Harpies of Planet Sutherland

  Chapter 8 - Camouflaged Monsters

  "I don't care what the offices of the United Systems say. A homestead can't get the water it needs to thrive in their system of water rationing."

  Colt growled his words into the wind. The first yield of his half-acre garden sorely disappointed him. The soil transplanted onto Sutherland and dumped to form his garden would produce sufficient crop to keep his stomach from starving, but it would produce nothing close to a bumper crop with the insufficient amounts of water the rationing supplied Colt's homestead. Colt wanted his garden to teem with green, with all the flowers promised by the advertisements for the genetically-modified seed Colt had spent the extra money to acquire. Sutherland was too gray for him, and Colt wanted his garden to become a new palette of colors that would make the planet feel even more like home.

  "I don't care how many harpies slither down from the mountains," Colt kicked at his garden. "The United Systems has no right to deny me a drop of water. I earned all the water I need after I rode that starliner all the way out to this barren rock. I worked to build this colony, no matter how all those months in space weakened my bones. And the United Systems dares ration me. Dares say that I can't take what I've earned. I need to use that water when I can get it. That water doesn't do anyone any good just sitting there in those stone basins."

  Colt made up his mind and stomped away from his garden. He grabbed the largest bucket he could find in his toolshed, praying that he would prove strong enough to carry that bucket back to his homestead once it carried its full weight. It was a shame that Gavin was no where to be found on the homestead. Colt could use his son's strong, young arms. But Colt vowed to do his best with what he had. It would soon be time for Gavin to plant a homestead of his own, and Colt needed to learn how to operate without his boy's company. It would be dark by the time he reached the nearest field of water baskets, and Colt hoped he would not run across any of the harpies. If he should tumble upon such a creature, Colt would place his faith that the gun holstered upon his hip would protect him, and that the enhancement lenses on his eyes would prevent that harpie from ambushing him.