The smell
Of burning plastic,
Hot metal,
And raw flesh.

The myriad
Small alarms
All beeping
At the same time.

The whole system
Switched
To massive
Overload.

All gauges
Showing empty,
Yet still running…
Somehow.

Too far
From home
To safely
Turn back.

Committed
To keep going
Or crash and burn
Trying.

All hope
Pushed aside
By pure will
And perseverance.

All that’s left
Is stay the course
And let everything else
Go.