Colder Than Ice (31 page)

“HEY
WHERE ARE you off to big boy?” Sarah called as she crossed the camp from
toilet cleaning duty.

Rob
held up a blade. “I was going to oil this before I pack it. If I can sea
prep the equipment here, it means I don’t have to worry about it when I get to
Wills Station. And if that’s the case, then you and I can have a couple of very
quiet or very loud drinks together.”

Sarah
slapped Rob’s back. “Isn’t that the truth. Do you want to finish that and
head for the mess hut? Michela said she had some news. I’ll go and let Di
know.”

“WE
HAVE A little bit of good news,” Michela said to the group gathered in the
mess hut. “I’ve been on the radio to Maddi this morning and she’s
organized two opportunity lifts with the Chinook that delivered some of our
stores here.”

Rick
rested a booted foot on the edge of the table. “So what exactly does that
mean?”

“The
Chinook has a lift capacity of about sixteen thousand pounds. It means we’ll be
able to completely transport the camp, excepting the bare minimum, back to
Wills Station without having to rely on surface transport. This will give you
more time to ensure your artifacts are ready for sea travel,” Michela
replied.

Rob
reached for a couple of biscuits in the middle of the table. “So what’s to
move, boss, and what’s not to move?”

“The
first move will be an under slung load of the mess hut and most of what’s
contained in it. The second move will be all stores and accommodations with the
exception of the two apples. Stores that we can’t put in the spare space of the
mess hut will be placed inside the Chinook, along with the artifacts.”
Michela turned to Allison.

“Alli,
I’ve spoken with Maddi and she tells me they’ve a small refrigerated container
that’ll be capable of carrying Finlayson for the move back to base and the
duration of the sea journey. That way we can free up the sno-trak’s storage
container for when we need to start packing away the remainder of the camp. Is
that okay with you?”

Allison
nodded. “That should be fine, but I don’t think I could get back up in one
of those helos so soon. Who’s going to look after the artifacts?”

Michela
turned to Rick and Dianne. “That’s where you two come in. There’ll be
plenty of space so you two can go back to base to act as an advance party. The
rest of us will break down the camp, before I confirm it’s clear of any human
waste or rubbish. Rob, Alli, Sarah, and myself will be responsible for
that.”

Rick
nodded. “Sounds like a plan. When do we start dismantling that solar generator
thing? I’d like to know when my last hot meal is.”

Thinking
about yourself yet again.
“That
won’t be dismantled as it was put here under trial conditions. Under the
agreement, only the people who installed it are qualified to remove it. This
fits in well with our plans. It means Rob can disconnect power progressively
until there’s only power to the two remaining apples. That power will remain
until the day we leave for Wills Station.”

“What
about the impact of the helicopters landing near the site?” Allison asked.

Michela
smiled. “That won’t be a major problem. We’ll establish a LZ on the far
side of the site. The only time the helo will get close is when the load master
slings our kitchen and carries it on its merry way. The weather forecast indicates
the wind should be pretty calm for the move back to the station. It should take
about four hours there and back, with the loading taking advantage of the
extended light conditions and extra helicopter crew.”

Michela
turned to Rick and Dianne. “For you two this will be an especially long
day, but Maddi assures me there’s now enough spare living space in the main
building that we’ll all be accommodated in there. Any final questions?”

“I’d
still like to give it one more try at finding the location of the photographer’s
hut,” Rick said.

Michela
shook her head. “I understand, but I don’t think we have the time. When we
return to the station I’ll ensure that the site’s marked to prevent any
possible site egress or damage. Maybe it’s a consideration you can make for
subsequent digs, finding the hut that is.”

“If
you think I’m coming to this God forsaken place ever again, then you’ve got
another thing coming,” Rick said.

“And
Antarctica will be grateful to see the ass end of you too, mate,” Sarah
muttered for only Michela’s ears.

ALLISON,
RICK, AND Dianne confirmed the site was relatively stable until the next dig.
Rob, Sarah, and Michela progressively broke down the camp, crating equipment
and stores for the journey to Wills Station and Hobart. Rob and Sarah moved
into the mess hut when the googie was dismantled, to live in until they took
over the second apple when Rick and Dianne departed.

Fortunately
the weather held and the first helo lift arrived at eight the following
morning.

Allison
was surprised at the helicopter crew’s efficiency. “What are they doing
now?”

Sarah
pointed to where the crew was working. “They’re checking to make sure the
boxes within the mess hut are well stowed or the load may shift during its move
to the station. Then they’ll rig it within a chain frame which will be hooked
onto a lead that will be suspended from the helo. Once that’s complete the load
master will get off the top of the hut and the helo will carry it away. The
load master will then be picked up on the next trip.”

Allison
frowned. “We put a heck of a lot of stuff in there. What happens if it’s
too heavy to lift?”

Sarah
smiled. “Do you remember the other day Rob was filling out a chart of what
we put in the hut?” Allison nodded. “He was raising a cargo manifest.
This details the weight or at least the approximate weight of everything in
there. He then totaled this and added the weight of the container to make sure
it didn’t exceed the under slung load tolerance of the helicopter. Trust me, it
didn’t by a long shot. It’ll be fine, don’t worry about it.”

It
wasn’t long before the helicopter returned, and set down on the LZ. Using the
sno-trak, the artifacts from the dig and the remainder of non-essential stores
were transported into the bowels of the aircraft before Rick and Dianne boarded
for the flight back to Wills Station.

The
team watched the helicopter until it was no more than a speck on the horizon.
“Thank Christ they’ve gone,” Rob muttered.

“Rob,
that’s enough,” Michela said. “Remember you’ve got a sea journey with
Rick to contend with yet.”

Crossing
his arms, Rob smugly smiled. “That may be so but I’m banking on the
journey being as rough as the trip down. If that’s the case then Rick will
spend most of his time in his bed or praying to the porcelain god. But you know
the best bit about that?”

Sarah
laughed. “What?”

Rob
threw his arm around Allison’s shoulders. “This time this young lady can
enjoy herself instead of playing nurse maid. The idea of Di cleaning up after
that bastard does my old heart good.”

The
group shared a laugh. The long-range radio crackled to life.

“Finlayson
Base this is Wills Station. Michela, this is Maddi, do you read me, over?”

Michela
went to her daypack where the radio was stored, but not before she saw Allison
stalk off in the opposite direction. “Maddi, this is Michela, go
ahead.”

“Michela,
our meteorologists are recording the possibility of enhanced solar flare
activity in the next twelve hours.”

Michela
frowned and clicked her tongue, as she recalled the ability of such activity to
render useless their long-range communications. “How long is it expected
to last?”

“They’re
not sure, but you can bank on being out of contact for at least three to four
days.”

Michela
removed her beanie and ran her fingers through her hair. “I guess there’s
nothing we can do about it.”

“That
isn’t the worst of it. They’ve also picked up a major storm front heading in
your direction that’s due to hit within eight hours. There’s no way you could
make it back to the station in that time. I suggest you maintain your position
until the storm’s passed.”

Michela
turned to Rob and Sarah. Sarah held up her hand. “We’re on it. We’ll check
the huts and ensure everything that can be tied down, is.”

Michela
nodded and returned to the radio. “We’ll batten down here. I won’t break camp
until we can establish communications with you and determine the storm cell’s
passed.”

“That
sounds fine. And, Michela, take care of yourself. I’d like to see you back here
soon and in one piece.”

“I’d
like to see
all
of us in your location and in one piece. Keep an eye on
Rick and Di, will you.”

“Michela,
this is Maddi, roger, out.”

Michela
put the radio back onto her pack and headed to her apple. She entered the hut,
put her pack on the bed, and turned to Allison. “Maddi says there’s a
storm cell coming and it’s due to be upon us in the next eight hours. I’m sorry
to disturb you, but we really do have to ensure the camp is safe.”

Allison
closed the book she was reading and quickly stood. “Sorry, I was engrossed
in Finlayson’s diary. I really didn’t want it to go back to the station with
the rest of the artifacts. Speaking of artifacts, will Finlayson’s hut be okay
during the storm?”

Michela
held back a terse response when she saw the concern on Allison’s face. She gave
Allison’s arm a reassuring rub. “I don’t know, but it’s been here for over
one hundred and ten years, so I don’t think it’ll give its place up in history
all that easily. Besides, Rob’s boarded the hut’s entrance, so the worst that
can happen is the snow will cover it over again.”

“What
needs to be done?”

Michela
picked up her heavy-duty work gloves. “Rob and Sarah have started checking
the anchor points for their building. If you could check out the short range
radios for serviceability that would be great.”

Allison
pulled on her jacket. “Why the short range radios? I thought their
distance was limited.”

Michela
nodded. “They are, but Maddi also said solar flares were expected. This’ll
cut out our communications with Wills Station. I want to be able to at least
talk between the two apples once the storm hits. I’m going to check the anchor
points of our apple. Can you tell Rob and Sarah we’ll meet in their hut in,
say, ten minutes?”

“Okay.
I’ll grab the radios from the sno-trak and meet you there.” Allison turned
to the door, halted, and turned back to Michela. “Is there anything else I
can do?”

“Can
you make sure the blizzard rope around the base is still anchored correctly?
Once this storm hits there’ll be no telling what will happen.” Michela
followed Allison through the door. Pausing on the top step, she looked at the
deceptively blue sky that displayed no hint of the oncoming storm.
Here we
go again. Small spaces and Alli
—
I
hope we don’t end up murdering
each other.

MICHELA
QUICKLY COMPLETED a check of the camp and entered Rob and Sarah’s hut. She
pulled her beanie from her head. “The wind’s already picking up out there.
I don’t know if the weatherman got it right this time.”

Sarah
laughed. “Well, it wouldn’t be the first time they got it wrong. What’s
the plan?”

“If
we still had the googie I’d have recommended we all bed down in that. The
apples are a little too small for four people over an indeterminate period of
time.”

“What
do you mean indeterminate period of time?” Allison asked. “How long
do you think the storm will last?”

“You
never know how long these babies are going to last,” Rob said. “I’ve
been in one that went for twenty days before it blew itself out. Don’t worry
though, this one may be as short as the last storm that blew through
here.”

Michela
nodded. “Rob’s right, but I’m going to err on the side of caution. We’ll
pull the emergency rations and power from the storage container in the sno-trak
and divide them between us. Once the storm hits I don’t want any unnecessary
movement outside the buildings. It looks like we’re going to have to wait this
one out. At least the short range radios will allow limited communications
between the apples.”

THE
STORM HIT the camp three hours before its forecast arrival. While it was
uncomfortably close within their apple, Michela and Allison used the time to
focus on their respective tasks. Allison occupied the hours reading and
cataloguing Finlayson’s diary, pausing only when an extra-strong gust of wind
buffeted the hut. Michela collated her research notes and made a rudimentary
start on her final report. They worked through the early evening, stopping only
for refreshments and dinner. As the storm continued to lash the sides of the
hut they went to bed, both hopeful that the morning would bring an end to the
storm and the forced occupation.

The
following morning Michela woke and wasn’t surprised to hear the sounds of the
storm.
It looks as if we’re in here for another day.
Looking around, she
saw that Allison had already risen.