DarkOwl57 Posted January 13, 2017 Author Share Posted January 13, 2017 Oh, also, I know that it's sort of soon to be thinking about the end (Book 1 ended after 25 chapters, Book 2 ended after 32), I am sort of nearing my projected end point of the story . It has been an amazing ride with you guys here, but, as the saying goes, All good things must (Eventually) come to an end. I've got (About) 5 or six more chapters thought about, but after that there's really not much left. I know I'm getting a *tad* ahead of myself here, but I just wanted to give you guys a heads-up. Chapter 19 Phased Out Time: 09:30 Hours, 3 Days later Location: KSC Jeb completed his 15th lap of his “Racetrack,” which went around the R&D, VAB, Spaceplane Hangar, and Astronaut complex, at breakneck speed. He had just finished welding together a “Formula Kart” Go-Kart, similar in shape to the Formula K race car. “THIS IS AMAZING!!” Jeb used the built-in radio to call in to Bob, who was also working on the kart. Together, they were going to start the “Kerbal Industries Race Team” and hopefully win some funds along the way. “Is the grip okay? We tuned it to maximum wheel settings, but we can still work the wings.” Bob looked over the data. Actually, he hadn’t put the grip all the way up, but if he had, Jeb probably would have killed himself in the corners. “Yeah, Grip’s good. When are we getting those RCS ports for the boost? I feel like that’s just killing our lap time,” Jeb went under the tunnel, and momentarily lost communication. “-like they’re arriving soon; Probably in a couple days time.” Jeb gave an audible groan. “Days?! They were supposed to get here last night!” Just relax, Jeb suddenly tried to control himself. The war’s hitting everyone hard; Just have some patience. “Well anyways, your speeds look good. Times are phenomenal through all sectors and you seem to have a good feel for the track; Come on in and we’ll work on the setup.” Jeb expertly maneuvered through the challenging course, and braked the car in the makeshift “Pit Stall”. “Jeb!” Gene walked over to him, before looking at the car. “Nice kart; You made it?” Jeb smiled “Yep. Finished her at 3 last night. So, what’s up?” Now Gene scuffed his boot on the concrete, and Jeb immediately knew something was wrong. “Gene,” He said in a warning tone. “What’s going on?” Gene looked up at the clouds, which were turning darker by the minute. “Interesting weather…” He trailed off, trying to brush off Jeb’s question like dirt off a shoe. “Gene Kerman you tell me right now what’s happening.” Jeb pointed a finger menacingly at him, trying to look like his parent. Even though Gene was about 30 years older than Jeb, they both treated each other as if they were born at the exact same time. “Well… There may have been a…” Gene carefully chose his words. “A what?” Jeb really wanted to get this over with before it started raining. “A.. A small, itsy-bitsy, tiny.. new ordinance passed by the heads at HQ.” Gene rushed out, looking very sad. “Which is?” Jeb asked before sudden realization dawned on his face. “No. There is NO WAY they are doing this.” Valentina suddenly walked up at that moment. “Doing what?” “We’re being fired.” Jeb said, furious at Gene for telling him this news. “No no no! Not fired. ‘Phased out’ is what they’re calling it.” “Which is another phrase for ‘You’re fired; Don’t let the door hit your butt on the way out.’” Jeb commented sourly, rage and fury growing. “Listen, my job’s on the line too, you know. Now I know you’ve done all you can; Heck, we all have. But sometimes you just have to move on.” “MOVE ON?! Gene, this is the only thing I’ve ever done! Even when we had no wars, I still worked in the AF some.” Jeb shouted at Gene, before getting shouted at. “OH, and you’re had it SO EASY, haven’t you? I USED TO HAVE A LIFE TOO, JEB! And I lost it all! Why? Because I love this center and everything it’s done for me and what I’ve done for it.” Gene was panting by the time he finished, stunning everyone that was in the group. No one had seen Gene this mad before; Not even the time Jeb accidentally burnt his favorite vest with a Roman Kandle display. “Sorry,” Gene finally caught his breath. “It’s okay. Listen, I’ll talk to HQ and see if we can’t stick around for a year or so; At least until we get everything in order. In the meantime, you are all on temporary Standby until further notice.” Gene walked away, leaving Jeb swirling in a cloud of worry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkOwl57 Posted January 23, 2017 Author Share Posted January 23, 2017 Nearing the end... I'm thinking that the last chapter will be in the 23-24 area; just finishing up 21 now. Enjoy! Chapter 20 TO SPACE!!!!! (Again) Time: 09:00 Hours, 3 Days later Location: KSC Jeb sipped on some coffee before rolling the new kart out of the trailer. After crashing into the R&D buildings, Jeb had to completely re-build it. But, this time there were 2 karts ready. “We ready dad?” Robert was bouncing in anticipation as Jeb lifted Roberts kart up. “Just give it some time; I have to make sure everything’s calibrated right.” He looked at the steering, checked the seatbelt, and even sat in the car to test suspension before he deemed it safe. “You’re not going to let him drive that thing, right?” Jeb turned to see Valentina with a surprised look on her face. “Of course! It’s 100%, without a doubt, safer than safe can be,” Jeb smiled. “I gave it the ‘Jebediah Kerman Tried and True Safety Inspection’.” “Okay, now I’m really nervous; move over I’m checking it.” Val got down and inspected the car herself, before even she had to admit, the car was squeaky clean. “So I can go now?” Robert sat in the seat, waiting to go. “Yup. Now remember, just get a feel for the track before you go all out. Go easy on the brakes and the throttle, but don’t go to slow. Oh, and-“ Jeb started, before Robert whipped down the visor on his small helmet, shooting off to begin the lap. Jeb rushed over to the “Start Line”; a crosswalk that no one really used. He had a camera set up to the front nose of the kart, so he could see everything that was going on. So far, Robert was excellent; Smoothly applying the brakes and powering out of the corners with ease. The car flew past the line, giving a almost silent zzeeeoommm! as it passed. “Hey there Jeb,” A voice said behind him. Jeb turned, and saw a couple of other pilots walking up, each of them pulling their own karts behind. I guess it’s race time, Jeb thought as they advanced. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Time: 10:00 Hours, 3 Days later Location: Gene’s Office, KSC Jeb sat in front of Gene’s desk, smiling as he remembered the racing that had taken place just a few days before. Robert had proceeded to thoroughly kick butt in the Juniors mini-race, while Jeb beat everyone in the main event by more than a second. I don’t thing they’ll ever get those skid marks out, Jeb thought as Gene walked in. “Morning Jeb,” Gene said as he sat down, placing a very official looking file on the desk. “So, you wanted to see me?” Jeb saw a corner of a paper that said “Nuclear weapons-“ Before Gene grabbed the entire stack and organized them. Shoot. “Yes, I did. I have a couple of very important topics to discuss with you. Do you want good news or great news first?” Gene looked at Jeb with one eyebrow raised. “Um.. Great news first,” Jeb said, anxious to know what this was all about. “Alrighty then. Great news is,” Gene grabbed the paper at the top of the stack, and handed it to Jeb. “We’ve been given 2 more years in the program. HQ faxed it in this morning; We’re staying!” Jeb almost kissed the paper, overjoyed that he would continue his flight career. “Now, the good-ish news,” Gene said as he grabbed the other paper. “Wait, you said good before, now it’s good-ish?” Jeb started to get a little worried. “Well, the continuation of your career was based off of a certain deal,” Gene pulled out a small packet, and gave it to Jeb. “You have to command the UKD Reliant into battle.” Jeb was confused, and looked at the packet. He saw what looked to be a battle-cruiser, and the top of the paper said “UKD Reliant Information”. “Very funny Gene,” Jeb laughed. “I never took you for a jokester!” Genes face remained serious, and Jeb’s smile quickly died. “You’re not serious?” Jeb looked thunderstruck before grabbing the packet and reading through it. “Listen, do you want to keep on flying? Because this is the only way.” Jeb nodded, not really paying attention as he flipped through the paper. So far, Jeb had learned that the ship, the Reliant had a capacity of 50 crew, top of the line defenses including Radar, missiles, and 360º swivel turrets, and a small cargo bay capable of no less than 10 nuclear ICBMs that were deployed from space. “You will be captain of the UKD Reliant, and your first-captain will be Admiral Alexis Kerman. You will undoubtedly meet the rest of your crew once on the ship, which is currently docked to the International Space Center,” Gene rattled off facts, as Jeb looked at the blueprints to the beauty. “You will go to the ISC via a 1-person pod, which will be drone controlled; We don’t want to worry about pilot error here.” Jeb looked at him in a mocking way. “Now Gene, that really, really hurt! When have I ever made an error?” “Let’s see… The time you almost clipped the tower with a wing, the time you overshot the VAB helipad on a VTOL exercise, the time you did clip the tower with your wing, the time-“ Gene counted the incidents off on his fingers, before Jeb cut him off. “Okay, okay. I get it. So when do I leave?” Gene looked at his watch. “In about 1 hour.” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Time: 10:10 Hours Location: KSC “Do you really have to go?” Val asked, tugging on Jeb's jacket. “Yes, according to those idiots at HQ whose worst injury has been a paper cut, I have to go and ‘Save the world once again,”” Jeb gave an exaggerated thumbs up, and grinned. “Okay, I guess that, for the time being, I’ll have to let you go,” Val laughed, before sitting down on a bench. “So when do you leave?” Jeb looked at his watch. “In about 45 minutes; Transfer window’s anywhere from 10:30 to 12, but Gene wants me in the middle of the window so I don’t overshoot or miss it,” Jeb looked at the rocket that was preparing for launch. “The thing’s not equipped for re-entry, so as soon as I’m off, the ISC’s dumping it.” “How are you going to get back?” Val asked, extremely concerned as to how Jeb would get back. “They’re going to send a CT-1 to pick me and the crew up. We’re not going to be put into combat; just patrolling the area to make sure no ships try to escape,” Jeb calmed Val, making her breathe a sigh of relief. “Jebediah Kerman to the launch-deck please. Jebediah Kerman, to the launch deck.” The PA system announced. “Whoops; Duty calls!” Jeb smiled as he gave Val a kiss. “I’ll be home before you know it!” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Time: 10:55 Hours Location: Launchpad Jeb breathed in and out as he prepared for launch. This was probably the most important mission of his life, and if there was a mistake, it would live in history forever. As he reluctantly turned on the radio, he heard a massive amount of chatter. “All systems are go for launch” “This is the ISC to KSC, we are in the transfer window; Please respond” “Hey, Jeb! You’ve got this man.” “Crew of the Reliant, we hear the captain’s preparing launch” “KSC to Carrier 1, come in Carrier 1” And so on so on. “Yeah, this is the Carrier,” The entire channel went quiet as Jeb spoke. “We read you, Carrier,” Gene said from the Mission Control room. As they went through the pre-flight checklist, Jeb’s watch went off. “Hey, Gene? It’s time.” “Alright; Countdown is at T-60,” Gene initiated the countdown, and the Launch Crews scurried back to the VAB to watch. “Hey, Jeb” Val’s voice said over the radio as the timer hit 50. “Hey there,” Jeb relaxed as he heard Val. “Make sure to save the world for me,” Val seemed on the verge of laughter and tears. “I’ll bring you back a nice chunk of enemy ship.” Jeb laughed as the engines began to warm up. “You do that.” Val laughed as the rocket released from the clamps. Jeb felt the G-forces thrust him against the seat, but he turned his head to look at the ground shrinking from view. He saw a sign on the ground, and smiled. See you soon, Jeb! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkOwl57 Posted January 23, 2017 Author Share Posted January 23, 2017 Chapter 21 The Last Battle Time: 11:15 Hours Location: ISC Jeb stepped out of the capsule, and saw a large group of kerbals (About 50 in total) saluting him. A young officer walked up to him, and saluted as well. “Second-Captain Alexis Kerman reporting.” “At ease,” Jeb said, saluting back. The entire room was silent, before Alexis whispered to Jeb, “They’re waiting for a speech.” Jeb mentally hit himself in the head. “I am General Jebediah Kerman, but you can just call me Jeb. Or Captain. Whatever you want, really; doesn’t matter much to me.” He began pacing, trying to look commanding. “While abroad my ship, you will maintain discipline at all times. The ship shall be well-maintained, clean, and organized, again, at all times. Failure to follow these guidelines will mean severe punishment. Am I clear?” “SIR YES SIR!” The crew shouted out, impressing Jeb. “Dismissed.” The crew slowly trickled out of the room, and Jeb followed them to the ship. As he looked out a bay window, he saw the Reliant hooked up to the station. The ship was beautiful, with the small size, but powerful weaponry. Jeb walked into the ship, and walked to the cockpit; Trying not to hide his amazement. He stepped into the cockpit, and sat down in the Captain’s Chair. Alexis soon followed, and showed him the controls. Just as they finished, a kerbal in an officers uniform walked into the cockpit. “You don’t have authorization to be in here, Major,” Alexis spat, clearly not a huge fan of him. “Well I think that’s up for the Captain to decide,” He said, throwing about as much menace as he could. “Hey, what’s going on here?” Jeb asked, trying to defuse the situation. “Major Colin Kerman, Head of Security and Weapons Systems, at your service,” The Major saluted, making Alexis roll her eyes. Jeb saluted back, and dismissed him. “What was that about?” Jeb asked after Colin had left. “Well, him and I had a minor um… Disagreement, I guess you could say, back on Kerbin before you came aboard. Really, our entire-“ Alexis started before a loud commotion sounded from the main hall. “Oh not again!” Alexis threw her hands up and walked out. Jeb followed her, and saw a couple of crew members fighting. “Hey, HEY! BREAK IT UP!” Alexis shouted, leaving no effect. Jeb jumped into the fight, and pried the two apart. “QUIT IT!” Jeb yelled at the two, who continued to make grabs at each other. “You, go.” Jeb pointed to the door, and one of them walked off. Jeb looked at one of the kerbals in the crowd, and said “Watch him,” Before turning to the rest of the crew. “What in the world is going on here?! I try to let you all do what you want and you go off and ruin it! Now I’m not going to have any problems here on my ship. Everything will be ship-shape as long as I’m Captain. Now, if you don’t want to be a part of this ship, I will let you leave now. But, if you fail to take this opportunity, and cause trouble, you can expect a court marshal the second we get back on solid ground.” Jeb stared at the crew, who didn’t say a word. “Dismissed.” The crew went off to their areas, and Jeb went back to the Bridge. This is going to be a loooonnnngggggg trip. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Time: 06:00 Hours, 4 Months later Location: In orbit of Eve Jeb woke up and looked out the main window at Eve. As he slowly got out of bed, Alexis knocked on his door. “Morning Captain!” She seemed extremely happy, considering that the Battle of Eve was about to start. “Mornin’” Jeb groaned before going out into the hallway. “You ready for the battle?” Alexis grinned. “Yeah; I’m feeling good about it. Colin’s saying that if needed, we may be moved up to the front lines.” Jeb shook his head. “No, I don’t think they’ll need us up there; They’ve got more than enough to deal with this kind of situation.” “Well either way, I’ll see you on deck after breakfast.” Alexis walked off, and Jeb went to the Command Deck. “Morning, Captain,” Colin said from behind Jeb. “Hey, Colin. Say, did you make sure the ship’s ready for combat? Tested the bay doors? Prepared the missile systems? Drilled the crew on basic emergency procedures?” Jeb grilled him before Colin smiled. “How’s your day? And yes, yes, yes, and yes.” Colin didn’t miss a beat, making Jeb give a light laugh. “Good. I want this place in ship-shape come battle time. Oh, and my day is going quite well,” Jeb continued walking to the deck, thinking If only that was true… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Time: 08:00 Hours Location: IBC Illustrious II “All pilots, prepare for the battle. All pilots, to your ships immediately. Good luck,” The call rang out through the Battle-Carrier, and the pilots feet thundered through the ship. The Captain, Frederick Kerman, looked out at the planes shooting out of the bay and joining the other fighters. The Battle of Eve had begun. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Time: 08:00 Hours Location: Ilandia Air Base, Eve “LAUNCH THE SHIPS!!!” Tacloi shouted through the intercom system. After all these failures-All these mistakes, those filthy Kerbals were invading. INVADING!!! As if they had the ability to! This land wasn’t another fringe nation that foolishly declared war; This was Eve; Land of deadly temperatures and death. The ships burst off into the sky, set on the mission of destroying the Kerbals once and for all. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Time: 08:05 Hours Location: UKD Reliant “The battle’s started, Captain,” The computer said as Jeb looked out at the massive groupings of ships. “Alright, Unit 4057,” Jeb replied. The radio crackled to life, and then a very familiar voice called out, “UNIT 0400 REPORTING!!!” “Four! Hey buddy, how’s it going?!” Jeb grinned and another voice filled the radio. “Hey there, Jeb,” Haydi’s voice said. “Hi there Haydi; How’s it going down there on Kerbin?” “Good; Valentina’s working on training some incompetent recruits, but Four and I have fun testing some new rover designs,” Haydi seemed really happy. “So how’s it going up in the great black yonder?” Jeb looked around as if surveying his surroundings. “Um… It’s big. And black. And empty…” “Oh you know what I mean,” Haydi chuckled. “Well, the battle looks like it’s going in our favor. But, and I’m going to quote an old politician here, ‘If we lose this war,’ or in this case, this battle, ‘then Kerblord have mercy on us.’” “I never took you for a reader,” Haydi laughed. “But in all seriousness, you’re right. If we lose this, we’ve got nothing defending Kerbin. If we lose and no one’s able to get back to the SOI in time, we’re doomed.” “Well then we’re just going to have to stop them before that happens, aren’t we?” Jeb asked before the ships computer said “Warning: Enemy ships approaching.” “Hold that thought; Enemies are coming. Say hi to everyone back home for me, okay?” Jeb asked, before cutting off communications. “Attention all crew, man your battle-stations. Enemies approaching at heading 138. I repeat, prepare for attack.” Jeb slapped down the intercom button and commanded the crew. Jeb looked at Alexis, who seemed extremely nervous. “Hey, it’s alright. This ship is just fine.” Jeb looked out the cockpit window and saw the enemies approaching. “We’ve got this.” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Time: 10:00 Hours, 5 Days later Location: UKD Reliant As the enemy ships rushed away, Jeb breathed a sigh of relief. The ship, which had been essentially under siege, had taken a lot of damage, but it was still running. “That’s it crew, it’s done.” The entire ship let out a collective cheer, and even Jeb smiled before slumping in his chair out of relief. “JEB! JEB! COME IN JEB!” Gene shouted over the radio, making Jeb jump a little bit. “Yeah? What’s going on?” Jeb asked. “THE WAR’S OVER!!! We just got the word from the UNK that the Evian council gave us a peace treaty, which we accepted.” Gene was jumping around for joy. “WHAT?!” Jeb almost hit his head on the ceiling as je jumped up as well. “We’ve won!!! We’re having a celebration as soon as you get back. KSC, out.” The radio clicked off and Jeb activated the intercom again. “Everyone, meet in the Main Hall in 5 minutes. Meet in the Main Hall in 5 minutes.” After the entire crew had gotten quiet, Jeb grinned. “Everyone, I just want to commend you for your astonishing work over these past few days. I have asked you to go 48 Hours without sleep, and you gave me 5 days. I asked you to prepare for battle, and you never faltered. I thank you for this, and now, I will tell you your reward for all of this.” Silence hung in the air, and Jeb continued. “The war. Is. OVER!!!” A massive cheer erupted like a tidal wave, and the entire crew started shouting and jumping for joy. “Wait a minute,” Jeb said to Alexis over the din. “Where’s Colin?” Alexis shrugged and joined in the festivities, while Jeb went looking through the ship. “Colin?” Jeb called out as he searched the barracks, the Cafeteria, and the hallways. He heard a light tapping noise as he entered the Weapons Bay storage. “Colin?” Jeb asked, but the tapping continued. Jeb walked around and saw Colin typing in something to the targeting computer. “Colin! What’re you doing here? Didn’t you hear the war’s off?” Jeb asked, and Colin stopped and turned around. “Hello, Jeb.” He immediately knew something was wrong just by the tone of voice. “What’s going on?” Jeb cautiously asked, as the computer flashed up coordinates. “Oh, you know. Just doing some clean-up,” Colin said wistfully and gave a not very nice looking smile. “Well why don’t you do that later? After all, everyone’s celebrating up on the Main Deck,” Jeb said, trying to learn what was happening. “Oh, I’ll do that later. After I finish my mission.” “Mission?” Now Jeb was really worried. “Yeah. Total extermination.” Uh oh… Jeb thought. “Uh. Extermination?” “Yes. Total, 100% Grade-A Extermination. These nuclear warheads have the capability to level everything within 50 miles of the blast. Now, to finish with this programming…” Colin trailed off and turned around to continue the typing. Jeb slowly walked towards him, and then lunged at Colin. “NO!” He shouted as the two crashed to the ground. As the two fought, the missiles silently released from their hold, and creeped out of the bay. As soon as they passed the main door, the missiles began their retrograde burn, aiming themselves straight towards the planets surface. Jeb got up, and looked out at the weapons slowly descending to the surface, and realized that for the first time in his life, the situation was out of his control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emperor of the Titan Squid Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 Uh Oh. Currently listening to the imperial march. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkOwl57 Posted January 23, 2017 Author Share Posted January 23, 2017 5 minutes ago, Emperor of the Titan Squid said: Uh Oh. Currently listening to the imperial march. OOOOhhhhhh Darth Kerbal... Hmm... I wonder if I can worm him into the finale... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0111narwhalz Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 Aaand... war no longer over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkOwl57 Posted January 24, 2017 Author Share Posted January 24, 2017 10 hours ago, 0111narwhalz said: Aaand... war no longer over. But pretty soon there's not going to be a race either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emperor of the Titan Squid Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 21 hours ago, DarkOwl57 said: OOOOhhhhhh Darth Kerbal... Hmm... I wonder if I can worm him into the finale... please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkOwl57 Posted January 24, 2017 Author Share Posted January 24, 2017 1 hour ago, Emperor of the Titan Squid said: please? I'll try Still gotta finish this and Civil War, but I'll try my hardest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkOwl57 Posted January 27, 2017 Author Share Posted January 27, 2017 This is it... The finale... It's been a long road, but as they say, 'All good things must come to an end'. I'd like to thank you all for joining me on this wild, hectic ride, and see you on the next story. As always, Enjoy the show. Chapter 22 Traitors, and the End Time: 10:10 Hours Location: Council Dome (Eve) The officials all grumbled as they left the dome, feeling like they had failed. At least they got to keep their land, some optimists said, but still, their mission to exterminate the Kerbals had failed. Just as they all prepared to leave, a loud siren screamed through the air. A massive nuclear missile came down from the sky, with smoke and fire trailing off of it. However, even though their world was practically ending, the entire surface was surprisingly calm; Almost as if the planet itself were trying to take in the events that were unfolding. The missile suddenly slowed, and the realization filtered into the Evian’s brains. A mass panic ensued, and there were bodies everywhere, running and yelling around as they attempted to run from the inevitable. But when the missile exploded, there was just silence, a bright light, and the end… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Time: 10:15 Hours Location: Bridge of the UKD Reliant Jeb slapped the control panel in frustration as he saw the nukes go off. No… He whispered before punching the panel again. Alexis came into the bridge and allowed Jeb to leave. Jeb almost stumbled back to his cabin, before he jolted up. He sprinted back to the bridge, and burst in as Alexis was frantically trying to explain why the entire surface of Eve had turned into a nuclear landscape. “COLIN!” Jeb shouted at Alexis, who almost hit the ceiling as she jumped up. “What?” She asked, breathing heavily. “Where’s Colin?” Jeb had a glint of fury in his eyes, determined to find this traitor. “I haven’t seen him. Have you checked the bay?” Without replying, Jeb took off, flinging himself down stairs and around corners in an attempt to get to him. “COLIN!!!” Jeb shouted as he skidded into the weapons bay. Jeb heard a light beeping, and looked at the computer. There was a note typed up on the screen, and Jeb began to read. Dear Jeb, I thank you for running off like that; It gave me plenty of time to fulfill the next part of my mission. Don’t look for me on the ship; You’ll just get tired and give up. Ever since the bombing of Penn City, I’ve been determined to exact my own… Oh, how do you say it… Personal revenge. I’m sorry that your friends on the surface had to go, but it’s the only way our galaxy can be truly peaceful. Oh, and don’t try to find me on Kerbin, or even in our solar system. I’ve made some discoveries that’ll keep me hidden for a long time. Thanks, Colin. Jeb grabbed the laptop and threw it to the ground, shattering it into millions of pieces and permanently removing the last standing possibility of Colin. This time, he trudged up the stairs, went into his room, and shut himself out to the rest of the world. Chapter 23 A Fond Farewell Time: 09:00 Hours, 5 Months later Location: ISC Jeb walked past the hundreds of clapping crew members saluting the now disembarked crew of the Reliant. While the entire crew was grinning, waving, signing autographs, etc, Jeb just stared straight forward and made his way to the docking bay. “What’s wrong with him?” He heard one ISC crew member ask in a hushed voice. Jeb whirled around to face the speaker, but Alexis cut in and said “None of your business.” The crew member immediately got quiet, and Jeb continued walking towards the bay. Over 5 transports would be used to ferry the crew of the Reliant back to the surface of Kerbin, where they would be given a great return party. Jeb had been selected for the first transport, along with the remainder of the head staff of the ship. Jeb walked over to Transport 1, and sat down in the first seat closest to the door. As the rest of the crew shuffled past, Jeb remained silent, slowly contemplating about what to do. He had a plan, that’s a fact, but he knew it would be risky… The ship undocked, and slowly puffed its way out of the bay. As soon as it was clear, the entire crew was slammed against their seats as the RAPIER engines turned on, making the plane de-orbit. Jeb breathed in as he looked at the sun just barely cresting over the horizon, showing a shimmering blue sea, the beautiful mountains, and rivers cutting their way through plains below. This is why I signed up, Jeb blissfully thought as the ship began to re-enter. This is what I live for. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Time: 09:30 Hours Location: Bay of Kerbin (20 km out from the KSC) As they finished with reentry, the pilot announced that due to a minor glitch in the system, the plane had overshot the runway by a few kilometers. The trip would only take a few extra minutes, and Jeb liked the opportunity to see the water as the craft flew above. The craft slowed down, and Jeb saw it as the plane flew; The KSC. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Time: 09:45 Location: KSC Jeb looked out the window and saw a massive crowd. The crew was smiling, waving to the crowds through the windows and enjoying their time in the spotlight. As the doors opened, there was almost a rush to get there first. Jeb stayed sitting down, and let them all go out. Then, he finally gave some calm breaths, blinked a few times, and finally stood up. He slowly got out of the plane, wiping a few tears off his face before turning towards the crowd. He gave them all a half-hearted smile, and moved into the cheering crowd for greetings, interviews, and autographs before sneaking off. Jeb went to his truck, and sat down for a few moments. He contemplated the events that had happened aboard the Reliant, and suddenly went ballistic. He punched the steering wheel of his truck, emitting a few 'beep's. As tears rolled down his face, Valentina walked into the parking lot. She walked over to the truck, got in, and gave Jeb a sympathetic look. "You tried. That's all that matters." Jeb replied, between tears, "They're all dead. All of them. Even the ones who didn't fight us." "I can't take this anymore." The statement hung in the air like glass, threatening to shatter at any moment. "What-" Val tried to ask before Jeb cut her off. "This. The wars, the conflicts, the fighting; All of it." Val seemed extremely confused, but just accepted it as they drove home. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Time: 07:00 Hours, The next morning Location: Jeb’s house; Riverside, NSK Val woke up early the next morning, still a little bit tired from the night before. As she was making the breakfast, she noticed that Jeb was not hime. As she searched through the house, she found a note on his desk. As she read it, her eyes grew in shock and fear. She bolted into her car; Not worrying about the seatbelt as she tore out of the driveway. When she arrived at the KSC, her worst fear was confirmed; A single-crew rocket capable of going anywhere in the system. She floored the accelerator, ramping onto the runway and forcing tarmac crews to scatter. I have to stop him … Gene sipped some coffee as he looked over the days agenda. Look important; Check. Write to no-one; Check. "Sir! There's an unauthorized rocket preparing for launch!" Gene's assistant burst into the room. "WHAT?!" Gene shouted before bolting for the Launchpad. … Val slid the car to a stop just in front of the VAB, sending up dust and tire smoke. She began to sprint towards the rocket, with Gene close in tow. Just as she arrived at the foot of the rocket, she noticed the engines were warming up. "NO!" Gene shouted as he pulled Valentina back. And he did it not a moment too soon, as the rockets blast suddenly erupted; Spewing out flame and smoke. The vessel released itself from the clamps, punching through the air like a torpedo. As the craft disappeared into the blue sky and beyond, Val cried into the grass, "Goodbye Jeb.. Goodbye." Epilogue Jeb’s Goodbye Time: 08:00 Hours Location: KSC Lounge Val sat in the lounge, still shocked and saddened at what had just happened. Both Bill and Bob sat with her, both of them also reeling. "What did the note say?" Bill asked, breaking the silence that was almost crushing. Val pulled out the note. Even though she had read it at least a hundred times, it still hurt as if she were reading it for the first. My Dearest Valentina, By the time you read this, I shall have left on my most important mission-As well as my last. As I told you last night, I can't take this any longer. I feel that with me gone, or at least out of the picture, the world can finally progress into a safer place. When I joined the Program, I had no expectations for the future. No goals, no hopes, no plans; Heck, I didn't even think I would pass the test to join! When I was drafted, I thought it was a wonderful honor; Serving my country and my people. But years and years of combat showed me what a living hell it really is. I want you to know this; Today was the last time you will ever see me, or hear from me, again. Maybe someday- When there are no more wars, no more conflict- I will allow myself to be found. But today is not that day. This week is not that week. This year is not that year. Don't look for me; It'll only end in more pain if you do. I am sorry about leaving this way, but I have no choice. I will love you forever, Valentina. Never forget that. Goodbye, Jeb Epilogue II Gene’s Story After Valentina finished reading the letter, the entire room sat in silence. Gene walked in, and said “That was amazing. Now, not to seem rude, but I need to talk to you all about something very important.” The entire room turned to him, and Gene cleared his throat. “As you know, I was able to negotiate a deal with HQ that kept you guys with a job. Now, with that term nearing its end, I have to inform you that you might want to start searching for another career. The KSC will offer to give you training options, but-“ Gene explained before Bill interrupted. “Wow. I can’t believe that I’m going to have to quit. Seems like there’s nothing for me to do! Ever since I joined, all I ever thought about was being an engineer…” “Same,” Bill nodded. “Science was just my thing as a kid. Gonna feel really weird when I go back to the outside world.” Val smiled and joined in the conversation. “Say, Gene. What really got you interested back when you joined?” Bill and Bob smiled and turned towards him. “Yes Gene, what’s your history?” They said, grinning from ear to ear. “Oh well it’s a long story,” Gene waved them off, before the two started chanting “Sto-ry! Sto-ry! Sto-ry!” “Oh lay off him, guys,” Val said sternly at the two. “If he doesn’t want to tell us, he doesn’t have to.” Gene looked at her. “Thank you!” “Probably a boring story anyways,” She took a sip out of her cup and sat back to watch the fireworks. “Oh, boring, is it? Well, I’ll tell you right now, it’s not. In fact, I’m going to tell it to you all right now, and you all are going to listen!” Bill and Bob put their chins in their hands, mockingly looking like little kids about to hear a bedtime story. Gene sat down at the table, and began to tell his story. “Let’s see… It was about 50 or so years ago, now…” And the story began from there… THE END Authors Note From your writer. (DUH!) Oh my gosh… It’s finally over. After about 3 months, a lot of freak-outs, many headaches, and 23 chapters (24 if you count the epilogue), the Battle of Kerbin is over. I want to thank you, each and every single person, who either read the story, or just decided to look at it for a joke. When I started this with the ‘Great War’ back on a super-old thread, it was a TOTAL flop. I finished the story, though, and I decided “You know what, screw it. Even if people don’t like it, WHO CARES?! I’m going to post this, and I’m going to do good!” And to my amazement, it did! And so, there I was, typing away my stories. Then it hit me: We need some interplanetary wars. And what better planet to wage war than Eve? The planet everyone hates oh so much? So, the story came to fruition; me typing and the internet viewing. And so here I am, in the year 2017, with 2 1/2 books to my name, and a few more planned for the future. I hope you’ll stick around with me some more; I’d really enjoy it. But, until we meet again, in Civil War, I would like to wish you all a good day, and a wonderful time. Thanks for the ride. DarkOwl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emperor of the Titan Squid Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 That was Great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkOwl57 Posted January 29, 2017 Author Share Posted January 29, 2017 8 minutes ago, Emperor of the Titan Squid said: That was Great! Why thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emperor of the Titan Squid Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 18 hours ago, DarkOwl57 said: Why thank you your welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkOwl57 Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 (edited) Alright everyone, so even though the story is now over, I have a little challenge for you all Your challenge is this: You must find a song that goes along with each chapter of the story. You can go in order, or just throw songs and chapters willy-nilly. Either way, I will listen to each song as I read the chapter, so make sure it's a good one I don't know when I'll stop the challenge; probably when all the chapters get filled up. Here's my personal list so far. Chapter 11: 7 Nation Army (The White Stripes) Chapter 13: Pirates of the Caribbean Theme Chapter 14: I'm So Sorry (Imagine Dragons (I think)) Chapter 18: Warriors (Also by Imagine Dragons) Chapter 23 & Epilogue: See You Again (I don't know the name of the singer; let me google it real quick) EDIT: Wiz Khalifa & Charlie Puth So that's my (short) list. Let me know what songs you think should be the unofficial soundtrack of the story; I would love your input. Edited January 31, 2017 by DarkOwl57 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emperor of the Titan Squid Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 Chapter 7: "March" from midway. Chapter 6: The Avengers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkOwl57 Posted February 5, 2017 Author Share Posted February 5, 2017 1 hour ago, Emperor of the Titan Squid said: Chapter 7: "March" from midway. Chapter 6: The Avengers. Thanks for the input; I've got to go to grandma's for lunch right now but as soon as I get back, I'll google the songs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkOwl57 Posted July 4, 2017 Author Share Posted July 4, 2017 Any mods around? I think it's that time again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanamonde Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 What time would that be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkOwl57 Posted July 4, 2017 Author Share Posted July 4, 2017 Just now, Vanamonde said: What time would that be? Closing time XD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XLjedi Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Time to do the thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanamonde Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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