Final part of this story... comment below the story.
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April 7th, 2010
Finally being well again... at least I hope so. Oh my god, I messed it up completely. Most likely I did not clean up the remaining Handwavium well enough from one of my aluminum foils. That or I just was a little bit to careless when applying all the Wavium to the systems of the Stargazer.
Did I say I would miss Cathy, the Shadowrun rpg character I have played the last three years ? My nice poor little catgirl changeling ? Let's just say I wont miss her anymore... the bad thing is no one else will miss her too. Damn...
How shall I get more food for the launch now, going into the next supermarket sounds like a good way to be put in a hospital... and in jail afterwards when they find the Stargazer.
And HOW ON EARTH shall I construct a fitting spacesuit now ?
Cortana is still laughing about the whole thing, but I have to admit laying in my bed in the morning with the sun shining through the window and purring was great.
April 8th, 2010
Have been getting out of the bed late again. Cortana demands that I close the curtain before I go to sleep. I think as an AI she cannot understand that I need a little bit stress relieve.
I decided to order a final batch of stuff in online shops and ask my neighbor to take some of the parcels for me because I am 'out of the house' for a few days. I will get the rest of the packets from packstation in the night.
Ordered a replica of an astronaut space helmet, some solid looking boots, an climbing belt and a catsuit... the name is fitting (I need a space-suit for a cat) and it's should be easier to get airtight that normal clothing. I will have to wave a little bit more to get the tail problem solved, but I think I can do it. The new smartphone, two small flashlights and bluetooth headset should complete the spacesuit well.
I have started packing all the stuff I want to take with me into my car and setting up some other batches of Handwavium for the spacesuit. I hope the pages from Webers Apocalypse Troll book about the cool spacesuit and the other printouts of advanced concepts for spacesuits will help too.
Now I just need an idea how to get that grin off Cortana's face.
April 11th, 2010
The spacesuit is ready, all praise the mighty Handwavium when applied by creative hands. Washed the whole suit from the outside with some dilluted version of the strain I used for the reinforcement of the car and the inside with the same strain I used in my life support wavings. For the helmet I just added some sun cream to it, I don't want to get my head burned of by the unfiltered sun. The phone has integrated itself on the left wrist, my flashlights on the right one and at the neck ring of the helmet. Even the belt and the boots are now directly attached to the suit, the two spare lithium ion batteries have vanished below the belt.
I will wait until tomorrow to give the Wavium time to stabilize the whole thing.
April 12th, 2010
Strange feeling wearing my new spacesuit, especially because it widens when it's not worn so that I can get in easily... but constricts as soon as the fastener is closed. The smartphone even gives me a nice summary about the status of the suit, including air supply and button to lock and unlock the helmet. It seems to be a compromise between NASAs soft suits and these BioSuit designed by the MIT. Wearing it for a few hours showed up no problems with sweating or breathing.
Leaving Earth tonight, it's not necessary to wait any longer. Let's the adventure begin!
April 13th, 2010, 0:30 am
Damn, the engine is not starting anymore. Not a single noise, just an error number in the display. What the hell is going on here, it worked perfectly on all earlier tests.
Cortana says that I AM the problem, not the Stargazer. Because the captain of the Stargazer (me) is a cat, the car wants some fitting decoration.
After cursing for a few minutes I managed to organize a ball of wool from my flat, which I knot to the inside mirror.
I am sure this is just a damned joke by this pesky AI. Yes of course, the CAR wants this. Sure. Really.
April 13th, 2010, 0:45 am
*start of audio recording*
{Cathy} So is this audio transcription working Cortana? Perfectly...
{Cathy} We are on our way, on the street towards the coast. I want to climb to orbit over the water, less chance that something will go wrong and I will kill someone when I fall to the ground.
{Cathy} It's nearly 4am in the morning, I should have started my journey earlier. We switched to air mode and left the coast behind us, slowly climbing higher while we race over the water.
*MEEP* *MEEP* *MEEP*
{Cathy} What the hell ? Cortana, why is the parking slot sensor beeping ?
{Cortana} I am detecting a pair of jet fighters closing quickly on our position.
{Cathy} Okay ? Lets increase speed and climbing rate, we are far enough away from land I think.
{Cathy} I already like my new parking lot radar system, took this jets some time to reach the Stargazer. Being escorted by two Eurofighters looks really nice. Cortana, see if you can get me a radio connection.
*static noise*
{Radio Voice 1} Yes airbase, it is a small car, flying at 800 kilometers per hour at 9000 feet and rising. I will try signal the pilot to turn around and land.
{Cathy} Good morning both of you, nice to have an escort for my maiden flight.
{Radio Voice 2} Who is this, identify yourself ?
{Radio Voice 1} How do you got on this frequency ?
{Cathy} Sorry, from the sound of your discussion I assumed you want to talk, right ? Just look at my car, I am waving at you at the moment.
{Radio Voice 2} Unknown... flying car. You are in violation of national airspace and are suspected having broken several laws regarding a substance called Handwavium. You are ordered to turn around and land at a military airbase. This is for your own safety.
{Cathy} Again I am sorry sir, but I don't think that would be a good idea for me. I am aware that the government does not like Handwaved stuff and persons, all thats down there for me is a hospital or quarantine. Just do yourself a favor and spare the money for a missile. The police should already have got an email with the address where I built my spacecraft, so you can clean it up without much fuss.
{Radio Voice 2} You will turn around at once. This is you final warning.
{Cathy} Sir, you should really invest in something with a reactionless drive... you can really do interesting things with it like breaking hard in the air... and flying straight up. Oh, and ask the government for more money for better encrypted radios!
{Radio Voice 1} Sir, the car suddenly stopped movement and is now raising very fast. We are trying to get back to it. *bzzz*
{Cathy} Enough of these guys. Cortana, we have to reach the maximum ceiling of this birds as quick as possible. Switching to space mode, full thrust, get us out of here.
*end of audio recording*
April 13th, 2010, 11:00 am, low earth orbit
The jets never caught up with me again, maybe they agreed that it makes more sense let me get into the orbit than contaminate the ocean below me with several strains of Handwavium. I like the idea that the military back home has some common sense.
We raced higher and higher until the sky became dark and the first stars were shining down on us. I pulled the Stargazer back horizontal from our vertical climb, turned my seat back and stared out of the transparent ceiling. I was pretty tired and as soon as the excitement was over I fell asleep.
Waking up with a sky full of stars hours later was the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced.
###############################
feel free to comment...
yes I know, not really unique... but I have some ideas how to built upon it and I think there are some good chances to get involved with the other players. On midterm stories live from input from multiple sources I think.
I will think about writing some stuff down for the about Cathy and the Stargazer...
###################################
April 7th, 2010
Finally being well again... at least I hope so. Oh my god, I messed it up completely. Most likely I did not clean up the remaining Handwavium well enough from one of my aluminum foils. That or I just was a little bit to careless when applying all the Wavium to the systems of the Stargazer.
Did I say I would miss Cathy, the Shadowrun rpg character I have played the last three years ? My nice poor little catgirl changeling ? Let's just say I wont miss her anymore... the bad thing is no one else will miss her too. Damn...
How shall I get more food for the launch now, going into the next supermarket sounds like a good way to be put in a hospital... and in jail afterwards when they find the Stargazer.
And HOW ON EARTH shall I construct a fitting spacesuit now ?
Cortana is still laughing about the whole thing, but I have to admit laying in my bed in the morning with the sun shining through the window and purring was great.
April 8th, 2010
Have been getting out of the bed late again. Cortana demands that I close the curtain before I go to sleep. I think as an AI she cannot understand that I need a little bit stress relieve.
I decided to order a final batch of stuff in online shops and ask my neighbor to take some of the parcels for me because I am 'out of the house' for a few days. I will get the rest of the packets from packstation in the night.
Ordered a replica of an astronaut space helmet, some solid looking boots, an climbing belt and a catsuit... the name is fitting (I need a space-suit for a cat) and it's should be easier to get airtight that normal clothing. I will have to wave a little bit more to get the tail problem solved, but I think I can do it. The new smartphone, two small flashlights and bluetooth headset should complete the spacesuit well.
I have started packing all the stuff I want to take with me into my car and setting up some other batches of Handwavium for the spacesuit. I hope the pages from Webers Apocalypse Troll book about the cool spacesuit and the other printouts of advanced concepts for spacesuits will help too.
Now I just need an idea how to get that grin off Cortana's face.
April 11th, 2010
The spacesuit is ready, all praise the mighty Handwavium when applied by creative hands. Washed the whole suit from the outside with some dilluted version of the strain I used for the reinforcement of the car and the inside with the same strain I used in my life support wavings. For the helmet I just added some sun cream to it, I don't want to get my head burned of by the unfiltered sun. The phone has integrated itself on the left wrist, my flashlights on the right one and at the neck ring of the helmet. Even the belt and the boots are now directly attached to the suit, the two spare lithium ion batteries have vanished below the belt.
I will wait until tomorrow to give the Wavium time to stabilize the whole thing.
April 12th, 2010
Strange feeling wearing my new spacesuit, especially because it widens when it's not worn so that I can get in easily... but constricts as soon as the fastener is closed. The smartphone even gives me a nice summary about the status of the suit, including air supply and button to lock and unlock the helmet. It seems to be a compromise between NASAs soft suits and these BioSuit designed by the MIT. Wearing it for a few hours showed up no problems with sweating or breathing.
Leaving Earth tonight, it's not necessary to wait any longer. Let's the adventure begin!
April 13th, 2010, 0:30 am
Damn, the engine is not starting anymore. Not a single noise, just an error number in the display. What the hell is going on here, it worked perfectly on all earlier tests.
Cortana says that I AM the problem, not the Stargazer. Because the captain of the Stargazer (me) is a cat, the car wants some fitting decoration.
After cursing for a few minutes I managed to organize a ball of wool from my flat, which I knot to the inside mirror.
I am sure this is just a damned joke by this pesky AI. Yes of course, the CAR wants this. Sure. Really.
April 13th, 2010, 0:45 am
*start of audio recording*
{Cathy} So is this audio transcription working Cortana? Perfectly...
{Cathy} We are on our way, on the street towards the coast. I want to climb to orbit over the water, less chance that something will go wrong and I will kill someone when I fall to the ground.
{Cathy} It's nearly 4am in the morning, I should have started my journey earlier. We switched to air mode and left the coast behind us, slowly climbing higher while we race over the water.
*MEEP* *MEEP* *MEEP*
{Cathy} What the hell ? Cortana, why is the parking slot sensor beeping ?
{Cortana} I am detecting a pair of jet fighters closing quickly on our position.
{Cathy} Okay ? Lets increase speed and climbing rate, we are far enough away from land I think.
{Cathy} I already like my new parking lot radar system, took this jets some time to reach the Stargazer. Being escorted by two Eurofighters looks really nice. Cortana, see if you can get me a radio connection.
*static noise*
{Radio Voice 1} Yes airbase, it is a small car, flying at 800 kilometers per hour at 9000 feet and rising. I will try signal the pilot to turn around and land.
{Cathy} Good morning both of you, nice to have an escort for my maiden flight.
{Radio Voice 2} Who is this, identify yourself ?
{Radio Voice 1} How do you got on this frequency ?
{Cathy} Sorry, from the sound of your discussion I assumed you want to talk, right ? Just look at my car, I am waving at you at the moment.
{Radio Voice 2} Unknown... flying car. You are in violation of national airspace and are suspected having broken several laws regarding a substance called Handwavium. You are ordered to turn around and land at a military airbase. This is for your own safety.
{Cathy} Again I am sorry sir, but I don't think that would be a good idea for me. I am aware that the government does not like Handwaved stuff and persons, all thats down there for me is a hospital or quarantine. Just do yourself a favor and spare the money for a missile. The police should already have got an email with the address where I built my spacecraft, so you can clean it up without much fuss.
{Radio Voice 2} You will turn around at once. This is you final warning.
{Cathy} Sir, you should really invest in something with a reactionless drive... you can really do interesting things with it like breaking hard in the air... and flying straight up. Oh, and ask the government for more money for better encrypted radios!
{Radio Voice 1} Sir, the car suddenly stopped movement and is now raising very fast. We are trying to get back to it. *bzzz*
{Cathy} Enough of these guys. Cortana, we have to reach the maximum ceiling of this birds as quick as possible. Switching to space mode, full thrust, get us out of here.
*end of audio recording*
April 13th, 2010, 11:00 am, low earth orbit
The jets never caught up with me again, maybe they agreed that it makes more sense let me get into the orbit than contaminate the ocean below me with several strains of Handwavium. I like the idea that the military back home has some common sense.
We raced higher and higher until the sky became dark and the first stars were shining down on us. I pulled the Stargazer back horizontal from our vertical climb, turned my seat back and stared out of the transparent ceiling. I was pretty tired and as soon as the excitement was over I fell asleep.
Waking up with a sky full of stars hours later was the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced.
###############################
feel free to comment...
yes I know, not really unique... but I have some ideas how to built upon it and I think there are some good chances to get involved with the other players. On midterm stories live from input from multiple sources I think.
I will think about writing some stuff down for the about Cathy and the Stargazer...