From Bug Zapper to Galactic Traveler: A Kerbal Story of Change

[RocketMan-Explorer]

Chapter 1

 

The Invention of Solid Fuel

 

Walter B. Kerman V was described as a madman, a Munatic, a genius, or anything in between, if you knew him personally. Fifth in a line of Kerbals bearing the proud name Walter B. Kerman, Walt the Fifth was the first to invent the solid fuel booster.

 

While working in a field for fly extermination, Walter found out that, by encapsulating a mix of “gray stuff” with more “gray stuff” in a barrel, he could light it and kill flies instantly by pointing the barrel at them. But it didn’t work out quite as expected, so he switched to barbecuing potatoes. The second he pointed the barrel at the raw potatoes… voila! Instant fries… or so he thought. Ashes and smoke was what he really recieved, instead of perfectly golden french fries. Well, a Kerbal can dream, right?

 

One day, Walter was on his 74th attempt (!!) to instantly cook fries when the bottom of the barrel exploded, blasting Walter with a plume of superheated gas. The barrel smacked into him, flew out of his garage, smashed through the garage door, pinwheeled wildly - and crashed through his upstairs window.

 

Walter, immediately getting hit by inspiration (no pun intended), ordered five more and started to sell the “Grey Stuff” barrels (no name had been picked out for them yet), when they got a complaint from a Kerbal who was feeding her pink slime. She had bought one… 

 

“It just gave me fleas! Your barrel just gave me fleas from my pink slime!”

 

Fleas! Perfect! What a good name!  Walter thought. And so, without hesitation, he immediately ordered enough Flea barrels to go to the Mun and back.

 

“Er… excuse me, sir…” one of Walter’s interns said, looking into his office. “Exactly what do you plan to do with all these Fleas?”

 

“What a silly question!” Walter said. “We’re going to space!”

 

To be continued…

Edited May 9, 2017 by RocketMan-Explorer
:)