by Steven Wolff
“You big baby – you’re not going to die. Quit thinking negatively.” Jenkins says dismissively.
“Aren’t you afraid of dying?”
“Of course I am – but worrying about it isn’t going to change the outcome. I rather focus on the positives – you know, like Josh will land this thing in one piece.”
“I’m a realist and I live in the real world – not make believe land. When we did the mock landing simulations, we failed it – every single time.”
“No wonder why you’re always so stressed out.”
“It’s because we failed, over and over again and never got it right.”
Josh pipes in, “I don’t need to be reminded, thank you.” He says – focusing on navigating towards the asteroid.
Howard adds, “Agreed, let Josh focus on what he needs to do by being quiet.”
With the bright sun off in the distance, the asteroid tumbles end over end, causing momentary shadows that blanket Serenity in darkness before blinding-warm sunlight fills the cabin. Light sensors on the helmets instantly change from a clear lens to a reflective mirror – in order to protect the crew’s eyes.
“You’ve got this.” Howard says to Josh.
Josh grips the steering column tight with both hands without saying a word.
“I believe in you!” Jenkins adds. She elbows Whitfield to prompt him to say something.
“What?”
Jenkins tilts her head, suggesting he say something.
“Don’t mess up!”
“Really?” Jenkins says disappointed.
“What? I’m not the inspirational type.”
“Sheesh.” She says, crossing her arms.
Josh replies, “I’ll do my best. Hang on…”
The closer they get to the asteroid, the more intimidating it looks. Its sheer size of it alone makes them feel insignificant as Josh carefully maneuvers closer. The asteroids surface becomes clearer and more ominous – revealing sharp, dagger-like spikes sticking high up from the ground.
Steep canyons and crevices leading deep into the asteroid go for as far as the eye can see. Random eruptions of gas shoot violently upwards, hissing as if the asteroid is warning to stay away.
Several inches off the ground fog-like clouds swirl and cover the surface – creating an eerie-haunted atmosphere that hides the deadly crevices.
“This thing is huge!” Josh says looking straight up from where he’s sitting.
“Stay focused.” Howard says, trying not to freak out.
“I’m on it… Matching rotation speed.”
Josh flips three switches above his head and pushes the steering column forward, “Nice and easy…”
Captain Whitfield grips his armrests with both hands, clenching tight.
The console collision avoidance system is beeping like crazy but Josh is ignoring it – instead staring straight ahead… trying to level the ship with the horizon of the asteroid, all while it’s tumbling end over end.
The sun quickly surprises Josh, causing him to turn his head to the right and instinctively put up his hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight. It quickly passes and soon the shadow’s darkness envelops the ship – leaving the buttons on the console as the only visible lights.
Staring at his monitor, Josh matches the rotation and tries to keep it level as the landing gear is getting closer and closer to the ground.
“Prepare for impact. It might be a bumpy landing!” Josh warns as a lone sweat falls from his forehead. He continues, “Twenty feet till touchdown… Sixteen feet… Twelve feet... Eight feet… Four feet…”
*Bam!*
The ship violently rocks to one side because the ground is uneven – before bouncing off. Josh pulls quickly on the steering column and tries to relevel the ship, causing the engines to roar momentarily. Now there are more flashing lights on the console, along with more beeping as Josh tries to force another landing.
*Bam!*
Again, the ship rocks to one side and then to another when suddenly the landing foot breaks and dangles. Audible alarms are heard as a flashing warning signs illuminate the monitors.
“Arrrghh! Right side landing gear is damaged, I don’t know if we can land this thing in one piece!”
“Keep trying. We don’t have a choice.” Howard orders.
Josh notices the landing zone of the asteroid is moving away, “No, no… no… no!”
“What is it?”
“The asteroid is pulling away from us!”
“Full thrusters – We can’t lose it! We’ve only got one shot at this and we’ve come too far to not make it!”
“The problem isn’t me landing it. I can land it, but the lack of gravity isn’t holding us onto the surface.”
Jenkins unbuckles her seatbelt and pulls herself to Josh’s side, “I’ve got an idea – but you’re going to have to trust me.”
“I’m listening…”
“Get us close to the ground and I’ll do the rest.”
“There’s only room for one in this pilot chair.” Josh reminds her.
“I’m not going to take over your seat silly. I’m actually going outside.”
“No!!! – no, no, no, no!” Howard says unbuckling his seatbelt to stand up.
“What is it with everybody wanting to go outside the ship? Haven’t we learned anything from all the others who lost their lives from going outside of the ship?”
Jenkins dawns her spacewalk suit and gears up, “What we’ve learned is that if it takes one of us dying to save the rest, then that’s the price we have to pay.”
She grabs a large coil of copper wire from the supply cabinet and slings it over her shoulder, “Besides, we don’t have the fuel to catch up with the asteroid if we lose it… so if you’ll excuse me – I have a ship to save!”
“Aw come on…” Howard says in disbelief.
Jenkins smiles looking back at him as she pulls the door handle. She swings her body around and climbs down towards the legs of the ship as Howard closes the door behind her.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Outside the ship
“Can you hear me?” She asks over her headset.
Josh answers, “Loud and clear. What are you doing?”
“I’m saving your butts.”
“I know that – but what specifically are you doing?”
“I’m going to make the ship one giant magnet.”
“How are you going to do that?”
“First, I’m going to wrap this copper coil around the legs of the ship on all four sides. You focus on getting me close to the surface. Preferably without killing me.”
“Okay – but no promises.” Josh jokes.
“You better promise!” Jenkins says with a smile.
“Fine, you win. I promise. How soon before you are done?”
“Almost there. You should see the view from out here. It’s breathtaking!”
“I bet it is.”
“Okay – That should about do it. You’re up, cowboy. Try to land this thing in one piece. I’ll do the rest.”
Howard ponders while listening to the conversation.
“Approaching landing zone…”
“I see it.” Jenkins replies, “A little bit closer…”
“Twenty feet… Fifteen… Ten… Five!”
Jenkins lifts the panel to the external batteries and holds the copper wires to the battery terminals – causing massive arcing and sparking.
*THOOM*
Serenity lands and sticks firmly to the ground.
“You did it!” Josh says aloud, but the whole ship is now without power.
Howard presses on his helmet, “Jenkins, status report?”
No response.
“Not again…” Howard says floating quickly to the door, he turns the handle expecting to see Jenkins dead on the ground – but instead, she’s standing at the door with a smile on her face, “Houston, Serenity has landed.”
He hugs her tightly, “Don’t do that! I’m getting too old for this
kind of stress!”
“As the first woman – and human to ever set foot on an asteroid, it my honor to welcome you here at the alien crash site.”
“Ha!” Josh says slapping his hand like he solved a puzzle.
“What?” Howard asks.
“That’s why she did it! Because she wanted to be the first human to step foot on the asteroid… I figured you out Jenkins!”
“For the record, flyboy, I did what needed to be done – in order for us to land. I think having the bragging rights of me being the first human to ever set foot on an asteroid is just an added perk. Watch your step as you get off the ship.”
Howard climbs carefully down, followed by Josh and Captain Whitfield. Suddenly, the sun rises over the horizon, causing momentary blindness as the surface becomes very bright and warm.
“Hang onto each other – this will pass in a few moments…”
The asteroid tumbles and causes the sun to be blocked for the next few minutes.
“Man, that was bright.” Josh says blinking several times.
“I wonder what SPF sunscreen we would need for being out here?” Whitfield asks.
Howard answers, “Probably SPF one million.”
“Hate to break it to you” Jenkins says, “but I doubt all the SPF on the planet will save us from the radiation exposure we just experienced.”
“What do you mean?” Whitfield asks in concern.
“What did you think I meant? We just got blasted with more radiation than all the nuclear bombs on earth – combined!”
“Are you suggesting we’re going to get cancer?”
“I’m not suggesting. I know. If we don’t have it, we will any minute.”
Josh jokes, “I wonder if I’ll turn into the hulk? You know, because that’s how Bruce Banner did it.”
Howard adds, “That was gamma radiation.”
“Sweet…I’m so going to be like the hulk.” Josh says flexing his muscles, joking around.
Captain Whitfield becomes enraged and pulls out his gun, “This isn’t a joking matter!”
“Whoa, whoa… whoa! Okay – not funny! Josh is sorry… Right Josh?” Howard says with his hands out in front of him, trying to deescalate the situation.
“Right! Totally sorry! Won’t joke about it again. Wasn’t even funny!”
“No one told me that I was going to be exposed to deadly radiation…” Whitfield says looking at the ground in a stunned look.
Jenkins adds, “Did no one tell you that’s what happens when you go into outer space?”
“Yeah, that’s a given.” Howard adds.
“Had I been told that, I might have reconsidered…”
Josh chimes in, raising his hand, “I remember Mr. Dunningberg mentioning it.”
Whitfield quickly points the gun at Josh.
Howard mumbles, “Not helping…”
“Well, it’s true.” Josh says, “Our space suits can only block so much radiation and we’ve been out in space for a month and a half. I think it’s safe to say we’ve got more radiation in our bodies than plutonium. Like it or not, we’re radioactive.”
Whitfield lowers his gun and puts it back in the holster. Josh smiles and jokes with Howard, “Darn it, I will never listen to that song the same way ever again.”
“Which one?” asks Howard.
“Radioactive.”
“Ha! Yeah… that’s a good one.”
“Aw man…” Whitfield says, looking all around him, putting one hand on his head.
“It’s going to be okay.” Josh says.
“No! No it’s not!” He says pulling his gun back out and pointing the gun at Josh’s head.
“Okay, it’s not going to be okay – please don’t kill me.” Josh pleads with both arms in the air.
“Can we please stop pointing guns at people?!?” Jenkins says with concern in her voice.
“Captain Whitfield, please don’t.” Howard says.
He trains the gun on Howard, “Would you like to die instead?”
“I rather not die nor any of us – if at all possible. We’ve lost enough people already.”
“This wasn’t supposed to be how I died.” Whitfield complains. “It wasn’t in my mission…”
Howard looks at him confused, “What mission?”
“My mission was to make sure this alien technology is handed over to the United States government.”
Howard asks, “Is that what Tank was talking about when he let it slip? Protocol zero?”
Josh adds, “What I wanna know is can’t you guys come up with something a little more original than Protocol zero and Protocol 51? All these protocols are confusing.”
“Protocol zero means that we leave no witnesses alive before returning back to Earth… those were our orders. It didn’t say anything about being exposed to lethal levels of radiation.”
Josh adds, “Funny how the military always leaves that out.”
Jenkins notices the sunbeams are fast approaching – as the asteroid is tilting towards the sun.
“So what are you going to do?” Howard asks.
“I guess I’ll have to initiate Protocol zero sooner than later.
Josh has a confused look on his face, “Um, point of interest – maybe you might want to keep us alive long enough to fly the ship back to Earth and safely land it. Otherwise how else are you going to get home?”
“For weeks now, I’ve been watching and memorizing everything you guys do…. I think I can wing it on my own.”
Jenkins warns, “Sunlight!!!”
The blinding light blankets everyone as Jenkins shoves Whitfield backwards – just as a giant gas eruption blows violently from a deep crevasse – sending Whitfield hurling into space. A few minutes pass as the asteroid goes back into the shade, allowing everyone to open their eyes again. To their surprise, the man with a gun is nowhere to be seen.
“Um… Where’s Whitfield?” Josh asks still holding his arms in the air. They look around but don’t see him.
Jenkins looks straight up into space.
“What are you looking at?” Howard asks.
“I’m trying to see if I can see him.”
“Captain Whitfield?”
“Yeah.”
“Wait, what?” Josh asks.
“I pushed him into one of the steam eruptions when we were blinded by the sun… must have launched him clear into space.”
“Wow!” Howard says amazed.
“I didn’t have much of a choice. I did what I had to do.”
“You did the right thing, Jenkins. You saved us all. Who knows when he might of gone on his killing spree.”
“Thanks. Does that mean you forgive me for shorting out the batteries too?”
“I wouldn’t go that far.” Howard says.
“Had to ask.” She smirks.
“I wished you would have told me before you did.”
“Would you have said no?”
“Probably, yeah.”
“That’s why I didn’t ask.” Jenkins says walking past him. “Now let’s go explore this alien ship.”
“Should we get a crow bar or some kind of weapon?” Josh asks concerned.
“If that makes you feel better, go for it.”
“Nah. Whatever crashed on this rock is probably dead by now. Speaking of, how do we find the ship from down here on the surface?”
“See this large valley we’re standing in?
“Yeah.”
“See all the metallic debris scattered here and over there?” Howard points.
“Yeah.”
“I’m guessing these are burn marks on the ground from where the alien ship crash landed and skidded to a stop. It’s probably just over that ridge.”
“Then we should probably get going.” Jenkins suggests.
They come to the top of a giant ridge where they can see a debris trail leading up to the crashed alien ship.
“It’s so beautiful.” Jenkins says in awe.
“The crashed ship? I guess.” Josh
says.
“No, all of this… Keep in mind we are standing on an asteroid the size of Texas, hurling through outer space. We are the first people from planet Earth to do what we’re doing… and we’re about to step foot into an alien vessel!”
“That is pretty amazing when you think about it.” Howard says, agreeing.
“At least now we know where the glowing light is coming from.” Josh says pointing at the engines that hum every time the light pulsates.
Howard adds, “The front part of the ship is really wedged into the ground, underneath all the rock and debris. I wonder if it nose-dived face first upon impact?”
“The ships thrusters are pointing at around forty-five degrees, so it must have.” Jenkins comments.
They walk towards the ship and inspect the giant gash torn open into the side of the hull.
“Now I know how the Titanic must have felt when it hit the iceberg. This gash is huge!”
“Stay alert. We don’t know what to expect.” Howard says, turning on his headlamp. Jenkins and Josh turn on theirs and follow closely as they enter in a giant metallic hallway, void of any markings or color.
“Okay, now it’s getting spooky.” Josh says aloud.
“You can stay by the opening – if it would make you feel better.” Howard suggests.
“I’ll be okay.”
The asteroid passes into the sunlight, which illuminates the inside of the ship.
“Whoa… now that’s better. I can see where I’m walking.” Josh says looking around.
“Wow.” Jenkins says in awe.
“Let’s head towards the front of the ship, see if there’s a bridge or command station.” Howard suggests.
They cautiously approach a large room with what appears to be an archway. Josh chimes in, “I’ve seen enough Star Trek episodes to know this is either the holodeck, or the bridge.”
“Well, we’re about to find out.” Jenkins says.
“Oh please don’t be a nursery full of blood-thirsty aliens…” Josh whispers, while holding his hands in a prayer.
“Dude, you’ve seen too many sci-fi movies. Chill…”
“That’s a good thing! At least I won’t be surprised if aliens or monsters come attacking!” Josh says proud of his movie knowledge.
“Both of you, be quiet!” Jenkins says approaching the door. She puts her hand on the cold metal and it hisses and rumbles to life. The doors separate and open into the front part of the ship which is badly damaged. Metallic-skeletal remains are scattered about the floor.