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"I agree, which is why I'ed in pure research"
"Again, I offer my best wishes Now, if you'll excuse me I must tend to my ship"
Karla thanked him for his hospitality, and they shook hands Karla felt a sense of loneliness as the captain walked off, but she braced herself with thoughts of the work ahead With a defiant glance at the island, she headed off to her cabin, where she collected her bags, and came back on deck to wait for her ride to shore
The ship made a sweep close to the shore of a natural harbor to break a channel through the ice Karla piled her bags into the ship's launch, then got in herself The open boat was lowered to the water, the two crewmen aboard cast off the lines and they headed toward the island, weaving their way around chunks of ice as big as cars As the boat ure on shore waving at them
Minutes later, the launch pulled up to shore a few hundred feet from a river that eravelly beach Theon the beach ca
"I' with a Russian accent "I's about your work I can't believe so has done so much"
Maria had silver hair tied up in a bun, high, rosy cheekbones and a broad smile that took the chill out of the arctic air
"I'm pleased to meet you too, Maria Thanks for the elcome"
Maria excused herself and supervised the unloading of some supplies that had been carried in on the boat The boxes were neatly piled on the beach, where they would be retrieved later Maria said there was nobody or nothing around to disturb theht hill and hiked along the bank of the river A path had been tra that it had been thetime
"Hoas your trip?" Maria asked as their feet crunched in the permafrost
"Great Captain Ivanov is a sweet roups around the islands, so my cabin was quite comfortable"
"Captain Ivanov was very gracious to us as hen he brought the expedition in I hope you didn't get too comfortable We have done our best, but our accommodations are far more primitive than those on the ship"
"I'll survive How is the project going?"
"As you Aood news first or the bad?"
Karla gave her a sidelong glance "I'll leave it up to you"