*Another original version, on the list for rewriting later.
Where an unlucky young man is sent to the freezing side of the planet to work with four toughened snow transport drivers, who are known for effectively getting rid of unwanted employees.
*Warning! No sex. :-p
***
Chapter 01
There he was, shivering in the cold at the last station the cargo train could possible reach into the depths of the Snow Ring, the forever dark and freezing shadow side of the toroid planet. His new home.
Petrash had been the only passenger in the single carriage for people for the better part of the day, no-one else in their right mind headed this way. He tried but he couldn't really fall asleep with the noise of the train around him. It was made for extreme conditions which made the ride harder than the trains he was used to back at the city.
He stretched his legs, then pulled away the blanket he had found in an overhead compartment while exploring the carriage. Its label said it was made from two synthetic insulating layers and felt like fuzzy plastic. But it helped him keep warm on the worn dark and light blue striped seats that took a while to get warm from his own body heat.
He walked up and down the length of the carriage several time to loosen and warm up his limbs, ending up on one side at a warm air exhaust, leaning back against the wall above it. It wasn't very warm and he couldn't find any controls, but at least it meant a little relief from the cold temperature inside.
The cold white overhead lights and mirror-like reflections in the windows made him feel even more cold and alone. Outside was only darkness with snowflakes rushing by, lit up by the train's light. After the previous station the white landscape around him had soon turned darker and the distance he could see diminished.
He stared through his own reflection at the white fuzz on the other side of the window, wondering how long he'd last if he was stuck in that weather. He had heard dying of cold was like getting a high at the end and smiled wryly at himself.
Despite taking several books with him, he couldn't keep his mind relaxed enough to read and had been bored for most of the last leg of the journey. Before that he still had other people and a landscape to watch. He leaned forward and turned his head to look at the digital clock above his head. Still some time to go.
He pushed away from the wall and went back to his seat, a little colder but still slightly warm thanks to the blanket he had left on it. He wrapped himself in the blanket again and sat with his legs across the couch, leaning back into the corner of the seat and carriage wall.
Shaking woke Petrash up from a half sleep. He wasn't sure if he should be glad for the bit of rest he had gotten since it left him very groggy. A couple of bright lights in the direction the train was heading came closer and a look at the clock told him he had arrived.
He rubbed his face to chase away the grogginess, unwrapped the blanket and folded it, leaving it overhead while more lights shone outside while the train sounded like going through a short tunnel as it slowed down before stopping in what looked like a large warehouse. People and cargo lifters were going around, moving crates, barrels, bags, containers.
With a deep sigh he grabbed his two black sports bags containing what he'd needed most, moved to the doors, turned the squeaky door handle and stepped out into the freezing cold.
The warehouse was made to protect the people here from most of the weather while they loaded and unloaded the trains and he felt grateful for the respite before experiencing the real thing. Several men were unloading crates at the carriage behind his and walked up to the one who held a clipboard and was dressed in a thick tweed coat with reflective stripes above thick synthetic pants and heavy boots.
'Excuse me?' Petrash said.
The middle aged man, his face worn from the harsh weather here and sporting thick stubble looked at him with a slight frown. 'Yes?' he said with a grating voice.
'Can you direct me to the office?' Petrash asked, trying not to shiver while he hadn't gotten used to the cold.
The man pointed between a stack of crates and barrels and containers. 'There.'
'Thanks.' Petrash said with a nod, then walked a little stiffly in the direction he was told.
He found the office, a clump of several different prefab office shacks normally used for temporary use mashed together to form two larger spaces, one for the workers with a canteen and their lockers, the other for the administrative personnel.
He pulled open what seemed to be the main door, it needing a slight yank to come loose as expected of these cheap shacks, and was greeted by a waft of warm air smelling of a mix of food, body odours and damp paper. After a moment to get used to it, he stepped inside, facing one of the various models of desks in use with a canine behind it, looking up over a pair of black thick rimmed glasses. He had thick, light beige fur and a short firm muzzle and Petrash thought he fit in perfectly with the cold weather here.
'Hi.' he said, putting down his bags and rubbing his hands to get some warmth back into them. 'I'm looking for the manager. I've been sent here from the head office.'
He gestured at the far corner of the room. 'You can find Chief there.' he said. 'Can't miss him.'
'Thanks.' Petrash said, picked up his bags and headed for the corner desk along a naturally formed path between more desks, tables with papers and boxes underneath and on top, an old large printer which sounded like it wheezed to get air, and various racks with more boxes and binders on the shelves.
He stopped at a desk littered with paperwork, stamps, a couple of mugs filled with pens, pencils, probably dried markers and a small space heater in front of it, blowing warm air into the opening under the desk. A large figure was sitting with his back to him in a leather that had seen better days, flipping through pages of a binder on a table behind the desk.
Petrash cleared his throat. 'Excuse me,' he said. 'are you the manager? I was told you could get me to outpost Zero.'
The figure turned around and Petrash saw he must be part of the polar bear clan. White fur, heavy body underneath the dark blue snow jacket and grey trousers. His ears showed scars of frostbite so Petrash figured he must have been working here for quite some time.
'Ah, you must be the guy they sent to Zero this time.' he said, smiled cheerfully and held out his hand. 'Call me Chief.'
Petrash shook his hand, trying to keep cool under the strong grip and Chief continued. 'HQ told me you'd come and asked to get you to the outpost.'
He grabbed his battered beige cap from a stack of papers and led him out a side door. They walked through the warehouse towards the garage at the back.
'Unfortunately I can't spare anyone to guide you right now because I've got extra cargo deliveries to a nearby lab.' he said. 'But if you're not willing to wait you can use a bubble to get there by yourself. Navigation will show you the way so it's not really difficult.'
Petrash sighed. 'I'm here so I might as well get there as soon as possible. The sooner I go crazy there, the sooner I'll be back.'
