>>24157553
"This is incredible, Sir Harker!"
Wonder at the sensation of weightlessness.

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Back on earth your inventory consists of a Single Mk4a Archangel rocket.
>Type: Lower stage Mass6/6 Reliability 9/13

If you make it safely back down to earth in one piece. You will be able to spend 30 RnD points on improving your rockets. You also have 2 luck points.

>Wiki with archives and info: http://emlia.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=WhatGoesUp.SpacePrincessQuest
>Rules: http://emlia.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=WhatGoesUp.WhatGoesUp

All posts must use the royal we. Any suggestion unfitting a princess will be ignored

>>24157751
"It's only incredible for a few seconds your Highness, I promise you, you are going to hate me afterwards."

Suddenly you feel gravity slowly returning. At first you settle back into the seat, but it doesn't stop once it reaches one G, as Sir Harker levels the plane out and brings it back into a climb, you are pulled back into your seat weighing nearly twice as much as normal.

>>24157766
We shall distribute our research points thus:
10RP - Capsule - 13/17
10RP - Guidance Module - 17/20
9RP - Mk4b - 15/20
1RP - Camera - 16/17

>>24157862
"...The....pressure...!"

>>24157890
It's quite hard to conduct business while flying in a series of parabolic arcs and experiencing acceleration between 0 and 2gs, wait till you get back on the ground.

>>24157920
Of course. It's simply that I may be pulled away for an hour or so, and so want to have my budget posted.

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"This is the best way to simulate weightlessness your highness, but it can only be maintained for a few seconds, and requires an equal amount of time spend under increased gravity."

Sir Harker pushes the stick forward again and the weightlessness returns.

"How long shall I continue this?"

>>24158290
"One more time if you will, Sir Harker."

>>24158376
"Yes ma'am, now hang on."

>Roll for motion sickness.

Rolled 4

>>24158634
A d20?

>>24158672
Any die will do.

The Plane tilts back downward and the sensation of gravity returns in force. Your stomach does not like this at all.

Rolled 55

>>24158781
"Sir Har...ker...we are feeling...unwell."

How'd Amelia take it?

We try to keep our composure.... and decide that this definitely has to be part of the test: the air race will require some of these vertical zigzags.

>>24158890
Amelia seems to have a stronger stomach than you. She is holding on to her seat tightly, but can't stop grinning.

Harker however keeps his word and levels the plane off after this arc, and begins to circle back to the island. "This is how I know man can survive in space. I can't imagine this could compare to the real thing though."

>>24159044
"Quite the experience, Sir Harker. I see that physical constitution shall be important to the Void Knight selection process."

>>24159250
As the Comet comes in for a landing, you see sir Perro standing next to the runway. It's hard to make things out from this height, but you would imagine he is very cross.

>>24159734
"Sir Harker, we believe that you should make haste to remove yourself from Lord Perro's sight. We shall go to speak with him now."

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>>24160028
As the airplane taxis in, Sir Perro stands in front of it with is arms crossed. Sir harker shuts off the engines and ducks under the console at your command, and makes himself scarce.

"Come out Sir Harker, I've had enough of your recklessness. You may get a kick out of defying death, but you can't do such things with a lady of royal blood." Pero shouts from outside.

>>24160273
We shall disembark first.
"Now Sir Perro, it is important that we experience some of what our future Void Knights shall endure, as the Director of the Royal Rocketry Corps. While we appreciate your dedication, this was an excursion that we decided upon with full knowledge of its dangers."

We shall cover for Sir Harker so that he may make his exit.

>>24160597
Amelia follows behind you and backs up your white lie. "Yeah, her highness asked Sir Harker for this. She didn't tell you because she knew you'd try to stop her."

Sir Harker takes this opportunity to sneak away, keeping the aircraft between him and Perro.

>>24160694
"Now, Sir Perro, we do wish to discuss certain security matter with you. We must be prepared for potential dignitaries when we are ready for our manned mission to orbit. Also, we wish to discuss island defenses."

We shall lead Sir Perro away as we discuss general plans for island defenses in case pirates or the Huns should attack, given our research, and coordination with the Navy for our defense.

>>24160801

We're concerned with spies more than invaders, surely?

Sir Perro is temporarily disarmed by your quick change of subject. He hardly even notices the signs of motion sickness visible on your face.

"Ah, well as you know, all the major buildings have re-enforced cellars for the event of a fire, but they can also serve as bunkers in the event of an invasion. And the fleet can rescue us in less than 48 hours in the event of an emergency. We could erect stronger defenses but that would cut into the RRCs operational budget and ruin our peaceful image."

>>24161068
"As for spies, I'd be worried about Sir Harker if anything. He's the one who brought a foreigner here, his loyalty is only to momentary thrills."

>>24161145

"Good for us that we're where it's at as far as thrills goes, at least for a while. We believe he'll be on his best behavior as long as he has a chance to fly a rocket."

Anyone attacking this facility would destroy what they'd come to steal and start a war; wouldn't worry.

>>24161288
The security talk was just a change of subject, not a serious concern.

Satisfied that you haven't been harmed in any way. Sir Perro escorts you back toTannhäuser Manor. Enough adventures, time to get back to work, there are rockets to build.

>>24157890
>10RP - Capsule - 13/17
>10RP - Guidance Module - 17/20
>9RP - Mk4b - 15/20
>1RP - Camera - 16/17

Confirm budget?

>>24161857

True, but while we're at it...

>>24161929

Confirmed on this end. I vote we launch.

>>24161938
>Although the designs have been refined, you still have not built a capsule, camera, Guidance system, or Mk4b. Just the Archangel, which right now is mostly just a big paperweight with no payload.

>>24161971

We could use a lot of string, but let's do it properly instead.

>>24161929
Confirmed.
We should be ready for an initial attempt next turn.

>>24161971
Next turn we will need to set aside 6RP for building a Mk4b, Camera Module, Guidance System, and Capsule.

The rest can be spent on increasing the reliability of the Mk4b and capsule, with any remaining amount going towards the Guidance Module (which the Navy will no doubt wish to test).

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>>24162153

And then we shall take beautiful pictures! PICTURES OF SPACE!

Upgrades confirmed. As you are building however, you receive a wireless. The Sutheners have launched Anga1, a sub-orbital rocket. It's slightly larger than the Mk2 but has comparable performance according to reports. It is however, not designed to be used as a weapon. Ms Kenaway does not seem to be as keen on militarization as you are.

Your current Inventory consists of a Mk4a, Mk4b, Capsule, and camera module. You have 24 RnD points and 2 luck points left.

From now on, the Sutherners will do something every time you spend points. Turns actually mean something now.

>>24162555

Rock on!

A telegram of congratulations is in order. If we want to be snarky, should we send a silver medal?

>>24162555
Can we make it so that the points to actually construct the parts are after the upgrades to Reliability?

First, we shall send a letter of congratulation to Ms. Kenaway. It shall be a heartfelt letter of congratulation, and a declaration that this race is now in earnest; a recognition that she is an equal in this space race.

We shall devote our resources thus:
6RP - Mk4b 18/20
4RP - Camera 18/19
2RP - Guidance Module 19/20
8RP - Capsule 18/20
4RP - RCS 4/7

Which totals 24RP, allowing us to construct the Mk4b, Camera, Guidance, and Capsule and launch them at the end of this turn.

>>24162697
Second this.

This launch shouldn't be done with fanfare, a suborbital shot for us is routine by now; however, we should be giving warning to some newspaper that they may want to do a color spread.

>>24162697
You send the wireless to Ms Kenaway wishing her good luck. Now it's time for your own rocket.

Do you have any preparations before launching?

>>24162745
>we should be giving warning to some newspaper that they may want to do a color spread
Yes.
Also, we did promise the Navy, our brother, and the General on the Appropriations Committee concrete progress on ballistic missile technology.
I believe that we can increase the Reliability of the Mk3 a little and give them a new prototype as part of a secret military project.

>>24162763

Let the press know that in a few days they'll have some very good pictures, and to prepare color spreads. Make sure we get as much data as we can from this launch: we're not trying to get to orbit, but it should go as far up as possible. See what the weather looks like; it'd be best to launch with little cloud cover.

>>24162798
Seconding these preparations.
We did promise civilian applications, and we should try to deliver.

>>24162812
Also, we shall ask the Air Force to provide refueling for the Comet, and Sir Harker to hoof it. The prints get developed on the island, but after that a copy is taken back home immediately. We shall sign them of course. Hopefully they'll be good!

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>>24162798
The skies are pretty calm this time of year. You don't remember the last time you saw a cloud. They say it gets worse in typhoon season though. Good thing that's not now. Although that might be a problem later.

The Camera, capsule, and guidance system are all loaded onto the top of the rocket, and it's tanks are filled with liquid fuel and oxidizer. The time for the countdown approaches Will you take the honors?

>>24162859
>gets worse in typhoon season
Oh.
Oh, this could be potentially be a big problem. We won't be able to launch during the season, while Merika will be free to do so.

>>24162859
>Will you take the honors?
Yes, we shall.
Begin countdown sequence.

>>24162883

Yeah, that's a point. That's a thing: this is probably the last thing that we launch which will reenter near our home base. In case orbital math fails, we should be sure there are agreements in place to return Void Knights home.

>>24162889

And fingers crossed.

>>24162904
FIRE FIRE FIRE FIRE!

Rolled 4, 6 = 10

>>24162954
Five
Four
Three
Two
One

Ignition!

>>24162999

That worked! We can be sure that keener eyes and instruments than ours are following it, but let's keep an eye on things.


... someone did check for the film to be in there right?

Rolled 7, 8 = 15

>>24162999
The rocket goes up up and up! And the guidance system transmits a continuous stream of data verifying that the rocket is one course. Unlike the Mk2, the new guidance system is designed to transmit it's own telemetry data. The rocket can use a combination of gyroscopes, a naval chronometer, barometric altimeters, and a cluster of horizon sensors, to tell if it's on course or not, and correct itself. Once it's reached it's target altitude, the system reports that the camera is taking pictures, As the rocket spins, it should give a 360 degree panorama view with 16 color photographic plate.

Although the only way to tell if they came out right will be to look at them once they have fallen back to earth an been recovered.

>>24163060

Getting one of these in polar orbit is going to interest the military a lot. It'll be a while before cameras are stable enough to return good intel.

On that note, we should ask an amateur or low ranking cartographer to compile a list of suspected fallacies in other countries' maps. Should we want to be generously snarky, soon we'll be able to offer errata to their atlases.

>>24163060
>15
So glad we upped the Reliability on the Capsule before launching.

>>24163087

Yeah. We should save our luck for when there's a life on the line.

The guidance module reports that the plates have been loaded into the capsule, and then shuts off, having finished it's job. It's all in the hands of gravity now.

Next the capsule is supposed to shut itself, and a series of explosive bolts are supposed to destroy the rocket, guidance module, and camera, freeing the capsule. As the rest of the spacecraft burns up, the capsule will freefall back to earth before a barometric altimeter triggers a series of parachutes.

Hopefully the capsule will land in the water to the east, and float until the navy can find it. Otherwise this was all for nothing.


Allright, time for bed. The scavenger hunt can begin tomorrow.

>>24163188
Goodnight, God Mother.

>>24163188
thank you!

So, without focusing on military aspects of rocketry Suthland can advance more rapidly in a orbital flight. We still had a huge headstart though. And we really can't neglect the military applications as our freedom-loving black friends.

>>24166012
>we really can't neglect the military applications
No, we really can't.
Have you seen where we are in relation to the Northlands, and their suspected naval patrols?