Traelyn Nelsen

Traelyn found an escape pod. Odd, he thought, that after flying spaceships for forty years that this would be the first time he needed one of these. Inside was smaller than he remembered from training. Something in the ship exploded and the pod shook. He stood cranking the door shut, because it would not close automatically when a cry of terror found his ears. Pausing, he felt the muscles in his back stiffen.

There was a flash, then a massive pop, before ground rose and fell in a wave. In a split second everything changed as an asteroid crashed through the ship. Metal screamed and air hissed out into space. Doors all over the ship closed to preserve itself; alarms sounded and lights flashed.