Discovery (Or, How Kerbals Became Space Travellers)

[NASAFanboy]

"05, 05, Beginning braking burn, Orbit over HG121C, ov-"

The AI on the probe shutdown abruptly, shutting down it's functions. But the burn kept going, sending the probe onto a suborbital trajectory. Somewhere, somewhere on an faraway planet, alarm bells rang, sentients made hurried messages, and mass panic arose among the investors of this scientific mission. But in space, it was just a quiet, dark void. The stars did'nt care. Nor did physics. As it neared the planet, the probe picked up speed. It's heatshield glowed with the heat of an star, it's engine shutting off, jettsioning it's fuel onto an interstellar escape velocity. The emergency functions on the probe activated, as it desperately tried to keep itself aloft. Then it impacted with the unforgiving sands of an desert, and acted no more.

Chapter I : Introduction

"I heard the goverment cut the funding on the sounding rockets again."

"Not again.."

"Exactly."

Jeb fiddled with a radio, listening to music that they played during the day.

"You know, if they don't keep the funding constant, we're gonna be stuck here forever. And I can't get my paycheck."

"It's already 8AM. You should get to the research center, you're the new guy after all."

"Oh ****"

Jeb got up, and ran to the closet.

"Wheres my ID, where is it? And clothes, clothes, WHY NOW?"

"Don't tell me you where half-naked again."

Bill sighed. My brother is never going to grow up

"See ya!"

Grabbing his suitcase and some papers, Jeb ran out the door, only to immediately trip on an untied shoelace, and landed flat on his face. Ouch.

Bill watched as he got up and ran to his car, and the screeching of brakes as it took off onto the main road.

"That wraps it up. Now...."

Turning around, he saw a bag marked "Jebz Lucnh". Not again..

Chapter II : New Job

"You hear that? An comet just crashed into the Kera Desert last night! Oh yes! And the agency is choosing a team to go and check it out!"

"It was a UFO!"

"It was the Mun!"

"It was a nuke!"

"IT WAS........I DON'T KNOW!"

"SHUT THE HELL UP AND LET ME FINISH!"

As the room quickly quieted down, Wernher Von Kerman resumed.

"And so, they've given me the task to select the team. Line up everyone!"

Everyone in the group lined up, and Wernher began to choose.

"Enee-neemee-miney-mo......Whats your name? The new Flight Engineer dude! What is it?"

"Jebediah"

"Your in!"

Jeb looked around the meeting room. Every Kerbal's eyes where affixed on him, waiting for his response. He gulped, then answered.

"Yessir. When do I depart?"

"Today."

"But I have to visit my sick old gr-"

"I don't care!"

Jeb sighed. Have it your way, old man..

"Bob!"

Another Kerbal looked up. He looked younger than Jeb, and more new to the group than anyone else, and more scared. So he's the new intern.

"You're with Jeb. I'll be monitoring your scientific investigation. I want all the details on this comet, right now! Or whatever it is.."

"A nuke!"

"A UFO"

"The Mun!"

"An I Don't Know!"

"Shut up!"

Wernher turned toward the two Kerbals, and then addressed them.

"Report to the Airport in two hours. I'll be waiting."

As the two Kerbals left the room, Wernher resumed looking at the plans of the new sounding rocket, in order to accomendate the budget cuts. An intern and a Sr. Flight Engineer. What a nice team they will make...

Chapter III : The Artifact

"Well?"

Jebediah stood at the edge of the crater, looking at the site that lay below. A mass of twisted steel, circular tanks, and several structures with strange markings lay in the crater below. Meanwhile, just beside him, Bill was...well....

"PRAISE THE SUN GOD!"

"Whats this?"

As Jeb headed into the valley below, he started to feel....a little uncanny about this place. The "comet" was symmetrical. It looked....artifical. Quickly dialing a number, he called Wernher Von Kerman.

"Um...."

"Not now!"

"It's about the comet."

"Tell me."

"It...looks...artifical."

"Aw man, not that crap again. I'll get an astronomer there later. Bye."

"Hello. Hello?"

This is going to be a long day

"Jeb, look!"

He turned around, and ran toward the direction Bob was pointing. A metal plate was there. And on it, was several strange symbols. He scanned the rest of the plate, and found only some more clues to it's existence. A diagram. Two figures, of creatures taller than Kerbals, and more robust in composition. A chart. A graph showing an solar system, and with the third, fourth, fifth, first, and sixth planets circled. Fifteen other same charts, with their locations marked onto the graph. The first system was circled. And there, near the third planet, was spelt the word, Earth, in an ancient alien language.

"Ummm...Wernher, Jeb calling. You aren't going to believe this."

"What?"

"There is a marking on the comet."

"Wait, what?"

"We can make out the message."

"What is it?"

"Earth"

Edited June 10, 2013 by NASAFanboy

[KSK]

As Jeb headed into the valley below, he started to feel....a little uncanny about this place.

Nicely done Nasafanboy! I'm especially liking the description of young Jeb - or at least he sounds young from your writing. Showing my age but he kinda reminds me of Bill or Ted from "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" - which to me is not a bad thing at all

[daveboy2000]

we want MOAR.

[Pachi3080]

it's just... awesome...

the probe that crashed on the desert... is some sort of voyager probe?

[DaserTheGamer]

Moar chapters!

[halocon720]

Is this story dead? It looks promising.