DIVISION 52 - BOOK I

CHAPTER LXV

– S C O R P I O N – 

The shuttle's malfunction was far too convincing.

When I asked Proximo to make the shuttle seemingly malfunction from it's original course to Merridian I did not mean kill us.

The ship shuddered again as it reported one of the thruster failures and tipped our course literally continents off the location Makayla had input minutes earlier.

"I don't understand!" She yelled over the blare of automated warnings and crimson lights. "The computer system has multiple fail safes–"

"Warning. Navigation compromised. System reboot non operational." A content female robot informed us as we dropped out of orbit and into the hungry pull of gravity.

I turned to her calmly and set my hand over her forearm as she frantically tried to right the system location that would not be corrected... Not with Merridian's best hacker coordinating its trajectory as we spoke.

"Makayla."

Her eyes quickly shot to mine with a frown. "I can at least try–"

"Navigation failure. Coordinates unconfirmed. Please prepare for atmospheric entry." The shuttle announced. 

"Makayla if you can't control where we land, at least focus on how we do." I told her loudly enough to be heard over the warning alarms.

At this my words got through. She dropped me a brief nod and began running checks on thrust power and landing stabilisers. I leant back against the upright chair as the pressure increased and the shuddering increased.

A thought crossed my mind far too late that Dazz could actually use this opportunity. Claim the error she had run into the ship crashed us into the side of a mountain–I shook it out of my head. She even said herself she didn't want to see her employer die before she got paid. But it probably wouldn't stop that woman from having fun with this. It made me grit my teeth.

"The landing gear and stabilisers are not compromised." Makayla said, with more focus now. "In fact the shuttle's entire integrity is undamaged–this doesn't make any sense." She mused as we hit a much harder shudder and flames enveloped the front visor.

We burned like a comet towards the earth. I had enough of a glimpse to know that it was a northern continent. Gods if she'd dumped us in Naxium mid winter–

"Mesosphere breached. Altitude at 160,000 feet." The shuttle informed us.

"Damn it that's fast." Makayla muttered, as she swiped at the holo and I felt the familiar buzz of G-force in my head. I watched her closely, acutely aware of just how unfamiliar Makayla was with it.

"How are you doing?" I asked her.

She shook some pressure from her head and blinked. "Fine. Just breathless."

"Take air in through your nose slowly." I ordered her and set my hand on her shoulder as the cabin pressure only increased. Falcons sent it through my bones frequently but if you haven't been exposed–

Her head dipped to one side briefly before I shook her.

"Alex." She mumbled as she struggled to stay conscious. "If the landing thrusters fail–you need to–engage the–" The words died on her lips as she fell out of consciousness entirely.

"Makayla!" I shouted, jerking her shoulder.

She remained out. I swore. I'd make that damn hacker loose a few minutes of consciousness when I returned.