Curse of the Southern Munolith

[Alchemist]

Long time ago on a mun not too far away...

- MLX4-2 to KSC. Correction complete. Going straight to target area. Deorbit burn in 150 seconds.

- KSC to MLX. All readings nominal. Proceed with the mission. And Jeb, please, you know the profile: do not attempt landing inside.

- Roger that. Landing near the side. I'll go on the jetpack then.

Jebediah Kerman looked again at the map of Mun's southern polar area. According to the navigation the ship is currently right on this line passing directly through what's marked as the "mission area". Radar mapping showed 3 deep craters in the area, but that's not all - while passing directly over the place the satellite picked a strange signal most likely originating from one of the craters.

Jeb switched the navigation to surface mode and aligned the craft to retrograde marker, then he looked at the timer.

- MLX4-2 to KSC. Deorbiting in 10 seconds.

- KSC to MLX. Roger that. When you descend below the mountains we will lose direct contact. Switch the comms to relay mode - MapSat2 is approaching the polar area, we will maintain contact through it.

- Roger that... Ignition!.. Cut off! Trajectory nominal. Primary burn in 30 seconds 1500 m above site alpha.

- Be careful Jeb. And good luck.

- I don't need it, I have enough thrust! Switching comms to relay mode. Jeb out.

Jeb looked at the screen showing image from the camera facing down. Exactly as on the map: there's a flat spot near the first crater. But something is missing... "Oh yes, the landing legs!" - remembered Jeb and pressed the button. The numbers on the navigation were slowly approaching coordinates marked on the map...

- 3, 2, 1, ignition! Commencing primary burn. Going for landing site alpha.

- Be careful Jeb, there's not too much flat area.

- I have enough fuel to inspect all the region.

- Don't risk too much. If anything goes wrong just engage the return stage.

Precise landing required full concentration even from the experienced kerbanaut. Attitude and speed indicators, altimeter, image from the landing camera... Finally he reported:

- Radar altitude 50. Vertical speed -5. Horizontal speed 0. Landing spot clear.

- Roger that. You are clear to proceed, - the signal transmitted through the satellite had high noise, but Jeb didn't really need the response, he would never abort any doable landing.

- 15 meters... 10... 5. Engaging- Damn!

- KSC to MLX! KSC to MLX! Please respond!

- This is Jeb. I'm alright, just who calibrated the altimeter? The final burn was a bit too late and landing was rougher than planned.

- Glad to hear it. Please report craft status.

- Everything by the... Wait, what means 0 fuel for the engine?

- Malfunction? Abort the mission!

- Don't panic, I'll go check it. Jeb out.

Jebediah pressurized his EVA suit, depressurized the command pod and stepped out.

"Who needs ladders!" - though Jeb and just jumped out using his jetpack to land softly. He looked at the engine.

- KSC, this is Jeb. The damn thing fell off.

- This is an emergency, you may abort-

- I won't abort anything. If I can land closer to other craters I'll do it from here.

- You may broceed, but be carefull. And remember we will lose contact in 3 minutes, next satellite pass in 29 minutes, you are on your own until then.

- It will be done by then! Jeb out.

- Jeb, this is Bill. If nything goes wrong just report back.

- Don't worry bro. I'm not first time on the Mun!

Jeb walked 10 meters towards first crater. "Too boring," - thought he and engaged the jetpack. He flew over the side of the crater - it was pitch black inside.

- Engaging headlights and going in crater alpha, - reported he just before losing contact with the lander.

Almost vertical walls, great depth and no suitable spot for landing. And no signs of the anomaly. Nothing interesting in this crater, but still half of the jetpack left. So Jeb decided to go to the second crater - just over that ridge.

- Nothing in crater alpha, proceeding to crater beta, - reported Jeb as got brief contact with the lander. He knew that won't be transmitted until the satellite passes over here again, and by that time he will be back.

This one was larger than the first and at the bottom it separated in 2 parts: on one side there was a relatively flat area, the other half went even deeper. Suddenly Jebediah noticed a strange glimpse on the edge of deeper part. Shadow of the anomaly! it must be somewhere around!

Jeb was flying all around the deeper part of the crater, but couldn't spot the elusive object. He already knew that they sometimes hover above the surface, so it wouldn't surprise him if it was right in the middle, but it wasn't here... Suddenly, a signal flashed inside the helmet: "Fuel level critical".

Jeb engaged full throttle and flied up. But before he reached the edge the jetpack ran out of fuel. Jebediah bumped into the slope, but it was so steep he rolled down to the very bottom.

- MLX4-2 to KSC! Jebediah Kerman to mission control! Can anybody hear me? Requesting extraction from site beta.

He knew the signal won't reach the lander from here and he wouldn't contact the satellite even if it was right over here. And even if they sent rescue, nothing would be able to land just here...

"What a terrible fate - getting stuck in a crater where sun never shines," - he looked to the skies - "No, I won't stay here, I have to get out!"

Jeb found the only place he could climb and started climbing. After several infinitely long minutes he reached the flat part in the middle of the crater, but all attempts to get higher were useless. Finally he got terribly tired and decided to not waste any more resources. The suit has enough life support for several hours and that could be his last hope... If only he could call for help. Jeb switched off everything he could and just lied down on the ground looking into the the small piece sky that could be seen from here.

Jebediah Kerman was looking into the skies for hours. He didn't know how much time passed, but he started noticing the stars moving above the Mun. What a terrible fate, freezing to death in a place where the Sun never shines... Suddenly he saw a bright object moving in the sky.

"Falling star... Should I make a wish?... But there can't be meteors without an atmosphere!"

Jeb activated the communicator.

- ...approaching the target. Visual contact on MLX4-2. No signs of- Wait, I got a transponder! Jeb is that you? Jeb, this is Bill, please answer! Jeb!

- Bill? You came to rescue me?

- Jeb! Finally! I though I'll never find you! Locking navigation on you transponder! Are you alright?

- I'm fine, but I can't get out.

- Then I'm going in! Any place for landing?

- It's okay where I am, but there are terrible slopes all around. Too easy to crash into a wall or fall deeper...

- Hold on, I'm coming. KSC, this is MLX4-3. Location of Jebediah Kerman in crater beta confirmed. Going in.

- MLX, tis is KSC. Do not attempt landing! The area is not suitable!

- I won't let him die there! Going in! Bill Kerman out!

- Good luck Bill! And please be careful.

Jebediah looked at the light approaching the edge of the crater. That's true! That's a rocket engine! He was barely able to stand up and activate the headlights.

- Be careful Bill. Don't go below the edges until you are just above me.

- Roger that Jeb. I won't fail you. Visual contact confirmed!

The lander slowly hovered just above the edge. Then it stopped just above Jeb's head and started descending. The approaching lander, identical to his own, was fascinating.

"I have never seen a launch - I was always in the rocket. Now I got to see a landing, something these guys at KS will never see in person," thought Jeb.

Actively firing RCS thrusters, the lander was gently maneuvering and finally landed just 15 meters from Jeb. The hatch opened and Bill jumped out. He activated his jetpack and landed directly near Jeb. The two brothers hugged and just stood this way for several minutes. Then Bill helped Jeb to get in the cockpit.

- So what exactly were you searching for?

- An anomaly. Just like the last one. I know it should be right here.

- Is this thing worth your life?

- I didn't meant to die here. And I didn't.

- You *******!

- Let's try one more time! - said Jeb, disconnecting his now recharged suit from the pod's systems.

The two kerbanauts tried flying around the crater one more time, but nothing was found.

- Are you sure it even exists.

- I have seen its shadow right there.

- There's always the shadow from the cliffs!

- I know I saw it! Maybe it got misplaced, maybe it is underground...

- Jeb, please. Stop it. Let's just go home.

- Okay, we did everything to find the cursed thing. Let's go.

Finally they got back to the lander. But there was one more problem...

- So, what should we do? The craft cant bring both of us back.

- And now you start worrying about it?

- Didn't thought about it - was worrying about you too much.

- And these guys from KSC?

- When you didn't respond I just launched the rocket before they decided anything.

- That's my brother!

- So, you return and I stay?

- I don't need your lander, I have my own.

- But isn't in damaged?!

- The return stage is operational. Just let me recharge the jetpack.

- Maybe you should take this craft and I'll take that one?

- No, that craft is mine! - said Jeb and flew up.

- How will I know you got there safe?

- Just launch after 15 minutes and contact me then.

Bill's lander slowly ascended over the edges of the crater:

- Jeb! Are you OK?

- What are you doing? Just fly to orbit!

- And you?

- Igniting the return stage!

A set of microthrusters all around Jeb's pod activated and the next second separation charge throw the return vehicle up. Seeing that his brother is alright, Bill activated full throttle started ascent into obit.

- KSC to MLX4-3! KS to MLX4-3! Do you read? Do you read?

- This is MLX4-3. Mission successful.

- This is MLX4-2. We are going home.

Based on true events... I think it was 0.16

[DJEN]

Nice piece of writing! It's made even better by being based on a true event!

[Alchemist]

That mission was on my laptop with lowered terrain quality, that's why the anomaly was under ground. The only thing I found was it's shadow, because in the game the Sun does shine trough the terrain. And the broken engine - it just lagged 1 second before touchdown. But extracting Jeb from there was one of the coolest in-game stories I had.

That's not from from that mission, but here's a photo of Jeb, an MLX4 lander and a munolith (most likely the one near the equator).