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

[OrbitusII]

You could ask InfiniteDice for help, he's working on something like that for the CIWS systems in the Naval Parts Pack he's working on.

I've already got the code, I'd just have to translate it to C# and make it KSP-compatible, both of which are trivial.

[Fox62]

Cool(damn10charlimit)

[Mekan1k]

Damn, this is getting intense. I love it! Say Mekan, do you still take in ideas and .craft from public for the story?

Yes to ideas, no for crafts. I would prefer images, as I use specific construction methods to decrease lag. (A couple thousand parts will do that to a computer)

[Fox62]

Hey Mek, is there any possibility of adding two mods that I think would be very useful for building any KEV. The first is Talisar's Spherical Fuel Tanks, which is exactly what it says on the tin. The other is the heatshields from a mod that gives you parts so you can replicate the Icarus I and II from the movie Sunshine. I can't find the second of those two, but I do know that the heatshields are huge, and would be perfect for use in aerobraking.

[Mekan1k]

I have both mods you request installed.

Although I didn't think you would need to ask about the spherical fuel tanks, as there is one on the Habstation.

[Fox62]

cue tactical nuclear facepalm as I just realised that when you told me.

[Mekan1k]

How did you guess the name of the Kerbol Space Agency's ideal defence craft?

[OrbitusII]

The "tactical nuclear facepalm" is an ideal defense craft?

[Itsdavyjones]

great chapter. getting the suspense up.

[Mekan1k]

Anti-Space Defense Craft: Nuclear Facepalm

Single Use-Unmanned Vehicle

Role:Tactical/Orbital bombardment

Payload: 2x Lazar-guided Nuclear bombs "The Thrill Master", 1x onboard thermonuclear generator

V1 (Decomissioned)

D/v after reaching 90/90 orbit: 6000 d/v with payload, 7,000 d/v without payload.

Price: 28,203,045.89$

V2 (Active service)

D/V after reaching 90/90 orbit: 10,000 d/v with payload, 13,000 without payload.

Price: 32,117,088.99$

The Nuclear Facepalm has been use twice in history, the first time being used to make a badass explosion, and the second time to hit a balloon-launched rocket that lost power and would not come down.

(Both versions used were V1's, so the V2's that are currently being deployed have never been used.)

[Fox62]

I think I know what the first use of the V2 will be.

[OrbitusII]

Dear Jeb, that's a crazy spacecraft! I never thought this:

would become this:

but apparently Mek has done it!

Well done, sir! Well done indeed!

[Fox62]

That's awesome.

[Itsdavyjones]

Ok where do I go to get those nukes, I got some targets I want to deal with:D

[Mekan1k]

Pirated Weapons mod.

Here:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/36071-0-20-Pirated-Weaponry-V0-31

[Fox62]

Verolan Space & Aeronautics Ltd. is proud to announce the launch of the SABRE SSTO Spacecraft Project, with goal of creating an SSTO Spaceplane capable of delivering a (useful) payload to LKO. The first phase of the project is the develpoment of the engines.

[Mekan1k]

This post is directed to everyone reading my thread- I have a meeting with the rather nice lady who is renting out a room to me, (at a cost that is almost disturbingly low for everything it entails) and I am considering how/when to continue the story. I will be moving soon, again, in all likelihood, so I expect to take a brief hiatus as I move, and get back to making mods after I finish the move.

However, that hiatus is at least a week away, so I am not going to worry anyone with it.

Similarly, at the end of the summer I will have about a 3-week hiatus again, as I will be going to visit my family, who I have not seen for more than an hour for 6 months, and my girlfriend, who rather desires my company after nearly 8 months away, and then the beginning of the next semester of school will be upon me, making my free time something incredibly tightly-strung.

Yes, I know, no-one wants to know about more delays, they want action, and excitement, but I felt that I should bring this up with all of you who read this AAR, and spend are willing to suffer through my bad scripting.

Anyway!

Now, with the upgrade of 0.21 on the horizon, if not looming over me like a bear that is watching someone eat a delicious salmon, I have been thinking about mods.

Specifically, several mods that seem to eat up huge chunks of ram.

So I think that I will make sure to wrap this segment of the story, Construction, up in the next 2-3 chapters. It's is planned that way anyway, I just want to let you know. I was trying to extend it, but I am concerned that 0.21 will break alot of mods, my own included, and I will want to continue with as best I can.

A Journey to Space will continue for as long as I can continue it. I want to get at least 3 more stories done, and my current understanding is that the story will probably continue through v0.25 of KSP.

I will, however, be making several changes, as new mods come and go, and every major change will be worked into the story as best I can.

I just wanted to give everyone a heads up.

This is not a notice of cancellation, it is just a notice that the updates will be slowing down to 1x a week, and there will be hiatuses as real life gets in the way.

[Mr. Pseudonym]

I see you will be busy for a while. That's okay, just keep writing as much as you can.

[Mekan1k]

I will. Thank you!

To everyone who is looking forward to the next part of the story, there will be an update on Friday.

Oh, and since 0.21 came out, I will not touch it until this story is done. I hope a number of good mods get released

[Mekan1k]

Chapter 7: And so the skies shall fall...

3.7 hours before Jeb's nap, and 4 hours before impact...

Kirlak: Mekan1k- we need you on-point. There is a probably hostile vessel on a collision course with the Hab-Station.

Mek: Command, please define?

Kirlak: Another SWARM ship has entered the system. ETA to impact with the Hab-Station, ~ 4 hours.

Mek: Permission to enter combat mode?

Kirlak: Permission granted.

Mek: Al1c3! Close all hatches.

Al1c3: Done.

*All the hatches between the different modules slammed shut.*

Al1c3: Hatches secure.

Mek: Activate the electrostatic re-enforcements, and lock down the greenhouse.

Al1c3: Already done.

Mek: Visual inspection drone #2, launch.

Mek: Nicely Done Al1c3. Can we get an intercept burn with the hab-station?

Al1c3: Calculated and burn coordinates input to nav-computer.

Mek: Activate autopilot. Jeb, we are on our way.

...

3.8 hours later

...

Jeb: zzzz

MC: Activate the alarm, Kirk. We need everyone up for this.

Kirk: I don't think I need to...

MC: Why?

*FOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM*

Jeb: WHO WHAT WHERE??? WTF?

Kirk: Jeb, we need to get going.

Jeb: WHAT WAS... Sorry. What was that noise, Kirk?

TiTD: Come in Hab-Station, this is Trawler. We are now 100 meters above you.

Kirk: That answers your question.

TiTD: Evacuate- you have 2 minutes before Impact.

Jeb: OH****! Let's get out of here.

Kirk: Everyone's in the Orion lander. We are ready to disembark.

Jeb: Great. Just let me buckle in and we are good to go.

*Jeb and Kirk pushed themselves from the living quarters through the station, and then with a crash, ran, (or fell really) into Lenwise*

Jeb: SONOVA.... Lenwise? What are you doing?

Lenwise: My Job. I can spoof your radar and other signatures to the craft, make you guys less of a target.

Kirk: Can't the AI do it?

B9K: I am grateful for your concern about my wellbeing, Kirk.

Lenwise: No. The software is designed to shutdown AI-level computers that access it, as a failsafe against the SWARM.

Jeb: Come on, we can't leave you here!

Lenwise: You can and will. Or, if you prefer, I will shoot you.

Jeb: What?

*Lenwise pulled out a taser*

Jeb: Alright. Everyone except for Lenwise in the ship.

Lenwise: Goodbye Everyone.

*The hatch sealed*

Lenwise: Right. B9K, give me a hand with this.

B9K: Won't that kill me?

Lenwise: Not unles you try to access the software. I just need you to lockonto and track the Orion Module.

B9K: Let's hope the others get away safely.

*THWUMP*

*In the Orion Pod*

Jeb: Well, at least we have a seat free...

Kirk: Don't even joke dude.

Jeb: He'll be fine. We have the Trawler to protect us.

Bill: We have our samples and readings from the mun and the alien spacecraft. We need to land asap.

MC: You cannot land yet. We have incoming... And in the event that the Trawler can prevent damage to the ship, we will need to you to re-dock, evacuate Lenwise, and get back to work.

Jeb: We are under attack- we can't just-

Kirk: Gravioli flare! 200x background!

TiTD: We see it...

*Back on the Trawler in the Dark*

Mek: Al1c3, please activate the combat couch. Prepair for neural link.

Al1c3: Understood. Transfering to your suit... Link ready.

Mek: Prepare for neural bridge in 3.

Al1c3: 3.

Mek/Al1c3: 2.

TrawlerInTheDark: 1. Zero- MC, we have a successful neural link. Tracking incoming target.

MC: We hear you Trawler.

Trawler: Slight burn for ff-location intercept... Done. Slewing to aim.

MC: Trawler, we are seeing gravioli fluctuations up there. Anything on your end?

Trawler: Yes. It's burn for intercept. We see it.

MC: Is it armed?

Trawler: Not that we can tell... It seems to be observing us. We have a bead.

Trawler: Just tell me when to fire....

******** SSSSTTSTSTSSTST******

Trawler: We have incoming communications from the object.

MC: Clarify

Trawler: It's beaming us a signal using the an encryption.

MC: Uploading a most likely key to you, Trawler.

Trawler: Received... Here we go. We can understand... Something.

SWARM: You will leave our skies. Go back to your world. This is your only warning.

Trawler: We seek no quarrel. Merely exploration.

SWARM: We thought you would say that. We have no choice but to remove you.

Trawler: MC, we are getting gravioli readings at 300X background. It's doing something....

SWARM: Goodbye Creators.

MC: Take the shot.

Trawler: Firing

*Pop*

Trawler: We have detonation! We hit it's charging engine, and most of the ship is gone!

Trawler: Although it's cone seems to be more solid then the rest of the ship.

Trawler: Jeb, come in. Orion- can you hear us?

Jeb: We saw- and we are lining up to dock now.

Hab-Station: Jeb! This is Lenwise. Get back- we have another gravioli surge. This one is even greater!

Jeb: We hear you Lenwise. Disconnecting. How much heavier?

Lenwise: 2000x background.

Trawler: We see it coming up on radar... It's behind us!

SWARM: We gave you a warning before. You would not heed. Goodbye.

Trawler: Well, this can't be good. Jettesoning Camera.

SWARM: Your tiny drones will not be able to save you.

Trawler: Jeb- our slew speed will not be enough to get them before their capacitors are charged, and they fire their lazors.

Lenwise: We have a lock on their scanning frequencies. B9K- Jam them.

SWARM: HIDING WILL DO YOU NO GOOD.

Trawler: Increased power levels are being detected. Jeb- I am slaving the camera drone to your craft.

Jeb: Get out of there!

Trawler: We can't. The fusion engine needs time to finish it's cooldown, and we cannot finish the turn before this thing gets off another shot. These Lazors are PLASMA LANCES- That miss took out the electrostatic shielding.

SWARM: WE SEE YOU...

Trawler: It's staying behind us.. Preping for impact.

SWARM: Goodbye.

*BANG*

Trawler: We are still alive! Mostly...

Jeb: Then what do you call dead? B9K- activate.

B9K: Ready Jeb.

Jeb: Plot a course. and get us on a rendezvous with the Trawler before he dies.

SWARM: Your overall designs are admirable, and resilient. However, you do not have more ship then we have power. Goodbye Trawler.

Trawler: ****************....

Jeb: Get out of there!

Trawler: No kidding. Firing RCS thrusters.

Jeb: Can you get out of there, Mek?

Trawler: No. The neural link has fused. We can get to you, but-

Jeb: Good enough. Come on over.

Mek/Al1c3: We are already outside.

*SKRREEEEEE*

B9K: Jeb, you should let me take control....

Jeb: No way tinman.

*Sound of the airlock cycling*

Mek/Al1c3: Right- we are in. Lets get out of here. The pod will self-deorbt.

Jeb: B9K, Activate tactical display. Veiwed from that probe-cam.

B9K: On the monitor sir.

Jeb: It's heading for the Hab-station!

*Back on the station, Lenwise is... Well, eating a candy bar.*

Lenwise: Nomnomnom

B9K: Lenwise... We have incoming.

Lenwise: nom... Bring up the small camera-drone, and rotate to observe.

Lenwise: Oh, we are *****

B9K: That sounded different. I thought I deactivated my swearwords filter.

Lenwise: Let me reiterate without swearing. We are going to die.

B9K: Do you have any regrets?

Lenwise: Not really. I just wish I had a weapon.

SWARM: DIE FLESHLINGS

B9K:Hey!

Lenwise: Well, it's been a pleasure serving with you guys down there.

MC: Likewise.

*BANG*

B9K: Are we dead yet? This seems like life.

Lenwise: I don't think so... Give it a minute....

*BOOOM*

*Down on the planet, an emergency vehicle is being launched.*

Kirlak: Is the Nuclear Facepalm ready? We launch in 10.

John: Kirlak- do you have a minute?

Kirlak: I don't.

John: But you are about to launch an assault on some of the kerbal race's greatest enemies!

Kirlak: We created those enemies.

John: The point still stands. What words do you have for the world, now that you are the last and best hope to keep our astronauts alive?

Kirlak: Fire.

Kirlak: Status report!

*A kerbal with a handlebar mustache spoke up*

Mustache: Sir! We are registering multiple gravioli surges! None however seem to be of the same level as those generated by the craft that took out the Trawler and Hab-Station.

Kirlak: Well, that's can't be good.

*Another kerbal, this one with massive glasses, came running up.*

Glasses: Kirlak, Sir, the Facepalm is reporting a clean launch, a clean separation, and is completing it's rendevous burn.

Kirlak: Bring up a picture- I want to see this.

Glasses: It's pulling past the wreckage of the Hab-Station.

*Everyone in the command center salutes*

Kirlak: It was an honor to work with you, Lenwise. You will be missed.

Glasses: The Facepalm is pulling along side.

Kirlak: We need a measurment.

Mustache: Sir, the missile is being hailed!

Kirlak: Put it through.

SWARM: WEAK

Kirlak: Sorry, what was that?

SWARM: YOU WEAKLINGS. COWERING IN THE DIRT, THINKING... WHAT? WE WONDER.

Kirlak: That is none of your concern. Leave kerbin's SOL or be destroyed.

SWARM: YOU WILL LOSE

Kirlak: Please clarify, what will we lose?

SWARM: WE SHOULD BE MORE SPECIFIC. YOU. HAVE. LOST.

Kirlak: What have we lost, you glorified metal-

SWARM: YOU HAVE LOST THE NIGHT SKIES TO US. YOU ARE NOT WELCOME TO SWIM IN OUR SEA, OR TO DANCE IN THE STARLIT NIGHT. STAY BOUND TO THE DUST YOU CAME FROM.

Kirlak: Can we just detonate the bomb? This guy's a bit of an asshole.

Glasses: On it.

SWARM: YOUR WEAPONS ARE INEFFECTIVE AGAINST THE SWARM THAT IS TO COME. WE WILL--------

Kirlak: What was it saying? Get the picture back!

Glasses: Commander, the nukes detonated.

Mustache: We are not reading a gravioli signature there anymore.

*The sounds of cheering drowned out any other noise for a while.*

Kirlak: Alright. Let's get our survivors home.

....

A few minutes later, mission control finally re-connected with the Orion pod.

...

Jeb: MC, we lost our camera drones when the nuke detonated. We need a few hours to get everything checked and re-activated.

MC: You have an hour Jeb... Wait- what is happening? Orion, stand by.

Jeb: ???

MC: Jeb, you need to see this.

Jeb: Is that?

MC: Yes. We just lost communication with the probes around the alien ship. We have to assume that the SWARM craft that landed there detonated it's nuclear cargo.

Jeb: We are coming in for landing as soon as possible.

Bill: Jeb, we have reconnected our system... And we are re-entering the atmosphere! Our descent path will have us hit a mountain if we continue on this trajectory.

Jeb: ****.... Fire engine!

Mek/Al1c3: Jeb, we are out of fuel. We will not clear the mountains at this rate.

Jeb: Face us pro-grade, and decouple.

B9K: Are you sure?

Kirk: Any better ideas?

B9K: I see.

Mek/Al1c3: Oh bugger this hurts... MC, Prepare a neural Crash cart. Our bridge has fused, and we cannot de-link.

MC: Already prepped. As soon as you land we will be there.

B9K: Parachutes in 5 seconds.

*THUMP*

Bob: Sonofava.....

Shepney: I never liked that part of the landing.

*Thwump*

Jeb: And we are down! Bill, could you open the hatch?

Bill: It's stuck.

Jeb: Well then, Let's take a look outside. Firing Probe-cam.

Bob: Nice picture....

Jeb: Thanks...... Oh that's just not fair.

Kirk: Are those?

Jeb: Those are our stations, I would be willing to bet.

*Back in Mission control*

Mustache: Kirlak, we have taken telemetry feeds, and overlayed it with the visual data from super-long-range telescopes in orbit. You need to take a look at this.

Kirlak: What is it... Oh crap.

John: What happened?

Kirlak: We have been kicked off the mun.

Glasses: Sir! We have a gravioli signature near The Grand Idea!

Kirlak: Slew telescope and overlay picture. We need to see this.

Kirlak: I hope it doesn't...

Kirlak: DAMN IT!

John: Do you have anything to say to the public?

Kirlak: I need to talk to the Presidents of both Verolan Space & Aeronautics Ltd and New World Homes Inc, and I need to explain why their 200-million $$ ship just got destroyed! What do you think?

John: So, is that a no?

Kirlak: How about this- We at the KSP are working to combat a threat that we have never before seen. Please don't pester us with questions until we have set up a press release.

John: So is that everything?

Kirlak: Security!

John: The press has a right to know......

Kirlak: Well, this can't get much worse.

Glasses: You didn't just....

Kirlak: Oh... Right... Well, it can't really get much worse, can it?

Mustache: STOP SAYING THAT1

***

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, what with the explosions and all

There will be a new chapter every Friday that I can manage it, and possibly extra ones if I get hit with extra free time. However, this next week and weekend I will be moving, but I will make sure to get the next chapter out when I can.

Presidents of Verolan Space & Aeronautics Ltd and New World Homes Inc, expect a PM from me soon.

My question from this chapter: How do you all think the public will react to this newest and dangerous event?

Edited July 27, 2013 by Mekan1k

[Fox62]

Well, the engineers for Verolan Space & Aeronautics Ltd. and New World Homes Inc. are going to be pissed.

[botse]

Oh grate the kerbals have gone hot in a coldwar type of war well time to send up them warships mek1(if you need hulls for the ships i have some:D)

[Mekan1k]

Who says the war isn't cold? Space is cold.

But yeah, it was their last line of defense.

[Itsdavyjones]

Well, the engineers for Verolan Space & Aeronautics Ltd. and New World Homes Inc. are going to be pissed.

You got that right.

Great chapter otherwise. Lets just hope SWARM doesn't get stronger..... (bad thought)

[Mekan1k]

You got that right.

Great chapter otherwise. Lets just hope SWARM doesn't get stronger..... (bad thought)

Ok, see, that's like saying "What's the worst that could happen?", or "Well, it can't really get much worse, can it?", or "That noise was probably the wind.".

Now it HAS to get worse.