The Triton Disaster: Hard Science Fiction (Solar System Series Book 4) by Brandon Q. Morris

Author:Brandon Q. Morris [Morris, Brandon Q.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hard-SF.com
Published: 2020-04-20T05:00:00+00:00

“We did a great job,” said Nick. He shivered and cast his gaze about 100 meters down the slope. The ice wall seemed to go on forever on both sides. Okay, is it day or night? He looked to the sky. He couldn’t see the sun. Not even Neptune, which was good news—it meant at least they had landed on the right side of the moon.

“Well, what does your suit say?”

Right. He’d gotten out of the capsule in the first place to determine their position. After that, he’d have climbed back into the capsule, packed supplies, topped off his oxygen tank, strapped on the tools and the tent, and made a plan. There was nothing like having a working strategy. But could he have guessed how unstable the capsule was? It made no sense to blame himself now. He had to find the Triton station.

He called up the map display. The suit had stored the topography of Triton so they wouldn’t get lost. Now he directed a camera towards the sky, analyzed the position of the stars, and calculated their current position. An orange dot appeared on the map with an orange arrow dancing over it, indicating them and their running direction.

“Show Triton Base,” he commanded.

A green dot lit up. It was much closer to the pole. Nick turned until the arrow pointed to the base. He ended up staring right at the ice wall.

“Find route.”

The software drew a yellow line over the map. First it ran far west, then made an about-face to the east and finally led to the base. At a walking pace, they would need about a week. Nick looked at the oxygen gauge—he had just under twelve hours with average consumption. This wouldn’t work.

“The suit suggests a route that will take a week.”

“You have no supplies. You’ll be dead in twenty-four hours at the most. In the best-case scenario.”

“You’re a real pal. Always optimistic.”

“Thanks. Realistically, your likely survival time is sixteen hours. We have to account for an exhausting route and a higher consumption of oxygen than usual.”

“Well, that would be that, then. Unfortunately, I can’t accept this projection.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. He couldn’t afford to panic, since it would only increase his oxygen consumption.

“You don’t have to, Nick. I suppose it was made on the assumption that we wouldn’t be able to surmount this 785-meter-high ice wall here.”

“Yeah, the route goes right up to a fissure that the software thinks can be climbed.”

“So we can greatly improve the projection if we refute the underlying assumption.”

“Should we go up this wall here?”

“No. I wouldn’t be able to climb up here either. I’m not suitably designed for it. That’s why I’m going to go the long way. My batteries will last for about two weeks. But you have to go up here. Otherwise you’ll die.”

“Thanks for your encouragement and your assistance.”

“I can wait down here until you make it, if that’s of any help to you.”

“And give me wise counsel from below? I’ll pass.

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