***
McMurdo Station was situated on the edge of Ross Island, a mountainous volcanic spire, rising from the ice, and capped with broken glaciers. It was adorned with an eternal plume, emanating from the uppermost peak, where fissures leading to the earth’s core breathed their sulfuric sighs. The base was exposed to both sea and ice, and was abused in turns from each quarter, an uncomfortable and inhospitable abode. It was a rough place that demanded that its inhabitants be hearty, a sentiment that many of those same inhabitants felt obliged to impress upon newcomers, as a matter of tradition.
One of those newcomers sat at a desk at the Naval Operations Command Post, looking over a dossier. His Navy greens appeared crisp and trim, a dead giveaway that he was recently arrived from the world. If they were fortunate enough to get washed in the coming weeks in the field, they would come to lay on his frame in a much more subdued manner. His martial air was belied by his mild countenance, which appeared almost whimsical, as he gazed with soft brown eyes transfixed upon the picture in his hand.
“That her?” the Captain asked, looking over his shoulder.
“Yes. Yes it is,” Lt. Richards replied.
“I guess you could have drawn worse duty than having to cozy up to that,” the Captain said jocularly. For an instant, the Lieutenant bristled at the meaning implied in his new commander’s jest, but he reminded himself that this was only a picture that he had been looking at, and Navy men would say what they said after all. Besides, you didn’t call out the Captain because you didn’t like what he said about some woman’s picture.
“Haven’t met her yet,” he said. “But yes, she does look nice.”
“Well, she’s not,” the Captain said. “From what I hear, she keeps a shit list a mile long, and you’re about to become a strong candidate for promotion to the top spot. It’s not going to be easy getting information out of her.”
“We’ll see,” the Lieutenant said.
“Sure. Just see fast, okay? This rat hole on the edge of the universe suddenly just became a whole bunch of peoples’ favorite topic. The days of making sure the penguins are happy are over. I’m going to need results, rapidly.”
The Captain then left him there, continuing to stare at the picture. He knew that he had a mission, and he knew what it meant. But looking at the photograph, clipped from an old newspaper article, he felt like he could see right through to her, and what was more, he saw her looking back.