Marooned on Giri Minor
When you get to the passenger cabin, you can see that Commander Andrade already has the situation well in hand. The passengers are fully aware of the situation because of the large viewports; the port hyperspace field generator with its gaping hole, and the spacewalk tether trailing in space with no spacewalkers attached to the end, are both plainly visible outside the ship. The ship is listing helplessly in space, and Giri Minor is getting closer and closer at an alarming rate. You'll be diving into the atmosphere in just minutes.
Andrade is the ranking officer on deck, and she has already gotten the other service members to help her reconfigure the seating into safety mode. Out of the middle of the floor, several rows of hidden seats are arising from their hidden compartments. Unlike the previous lounge-style furniture designed for comfort, these are rigidly planted and equipped with harnesses. If you're going to crash on a planet's surface, this is where you'd want to be.
She points to Yigaro and Easa, both of whom are watching the proceedings with grave concern. "Right now I think those two need your help more than anyone," she says.
Yiggy sees the orderly efforts of the adults and is trying to remain calm himself, but his sister senses the underlying fear felt by everyone, and she is losing her control. You do your best to reassure her, and take both their hands as you move them into the secure seating.
Siggo calls you on the comm. "Starman, how is the situation back there?"
You tell him that the passengers are secure.
"That's good, because I don't have much control of this thing right now." He starts humming, and you can picture his attention being diverted at the moment by something on his panel. "This ride is about to get real rocky, real soon."
And indeed he is correct. The ship pitches sharply starboard as it enters the atmosphere of Giri Minor, and the lights go dark as the main power cuts out. The auxiliary lighting is very dim by comparison.
Easa and Yiggy are both terrified to the point of being stiff and silent. Then, after what seems like a long time, Yigaro says, "We're going to die, aren't we?"
You hold them as close as the safety restraints allow. "No," you try and reassure. "Of course not. Captain Siggo is one of the best pilots in the fleet!"
"But we're crashing," the boy protests.
"Yes, but the captain will find someplace for us to land."
At that moment you hear Siggo on your comm unit again. "Starman, I hope things are going better for you than they are for me. I don't have much to work with up here; none of the thrusters are responding, and the aerodynamic controls alone won't be enough to save us.
"But I have some good news for you though," he says.
"Oh, the captain has some good news!" you say for the benefit of the two kids.
"Yeah, I think I found your abandoned colony," Siggo continues. "And it's located on a great big plain. And it's even within range! I can't make any promises, but I'm going to do everything I can to put us down there. Now here's the catch, and I'm going to tell you this now while there's still time: there probably won't be too much left of this ol' space bird when I'm done with her. Your best bet to find supplies and equipment will be that colony site."
"I understand," you say.
"Remember, our comm array was the first system that went dead on us. No one knows where we are. This is a deserted planet. Conditions are going to be harsh. I'll do what I can to keep the cabin intact, but it's going to be up to you to get those people to safety!"
Then Siggo goes into another one of his songs, leaving the comm open long enough for you to hear the first verse. It's a rousing love song, oddly cheery given the circumstances, but then he cuts the link.
All you hear now is the rattling of the hull, the rolling of some loose items across the floor, and a few nervous sounds from the other people in the cabin. Nobody says anything. The two siblings cling tightly to your left arm, the young girl leaning her head into your side. It is a tense moment for everybody.
Outside, the ship's heat shields glow brightly from the friction with the planet's atmosphere. It is nighttime on this side of Giri Minor, and the glare prevents you from seeing any landmarks below. But if there were anybody down on the surface, they'd be getting a good look at you, because the out-of-control transport vessel would be appearing as a bright streak across the night sky.
The glow of the heat shields slowly fade, suggesting the captain has found some way to control the ship's speed. But you are still shaking and pitching as the vessel is buffeted by crosswinds. You can make out shadows outside the viewport now, which you soon realize are mountains on the horizon. The ground is also visible, but that is not really a comforting sight as it inches closer, its various features whizzing past you.
Siggo has not said anything for what seems like a long time, and you know he is concentrating on the landing. But someone else behind you in the passenger cabin shouts out, "This is it!" And there is a terrible sound of grinding metal as the ship makes its first contact with the ground. You close your eyes and grasp the kids tightly. You lurch forward painfully, then starboard, and then you lose orientation. Somewhere up ahead you hear something shattering, and there is a brief flash of light that you can see even through your closed eyelids. The bitter smell of ozone fills the air.
Then the world stops moving. The ship has come to rest, but your eyes are still closed and your muscles are still tense. When you first open one eye and then shift the position of your right leg, it is an affirmation that you survived the landing. The ozone smell is concerning, though, because it means there is an electrical fire somewhere.
You let go of Yiggy and Easa, who sit motionless and unsure of what to think. You unfasten yourself, and then undo their restraints. You are aware of a sharp pain in your side, but that's not your primary concern right now. The transport ship is tilted slightly to the starboard side, and you notice that Dionysya Andrade and one of the other passengers are working on opening the hatch on that side. Protocol would be to perform an environmental scan first to ensure the conditions outside are habitable, but nothing works now and there is no time.
The hatch opens, and the people who are already on their feet are exiting the ship. You pick up both children and step down onto the dusty surface of Giri Minor.
Andrade is the ranking officer on deck, and she has already gotten the other service members to help her reconfigure the seating into safety mode. Out of the middle of the floor, several rows of hidden seats are arising from their hidden compartments. Unlike the previous lounge-style furniture designed for comfort, these are rigidly planted and equipped with harnesses. If you're going to crash on a planet's surface, this is where you'd want to be.
She points to Yigaro and Easa, both of whom are watching the proceedings with grave concern. "Right now I think those two need your help more than anyone," she says.
Yiggy sees the orderly efforts of the adults and is trying to remain calm himself, but his sister senses the underlying fear felt by everyone, and she is losing her control. You do your best to reassure her, and take both their hands as you move them into the secure seating.
Siggo calls you on the comm. "Starman, how is the situation back there?"
You tell him that the passengers are secure.
"That's good, because I don't have much control of this thing right now." He starts humming, and you can picture his attention being diverted at the moment by something on his panel. "This ride is about to get real rocky, real soon."
And indeed he is correct. The ship pitches sharply starboard as it enters the atmosphere of Giri Minor, and the lights go dark as the main power cuts out. The auxiliary lighting is very dim by comparison.
Easa and Yiggy are both terrified to the point of being stiff and silent. Then, after what seems like a long time, Yigaro says, "We're going to die, aren't we?"
You hold them as close as the safety restraints allow. "No," you try and reassure. "Of course not. Captain Siggo is one of the best pilots in the fleet!"
"But we're crashing," the boy protests.
"Yes, but the captain will find someplace for us to land."
At that moment you hear Siggo on your comm unit again. "Starman, I hope things are going better for you than they are for me. I don't have much to work with up here; none of the thrusters are responding, and the aerodynamic controls alone won't be enough to save us.
"But I have some good news for you though," he says.
"Oh, the captain has some good news!" you say for the benefit of the two kids.
"Yeah, I think I found your abandoned colony," Siggo continues. "And it's located on a great big plain. And it's even within range! I can't make any promises, but I'm going to do everything I can to put us down there. Now here's the catch, and I'm going to tell you this now while there's still time: there probably won't be too much left of this ol' space bird when I'm done with her. Your best bet to find supplies and equipment will be that colony site."
"I understand," you say.
"Remember, our comm array was the first system that went dead on us. No one knows where we are. This is a deserted planet. Conditions are going to be harsh. I'll do what I can to keep the cabin intact, but it's going to be up to you to get those people to safety!"
Then Siggo goes into another one of his songs, leaving the comm open long enough for you to hear the first verse. It's a rousing love song, oddly cheery given the circumstances, but then he cuts the link.
All you hear now is the rattling of the hull, the rolling of some loose items across the floor, and a few nervous sounds from the other people in the cabin. Nobody says anything. The two siblings cling tightly to your left arm, the young girl leaning her head into your side. It is a tense moment for everybody.
Outside, the ship's heat shields glow brightly from the friction with the planet's atmosphere. It is nighttime on this side of Giri Minor, and the glare prevents you from seeing any landmarks below. But if there were anybody down on the surface, they'd be getting a good look at you, because the out-of-control transport vessel would be appearing as a bright streak across the night sky.
The glow of the heat shields slowly fade, suggesting the captain has found some way to control the ship's speed. But you are still shaking and pitching as the vessel is buffeted by crosswinds. You can make out shadows outside the viewport now, which you soon realize are mountains on the horizon. The ground is also visible, but that is not really a comforting sight as it inches closer, its various features whizzing past you.
Siggo has not said anything for what seems like a long time, and you know he is concentrating on the landing. But someone else behind you in the passenger cabin shouts out, "This is it!" And there is a terrible sound of grinding metal as the ship makes its first contact with the ground. You close your eyes and grasp the kids tightly. You lurch forward painfully, then starboard, and then you lose orientation. Somewhere up ahead you hear something shattering, and there is a brief flash of light that you can see even through your closed eyelids. The bitter smell of ozone fills the air.
Then the world stops moving. The ship has come to rest, but your eyes are still closed and your muscles are still tense. When you first open one eye and then shift the position of your right leg, it is an affirmation that you survived the landing. The ozone smell is concerning, though, because it means there is an electrical fire somewhere.
You let go of Yiggy and Easa, who sit motionless and unsure of what to think. You unfasten yourself, and then undo their restraints. You are aware of a sharp pain in your side, but that's not your primary concern right now. The transport ship is tilted slightly to the starboard side, and you notice that Dionysya Andrade and one of the other passengers are working on opening the hatch on that side. Protocol would be to perform an environmental scan first to ensure the conditions outside are habitable, but nothing works now and there is no time.
The hatch opens, and the people who are already on their feet are exiting the ship. You pick up both children and step down onto the dusty surface of Giri Minor.