THE PLANET THAT LOVED PEOPLE (standard:science fiction, 3201 words) [7/12] show all parts
Author: Danny Raven	Added: Mar 12 2016	Views/Reads: 1869/1279	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
PART 3 - CH 7

SEVEN 

In the morning the planet looked like a different place. There was a
lightness in the air and no trace of rain or wind. Clouds still hung 
around the sky but the uniform greyness had disappeared to be replaced 
by large patches of blue. In the thick forest, trees and bushes which 
yesterday were drab and lifeless shimmered a little and even the sea 
seemed to have a trace of a sparkle. 

Sarah smiled at it all as she gazed out the observation window on the
Bridge. 

“Looks like Earth after a storm,” Kane remarked. 

“You don't want to believe it, do you?” she asked, turning to him. 

“That this place is responding to us? Where's the proof?” 

She pointed to the flowers around the Bridge which she'd arranged in
makeshift vases. 

“Flowers can bloom after rain, Kane said. 

“Not as fast as that they don't.” 

Kane shrugged. “They could just be peculiar to the planet. Things might
grow very quickly here.” 

“What about the bird then?” 

Kane thought for a moment. “It could've been taking shelter during the
storm and came out after it.” 

“How come it's so tame?” 

“We're the first people here. It's never seen them before so it has no
reason to fear them.” 

“The Computer said there was no life here though.” 

“Ah yes, sorry about that!” it announced apologetically. “I was
responding to limited information. I made a mistake.” 

Kane grinned. “I rest my case,” he said. 

Sarah laughed. “You just won't believe it, will you? It doesn't matter
what the evidence is you can explain it all away. What's it going to 
take to convince you?” 

“A lot more than the stuff you've been rambling on about,” he replied. 

Blaze wandered into the Bridge, yawning and scratching. The small bird
hopped around on his shoulder. 

“We're hungry,” he said. “Is breakfast ready?” 

“You'll have to wait,” Sarah told him, lifting a towel. “I'm going for a
swim.” 

Blaze looked at her as if she'd said something ridiculous. 

“Anybody coming?” 

“Too cold for me,” said Kane. “Go ahead. “We'll keep an eye on you on
the screen.” 

Sarah left and he and Blaze strolled up to the ObservationScreen. Kane
picked up the remote and panned the view to the left and they picked 
her up  walking briskly across to the rocky foreshore. 

The tide was half-way out and she continued over the damp sand to where
the waves were just breaking. She laid her towel down and started 
peeling off her uniform. She had nothing on underneath. She ran naked 
across the rest of the sand into the shallow water then plunged into 
some waves. 


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