One Step at a Time

One Step at a Time - Part 5

Sorgan was not at all the green, sunny paradise from Chuckles's dream. At least not initially.

"ARNI! MAKE SURE NITA'S STRAPPED IN AND THEN GET YOUR CHEEKS IN THIS SEAT!" Chuckles shouted as his knuckles turned white around the freighter's steering yoke. The ship rocked in Sorgan's stormy atmosphere, the winds seemingly buffeting the ship from every angle. Chuck swore under his breath as his eyes flicked over to the guidance display, trying to find a more favorable place to bring the ship down through the storm. Lightning flashed outside the port window, and he felt himself flinch involuntarily at the instantaneous crack of thunder that followed. His clenched teeth creaked and his hands clenched the controls slightly tighter as Arni practically dove into the co-pilot seat next to him, yanking the flight harness over their shoulders. Nita squealed as another massive bolt of lightning ripped across the column of clouds in front of them.

"What do we do when we're scared honey?" Chuckles asked over his shoulder. "You got my bucket?"

"Yeah." Nita's voice quaked, but Chuckles tossed a quick glance backwards and smirked as Nita's honey gold eyes disappeared under his helmet. Her voice continued to shake as she began to sing.

"I've been to many moons and all the stars in the sky..."

Chuck grinned at the familiar song. I really need to teach her some more songs. Bet Arni knows a few. The kid's a walking archive.

Arni swallowed hard, and he felt them look at him for direction. "See if you can find us a hole in this storm to drop in and a flat place to land," he instructed under his breath. "A clearing or forest edge would be preferable so we can maybe shield the ship under a tree or something."

The young Twi'lek nodded, swiveling the guidance display to face them before furrowing their eyebrows in concentration. "Looks like the clouds thin out about thirty degrees east of your current heading."

"Swinging thirty east," Chuck confirmed, tilting the steering column. "Dropping to 2000 meters altitude."

"There's a clearing three klicks north. Should be able to land there."

Chuck nodded, easing the ship lower. Rain began to slap loudly against the hull of the ship as he dropped below the cloud cover, and the wind picked up, rocking the ship back and forth even more violently. The emerald tree tops of Sorgan's forests seemed to reach up through the mist and fog like spindly fingers as Chuckles continued to ease the ship down, his eyes scanning for the gap in the trees Arni had mentioned.

"You sure it was three klicks, kid? I feel like we should see it by now."

Arni squinted at the nav display a little harder, punching a few buttons. "Yeah, should be dead ahead, about a quarter click I think." They glanced over the top of the display, their eyes scanning the ground below before they extended a long, thin blue arm and pointed. "Maybe in that gap where it's just fog and no treetops are poking through."

Chuckles followed the line their finger indicated, spotting the gap in the treetops. "Alright, bringing her down. We'll try to park under the far edge under the trees there." The ship dropped down into the fog with a low rumble. Suddenly, there was a sickening metallic squeal and the entire freighter began to roll to the right. Branches ripped through the gloom, slamming into the front viewport. Nita screamed and Chuck swore, a sweat breaking out across his palms as he tried to keep the freighter upright.

"ARNI, WHAT HAPPENED? I THOUGHT THIS WAS A CLEARING?"

The young Twi'lek's eyes were wide, frantically flicking across the display. "I... I... I was-"

"HANG ON!" Chuck braced his heels against the floor as he pulled back on the steering mechanism, trying to regain some altitude. The ship's engine roared, but on the starboard side, the normal roar was quieter, interrupted by a loud, irregular whirring and clattering. Tree limbs slammed against the transparisteel, leaves smearing across the wet surface and sticking. "We're losing altitude and starboard engine's out. We need to set her down. Now. Everyone brace!" Chuckles shouted. Arni's eyes grew impossibly wider.