TRIB RETURNED TO EXANDRA AS SOON AS HE COULD have his ship serviced. He asked the Star Traveler crew to gather everyone into the large open area at the center of the colony.
"You only have two days!" He exclaimed as the colonists gathered around.
"Two days 'til what?" Laurie asked.
"There is a severe snowstorm forming over the ocean‒ apparently Nichaeljen has come sooner than we thought," Trib answered.
Concern buzzed around the crowd.
"Are we prepared for this?" One of the men in the crowd asked.
"The houses and station are strong enough; but with the amount of snow that will come, everyone will be separated for more than five months. Ships won't be able to take off or land, and communications will be sporadic at best."
"We have more colonists arriving in a few days," Captain Mitchell interrupted with alarm
"It will be dangerous for them to try to land in the storm; how many are there?" Trib asked.
"There are 3 ships coming, a hundred and eighty people total."
"Admiral Lenoir has offered to shelter you all during the storm if you all don't feel comfortable staying here. The newcomers could meet you all on Lask instead." Trib suggested.
"Our ships need to be serviced before they can get everyone off planet again. I don't think we can have that done in time." Laurie brought up.
"I'm sure it would be no problem to send some ships to come get you all." Trib nodded.
"We just got here," One of the colonists spoke up, "We deal with winters on Earth all the time, it seems rash to pack up and leave because of a little snow. What would our ancestors think of our squeamishness?"
A chorus of agreement rippled around the crowd. Trib looked around him at the buildings in the colony, considering their construction.
"I'm concerned that the houses may not be well equipped for the severe temperature drop. The Capitol Station's structure is unique though, it will be warmer in that building," He conceded.
There were unanimous sounds of agreement throughout the crowd of people and the colonists dispersed to board up the houses and prepare for the storm. Captain Mitchell went to talk to Trib.
"Does an Exandrian storm normally come this fast?" Captain Mitchell asked him.
"Historically no. However, nature tends to follow its own course, some things cannot be well predicted with our current science," Trib replied.
Captain Mitchell nodded, "I think it is like that wherever you go."
"Are you all really prepared for this storm?"
"Really… I'm not sure. But I think we will be alright. We have enough supplies. I do agree that the newcomers may be better off to take Admiral Lenoir up on his offer to stay on Lask. Just like the colony ships already here, the ships en-route won't be equipped to turn around and make the trip all the way back to Earth."
"They will be more than welcome!" Trib answered.
"I will give EASA a heads up about the change in flight course."
To make the detoured colonists' stay on Lask less uneasy, Captain Mitchell went to the planet himself before they were scheduled to arrive. It was decided that he would stay with the colonists on Lask until the storm on Exandra was over. Admiral Lenoir had a building retrofitted for the humans to live in.
The building was completely below ground to keep it cool, much like most of the Laskonian homes. This particular facility was once a research facility and as such it was completely sealed off from the outside atmosphere. The Laskonian scientists replicated the chemical formula of the air in the human space suits and pumped that through the building's air system instead. To give the facility more of an above ground feel, a tech company donated a few screens to hang on the subterranean walls to display outdoor scenery.
Captain Mitchell stood in a waiting area on the first floor of the triangular skyscraper hanger facility, waiting as the Colony Ships were lowered one by one into their bay's. As each group appeared in the first-floor teleporter, Captain Mitchell couldn't help but wonder if his team had displayed similar reactions on their first visit. Hard sided cases with their personal belongings followed along beside each person.
"I see you all came prepared to stay a while," Captain Mitchell joked before passing out a stack of small glowing screens to each team member, "I have here a list of items from each of your cargo manifests that we will need to unload for use while we are here. The Laskonians have graciously put together a building for us to stay in that will allow us to take our suits off. We will need to bring some of the colony supplies inside to make our stay more comfortable. Beds, food items, cooking supplies, those sorts of things. The Laskoninan leader wants to meet you all later today, so let's get busy!"
*****
On the second day after Trib's warning, all was quiet and peaceful. Then, quite unexpectedly, a black cloud descended over the colony. The area turned as black as night, and everyone ran into the station. Laurie went and quickly turned on the heating system, as her father took a head count. Then outside the temperature changed quickly, dropping from 90 degrees to -20 degrees in one second; summer disappeared instantly. Out of nowhere came the wind and the snow! The wind whipped around everything, leaves blew everywhere. The snow came down so thick and fast that it was impossible to see from one house to the next.
The Star Traveler Crew knew from Trib's information, that the snow could fall ten feet a week for four months. The books that he gave them said that spring would then return and the snow would take two months to melt. Trib had warned them, back on Lask, that the snow would be so deep that it would be six months before it would be safe enough for them to leave Central Station again.
The snow fell over a foot every day until it covered the windows of the station‒ then the colonists truly were trapped inside. Due to the temperatures outside, the colonists hung blankets in the windows of the station to help keep the cold out. Many of them even set about trying to find other projects that they could stay busy with. Noticing the severe lack of winter attire, a group of colonists decided to start knitting hats gloves, scarves and blankets. Others found simple chores they could do around the station.
Another group set up the botany room and enlisted each colonist into a weeding and watering rotation. The fruits and vegetables grown would serve to supplement the freeze-dried ration meals EASA had sent. Eli and Dr. Smith decided to start working on setting up the main computers in the launch area control room and main control center.
Dr. Kingston started putting together health records for everyone in the colony. Her MTD came in handy for scanning each individual's physical status, but it was slow work. She compiled current health condition, DNA codes, and any allergies into a digital database to augment the records provided by EASA.
Laurie's own urge to tinker was too great for her to ignore. Choosing a quiet deserted room, she spread out all the information Trib gave them about Lask's technology and decided to try to design something of her own. A young colonist named Chris asked to join her.
About her own age, Chris was from the Hagan family. Him and his parents, David and Angela Hagan had been residents of the same lunar colony she had before coming to Exandra. Though she had never shared any classes with him she had seen him in passing during science fairs. Although he wasn't the most gifted student, He always scored highly for coming up with some of the most unique and unexpected designs.
His perspective might prove helpful! Laurie thought as she watched him dive right on into a stack of printouts.
*****
Once new arrivals had settled into their lodgings on Lask, Captain Mitchell and Trib took them on a tour of Capitol City. There was an uneasy silence among the group. They took in their surroundings in silence, unsure of what to make of this strange new alien civilization and its green antennaed inhabitants. Other than ancient commercials, none of them were prepared for the experience of trying to talk with a new species that didn't share their language. This, however, changed once the colonists spent more time around Trib and his people.
While Trib was leading them on a tour of the city, a friend of his spotted them and ran over. Captain Mitchell listened while the Laskonian spoke to Trib before realizing this was something that concerned the group.
"Trib's friend says he has something he thinks would help us out. He's invited Trib and I over to check it out." Captain Mitchell said, paraphrasing the translation.
"Sure. Trib and I will come over as soon as we are free." Captain Mitchell agreed after a quick glance at Trib who nodded in approval.
Trib's friend, Granel, was a scientist. As Trib and Captain Mitchell walked through Granel's lab, Captain Mitchell advanced machinery and test tubes filled with unrecognizable liquids and floating objects.
Laurie and Dr. Smith would LOVE this guy. He thought to himself.
"I may have invented something that would help our visitors," Granel called to them from the other side of the lab.
"What is it?" Trib inquired
Granel jumped over a few randomly stacked boxes and skirted a precariously balanced rack of glass containers before making his way over to the men.
"I understand the only reason you humans wear these space suits is that our atmosphere isn't suitable for you?" Granel asked.
"That is correct," Captain Mitchell replied.
"Here," Granel said, pulling a small disk the size of a quarter from his black apron pocket and handing it to the captain.
"What does it do?" Trib asked.
Granel instructed the captain to take off his helmet, and before he breathed, to press the disk behind his ear, where it would stay until he reached an area with an appropriate atmosphere. It could then be taken off and stored for future use. Captain Mitchell cautiously did as Granel instructed. After the disk was in place, he slowly breathed in. He gasped and sputtered in surprise, Trib watched him in alarm until he held up a hand signaling he was ok. He was able to breathe freely!
"I was looking through the notes Trib took on some of your planet's technology. You have a substance on your planet called… I believe… potassium superoxide which absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen?"
"I'll have to take your word for it, chemistry wasn't really my strongest subject," Captain Mitchell chuckled.
"Oh, I apologize! I didn't mean to test you. The material in the device works in a similar manner. We don't have an element here on Lask that behaves in such a way, but Exandra does! This device will absorb the atmosphere from our planet and in turn oxygen is expelled directly into your blood stream," Granel explained.
"Amazing," Captain Mitchell remarked, taking shallow breaths, nervous over the realization that he apparently didn't even need to breathe at all now.
I should have paid more attention in biology class!
"I have enough for all the human colonists here on Lask, if anyone else needs one I will be happy to make more."
"What shall we pay you?" Captain Mitchell asked.
"I don't want anything, really; just the opportunity to learn more about your people," Granel said, shyly replied.
"You will always be welcome among us; in fact, why don't you come and introduce your invention to the colonists yourself?" Captain Mitchell suggested.
"I would be honored!" Granel said with a smile.
*****