Chapter 1.1
Kerbin
The story begins ...
Event at (0.10233, 285.43166, 46000)
Bound by (1000000, 1000)
map=KSCLow
parts=sensorCamera
It's a warm day on Kerbin. Noah Kerman, surrounded by the Kerbal Space Program's main facilities building, is not bothered by the temperature at this moment; he has a more urgent matter to attend to.  The space programme is only now starting to get the funding it needs, amidst a small crisis.  Jebediah Kermin, the now famous First-Chair of the space program, is missing.
"Yemit, get me another pilot, we have to replace the FC pilot for the next flight."  Yemit started with "but, but, ..." and then realised that what is more important, finding a replacement First-Chair, or that the icon of the space program, Jebidiah is missing. But, before Yemit can respond, Noah is off again.
"Trainees", Yemit starts with his speech to the trainee corps. The recruits stare at him, wide eyed. "I need a volunteer for a test flight up to 45km. I need someone to push the button on the new AX-35mm camera; do these things, and the others, not because it is easy, but because it is hard." Silence, then an erruption as every trainee in the room jumps up shouting "Me, me..!"
Remember to bring the 35 mm camera.
----
image=c01.01.png
"Alpha 1 to KSC, the craft is operational and all parameters are nominal."
"Rodger Alpha 1, telemetry confirmed you have passed 45k. Go for science tests at this point."
"Copy mark 45 reached. Go on science. Activating wide-field camera now..."
Followed a few moments later by "Wide-field set complete. Now falling back for re-entry, let's hope those chutes open this time".
<end>

Chapter 1.2.1
Kerbin
Mapping the Base: End of Airstrip
Event at (-0.04687, 285.51213, 0);
Bound by (15, 10)
map=KSC
All the science staff were gathered in the main presentation hall of the Science Facility. Wernher von Kerman was addressing the gathering. "Look at this photo, the fist high-altitude image ever taken by a Kerbal."  Dikabot Kerman echoed with "Marvellous!". Dikabot liked helping Wernher. Dikabot liked science.  Dikabot liked hard work. Dikabot liked ... though he does not want to admit it, reading books.
Wernher continues after a few moments of reflection and staring into the far beyond... "Hmmm, I believe we need to map the KSC's grounds to make sure we have the correct coordinate system for future flights. Dikabot, can you get a team together and get exact measurements on the following 4 points on this photo from Harop's first flight?"
Dikabot jumps to his feet; brightens even further. "Yessir, I always wanted to build a robot-car, that should get it done, and we will all marvel at the results. I will use some of Yemit's trainees for the mission."
----
image=c01-mapKSC.png
"Hmmmmm, listen Dikabot, I think you perhaps over-designed the robot-car...   I mean.. hmm, with a rocket engine?", Tomtop pointed out as they watched from the top of the VAB.  The trainees were taking the new robot-car though its field tests, now at the end of the runway about a kilometre north-east of the FAB. They could make out Yemit within the group, assisting his group of fine trainee Kerbalnauts.
"Nonsense, I thought you, as head of rocket assembly, would appreciate the need for a ground vehicle with some additional umph.  Besides, Tomtop, what can possibly go wrong?"
The trainees were now pointing the mapping-v in the direction of the launch pad, and beyond the radar-telescopes. After some time Tomtop said "I wanted to ask you about Jebediah..."
<end>

Chapter 1.2.2
Kerbin
Mapping the Base: Interplanetary communications Dishes
Event at (-0.13405, 285.39870, 0);
Bound by (15, 10)
map=KSC
"Just reached point 2." a trainee was yapping over the two-way radio.
"Marvelous, the mapping-v seems to be operating well." Dikabot returned. 
"Next we take a measurement at the radio-telescope farm." one of the trainees responded.
"Echo. Confirm"
----
image=c01-mapKSC.png
"Tomtop, do you know what is going on with Jeb? I have not seen him in a week, and he missed the 45km photo-shoot.", Dikabot asked while watching the trainees from their vantage point on top the VAB.
"I heard some rumours, but I suspect you have heard the same.  Something about an excursion to the Desert, or to the Badlands."
"Hmmm, yes, heard that one.  But I was under the impression that he is doing a reconaissance mission to the mountains, with only his Swiss knife."
Now Tomtop turned his attention to the radio "Behind the main debris-field I see a PB-NUK, get it isolated and contained, we can re-use it on the mapper-v Mk2."
<end>

Chapter 1.2.3
Kerbin
Mapping the Base: Observatory
Event at (-0.12240, 285.34488, 0);
Bound by (15, 10)
map=KSC
"All measurements done at the farm.  Wow, Dikabot this Mk2 mapper-v is awesome."
"Move to point 3: The optical telescope at the Observatory."
----
image=c01-mapKSC.png
Tomtop and Dikabot were in discussions over Jebidiah. The First-Chair, the symbolic reference name of the best pilot, the first-seat on the flight-deck of missions carrying Kermans.
"I was thinking", Dikabot was saying "that we somehow need better mechanisms to track Kerbols and spacecraft.  We need to map out the planet using the technology you used in the mapper-v."
Dikabot pondered this for a while, "Yes, that can be done, I will talk to von Kerbol, perhaps we can include mapping equipment in upcoming flights. But I think first we need more accurate global maps."
"Great, I will start on some rocket designs to help with the task." Tomtop started thinking about rockets and their design.  Clearly more advanced rocketry is needed for the task ahead, perhaps even proper staging.
<end>

Chapter 1.2.4
Kerbin
Mapping the Base: Mk1 Memorial
Event at (-0.09196, 285.37038, 0);
Bound by (15, 10)
map=KSC
"The measurements at the observatory is complete" said one of the trainees over the radio.
"Marvelous, now get the last measurement done. I think we are going to need this data for more important flights very soon."  Dikabot was no longer paying any attention to the mapping experiments.  He was thinking of Jeb, and ways to more accurately track spacecraft.
----
image=c01.01b.png
"The trainees did a good job, the results can be marvelled at at your leisure." Dikabot said at Wernher von Kerman, "We need these results to start building a better map of Kerbin, and beyond..."
"I concur" said Wernher von Kerman, "I think we can use this contract" pointing to a thick piece document on his desk "I have just the proposal for how to advance our knowledge of how we came to be on Kerbin..." and his voice trails off, as his thoughts have done as well. He was thinking of ways to extend the research effort so that they can construct a search-and-rescue mission for Jebediah.
<end>

Chapter 1.3
Kerbin
Iridium deposits
Event at (-2.00, -88.00, 0)
Bound by (25000, 1)
map=c01-Desert
After the successful first flights and mapping measurements, the science team got going on the analysis of the instrumental data from the flight.  
"Coordination between the various contracts is still something of a headache.", Noah was pointing out to the head of ground operations, showing him the very thick proposal out of the Science building. "Look at this one for example", and starts reading in a mock Wernher accent "...Kerbo-scientists have known for long that a layer of Iridium creates a boundary layer in the fossil records near KSC.  However, if they can confirm that this Iridium layer is present over the surface of Kirbin, in many locations, then that would strongly suggest that a huge asteroid impacted a few million years ago."
He continues "These scientists believe that a core sample from the desert on the western side of the sub-continent can be the key to testing this hypothesis."
Launch in a western direction, or use an aircraft, clear the mountains and land within 25km of the designated target area in the desert, right next to the sea. Use a hand-drill to get a core sample to help test the "Big-Kaboom Meteorite" hypothesis.  See the map for details. Also, take as many picture as possible for Dikabot and Wernher von K.
----
image=c01-Desert3.png
Dikabot and Tomtop met at there meeting-spot on top of the VAB, a few floors above Tomtop's office. "How did that science flight go?" Tompot wanted to know.
"Great, great we got the long-range images and the telemetry systems worked perfectly, and we found Iridium as well. The Iridium between the fossil-layers. I think von Kerman wants to make a public statement about it later."
"Digabot, I have a design that I think can work for orbital flight. I will include your latest mapping-p system into the design.  Once we have full orbital telemetry, the system should be calibrated for any position on Kerbal, as long as we have imaging information."
"Good news then, I have heard that Jeb may have been on a scouting mission in the mountains north of the great Desert, but, it seems that Noah and the top-brass will say something about that soon.."
<end>

Chapter 1.4.1
Kerbin
Impact Crator
Event at (8.23, 179.98, 95000)
Bound by (60000, 15000)
map=c01-BiomeEquator
parts=sensorCamera
"As most you may have heard by now, Jebediah, the current First-chair, has gone missing while on a scouting expedition in the Desert." Noah, head of KSC started.  This took everyone by surprise, the rumours were there, sure, but in the Desert! "We suspect the most likely location would be somewhere to the north of the desert.  Jebidiah is resourceful and would have gone for the closest patch of green, which would be north of the desert."
After a long silence he continues "We have an upcoming mission to verify the results from the Iridium mission, that is, that a large meteorite impacted on Kerbin a few million years ago.  The most likely candidate is this crater here." and he points to a fuzzy circle of islands with a central island in the middle of the circle.
"I have given instruction to Tomtop Kerman at the VAB to build a vehicle capable of orbital flight in the low-earth band. We plan to take high-resolution images of four areas: The impact crater, that is the first target, and what we get paid for. Then on to seeing if we can find the FC by taking images of the great desert, both the northern and southern regions, the KSC, and lastly the Badlands.  We think this can be achieved with a single flight."
Everyone was quiet as the meeting broke up, everyone was thinking of how a Kerbal could survive the desert. Perhaps there is hope, Jebediah had a knife with him...
----
image=c01-crater.png
"Yes sir, the preparations are going well" Tomtop was explaining to Noah. "I think we have a high probability to detect Jeb if he is visible in the flight path. After all, we are not flying all that high, and, I suspect Jeb will be making fires in the early evenings, so we should look for that in the thermal range, but also optical."
"Good, good." said Noah, "You may go, thank you Tomtop, good work. Now let's hope FC got out of the Desert intact. 
"Yessir, he does have his knife!"
<end>

Chapter 1.4.2
Kerbin
Low orbit image of KSC
Event at (-0.12240, 285.34488, 95000)
Bound by (40000, 15000)
map=c01-BiomeEquator
parts=sensorCamera
The images from the Impact crater were relayed to KSC. Digabot and Wernher stared at it. There have been maps drawn up of this area, with the small island.  Everyone knows that there were huge caves all around the peculiar rim of the mainland in this area.  Now, it all made sense to Wernher von Kerman, chief scientist at KSC. Those caves was a remnant of the Meteorite impact.  The crater they were now staring at on the image taken high above Kerbal was a testament to the impact. One could even see the central reflection point where the crust of Kerbal bounced back from the impact.
"I would say that if one looks at the rest of the rim of the crater, particularly the parts under water, we would find more caves, caves all around the rim, yes." Werner was thinking out loud.  But he knew that his student was paying attention.
"Do you want me to get the trainees working on a craft to investigate, perhaps also a buggy to explore the rim-island" Digabot was saying while pointing at the north-western island on the rim of the impact crater. 
"Perhaps." then after a while "perhaps we should be thinking of the Mun, the Math says Minmus is easier."
-----
image=c01-Anomaly.png
Noah was visiting the Science building.  He wanted to discuss the progress of the current mission set with Wernher.  He also wanted to make sure that his team was progressing on the technology needed to get a potential fix on Jebediah.  It has been a few weeks now since Jeb's disappearance, he had missed the rendezvous and no-one has heard of him since.
The best way forward was a three-pronged approach; Noah had the PowerPoint pack explaining the strategy and just lacked the audience.  Firstly, expand on current commercial contracts, which brings in money. Two: develop the tech to map the planet, expand the frequency ranges into infrared and beyond. Thirdly, use these first two to map the potential area where Jebediah could be, and with some luck, find him soon.
He was going through the speech in his mind when the image taken above Kerbal came in.  At first they thought it was a bit-error, but that was ruled. out. So, it had to be something on the ground. Perhaps scrap from one of the high-speed buggy he saw running up and down the runway a few days before.
<end>

Chapter 1.4.3
Kerbin
Object
Event at (0.10238, -74.56855, 0)
Bound by (20, 0)
map=c01-Anomaly-a
"Hi trainees, did you dispose of the mapper-v in the appropriate way?" Clearly Yemit was annoyed, the suggestion was made that perhaps the reflections seen on the image taken over KSC this morning was that of the crashed mapper-v.  He knew his trainees did a good job, but he had to check.
Harop was first to answer "No, all according to regulation." Then one of the other trainees said "What is at the shiny spot?"  This was indeed the question that no-one knew the answer to.
Yemit looked at the trainees, "we need to go and find out." glancing from Kerbal to Kerbal he said "Wernher asked that we investigate the reflection, maybe it's something interesting." Everyone was so busy with the current mission that this was left to the trainees.
"Harop, get a group together, assemble a vehicle and investigate the reflection."
-----
image=c01-Obelisk-a.png
Werner stared at the image.  "Has this image been shared with anyone, or have you spoken to anyone about it?". It felt like an interrogation, but this was the blunt manner of von Kerman when he was using all his faculties on a problem.
"Only Yemit and the trainee crew that discovered it. They thought it was a prank set up my myself of someone from the science team." 
"Digabot, why on Kerbal would they think...." he was thinking of something else already. "Digabot, I am going to get Noah, you go and find Tomtop and Yemit and meet us at the Strategies building, we need to strategize."
"Just make sure the Badlands mission is completed, it is very close to fligh-over; then join us."
<end>


Chapter 1.4.4
Kerbin
Low orbit image of Badlands
Event at (-14.00, 46.00, 95000)
Bound by (40000, 15000)
map=c01-BiomeEquator
parts=sensorCamera
Digabot was taking the opportunity to teach orbital mechanics to the trainees.  "As you can see, the Badlands are South of the orbital plane of the spacecraft." He pointed to the flight path of the spacecraft and the location of the Badlands. "So, what do you need to do to hit it?" he asked the trainees.
"Burn in a southern direction" someone was saying. "Yes, but WHERE? That is the question!" 
Since an orbit consists of 360 degrees, and a burn such as this would create a swivel-point for the orbit, swivelling it southwards, higher inclination. Therefore, the burn-point must be one quarter of the orbit before the point that you want to hit. 
"At 90 deg prior to the hit, that is where you want to burn" it was Harop.
----
The thing that Wernher did not say, that was hanging in the air and that was now fully occupying Digabot's thoughts, was that of the symbols.  The Obelisk had symbols on it. Symbols mean only one thing, a language. What language? How would one go about decoding and understanding this language?  
There were so many questions swimming in his mind.  He needed to think. But that will have to wait; he needed to get his friends Yemit and Tomtop and rush to the Strategies building to meet the top ranking officials of KSC.
image=c01-badlands.png
<end>

Chapter 1.5
Kerbin
The Code
Event at (-0.09208, 285.33859, 0)
Bound by (20, 0)
map=KSC

Noah opened the meeting "Do we know there these symbols come from?" Wernher responded that that it was not known, perhaps an ancient tribe, that he is working on the problem.  It was clearly a significant find. No point to rush this, it needed time for analysis.
"Good" Noah responeed "then we need to continue with the current main mission, to find Jebediah. What is the plan with that?"
Wernher responded "Next is a mission to map the planet, we have a contract to set up a polar-orbiting stanning satelite.  That would engable us to launch additional equipment and take high-resolution images of the Desert area."
----
Digabot met up with Wernher von Kerman as they exited the Administration and Strategies building on the KSC campus.  "Her von Kerman this is exciting times.  What do you make of the Marvelous Obelisk?"
As they reached the parking Wernher turned and said "It is a lot of symbols, clearly in repeating patterns. A primitive alphabet, perhaps from the stone-age.  I think the best approach, since the symbols repeat and are well, just symbols; is to translate them to easily readable symbols, such as using the alphabet"
This made sense, Digabot could see that it would be a good idea.  Wernher continued "Why don't you start by just substituting alphabet letters for the symbols, and then we see what we have"
Wernher hands Digabot the images from the obelisk showing the symbols.
image=c01-Obelisk-a.png
<end>

