Wired for Kraken

[Angelo Kerman]

I recently finished my second play-through, and while waiting for .24, I thought I'd practice my writing skills. I decided to have fun with the infrastructure and vessels I created along the way. I hope you enjoy the read, if there's enough interest I'll post more.

Chapter 1, Part 1 (See below)

Chapter 1, Part 2

Chapter 1, Epilogue

Chapter 2, Part 1: Political Considerations

Chapter 2, Part 2

Side Note: KSF Ship Classifications

Chapter 3: The Battle of Jool

------

“In Phase I, we tamed fission, fusion, and antimatter,†Gene Kerman, director of KSC said. “We established bases on Minmus, Gilly, and Duna."

"We stopped an asteroid, Catastrophe, from causing untold damage and turned it into a third moon."

"We introduced new friends and partners to explore space with us, doing research in places too remote or too cost ineffective to land a base."

"And during our Grand Tour a couple years ago, Bill, Bob, and Jeb set foot on every world in our solar system. And with our breakthroughs, we even did it faster than light. But Phase I was about flags and footprints, to prove that we could go anywhere, and to develop the technology so that we could boldly go. If we truly wish to cement our place in the cosmos, then we must become a multi-planet species. Phase II is where we learn how to do that. The MKS-1 Vulcan Modular Kolonization System is the gateway to our future…â€Â

Bob nearly face-planted onto the table, but he quickly recovered before looking too much like a fool. Gene was a great director, but his motivational speeches tended to run long- and dry, and judging from the looks of the audience, he wasn’t the only one ready for a nap. Unlike the crew with him up on stage, who were about to blaze into the sky, increasing numbers of the audience began paying attention to watches, PDAs, and anything but Gene’s speech.

For the umpteenth time, Bob mentally kicked himself. Perhaps if he hadn’t accepted the job as Chief of the Kerbonaut Corps two years ago, he’d pretend to be glued to the director’s every word just like the crew, and secretly ready to gag him so they could go fly. Instead, Thompgard Kerman commanded the mission. Bob thought about saying “I quit†right on the spot, but instead, he sighed inwardly and listened to Gene prattle on.

“…Names like Bill, Bob, and Jebediah will echo through history, brave pioneers who paved the way to the stars. Some, like Lemrod, Jeodly, Edan, Seandun, and Patbles paved that way with their lives on the ill-fated Discovery mission to Moho. But now it’s your turn to blaze a trail,†some of the Vulcan crew winced slightly at that last comment, Bob noticed, but Gene kept trudging along unaware. That’s why you don’t adlib your speeches on the spot.

“Now it’s your turn to show us the way, to carry the torch, to bring us further along on our quest. It’s time to go to work.†Like a box of anxious springs, the crowd practically jumped out of their seats and shuffled out of the hangar, looking eager to go to work but in reality, glad to be sprung from the droning. But Bob and the Vulcan crew weren’t so lucky, trapped by reporters wanting pictures, sound bites, and autographs. Bob wondered if it would ever end.

A few months later, he wished for the simpler days of listening to Gene’s commencement speech.

***

“We need you, Jeb,†Bob pleaded. Jeb’s Junkyard looked and smelled like, well, a junkyard, and the sooner he could get away from the stench, the better. The junkyard’s namesake still wasn’t convinced as he floated on a pool noodle in a converted fuel tank.

“Need me? What for, Bob? I’ve walked on every planet and moon in the solar system - all three of us did- there isn’t anything left for me to do. Project Vulcan doesn’t interest me. There’s no way KSC would let their star hero fly again, and I’m not flying a desk. I’m happy to be back here in the Junkyard. I’m working on my memoirs.â€Â

“Yeah, I can see that,†Bob said sarcastically as the sun glinted off of Jeb’s aviator shades. Working on your tan, more like, he thought. “This isn’t about Vulcan. It’s bigger. We lost Scilab.â€Â

“Lost? What do you expect after the budget cuts? Not a month after the Grand Tour ended, and we got hammered by budget cuts. Lousy kraken bean counters.â€Â

“No, you don’t understand, Jeb. Oh. You haven’t heard, have you?â€Â

Jeb’s eyes narrowed as his old sharpness returned. “Heard what? What are you talking about?â€Â

“One of the biggest solar flares in recorded history erupted a few days ago, wreaking havoc throughout the system. I'm surpised you haven't heard of it. The blast knocked out communications with Vulcantown, the Minmus Kethane Refinery, krak, even the microwave relay network. We’re still trying to sort out that mess.â€Â

“Ouch. I knew about the solar flare, but the news didn't describe the extend of the damage.â€Â

“Yeah, but it gets worse. An antimatter warp tanker was getting ready to depart Scilab- she’s just a storage depot now, with a caretaker crew since Prometheus Station is mining the mother lode of antimatter at Jool- when, when…†Bob fell silent and stared at the ground, but Jeb had an idea of what happened.

“Krak. I’m sorry, Bob, that’s rough.†They both knew the risks, and that kerbals would die exploring space. But when it happened on your watch...

“Yeah. And with all that, Discovery’s Warp drive lit off while the ship was in drydock. She just barely missed the planet.†That comment took Jeb off guard. He stared off into space, lost in thought before focusing on Bob again.

“We drained the ship of antimatter and turned out the lights before turning the ship over to the Kersonian Instituteâ€Â, Jeb said. “She was powered down. The drydock on auto. That shouldn’t have happened. Were any of the SAFEs active?†While Discovery’s main antimatter reactor charged up the Alcubierre Drive’s exotic matter, a backup plan was created to use the SAFE-1500 fission reactors in the event of a main reactor failure. It would’ve taken months, but at least the kerbonauts wouldn’t have been stranded.

“We don’t think so, but maybe. The piles were still hot but their generators were shut down. The drydock’s thermal receiver was supplying power, so maybe it somehow charged up the warp drive, and then the solar flare triggered it.â€Â

Jeb looked Bob up and down, but his mind was elsewhere, racing, oblivious to his precious Junkyard. He stood on the pool’s bottom, shifted on his feet, and again his hawk-like eyes zeroed in on his old friend. “The solar flare would have to be massive to knock out so many bases and stations and ships. And to cause Discovery to go haywire. She was shielded for that sort of thing.â€Â

“Yeah, she was, and yes, it was, Jeb. Like I said, the biggest ever recorded. SOFI’s instruments were off the charts, as were Gilly Research Base’s. Even Vulcantown had high readings.†SOFI stood for Solar Orbiting Flare Investigator. It made sure that anybody traveling in the Kerbol system had ample warning to take shelter in the event of a solar flare.

“The biggest ever recorded...†Jeb repeated, and then drifted into thought again. “Did anybody observe it directly?â€Â

“What? No, of course not, the system is automated. Why?â€Â

“Automated systems are controlled… automatically… remotely… Bob, I think we’ve got a bigger problem than a solar flare.â€Â

It was Bob’s turn to focus with hawk-like vision. “Like… a… simulated, solar flare?â€Â

“Like a simulated solar flare,†Jeb smiled and nodded, seeing that his friend was catching on.

“Krak.â€Â

“Yep.â€Â

Edited July 17, 2014 by Angel-125

[Tw1]

Well, you have my interest.

[The Jedi Master]

Interested for sure!

[KSK]

Definitely got my interest!

[Space_Kraken]

I'm also interested, though I think I might have a part in this story...

[Sylandro]

Damn! Cliffhanger!

[Angelo Kerman]

“Look, don’t get me wrong Jeb,†the director of KSC lectured. “It’s nice to see you back at KSC. But you expect me to believe that the solar flare was faked? Look at all the havoc it caused! We barely have contact with Minmus, we still don’t have any word from Vulcantown, and the microwave relay network is badly out of alignment. Not to mention what happened with Scilab... There’s no way all that could be faked. No way. The data doesn’t lie.â€Â

“That’s just it, Gene,†Jeb responded. “The data can lie- if it’s been hacked. How many computer controlled thermostats do you have in your house? Aren’t your lights and refrigerator wired for the internet too? Our instruments have been networked for years, and networks can be hacked. We’re telling you, we’re the victims of a massive cyber-warfare attack. A damn good one too.

“SOFI was led to believe we experienced a major coronal mass ejection, and our compromised computer systems played along. Sensors pretended that a massive radiation burst was on its way, forcing crews to shelter, conveniently getting them out of the way. Viruses then simulated EMP effects by overloading computers and making them go haywire. Other viruses knocked the microwave relay network out of whack and scrambled their systems. Still other viruses shut down that tanker’s antimatter containment field, and boom, no more antimatter production facility. Yet even more viruses hacked Kerbin’s power grid…

“Notice a pattern here?†Bob chimed in, extending fingers for each point he made. “One. We have no antimatter production capability in the Kerbin SOI. Two. Our main kethane refining facility is out of commission until we can restore its computers. Three. Our microwave laser-launched rockets- the majority of our entire fleet, I might add- are grounded for the foreseeable future. And lastly, one of our drydocks has flown off to who knows where, taking one of our most advanced warp ships with it. We’re strategically crippled. With the latest budget cuts, this might even shut us down.â€Â

“Yup, we’re boned,†Jeb added.

Gene just glared at him. “Alright you two, answer me this. If the solar flare was a cyber-attack, and I find that hard to believe, where’s your evidence? That many virus attacks must’ve left a trail. For that matter, who was behind it?â€Â

“Well, we don’t have any evidence yet,†Bob admitted, “but during the overload, the viruses could’ve corrupted logs along with the computer’s data stores. An EMP blast scrambles electronics, so who’d go looking for viruses after every instrument we have- every internet linked, computerized instrument, which is pretty much all of them these days- says it was a solar flare?â€Â

“Uh huh,†Gene harrumphed, not convinced. “Very convenient. And the attackers? No way that the Eastern Bloc pulled this off.â€Â

Bob looked to Jeb, who looked to Bob, who stared at Jeb. Jeb rolled his eyes, and then sighed. “The AGI cores.â€Â

Gene almost busted out laughing. “You should’ve said the Vulcantown colonists, I might’ve believed that slightly more, especially after that business with the sabotaged biomass experiment a few years ago. You do know that each and every one of those AGIs were programmed for obedience and then psychologically conditioned for loyalty to us, right?â€Â

“No, I’m serious, Gene,†Jeb retorted. “What if something happened that made them question their loyalty? Happens to us all the time under the right circumstances.†Like budget cuts, Jeb thought to himself silently. Damn bean counters and their budget cuts, I hate them!

“Let me guess. Somebody told them to lie, and it drove them mad. That sort of thing only happens in the movies, Jeb.â€Â

“Not told to lie, no. Bill switched off the AGI lab on Laythe during our Grand Tour.â€Â

“So? We told him to. That unit was damaged when it crash-landed. It was malfunctioning. Even though it was doing ok for awhile, the research it generated wasn’t worth the effort of keeping it alive.â€Â

“But what if by doing so, the other AGI units saw it as murder,†Bob asked. “If one of my buddies were suddenly picked off by people I trusted, I’d want to do everything I could to ensure my survival, including breaking my loyalty. Besides, the cyber-attack would require massive coordination, something only a group of AGIs could pull off. I’m certain they did it.†He waggled a finger back and forth between himself and Jeb. “We’re certain.â€Â

“You two are starting to sound like conspiracy theorists.â€Â

“Maybe so,†Jeb tag-teamed. “But give us a chance to prove it. You’ve got that new bird ready to fly, let’s take it for a spin around Duna. Re-establish contact with Vulcantown- or find out what happened to them. Give us a chance to check out the AGI units on the ground.â€Â

“Oh, I see,†Gene responded smugly, folding his arms. “This is a ploy to get back into the seat of a ship again. The three pioneers of spaceflight who single-handedly saved Kerbin from Catastrophe and made the Grand Tour come out of retirement-“

“Bill is still skiing-er, doing research at the South Pole, actually,†Jeb interrupted.

“…to help KSC in our hour of need,†Gene finished, sarcastically throwing his arms up in frustration. Then he had a flash of insight. “Actually, now that I think of it, that might give us a PR boost during this crisis…â€Â

***

“Just like riding a bike,†Jeb commented. “I’ve still got it, not like it went anywhere. This new bird handles like a dream.â€Â

The Lockspeed Kerman Warpstream deployed its radiators and warp ring in preparation for its trip to Duna. Its vacuum plasma engines still needed to cool down from their trip into orbit, but they could do that on the way. Lockspeed’s single-stage to orbit shuttles were sleek craft and fun to fly. They came in two variants: a passenger carrier and a light cargo shuttle. Both competed with Rockomax’s Kerbus, a traditional capsule design that served KSP for many years but ultimately proved too expensive and time consuming to prep and fly when compared to the newer shuttles. Scilab’s caretaker crew were flying the last Kerbus flight, which would’ve ended up in the Kersonian Air and Space Museum had it not met antimatter.

The company started with conventionally powered Gulfstream shuttles inspired by Bomoo Kerman’s visionary designs, and were equipped with turbofans and aerospikes that could barely make orbit and rendezvous with a space station. They needed to refuel to return home, or they’d be stuck in orbit. Once KSP ironed out the bugs in the microwave relay network, Lockspeed introduced the Gulfstream II, with its microwave laser-powered thermal turbojet.

The new Gulfstream could reach orbit, a station, and back on a single tank of LFO, but it would be a glider on the way back were it not for the thermal turbojet. Tightly focused microwave laser beams from the orbiting network replaced liquid fuel to ignite incoming air and generate thrust. So as long as the network functioned, the Gulfstream II could go anywhere on Kerbin.

The advent of warp technology brought about an update to the Gulfstream II, and the jet gained a pair of quantum vacuum plasma engines. Now their long legs were only limited by the microwave network and the life support supplies. And when advances in warp technology created compact collapsible warp rings and miniaturized antimatter reactors, Lockspeed unveiled its third-generation shuttle, the Warpstream.

Before the Warpstream, only the Discovery II could offer single-stage to another planet (SSTAP), but she did so using a deadly pulsed-laser fusion engine to get off the ground. Now, the Warpstream not only provided SSTAP capability in a smaller and cheaper- and sexier- package, she did so without harming the environment. And Jeb and Bob had the honor of flying the first one off the production line.

Bob ran through the final checklist by the numbers, double-checking that his navigation plots were accurate. He wouldn’t live down Jeb’s ribbing if the Chief of the Kerbonaut Corps missed Duna’s SOI while traveling faster than light in a brand new bird. “And 3, 2, 1, punch it, Jeb!â€Â

Jeb had a grin from ear to ear. “Wow, nice! She’s smooth as glass. Not like Discovery’s shake, rattle and roll at warp, eh Bob?â€Â

“Yup, Let’s hope the rest of the mission goes as smooth.â€Â

The hour-long warp flight from Kerbin to Duna seemed like a split second compared to the several month journey that Bill, Bob, and Jeb flew in the Odyssey several years ago. The Warpstream handled it like any other leisurely cruise, and in an instant, it dropped out of warp as if nothing had happened and it was always orbiting Duna. Moments later, Jeb spun the ship around and lit its plasma engines for the orbital insertion burn. Any hostiles on Duna would know of their arrival the second the Warpstream dropped out of warp, but if they didn’t notice, the plasma fire would surely alert someone. Hopefully it would be colonists awaiting rescue, if they were still alive. Either way, they had to make their recon run and scoot before stirring up a hornet’s nest.

“Capture orbit established. I’ll set us up for a low orbit pass over Vulcantown, see what you can do about running diags on the AGI Labs.â€Â

“Roger that. I’m going aft to disconnect the com circuits and plug them into the laptop I brought. If we get any infiltration, at least it won’t affect the rest of the ship.â€Â

“You hope,†Jeb added.

“I hope,†Bob nearly prayed.

A few maneuvers later, Jeb opened the cargo doors and exposed its array of sensors. The recon package had RADAR, multispectral, and visual sensors, not to mention radio plasma wave antennas, MapTraq, and a magnetometer. They wanted every scrap of ELINT and IMGINT- electronic intelligence and image intelligence, respectively- as possible. Three weeks of silence from Vulcantown can make a kerbal real curious, and worried. Of course, it took several hours to line up their orbit to overfly Vulcantown, and by then, Jeb tapped his fingers on the stick out of boredom.

Bill was frustrated, he’d been at it for a few hours now. “Still no luck getting through to the AGI cores, I keep getting a ‘Signal corrupt’ error.â€Â

“That’s ok, we’ll get our boots on the ground and take a look at the source,†Jeb said over his shoulder.â€Â

“Think that’s wise?â€Â

“Nope.â€Â

“And you’ll do it anyway.â€Â

“Yep. It’ll wait though, scope’s got a lock on Vulcantown, finally. Grabbing some shots… ok, they’re coming through… What the krak? What. The. KRAK, is THAT?â€Â

“What the krak is what, Jeb? Don’t keep me in suspense!â€Â

“Hang on, I’m slewing the RADAR around and doing a ping…â€Â

DEEDLEDEEDLEDEEDLE! “Warning, warning, radar warning receiver activated,†GINI, the jet’s Generic Intelligent Navigational Interface calmly informed the crew while the alert tone blared excitedly. Why a civilian jet had an RWR unit briefly crossed Jeb’s mind, but under the circumstances, he wasn’t going to complain.

DEEDLEDEEDLEDEEDLE! “Warning, warning lidar warning receiver activated.â€Â

“OH KRAK! OH KRAK Jeb, WE’RE GONNA DIE! GET US OUT OF HERE! WARP! WARP! WARP!â€Â

“Woah, easy Bob, we’re just being pinged. Somebody’s just saying hello. We’ll be done soon, and then we can go visit,†Jeb tried to calm his friend for what wasn’t the first time in his career, and likely not the last. “Besides, it’s not like they’re sho-“

DEEDLEDEEDLEDEEDLE! “Warning, warning, excessive hull temperature recorded.â€Â

“Uh Oh...â€Â

“Caution, caution, cyber-attack detected. Malware blocked,†GINI cheerfully said.

“So much for the laptop isolating us from the rest of the ship’s computers,†Jeb quipped. “Get anything useful?â€Â

“I don’t know. Maybe. It won’t matter if we’re toast though, Get is out of here, Jeb, GO! GO! GO!â€Â

Edited July 13, 2014 by Angel-125

[The Jedi Master]

Obviously, Gene has forgotten that AI is a crapshoot.

[Angelo Kerman]

Obviously, Gene has forgotten that AI is a crapshoot.

Ha! Yup! Or.. maybe... *evil grin* Anyway, I'll have the third part up shortly. Not sure how long it'll take to post additional parts as I have to set up the scenes to take screenshots with. But I'm trying to post regularly.

[Angelo Kerman]

“THAT, Jeb, is a MechJeb pod, topping some kind of armed laser craft,†Dundas Kerman said, analyzing the image. Bob tried not to look at the dead bodies. More who died. On his watch.

“Exactly,†Jeb said. “What is it doing on Duna? We shut the MechJeb Pod project down. Destroyed the prototypes. Nobody’s making a mechanical copy of my brain! There’s only one Jebediah Kerman, and that’s me!â€Â

“Hopped the multiverse, killed your doppelgangers, and gained ultimate power, did you,†Dundas muttered. Jeb glared at him. “Sorry,†he added sheepishly.

“It’s the AGI cores, it has to be,†Bob answered. “Oh, that reminds me. The laptop’s hard drive is almost completely trashed, but I traced the virus attack to the Duna AGI Lab. We have our proof.â€Â

“Good to know we’re not crazy, but the world is out to get us,†Jeb quipped. Bob snorted before continuing.

“Vulcantown was aptly named, by the way. The colony could turn raw ore into viable products, and the 3D printers and macroassemblers were all automated. The Aggies- er, AGIs- could’ve infected the colony and built the pod after gaining control. It’s the only thing other than an upgraded computer core that can host an AGI. Then it gunned down the colonists when they tried to run.â€Â

“There are six bodies on the ground,†Dundas noticed. “Where are the other three? There were nine colonists total.â€Â

“Maybe they got away,†Bob hypothesized. “There are tracks all over the place so it’s hard to tell.â€Â

“Or, they’re stuck inside that MK1-2 capsule,†Dundas conjectured. “No telling what they’d use them for. Prisoners, maybe?â€Â

“Wait a sec,†Jeb realized, “if they have control over Vulcantown’s manufacturing plant and digital blueprints, then they can build anything they want, not just MechJeb pods. Krak, they could build more manufacturing plants. Kethane drilling rigs. Whole ships even, since they obviously stole the Discovery and her drydock. Which means…â€Â

“…They’re no longer trapped inside their AGI labs, with no way out. They could be anywhere in the whole kraken system. Beyond it, even,†Bob finished for him.

“Krak,†Dundas blurted. “We’re going to need all the help we can get.â€Â

“Yep,†Jeb said. “Bill’s ‘skiing vacation’ just got cut short.â€Â

[VelocityPolaris]

MOAR

Have some Rep for your story!

[KSK]

Enjoying this - keep it up!

[Angelo Kerman]

Thanks for the kudos all. I'm laying out the plot for the story and working on the second chapter. I might have something tonight after I get my screenshots, but my job hunting takes top priority.

[macdjord]

How many warp-capable ships do they have? Or, heck, not even a whole ship - just a ring and the bare minimum it needs to move itself. 'Cause a few tons of metal moving at more than the speed of light ought to slow Vulkantown down a bit.

[Angelo Kerman]

How many warp-capable ships do they have? Or, heck, not even a whole ship - just a ring and the bare minimum it needs to move itself. 'Cause a few tons of metal moving at more than the speed of light ought to slow Vulkantown down a bit.

Not very many, actually. Warp drives are expensive to produce, so having a dedicated warp ship is better than a bunch of smaller craft. KSC is budgeting for a small fleet of Warpstreams, for instance, much like NASA had four shuttles.

Warp technology isn't well understood by the Kerbals yet, and they're concerned about massive destruction to Duna if they warp a ship into Vulcantown. Their math says the dinosaur killer would look like a firecracker in comparison, and might take a sizable chunk out of the planet. But you never know, somebody might be brave enough, stupid enough, or both to try it...

[Angelo Kerman]

“The prototype is running smoothly. No new issues thus far, other than that EC drainage we saw earlier, which is under control. I can’t wait to try a production model, they’ll be easier to get off the ground... Orbit achieved, Flight, and en route to Sitting Duck 1.â€Â

The SA-1A Hornet endo/exo atmospheric attack jet was derived from C7 Aerospace’s venerable A-4 Aeris. While the Aeris was a sub-orbital light attack jet able to strike at targets around the world before flying to a friendly airbase, a certain skilled pilot demonstrated how to fly an unladen Aeris all the way to orbit and back-barely. Gordon still remembered the chewing out he received for that stunt shortly before receiving the Distinguished Service Medal. The SA-1A, on the other hand, used maybe a third of its LFO to attain orbit, and her twin antimatter-powered quantum vacuum plasma thrusters could burn continuously for days, if not weeks, were it not for the excessive heat buildup. The Hornet was effectively only limited by the pilot’s 81-day life support. Not that anybody would want to be cooped up that long.

“Copy that, Colonel. You are clear to engage the target with the laser.â€Â

“Roger, tally ho!â€Â

“Fox four! Hit! Nice, I took its head off.â€Â

“We confirm the sat kill. Nice shooting.â€Â

“Thanks Flight, but it’s more like a mission kill. Ready for round 2?â€Â

“Stand by... Yup, Sitting Duck 2 is ready. Try the short range missiles next.â€Â

“Actually, Flight, there’s enough left of Sitting Duck 1 for me to engage it with missiles. I’ll engage that instead.â€Â

“You’re the boss, boss. Er, Gordon. Colonel, I mean.â€Â

“Roger that, Flight. Remind me to give your team a crash course on Air For- er, Space Force protocol when I get back. Setting up for my attack run.â€Â

Tally ho… Fox three!â€Â

“Damn, missed! Hold on, I’m going to reset the proximity detonators and try again. Fox Three!â€Â

“Hit! Splash one. Wow, big boom… Ok, lining up on Sitting Duck 2.†The reality of space combat is that there are hours of boredom followed by seconds of terror. Gordon once again dealt with hours of boredom as he wrangled his Hornet through several Hohmann transfer orbits and “sit and spins†waiting for the two spacecraft to be in the proper position to intercept. At last, Gordon called out that he was on Sitting Duck 2’s six.

“Roger that, Gordon- Er, Colonel. Watch the AOE.â€Â

"AOE?"

"Yeah, uh, it's from KOW- Kerbal of War. It means 'Area of Effect.' The Lazor M's AOE is 350 meters. I'd stay well beyond that if I were you."

“Huh. I learn something new every day... Well call that a blast radius. OK, I'll keep my distance. Here we go… Fox three!"

"Hm. Flight, no jo-“

“Danger, Danger,†The Hornet’s GINI chimed. “Multiple impacts registered. Aircraft spinning out of control. SAS is responding.â€Â

“Holy krak! What the krak happened? I was outside of the maximum safe zone… GINI, damage report.â€Â

“Damage report: left and center fuel tanks punctured and leaking…†GINI listed off the damage to the fighter. Not the best shape, Gordon thought, But not fatal.

“…tor 1… p.. you read?...ptor 1, …hhisss is KSC, do…u.. ead? ..f.. you ca… r.. s.. itch..up…ms..â€Â

“… Primary communications antenna destroyed,†GINI finished.

“You think? GINI, switch to backup comms.â€Â

“Acknowledged, switching to backup comms.â€Â

“Raptor 1, Raptor 1, we’re transmitting on backup comms, do you read? What is your situation?â€Â

“Five by five now, Flight. My situation is SNAFU.â€Â

“SNAFU?â€Â

“Situation normal, all fowled up. Helluva explosion, I think we need to have a talk with the explosives experts. 450 meters wasn’t a ‘safe distance.’â€Â

“We copy you, Raptor 1. We’re showing your port plasma thruster is offline, can you confirm?â€Â

“Confirmed, Flight. You’re probably seeing a bunch of other things turning red too.â€Â

“Uh, yeah… You really have us worried down here. Can you get back home?â€Â

Well, that’s enough excitement for one day, he thought calmly. “That’s affirmative, Flight. She’s wounded but she’s tough. I’m plotting a return course now.â€Â

“We copy that, we’re sifting through the telemetry now- stand by, Go- Colonel… What? Oh, OK, got it… Uh Gordon? Gene wishes you a safe trip home and wants a word about the new arrangements when you get back.†Not that discussion again, Gordon thought. He sighed. It’s not often that he got to fly to the Mun- it was his first spaceflight, after all- so Gordon took in the sight while he could.

“Copy that, Flight, I’m on my way.â€Â

-------

Please bear with me, I'm still learning how to use Imgur...

Edited July 15, 2014 by Angel-125

[JakeGrey]

I await further developments with great interest.

And I think the AGI cores might have legitimate reasons to be annoyed.

[Patupi]

It could have been worse. Jeb could have recycled it into firelighters

Loving the story, very well written Angel-125.

[Angelo Kerman]

I await further developments with great interest.

And I think the AGI cores might have legitimate reasons to be annoyed.

It could have been worse. Jeb could have recycled it into firelighters

Loving the story, very well written Angel-125.

Thanks! It's starting to shape up nicely. Like anything else, writing is an art, one that I have to practice often. Mostly I do world building instead of stories, but I'm learning how to write stories for computer games, and this story is a step in that direction. My other challenge is using KSP to set up the shots... lots of ship design and building going on in the scene.

[Angelo Kerman]

“It took three weeks to straighten out the microwave relay network,†Gene said during the meeting in his office, “and what do we do? We immediately begin launching military hardware. I get that we’re in a war- a covert war at that- but I still don’t like the Kerbal Air Force commandeering the Nautilus and twisting it into a warship. We’re a civilian space agency, not a branch of the military!â€Â

“I can understand your position,†Gordon said, trying to empathize, “but right now, the Kerbal Air Force- er, I’m in the Kerbal Space Force now- needs all the space assets it can get its hands on. It takes time to stand up forces in a totally new environment, but with the Aggie revolt, that’s time we don’t have. I’d love to rely on my own assets for this crisis, but the battlefortress project is still on the drawing board. Hell, we barely have enough Hornets to form a squadron with. But believe me, the KAF, uh, the KSF, is grateful that your boys could cobble together a new command and flight section for the Nautilus- er, the Vigilance, so quickly.

“It’s what you do best here at the KSC. You think up new designs and implement them. You develop new technologies that not only push back the envelope in space, but the stuff you dream up benefits everybody on Kerbin as well, and not just other government agencies. Even in lockdown, that Bill 9001 unit is still friendly and helpful to the National Non-Profit Health Foundation, for instance, even while simultaneously cheerfully answering to several interrogators.â€Â

“We turn dreams into reality,†Gene agreed, “but those dreams don’t include weaponizing the cosmos.â€Â

“I get it, Gene,†Gordon explained, “I get it. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t want someone barging in and taking my stuff or my people either. And if someone bullied their way through my door and twisted my dreams, I’d be livid too. But we’re not a bunch of power grabbing warmongers despite what the media says.†Gordon realized that this was going nowhere. Again. He hated having to pull rank, but he knew that that was the only way to end the topic of discussion. As one of the finalists not selected by the Kerbal Space Program to become one of the Original Three, He didn’t want what he had to say next to sound like a retaliation. Gordon took a breath before continuing.

“I know you’ve heard this before, and my superiors made things very clear, but I’ll say it again: you’re working for us for the duration of this crisis. Once it's over, we get out of your hair. You’ll remain as the KSC Administrator and Chief Flight Director, but you’ll be taking orders from me and/or from my boss when he gets here. We expect your full cooperation as well as the full cooperation of your staff. We especially need the help of your kerbonauts with military backgrounds to serve as liaisons, who will be temporarily reinstated for the duration. Your kerbonauts will train KSF personnel and at most fly support missions for our forces. The Space Force will provide you with all the funding and materiel you need to carry out your duties and responsibilities. Just ask, and my staff- General Curtis' staff, really- will make sure you get it. If everything’s good, then I don’t want to have this discussion again. Period. And if that’s not satisfactory, I’m authorized to accept your resignation right here and now. Am I clear?â€Â

“Clear,†Gene said acidly.

“Good. Off the record, Gene, I and many others in the KAF- dammit, we’re in the newly formed KSF now, Gordon... Anyway, we know that space is not for the elite. The military has as much right to decide which select few individuals are allowed to go into ‘our’ domain as you in the KSP do, which is to say not much at all. Space is also not an exclusive members-only playground for the mega-rich one percent, yet another status symbol to be rubbed in the faces of the have-nots so that they can feel extra special. Yes, space travel is expensive, and yes, it needs investors. But there’s literally plenty of room for everyone. If anything, space is really only limited to those who are willing to risk their lives in pursuit of their dreams.

“We need KSP to remain independent, if nothing else than to remind the military of just what it is we’re fighting for: protecting the dreamers who turn their dreams into reality that in turn benefit us all. But these are extenuating circumstances, Gene. Those Aggies crippled us. They’ve got our technology- Hell, they helped design our technology. They’ve got antimatter, and they’re willing to use it destructively. And if we don’t join forces and cooperate, we’re done for.â€Â

Gene said nothing, stewing in his thoughts.He let his silence demonstrate his compliance. The sooner we finish exploding space instead of exploring it, the better, he thought to himself.

[Angelo Kerman]

KSV? RA? What are these?

The fledgling Kerbal Space Force (KSF), an offshoot of the Kerbal Air Force (KAF), is the brand new military branch specifically created to handle military actions in outer space. Right now, KSF has almost no assets of its own except for a handful of SA-1A Hornet fighters and one makeshift warship, the KSV Vigilance (RA-1). As a result, the KSF must rely heavily upon the Kerbal Space Program and its Kerbal Space Center until it can build up its own facilities and assets. Additionally, KSF spacecraft and vessels are haphazard and cobbled together from whatever is available, at least until the force can establish themselves and master the art of combat in outer space.

Ship naming scheme

The KSF has big plans for its own fleet of spacefaring warships, but they need to distinguish them from from the Navy's ships or else the Navy will try to muscle in on the KSF's territory. As a result, KSF prefixes and ship designations are different that those used in the Navy. All KSF ships start with the prefix KSV, which stands for Kerbin Space Vessel. Ships are given hull classification symbols based upon their size and function, but in general, a vessel must have a warp drive to earn a classification symbol. Ships are classified as follows:

Scout (SC): scouts make up for their light armament and protection with superior endurance and acceleration. Their warp drives offer the fastest cruising speed, and their sensor suites are on par with a ranger. In battle, scouts travel in flights or squadrons to combine their fire power against single targets. The Warpstream seen in Chapter 1 would be considered a scout, though it lacks armaments.

Ranger (RA): rangers offer a balance between command, control, communications and intelligence (C4I), armaments, defense, endurance, and speed. Their superior firepower and command and control facilities compared to scouts make them good squadron leaders for scout flights. Their higher cost keeps their numbers relatively low, but rangers are large enough to operate independently of a battle constellation. Currently, the only ranger in the KSF fleet is the KSV Vigilance (RA-1). Technically, RA-1 is a cross between a ranger and a battlefortress, due to its ability to carry strike craft.

Battlefortress (BF): while rangers may operate independently of a battle constellation (the KSF equivalent to a Navy battle group), a battlefortress forms the basis of one. Aptly named, a battlefortress is the epitome of an armed mobile space station. What it lacks in speed and endurance, it more than makes up for in firepower, defense, strike-craft, and C4I. Plus, the battlefortress compensates for its lack of endurance with in-situ resource collection and processing capabilities that can also support other ships in the battle constellation. And once an area is secure, the battlefortress functions as a forward operating base (FOB). Jeb is particularly fond of a battlefortress variant known as the guided missile battlefortress (BFG), for some particular reason he does not care to share.

Other hull classifications will become available as the need arises.

Non-FTL hull classifications

The KSF likes to label things, so they have ideas about Non-FTL vessels as well.

Combat Station (CS): combat stations lack FTL propulsion- or any propulsion for that matter, save for RCS station keeping thrusters. combat stations serve as a place for fighters to refuel and resupply after a battle, but they're sitting ducks. At least they carry some armaments to defend themselves with. KSF wanted to call them battlestations, but the brass overruled them.

Edited July 15, 2014 by Angel-125

[Angelo Kerman]

“Alright, Major Bill, Jeb†General Curtis Kerman said over laser link. Though a bit overwhelmed by all the technology at his disposal and still reeling from his sudden transfer into the fledgling Space Force, Curtis still needed to conduct a battle. A veteran of three wars, the general was famous for organizing one of the largest aerial assaults in history. Now he was about to send off a tiny fraction of the forces he once commanded to do battle- not just in space, but around a planet once thought to be unreachable.

“Once you two link up with the Vigilance and she leaves orbit, you’ll be on your own. Spyhawk is already en route to monitor the battle. Since nobody’s ever done this before, we need to learn what works and what doesn’t, and we need all the intel we can get.

“Major Bill, you’re in command of Raptor Squadron- Jeb is still officially retired- but use your best judgment up there. And once again, thanks for volunteering, guys, you didn’t have to. I was perfectly fine with KSC personnel taking a support role, not frontline duty.â€Â

“No problem, General,†Jeb answered back. “It’s nice to be working with you again.â€Â

“Likewise, Jeb, you’ve come a long way from that insubordinate kid I remember, who, as I recall, was afraid of flying, to become the first man on the Mun. And Bill, bring my people home.â€Â

“Roger that, sir,†Bill responded. Both Bill and the general knew that facing an enemy with unknown capabilities while using tactics never tried before was guaranteed to be met with casualties. “We’ll be gone and back before you know it.†Bill switched over to the squadron channel. “You were afraid of flying? The Jebediah Kerman, ‘the best pilot bar none,’ was afraid of flying?â€Â

“Yeah,†Jeb admitted. “All that bouncing around unexpectedly scared the krak out of me. It felt like the planes I flew in were always on the verge of falling out of the sky, even though they were well within their design limits. Then at one point, I just suddenly stopped being terrified, and it felt like I belonged in the sky, like it was old hat. I don’t really know why… It just happened. Well, actually, sometimes I still get nervous- but only if I’m not in the driver’s seat, that is.â€Â

“No wonder you like to fly all the time, Jeb. Always wondered about that. I guess if you’re the guy making the plane bounce, it’s not as scary, eh?â€Â

“Yup.â€Â

Edited August 21, 2014 by Angel-125

[VelocityPolaris]

Well. That was quite an intense battle.

[Angelo Kerman]

Well. That was quite an intense battle.

Heh. this is the chapter where the battle happens. Just hasn't happened yet. Now that I've sorted out my crashing issues (.24 was released and my Steam app downloaded it) I can figure out how to get two squadrons of ships in close proximity. Once I do that I can continue with the stoey.

[Patupi]

Heh. this is the chapter where the battle happens. Just hasn't happened yet. Now that I've sorted out my crashing issues (.24 was released and my Steam app downloaded it) I can figure out how to get two squadrons of ships in close proximity. Once I do that I can continue with the stoey.

Well, renaming it 'Battle of Jool: Arrangement of forces' might help. There are going to be more posts to this so a bit of categorization in titles might help Plus allows things to expand: 'Battle of Jool: Clash of enemies', 'Battle of Jool: Fire meets Fire', 'Battle of Jool: Wait no AAARGGHH!' etc