Eleven-Hour Fall Page 2 Robert Appleton Kate didn't need time to think. With a tremendous effort, she dragged him to the very edge of the cliff and pushed him over. It was a sheer drop. Without even gathering breath, she flung herself after him. It all occurred so matter-of-factly in her mind that the transition from climber to free-faller didn't register at first. Jolts of wind torqued her this way and that. A few huge rocks flew by, missing her by inches. Kate knew her chances of survival had just increased, but from zero to what? Her gaze remained fixed on Remington as he drew closer through the barrage of icy pellets. Her suit shielded her from the impact of this onslaught. But something wasn?t right. She?d skydived before, but here it felt?different somehow. Is there some kind of updraft at work here? The Eleven-Hour Fall ? 2008 by Robert Appleton All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. This book is a work of fiction. Characters, names, places and incidents either are the product of the author?s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. An Eternal Press Production Eternal Press 206 - 6059 Pandora St. Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, V5B 1M4 To order additional copies of this book, contact: www. eternalpress.ca Cover Art ? 2008 by Shirley Burnett Edited by Heather Williams Copyedited by Ginger Simpson Layout and Book Production by Ally Robertson eBook ISBN: 978-0-9804263-8-0 First Edition * April 2008 Production by Eternal Press Printed in Canada and The United States of America. Eleven-Hour Fall Page 4 Also by Robert Appleton? The Elemental Crossing Caf? at the Edge of Outer Space By Robert Appleton, writing as Arthur Everest: Esther May Morrow?s Buy or Borrow Robert Appleton Eleven-Hour Fall Page 6 Chapter 1 Falling for Remington S pindrift from a nearby cornice curled out over the edge of the mountain. Kate lost her footing in the snow and toppled straight onto Remington, knocking him flat. She helped him up and wiped his visor clean, but soon recoiled. After all, it wasn't exactly what she had in mind for sweeping him off his feet. Katie girl, you've just done the dumbest thing since volunteering for this hike. Stay calm. Say something, quick. "You OK?" Remington?s no-nonsense tone was still evident through the crackling reception. "Ask me again when we're some place warm," she replied. What she really wanted to do was warm things up then and there. To hell with the mission plan. Kate Borrowdale was the most qualified, the fittest, the most competitive terrain scout of the group, out-matched by only one thing - her love for Jason Remington. He can't fail to notice that hint. Kate cursed herself for blowing her chances. Remington stepped closer and, to her amazement, grinned through his helmet. Kate smiled back, fighting the urge to tear off both their suits. The insanely low temperature, high altitude and lack of oxygen might have dissuaded her, yet it was still a close call. The wind speed picked up as Kate fell back in line. All she could think about was the tall, stern man a few steps behind. The indigo sky grew deeper; her head felt lighter than the atmosphere at any peak. "Alright, the weather's turned. We're putting up the shelters," blurted a voice over the com-link. Remington immediately broke back to join his expedition partner. Kate ploughed ahead through the knee-deep snow. Her designated partner was Jill Qualen. Kate trusted Jill about as much as she would a loose crampon. It was therefore imperative to take charge of the shelter before the weather hit. She knew full well the dangers of a blizzard at high altitude. Soon, the last hint of sunlight was blanketed by clouds hurtling overhead. Violet and violent. Kate gritted her teeth against the wind blast. Resistance to her every movement grew rapidly. Their destination, the west ridge itself, faded in moments under a swathing swirl of ice. She shot her tent clamps into the rock and, hustling Jill inside the shelter, fastened it shut behind them. The two women checked their equipment in silence. Kate had done this a million times before, but knew it was the most crucial part of any expedition. Oxygen...fifteen hours' worth. Suit integrity...fine. Suit temperature...fine. Altitude...still no reading. I wonder how high we really are? The ship?s probes had only managed to explore the highest peaks of the planet. Electromagnetic interference in the thick layers of cloud had scrambled any data retrieved from the few probes able to penetrate this lower strata. For all we know, we might be setting a record for the highest ever climb. I'll bet we are. Largest planet ever explored...near the top of a high mountain...eat your hearts out Geary and Musampa! Olympus Mons was kitten play. Jill gave the thumbs up, and Kate winked in reply. The only sound they heard was the muffled howl of the wind. "How long will it last?" asked Jill, a few loose strands of blonde hair sticking to her forehead with perspiration. "There's no telling," said Kate. "I was in a blizzard that lasted nearly two days on Dakota Prime." "What was it like there?" "Not unlike Earth. Deadly terrain, though; we lost a girl on the way back." "No kidding. I guess you just can't imagine yourself being beaten by a bit of wind. Or snow." ?So why did you choose terrain scouting?? ?I needed a change. It sounded more exciting than shining an office seat with my ass.? Kate had never thought of Jill as the thrill-seeking type, but she couldn?t imagine her behind a desk either. "So, you find scouting appealing?" Jill grinned. "Don't you?" ?It?s a living. Climbing, surveying, searching for minerals? Like you say, it?s better than the alternatives. We go where they send us, but the rest is up to us.? Neither spoke another word on the subject. The shelter's taut fabric bulged inward. Kate kept an eye on the tent cords behind Jill. As the wind buffeted them from that side, those would be the first to snap. Maybe I should've double-pegged. "Everyone sit tight; the pick-up's on its way," said the voice over the com-link. "Until I give the word, stay inside the shelters. Command says the entire hemisphere's about to white out. Wait for my signal." Jill closed her eyes and, clasping Kate's hands, began mouthing a prayer. Eleven-Hour Fall Page 8 Kate sighed, recalling the direst moments she herself had endured on Dakota Prime. A couple of minutes and already Hailing Mary. Save some for when it really gets rough, sweetheart. Another ten minutes passed. The tent cords held, but Kate didn't like the ferocious strain. Though she'd seen them hold a brick house suspended in mid-air, she was less sure of the shelter's fabric. And the thought of Remington only made her more anxious. But won?t he be the calm one? Finally, the team leader broke silence: "Twenty seconds! I want everyone out and re..." The order was interrupted by a loud thud. A deafening furor of crackling and staggered screams followed over the com-link. Kate didn't panic. Instead, she sprung to her feet, wrenching Jill up with her. As she unzipped the door, the tent caved in behind them. Jill was propelled into her, knocking her flat. As Kate turned to see what had struck them, a boulder the size of a work shed crashed on top of Jill, crushing her completely, before spinning out into the blizzard. Another struck somewhere close behind. Kate looked skyward, scrabbling to stand upright. Through a brief break in the wind, she saw two more rocks hit the mountain side by side. They smashed square into the rock face and shook the entire ledge. That's no avalanche! Hidden by the wind-driven snow, Kate felt a torrent of massive rocks batter the ridge from above. What wind could be so powerful? In Hailing Mary, had Jill instead hailed this unimaginable force from the heavens? Kate knew there was only one chance for survival. To jump! She wiped the specks of bloodied snow from her visor, blanking Jill from her mind. Kate leaned into the wind and inched toward the ledge. It wasn?t until the orange tent flapped about her helmet that she noticed the body lying nearby on rock scraped clear by the force of the storm. Another missile shook the ground, followed by another. One passed between her and the body, almost rolling in from the sky, not quite touching the ledge. Kate knelt over the body. It was Remington! He wasn't moving, but the instrumentation on his suit showed he was still alive. Thank God! How badly injured was he? Kate didn't need time to think. With a tremendous effort, she dragged him to the very edge of the cliff and pushed him over. It was a sheer drop. Without even gathering breath, she flung herself after him. It all occurred so matter-of-factly in her mind that the transition from climber to free-faller didn't register at first. Jolts of wind torqued her this way and that. A few huge rocks flew by, missing her by inches. Kate knew her chances of survival had just increased, but from zero to what? Her gaze remained fixed on Remington as he drew closer through the barrage of icy pellets. Her suit shielded her from the impact of this onslaught. But something wasn?t right. She?d skydived before, but here it felt?different somehow. Is there some kind of updraft at work here? Kate struggled to remain streamlined in her dive posture. The chaotic air currents had other ideas. She flung an outstretched arm toward Remin...
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