54
Sunlight flares from every fractured edge: It's like looking into burning diamonds, and Jack can only get an impression of the outside world. Now he has to rely on...A ground-mapping display.
120 meters altitude. And dropping.
Ground-mapper: 60 meters.
"Cariad, I love you."
COLLISION ALARMS kick in.
Out the fractured windscreen, Ianto can see a huge dark mass rise up into view.
"Land Captains"
A robotic woman's voice starts counting down the altitude out loud.
40 meters...
30...
20...
10...
"IANTO!"
Ianto braces.
IMPACT.
The WINDSCREENS IMPLODE.
AIR HURRICANES IN.
The shadow of the Disc flies overhead and Ianto looks up, praying their impact slowed the velocity of the disc's own impending crash.
Chairs rip from their moorings. Strapped into one, Jack slams into the ceiling.
The hull is cracking open.
A huge section of the cabin tears free... skitters and CRASHES along the planet floor behind them...and disintegrates out of sight.
Hammered by wind, Ianto opens his eyes experimentally. A vortex of motion, of speed, of blurring debris. But the ship is burrowing in. Burrowing under.
Ianto pivots his chair 180 degrees a nanosecond before... Dirt avalanches into the cockpit.
BLACKOUT
.
.
.
Choking yellow dust. Ghostly silhouettes are coughing, moaning and calling out to other survivors in English and, surreally, in Gorgan.
Ears running blood. Spock is stumbling his way toward the belly of the vessel that is some distance away and no longer visable beyond their horizon, Others finding their bearings and then following as they now pray for the men who risked…hopefully not sacrificed …. For the families who have survived the Disc's less nasty impact into the dirt floor.
"Somethin' went wrong, huh?" a red shirt mutters as he looks around with confusion, then rubs his face.
"Spock, come back!" Kirk calls softly, "Come on, we need weapons. In case."
Spock swings to look back at his mate, their eyes meeting and he nods.
.
.
.
.
Darkness.
A light beam sweeps the dusty air of the cockpit.
It's packed with dirt, no signs of life. About to search elsewhere, Ianto turns back at a glint in the corner of his eye. "Jack?"
"Over here." His light finds a headrest sticking up from the dirt. Ianto crawls closer, checks the other side of the headrest and finds him.
Buried to the gills.
"Well now, you seem buried in your work again Captain"
Jack groans softly, then smiles, "Hey."
He manages a smile and starts digging him out.
Almost dreading to ask Jack whispers "Are there any others, Babe? Did the Saucer impact intact?"
Ianto helps Jack through the carnage. He's stunned by it all - but especially by the blast of sunlight where a hull used to be.
The survivors straggle outside.
"Any sign of the disc?" someone calls.
"At least half a day's walk that way" someone else replies and there is soft laughter ad someone else asks for somebody to define a day on this rock.
Ianto is crawling through dusty superstructure to reach the water cistern. he opens a crank-hatch - and finds light invading the interior. His face falls.
"Jack? We need water."
Oversize doors rumble open. Ianto, Jack, and Scotty climb into this dark corridor lined with cargo containers. Each container has an access door.
"Well?" Scotty demands, "Anyone have the access codes to these?"
Jack removes his antique Webley and fires at a lock that disengages. He shrugs and moves to the next one. Ianto turns and look at the Scotsman. shrugs.
Another shot rings out.
Scotty finds himself grinning.
.
.
.
.
Gathered, the survivors take inventory: Jack has a pistol, shotgun, baton. Ianto and Scotty have water bottles and some food parcels. The First Aid Kits are open as those who are injured are seen to.
Ianto is satisfied that this small team that stayed with the belly of the ship are all OK. He still can't believe anyone died.
Yet.
"So, another four or five hours befoe they reach us on foot….makes sense we start towards them and meet in the middle right?" Scotty asks, "Any tramsporters survive? Be nice to travel by wheels."
As some crew clamber back into the belly to search the back of the cago bay Ianto sits and takes a cleansing breath.
"Are you OK" Jack softly whispers with concern as he places a hand on Ianto's shoulder.
"I believe I am slightly shaken, if not stirred sir" Ianto replies as he smiles to show he is just overwhemned. "Thank the stars we left the children with Rhiannon."
"Not all of them" Jack replies, his hand going to Ianto's bump "let's take a moment or two yeah?"
Ianto nods and allows a moment.
Or three.
.
.
.
.
.
I'm still here, windswept and tired. Some water damage but nothing I can't handle. Went to bed at about 2am ... still raining and some wind but nothing like it was. Thanks to all your lovely good wishes, we have weathered the storm and today will be the tail end which may have a bit of a sting in the tail but we are all fine, safe and still kicking xxxx
