Page 6 of HaL

“Woo-Hoo! Take that, you smelly bastards!” I slap the door triumphantly. “Earth girl one … nasty asses zero!”

From the other side comes a furious, muffled roar.

My grin widens.

“Yeah. That’s what I thought.”

One of them starts banging on the door, and I stick my tongue out at it before heading straight to the massive seat that is taking up almost the entire inside of this really small space. Grabbing one of the straps, I wrap it around my waist, hoping it will hold long enough for me to hit the launch button and secure myself better.

The sound of a tool hitting the pod’s clear door has me panicking when I realize they are trying to force their way in. Pushing the large button on the console, I brace myself for whatever is coming next, only for nothing to happen.

“Shit … shit …!” I whack it harder; still nothing. “Hey guys, I need some help here if you can hear me!” I scream into the air, but the only sound that reaches me is my own voice. I unstrap myself, push to my feet on the seat, and slam my foot down on the large, flat button.

The pod erupts with a sound unlike anything I’ve ever heard before. A violent roar reverberates through the metal walls, and suddenly I’m thrown against the ceiling. My head cracks against the metal, and I scream as my body is hurled from one side of the pod to the other.

Someone calls my name, but I can barely hear them over the alarms and the deafening noise. All I can do is fight to keep myself from being tossed around like a towel in a dryer.

Then my sight begins to fade.

The alarms blare louder, and darkness creeps into the edges of my vision. Just when I’m sure I’m about to black out, the pod finally stops spinning so violently.

Unfortunately, I don’t exactly come to a gentle stop. I’m thrown sideways into the massive seat, my arm slamming onto the console with enough force to send a bolt of agony through my entire body.

I scream, clutching my arm as pain radiates from the impact.

Damn. That’s going to leave a mark.

“Dawn, can you hear me? This is Jade. I’m trying to pull you in, but I need your help. The pod’s thrusters are fighting against me; you have to turn them off.”

She’s telling me to do something, but the nausea and pain are too much. I start dry heaving as I pull my arm tight against my body. Something warm trickles down the side of my face, and I blink hard, trying to clear the dizziness that has left me disoriented.

Bright flashes streak across the clear opening as I fall backward, away from the massive, dark object suspended in the sky. The distance between us grows, and I keep falling deeper and deeper into the endless blackness of space.

“DAWN! Are you okay? DAWN?”

“I’m here,” I whisper out, but the pod swings once again, and I lose consciousness for a moment. “Help … please, I’m hurt. I need h e l p.”

“Dawn, if you can hear me, I have to let go of your pod. The Korgons are trying to launch a shuttle to retrieve you, and SiN needs to take evasive action against them so we can disable their ship. I know you’re hurt, but you must strap yourself in as best you can because the descent through the atmosphere of the closest planet is going to be rough. We will come for you! Stay with the pod if you can.”

Through the viewer, I see a shining silver-and-white planet hurtling straight toward me. It’s getting bigger. Closer. Faster. I fight to keep my eyes open, but my eyelids feel like they’ve been weighted down. The girl … she told me to do something. Something important. I know that, I just can’t remember what.

The pod rolls again.

My body slams against the side, and one of the loose straps’ whips around me. I try to pull free, but my muscles barely respond.

Move.

I have to move!

But I can’t. A flash of blinding white erupts across the viewer. The pod jolts so hard my teeth snap together. Then the viewer explodes in a shower of sparks.

I tuck my head into the seat as burning embers scatter across the cabin. One lands against my sleeve. I swat at it blindly, choking as smoke fills my throat. The metal beneath me is getting hotter. So hot I can feel it through my clothes.

Alarms shriek. Red lights strobe. Something overhead cracks with a deafening pop.

Then the turbulence hits. The pod drops. My stomach lurches into my throat as everything that isn’t strapped down flies toward the ceiling. My body is tossed against the restraints, and suddenly I can’t tell which way is up.

The air vanishes from my lungs. I gasp, but there’s nothing to breathe. My chest convulses.