Chapter Text
“…ny!…anny!…”
There was noise. A lot of noise.
“…nny!…ake up!…”
He just wanted it to stop. Why won’t they ever let him sleep?
His brain scrambled to name the assaulting sounds but came short. What was all the racket about anyway? It had to be way too early.
Someone’s hands started dragging him from the bed and with a mental sigh he forced his eyes open.
He was met with a wide-eyed Tucker in his pajamas and red flashing lights that definitely didn’t mean anything good.
What could possibly be happening? They weren’t in Amity Park, they weren’t even on Earth! Can there be a ghost attack in space? That would be just his luck.
Suddenly he realized that a lot of things were shaking, and his brain helpfully added that the constant noise must be the Aurora’s emergency alarm.
Shit.
He jumped out of his bed, shaking off the remaining sleepiness.
“What’s going on?”
“Thank god Danny! I thought I’d have to carry you bridal style.”
In lieu of an answer Tucker grabbed his hand and shot out of their cabin. The noise doubled, alarms blaring as a robotic voice kept telling everyone to remain calm and get to the lifepods. Predictably, no one was remaining calm. The hall was in utter chaos, filled with panicked people running around, but Tucker apparently knew exactly where he was going, needling them through the crowd. They may have been aboard for only two weeks so far, but Danny’s friend had the place memorized - pros of helping the engineering team.
“What’s happening??” Danny yelled over the frantic crowd.
“Evacuation. I think something hit us.” Tucker shouted back.
It wasn’t long before they were sitting in a lifepod, a staff member hastily fastening their seatbelts. The tin-cans were rather big yet made for only two passengers each.
“Once you get to the surface, stay inside the pod, boys. Rescue teams will find you.”
“Surface? What surface?” Danny asked.
“We are passing by a planet, the gravity will drag you down.”
“What about the rest of our class?”
This was supposed to be a school trip for them after all. Mr. Lancer had forever earned the title of his favorite teacher when he managed to convince the school council to let them join the research vessel's voyage. As seniors, they needed exposure to potential career paths, and a spaceship offered, quote: “a unique opportunity to learn from experts across many fields.”
“Don’t worry about them. There are enough lifepods for everyone.”
Said the woman as she sealed off the entrance, and they shot off.
For a moment, they could see the Aurora in its full glory. The massive spaceship was entering the atmosphere nose first.
There was also a gaping hole in its side, one that shouldn’t be there.
What??
Abruptly, a metal panel ripped away from the interior wall beside him. A loose screw must have given way under the strain. The panel started wildly flying around the pod as Tucker screamed, and Danny only had a second to think that he should probably turn intangible before it hit him straight in the head.