The Hideout ~ 50 Words from Oblivion

"Eventually soulmates meet, for they have the same hiding place."
- Robert Breault -

I've always wanted a hideout.

Often I've fantasized about having a secret lair, concealed somewhere far out in the desert where no one can find me when I don't wish to be found.

But wait.

Maybe there's a more exotic locale for my hideout... Somewhere even harder to get to.

This is my entry into @gonzo's 50 Word Story Contest this week. The theme of the week is science fiction.

Detail from Lunar South Pole Map... ~ Image courtesy of NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University

How about the Moon?

The Moon is really hard to get to. There are plenty of craters, hills, and valleys. There are even natural lava tube caves.

A nice neighborhood... Getting closer to my crater. ~ Image courtesy of NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University

There's more to this story than meets the eye.

This is a sneak peek at a more involved design tale I plan to tell during the upcoming Beast 2 Community Engagement Challenge. For the moment, I'll just say that in this prequel, our hero is exploring the lunar south polar regions, seeking a place to construct a permanent hideout. He is traveling in a very unusual lunar transport device of my own unique design.

Lunar lair craterlet close-up... ~ Image courtesy of NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University

The MagRod's last leap landed Grant on a small plateau. Aiming his laser spectrometer into the nearby craterlet on Cabeus' north rim, the reading excited him.

Water!

Between regular sunlight at the rim, and permanent shadow preserving the icy treasure below, this small crater was perfect for his lunar lair.

A rocky plateau on the lair crater rim. (CLICK for an amazing panoramic closeup) ~ Image courtesy of NASA.

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I want to be a good member of this community, and so I promise to take your comments, both positive and corrective, very seriously.

I'm especially interesting in meeting makers. If you make stuff, I would love to read about it and encourage you in any way that I can... Just say "Hi" in a comment, and show me what you're working on; I welcome your links!