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Ascension II: Landing

Juno rushed at him, expanding as his landing options shrank. Every vestige of civilization was already out of sight.

Ishikawa tested the toggles that controlled the rear wings of his ram-air chute. He pivoted left and right, falling all the while. Thru the window in the bottom of the pod, a body of water swung into view, reflecting the lurid stripes of Jupiter. He oriented on it, hoping for a relatively soft impact.

In seconds, what looked like a millpond resolved into a massive parade of rollers, their tops torn off by a gale. The pod struck, bounced, struck again, and lurched sideways. He pulled the chute release. It had no effect. Billowing unpredictably, the chute jerked the pod downwind.

Not panicking, he thought. Not opening the hatch and letting water into the only thing I know of that floats. Thru the little window he saw rushing foam, purple darkness and parachute lines.

A fast-moving something seized the chute lines and dragged him across the sea.

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