Them (Chapter 1: That's No Asteroid)

[HCB-11]

Chapter 1

That's No Asteroid

It was a sunny morning at the Kerbal Space Center. The birds were chirping and skies were clear. Just a normal morning. 

Mission Control is full of activity because there is a interplanetary mothership in LKO and it's about to depart for Duna. This seems like a normal mission. But it's about to be cut short. 

The Tracking Station is currently tracking the mothership but something massive was detected entering Kerbin's SOI. There hasn't been an interplanetary mission in 2 years. What is it?

The object appears to be perfectly radio silent and appears to be an asteroid. But much more larger than even the largest asteroid ever detected. And it's orbit appear to be changing. 

The object later entered HKO using an unknown form of propulsion. It later performed several Hohmann Transfers and settled into the same orbit as the mothership. Mission Control started to get worried.

Meanwhile, the news sent a shockwave throughout the planet. We were not alone this entire time.

The object in question was discovered to be Gilly. It was no asteroid all along. Who could have guessed? It has moved from Eve orbit to Kerbin orbit using a form of propulsion that is yet to be invented.

In the KSC, scientists propose that Gilly was an alien interstellar probe disguised as an asteroid that arrived here around 4 billion years ago. The same time as the solar system formed.

The interplanetary mission was later postponed and the Kerbin Space Agency begin planning for a mission to the now relocated Gilly. A mission to Gilly has never been this easy.

2 months after Gilly arrived the Kerbal X rocket was ready for liftoff and the crew was ready. Now it's time for the preperation.

The Kerbal X was delivered onto the KSC's Launchpad by rocket crawler. The crew later entered it through the Launch Tower. Final checks are made and the mission is ready for liftoff.

"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, Ignition started, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and liftoff! We have liftoff!"

The spectator crowd cheered as the crew venture to orbit to discover the ancient secrets of Gilly and eventually discover we were not alone.

The crew capsule entered LKO and eventually the crew begin plotting for a rendezvous with Gilly. Some delta-v required.

After some time the crew module successfully rendezvoused with Gilly and entered orbit around it. The craft decelerated from orbit into a collision course with the surface. 

Using it's thruster, it softly landed on the surface. A crew member looked outside through the window and saw the beautiful blue marble Kerbin, hanging in the sky, shining brighter than the full Mun.

The crew went outside for EVA, and saw the desolate landscape. There's barely any gravity here so the crew used their jetpacks. 

In a deep valley, they saw sharp spikes poking out of the ground made out of some unknown material of biological origin and it's glowing white.

"What on kerbin is that?"

"Is it the aliens? Maybe we should have listened to the conspiracy folks."

"These aliens don't look like the black aliens they imagined. Instead it's whatever that thing is."

"Can you guys shut up for a moment? We're professionals here. Let's sample it for kerbin's sake."

Eventually they did. They decided to put it into a spare, empty mystery goo container. They described the biological material as "Similar to mystery goo but it's glowing white, possibly bioluminescence."

They named it the "Gilly Goo" i suppose that they have no other options other than that.

After they sampled the spikes. They lifted off into orbit once again. Then performed another burn to escape Gilly's minuscule SOI. They returned once again to Kerbin orbit. Lastly they perfomed a final burn to deorbit the spacecraft and reentry.

As the fires of reentry burned the ablator and the G forces buckled the capsule. They have returned to Kerbin's safety. They splashed down into the ocean. 

They turned the sample to the R&D. We got our first look at alien life. Although it was risky considering possible contamination to the enviroment or by us.

 

We call a moist speck called Kerbin our home. We once remained ignorant of the vast universe that lies above the skies. If we don't go above the sky, then the sky shall come to us.

 

(Chapter 2 is in WIP.)