Naider brought the boat to the starting point. Eddie hopped out and the pair unloaded the climbing gear. The Yorkshireman donned a harness and equipped it with a light, an electric Fast Ice drill and several racks of six-inch ice screws, plus a set of foot-long ones. He then put spiked crampons over his boots, slung a coil of rope on one shoulder, and donned a climbing helmet as protection against falling debris. Finally he hefted a pair of folding ice axes. ‘Anyone wants ice in their drink, just ask.’

‘Mine’s a double,’ said Nina, amused. Then, more seriously: ‘Be careful.’

‘I somehow made it to fifty, so now I’m pretty determined to reach sixty!’ He kissed her, then clomped to the cliff’s foot. ‘All right, let’s go and meet the aliens!’

Nina’s only reply as he started to climb was a long-suffering sigh.

Chapter 7

7

Eddie’s initial climb was straightforward. The ice was firm enough for his axes to bite deeply into, supporting his weight. A minor scare came when a tray-sized scab of ice sheared away as he dug in his crampon spikes, everyone below jumping back as it smashed at the bottom. But that aside, he reached the crevice with no difficulty.

He secured the rope ladder’s top and let it drop down. It ended about six feet above the ground, but with Naider’s help, even the non-climbers would be able to reach it. ‘Everyone set?’ he called to them.

All acknowledged in the affirmative, though Naider asked Cheng a question, pointing at his feet. ‘I’m okay, I know what I’m doing,’ the student replied impatiently, taking experimental steps on his spiked crampons.

‘Shall we come up?’ Nina asked.

Eddie pointed at the ice pillar. ‘Give me a minute to get started on that, then yeah.’

He sidestepped to the column and crouched, using the powerful Fast Ice drill to screw one of the twelve-inch rods into the ice to act as a foothold. Once it was in place, he drilled in shorter screws higher up, then attached carabiners and fixed a rope to the first one before threading it through the rest. He then clipped the line to his harness and stepped on to the long peg, driving in more screws as he gradually worked his way around the obstacle.

A clatter and huff from the ledge announced Nina’s arrival at the ladder’s top. ‘It’s been a while since I’ve done anything like that,’ she panted.

‘Have you missed it?’

‘I would say no, but . . .’ She pointed. The object embedded in the ice was partially visible beyond the outcrop. ‘There’s that.’

‘Still don’t think it’s a UFO?’

‘I don’t think we’ll find little green men in it, no.’

He lowered his voice; Imka was starting her ascent. ‘What about the ship’s crew – Imka’s fiancé?’