"BOOM. BOOM."
The two drop pods slammed into the ground, sending tremors racing across the rocky terrain. A heartbeat later, their metal hatches hissed open.
Captain Benjamin stepped out calmly, brushing a bit of dust from his uniform as though he had merely taken a brief elevator ride. Sylar, however, staggered out of his pod with trembling legs, nearly collapsing as a wave of nausea surged through him. His stomach clenched violently, and for a moment, he genuinely thought he might vomit.
"Hahaha! Good. You managed not to puke on your first landing. Impressive," Captain Benjamin said with a chuckle, nodding approvingly.
Sylar didn't share the amusement. It took him several seconds of deep breathing before the spinning in his head faded enough for him to stand straight. The moment he looked somewhat stable, Benjamin's expression sharpened, his voice shifting to a serious, commanding tone.
"From this point on," the captain said, "the Star Crucible begins."
