The Face of Earth by Kirsty Winkler Page B

of cities for a way to survive this new threat. Food was becoming increasingly scarce as more and more animals succumbed to the harsh winters. Man turned on man as the only food source left. Within thirty years the human race was extinct. Earth became a lifeless, frozen rock; its orbit continuing to widen, until it came to rest in an orbit as the fourth planet from the sun.

CHAPTER 6
     
    Tresar watched the viewscreen as Flavoi steered the ship toward a white and blue planet in the newly discovered solar system. With eight planets orbiting a sun similar to their own, Yalsan scientists hoped to discover intelligent life here. Tresar hoped to discover intelligent life before the Yalsan scientists, so he had set out for the alien solar system the minute he heard there could be planets there capable of supporting life. They had passed by the four outer planets, dismissing them as too cold, and were approaching the fifth planet.
    “Steady, Flavoi,” Tresar cautioned as they prepared to enter the thin atmosphere. “The forward shields still aren’t responding after that last rock hit the emitter.”
    “Relax, Tresar. You don’t have the best pilot on Yalsa for nothing, you know.” Flavoi grinned at his friend’s serious expression. “You worry too much.”
    Tresar raised his eyebrows mockingly. “And you have quite a swelled head for someone who was discharged from the Yalsan military for failing to bring their ships back in one piece.”
    “Eh. Maybe so. But every soldier I rescued from the Bitowans I brought back in one piece. And everyone survived my crash landings.”
    “And that, Flavoi, is what makes you the best pilot on Yalsa. You can land a ship even if half the systems on it are no longer functioning.”
    Flavoi smiled and turned his attention back to the viewscreen. He was thankful Tresar had invited him on this illicit trip. Adventure had always been in his blood, and when he was thrown out of the Yalsan military a couple of years ago, he thought he’d never get to fly a ship through space again. This was a chance to discover something new, and beating those crusty old scientists to the punch thrilled him even more.
    Flavoi felt lucky to have a friend like Tresar. Granted, the man’s genius could be a little irritating sometimes, but his inventions and his personality more than made up for his lack of social skills. Oh, the toys they had on board! Flavoi didn’t know what half the stuff did, but some of those inventions made it possible for just the two of them to handle the ship without a crew. Heck, he could probably handle the entire ship himself if he had to!
    Tresar scanned the planet as they neared the surface. “I’m getting faint life readings from that landmass,” Tresar said, pointing to one of the continents growing on the viewscreen. Flavoi checked the readings on his console and steered toward them. Ice covered the majority of the landmass, and Tresar looked at the land skeptically. “Do you think you could land the ship on it?” he asked.
    Flavoi snorted. “Do I think I could land on it? What kind of question is that?” He changed course and flew down at a steep angle. “Wheee!”
    Tresar shook his head and fastened himself into his seat. “Please remember that this is the only ship we have, and I’d like to be able to fly out of here.”
    Flavoi laughed maniacally. “Of course I’ll be careful! But nothing’s wrong with a little fun when you have gravity helping you out!” With that he rolled the ship around.
    Tresar’s stomach lurched as Flavoi rolled the ship again. It sure didn’t feel like that when they rolled in space. He sighed, letting Flavoi have his fun. The last thing he wanted was an argument. The ship was too lonely when Flavoi was peeved and ignoring him. As they neared the ground Flavoi leveled out the ship. He set it down on a plateau of ice that overlooked a cluttered set of ruins.
    Tresar checked his instruments. “It looks like there might have been some