Free Writers of the Future, Volume 29 by L. Ron Hubbard

gave a dry laugh. “They use hope to trap us.”
    â€œThat’s about the size of it.”
    We turned in our report. The planet was put off limits.
    -4-
    I went to Prime to get my shoulder rebuilt. Lester took the passenger liner to Optimus, stayed a week, and hopped back on the same ship for the return to Base. I had a feeling he had no interest in sightseeing.
    He helped me through rehab. We ran more simulations. And we waited. More than half of this job is waiting. The closer you get to the magic twenty-five, the harder the waiting becomes. The upcoming mission would be twenty for me.
    We had to wait close to three months. To fill in the quiet moments, I taught Lester how to play bridge. We got to where we sometimes won a game against Miyuki and her bridge partner who happened to be my planetary Scout partner. Their images at the table seemed so real I’d sometimes forget myself and reach out to her.
    O ur next world was cold. The oceans had abundant life, but the landmasses were dead, covered with ice. The discovery ship reported that its undersea probe had been attacked. That’s the kind of news that gives you a real good feeling as you land on a strange planet. We were to find out if the attack indicated intelligence.
    Scans from space showed that the planet had once been warmer. Remains of abundant terrestrial plant life existed under the glaciers. A surprisingly low level of carbon dioxide had decreased the planetary greenhouse effect. The question of why that level was still low remained unanswered.
    To get close to the water, we landed on an ice shelf at the edge of a landmass. The shelf was large, old and stable. The weight of our ship didn’t bother it. We pulled out the ship’s undersea probe and dragged it on skids to the shore. This is one of those weird rules that only a bureaucratic organization like the Scouts could come up with: you can land a starship on a planet, but when you’re outside the ship you’re supposed to minimize the use of advanced technology. Never mind that you’re in a full-isolation suit and the thing on the skids is a highly advanced probe unit; you have to drag it.
    Lester walked gingerly on the ice in spite of the cleats on his boots.
    I tried not to laugh. “What’s wrong? Haven’t you walked on ice before?”
    â€œI lived in a cave until I went to the Academy. The Academy is on the equator. The only ice I’ve seen up close has been in a glass. I suppose you’re an expert?”
    â€œI grew up on a planet that had seasons. The lake by our house froze over most winters.”
    â€œWhy didn’t they have climate control?”
    â€œIt was a little podunk farming planet—couldn’t afford it. I spent every winter skating on that lake. Froze my silly butt off. Used to love it.”
    We trudged on. The ice boomed and cracked. Lester kept looking around. “Are we too heavy? Is this going to crack?”
    â€œNo. I could walk all the way across the lake on my home world when the ice wasn’t a third as thick as this.”
    â€œHow big was the lake?”
    â€œCouple of kilometers.”
    â€œNobody fell through?”
    â€œEvery few years someone would. We’d find them in the spring.”
    â€œSo why didn’t you fall through?”
    â€œBecause, my boy, the deity looks out for people like me.”
    Lester sighed. “I know I’m going to regret asking this, but, why?”
    â€œBecause people like me are endlessly amusing. I’ve decided that’s the entire purpose of creation—to amuse the deity. You, unfortunately, won’t last nearly as long as me, because you are dull.”
    â€œI’ll grant you that.”
    We reached a ledge and tossed the probe into the water. It took off, looking for life in the deep ocean. While we waited, we used the short-range sensors in our suits to explore the area under the ice. A cluster of plankton swam beneath our feet.