[SEMIOPEN LOG] EXPEDITION 1 TEAM 2

[cdr_ryuuzaki]

 Semi-open log for the first expedition, Team 2 (Hiyoshi-Oshitari Y- Uion - Ibu).

How this works: only characters involved in this event can tag in this log. Set up categories/threads as needed, for example :Camping, Digging, More Digging. Other characters can also tag eg if someone makes a comm call, but make sure you ask/inform that person first, and this should not take up significant portions of the log. As always, ask in the Discord if you have any questions.

Have fun!

Comments

We've arrived!!

[shinjistudios]

Since Ibu had noticed the skies darkening before most everyone else, it made sense to him that he also noticed the environment changing. The sand looked more white than before and it all looked a bit... frosty.

"Could someone check the monitors for location? I think we may be at or close to our first destination." Or at least to a stopping point because he really wanted to stretch. "I've already switched to my weather-protection gear coverings so there's no need to wait for me when we do stop. Our suits are also made to withstand the change in temperature, right? As there's little to no sun, it's likely to be much colder here. Which reminds me of the expedition I took to the southern Martian pole. We had thermal gear, of course, but we were all still quite cold and couldn't be outside for more than 30 minutes before needing to go back inside for 2 hours to warm back up. This meant we could only trek about 10 minutes from our base, do some minimal work, then make the hike back. Unfortunately, this meant we didn't get as much done as we wanted until we were able to set up a chain of mini-bases. Those only held about three of us at a time, so we had to be careful."

Re: We've arrived!!

[spaceninja144]

"The suits will be fine." On the long days together, Hiyoshi had acquired the important skill of picking the important information out of Shinji's tangents.

Shinji was right though, the scenery had changed enough that they must be drawing near. Hiyoshi took a deep breath. There was no tell-tale smell of salt in the air, but who knew what the composition of this 'ocean' was anyway. The air had something to it that made Hiyoshi to it though, and he waved at the others.

"Send the drone out ahead of us. I think Ibu-san is right."

Re: We've arrived!!

[oshitari_yuushi]

Yuushi nodded, grateful that Hiyoshi had parsed through the deluge of Ibu's words.

They were sufficiently far from the water's edge that anything unexpected from the ocean wouldn't put them in immediate danger.

"I believe Mr Uion's drones can bring us some initial samples of the ocean water. If it's not toxic, which it shouldn't be, we can risk a closer look."

Re: We've arrived!!

[chickens]

Niou did a check on the radars - no sign of movement in the sand at least. "Looks like it should be okay to at least get out here. Stretch your legs."

He did get up, to climb over to the back to where his drone controls here, powering them on and grumbling a bit as he settled back down. "Sending them out now. Let me know if you see anything out on the water." Just in case his radars didn't pick anything up.

The first couple of drones lifted off the top of the vehicle and flew over to the water, lowering down to take surface samples of the water.

Re: We've arrived!!

[spaceninja144]

Hiyoshi doesn't need to be told twice, and is already kitting up with a sample collection kit, and most importantly a really big gun.

"Okay Ibu-san, get your camera and whatever you need. There's two rules while we're out there: if you see something, say something; and if I give you an order, listen."

Time to take the filmmaker for a walk.

Re: We've arrived!!

[shinjistudios]

Ibu didn't know why Hiyoshi was in charge; he figured it would have been Doctor Oshitari since he was the scientist on this mission, but maybe security people felt the need to exert authority. In any case, Ibu did as instructed, gathering up the equipment he needed and stepping out of the vehicle. It felt quite good, despite the chill, to be outside.

Mounting the camera on his chest plate, Ibu strapped it on and started filming the new area. "As you can see, we've entered twilight. Since Izunagi is similar to Earth's moon in that only one side ever sees the sun, the further we move to the water belt, the darker it becomes. Currently, there are drones on the water's surface taking samples."

Re: We've arrived!!

[spaceninja144]

It's because if Hiyoshi says 'move', it's because someone's gonna die if they don't. But yeah. There might be some authority issues mixed in there.

Anyhow, Hiyoshi stuck close to Shinji. The scenery was beautiful, sure, but even the cool sparkling twilight wasn't going to distract Hiyoshi from his job.

Re: We've arrived!!

[chickens]

Niou powered up the sensors and probes on the drones. "Preliminary data incoming for you, Dr Oshitari," he said, waving at a screen in case Oshitari wanted to look at it straight away.

He frowned and moved a drone to follow straight behind Hiyoshi and Ibu, if they were going to move too far away.

"There's some sort of detection of... something in the water?" he said, looking at the faint blip on his monitor. "But it's quite far down and doesn't seem to be moving right now."

Re: We've arrived!!

[oshitari_yuushi]

Yuushi examined the data on the screen Niou sent his way. The mass that Niou had pointed out did look like it could be a lifeform, and rather big one considering it was visible despite being well below the surface. There weren't any signs of smaller water organisms like fish, though, for better or for worse.

He looked at where Hiyoshi was accompanying Ibu. "Do you think we should wait for them to return before approaching the water ourselves, or can we risk it?" he asked Niou.

It was unlikely that the thing below the water would surface that quickly, and even if it did could Hiyoshi fight something that might be the size of an Earth whale.

Re: We've arrived!!

[chickens]

As much as he hated to say it... "Probably wait. It wouldn't be good if all four of us were taken out at once." At least the mass didn't seem to be reacting to the surface samples being taken.

He shifted in his seat and premptively started up the rest of the drones, just in case he had to move them all out to help Hiyoshi at short notice. "If something happens, I can set my drones to auto, you drive us closer and I'll use the big gun on the top."

Niou paused. "Or I could just sacrifice a drone now and see what happens...? Before anyone gets too close to the edge?"

Re: We've arrived!!

[oshitari_yuushi]

Yuushi nodded at Niou's plan in case of emergency and hoped to god they wouldn't need to protect Hiyoshi and Ibu from a sudden attack.

"As for 'sacrificing a drone', Mr Uion, I am torn between the need to preserve our technological resources and the need to preserve our crew members." He chuckled darkly. Of course, if they did lose a drone he could probably afford to have it come out of his department's budget in the spirit of inquiry and such. "All right, sending a drone is the best way to determine whether it's even possible to get closer to the water, so we won't be wasting time. Let's hope we don't end up losing it entirely."

Re: We've arrived!!

[chickens]

"I have plenty of drones, I can sacrifice one, it's fine."

He did recall back the others though, away from the edge, just in case. "Hiyoshi, stay away from the surface, I'm going to send a drone down to either collect deeper water samples or uh, get destroyed. Mr Oshitari, just keep an eye on the data anyway. Even if the drone gets destroyed, it'll have some information we can use."

Niou almost felt guilty as he controlled the one sacrificial drone to enter the water, watching the sensors on it. "Turning on the external camera..."

[spaceninja144]

"Understood." He'd been hesitant to approach the water the moment he heard that they'd seen something on the radar, so there were no arguments here. Immediately he starts herding Shinji away from the water, despite them not being particularly close.

"Film over there for a while."

[chickens]

Well... the drone hadn't been immediately eaten when it had entered the water. And the mass didn't seem to be moving or anything.

Niou peered at the video footage coming through and sent the drone closer. "It's... like... coral?" he said, confused. But it didn't seem to be moving, in any case. "Mr Oshitari, what do you think? I can take scans of it, but I'd need to use other drones."