So you needed an actual escape. Away from the stress and noise... But maybe this was a bit too much. After all going to Mars seemed over the top. Eh, too late to turn back now, you've already been tested and accepted into the program. The training was brutal but you didn't want to turn back. To return home with your head hung would only make you hate yourself. No... You didn't need anymore of that.

You enter the briefing room, peering about at the team that you would be a part of. You pause, recognizing one face in particular. "Holy shot..." You breathe, drawing their attention.

"Ah, there you are Ms. ___, nice of you to join us." The captain of the team rumbles. You look to him, remembering him speaking to you after training. Alexander Helsing. "___ here will be leading the exploration once we land on Mars." He informs them. Their gazes flicker over to you and you rub your cheek dropping your gaze feeling a light blush warm your cheeks.

"He says they're ready to start the launch soon, you briefed everyone?" You ask Alexander. He nods and gives the others a smile.

"Seems we're starting early, let's get going." Alexander starts out and the team follows suite. You sigh and follow after the group adjusting your suit. The guy in front of you glances back.

"They kept saying there were going to be eight on the team... What did they have you do?" He asks, dark eyes peering at you curiously. Your cheeks warm and you look down.

"Don't worry about it right now Mark..." You murmur quietly. He blinks in surprise and smiles.

"Ah, you've seen my videos haven't you?" He guesses.

"Yeah..." You admit awkwardly. He smiles more at that.

"___, right?" He asks. You blink and nod. "Nice to meet you." He smiles cheerfully.

"Pleasure is all mine." You smile slightly. You and the team board the shuttle and get strapped in. You glance around at what you could with your limited visibility thanks to the helmet. Beside you Mark was smiling with such overflowing excitement you had to smile as well.

They finish strapping everyone in and go out. You close your eyes, letting out a deep breath. The excitement from everyone radiated in the flight deck. "Here we go." Alexander rumbles.

"You okay over there?" Marks voice makes you peek at him.

"Scared..." You chuckle sheepishly, though you were shaking in your suit.

"Don't worry, this is the only part that'll be bad." He assures. You swallow and nod offering a smile before closing your eyes as the countdown begins.

    'One. Don't give up... Two. Better things will come... Three. You're not alone... Four. You are loved... Five. Everything is going to be okay.... Six. Come back to me...'

Your eyes ease open and you blink feeling light. You look around to find the other seats empty. You unstrap yourself and remove the helmet.

"Oh hey, you're finally awake." His voice makes you look back as he floats in from the cargo bay.

"I passed out?" You guess floating over. He nods and grins.

"You gotta come see this!" He gushes excited and floats back out. You smile at his excitement and float after him, peering around carefully. The team gives you excited smiles as Alexander beckons you over to a window. You float over and peer out, blinking at the earth.

"Isn't it beautiful?" He rumbles.

"It's dying." You respond flatly. "We've stolen away it's beauty." You move away from the window. Alexander's smile falls at that.

"__-"

"Alright, since I didn't have time to introduce myself properly earlier, I'm ___ I'll be leading the exploration as Alexander said. And you all are?" You ask slightly awkward.

"James Burnett."

"Tabbitha Law."

"Alison Carter."

"Jin Kuri."

"Dustin Pace."

You nod trying to remember their faces. "Nice to meet you all... How long until we reach Mars?" You peer back at Alexander.

"A few days, maybe more." He answers.

"Alright then..."

A metallic bang makes your eyes fly open and you sit up with a jolt, hitting your head on the padded ceiling and floating down into someone as they sat up startled as well.

"What was that?" Tabbitha asks, uneasily touching your arm as you gently collide into her.

"Sounds like something hit us, I'm going to check on the outside." You decide floating over to the suits.

"I'll go, I am the engineer." Alexander says getting in your way.

"You're the only engineer here, I don't want you getting hurt if we got near a field of asteroids, so you stay here and I'll go out. You tell me what to do from in here." You tell him. He pauses and shifts his body briefly before glancing around at the team.

"Take Mark with you." Alexander tells you. You blink and glance at him as he lights up at that.

"Alright Mark, let's go." You tell him getting into your suit. He smiles and does so swiftly, you check over his suit as he attaches his helmet. You nod to yourself and put on your helmet before going to the chamber with him. "Stay close okay?" You as the chamber is sealed. He nods smiling as you open the door.

Had to admit, seeing that smile really put you at ease. You carefully go out, holding onto the handles on the side of the ship. You peer back at him to make sure he came out alright before carefully moving to inspect the damage. Moving to the other side of the shuttle you find a basketball sized dent in the ship.

"Well... That doesn't look too--" Something makes you look over just as a dog sized asteroid pushes Mark off. Your heart drops as he starts to float away, your own panic mirroring his. You swiftly hook your foot on a handle and stretch out, grabbing his fingers and pulling to you. For a few shocked moments you just hold onto each other watching the asteroid drift away.

You start to relax but he points at something behind you. You look back and pale as more asteroids drift your way. "Shit... Go go go!" You carefully push him toward the hatch. He swiftly starts for it with you right behind. Just as he gets in and you bend to follow, a large asteroid collides into you knocking you off. You panic, swiftly clinging to it as you look to the ship getting too far to fast from it. Marks helmet reappears from the hatch and he reaches out toward you hopelessly. You swallow feeling a terrified knot build in your chest before giving a wave and signaling him to go back inside. You can't see he does or not as the asteroid rotates cutting off your view from the shuttle and to the red planet as you hurtle toward it, gaining more speed.

'Being pulled in by the gravity...' You think terrified, starting to lose grip on the asteroid. You squeeze your eyes shut at that.

 'One. Don't give up... Two. Better things will come... Three. You're not alone... Four. You are loved... Five. Everything is going to be okay.... Six. Come back to me...'