turps

No, it never does!

And you get a double drabble as others are doing it, so I'm going to copy.

~~~~~

Impact in sixty seconds

Gerard presses a series of buttons, movements sure as he takes in numbers and red-lit displays.

Fifty seconds

Gerard swallows and tugs on his harness, checking the fit. Knows that if they do hit it’s not going to be pretty.

Forty seconds

“I hear you,” Gerard says softly. He can feel his heart beating, bites at his lip as the warnings reach a crescendo and pressure starts to push on his body.

Thirty seconds

Outside, Gerard can see nothing but red streaked with black -- flames and space debris hitting the hull and he knows if this doesn’t work his life can be measured in moments.

Twenty seconds

It’s now or never. Body aching, Gerard hits a series of buttons, his vision greying out as red turns to dark blackish-blue.

Ten seconds.

A last button, Gerard thrown back into his seat, wanting to scream as gravity hits and an ocean comes hurtling close -- then stops --evens out, as abruptly, all warnings stop.

Ears ringing, Gerard pulls in a breath, rests his hand over the charm around his neck and promises, “I’m here. I’m coming to find you.”