The Saga of Emiko Station - Complete

[Just Jim]

Hmmmm.... decisions, decisions...
I should have another chapter or two finished later today or tomorrow, but I was lying in bed late last night thinking about stuff when it occurred to me I have a slightly different direction I can go from here and still maintain the overall plot.
Now I have to decide which is my best option for both the short and long term, and also the most "Kerbalish", so to speak... 

Edited January 12, 2016 by Just Jim

[GarrisonChisholm]

If you made every decision by what is Kerbalish though, every chapter would end with some Monty Python-esque, Rube Goldberg explosion.

Say...  

[Just Jim]

45 minutes ago, GarrisonChisholm said:

If you made every decision by what is Kerbalish though, every chapter would end with some Monty Python-esque, Rube Goldberg explosion.

Say...  

I hadn't thought of that...
However, I do like random explosions....   

Edited January 12, 2016 by Just Jim

[Just Jim]

1 hour ago, GarrisonChisholm said:

 every chapter would end with some Monty Python-esque....

Wait.... that's it!  Monty Python.....  Brave Sir Robin!!!!
Oh man, without realizing it, you've just given me the answer I was looking for..... 

[GarrisonChisholm]

"When danger reared its ugly head he bravely turned his tail & fled?"  o.0

 

Lol. Write on, good bard!!

[Just Jim]

1 hour ago, GarrisonChisholm said:

"When danger reared its ugly head he bravely turned his tail & fled?"  o.0

 

Lol. Write on, good bard!!

Exactly!!!!!! 
Well.... sort of.....
hehehehe

Edited January 12, 2016 by Just Jim

[Just Jim]

Chapter 21
The Zaltonic Space Center

 

 

Late into the night the Chariot team planned the last leg of their journey, but received a bit of a surprise the next morning when Kerenna walked back from Alpha-77. "It won't go."

"What?" everyone asked at once.

"It won't go with us. It refuses to go any nearer to the old space center. It says it's maker will de-activate it if it does. I.... I think it's scared."

"Scared?" Bill asked incredulously, but Bob just shook his head.

"I was afraid of something like this."

"You were?" Bill turned to Bob, "How could you know?"

"I didn't know, Bill, but I suspected. I don't know if it understands fear the way we do, but I got the feeling talking with it that it now has a sort of self-protection, or self-preservation, protocol in place. Earlier models have a built in self-destruct mechanism, in case of discovery. But this one's new programming has somehow overridden it. Fascinating."

Kerenna spoke up, "So what are we going to do now, we can't just leave it here."

"Why not just tell it to go back home, to KASA?" Val suggested.

"All by itself?" Kerenna protested.

"Hmmmm, Val may be right, Kerenna. It's been to the north pole and back on it's own, I think it will be able to fend for itself. If it won't come with us, do you think you can convince it to go to KASA?"

Kerenna frowned, but agreed, as did Alpha-77, and soon both vehicles were preparing to go their separate ways. As the chariot began to refuel, the crew watched in fascination when the saucer, with the grace of a ballerina, raised itself just high enough for it's support rover to maneuver under it, and in seconds they were docked and also refueling.
 

Once they were ready, Alpha-77 turned and nimbly drove off towards the northeast, and eventually KASA. Jeb wanted to radio and warn them, but they all knew they needed to keep strict radio silence. All they could do is hope for the best.

The last hundred kilometers were uneventful, and soon the crew spied the white mountain range it had been aiming for, and found a quiet place near the space center to wait until sunset.

Once it was dark, they crept close enough to spy down on the old facility.

At first they couldn't see anything, until Val spotted something moving.

"There, by the tracking station.... I see several of the drones. And one... no, I see both of the other saucers."

"I see no sign of the big ship, the launch pad is clear. But wait... there is something else.... down by the assembly building... what is that?"

Kerenna crawled outside next to Val.

"I have no idea what that is. I watched for three days, and none of the other vehicles went near it."

Val smiled grimly, "I want to know. Jeb, be ready to get out of here, I'm going down there."

"Valentina," Jeb said, concerned, "Be careful, please."

"I will, my friend, I will."

And without looking back, Val cautiously crept down the hill and towards the space center.

As she got close to the assembly building, and the strange object next to it, she was no less confused. Was it a ship? Or a structure? It was hard to tell.

It did have some sort of ports, but the shields were locked.

"There has to be some way inside this thing," she thought, walking around it. Then she spied a smaller access portal under one of the shielded ones. It would be a tight fit, but she had found a way inside.

Summoning all her courage, she slipped in the portal, and was amazed at what she found.

"What the...." she said quietly to herself, "This looks like one of the space station simulators back at KASA R&D. What is this, some sort of training facility?" 

She approached one of the ladders, hoping to see someone inside, finally see who or what was behind all of this. 

But as she peeked inside the port window, she let out a yelp of surprise and fell off the ladder.  Quickly she picked herself, reached down and grabbed the biggest rock she could see, climbed back up and began to pound furiously on the window!

Back on the hill the crew waited anxiously as minutes ticked slowly by, and agonizingly one hour slipped into the second. Then Kerenna, on top of the chariot, saw something coming up the hill... something running. And suddenly from the space center alarms began to ring out, and light came on around the buildings.

And to her utter amazement and shock, Kerenna saw Val, followed by...

"No... it couldn't be..." She gasped, "Jeb, fire up the engines.... NOW! Bob, Bill, get out here and help me. OMG, guys.... move!!!"

Behind Val, trying desperately to keep up, was Harflield and Jandolin!  Kerenna jumped down from the Chariot and ran to help as Harfield tried to hold onto Jandolin, who was clearly spent. 

Gasping for air, barely able to speak, Val climbed into the Chariot, and helped Harfield get Jandolin, now unconscious, strapped into a seat. "OK, we're secure, Jeb, get us out of here!"

"Where," Jeb asked, clearly shaken at what was happening.

"Anywhere, Jeb, anywhere... JUST RUN FOR IT!!!"
 

 

The Saga of Emiko Station is far, far from over.....

Go to Chapter 22
Return to Index

Edited December 7, 2019 by Just Jim

[Crystal_Mace]

Speaking of Pythonesque....please don't suffer a fatal heart attack while our heroes are running away, okay?  Even if you could be spared (you can't!), how would we ever find out what happens next? 

So if a rival program built the probes....do they know what they've created? Do they know that one of their people has an agenda of their own, assuming making Jandolin their queen isn't their WHOLE purpose?

Picturing what will happen when Alpha 77 arrives at KASA unannounced......this does not bode well....

 

Edited January 13, 2016 by Crystal_Mace

[GarrisonChisholm]

But, it could also be a moment for creative and high comedy - we'll have to see.

[Andem]

OMGOMGOMGOMGOGM MAK MOAR PLZ!!!!

Translation: Oh Holy Jesus I love this, would you kindly produce more  of these incredible short stories?

Edited January 13, 2016 by Andem

[Just Jim]

10 hours ago, Crystal_Mace said:

Speaking of Pythonesque....please don't suffer a fatal heart attack while our heroes are running away, okay?  Even if you could be spared (you can't!), how would we ever find out what happens next? 

So if a rival program built the probes....do they know what they've created? Do they know that one of their people has an agenda of their own, assuming making Jandolin their queen isn't their WHOLE purpose?

Picturing what will happen when Alpha 77 arrives at KASA unannounced......this does not bode well....

 

Hehehe..... All I'm gonna say is you'll get your answers in the next 4 chapters... 

10 hours ago, GarrisonChisholm said:

But, it could also be a moment for creative and high comedy - we'll have to see.

Possibly..... we'll see....... 

7 hours ago, Andem said:

OMGOMGOMGOMGOGM MAK MOAR PLZ!!!!

Translation: Oh Holy Jesus I love this, would you kindly produce more  of these incredible short stories?

Absolutely, and thank you!

[Just Jim]

Argggggg.... so much driving!!!  lol

Obviously from the ending of the last chapter, I have a lot of roving to do, so it's taking all day to get the screenshots I need.

Anyone have a spare super-computer I can borrow???  

[Just Jim]

Oh, I don't believe it... In about as perfect a spot as I could have asked for to take a screenshot, I just found a magic boulder floating maybe half a meter or so off the ground!!!  hehehe

Now I realize it isn't the real magic boulder, I'm not sure that exists anymore, and this is just probably just a game glitch, but who cares??
I am so exploiting it!!! 

Chapter 22 will be ready tomorrow.

[Just Jim]

Chapter 22
The Great Race

 

 

Long into the night Jeb pushed the Chariot, while Bob checked out Jandolin and Harfield, and Bill and Karenna rode topside. Not knowing what else to do, Jeb turned and headed south.

"Jeb," Kerenna asked, "Isn't home in the other direction?"

"Yup," Jeb answered, "And hopefully whoever that was back there is headed in the other direction as well."

"But then how are we supposed to get back?"

Jeb was silent a moment, then answered softly, "There's another way."

As the sun rose, Harfield woke, and told the others of their ordeal.

The rest of the crew sat in amazement.

"It had been days, and we were both beginning to suspect we weren't in orbit, but I have to admit, when Val smashed that window open, I thought my heart would stop. It was only then we knew the whole thing was a charade"

"I just want to go home," Jandolin said softly.

And so they continued south into the great desert, until Bill finally asked, "Just where are we headed?"

Jeb turned and looked back into the cabin, "Well, I figure by now our pursuers have decided we're headed back to KASA, and are most likely on their way there themselves. I chased one of those rovers on the Mun, remember? They're faster than we are. So I figure there's only one we have to get back to KASA before they do."

Val looked up with a vicious grin, "Go swimming?"

"Yes, Val, we go swimming."

"What?" Bill asked.

Kerenna looked over at Bill, "They're going to try and swim the Chariot across the western straits."

Deeper and deeper into the wilds they drove, and at one point even spotted a wild floating boulder! Naturally emitting gravioli particles caused these rare phenomenon to hover anywhere from a few centimeters to as much as a meter off the ground, but ones this big were rare indeed, and Bob was disappointed not be able to stop and study it. But time was of the essence, so he settled for a couple photos as they passed it.

As the day wore on, there was no sign of the saucers, and by evening they were fairly confident they had lost them. And as the sun set, Jeb stopped near a great bluff. "The only way we're going to be able to do this is with a full load of ore to convert to fuel, this looks like a decent spot to stop for the night and drill."

As night wore on, Bill watched over the drill process, and fit the Chariots outboard engines into place, while Jandolin and Harfield stood and watched the Mun.

"Better?" Harfield looked over and asked her.

"A little," Jandolin answered quietly, "Saucers and drones and all that... It's just all so weird."

Harfield turned to her, "Well, dear, it could be worse."

Jandolin turned to him, startled, "Oh? And how?"

Harfield giggled, "It could have been Scary-berry."

Jandolin stood silent for a second, then punched him in the arm and laughed, "Oh, you!"

Overhearing the two, Bill turned and asked, "What are you two laughing about?"

 

"Oh, there was this guy we used to work with that had the biggest crush on Jandolin. This was years ago. Crazy he was, completely nuts over saucers and visitors and such, so bad everyone at Zaltonic ended up calling him Scary-berry. Get this, he even claimed to have found a real saucer near the north pole... Bill, you look pale... Bill, are you alright?"

"Harfield," Bill said very quietly, "What was this guy's real name?"

Harfield looked confused. "Thompberry... why do you ask?"

Bill's face went pale lime green, "OMG... guys, we have to talk."

When dawn arrived the crew were ready to head out to the western straights, a narrow gap some 20 kilometers across, and the entrance to the great northern sea.

In the back, the crew filled Harfield and Jandolin in on what had transpired in their absence. And the more they heard, the more they became convinced Thompberry was behind all of this!  "He always talked of building a saucer army, but no-one took him seriously." 

Harfield told everyone, "I remember when he quit... he was furious that everyone had laughed at him."

"But why now?" Jandolin asked, "I thought we saw the last of him years ago."

"I bet I can guess," Val said, "You said he was obsessed with Jan, right? Well, when did this trouble begin to happen? Right after the two of you got married, with practically the whole world watching!"

"Of course...." Harfield whispered, "I never thought... it must have eaten him alive."

Within an hour or so, the Chariot had reached the straights, and carefully entered the water. No leaks apparent, Jeb throttled up the outboard engines, and slowly the Chariot began to move across the water.

Inside, the crew continued their discussion.

"One thing I don't get," Kerenna asked, "That thing in orbit, it must have taken years to build. How could he have known Har and Jan would be on Emiko Station?"

Bob thought a moment, "My guess is that ship wasn't meant to abduct them at all, but was really meant as a precaution in case Alpha-77, or the other two like it, tried to ever leave the planet. Yes, that fits...  Alpha-77 mentioned it couldn't leave, but it wasn't specific as to why. And consider this. Captain Piper was able to fool that ship with a simple paradox.... I'm guessing it wasn't even ready to launch, but your wedding forced his hand."

"And the tracking station?" Bill asked.

"That part is obvious, to blind us until it was too late."

Slowly the Chariot worked it's way across the straight.

Then Jeb spoke up, "Wait..... something still doesn't fit. If this Thompberry is responsible for all this, why would he come and help us build a temporary tracking station after blowing the other one up?"

Bill laughed sarcastically, "Help? Did you take a good look at that thing he built? I did, and let me tell you, it may be able to send a signal to our satellites, but truth be told, that contraption is just a giant bomb with an antenna waiting ... to....  to.... noooo.........."

The crew fell silent..... suddenly the last piece was in place... and they knew they had to get back as fast as they could!

"Bob," Bill asked softy, "I think we need to look at our scanner.... now!"

Topside, Bill examined the scanner Thompberry had installed, and sure enough, found a problem. "There... he's switched the red and green wires. If we had used this, it would have blown the entire system"

"So what now?" Bob asked nervously.

"We have to disconnect one of them.. but which one? The green and red one, or the red and green one?"

"We don't have time for this. Stand back," Bob said, and without a second hesitation pulled both wires!

The scanner began to rumble and shake, but to their relief, just powered down and closed.

By late afternoon they reached the other side. But the sun was low in the sky, and they knew time was short. Even driving thru the night they wouldn't arrive at the KASA until near sunrise the next morning.

Inside the chariot, everyone was now silent... what they feared was too terrible to discuss anymore, and silently each one of them prayed they were wrong. Then as the sun began to ever so slightly lighten the horizon, they saw the lights of KASA shining in the distance, and Jeb breathed a sigh of relief.

But as they got closer, his relief turned to terror as he saw a now familiar red glow... and he knew....

They had arrived too late.

 

 

The Saga of Emiko Station is far, far from over.....

Go to Chapter 23
Return to Index

Edited December 7, 2019 by Just Jim

[GarrisonChisholm]

I am so glad I can read this on my phone.

A+

[Just Jim]

22 minutes ago, GarrisonChisholm said:

I am so glad I can read this on my phone.

A+

thanks!

Edited January 15, 2016 by Just Jim

[Mister Dilsby]

Excellent work! The story is moving along nicely; the more you reveal, the more I want to know. AND, almost casually, you have a land/sea rover that looks capable of a full Elcano Challenge just for funsies. Well done!

[Crystal_Mace]

OMG!  The third shout out you said nobody ever got.....the Chariot....crossing the inland sea.....Lost in Space??  lol!   I think I was 8  years old when that first aired!  Reading about the filming of that series decades later and that episode in particular....the Chariot in the middle of a "storm at sea" with blinding rain, pounding waves, (special effects but still plenty miserable on the soundstage), June Lockhart, despite her wholesome star from 'Lassie' persona is reputed  to have yelled out in the midst of the shooting "All right, who do I have to sleep with to get OUT of this show??"  I had to see the rover crossing by water to make the connection!

So Thompberry is quite probably in league with or even the driving force behind the attack on KASA, on Karenna, on the crew of the Chariot and the abduction of Harfield and Jandolin?  Wow. I was liking him....and he's used the comm rig to somehow sieze control of KASA....but is Alpha-77 part of the plot or a wild card coming into play....?

[Just Jim]

11 hours ago, Kuzzter said:

Excellent work! The story is moving along nicely; the more you reveal, the more I want to know. AND, almost casually, you have a land/sea rover that looks capable of a full Elcano Challenge just for funsies. Well done!

thanks.... actually the crossing idea just came to me a few days ago, and I wasn't sure it would work or not.  Now I'm really inspired to try the Elcano challenge across Kerbin... lol....

31 minutes ago, Crystal_Mace said:

OMG!  The third shout out you said nobody ever got.....the Chariot....crossing the inland sea.....Lost in Space??  lol!   I think I was 8  years old when that first aired!  Reading about the filming of that series decades later and that episode in particular....the Chariot in the middle of a "storm at sea" with blinding rain, pounding waves, (special effects but still plenty miserable on the soundstage), June Lockhart, despite her wholesome star from 'Lassie' persona is reputed  to have yelled out in the midst of the shooting "All right, who do I have to sleep with to get OUT of this show??"  I had to see the rover crossing by water to make the connection!

So Thompberry is quite probably in league with or even the driving force behind the attack on KASA, on Karenna, on the crew of the Chariot and the abduction of Harfield and Jandolin?  Wow. I was liking him....and he's used the comm rig to somehow sieze control of KASA....but is Alpha-77 part of the plot or a wild card coming into play....?

Give the girls some rep!
Yes, that is where the name came from, and my shout-out to Lost In Space.
Now someone just needs to figure out where the name Emiko came from...  

As for the rest, I think you summed it up nicely.  The biggest mystery left at this point is Alpha-77 itself...  

Edited January 15, 2016 by Just Jim

[TopHeavy11]

I am shocked. This is more unexpected than Voyager being VGER in Star Trek 1. And yes, @Just Jim, I know you got lots of inspiration from Star Trek for this comic. Or should I say, Graphic Novel?

[Just Jim]

36 minutes ago, TopHeavy11 said:

I am shocked. This is more unexpected than Voyager being VGER in Star Trek 1. And yes, @Just Jim, I know you got lots of inspiration from Star Trek for this comic. Or should I say, Graphic Novel?

Oh wow.... seriously?  You're comparing me to a Star Trek movie?   OMG... I am so flattered....  thank you! 

And you're right, there is a lot of Star Trek in this, and a lot of Dr. Who, and anyone else I can think of for inspiration. 
I'm mostly trying to emulate people like Russell T. Davis and Stephen Moffett from Dr. Who. 
One of the things I both love and hate about Dr. Who is when a show is nearing the end, and you're starting to think everything is going to be OK. Then you realize, with some degree of dread, that there is still 5 minutes left in the show....   anyone who's seen The Angels take Manhattan or Journey's End knows exactly what I'm talking about...  there are times I really hate both Davies and Moffett..... and love them even more for making me hate them, if that makes any sense.

I promise I will do everything I can to try and be just like them.... hehehe.... I hope. 

 

Edited January 15, 2016 by Just Jim

[Just Jim]

OK, these next three chapters will be the finale of part 2. 
Don't worry, there's plenty more after...
But because it's all going to hit the fan at the same time... lol... I think I'm going to wait and post all three chapters at one time. 
I'll try and get it done sometime this weekend.

[Geschosskopf]

On ‎1‎/‎15‎/‎2016 at 7:41 PM, Just Jim said:

Chapter 22
The Great Race

Great Race?  Where is the Great Leslie when you need him?  The lights of KASA are definnitely the wrong color.

[Just Jim]

8 hours ago, Geschosskopf said:

Great Race?  Where is the Great Leslie when you need him?  The lights of KASA are definnitely the wrong color.

Hehehe...... I had forgotten that one!  I'll have to watch it now

Thanks for the chuckle!!! 

 

[TopHeavy11]

21 hours ago, Just Jim said:

Oh wow.... seriously?  You're comparing me to a Star Trek movie?   OMG... I am so flattered....  thank you! 

And you're right, there is a lot of Star Trek in this, and a lot of Dr. Who, and anyone else I can think of for inspiration. 
I'm mostly trying to emulate people like Russell T. Davis and Stephen Moffett from Dr. Who. 
One of the things I both love and hate about Dr. Who is when a show is nearing the end, and you're starting to think everything is going to be OK. Then you realize, with some degree of dread, that there is still 5 minutes left in the show....   anyone who's seen The Angels take Manhattan or Journey's End knows exactly what I'm talking about...  there are times I really hate both Davies and Moffett..... and love them even more for making me hate them, if that makes any sense.

I promise I will do everything I can to try and be just like them.... hehehe.... I hope. 

 

I'm eager to see where this goes. Thompberry. Yet another VGER moment for me!