Chapter 2 #2
"Doing well. The fracture was a simple one.
It's set, and a walking cast was applied.
She'll be back in action as soon as the plaster is dried.
The shoulder was put back in place, and the engineer's assistant went back to his station wearing a sling.
You, however, need some cleaning up and a sealant on that wound," Sophia replied.
"Marcus made that quite clear. Let's get it done, then I'll help you lock everything away. We have to prepare for a crash landing. The engines are out, and we're drifting."
"It's already done. Everything in here stays locked down tight all the time. I can't have scalpels and glass vials bouncing around during any turbulence. But, don't you think Hank can fix the engines before the worst happens?"
"He's good, but this may be too big to fix within a short time." Lydia hesitated briefly then asked, "Can I admit something to you?"
"That's what best friends are for. We've been telling each other our deepest secrets since we were five. Why stop now?'" Sophia inquired.
"I'm scared. I'm responsible for every person on this ship.
What if I fail to save them? What if we do survive, but can't find our way home?
There's even the worry of running into a species that wants us dead, like the aliens trying to take over Earth.
Marcus may be right. A man might do a better job as captain. "
"Don't make me laugh!" Sophia replied. "Being male or female has nothing to do with leadership, and it certainly has nothing to do with this situation.
A leader is someone you can count on to study every scenario and choose the best one for everybody.
That's your description, not Marcus's. He would only think of himself, the narcissistic ass.
This situation was a random act, not a choice you made.
You chose to use all the ship's power to get us away from the sun, and it worked.
We're still alive. I trust you to get us out of this in one piece.
If we discover aliens, great! That's why we're out here. "
"You always were little miss sunshine, and I needed the pep talk. Just know that if we find gorgeous alien men, I reserve the right to the pick of the litter."
"As long as I get second choice, I'm good." Sophia laughed.
Their banter was interrupted by a sudden jerk from the ship. "Damn, I think we're caught in a planet's gravitational field! I've got to get back to the control room. Take care of yourself. I'll see you soon. Hopefully, in one piece," Lydia said as she ran for the ladder.
"Hank," she called into her comlink. "Can we use the engines at all? "
"No. I'm afraid the obstruction is in a spot that must be reached from outside. I was just about to tell you I'd be getting into a spacesuit."
"Forget it. It's too late. Get the chutes ready to slow our entry. We're getting pulled down. Right now, it feels slow, but the closer we get, the faster we'll move. Buckle up; this is going to get really rough."
"There's no visibility," Marcus exclaimed as Lydia arrived in the control room. "We're in a thick bank of clouds. We could ram into a mountain for all we know!"
"We'll just have to hope there's a break in the clouds before we hit. Opening some of the outer doors may gain us enough drag to slow us so we can try to maneuver to miss large obstacles."
The ship began to spin, slowly at first but gaining speed with each revolution.
Hitting a large pocket of air, it flipped end over end, shocking its occupants.
As it burst out of the clouds, the crew gasped.
The world beneath them seemed to be made up of blue, green, and red swirls.
There were dwellings in their path, attesting to intelligent life.
If they didn't move quickly, they would destroy that life before they had a chance to meet it.
"Deploy the chutes, open the outer doors!" Lydia screamed. "Slow us down! Marcus, come with me! We have to use the old manual steering."
"Have you lost your mind? It's meant as decoration!" Marcus shouted back.
"It's connected to gears as a safeguard, like on a sailing vessel: a rudder of sorts. It won't turn us much, but we have to try!"
There were two wheels, like those on old ships, but made of metal. One was placed on each side of the control room as a reminder of the spaceship's origin. No one had ever tried to use them as Lydia had suggested .
Getting to them was a challenge in itself.
The ship was spinning constantly, with a flip added every now and then.
Nausea was overwhelming as they clasped chairs, consoles, and helping hands to navigate the room.
They took a tumble when the flip occurred, but it was a blessing in disguise, landing them beside the wheels they were seeking.
Bruised and bleeding, they struggled with the wheels.
It took their full body weight to move them even an inch.
Only a quarter of a revolution had been managed before the ship hit the ground.
It was enough. They crashed away from civilization.
The ship dug into the ground, remaining intact.
However, the occupants were unaware, as they had lost consciousness.