(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

[velveteened]

It's a book series from our world! It's my favorite.

[quackery]

Oh, I love books! Tell me about it. How's the story go?

[velveteened]

( LONG DESCRIPTION OF THE HEROIC EDWIN AND HIS SERVANT EDGAR AS THEY BATTLE ADVERSITY AND THE CLASS SYSTEM AND THREATS OF DISHONOR TO GAIN THE TITLE OF HOLY KNIGHT )

[quackery]

[TOTALLY ENGAGED THE WHOLE TIME]

That sounds so cool! I can see why it's your favorite. What other stories are your favorite?

[velveteened]

All of them! If it's a story, I'll like reading it.

[quackery]

So you're big on books, huh? I guess we're both lucky that the library here is really good! Do you go there a lot?

1/2

[velveteened]

(












yeah about that )

[velveteened]

The librarian hates me, but I used to.

[quackery]

What—

[Did you do, she starts to ask, but maybe that's not the best way to deal with this.]

Um, if you tell me what kind of stuff you like, I could get it and bring it to you!

[velveteened]

( rude!!! )

Wouldn't that be trouble for you?

[quackery]

No, it wouldn't! I go there a lot anyways, picking up a few extra each time wouldn't be any trouble at all.

What kind do you like in general?

[velveteened]

I love exciting adventures, especially knights going on epic quests to save their kingdom! And also stories about a cool main character, no matter what he or she is doing. Sometimes simpler stories are nice too, you know? Dramatic or funny, as long as it's written well, I'll enjoy it.

( so basically he's really easy to please. )

[quackery]

I'll remember all that! Um, is two or three a week okay?

[A pause, and then, curiously:]

Why knights?

[velveteened]

That's fine! Thank you.

( pauses at the question )

Because they're amazing, of course! They're brave and loyal, for one thing, and strong and always uphold their ideals of nobility and honor. And! They always protect people, no matter what. Isn't that the best thing a person can do?

[quackery]

[Her smile fades for just a moment, before she nods with that same grin.]

Yeah, you're right! But I think it'd be better to be able to protect people without having to hurt others. I mean, you can be brave and loyal and strong and noble and everything without fighting.

[velveteened]

Of course, those things don't all have to go together. But - ( spreads his arms out to the breeze, as though reminding himself where they are ) - it's still fun to read about.

[quackery]

Yeah, that's true! Okay, I'll remember all that stuff.

Do you like nonfiction or just stories?

[velveteened]

I prefer stories!

[quackery]

Got it! How come, though?

[velveteened]

What do you mean?

[quackery]

Well, like - I mean, real life can have some pretty crazy stories in it too, so I was wondering why you like fiction better! I mean, I bet if any of us went home and wrote a book about the stuff that happened here, it'd be as interesting as any novel, easy.

[velveteened]

Well, I like reading nonfiction too. But that seems more like something to study than something to read for fun.

[quackery]

Not always! I mean, like, there are novels written that are more realistic, right? Stuff that totally could have happened. So I guess what I'm saying is that real life and stories are more connected than you might think...

[SHE WOULD KNOW]

[velveteened]

Well, that's true. Sometimes even things that seem more fantastic can have grains of truth to them.

( PREACHING TO THE CHOIR )

[quackery]

Yeah! I mean, I bet if someone told me a while ago that I'd end up in a whole different dimension, I would've thought they were crazy. You too, I bet.