Grounded

Shot Down

Alarms blared as the opposing ship blasted round after round into the side of the ship, the two gunners eagerly returning fire as their captain/pilot barked orders.

"Gunners, focus your fire on the Pyramidion on the port side! Oi Engineer, how things holding up?!" The Pilot shouted into the speaking tubes.

"EVERYTHING IS BROKEN OR ON FIRE! STEER WITH LESS SUCK!! AND I HAVE A NA-" Explosive rounds rock the airship, as a flamethrower roasts the guns on the other side.

The Engineer stumbles into the railing, but pulls himself closer to the busted engines and dousing the fires erupting from the sides. He stands up and runs toward the lower deck to the final engine, dodging one of the cannons as it explodes, taking a gunner with it. He manages to get it started again in time to hear the Pilot shouting at him again.

"Engineer, the Balloon is loosing air! Get up here and fix it!"

"We lost John! The munitions cooked off while the moron wasn't paying attention!" He heard the leader curse as another blast rocked the ship, a sudden dive signaling the loss of both the Balloon and the Engines. The remaining gunner looked where they where headed, and leap off the ship without hesitation. The Engineer idly noticed him being bisected by a stray round as he climbed the latter to the upper half of the ship. He half ran and half climbed his way to the helm and tapped the slightly panicking Pilot.

"Kael the Balloon is in shreds, Engines are in pieces, and the rudder is detached. No way around it, we ain't gonna make it. That's the Swallowing Sands."

"But, you've survived it, haven't you? You've done it twice!" he responded hopefully.

"By luck, and it looks like we're all out. All that's left is the slow decent to death."

Kael turned around, bracing himself against the wheel. "Why won't they just shoot us?"

The Engineer gives him a  bored look, as if his explanation had already gotten old before he already said it. "We're at war for resources, why waste the ammo?" Kael releases a pitiful whine.

"S-so, Engineer, what's it like, down there?" Kael looks down at their impending end.

"A lot of pink and black. Constant pressure crushing you, but at least you can breathe, somehow. They still haven't figured out how I got out."

The ship pierces the awaiting dessert below, and is consumed in the fine particles of earth. As the Engineer said, their vision is consumed by pink and black, the pressure becoming nearly unbearable, before a bright flash consumes their vision, and all pressure is lifted. They grip onto the ship as they pick up speed, and eventually the ship gets stuck, bow and stern jammed the sides of a gorge. The fortunate pair lie in pain as the sound of flapping wings grows louder and louder, Kael getting a last comment in before they lose cognitive thought.

"Damn birds."