Trashzzmammal 🦔

Drift x GN!Human!Reader

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>Initiate: Linking to "The main console". >... >Loading... >... >Connection: "Successfull." ; Status: "Online." >Que: "Are you there, Pilot?"

--- Authors note: No, I did not forget about anything or anyone. You have a long way to go to get rid of me. Warning: Mentions of cheating partner, Drinking, swearing, AI (non-generative, like a literal character which is an AI. I just thought about putting it here).

ONE: “About something that has been discovered.”

You watched how the sky was turning orange as the wind lazily caressed your face when the sun was setting. But you weren’t home to experience the quiet evening, no. You were sitting on the root of the abandoned building, somewhere far away from your living space. Because you needed a break, the memory of catching your partner embracing someone else was a way too fresh wound to simply lick it clean and forget. You were supposed to get married next spring, you almost got the venue reserved. Almost. What a waste of money it would be.

“That's pathetic. I’m pathetic- sitting here, drunk as fuck. Maybe that’s why I got cheated on? Because I can’t get a grasp on myself and my own life?”

Gulping the rest of the drink you brought to the ruins, you sighed, worried that your current state would lead the team manager to terminate you soon. Losing the current job was at the bottom of your list of things that you wished would happen soon. 

–Yeah, I really need to get a grasp on myself. –You mumbled, wiping your face with an open palm, feeling the grease under the fingertips. Yikes, you were a wreck. 

Looking down at the staircase you previously used, you clicked the tongue against the roof of your mouth. Using it on the way back, while being quite tipsy, didn't sound like a good idea. 

Not being an experienced urbanist and explorer- mostly visiting exactly one abandoned place didn't seem like enough to count, didn’t help that case at all. But you really needed to get down safely. Somehow. 

–That’s what you get for trying to be edgy. –Cursing under your breath you turned to the side, where the lone entrance was sticking out of the flat roof like a sore thumb. Your only possible path was right through the building which held up together with a prayer and one good word. 

As soon as you hand touched the entrance, the smell of dust and pure filth filled your nostrils, causing you to cough violently even before you managed to step properly inside. You groaned, grabbing with one hand the rusty barrier, while the other one held the phone which served you as the temporary flashlight. Even with the device in your hand you barely saw anything, though: just the next step down and a railing. 

You weren’t even sure what this building was: you just got out of your apartment and started walking forward, until your eyes darted from the pavement to the surroundings. That’s how you realized you marched into the less friendly alleys. It was a miracle that nobody jumped on you immediately. Seeking any safe space to soothe the existential pain with alcohol. Which wasn’t smart, but hey. You just found out someone you loved fucking a stranger on the counter as you decided to surprise them with a nice wine and a date. That wine was tasty, though.

Right before you reached the ground floor something had to go wrong. A loud yelp ripped out from your throat when one of your feet landed on the weaker step, and the shift of your body weight made it crumble completely underneath you. For a moment you felt your heart completely come to a stop, with everything swirling in front of your vision. Not even managing to register properly what’s happening, your back had hit the hard floor, knocking the breath out of your lungs. 

A pained groan slipped past your lips as you swore under your breath to never go drink again in places like those. Of course it had to collapse the day you decided to visit it, even if it’s surrounded by people who would have used it like a villain’s lair or gang’s hideout. 

Blaming your intoxicated state for the clumsy landing, you hoisted yourself upwards. Fortunately, you had some sort of dead grip on the phone, saving it from crashing on the ground.

–What in the actual…Huh? –You whispered, lowering the device that still had the flashlight on, because you realized that the place was already illuminated. Dimly, with a cyan-tinted light, but still illuminated. 

“Wasn’t this whole place cut out of power? Wait, did it even have a basement to begin with?”

–Where the fuck am I? –Pressing your lips into a thin line, you looked around. 

There were no lamps on the ceiling, only a few halogen lightbulbs screwed into the walls, making the scenery even more disturbing. It looked different than the other parts too, the state of it. While the staircase and few rooms seemed to be left simply to rot, the eerie basement looked like someone rummaged through the entire thing. Scattered pieces of paper with unreadable words, broken glass everywhere, fallen over carts- it was a mess. 

Your brows furrowed together in concern; whatever happened here wasn’t peaceful. And you didn’t like how it made the hairs on the nape of your neck bristle; but feet already started moving forward, deeper into the dark corridors. Because whether you liked it or not, there were no stairs in sight leading upwards, so you couldn’t just simply leave. 

To save the power in your phone you decided to temporarily turn it off and follow the already existing light that looked like a path towards...something for sure. And that’s certainly better than nothing. One hand splayed against the cold, concrete wall, you walked carefully, taking in the interior. With each passing second you were more and more convinced that it looked a little bit too plain for a motel basement; more like the hospital backrooms just stripped of any medical equipment. Or a raw-state apartment building. Either way- something far from welcoming. 

At some point you have reached the end of the corridor, and were standing in front of broken, iron doors. 

–Somehow it got worse. –You murmured, kicking away the pile of rubble to create the way in. It was harder to navigate around than you anticipated, and you still felt alcohol in your system, messing with your sense of direction. That’s why you chose to only go forwards and not to dwell in the darkness, risking getting lost somewhere. 

This room was essentially bigger than the rest of the floor, you realized when the echo of your steps reached your ears. Eyes scanning the new space, you spotted the metal structure in the middle of it, barely illuminated because of its placement. You reached back for your phone to get a better look at it, even if it meant even less battery for later. Curiosity won this time.

Your lips parted a bit, when the stronger ray of light hit the structure in front of you. It was a… chair? A little too big than normal office chairs, placed in a metal construction that reminded you of the plane’s interior. Or maybe those fancy gaming setups, clearly inspired by a futuristic way of living. But what was the most surprising to you; it looked out of place. Literally; the huge cables were ripped, the floor underneath was dented and cracked. Like the whole thing fell down here from the sky. Just without actually ripping through the ceiling as you have done previously, because when you pointed the flashlight up, there was no hole. 

–The hell is this? –You grimaced, getting closer, until you could feel the cables brush against your forehead and shin touch the side of the metal arm. Leaning inwards you stretched to inspect the console in front of the chair. To your utter disappointment, you couldn’t decipher anything; it was dusty and worn off. And yet- the small diode kept blinking in steady peace. Once your eyes landed on it, you couldn’t bring yourself to look away. It wasn’t pretty; it just was. Soft, like breathing. How long has this been going for? When did it start? Why did it still light up since it was cut off from any power? 

The angle you were bent at was uncomfortable after a while of hovering, some sort of headset preventing your body from taking upon a more suiting position. Unless you actually sat on the chair. 

–Just for a little bit. –Huffing, you slipped under the sticking out piece, and shifted over the cushioning. 

It was… odd. Quite like an old car seat, but the fiber underneath you was more firm. Metal almost, but still soft. You could hear and feel the mechanisms twitch under your weight, making you concerned about the potential risks just now. But this thing was almost calling out to you, with an unknown pull. With a groan you shifted closer and reached your hand towards the blinking diode. 

When your fingertips brushed across the soft surface of the glass, something rippled at the connection. Before you could retreat, a ripple of energy clashed across your whole body, a strong vibration shaking your bones from the fingertips across the whole skeleton, until it reached your head, making you scream at the sensation. 

You pulled back as soon as you physically could, body hitting the chair. But it was too late- your mind spun around and vision went blank. Not being able to create a single thought, you could only feel and experience the sensation as if something latched onto your exposed nervous system while your mind travelled across time and space. 

Just when you started to actually think and consider if this may be death, the whole thing lessened in its intensity, making your exhausted body collapse. All good physically with the only slight difference being; you were no longer in the chair. 

–...Oh god. Am I dead? –Breathing deeply, you tried to make sense out of it, while staring at the floor, talking to yourself to ease the panic bubbling inside you.  

–Incorrect. Your body is still alive, the cockpit only allows your conscience to travel via linkage to the neurosphere of the ship. –A robotic, female voice filled the space and you once again yelped, falling on your rear this time, trying to find the owner of the voice. 

–What the fuck?! 

–My apologies. Seems that this interface isn’t to your liking. –The same voice hummed, and suddenly another ripple of light created something tiles-like around you. –A sense of direction helps your mind assert its current position. This should work to ease some of your nerves, Pilot. 

–Interface? Pilot? Wait, wait, wait! –You stood up, even if you felt light-headed. –First of all, who or what the fuck are you? 

–My name is Piloting and Navigating Artificial Intelligence Assistant, but you can call me PanAI, Pilot. I am a program that was supposed to test out the neurosphere and neuralink in dual steering battleships, before half of my code, and therefore abilities and access, had been ripped from the node and transferred, quite brutally, by the wormhole here. –The voice explanation’s made your head hurt even worse. 

–...Then I’m unconscious and this whole thing is my delirium-filled brain’s creation. Got it. –You clasped your hands, looking around. –So. It was nice talking to you, Peni-

–Panai. 

–Panai. Yeah, right. So… it was lovely meeting you and all, but. How do I get out? This is just a dream, I must have fallen asleep because I’m drunk, but I need to wake up now. How do I do that? –You laughed nervously, scratching your neck just in case you find there was a piece of cable that has somehow connected you to the virtual world. Just in case. 

–You seem not to believe me, Pilot. –The voice continued. As it spoke, a column rose from the ground with an orb placed on it. –I’m afraid I cannot let you go just now. The other part of my programming is still stuck in the ship, and I can sense someone aboard. If I separate you from the neurosphere, you will not come back and they will die. The ship’s only workable when both of the pilots are behind the console. This is how it was created and this is how I know it. –As it spoke, the globe spun around its central axis and glimmered alongside the voice. Some sort of visualization of the AI’s body?

–Very good dream, damn, I haven’t had one of those in a while. I must see what was in that wine. –You giggled maniacally, pacing around. 

–Pilot? –Panai asked, but you couldn’t hear her. You could feel the stare of the invisible eyes, the AI observing you like an animal in a cage. –Pilot, I can provide a view from the second cockpit. Please, cooperate with me. –Something in front of you shifted, and the tiles formed into a screen. Like the robotic voice said, there was a view on something that looked like sci-fi creation with a window on the vast space. But this was surreal. Like a fever dream. 

–This looks like a game’s screenshot. Wait, maybe I am in the fucking game! Yeah, that’s it! That was a gaming console and I’m currently playing as a pilot. Damn, this VR is realistic! –You snapped your fingers, feeling like a crazy person trying to make out a sense out of their hallucinations. 

–A game…? –The voice wavered and paused. –...Yes. This is a game, Pilot. Please, let me introduce you to the tutorial. You can leave after finishing the prologue and first mission. –Blinking a few times, you watched as the tiles parted and flew across the void, before creating a bridge in front of you. 

–Oh. Cool, now it makes so much sense. –You gulped, only half convinced in your own lie that the artificial intelligence decided to go along with it. Believing that somehow you got teleported into a game was more acceptable to your tired brain than what Panai has actually said. 

–Let me explain quickly. There are many mechanisms in the console, responsible for the movement, ship’s status, opening and closing hatches- but everything at the time. For now, our mission is to navigate through the remnants of the crashed asteroid and to find a working space-bridge… of course to end a level! –The voice explained as you got closer to the light at the end of your designated path.

–Okay…But I have never steered a plane, let alone a ship. I’m not even sure what to grab. –You groaned, turning back to stare at the orb, treating it as Panai’s body. 

–This is what I’m here for. Remember? Piloting and Navigating AI Assistant. -It spoke, reminding you of its designation. Shivering at the response, your mind struggled between accepting this as a reality or deeming this as a delusion. Both of those plausible, since this place, this situation was surreal as it was, but something about piloting a ship caused the anxiety to spin inside of you uncontrollably. It was simply easier to treat this as a game or a concussion. 

–I hope there’s a detailed tutorial there. –You sighed, deciding to enter the light entrance the bridge has led you to, having no other option left.

As you came into a contrast with a soft glow, it felt like your body has delicately submerged into a warm liquid, lighter against your skin than water would be. It was nothing like what you had experienced to get in here. The only discomfort being the harsh light snaring at your pupils, and eyelids doing little to nothing to block this. When all of you was submerged, like you dived into a pool, you felt like you started to fall down, gentler this time: carried on a cloud.  

When you once again opened your eyes, you were back in the chair. Although this time not only the diode was lit; all of the station’s cabling, interface and console glowed with much stronger force than you anticipated. 

–Before I connect you to the main node, Pilot, let me explain the very basics. –You hear Panai’s voice right inside your head. 

–Whoa! Wait, where are you now, exactly? –As soon as those words left your lips, the same orb from before appeared on the console, in the dent-like space, clearly made for this sole purpose. To materialize in a form. 

–Here, if you wish to address a noticeable form. But you can do that even if you do not see me, Pilot, as the neuralink allowed me to…install the software drivers and establish the connection between your mind and my programming. 

–So you’re inside my head. –Summarizing the whole monologue, you suddenly felt exposed. –Do you have access to my thoughts? –Losing the battle against your consciousness that tried to stick to the scenario of this being a game, you gave in to your curiosity. 

–Negative. I am not very familiar with organic’s mind structure, but I was only able to access the part responsible for understanding the speech and memory storage. That’s how I was able to use your language and adjust my interface to your comfort. –As Panai spoke, you observed how components started to turn on and reposition themselves on their own. You could feel your heart hammer inside your chest, as the cushioning underneath you shifted and brought you closer to the main panel, where some sort of joystick rose from the parted floor and changed to be fitted between your legs, like in a jet. 

–Organic? Wait, I feel like I’m missing some clue information. –It was also quite possible that you could have understood it better if not for the alcohol in your blood.

–That is irrelevant Pilot, it’s… a plot unavailable to you during the tutorial mission. –Panai countered. –Please see the screen for the key guide. –It quickly added, flashing a screen-like visor in front of your face, making you jolt. 

Without any further adieu you just landed your eyes on what was in front of you. It seemed oddly… intuitive. Joystick was the main steer: pull it towards your body, the ship goes up, push it away, ship goes down. The sides were inverted. A lever on your left to pump more fuel into the engine to speed up, severe it to remain at the constant given. Few buttons to open or close the hatches to the cargo hold. 

You were quite bothered how little of the controls were actually explained, fearing that it wasn’t a good enough instruction to qualify for the task given. Piloting a ship that you do not see. 

–Right. How am I supposed to drive something that… isn’t there? I get that you can if you’re still somehow aware with both of your parts separated, but I don’t. –You questioned, feeling a cold shiver running down your spine, feeling your clothes sticking to your skin uncomfortably. 

–This station possesses’ half of my core coding, making it possible to create a stable connection to the ship. I can guide you and transmit an in-time view from my other half’s position. There will be approximately no delay that could affect your reaction time, Pilot. –She said. Or it? You couldn’t make up your mind on how to address the AI. Feminine voice leading your first instinct to say “she”, but it still was a program inside the machine. Maybe you should have asked? 

–Okay…Okay? No, not okay. Do I really have to do this- Whoa! –As you tried to protest one more time, you felt a tug alongside your spine and the familiar spinning sensation filled your mind before a completely new location emerged from the fog in front of your eyes. The same ship you had a glance at inside that dark room where you have met Panai.

It was weird. You could swear that the whole seat fit perfectly in the visible crack in the floor, and yet you could tell that you weren’t there physically. Being able to focus solemnly on what’s happening, you took in the view that presented itself behind the huge window in front of you. It was…

–Dark. I can’t see shit. –You summarized, seeing a vast void in front of you, with few exceptions of lone stars that blinked at you from afar. The fact that the cosmos was mostly empty and lacked colors was known to you, but actually seeing it hit differently than any information read on the internet. 

–That’s good, Pilot. –Panai’s voice brought you back to reality. Or at least what you tried to perceive as such, slowly getting lost in what it actually was. The ship is illuminating a quite big radius. If you could see something it would have meant you’re about to collide with it.

–Oh. That makes sense. But how am I supposed to navigate towards my destination? Whatever it may be. –Trying to relax against the seat, you instinctively grabbed one of the levers and weighted it against your palm. It didn’t feel real: objects in your hands may be cold, metal and physical, but there was no explanation ready in your brain on how exactly you’d be able to pilot a ship from a broken chair on Earth. So it must be a game. At least this was what your mind latched onto to stay sane. 

–This is where I help, Pilot. –Your eyes were drawn to the thing appearing on your left: it was a hologram. –Here, take a look. That’s your ship, Pilot, and its nearby topography. As you may see, the rear is stuck and the prow is hanging loose. –The voice explained as you absorbed the holographic visualization. It seems like the ship was tilted as well, based on the look of the y-axis, probably having crashed on a small piece of a rock in the middle of nowhere.  –Your primary objective is to assist in setting it free from the asteroid it has crashed on. 

–And then you’ll let me go? –You asked, looking at the orb in front of you. It glitched twice before Panai spoke again. 

–Yes, Pilot. –Panai confirmed after a second, which made you relax your muscles you didn’t know you had flexed in anxiety. –The other person is already docked and ready. 

Blinking a few times, you looked around the ship. That’s right, there were supposed to be two pilots, with one being placed already on the ship. If they were ready by then, does it mean that someone is in space? 

“But humans haven’t ventured anywhere in the galaxy further than the moon. Who is out there- No. No, this is a game. Nothing more to it. Just a stupid, rouge AI to the failed gaming setup. One mission and I'll be out of here.”

–Will I be able to talk to them? You know, to pilot. –You gestured around, trying to spot any movement in the ship beside you or Panai’s orb. 

–Negative. While part of my purpose is to create a neurosphere and link both pilot’s minds to help with more efficient navigation, the trauma my core programming has suffered prevents me from merging the neuralinks between you. I already had to suppress some of the security locks put into my code to be able to connect despite me being in two different places. If I have been split in any other way: if one part has been any bigger than the other, that connection would not be possible.  

–Okay, that sounds… not very cool. –Groaning, you took in the words that have been said to you. –Which means the other person would have been even more st-

Before you could finish the sentence, you felt a very real hit coming from the back of the ship. And you couldn’t lie to yourself that it was simulated: it was exactly the feeling of some dumbass driving into the back of your car because they misjudged the distance. Not deadly, but painful. 

–What the fuck?! Panai! –You yelled, grabbing the joystick. 

“Shit. Shit, shit, shit, there WASN’T any tutorial yet!”

–Online. The asteroid is surrounded by smaller and bigger rocks. They have appeared to be stable and on non-collidable courses, but the gravitational pull from our prow has strengthened suddenly. –Panai explained, showing red zones on the hologram. –My apologies, Pilot, but it appears that we have run out of time for our tutorial. Please grab the joystick, we will begin the lift. To change leverage’s position, press forward the right pedal. 

–”The right” what?!  –Without thinking or waiting for Panai to actually explain, you slid your right foot forward, feeling the floor below it give in and follow. As you did that, the joystick suddenly felt light under your hands, pliable. With a hammering heart you turned it slightly left. Because of that, the vision in front of you changes slightly to the right, filling your ears with a sound of metal scratching very hard surfaces in the meantime. –Holy shit, okay, right pedal to do the steering. –You breathed out, feeling your hands go cold. 

–Yes. Joystick towards yourself lifts the prow, while pushing it outwards lowers. Similar to left and right, but the directions are reversed in reaction. –Panai reminded you, seeing that you didn't really want the ship to go right. –We now have approximately three Earth’s minutes to start the engine and leave the asteroid before another big piece collides with it. The scans the other pilot did suggest that another crash will lead to the asteroid breaking in two pieces, possibly crashing the ship in half. 

–Fantastic, so no pressure at all. –You could feel your voice crack at the realization. Three minutes. You won’t start it before the timer runs out. 

-Pilot, please-

–No. None of that. I will try, alright?! –Huffing you locked your eyes on the hologram. You blinked a few times, like suddenly mesmerized. –...I have an idea. Just help me and let’s get this out. We won’t do that if I don’t try, right? –You mumbled, sliding once again the pedal you didn’t know when you retracted. –I will free us: whatever the other pilot can do, they’re in charge of the front. Alright?

–Yes, Pilot. –Panai said, and if you didn’t know any better about AI, you’d say she sounded almost relieved. 

You took one deep breath, before completely switching to look only at the hologram. If your main concern was the rear only, there was no point in staring at vast darkness. The ship was pretty slim, except for some widening on the end and wide wings. There were also two extra shapes below the base, most likely for cargo hold. Those were in a tight fit in a crack, causing the whole ship to be unable to start the flight, the only way up being upwards. Locking your foot as far as possible, you started gently nudging the joystick. First of all, you needed to fix those axes.  

The whole ship moved like it weighed nothing, yet you could feel where there was more resistance. Where it was stuck. This was nothing like a car: the whole construction acting way too alive under your hands. Pliable. 

–Any way to start straight up? I’m not able to maneuver between those rocks. –You hissed, fear of ripping vital chambers open with unnecessary yank of the joystick preventing you from doing more aggressive motion.

–Negative. The rotors only accelerate machines towards the horizontal directions, before the ship can ascend or descend. Is there anything I can-

–No! –You huffed angrily, feeling all of the emotion build up inside of you. What the fuck exactly have you gotten yourself into? It’s insane. Frustrated, anxious and furious beyond belief, you were tempted to throw something at the talking orb. –There is nothing you can do, there’s nothing the other pilot can do, as long as there is actually one and it’s not part of this sick game you’re playing with me, you stupid fucking AI! –Basically yelling at this point, you dropped your hands in the air, defeated. –But you know what’s the worst? There’s nothing I can do to get this ship out of the clutches! –At some point the tears started to pool in your eyes before they lazily slumped down your cheeks. 

–I apologize, Pilot. –Panai said after a moment of silence, when you have been wiping your face with open palms. –It seems that you’ve experienced an exceeding amount of distress and I failed to aid you. 

It was at the tip of your tongue to say something. You half expected the AI to add some urging call, since all of you were running out of the time. The voice even sounded unfinished, but simply stopped talking there. Like it understood that there’s no point in trying to convince you, since you couldn’t do anything. “Like”, because this thing didn’t understand your feelings. Couldn’t- because it was a machine. 

–So what now, Panai? –You chuckled, sultry voice cracking in a mocking smile. –We all die? You kill me, because I haven’t finished your game? –Turning your head to the side, desperately trying not to look at the orb, but feeling the AI observing you even when it lacked a set of eyes to perceive. 

–No, Pilot. You’re the one who will live. –It said, the robotic voice calmed, as if the program accepted the failure. But the sentence it spoke made your eyebrows scrunch. 

–What do you mean by that? –You asked, but you already knew the answer. If you refused to accept any of the delusions your mind had slipped quietly before you to accept, and interpreted Panai’s words as facts- there’s actually someone, trapped in the ship that cannot start. Doomed to be crushed. 

–I cannot disconnect you now from the neurosphere, but if my central code is crushed: for a moment there will be no security locks between my parts. I shall use that to shut the connection between us, Pilot. That’s how you won’t suffer within the ship. –Panai explained and you felt how the asteroid shook the ship in a warning, something already hitting it. 

You shut your lips into a thin line: now she won’t mention the other person. Was it because she had lied about them being there? Maybe it was really a game this whole time? 

–The other pilot. They won’t make it? –Against your better judgement you asked that. 

–...Correct. He’s in a bad state and that ship was his last hope. –As AI spoke, the ship shook violently and the whole cabin flashed red in an alarm which you couldn’t quite understand. Probably because of your focus being elsewhere at the time. Or maybe it was another language?

–He? Well. –You sighed, looking up. –What’s his name? Does “he” have anything to say to me? Since I failed to help him? –Should have. If he’s real, he should send a voice message full of swear words, filled with rage and sorrow. Fear and sense of betrayal. You have to hear this, though. Need to know whom you have failed. 

–”Just look up at the stars. That’s all we have left. The name is… Drift.” 

Poetic, almost. But up? Really? There’s nothing above you besides the ceiling. 

–What? –You mumbled, before another hit knocked the breath out of your lungs, your vision shaking violently. Instinctively you grabbed the joystick, looking for any kind of handle. 

–Emergency: Imminent crash. Query: Critical state of the cabin. Query: Critical state of the cargo. Query: Critical… –She went on. But before Panai could finish listing the amount of loss the vehicle had suffered from the impact. This shit was real. It felt real as your ribcage cried in pain from the impact with the cushioning, soft fabric doing close to nothing when the velocity pinned you against it, making the sensation being closer to a rock wall. 

The position of the ship changed rapidly, and you felt the slight pull down your spine. The axes you tried so hard to calibrate, now are completely messed up, the centre of gravity off so much it made you nauseous. The ship's rear slipped in the widening crack on the asteroid, just soon to be crushed when the huge rock collided with it. You were falling down, deeper into the abyss, head straining to look up. You saw the walls of the newly-made rift that was about to become a tomb to the other pilot. 

“Looking…up?” A cold shiver run down your neck in realization. Maybe, just maybe there was a way. And that lone thought made your sunken heart pump back the adrenaline rush. Because you’re not about to give up without some fight, right? 

–Panai. –You breathed, right foot slamming down the pedal. You’re looking up with the prow- which means that whatever blocked your rear has fallen within the void. Change its position, freeing your way outwards.–Power up the engine with all that's left. –You hitched a breath. 

It was a moment. One, dreadful moment of nothing happening as you slammed the joystick. But then, the engineer revved as if resurrected, the whole ship starting the race towards the closing exit. 

The ride wasn’t a calm voyage in one direction- you danced between the falling rocks, speeding up more and more, before it would close on you. Trapping in the eternity of regret.

–If I make it, Drift tattoos my name on his fucking back. –You yelped, feeling how your own nails dog painfully on your palm, squeezing the leverage as if begging to bend just a little more, just a tiny bit faster. 

–Should I send him this message, Pilot? –Panai asked, but you were only half aware that you spoke up the dumb idea that came to your mind in a fervor of action.

Feeling the acceleration pushing you further into the chair, you stopped breathing for a moment.

There was no point of return anymore. Never was, since you entered that cursed building. You could feel the hard surface scrap the ship. But you saw it. The stars. 

The first thing you heard was the prolonged ring of the engine, which no longer bounced off the walls. Your hammering heart, that seemingly had accelerated with the ship, rocked against your chest like a drum. Because you’ve done it. You set this ship free.

Thanks @rackiera for the idea