The Bravest Kerbal

[Dizzle]

Jebediah Kerman is crazy. He'll do anything to complete his mission, and even go rogue just to make them even crazier. Bill is a professional, and will always get the job done. And Bob is... well, Bob. He didn't have Jeb's nerve, or Bill's brains. Really, the only thing that qualified him to be a Kerbonaut was his heart for the job. But he never went on a solo mission. He was too afraid.

In every mission, he would scream his lungs out until they were safely landed back home. Bill and Jeb never held it against him, and even did their best to comfort their friend at every step of the way. But after every mission, Bob could only feel shame for his behavior.

One by one, Bob's friends had become famous as pioneers. And Bob was just... the one that tagged along.

First Jebediah made the first ever Mun walk...

...and then Bill walked on Minmus.

Bob had been to both of these places himself, but only much later, in the company of his friends. He was never a pioneer, like them. When that unmanned probe discovered other planets beyond... he knew he had to prove himself.

The space center would be sending a single Kerbonaut to Duna. Bob begged be the one to go, and mission control reluctantly agreed. Finally the day came, and Bob's dreams were crushed: The craft he'd be piloting would not be a lander, but an orbiter. Bob went through the launch procedures, but he felt numb. Once again, Bob Kerman was part of a mission that no one would remember him for. After many months, he had achieved a low orbit around Duna.

After spending about a week in this position, he received a transmission from mission control.

"Bob, we don't know how to tell you this... it doesn't look like you'll have enough fuel to make it back. We're sorry, Bob."

Bob sank. He had lived a nobody, and now he was going to die a nobody. But then he had an idea. Maybe, just maybe...

Just then, he received another transmission from mission control.

"Bob, we've got great news! Using the information we're sending, we think you can make it back with a gravity assist from the Mun!"

Bob ignored them, and began burning retrograde.

"Bob, knock it off, you're going to need every drop of fuel to come home!"

Bob ignored them, and Bill and Jeb pushed the controller aside, grabbing his mic. Jeb's voice came over the speaker.

"Bob, you're gonna get yourself stuck up there and it's gonna be a while before we can come get you!"

Bob's ship entered Duna's atmosphere, and he began to slow his descent. Suddenly Bill realized what his friend was doing, and tried to protest.

"Bob..."

Bob waited for him to go on, and when no answer came, he switched the speaker off. He didn't need to hear this. He was only a few kilometers from Duna's surface now, and he was coming in far too fast. He throttled up, closed his eyes, and hoped for the best...

Bob Kerman: First Kerbal to walk on Duna.

We miss you, Bob.

Edited September 23, 2012 by Dizzle

[sneezedr424]

It's nice to see that Bob turned out in the end.

[_Aramchek_]

Bob was first to land anywhere on my game too, in .17 and on Duna too.