Archive | February 18, 2018

Tootplanet: Explorers’ Logs Planet 7-18-2

Feb18

Explorer Log Planet 7-18-2

We went down loaded for bear and packed up for mid-winter.

What we found wasn’t nearly as cold as we expected – not by almost 5 degrees C – and was very occupied with pleasant animal life. Small things, fluffy, sweet-looking.

Of course, we’re so close to the pole and so close to “summer” here that we’re in a period of long days and long nights.  And the sun just set.

Those fluffy creatures don’t look so friendly in the twilight, let me tell you.  And I’m wondering if we prepared quite well enough.

     

    Tootplanet: Captain’s Log Sector 7, Subector 18

    Feb18

    Star Log, Sec. 7, Sub 18-1

    This planet is larger than Earth but not amazingly so, and it is dryer than Earth but not horribly so.

    What is really notable is how flat it is, with only a small amount of variation between the high and low spots, and how quiet it is.  There is little axial tilt, but enough to make it almost homelike; the tides ride far up on the beaches.

    There is civilization here, although they appear to live in low buildings made mostly of wood.  Stone and metal appear in short supply.  

    We sent down a polite greeting probe.

    Star Log, Sec. 7, Sub 18-2

    We were uncertain at first glance if this planet could sustain life.  Its lang masses are almost all at its poles, with only a scattering of small islands like a crooked dotted line between them.  But the southern continent – almost as large as Africa, if considerably closer to round – has greenery and what appears to be some sort of animal life.

    We were reluctant to send down a team, but the readings were so good, it was hard to resist.  A small colony might be very happy here.

    Star Log, Sec. 7, Sub 18-3

    This planet is lightly inhabited – it looks like the equivalent of early Iron-age technology.  We won’t bother them, although we will note to visit every 100 years.

    The strange thing here is that the continents and landmasses are bilaterally symmetrical, eerily so – and in sharp contrast, all of their buildings, structures, even their roads are defiantly, aggressively asymmetrical.

    We would blame it on some strange trend, but even the ruins we’ve seen share the same lopsided style.

    And yet their seas could be drawn with a compass and their mountains with a ruler.

    7.18.2

       

       

      Tootplanet: Explorers’ Logs Planet 7-17-2

      Feb18

      Explorer Log Planet 7-17-2

      The glitter, it turns out, is biological.

      We landed, and everything was fine for the first two days.  We noticed no dangers in the air, nothing on the surface or the rainwater that would cause us issues.

      We sent Spifio out as out canary, and after two days Spif was glittering.

      The thing is, there’s nothing wrong with Spif yet, not as far as we can tell, except the glitter. And the way words seem to glitter in the air when Spif speaks.

      So far, our filters are holding out.  We’re giving Spif a week to see what happens with the glitter.  

      If only Spif didn’t SPARKLE so much when we said he had to stay outside.

      Planetary D47

      We all sparkle now.

      After five days, we let Spifio back into the enclosure. The only ill effect seemed to be the glitter hanging everywhere, and the animals seemed much more interested in sparkling at Spif than in eating him.

      Turns out the glitter has a pheromone which says “one of us”, except that there’s several different pheromone sets.

      Good thing they sent us down with a splittable pod, because I can’t stand the sight of Spif, Lee, or Garana now and Tellie almost strangled Lee last week.

      Planetary D181

      There was a period of time we will not speak of.

      During that time, several things happened, of course.

      We have narrowed the glitter down to five lines, each with its own pheromone. We’ve also developed a blocker which allows us to tolerate the other pheromones.

      In addition, we have found that a particular combination of the glitters has a healing effect – if you don’t tear yourself apart trying to get the stink off of you.

      This planet is fascinating, but 5 years cannot come soon enough.

      Planetary D203

      Garana has figured it out! It took a few false attempts and seventeen animals in cages – three didn’t survive – but we have found a way to block or replicate the effects of the glitter hormones.

      For the first time in half a year, I hugged my wife. And then we went about the more complicated business of determining how these pheromones work on this planet.

      But there was a lot of hugging.

         

        The Hidden Mall ⏳ Rip Van Winkle

        Feb18

        First: The Hidden Mall – a beginning of something
        Previous: Back the Way They Came

        The Hidden Mall has a landing page here: http://www.lynthornealder.com/verses/the-hidden-mall/

        ⏳

        Abby stared at the door.  “Hold on?” she asked the Livs.  It won’t go where it did.  Well, nothing had yet.  We can’t go home.  What did Abby want more than anything?  Home?

        She wanted to feel safe, and to have a warm place to sleep and a real meal.  She wanted to see sunlight and feel it on her face.

        She opened the door. Continue reading →