As Charlie's group got off, the brief glimpses of sun for the day were already waning.

Some hundred yards away, the three Norwegian researchers who were at the base are waiting by their snow tractors.

They were notified that once the research base equipment and facilities were resupplied and refueled, they would be evacuating and leaving the base unmanned.

The base's power, heating, and water supply would remain on to keep it habitable. There would be apparatus and equipment to record the st