Astronomicon 1: Inception Point (Finished)

20 - Supply Module 4

"Why can't we see it yet?" cried Lucy.

They had ascended four hundred metres up the lower slopes of the mountain range and the ambient temperature had already dropped significantly. Everyone was wearing their hoods up and had their scarves pulled up over their chins. The worst problem was the thinning atmosphere. It left everyone feeling weak, breathless and lightheaded, but they had no choice but to climb further upward.

"I'm sure it's just over this next ridge," announced Melissa.

"Is the beacon still strong?" Chris asked, struggling to breathe and talk at the same time.

"Yes."

"We've got about thirty minutes until the temperature begins to drop properly," he announced to the rest of the group. "There's no time to rest; we must keep going."

"Everything hurts," Kate groaned.

"Your muscles aren't getting enough oxygen. It's another twenty metres to the top then the next bit should be downhill. The module can't be far."

"Chris, I can barely walk!"

He moved up beside her and pulled her arm over his shoulders, then he wrapped his other arm firmly around her back, tucking his hand under her opposite shoulder, leaning against her and supporting some of her weight as he did.

"It's not far, we have to keep going," he urged.

"I think we're at the top of the oxygen layer," Lucy said hoarsely.

Walking directly up the slope was just not possible, so Chris was leading them up at a forty-five-degree angle. He was breathing heavily but could barely feel the air moving over his tongue. Given the temperature, he expected clouds of condensation from his breathing but there was hardly a trace.

He knew they were reaching their absolute limit and were on the verge of collapse, but the crest of the ridge was just three metres ahead of them. Each step was agony, an immense effort. The oxygen they so badly needed was not there and the icy air, what little there was, stung the skin and just added to their pain.

Resisting the urge to stop supporting Kate, he almost dragged her the last couple of metres, choosing to sit on the crest rather than step up onto it. She slumped beside him, barely able to move any further.

He took a second to calm his breathing, which did not work, then announced, "We need to get down the other side quickly. I know we all feel like we're dying..."

"Which we are!" Lucy interrupted with a croak.

"...but the air's thicker down there. Let's keep going."

No-one replied but, gasping and spluttering, they climbed slowly and clumsily over the top of the ridge behind him and set off down the other side. Almost immediately, his eyes settled on some shiny metal scattered across the slope below him. Torn like paper into jagged fragments, they made his heart sink. A good landing would not have had that result.

Half walking, half sliding down the loose rocks of the downward slope, he surveyed the narrow valley below them. Less than a kilometre further down the slope was the valley floor, from which rose one of the twin mountains they had seen from so far away. Ascending that without an oxygen supply was not an option. Currently, they only had one oxygen bottle between the nine of them.

Descending at a hugely faster rate than they had ascended the ridge, he could swear he could feel the air getting thicker around him. His breathing was becoming easier with every few steps and his energy was improving a little. Kate was barely even bothering to walk now, but spending more time sliding down the rocks on her backside.