Close Encounters of the Kerbal Kind

The sunlight nearly blinded Bill as Kerbol crested the horizon and peered through the tiny capsule window.  He waited patiently, circling Kerbin every 30 or so minutes, to put his name down in Kerbal history. It had been just over a year since Stephen Kerman first developed his warp theory, and although the logic had been proven over again there was no way of applying it, until now.

“Come in, Explorer 1” A rough voice called, interrupting the absolute silence.

“This is Explorer 1, where are we with this thing? Are we staying or going” Bill called back with a tone of slight impatience.

“Explorer 1, we are ready to begin power up phase of Fusion Reactors 1 and 2.”

Immediately a slight hum rang through the capsule followed by short bursts of intense vibrations.  The reactors had powered up and were ready for flight.

“Explorer 1, we read the reactors are operating nominally, and suggest you take a practice run out to Duna before going any farther.”

“Roger that ground.”  And with that Bill pressed a small red button, seemingly inconspicuous to the other mass of buttons in the capsule, as the ships internal warp drive began to activate space and time itself began to bend and stretch until the space craft disappeared.

“Explorer 1…” The Call went unanswered; “Explorer 1” repeated the Capsule Communicator, but no answer came.

Initial reports suggested the craft never made it to Duna, and all assumed the worst, Bill was most likely dead somewhere between here and Duna, all due to a broken warp drive.  An atmosphere of sorrow permeated the mission control room.  Nobody knew or wanted to know the horrible fate Bill may have succumbed to.

At the moment of warp Bill was blinded and tossed about the confined cabin of the pod.  He heard a large boom and then another followed by multiple alarms and flashing lights.  The ship began to fall into a tumble.  Bill was allowed a brief look out his window were he did not see Duna, but what looked to be Kerbin, but something was wrong.

“Ground control this is Explorer 1, we have had major failures Fusion reactors 1 and 2 have been disabled” Bill cried out with shrill desperation.  A glance to his left at the radar indicated he was fast approaching the planet; he had no choice, but to perform an emergency landing.  With the flick of a single switch a chorus of mechanical noises filled the cabin followed shortly after by a loud “clunk!” and the separation of the capsule.  Shortly after he hit the upper atmosphere, red flames began to flicker and dance outside his window.  It wasn’t until he reached the real dense atmosphere when the craft began to glow a brilliant red, and then streaked through the air forming contrails.  As the activity began to die down slightly Bill reached out a pressed a small green button.  The capsule slowed slightly, but violently jerked side to side as the parachute that had been damaged during the failure of the fusion reactors broke roughly half the strings.  He was going to fast he surely wouldn’t make it.  The radar counted down: 500m…300m…200m…100m.  Bill clenched his hands together and uttered a short prayer as the capsule smashed into the ground.