A loud grinding noise is all I hear — the bolts of the cargo hold being detached. The next moment I’m free-falling, the artificial gravity of the ship now gone. I hook my arms into the metal bars of my cell, holding on as best I can.

The entire room starts vibrating, and I fear the entire damn shuttle will shake itself apart. I can already feel the light tug of gravity, and I know what that means. We’re about to enter the atmosphere of a planet.

I’ve only travelled into space aboard the HF Spearhead. That ship is the size of a cruise ship, with all the comfort and luxury that its massive size affords. Crash-landing on a planet onboard a rickety cargo-hold like this is more akin to facing a hurricane on a rubber boat.

I’m not looking forward to it.

The pressure on my chest builds, slowly but surely. There is a loud banging outside of the hold, like someone is standing on the outside and is trying to bang the doors with a sledgehammer.

I try to remember everything they taught us about emergency landings at the Academy, but right now I can barely remember a thing.

Floating through the air makes it kinda hard to focus.

My stomach drops when I feel a massive, sudden tug. I’m smacked right into the ground. Right, that must be the parachute opening to slow our descent. I remember that bit now. Wish I had a moment ago, so I could have prepared!

Time to prepare for impact. I cross my arms and wait, tensely. My ears are pounding as adrenaline courses through my veins, while wind is whipping the shuttle, the sound as sharp and as loud as a whistle, while I wait for the moment, the impact, the moment when—

BOOM!

It’s like a car crash, but ten times worse. The entire shuttle shakes violently, and I feel every inch of my body cry out in pain.

And then… silence.

The sound of the wind has disappeared. No more banging, no more shaking. I have a few scratches and some bumps, but nothing major.

Another win: The door to my cell hasn’t survived the crash. It is laying on its side, and freedom beckons. The only question is what will be waiting for me on the outside…

I crawl my way out and run towards the cargo bay. I’m intensely relieved to find that the sleeping pods have also survived the crash. The girls look so peaceful in their sleep — they have no idea what kind of trouble they’re in.

I almost want to wake one of them up, just so I won’t be alone, but I decide not to. They will probably be safer in there than with me. I’m stranded on some unknown planet, no food, no water. Their pods are taking care of all of their needs.

Talking about needs, I really need to go to the bathroom this time.

I look around for a restroom, but I don’t find anything. I don’t see any comms panel either, so sending out an SOS is out of the question. I have no how the Nezdek do their business, and I have no intention of finding that out either. I guess I’ll have to go outside.

Into the unknown.

Fuck.

I don’t have any other choice. The Nezdek will be back for us, and I don’t want to be here when they return. Or they lost the battle, and they won’t return, which might even be worse, seeing as there is no food or water for me here.

I suppose I could try one of the cryogenic sleeping pods… but that idea just gives me the creeps.

I need to get moving. I push my shoulders back, take a deep breath and head towards the metal hatch, while I’m scared absolutely shitless. Anything could be waiting for me on the other side of that door. A frozen landscape. A scorching hot desert. Massive beasts, all fangs and horns, or giant, poisonous spiders…

Or it could be a peaceful little meadow dotted with apple trees, I remind myself. I’m not ruling that out just yet.

I take a deep breath, grab the big red lever, and pull. The door whizzes open.

Yep.

We’re definitely not on Earth anymore.