Gravity Be Damned

T-minus 6 Hours

I sat in the cockpit, my hands hovering over the controls.

This was it.

My last day on Mars.

Fifteen days of surviving on borrowed time, of scavenging through the wreckage of those who came before me. Of fixing a ship that had no right to fly.

And yet—

I was here.

I exhaled sharply, running through the final pre-flight check.

Navigation System – Operational

Oxygen Levels – Stable

Life Support – Functioning (Barely)

Fuel Reserves – Sufficient for Takeoff

Hull Integrity – Reinforced

Then my eyes flicked to the most crucial part of the list.

Right Booster – Unverified

I tightened my grip on the console.