The Abyss of Time

Chapter Thirty Four

"If this planet's atmosphere is fifty percent water vapour," said Lucy as she pulled on her new lycra bikini, "Why is the air over the desert so dry?"

"Water vapour is considerably less dense than nitrogen gas," Alan Felgin replied, and Jack grinned with amusement as he saw the scientist trying to keep his eyes away from her shapely body, as yet uncovered by her bikini top. "It floats on top. Fortunately, water condenses at a much higher temperature than nitrogen. It falls as rain, which delivers water to the bottom of the atmosphere. That doesn't happen in the desert."

"It doesn't rain?" asked Lucy, reaching for her bikini top.

"It certainly does rain," Felgin replied, looking grateful to be able to look at her again. "It rains everywhere, all over the planet. All the time. Has done for millions of years, probably, but in the desert it evaporates before it reaches the ground. It's the trees that keep the ground hydrated in the jungle. They grow up into the rainy altitudes, the pluviosphere, and the water collects on its branches in streams and rivulets that are too bulky to evaporate. Then it flows down to the ground." He grinned in delight. "Yet another way the Atlas trees allow life to survive on this world. They really are a miracle."

He was already wearing his own pair of briefs. He looked uncomfortable to Jack, exposing the sight of his elderly body, scrawny and wrinkly and his chest covered by a thick thatch of grey hair. He pulled on a long, yellow robe as quickly as possible, immediately looking a lot more relaxed. Jack, in contrast, who had the body of a gymnast, was in no hurry to cover up and sprawled on his inflatable bed, watching as his wife got changed.

Lucy pulled her own robe over her head and pushed her arms through the baggy sleeves. "Looks like a tent," she said doubtfully, looking down at herself. "And why is it yellow?"

"It's reflective," Felgin replied. "So you can be seen in the light of the headlights. Don't forget it's going to be pitch black out there."

"Perhaps I can tie a belt around my waist," Lucy added. "Give it a bit of shape."

"You want it loose," the scientist said, though. "So the air circulates underneath it."

"Why do we have to wear them at all?" The young woman asked, though. She pulled it off and dropped it on the ground, standing only in her bikini. "Look at me. I look great."

"No argument from me," said Felgin cautiously, watching Jack and Zanele to gauge their reactions. "If I'm wrong, though, and there is wind in the desert, you won't want bare skin exposed to flying, windblown sand. You'll want the protection."

"Hmm," said Lucy doubtfully.

"Look, we're not taking part in a fashion parade," said Zanele impatiently. "It doesn't matter what you look like."

"I think you look great," said Jack with a grin. "You too, mum." Tensy, who'd just finished putting on her own bikini, gave him a hard look. "Of course, you outshine both of them," Jack told her hurriedly.

"And now I'm supposed to compliment your appearance, right?" his wife replied, still scowling.

"Not really necessary," Jack replied with an answering grin. "I saw where your eyes were going when I was changing."

"Okay," said Sam, standing in his own long, yellow robes. "Time to step outside. Feel the air of this planet on my bare skin." He moved towards the airlock. "Wish me luck."

"I still think I should be the one to go," said Jack, though, finally pulling on his own robe. "You're too important to risk."

"As the leader of our expedition, it's my responsibility to make sure we're as safe as we think we are," Miller replied. "This is my job."