Space | Saturday FT

With the aid of shuttlebay technicians, Jim, Sulu, and Olson struggled into the semiflexible dropsuits.

Lightweight and fashioned of special composites nearly impervious to heat, the suits would keep them from turning into slender human-shaped cinders as they made the plunge into Vulcan's atmosphere.

At least, Jim told himself as he waited for a tech to hand him his helmet, that was how it worked in Academy simulations.

( Where a suitable planetary surface was available... )

[NFB, NFI. Taken from the Star Trek novelization. More to come later.]

Space | Saturday FT

A determined Jim likewise came in rigidly, but the hard touchdown did not disable him or send him tumbling over the side, unlike the unfortunate and foolish Olson. As air pulled him sideways he quickly hit the retract control on his suit. Slits immediately materialized in his chute to virtually eliminate drag just before it retracted cleanly back into its compact storage compartment. As he scrambled to his feet he realized they had caught another break: even at this altitude the air was still and there was virtually no wind.

( A shout in his helmet drew his attention... )

[NFB, NFI. Taken from the Star Trek novelization.]