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Chapter 4 - Where Time Stands Still.The Major of the station received us personally with a warm greeting. She showed us to our hut and then invited us to join everyone at the community center where we would eat. She introduced us also to the two biologists who would be our guides for 'the expedition.' "The expedition will start tomorrow, or the next day at the very latest, depending on the weather," the major explained. To judge by her reaction, the mission appeared to be far more important to her than either of us had expected. She was obviously fully briefed. This, in turn, meant that she was a part of Nicolai's network of close friends and could be trusted. There were a few speeches made before lunch. Lunch had been delayed for our arrival. Naturally, almost everyone was there for the occasion. Most of the people also stayed around for a chat after the lunch was over. Questions were asked about America, and about why we wanted to take such a long trek across the icebound wilderness of the far north, and why in the middle of the winter? We told the official story that Nicolai had already worked out, that Anton had drilled into me on the plane. The people of the station, in turn, told us about their work, their challenges, and about the weather. When the unofficial meeting was over, the major offered to familiarize us with the surrounding area by plane. She flew a twin-engine six-seater with a large cargo bay, the workhorse of the station, which evidently doubled as a short-run transport plane. "Sometimes I carry fodder for the reindeer," she explained. Twenty minutes later she put the plane down on a groomed air strip that had apparently been created in the middle of nowhere. There was not a building to be seen, nor any vehicles. She asked us to button up our furs and come with her. "Where to?" I asked. "I want to show you something," she said, and reached for her field glasses then opened the plane's door with the engines still idling. We walked to the end of the runway that looked like a packed down ski trail slightly blown over with drifting snow. We walked towards the orange glow on the horizon where the sun had set. The brightest stars were already visible in the darkening sky. When we came near to the end of the runway, she stopped. "I think it is save here for us to talk," she said. She told us that she was completely briefed about the problem through an underground movement that Nicolai was connected with. So, my hunch was correct. She was aware that Nicolai needs an on-site inspection to be done to determine if the phenomenon that was observed was caused by a space based biological weapon, as he suspected, and if so, to find out what type of warfare agent it carried. "Nicolai is convinced that something big is involved," said Anton. "He had never been blocked before from investigating anything that had to do with national security." The major said that she was aware of all that. She spoke in a hushed voice that was barely louder than the sound of the wind. Suddenly I realized with absolute clarity why everything needed to be done in total secrecy. "But if it is something that big, what are we doing here?" I asked. "Surely there are more qualified people..." The major interrupted me before I could finish. "Hush!" she said. "Nicolai couldn't tell you about the importance of this mission," she said, "because he would likely be monitored around the clock if something really big was going on. We can't even talk about it in my airplane," she added with a whisper. "The plane may also be bugged. Someone of my new personnel may be a mole. I think we are save here in the open, unless my clothing is wired." She handed the binoculars to me and pointed out three reindeer at the edge of a nearby stand of woods. || - page index - || - chapter index - || - Exit - ||
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