A Cold Night's Death

Ryan Horner: [Narrate the beginning of the story] January 17, Base Research Center, Ryan Horner, Project Director. Today is our 5th-day without radio contact with Dr. Vogel. Previous attempts to reach Summit Laboratory of failed because of continuing snowstorms. I fear for Vogel's well-being. Before we lost transmission, his radio contacts were becoming increasingly sporadic and irrational. To the point, that he reported having conversations with such figures as Napoleon and Alexander the Great. I'm deeply concerned that he may not be feeding the monkeys and chimps, nor recording the results of our altitude experiments on them. If this is the case, before years of research for the space program will have been wasted. Our promise delivery date is less than 3 months away and we must salvage the project. Doctors Robert Jones and Frank Enari arrived from the University this morning to relieve Vogel and continue the experiments. I am much relieved that this particular team was made available to finish the project. As it was their research in stress situations man might encounter in space exploration that is the basis of our program. The storm has calmed enough for Val Adams to fly them in along with a new chimp for experiment control. I must confess my deep concern as to what they will find.