The communications equipment and the sole tablet they had was also fried, with no chance of recovery. Added to the fact that the autopilot was most likely corrupted, and he couldn’t risk it.
As they watched, lights lit up along the side of one of the Xakul ships nearest them, others following. None of the Taurean ships’ cloaks were operational, and they were still heavily outnumbered.
Domik cursed, turning back to the pod’s manual controls.
CJ stared, openmouthed, as a Xakul ship opened fire on a completely defenseless Taurean ship, which split into two, sending debris flying away from the wreck. A series of escape pods ejected from the wreckage, the Xakul ship picking them off one-by-one.
CJ gasped, grabbing onto Domik’s arm.
While they had been in the pod, it had drifted further away from the mass of ships involved in the space battle. They were now right on the edge of the field of debris and ships. There was nothing to get in their way of descent to the planet’s surface.
“Let’s get the fuck out of here!” CJ forced a laugh as she spoke, lifting her fist to punch him lightly on the arm.
Domik nodded, quickly getting to work.
The pod jerked as he engaged the controls.
“I’m a sound pilot, but I’m nothing like T’arq,” he said in apology as the pod continued its jerky descent toward the planet’s surface.
“I don’t care! Just get us out of here!” CJ cried, clutching at Domik’s flight suit with frantic hands.
Within a few minutes he had set up a pseudo-manual control of the pod, and set a heading for the planet below. More of the continent was now in view below them, and Domik aimed the shuttle toward the mass of land.
“That looks like North America,” CJ mused, peering out the window of the pod. “Is this pod going to be ok? Will it make it through the atmosphere?”
Domik scoffed. “These things are made to withstand a much more violent descent than what we’ll experience.”
That’s if we make it out of here without damage to the exterior of the pod.
He didn’t express his concerns to CJ, thinking it better to keep them to himself, and instead pushed the little pod as fast as it could go. The pod shook as they were hit with debris from the battle, and he automatically tightened his arms around her.
“Oh god. Oh god.” She closed her eyes and gripped the fabric of his shirt.
Without realizing, he murmured soothing words, rubbing her back and kissing the top of her head.
The pod continued to shake and shudder as they descended to the planet’s surface, the little pod having none of the artificial gravity stabilizers of the larger and more advanced vessels. This pod was a single use, one-way ticket to safety.
As they hurtled towards Earth, the noise in the pod became almost unbearable. He couldn’t hear CJ, but he could see her lips moving. Domik was gripped with a sudden terror. What if the pod broke up before they reached safety?
They rocketed closer and closer to the surface, the brief view through the small window in the door showing the blue of the ocean and then the green of land, as the pod rolled over and over. As they picked up speed, the pod shook and rattled, and the noise became so great he couldn’t hear CJ’s scream as she bounced against the side of the tiny vessel.
The seat he had ripped out had had a harness to keep the occupants safe, but he’d had to remove it so they could both fit. Domik grabbed CJ in his arms, pulling her tight against his chest and cradling her head in his hands.
The pod jerked as the descent arrest system deployed the first of the parachutes. Then the second, slowing them considerably. Domik grunted as he braced his feet and shoulders against the pod, trying to prevent CJ from being bashed around inside their little cocoon. The noise abated, and the window outside showed the view had settled. No longer were they spinning uncontrollably.
Domik brushed CJ’s hair back from her forehead, a sticky substance coating his fingers. He lifted his hand to see blood. Eyes widening, he pulled back, horrified.
Please let her not be hurt!
“CJ?” he said gently, his stomach lurching as her head lolled on her shoulders, her eyes shut. He held her gently, cradling her head in his big palm. “Clodagh, wake up!”
He lifted his fingers beneath her nose, tears welling in his eyes as he felt her breath on his fingers.
She’s alive!
He pulled her to his chest and cradled her. He could only hold her and hope she would be all right as the pod drifted slowly downwards toward what he hoped would be safety.
