The last planet explored by Laure in the Cloud Universe:
unlike the others, it has an atmosphere - thin, mainly noble gases;
he wants to check element distribution on the surface;
the charged ionosphere prevents him from radioing the orbiting Jaccavrie;
nebular friction causes the planet to spiral towards its primary;
surface temperature is about 50 degrees Centigrade;
very little water;
large red dust storms;
a fiery ring of refracted light;
a jumbled plain;
chaotic terrain;
bare mountains;
gleaming black and brown rock;
deep purple sky;
hard ground;
1.22 Gs caused by planetary density;
strong wind;
high radiation;
heavy metals and radioactives -
- suddenly an exploding sky. Our old friend, the lethal unexpected.
As on Satan and Mirkheim, Poul Anderson creates drama in an uninhabited and uninhabitable environment.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I would have included Wayland as one of those uninhabited and uninhabitable worlds where lethally unexpected things happen. Some of them due to the actions of another AI.
Sean
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