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“What’ll we do once we reach shore?” Ted looks up at Commander Palmer

“We’ll secure the module and supplies and look for so on”

“Are we going to land at Virginia Beach?” Jackie ees from the module

“If the current and wind is in our favor, I think we should try to push around through to Norfolk in theto be a hike from the beach over to the Naval base otherwise I don’t want to get stranded out in the water, though, so it all depends We’ll play it by ear”

Ted shivers involuntarily and Co the eency blankets?”

“Not yet I think they otten stored in the outer lockers”

“All right With the temperatures like they are I don’t want anyone out here for h dawn Ted, get back into the module and warm up I’ll take the next thirty minutes, then it’ll be Jackie’s turn Bundle up in your suits and ast the supplies as best as possible; I’ll shout if I need anything”

“Heave!” Soft sand shifts underfoot and taut lines dig into shoulders as Coroan as they strain against the weight of theof the waves to pull it farther onto shore The htly to the side then collapsing down into the white sand as the wave retreats The three astronauts stand against their lines, panting and gasping while they wait for another wave to co in

“Oncethe module a fewanother pull or resting, though, Commander Pal the beach “Come on, let’s tie off!”

Ted and Jackie jog behind hi up sprays of sand as they pull their lines, each of thee of the beach Put in place to stop vehicles fro off of the road and onto the sand, the bollards are strong enough to stop a tractor-trailer hitting them head-on at sixty miles an hour— back into the ocean

Once thetoo heavily to talk about what they just accoet the et it far enough up that they could tie the lines off With the h, they can rest

Sleep comes fast for the trio, and it isn’t until the early afternoon that they wake Jackie is the first to sit up, checking towhen she sees the glea in the sand Aches and pains froh the sand and the effects of gravity roan as she stands to her feet, and she is soon joined by Ted and Cooing through their supplies while constructing a strategy for their next steps

“We should head for Norfolk as soon as possible,” Commander Palmer says “We can leave h for a day or so’s worth of travel time”

“Shouldn’t we hide some supplies away fro’s a pretty big, obvious target for anyone around here”

“Are we really assu that this is some kind of an apocalyptic scenario here?” Ted joins in the discussion as he pops out of theof dried food out into the sand