Sometimes I felt New Mexico must surely be one planet closer ot the sun than earth.
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Back in the escape pod, Audri said, “Everything is awful.” Val said, “It is. We’re responsible for Gerek’s death. And now we’re off to Haurk. What kind of planet is that, anyway?” The escape pod said, “Haurk is one planet closer to the star than Clentity.” Audri said, “So, dry and hot. Just like home.” The food synth said, “But I can make you lots of ice-cold drinks with those little umbrella things in them that you seem to like so much.” Audri said to Val, “That doesn’t sound so bad, actually.” Val grinned and said, “Best ‘deserted island’ scenario ever.”
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Since Clentity is claiming to send its undesirables there, Haurk is more like Australia than New Mexico.
As it’s ruler wants them dead, it may be more like Mercury – temperatures that would melt lead by day, and freeze air at night. Not that it has any air anyway.
Sometimes oblivion is a welcome reprieve. Especially if you’re lost, isolated, dying, and bound for destruction. Oblivion is such a sensible alternative then. Drink up, Shriners!
Have you never been to Phoenix AZ in August?
Yes. I recall they had a small ‘park’ consisting of gravel and large cacti. Many of the cacti had bullet holes. Hot! Just getting out of the car to look closer was debilitating. Probably even worse now, due to global warming.
It was a last minute detour for an extra meeting on a US business trip, so I didn’t have a car booked. At the desk they apologised for only having a small car left, “and it’s stick shift”. “Does it have air conditioning”, I asked. “Of course”, they said, tone of voice suggesting it was a silly question in Arizona.
It was a little VW Rabbit; the best car I drove that trip. When you put your foot down, it just went. No delay, then sluggish acceleration like the big American cars I’d had elsewhere.