2

Finding the group of engineers, I stepped closer. They were already deep in discussion.

"Sam, finally! Let's not waste any time," said the group leader, Mr. Ledsher, addressing me.

He was an older man with gray hair and a strict gaze, which was only intensified by his round glasses. A seasoned engineer with years of experience, his authority was unquestioned.

"Your task is to scout the area," he continued. "Find coal deposits, mark them on the map, and take measurements. Without coal, the generator won't last long."

"Understood. I'll get it done," I nodded.

"Take the magnetometer it's in that crate," Ledsher added, pointing to a wooden box with markings.

I stepped forward, lifted the lid, and pulled out the device. It was packed in a protective case a compact but powerful model, specifically designed for harsh climates. Its batteries could withstand freezing temperatures, and an internal heating element prevented the mechanism from icing over.

Swinging the backpack with the magnetometer over my shoulder, I felt its weight not too heavy, but still a reminder of how crucial this task was. Now, I had to head to the designated location and begin the search.

(Alternative Version)

"Here, take this map and notebook. Record the readings from each surveyed site," Ledsher said, handing me the necessary tools as I was preparing to leave.

"Got it," I replied, taking them.

Tightening my backpack straps, I set off toward the nearby terrain, stepping carefully over the frozen ground. My eyes scanned the earth, searching for signs of coal deposits. Such areas could usually be identified by specific soil characteristics high acidity, sandy or clay-rich patches. I wasn't a geologist, but since we had no specialists of that kind in our group, the task fell to me. I had never done anything like this before, but there's a first time for everything.

About a hundred meters from camp, I noticed a promising spot.

Setting my backpack down, I pulled out two probes and placed them into the ground. Then, opening a small compartment, I powered on the control unit. The interface was simple the panel displayed magnetic field changes beneath the surface. The magnetometer could scan up to thirty meters deep.

The readings were normal, with no anomalies or signs of coal. Slightly disappointed, I jotted down the result in my notebook. Of course, it couldn't be that easy.

Switching off the device, I carefully packed it away, slung the straps over my shoulders, and moved on. The landscape became increasingly monotonous, but I refused to lose hope. Occasionally, I stopped at random spots, took measurements, and logged my findings. Hours passed. Only in a few locations did the device register a slight deviation a weak but noticeable signal. It could be promising, but further research, possibly drilling, would be needed.

I marked the locations on the map and decided to call it a day. The sun was setting, and the cold was creeping deeper into my bones.

Back at camp, I arrived just in time for dinner. Finding my sister, I sat beside her. The food was simple but filling a bowl of hot soup, a piece of bread, and porridge. After an entire day of work, I was starving like never before and wasted no time digging in. Everything on my plate disappeared in minutes, despite its bland taste.

Rachel sat quietly, eating her meal, but there was a faint spark of life in her eyes perhaps from the warmth of the fire or simply from the fact that we were still fighting.

"Sam, any results?" Ledsher asked, sitting down next to me.

I unzipped my pocket, pulled out the notebook, and handed it to him. He flipped through my notes quickly.

"Found a few zones? Good. I'll send workers to drill some test shafts. Excellent work," he praised before standing up and walking away, leaving the notebook on the table.

"How was your day, Rachel?" I asked, turning to my sister.

"We helped carry things not too heavy," she replied.

"Good job, you're amazing," I said, gently ruffling her hat.

"Yeah," she nodded, offering a small smile.

After such a long day, all I could think about was getting to bed. Finding a guard, I asked where we could rest, and he directed us to a communal tent and assigned us bed numbers.

Stepping inside, I felt a wave of relative warmth hit my face. The temperature was around ten degrees not exactly cozy, but compared to outside, it felt almost comfortable.

Finding our cots, I sat down, exhausted. Rachel settled beside me. Before sleeping, I wanted to jot down my thoughts. Opening my notebook, I wrote a brief entry:

Day 1.

"Today, we landed on unknown shores and began settling in our new home. I scouted the surrounding area and found several sites with potential coal deposits."

Closing the notebook, I felt fatigue completely overtake me. Tucking Rachel in, I pulled a blanket over both of us. My head hit the pillow, and sleep consumed me instantly.