stroked to port. Renate looked to port and saw miles and miles of mirror-smooth plains. "Oh, no." she startled
The captain shrugged. "Was to be expected. Been clear skies for a few days. A nice smooth sheet of ice had formed then. But the weather changed and now those icebergs are pushing up on the ice sheet. “How long have we been here?” Renate demanded. The captain shrugged. “Take it easy, Lady Zeevaarder-Stroom. We do what we can.” His gloved hand pointed to the ice surface in front of the ship, where people were walking on the ice with axes and drill rods. Renate cursed. “We need to sail like hell. We don't have time for this nonsense.” "Yup." The captain agreed. “But let's first help your colleague up there.” he advised. Renate looked questioningly at the man lifting his arm, pointing his finger up. Renate followed his gaze. “Who is that?” she asked, looking at a speck in the Skye. A quick glance to where the airplanes were lashed to the deck told her one was gone. "Katrien Biester." replied the captain. “Returning just now.”   
Renate surveyed the ice field. Their planes were equipped with floaters to land on water. The hollow wooden floats were not designed to land on ice, but that was all her eyes could see. Renate quickly calculated that Katrien didn't have enough fuel left to try to find an ice-free expanse of water. Renate had to help her land on the ice. 
Renate let herself glide down the deck upon the ice and ran away from the ship. She had progressed several hundred yards before she realized she should have brought something like a flag with her. She looked up at the plane and considered going back to the ship and look for something to signal with. It was then that she heard the steady hum of the plane's engines interrupted. After a moment ​of silence, they started roaring again. "A speck of dirt in the engine, or a sign that the fuel was running out?" Renate wondered. In any case, there was no more time. She took off her aviator jacket and laid it on the ice. It seemed to remain there, despite the gusts of wind that raced across the ice. It had to suffice. She turned and ran straight into the wind away from her coat. Panting, she counted her steps. On the way, the ice sheet was as flat as a billiard table. That gave at least some hope. She stopped and peered up at the plane. Waving her arms violently to get the pilot's attention, she was shivering in her shirt. She prayed the pilot understood what she wanted.   

Katrien did seem to understand. The plane turned away from the ship and made a wide arc to approach Renate against the wind. Renate saw her lose altitude as she pointed the nose of her plane in her direction. She came closer, wobbling in the gusts of wind. Renate watched as the flaps on her wings were pulled up and the plane sharply lost speed Katrien put her plane on the ice as carefully as possible.
She seemed to succeed too. At least the floats didn't snap off on first contact. Renate saw her coat blow into the air as Katrien’s plane slid past it. Katrien's plane came at her very quickly. She tossed herself aside as it glided past. She was still going way too fast. The ice didn't provide enough friction to slow her down. Even with the flaps full across, she just kept going. Renate got up and started running after the plane. To her horror, she saw how the plane was pushed sideways by a gust of wind. Katrien probably pulled hard on the stick, because the tail fins flipped over. However, it was too late. The plane slid over the ice at an angle and the pressure on one of the floaters became too great. It snapped off and the plane slammed into the ice. The engine shrieked as the propeller blades slammed into the ice and snapped off. A flame shot up and moments later the right engine exploded. Instantly the plane was on fire. 
"Nooo!" shrieked Renate. She ran as fast as she could across the ice sheet toward the burning wreckage. She tried not to think about how she will find her friend. When she reached the wreckage, she ran around the burning wing and with her arm shielding her face from the flames she peered at the cockpit.
She saw no one. The windshield was shattered. startled, Renate turned her face. Indeed, she saw a figure lying on the ice a few tens of meters away. Motionless. More sliding than running, she reached her friend. Katrien lay motionless on the ice. Renate knelt by her head. It was covered in blood. She grabbed a shoulder and shook it. “Are you alive?” she asked, almost crying.  "Aaargh." Catherine screamed. 'Do not touch me.'
"You're alive." Renate exclaimed frantically with relief. 
"Oooh." Catherine groaned. She tried to lift her face off the ice, but stopped with a groan. “Renate, is that you?” she asked, panting. 
'Yes. Catherine.' replied Renate. 'how do you feel?' 
"Poorly." Catherine judged. "Are you surprised?"

“Can you get up?” Renate asked worried. Katrien pulled up an arm and tried to push herself off the ice. However, she stopped immediately. “Renate…” she said softly. 
“What is it?” Renate asked, bringing her face as close to her friends mouth as possible.“I think I broke something.” she muttered. And I can't feel my legs anymore….” Katrien suddenly began to howl in pain. 
“Lie still.” Renate advised, nervously. “Help is already on the way.” Indeed, she saw a number of sailors coming towards her with a stretcher in their arms. She took off her mittens and held her hands between her friend's cheek and the ice. Katrien closed her eyes. “It hurts so much.” she complained. 
“Everything will be fine,” Renate said reassuringly. "You'll survive." The sailors placed the stretcher next to the woman and discussed how to get her off the ice. "Careful, boys. She broke something.' Renate said. One sailor gently grabbed the pilot by the shoulder and another grabbed her by the hips. Katrien groaned in pain as they tried to roll her onto the stretcher.
"Don’t do it that way." commanded a man who had come closer. He knelt by Katrien and let his gaze run over her body. He clicked his tongue. 
"Is it bad, doctor?" Renate asked worriedly. 
“Multiple fractures, I think. Probably internal bleedings everywhere.' he judged, taking his instruments from his bag. He gestured toward the burning wreckage. "But rather here than there."
Renate swallowed. "But will she be okay?" 
The doctor tapped the needle of a syringe until a drop shot up. He put the needle in Katrin's neck and emptied the instrument. "If she didn't break her back, I don't see why not," he said reassuringly. He watched as Katrien stopped moaning and her body went limp. “Put her on the gurney, boys. Don't turn. Little by little… No, get that stick out first and work the cloth under her.” He turned to Renate. "And why don't you pick up your coat. I don't want to have to treat you for pneumonia too.'. Renate got up and went looking for her coat. She saw it lying somewhere between the ship and the plane’s burning wreckage. She ran over and,