79
You climb into the locker and wedge yourself among the thick coils of rope. As Karvas pulls shut the heavy metal lid, you pray to Ishir to protect everyone aboard the Starstrider in this desperate hour. In the dark confines of the locker your senses become super-sensitive to every movement and noise outside. Your stomach churns when the ship heaves from side to side, and you feel a chill run down your spine when you hear the cries of the terrified crewmen echoing across the decks. Then there is a sudden jolt and a fearful sound of screeching metal. The Starstrider has been losing height for several minutes, but now its angle of descent has become far steeper. You brace yourself and count aloud the seconds as you await the dreadful moment of impact. You hear the scrape and splintering crack of sundered treetops when the skyship ploughs into the timberland. Then there is a terrific jolt as the craft’s bow slams into the rocky soil and comes to an abrupt halt.
The impact of the crash landing leaves you breathless and bruised (lose 1 ENDURANCE point), but you thank the fact that you chose to take shelter here in this locker, for its metal sides and the cushioning coils of rope have undoubtedly spared you serious injury.
