“Careful with this next set,” said Porter, directing Alexa to the VR pallets. “The manifest lists them as sensitive electronic equipment, and I’m told by the general that you don’t want to know how much whatever is in them costs. We’re to put them aside and wait for other staff to unpack them.”
Andrew and the three Virtual-Reality men had just appeared. They hovered nearby, as the maintenance crew moved the computer pallets to a corner of the warehouse.
“There you go,” said Porter to the VR men. “Need help unpacking?”
“No, that’s fine,” Ralph said hurriedly, eager to dismiss hands unaware of the importance or cost of the pallets’ contents.
“Okey-dokey. We’ll finish the supply pallets.”
These were also transferred via forklift, carefully, but perhaps not with the same degree of care as the wine or VR pallets. Finally came a pallet of metal cases marked “security” and “caution in handling.”
“What are these?” asked Alexa, trying to read small black writing against the green metal containers.
Porter pushed them along. “Not our business. You two go back to your other duties. I’ll stay to finish up here.”
He suspected what was in the last pallet. He had seen similar containers many times and in many places. Given that word had reached him through semiofficial channels that Zach Marjek was coming, he could be sure of the type of contents, if not the exact items. And the fact that Zach was here raised interesting questions. Porter had taken this to be a low-level parking job to keep him employed while waiting for a position more attuned to his background. But if Zach was here, plus this shipment, his instincts told him his original view of this job needed reassessing. Something had to be going on in part of the site that he didn’t know about.
No sooner was the pallet of green metal cases placed in a corner of the storage building than Zach and Willie appeared. The three men exchanged handshakes after they were sure no one else was around.
“Well . . . this is a real surprise,” said Porter. “You’re among the last people I expected to run into here. Well . . . you two and Elvis. What’s going on?”
“Surprised us, too,” said Zach. “Last I heard, you’d been cut loose by the agency and then nothing.”
“Oh, I hung around a while looking for someone I knew to scope out work. Kinda fell into this gig. Sinclair recruited me to act as maintenance and keep an ear out for people talking out of shop. You know . . . too many drinks and spilling some information. Been pretty quiet here, which I like. Does your arrival mean a change is coming? I was getting used to quiet.”
“It was put to me that Willie and I are another layer of security, whether for inside or outside threats, I couldn’t say. As far as I know, nothing’s going to change, although I’m starting to get the sense Sinclair thinks there’s a time limit to what’s going on here. How about you? You know why this place is here?”
“Well . . . there’s the obvious poorly hidden secret about it being a listening post to Russia and China. I believe it, given some of the staff, but something’s off. What’re those Russian dolls where you open one, and another one is inside?”
“They call’em matryoshka or babushka dolls,” said Willie.
Zach raised an eyebrow, not expecting the answer to come from this particular colleague.
Willie shrugged. “My mother had a set.”
“Yeah,” said Logan. “Like . . . you open the second one thinking that’s it, but there’s a third doll inside.” He eyed Zach. “Do you think you’ll find out more about what’s going on?”
“Maybe, but it’s liable to remain ‘need to know,’ according to what I heard from Sinclair. I suppose now I’m getting an itchy feeling, and I’m glad I brought along some toys.” He waved at the pallet Logan had suspicions about. “Let’s get this one unwrapped and stored.”
Zach and Willie pulled a long box off the pallet. Logan procured a small crowbar and pried off the lid.
“You expecting to fight a war here, Zach?” asked Porter with a raised eyebrow when M4 rifles were revealed.
“No, but I believe in being prepared. I hear those musk ox can be pretty aggressive, not to mention hordes of arctic hares thundering across the snow. They blend in so well you need all the firepower you can get.”
Willie snorted.
“Seriously,” said Zach. “As I said, our job is providing security for this place, though Sinclair wasn’t specific about any threats. You know me. No such thing as too many guns, so I used Sinclair’s authority to requisition arms for ourselves and those staff members who might know which end a bullet comes out of.”
“All M4s,” asked Willie. “I thought you had other preferences.”
“It was short notice, so I had to take what was available the same day as the requisition. Ten M4 carbines set for semi-automatic and three-round bursts—no need to give inexperienced people full automatic, or they’d shoot up all the ammo in the first minute. Ten M4A1s with semi- and full automatic for us and any others who could handle them. I figure anything that does happen would be close quarters, so ten short-barreled Mossberg 500 pump shotguns and twenty M9 9mm Beretta pistols for up-close work. Not all the latest models or issue, but they were readily available. Plus . . . hell . . . we don’t figure on fighting a war.
“I also managed to corral a case of M67 fragmentation grenades. I made a stab at the new ET-MP dull-purpose fragmentation and concussion grenades, but none were available in time to make the flight up here. Tried for more Claymore directional mines, but the armory I had quickest access to only had one case. Naturally, we wouldn’t let any of this get into hands not familiar with how to use them.”
“Ah!” exclaimed Porter, as he lifted a long, narrow case. “Is that what I hope it is?”
Zach smiled. “I was lucky here. I put in the requisition without expecting to find anything useful.”
Porter opened the case and removed an exotic-looking rifle. He examined it while Zach described the firearm.
“Two Remington Mk21 sniper rifles firing .338 Lapua Magnum cartridges. Unfortunately, there were only 150 cartridges available, so we’ll have to be judicious in sighting them in.”
They finished removing the cases with firearms and explosives. Remaining were ammunition cases.
“I’m surprised you didn’t order more ammo,” said Willie.
Zach cursed. “Had enough trouble getting this much. The lieutenant in charge wanted justification for every round. I finally had to threaten to call the Joint Chiefs.”
“And he bought that?” asked Porter.
“Let’s just say I suspect his chances of advancing past his current rank are extremely small.”
Porter glanced over the assortment of weapons. “As I said, why am I getting the sense this place might not be as quiet as I thought it was?”
Zach shook his head. “Don’t overthink things. Sinclair gave me free rein to requisition, so I went whole hog when I learned there weren’t many firearms here. Except for the five rotating armed men, there’s only a couple of pistols and rifles for wildlife. Better safe than sorry.”
“All right,” said Porter. “Give me a minute to clear out a chemical locker I think all this will fit in. I’ll fetch a lock with two keys. I’ll give you both of them.”
Zach looked at his watch. “Okay, let’s finish up. We’re supposed to meet for more briefings.”
Level 1
When the group regathered, Sinclair was absent, but Lindskold started off.
“Hello. We met briefly yesterday. I hope you all enjoyed dinner and breakfast. We do our best to set a good table. One warning . . . the food’s so good you can overeat. If Dr. Wilderman notices anyone putting on a little too much weight, you can expect to hear from her.
“Again, my name is Richard Lindskold. I’d like to again welcome you all here. I’m the general operations manager for Site 23, which is the official name of where you are.” Lindskold smiled. “And to forestall an obvious question . . . no, I don’t
know anything about sites 1 through 22.”
The manager paused for the expected laugh, which he got from half his audience. Willie grunted his general-purpose response.
“This is a joint U.S.-Canadian facility. For most of you, this is your first experience in the Arctic, so in addition to the general welcome, I’ll give some overview of how we operate and some things you should know.
“There are many rules you need to follow, both for your own benefit and for the general community. It’ll become more familiar as you go along. Some of this will sound like I’m going on and on about minor details, but remember, this is a harsh environment, particularly once we move into the colder, darker months.
“I’ll talk a few minutes about general organization. As you’re all aware by now, the site is organized into two distinct operating units based on security and access. Staff at Level 1 are maintenance, meteorologists and radar people feeding data into the overall North American weather forecasting and radar systems, and scientists carrying out research on various aspects of this environment.
“General Sinclair already warned you about sharing information outside your assigned level. That means not revealing to any Level 1 staffer what is going on in Level 2, where you are assigned. Obviously, you’re living close to everyone and will be socializing. You need to always be aware of the security protocols.
“If any situation arises that you believe will cause you to step over this limitation, you’re advised to think carefully about how you’ll later justify it. If there are any questions about these regulations, please see me or Major Jefferson, General Sinclair’s second-in-command. Any questions so far?”
Jill had a question, but she kept quiet while she thought about it. Sinclair had told the new people they were part of Level 3, but now Lindskold told them they were Level 2. After a few moments of confusion, she realized that Lindskold himself was only Level 1, so he didn’t even know about Level 3. The security situation could get tricky until she learned everyone’s level.
Lindskold responded to the new people for the next ten minutes until the questions petered out.
“All right, enough of that. Now we’ll move into the working environment. We try to create an environment that simulates a normal daylight cycle, as you would experience in the United States. To do this, the inside lighting is adjusted in areas with no windows so that your brain thinks it’s an environment like the U.S. The lighting also uses wavelengths simulating sunshine.
“I believe you were also introduced to the double doors to this building and the dormitories to ameliorate abrupt light transitions that can disrupt the body’s circadian rhythms. Additional aids are the ability to totally block the outside conditions from inside your sleeping quarters. And tunnels. You haven’t seen the tunnels yet. They’re narrow and go between this main building, the dorms, and a few other structures. They also maintain the day/night cycle as I’ve described.
“Emily, I’ll let you take over for this part,” said Lindskold, beckoning to the site doctor, who took the manager’s place in front of the new arrivals.
“Now, not everyone is susceptible to SAD—seasonal affective disorder. When the sun never goes down, the human body tends to respond by not acknowledging that it’s time to sleep. Insomnia leads to irritability, depression, loss of function, and serious health problems. Conversely, when there’s no daylight, some of the same symptoms paradoxically occur, especially depression. For the staff members already here, they were screened for indications of whether SAD might affect them. I’m told none of you underwent the screening, so I’ll be keeping a special eye on you. Fortunately, you arrived when the day and night were about equal lengths. This will change dramatically over the next few weeks, but at least you weren’t tossed into one of the extremes, so we hope you can adjust.”
Her tone switched to one more authoritative. “Do NOT hesitate to see me if any signs of SAD appear. Handling the problem right away is far easier than waiting until you have a severe case.
“I’m sure you’ve all noticed the oddity that there are no windows in your quarters, but there are flat panel monitors on the walls. We have a selection of scenes that cycle through a day. For example, if you like beaches, you can display a beach scene that mimics a window onto a beach. I suggest you all set a scene, whether or not you think SAD might affect you. There’s no downside.
“Now . . . two other issues I’ll mention. The first is the tendency to dehydrate. We don’t normally think about dehydration when we see snow, ice, and the temperature is cold, but the air here is very dry. Ellesmere is actually classified as a polar desert because of the historically low annual precipitation, though signs are that this label may change with current climate projections. You need to drink a minimum of four quarts of water a day. Think of it as eight large glasses of water. If you’re not feeling well, come to see me, and the first thing I’ll ask is if you’re drinking your water. Don’t be surprised or annoyed if I or Juliet Smythe, the site nurse, bug you repeatedly to be sure it sinks in to prevent dehydration.
“It’s enough of an issue that when you all report for your monthly checkup, a urine sample will reveal whether you’re hydrating enough.” She smiled. “And if you’re curious, just the color is sufficient to raise concern if it’s too dark.
“The second thing to be careful about is sunburn. You’ll notice sunscreen dispensers located inside every door leading outside . . . well, almost every door. Simply going between buildings is not a problem, but with any extended stay outdoors, you should be safe and use the lotion on exposed skin. The clarity of the air, the relatively thin ozone layer at these latitudes, and the reflections off ice and snow can combine and cause severe burns. In a worst case, you can be badly burned before you’re aware of the damage, and it can be both painful and even dangerous.
“The last piece of medical caution is the local wildlife. No, not polar bears or musk ox but mosquitos. You may have heard stories of arctic mosquitos. If so, let me tell you the stories might not be extreme enough. It can get pretty awful at certain times of year, which, unfortunately, is about now when spring brings on thawing. The damn things swarm so thick in some parts of Ellesmere that it’s almost impossible to work. Good news is this isn’t one of those areas, though we have more than enough to harass us.”
Jill raised a hand. “How are there mosquitos here? Don’t they freeze in the winter?”
“The adults do . . . well, most of them. There’s one species where some of the adults survive, but most die off. It’s the eggs and larva. Mosquitos and other Arctic-dwelling insects contain proteins that inhibit ice-crystal formation. That’s what kills frozen tissue. When the thaw comes, they warm, hatch, and are off to a roaring start on biting and breeding the next generation.
“You were lucky yesterday. The wind was enough to keep them from swarming. However, if you venture out today without taking precautions, you’ll be chased back inside. Of course, in this climate, we wear clothing that covers most of our bodies, but whatever skin is exposed needs a liberal dose of insect repellent. You’ll see dispensers next to those for sun lotion. Get in the habit of using both when going outside.
“A few of our staff have been here long enough and bitten enough times that they’ve become tolerant . . . meaning a bite doesn’t raise a welt. Even for them, it’s important to use the repellent as a precautionary measure.”
The medical doctor smiled. “Now that I’ve told you all the nasty things that can happen, let me end by saying as long as you take the necessary steps, it shouldn’t be a problem. You’ll find the community here is supportive, friendly, and very professional. The surrounding terrain can be foreboding at times, but we’ve all come to appreciate a beauty not found anywhere else in the world.
“If you’re lucky, we might get a few more nights with aurora displays before the nights are too short and then are gone entirely. Typically, we don’t get any auroras here. Most people believe auroras occur more often the farther north you go. Turns out, there�
�s a ring around the magnetic north pole . . . sort of a doughnut shape where the auroras form. Talk to one of the scientists if you want more details.
“As it happens, the magnetic north pole is within a few tens of miles of where we are and NOT at the physical north pole. I understand the magnetic north pole is slowly moving west . . . something involving deep layers of magma. Again, ask the others about it. This means that we normally are in the eye of the doughnut. Right now, we’re experiencing some intense coronal activity and have seen more auroras here than usual. It also interferes sporadically with external communication. As I said, we’re moving out of the dark season, and there will only be a few more weeks to have any chance of seeing auroras, so I’ve put a list in the office of people who want to be wakened if a display occurs. If you want to be on the list and want to be woken up if auroras appear, see me, and I’ll put you on the list. The auroras alone are worth any inconvenience in living here.”
She stopped speaking, raised an eyebrow, and surveyed her audience. “Any questions?”
Hands were raised, and she spent the next twenty minutes answering.
“All right, then, I’ll turn it back to Richard.”
“Thanks, Emily.”
Lindskold sat on the edge of the table. “The normal workday is nine hours, but that number is mainly a yardstick to go by. The actual number of hours people work depends on needs and arrangements, as well as on their security level and specialties. We try to keep the support staff at nine hours, but they’re on call twenty-four hours a day.
“You’ll find civilian and military personnel, both American and Canadian. The staff roster is more stable than at most places. As it happens, we don’t expect any changes in the next six to eight months—barring the unforeseen, of course. One consequence is a feeling of community. It shouldn’t take you long to meet everyone here, and you’ll find most of them willing to help make your adjustment easier. A quote that circulates among people spending time in remote Arctic or Antarctic stations goes something like, ‘The strongest friendships are found in places remote and secluded. The forced isolation makes people pay attention to each other.’ You may find that true, especially if you take time to get to know the people here.
Harbinger (The Janus Harbinger Book 1) Page 13
