COPERNICUS

Daniela wasn't aware of Stevenson's murder by Chen or his own subsequent death. While skirting the edge of a shallow crater she had slipped and tumbled and rolled down into the bowl-shaped depression.

"I've had a slight accident but I'm ok and can continue," she announced, unaware her com-sys circuits were inoperable; no one could hear her.

She had managed to crawl-climb up and out and had followed a course that would lead her across the Ocean of Storms. Following the southern edge of the Apennine Mountains and the Sea of Vapors, she found herself on course for the great crater Copernicus. She decided to circumnavigate the crater, starting at a point on its eastern rim and proceeding clockwise. In a few hours she had reached the eight-o'clock position and stopped to rest. She sat and gazed across the enormous concavity, searching for its opposite edge which lay out of sight, fifty miles distant over the lunar horizon. She then shifted her gaze to the crater immediately below, suddenly aware of an anomaly within it. Squinting her eyes to isolate and focus the object she realized...it was the red flag!

Shocked out of her reverie she jumped to her feet. "I've won! it's mine!" she cheered. "Oh thank you, thank you!" she repeated to no one. Remembering her brief training she went through the motions of radioing Alpha and the other two contestants.

"Daniela Vlaklavik. I've found the red flag! Repeat, I've found the red flag!"

During the long climb down to the crater floor her mind raced with speculations of what she would do with the money. One billion dollars! She could have everything she ever wanted. More than she ever imagined. She mentally placed herself in a dozen different scenarios, each more lavish than the last. Ninety minutes later she had reached the flag.

By now Stevenson's murder had been broadcast to the world...repeated ad nauseum on every 24-hour news channel; condemned by every politician, commentator and media whore who could wrangle a few minutes of air time.
Anti-lottery activists used it as an "I-told-you-so". The Lottery Committee officially disavowed any responsibility, unofficially they covered their asses. A rescue unit was dispatched from Alpha in order to locate Ms. Vlaklavik; no easy task since her locator beacon had been disabled along with all her other com-sys circuits. The bodies of John Stevenson and William Chen had been recovered, their suit's automatic systems continuing to function long after their occupants had ceased to need them.