(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

[hyanaimne]

[she takes it, similarly as something she'd rather not hold either. She quickly deposits it back into her cloak]

. . . even soldiers need . . . I believe the term is "down time".

1/2

[anklets]

[ 404: phrase not found ]

[anklets]

[ laughs, bright enough to be the envy of even this prehistoric sun ]

Maybe we do.

[hyanaimne]

[why is she laughing? Was it something she said?

She sinks into her cloak a bit, almost self-consciously]

M-Mm . . .

[anklets]

[Meant to reassure:] You could say "down time" was a rare thing, back home.

[ synonymous with being too injured to leap straight back onto the field ]

[hyanaimne]

[she tilts her head, and hesitantly, peeks back out]

. . . you were already a soldier?

[anklets]

Yes.

[hyanaimne]

[sadly, there's no surprise there. Tempest was used to hearing about young ones joining the military. The only surprise, maybe, was that she was a girl, but then again, Tempest wasn't one to care about social standards and all that]

I see.

[anklets]

[Makes room for a dull relief in her, no prying to avoid answering to.]

Still, I think I'd like to make myself useful before taking advantage of the weather.

[hyanaimne]

[ah, the useful type]

Useful how . . . ?

[anklets]

[ hefts the burlap bag in hand ]

[hyanaimne]

. . . ?

[anklets]

They want for us to collect volcanic rock. So I will.

[ a smile, strained about the eyes ]

For the time being.

[hyanaimne]

[she frowns at that, and at the bag . . . ]

Ah. If you wish to.

[anklets]

I don't, [ blandly ] but I figure it might be best.

[hyanaimne]

. . . perhaps.