by Nate Johnson
“The Intrepid is gone,” he said and could feel the spike to his heart, how could that be true?
Raising his voice, to make sure he was heard in the back, he continued, “The tanks have been punctured, and we lost most of the fuel. I’ve got to put it down while we still have a little left. The computer assist is out, and a couple of other things aren’t working like they’re supposed to.”
He paused to let them absorb what he was saying. They looked like a bunch of lost kittens, mouths agape and eyes wide open.
“I need you guys to pull your straps tight and hold on, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”
“We can’t land, we haven’t selected a site yet,” someone from the back said.
“We don’t have a choice. If I don’t do it now, we won’t have enough fuel to leave orbit,” he let that sink in a little, then raised his eyebrows in question.
Nora gave him a weak smile and nodded her head. He took a deep breath and felt his chest expand. This wasn’t only about himself, he thought, as he turned back to his controls.
Make that six minutes.
The shuttle tilted over and started down. The orange glow of the burning atmosphere corresponded to the buffeting they started to take. He held her steady, his hands moving back and forth.
God don’t let me screw this up. His hand hovered over the thruster switch. He’d have to kick it in manually. The computer couldn’t be trusted. He’d done it a hundred times in simulations and one time for real. But, this was the first time he did it with a bunch of people sitting in the back. Too early and he’d waste fuel, maybe not have enough to try a second time. Too late and well, too late and they’d never know.
.o0o.
Nora pursed her lips and huffed to blow the hair out of her eyes, damning the bubble helmet keeping her from doing the job correctly.
Twenty-three men are blown up in front of your eyes and your bitching about your hair, get a grip girl. Taking a deep breath, she scanned her fellow passengers and wondered if she looked as petrified as she felt. Another lurch of the shuttle brought her mind back to reality. Gripping the arm rest, she watched Erik’s hands flying over the controls. God, please help him.
The shuttle dipped, and the planet filled the monitor. Her heart settled a little. He’d get them down safely. She knew he would.
She tore her eyes off the monitor and stared at the back of his head. What was he going through? He’d just lost everyone and been saddled with this motley crew. The ship vibrated like it wanted to disintegrate around them. She felt an overwhelming urge to rub his shoulders, to caress and sooth.
Jonathan grabbed her arm in a death grip when another alarm started sounding, and several of the red lights started flashing. She gently pried his fingers away, smiling in reassurance. Dipping her helmet to touch his she said,
“Hang in there, we’re going to be okay.”
He looked back at her with puppy eyes and nodded his head.
She closed her eyes, her hands squeezing the arm rest, she prayed silently to herself, ‘God, please make it okay, help him.’
.o0o.
Erik felt like he was within a heartbeat of losing it. The shuttle had the glide characteristics of a flat rock. It was taking everything he had to keep it from tumbling into a death spiral.
A quick glance at the fuel gauges confirmed their continued depletion. Scanning the ground below he started looking for a place to put her down. Someplace with fresh water and hopefully food.
He spotted a lazy blue strip emptying into a funnel shaped bay. The area looked relatively flat, but at this height, it would look as flat as a pool table yet be deceptively bad.
A piece of land from home flashed into his mind. Flatter than a board, but broken up every hundred yards or so by huge crevices that would swallow them like yesterday’s lunch.
He didn’t have time to be choosy, it was the best he could do and turned towards the river. He began to breathe a little easier once the decision was made and he had a focal point on the ground.
The shuttle began making a wide circling motion, coming down over the bay and up the river. His hands hovered over the throttle switch, it had to go just right. His gut was screaming at him to hit it, hit it, slow it down, the ground was coming up too fast. But, he held off. Waited.
His muscles tensed. Then, at the last possible moment, he flipped the switch, and the mighty engines roared. The shuttle shook. Fiery exhaust filled the windscreen and monitors. Anyone on the ground looking up would have thought they had exploded, but instead the ships air speed started slowing.
Erik’s eyes were glued to the gauge, watching the fuel drop like water out an upside down bucket. He couldn’t believe how fast it was emptying.
He swung the craft around and tried to line up next to the river. The engines quit and a dead silence filled the craft.
They were crossing the tide line at several hundred feet. Okay, he thought, here goes, the rest of the way is controlled mayhem.
Pointing the nose down to gain a little speed, they flew along the right side of the river. It looked like grassland on this side and forest on the other. Some kind of weird stick trees with a solid canopy of fuzzy leaves.
For the first time, Erik got a true sense of the alieness of this place. Snapping his mind back on his tasks he brought her down, the skids were skimming through the grass leaving a wide mowed section when they touched down.
The contact sent a shock through the seat directly up his spine. The craft bounced then came back down again. We might make it. Then, before them, the grass land opened up as the river turned across their path. There was nothing for him to do. They had no fuel to maneuver with.
Pulling on the yoke, the shuttle lifted once more, then came down hard on the river. The belly of the beast smacked the water and sent a sparkling shower into the air like a huge skipping rock. She bounced up and hit the beach on the other side and continued into the trees.
It sounded like a thousand match sticks snapping. One after the other, faster than firecrackers at the county fair.
The shuttle jerked and stuttered as it continued up a slight rise, the forest slowing it down. About forty yards into the trees and the left skid hit a soft patch and really dug in, spinning the shuttle to the right before it broke off entirely.
Now the ship was going through the trees sideways. Erik didn’t know how much longer this could go on. Shuttles were tougher than last week’s donuts, but this was a little much. Then, just when he thought it couldn’t take any more, they hit a small hummock. The entire ship rose up on its side, then slammed back down. Resting in place, stopped, down, in one piece.
Erik let out the breath he had been holding for what felt like the last ten minutes. They were still, he couldn’t believe it. They’d made it.
The realization hit the back room at the same time. The passengers began yelling and screaming. People were hugging each other, wiping eyes against the insides of their helmets and looking at each other in total amazement. Their faces whiter than chalk, their eyes staring off into some unknown world.
Chapter Six
Creaks and groans reverberated throughout the ship as it settled. A quiet hiss could be heard from the stern. They were losing air, a quick scan of the instruments confirmed it. Not a lot, but enough. It didn’t really matter, they were stuck here and had to make this place work.
Erik felt a new terror. How was he going to keep these people alive until rescue? Months, maybe a year from now? A heavy fist clamped around his chest when he thought about it. Taking a deep breath and trying to control his heartbeat, he turned the pilot’s seat around to better see the passengers.
They looked like a bunch of happy high school kids who had just won the state championship. Laughing and crying. Some yelling, others stared off into space with blank, expressionless eyes. Several helmets had already been removed. Erik was tempted to yell at them to put them back on, but what was the point?
Both assistant Professors, Combs and Creshington, stood u
p and tried to get into the aisle at the same time.
“Really, Anna, I think I should go first. Armand is in no shape for this. As his assistant it is my responsibility,” Combs said.
“Raymond, I believe I am the next senior. I must insist that I be the first. I could never live with myself if anything happened to a student. I will be the first one to exit the ship.” She shot him a look of pure innocence. You could tell by the way her eyes lit up and the quirky little smile, just how much she was enjoying this.
Combs put his hand out and held her back, “No, Professor, I must insist ….”
Erik tuned them out and opened the door, running down the steps he stepped off and started inspecting the undercarriage. Tugging on the sled confirmed it was stable. He slid his hands along the skin of the ship as he walked to the stern. The back end was riddled with holes, as if it’d been strafed by a machine gun.
“I’m sorry, baby, it was the best I could do,” he said, as he patted the side of the shuttle.
Standing up, he looked around him. The ship had crashed through a forest of stick trees with puffy tops. Each of them about eight feet tall, the trunks as big around as his wrists. The tops were covered in shiny green leaves, each of them interwoven with the trees next to them.
From above it had looked like a solid cover of bumpy fluff. The ground was littered with broken trees and branches covering a mat of rotting leaves.
He looked up. The star looked normal, but the sky was a little bluer than he expected. More water vapor, he thought. Then, taking a deep breath, he threw his helmet open. If they couldn’t breathe this air, then they were dead in thirty minutes anyway. Might as well find out now.
The air tasted of woody lickerish mixed with some kind of spice, maybe basil. It wasn’t strong, but enough to be there. He took a second breath, and then sighed. They were going to live, at least for now. Letting out a big sigh, he returned to the ship. His hand shaking, as he reached for the rail to the stairway. Get a grip Erik.
Pulling the door shut behind him, he stepped into the craft.
“Ship’s log, record that Petty Officer Second Class Tanner exited the vehicle and inspected our situation. We have lost one sled, and the stern tanks appear to have been breached over a dozen times. The ship is in un-flyable condition and will require a full refit. The craft has come to rest on a hillside within a forest. While outside PO2 Tanner removed his helmet and is able to breathe the planet’s air.”
You could have run a scythe through them and cut them down like grass, Tanner thought.
Everyone was frozen in place. Staring at him. He purposely locked eye contact with Professor Combs and gave him a slight head nod. Take that. You, asshole. Smiling to himself, and shaking his head at their bemusement, he started to climb out of his suit.
“Ship’s log,” Erik continued, “as first lander, I christen this planet Intrepid.” He glanced back at the passengers, daring them to complain.
“You had no right, you shouldn’t have done that,” Combs yelled, little bits of spittle hitting the insides of his helmet. Erik shook his head and pointed at his ears. He knew what the idiot was saying, but why make it easier?
Combs looked taken aback for a moment, then tentatively reached up and pulled the retaining ring on his helmet. A small hiss erupted when he took it off. He took a small breath, as if tasting hot coffee.
“You shouldn’t have done that. Professor Creshington and I are in charge. We should have been the first out. How dare you?”
Erik noticed that Creshington, having removed her helmet also, was sort of shocked to be included in the young Professor’s argument. He also noticed that she didn’t object, merely looked at him and waited for an answer.
“Don’t get your skivvies in a wad, Professor. You’re no more in charge than my Aunt Petunia. Check the regs. This is a military operation.” Erik chuckled and shook his head, as he pealed out of his suit.
What was it about guys like this? No training, no experience, has absolutely no idea the kind of shit they were in, and he wants to take charge. Scary, that’s what it was.
He dropped his now empty suit on the pilot seat and scratched his wrists and neck. They always seemed to be the worse. Stretching, he pulled his coveralls into place and looked out over the crowd.
Combs stood there in thunderstruck confusion. He hadn’t made a move while most of the other students had removed their helmets and were getting out of their suits. Even Creshington was getting out of hers.
“Hey, my data flex isn’t working,” Jonathan yelled.
Erik paused for a moment. Damn, the kid was right. His data flex wasn’t working either. He asked the questions in his mind just like he’d done since he was six years old. But, nothing. Nada.
A sick emptiness passed through him. Why? How? He’d never heard of data flexes not working. The absence of access to the information sent a long slow shiver up his back.
Great, he was trapped on an uncharted world with a bunch of kids. And, no one had any access to the information they would need.
He was glad to see that they were all wearing their issued coveralls, no civilian gear, or worse, birthday suits. He folded his arms and waited for them to finish.
“Okay, people, listen up. The ship is resting securely and in no danger of falling over. You can relax about the air. We lost tanked air about two minutes ago, what you’ve been breathing is outside air. We’ve got a hole in our stern the size of my fist, and another up front.” He paused for the news to sink in.
“As you know, the data flexes aren’t working. Or, at least mine isn’t. I don’t have any idea why. So don’t ask.”
Several of the women, and even a couple of the boys, were quietly crying. Others were wringing their hands. God, they look like a bunch of lost puppies, he thought, as his stomach turned over. They’re all yours now, Erik.
“How long until we’re rescued?” Nora asked.
He smiled at her, trying to reassure them, “Six months to a year. At the best. Forever, at the worst.”
The room gasped, and someone moaned, then fainted. It bothered him when no one jumped to save her from hitting her head. These people were in shock, better to get it all out at once. They wouldn’t retain it all, but by comparing notes later, they’d get the gist of it.
“Somebody help her up. If you feel faint, sit down. Jesus, people, get a grip. We’ve got air, we’ve got shelter. We’re okay for now. The rest we can work out as we go along.” The room seemed to settle, and several of the students sat down.
“We’ve got about two days of emergency rations in the back. We might be able it to stretch to three. We should be able to locate food and drinkable water by then.”
Their eyes are glazing over, he thought. Hurry up.
“A couple of rules, one - The head is secure, I don’t have the power to flush it and don’t want to share this place with your stink.
“Two, no one is allowed outside until we conduct a full survey of the area. Professor Creshington, pick two volunteers to help you. Do a quick biological sweep. We’re looking for poisons or bio-hazards. I know our Nanos can take care of almost anything, but sweep it anyway.”
She nodded in agreement. Okay, now for the hard part.
“Who put you in charge? Why do you get to make the rules?” Professor Combs said, still in his suit with his hands on his hips and his brow furrowed.
Erik shook his head. He’d had enough of this blow hard a long time ago. Walking directly up to the man and invading his space, he looked him square in the eye.
“His Imperial Majesty, you idiot. Now, shut up and stay out of my way. Like I said, check your regulations.”
He continued to stand there until Combs took a step back, then two more. Erik unclenched his fists and walked back to the front of the room.
.o0o.
Thankfully, humans were built to adapt. Some were better at it than others. Nature had a great way of keeping score. You either learned, or you died. Simple, no argument about rules, or
judgment calls. No appeals, or at least none that ever worked.
This system had been in place since they dropped out of the trees and governed every aspect of their life. As such, humans had a very finely tuned instrument, and that instrument was yelling at Jonathan Pearce to get back onto the shuttle and let someone else explore.
Only an imbecile would walk into an unknown environment without protection. There could be a Tyrannosaurus Rex around the next corner, or an ameba with a taste for sixteen-year-old kidneys. Anything could happen, none of it any good.
He remembered a sign on his father’s desk. A little brass placard on a piece of wood.
“A superior sailor is one who uses his superior judgment to stay out of situations that require his superior skill.”
That little sign had summed up his life. Being profoundly lacking in skill for almost every important part of living, Jonathan had always used his judgment to stay out of situations that would test his lack of skills.
This trip to the stars was his attempt to break out of that, to push himself a little. But, it had been a controlled event, with well-defined parameters. No real risk, not like this.
No one had been more surprised than him when he volunteered to accompany Professor Creshington on her survey. It wasn’t the smart move.
There was a reason it had taken the human species hundreds of thousands of years to move out of the trees. They kept getting killed every time they tried.
Sighing and squaring his shoulders, he fell into line behind the Professor. Nora Johnson stepped in behind him. Of course, Petty Officer Tanner took the lead.
Tanner had found a long straight stick, pulled his spacer tool from a side pocket and quickly sharpened it into a spear. Was there anything the man couldn’t do? Of course, a spear was going to be useless against a Tyrannosaurus, but you had to admire the effort.
They’d move about ten feet, and the Professor would take molecular readings. Her data device still worked surprisingly. It could break anything down and let them know if it was dangerous or not. Of course, it couldn’t cover all bases, strange combinations, different environmental factors, but it was a start.
