Frequency Descending

It had been three days since the HMS Exodus had arrived at the outskirts of their newest discovery; a planet that was just like Earth, they called it planet “Alpha.”

The Exodus was made up of a group of survivors from Earth’s latest nuclear blast; and prisoners from a prison mining ship. They had spent the last one hundred years in cryogenic sleep whilst they travelled to this new world, to create a new home for what was left of the human race. Not that they deserved it.

‘T-Minus Two Minutes to liftoff’ the automated voice echoed around the rocket ship.

"Wren, can you hear me?” Cassius spoke up.

“Copy that.” Wren replied, the fear seeping out of her mouth like a bomb just about to detonate.

“I know you’re scared. You’ve done this a hundred times before already.” Jupiter, one of the other survivors interrupted.

“And every damn time, something has gone wrong.” Wren remarked, shaking her head. She clicked a few buttons on the control panel. The crew consisted of six of Earth’s finest young scientists, and Wren, the youngest person to pass NASA’s space pilot program. They closed and locked their visors, ready to embark on their journey.

“I trust you, Wren.” Cassius said, his tone soft and reassuring. The same way he spoke to her when he kissed her before bed the previous night. Their romance was something they hadn’t intended to happen. It just did. They had been roaming space for years, it got pretty lonely being single. Everyone else felt the same, and followed in Wren and Cassius’ footsteps. They made a pact that they wouldn’t die without each other. So she had to stick to that.

The engines started roaring, shaking the crew members in their seats. “Belt up.” Wren exclaimed. “T-Minus one minute to take off.”

As the engine jittered, they said their final goodbyes to their friends on the spacecraft.

“I can’t do it. I can’t go.” Blake yelled, ripping off her helmet, unclipping her belt and standing up. Her breath was laboured and sweat was dripping down onto her face. Wren rolled her eyes, throwing her hands up in disbelief.

“There’s no time for this, Blake. We’re launching in thirty seconds. If you’re not sat back in your seat with your helmet back on by then, I’ll throw you out of the airlock myself.”

“Give her a break. It’s her first time.” Absalum jeered, placing her hand out for Blake to grab.

“Suck it up. We’re go for launch in 20 seconds.” Wren’s voice was a mixture of excitement and fear. The thrill of landing on a new planet was something that she lived for. After the government decided to set up this mission when they found out Earth was going to be inhabitable in a hundred years time, Wren was picked to piloted this spacecraft.

“Planet Alpha, we’re coming for you!” Jude- the eldest son of Earth’s last ever president, punched the air.

"Ten.” Wren spoke quietly.

Blake had managed to calm herself down, placing the helmet back on her head. She held onto Absalum’s hand for dear life.

“Nine.”

“Hey, Wren.” Cassius’ voice eventually sounded through the headset. “Be safe, okay. I love you.”

Those three words rang around Wren’s head. He loved her? How could he love someone who felt so unlovable?

The rocket jittered underneath the crew, shaking them to their core. They were grasping onto their harnesses tightly. Wren was sure she heard a couple of people praying. She chuckled to herself, holding onto the necklace of a bird that Cassius had made for her.

“I love you too.” She whispered, wishing nothing more for her boyfriend to hear her.

The thrusters whirred and they felt a jolt as the rocket separated from Exodus at a speed. “How do you know where we’re going to land? What if we land in the ocean?” Dean asked, clearly questioning Wren’s piloting skills.

“We’re not landing in the ocean, jerk.” She replied.

The window of the rocket was small, but enough to see the atmosphere turn from darkness to clouds.

“See, I told you. Just like Earth.” Wren sneered, pushing a few more buttons.

The clouds faded and their eyes focused on the now pink sky that was in their eye-line.

“So beautiful.” Jude spoke, his voice cracking at the sight of their potential new home.

The vast greenlands were vibrant and looked untouched. That made Wren feel a little less dubious about their fate.

“Hold on, we’re coming in to land.” She shouted, her whole body was shaking from the thrusters working overtime to land them safely.

The thud of the rocket landing was like nothing any of them had felt before, it flung two of the crew members out of their seats and into the air, their bodies hitting the roof on the way back to the floor.

Wren jumped out of her seat when she knew the landing was complete, she ran over to the two bodies.

“Wake up!” She shook the female. “Damnit, Blake, wake up!”

Abasalum unclipped her harness and knelt down next to the lifeless body. She checked for any sign of breathing. Nothing. “She’s gone, Wren.” Absalum was the only doctor on this mission, she’d been chosen for her research on finding a cure for cancer back on Earth.

Wren kicked the control panel hard, she felt nothing. “Hey, it’s not your fault!” Jude placed a hand on her shoulder. “Let’s go explore our new home.”

She let out a loud exhale before standing up in front of the group, who were looking at her to lead them. “Helmets on, we don’t know if the air is safe.”

As the door creaked open, their eyes flashed to the grass beneath their feet, and the vast amount of trees lining the ground.

“Hello new home!” Jude shouted, stepping his foot out of the ship. Before he could put his other on the ground, there was an almighty bang. He fell backwards into the ship. Wren looked up, her eyes locked onto a human-like creature, swinging in the tree above the rocket. She smacked the lever, closing the door to the rocket ship.

They paced the ship frantically, thinking of a solution. Wren grabbed the radio off the counter. “This is Wren Harding from HMS Exodus reporting immediate assistance. If you hear me, we are on Planet Alpha, and we are not alone.”