Starship Armstrong - Season 2

Part 12 - Sides (II)

Mitzner decided that the Mir was the nicest shuttle the Armstrong had ever had within minutes of sitting down at the control console. Finally, a ship worthy of her prowess. 

Beside her, in the co-pilots seat but contributing exactly nothing to the process of flying the Mir, was Commander Gibson. Strapped in behind them were Ensigns Wagner and Gul.

The Shuttle Bay depressurized, and the force-field protecting the interior sections of the ship from the vacuum of space snapped off. Mitzner flew the Mir straight out into open space. It handled like butter. 

"Oh no," said Mitzner, pretending to hit some buttons on her console "Those energy fluctuations, they're messing with the ship. I'm going to have to do a barrel roll. That's the only way to save us now."

"I happen to know that's a lie," said Commander Gibson.

"Prove it," said Mitzner.

The tiny spacecraft spun around in a wide arc, like skimming along the edge of the barrel. Thanks to the artificial gravity none of the passengers even felt it.

"Feel that?" asked Mitzner "Have you ever felt AG that smooth? In your entire life?"

"Lieutenant-Commander," said Gibson "Enough."

"Fine," she huffed.

The Mir began to drop down into the atmosphere of the ugly little world. The turbulence was immediate. 

"Yikes," said Mitzner "Pulling out."

Before she could bring the ship up and out of the atmosphere, the power cut out. The Mir began to drop like a stone.

"Lieutenant-Commander Mitzner!" shouted Gibson.

"This isn't me," she said "I didn't do this!"

The power returned, and Mitzner wasted no time in pulling up again. The ship began to climb upwards before losing power again and falling back down. This time, awkwardly positioned and without the nice new AG pods, all of the passengers felt it.

"We need to eject," said Mitzner "If the power comes back on I'm ejecting. The crash bubbles might still work. It's our best shot."

Mitzner started pressing a dead button over and over again.

"I-" Gibson began, but the power returned.

Mitzner pressed the button and Gibson's chair fired out the top of the shuttle. All she heard was his rapidly diminishing yell. She moved her finger to one side and Ensign Gul was sent flying after him. Before she could launch Ensign Wagner the power cut again.

The Mir plummeted. The straps only just barely held Mitzner and Wagner in place.

"Sorry about that Ensign," said Mitzner "Luck of the draw."

"Are we going to d-die?" asked Wagner, his eyes wide with fear.

Mitzner was still pounding on the dead console.

"Yes," she said "Well you're going to die. I'll probably be torn to pieces but the bit with my head on it will likely live at least long enough to starve to death."

The power flickered back, only for a moment, but a moment was all she needed. Both her and Wagner's seats were ripped from their places and sent rocketing into the air. Force-fields manifested around their chairs and began flickering on and off. 

The two began to fall towards a ruddy brown pine forest, their force fields barely able to remain coherent for entire seconds at a time.

* * *

"We've lost contact with the Mir," said Ensign Marceaux.

Captain Littlecrow closed her eyes and centered herself before she replied.

"Get me... ugh, Dr. Kang."