Star Log, Sec. 7, Sub 22-1

This planet is one where we almost screwed up.

It’s a very nice planet, although it has only scattered landmasses, most of them only a few km-sq. On the land, there is not a single sign of civilization.

On the above-water land.

Once we sent probes beneath the surface, we found a drowned civilization that, rather than actually drowning, had begun to thrive under water.

Signs show that the water is retreating again.  I wonder what will happen to the water-people now?

We left them a polite note. I felt a bit guilty about almost invading them accidentally.

Star Log, Sec. 7, Sub 22-2

Even if we could breathe the atmosphere on this planet, I’m not sure we’d want to colonize it.

We can’t: low O2 & high argon & CO make it uninhabitable.

But that was obvious already from the HUGE SWARMS OF INSECTS swarming over more than half the planet’s surface.

I went into space for a reason. There are no bugs in space.

We think they’re non-sentient.  We sent several probes and sample-collectors on the theory that the place might have something we could use.

I spent an hour in the shower afterwards.

Star Log, Sec. 7, Sub 22-3

This planet was just barely within the livable range of its sun, and if we were to colonize it, it would have to be with Alaskans, Scandinavians, and Russians.

There IS a narrow band of warmth around the equator, and it looks as if it stays clear for three-quarters of the year, but the rest of the planet – a small one, on the scale of livable bodies – is covered in snow and ice.

There is animal life here but, unsurprisingly, no visible civilization.

We left probes as a just-in-case.

Star Log, Sec. 7, Sub 22-4

Sometimes I’m just glad we can’t colonize a place for solid, scientific reasons.  This planet is one of those.

The water is low across large portions of the planet, with only a few deeps and a few rises – none high enough to be called mountains.

The tidal pull of its single moon and the shallow water means that much of the planet is a tidal mudflat, filled with insects.

The CO2-based atmosphere is un-breathable, even if one wanted to squelch around in the mud.