Left to Die: Stranded in Space (CHP 4 DONE, CHP 5 WIP)

[NASAFanboy]

A short story that is in WIP. Will keep updating.

It doesn't start well.

Chapter Portal (For Chapters not on this Post)l

Chapter Two: Laythe Station

Chapter Three: Duna

Chapter Four

Prologue

Cheers erupted from Mission Control as Bill Kerman stepped onto the Dunaian soil. This was a moment to be celeberated, as the spacecraft Duna Five touched down onto the fourth planet from their star, marking the fifth landing on Duna. The craft was to stay on Duna for a record six years, paving way and manning the small research outpost that had been built. Many expected the best for the mission, and even now as Duna Five walked on Duna, many other ships where already there, bringing the total number of crew at the base to ten. Meanwhile, further out, at Jool, transmissions came in from Laythe Station and the Jool-7 vessel exploring Tylo. Kerbalkind was soon becoming a true spacefaring race, and some scientists even suggested going to Lucifer, a star system11 light years away.

Johannas, the Director of Spaceflight Systems, did not share in this excitement. Tensions where arising, politically. Kerbin was becoming too small to hold all the nations, and the constant arms race between the Provinces and the Union was proof of that.

The former leader of the Union had been sporty, offering aid to the Provinces and warming up relations between him and former President Madfield. But he had fallen a year ago, by an assasians bullet. The new leader was extreme beyond ones beliefs, and wanted to wipe the Provinces off the map. The fallout center located near the VAB was always near his mind, and he stayed close to the exit. In case something happens, he thought.

At Military Intelligence, the gathered officers and officials shared his beliefs. They where gathered in the Central Command Chamber, a large underground complex that ran almost all the the military functions for the United Proviences.

"At 0400 hours today, one of our spy planes captured this photo of an Great Union military installation near the mainland of the United Proviences. This action cannot be tolerated. Send for the President immediately."

A officer left, and came back, with a Kerbal dressed in a suit.

"Yes?"

"Mr. President, we have a probelm."

"?"

"The Great Union has established a military installation near the Provincal border!"

"What country?"

The National Security Advisor looked at a set of papers, and flipped through them, looking for the location and country of the offending facility.

"Sir, it is located at Karkow"

"The Republic of Karkow? The strong ally to the Union?"

"Yes, Mr. President"

An lieutenant colonel burst into the room, carrying a stack of papers and handed them to the National Security Advisor. He saluted both the president and the Advisor, and slowly exited the room after wishing them a 'good day'.

"Convoys are headed into the area. Land convoys."

"How far is it from our border?"

"We are currently in striking distance. It can strike targets as far as our capitol."

"Get up the Karkowian President on the phone"

"Yes sir"

The advisor motioned toward a worker, who dialed a number and handed it to the President.

"This is the President of the United Provinces"

"Huhhhhh"

The Karkowian President slurred his speech, and fell asleep on the phone after making a brief mention of what...was it Vodka?

"...zzzzzz....."

"Koddamit!"

The National Security Advisor looked at the President. They stared at each other for some time. The Minister of Domestic Affairs entered the room, and looked uncomfortably at the advisor. The advisor nodded, and pushed some buttons, and quickly gave an order to a officer standing nearby.

"Put the Defense Forces on High Alert"

"Sir."

"?"

"Several missile launches where detected near the border."

"Where are they headed?"

"Huding, sir. Population, 18 million. It's the commerence center of our nation. I wonder why they chose to strike there first, instead of the capitol."

"Order the military to launch the Horizon warheads, immediately."

"Sir-"

"Do it. Now."

The officer sighed, and called the missile launch base. Alarm bells rang, and millions of Kerbals scrambled to their fallout shelters. At mission control, their europhia had turned to utter panic. Wehner, the head Adminstrator of the National Astronautics Agency, grabbed the communication headset and quickly gave some orders for the astronauts.

"Some crap is going on! Hang on, and don't go back to Kerbin! All flights are cancelled! Stay where you are!"

That was the last transmission from Mission Control.

Hundreds of missiles hurled toward the sky, and hundreds of bombers took off. Millions fled to fallout shelters around the nation. The militaries where mobilized. The Great Union, realizing it's strike was detected and a retaliatory strike was on the way, launched each and every last of it's nuclear missiles. The United Provinces did the same, as hundreds of rockets hurled toward the sky, carrying with the payloads of death and destruction.

Eighty minutes later, the astronauts on Duna watched as the bright blue star of Kerbin erupted in flames. The war had begun and ended in less than an hour, and Kerbin they knew was now gone from existence.

Chapter One: Immediate Effects

Nedfred Kerman was in a panic.

Duna Base One was safe. He was safe. But his family, his home, his country. Gone. He got up, and headed toward the airlock.

"Where are you going?"

"Out. Give me some time."

"Ok then, but get back soon. We're the last koddamn Kerbals alive, and we should look into...alternatives."

"Got it."

He grabbed one of the EVA suits in the habitat, ignoring the curious glances of the kerbolnauts around him. He pulled out a control dial, and pushed several buttons-the access code for the airlock.

24205

He heard the airlock pressurizing, and the hatch opened. He stepped in, and it closed after him. It started to depressurize as he secured his helmet. The dial on the control panel turned green, and the hatch swung open to reveal the Dunaian landscape. He jumped out, his boots crunching the regolith beneath him, and started off for the horizon. He walked past the base modules, always staring straight ahead at the horizon, the hills, the beautiful landscape in front of him, as he turned off the radio to base.

How nice. What beauty is it in this universe.

Gripping a screwdriver in his hand, he took his last breath and stabbed it into his oxygen tank. Ned never made it back.

He was not the only one.

"Wheres Ned?"

The sun was rising over the Dunaian horizon. It had been around seven hours since Kerbin had bit the dust, and Nedfred was missing. Bill looked at the faces of the Kerbals gathered around him, and looked back at his sheet.

"Where is Ned? Ned? The Chief Science Officer? Where the frak is he?"

"He took a EVA seven hours ago sir. I think he manually disabled contact, and he...just said 'Give me some time', and left. I thought he was going to hang out around the rovers, blow off a little stress, and such, but nope. Noone's seen him since he walked off..."

Bill Kerman stared at Scott. Scott nodded, and sighed.

"Well, that's one less mouth to feed. Supplies?"

Thomas stood up.

"Enough for ten years for all of us, and we have another supply craft coming in. It'll handle without control, as I believe someone had the idea to preprogram it."

"Good. Then how long?"

"Fifty years."

"Building matierals?"

"Enough to erect another hab, but not much."

Bill paused.

"So, everything at Duna Base One is fully intact?"

"Yes."

Everyone sighed in relief.

Millions of Kilometers away from Duna, Jool-7 was in orbit of Tylo-and wanted to go a different way.

"Landing is cancelled. We're not going to Tylo."

"But Jeb....."

"Shut up. I'm going to hope for a rendezvous with Laythe Station, and then we go to Duna."

"Fine."

Picking up the thorttle controls, Anrey Kerman looked at Jeb. Jebediah nodded, and went back to reading the last copy of Kerbal that existed in the universe.

"When do we burn?"

"....Uhhh.....didn't control tell us?"

"All control told us before our planet bit the dust was something about a window in a month. And that's back to the irradiated hellhole that our towns now are. They also told us about the lander they put in orbit here a month ago, but we don't need that anymore."

"A month? No good. Pull up the manvuering computer."

Anrey quickly pushed several buttons, and a orbital map appeared on the screen. Jeb began to mess around with the map, inserting nodes here and there for a burn to Laythe.

"That'll do. Head for the node direction and fire the engine."

The ship began it's burn toward Laythe as the sun set in the distance behind them, over the curviture of Tylo. Picking up the radio, Jebediah began to scan for the radio frequency of Laythe Station, his eyes scanning the void in front of him, staring at the blue dot of Laythe.

"Laythe Station, this is the Jool-7, do you copy?"

*static*

"Laythe Station? Do you copy?"

*static*

"Laythe Station?"

-silence-

"This is Mission Commander Jebediah Kerman,of the Jool-7. Hurry up and talk. Anyone? Tom? Lodlo? It's Jebediah! We're going to rescue you!"

Finally, a voice answered.

"Yeah...this is Tom Kerman.."

"Wheres Rodlo?"

"Took a spacewalk...saw him remove his headset transmitter and then reenter with his thrusters. I'm alone up here."

"So, he's gone?"

"I guess so. Should I cash in on his life insurance policy?"

"Kerbin's gone, dude. And so are these companies."

Last moments of Rodlo Kerman over Laythe, captured by Station Telescope Camera No.8

"I'm going to pick you up. Stay put."

"Hah, ha. Yeah, I'll stay inside the habitat. Feel free to refuel from my ample supply of liquid fuel when you dock."

Adjusting the thrusters on their ship, the crew of Jool-7 could do nothing...but wait, and watch as Kerbin burned. Jebediah Kerman sighed, and turned from the window.

"So. Can someone tell me again on what the crap happened?"

"Kerbin got nuked, and control bit the dust. What else? We're stranded."

"Ok then....everyone, lights out and get to sleep."

"Jeb?"

"Huh?"

"Will we survive?"

Jebediah Kerman looked at Kerbal who said it. He paused for a second, then decided on his answer.

"Yes.."

"Cya then. G'night."

I hope so, though Jebediah, before going back to the controls of the Jool-7, staring at the growing dot of Laythe in the distance.

Edited November 7, 2013 by NASAFanboy

[Sesni]

More! More! More!

[Rhyunix]

I too, demand more of this interesting story

[BostLabs]

Interesting. This bears watching.

Subbed.

[KSK]

Agreed. Certainly a dramatic start!

[Danish_Savage]

This looks like something that will become grand. Keep the good work up.

[Krevsin]

Ooooh, dramatic intro with a nuclear war and the precious few last kerbals left stranded on a Duna base?

Consider me interested, good sir.

[NASAFanboy]

Apologies for little updates today.

Was very busy.

Will make up soon.

[Krosulhah]

Suicidal kerbals? Something must be Severely wrong, Even more so than the destruction of their planet .

[NASAFanboy]

Chapter Two: Laythe

"Steady.....steady now..-Oh frak!"

"RCS thrusters overshot again, slowing down and making another run, sir."

"That's the fifth time you've done it. If it hadn't been for those massive tanks of fuel and mono's at the station, I would've thrown you out the airlock!"

"Sorry sir."

Jool-7 steered near Laythe Station with extreme caution, going back and forth, left and right, trying to line up the docking ports.

"Koddamit Edger! Give me the controls!"

"Yes, sir."

Jebediah took the controls of the vessel, and made another cautious approach to Laythe station.

*clang*

"What was that?"

"Aw, Jeb, you've hit the station main truss!"

"FRAK! Anrey!"

"Huh?"

"TAKE THE CONTROLS!"

"I don't have traini-"

"JUST TAKE THEM!"

Jool-7 moved away from the station, and came in again. They missed the station entirely.

"Why....Wehner, why you put the docking port on top of the ship?"

"I'm taking the controls!"

Edgar pushed Anrey off the controls, and slowly moved the Jool-7 into docking position.

"I think we're going to-"

*snap*

*clang*

"Oh great! You've knocked out the docking cameras!"

"****"

"Give me the controls!"

Back onboard Laythe Station, Tom listened to the whole spectacle while sipping koke from a squeeze bottle he found in the storage module. He grinned, turned on the station microwave, and went off to search for the little popcorn bags they had given to the station a week ago by a automated supply vehicle.

"Screw this! I'm taking the controls! Both of you, shut up!"

Taking a deep breath, Jebediah turned on the backup docking cameras and slowly apporached the station for the 17th time since their rendezvous. The two craft lined up, and Jeb closed his eyes, moving the two ports closer and closer, silently praying for success.

*pssstttttt*

*click*

"Welcome, Kerbalnauts, to Laythe Station. Please enjoy your stay."

"This station even has a automated intercom system that can hook up to your ship? Cool!"

Jeb flashed Anrey an disapproving look, and Anrey stopped.

"Tom Kerman, we've docked."

Tom sighed. Oh great, the show's over.

"I'm coming. Opening up the habitat module hatch. You're docked to the umblical and utility module. It's the core of our station but basically a empty fuel tank with docking ports all over."

"I can see."

Jebediah moved into the station. Tom Kerman shook his hands, and made a welcoming gesture to the rest of the kerbalnauts.

"Come in! We meet as friends!"

"Huh?"

"Oh yes. Come on in!"

Tom closed the hatch as the kerbal's entered the habitation module. He moved around the module, fumbling around.

"Oh, great. Where did I put my six-pack? I swear, the automated supply vehicle that came a month ago did a awesome job. Just think about it! It had popcorn, candy, a new charger for my kPhone, beer, and eventhis!"

Tom opened a box, and pulled something out.

"This. This is the last video game console in the entire universe! It even came with a massive libary of games!"

Jeb raised an eyebrow.

"Did you get anything that's actually needed?"

"Other than a refuel and the works, not much. I've been learning to subside on koke and fries and burgers in space. First fast food restruant in space, if you ask me!"

"They sent you burgers, fries, and milkshakes? Are they insane?"

"Actually, no. They sent me real food, but I extracted the ingredients with the mixer and made my own after Loding bit the dust."

Jeb went around the module. The rest of the astronauts from Jool-7 looked around uncomfortably.

"I think I might have left them with the escape pod"

Tom quickly excused himself, and exited through the hatch, going into the other craft docked to the station. Anrey slowly shut the hatch, and looked around carefully to make sure Tom couldn't hear him.

"Jeb, this Tom dude is a total nutcase!"

"I know. But we need his cooperation. He has the fuel we need to get to Duna."

"Bu-"

"Look, just keep your mouth shut, Lieutenant, and bear with me, ok?"

"Yes sir."

The hatch opened, and Tom Kerman floated in carrying a box.

"I've found my drinks! Free for all!"

"Hurrah! Give me another one!"

The kerbalnauts went for the box, Tom included. After grabbing a can, Jeb settled down on a chair, and raised his can. The mood became cordial, even cheerful at the station as the kerbalnauts forgot their worries and relaxed as the Jool-7 refueled. Back at Duna, however, the mood was far from that.

"Bill, sir. Ike Station lost contact with us at 0800 yesterday."

"Huh?"

"Ike Station is gone, sir."

"As for Duna Station?"

"Still good."

Bill sighed, and looked toward the small dot of Kerbin in the red-colored sky. The fires had settled down now, and Kerbin now resumed shining, as blue and green as ever-atleast that was what the telescopes had shown him. Though Kerbin had recovered, Kerbal civilization had not-for the last remaining outposts and stations where the last holdouts of the entire history of kerbalkind, and their legacy.

"Adam."

"Yes, sir?"

"Bring me a clean comlink to Jool-7"

"Sir, contact was lost when Ike went down; they had the correct calibrations for the communication dish, and we relied on them."

"Then scan the entire Joolian system for radio activity, and give me every frequency there is!"

"Yes, sir."

Bill settled down, and relaxed and went to sleep, doing so for the first time in several days.

Edited November 5, 2013 by NASAFanboy

[rasheed]

Im impressed!!

[NASAFanboy]

Just so you know, the reason the crew is acting more and more mentally unhinged (The milkshakes, the more humorous chatter despite the loss of Kerbin, .etc.etc) is because...

- They've spent an massive amount of time million miles away from Kerbin in a small cramped spacecraft exploring an utterly alien world. This can cause slight mental disstability.

- Kerbin has been destroyed. They don't know how to react, and try their best to keep their life as normalas possible.

[fedemotta3]

This is great! Continue doing this!

[Danish_Savage]

This is epic. Thats what it is. Pure epic

[NASAFanboy]

Chapter Three: Duna

"Bill."

"Huh?"

"Three crewmembers and one of our Kerbin-Return vehicles are missing."

"Wha?"

"Three of the crew at Duna Base One and a Kerbin Return Vehicle is missing."

"... How many can a return vehicle hold?"

"Three sir, though it can be streched to four."

"Now' we're down to eight...this'll stretch our supplies."

"Yeah..."

Bill sighed, and marked another three kerbalnauts as "Missing".

"Supplies?"

"Enough to last 75 years, now that we've lost one in four of our crew"

"Can you get me the telemetry sensors of the KRV they took?"

"It's flatlined, sir."

"Huh?"

"They've crashed."

"Now that's even worse. Any good news?"

"I got a transmission from Jool-7. They're coming."

"Aw, great. Don't know if that's good or bad. More Kerbals means less good to go aroundz"

"We'll still last fourty five years with both the combined crews of Jool-7 and Laythe Station."

"Adam."

"Yeah?"

"Can you take the exploratory rover and go search out their remains?"

"Sir, GPS incidicates their on the other side of the planet. Apparently, from the readouts, their engine malfunctioned while they where trying to escape Duna.

"Let me see the readouts."

Adam handed Bill several long sheets of paper, and shuffled uncomfortably. I hope he doesn't find that I scribbled "U SUX LOLOLOLOL" on the back .

"Adam?"

"Yes?"

"Did you scribble "U SUX LOLOLOLOL" on the back?"

*uncomfortable silence*

"Um, no, sir."

"Ok then...you may leave."

Adam sighed in relief as he exited the habitat module to head back to tend his plants in the greenhouse.

Outwards, on the otherside of the world, a interplanetary rocket lay, smoking, on the sand dunes of Duna. Two Kerbals stood by the side of their fallen comrade, and a visible bright red tear was seen in his suit. One of them kneeled down, feeling for a pulse.

"He's dead, Jim."

"Whoever told you this was a good idea?"

"Look, all I wanted to do was to bring you home!"

"Koddamit! And now we're stuck in a frakking desert! You look!"

"I know! Just shut up!"

There was a long uncomfortable pause as the two explorers calmed down.

"... Supplies?"

"We'll be lucky to stay alive for three days.That's how long our oxygen will last us."

"Aw, snap."

"Should we head back to base? Feels like a dust storm is coming."

"Nope, we're doomed. Even if we make it back, Bill is going to kill us. I believe he brought a shotgun on the trip to 'fend off wildlife.'"

The kerbalnaut sighed, and looked into the far horizon. The wind blew, rippling the limp parachutes that lay in the dunes, and sand went into the ruins of the crashed spacecraft. The two kerbals looked on as the clouds started to gather overhead.

"I guess kerbalkind is, too."

Edited November 6, 2013 by NASAFanboy

[Danish_Savage]

That was a pretty short chapter dude

Nah just kidding, keep doint that awesome work of yours

[Patupi]

I love this, very cool. When I first came across Extraplanetary Launchpads mod I did briefly consider doing a report style thing (not a true story) where Kerbals try to get by without KSC completely. Are you considering anything along those lines to try to keep Kerbals going? By the sound of it Duna doesn't have anything on ground or in orbit (Orbital Construction) that could do that, but is that a possiblility? Heck, even if they have access to Kethane they have a chance.

[Krevsin]

Best. Post-apocalypse. Ever.

I mean, it's in SPACE. What more could anyone want?

[NASAFanboy]

I love this, very cool. When I first came across Extraplanetary Launchpads mod I did briefly consider doing a report style thing (not a true story) where Kerbals try to get by without KSC completely. Are you considering anything along those lines to try to keep Kerbals going? By the sound of it Duna doesn't have anything on ground or in orbit (Orbital Construction) that could do that, but is that a possiblility? Heck, even if they have access to Kethane they have a chance.

Duna Base One is a small, semi-self-suffiecent research colony that can produce it's own fuel, oxygen, and enough food to sustain several Kerbals, but since it is manned by a dozen kerbolnauts from the United Provinces (Total Crew Capacity is 80), and is equipped with one robotic rover and two manned long range rovers plus a ballistic exploration craft. Duna Base One has a greenhouse and a tiny kethane refinery, which cannot provide for the neds of each and every crew (Which is why they have 50 years left until it will be nessesary to "bump off" some crewmembers).

However, up above them is Duna-Station, a United Provincal Spacestation built in conjunction with the Terra Robodan Empire. It is manned by two crewmembers, and services/repairs satellites in LDO. Duna Station is equipped with a Duna Lander for escape to Duna Base if anything goes wrong. Duna Station relies on regular food shipments from Kerbin, which later causes [REDACTED], and [REDACTED]. In Duna Orbit is a massive chain of communication satellites and three extremely advanced GPS satellites that provide the kerbalnauts a real-time feed of Duna/anywhere on the surface.

Outwards, at Ike, is Ike Station, a large station that mysteriously lost contact with Duna Base One. Ike Station is manned by five kerbalnauts.

Near Laythe is Laythe Station, manned by two crew (One of which committed suicide). Laythe Station is slightly self-suffiecent in terms of water (The station was testing a miniture scoop that would collect hydrogen and oxygen), and has enough food to last a century.

Jool-7 was exploring Tylo when the news came, which forced the mission commander to abort the landing and head for Laythe Station, after which they will continue to Duna.

But when you consider, since none of them have orbital construction, they'll have to make do with what they have and improvise.

[Patupi]

Hey, Jeb used to own a junkyard. Maybe he can throw a fabricator together from used coke bottles and some Space Tape?

(EDIT: Wait, this is another universe? Oh no, NO COKE BOTTLES! They're doomed!)

Edited November 6, 2013 by Patupi
Doom and gloom

[tiger336]

Yea that could work. Anyway good story I like it.

[BostLabs]

Hey, Jeb used to own a junkyard. Maybe he can throw a fabricator together from used coke bottles and some Space Tape?

(EDIT: Wait, this is another universe? Oh no, NO COKE BOTTLES! They're doomed!)

Argh! My Kingdom for a coke bottle.

I'm liking the story, Nasa.

[NASAFanboy]

Chapter 4: At Laythe

"So, Anrey, what got you interested in the space busneiss?"

"Huh?"

The two figures moved around on a spacewalk, connecting pipes and tubes to the large spacecraft docked below.

"Space exploration ain't no cakewalk. You could've made it to CEO of some company, man."

"..................."

"Come on. Don't play dumb. I've read your file. Ph.D in economics, wow, that's something. Even I can't understand economics, and I'm the mission commander."

Jebediah Kerman attached the hose to the open tank on the Jool-7. A rushing sound was heard, and the two kerbalnauts just waited outside the station, manuvering back to the fuel sections to grab another tube and restock on oxidizer.

"It...it was my brother."

"?"

"My older brother. He's gone now, from some NERVA accident on Jool-1A. Couldn't even recover his remains. He always wanted me to go into space, but I didn't want to. I guess his death is what inspired me to go."

Anrey looked toward Kerbol, and went back to attaching the fuel pump.

"Oh, I remember that. Was s'pused to go, but hurt my leg."

"Yea. Press went crazy after Jool-1A. Nearly got our flights and Laythe Station cancelled."

There was an uncomfortable pause as Jeb attached the last fuel pump.

"Laythe Station, Jool-7 is refueling, and seperation explosives in place. Can we come back in now?"

Jeb waved at the kerbalnauts inside as he floated past the window, and winked.

"Uh, yeah. Come on in."

"Finally!"

"Um, Jeb?"

"Yeah?"

"We've lost all contact with Duna Base One."

"Oh, holy frak!"

"Calm down, from what I've heard, it's a temporary blackout from a planet-wide dust storm. It'll clear up when we arrive at Duna."

*Jeb sighs in relief*

"The ships refueling."

"Good. We'll need all the time we need."

The Kerbalnauts settled down inside the habitat, and Jeb stared out the cupola module.

"Jeb."

"Yes?"

"When Jool-7 departs Laythe, can I come with you?"

"Certainly."

"Bu-"

Edgar Kerman stood up, and looked at the the rest of the kerbalnauts.

"Sir, I highly suggest you leave him here. He has the supplies, the food, the entertainment. Our reentry capsule can only seat three!"

"Ed, I'm taking him on."

"Sir! What about the food? The oxygen?"

"Ed has a point, Jeb."

Jeb sighed and looked at his comrade wearily.

"When I was in the Airforce, there was one policy I valued dearly. We never leave a Kerbal behind, even if it means our demise."

"Sir.."

"And I refuse to make a exception to this. Tom Kerman is coming with us, wheter you like it or not, unless he chooses to stay."

"I choose to go."

All eyes turned toward Tom.

"Uh..."

"I'm going with you guys. There ain't nothing left on Laythe Station, and the solar arrays are dying. They said that the spare parts and a new replacement array would launch in a month, but the only place in the universe that can supply them is gone."

There was a pause, and Edgar shook his head sadly.

"Ok then. We finish refueling tomorrow, we'll depart for Duna then. Anymore questions?"

"No, sir."

"Very well then. Get some sleep. We'll leave as soon as we finish refueling."

As the sun rose over the curvature of Jool the next morning, Laythe Station was abandoned. Jool-7 was on its way, to Duna.

Edited November 7, 2013 by NASAFanboy

[The Destroyer]

Uh... there is no text...

I LOVE THIS STORY

[NASAFanboy]

Uh... there is no text...

I LOVE THIS STORY

I post my chapters ahead of time, then work on them chapter by chapter.