Return to Earth: An Adventure to Recolonize

Chapter One, The Arrival

Note: I will post a new chapter every Friday evening EST (Saturday morning where I reside halfway around the world in Indonesia).

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                                                        Chapter One

                                                         The Arrival

Day 1, 12 April 5239…

"Colonists, this is your captain. We're about to enter Earth’s atmosphere and I'm activating the auto-shoulder restraint system as a routine precaution. Make sure you’re secure. Cabin crew, prepare for insertion.”

The crew checked their 100 passengers, sat and secured themselves.

Earth’s protective envelop clung to the planet as a wispy layer of ground-fog. We drew closer until the shuttle struck with a thud while vibrations rippled through the ship.

As we plunged further into the cloudy-film, the ship's shuddering grew more intense. Upset kiddies let out muffled yelps and whimpered.

I glared into the forward cabin as the pilot and guidance officer, noticeably stressed, frantically dialed knobs and punched buttons. The craft violently yawed side-to-side and with a sudden jolt, nosed downward at a much steeper angle.

An eerie red-glow radiated from the craft’s belly as the cabin warmed. Panic grew in the crew’s faces as tremors turned vicious. Forces assailed us from all sides.

I inserted a digi-plug to listen to the pilot’s chatter with ground control.

“…are on a ballistic trajectory. Flight path too steep. Change angle of attack ten-degrees. Ease up, over.”

“Ship not responding. External stresses seventeen-g. Inertial dampers holding. Core structure temperature eight-hundred degrees – climbing rapidly.”

“Are you declaring an emergency?”

“Roger, we have an emergency. Deflector shield failing - ship unresponsive.”

I glanced over to my wife. Worry etched Tania’s face while my feeble attempts to soothe her fears failed. She garnered the truth and reached for my hand. We struggled to maintain our grip across the aisle through the savage convulsions.

Without warning, the ship rolled right and inverted. Under Earth’s gravitational pull, the restraints dug into our shoulders. Seconds later, we rolled upright.

Karla clung to her mother’s arm and buried her face. Tania did her best to comfort her. My son gripped his armrests as fear contorted his face. His watery eyes met mine. “Are we going to crash?"

I shook my head. I lied.

The pilot’s voice strained. “Core structure temperature nine-hundred degrees - rising. Unable to initiate course correction. Ship not responding.”

“Change angle of attack. Ship will disintegrate at twelve-hundred degrees. Change angle - NOW.”

The ship convulsed. We might break apart.

The flaming corona engulfed us while the cabin temperature soared. Passengers screamed.

The ground controller  said, “Recalibrating laser guidance system. Stand by.”