After the loud explosion rocks the plane, people run to and fro, fro and to.

Feeling shock to plane, McHale powers his computer down and stows it into its special winterized bag.

Kerr is the first to stand and say, "What the hell happened?"

Over the commotion, Shadowcat yells, "Are we over land yet?"

Baragli says a quick "hail Mary" and once again peers from the window. This time, you're above the cloud layer, with clouds stretching from horizon to horizon. It's a gorgeous view, but you can't see the ground. Turning back to the group, she shrugs with a far away look in her eyes and says, "I don't know; we're above the clouds."

Brennan appears just then and relays that the cockpit door was blown from the inside, the pilot is quite dead, and one of the control consoles was badly damaged as well as the inner skin of the plane.

Kerr asks, "Hogan, can you fly this thing? The primary controls maybe broken, but perhaps the co-pilot controls are intact."

McHale adds that many older military planes have redundant systems that allow them to stay aloft with horrific damage. "I'll hope this is one of those types of planes..."

Hogan replies that he has experience in smaller fixed winged aircraft, but since he's the closest thing you've got to a pilot, he'll go up and give it a try. Martin goes up front with him to assess the damage better for herself.

Putting out the flames with the emergency extinguisher, Sue stares with eyes wide and mouth open as to the extent of the damage. Meanwhile, Hogan goes over the navigational charts. "According to these readouts and maps, we are still over water. In fact, we are heading straight for Camp Perez, instead of Ellsworth Base!"

Upon second look, [minus one karma] Sue realizes only a secondary hydraulic system and the primary pilot controls have been damaged. The net effect is that there is only enough fuel to continue to your destination, and the secondary flight controls must be used.

Hogan takes the helm. For a while as he acclimates to the controls, the flight is bumpy and at times very scary. After some time, though, it becomes clear the plane is no longer in danger of plummeting to a watery grave.

Martin head back and says the plane is under control, for now. Kerr takes her place and radios for help. Unfortunately, nothing but static can be heard on any frequency. The closest base must be under true whiteout conditions!

In the back, Baragli rummages through the storage lockers and find they contain survival gear. She removes some MREs, an arctic sleeping bag and a tent. She then puts on her cold weather clothing parka and steels herself for the worst.

McHale head up front to confer with Hogan. Hogan figures they can either attempt a landing at Atlantis II or Camp Perez, or they probably have enough fuel to reach the British research installation, Siple.

Shadowcat searches and finds personal parachutes, one per party member with no safeties. McHale returns in time to help distribute the parachutes. He then looks around for cargo chutes for the gear. Such is aboard but it is for truly heavy equipment, not the type you've got.

After locating key pieces of gear (communications and shelter), McHale searches for and finds the lever which reveals the button that opens up the back of the plane.

A landing plan must now be decided on.