This new ocean (Chapter 11: The Curse lives on)

[Ho Lam Kerman]

This New Ocean is back! No images though. Sorry. If I don't need to actually do the missions on KSP then it'll be faster and I can start decimating my populace @Alpha 360,

Chapter 10: Homecoming

Wernher: "As much as we'd all like to see how deep this rabbit hole goes, we need you back on Kerbin, with the samples. Look, you're going on a Duna mission in 20 days. You need some rest before you're going back into space. We can send someone else to look at this anomaly. But we need you back on Kerbin, ASAP."

Jeb: "Aww come on! I swear I can find the bottom of this if you give me a few more days!"

Wernher: "Once we get the two-kerbal lander up and running you can explore this with Val."

Jeb: "Good point."

Everyone knows by now that Jeb has a crush on Val.

Minmus: "Might as well take some aerials of the anomaly location during ascent."

Jeb: "Okay, I buy it. I'm coming back next time. For Val."

Little does Jeb know Val's hearing this live from Mission Control. She stifles a giggle and blushes.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Back on board the Saturn V, Bill and Bob have a hundred and one questions for Jeb.

"What the actual hell did you see down there?!"

"Just a few cans of nuthin."

"Nothing?! It was on the front page! 'Mysterious tunnel found on Mun'! Lemme see the samples!"

"This isn't a lab. Contamination of samples is a real threat, and more importantly we don't know what this stuff can do. I had to handle this stuff with a hazmat suit. Those are at the base."

"You sound like Wernher."

"Um, thanks?"

"No, you seem quite different. Could it have been the tunnel, or... dare I say... the Kraken itself?"

"THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER... I mean, unfortunately, we cannot draw any conclusions at this point... I mean, I don't know what the hell this is..."

"Jeb, something's happened to you. In the tunnel. Wernher needs to know about this."

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Wernher: "You what, Jeb?"

Jeb: "My tone of voice changes quite rapidly, and I suspect it may be associated with exposure to the anomaly."

Wernher: "When did you first notice?"

Jeb: "Bill said I was talking a hell of a lot like you, and THEN I STARTED SPEAKING MONOTONOUSLY LIKE NOW and afterwards I realised that my tone of voice was changing extremely abruptly."

 Wernher: "What on Kerbin... no, what in This New Ocean could've possibly caused this?

[Alpha 360]

I will say that the fact Jebediah is different is a little on the nose.....but then again:

On 4/25/2019 at 1:00 PM, Ho Lam Kerman said:

"THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER... I mean, unfortunately, we cannot draw any conclusions at this point... I mean, I don't know what the hell this is..."

That is pretty funny,

Happy Explosions

Edited April 26, 2019 by Alpha 360

[fulgur]

On 4/25/2019 at 2:00 PM, Ho Lam Kerman said:

THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER

Isn't that an Isaac Asimov quote?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Question

[Ho Lam Kerman]

7 hours ago, fulgur said:

Isn't that an Isaac Asimov quote?

Yup, you've found it! That's one of my favourite short stories!

[Ho Lam Kerman]

Chapter 11: The Curse lives on

Late at night, Wernher and the team gather at the Mission Control to monitor the launch of the Falcon Heavy, carrying Husky, the manned rover to be sent to Duna for Val and Jeb. The three kerb crew, on the craft Beagle, are already on a trajectory for Mars, having been launched the other day.

Wernher: Alright team, we are GO for launch.

Jeb: THE CREW OF CM 107 (THE BEAGLE, KSA TRACKING NO. 1961-021A) would sooo love to watch the launch of this beautiful craft from the heavens above! Godspeed the Husky!

Minmus: Godspeed to Beagle too!

Jeb: Hey uh thanks man. Now back to working on my Line-of-sight Guidance Techniques for Manned Orbital Rendezvous.

 

Wernher: 10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... All engines running, and liftoff. Plus 1... plus 2... plus 3... plus 4... plus 5.

Minmus: Look at that thing go!

All the while, Jeb continued proofreading his work. 

"Oh, I don't really like how I phrased this sentence, I will have to pen this again."

Wernher: Side booster engine cutoff, and separation.

"Hey Val, do you like how I put this bit?"

"Certainly, Jeb. I love your writing."

She kissed him on the cheek.

Jeb blushed.

"I think I've made a spelling..."

Minmus: Error! Error! The center core crashed into the sea 293 meters away from the barge!

Jeb dropped his pen in shock.

"That can't be... the Center Core curse is real..."

 

Except he's in space.

He can't drop his pen in space.

And then, he wakes up, finding himself on his bed in the Astronaut Corps.

He's not in space. His launch is today.

He groggily rises from his bed, and heads to the canteen. He settles down next to Bill.

"My alarm clock didn't wake me up last night, and I couldn't see the launch of the Falcon Heavy. But I had this really weird dream where I dreamt that I was already in space, watching the launch, and then the center core crashed into the ocean 293 meters away from the barge."

Of course he would leave out the bit where Val kissed him. 

Now, it was Bill's turn to drop his fork.

"No way..."

"WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO SAY, KERBAL?"

"Last night, when the Falcon Heavy launched, I was there watching, and the Center Core actually did crash into the ocean, exactly 293 meters away..."

"So, the Curse of the Center Core, the stuff of legend, is true... and I... was part of it?"

"Apparently. Oh, and the Husky is now stranded in Low Earth Orbit."

"What's the status of my Duna mission then?"

"You're not going until they get that thing on a trajectory to Duna."

"Which means if we don't act fast the transfer window could be gone and I would need to wait another 2 years?"

"Yes. Which means that you're going to pilot a mission to get that doggy home. It's launching today. Better get ready. And don't forget to pack your toothbrush. Just ask Val what happens if you don't."

"Yeah, yeah, Vostok 6... I know..."

In the corner, Val giggled. 

"In fact, you'll have plenty of time to ask her. She's going on this mission, into This New Ocean, with you."

Edited June 27, 2019 by Ho Lam Kerman