Fan Fiction - Kerbal Awakenings

[Fizzlebop Smith]

Kerbal: Awakenings - Prologue

[Darkness. An abyss of black fills the screen]

  Slowly, a dim, flickering light emerges, illuminating a cramped, cluttered series of underground tunnels. Cast off personal effects lie amidst centuries. Haphazard pules of debri chokes choke the narrow tunnels. A massive 10m Vault door of pitted plas-steel and ferro-crete slowly materializes from out of the gloom. A rusty sign swings precariously above and makes a grating squeal every back and forth motion. Garish neon letters sputtering erratically: "Welcome to The Great Burrow: Where Kerbalkind Keeps Burrowing!"

[A small box lying in the dust emits a series of chirps and a burst of Garbled static]



Narrator (Whimsical Voice-over):

  “Five hundred years ago, give or take a century, Kerbalkind made a teensy-weensy miscalculation. Something about a 'Great Blunder'— details are fuzzy, much like Uncle Merkel's mustachio. Anyhoo, to avoid a slow roast into krispy karbs, we did what any sensible species would do: dug some nice, cozy bunkers just in case things went Skerbal. With hopes of waiting out the deadly Ir-addy-at-ee-on hiding on the surface, we took the brightest minds of the day and went underground.

  Our story might have begun 500 years ago, but It takes place in the now with our Kourageous Klutz, Kizzy Kerbopolis."

[Scene Transition: The War Room]

   Kizzy Kerbopolis stands in the War Room, which looks more like a disorganized works shed filled with spare parts, broken gadgets, and time worn manuals. She’s joined by two fellow engineers: Sheelby Kuntz a veteran maintenance tech with mischeif twinkling in her eyes. Also present, is the industrious Luppo Jones, a highly intelligent but somewhat unlucky frogman.
   Luppo looks to the stressed out Kizzy and asks, "So, Kizzy, you ever wonder what really happened with 'Great Blunder'?"

  With an exasperated sigh Sheelby sets down the broken spanner and responds with a touch of impatience, "Oh, please, Lup'. Everyone knows it was THE Big experiment gone wrong. Too much science, not enough sense."

  Kizzy looks up from the flickering monitor, "Maybe... But what kind of experiment could send all of Kerbalkind scurrying underground for half a millennium? If we really were able to sail the stars, how come we cant keep the Burrow up in running?” Light sparkles off the tears welling in the corner of Kizzy's eye. “It seems like every week another system is going down.”
  Luppo sates with a smile, “ Just be glad you were born after the reactor event of the 450's”.

[Montage Sequence – Fade to Black]

Narrator takes over as the visual shifts to past events.

"Ah, the Great Blunder—a mystery wrapped in a riddle, coated with a thick layer of whoopsies. But let’s not forget, these Kerbals were once the pinnacle of technological achievement. They built wobbly rockets and reached for the stars.... oh, and on a regular occasion pressed the wrong button".
 

[Soot Coated Reactor Room]

   A group of Kerbal engineers stand proudly around a reactor, one of them holding a clipboard with complex calculations. Suddenly, a noticeably younger and more nervous nervous Kerbal trips over a cord. The reactor, accidentally being disconnected from the cooling system. The system sputters and glows ominously before before all the lights suddenly go out.
   The Intern groans sheepishly from their place on the floor, “I, uh... think I found the off switch. "

Narrator Voice-over:
   "Turns out, you really shouldn’t unplug the thing keeping the air recycle going. Power was restored to mamy important sections of the burrow, but still some areas remain down to this very day"

   

[Back in the present]

Kizzy glances at a dusty blueprint on the wall, showing sereral redlight blinking on the display for the oxygen generator. "Either of you two know whats up with the CO2 distributor? You think they intended for it to sound like Jimzee playing the Kazoo?” She asks with a note of concern.

Luppo shares a look with Sheelby before replying in hushed tones, “Last time that dang thing went down, we lost half the Krops.!”



[Dark Underground Chamber Filled with Plants]

   The scene shifts to a flashback. A confident Kerbal engineer named Klem Kermick, is busy tinkering with the CO2 distributor. Klem, known for his overly ambitious ‘enhancements,’ is convinced that he can make the distributor more ‘efficient.’ Klem fiddles with some wires, then proudly steps back to admire his work. "There we go, perfectly calibrated! The Krops are gonna thrive like never before!"
    As Klem turns to leave, Jimzee, comes strolling through while whistling a tune that eerily mimics the sound of his favorite instrument. Suddenly the CO2 distributor starts squeeling a warbled tune of its own, almost as if its trying to play a concert with Jimzee. The machine hiccups, burps, and then makes a loud PFFFFT noise. Klem freezes, realizing something has gone terribly wrong. Klem sputters, "Wait... that’s not supposed to happen."
   The distributor begins to overheat, with steam hissing out and red lights flashing all over the control panel. The screen shows the CO2 levels plummeting as the distributor shuts down completely. In the greenhouse, the Kerbals' precious crops start to wither.

**The scene shifts to the greenhouse, where a group of Kerbals frantically tries to save the Krops. One Kerbal pours water on a plant that promptly disintegrates into a puff of smoke**

Kerbal 1 (panicking): "Quick, someone do something!"

Kerbal 2 (holding a limp plant): "This one's gone flat as a pancake!"

Khaos ensues as the kerbals run around, trying various bizarre and ineffective methods to save the Krops. One kerbal uses a fan to blow air onto the plants, another attempts CPR on a particularly wilted carrot.

Narrator Voiceover:
"And that, folks, is how you turn a thriving greenhouse into a sad salad bar. Who knew that CO2 distributors were so finicky about kazoo music? 

  Over the years, mishap after mishap has reduced the functionality of the Grest Burrow. The Population today is 1/10 of those early days of operation. The Kerbals of the Burrow hold an emergency election and nominate Kizzy Kerbopolis as the Big Boss Kerbal."

---

[Grand Entrance of the Great Burrow]

   The entry chamber is abuzz with nervous energy as Kizzy prepares to leave. A small crowd of kerbals has gathered near the massive steel door labeled "Surface Access." The Kerbals are a mix of emotions—some excited, some worried, all curious. Sheelby and Luppo stand closest to Kizzy, who is tightening the straps on her slightly worn but colorful space suit.
Sheelby looks to Kizzy with clear concern on her face, "Are you sure about this, Kizzy? No one's been out there in... well, a very long time."

   Kizzy smiles a reassuring smile before speaking, "Someone's gotta do it, right? Besides, what's the worst that could happen?"

  She glances at the crowd continue to gather, trying to muster as much courage as she can. Some Kerbals exchange nervous glances, while others nod in support. One kerbal in the back mutters something about “crispy critters,” but is quickly shushed by the others.

Luppo approaches Kizzy with a serious look on his face, "Just remember to take a left at the cave-in Or was it a right? Eh, you'll figure it out. Just be safe"

Kizzy chuckles takes a deep breath and gives Luppo a hug before turning to face those gathering. She grunts, her hand on the turnbuckle unable to get it to budge. She pulls harder, her small body straining against the handle. With one last grunt of exertion and cheers form the crowd, Kizzy gets the huge tumblers on the door to start moving, "Come on, you big hunk of metal... work with me here!"  With a final groan, the door swings open, revealing a blinding light from outside. The Kerbals shield their eyes, squinting at the unknown beyond.

  There’s a moment of silence as Kizzy steps toward the open doorway. She pauses, turning back to the gathered Kerbals, her expression a mix of excitement and uncertainty, “Well, here goes nothing. See you on the other side!"
  With that, she steps through the doorway, disappearing into the bright light. The Kerbals watch in awe as the door begins to slowly creak closed behind her. Luppo scratches his head, a bemused grin on his face, "You think she'll be alright out there?"
  Sheelby sighs and then nods, "She's Kizzy. If anyone can make it, it's her."

   The massive door finally slams shut with a loud CLANG, leaving the Kerbals to ponder the unknown adventure that awaits their Kourageous Klutz beyond the safety of The Great Burrow.

  Join us Next Time as Kizzy Exits the Bunker in the area near the Kahara Desert. Will she discovered what happened to her ancestors? Will all the knowledge forgotten be rediscovered? Entering into the desert Kizzy polarizes the visor of her helmet, walking toward a landmark on the horizon. Slowly it reveals itself as a tower far off in the distance.

---

To be continued...

Kizzy, "Such an Empty place. Lets see what we can scavenge for the bunker"
 

Edited August 12, 2024 by Fizzlebop Smith