<div class="floatleft">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/1/1a/Dr._Madison_Chance.jpg)</div><table class="bbc_table"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Character name:</strong></td><td>Dr. Madison Chance</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Location:</strong> </td><td>On the transport shuttle</td></tr><tr><td><strong>With:</strong> </td><td>Mission crew</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Doing:</strong> </td><td>Psychological observations</td></tr></tbody></table><hr/><br/>Vibration. Never a good sign in the engines, and from the sudden shaking of things, one was certainly in trouble. I noted that some of the crew headed to the cockpit, even as the ship began to lurch and yaw about. I didn't join them. I knew I would only get in the way. Instead, I checked my safety straps, and made sure that I was prepared for the worst.<br/><br/>I could actually hear the hull groan as our altitude descended. The stress on the airframe was massive - struts and bolts and internal beams straining mightily against the forces outside as we hurtled towards the landing area. Then there was a hard, sharp bounce, accompanied by a sickening crunch, and I was thrown forward in my seat, the safety straps biting into my shoulders. There were a few groans and shouts, and I could feel the hull of the shuttle sliding  to the side as our momentum slowed ... and stopped.<br/><br/>Emergency lights flipped on. Once I was certain that we'd completely stopped, I undid the straps and stood up. I grabbed the helmet of my pressure suit and headed for the exit hatch. As limited as my technical skills might be, I knew there was no point in staying about the shuttle. The vehicle wasn't about to move again anytime soon.<br/><br/>"Aphrodite Base it is," I murmured, as I put on my helmet and moved to leave the shuttle.