Dellian fought to get his breathing back under control. His heart was thudding as if he’d just finished a marathon. Dust filled his mouth and nostrils, bringing a strange sulfurous smell. The cabin was lying at a perturbing angle, with the floor tilted a good twenty degrees, and nose down. A jagged sheet of sunlight shone through the forward split, fluorescing the ochre sand that saturated the air.

“Are you okay?” he asked Yirella urgently.

“Yes. I think so.”

“Everyone okay? Any injuries?”

Rello and Tilliana had been sitting close to the split. They were badly shaken. The dust blast had left their exposed skin burned and abraded. Tilliana’s face was bloody; Ellici was already at her side, worrying about the damage to her eye.

“The clan medics can fix that easily,” Xante assured her.

“What clan medics?” Ellici snapped back.

“Let’s get outside,” Dellian told them, keeping his voice level.

Everyone was keen about that; the flyer now represented chaos and danger. But the doorway didn’t open, not even when Janc slapped the emergency release button repeatedly. So they eased themselves out through the gash and stood on the sandy ground.

Dellian looked around. There were hills in every direction, with larger slopes blocking the eastern skyline. Soil was thin and dry, supporting a few straggly bushes with shriveled leaves. Odd black sleeper trees poked up at random. Boulders were scattered everywhere, most balancing precariously given the angle of the slope. It was colder than it ought to be with such a bright sun and no clouds.

“Now what?” Xante said.

“Rescue will be here soon,” Orellt said positively.

“No, actually,” Yirella said, wiggling through the fuselage gap. “There’s no power in the flyer, and I can’t get the genten to respond. It’s dead along with the rest of the systems.”

“The emergency beacon will be broadcasting our position,” Ellici exclaimed.

Yirella shrugged. “Maybe. Let’s hope so.”

“It’s self-contained!”

“And the flyer is failure proof. But here we are.”

“What do we do?” Xante asked.

“Just stay calm and stay put,” Dellian said. “Is anyone connected to the global net?”

The question was greeted with sour and nervous expressions as they all consulted their databuds. Nobody had any connection.

Dellian couldn’t think how that was possible. But he knew he mustn’t allow them to get spooked by the situation. “The second the flyer doesn’t show up, they’ll be searching for us,” he told them confidently.

“We drifted a long way off course,” Janc said anxiously.

“Every skyfort will be scanning for us,” Dellian replied, trying to quash his own concern. “It won’t take long.”

“We need to gather branches and bushes,” Yirella said. “Build a fire.”

“A fire?” Orellt said skeptically. “What use is that?”

“First, it’s a strong infrared signature, especially at night.”

“Night? It’s only just past midday. We’re not going to be here that long.”

“You hope. Face it, nobody’s searched for a crashed flyer in our lifetime. We need to be ready for any eventuality. That includes protection.”