1 You are standing on the Toan Glacier in northern Greenland, staring
down into the black void of the crevasse. You shiver as you wonder
whether you were lucky or unlucky to be invited on this
expedition. Standing next to you are Gunnar Larsen of the National
Research Institute and Dr. James Sneed, a geologist. A small black box
containing a signal transmitter is suspended over the crevasse by two
long poles. The transmitter is wired to a console a few yards away in
the ice. Dr. Sneed turns a dial as he monitors the display
screen. "Well?" Larsen's voice is impatient. Sneed looks up, a broad
smile on his face. "This is it, friends-the Bottomless Crevasse."
"Any radar return?" Larsen asks. Sneed shakes his head. "None." For a
minute no one speaks. Like you, the others must feel excited to have
reached their goal but also a little sad. It was just a year ago that
your old friend, Dr. Nera Vivaldi, radioed from this spot that she had
reached the Bottomless Crevasse. A few moments later, her radio went
dead. She was never seen again.
---
Served by Pollux Gemini Server.