Destiny Among the Stars - Scifi - LitRPG - Adventure

The pilot's seat felt comfortable around Luca, as though it were made for him, which, technically, it was. He felt the familiar thrill of taking the helm, the rush that came with being in control of a finely tuned machine. Behind him, Emily sat strapped into her harness.

Color had returned to her cheeks, and she was sitting upright without Zoe's support. But Luca could see the careful way she held herself, the slight tremor in her hands as she adjusted her safety straps. Twenty-four hours ago, she'd been dying of radiation poisoning. Now she was about to make history on an alien world.

"All systems green," Zoe reported from the co-pilot seat, her voice cutting through his thoughts. She followed his gaze toward the passenger compartment and gave him a knowing look. "She's fine, Luca. Joey cleared her for the mission."

Luca nodded, forcing himself to focus on the pre-flight checks. The sound of the ship's systems coming online was reassuring, the engines powering up with a gentle thrum that pulsed through the frame. Beyond the viewscreen, the docking clamps still held them securely to the Triumph, but beyond that...

"First time any of us will breathe alien air," Emily's voice drifted from behind him, wonder threading through the exhaustion. "Kind of surreal, isn't it?"

"Just don't breathe too much of it," Joey called out from his seat, medical kit secured beside him. "The atmospheric readings are good, but I want everyone in and out of those environmental suits by the book."

"Docking clamps ready to release on your mark, Captain," Zoe said, her hip brushing against his arm as she reached for her controls.

Luca flipped the intercom switch, his voice carrying to every corner of the ship. "Prepare for undocking."

The hangar hissed, depressurizing. A vast space, sealed off. Then, the thrum as the massive doors swung open.

He caught Emily's reflection in the viewscreen, watching him with those green eyes that always seemed to see right through him. She gave him a small smile.

The docking clamps lifted the Percival gently, sliding it out of the Triumph's hangar. "Releasing clamps," Luca announced. The dropship detached with a soft shudder, drifting free of the Triumph's protective frame. For a brief moment, the Percival floated in space, weightless and still. Then, with a light touch on the controls, he engaged the thrusters.

The hum of the fusion thrusters filled the cabin as they accelerated toward the planet's surface. Behind him, he could hear the crew's quiet conversations, their excitement building as New Dawn grew larger in the viewport.

Beyond the bulk of the Triumph of Darron, New Dawn filled the view: deep blue oceans reflecting the dim light of Proxima Centauri, continents cloaked in dark, rust-colored vegetation, and swirling clouds painted shades of violet and maroon. It looked alien, surreal even... but beautiful. After everything they'd been through to get here, the sight of their destination took his breath away.

"Engines responding perfectly," Zoe noted, her sharp eyes scanning the readouts. "Course locked."

Luca fine-tuned their approach, adjusting the vector-thrust systems slightly, and the dropship responded to his guidance.

"Initiating descent sequence," Luca announced. Around him, the crew strapped into their seats, running final checks.

"Let's do a quick... Ryan... the dropship's perfectly safe." Luca said as he watched Ryan tighten his safety harness with an extra, almost aggressive tug.

"I know that," Ryan replied, his voice a little too emphatic. "I checked it myself. It's you I don't trust." A nervous chuckle rippled through the cabin.

Through the cockpit glass, he caught sight of the Percival's twin energy miniguns retracting into their housings, the system humming faintly as it prepared for atmospheric entry. He didn't anticipate needing the weapons on New Dawn, especially without the System or portals.

"Ready for this?" He glanced at Zoe, seated beside him. She was working on the computer, fine-tuning their trajectory.

Zoe turned to him. "Born ready, Captain. Let's get this party started."

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, his tone dropping into a mock-serious cadence. "This is your Captain speaking. Please make sure your seat backs and tray tables are in their full upright position. Fasten your seat belts securely, and stow all carry-on luggage beneath the seat in front of you or in the overhead bins. Thank you for flying Percival Airways."

The laughter that erupted from the cabin behind him was immediate and unrestrained. It wasn't often they got to laugh like this, not with the weight of their mission looming over them. But hearing Emily's laugh among the others, stronger than it had been yesterday, eased something tight in his chest.

As the Percival angled downward following Zoe's preplanned route. Outside, the Triumph of Darron loomed like a silent shadow, its massive silhouette gradually receding against the endless expanse of stars. For a moment, it felt as though they were truly alone, just them and the planet below.

The soft chime of reentry alarms snapped him out of his thoughts. The cockpit lights shifted to a dim red, casting an eerie glow over the interior. It was a necessary adjustment, reducing glare and easing the strain on their eyes during the most intense part of atmospheric entry.

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Through the cockpit glass, New Dawn's curvature came into sharper focus. A thin line of atmosphere flickered faintly, a hint of blue dancing along its edges. The planet stretched out before them.

Showtime.

"Entering the atmosphere in T-minus 30 seconds," Zoe's voice crackled through his headset. "Brace for turbulence, folks."

"no fancy flying, Captain," Ryan's voice called from the passenger compartment, "We need to conserve fuel."

Luca chuckled, his grip tightening on the controls. "Just the boring, safe kind of flying today, I promise." He took a deep breath to steady himself, his atmospheric handling skills guiding his instincts, but he couldn't help but feel a knot of anxiety in his stomach.

The first sign of atmosphere hit them gently, barely perceptible except for the faint vibration that ran through the ship's hull.

Through the viewport, the first glimpse of New Dawn's surface began to emerge through the cloud cover. Luca's breath caught in his throat. It was like looking at Earth through a red tinted glasses. Very familiar yet utterly alien. Where Earth would have shown green forests and brown plains, New Dawn's landscape was painted in deep purples and burnt oranges.

Glancing back at the passenger compartment, he caught Emily's profile as she stared out the viewport with wide eyes, her fingers gripping her armrests.

"My God," Emily's voice drifted from behind him. "Look at those colors. The ultraviolet radiation from Proxima Centauri must have driven completely different evolutionary pathways." She looked stronger than she had in the infirmary.

Below them, the landscape was revealing itself in breathtaking detail. Rolling hills covered in what looked like burgundy grass flowed into valleys where rivers of silver water wound through forests of deep purple trees. In the distance, mountain ranges rose in the horizon, their peaks capped with something that might have been snow.

"There," Zoe pointed to a section of the display.

Luca angled the ship toward their target, marveling at what he was seeing. This wasn't just another planet. This was a world that seemed to have been waiting for them.

"Animal signatures are lighting up the sensors," Danny called out from his station. "This place is alive down there. Really alive."

"But no civilization," Ryan added, his voice carrying a mix of relief and wonder. "Whatever the System did to this world, it left it wild."

The Percival bucked suddenly as they hit a thermal updraft.

"Let's do this," he murmured, more to himself than anyone else, his voice barely audible over the hum of the engines and the growing roar of atmospheric friction.

Beside him, Zoe's hand found his on the thruster controls, her touch firm yet grounding. "Let's go make history," she said softly.

Luca nodded, exhaling slowly as he adjusted their descent vector. The ship shuddered, as turbulence jostled them. Each vibration echoed through the cockpit.

"It's beautiful," Emily breathed.

The ship shuddered again, more violently this time.

"Altitude dropping rapidly," Zoe announced, her voice clear as she leaned forward. Her dreadlocks shifted slightly, catching the red light of the readouts. "Adjusting trajectory for optimal landing zone."

"Roger that," Luca replied, easing back on the throttle. He felt the ship resist, the engines straining to maintain balance against the atmosphere. Almost there.

"Everyone hold tight," Luca called out. "We're about to break through the cloud cover." Here goes nothing.

The Percival burst through a dense layer of cloud, revealing the alien world in stunning clarity. It was beautiful. Lush, rolling hills of vegetation stretched out beneath them, shimmering in hues of purple and deep red. But there was no time to admire the view; the landing zone was approaching fast. Zoe and Emily had agreed on a small clearing near the base of a ridge, nestled close to a small river.

Luca wrestled with the controls, the Percival pitching and rolling unpredictably. Dust swirled wildly below as they were thrown downward. The engines roared, then sputtered as if fighting the very air. He gritted his teeth, making rapid, minute corrections that felt like a desperate battle against an invisible force.

"Steady... steady..." he muttered, knuckles white on the yoke. Alarms flickered on the console. The turbulence slammed them sideways.

The Percival dipped slightly, and Luca reacted instinctively, nudging the thrusters to compensate. He could hear the engines straining, the hum deep and guttural, reverberating through the cockpit.

"We're coming in hot," Zoe called out, the slightest edge of tension creeping into her voice. "Ease back just a touch, Luca."

"I am," Luca said, gritting his teeth. He adjusted the thrust, slowing their descent just enough to bring them into a controlled hover.

"Final approach," he announced. The ground loomed closer, the clearing widening beneath them, a perfect spot amid the rough terrain. Dust clouds billowed as the thrusters fired, and he held his breath, guiding the ship down gently.

The Percival touched down with a solid bone-shaking thump, the landing struts absorbing the impact. For a moment, everything was still, the engines winding down to a low, throbbing hum. The dust settled, revealing the alien landscape through the cockpit glass, serene and strange in the daylight.

Luca exhaled slowly, flexing his aching fingers as he released the controls. A small, satisfied smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "We're down," he said, glancing at Zoe. Her grin mirrored his own.

"Not bad, Captain," she said, her voice carrying a spark of pride. "Smooth enough for a first landing on an alien world."

Luca turned on the intercom, unable to resist a little flair. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to New Dawn. Local time is... anyone's guess. The ship is now secure; you may release your seatbelts."

The cabin erupted in cheers and laughter. Somewhere behind him, Ryan shouted, "Thank you, Jesus!"

Chris groaned, "Holy shit, what a bumpy ride!"

But then Luca heard a softer sound, a sharp intake of breath that cut through the celebration. He turned to see Emily pressing her palm against her forehead, her face pale beneath the flush of excitement.

"Em?" he called out, immediately unbuckling his harness. "You okay?"

She looked up, managing a weak smile. "Just... migraine. The turbulence didn't help." She started to stand, then swayed slightly, one hand reaching for the bulkhead to steady herself.

Joey was already moving. "Easy there. The atmospheric pressure changes probably aren't helping either." He appeared at her side, supporting her elbow. "How bad is it?"

"I'm fine," Emily insisted, though her voice was strained. "Just need a minute." She looked toward the viewport, looking out in wonder, despite the obvious discomfort. "I didn't come this far to miss walking on an alien world because of a headache."

Luca moved closer, studying her face with concern. The excitement of the landing was already being overshadowed by worry. "Maybe you should rest for a bit. Let Joey check you over."

"No." Emily's voice was firm, though she didn't release her grip on the bulkhead. "I'll be fine. Just... give me a few minutes to adjust."