First Landing On Medusa

Full Waking took us days to realise

Adjusting to the newness of our eyes

We stayed inside, performing simple tasks

Hardly speaking, faces set like masks

Until the time came round for us to set

The first feet on this world, to get

our samples, and erect the instruments

A barren planet, but to all intents

Another Eden opening its gates

For this chosen few who'd outslept their fates

Anonymous, identical in our suits

We entered the airlock. My weighted boots

would be the first to touch this unknown stone

I led some distance, then, I felt alone

So I turned and saw, that the others were

standing still, I radio'd to make them stir

but got no answer. So I waved my arm

But they still stood as though a stoning charm

had taken hold. I made my slow way back

And found each man had frozen in his track

I hammered my gloved fist on visor-plate

And pulled at pressure-padded arms. A state

of utter trance had overtaken all my men

My mouth felt dry, my fingers stiff, and then.....