Wind

On a wind‑blasted plain of Venus, the Dutch outpost of Oostpoort clings to a rocky valley, its settlers eking a living from uranium‑rich outcrops and the thin, shifting atmosphere. Jan Willem van Artevelde, a stubborn, pipe‑smoking driver with a reputation for strength and determination, pilots a rattling groundcar across the jagged Den Hoorn. The planet’s Twilight Gale sweeps from the night‑side, turning the landscape into a rolling sea of dust and tremors that test even the toughest of engines.

When an emergency call arrives—a patient suffering from the dreaded “Venus Shadow” needs immediate evacuation to Earth—Jan is thrust into a race against time. With the Vanderdecken’s launch hours away and the treacherous wind threatening to stall any rescue, he must navigate the perilous route to the isolated settlement of Rathole. The story follows his daring attempt to outwit the elements, relying on Dutch grit and a touch of ingenuity to reach the stranded soul before the storm claims another victim.