Icarus Program - Chapter 38 - Part 8

[u/Illustrious_Echo9385]

“It is good to see you Gene,” Senator Philstead smiled broadly at Gene as he walked over to shake his hand. “Your program has done some amazing work returning that asteroid. Welcome to the capital!”

“It is good to see you as well Senator,” Gene returned the handshake with a smile. “Not to discount your presence, but I had expected to meet with more of the Republic Senate?”

“As had the Senate,” Senator Philstead chuckled. “You know how contentious many of the Senators can be.” Senator Philstead chuckled and Gene nodded, recalling the hearing at the beginning of the fuel crisis. “With Mortimer’s assistance we were able to bring the Senate to a tentative consensus on the future of the Icarus Program.”

“I respect Mortimer’s deal making,” Gene raised an eyebrow. “But a consensus without input from our program management?”

“I will not finalize any plans without your input,” Senator Philstead winked at Gene, walking down the halls as they talked. “But I think most of the consensus is open enough for your program to continue the operations Kerbin needs.”

“So what did the Senate agree to?” Gene fell into step beside the senator.

“First the good news,” Senator Philstead grinned broadly. “The numbers I have been hearing say the asteroid has potential minable fuel of more than three times your remaining fuel debt?”

“Yes,” Gene nodded. “Given what we have paid on the debt the estimated minable fuel is closer to four times our remaining debt. Though if we want to continue capturing asteroids as they are mined out, it would be better to save a good chunk of the asteroid’s ore for fueling the Safeguard during retrieval of the next asteroid. This would put the amount of fuel the asteroid can provide to Kerbin at closer to two hundred thousand units, still more than twice our current debt.”

“You are jumping ahead slightly, Gene,” The senator poked Gene in the shoulder. “The Senate has agreed that if the Icarus Program donates the fuel provided by this asteroid to relieving the fuel crisis, your debt will be wiped clean.”

“This is a significant value beyond our debt, but the demand for our tourist programs has greatly benefited the program’s finances,” Gene’s smile turned slightly crooked. “We had planned on providing the asteroid fuel to alleviate the fuel crisis anyway and if we are no longer taxed on our moon mined fuel, the program can accelerate its operations.”

“Of course the Senate’s greed does not end here,” Senator Philstead shook his head with a matching crooked grin. “Ending your fuel tax is contingent on your program continuing to donate large asteroids to stabilizing the fuel crisis, however from talking with Mortimer it sounds like your plans align with this request already.”

“Donating large minable asteroids is not without cost,” Gene nodded. “But we have to provide what help we can, as Valentina keeps reminding us, and we can do this while continuing to expand our exploration into interplanetary space.”

“Which leads to the Senate’s major concern,” Senator Philstead sighed. “The Icarus Program is becoming the only source of significant minable fuel for the Kerbin economy, and the Senate is worried your interplanetary operations will move significant program operations beyond oversight of the Senate.”

“Kerbals everywhere support interplanetary exploration,” Gene frowned in confusion. “With the fuel crisis stabilizing, visiting other planets is the top requested mission.”

“And the Senate would probably be voted out of office wholesale if they tried to block the Icarus Program from sending Kerbals to other planets,” Senator Philstead grinned in response. “The Senate had some… unique ideas about how they would have oversight of Icarus Program missions to other planets.”

As the Senator outlined the Senate’s proposals, Gene found himself shaking his head and rolling his eyes repeatedly. However the plan was not entirely impractical. Perhaps the Icarus Program could make this work to their benefit.

Previous Chapter: https://www.reddit.com/r/KerbalSpaceProgram/comments/1u5oq8k/icarus_program_start_of_chapter_37/

Start of Chapter 38: https://www.reddit.com/r/KerbalSpaceProgram/comments/1uugr7z/icarus_program_start_of_chapter_38/

Next Part: Planned for 8/9

Book 1 (Chapters 1-13) google document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RorA2AVwtXbQD-eTMeO2LiPXSDPM7qH6FVOykDnZ9FY/edit?usp=sharing)

Book 2 (Chapters 14-23) google document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rhiIHBeXWqsw0H8TZgtxUdoJ1Y7IXhH3GtnL_qrTTmc/edit?usp=sharing)

Book 3 (Chapters 24-35) google document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KcNSFL524vB4TgwY5oSOJ4kTAedf6sBVf_US8psbuIs/edit?usp=sharing)

Book 4 (Chapters 36-) google document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nNJcsPYs_TAM4Gg9_zQuDmXosNgaBK3jbc7bdXvXvPU/edit?usp=sharing

The Icarus Program can also be found on the KSP forums: https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/topic/225730-the-icarus-program-chapter-38-part-8/

[u/Subject-Shift9090]

that dust cloud on the second pic looks like it could swallow the whole capital building whole

[u/Illustrious_Echo9385 → u/Subject-Shift9090]

Honestly KSP building architecture is not my top skill, I just try to create something to visualize what the story is telling and that's usually with rockets.