Ron grimaced as he jumped over a dark spot in the ice. He didn’t know what it was, but it was better to stay away from it than accidentally fall into a pool of acid, so he was willing to endure a little pain to avoid it. With the gravity still weaker than earth, It wasn’t even all that hard--his “jump” was more of a light kick off the ground. If he’d actually jumped, he would’ve gone way too far. Still, it agitated the wound in his side more than he’d expected, so he leaned over to press a hand against his ribs.

  Since he left the habitat, Ron had been pushing hard. He had managed to stay above pace, covering 20 kilometers in less than an hour, but he knew he couldn’t keep it up. His pace wasn’t determined by time--it was determined by oxygen. If he ran too hard, he’d begin to waste his breath, which would the opposite effect he wanted it to.

  “Hey Allan?” Ron called out. “Would you be capable of calculating the most optimal speed for travel based on my oxygen consumption?”

  “If you had asked when I had access to biometric data from the habitat’s exercise machines, I would say yes. As it is, however, I don’t have enough data, and the suit would require further collection before I can make calculations,” Allan answered. “There isn’t enough processing power here to accurately make the kind of assumptions those calculations would take without more data, especially when you’re injured. As it is, I’m barely sure you’ve actually made it twenty kilometers.”

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  Ron frowned. “How sure are you?”

  “I have ninety-three percent certainty that you’ve traveled between nineteen and twenty-one kilometers.”

  Fuck. “Give me an estimate of your certainty’s rate of decay.”

  “It’s already exponential, Ron. By the time you’re a quarter through your oxygen, these estimations will be guesses. I can give you the numbers, but that’s the truth.”

  “So, what? Will I at least be able to trust the compass?”

  “The compass will continue to be accurate, but the marker for the habitat will not. I suggest memorizing the stars and walking as straight as possible towards 6a.”

  [7] hours and [26] minutes

  [110.8] kilometers