Colder Than Ice Part 7

Sarah nodded. That must have been a new concept for you, Michela. "Yes, she's a smart woman, our Michela, and fortunately she seems to be recovering from her seasickness as well." Sarah pointed to the doorway. "Maybe we should go in now. I don't think it's all that good to spend too much time out here."

SARAH WATCHED AS the Durville's pilot boat struggled against the waves surrounding Macquarie Island. She wasn't surprised to be joined by Allison. "How's Rick?"

Allison shrugged. "He's not too bad. He's upset that the rest of the team are up and moving and yet he's still suffering. Sometimes he can be such a baby. So where are we in terms of our trip?"

"We're about half-way. In fact, it mightn't be a bad idea to try and get Rick onto some solid ground. Macquarie Island's annual stores have to be unloaded and that should take a while. A walk on solid land may be just what he needs."

Bending over the railing, Allison watched the stores preparation on the deck below. "So how do we get there?"

"There're two options. The first is the pilot boat." Sarah pointed to the small craft valiantly battling its way toward sh.o.r.e.

Allison groaned. "Given his condition, I think that's out of the question."

Sarah laughed at Allison's frustration. "I know what you mean. There's the air option. There'll be a helo that will carry under-slung loads between here and the station location." She stopped, suddenly aware of Allison's silence. "What's wrong?"

Allison hunched her shoulders and shoved her hands into the pockets of her wet weather jacket. "I can't go up in one of those things."

"What do you mean? They're quite safe."

"They may be but I had a bad experience with one once. I was in one that crashed into water. If we hadn't been taught the crash drills before I went up in the d.a.m.ned thing, I don't think any of us would have made it." Allison shuddered. "Planes, yes, helicopters no way."

"That leaves a small problem. Rick's too ill to be walking around Macquarie Island alone and I wouldn't trust any of the guys not to get him into more trouble." Sarah went through her list of options. "What about Di? Do you think she'd mind?"

Allison shrugged. "I don't think so. In fact she said something about wanting to see some penguins up close, especially the ones that look as if they're wearing a bad toupee."

Sarah laughed. "You mean the Royal Penguin? I like the Rockhopper Penguins myself. They're the ones with really outrageous eyebrows."

"Are you going to go ash.o.r.e?"

Sarah nodded. "I'm going hiking with Maddi." She paused at Allison's doubtful look. "I can see what you're thinking but it's purely platonic. There's a nesting breed of albatross called the Light Mantled Sooty albatross and they're beautiful. The sailors often referred to them as the Blue Albatross because of their remarkable color. The weather was so bad last time I was down here I never got a chance to see them."

Allison stepped back from the railing. "I think I'll wait until you download the photos. I better go and see if Di's available to take Rick onto the island."

MICHELA SAT AT the small desk in her cabin as she reviewed the trip to date. The break on the island proved to be just what the team needed. Even though the team had only been together for a short while, they were already finding the surroundings a little close for comfort. This is just the sort of research that will aid my thesis. She sighed at a knock on her door. "Come in."

Years of inbred courtesy and more than a modic.u.m of nervous tension forced Michela to stand when Maddi Walker entered the room.

"Dr. DeGra.s.se, what are you doing here, locked in your room on the evening of such an inauspicious event?"

Michela shook herself out of the awkwardness she felt at Maddi's presence. "Catching up on my research. What's the occasion?"

"The captain tells me tonight we're to cross the Antarctic Convergence. You remember what that is, don't you?"

"From what I recall, it's the down south version of crossing the equator, or something like that. I'm a psychologist, not an oceanographer."

"And a very good looking one at that." Maddi laughed as Michela realized she was blus.h.i.+ng. "I'm sorry if I've embarra.s.sed you. I believe in speaking my mind."

Michela stumbled for words that wouldn't make her sound as if she were the oldest love starved teenager on the planet. "I'm sorry, I mean thank you. It's been a while since I've received such a compliment."

Maddi shook her head in mock disgust. "If others are blind, I'm certainly not. Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to go to the Convergence initiation ceremony. There're a few drinks afterwards and it might be my last chance to unwind."

Michela knew Maddi was hopeful of more than merely her presence at the party. While she'd never been so forward with a woman, she found Maddi's approach exciting and her body reacted to the thought of the evening ahead. "After an offer like that, how could I refuse?"

"YOU KNOW, I think Rick would've loved to see this," Allison shouted into Sarah's ear.

Sarah looked at the group dressed in varying degrees of gaudy clothes. "It's unfortunate that the short break on Macquarie Island didn't help. I swear we were no sooner under way than you were looking for me to give him a shot."

"So what's this about?" Allison asked.

Sarah leant toward Allison to be heard over the rowdy gathering. "Have you ever crossed the equator?"

"Yes. I was on a cruise years ago. We celebrated the crossing with a big party and a bloke dressed up as Neptune blessed us with his alfoil trident."

Sarah laughed. "This is much the same. Technically it's known as the crossing of the Antarctic Convergence. It's where the colder southern oceans of the Antarctic Circle meet the warmer northern waters, forcing the southern waters to plunge below the warmer waters. These proceedings are probably a little more feral than your crossing of the equator. No one gets hurt, but there are some very suggestive comments made at times. If you're easily offended, now might be a good time to leave."

Allison shook her head. "No, I'm not that easily offended. Besides, I've spent enough time looking after Rick. At least tonight I'd like to see a little more than the smelly insides of our small cabin."

Sarah nodded. "It'll probably do you good to have a break from each other. I suppose he's pretty tired of being treated like an invalid, as much as you're tired of playing nurse." She pointed at Neptune's first victim. "Here comes the first unfortunate soul now."

Allison was so absorbed in watching the first victim pledge allegiance that she was surprised when two men manhandled her into the line of wors.h.i.+ppers. She crawled on all fours until two guards at the foot of Neptune stopped her. She took Neptune's lewd directions with good grace, giving as good as she got, and at one point she caused Neptune himself to blush. After gracefully accepting her liquid punishment, Allison went back to where Sarah desperately swatted at two guards who were trying to force her into the receiving line. Before she could come to Sarah's rescue she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to Dianne.

"What's wrong?"

Dianne wrung her hands. "It's Rick. He's been ill again and he's calling for you. I'm sorry to spoil your fun but he looks like he's in a bad way."

Allison turned to Sarah. "Sorry to spoil your evening but I better go and see what's going on. You stay here."

Sarah gently grabbed Allison's elbow and guided her to the closest hatchway. "Now what sort of doctor would I be if I stayed here? Let's go and see my patient. It's a shame he's a non-paying one. I could have retired on his referrals alone." Sarah smiled as they went to the s.h.i.+p's accommodations area.

MICHELA FELT LIKE a ball in a pinball machine as they bounced from wall to wall in the narrow corridor. Her next comment was m.u.f.fled by Maddi's hand, which softly covered her mouth.

"Ssssh. At this rate you'll wake up the rest of the s.h.i.+p."

Michela tried to put all her concentration and effort into walking down the middle of the corridor while leaning heavily on Maddi. Geez. I was sure I only had two scotches. Maybe I should have eaten today.

After managing to walk in a relatively straight line, she was relieved when Maddi finally leaned her back against the wall. Michela closed her eyes in relief but quickly opened them again as Maddi's hand plunged into the back pocket of her jeans.

"Just looking for your access card," Maddi whispered close to her ear.

Michela shuddered at Maddi's closeness. As she leant forward to increase the contact, Maddi removed her hand from her pocket.

Disappointed, she watched Maddi slip the card into its slot on the door. As the door was pushed open, Maddi wrapped an arm around Michela's waist and helped her into the compact confines of the cabin and closed the door.

Michela's inebriated gaze scanned the small cabin, before finally coming to rest on Maddi. She smiled broadly as Maddi slowly walked toward her and insinuated her body between her legs. Maddi's thumb gently stroked the small dimple in Michela's cheek.

"G.o.d, you've the most amazingly calm eyes." Maddi lightly ran her fingers through Michela's auburn hair. "Have you any idea how beautiful you are?" She entwined her hands at the nape of Michela's neck.

Michela felt Maddi's lips on her own, and giving into the sensation, she parted her lips to Maddi's soft insistent tongue.

As the kiss deepened, Michela felt Maddi's hand on her jeans and the top b.u.t.ton gave way under Maddi's strong fingers. The feather light touches of Maddi's fingers against the soft skin of her stomach seemed to sober Michela, and she broke off the kiss. "I don't think I can do this."

Maddi encircled her arms around Michela's waist and pulled her closer. "Why not? You were doing fine a moment ago."

Michela's physical side reacted to Maddi's touch, while her more practical side struggled to answer. "I know we were. It's just we barely know each other." Her breathing hitched at Maddi's soft fingers against her lips.

"I know we barely know each other, but I also know you're an exceptionally intelligent and beautiful woman. I'm not asking for commitment. There's a spark between us that we both feel and I'd really like to do something about that. But I'm not about to take this anywhere you don't want it to go." Maddi withdrew her arms from Michela's waist. "Would you like me to leave?"

The sudden withdrawal of intimate warmth was like a dash of cold water. For G.o.d's sake you're single, in a room alone with an incredibly attractive woman, who's offering you s.e.x and G.o.d only knows that's something you've been missing over the past seven months. At least she's being honest with her intentions. What are you doing? Michela looked up as Maddi reached for the door handle.

Realizing her silence had been misinterpreted, Michela gently grasped Maddi's arm. Maddi turned, her questioning eyes scanning Michela's. "I'm sorry. I zoned out there for a moment." She reached out her hand, palm upturned in offering, toward Maddi. "No, I don't want you to leave."

Maddi smiled and drew Michela to her. She tugged Michela's s.h.i.+rt clear of her pants, and traced a path over her muscled stomach.

Michela released a shuddering breath and consumed Maddi's lips with her own. Maddi lightly cupped the soft silk fabric that encased Michela's b.r.e.a.s.t.s before she slipped her hands around Michela and unclasped her bra. Michela groaned at the sensation, as Maddi took her soft b.r.e.a.s.t.s in her hands.

She pulled Maddi's T-s.h.i.+rt from the confines of her cargo pants and ran her hands under the s.h.i.+rt to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, moaning with pleasure at the absence of a bra. She softly rubbed her palms across the already hard nipples, causing Maddi to uncontrollably buck against her thigh.

Maddi wrapped her arms around Michela's waist and lightly rested her forehead on Michela's. "I swear to G.o.d if I don't lie down I'm going to fall over."

Michela chuckled as she snagged Maddi's T-s.h.i.+rt. "How about we get rid of some of this first?" She slowly pulled the s.h.i.+rt over Maddi's head.

Maddi quietly laughed as she in turn peeled off Michela's s.h.i.+rt and bra. "Now why didn't I think of that?"

MADDI SILENTLY UNTANGLED herself from a softly snoring Michela before retrieving her clothes from their various resting-places throughout the room. She tucked her T-s.h.i.+rt into her cargo pants and turned to where Michela was sleeping, only to realize she was being observed.

"Good morning." Michela's voice was thick with sleep and a slight hangover.

Maddi glanced around the room, as if looking for an escape. "Good morning to you, too. I'm sorry, but I've got to go. There's some work I have to get done before we arrive at Wills."

Michela breathed a silent sigh of relief. Despite Maddi's a.s.surances, she'd been a little worried about whether Maddi would be true to her word. "It's okay. I understand. No strings attached."

Maddi released a held breath. "Thank G.o.d for that." She winced. "Sorry. That didn't quite come out the way I meant it to. As I said last night, you're an incredibly beautiful and intelligent woman and I could feel something, almost primal, between us. I'm very grateful we can be adult about this."

Michela laughed at Maddi's struggle for diplomacy. "I think you better go before I have to get Sarah to extract more than the one foot that's already in your mouth."

Maddi gave her a cheeky shrug and a quick kiss on the cheek, and then slipped out the door.

Michela took a quick shower and dressed. She closed the door behind her and headed to Sarah's room for her daily report on the state of the team and their seasickness. While Ewan had managed to see half of the previous day through before retiring to bed, Rick was still a concern.

She quietly knocked on the cabin next to hers before entering. "Hi. How goes things this morning?"

Sarah, a smug look on her face, folded her arms and leant back against her chair. "Don't you think that's a question I should be asking? My my, we can be a little noisy, can't we?"

Michela blushed. "Sorry about that. I forgot the walls were so thin. Don't worry. There won't be a next time, so I don't think we'll be bothering you again."

Sarah shook her head. "Don't get me wrong. I think it's a great thing you and Maddi finally scratched the itch you've both been carrying around for days. And don't look so surprised. It's pretty obvious there's something between the two of you. All I'm saying is, well, I thought you were more discrete than that."

Michela ran her fingers through her hair. "I said I was discrete but I never said I was a nun. You're right though. It won't do any good if the others were to find out. Thankfully Allison didn't come and see me this morning as she usually does."

"She's a little preoccupied with Rick at the moment. She was here only a short while ago getting some more medicine for him."

Michela frowned as a chill filled her stomach. "How long ago was that?"

"Oh, about fifteen minutes. Why?"

Michela creased her brow as she recalled the discussion at the coffeehouse that she and Allison had shared about Sarah. "That's about the time Maddi left my quarters and she didn't look as if she'd been paying a morning visit either."

"Let's hope for the sake of peace she didn't see Maddi," Sarah said.

MICHELA JOINED THE crew and excited expeditionary on deck at the first sighting of icebergs. She made her way through the crowd to Dianne and Allison, who were snapping off photographs of the glistening blue-white crags of ice. "They're beautiful, aren't they."

Dianne turned. "Hi, Michela. Aren't they magnificent? I mean, I've read about them but to see them up close is amazing. And to think the majority of these biggies are actually under the water."

Michela laughed at Dianne's enthusiasm before pointing at the blue hue of an ancient berg off the s.h.i.+p's bow. "That's a small one. Years ago one calved off the Ross Ice Shelf and it was the size of Tasmania. Quite unbelievable to think of a block of ice that size, not to mention what lies beneath the water level, hey Alli?"

Allison turned to Michela, her cobalt blue eyes piercing Michela's hazel ones. "Yes, it's surprising, isn't it? When you think you've seen all there is to see, there's so much hidden below the surface. A bit like deceit don't you think? It's so amazing what lurks beneath, where it can't be seen. Excuse me. I've got work to do. Dianne, Dr. DeGra.s.se." Allison disappeared in the crowd.

Michela watched as Dianne, preoccupied with getting a better shot, moved closer to the s.h.i.+p's railing, nudging people out of the way as she went. Sensing someone beside her, she turned to see the rueful smile on Sarah's face.

"If that's anything to go by, the good Dr. Shaunessy didn't miss a trick this morning. I'd say you've been well and truly caught out."

Chapter Five.

My Darling Charlotte, After what seems like days of searching, we have finally found the coast of Antarctica. I will only admit this to you my love, but there were moments when I thought we would never sight land. Navigating through the pack ice was treacherous. More than once we found ourselves backtracking on the path we had taken in order to move forward. At times I could not help but wonder whether we were stumbling along the coastline like a group of drunken sailors, rather than the expeditionary we are. We were not without our false sightings of land either. On one such occasion we found ourselves beside an ice cliff, which we paralleled in the hope of finding an inlet. Imagine our surprise to find that after half a day's sailing we had merely reached the end of what was a mammoth iceberg.

When all seemed to naught, through the mist we stumbled upon a rocky inlet, large enough to provide shelter and allow us to commence the difficult task of unloading our stores and provisions for the long months ahead. I have decided that we will push inland five miles or so, rather than remain close to the sh.o.r.eline. I feel this will provide us a better staging base, as well as protect us from the fierce storms of the coastal fringe. There is so much to do that I must prematurely finish this entry. Again, my thoughts are with you and dear Robert, ERF.

Antarcticaa"2009 MICHELA WATCHED AS the last of the stragglers entered the s.h.i.+p's briefing room. She gazed around the gathering. The expeditionary buzzed with curiosity, but she'd been through this before and had some idea what this meeting was about.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Wills Station," the captain said. "Well, as close as we're going to get to it. We're about six miles from the station, but an unusually late thaw has meant that the depth of the ice between here and there makes it too difficult for the s.h.i.+p to safely cover the distance. So we'll off-load stores and personnel going ash.o.r.e from here."

Michael Gribbin raised his hand. "You mean you're going to put gear down onto the ice? We've just crashed through the stuff. What stops it from cracking the moment we set foot on it?"

The captain chuckled. "That's a question often asked by newcomers. We're going to off-load the stores onto ten feet of solid ice and this is as stable as concrete. The weight is evenly distributed and no one point carries any great deal of pressure. Last season I off-loaded a twenty ton arctic tractor onto the ice and the surface held its ground. I don't think you've got anything to worry about.

"The movement to Wills Station will be in two phases, with the stores moving by ground and personnel by helicopter. Despite the fact you'll be traveling over pack ice, there's always the chance the helo may find a break between here and the station. Because of that, you'll all be trained in wearing an immersion suit before you fly out. For those of you unfamiliar with the suit, think of it as a sort of skin-tight garment with big boots. It's not the most comfortable thing to wear, but it's better than the alternative. In the unlikely event of a crash..." He paused as Allison quietly got up and left the room. He met Michela's eyes, and she nodded at his unspoken request.

"As I was saying, in the unlikely event of a crash these will keep you alive in the water. Without them you'd last for ten minutes. With them you can expect to last for eight hours. Off-loading will commence tomorrow at six in the morning. Will the Team Leader for Wills Station and the Team Leader for the Finlayson expedition ensure there's someone present to supervise the off-loading of stores at the other end? The first flights will carry these people." Michela made a note of the timings for tomorrow.

As the meeting broke up Michela walked to the front of the room. "Captain, I'm sorry that Dr. Shaunessy left. I'm not sure what the problem is, but if you leave it to me I'll try to resolve it."

The captain smiled. "Not a problem. Just ensure she's fully aware of the requirements for tomorrow."