The Waters of the Earth

When he first took the wrapping off, it didn’t look all that impressive. Still, the adverts had been very good at grabbing his attention and all the reviews he’d seen, suggested that it was one of the best models on the market.

He’d still had a few reservations though, especially when he first saw the demonstration model, set up in the shop.

‘Does it really need that much sea?’ he’d asked the assistant.

‘Well, that depends,’ the assistant said. ‘Are you thinking about introducing life to it?’

‘Well, yes, I don’t really see the point otherwise.’

‘Very true,’ the assistant agreed. ‘Although, barren worlds are becoming more and more popular, especially with the larger solar systems.

‘Really?’ he was surprised. ‘Takes all sorts, I suppose.’

‘So,’ the assistant continued’…the large seas enable a large variety of life to evolve, and….’

‘Evolve?’

‘Yes.’ The assistant stare at him. ‘You weren’t y’know… thinking of doing it all yourself were you?’

‘Well, I thought….’ He stood up a little straighter. ‘I thought that was how it was done.’

‘Oh, no… not these days. All that fiddling about. Do you know how many different species of beetles you’ll need for a stable eco-system? All those fiddly little legs…?’

‘Ah, but y’know being immortal and all that, I thought it would be a way of filling in the time.’ He smiled at the thought of all those happy hours he could spend fiddling with insects in his shed… away from the wife and her constant nagging about him finding something in the business for the boy to do.

Now he’d got it home though, he wasn’t sure if he could be bothered. Sighing, he opened up his universe on his workbench and sorted through the solar systems until he found one that looked a little sparse. Deftly he moved the orbits around and slipped the new planet in-between a red one and another rather dull little yellow one he’d picked up cheap second-hand.

He stood back and had to admit it didn’t look too bad. In a way it seemed a shame to spoil it by introducing life to it, but he’d promised the wife that he would find something for the boy to do in the family business, and this planet was going to be it… eventually.