The surface was
fascinating. It was like being in a desert of blood-red sand. All around
our little TARDIS were gentle dunes, small hills, and rocks of all
sizes. The soil was the very colour and texture of the powder you often
find where a wall or house of red-brick has been demolished. Set against
this red and white, the TARDIS seemed a much deeper blue than when it
stood in our damp and cobbled garden in Rye on the morning of our
departure.
My uncle told me
of the many life-forms that lived here, doing nothing for my
confidence. I could certainly believe in the "Ice Warriors" when I
learned that even thou it was 'summer', the temperature was some
thirty-five degrees centigrade below freezing. I knew that there were
colder regions of human habitation on Earth, but when my uncle told me
also of the very low air-pressure I could not believe how Earth
scientists could excuse the mess they had made of our own planet by
proposing a future home for mankind on this cold, desert world.
The Doctor told
me also of pyramids built here by super-aliens who had recorded in
Egyptian mythology, and I fancied I could see such an edifice on the
horizon from atop a sand dune. However, with a special spy-glass
attached to the outside of his helmet, the Doctor declared that it was,
in fact, a very large volcano many hundreds of miles away.
Using this device, and looking north, I could just see some magnificent white mountains.
'Martian snow,' said my uncle. 'Very little in the way of real water I'm afraid. Come along!'
There is little
else to tell you about the Martian landscape; only that climbing over
dunes, and having to avoid jagged rocks whenever you stumbled and were
sent flying through the low-gravity became very boring. I was very
thankful for my space-suit, though I should not like to have to live
inside one. I think Dr. Who was trying to unearth a possibly latent
spirit of adventure in me, but he was not succeeding.
The sky darkened
as night came, but with cloud cover there was neither a startling
sunset, nor impressively different view of the solar system and stars.
I had been
keeping an eye on that dark blue/green patch in the western sky. It had
been getting larger - and nearer - and with the passing daylight, much
darker. I was frightened. The Doctor now used a torch, for the clouded
sky afforded no light, and we decided to return to the TARDIS.
Even inside the
suit, I could sense that the Martian air was moving more quickly, ad
then forcibly, around me. The dry sandy soil was sprinkled against my
helmet by a wind, and it was clear from my uncle's grip on my arm that a
severe storm was right behind us in the west - and getting nearer.
the reluctant companion page 2
y child,' said Dr. Who. 'Behold, Mars!'
