213 Power struggle

The engine exhaust of the shuttle was finally facing the ground, the orange flames gradually extinguished; smoothly landing onto the terrace. The feeling of being unable to control their own lives wasn't a bearable one; the contestants flocked towards the cabin door, trying to beat each other to escape this feeling. A military officer in an ash-blue uniform with a huge beard, was impatiently waiting with his arms folded, pacing back and forth outside.

Freeing themselves from the cabin, they could finally breath in the fresh cooling air. Although they felt pretty confident of their safety previously, they could now clearly see the shuttle's metal shell had been dreadfully corroded; like the skin of a fermented steamed bun. Some badly affected areas had its first layer of armour thoroughly corroded through, even the internal armour appeared huge froths of depressions. An awful stench continued to be emitted.