Bonding Part 2

Posted on 13 Oct 2024 @ 5:40pm by Lieutenant JG Serran

350 words; about a 2 minute read

"Are you certain that you ?" he asked.

"Yeah Dad, I'm sure. I'm not five. I'm sure." His hands gripping the controls told the Vulcan a different story, but he wouldn't call his son out about it.

"This is just a simulation, no matter how real it seems. You and I both know that. Even if it were real, I wouldn't want you trying to protect me. I can handle myself."

The temptation to correct Theo was stronger now, but he resisted the urge.

They entered the planet's atmosphere and the ship pitched violently, stronger than the previous times. It was difficult to discern whether the slightly awkward angle they burst through into the stratosphere or being hit by another disruptor bolt.

"Ser... Dad, maybe you ought to take over now," Theo requested. He hated giving up, but this was too close to reality for him and he didn't want to blow it, even if it were just a game.

Serran, with a brief nod, took the controls. His brow furrowed as they passed through the first layer of clouds and he fought to keep the ship from veering off the approach course, or what passed for it.

He found that task to be more difficult than he had programmed it to be, but he did manage to keep the shuttlecraft mostly on course.

Once they were into the second, denser layer of clouds he managed to gain a greater deal of control. That was a good thing because he knew what was about to happen.

Even so, if it were not for his Vulcan reflexes he wouldn't have been able to keep the small ship from crashing into the wall of a snowy canyon. As it was, the right wing was clipped and it was only by reversing the thrusters and pulling the yoke to the left with all his strength that he managed to get them on the ground. They probably wouldn't be able to repair the ship so it could be flown out. But, that was about to be the least of their problems.

TBC

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