Under the Ice

Hannah continues her scientific journey, this time in the dangerous environment of Greenland. Miles from anywhere with her Danish guardian, they are reliant on each other. Bonds of trust always end in better sex

"Better put that glove back on if you want to keep the fingers." Noah admonished the young woman in front of him, and he saw the words wounded her pride. He nodded back in acknowledgement. "Noah Hansen."

Hannah had cadged a lift that morning on the research vessel Sanna, from the Natural Resources Institute in Nuuk, the capital, but like most, she lacked experience in the dangers of the arctic environment. She was from Britain -- how could she, despite a couple of days orientation training? The research was important, but often visiting staff got carried away with the science and forgot safety.

Arctic safety was his job and Noah was good at it, having worked in Greenland and polar exploration for fifteen years. He was in his forties, though his greying hair and weathered skin made him look older. Officially, his role was a Support Technician, but more often he felt like a nanny, watching over his inexperienced charges.

This girl Hannah was no different. She was tall, though he towered over her, and he guessed she was maybe thirty. She didn't seem to have any tits to speak of, but a cute face. Blue eyes he noted, when she'd pulled those shades off and stuck out the bare hand to shake his.

'Good,' he thought. 'Lesson one. Listen to your ST first, then do your science.'

Hannah was disheartened. She'd spent the last two years building up her research for this trip, but hadn't lost sight of its physical challenges. To make sure she would cope, she'd worked on her distance running, swam three or four times a week in the university pool, and had never felt fitter.

Her Danish coordinators gave visiting scientists a three day course in polar survival in Nuuk, but impressed on them to be on their guard and stick close to their ST. She'd been warned about Noah. Clearly his professional scrutiny never took a break. As they would be spending a couple of weeks together in the field, Hannah hoped her inexperience wouldn't be a problem.

The small outpost of Atammik once relied on its fish processing plant, long since closed. The population quickly evaporated, leaving many of the houses boarded up or simply falling down, giving it the air of an abandoned gold rush town. The Research Institute set up a base when soft marine corals were discovered adjacent to important fishing grounds. There was an urgent need to gather information to shape decisions on fishing in the area.

Hannah slipped her glove back on, picked up her rucksack and followed on Noah's heels through the dirty ankle deep snow towards the centre's cabins. He shouldered the door open and held it for her as she struggled to fit herself, rucksack and her flight case past him.

"Help yourself to a hot drink. The toilets are in the next building but as soon as you're ready we can make a start. We're short of manpower. Normally we'd only travel as a three but..." Noah gestured into air with resignation and slumped back into a creaking office chair, patched with gaffer tape.

"Ok, Noah." Hannah smiled, helping herself to a coffee, getting over her first hesitation. "I presume you've seen the project outline? I'm here to collect marine samples from year-old sea ice. We'll need transport and some of the centre's core tubes, augers -- just the usual stuff, I expect. Is your role is limited to safety, or can you help with the sampling as well? I'd heard about the staffing problem back in Nuuk."

Noah nodded in response to her list. Again he noted that Hannah was quite slim, once she'd pulled off her parka. As she perched her sunglasses on her head, a memory briefly crossed his mind. He glanced once more at her eyes. She was busy talking about equipment and timescales, and hadn't seen his look. Noah dismissed the thought from his mind.

"I know you had three days at Nuuk, but let me stress again, Hannah. Safety first, work second. Who gave you the training, anyway?" He glanced up from the notes they had been studying.

"Lars Nielsen?" Hannah replied. Noah nodded.

"I know him, yes. Does he still warn people about me? I don't have a good reputation with the city folk. Nutcase Noah, I think I'm called." Noah scoffed as he began to pack expedition crates.

"Psycho Hansen's what he said," Hannah replied nonchalantly.

Noah laughed heartily, slapping Hannah's arm jovially.

"I like you, Hannah. You don't bullshit. I think we will get on together very well. Psycho Hansen, huh? Well, don't look me in the eyes or turn your back and you'll be fine. Come on -- lets go through the provision list and we can make a start."

Hannah was still trying to make him out and tuning her ear to his accent. He was a big bear of a man, with darting eyes that clearly missed nothing. His grumpy attitude wasn't going to be a problem -- she recognised the same professional attitude amongst the support staff back at her university. She could even do grumpy herself on occasions. He exuded an air of proprietary authority. She was confident he would be a good man to assist her work.

* * * * *

They set off on quad bikes, pulling trailers loaded with scientific equipment and the stores they needed for the week long field trip. Hannah hadn't driven a quad before but they weren't too difficult to control. The problem was the terrain, with icy patches, deep drifts of snow and rock, but she followed Noah's lead and after an hour they paused for a break.

"How are you getting on, Hannah? It looks like you've got the hang of it." Noah pulled off his hat as he spoke, then stretched to get a crick out of his back.

"It's great fun, Noah. I'm loving this. My hands are getting kinda cold though." Hannah wore a wide grin behind her visor.

"Let me see them," Noah asked, his attention immediately focused.

"No, they're fine. Just a bit exposed on the handles."

"So, please. Show them to me." Noah insisted. Hannah tugged off her mittens and liners underneath. Noah examined them, pressing her skin to check her capillary return. Turning them over, he rubbed his thumb into her palms thoughtfully.

"Long life line, Hannah, but no kids. Were you planning any?"

Hannah had to laugh. Here they were in a polar desert and this big hunk was reading her palms.

"I wasn't expecting this, Noah. Are you a qualified palmist or a mystic?" Hannah began to pull her gloves back on and looked up into his eyes.

Noah shrugged and stepped back to survey their surroundings, raising a hand towards the horizon, where white blended almost seamlessly with the pale steel sky.

"You know, Hannah. You should never guess a book by its cover, even if it's worn and scruffy like mine. You see? This is my heaven. You know on a clear evening when the aurora is singing and painting the skies, it makes you wonder about things. So yes, maybe mystic. There's still much you scientists can't explain. Take your helmet off a moment and tell me what you hear."

They stood in the cold silence with nipped noses and the chill of uncovered skin. Only the ticking of the cooling engines intruded. Noah was right, it was beautiful in its bleak emptiness. In some parts of the world you might anticipate another person walking or animals wandering, but not here. This place had nothing but rocks and snow for hundreds of miles.

"I can hear my tummy rumbling, Noah," Hannah finally admitted after sharing the silence with him.

"Good! Yes. I like this. I like a practical honest woman like you. I'm glad you didn't hear me farting then." Noah gave her a sidelong glance and a broad smile.

"Noah! You didn't -- I would have heard." Hannah laughed back.

"It's just wind, like the south west we have blowing today. That means new weather is coming to us. We're about half way, Hannah, so if we keep this speed we should be at the hut by four o'clock."

Noah trudged back to his quad and they got under way again.

* * * * *

"That's the last of it," Hannah puffed, shaking her hair free of her hat and pulling at the collar of her jacket. "Shall I move the quads?"

They'd spent half an hour unbuckling equipment with cold hands, bringing it inside. The ice augers could stay outside but Hannah's research kit needed the warmth of the cabin.

The cabin was an A-frame, with living quarters in one half and a makeshift workshop in the other. Noah was busy lighting the paraffin stove and stowing their supplies, but looked up at her question.

"No, that's ok. I want to check the area. See if there are any tracks -- this is bear country, so it's good to know if we have neighbours. It won't be dark for an hour. Do you want to ride pillion with me?"

"I'd love to, thanks, but err... what do we have for a toilet here? I could use a pee." Hannah looked through the door leading to the workshop.

"Just one minute and I'll show you," Noah indicated outside and began to button up his coat. At the door, he took a rifle and slung it over his shoulder, then pulled a bundle from his pocket.

"See here? We have bear scares -- these pyrotechnics. You should take two and keep them with you at all times. Then I have blank shells and finally these."

Noah held up the magazine with a brass shell in its breach. He clipped it into the rifle.

"Do you know guns, Hannah? No? Maybe if we have time I can teach you. Ok, I'll show you the trench." He turned and pushed door open.

About thirty meters from the cabin was a low wall, with snow piled up on one side. He gave a little bow and gestured. Hannah peered around the side of the wall, which was only a meter high and hardly offered much shelter or privacy. She set about unbuttoning the straps to her salopettes and wriggled them to her knees, followed by two other layers.

'Fuck. I know what's going to happen here,' she grumbled to herself. She held the swathe of clothing as far forward as she could but inevitably some got a splash.

She fought her way back into her clothing and stomped over to Noah, who had his eyes to binoculars, searching the horizon. He glanced over as she approached.

"Must easier when you have a dick for peeing," he smirked, seeing her annoyance.

"Yes, it used to be. I miss it on occasions," she replied absentmindedly, then shot a glance at Noah, realising what she'd just said.

"I can imagine. That must have been a lot to give up," he replied, with a casual smile back at her.

"Oh! So... err... you know I'm transgender," Hannah asked, puzzled by his nonchalance.

Noah swung to face her a moment without moving his feet and deliberately looked her up and down.

"Still a pretty lady, though." He nodded, then turned to walk to the quad bike. He swung his leg over the saddle and looked back to Hannah who had not moved.

"It's still okay if you want to put your arms round me. I don't want you to fall off and get hurt. I have my professional reputation to think of." He shouted over the noise of the engine.

Hannah was lost for words for a moment and had no snappy reply for him. 'This is really strange' she thought to herself as Noah pulled away. 'How did he know and why is he totally unphased?'

They made their way slowly over the treeless tundra landscape, between low snow mounds punctuated with lichen covered rocks. It occurred to Hannah that they were off the track with its marker flags and how easy would it be to get lost without GPS. Magnetic compasses weren't much use in these high latitudes.

Noah eyes were focused on the ground as they bumped along, wheels spinning in deeper drifts, the engine racing as they met a crest and descended.

It was an uncomfortable ride for Hannah. With no handlebars to steady herself, she could only grip onto Noah's sides. With no view ahead except his back, she pressed her head sideways into it. The bike braked to a halt and the engine idled.

"Hello, hello, hello," Noah spoke quietly and stood up on the pegs to look around.

"What is it Noah?" asked Hannah, as Noah switched off the engine.

"See those?" He pointed ahead. "Come, lets take a look. This is wild country, Hannah. Easy to hide a bear in these places."

They climbed off and Noah unholstered the rifle from the bike then looked about, before leading her to footprints in the snow. They were massive prints, twelve inches across.

"These round prints are the front legs, those the hind legs. Big fella huh?" Noah nodded to Hannah as she crouched to examine them. Hannah stretched her fingers out to measure the width -- two hands.

"First bear prints? Make sure they're not your last, girl."

"I'd love to see one, Noah."

"The best way to see our friend Ursus Maritimus is through these." Noah tapped his binoculars. "Downwind and preferable a kilometre away."

"Can you tell anything more about this one? They're solitary aren't they?" Hannah asked, now joining him to look about anxiously.

"Can't say, really. These are quite fresh though -- no ice in them yet. This time of year, with no cub prints, it's probably a male. So, we have a neighbour. We must be careful with any garbage. Don't carry any snacks with you or anything edible that doesn't belong here. He'll smell it a mile away. I'll look around again in the morning, but we ought to head back."

Supper was a simple affair with dried food heated over the paraffin stove, which also served to keep the room warm. Almost too warm. Hannah was down to a t-shirt and leggings as they lazed under oil lamps, making conversation.

Hannah was still curious about Noah's earlier comments.

"So tell me, Noah. How did you know I was transgender?"

"You know, you people from the south -- you take us for simpletons. Don't you know how important the internet has become for us? You should check my Instagram account -- I've seen yours." He chuckled, and Hannah suddenly felt self-conscious.

"You've looked at my Instagram? Can I ask why?" Hannah was genuinely puzzled.

"For the same reason we're sitting here talking - because we have nothing better to do. Before each expedition, I like to check out who is coming to see me. In your case it was only a few clicks to find you were the chair of your student LGBT society, with a special interest in transgender people. It was not a long journey to find it. I was curious to meet you, and now here you are. My first trans woman." He raised his mug to her.

"Most internet content is not very complimentary about trans women." Hannah was guarded in her reply.

"I know, Hannah, I know that. But you know, ninety percent of what people tell you to your face is bullshit anyway, so why would the internet be any different?" He leaned forward, pointing his finger to the floor for emphasis.

"You have a point. You must forgive me for not returning the compliment to you. Apart from the bullshit at Nuuk, I know nothing about you." Hannah smiled, enjoying to his down to earth style.

"I'm no fool. You'll find nothing about me apart from my name in a couple of old newspaper articles."

They talked long into the evening, about Noah's past and Hannah's hopes for the future, until Noah glanced at his watch.

There were bunks for their sleeping bags, but enough room for several people, so there was some privacy between them. It had been a long day and tomorrow would be tough work out on the ice floes.

From the cosy comfort of her bed, Hannah bid Noah good night and watched him adjust the wick in the main lamp. He whispered that it was a tradition to keep a lamp lit at night for lost souls.

"Sweet dreams, English lady" he said.

* * * * *

When Hannah woke, Noah was half dressed and padding round the room quietly in the watery morning light. Hannah wasn't sure if she should pretend to still be asleep or risk embarrassment by discovering a hairy ass sticking out from his half dressed shirt. In the end the decision was made for her, when he pushed open the door and disappeared outside.

She wriggled the sleeping bag down her legs and pulled on her salopettes as though the building were on fire. She was busting for a pee, but suspected Noah was likely at the trench himself. In the end she could wait no longer. She found him outside, checking over the engine of one of the quads.

"Morning!" she called brightly as she double-timed it to the welcome relief of the latrine.

He looked up and grinned.

They spent a long, successful day at the coast a couple of miles away. Noah helped load her ice samples into the core tubes, and was familiar with the need to hold a tarp over those that might be affected by exposure to daylight.

By mid afternoon, they had filled all the sample tubes and headed back to the cabin.

Hannah busied herself in the workshop, cutting and documenting cores, discarding excess material to save weight for their return to Atammik later in the week. Noah made another long circuit to check for signs of bears, but Hannah suspected he simply enjoyed being outside and free of her chatter.

Hannah's work was done and the sun sinking towards the horizon, when she heard the putter of the engine as Noah returned. He had a way of filling the doorway when he entered the room and it was fitting with his character that he walked in holding a couple of good sized fish.

"Man find food. Man feed woman. Make woman happy." Hannah teased him with a Tarzan voice. "Those look amazing Noah. I hope you know how to cook them."

Noah rolled his eyes and slapped the fish onto the worktop of the kitchen area.

"Watch, learn, Hannah. We do not have everything we need for a proper Danish dish, but cous cous is quick and I will make a remoulade sauce for the fish. Let's see, we have mustard, onions, eggs, vinegar. Oh well, we can get close to a recipe. I hope you have a good appetite."

It was tricky to organise cooking over a single burner, but Noah took charge, giving Hannah tips on making the best of their simple kitchen. It was good for them both to focus on the preparing the meal. They chatted amicably about their favourite foods. Both of them were ravenous after so much cold fresh air.

"Try this sauce, Hannah. Not too hot for you?" Noah offered a teaspoon, which Hannah sampled.

Hannah fanned her mouth from the hot sauce. "Hmm, not bad, Noah but there's something missing. We need some wine."

"I have some Akvavit. It's a kind of Danish vodka, but we'll have to make do with water with the food because it's pretty strong. Maybe have a drink later and toast a good day?"

His cooking skills rewarded them with an excellent meal, and the char was perfect, although they agreed a bottle of wine should have been supplied by base camp. It was dark outside when they put the dishes away and poured a glass of Akvavit to accompany their coffee.

They relaxed into the cabin's old patched up sofa and munched on biscuits in place of dessert. It would have been rude to read a book in such proximity and far too early for bed. Hannah was keen to learn more about Noah's life. Noah challenged her preconceptions and she found herself fascinated by the unexpectedly enlightened attitude of this big bear of a man. He was charming and sophisticated. She liked clever people, but she found mavericks like Noah irresistible.

"So tell me, Noah. Is there a Mrs Hansen back home in Denmark or have you chosen a solitary life up here in the Arctic?"

Noah was silent, his mouth still munching on the snack, his eyes fixed on the stove. Hannah realised she'd overstepped a boundary. She sat in uncomfortable silence trying to think of a way out of the dead end she had created in the conversation. In the end she apologised.

"I'm sorry, Noah, I shouldn't have -" Noah put up a hand to stop her.

He took his time, mulling over his answer, much to Hannah's discomfort.

'Me and my big mouth. You idiot, Hannah' she thought to herself, wishing there was a way to roll back time and take back a difficult question.