MERSING CHRONICLES

Chapter 22 Isaiah Chapter 24

Isaiah Chapter 24, a short story by Noor Jalidin (Col, retired, Royal Malaysian Navy)

Synopsis: A damaged space shuttle is forced to crash land on an abandoned planet - Earth. The few survivors have to seek shelter from the radioactive environment, remnants of a nuclear war a few hundred years ago.

The shuttle shuddered, then became still again.

"A meteor shower," pilot Chingwell drawled in his Venusian accent.

"Check for damages, Paul"

The co-pilot turned on his swivel chair, and with rapid dexterity, maneuvered his fingers on the computer keyboard.

"Oh-oh, something's wrong," he turned to the pilot. "Two thrusters damaged - one seriously."

Good Lord! Chingwell thought, and we are within Earth's field. They need all three of the shuttle's thrusters to escape Earth's gravitational pull. With one damaged, they might makeit, but with two, he wasn't sure.

"What's our DE?

"Thirty point five M. "

Thirty point five M? We are closer than I thought, and he felt that cold icy sensation near his heart. Control yourself Samuel, control yourself The lives of five people are in your hands, don't do anything rash. Do what you can. "Fire thrusters, full power," he ordered.

The co-pilot acknowledged with a slight nod of his head, and his hands moved deftly above the dashboard, his fingers turning a dial here, pushing a button there.

There was a jerk as the thrusters fired.

"Maintain it."

"Yes sir."

II

"DE?" Chingwell asked thirty minutes later. "Twenty five point two M, sir." Insufficient power, we're getting closer. He began pondering the alternatives: we can go into orbit, but God knows how long rescue will reach us. The last time a pilot tried that, rescue arrived after half the passengers had died of insufficient oxygen. On the other hand, we can crash and await rescue, but there is the risk. We might not survive the crash, and ...Earth's radioactive.

"We are crash landing," he concluded.

The co-pilot's eyes widened. "Why not orbit?"

Chingwell gave his reasons.

"But sir, Earth's radioactive, " the co~pilot protested.

"Damn it Paul! Don't you think I know that?

Every planet from Pluto to Mercury knows Earth's radioactive. " Chingwell bit his lower lip: should'nt have let go on him like that. "Fire retros, we're going in. "

Ill

From his cockpit, he could see Earth's greenish dark landscape stretching out into the curved horizon, formations of silver white clouds floating idly above it.

"What's the read out?'

"Mountainous, with heights from three to five kliques ."

He swallowed hard. In all twenty years as a pilot, he had never heard anyone land a 30 metre long, ninety ton bulk composite on rugged ground - not to mention a mounainous area - and survive to blab about it in the Yuri Gagarin Barhouse.

"Can the computer scan a flat spot?"

"Negative."

He gripped the steering tightly, palms breaking out in sweat. Only twenty minutes, and they would crash. Sheena and the children, what would happen to them? Oh God, if you are ever there at all, help me! "Sir, it looks flat at two O'clock," the co-pilot gave a nod in that direction. He saw a flat surface amidst a sea of jagged area and pointed peaks. It looked perfect, and he coaxed the craft towards the plateau. Five more minutes, only five more minutes before we crash. "I want altitude in tens. "