RUNE: Okay, new people. This is for you.
Tulia made me sell the navigational computer
awhile back since we used to have the
sensor drone. I always said making it
pull double duty was dangerous.
So I'm going to have to go in
by sight and feel.
TULIA: You know I was trying
to avoid cutbacks. I had a big
crew to keep paid.
RUNE: All I'm saying is take it
nice and easy back there. Just relax and
strap in long before we touch down because
this one might get a little rough at the end.
The shuttle tremors.
RUNE: That friendly suggestion's
not so friendly anymore.
not so friendly anymore.
Everyone hang on!
TULIA: Mr. Starling, I'm not used to
Orelius being so excited to see me.
The surface is coming up a little fast.
RUNE: Trust me.
TULIA: Right. Not nearly as far
as I could throw you out in
that vacuum. Ease off a bit.
No reply.
TULIA: Ease off!
RUNE: I already did. Trajectory is off.
Gravity has us in a bad way. If I so much as
let go of these controls we'll miss the canyon.
You glad I told you?
VALORY: Not really.
RUNE: Tulia, I'm going to need you
to transfer breaking thrusters
to the vertical thrusters.
TULIA: What are you planning on breaking with?
RUNE: How does friction grab you?
Proximity alarm starts to sound.
RUNE: Look, you need to do it or
I won't be able to break out of this dive.
VALORY: Have you done this before?
Tulia seals off the cockpit.
The shuttle careens into traffic bound for the moon's canyon, but causes the other ships to scatter due to it plummeting too fast. The harsh sun light disappears over the canyon wall and the shuttle is doused in darkness.
Next, they drop below the flow of traffic and the shuttle's nose remains pointed directly at the ground. Tulia casts a sideways glance at Rune, but doesn't dare distract him from the crucial moment. Finally, he reaches up to rest his thumb against a button on the overhead control panel and just before the shadowy rock rises up to meet them he compresses.
The chin of the shuttle roars with fire
and leaving a trail of glowing hot rock
in its wake the shuttle levels out.
The thrusters shut off.
RUNE: B38 is an abandoned
landing strip, isn't it?
TULIA: (horrified) Only officially.
RUNE: Maybe ground control
should clear that runway for us.
TULIA: B38 landing strip, this is shuttle craft...
this is your black flight on approach.
We are lacking a navigational computer.
RUNE: (leans over) Because she sold it.
TULIA: And we have just
exhausted our breaking thrusters.
RUNE: (leans over) Because I had to over-correct
because I don't have a navigational computer.
TULIA: Please be advised you may
wish to evacuate the airfield.
Thank you.
Tulia presses back into her seat with a sigh.
RUNE: I think that sounded
very official. I'd believe you.
She scowls.
The shuttle emerges on the other side of the tunnel with a large open cavern before them, which is occupied by a tent city. The denizens look up in disbelief at their walled sky to hear the screeching whistle of the engines shutting down and smoke coming out of the back end of the craft.
They scream and scatter in an attempt to be clear of the impending crash. The only light that Rune has before him is the orange glow of the various lanterns throughout the extensive encampment. He pushes down on the control stick, not even sure that he is over the smooth surface of the runway, but absolutely certain that he can't maintain the altitude to fly over the village.
The shuttle dips, sparks and skips before crashing down to drag heavily across the surface with all the momentum of a freight train. They smash through the outlying tents, which splash across the cockpit windshield with the hapless clatter of support beams. All the while the ground tears up before them and finally mounds upon itself to bring the shuttle to a halt.
As the people slowly begin to gather, the aft end of the shuttle rises slightly beneath the steady cranking of a manual release for the shuttle's ramp. The ramp makes it down about half way before the shuttle occupants start to crawl out. The shuttle continues to have interior lights, which adds an alien glow to their intrusion, but outside there are only the orange lanterns that people are holding.
Most of the crew stand self-conscious of their surroundings within the trench created by the shuttle. Rune and Tulia are the last to emerge. Shaken, and scanning their surroundings, they both climb to the top of the rocky trench. Rune forces a smile on his face.
RUNE: Anyone want a ship?
Aaron bounds up the trench and seizes his shoulder. Just then the whole of the village is cast in dozens of spotlights from overhead. Aaron looks up into their spotlight with a knowing smile and casts a purposefully forced salute to the officer scowling from the cockpit of the hovercraft.
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