CRIMSON LUCRE: Debut novel of the EPSILON Sci-Fi Thriller series by Brian H. Roberts

Author:Brian H. Roberts [Roberts, Brian H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-06-30T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 28

SaMMCon

MSD: 57481

MTC: 06:47:52

FROM: CAPCOM

Proceed immed on new heading N00.00.00E for 15 km, then heading N58.00.00W approx 33 km. Update SaMMCon with crrnt pos every hr on the hr. Advise re oxy status. Advise re cond and location of Luis and RBI. ANMHE.

According to the timestamp, the message had arrived two minutes earlier, at 06:47.

“Why do you suppose they want us to proceed north from here?” LaDonna wondered aloud. “Won’t that take us over a higher section of the ridge above the base?”

Neither Dallas nor Dave responded as they scrambled up a nearby rock outcrop. Once up, they looked northwest along their intended route. What had looked like scattered outcroppings in the earlier morning sunlight took on more clarity now that the sunlight passed through less atmospheric dust. Pressure ridges and rock outcrops were visible everywhere, rank on rank disappearing into the distance. The mountain ridge above Prospector Base was dimly visible on the far horizon. They turned northward. Dusty, rolling terrain seemed to go on forever, the sameness interrupted by an occasional small outcropping.

“Wow,” Dave remarked. “None of that rugged terrain to the northwest was visible on Robbie’s low-res sat imagery. I’ll wager that there are plenty of fissures toward the center of this lava flow, with no guarantee that they’re filled with glacial ice. What we crossed was just a cheap down payment on nastiness to come.”

Dallas nodded his helmet toward the northwest. “Looks like SaMMCon wants us to skirt the worst of it to the east and north. Climbing higher on the ridge will burn more oxygen, but probably a lot less than crossing through that.”

Both men descended the outcrop and rejoined the women and Luis. Dallas gave the update. “LaDonna, the terrain in our intended direction of travel is incredibly rugged. We saw dozens and dozens of pressure ridges up ahead. Although I’m not entirely comfortable with the idea of crossing the ridgeline farther north of where we had planned, I know that SaMMCon has access to high-res satellite imagery. I have to believe they’ve given us our best chance at making it back to base before we turn blue.”

Three helmets nodded their agreement.

Robbie moved Luis into the conference. “Thorry I can’d nod my head Flath. I thay yeth.”

“Then it’s settled,” Dallas said. “We head due north for fifteen kilometers, then head northwest at fifty-eight degrees.”

He quickly typed a response message to SaMMCon.

Props 1 crw to SaMMCon Crossed first fissure on route. Procding on new heading N00.00.00E for 15km, then heading N58.00.00W approx 33km. Started 1st oxy res bottles 09:30 Day 2. Luis has brkn nose, sprained neck, broken collarbone, broken left arm and poss cracked ribs. Neck immobilized with duct tp. Ribs splinted with duct tp. Unable to walk. Transport by RBI. ANMHE.

Dallas checked his work and pressed send.

Ladonna had peered over his shoulder as he composed. “What’s ‘ann mee’?”

“It’s code for “‘There’s a case of beer on ice at the base’,” he responded.

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Of course not. It’s a code.”

LaDonna knew better than to probe too deeply when Dallas got cryptic like this.

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