The Land Unknown Page #2

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Captain Burnham?

Well, we've got four weeks

of precious daylight.

I'll have to ask you to take longer flights

than I would permit

under ordinary circumstances.

You'll commence operations as soon

as we reach open water,

which will be just about there.

The weather reports are satisfactory.

The sooner you get going, the better.

Are you ready, Lieutenant?

I think so, sir.

Steve?

Ship's all checked out, sir.

Engine's heated.

Provisions? Survival kits?

Yes, sir.

Fine. How about you, Commander?

All my gear's aboard, sir.

Good.

Miss Hathaway, you understand

that if anything should happen out there,

your chances for survival are limited?

I'm going.

All right, then. Good luck.

Thank you.

Happy landings.

Thank you, sir.

Look at those two.

Man and wife?

Nope. Both males.

Wanna say hello to them?

Maybe you can get an interview.

Looks like they're all wearing tuxedos.

Nope. All female.

40 below zero.

It's hard to believe that millions of years ago

this region was subtropical.

In those days, on an excursion like this,

you would have worn a bathing suit.

Born too late, I always say.

Unless Mount Erebus erupts again.

If she did,

there'd be a lot of melted snow down there.

The latest weather report, sir.

Contact Lieutenant Carmen.

The helicopter

is to return at once.

Yes, sir.

A sudden shift in the wind.

There's a storm moving in between here

and the warm water region.

I hope we can catch them before they land.

We're getting closer.

Right beyond this range.

There it is!

Well, now I believe it,

but there's still the big question.

Is it the beginning of a new heat wave

or the tail-end

of a million-year-old cooling-off process?

Just how warm is this water?

Warm enough to swim in. 68 degrees.

Base to Helicopter X-3, Over,

Helicopter X-3 to base. Over.

Base to Helicopter X-3. There's a storm front

developing south of bay.

Wind velocity 45,

direction south-south east.

Return at once,

Try to skirt it in westerly direction,

Do not fly through it! Over,

Received your message.

Am returning to base. Out.

Bad weather building up.

We've got to get back to the base.

There she is.

How high

can we go?

Not high enough.

Lieutenant, I've gotta get home.

I've got a kid that's gonna be born in June.

What's your hurry?

It's only the beginning of February.

Are you going to

fly around it?

And then refill at the nearest gas station

to get home? No, can't do.

Couldn't we just land here?

Look down.

Even if we could, it would be

a nice three-week stroll back to base.

Why don't we go back

to the warm water lakes and just sit it out?

Ever hear of the point of no return?

It's back there.

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