Within

Untitled Part 1

Looking at the picture on the wall, she sighed, longing for the day when the warn embrace of the local star greeted the beginning of a new day. In a haze she reached for the next best thing, the warm fabric of the inside of her coat would have to do. A wall of cold air greeted her upon exiting the structure called home. 

A new wreck had been found on the edge of the Crater of Death. The place had been named as such because of the fight that was part of an intergalactic war. The valley shaped like a meteor crater, but so big that it was doubted to be caused by one. 

Descending into the crater the wind began to blow her black hair. Up until this point the small hill crated by the edge of the crater had shielded her as she approached. Edge was a relative term in this case the wreck was still in the distance. The ground sunk under her weight by several inches covering the top of her boots above her big toe. 

 Approaching the outside, she could see that it was a large plane bordering on the size of a small ship on her home planet. Walking around didn't initially point to a way in. How had something so big remained hidden?  Tilting her head up there was a human shaped doorway. Looking around another nearby wreck had a piece of metal that could serve as a ladder.   Stopping to catch her breath after dragging the piece over before entering. The sun light having retreated behind a cloud.  

Reaching for the flashlight, it revealed a sparse inside with several levels. With shelter from the wind came a new sound those of her footsteps on the metal like surface.  looking around she could not see the source of the smell that her nose told was in here. Maybe it's on one of the upper decks? 

With nothing to see, began walking to the ramps leading up and down between the levels. Heading down first, there appeared to be nothing on this level at first, at the corner of the right front was a small create. Walking forward as she got closer what was inside became visible. In it was some degraded clothing for some type of humanoid, with two arms like a human and a hole for maybe a neck. Is it a neck or for the bottom part and what served as legs?  

Back at the ramps as she made her way to the upper deck the mystery smell became stronger. Wait where is my makeshift ladder?!! Outside the wind was now howling and she could see out maybe double the length of her arm. Glad I'm in here.

Heading up to the top level she looked and the only thing she saw was what looked like a cockpit. Where is that smell coming from?  Advancing forward, out of the darkness another crate came into view to the right of the cockpit. 

She froze halfway to the cockpit. What she had been smelling became clear. Just behind the second mystery crate was a vent. That's the smell of propellant!! Great I find the wreak with propellant and shouldn't advance any farther, Malissa, why did you have to leave your breathing kit at the shelter?  

By the door to the outside at least she could think as the head pain that began on the third deck had stopped. If she left now there would be time to return. Looking outside it became clear that waiting out the storm or at least until the visibility returned to what it had been when she looked outside on the way up would be safer. Where do you want to spend the night? In that wreck you took the metal to use as a ladder to get in? Can you get to the other wreck with the bad visibility?

After a while the visibility improved and now, she could see the donor wreck. The main fuselage seemed to be dented in several places, but otherwise looked intact. Lowering herself down, she heard a growl and turned around. You aren't supposed to be out until darkness.  She let out a sigh of relief the animal was in the opposite direction she had to go.

Entering she made her way to the cockpit of a human single deck cargo plane with space capability. There had been some creates at the back, but those could wait until morning.

Untensing in the pilot's seat after closing and locking the door to the cockpit she was fast asleep.