The Captain looked at all the faces, and they too looked at him. He sat back in his chair and said, “Ensign Bridds, since you were the first to stand I select you, now get down to the rover bay and get going.”

The ensign ran to the lift and went to the rover bay. He got on board a hoverover, opened the bay doors and took off into the lethal sunrise. Back on the bridge the entire crew were watching as Bridds flew out of sight over the mountains.

On board, Ensign bridds took the hoverover to full speed narrowly avoiding boulders and crags. He was headed to the Polar Base at the north pole of mercury.

In just a few hours he had arrived at the base, no one answered his call. He opened the hangar bay doors manually and repressurized. Inside he could see that all the equipment was shattered, the bodies of former workers lay on the floor, and behind him Bridds could here the low panting of a creature, he went to look over his shoulder, but he was struck down by a scaly arm. His vision faded to black.