Space Geographer Returns: part 4

By Morgan Hannah, Life & Style Editor

Like a bag full of marbles, the hull of the ship begins to clack about the closer to the surface we get.

“Thrusters, Ensign, thrusters! I need this ship stable!”

“I’m trying, Captain, it’s just the planet’s gravitational pull is so strong!” I twist to face Ensign Rabbit, fear shines in her eyes, her hands shaking and flying about the controls as she tries to level the ship out—she never anticipated crashing. Neither did I. Another jolt of gravity has me hugging the helm, my forehead throbs as it makes contact with hard plastic. Just a few kilometres more, only a few kilometres more and we’ll be safe.

On screen, the vermillion-coloured sand approaches, I can see dunes and pits and sharp looking dark purple rocks. There doesn’t seem to be any life, vegetation or otherwise… odd. But there’s no time for me to focus on that; sweat stings my eyes as I struggle to adjust the ship’s flight pattern to avoid the gravitational turbulence thrown at us. The ship’s alarm is blaring in a constant pattern that aggravates my brain.

Suddenly, off to my right, there’s a loud groaning noise, I dare to take my eyes away from the helm and notice the ship’s hull behind and above Ensign Rabbit looks as though it’s being punched inward from the outside.

“Ensign, look out behind—” The hull then rips open, exposing Ensign Rabbit to a gaping hole and the vast, dark space. The shields sputter and fizzle as they struggle to seal the hole. Any moment now and we could have a far more serious problem—

“What’s the status of our shields?”

“35 percent, Captain.” Shit. I’ve got to land this thing!

“C’mon, give me everything you’ve got.” I whisper to the helm, as if the ship is a sentient being. We’re almost there…

Continuation of this exciting adventure next week!