SciFriday Challenges (Anthology)

Oktober 2018 - Detail

~Back to Earth~

Like a comet, the escape pod was plummeting at full speed through the atmosphere like a fireball through the sky and creating a smokey streak in its wake. The remaining soldiers who had made it into the emergency escape pod, gripped the armrests on their chairs while breathing heavy as the force of the freefall was pinning them back against their seats. Sweat beads trickled down their temples as the temperature in their cabin continued to crawl past the one hundred degree mark.

"BRACE FOR IMPACT!" Captain Mason shouted to his crew, even though his warning didn't matter.

There was no way to avoid crashing since their engine was blown, which meant their survival after impact was unpredictable. As the planet's brown terrain grew closer and closer in the pod's viewing window, the soldiers began murmuring prayers, curse words and regrets. Their heads whiplashed backward and then forward as the starship finally made impact into the dusty ground, creating a crater around them. Loud beeping and lights flashed around them, indicating that their computer system was cappoot.

Hopefully their oxygen system was not.

"Warning... Warning..." a robotic voice echoed. "Cabin oxygen levels dropping."

Captain Mason wheezed as he loosened the neck on his space suit while speaking out to the robotic voice, "Zeta, how much oxygen do we have left?"

"Twenty percent."

"Zeta," he wheezed again. "Assess exterior environment."

The beeps and flashes continued as the crew fumbled to free themselves from their seats. Some dropped with a heavy thud to the floor, while others managed to land more gracefully.

"Exterior oxygen levels stable," Zeta replied.

"Thank you Zeta," Captain Mason exhaled. "Is everyone alright?" he shouted out.

"Fine... I think," Lieutenant Ramos answered, her voice raspy and choked.

Captain Mason unbuckled himself and his body dropped down like a sandbag onto the control pannel in front of him. He gasped as the air flushed from his lungs like a whoopie cushion. Seconds of inner panic passed through him before the air finally returned to his lungs in a sharp inhale and then a fast exhale.

"You alright?" Lieutenant Ramos asked.

"Absolutely peachy, like my Momma's cobler." He pushed himself up with wobbling arms and then pulled himself over to Lieutenant Ramos. Blood was streaked across her face from a deep gash on her forehead.

"I can't get loose," she coughed.

"I've got you..."

He pulled a knife from his cargo pocket and sliced it across the buckle to release her. Immediately her body slammed down onto his, knocking them both onto the control pannel and knocking the wind out of Captain Mason again.

"Captain!" Lieutenant Ramos rolled off of him and slapped his face back into consciousness.

"I'm alright..." He took in a big gulp of air.

"Captain!" another voice shouted out as Zeta began speaking.

"Oxygen levels: fifteen percent."

"Captain!" the other voice shouted again. "We must get outside, oxygen is dropping fast!"

The crew managed to get to their feet and grab their supply kits, along with airmasks. It was better to be safe than sorry. Captain Mason held onto Lieutenant Ramos, while the others held onto each other as they walked their weak bodies to the escape pod's entrance.