Brian spent the next day preparing for landing, the most dangerous part of the journey.
Except for facing Zack.
Not a word from him in over three years. He never told me why he suddenly transferred out here. I had to learn it from somebody else.
He reviewed the landing procedures although he could recite them by heart. The heavy payload on the ship meant touchdown would not be gentle. The planet’s low gravity allowed for heavy cargo, which the Company decided was more cost-efficient than paying for landing boosters. Large bags would inflate to soften the blow, since parachutes were useless in the almost nonexistent atmosphere. With any luck, the onboard equipment used for the journey would survive the impact and continue to be of some value.
“Prepare for landing,” the computer said at
