The Saga of Emiko Station - Complete

[Kerbart]

53 minutes ago, Geschosskopf said:

Everybody keeps assuming that the "good guys" are going to win.  Why does that have to happen?

And that is assuming that the “good guys” are really the good guys!

[Just Jim]

No mortal was meant to know such wonder
One look in the mirror told me so
Come darkness I'll see her again
Yes I'm gonna go 'cause now I know
                                                                                  Blue Oyster Cult, "I Love The Night" 

 

Chapter 60
The Vanishing
(as told by Werhner von Kerman)

 

 

It had been nearly 2 years since I had seen Emiko, and while I don't know the exact date she was visited by the Magic Boulder at the old temple ruins, rumors of Thompington and Bruberry's elopement had been circulating around the K.R.A.S.H. club for nearly 100 days. Things at the club had been going great: Dr. Yamani had a new rocket on the pad he was sure could reach the 70 kilometer boundary, Emiko was about to publish her findings at the old temple ruins, and a young scientist named Kodak Kerman had just invented a new kind of photographic camera that actually took pictures in color!!!

Yes, things were going really good at the K.R.A.S.H. club, until tragedy struck. At nearly 100 years old, Yamani Kerman passed away in his sleep, followed not long after by the K.R.A.S.H. club's chief benefactor, Rokea Kerman sr.

Yamani and Rokea were laid to rest together in a very sweet, private family ceremony, but it was still days before I had a chance to speak with Emiko alone and at length. I was going over Dr. Yamani's last project, the Reliable, when I spotted Emiko alone outside on the balcony, and I went to inquire how she was, and if she needed any company.

"I saw Sam at the ceremony.... are you and her...???" I began.

"No," Emiko sighed, "I'm afraid that rift may never heal completely."

"But her father... your husband.... she has to know it wasn't your fault!"

"I know.... " Emiko sighed again, "I know. And it was no-one's fault. I was supposed to be his co-pilot, but he thought the dive was too dangerous, snuck out, and tried to go solo in a 2-person diving bell..... and got himself killed."

"Samantha lost her father that night, and I'm afraid a part of her will always blame me for not being there with him when he obviously needed me."

"But Emiko," I protested softly, "No one knows exactly what went wrong... you could have been killed as well."

"Yes..... I know that too." Emiko drifted off for several seconds, then her face lit up a little. "But I did get to visit with my granddaughter!"

"Valentina?" I smiled, "She must be, what, two now?"

"Nearly three," Emiko smiled, but then turned serious again. "Werhner.... can I confide in you?"

"Emiko, ma'am... You may technically be my boss now, but you're also my mentor, and my friend, and you can tell me anything."

"Werhner... I'm scared. I'm so scared," Emiko broke down, "At the ruins, I found this book... this terrible, terrible book."

"What did it say?" I asked, half curious and half worried I might not like the answer.

"I'm not sure. It was locked with some odd sort of puzzle-box contraption. But Bruberry, my assistant, she's a wizard at puzzles, and made it her task to unlock it. And I'm afraid she's solved the puzzle-box lock... and what she's reading... Werhner, it's too much! I think she's losing her mind!"

'What? Losing her mind?"  I asked incredulously, "Where is she now, and what is this book?"

"She and Thompington have locked themselves in her room, and this really worries me. She's already overdue, and if something is wrong, and we can't get to her... But there's more. I've been listening at her door, and it's... it's just awful! Werhner, I heard her telling Thompington the book is the Kerbalkomicon!"

The next few seconds seemed an eternity as cold chills ran down my spine. The Kerbalkomicon? I had heard the name... but it was just a legend, a myth, some folktale about black magic written centuries ago by a forgotten mad Kerbal, and then lost to the ages, or some such nonsense. Or was it? Could Emiko and her team actually have stumbled on a lost copy in the temple ruins?

"Are you sure?" I asked when I finally found my voice.

"I don't honestly know," Emiko replied softly, "But I heard her say it several times. And when she and Thompy began translating it..."

Emiko paused, and legendary book or not, I could see something was very, very wrong. "Werhner, very few know of the Kerbalkomicon, and those that do claim it to be a book of forbidden magic, or something to that effect. But they're wrong, Werhner, they're so very wrong. What I heard Bru reading, and then... raving... is something totally different."

"What?"  I whispered, even though I knew quite well I didn't want to hear the answer.

"It's more like a... a history, of eons long past. But no history I've ever heard of. This history is dark and horrifying, and speaks of old ones with names too long to pronounce, and Krakens and... and they're doing things to each other I... I just can't speak of! Not out loud. I wrote down as much as I could remember, and even made a few sketches... but what she's babbling is sick and twisted and can't possibly be true... and poor Bruberry, I fear she can't stop reading it! What am I going to do?"

I wasn't sure what to say, until a thought hit me. "What about snacks? They must be hungry by now."

"I tried leaving snacks by their door," Emiko sighed again, "But they only open it and take them after I leave."

"Well, at least she's eating. I suppose that's something." I tried to sound as positive as I could, and another thought hit me, "Oh, wait. If Bruberry is pregnant and due soon, then this definitely classifies as a medical emergency, and we can have the lock picked!"

"I'm already on it," Emiko smiled weakly, "They're an older style lock, but we found a locksmith that knows them. Unfortunately the soonest he can get here is the day after tomorrow..." again Emiko drifted off, and we turned to watch the sunset.

"Are you still launching daddy's rocket tomorrow?" Emiko finally asked softly.

"Yes," I replied, "Are you still interested?"

"Yes, Werhner, please. I'll leave more snacks for Bru and Thompy, and pray the locksmith gets here sooner than expected. But Werhner, I cant... I can't listen to any more."

"Then come with me," I offered, "There's room for two. And I can guarantee, my lady, this will get you mind of everything!"

 

*          *          *

 

And true to her word, Emiko joined me the next day on the launch pad as I made the final checks on Dr. Yamani's last and greatest achievement, the Reliable. 

Unlike the doctor's previous solid fuel rockets, which had very little stability, this design features a radically different approach, combining liquid fuel with an oxidizer, thus giving the pilot much greater control over the thrust, and much, much longer range in the upper atmosphere. At least that was the theory. And because I was given the honor of riding with Dr. Yamani on it's maiden flight, it was fitted with not one, but two seats. And if the good doctor couldn't be here, it seemed only fitting that Emiko ride with me in his place.

But just as we had finished the final inspection, a rover came barreling around the hanger, down to the crawlway and onto the launch pad.

I didn't have to see who was in it to instantly recognize the recklessness. Driving like that could only be Bob and Bill, two kids who were constantly hanging around the club. Technically they were much too young to join, but Dr. Yamani saw something in them, and gave them several odd jobs around the club, much to their delight. 

But they were supposed to be watching the front office, so I knew it must be important for them to drive all the way out here at a rather dangerous speed for the small rover.

"Miss Emiko, Mister Werhner," they both said at once, then Bob continued. "Sir, ma'am, some big, fancy vehicle just pulled up front."

"And some important looking guy got out," Bill continued, "He said he needs to see you, right now."

"And, sir," Bob finished, "He says you can't launch this rocket until you do!"

Oh, let me tell you, I was not happy!  Looking back, I realize I was being totally irrational and jumping to conclusions, but at the time I was convinced it could only be the Flat Kerbin society.... again. They had been a thorn in the club's side for as long as I could remember, and did everything in their power to prevent the late doctor, and apparently now myself, from experimenting with rockets, claiming it would somehow "upset the natural order of the universe" or some such nonsense. What a load of garbage, I thought to myself, the truth was so transparent. If someone could successful launch a rocket high enough, then they would see, once and for all that Kerbin was, in fact, a round sphere... which most everyone already knew, except apparently the Flat Kerbin society!

The rocket was ready for launch, and I was not going to take any chances of it being scrubbed by some bureaucratic so-and-so. This was for Dr. Yamani, and nothing on the planet was going to stop me... stop us now! 

"Bob, Bill, into the bunker, now!" I called out, then turned to Emiko. "My lady, would you join me in being the first Kerbals to reach space?"

I remember Emiko gave me the oddest look, then laughed, "Absolutely, Werhner, let's do this!"

While Bob and Bill scurried over and into the bunker, Emiko and I boarded the rocket, and retracted the ladders.

Emiko call out, "For Daddy!" 

And without a second thought, I pushed the ignition button, held my breath, and we both screamed in delight as the engine roared to life and the Reliable began lifting off the pad! The last thing I remember seeing as we began accelerating upwards was Bill and Bob screaming in excitement, and then the ground slipped away, and they roaring of the sky filled my ears, and thru it all I could hear Emiko behind be laughing with glee!

"Daddy's rocket worked!  It worked, Werhner!"

I tried to answer, but I was too filled excitement, and too focused on keeping the rocket stable, to respond. I don't really know how to put it into words, but the ride was exhilarating, and seemed to go on for hours, even though it was just a few seconds. And before I knew it, the fuel ran out, the engine died, and we were coasting and climbing at a perfect angle to escape the atmosphere, which we did just a few seconds later.

"Werhner?"

"Yes, Emiko."

"Thank you for not stopping, for not waiting. Thank you for making Daddy's dream come true."

"You're welcome, Emiko."

"Werhner?"

"Yes, Emiko?"

"How are we supposed to land?"

"This is the fun part. It's going to get a little warm, but if the math is correct, the air density should slow us down enough for me to safely deploy the parachutes long before we reach the ground." 

I tried to laugh and hide my own nervousness, but Emiko called back with confidence. "Daddy's math?"

"Yes, it's your father's equations."

"Then we're fine," Emiko yelled over the roar of the atmosphere, which was growing warmer by the second.

Despite the excellent re-entry fireworks show, the math was, in fact, quite correct, and I was able to deploy the parachutes in perfect safety just a few seconds later.

I remember we spent the next few minutes laughing and spinning and falling ever so gently towards to ocean below. We had done it! We had successfully left the atmosphere, and reached the edge of space itself!

"Hey Emiko, did you see it?" I called out right before we splashed down.

"See what, Werhner?"

"Kerbin!  Did you see? It's round! I saw the whole planet, and it's round! Take that, Flat Kerbin society!"

We both broke into hysterics as the rocket gently hit the water, flipped onto it's side, and we waited for someone from the club to come and fetch us.  

"Those boys better not forget to send a boat." I laughed... hoping to myself it was just a joke.

 

*          *          *

 

To my relief, a boat appeared not long after, and when we returned to the club, both Emiko and I were surprised to learn the so-and-so was not from the Flat Kerbin society.  He was, instead, a representative of the Grand Kerbal herself named...

 

.... wait for it.....

 

Gene Kerman! Yes, this was our beloved leader, Gene Kerman. But let me tell you, back then he was all regulations and protocol, spit and polish, black hair and helmet, the works. And I have to admit, I had my reservations about him at first. 

"So you weren't going to scrub the launch?" I asked him later that night as Gene, Emiko and I stood out on the barracks balcony, trying to escape the raging party taking place within.

"Scrub the launch?  Oh, no, my friend," Gene smiled, "My assignment was to witness it, not prevent it, and I just wanted to make sure I didn't miss it. And I saw it all, my friends, I saw it all! You two are to be congratulated!"

"My friends," Gene continued, "Her majesty has long admired your work here, and now that you have achieved something that will go into the annals of Kerban history, she has sent me with an offer......"

But then Gene went silent, and I remember him looking off into the distance behind Emiko and I... and a horrified look came over his face...

"Oh... no....." was all he got out....

I remember standing there watching it all happen as if in slow motion... I couldn't think... couldn't breath... and all I could do was desperately try and think of anyone was still over in that inferno, and not at the celebration below. Then it hit me, but before I could say it, Emiko screamed....

"Bruberry....Thompington.... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

Desperately we raced inside and to the stairs.... but because we had, we never saw the small rover driving out of the flames....

Only later did I learn the horrible truth as it raced up to the barracks, stopped, and someone... a small child.... was.... was pushed from the back seat! Pushed, and left there... crying, screaming, while the rover drove off into the night!

"Mommy.... daddy?? MOMMY??????"

 

By the time we got to him, the rover was heading to the northwest, and soon lost in the night. The boy, who couldn't be more than 2 or 3 days old, was standing there bawling, while Emiko looked on in horror, and Gene tried to console the weeping child. And I suddenly realized to my own horror that the fire was quite possibly set intentionally.... and I remember I tried desperately not to be sick while Emiko screamed into the darkness as the unspeakable reality hit her as well.

"Bru.... Thompy.... Oh...... please no..... how... how could you? Bruberry, he's.... Oh my god....it can't be.... Bru... Get back here!!!  He's your son!!!! Bruberry.... Thompington.... HOW COULD YOU????"

 

*          *          *

 

The rest of the night was a blur, and as much as Emiko and I wanted to follow Bruberry and Thompington and demand answers, we had to stay and try to help contain the fire, as well as try to care for the hysterical abandoned child, who I now realize was young Thompberry Kerman. But that night he was taken into the care of... well, I'm not sure exactly who. All I knew was he was in safe hands, and I had to make sure everyone else in the club was safe as well. And I never did learn his name that night. 

But in spite of the magnitude of the blast, luck was with us, and everyone was safely in the barracks celebrating then the explosion occurred. Besides some minor burns and smoke inhalation, there were no serious causalities, and the fire had burned itself out by the time the sun rose.

As I stood there looking on the devastation, and heard Emiko besides me weeping in grief and horror, I thought for sure our hopes of exploring space were finished. 

That is until Gene Kerman turned and smiled and announced, "Well, as long as nobody was lost, it seems those two..... individuals.... that started this blaze actually did us a favor."

"What???" I'm not sure if it was Emiko or I, or both that cried it out, but we were both more than a little shocked to hear this.

"What do you mean?" I asked, afraid we were being mocked somehow.

"Emiko, Werhner.... relax. Please, it's going to be alright. Trust me, the Grand Kerbal and I can help. In fact, that's why I was sent here, and what I was trying to tell you both when this happened. I was sent here to witness your flight yesterday, and if successful, then I am authorized to close down this club...

"WHAT?????" both Emiko and I screamed...

"Now hear me out," Gene smiled. "I am authorized to shut down this club, and with your help and guidance rebuild it into an officially government sanctioned space center! And my friends, I truly mean this from the bottom of my heart when I ask... will you both stay on and help me run this..... project? I'm not sure I can do it alone."

Then Gene looked directly at Emiko, and smiled gently, "But first you must find your friends, and discover what happened last night, and if they are accountable... or if they are... well... Whatever the case, I realize you must go after them, and in this I can also help." 

Gene turned to his young assistant, a boy around the same age as Bill and Bob and called to him. "Jebediah, go and fetch the camper, and be quick about it!"

"Yes, sir!" the boy answered, and ran towards the front office trailer.

A couple minutes later a gorgeous vehicle rolled towards us, and Gene said with a smile, "Please, take the camper. It's much faster than that rover, and has a tracking device you can use to locate them."

At that moment, despite my earlier misgivings, I decided I liked this Gene, and accepted. "Thank you.... thank you!"

"It's the least I can do." Gene smiled. "I'll stay here and begin planning our next step. We have a long, wonderful road ahead of us. But first, go and find your friends, and help them if you can. And please, both of you stay safe!"

Once inside I let Emiko take the controls. Granted, I may be good at rockets, but when it comes to land vehicles, back then Emiko was the best, and soon we were headed northwest and leaving the K.R.A.S.H. club behind us, quite possibly for the very last time. 

Ahhh, that camper was quite the vehicle, and the inspiration for our modern Chariot rovers. Once we were moving, and I had a chance to look around, I realized it even had a coffee machine, and I quickly put on a pot. This was roving in style, and if it wasn't for the severity of our mission, would have been a joy to vacation in.

But the hours rolled by, and Emiko, now completely wired on coffee and snacks, and a burning desire to confront her friends, pushed the camper to it's limits, driving straight thru the first night and into the following day.

By the end of the second day we had reached the foothills of the northern tundra. Both of us wanted to continue on, but the mountains were much too treacherous to attempt in the dark, and we were forced to stop for the night. And when we did stop... well... I don't know if Emiko remembers, but we... we found something. Something that back then was just a passing curiosity, but now, in light of current events, may be much more important.

That night, at the base of a great mountain, we camped alongside a floating boulder!

I remember late that night, after we had secured the camper, standing outside in the cold artic wind with Emiko, staring up at the amazing boulder, floating at least 3 meters off the ground in front of us.

"Have ever seen anything like it?" I whispered.

And to my surprise, I remember Emiko answering back, "Yes... yes I have.  Werhner, let's go inside. I... I need to tell you something. Please?"

That's when Emiko opened up and told me everything that happened to her at the temple ruins. The Magic Boulder, her strange voyage from moon to moon, the strange rock formations, the saucers and the Kraken... even the truth about how she found the Kerbalkomicon... everything.   

"Werhner...  I though it was just a dream. But the book.... the book was real. And I didn't tell you this before, but some of what I heard Bruberry rambling... I think I saw it! The Magic Boulder showed me a real Kraken... and later, I heard Bru described that same moon exactly, as if she had seen it herself... except I never told her about any of it!!! Am... am I also going mad?"

"Emiko," I tried to reassure her, "If you are sane enough to be asking me that, then no, you are not going mad."

"Thank you, Werhner, thank you," Emiko smiled, but I remember how troubled she still looked. "You are a dear friend, Werhner. But now I have to ask that you never, ever tell anyone what I've told you tonight. Swear to me... please?"

"Emiko, ma'am, I absolutely swear to you here and now I will keep your secret."

The next morning we headed due north, and by late afternoon Emiko we were closing in on the rover, when suddenly Emiko pulled the camper to a halt, and stared out in amazement at what she was seeing.

"It can't be...." Emiko whispered. "Werhner, I see the rover... and up that hill... I can't believe it. Werhner, I think it's a saucer!!!"

I couldn't see from where I was in back, but I remember how excited Emiko sounded.  But then it turned from excited to a stunned, barely audible whisper.

"And... no.......  it can't be.  At the top of the hill in front of us... there's a huge boulder... and it's glowing! Werhner, it's glowing red! I think it's a different Magic Boulder!"

I desperately wanted to climb out and take a look for myself, but before I could, Emiko pulled rank on me and announced, "I'm going to take a closer look. Werhner, for now I want you to stay here where it's safe. You can crawl up front here if you like to get a better view, but until I know it's safe, you are to stay inside, understood?"

"Yes ma'am," I answered, trying not to sound as disappointed as I felt, and crawled up front while Emiko left the camper and slowly approached the strange saucer embedded in the frozen hillside, as well as the bizarre boulder beyond it. I remember how brave she was as she reached the saucer.

.

"Werhner, can you hear me?  It's... it's huge! I had no idea... wait... wait..... I think I see something! Up the hill, by the Magic Boulder... yes, there's something moving... It's them!  Werhner, I think I see...."

But that that moment Emiko was cut off by a hideous screaming laugh...

"Emikkkkkkoooooooooooooooo....  You finally arrived... just as the masters foretold........."

I couldn't see much from the camper, but I heard everything that happened next.... and it haunts me to this day.

"Bru... Oh Bru... Thompy.... what's happening?  Why... why???" I heard Emiko sob, but she received no reply. Instead I could just make out what looked like the figure on the left raise it's arms and lift off of the ground, just as Emiko had described to me the night before! And with a flash, the figure was gone. 

At that point I didn't quite understand what was happening, but everything inside me said something was terribly, terribly wrong, so I grabbed a pair of binoculars and climbed out of the camper to help Emiko if I could.

But when I looked up with the binoculars at the remaining figure by the Magic Boulder, I could now see it was Bruberry Kerman... or was it? Something about her looked... well, off... bizarre. Then like Thompington before her, she raised her arms and gently floated off the ground and in front of the red, sinister looking Magic Boulder. But unlike Thompington, she paused, and spoke to Emiko one last time in a voice that still brings me nightmares.

"Emikooooooooo..... your time has comeeeeeee...........  your world is at an enddddddddd.... Soon war will come.... the masters shall defeat the old onessssssss....... and from the depths they will rule Kerbin once againnnnnnn......   Emikooooooooooo.. when we meet againnnnnnnn....... Your world will ENDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And then, right before my eyes, I saw Bruberry... change! The binoculars... I saw it all! Just before she vanished, I saw Bruberry's eyes turn deadly white, as if her soul had left her, and all that was left was an empty shell... or was it empty? For just then I heard Emiko whisper horribly.

"She's possessed... I... I think it has her...."

 

I wasn't sure what to do... what to believe... all I knew was I was scared, and I started running up the hill towards Emiko. But before I could get to her, I heard Emiko scream, and my blood turned to ice.

"Werhner... help... the saucer...it's got me! Oh, how could I be so foolish??? Werhner... stay back!!! The saucer... it's just like the Magic Boulders... It's not a ship... it's... it's a portal!"

The last words I heard Emiko say were sort of muted whisper, like she was speaking thru a long tube... "Werhner... Werhner... can you still hear me???  Everything is swirling... Werhner.... Werhner.................... Werhner........ it tickles....."

And in a brilliant flash, Emiko was gone, and so was the red Magic Boulder.

I ran as fast as I could, but there was no sign of Emiko, or the Boulder, or Bruberry and Thompington. Nothing but the snow and the wind and that weird saucer lodged into the hillside. And when I approached the saucer, nothing happened. It was dead.... or ignoring me. 

I don't know how long I stayed... several days at least... but I found nothing, just snow and more snow.

Finally, heartbroken, I admitted defeat, and decided I had no choice but to head home. I only had enough snacks for a couple more days, and I had to finally admit to myself Emiko was really gone. But before I left, I planted a small, white flag by the saucer in her memory. I had made a promise, I could never, ever, tell anyone the truth of what I had seen. But I would not go home without leaving something, anything, as a memorial to my beloved mentor, Emiko Kerman.

Then I climbed aboard the camper, turned south, and left for home. And when I arrived, I told everyone that Emiko, Bruberry, and Thompington Kerman had all perished in a sudden and violent winter storm, and no trace of them could be found. I never told anyone what really happened, of how Emiko Kerman vanished from the face of Kerbin.

Not until this day...

 

The Saga of Emiko Station, and the Tale of Emiko Kerman, are far, far from over...

Go to Chapter 61
Return to Index

Edited December 7, 2019 by Just Jim

[Just Jim]

OK, before anyone says anything, this was a really long chapter, and I already know I misspelled a couple things. 

Hopefully I found and fixed them all... 

[Geschosskopf]

1 hour ago, Just Jim said:

Hopefully I found and fixed them all..

I hope you can fix Emiko.  That spiral spaghettification looked pretty painful

 

[rlin]

By the time I reached the middle of the chapter, I started to think that the two accompanying Carlenna was Thompington and Bruberry. I think it is.

[Jarin]

5 hours ago, Geschosskopf said:

Everybody keeps assuming that the "good guys" are going to win.  Why does that have to happen?

 

You forget, you're one of the "good guys" now

[Just Jim]

12 hours ago, Geschosskopf said:

Everybody keeps assuming that the "good guys" are going to win.  Why does that have to happen?

Ahhhhh, I don't believe I said one way or the other yet.  Just keep this in mind, I am a huge fan of the Twilight Zone...  'nuff said... 

 

11 hours ago, Kerbart said:

And that is assuming that the “good guys” are really the good guys!

 

8 hours ago, Geschosskopf said:

I hope you can fix Emiko.  That spiral spaghettification looked pretty painful

Only from our perspective... From her POV, it kind of tickled, and it was the rest of the world that spiraled and spaghettified.  

 

8 hours ago, rlin said:

By the time I reached the middle of the chapter, I started to think that the two accompanying Carlenna was Thompington and Bruberry. I think it is.

Oh, it definitely appears that way....

[Geschosskopf]

8 hours ago, Jarin said:

You forget, you're one of the "good guys" now

If you say so.....

 

[LordOfMinecraft99]

Everytime you write a new chapter, i just can't wait for the next.

[Just Jim]

22 minutes ago, LordOfMinecraft99 said:

Everytime you write a new chapter, i just can't wait for the next.

Thanks! 

 

28 minutes ago, Geschosskopf said:

If you say so.....

OK, that was hilarious!

I'll make you a deal. 
Right now I'm seriously toying with the idea of having the Grand Kerbal make an appearance a few chapters down the road.

I haven't made up my mind yet, but if she does... I promise I will remember this video!  

Edited August 7, 2016 by Just Jim

[SpaceplaneAddict]

Much cliff
Such hanger
Very sad...

 

[kookoo_gr]

All i can think of right now is the theme song from the movie "Men in Green"

 

Here come the men in green.......

 

Anyway great chapter and i can't wait for the next one.

[Geschosskopf]

8 hours ago, Just Jim said:

I'll make you a deal. 
Right now I'm seriously toying with the idea of having the Grand Kerbal make an appearance a few chapters down the road.

I haven't made up my mind yet, but if she does... I promise I will remember this video!  

Hehehe, I was just pointing out it's hard to change the habits of a lifetime with a mere change in job title.

Given all the Cthulhuoid stuff going on here, it wouldn't surprise me at all if your Grand Kerbal turned out to be an undead soul-eating vampire like in Warhammer 40K.  In which case, I'd rather not meet her 

 

Edited August 7, 2016 by Geschosskopf

[Just Jim]

39 minutes ago, Geschosskopf said:

Hehehe, I was just pointing out it's hard to change the habits of a lifetime with a mere change in job title.

Oh, I hear ya!  I was just thinking how much fun I could have with something like Kuzz and Geo trying to attend a royal banquet... especially if old habits die hard....  It practically writes itself...  hahahahahaha 

 

42 minutes ago, Geschosskopf said:

Given all the Cthulhuoid stuff going on here, it wouldn't surprise me at all if your Grand Kerbal turned out to be an undead soul-eating vampire like in Warhammer 40K.  In which case, I'd rather not meet her 

I can't deny it's tempting...  ...  but it won't work if the Grand Kerbal is a 50 foot Cthulhuian. 

You do bring up a good point, however.  At first there was just supposed to be a passing comment about her here and there... but now I'm about 90% sure we'll meet the Grand Kerbal fairly soon, so I need to start seriously thinking about her.  There is so much fun you can have with royalty.  I need to start considering her personality all that and how to best weave it into the story.

[Just Jim]

17 hours ago, kookoo_gr said:

All i can think of right now is the theme song from the movie "Men in Green"

 

Here come the men in green.......

 

Anyway great chapter and i can't wait for the next one.

Men in Green?  I don't know that one.

Is that real,or a parody of Men in Black?

Edited August 8, 2016 by Just Jim

[kookoo_gr]

it's made up title for the ksp universe, just like many usually replace c with k

[Geschosskopf]

13 hours ago, Just Jim said:

I can't deny it's tempting...  ...  but it won't work if the Grand Kerbal is a 50 foot Cthulhuian. 

Naw, the human emperor in WH40K was just a superhuman originally, and is now the charred remains of a superhuman held together by arcane technology, sheer willpower, and a constant diet of the souls of psychics.  This abomination is accepted, even worshipped, because its god-like mental powers protect the rest of humanity.

 

Edited August 8, 2016 by Geschosskopf

[Draconiator]

hmmmm, this is getting more interesting with every new chapter...I THINK I can say with certainty now those Zombie Kerbals (WHO WANT TO EAT YA BWAAAAAAINS) are Bruberry and Thompington, taken over by something...unspeakable.  Emiko somehow managed to not be taken over, and that is why she is "alive".

Oh, and 3-day-old Kerbal already wearing a spacesuit!  They started 'em young back then!

[0111narwhalz]

3 minutes ago, Draconiator said:

Oh, and 3-day-old Kerbal already wearing a spacesuit!  They started 'em young back then!

If you're gonna drop him on the doorstep, might as well give him a fighting chance against the elements too.

[Just Jim]

12 minutes ago, Draconiator said:

hmmmm, this is getting more interesting with every new chapter...I THINK I can say with certainty now those Zombie Kerbals (WHO WANT TO EAT YA BWAAAAAAINS) are Bruberry and Thompington, taken over by something...unspeakable.  Emiko somehow managed to not be taken over, and that is why she is "alive".

Good observation. 
And yes, while Emiko may have taken some incomplete notes and sketches, she never actually looked inside the book itself....

 

17 minutes ago, Draconiator said:

Oh, and 3-day-old Kerbal already wearing a spacesuit!  They started 'em young back then!

 

8 minutes ago, 0111narwhalz said:

If you're gonna drop him on the doorstep, might as well give him a fighting chance against the elements too.

Yeah.... I don't know why, and I'm not going to get into Kerbin biology, but for some reason they apparently like to wear spacesuits right from birth. 
I did the same when the twins were born.  They were only minutes old and wearing suits.

I'm not going to invent any new canon about it.... at least not yet... I'll just accept that they really, really like to wear spacesuits...

[Draconiator]

1 hour ago, Just Jim said:

 I'll just accept that they really, really like to wear spacesuits...

Like some kind of weird Kerbal fetish?  lol

[Just Jim]

21 minutes ago, Draconiator said:

Like some kind of weird Kerbal fetish?  lol

No, nothing like that... although it is kind of funny. 

However, by bringing it up, you've made me realize I opened up a can of worms and created a paradox:

Just how did everyone come to wear spacesuits all the time, especially years before Werhner and Emiko actually got into space itself???

I wasn't going to delve into it... but now I'm thinking I may have a way to weave this additional paradox into the story.... 

 

 

[Just Jim]

Oh wait..... yeah.... hehehehe..... This is good.... 
I have the answer to the spacesuit paradox.
And it's not just an answer, it's a bridge I still needed to work out..... bonus!!!    

So next chapter, amongst other things, I will answer the spacesuit paradox, and why they wear them from birth.  
I will also try and explain another little Kerban quirk as well... but I'm gonna leave that one as a surprise....  

 

Edited August 8, 2016 by Just Jim

[Kerbinchaser]

Yay! The first mod was introduced!

[Just Jim]

7 minutes ago, Lo Var Lachland said:

Yay! The first mod was introduced!

Yup, this chapter I added the Planetary Base Systems. 

I really like the look, and not just for bases, and I'd like to use it for upcoming stuff.