close as I want to get to a prospective alien face-hugger.

Kirk: Is that a movie reference?

Jeb: Before your time, Kirk.

Bob: Something is in there... But I don't think it's alive.

Bill: Really?

Bob: Really. I mean, there is no atmosphere-ITMOVED!

Kirk: Why are you freaking out now?

Bob: IT MOVED! EVERYONE INTO THE ASCENT VEHICLE!

Kirk: Seriously- why are you- AAARRGGGGG********

Jeb: Bob- It got Kirk.

Kirk: GET OFF MY SUIT!

Bill: I will save you Kirk!

MC: Jeb, can you give us a situation report? We lost visual on the cameras.

Jeb: That... Thing, attached to Kirk's suit, and Bill is trying to get it off.

Bill: DIE EVIL MUN CREATURE!!!

*Thwack!*

Kirk: OW! Put down the rock, Bill.

MC: IS there life on the mun Jeb?

Jeb: It looks sort of like..... Yes, but I don't think it's a native life-form.

MC: Wow. See if you can grab a sample.

Jeb: No.

*Thunk!*

MC: That was an order.

Jeb: No, I mean I can't. We don't have the equipment for life-forms.

*Thunk-Thunk*

MC: Just get a bit and put it in a specimen Jar. Like with the mun rocks.

*Thunk!*

Kirk: It let go Bill. STOP HITTING ME WITH THE ROCK!

Bill:....

*Thunk!*

Kirk: BILL!

Bill: Just making sure.

Jeb: Mission Command, the entity has retreated into the living module's engine. Can we seal it?

MC: Yes. Bob, pull the lever.

Jeb: PULL THE LEVER!

*Engines seal*

Bob: Well... Now we captured the freaky meatloaf.

MC: That was the meatloaf?

Bob: Apparently vacuuming the meatloaf decreased it's velocity enough to land.

Jeb: Well, as the mission commander, I recommend that we get into the ascent vehicle and get out of here.

Kirk: Me first.

Jeb: MC we are back in the ascent vehicle. Orion- are you ready for rendezvous?

Lenwise: GroundCrew we are ready when you are.

Jeb: Preparing for launch in 3. 2. 1.

Jeb: MC, we have a problem.

MC: What is it now Jeb?

Jeb: The ascent engine is not firing.

*BONG-BONG-BONG*

Jeb: I have the distinct feeling that trapping a living meatloaf inside an engine for the ascent stage on the MUN was a bad idea.

Kirk: ...

Bob: Did you really just....

Kirk: I think I can say, with certainty, that no-one has ever said that before.

MC: Well, don't worry guys-

*BONG-BONG-BONG*

Bob: That is going to get annoying.

MC: Since you are stranded-

Lenwise: WE AREN'T STRANDED!

MC: You guys are the only chance for the ground crew to leave the mun alive, and you have about 8 months of supplies, if you ration.

Jeb: Will you guys start working on a plan to retrieve us?

MC: On it now. Should only be a week or so before anything arrives.

*BONG-BONG-BONG*

Jeb: So... Anyone up for some news?

Kirk: I wanted some cartoons!

Bob: Meh.

....

Next part of this chapter, chapter 4,5 will be up in a couple hours...

A suggestion to anyone interested in making their own AAR: Don't write while you have a fever. It is not fun.

[Itsdavyjones]

First, get well soon, and it was still a good chapter. Short, but to be expected when your ill. Ahh and they are probably going to go bonkers from the banging from the meatloaf.

[Mekan1k]

Chapter 4.5: The Arrival of Help

*A few days later*

Jeb: I really hate these shows sometimes....

Kirk: They are amusing, at least.

Live, From the launchpad,

with John Kerman,

*kerbal on the right waves*

That other guy,

*kerbal in the middle frowns*

And our special guest, The Voice on the Vacuum, The Overwatch commander for all missions, Commander Kirlak Kerman!

*kerbal on the left smiles*

John: Yes, and welcome to the Kerbal Show! So, Kirlak, this event is momentous, With the second manned munar landing and all.

Kirlak: Yes John, it is momentous. However, what is more momentous is that, like every other mission where something has gone wrong, this time we have backup.

John: Really? Who is backing the 6-kerbal crew up? There is only one landing vehicle, the rovers, and the orbiting module.

Kirlak: That's everything we have out there now. However, we have recently been in communication with other companies, specifically Verolan Space & Aeronautics Ltd., and New World Homes Inc, and they are both sending up new things into space, to start space-based construction and tourism.

John: We have a picture, or several, of the new projects that were sent up over the last day or so. It has been a seriously busy launch platform, hasn't it?

Kirlak: Yes, yes it has.

John: This is the common-connection adapter, correct?

Kirlak: That's right. It uses a uniquely-shaped docking system, specifically for smaller craft. It is the same docking shape and design that our base-lander uses.

John: Does that mean that our viewers might be able to buy a ticket in the near future?

Kirlak: Yes, John. That's what it means, in general terms. We will be offering business-level orbital and munar flights within the next fiscal year, planned and developed by Verolan Space & Aeronautics Ltd., and several possible holiday/relay stations may be developed by New Homes Inc.

John: New Homes Inc and Verolan Space & Aeronautics Ltd.... Hopefully we will get a interview with them one day.

Kirlak: Oh yes, one of our engineers had a request for me, to put on this show.

John: What is it?

Kirlak: I wrote it down. Ehem:

"John, address them directly- Tell them to PM me as your contact info is hard to find. Their names are Fox62 and Itsdavyjones"

John: That's it?

***

Jeb: Mekan1k keeps saying weird things.

Kirk: He always looks like he knows something we don't....

Jeb: Yeah. He's a bit odd.

***

Kirlak: Yup.

John: Alright. To the Presidents of New World Homes Inc and Verolan Space & Aeronautics Ltd, Fox62 and Itsdavyjones, I would like to ask if you two would like to come onto the show, and answer questions for your two companies, as well as prices for tickets to the mun and such.

Kirlak: Well said. Those are weird names though....

John: I have heard weirder ones. Where is Mekan1k anyway?

Kirlak: He is working on a specialized deep-space project. Currently it is classified- we want it to be a surprise.

John: Alright. Can you give us any information on that project?

Kirlak: Not at this moment.

John: Alright, I will not press. Then can we talk a bit more about the Verolan Space & Aeronautics Ltd Adapter?

Kirlak: Sure. It is an autonomous docking segment, capable of connecting to any standard-1 docking port, and with it's own radio-isotope generator, does not require extra power draw from any station it connects to.

John: Cost?

Kirlak: 1.3 million dollars for delivery to the station in LKO.

John: Is that cheap?

Kirlak: Yes. The launch vehicle is re-usable, and 90% of it was retrieved, to be used with the other vehicle. The cost was fuel.

John: Do you think it was a worthwhile investment?

Kirlak: We at the spaceport placed the station it was docked to in orbit for 30 million. It was cheep since we developed a low-cost method of extracting fuel- cheaper and more flexible than mining kethane, and we figured out how to extract ores using the same manner. It makes costs cheap now- time was that to launch such a vehicle into space would have been several billion dollars. We sent up upgrades to the station, and the cost of putting up another version of the station would be around 80 million, but it is still dirt-cheap.

John: That is good news, I assume, for the companies going into space.

Kirlak: It is.

John: Our next question on my prompt sheet is related to the unfortunate kerbalnaughts on the mun. What plans are for them?

Kirlak: New World Homes Inc constructed a land-able housing module for them, and in the picture here:

John: ?

Kirlak: That was a cue for the next picture....

Kirlak: Thanks. As I was saying the housing module is a modified version of the Miner that was landed on the mun recently- using only 8 nuclear engines, it is optimized to connect with the rover-base that our brave munwalkers have been using, and hopefully we will be launching some simple assembler components, so that we can get more parts of the base launched.

John: Please show the next picture.

John: So- what is it doing in this picture?

Kirlak: The vehicle is dropping it's munar-burn/circ stage, in munar orbit. In under an hour, the vehicle will be ready to land within 2 km of the munar base.

***

Jeb: Bob! Are you looking at the telemetry from the MunHome module?

Bob: Yeah, Jeb, I am. It is prepping for the burn- burn in about 15 minutes.

Jeb: Cool.

***

John: So the kerbalnaughts will be safe, for a while, until they fix whatever problem they are having.

Kirlak: That is correct.

John: Cool! Guys, if you can hear us, we are all rooting for you. Onto the next question: We have reason to believe that the military is launching vehicles, in response to the threat of the corrupted SWARM AI.

Kirlak: What?

John: We have several pictures- could we bring them up please?- of a launch that occurred without alerting the press and was done on a night-launch, just after the crew for the latest mun mission were reaching the station, so there is little to see, but....

Kirlak: These are rather bad quality pictures- how did you get them?

John: One of our planet-watchers was setting up for a shot of Duna, and had aligned his telescope already, so these were taken by a camera on max zoom from more than 30k away.

Kirlak: Well done!

John: Large-scale liquid boosters are visible, but the internal rocket is indistinct until... Here! Separation!

John: Spectral imagery shows fusion-level temperatures in the rocket flame. Is there tech being used that we don't know about?

Kirlak: There are undoubtedly tech that we use that you don't know about, however, I am not at liberty to discuss most of it yet- company secrets. I hope you understand.

John: I do.

Kirlak: Can we get to the next question?

John: Actually, the next one is a continuation of the previous- a public-observation satellite was recording pictures of the night sky, when it saw this:

Kirlak: That looks really cool.

John: That it does- but what we want to know is- What is it?

Kirlak: I don't think I could tell you, even if I did know.

The Other Guy: It appears to be a Lazor-tech particle beam. I remember when I was testing lazor-control craft, the good old-days before the development of the MechJeb autopilot series.

Kirlak: So that's why you are on the show!

The Other Guy: Thanks.

John: Back to business... Our last question, before we run out of time, what is this?

John: No name of the launch vehicle was released, but it was launched immediately after a catastrophic launch attempt of a Saturn IX rocket with the equivalent payload.

Kirlak: That rocket is known by us as the MX Lifter, but it's official name and uses are unknown, but its specs are... Impressive.

John: How so?

Kirlak: Before the development of the MX, (A design that was developed specifically after attempting to get the bindings and computer systems of the Saturn ix design working, I might add), out heaviest launcher was the 40T lifter, a launcher that could lift 40 tons max into low-kerbin orbit, and we were setting up a launcher version of the Aries system for heavier payloads... But this is big, strong, and cheaper.

John: Any plans for anything cheaper than that?

Kirlak: Of course- but those are not planned for release yet. We have a couple heavy-lift designs that utilize the super-ion engines, but the components are incredibly expensive to manufacture, and a nuclear-lightbulb engine is still in the design phase. So now, the MX is probably the best heavy-lifter vehicle we have.

John: Well, that is enlightening, but that's all the time we have for today.

***

Jeb: I gotta say that looks cool.

-Groundcrew, this is Trawler In the Dark- we have long-range eyes on you. The MunHome should be landing now.-

Jeb: Thanks Trawler In the Dark. We have eyes on the lander.

Jeb: Everyone into the roverbase!

Bob: Don'tCrashDon'tCrashDon'tCrash...

Jeb: It's down!

Jeb: Lets get over there.

Kirk: I am driving.

*5 minutes later*

Kirk: Are we lined up?

Jeb: Right. Just pull in slowly....

*BANG*

Jeb: I said slowly!

Kirk: Hey, I learned by watching you.

Bill: Guys- look in here. It looks amazing!

Jeb: I guess we wait until we finish inventory, then get to launching and returning home.

(Sorry about the kerbals blank expressions... The players were not co-operating on the set. Damn actors)

Thanks for waiting for this chapter to finish- I don't like being sick....

Next update in a few days. There will be more munar awesomeness!!!!

Hope you guys like.

Edited July 14, 2013 by Mekan1k

[Fox62]

After much deliberation by the PR and engineering teams to come up with an agreeable name for the new heavy launcher, Verolan Space & Aeronautics Ltd. hereby announces the official entry into service of the Jool II-200 heavy launcher. This payload lifter has yet to be rated for crewed purposes, however it will enter service as the heavy launcher for all Verolan Space & Aeronautics payloads. It was named both to be memorable, and be in and of itself a means of easily remembering the weight to orbit capability of the lifter, with a 200 tons to Low Kerbin Orbit capability, enabling much longer range missions for commercial payloads. On an aditional note, we have decided that CEO Vasquez Kerman will be making an appearance on the Kerbal Show to answer questions about Verolan Space & Aeronautics Ltd.

Edited July 15, 2013 by Fox62
Had to integrate the requested interview and the name of the CEO into this somehow!

[Mr. Pseudonym]

Deleted

DERP

[Mr. Pseudonym]

MOAR!

I NEED MOAR!

Get well soon!

[Fox62]

Verolan Space & Aeronautics is proud to announce the development of Project "The Grand Idea". This is Phase 1 of the company's greater interplanetary travel initiative. This is a computer simulation of what the space craft would be like when fully completed.

http://imgur.com/a/0rL6A#0

Phase 2 will commence once testing of the Phase 1 project ceases, and permission to continue with development is received from the KSA*.

* Kerbal Space Agency

Edited July 16, 2013 by Fox62

[Mekan1k]

Notification: The KSA is reveiwing and prototyping designs now for the world's first large-scale privately owned station/Long-range ship, Project 'The Grand Idea'.

Testing is underway on designs in out zero-g test chamber (IE, the massive swimming pool-ocean just off the coast of the KSPort), and we recommend that, due to the number of solar panels that have been broken off by passing fish, that the solar panels be limited to 4 per station, for all station designs recommended. We have an assembly of large and small-scale reactors or static panels that would be able to take up any slack, and will refit the stations, free of charge, with these upgrades, to allow for cheaper station designs.

The station project "The Grand Idea" fulfills this new requirement, and, if possible, will be launched either in 1 piece (Using the new Jool II-200), or in several segments (Using the bog-standard 40T lifter), depending on the recommendation of Verolan Space & Aeronautics Ltd.

New world homes has recently been in development to create a modular public station, the first module will be launched via Jool II-200 (Verolan Space & Aerospace) to connect to the orbiting HabStation, opening the doors to public travel.

Current Design:

***

The new chapter will be written tomorrow, after I finish an exam- sorry guys, but I need to study.

[Fox62]

The recommendation of Verolan Space & Aeronautics is that the vessel be launched in as few peaces as possible, with the ability to be assembled/reassembled once in orbit. The reason for this is modularity, and allowing for multi-purpose modules. Phase 2 of the design process has begun.

[Mekan1k]

The Jool II-200 seems perfectly designed to do a 1-shot lift to orbit for the fully assembled station, without (relatively) weak docking connectors in the way.

[Fox62]

The 3.75 meter space craft on the bottom is attached by 2 Clamp-o-Tron docking ports. Also, the design specifications call for EVERY single module being capable of detaching itself from the ship and reattaching elsewhere. Also, the vessel weighs 252.15 tons in current design, beyond the carrying capacity of the Jool II-200 heavy launcher. As such, at least 2 trips would be necessary, perhaps more, to lift the vehicle. It would also require extensive amounts of electricity to maintain structural rigidity with quantum struts. Conventional struts would compromise the design specifications, by rendering the modules unable to undock.

Edited July 16, 2013 by Fox62

[Mekan1k]

Good point.

The design will be featured in the next episode.

[Fox62]

On a different note, could we get a screenshot of the Jool II-200 with the VAB in the background? I would like a size comparison.

[Mekan1k]

Sure. Pics of Jool II-200 without payload

[Mekan1k]

Inside VAB

[Fox62]

Vasquez Kerman: Wow.

On a side note, .craft file and mod list please?

Edited July 16, 2013 by Fox62

[Mekan1k]

Mods: Bc9 Aero parts, Jool rocket parts, Taverio's pizza and aerospace, as well as the procedural fairings mod, and R3 boat-parts-carrier-parts- I think that's all of the parts, but I have more than 69 mods installed, and I think that is all of them.....

Craft- here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lkct6hjurcp63a1/Jool%20II-%20200%20Lifter.craft

Good luck... If there is a part missing, tell me. I think I will be able to fix it.

EDIT: and like all my craft, it functions with use of infinite RCS (for stability)

Also forgot either this mod: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/rla-multi-mission-rtg/

Or this one: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/rla-powergeneration/

I can't remember which...

Edited July 16, 2013 by Mekan1k

[Fox62]

I was about to mention that.

EDIT: okay, I've done a first flight and discovered 2 things. One, this is a very good way to lag your computer. Second, when under mechjeb control with rcs Enabled, the second stage can still function even with one of the engines destroyed. I say you can handwave ( http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HandWave ) this by saying the engineers intended for that to be the case

Edited July 16, 2013 by Fox62

[Mekan1k]

Yes! That was totally what I was trying to do....

*CAN YOU FEEL THE SARCASM?*

Yeah... I was not intending that to be a part of the initial design, but I am glad it is. I only did 4 test flights with the Jool II-200 before I posted in the forum, and it preformed every time flawlessly. I designed only 1 ship to be able to fire engines with mechjeb and remain on track with an offset center of mass, and that one is making it's debut....

Chapter 5: Home Before Dawn

-This is Trawler in the Dark, Jeb, and we have over-watch.-

Jeb: Ok, how do you keep getting this line? Kirk, is this a feed coming in to us through the quantum communicator?

Kirk: I have no idea what you are talking about Jeb. Just get to the ship.

Jeb: Yeah. I'm on the way.

Jeb: Do I really need all these tools?

Kirk: Yes, yes you do.

Jeb: Well, I am close by.

Kirk: Cool.

Jeb: So, what am I supposed to do again?

Bob: Just go to the ascent craft, hop up next to the port.... starboard.... THE RIGHT SIDE RCS containers. Bill, if you try to correct me again, I am going to hurt you.

Jeb: Got it... Lets see.... This is the right side.

Jeb: Alright. The glare is too high, I am turning off my headlamps.

Kirk: Wait, Jeb, what if it escapes.

Jeb: I think it's dead.

Kirk: How can you be sure?

Jeb: I just turned on the engines. The glow from them for that fraction of a second as it burned away that... Monstrosity of a dish was rather cool.

Bill: DAMNIT JEB! We needed that for a sample.

Jeb: I know, Remember two nights ago when I used the 3-d printer in the new housing module?

Bill: Yes, and that is the reason why we had to wait before making the components that probably broke.

Jeb: I made a box, and I got a sample. It's bouncing around inside this thing....

Kirk: Well, that's good.

Bob: Jeb?

Jeb: Yeah?

Bob: That's not the right side of the ship.

Jeb: Oh.

Bob: Yes, that's right. Just plug in the diagnostic comp....

Jeb: Done. All the red lines are good, right?

Bob: .... Nooo....... The readings keep jittering.

Jeb: Well, that doesn't sound good.

-Jeb, just tap the push the cable slightly more in. The signal is corrupted.-

Jeb: Stop doing that!

Bob: What are you talking about?

Jeb: Nevermind, ignore it.

Bob: Alright... Looks like we only need to replace one circuit board.

Jeb: Cool. Come on over!

*Ten minutes later*

Bob: Jeb. Jeb.... JEB!

Jeb: zzzzzz.... WHAT! WHERE! WHEN!

Bill: Who?

Bob: Don't encourage him.

Kirk: Hey Jeb.

Jeb: Ah. You guys are here. Just... Lets get into this thing and get out of here.

*A minute later*

Jeb: That was fast.

Lenwise: Orion Ready for pickup.

B9K: We regret to inform you we have insufficient fuel in the ascent stage to get to the proper orbit.

Jeb: Aright. Let's use the lander engines.

Bob: .... Wait, lets call mission control first-

Jeb: Too late. FULL POWAH B9K!

B9K: We have enough Delta-V to make the rendezvous. But not with the Orion.

Jeb: What do you mean?

Kirk: We have an incoming lazor transmission.

Jeb: I bet I know who it's from.

Kirk: It's from Trawler in the Dark.

Jeb: I should have bet money on it.

Kirk: No one would have agreed to that bet, as we are the only ones out here.

Jeb: Still, I should have tried.

B9K: Circuliarization burn ready.

Jeb: Fire!

B9K: Warning, out of fuel in landing stage.

Jeb: Jettisoned, and fireing smaller eng-WHOA!

Kirk: AARRRG!!!!

Bob: Damn that has some kick.

Jeb: Wow. 5 G's.

Bill: I have never felt that much weight on my face....

Kirk: I feel so much anger for the creator that gave us heads that were 1/4 the mass of our bodies.

Jeb: Yeah.... B9K, make the engine accelerate slower.

B9K: Done. We are coming up on the Trawler in the Dark.

Jeb: That name is just so... Odd....

Jeb: And now it's dark! I can't even see the dock.

B9K: I have entered an automatic control zone- dark-side protocols are ordering me to control docking.

Jeb: That can't be good.

B9K: I don't like it either.

Jeb: I still can't see anything! AND the Microprobe got retrieved!

Lenwise: We made the burn already. Doing a correction burn now.

Lenwise: Incoming.

B9K: Initating dark-side Protocol.

*Thunk*

Lenwise: We docked.

*Sound of doors airlock*

Mekan1k: Hey guys.

Jeb: Mek! Yo, dude! So this is the secret project you were grinning about.

Mek: Yup.

Kirk: What is this?

Mek: Officially? This is the first deep-space Warship.

Jeb: Seriously?

Mek: Oh, yeah dude.

Jeb: But how is it Deep-space?

Mek: It has a massive centrifuge, a greenhouse, and an inflatable living area.

Kirk: Wow. I love the fact there is maybe enough green material here to... What? Make a salad?

Mek: Geneticly Modded greens. Adapted to living in zero-G from superfast growing tangler vines, and completely edible. Sewage is sterilized in the reactor that we just walked through, and water is extracted from the super-heated remains in the reactor and centrifuge. A slurry is pumped then into those sponges, which the roots grow into.

Shepney: How do they taste?

Mek: Like lettuce.

Shepney: Crunchy, sweetish/bitter?

Mek: Like water, with crunchy.

Jeb: So.... What delta-V does this thing have?

Mek: Around 24000 dv. Max acceleration is... Classified. I have no idea.

Jeb: Why not?

Mek: Anti-Jeb countermeasures. It has a speed governor.

Jeb: I hate the engineers.

Mek: I am an engineer, Jeb.

Kirk: .... Alright.... Anyway, can we get access to the micro-probes? I would like some shots of the ship.

Mek: Sure. You won't be able to release them, but alright.

Kirk: Nice!

Mek: I know. She's my Lady.

Al1c3: Sir, the launch window is approaching, and we have finished refueling the ships. They need to decouple.

Mek: Right, well, you guys need to leave, and I have a secret mission to go on.

Jeb: What secret mission? And who is that?

Mek: Test a fuel retrieval scoop, and that is my Custom AI for this ship, Al1c3.

Al1c3: My name is an anagram. Active Logistics Construct 13.

Jeb:.... That seems dull.

Al1c3: .....?

Jeb: Not you, you are interesting. I meant the mission- it must leave alot of spare time.

Mek: I am working on my business minor. It's not dull.

Jeb: I will take your word for it.

Bill: Alright Jeb.... This reactor is giving me the creeps.

Shepney: MMMMRPH!

Jeb: Yeah, right... I need to get this sample back to the KSP.

Mek: It looks rather pissed.

Bob: MMMPH, mrphm.

Mek: Please don't eat my o2 scrubbers.

*A couple minutes later*

Mek: Guys, I see a problem with your plan.

Jeb: What is wrong?

Mek: The other module cannot fly itself.

B9K: That is correct.

Shepney: Mmph! Mmmmmmpphhh!!

Mek: Yeah.... The vines have a REALLY spicy aftertaste. Did I forget to mention.

Bob: YES! OH DEAR KOD WHY!?!!??!?!

Mek: Serves you right.

*Thunk*

Jeb: Aaaannndd.... We're Docked!

Mek: Good luck guys. Activating fusion engine feild.

Jeb: Why are you saying that?

Mek: A warning- you may feel a slight push.

*THWOMP*

Jeb: what?

Mek: I love this ship.

Kirk: Jeb?

Jeb: .....

Bob: Jeb?

Jeb:....

Bill: Just do this to get his attention. Jeb, I will give you a wet willy if you don't snap out of it.

Jeb:....

Bill: Fine.

*squeege*

Jeb: OHWHYOHWHYWHYWHYWHYWHY!!!!!!!!

Bill: He hates that.

Jeb: Yes, I do hate that. I also want that ship!

Bill: Maybe you can get command to make you one.

Jeb: Maybe.

Bill: Anyway, look at this.

Jeb: Damn. On an escape trajectory into orbit around kerbin. Mek is a bit annoying with his cheerfulness, but he is good with these ships.

Mek: I can still hear you Jeb- you left the mike on.

Jeb: Oh....

Bill: Any idea why that ship has no solar panels?

Mek: Solar panels are visible from a long way off, and reflect alot. This ship is designed for stealth.

Jeb: Most of it is orange or white!

Mek: The reflective paint changes the refraction of reflected light into different wavelengths. Keeps us stealthy- we cannot be seen on active scanning.

Jeb:....

Kirk: Oh not again!

Jeb:....

Mek: Jeb? Are you ok?

Jeb: I want that ship.

Al1c3: I am not an object!

Mek: Actually, Al1c3, you are.

Al1c3: I still resent being drooled over like that.

B9K: Shouldn't I be resentful? He is drooling IN me.

Al1c3: I agree- you should be resentful.

Bill: This is not healthy.... This is emotional feedback.

Mek: Yeah.... I think I will say goodbye.

Jeb: Bye dude.

*Click*

Jeb: He is annoying!

Mek: You just set it to record. I will just terminate the call at this end.

*Beep*

Jeb:

Kirk: Bwahahaha!

Bill: Jeb, just-

Jeb: Don't start.

*A few hours later*

Jeb: Correction burn. Aerobrake in a few hours.

Jeb: Burn finished.

Bill: Jeb-

Jeb: NO.

*A few hours later*

Bill: It looks nice out there-

Jeb: No. Aerobrake will repeat in 4 hours.

*4 hours Pass*

Jeb: No.

Bill: I Didn't say anything!

Jeb: Still counts. Aerobreaking.

Kirk: I can see the KSP from here!

Bill: Hey, yeah-

Jeb: No.

Bill: ?

Jeb: Aerobreak again in 2 hours.

*2 hours pass*

Jeb: Aerobreaking.

Jeb: Nice desert.

Kirk: Yeah.

Bob: I can almost see the pyramids.

Bill: Really?

Jeb: NO.

Bill: Jeb, stop that.

Jeb: NO.

Bill: ?

Jeb: Circularization burn in 10 seconds.

...

Jeb: Burn complete.

Kirk: Nice mun!

Bill: Cool-

Jeb: NO.

Kirk: So... Rendevous with the habstation?

Jeb: Sure.

Bill: Alright. Co-ordinates in.

Jeb: Right.

Bill: Are you done with the 'no'ing?

Jeb: Maybe.

Bill: Alright.

Jeb: Burn activated.

Jeb: We are on-course for hab-base.

*Ten minutes after docking*

B9K: Atmosphere restored. Welcome to the Habstation. Inflating Ring.

MC: Hey guys- welcome back. We have some more flights scheduled, so we need eyes in the sky from now on for a while.

Jeb: Sounds like fun!

Lenwise: Anyone up for dodgeball/soccer in zero-g?

Jeb: Lets keep the ring from spinning, and play in there!

MC: Alright. Flight in a few days. You guys will be monitoring the launch and assembly of several components.

Jeb: Cool. Hey guys- remember, the enemy's goal is down!

Hey guys. Hope you enjoy the new chapter. Next one will be either Friday or Saturday.... I still am fighting off this cold.

So, well, have fun, and don't forget your atmosphere!

Edited July 17, 2013 by Mekan1k