(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

[obliterating]

Oh, yes, I was.

[He holds out his hands, and looks down at the shells with a soft smile.]

There's no need to thank me. But...thank you. We spoke on the network before, didn't we?

[hornedomen]

Yes. I'm Ico.

[The remaining shells clattered as he placed the sack on the sand.]

I'm glad it's over. Did the demons hurt you? [He looked at the scar.]

[obliterating]

I'm glad it's over, too.

[Is it ever truly over, though? The next question catches him slightly off-guard, and it takes him a moment to follow Ico's eyes.]

Oh, that. No...that's a very old wound. It didn't heal right.

[In the Scourge, no one cared to look pretty. Among some, death scars were a source of pride. Certainly, there was no care put into making them look just right or making sure the skin was stitched up properly.

As long as nothing was falling out, that was a job done well enough. When mass-manufacturing an army, there was no time to waste on making sure things were done as one might for someone still alive.]

[hornedomen]

Do you know Ashraf? Maybe he can do something about it. He's really good at healing.

[He touched his own shoulder as he remembered the time Ashraf had helped with his injuries. It was only a memory now.]

[obliterating]

I think it's a bit late for that...but thank you for the thought. I don't think Ashraf could heal this.

[And even if he could, it would be nothing short of torture.]

[hornedomen]

[Continued here.]