EXT. HIGH ORBIT OF WOLF 1061c – TIMELESS
The planet Wolf 1061c looms massively in the distance. Its sun side is a rusty ball of ochre-hue cracked with deep scars that run along its rocky, desert surface.
A sleek spaceship whips past and a series of flashes emit from its lower region, releasing FIVE DROP PODS into high orbit of the planet.
Each pod is a bulky cylinder of layered titanium plating, thick ablation shielding, and reinforced glass viewports.
INT. COMMANDER’S DROP POD – TIMELESS
THE COMMANDER, geared in fatigues and battle armour, is strapped into his pod’s pilot seat via various belts and an over-the-shoulder metal harness.
Wolf 1061c hangs high in his viewport and a kaleidoscope of flashing buttons and switches litter the dashboard console.
He regards the planet in contemplation…
LOTUS (O.S.)
Reaction wheels engaged for orientation correction. Do not touch manual control.
The planet sinks from high above the Commander’s head to his feet as the pod changes orientation.
He’s unphased by the inertia, he’s been through it many times before.
In the distance he sees the glint of the ship’s rear thrusters receding to the size of a thumbtack as it speeds away.
Entering from the periphery, the other four pods stalk into his viewport, their metal hulls spinning and glistening against the backdrop of the void.
The pods, separated by some distance, hide any discernible view of their occupants.
The Commander flips on his pod’s radio comms switch to catch some playful bickering amongst the others, he smiles hearing their familiar voices.
O’ROURKE (O.S.)
…You may address me as Chicxulub whilst I function as a potential meteorite! Oh, the excitement ha ha!
JUNO (O.S.)
Calm yourself O’Rourke! We’re not going to explode into the planet, too much excitement and you’ll pass out before we get there. Are you listening to me?
WICKLOW (O.S.)
Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing…
O’Rourke’s tittering laughter saunters over the radio.
Juno’s scoff is easily distinguished.
JUNO (O.S.)
O’Rourke? O’Rourke, quit giggling like a schoolgirl and control yourself, Dio aiutami…
The Commander chuckles and flicks on his microphone.
THE COMMANDER
I can’t leave you lot alone for five minutes without all hell breaking loose.
JUNO (O.S.)
Apologies Sir! O’Rourke’s been hysterical since we’ve entered comms range, well… more so than usual. Not my intent to clutter up the channel.
O’ROURKE (O.S.)
What a lick-arse…
THE COMMANDER
Shut it O’Rourke. Don’t make an enemy out of our only medic, that’s an order.
O’ROURKE (O.S.)
Aye sir, I apologize Juno. Please don’t leave me to die in some dank, dark cave down there.
JUNO (O.S.)
No promises.
THE COMMANDER
Alright people, there’s still some time before we descend so relax. The mass tether will pull us in – the Lieutenant’s setting it up – don’t engage the manual flight control or we’ll have to recalibrate. ‘Kay, I’ll let you get back to your hysterics now.
A short chuckle from Wicklow is the last thing he hears before switching off the comms unit.
INT. THE COMMANDER’S DROP POD – TIMELESS
A muffled THUMP reverberates throughout the pod and the Commander is pushed back into his seat from the G-force.
The pods move towards each other.
A blinking indicator light on the dashboard meant he was being hailed on comms.
With a little difficulty, he frees one hand to hit the switch.
THE COMMANDER
I’m here.
LIEUTENANT FRAKES (O.S.)
Commander. We’ve begun the tethering process.
O’ROURKE (O.S.)
-Yep, we know Frakes. I can barely move my neck here!
LIEUTENANT FRAKES (O.S.)
Can still move your mouth though huh?
LOTUS (O.S.)
The feeling of inertia will pass momentarily, Ensign O’Rourke. Brace for harsh deceleration.
Immediately, the Commander is whooshed forward, as if someone had slammed the brakes; the harness prevents his head from hitting the viewport.
Gradually he manages to fight against the impulse and sit upright.
The other pods were now close enough to see members of his team, all are in the same style of fatigues and battle armour. LIETENANT FRAKES is holding a notepad and miming words – feeding LOTUS biometric information; WICKLOW appears completely unphased; while JUNO and O’ROURKE are both heaving with inertia sickness.
THE COMMANDER
Everyone ok? Worst of it is over, the remaining sensations will all be familiar.
Juno shakes her head from side to side.
JUNO (O.S.)
I think I am going to be sick.
O’Rourke props up his head and coughs.
O’ROURKE (O.S.)
Fresh… as a daisy.
THE COMMANDER
Keep it together, it’ll pass.
The Commander turns his attention to Frakes.
THE COMMANDER
We locked in?
LIEUTENANT FRAKES (O.S.)
Yeah. Finalizing retrograde burn calculations to the planet now.
LOTUS (O.S.)
Pardon the intrusion Commander. Ensign Wicklow, I need you to release manual flight control before moving.
WICKLOW (O.S.)
I’m not touching anything LOTUS.
A momentary silence.
LOTUS (O.S.)
Hmm. Never mind, I have corrected it.
WICKLOW (O.S.)
Is everything ok LOTUS?
LOTUS (O.S.)
Peachy.
EXT. HIGH ORBIT OF WOLF 1061c – TIMELESS
The team’s pods aligned in a star-shaped ring formation before their propulsion systems fire up in unison.
They head towards the planet.
INT. COMMANDER’S DROP POD – TIMELESS
A slight sizzle from the exterior thrusters roars up to full throttle inside the Commander’s pod.
He feels a surge of pressure run up his legs and flexes to withstand it.
In the viewport all other pods are synchronized in propulsion.
The planet’s semi-hemisphere slowly grows from the bottom of the viewport, it is arid and pale – an off-coloured mandarin.
LOTUS (O.S.)
Drop pods currently on intercept course with planet. Initiating radial burn manoeuvre for surface insertion alignment, T-minus ninety-six seconds until contact.
EXT. LOW ORBIT OF WOLF 1061c – TIMELESS
The pods shift inclination in unison for the radial burn manoeuvre.
As soon as the engines fire up, a BLINDING SERIES OF FLASHES boom from the thrusters of WICKLOW’S POD.
A BLIP OF FLAME then erupts which destabilizes the mass tether and sends all pods skittling off-course.
INT. COMMANDER’S DROP POD – TIMELESS
A MASTER ALARM SHRIEKS throughout the Commander’s pod – he fumbles to reach the off switch.
THE COMMANDER
LOTUS, what the hell is going on!
LOTUS (O.S.)
I’ve detected an ignition failure within Wicklow’s pod. It has ruptured the mass tether – I’m currently trying to stabilize the pods to minimize crew mortality upon planetary collision; there is no window to abort.
JUNO’S POD SMASHES INTO HIS, sending them both tumbling.
The planet appears and disappears in his viewport, a chaotic dance of night and day.
He fights against the dizzying changes in orientation.
THE COMMANDER
Argh! Can you… redirect Wicklow?
Various screams from the others come in over the radio, he forces them out.
LOTUS (O.S.)
Negative. Flight controls are unresponsive, planet impact is imminent; I calculate a fifty-four percent chance of survival for him. He is on his own.
Atmospheric entry begins.
The pod’s viewport blazes up to a scorching flame and the friction creates a roaring hiss.
THE COMMANDER
Damnit! Send me his projected coordin-
LOTUS (O.S.)
– There is no time, Commander. Brace for impact.
EXT. THE SURFACE OF WOLF 1061c – DAY
Against the backdrop of the orange planet’s jagged rock formations, a single drop pod breaks through the dust clouds in a ball of flame.
The flame clears as it barrels through the air, leaving behind a thick, black trail of smoke.
The pod collides with the ground, echoing a thunderous BOOM that sends dust and rubble flying into the air.
THE END… FOR NOW…
Copyright © 2024 Giuseppe Gillespie
*A Klemperer Rosette describes a gravitational system of bodies orbiting in a symmetrical pattern around a common barycenter (the dynamical point about which the bodies orbit) – it is a reference to the team’s drop pod formation around the mass tether; I originally heard of it in Larry Niven’s novel Ringworld.
Giuseppe Gillespie Writing 
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