However, ten days ago, the Hakudo Maru went missing during a particularly aggressive storm, and the high winds made search efforts difficult. No trace of the ship had yet been found. It was believed that the high winds likely drove the vessel into the path of some massive icebergs that had recently calved from the dwindling ice sheet. One of the new icebergs was estimated to be three-quarters of a trillion tons, nearly as big as A-68, the trillion-ton supergiant that broke from the Larsen C Ice Shelf back in 2020. On a dark night, with a mighty storm blowing and the ocean filled with killer ice islands, a small research vessel would have had no chance.

But now … a lifeboat? And hundreds of miles from where the Hakudo Maru was believed to have sunk? This was amazing. The thought of it lifted Hanzo’s heart. He called for his jacket and ran on deck.

Everyone crowded the rail, watching as two shallow-draft rubber rescue boats zipped across the water at high speed. A lieutenant handed Hanzo a pair of binoculars, and he used them to study the operation. There were three men in the boat, each wearing a heavy coat, gloves, and a balaclava against the cold. The coats were unusually bulky, and Hanzo figured they were wearing more than one. How else could they have survived so long in an open boat down here in the coldest place on Earth?

However, as the rescue team came alongside, the men were able to catch ropes and make them fast to their cleats on their own boat. That was promising.

“They must have been able to bring food with them,” said the lieutenant. “They don’t move like dying men.”

“Let us pray you’re correct,” said Hanzo.

Twenty minutes later, the boats had returned, and the three survivors were helped aboard. Despite having been able to secure the ropes, it was clear they were in bad shape. Sailors had to support them to keep the men from collapsing on the deck.

“Thank you, sir,” said one of them quickly, and he repeated the phrase over and over again. He, like the others, was Japanese. They all looked to be in their thirties. None of them looked much like scientists, but then again, there were a lot of people aboard a vessel. Men as rugged and hardy as these were likely engine room specialists or equipment engineers. The other two seemed incapable of speech and just shivered, heads lolling.

“Take them below,” ordered the captain. “Call the doctor.”