Sent to earth

I'm sitting in a capsule.
It's pretty narrow, I almost can't move.
But it's very comfortable and I can see everybody through the glass window in front of me.

The leaders of this mission and my friends are standing around at the terminal.
The final preparations for the departure are being made.
I'll really be able to leave the space station soon.

I've been living on this station for my whole life.
And I really liked my life there.
It's a pity that I won't be able to spend time with my friends anymore.
But that's what I wanted to.

I've been specifically chosen for this task.
I went through some hard training.
I can't back down anymore.
And I'm really looking forward to it now.
I'll be one of the only few people to travel back to earth.
I really want to explore it.

Some generations ago my ancestors have been living there.
But for some time earth has been inhabitable for humans and now everything is overgrown there.
If everything goes well, maybe all of us will be able come back down together and settle down there again.
And I'd be the cause of that.

I've been given special technology that hardly anyone else has. Weapons, tools. Lots of things that should allow me to handle difficult situations.
Hardly anyone else seems to have a physique that is suited to incorporating such technology.
My proportions are particularly well-suited, but the training was also necessary.

The capsule has all kinds of helpful technology built in.
It can be used to establish communication with the space station at any time. In case there will be any problems, they'll be able to help me.
And in order to get back to the space station, I just need to press a button, and everything should work out automatically.
However, I should only do this in an emergency. Going back would probably mean the end of my mission.

One guy, the commander, is standing at a console.

Here we go, are you ready?

I nod. No need to exchange more words.

The commander presses a button.
Then I hear some noice and feel a slight jolt.
A hatch opens below the capsule.
I try to wave my friends and then suddenly get strongly accelerated downwards.

And there I am.
I am alone in the capsule, moving away from the space station.
I feel weightless.
Through the window I can see the stars. The vastness of space.
Probably for the last time, because down on earth the atmosphere will hide the stars.

Suddenly I hear a voice.

Hello, the capsule has been launched successfully.
Can you still hear me well?

It's the commander.

Yes, the connection is good.

I have one important little thing to tell you.
So listen carefully, because-

Silence...

What happened? The voice just disappeared.
I can't hear anything anymore.

Hello?

No answer. Is the connection dead?

Can anyone hear me? Hello?!?

Nothing.

What was he trying to tell me? Is there a problem? Is there something I need to do?

There is still time. Earth doesn't look like it's getting any closer.

But if the connection is dead, the remote controls probably won't work either.
The capsule has its own emergency mechanisms for such cases.
But in some cases, remote intervention can be necessary.

Do I have to steer it myself now?
I don't know if that's even possible.
Something accident like this was not expected to happen.

But the commander obviously wanted to tell me something.
Maybe it was about the fact that I still have to activate or change something.
A simple button press should still be possible.
If I just knew the button...

I look at different buttons, but I'm completely lost there.
None of them seems useful to me.

I look down to the earth. It's already a lot closer by now. And it's also visibly growing.
I also notice how the capsule is getting faster and faster.
I already must be in a range, where the gravity has a severe effect on the capsule.
And without the friction of the atmosphere the gravity will affect my movement all the more.

But I should soon reach that atmosphere.
I probably already reached it, since fire starts to appear around the capsule.
The capsule is well protected, but as the flames grow, I feel the heat.
It becomes very hot. I start sweating. Is something wrong with the insulation, too?

The landscape below me is already recognizable.
It's still far away, but I'm didn't really slow down yet.
The air friction is never, ever enough to break this fall.
And the capsule doesn't seem to be doing anything either.

If there was at least water below instead of a green landscape...

I panic and push buttons like crazy.
Nothing happens. The complete electricity isn't available anymore.

Is this really happening?
The control system won't work completely without electricity.
This is the end of me. A few more minutes, or probably not even more, and I hit the earth with full power.
I don't even want to imagine how this will look like.

I close my eyes.
I wish I had never left the space station.
This can only be a nightmare. This can't be real. When I open my eyes, I'll be lying in my bed again, just as usual. I will get ready to my trip to earth and evreything will be fine.

Suddenly I feel a jolt.
It wasn't a real impact, but that's probably about to happen next. Probably still a few seconds.
I don't even dare to open my eyes now.

All of a sudden there is a real collision, and then another.
And suddenly everything is spinning, as if the capsule is rolling over.
The capsule is constantly banging against something, and it feels like it's tearing all my bones apart.
Without the good padding of the capsule this would probably already have happened.

I open my eyes, but there's only darkness.
But I'm still moving.
Then I feel a very strong impact.
The capsule starts spinning very fast.
I get dizzy and slowly lose my consciousness.