Alpha Team
Epilogue
“All systems ready by for landing procedure captain.”
Captain Wolsin smiled with satisfaction, the expedition to cradle was going well. They would arrive at the planet in 10 minutes and, if everything went as planned, they would stay there for the next week, collecting samples of plant life and exploring the surface of the planet.
“Sir there are numerous explosions happening on the planet’s surface, some of them are powerful enough to cripple our ship if we land too near to them!”
“Can we land safely?” Captain Wolsin asked the technician.
“Yes sir! We should be able to land 150 kilometers off our original course.”
“Fine, we shall land there and find out what’s happening. I don’t think that these explosions are naturally created.”
‘These explosions could mean war on this planet, and that might mean that there are people here who might kill us’ thought Captain Wolsin.
Suddenly an alarm sounded.
“Hull breach Captain. We’re going to have to attempt a crash landing!”
“What damaged our hull, Orsel?”
“A ground based projectile carrying an unknown substance which seems to have detonated when it hit us! It’s damaged the engine room severely!”
Captain Wolsin reached for his communicator, “All personnel in the engine room evacuate!”
“Sir, a second projectile is heading directly for us!”
“Try to avoid it!”
“I can’t, sir! The controls are jammed!”
“All personnel head for the escape pod bay!”
Captain Wolsin knew the ship was doomed, but he also knew that he had to get a distress signal through to any other ships in the region, so they could find his crew if they survived and so that he could also warn them of the danger on cradle.
“Come on, Captain!”
“No. I must warn other ships! It is my duty!”
“Captain, you’ll die if you stay here!”
“I know.”
“Good luck then, Captain. I’ll leave an escape pod in the bay for you- if you survive.”
With a heavy heart Orsel ran for the escape pod bay, knowing that there was little, if no chance for Captain Wolsin, and unsure if Captain Wolsins message would be received.
 

Awaking in a new world
The Skylark sailed through space, like a ship cutting through silent waves, its rough steel hull reflecting the light from the star Quae, which held the planet Cradle in its invisible grasp. After traveling in hyperspace for half a week to reach their destination the crew of the Skylark was ready to disembark and set their feet on the surface of Cradle.
“We are now entering parking orbit Captain.”
“Good, prepare to land on cradle in an hour.”
“Yes, Captain.”
A strange screech echoed through the ship, Captain Ozlo sat bolt upright.
“What was that?”
“I think that was the survey shuttle being dragged away from us,” replied Wegner.
“We must prepare for an emergency landing immediately, Captain,” said Feron.
“Why?”
“Because for some unexplainable reason the gravitational pull of Cradle has just increased greatly, our ship is being pulled towards cradle, if we don’t do something we’ll be killed!”
“Is there something else we can do?”
“No.”
“Attempt the emergency landing, but with reverse thrusters on maximum and tilted towards the ground for maximum speed reduction.”
“Yes Captain.”
“Everyone, we are about to attempt an emergency landing please follow the safety instructions as detailed to you on the dropdown screens.”
“Sir, I can’t control the ship anymore!”
“All personnel evacuate to the escape pod bay!”
Almost instantly shouts could be heard from all across the ship, and the clattering of feet running towards the escape pod bay. Soon escape pods were launching away from the ship. As Captain Ozlo ran for the escape pod bay he saw four young knights all trying to keep people from just taking escape pods alone.
“No! Let some others go with you!”
“Come on you knights, this ships going down! You want to be incinerated?”
“No, captain, but all these knights keep taking pods and not sharing them with others!”
“Well, people are panicking, Euclid!” said Rulen.
“So? At least they should have enough sense in them to let others use the same escape pod!”
“You guys got to get out of here NOW!”
“Fine, fine, do what the Captain said.”
As the knights headed for the last escape pod, a deafening explosion was heard coming from the engine room.
“The tearium core has exploded!”
“Get inside!”
Now, frantically the knights and Captain scrambled inside the escape pod. Rulen pulled the emergency pod launch and with a click the pod was ejected from the ship.
“There she goes,” whispered Parma.
“I think we’ll be seeing her again soon,” said Captain Ozlo.
That night the inhabitants of cradle saw numerous pods falling from the sky, glowing like stars as they fell towards cradle.
Quince, a traveling merchant looked up and saw an escape pod heading straight for him, he ran. The pod missed him by a few meters, but the shock wave knocked him to the ground. Soon all around cradle, the same thing was happening to many of the other inhabitants and hundreds of smoking holes could be seen on the planet’s surface.

I was writing this earlier this year...
Epotech

If you found Epotech and like this story, thank him. I am just here to show you all about it. You can say I stole it but I'm giving the credit to Epotech.