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.....