torms interfere with communication.
These are normal occurrences on oxygen-water worlds. On Pyrrus these
conditions are carried to the nth degree.

"The planet has an axial tilt of almost forty-two degrees, so there is a
tremendous change in temperature from season to season. This is one of
the prime causes of a constantly changing icecap. The weather generated
by this is spectacular to say the least."

"If that's all," Jason said, "I don't see why--"

"That's _not_ all--it's barely the beginning. The open seas perform the
dual destructive function of supplying water vapor to keep the weather
going, and building up gigantic tides. Pyrrus' two satellites, Samas and
Bessos, combine at times to pull the oceans up into thirty meter tides.
And until you've seen one of these tides lap over into an active volcano
you've seen nothing.

"Heavy elements are what brought us to Pyrrus--and these same elements
keep the planet at a volcanic boil. There have been at least thirteen
super-novas in the immediate stellar neighborhood. Heavy elements can be
found on most of their planets of course--as well as completely
unbreathable atmospheres. Long-term mining and exploitation can't be
done by anything but a self-sustaining colony. Which meant Pyrrus. Where
the radioactive elements are locked in the planetary core, surrounded by
a shell of lighter ones. While this allows for the atmosphere men need,
it also provides unceasing volcanic activity as the molten plasma forces
its way to the surface."

For the first time Jason was silent. Trying to imagine what life could
be like on a planet constantly at war with itself.

"I've saved the best for last," Kerk said with grim humor. "Now that you
have an idea of what the environment is like--think of the kind of life
forms that would populate it. I doubt if there is one off-world species
that would live a minute. Plants and animals on Pyrrus are _tough_. They
fight the world and they fight each other. Hundreds of thousands of
years of genetic weeding-out have produced things that would give even
an electronic brain nightmares. Armor-plated, poisonous, claw-tipped and
fanged-mouthed. That describes everything that walks, flaps or just sits
and grows. Ever see a plant with teeth--that bite? I don't think you
want to. You'd have to be on Pyrrus and that means you would be dead
within seconds of leaving the ship. Even I'll have to take a refresher
course before I'll be able to go outside the l