The Saga of Emiko Station - Complete

[0111narwhalz]

55 minutes ago, Pretorian28715 said:

and we all know how that goes in KSP?????

As long as you're willing to get out and push, not that badly.

[Urses]

On 17.6.2017 at 1:41 PM, greenTurtle1134 said:

Simple. Someone was driving through the brush, and their car ran out of gas. They walked home, and forgot to note where their car was so now they're down a car.

A example from my army time...

Field training. We have to camouflage a tank. We ask if we may get the tank in a barn and the owner say:

"No problem but there is another one for 2 years now in...."

The first one was hided and forgotten there... i am speechless...

Funny Kabooms 

Urses 

[DualDesertEagle]

7 hours ago, Urses said:

A example from my army time...

Field training. We have to camouflage a tank. We ask if we may get the tank in a barn and the owner say:

"No problem but there is another one for 2 years now in...."

The first one was hided and forgotten there... i am speechless...

Funny Kabooms 

Urses 

Lol,what?

Who the hell has his team dig up a tank and then the entire team forgets where they did so???

Edited June 26, 2017 by DualDesertEagle

[Draconiator]

Okay, that last chapter made me want to install Sims 2 again...if only for the zany antics they get up to sometimes.  I remember one time I was working on a relationship, when she wanted to bring her friend over.  Then, in the queue at the top, I see the guy wanted to take a bath in the SINK, in full view of his girl and her friend.  game won't let that happen but just seeing that up there was funny.

[KAL 9000]

I made this for you, @Just Jim!

EMIKO STATION BLOOPER REEL 

---

Angelo: "We combined the Buffalo and a balloon! IT'S GENIUS! IT'S FOOLPROOF! IT'S-"

Intern: "The dumbest idea you've ever had?" 

Angelo: "YES! No, wait, no! You're fired!"

---

Elder Kraken: "Thompberry Kerman, evil genius. A kerb barely alive. Gentlekrakens, we can rebuild him. We have the technology..." 

---

*The Tower of Power is destroyed* 

Thompberry: "CURSE YOU, PIPER THE KERBAL!"

Backup Singers: "A-gent Piper!"

---

*Harfield, stranded on Eve* 

Harfield: "Is that... it is! Another Kerbal!" 

Stranger: "Hello! I'm Tedus!"

---

Moar soon!

[StupidAndy]

37 minutes ago, KAL 9000 said:

I made this for you, @Just Jim!

EMIKO STATION BLOOPER REEL 

---

Angelo: "We combined the Buffalo and a balloon! IT'S GENIUS! IT'S FOOLPROOF! IT'S-"

Intern: "The dumbest idea you've ever had?" 

Angelo: "YES! No, wait, no! You're fired!"

---

Elder Kraken: "Thompberry Kerman, evil genius. A kerb barely alive. Gentlekrakens, we can rebuild him. We have the technology..." 

---

*The Tower of Power is destroyed* 

Thompberry: "CURSE YOU, PIPER THE KERBAL!"

Backup Singers: "A-gent Piper!"

---

*Harfield, stranded on Eve* 

Harfield: "Is that... it is! Another Kerbal!" 

Stranger: "Hello! I'm Tedus!"

---

Moar soon!

no part of that wasn't hilarious, I want MOAR!!

 

[greenTurtle1134]

1 hour ago, KAL 9000 said:

*Harfield, stranded on Eve* 

Wait, did Thomps actually get around to stranding Harfield on Eve?

[StupidAndy]

17 minutes ago, greenTurtle1134 said:

Wait, did Thomps actually get around to stranding Harfield on Eve?

you are really far behind

it gets better from the point you are at.

where ARE you at?

[greenTurtle1134]

6 minutes ago, StupidAndy said:

you are really far behind

it gets better from the point you are at.

where ARE you at?

I'm not behind, I just forgot.

[StupidAndy]

Just now, greenTurtle1134 said:

I'm not behind, I just forgot.

oh, yeah, I do that a lot to

[Just Jim]

2 hours ago, KAL 9000 said:

I made this for you, @Just Jim!

EMIKO STATION BLOOPER REEL 

hehehe... OK, this is pretty funny. Thank you! 

And FYI, I just finished uploading the screenshots... New Chapter tomorrow!

 

 

[obney kerman]

19 hours ago, Just Jim said:

hehehe... OK, this is pretty funny. Thank you! 

And FYI, I just finished uploading the screenshots... New Chapter tomorrow!

 

 

YUS

[Just Jim]

Dust fills my eyes
Clouds roll by and I roll with them
Centuries cry
Orders fly and I fall again
                                                                      Dream Theater "Pull Me Under"

 

Chapter 83
Emiko's Backstory: The Outsiders
Dedicated to Howard Phillips Lovecraft

 

The morning after governess Mary-Anne's memorial, Emiko Kerman woke to feel a crisp chill in the air. Her best friend Chibi was still sleeping peacefully next to her, and Emiko did her best to remain as silent as possible, so as to not disturb poor Chibi, who had been thru a lot the last few days.

Emiko stood looking down at her sleeping friend, and was still amazed at how close she felt to this... alien. In fact, she didn't really see Chibi as an alien anymore... just as her most bestest specialist friend on Earth, or any planet. And as desperate as she was to return to Kerbin, Emiko was dreading more and more the terrible fact she may have to leave Chibi behind in order to go home.

Emiko shivered again, and wondered why it was so cold....

And then she looked out the window..... and looked again.... and nearly cried out in both wonder and terror!!!

Somehow during the night, this weird planet Earth.... the entire planet... had frozen over!!!

Several minutes later Chibi woke, wiped the sleep from her eyes, and found Emiko still staring outside in wonder.

"Oh, good," Chibi yawned. "It was sleeting really bad when we got home, I hoped it might turn to snow before morning."

"Is... is this supposed to happen?" Emiko whispered in awe.

"The snow?" Chibi laughed softly. "Yes, Emiko dear, it's supposed to happen. I thought you had snow on your planet."

"Yes... have snow on Kerbin... at poles." Emiko asked, still a little bewildered. "But aren't Emiko and Chibi too far south?"

"Not in winter..." Chibi paused, then smiled. "Oh, wait.... I may know why your confused, and it's OK. On Earth snow falling from the sky is a totally natural event. In fact, it's a lot of fun to play in."

The snow began to fall much heavier now, and Emiko laughed.

"It's... it's... so... crystalline.... everywhere!!! Emiko loves this!!!"

Chibi took Emiko into the living room and over to a large globe, and asked.

"Emiko, do you know if your planet is tilted on it's axis?"

"Emiko doesn't think so," she answered, scratched her head. "Emiko's friend Werhner knew all sorts of things about Kerbin, but never mentioned it being tilted."

"Ahhh, that explains it!" Chibi smiled in satisfaction. "You see, Earth is tilted over 23 degrees, which does all sorts of fun stuff to the weather..."

And for the next hour or so Chibi tried her best to explain Earth's seasons and weather patterns... and why it snowed in New York in the winter.

After a while Emiko began to understand how it all worked, but still turned and smiled at her friend.

"Chibi... your planet is very weird."

Later that morning Chibi took Emiko into the backyard to show her something called a snow-human. Emiko was delighted to be back in her pink space... wait, no... it was a snow suit. (Humans are so weird) No matter what it was called, it was the closest to what Emiko wore on Kerbin, and she couldn't be happier.

But as they got in the backyard, Emiko's delight turned into confusion when Chibi reached down and began rolling the snow around, and into a large ball. And then she made a second ball and set it on top of the first!

"Chibi???" Emiko giggled as she walked around to face the... snow thing.

"I know... Humans are weird." Chibi laughed as she made a third ball of snow and put it atop the other two. "Just bear with me a few more minutes."

Then Chibi reached into her pocket, and took out some stones, and a carrot, and plunked them into the top snowball, and finally added a large, black hat and scarf she had brought out with them. Finally satisfied, she she stepped back and smiled at Emiko.

"And that, my dear, is a snow-human. How about we name him Werhner, after your friend?"

At first Emiko squealed with delight, but her joy quickly turned to sadness, and poor Emiko dropped her head and began to sob.

"Emiko, sweety," Chibi asked softly. "What's wrong?"

"Emiko.... Emiko miss Werhner!"

"Oh... Emiko" Chibi reached out and grabbed Emiko's hand. "I... I am so sorry. I should have known better."

"I can't begin to understand how homesick you must be," Chibi smiled at Emiko. "But you're also my best friend now, and I'll always be here for you, OK?"

"Yes, Chibi.... thank you..." Emiko whispered and smiled thru her tears. "Emiko...."

But just then Emiko was interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

"Harrruuummmpppfffffffff... Excuse me, ladies. Am I interrupting?"

"EEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Yessssssssssssss!!!" Chibi threw her hands in the air and screamed on the top of her lungs. "Uncle Nick... UNCLE NICK!"

"Oh, Uncle Nick, I was so afraid you wouldn't be able to make it." Chibi whispered as she held him tight.

"It's OK, my dear. My flight got in late last night, but the roads weren't clear until this morning." Nick laughed. "And so, here I am!"

"Emiko," Chibi smiled over at her friend. "Meet my uncle Nick. Uncle Nick, this is Emiko Kerman, my sister and best friend forever."

"Sister?" Nick smiled with amusement. "Oh... well, then let me welcome you to the family, Miss Emiko." 

"I was just about to take Emiko out to visit Professor D. while the roads are still clear," Chibi turned to her uncle. "Come with... please?"

"Professor d'Alain?" Nick scowled playfully. "I don't know... I wasn't one of his... shall we say, favorite students. Perhaps it would be best if I stayed and unpacked. Was that not Professor Goth's old jalopy I parked next to out front?"

"It was. He's been staying with us until... well," Chibi paused. 

"Say no more, I understand," Nick smiled. "I assume he's busy with something in the lab?"

"Yes, he's trying to bring Maria online. I'm sure he'd love to see you." Chibi turned to Emiko. "We have to go now, or we might get stuck."

"Just be safe, young lady." Nick pointed at Chibi. "You have plenty of time. Don't try and hurry."

"Yes.... sir." Chibi laughed, but at the same time took him very seriously. "We'll be careful."

From the porch Nick watched the girls pull out in Chibi's van and head off, then headed into the lab to find Professor Goth.

Inside Chibi's lab, Professor Goth was hard at work installing new language files in the android Maria. While she didn't yet possess a true artificial intelligence, Maria Maschinenmensch was still incredibly advanced, and more than capable of performing most of the daily functions of a governess, at least until Chibi's father Armand could screen and hire someone new. Which could take weeks, or even months.

But just then Goths chain of though was broken by someone loudly clearing their throat.

"Harrruuummmpppfffffffff. Excuse me, is this the applied physics lab?"

"Dominic, my lad, come in... come in!" Goth smiled and reached out to great one of his favorite students. "It's been too long!"

"How are you, sir?" Nick smiled. "I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner. Is there anything I can do?"

"No... no." the professor sighed, showing his years more than ever. "Only... did I just hear the girls leave?"

"Yes, they're headed out to d'Alains place. Why, is that a problem?"

"No... no... maybe...." Goth hesitated. "I just don't know. There have been... disappearances, lately, ET's suddenly vanishing. It's totally unrelated.... or is it? Then Mary's sudden... demise. The police say it was an accident... but was it? And Emiko... Emiko... this sweet, wonderful, but totally mysterious alien that the ET's just "coincidentally" dump on our doorstep? I.... I'm old, and tired... but I'm not senile, not yet. And something... something feels wrong."

"I should have gone with them." Nick shook his head. "Damn..... I didn't know."

"No... no," Goth tried to smile. "They should be all right. The disappearances happened on the other side of town. And this Emiko isn't an ET... she's something totally different. And you're right, you didn't know... I still don't know..."

"But you suspect." Nick didn't ask, but said quite matter of fact. "I understand."

"I know.... I've heard rumors... some of your past..." Goth stammered. "There are... things... I know not to ask... and I know you will not answer... but... for the girls...."

"You are quite astute, old friend," Nick smiled. "There are... events... in my past that never happened. Nor would I discuss them if they did..."

Nick looked around and then grew deadly serious... deadly quiet.

"But having said that," Nick whispered softly, slowly. "From here on, I promise I will watch over them. And if something is afoot, do whatever it takes to keep them safe."

 

Meanwhile, on the edge of Belladonna Cove, Chibi pulled up to a snow and fog engulfed mansion, and looked over to Emiko.

"I know it looks spooky," Chibi whispered. "But this is the place."

"Emiko doesn't care.." Emiko said defiantly. "Emiko is brave. Emiko needs answers... Emiko... Emiko... Emiko sees a cat!"

Seeming to appear out of the fog from no-where, a large calico cat looked at Emiko and meowed loudly.

"Merrroooowwww."

"Oh, hello Svengoolie," Chibi smiled. "Emiko, this is Svengoolie, Professor D's cat. Sven, can you show us where the professor is, please?'

And much to Emiko's amazement, the large, colorful cat turned and headed up to the mansion doors, and then waited patiently for the girls to catch up before leading them inside.

As she walked thru a large entrance-way, Emiko saw a lavishly furnished room off to her left, and what appeared to be a laboratory of some sort beyond that. But Svengoolie instead headed towards a hallway and another set of doors, perhaps leading out to the back to the mansion. However, before he exited thru the doors, the cat turned once again to Emiko, meowed at her loudly, and then turned to look at something on the wall.

And when Emiko came thru the archway, and saw what Svengoolie the cat was staring at, she jumped back and let out a loud gasp!

There on the wall before her hung three paintings... The left one appeared to be humans... or humanoids being... consumed... by a mass of tentacles. And the center one... In Emiko's eyes it was clearly a saucer firing on a... was that a Kraken??? But the third... the third... was that a planet being torn apart??? that one was just too bizarre to really understand...

"Is... is that ET/Kraken war thing?" Emiko whispered in horror.

"I'm not sure..." Chibi whispered back.

"I... I think those are fish," Chibi said as she examined the strange painting closely. "Yes... this may be underwater, not in space.... but..."

"But, what?" Emiko asked in awe.

"But... if this is supposed to be underwater, and that's a submarine, not a saucer... well, there's a problem. You see, Emiko, there has never, ever, been a submarine made on Earth, anywhere, that was armed with lasers!"

Just then Svengoolie meowed again and headed back out and up a flight of stairs to a snow covered balcony, where the girls found an older, distinguished looking gentleman standing and staring off into the snowy fog.

"Shhhhhhh... be very, very quiet," the Professor whispered. "Can you see it?"

Not saying a word, Emiko walked slowly up next to older human and looked out into the fog. At first she saw nothing, then slowly she made out a shape... then two... and then she gasped, but somehow managed to keep her voice to a whisper.

"It's... it's a saucer... no, wait.... I see two saucers!!!"

"Yes," Professor d'Alain whispered. "Yes, some nights there is a second, smaller one. But until tonight only I have seen it. I thank you, young miss, for verifying my sanity. And you are?"

"Her name is Emiko Kerman," Chibi whispered from behind the two. "And I'm Chibi deBateau. I've attended a few of your lectures, sir. It's an honor to finally meet you."

"Yes, yes... flattery, blah..." the Professor growled softly. "I assume you are here for some reason?"

"Yes, professor, sir," Emiko smiled, but kept her voice to a whisper. "ET's brought Emiko to this planet, and Emiko wants to go home..."

"But they just left you to fend for yourself.... didn't they?" the Professor cut in.

"Yes... YES," Emiko was taken back. "How did professor sir know?"

"It's their way," Professor d'Alain shook his head sadly. "And I assume you are trying to contact them. Well, before you ask, I have not been able to communicate with that saucer, or get it to even acknowledge my existence. Nor have I been able to approach the wreckage. Even with a radiation suit it's far too hot down there."

"Emiko understands," Emiko sighed, then looked back down at the saucer. "Looks so much like wrecked saucer on Emiko's planet...."

"I remember the night it crashed," the Professor said softly. "Just a few years ago, on a night very much like this one..."

"Professor saw crash?" Emiko asked with excitement. "Please... if it's not asking too much, Emiko would really like to hear."

"Well," d'Alain began. "Like I said, it was a snowy night, much like tonight. I was on the other side of the house, working on a prototype weather machine, so I didn't see the actual crash."

"At first everything was going according to plan," the Professor continued. "But just when my machine began to power up to 100%, there was a huge surge of energy, and out of no-where fire began to rain down from the sky!"

"I was horrified, thinking at first it was my machine causing this calamity, and I remember trying desperately to shut it off. But the sky continued to burn, and without warning there was a tremendous explosion from the other side of the house, and the world turned to fire and snow and ash.... and for several minutes I thought it was the end of everything."

"But horrifying as it was, the apocalypse ended as fast as it had begun, and fire rescue was able to extinguish what blazes still remained." the Professor smiled grimly. "Fortunes of owning a home made mostly of stone, I suppose."

"It was hours before the smoke cleared enough to see what the actual cause of the terrific event had been... And when I did finally see, I could barely believe my eyes. There, buried in the sand and snow, was the wreckage of an actual saucer that must have crash landed!"

"Amazing," Emiko whispered. "Emiko is so glad Professor wasn't hurt."

"Thank you," d'Alain whispered back, seemingly taken back that a complete stranger would care. "That's nice. There... there is more. But I have to ask the two of you to keep this to yourselves. Agreed?"

"Emiko promise."

"Yes, sir, you have my word as well," Chibi agreed.

Professor d'Alain stood a second and thought back.

"Until now I've told no-one any more than I've said to you. But there was more. While I was standing here, on this very spot, I saw something else... something... emerge... right below me, out of the smoke and fog... something huge, and alien... and moving!!!"

"I'll admit, it may not have been the... wisest... thing I've ever done," professor d'Alain laughed softly. "But this was clearly some sort of probe, or drone, and my curiosity got the best of me... and I ran down as fast as I could to examine it more closely."

"But when I reached the porch, I began to notice something was wrong with it," d'Alain continued. "It was slowing down, and vibrating in a most disturbing way, and when I walked right up to it, it stopped... and.."

"And?" both girls asked in silent whispers.

"And... it... just for a second... it spoke!!"

"No...." Emiko gasped.

"Yes," the professor shook his head sadly. "It spoke.... just that once.... just two words... in perfect English..."

"What did it say?" Chibi asked breathlessly, not sure if she wanted to know the answer or not now. But it was too late, and the professor turned to her and said with a horrified voice.

"It said... asked... pleaded... two words: Help Me!!"

A few minutes later Chibi and Emiko stood along with the professor in d'Alains lab, and looked down at the now immobile drone... or probe... or whatever it was.

"And it's said nothing since?" Chibi asked.

"No response of any sort," d'Alain replied. "I've been able to restore power, but any computer or AI functions or whatever it has for a brain in there seems.... dead. I'm afraid whatever it has, or had, for a CPU may not have ultimately survived the crash."

"The only thing I've been able to determine," d'Alain continued to explain to the girls. "Is it's ancient, and I don't believe it be of ET origin..."

"Not ET...." Emiko said softly. "Then... then does professor mean it's.... Kraken?"

"Tell me, young Emiko," Professor d'Alain asked, now seated with the two girls in his living room "What do you know of Krakens?"

"Emiko hears name all the time now.... scares Emiko a lot." Emiko tried to think back thru her shattered memory. "Began at lost pyramids on Kerbin. Emiko found ruins with carvings... krakens and saucers... It was so bad. Then Emiko found book.... horrible, horrible book."

Professor d'Alain was silent for several moments, and studied Emiko carefully before responding.

"Emiko, this is important. Do you remember the name of this book?"

"Yessss," Emiko shuddered. "Never, ever forget name... Terrible, nasty, Kerbalcomicon.... 

"STOP!" d"Alain shouted suddenly. "By the gods.... I'm sorry, I did not mean to startle you. But that name... it's not exact... but it is. On this planet, Earth, there is also a... tome.... most think lost, or only fiction... a work so horrible it's said to said anyone who reads it utterly insane."

"Emiko's friends.... Bruberry and Thompington, went mad and ran off... and..."

"I am sorry, my dear." d'Alain said sympathetically. "But that fact just confirms it. It's the Necronomicon.... or some sort of horrifying parallel. Wait... you didn't read any of it, did you, Emiko?"

"No," Emiko shuddered. "Emiko saw one picture and... well..." Emiko looked a little embarrassed, and for a moment the professor seemed to hold his breath.

"Emiko threw up... really, really bad. Was so horrible gross Emiko got really bad sick. Then Bru and Thompy locked themselves away with book, and Emiko never saw it again."

Much to Emiko's surprise, Professor d'Alain didn't laugh, but rather let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank the gods." he smiled at Emiko. "The fact something like that nauseated you just shows you've got a pure heart, and are not easily susceptible to it's madness. I find this comforting. But I am greatly disturbed to hear there may be two of them still in existence on your planet."

"In existence... existence..." Emiko mused. "White witch-lady said something similar to Emiko. Makes Emiko wonder... are most Krakens gone now?"

"Wait... and if there was some great war that wiped them all out," Chibi added with a sudden flash of insight. "What of the ET's? What happened to them?"

"Oh, my new friends," d'Alain smiled broadly now. "It is a delight to meet not just one, but two young ladies who are not afraid to use their brains! You are both correct. Something monstrous occurred just about a century ago that seems to have wiped most of both species from existence!"

"But my friends, Johnny Smith..." Chibi began thinking out loud."His father is a retired ET..."

"Not retired," d'Alain interrupted. "Refugees. He and his families are survivors, and refugees, as our the other few remaining ET's in orbit and space. A fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a once mighty empire that battled the Krakens halfway across the Milky-way galaxy... All brought to a cataclysmic end in just seconds... and leaving not millions, or even billions... but trillions upon trillions of dead in the wake."

"My God," Chibi whispered, while Emiko tried to hold back her tears, and her lunch, at the thought of something so nightmarish.

Then Chibi made another intuitive leap, and despite her fear at the answer, asked in a trembling voice.

"My friends... the ones that are missing..... The stories are they were taken by Zombies.... but that's not true, is it?"

"No... I fear it maybe a cover," d'Alain said sadly.

"Krakens... here, on Earth?" Emiko asked, horrified and wanting desperately to hold Chibi's hand... or better yet, just run away.

"It is possible," d'Alain shook his head sadly again. "That a few may have survived whatever slaughtered their race, either whole, or in part, and have been hiding on Earth for nearly a century now."

The professor sat silently for several seconds and collected his thoughts before continuing.

"And I fear and have suspected, long, long before these abductions, that a Kraken survivor... what I've called an "Outsider"... has been hiding behind the shadows of Belladonna Cove for a very long time now. You see, long before you were born, I was taking a bus from Rochester down to the Cove, and decided to take the scenic route along Cayuga Lake, which would include an hour long stopover at a bus station in Ithaca. But while I was there... the most extraordinary thing occurred... One that changed the course of my research for years to come."

"Did you see one of... them?" Chibi asked in an anxious whisper.

"An actual, physical Kraken? no," d'Alain smiled. "No, I do not believe they have bodies anymore. Not as we understand them. But Krakens are said to be highly telepathic, and the minds... the essence... of the most powerful can exist long after their physical bodies have turned to dust, possessing those around them to extend their own lives centuries or perhaps even millennia beyond a normal lifespan."

"How bizarre," Chibi gasped, and wasn't afraid for a second to reach over and grab Emiko's hand tightly.

"Yes..." the Professor continued grimly. "It was February 13th, 1960, and while I sat in that bus-stop, I witnessed a young woman named... what was it? Millicent, I believe... I watched this lovely young lady break down right before my eyes and go completely mad. When the police took her away she was screaming she was being followed... and replaced... by her exact duplicate!"

Professor d'Alain sat silent for a moment, then visibly shuddered before ending his story.

"And the worst part was when the bus pulled out... I saw Millicent... or her double, outside my window, just as she was when I first arrived, before the police dragged her off... There she was, again, just sitting calmly on the bench... and just for a second, right before we pulled out of sight... I... I think she lifted her hand... and waved at me!"

Emiko squeezed Chibi's hand hard, but was afraid to say anything. Then the Professor sat up and walked over to a bookcase and began to rummage around.

"In the years that followed I devoted much of my research into this... phenomenon, and soon after was lucky to be admitted into the prestigious Miskatonic  University, before it was rebuilt. And there I was able to discover something even the most broad minded of the facility back in that day found hard to comprehend.... The existence of actual outsiders... One in particular. A truly nightmarish female... and the very same one I think I crossed paths with!"

The professor sat back down and began to thumb thru his book.

Following backwards, I believe my trail of this monster began on June 30, 1908 in Siberia..."

"Wait... wait...." Chibi interrupted excitedly. "I know this... wait..... Siberia? Oh... The Tunguska event?"

"Yes!" d'Alain beamed. "Oh, I wish you two had been students of mine, instead of the blockheads I had... I'm still not exactly sure, but the trail does seem to begin with Tunguska, which you obviously know, but Emiko may not be aware, was the sight of some massive explosion 100 years ago, mostly believed to be a small comet or meteor, but many also theorize might have been a ship."

"But the big mystery," Chibi continued. "Was the lack of any kind of wreckage,or crater, or anything. Miles of forest flattened, but not a sign of what caused it."

Now it was Emiko's turn to make an intuitive leap, thinking about her trip in a Magic Boulder, and also the smaller gravioli wormholes the witches seemed to be able to create on command.

"What about big, unstable, gravioli wormhole?" Emiko asked d'Alain.

"Gravioli??? Hmmmm.....  that's only theoretical, and mostly un-believed.... yes... yes.... But you would need some sort of focus, or a catalyst, or.... Oh, yes...."

"Big kaboom?" Emiko smiled.

"Yes, my dear, I believe something like that could cause a very, very big kaboom. I'll have to work out the math later. But back to the trail of this Kraken, I'm not clear what happened in the next couple decades after Tunguska, other than vague, horrible rumors. That is, until May, 1925, when I found evidence of a young man named Charles Dextar Ward returned from central Europe, after long trip exploring his genealogy... But those close to him claimed he was either possessed... or had actually switched bodies... with an ancient, evil ancestor, or something, and he was eventually murdered in a sanitarium in 1928 by his own personal doctor.

"That same year a reef and part of the dock area of a town named Innsmouth in New England was quietly and mysteriously torpedoed by government submarine after investigation into rumors of villagers worshiping some weird "Kraken-God". The entire affair was rumored to be so... twisted... that it was immediately covered up, and for all practical purposes the town or surrounding reef no longer exists."

Emiko was seriously freaked out now, but did her best to not to show it in front of Chibi.

"The worst evidence I've found so far happened in 1933, when a man named Edward Pickman Derby was murdered in a sanitarium by his best friend, claiming Derby was, in fact, already quite dead and his body had been possessed by the spirit of his wife, Asanath, and that she had been "Switching bodies" with him for the past couple years... with horrifying results..."

"Chibi....." Emiko whispered. "Emiko heard enough for now... can we go home... please?"

"Yes... yes," Chibi tried to smile and look as dignified as her trembling knees would allow. "It is getting late. We should get home before the snow hits again."

"Yes, I understand," d'Alain smiled and walked the girls out to the door. "I hope I didn't frighten you too much... I know this stuff gets to me sometimes."

"Then it's not just Emiko? Kraken stuff freak out Professor, too?" Emiko asked meekly.

"No, dear, it's not just you. This Kraken stuff, as you call it, is quite.... freaky," the Professor waved as they headed out the door and to Chibi's van. "If I can help in any way, feel free to call upon us again. Svengoolie enjoys the company. Good night, drive safe!"

Once the girls had pulled away, d'Alain went back inside and read for a bit, while Svengoolie napped along side him, then decided it was time to retire for the evening. But first he wanted to check on the saucer one last time.

"How about we say goodnight to our friends, Sven?"

It was now quite late, but the fog and snow made it hard to tell day from night from... gloom.... and it was impossible to make out the saucer down in it's crater. So while Sven gave himself a much welcome grooming, d'Alain pulled out a flashlight and... well... got a little silly.

"I know this is just nonsense, but the kids say it'll work.... why not?" 

Then he put the flashlight against the telescope lens, hoping to create some sort of homemade signal beam to passing saucers, and laughed at the absurdity  of it, while Sven continued his grooming...

But just then something caught Svengoolie's attention, and he jumped back nearly a full meter, and hissed wildly before fleeing around inside and under the nearest bed he could find.

This was not like Sven at all, but before he could react, d'Alain felt a cold chill pass down his spine, and he felt, rather than saw, that he was not alone...

... and slowly the Professor turned to discover that he was, in fact... quite correct.

"Mayor... Mayor Pleasant? d'Alain gasped. "No... no... it couldn't be you... not here... not now... not looking like... that!"

"No... this is just a dream," d'Alain said out-loud as the beautiful apparition of Mary-Sue Pleasant slowly sauntered up to him. "Yes, I'm back on the couch, and fell asleep... and ... and... dreaming... and why are you looking at me like that?"

But the beautiful figure remained silent, caressed his cheek softly, and bent towards him as if to kiss him on the cheek...

Then, in a voice that slithered like some monstrous.... thing... she whispered softly in his ear...

"My darling.... you know far too much..."

Suddenly d'Alain realized, as the ghostly figured turned and walked back a few steps, that this was not a dream at all... 

... but rather a nightmare!

And when he looked again into her dead, soulless eyes... he knew exactly who she really was... and spat at her in revulsion.

"Asanath... Kraken!!!"

But all she did was smile, and slowly raised her arm... and flames seemed to engulf her as she whisper softly once again.

"Far, far too much..."

And d'Alain felt his body... and his mind... suddenly wracked with with pain... and he realized to his absolute horror that this was neither dream, nor nightmare...

... but cold hard, reality.

And in those last fleeting seconds, as Mary-Sue/Anasath-Kraken's foul minion began to overtake his mind, d'Alain knew it was much too late for him.

 

The Strange Tale of Emiko Kerman is still far from over....

Go to Chapter 84
Return to Index

Afterward:
To those that may be interested in following up, these are the stories referenced in this chapter:
Twilight Zone, Season 2, Episode 21: "Mirror Image"
The Case of Charles Dextar Ward, H.P Lovecraft
A Shadow over Innsmouth, H.P. Lovecraft
and most especially:
The Thing on the Doorstep, H.P. Lovecraft.

Oh, and a huge thanks to two forum members:  @adsii1970 and @DualDesertEagle for the characters of Professor d'Alain and Uncle Nick.  

Edited December 7, 2019 by Just Jim

[IncongruousGoat]

So Belladonna Cove is... somewhere on the Allegheny Plateau? Starting from Rochester and going through Ithaca on the way to somewhere (presumably) south or southeast of Lake Cayuga...

[Just Jim]

1 hour ago, IncongruousGoat said:

So Belladonna Cove is... somewhere on the Allegheny Plateau? Starting from Rochester and going through Ithaca on the way to somewhere (presumably) south or southeast of Lake Cayuga...

You're headed in the right direction... yes. 

Edited June 28, 2017 by Just Jim

[adsii1970]

Kerbalcomicon? Sounds like a big event I would go spend lots of money at!

Great chapter, and creates even more questions....

[insert_name]

Is that robot an eye-bot from the fallout universe?

[Just Jim]

15 minutes ago, insert_name said:

Is that robot an eye-bot from the fallout universe?

I believe that's what the original 3D model is based on, yes...

But in my universe, no... it's not an actual eye-bot. Although it's similar in some ways.... but also similar to... something/someone else. 

[qzgy]

As ever, an enjoyable read. Can I just ask something?

2 hours ago, Just Jim said:

Emiko wore in Kerbin

So.... Emiko buried herself in the crust? Or do they have underground bases already?

 

[KAL 9000]

1 hour ago, Just Jim said:

But in my universe, no... it's not an actual eye-bot. Although it's similar in some ways.... but also similar to... something/someone else. 

One-eyed spherical AIs... 

Well, yes, it looks like an eye-bot. It also looks like Sputnik, but Sputnik obviously didn't have an AI. 

My only other hypothesis is that it could be a core from Portal 2. I mean, the eye-bot is as close as you're going to get to that in Sims. 

---

And that Kraken stuff? CREEPY CREEPY CREEPY CREEPY CREEPY 

I'd never thought I'd say that something is more evil than Bill Cipher, but now I have to reconsider.

[Just Jim]

1 hour ago, qzgy said:

As ever, an enjoyable read. Can I just ask something?

So.... Emiko buried herself in the crust? Or do they have underground bases already?

Awww, crap... and I proofread that 3 times.... 

All fixed. 

[Garibaldi2257]

I was going to say that ED-E gets around....

[Just Jim]

9 hours ago, KAL 9000 said:

It also looks like Sputnik, but Sputnik obviously didn't have an AI. 

Oh, man... you are SOOOOO close!  Think!

In my story, a normal Sputnik or Stayputnik doesn't have an AI, or any kind of brain.... except..... except... come on..... 

Edited June 28, 2017 by Just Jim

[insert_name]

3 hours ago, Just Jim said:

Oh, man... you are SOOOOO close!  Think!

In my story, a normal Sputnik or Stayputnik doesn't have an AI, or any kind of brain.... except..... except... come on..... 

Wait is that thompberry?!

[WinkAllKerb'']

sup jim, this might "interest ya" 
 

843 degree after the hibiscus ...

Edited June 28, 2017 by WinkAllKerb''
(()) () (((()))) () (()) ((( ))) well got it ... ik