Spread Thy Wings

Posted on Tue Nov 29th, 2016 @ 3:28am by

669 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: New Faces and Terror Beyond
Location: Hanger Bay

Zan walked into the Hanger Bay after giving his Wife to Be a kiss goodbye. He was confident that Amanda was going to the surface too but given they had very different jobs he doubted he'd see much of her. Everything was loaded and ready to go with the last of the fragile medical supplies and staff crammed into the final shuttle. A location had already been designated and Zan was finishing a last glance over the make shift colony plan that had been agreed upon by the various departments. His department were more ferry boys than anything else transporting materials and supplies from ship to surface that couldn't be so by transporters. Some would call it a milk run, Zan found it refreshing to do something simple and straight forward again.

"Lieutenant!"

Zan turned to see one of the ground crew come to him. "What's wrong?"

"Shuttle 6 is a no go, there is a problem in the plasma coil matrix. We can't nail it down without taking the assembly apart."

"What was in shuttle 6?" Zan asked stretching his head to remember and also wake up some more.

"Just medical staff and some engineers for the hospital."

"Ok spread them around the other shuttles as best you can, do what you can about 6." Zan spoke then headed to his assigned shuttle to pilot that was packed with all kinds of medical cultures and gizmos. Slipping into the pilots seat he began the prelaunch checks noting the indicator showing almost an extra 600kg of weight inside from cargo and passengers.

"Take a seat ladies and gentlemen, we will be leaving shortly."

Zan gave one final look to his readouts and indicators which told him the shuttle was ready for launch. He sent a message to the Bridge informing him that his department was ready to get underway then turned to his passengers. "Final call, once that door closes it stays closed, if you need anything it will have to come later."

Thankfully no takers. "Ok then." He closed the loading door and started the shuttles activation sequence for take off. When the final confirmation came through from the Bridge Zan lifted his shuttle off and slipped through the atmospheric shield, an indication to the rest to follow. When the planet came into view he saw that there was massively over caste so knew he'd have to keep an eye on his sensors and readouts on the way down.

When the shuttle entered the atmosphere the shuttle glowed inside from the sheer effects as the shuttle knifed through the heights at speed. "Brace yourselves, we are in for some chop." Zan called to the rear as the shuttle began the rumble and shake heavily. Zan himself had done this hundreds of times in shuttles and fighters so it was nothing new to him but it did make him smile when he heard fear in the voices of those behind him.

Eventually the chop died down as it was replaced by heavy, thick, unyielding rain. It raced up the window by the speed and force of the shuttle as it flew through to downpour. Visibility was low but that was to be expected and he had his instruments to tell him everything that he needed to know. Gradually though some land became visible though only a darker grey than the sky.

"60 seconds." He called out letting his passengers know. "Rain, wind is at 21kph from the North East, looks like a storm system." Zan turned on the low yield lights on the front of the shuttle, visibility improved but only slightly.

Zan sent a message to the Dreadnought updating them of the conditions and that they would be landing any moment. "I would wait inside until shelters are put up, unless you want to help erect them yourselves." Zan landed the shuttle with the nose into the rains direction, he opened the rear hatch and it came as no surprise when the lip of the door sank in almost 2 inches of water.

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