Everything happened so fast. One moment I was inside the evacuaton shuttle, bracing for impact as our pilots shouted warnings. The next, an explosive shudder ripped through the metal hull like a monster clawing it open!
I didn't even have time to scream before I was flung out of the wreckage by the violent forces. My body slammed hard into the ground, knocking all the air out of my lungs. Sharp pains shot through my side and leg as I tumbled and rolled across the shattered concrete.
Coughing and gasping, I finally came to a stop several meters away from the burning ruins of our downed transport. Debris and thick black smoke obscured everything around me in a choking haze. The deafening roar of cascading explosions made my ears ring.
Slowly, shock and adrenaline kicked in, pushing aside
