(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

[quackery]

I think you have to go somewhere by choice to be a tourist.

I'm just making sure! Jeez.

[5055034455]

Technicalities.

[He waves a hand. Don't get bogged down by definitions, kid.]

Aren't you having any fun? Nice weather, nice scenery, dinosaurs. C'mon. You must have built a sandcastle by now, or something.

[quackery]

Of course I'm having fun! I was just on the way to the water when I tripped over your leg. I'm not any good at sandcastles, though.

[5055034455]

Whoa, whoa. Hold up. How can you not be good at sandcastles? It's just sand and water. What, do you have trouble with ratios?

[quackery]

It's not making it that's the problem, it's like... Making it look good and stuff!

[5055034455]

Adding details? That's what sticks and shells and your hands are for.

[Ahiru.

Does Saul have to show you how to build a proper sandcastle?

Because he so will.]

[quackery]

No, not details, like... It always ends up misshapen and stuff when I try to do it!

[5055034455]

[SIGH.

Does Saul have to do everything around here? Gosh. He stands, stretches, then starts off toward the shoreline and gestures for Ahiru to follow him.]

C'mon. We need to find a bucket.

[quackery]

[She pauses for a second and watches him, surprised.]

Wait, really?

[5055034455]

[And he pauses as well, tossing her an unamused look.]

I can't let you go through life not knowing how to construct a proper sandcastle. That's just sad. You coming or not?

[quackery]

What are you, like, some sandcastle expert?

[She laughs, but she follows after him with a smile, too.]

[5055034455]

I'm an expert in many things.

[Including sandcastles, apparently.

Saul starts off toward one of the work areas, where there are plenty of buckets for the taking. And sure, the Initiative provided them for the sake of the mission's actual objective, but Saul's convinced that this mission is so silly and useless that this really is the Initiative's way of apologizing.

So he'll steal all the buckets he wants to. Anyone taking this too seriously is missing out — maybe he's doing someone a favor.]

[quackery]

[She follows after, tilting her head as he grabs the bucket.]

Why are you taking that? Don't other people need it?

[5055034455]

We need it more. I'm sure we've collected plenty of sand by now, don't you?

[Then he crouches, picking up a fistful of the stuff and letting it sift between his fingers. He rolls the grains around, frowns thoughtfully at them.]

This is different sand, though. Hm.

[quackery]

[She kneels in the sand, peering at it with interest.]

Do you think it'll work the same as a regular sandcastle would?

[5055034455]

[Continued here!]