Ice Cold

Day 3

        The crew shifted uncomfortably in the hanger watching the door. The cold was seeping in but the massive heater on the door was fighting it back. They could feel the warmth. This was probably the most comfortable day of the month. The cold wasn't the source of their unease. The anticipation was palpable. Mardon stood stoically ahead of everyone watching the door. Though unreadable, he felt every bit of the pressure that the others did, if not more.

         No new message had come, not even the manifest that they usually got the day before shipments. This had gone largely unnoticed, or at least unmentioned. They needed to see the supplies come in. Or not see them...

         "Alright, soldiers, brace for it." Kevin called from the control console. There was a dull thunk followed by a rumble as the bay doors began to open. The blast of cold air took them hard as it forced its way into the room. Even Mardon had to gasp a little.

         "Start the countdown!" He called above the noise. Kevin pushed another button.

         "T-minus 30 minutes." The familiar emotionless woman said, barely audible.

         It took a long, arduous wait before the doors finished opening. The silence cascaded around them, deafening in its entirety. The only sound that replaced it was the mournful howl of wind across the tundra. The troops stood still, probably the first time a resupply was ever this serious. They all strained to listen for the rotors. Mardon kept his eyes on the bright white beyond the hangar, occasionally shifting his eyes back inside, looking at the walls.

         "T-minus 25 minutes." Megan gave a slight scream, then a nervous laugh.

         "At ease, soldier." Offal directed. Mardon resisted the urge to look around at them.

***

         "T-Minus 5 minutes." The voice taunted. Mardon tightened his jaw. Ice was forming on the outer edge of the door, the crystals glinted in the bright light. Mardon was getting nervous. He didn't let it show, not that they could have seen it through his suit, but he held his emotions at bay. Now would be a bad time to start falling apart. Still nothing... No movement, no sound besides the damned wind. Usually they would hear it by now, right? No, Mardon reminded himself, they've run late before. He took a deep breath as he steadied himself.

         "Sir." He called across the bay, Offal visibly jumped, then turned his attention to Mardon. "About that time." There was a moment of silence. The man's face was hidden behind the helmet, but there was no doubt in Mardon's mind that he was fighting off the panic they were all feeling. Finally, he nodded. With a wave, he gave Kevin the command. Kevin stared quietly for a moment before pushing the button again. The rumble returned as the doors began their painstakingly slow return.

         The closer the doors got to one another, the more the tension built. Finally, as two giants meeting in a storm, the doors sealed with a deep, soul crushing thud.

         "Time." The voice called once more. Kevin slammed his hand down on the console, canceling the countdown. Mardon looked back to Offal. The Captain was gone. With a shift in his jaw, he turned to the troops instead.

         "Alright. Log it. Supplies are late."

         "Sarge..." Grace's voice stung his heart.

         "We follow protocol. Until we know more, the supplies are late." Mardon replied calmly. He took another deep breath. "Megan, get to radio, relieve Shelly. Let her know what's going on, then send the message. We go into ration protocol." The assembled soldiers nodded, and filed out of the room. Grace and Kevin waited with Mardon. The feeling that hovered over them was bleak. For some this was their only hope against whatever darkness their brains had cooked up.