The rising tower of smoke from the wreckage of the ship appeared alien against the bleak and rocky landscape, as indeed it was. The only other movement came from the harsh winds that only seemed to highlight the emptiness of the place to an almost agoraphobic sense of isolation. The uncharted planet had experienced no human contact until now, with no previous signs of life visible from long range orbital scans.
Ethan awoke and gradually regained some semblance of awareness amongst the ringing in his ears and the sense of shock still coursing through him. He lifted his head and realised he could only see from his right eye. He slowly raised him arm and felt the congealed blood down the side of his face that had caked his left eye. How long had he been unconscious for? What had happened? He remembered the vibrations as the dropship hit the outer atmosphere, the laughs and humorous jeers from the marines as they walked to their seats to buckle in and seeing him ghostly pale and gripping to his armrests with a visible sheen of sweat on his face, the wink from the Lieutenant just before the sonic boom of entering the inner atmosphere. “Don’t worry, it’s only bumpy for a few minutes before the landing cycle kicks in.” Ethan had attempted a smile of thanks that only made his features appear more strained.
However the turbulence did not end. There was the slightest moment of an alarm klaxon sounding from the front of the ship and then a flash of light followed by darkness, a sudden change in pressure and cold wind streaming through his cabin, shouts and a surge of frantic commands, a scream and then spinning, tumbling until consciousness slipped away.
Ethan pressed the release button on the seatbelt and stood up. His lack of coordination caused him to stumble and only by grabbing hold of a rail on the wall stopped him falling down completely. He slowly surveyed his changed environment and took in the distinct smell of smoke from burnt electronics, the flickering of emergency lights and the feel of the outside atmosphere coming through some breech in the hull. He staggered through the archway into the main crew room and paused at the view in shock. The main crew section had been entirely ripped away in with one wall twisted and distorted in a blend of ripped and torn metal. Only the fact that there had been full 10 man marine compliment had meant he had to sit on his own in the cargo area instead of taking a seat here.
He saw the remains of what had once been the lieutenant, with his chest ravaged by shrapnel from the explosion, still in his seat with the seatbelt stopping his body slumping to the floor. An ironic parody of secureness and safety. Four more marines lay in similar states and Ethan could only imagine the fate of the rest, and wondered if they were killed before they had been sucked through the hole in the side of the ship.
He stepped through the open door into the cockpit and shuddered at what remained of the pilot. The front screen had caved in from the crash landing and all but crushed him. What was his name? Ethan remembered the pilot being referred to as “Roach” by his comrades. The lights on the display were still lit and Ethan said an inward prayer to whatever gods were listening that the main AI unit was still online.
“Ship, Respond,” said Ethan, his voice trembling from the adrenaline still coursing through his body. The first words he realised he had said since the ship had started to land, and his voice sounded very weak and out-of-place. The synthesised voice of the ship’s computer sounded too clear. Almost sarcastic at it’s calmness amongst the horror of the situation. “Marine Dropship R51 online. Please state your designation.” Ethan looked around through the remains of the window as he replied, too used to using computers to personify them by looking at the screen and microphone sensor as he spoke; “Dr. Ethan Barton. Civilian Geology Scientist assigned to accompany Imperial Marine party. Requesting Status Report.”
“Orbital capability: inoperable. Life Support: Inoperable. Communications: Inoperable. Multiple hull breeches sustained from high velocity explosive projectile from planetary surface, origin unknown.”
Ethan reeled “We were shot at?”
“Affirmative.”
Ethan leaned back against the cockpit wall and then slumped to the ground as the gravity of what had happened became apparent. He was alone on an unknown planet, the marines he was meant to accompany were dead and the fastest cruiser from the nearest tech class planet would take over a month to arrive, even if he could send a distress signal. Worse still, there was something on this planet that did not want them here.
Ethan walked back through to the main crew area. Most equipment was destroyed but some remained intact. He removed a marine backpack with a med-kit and rations packs. There was enough food and water to last him 12 days if he was careful. Next he went to the weapons locker. He took out one of the automatic weapons, a medium-sized sub machine gun that fired anti-personal rounds and also a handgun in its holster. Finally he picked up an ammunition belt with magazines for both weapons and also fielded a combat knife. More for tradition than practicality with laser cutters being the norm these days.
Ethan looked out of the torn hull and saw the endless expanse of rocks dimly lit in the twilight glow and felt the harsh wind on his face. He was not alone and whatever destroyed the ship would soon come to investigate. Ethan stepped out onto the planet surface, feeling any perceived bond with the life he knew disappearing as he left the ship. He gripped the stock of his gun tightly, not knowing what he would find or where he should go.
Ethan started walking.
Wow really good story, reminds me of some of the Scifi stories I used to read when I was a kid. Frankly I didn’t want it to end so I really hope there is a second chapter coming.