I carefully maneuvered my vehicle over the slick terrain, it’s multiple legs moving slow to be sure of getting traction. My goal lay ahead, a basin of material that contained the kind of particulate nutrients I could use to rebuild my damaged structure.
My vehicle moved as smoothly as it could on its needle legs, but still each jarring motion made my plates ache. This gravity would have disintegrated me days ago if it weren’t for the protective suit I wore. Outside, a thick atmosphere pressed against the cabin, full of poisonous, reactive gasses that could tear me apart.
If I didn’t get my ship repaired soon, I wouldn’t make it.
I neared the basin, watching carefully for the huge creature that guarded it. It gave off a constant, dull hum of heat, so it was easy to tell it wasn’t anywhere nearby. I extended the robotic claw and chose one x-shaped pellet from the basin. My sensors detected iron and other trace metals and minerals. It would do well. I pulled the robotic arm in and headed back to my hiding place.
A sudden thunderous shaking rattled my molecular structure. The creature came bounding into view around the edge of the valley, making it’s monotonous hum of heat. I froze in place as it sent another series of rapid vibrations, it’s way of communicating with the other creatures, through the sluggish atmosphere.
I had no escape, I couldn’t move fast enough to get out of sight.
The creature came close, it’s heat growing louder. I felt the gravity shift as it tumbled my crawler over. It was trying to get at the pellet I had stolen, it’s piece of food.
"What’s the matter, Goldie?” I came downstairs to see why the puppy was barking. I found her in the kitchen, playing with a thing about the size of a baseball, covered with plastic spikes like a sea-urchin. It had a piece of dog food stuck in its spines.
“Sam, don’t leave your toys in the kitchen!” I picked the thing up and dropped it in the toy basket.
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