(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

compared to that last tag, this one is miles apart in being horrendous

[of_the_lake]

[Berserker had no sense of modesty. Years spent bathing in crowds and having his adultery mentioned for everyone in his world to hear had stripped him of any thought concerning himself in that regard. Sadly, this also removed his sense of decency in crowds. Simply believed that 'covering the necessities' ended all need of other formalities, he went with it easily.

So, that explained why he was in a black speedo, walking along the beach. That, in no way, explained why he was carrying a gigantic boulder over one shoulder as if emulating Atlas on a slightly more reasonable scale.]

fdjskfjiea omg I think she just died a little

[onemistress]

[ Elizabeth was so happy in minding her own business, enjoying the cooling feeling of the water. She caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye before she turned to call out to him. ]

Sir Lance -- [ ?!?!?!







What in seven hells was he wearing?! ]

such was his intent--murder

[of_the_lake]

[In no way did Berserker, even for a moment, consider the reactions of others. It all seemed to blend from one taken aback gesture to a full blown reprimand. He set down his rock with a measure of surprise, not having expected Elizabeth, unknown to him, to be out on the beach.]

My Lady. You seem to be enjoying yourself.

curse you Lancelot!

[onemistress]

[ Elizabeth continued to stare, and then realizing exactly that she was looking at one mostly naked male. Her eyes immediately looked elsewhere, her lips pressed together tightly. At least the redness of her face would be put down to the sun. ]

It's an experience, I will give it that.

[of_the_lake]

[Shhh, shhh. Just look at him, Elizabeth. He even places one hand on his hip as if to try and draw the eye, though his own comfort and the freedom of air exposure just makes him all the more at ease with the situation.]

Am I disturbing you? I wasn't aware if you were in thought or engaging the beach.

[onemistress]

[ nopenopenopenope. Or maybe just a peek but if she does her eyes go immediately back to his and no where else. ]

No sir, not at all. I merely thought to greet you again, and to thank you for the kindness you showed me when I arrived.

[of_the_lake]

There is no need for such a thing, I assure you. It's a gentleman's prerogative to entreat courtesy to others.

A lady should be no exception at all. [If only he could entreat that courtesy at the moment.]

My only dismay was that you were forced to walk alone in the first place.

[onemistress]

Gentlemen are not always so kind, as I am sure you know. It is seldom I am so grateful to anyone.

[ she'd learned to stop trusting such things a long time ago. But those darker thoughts had so little place at the moment. ] Still you seem to be enjoying yourself.

[of_the_lake]

Do I? [He furrowed his brows, wondering how that impression was given. Sure, the speedo screamed 'Party Boy', but he wasn't feeling it at the moment. Being snubbed and made to work when he just wanted to brood and protect his Masters had taken the wind out of his gloomy sails.]

I wasn't aware I had been radiating such an aura. I'll be sure to snuff it out.

[Primarily, because his punishment demanded that he not endow himself with any happiness at all.]

[onemistress]

[ Elizabeth wondered at those words, her eyebrow lifting a moment then decided it wasn't her place to pry.

... Well pry very much. ]

Are you not then? You seem more comfortable than I, that is for certain. Why ever should you change that?

[of_the_lake]

You should know, my Lady. After my crimes, I've no right to self-consideration. Instead, I've come to take this place and its protection as my punishment.

[For eternity, if he could make certain he'd stay that long.]

[onemistress]

[ Elizabeth frowned, and that made her look at him fully, not the sheepish way her eyes skittered about. She reached a hand forward then, going to touch him but thinking better of it. ]

We all of us have blood on our hands. [ Her more than any, she was England, and the blow of seeing this place ran so deeply under her veins, swam in her blood and festered with bitterness and regret that seemed to be unhealed. ] Would you truly protect England even to your own suffering and detrimental? Would serving be such utter misery to you? [ It's a timid question, not entirely sure she wants to hear the answer. ]

[of_the_lake]

It would be an honor and a joy to protect Albion. This is no such place, my Lady. [It would have been pride and joy that he would deny himself. If this were England of the past, he would have been overjoyed at a chance to help and then would have denied it, knowing it would have made him happy rather than feel punished.]

'Exsilium' is the end of the world. It is the perfect place for a mad dog to remain chained up as a guardian.

As I would not wish permanence upon anyone else, I must take it upon myself. For allowing my Queen to be hung and for slaying my brothers, I must set an example and rot.

[At that, Berserker hardly looked bothered by the prospect. He just wore a lifeless face.]

[onemistress]

[ Some part of her, the part of her that hated this place, wanted to tell him the truth. About England, about who she was. Because if a Knight of the Realm had no love of his duty, how was she supposed to have hope for her own? She was England, and it did exist. It breathed in her flesh and blood. ]

There is. She is hurt and wounded but she has need of you, now more than others. If redemption is what you seek, how on earth can that be the part to it...? [ then she shook her head. Her own refusal to except this fate for her home seeping into her bones like cold water trickling down her spine, in this heat. England and her duty was a clear cut clarity. ] This place is England, and she must be saved. Her rulers died for a better future than this. She deserves more from her Knights than for them to turn her back on her now, if redemption is truly what you seek.

[of_the_lake]

You're being kind to her and to me; however, I simply cannot agree. Redemption is a thing for those who live, whose reputations are yet to be staked and simplified.

The world could not turn if Lancelot were redeemable. It is enough that Arthur attempted to forgive me, but I cannot allow further tarnishing of his name.

[Though he made the case that he could not be loyal, Lancelot's inclinations guided him to think of his King, first. Above all else, he would have loved to be a knight again rather than what he was, but he was a thousand years late on that accord. In Exsilium, he was even later.]

In that, I do not seek redemption. I only seek ceaseless punishment.