Staring out into the blackness of space always made her sad. It was empty, cold, and dark- so far away from everything. So far from home. As her breath hit the glass of her helmet, it spread out like ice. She wondered if she continued to stare out into space, would she be alone in this silence forever?

Through the thick padding of her spacesuit, she clung to the armrests of her seat.

"Landing shuttle 54 to Mothership, we are prepared for landing. Release when ready."

She shut her eyes.

"Mothership to Landing shuttle 54, message received and understood"

The magnetic connections holding the shuttle to the main ship released, sending the shuttle tumbling into the upper atmosphere of planet C541. Her stomach churned.

Streaks of red, orange and yellow covered the widescreen of the shuttle. The light was blinding and her back was glued to her seat. Her head pressed hard up against the back of her helmet. The colours danced along the edges of the shuttle till the metal itself was red hot. Drawers, in cabinets that she forgot to lock, flung open. Pens, brushes and other knick-knacks flew around the room, several hitting her helmet.

All of a sudden three blue parcels were flung out of the top of the shuttle. They were parachutes coated in heat resistant mould from planet TZ23 to stop them from bursting into flames and burning up. The shuttle had only just enough fuel to leave the planet's atmosphere and travel back to the mothership. There was no fuel to spare for landing.

The parachutes flung open as the shuttle hurtled towards the ground. She clenched her teeth as the shuttle lurched. The change from free fall had caused a sudden jolt inside the shaking shuttle. Slowly her senses came back to her. With her ears ringing, she couldn't hear anything. Her heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest. She squeezed her eyes tightly and waited.

The shuttle slammed into the ground, creating a small crater. It uprooted the plants and sent some flying meters through the air. Inside the shuttle, the emergency lights flashed red. It had been a much heavier landing than normal. She felt numb as, with shaking hands, she unclipped the safety belt holding her to the seat. She was alone in this part of the shuttle. Shut off from the rest of the crew in her lab she felt safe. She liked the solitude and the silence. It reminded her she would always be an outsider. She dragged her hands across the walls as she walked through the shuttle. The metal was hard and cold through the fabric of her suit.

"Is everyone alright", the sound of the captain's voice echoed through her head.

Her ears were still ringing. She could imagine them replying, Carla, Nico, Eliot and Leo. A chorus of voices complaining about protocol.

"Freesia, report", Demanded the captain. Her body felt heavy, numb.

"She's not in her seat captain,'' replied Carla. Her head was still throbbing. She couldn't think straight.

"Freesia this is not funny. Report", yelled Leo. She could hear them now but they sounded far away. Like they were on another planet entirely.

She could see a bright light shining through the window in the door of the shuttle.

"Someone find her and report,'' yelled the captain. She was so close now. She could even see the landscape out of the window on the door. She reached out to the control panel and with shaking hands, she typed the passcode into the lock. The door slid open.

She stared out at the landscape in front of her. Beyond the small crater the shuttle had made, towering white pines with purple leaves scratched at the sky. Sprawling black bushes, branches ladened with ruby red fruit wrapped around the trunks of the trees. The forest was filled with the exotic songs of the alien wildlife. Their haunting song rang in her ears. She needed to see more, to hear more.

Her feet landed heavily on the ground. Every step sent a jolt through her body, every step was slower than the last. Every step moved her further and further away. Black spots muddled her vision. Her mouth became dry, her chest heavy. And as the last of her air rushed out the hole in her helmet, she fell to the ground.