Quantum: The Complete Series

Chapter 4: Last Love

Pistoleere: Warning...fuel levels at ten, percent.

The Pistoleere climbed the atmosphere of Vara-5 and was approaching orbit, but fuel was starting to run low. If they ran out before they broke atmosphere completely, they would fall back down to the surface of the planet. Axol was guiding the ship up and getting more nervous with every passing second.

Axol: Come on...just a little further.

Beads of sweat trailed down his face as warning sounds and lights started flashing. They were running out of fuel too fast.

Pistoleere: Fuel levels at six, percent. Please find a safe landing spot immediately.

Axol: Can't really do that right now! We are a bit too high for that!

Pistoleere: Please find a safe landing spot immediately.

Axol: Shut up. I don't need to hear it.

He shuts off the A.I. for the Pistoleere and refocuses himself on breaking atmosphere. He looks down at a screen that estimated their distance away from being in orbit, and it said under five thousand feet left.

Axol: *heavy breathing* ...We have enough fuel...I know it.

He silently says something to himself before giving all the ship had left in it and used it for propulsion.

Pistoleere: Warning. Fuel levels at one, percent.

Axol: Come on, Come on!

Pistoleere: Warning. Fuel levels critical.

Axol pushed the thrusters all the way up and finally broke atmosphere, just as the engines sputtered and died. He stared off into space for a moment before falling back into his chair and letting out a sigh of relief. He pulled a radio from the ceiling and spoke into it, letting the others know that they were safe.

Axol: *into radio* Guys...We're safe. We are in orbit.

In the back of the Pistoleere, the others were cheering at their accomplishment. Luigi jumped up and cheered, Meggy let out a cry of joy, pumping her fist in the air as she did so, and Mario watched the other two with a large smile on his face. He was happy that they escaped Vara-5, but how would they get back onto the Quantum now?

Meggy: Woo! Haha.....*noticing Mario* Hey, Red, why aren't you celebrating? We made it!

Mario: I am very happy that we made it, don't get me wrong...but now that we are completely out of fuel, how are we going to get to the Quantum?

Luigi stopped his cheering and looked to Mario, his face slowly changing from joy, to uncertainty.

Luigi: The...The Quantum...

Meggy speaks with uncertainty in her voice. She clearly didn't know what to do now that she realized they were completely out of fuel.

Meggy: Yeah...how will we get there?

They look out a small window into the blankness of space and wondered how far they were from the Quantum-7. Then Axol came out to them with a plan.

Axol: Hey, so I know that we are out of fuel, so we technically can't go anywhere, right?

Mario: Yeah? What are you getting at?

Axol: Well, I looked into some of the schematics of the ship, and there are actually air thrusters on all sides of the ship. We could steer this with air!

Meggy: Bit What if we are on the opposite side of the planet from the Quantum-7? What will we do when we run out of air?

Axol: That's why we will be wearing our survival suits the whole time.