(open) mission: hit the beach

[aithinkthereforeaiam]

Date & Time: July 18th-24th, Exsilium Time
Location: Sea Shore during the Late Cretaceous Period
Characters: All! Oh those pesky mandatory missions.
Summary: In lieu of the success of the space shuttle's test flight, all of the Transports have been sent back to the Cretaceous period to gather mineral supplies and volcanic rock, while doubling as a sort of 'vacation' and chance to get Transports out of the Initiative's hair. With well stocked supplies, camping gear, and more burlap sacks than anyone could possibly ever use, the Transports have been set under a protective dome and told to collect what they can... and to enjoy the sunshine.
Warnings: Shenanigans!

The overflow log can be found HERE!

It's almost surreal, the quality of color, of light, of oxygen saturation in the air once people arrive. It's so rich that the Initiative sent people back with respirators, to help ease the transition, and warned those who would listen about the effects of too much oxygen on a system.

What they don't warn for is the sheer alien familiarity of the landscape, the warmth, the roughness of the sand on the beaches. This is not the fine, sandy beaches out of vacation dreams, but a rougher, larger granule sort, with shells that might be recognizeable as ancestors to ones those from Earth would remember washing up on familiar beaches, millions of years later.

Most striking is the lack of abundant wildlife found among the fronds and leaves and foliage, or underneath the surface of the saltier, much warmer waters extending off the beach. While acting as a permeable membrane to oxygen and water, along with the sorts of phytoplankton that kept sea creatures alive, all the larger animals had been pushed out by the Initiative's installment of the safety dome. Along the transparent walls, curious creatures would come close, peer in, tap against the barrier and run off if frightened, but very few were found inside at any size larger than that of a house cat. It was for the better in the long run.

Too bad that the Initiative didn't have ultra-violet blocking technology in their shielding. For all the atmosphere is in much better shape millions of years in the past, the sun is as strong as ever, and the unwary will be burned through and through if they're not careful.

Comments

o t a

[graciousness]

[ Gwen isn't very good at vacations. She never had one, not had she gotten used to the idea of one. A mission was a mission but when they said they will also have time to rest, she had found it odd.

During the week, you can either find her searching for what has been asked of them during the day but as sunset approaches, she walks alongside the shore collecting seashells into the apron around her waist.

One morning even finds her lounging on the sand near the barrier, watching one of the smaller dinosaurs as he watches her. It might seem as a sweet image, a girl with flowers in her hair, leaning her head on her elbow, watching the little creature as he watches her with the same curiosity. ]

[affections]

( Jules, on the other hand, has probably failed to fully make use of her monster strength, and can instead be frequently seen lounging and enjoying the pursuit of a tan or making cocktails.

That may, in fact, be Jules wandering closer now, as Gwen collects sea shells. )

You know, there are tongue twisters about sea shells and sea shores.

( Bikinis and floppy hats, her favourite things in life, as she grins at Gwen over her sunglasses. ) Enjoying yourself?

[graciousness]

Tongue...twisters?

[ Gwen's default state near Jules is confusion and she tries not to eye her way of dress. Many of the girls wear similar clothing. Gwen, still in her simple dress, finds them all to be...too revealing for her even contemplate wearing.

She smiles, still. ]

Quite. How are you Jules?

[affections]

Yes! They're for practicing elocution, I believe. Enunciation, and all of those marvellous things

( So cheery, pulling off her sunglasses and tucking them into her bikini strap. Her fingers absently brush over the puncture scars at her neck, that extend over her arms and over her a lot of her body in irregular patches, but she's long given up on ever hiding them, and she was hardly forsaking a tan in the name of being self-conscious. )

I'm fantastic. How are you? I really love your dress, I have to say.

[graciousness]

[ what even. she won't ask.

She won't ask about the scars, either; but there is a shadow of concern on her face as she takes them in. ]

Thank you. That's kind of you. Did you use to spend much time by the sea?

[affections]

( it's probably best not to, really. Jules factor: set to stun.

She does her best to ignore the concern, but she's Jules, so instead of actually doing that she's smiling reassuringly. ) Don't worry about them.

( She has seen similar looks before. )

You can't swim in your dress, though, as lovely as it is. Hm, not so much, sadly. A lot of time travelling and not much actually seeing the sights.

[graciousness]

I can't swim to begin with, I have never learned. This is alright too. I have found many shells and they're beautiful. Maybe they can be used for ornaments.

[ as for the scars well. ]

Are you certain? the sun does not -- hurt you?

[affections]

Really? Would you like to? ( Jules tilts her head, curious. ) I promise, I can keep you entirely and one hundred percent safe. ( You see that smile? It is the most winning of smiles. ) Or we can just float, in which I can still keep you safe.

( But she does smile at the shells. ) You could make them into a necklace.

( And then the smile turns rueful. ) Not many things can hurt me, Gwen. I'm rather hardy.

( Monster blood, for all your sun protection needs. ) It was a long time ago.

[graciousness]

Really?

[ she looks at the water. ]

The water looks deep, are you certain?

[ she does want to but she is also forever worried.a t the talk of a necklace, she smiles, shows her the sea glass she had collected, too. ]

I think they will make nice ornaments for Morgana, what do you thimk?

[affections]

We'll take it slow.

( Julia. But despite the teasing words, her grin innocent and friendly rather than as terribly flirtatious as she can be. ) Shallows first. We can go and grab you a swimsuit, I suspect this will be a bit too heavy to be safe.

( Glancing down, looking closer at the shells before she looks back at Gwen. )

They'll be perfect, completely.

[graciousness]

I am not certain I can wear this Jules it's -- I've never even seen anything like this.

[ she'd be flushed and babbling the whole time. ]

i thought i replied to this already :'| i'm sorry!

[affections]

Don't worry. We can always just grab you a t-shirt and some short, or something. You don't have to wear anything like this.

( For all her trolling and teasing, Jules isn't quite that mean. )

Alternatively, we can forget about the swimming for now, and see about finding some more shells for your collection.

[kilimanjaro]

[Kili's wandering this morning, though movement hurts due to the terrible sunburns all over his torso and back. He couldn't even put clothes on over his skin from how it's flaked and looks almost scaly, so instead the dwarf wanders about with a towel around his shoulders to keep them from getting any worse.

He's amazed by the small creature the unfamiliar girl has managed to coax closer, and takes a few cautious, quiet steps before kneeling beside her.]

What is that?

[graciousness]

[ she jumps for half a moment, the dinosaur retreats a few steps back -- but advances a bit again once she settles. ]

You startled me my lord. That is -- to be honest, I have never seen an animal like that. He is beautiful is he not? he has been observing us for the better part of an hour.

[kilimanjaro]

[Kili snorts a bit, settling down beside her.] I'm no lord. [Just a princeling. Whatever.] Call me Kili.

I've never seen something like it either.

[graciousness]

Kili.

[ she smiles, reaches a hand for him to shake. ]

Guinevere. But most people call me Gwen.

[ and then she turns to look at the creature again ]

there were others before, too. but they can't come near. I think it is magic, it is sort of an...invisible wall of a sort.

[kilimanjaro]

Gwen it is. [He smiles back, grasping her forearm. It's more of a human greeting, but he's been taught well and he does remember some of it.

He goes back to look at the creature as well.] I haven't seen much magic before. Gandalf's the only wizard I've met, and he doesn't use it much. [If Kili paid more attention, he might have noticed the wizard using it more, but only the big flashy magic is the kind that catches Kili's notice.]

[graciousness]

You have known a wizard?

[ once, Gwen would be startled for she knows well the punishment of engaging oneself with those of magic, she had lost her father to this cause. But being here made her more curious than cautious of magic; after all, she was the one living with a witch. ]

Is he here too? Gandalf?

[kilimanjaro]

[Kili nods, giving her a grin.] Aye, we were excited to hear there'd be one with us. But he isn't here, no. Not that I've seen, but I haven't been here long.

[graciousness]

It must be odd for you, is it not? it's odd for me still and I have been here for months.

[ she leans her head on her elbows. ]

Traveling between worlds and all the -- oddness in each one of them.

[ she looks at the dinosaur. perfect example, really. ]

[kilimanjaro]

[Kili shrugs, nodding a little at her.]

This is my first time seeing another one of these worlds. It certainly is strange. [He reaches out towards the little dinosaur, and it backs away, frightened.]

They call all this science, but it just seems like magic to me.

[graciousness]

I heard a bit of science, Gaius, the court's physician would speak of it when he made his potions. I never imagined it can refer to something -

[ she gestures around them, laughs. ]

Like this.

[kilimanjaro]

[Kili nods, looking a little sheepish.]

It makes little sense to me. But what is a...physician?

[diplomatique]

[ larsa's in a similar boat as the sun steadily climbs lower and lower against the horizon--but he doesn't collect seashells. he has every right to, being a child, but... he'd been told to go fetch a few pailfuls of sand to put the fire out when cooking is done. while the sand isn't really sand yet, it's necessary all the same.

he pauses, however, glancing over at the woman who was treading across the beach. ]

Miss?

[ he calls. she looks familiar, but he can't see from this much of a distance... ]

[graciousness]

[ she lifts her head and smiles, waves her hand. ]

Lord Larsa! Hello.

[ she walks towards him, smile still very much on her lips, all warmth and welcoming kindness. ]

How do you do?