Interference by SLynn

Chapter 5: Point of View

Wash flipped on the comm link to Serenity and hoped someone was listening.

“Shuttle B to Serenity. Please respond.”

No reply.

“Shuttle B to Serenity. Please respond,” he tried again still without luck.

Something was definitely wrong with the shuttle. Of course they’d barely gotten off of that damn moon in one piece, but it wasn’t just that. He thought he heard whistling, or hissing, and neither Zoe nor Mal were talking anymore. He couldn’t check on them just yet, there was too much to do.

“Kaylee pick up.”

She wasn’t there. All he could now was give them as much information as possible and try to land.

“Not sure if you’re getting this. We’ve taken damage. We’re off of Perseis and headed back to Circe. I don’t think we’re going to make it.”

They were breaking into the atmosphere and Wash was feverishly trying to plot a course on the autopilot as stars began to swim before his eyes. The whistling sound was louder now and he had a suspicion as to why.

“Fuel tanks shot. Left thruster gone. We’re coasting into atmo.”

His voice sounded thick to his own ears. He could see the ground now. They were closer. He sucked in as much air as he could in one big gasp.

”Life support hit.”

Wash’s vision swam with stars once more as he tried to fight off what he knew was happening.

“I’m trying the beacon, but nothing’s working anymore.”

He made the last switch over and now the shuttle was completely out of his control. He knew the program couldn’t really land the shuttle but it was definitely crashing without it so the odds were a bit better this way.

“Kaylee if you get this, I’m trying to land. I’m trying to land past the mountain ridge in X9.”

Wash felt his hands slipping from the controls but he had no power left within in him to help it. He found it hard to even speak much anymore. Wash knew he was losing the battle against consciousness.

“How am I supposed…”

****

Inara had rejoined them early th