[h1]Tar 'Mdalak[/h1]
[hr]
As soon as the rockets hit, warning lights erupted across the width of the pilot interface console. Urgent alarm sounds blasted in Tar’s ears as she wrestled with the controls to bring the Phantom level again. “We’ve lost drive number one, and I'm getting a lot of vibration in number two!” Vol shouted over the din. Tar felt her stomach lurching as the Phantom span around in the air, heading for the side of the tall Forerunner structure. "Get me more power from somewhere, now!” Tar ordered, pulling the steering as far to the right as she could. "My console isn't responding. Power capped at 40%!" Vol reported through gritted mandibles.

The Phantom crashed against the side of the Forerunner tower and scraped along it, sparks skittering off the top of the hull. The alloy sides screeched and buckled until suddenly they were free of the tower and spinning again. Tar could see hostiles running to get out of the way as the Phantom gradually lost altitude; they couldn’t stay level on just two engines. “I have this now. Brace for impact!” Tar shouted, doing her best to hold it upright as the Phantom span toward a flat area packed high with crates.

The drop ship’s aft section hit the deck first, sending up another shower of sparks and ship fragments. The front soon followed, with the forward plasma cannon snapping off and cartwheeling to one side. Still slowly spinning, the Phantom’s bow ploughed into piles of crates, sending them flying. With the controls now useless, Tar put her arms over her head and crunched up into a ball in her seat. It was a good thing she did, because hidden behind the stacks of cargo containers was a much more solid object. A row of Forerunner columns, sticking from the base plate. 

The Phantom hit the columns at speed, its rear end jumping up in the air. Everything in the cockpit seemed to come loose and fly about. Something solid whacked Tar in the stomach, forcing all the air from her lungs. As her arms instinctively flinched to her chest, another piece of metal flew from the console and smashed into her face and everything went black.