Full Body Inflation

Nic was all alone. All alone in a big house. The only entertainment in this big house was the TV and the computer. He was house-sitting for a family that was away for the week, and that family was due back the next day. The job was easy, just be at the house and take care of the place, so needless to say, he was kind of bored. What he wanted to be doing was his girlfriend, but she lived in the next city over, and couldn't dive yet. Any time that worked for them would be taken up by driving to see each other. He just wanted to see his girlfriend like most other 18 year olds.

Prg gazed in awe at the planet that filled the view from his cockpit.  Water, in at least three of the fourteen known states of matter.  Plant life.  And that’s just what he could see with his own borp.  Turning his attention to his scan readouts, he also found the planet teeming with life in numerous forms.  Countless structures made of alloys and composite materials dotted the landscape in varying densities.  There were even thousands of artificial satellites in orbit.  Not just life, but intelligent life!

Xetal

'Hi Jody, how're you doing?'

I interrupted my doleful perusal of the newspaper racks to glnnce round at Pavel.

'Oh, fine thanks.'

You know how you're not supposed to say you're fine when you're not so the other person doesn't have to get into the whole thing? This was such an occasion.