Free The Blue People of Cloud Planet by Brian Wolfenden Page B

3 kilometres altitude. Then follow the large estuary and enter the light shafts between two outermost ones to the same diagonal intersection – and of course then descending. The probability for success is 80-85 per cent.’
     
    For each descent a mimic display showed the plan – it looked easy enough on the screen.
     
    ‘The third scenario is a night landing on the dark side of the planet for which there is insufficient data to calculate a success probability. We know that this is a wild and turbulent atmosphere through which to descend.’
     
    ‘It looks like the lateral insertion then?’ said Scott and there was general agreement among the astronauts.
     
    ‘Yes,’ agreed AJ, ‘so we all confirm the second, lateral option.’
     
    ‘And now we come to our first strategic decision which is a secret vote, majority carries. As you know you have a decision palm reader under your console with accept and reject buttons. The motion is to decide which team carries out the first landings on this planet as only one ROL will be deployed at any one time. For Olivia and Scott in ROL-1 press ‘one’ and for Alison and Steve in ROL-2 press ‘two’.’
     
    Then, at AJ’s command, hands went below the console and both teams looked anxiously at the dome screen. It showed four to three in favour of ROL-1. Olivia and Scott would be the first to attempt a landing on Cloud Planet.
     
    Alison and Steve looked away in disappointment but were the first to offer congratulations and good luck to their fellow astronauts.
     
    ‘How far does the cloud collar overlap the sea?’ AJ questioned.
     
    ‘Between half a kilometre and 1 kilometre depending on whether its day or night,’ Zec-C replied, ‘and the height also varies from 40 - 50 kilometres for the same reason. Also there is a dark fringe at the edge of the sea which seems to be present most of the way around the land mass on both seaboards but I cannot identify the nature or extent of this.’
     
    ‘Anything else about this planet that’s unusual?’ Alison asked.
     
    ‘The icecaps,’ Zec-C continued, ‘are surprisingly thin at the very centre but I will need a pass directly overhead to analyse this anomaly in more detail.’
     
    ‘But that defies logic.’ Steve blurted, ‘How can that happen?’
     
    ‘Maybe there are thermal vents under the icecaps, that’s not unusual – it happens on Earth,’ suggested Olivia.
     
    ‘Could be, but we’ll have to wait for the next pass for confirmation,’ AJ concluded.
     
    Scott then enquired, ‘Zec-C, what further analysis have you made of these circular light shafts?’
     
    ‘Well, you will be surprised to learn that they are not circles of light,’ Zec-C paused, ‘but all the shafts exit the clouds as perfect octagons.’
     
    ‘Octagons! How intriguing! This planet gets more and more curious.’ exclaimed Olivia, ‘What more can you tell us about the vegetation?’
     
    ‘Analysis indicates extensive forests but we will get more information when the lander travels up the valley.’
     
    LifeSeeker-1 was positioned 500 kilometres above the point where the lander would enter the cloud. This was the nearest the huge starship could come to the planet to optimise deployment of the lander and maintain communications.
     
    ROL-1 was now stationed 1 kilometre from the cloud collar and 3 kilometres above sea level. The ocean was surprisingly calm and there appeared to be no significant tidal movement. After all, there were no moons associated with this unexpectedly symmetrical planet.
     
    Olivia and Scott were gazing through the dome. The white mass of cloud towered above the lander, dwarfing it. From this position they could not see the light shafts which they knew started about 500 kilometres directly in front of them.
     
    ‘Confirm decision to enter cloud collar.’
     
    This was Zec-1 issuing instructions, and two hands in the lander and five in LifeSeeker-1 moved forward to ratify the decision.
     
    ROL-1