Whiteout

CO-PILOT:

Anderson, P- 170. I have Stetko returning.

We'll be approaching in about five.

Am I clear?

It's all you. Come on in,

the party's already started.

Isn't it a little early for that?

First big winter storm

coming in later in the week.

We're swapping personnel

a couple days early.

Roger that. See you in a few.

Attention, flight teams:

Will the following pilots

please report to station chief ASAP...

Stetko, where have you been?

This is a 72-hour warning, people.

That's three days until the last flight for

those of you mathematically challenged.

I'm supposed to let you know that we have

one of those season-and-safety meetings...

...with Dr. Cochran

before tonight's station-closing party.

Everyone must attend. 1900 in the galley.

Hold on a second,

I was just handed a piece of paper.

Sam says that bag drag

will start at 0700 on Friday.

So all your gear must be in the hallway

by 0300.

Make sure all your personal belongings...

For those in the winter crew

who are staying on base...

...there will be a mandatory...

Carrie?

I'm in the shower, Doc.

I'll be right out.

Chicken.

Shrimp?

You've been holding out on me, woman.

You wanna hear about my trip?

I flew three hours to talk to a Ph.D.

reporting the theft of a botany sample.

A botany sample?

Cannabis sativa.

Ah. Of course, cannabis. Weed.

Always a dull moment.

By the way, big storm's coming in,

departure's been bumped up.

Bathing suit and sunscreen

are packed and ready to go.

Well, all you need.

- Stetko? You there?

- Hold on, hold on.

- Go.

- The station manager wants to see you.

Copy. See you at dinner.

No, you won't. This is dinner.

Better than that mess-hall crap.

- See you on the plane.

- What? You're kidding.

- No, you heard me.

- Doc?

We'll talk about it later, okay?

Popsicle was spotted out here

at Haworth Mesa.

Pilot I borrowed from McMurdo

called it in.

Really? What was somebody

doing out there? That's no man's land.

It's probably a weather balloon or

an old tent. It's the guy's first year here.

I know you just got back,

but he reports it, you gotta follow it up.

Okay. Don't worry, I'll go grab Doc.

Hey, Carrie.

Sam, please don't waste my time.

Just tell me how many carats.

Well, don't gush until you see it.

Then you just let it flow.

You made as much on backgammon

as you did from the Marshal Services.

You should go pro.

Maybe that's what I'll do

when I get back to the States.

You're still handing in your badge, huh?

Yeah. They even have

professional backgammon players?

The same rules apply

to all winter-over students.

You'll have 90 days

to turn in your analysis.

I want proxies for the earth's

temperature changes from 1600...

...to present day.

Let's see how long

before they're surfing in Kansas.

Attention, South Pole:

This is a flight notification for Papa 282.

That aircraft has been delayed

and is now due at 1530.

- Doc?

- All teams, adjust your schedules.

- Good day, marshal.

- Haden, have you seen Doc?

Yeah, he's outside with the newbies.

Hey, marshal,

don't you owe me a strip search?

You were the second guy out the door,

right?

Yeah.

Yeah, not interested.

In less than three days,

we begin the winter-over.

The sky turns black

and it stays that way for half a year.

Now, nature did not intend

for you to survive out here.

But here you are...

...and here I am

to teach you how not to die.

Come on.

Nothing to it.

Time.

Core body temperatures have fallen

to approximately 97 degrees.

Thinking is impaired.

Motor skills failing.

You are, in short, gentlemen,

well on your way to dying...

...and it's only been three minutes.

the whiteout.

An unholy set of weather conditions

converge...

...and the world falls away.

Winds over 100 miles an hour

skip off the ice out here...

...and kick up snow so thick you can't

see six inches in front of your face.

You can lose yourself completely

out there.

And be gone.

All right.

Never underestimate the ice.

Put your coats on now.

Now, class, give a nice,

warm South Pole hello to Marshal Stetko.

Hello, Marshal Stetko.

Hi, guys.

- What's up?

- I need you to take a ride with me.

A pilot named Delfy thinks

he may have found a body on the ice.

This engine is ice cold.

You can't put the goddamn blower on for

five minutes and expect to start the plane.

What changed your mind?

I thought you were wintering over again.

I got a card from my granddaughter

inviting me to her 5th birthday party.

You have a granddaughter?

I have a granddaughter, Carrie,

and I've never met her.

I've been down here way too long.

- You Delfy?

- Last I remember.

I'm Stetko. This is John Fury.

- Are you old enough to fly this thing?

- Certainly hope so.

Just try not to have a heart attack

on my plane, junior.

Smartass.

Well, I think I'm gonna like him.

ASB, ASB, come in.

This is November 178.

I'm five minutes out from Haworth Mesa.

How's the weather? Over.

Weather is clear.

Roger, ASB.

I'll inform you on turnaround.

You asleep?

Yep.

I could fly down here the rest of my life

and never get used to how beautiful it is.

How did he get here?

Maybe he was climbing,

fell from up there.

Then where's his gear?

It doesn't make any sense.

How could he be all the way out here

without any gear?

He's a sticker. Give me a hand.

Okay.

Go.

Carrie?

Are you all right?

Yeah.

Let's see who he is.

Weiss.

Weiss. Yeah, I knew him.

Yeah, we wintered with him last year,

played cards a couple times.

- He's the one that cheated.

- The geologist.

Yeah.

Damn. Damn, damn.

What were you doing

all the way out here?

- Watch this.

- Yes.

Whoo-hoo-hoo!

Got it.

- Million-year-old ice, right?

- Yes.

- Ten-year-old whiskey. Yeah?

- Ten-year-old whiskey.

This is cool.

Out of the way.

Ugh!

Move it!

Out of the way.

It bothers me that nobody's

reported him missing yet.

Maybe no one thinks he is.

What's this?

Well, let's find out.

It's a fresh wound.

- Somebody treated him in the field.

- Yeah.

And they were in a hurry.

What's happened up here?

Oh, my God.

What could have caused that?

Rough edges around the wound.

Ice ax, something like that.

So we got a geologist

out at Haworth Mesa.

He injures his leg, has it stitched...

...then manages to climb

a 100-foot ice wall...

...falls onto his own ax, which isn't

found anywhere near the body?

Doc, this wasn't an accident.

This means a federal investigation.

We're witnesses.

I know you wanna get out of here, Carrie,

and the last plane leaves in two days.

We could be stuck here for the winter.

Can you handle that?

No.

I mean, God, I don't know.

Say the word, I'll bag the body,

put it on the plane for McMurdo.

Let them sort it out. No big deal.

I won't take no for an answer, Jack.

I have plans Saturday.

Microwave popcorn and a six-pack

is not plans. We're clear.

Go.

How we doing? Good.

Why don't you get some sleep?

You earned it.

That was all you today.

Carrie.

So it was a popsicle.

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