Colder Than Ice Part 4

"We flew in late yesterday afternoon in two helos. It's an interesting group. You'll see what I mean shortly. From what Allison said last night, she intends to focus their work on the main building, once its structure's been identified." Sarah opened the door to the building's enclosed porch. "You'll hear more about the dig this afternoon at our first team meeting with the training staff. The sleeping arrangements are fairly Spartan and not very private but I think that's all part of preparing people for what to expect down south."

Michela followed Sarah down the hallway and into a room that wasn't terribly bigger than the one she'd had during her first year at university. She silently chuckled as Sarah grabbed a pile of clothes off one of the beds and moved it to the one that was obviously her own.

"You'll be bunking with me. I hope you don't mind."

Michela placed her bag on the bed. "No, not at all. So where and when is this meeting being held?"

"Four doors down the hallway on the right, in the common room." Sarah looked at her watch. "We've probably got enough time to grab a quick brew before it starts."

Sarah led the way to the kitchen, where they prepared their hot beverage of choice, and then made their way to the common room.

Sarah opened the door and stepped aside, allowing Michela to enter first. "Look who I found out at the helipad. It's the long lost Dr. DeGra.s.se."

With all eyes on her, Michela drew on her years of training and managed a calm welcoming smile in return. Before she could say a word she caught movement in her peripheral vision. She turned and looked into the most amazing deep blue eyes she'd seen in years. Sparkling with energy, they suited the somewhat unruly brown locks of the woman before her. As if to validate her thoughts, the woman unconsciously ran her fingers through her hair before extending her hand to Michela.

"I'm Dr. Allison Shaunessy. It's good to see you could make it."

Michela returned the firm handshake. Was that a comment about my lateness or is this a continuation of your last e-mail Just what I need, a woman who thinks the world revolves around her. I thought I just left one of those behind me. And what's this insistence on Doctor? Surely she knows I'm aware of who she is. Maybe it's about time you came back down to earth, Dr. Shaunessy.

"Allison, it's nice to meet you at last." Michela gave herself a personal high five. The slight twitch around Allison eyes confirmed the power game Allison was attempting to engage in. Michela elected not to apologize for a delay she'd no control over. "At least, I'm here now."

Before Allison could reply, the door opened, allowing what was obviously the training group leader and his team to enter.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to what will be your training camp for the next couple of weeks. I'm John Bryson and my team and I will be preparing you for your expedition to Antarctica. Now I won't bore you with my credentials. Just be aware that my team and I have been doing this for eight years now.

"During your stay here, you're going to be very busy. We'll cover a number of areas, including survival techniques, search and rescue, communication, plus living and traveling on the ice. My team and I will observe you in terms of suitability to actually spend time on the continent."

Dianne held up her hand. "You make it sound like if we don't pa.s.s the test, then we don't get to go."

John nodded. "You've about got it in one. The camp serves the two purposes of training and observing how you interact as a team. If I feel that one of you is a potentially destabilizing influence on the rest of the group then I won't endorse your travel down south."

"So what's to stop us from going anyway or going somewhere else to get an endors.e.m.e.nt?" Rick asked.

"There's a list of people's names and their signatures held by the customs people in Hobart, which is where you sail from. If one of those signatures isn't on your doc.u.mentation then you won't get on the s.h.i.+p, let alone get to Antarctica. Think of it as an in-country visa if you will."

Michela watched the group uncomfortably s.h.i.+ft in their seats.

John held up his hand. "I think you're getting ahead of yourselves. From your paperwork, two of you have had previous experience on the continent as well as one who spent a little time there. You're a group of professionals and I've no doubt you'll conduct yourself in that manner."

The group breathed a little easier.

"So let's get on with it shall we? I think we'll start with introductions before I give you a broad overview of the continent. Tonight we'll have a welcoming dinner and tomorrow we'll start our training with a short walk to the snow line, so I can gauge the fitness of each of you." John's gaze tracked around expectant faces in the room. "So who'd like to start?"

Michela slipped easily into her role of observer rather than active partic.i.p.ant. She wasn't surprised when Allison was the first to stand up.

"As you know, I'm Dr. Allison Shaunessy, Allison or Alli will do. I'm an archaeologist who currently works with the Flinders Museum of Australasian Exploration. Apart from the obvious archaeological interest I have, I'm also interested in the man himself. My doctoral thesis was based on Finlayson."

Hmm, Michela thought. Nothing like establis.h.i.+ng credibility through academic sn.o.bbery.

Michela watched as the man beside Allison stood and casually patted her on the backside and then self-a.s.suredly folded his arms. "I'm Rick Winston and like Alli, I'm also an archaeologist with the Flinders Museum. There's a lot more to me than that. I've no doubt you'll get to know more about me throughout the week." He resumed his seat.

Michela inwardly sighed. Very sure of ourselves, aren't we? There has to be at least one Alpha male in every group. As for the way he patted Allison's b.u.t.t, you'd think she was his property or something. Michela schooled her features and smiled as the woman on the other side of Rick stood.

"I'm Dianne Peterson and like Rick and Alli, I also work at the Flinders Museum. As well as having a degree in archaeology, I also have one in geology." Dianne gracefully flicked her blonde locks and smiled. "I guess I couldn't make up my mind which discipline I liked the best."

Michela silently laughed as Dianne wove her spell. And at least one Alpha female as well.

Sarah literally bounced out of her chair. "G'day. I'm Sarah Knight and I'm a glaciologist and a physician, with a side-interest in forensics. So I suppose if any of you get ill down there, I'll be the person you'll be seeing." She started to sit down and then stood again. "Oh yeah. It was me and that big buffoon in the corner who made the discovery of the site."

Michela sipped her coffee. What you see is what you get. She may well be the glue that binds this group. Despite her qualifications, she still seems to have a good rapport with those she works with. I wonder if she can give lessons to the first three?

The man Sarah had alluded to now stood and poked his tongue out at Sarah. "Big buffoon is it? We'll see who's the big buffoon next time you want to get something off the top shelf, shortie." The man looked well over six feet and Michela doubted he'd ever get lost in a crowd. The group laughed. "I'm Rob Shearing and like Sarah, I've finished my second stint down south. I'm an engineer by trade, but I'm also a driller, specializing in ice drilling. Oh, I'm also a carpentera"a jack of all trades you might say." Rob folded his lanky form back into his seat and the man beside him stood.

"I'm Michael Gribbin and the cook, so when we get there if you've any complaints about the cooking then come and see me. I won't change the way I cook, but if it makes you feel better to complain, then fill your boots. I'm also a jack of all trades, having worked as a jackaroo for a few years."

"What's a jackaroo?" Michela asked.

"I think you know them as farm hands or cowboys. It's about the same thing." Michael sat down.

"G'day. I'm Ewan McMillan and I'm a mechanic and electrician. Like Rob and Mike, I'm also a bit of a jack of all trades, so when we get there, I'm willing to help in any way I can."

"Thanks, Ewan, that's great," Allison said as Ewan sat down.

Michela stood. "I'm Michela DeGra.s.se and I'm a psychologist, working with the International s.p.a.ce Research Inst.i.tute in Houston, Texas. I'm involved with the current Mars program and am studying how teams operate in extreme and isolated environments."

"Great, a shrink!" Rob called out. He suggestively wiggled his eyebrows. "Just show me your couch and I'll be there as soon as I can."

Sarah snorted. "You're a pig, Shearing. You know that, don't you?"

Rob grabbed at his chest in mock embarra.s.sment. "Stop it, you're making me blush."

Michela chuckled. "Rob, I'll remember your offer, but I don't think they make couches that big."

John Bryson stood and briskly rubbed his hands together. "Right then, let's get underway. I'll start by telling you a bit about Antarctica. Some of you may believe you've been cold before, but you haven't been cold until you've been down south. Antarctica is the coldest continent on the earth. While it's gotten down to as low as minus one hundred and twenty eight point six degrees Fahrenheit, where you'll be working, the daily temperatures, wind chill included, will be between nineteen degrees and minus two degrees Fahrenheit. So, you'll need to ensure you're wearing the appropriate clothing at all times. Hypothermia and frostbite are a real threat in Antarctica, especially if you're not prepared. We'll cover layering and what you need to wear over the next few days.

"It's not only the temperature that'll cause you to freeze. There are Katabatic winds and they whip down from the inland, bombarding the coastal regions. The speeds have been registered as high as one hundred and ten miles per hour, but they normally blow at a constant nine miles an hour, with wind gusts greater than that.

"You'll be exposed to infrequent blizzards or white outs but hopefully not many during the time you'll be there. All the same, you need to be prepared for them as they can hit with very little notice and then rage for hours, even days. Once you've set up your base camp you'll need to ensure you establish blizzard ropes or guidelines around the camp. In a blizzard if you haven't done this, you can be within six paces of a building and not be able to see it.

"You'll sleep in small fibergla.s.s huts, known as googies and apples, depending upon their size. They're comfortable enough to house two to three people and their belongings. Having said that, the living arrangements will be tighter than what you're used to. During the trip from Wills Station to your base camp, you'll be living in tents, so we'll also spend time teaching you how to erect those.

"Spread over the continent are long term field huts and remote refuges. They're plotted on all maps and should you find yourself stranded, they're fully equipped to cater for emergency accommodations. In an emergency the huts can be located using GPS.

"Some people think Antarctica is no more than a big block of sea ice. Wrong. The ice is actually fresh water and under the ice are mountains, valleys and lakes. It's an amazing place and, once you've been there, you'll never forget it. It's the largest repository of fresh water in the world and yet it's the driest continent on earth." John took a drink from a steaming mug. "Are there any questions at this stage?"

Dianne raised her hand. "If it's so cold there and all, how do you, well, you know, go to the toilet?"

John allowed the inexperienced group members to finish chuckling. "A reasonable question. There are portable toilets in Antarctica, however during expeditions away from an established base, all human waste is bagged in plastic and brought back to the station for destruction. For times when you don't feel like getting dressed in multiple layers to walk out to the portable toilet for a quick pee, women are given a funnel."

"A funnel? My G.o.d, you mean I have to pee down a funnel?"

Sarah joined in the polite laughter of the others. "It's not as bad as it sounds, Di. It doesn't mean you can't get up and use the toilet. But it takes about fifteen minutes to get dressed, ten minutes to get your clothes into a position where you can pee, ten minutes to re-robe, and then fifteen minutes to get undressed again. Give me a funnel any day. Trust me, after the first few days you'll think you've been doing it all your life."

"I doubt it," Dianne muttered.

"Are there any more questions? If not, I'll hand you over to my crew who'll teach you about the clothing you'll be wearing while in Antarctica."

The group spent the afternoon learning how to dress and undress, Antarctica style. The many layers of clothes made them look like a group of overweight tourists rather than doctors, scientists, and tradesmen.

Michela watched the group's interaction through the afternoon activities, and did her best to avoid getting into a situation where she and Allison worked together. The few times when she couldn't avoid the inevitable resulted in derisive and condescending comments from Allison. It's obvious she's still got a problem with the team leaders.h.i.+p issue.

I think I'm going to have to speak with her before this comes to a head.

Sarah lightly tugged on Michela's sleeve. "Is everything alright?"

Michela turned and blinked at Sarah. "At the moment, yes. But I need to speak privately with Alli and I'm not looking forward to it."

"Knowing the signs and symptoms of hypothermia is essential." The look the instructor gave Michela alerted her that he wasn't happy with the interruption.

Michela shrugged at Sarah and they returned their attention to the lesson.

MICHELA FLOPPED DOWN onto her bed. "My G.o.d, I don't believe we've been going all afternoon. We haven't even done anything physical and I'm already tired."

Sarah reached across the span of the two beds and softly patted Michela's leg. "It's probably the jet lag. We've only got two hours time difference to cope with. You've got a day or more. You'll be right by tomorrow."

Michela gently removed the hand from its resting-place on her thigh and sat up. "I never did thank you for that lead regarding Charlotte Finlayson. Without Charlotte's funding, this expedition would never have gotten anywhere."

Sarah dismissively waved her hand. "Don't thank me, thank my ex-girlfriend. If I hadn't mentioned it to her then I wouldn't have been able to suggest it to you in the first place."

Michela's attention strayed to the recent events between her and Natalie and she nearly missed Sarah's words.

"Michela, are you alright? You look as if you're off on another planet."

Michela ruefully chuckled. "No, I'm fine. I was just thinking about you and your ex. It must be nice to stay in contact with each other. I don't think my ex-girlfriend and I will be contacting each other in the near future."

"Sounds bad. Is it recent?" Sarah asked.

Michela nodded. "Too recent to be talking about just yet. Besides that, my lifestyle's something I don't want the rest of the group to know about." She stopped at the slightly offended look on Sarah's face. "I'm sorry, it must be the jet lag. That didn't come out the right way. I mean, your e-mails indicated that you're open with your lifestyle, whereas I prefer my privacy."

Sarah held up her hand. "You don't have to worry about me. I understand your preference to keep it quiet."

"Don't get me wrong, plenty of my friends and work colleagues know I'm a lesbian, I just don't think everyone needs to know about it." Michela rubbed the back of her neck. "This conversation's getting far too deep for me. I think I'll try and wash off some of this jet lag."

Sarah laughed. "I better try and find something to wear to dinner among this b.l.o.o.d.y great pile of clothes." She plucked a pair of crumpled jeans off the floor and placed them on the bed as Michela headed for the door. "Michela."

"Yes?"

"I know we've only just met, but if you want to have a bit of a rant then I'm happy to be a sounding board," Sarah replied.

Michela smiled. "Thanks. I might just take you up on that."

ROB SPRAWLED HIS large frame into a chair. "That was the best meal I've had in ages. That venison was fantastic. And the s.h.i.+raz really topped it off. I wonder if there's another bottle around here somewhere."

Ewan sipped his port, a contented look on his face. "I wouldn't get too comfortable if I were you. There's still the was.h.i.+ng up to be done."

"You're kidding aren't you?" Dianne said.

"He's only teasing," Rick replied. "I'm sure there's someone else here who's paid to do that stuff. And besides, I'm definitely not cut out to be a bottle-washer."

John Bryson laughed. "That may be the case, but in Antarctica you're all going to have to pull your weight. Obviously, you'll be busy with the dig, but with a group this size, you're all going to have to help with the more mundane tasks, such as was.h.i.+ng up and emptying the toilet."

The group groaned in protest.

Rob nodded. "John's right. That's how things are down in Antarctica. We'll all have to learn to pitch in and accept the jobs that Allison gives us, hey Allison."

Allison disdainfully glared at Michela. "Why ask me, Rob. I'm just an archaeologist on this dig."

Rob's response and Allison's defensive body language signaled to Michela that Allison had yet to explain the leaders.h.i.+p of the team to the rest of the group.

Like spectators in a tennis match, the group's focus alternated between Michela and Allison. Michela nervously rubbed the tip of her nose. Why couldn't we resolve this like two adults? "Allison."

Allison shook her head. "How can a shrink lead an archaeological expedition?"

"I don't think it has anything to do with who should rightfully lead the expedition. This is the basis behind Charlotte Finlayson providing the money." Michela watched Allison's features cloud over. "Look at it this way. As team leader you'd be responsible for a number of daily tasks. Tasks that potentially would take you away from the principle job you're there to do. It would be to your advantage not be team leader."

Allison stood up. "Well isn't that just peachy," she declared.

Before Michela could reply Allison was out the door.

Rick placed his gla.s.s on the small table and stood. "Maybe she shouldn't have had that last gla.s.s of red." He closed the door behind him as he went in search of Allison.

"s.h.i.+t," Rob said. "If I'd have known such a simple question was going to result in after dinner entertainment then I never would've asked."

John stood. "There you go. Never a dull moment. Michela, have you got a moment please?"

Michela rose and followed John to his office.

"Is that true? I must admit, given the nature of the expedition, I naturally thought that Alli would lead the team," John said.

Michela nodded. "Frankly, I'd be just as happy not to have the position. As much as it would interfere with Dr. Shaunessy's work, it will do the same with mine. And besides, she obviously isn't happy with the arrangements."

"That's an understatement. But it does answer the question that's been plaguing me all afternoon when I saw how she reacted to you during the training. You're going to need to resolve the conflict between you and get the team to work together. If you don't, no amount of donations will have me sign off any paperwork to get either of you to Antarctica."

Michela nodded and yawned. "I understand, but at the moment if I don't find a bed, I'm likely to collapse. I think my jet lag's catching up with me."

John rose. "If you want to discuss this further, my door's always open. But, with your particular background, I'm sure you're more than qualified to find a solution to the problem."

SARAH TURNED AS Michela entered the room. "That was a show and a half."