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Outside, the wisps of reddish atmosphere are showing. Gradually, the thrust ramps up, setting us all more firmly in our seats.

Seat backwards to the ground is not the most fun way to make a landing.

In the control room, the task is to keep the displays in the green, without too much thrust, or too little, and at the same time, sliding a little sideways to home in on a special landing spot.

Something landed here a long, long time ago. It really made an entrance!

We’ll try to be more circumspect, and not disturb the site too much.

We’re getting closer now. You can hear the roar of the engines, even in the tenuous air of Mars. A sad and lonely screaming as of dying ghosts.

If ever there were “people” here, they’ve certainly been long gone. Even the ghosts would be dusty skeletons by now, blowing about in the wind.

Again the force increases. Almost the weight we had on Earth. How could we ever stand it? I feel as though I weigh a ton, but it’s just a little over a hundred pounds.

Poised above the crater now, we slowly descend, rotating slightly to knock down any high spots. The grinding can be heard and felt. And then the engines slow, and throttle down, and stop.

Only the hiss and pop of cooling metal in the distance, and a whisper of the ghostly wind.

The Flying Castle has landed on Mars.

And no you can’t go out just yet. We have to check for leaks.

I’m pretty sure I have an incipient one to deal with, myself.