[**noise**]
[**crack**]
[*noise*]
FM: Hello, is anypony there?
[*crack*]
FM: Hello, anyp–
ATC: Hello?
FM: Yes, this is–
[*crack*]
ATC: Hello? This is Aetherspace Traffic Control, who is this?
[*crack*]
[*noise*]
FM: Can you hear me?
ATC: Yes, yes, we can hear you. May I know the identity of the caller, please?
[*crack*]
FM: Freighter Magenta, this is Freighter Magenta. Pluto-class [*crack*], fission-type BSX 129, number 10017. Distress. I repeat, Distress. Over.
[*noise*]
ATC: Identity established. What is the nature of your problem?
FM: [*alarms*] We slammed into an asteroid [*crack*] 5 hours ago. Starboard main thruster destroyed, fuel cells 4, 5, and 6 ruptured. Extensive damage to hull. I fear our core has been compromised. [*crack*]
ATC: Sounds serious. Could you establish your location, please? Over.
[*noise*]
FM: [*alarms*] Our [*crack*] external transponders have been conked out, sir. We’re running on aux systems. We clocked in our last position at Station B-48 around 7 hours ago, just before entering Outer Atrium Gate 2… [*crack*] Gate 29. Over.
ATC: Ok… I’ll check in with the station and see what I can do.
FM: [*crack*] [*alarms*] Yes please, sir. It’s getting really bad in here.
ATC: That it seems. Quite a multitude of alarms going off…
[*noise*]
[*silence*]
[*noise*]
ATC: Freighter Magenta, this is Traffic Control. Can you hear me? Over.
FM: [*crack*] Yes, we can.
ATC: Ok, we’ve established your position. Currently at… 17.5 AUs from Helios, RA 20:30, Dec. +18:09. I assume you’ve sent a distress signal?
[*crack*]
FM: What was that?
ATC: You’ve sent a distress signal?
FM: Yes, yes, we have.
HTC: Ah… ok, yes, it’s been relayed to us. We’ll relay it to the rescue corps. Hold on tight, the IRC will come to your aid shortly.
FM: Yes, please. It’s getting bad, really bad.
[*noise*]
ATC: Keep calm and don’t panic. Try to–
FM: [*explosion*] [*rumble*] [*crack*]
[*noise*]
[*noise*]
ATC: Freighter Magenta, Traffic Control. Can you hear me? Over.
[*noise*]
ATC: Freighter Magenta? Can you hear me?
[*noise*]
[**crack**]
[**noise**]
“Dammit,” spat Damien as he tossed away his headset, kicking away his chair, and galloped to the comms module. “Korax!” yelled the stallion. “Keep the position of that freighter, we’ve lost comms!”
“Crud. What happened, dude?” asked the lanky batpony, as he quickly imputed a command into the nav modules. “Explosion. I’m fearing the worst,” stated Damien as he snatched up another headset and imputed a frequency into the computer. He bellowed into the mic.
“SID-7! I repeat, SID-7! Pluto-class, BSX 192, freighter. Name: Magenta. I repeat, Pluto-class, type BSX 129, freighter. Name: Magenta. Over.”
“I’ve localized the ship’s position,” announced Korax. “Good, keep it there,” instructed Damien.
The headset pinged. “SID-7, affirmative. Relay specifics, please. Over.”
“17.5 AUs from Helios, Ra 20:30, Dec. +18:09. Over,” answered Damien.
“17.5 AUs from Helios, Ra 20:30, and Dec. +18:09, affirmative,” responded the headset.
“Please, please hurry, it seems they’ve suffered an explosion. Over.”
“Good grief, we’ll be there in no time. Over.”
***
Connemara slowly opened her eyes, but shut them immediately as a headache wracked splitting pain at the base of her horn. She grunted. Her breaths were long and laborious. It was so hard to breathe. She cautiously opened her eyes again, slowly registering the scene before her.
Debris was flying all over the control room. Stools bounced against the wall, and a few modules floated around, damaged or destroyed. Alarms droned ominously. Wires frayed and hung dangerously low, spluttering hot embers. The mare’s stomach turned when she saw a few bodies floating around.
She slowly inspected herself for any injuries. As her vision cleared, she took note of the steel beam penetrating her barrel. It was medium-sized, perhaps part of the ceilingwork. Connemara drowsily wondered how it got there. Blood slowly flowed from the wound, pooling into a little coagulating sphere next to her.
Eyes widened in horror, as her brain registered excruciating pain.
She screamed. She screamed at being impaled.
She stayed that way a long while, crying in shock. Eventually, she fizzled into choked sobs.
She’d been impaled with a metal beam. It was inside her. She could feel its icy touch in and around her stomach area. She silently dreaded what it’d done to her body.
“I’m gonna die,” she whimpered. “I’m gonna die!”
“Connie… i-is it you?” drawled a voice. She gasped, looking amidst the rubble where the voice came from. “G-gelatin..?” she called.
“Ah, it hurts...” grunted the batpony, slowly pulling himself out from beneath a large and heavy module. “W-what happened?” she inquired shakily. He cautiously swam to a wall and surveyed the room with sad, foggy eyes. “I… I don’t know. I can’t really remem– holy star, what happened to you?!”
His sudden outburst scared Connemara, and she cried in pain. He gasped and crawled closer. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. Are you...” – he eyed the metal thing piercing her barrel – “Are you ok?”
She sniffled. “I’m very scared.” Gelatin nodded and reached out to give her a hug, taking care to not touch the metal. “You’ll be ok. We’ll be ok. Stay strong.” “T-thanks…” she said.
More grunts came from behind them. Gelatin turned and looked, just in time to see a feeble talon trying to grab a piece of steel. He gasped and rushed over, pulling the talon as hard as he could.
Out came a griffon, coughing and moaning as Gelatin back-carried him. “Jasper!” called Connemara.
“What… what happened..?” slurred Jasper. “Crap happened,” answered Gelatin. The batpony examined his body for any external injury. There was. Connie gulped when Gelatin glanced at her, silently debating whether to tell the truth.
“Jasper, y-your wing… it’s badly twisted,” quietly reported the mare. “What?!” he bellowed. Connie flinched while Gelatin sighed.
“I’m sorry, Jasper.”
“N-no, it can’t be! It can’t be that bad. It… it has to heal. It has to heal, right?” he fervently asked, roughly shaking Gelatin’s shoulders. He shook his head. “At best, you might never use it again. At worst… you may have to amputat–”
Jasper slammed Gelatin’s face with a clenched talon. Blood spurted from the batpony’s nose, while the griffon cried in agony from the sudden exertion on his weak body. He screamed angrily and floated around, while Gelatin grunted and huffed, trying to stem the bleeding. Connie sobbed, feeling helpless and small.
“We’ll settle this later,” stated Gelatin coldly, before sighing and softening a little. His watch vibrated, pinging a warning. “We’ll have to find a new cabin soon. Air pressure is dropping fast.”
“How are we gonna make it, idiot? We don’t even know what’s out there!” chided Jasper. Gelatin screeched. “We have to take a risk! If you wanna stay, be my guest. Suffocate alone.”
The griffon paused with a gritted beak. Gelatin ignored him, huffing as he carefully carried Connie on his back and slowly swam towards an exit. The batpony didn’t look back, but he knew that Jasper was silently following them.
It was dim. Small guide lights lit the room with a dark blue hue. The aux power grid was holding up well, but Gelatin feared it wouldn’t last. He may have to check on the electric module, but that could be for later; right now, they needed to find a more suitable room. Pushing the damaged door open, they traversed a small corridor. Another door lay ahead. Connie dreaded at what lay beyond, but Gelatin turned and gave her a small, reassuring smile. She nodded, though nervous. He turned back and swam forward, determined. Artificial gravity had ceased, potentially disrupted due to the explosion. Gelatin ruminated on the extent of the damage. The oxygen cells had better be intact. Otherwise…
He shook his head, refusing to think of it. They would make it. They would survive.
