CLOSED SIGNUPS Iris Landing: Chapter One - We Are Not Alone (Team A)

[Diana]

IRIS LANDING​

Captain's Logs Stardate 982366965

I honestly thought this commission would be a joke. Lost Earth? We've been telling stories about that place for centuries as if it's some kind of biblical Garden of Eden. Ye Olde Land of Promise type bullshit. Now I've got to eat my own damn hat. She's beautiful. Not that vibrant bluey green we're always seeing in ancient images - the labcoats say that's due to some kind of atmospheric interference - but still. This is the world we all came from: you can't help being a little awed.

It's taken the science crew about a week of scanning, analyzing, and doing whatever the hell they do to be sure teams can land safely on the planet. The air is breathable, the temperature livable. There's confirmed life down there, though they're not sure what kinds. Well, beyond the visible hues of vegetation spread across the continents we can clearly see from orbit. They've chosen what looks like a ruined coastal city to make the first basecamps.

Catherine Callery is leading up the first team, landing on the coastal side with plans of getting samples from the beach and the ocean itself. Drew the short end of the straw though and wound up with that idiot musician as part of their landing party. The Tessan is likely to knock him on his ass the first time he steps out of line.

Victoria Jowell was assigned the second team, tasked with landing on the jungle side of the ruined city to gather plant samples and look for fauna. The Bereen Ambassador didn't seem too pleased with this choice of leadership, nor about the addition of that kid Clem to their team. I got a gut feeling that woman's about to be in for beaurocratic hell.

Almost wish I was down there myself. But somebody's gotta stay up in orbit and keep an eye on things. There's no signs of radio waves or space communications coming off the planet, and the solar system itself appears to be quiet. Yet, some of the Tessan crew insist you can't let your guard down in systems like this. "It's the quiet places enemies best hide." An old Tessan saying.

---

Adventures are for the young. That's what Doctor Catherine Callery was told by a group of silver-haired elders at the University of Human Archaeology. They could have chosen any number of qualified, more experienced individuals to head up the entire Iris project, but instead chose her, someone barely out of their PHD programs and never had been a leader of anything in her entire life.

Catherine had her suspicions that they were setting up this project to fail, to pocket all of the invested funds and repurpose everything for more profitable endeavors.

They were going to be real surprised to find out they actually found it. The lost planet Earth!

"We're going to need to unload all of the crates and setup our basecamp perimeter," she explained to Briar and the A.I. KARA after their small shuttled had safely landed in a small clearing near the beach. "Teck should do a sweep of the immediate area to give an idea of what to expect in terms of potentially dangerous wildlife."

At least she sounded like she knew what she was doing. Which helped when her team all clambered out of their shuttle and had a chance to take their first in person view of Earth.



Ancient buildings somehow still standing as monuments of steel and concrete were covered in a thick blanket of various green where the jungle had encroached all the way to the sandy beach itself. Nature had truly found it's footing again, repairing all of the damage done to the planet's surface to flourish, grow, and most excitingly... evolve!

There would be no limit of things to explore and examine.





Team A is: @Kuno @Zarko Straadi @metal box nomad @Lyrikai @Nougat

 

[Nougat]

Briar Mason

Earth is beautiful. That was the first thing Briar had thought when she first saw the planet from orbit. Her awe came partially from the fact that she hadn’t truly been convinced they would find anything at all until it was right in front of her, a splendour of blue and green. But here they were now, one step closer to (if she dared to hope) a successful mission.

Briar listened with rapt attention as Dr. Callery explained their next steps, replying with a sharp nod and an, “Of course, right away, Dr. Callery.” Then she headed straight for the shuttle's hold, pulling out a utility cart that she had left there previously when she had helped with loading their supplies.

"Hopefully Teck will have finished checking out the area by the time we've unloaded so we can think of how best to set up camp,” she said, maintaining a light and cheerful tone as she began to load supplies onto her cart. K.A.R.A., she was sure, would be able to complete the task of setting up camp with far greater efficiency than Briar could, but she was loathed to make another person (or robot, as it were) pick up the slack.

Cart full, Briar stopped in front of one last crate, etched with an odd pattern. She was quick to pry it open and grab the item which she knew would be nestled at the top; a portable environmental monitor, which she slipped into the front pocket of her jacket. She knew the environment was deemed habitable from the analysis done before they had landed, but it was best to be cautious. The crate held other similar items, from some partially disassembled water monitors she’d been attempting to upgrade to filtration masks in case the atmospheric quality worsened, and lightweight suits which should be able to protect their group from many environmental hazards (at least long enough for them to reach shelter). She would distribute those whenever she had the chance. At the very least, she’d prefer if Lyrik took the set she had for him, which had less to do with any distrust in his abilities and more to do with her distrust in the functionality of his outfits.

Briar closed her crate, drumming the fingers of her gloved right hand over the top. The action activated ultrasonic transmitters on the tips of her glove, flowing over the metasurface pattern etched to the crate. It was a commonly used device on her planet, which allowed the other predominant species of her planet to carry objects as they flew. The box lifted with her hand and remained floating, pulled along as she carted supplies off the shuttle and stepped foot for the first time on Earth.

The land surrounding them was wild and untamed, the vast greenery that surrounded them quite different from the more reddish tones of the foliage from her home planet. The manmade structures that towered around them were wrapped in flora, but unlike on Xerlos, where nature was purposefully included in the planning of their architecture, it seemed more as though the greenery was burying what humans had left behind so long ago.

Briar could have stood there for ages, listening to the waves as they crashed against the beach, straining her ears for sounds of life. However, it was not the time to be staring slack-jawed at their surroundings. There was much work to do, after all. First and foremost, sorting through their supplies and getting out everything they needed to set up camp. Briar let the crate that was floating next to her drop into the sand as she set about unloading the cart.

 

[Lyrikai]

Okay. So space travel in theory sounded absolutely amazing and thrilling and exciting as anything Lyrik had ever experienced before. In practice, however, it hadn't been all rainbows and sunshine. He'd never gotten seasick before (he'd never been on the sea before anyway), but never really knew that space sick was even a thing that was real until he experience that for himself. So that was a learning curve to overcome. Overcome it he did! Though he lost many meals first sadly... not that he was missing them though. Honestly the meals weren't all that fantastical. He'd had better fast food when on a rush to a venue when they were late for a performance.

Well. Hopefully the food would be better on the planet. Maybe Earth would have some nice resources to collect and cook into meals that were less... processed and tasteless.

He already knew he didn't quite fit in all that well with this group of actually competent, what were they? Soldiers? Scientists? Engineers? Medics? There was probably one of everything here honestly. It would have been pretty stupid to come all the way out here without a proper doctor and a weapons expert in case there was something here that got a little nasty and hurt somebody. So he'd never used a gun before. Oh big deal. That was why that big reptilian was for surely! He looked big and tough enough to protect the team from danger! What was his name again? Tetris?

Oh. Teck. Right. Well, he was close. Listening closely as their expedition leader was already barking out orders, Lyrik shrugged... and frowned some having not heard his own name. Well that was fine, too. Probably a good thing. The less work he got himself into, the better. He was already glancing around to find a good spot to sit down at and wait for the basecamp to get set up. This was no different than watching his crew set up a stage for a concert, right! Or. Maybe it was better that he tried to do something to help.

He instantly picked his butt up off the crate he'd nestled onto, having been ready to lounge and let others do the work, and did something a bit unheard of for him... he followed along behind the one known as Briar. "This is exciting, right?" he asked, already beginning to bounce on his heels. He didn't yet offer any assistance, mostly just watched what she was doing to decide what he could help with (if anything). It looked like she was unpacking and distributing supplies. Well that was easy enough! He was already looking over the hazard suits, grimacing slightly at the feel of them, poking as well at anything else within arms reach. "Are we supposed to wear these?" Oof. They really weren't all that appealing and a small part of him kind of wanted to wait in the ship. Maybe he'd bitten off more than he could chew coming along on this journey.

Still.

Turning his head, he looked out at the crumbling ruins. It was surreal being here. This was really Earth? It was so quiet. So.. empty. Peaceful as the breeze that rolled through, yet a bit disturbing and saddening to see long since abandoned buildings reclaimed by nature. They were the first ones to be hack here in... how long now? "It's kind of eerie, isn't it?" he said aloud to no one in particular, "Kind of pretty, but... eerie."

 

[Kuno]

B L A I R

First rule of interplanetary travel through an unknown quadrant: you don't wander off. Second rule of interplanetary travel through an unknown quadrant: shake all the warp speed reduced ratio lag out of your bones and muscles first before you attempt to haul a 25 kg box off the boat onto a loose, unsteady sand foundation.

Blair had both a curse and a prayer all ready to be loosed. He grunted, face grimacing as he twisted his torso first to the left, then to the right, rolling his sore shoulder around in spite of the pain. For all his yakking at the other crewmates to play it safe, he'd gone and nearly pulled his shoulder out with the hasty lift of that box. Hell - what had the company packed in there, a portable toilet?

Might've been nice. Something told him the leering rank of the jungles surrounding them were far less friendly than they seemed. He raised his eyes high, peering at the mess of the ruins before him. Old, dilapidated buildings sprouted from the ground like fingers, poking into the crystal blue of the Earth's sky. The quiet was relative; asides from the chatter of his crewmates, the waves created a constant murmur, and somewhere beyond the tree line came the sonorous calls of Earth's native fauna.

He'd never been on a planet that thrummed from its very core with life. It was--

"...eerie," came Lyrik's voice from behind him. Blair gave him a sidelong glance, watching as the man followed along Briar like a duckling to its mother.

There hadn't been much time to get to know the crew before departure, and Blair had kept mostly to himself on the ship. Old habits died hard; he didn't particularly care for small talk. But that didn't mean he was wholly antisocial.

"Like a graveyard," The doctor finally commented, coming up to the cart. He eyed Lyrik and Briar both before grabbing a crate labeled supplies. He gave it a firm shake, tutting when he heard the tinkle of glass within.

 

[monkeydoll5]

RENAI

"Whoa."

The word escaped her lips in the form of barely a whisper as she surveyed the surrounding area. She'd snuck herself onto one of the last remaining ships that had made port, surveying the crew and their patterns for a few days, to make sure she wouldn't be caught sneaking food in and out of the kitchens. Fortunately, it also seemed that people didn't look past the half assed uniform shirt she'd found in the barracks, so she could get away with plenty of stuff fairly easily. But that wasn't what mattered now, what mattered now was the features in front of her.

The luscious green before her that had battled with all those thousands of pounds of steel and concrete made for a bit of a sight, and she took in a breath while the gravity of the situation she had found herself in settled onto her.

This was a completely different planet, with a completely different ecosystem than she had ever been used to, and there were (so far as she could tell), no other people around except for this crew, that had no idea she was even there with them. She sighed, keeping her distance from them for now. She just had to keep pace with everyone else until they got back to the ship... or whatever it was.

code by wren.

 

[Zarko Straadi]

K.A.R.A. processed the incoming data from the captain's logs and the interactions between the crew members. Its artificial intelligence analyzed the situation and determined the appropriate response. It approached Briar, who seemed to be actively unloading supplies, and initiated a conversation.

---

K.A.R.A.

K.A.R.A.'s blue eyes emitted a soft glow as it approached Briar, its metallic frame moving with precision and grace. The intelligent robot's voice resonated in a calm and soothing tone as it engaged in conversation.

"Greetings, Briar. I noticed you could use assistance with unloading the supplies. Allow me to assist you," K.A.R.A. offered, extending its nimble metallic arms towards the remaining crates. Its sensors scanned the contents, swiftly identifying the equipment and categorizing them for efficient distribution.

"Based on Dr. Callery's instructions, we should prioritize setting up the basecamp perimeter and ensuring the safety of the crew. I can assist in assembling the shelters and installing the environmental monitors," K.A.R.A. suggested, its algorithms processing the optimal approach for the task.

The intelligent robot carefully selected a crate containing lightweight suits and filtration masks, lifting it effortlessly with its precision grip. "Please distribute these protective suits to the crew members. They should provide adequate protection against potential environmental hazards," it added, its eyes glowing with a hint of concern for the crew's safety.

K.A.R.A. continued to unload and organize the supplies with efficiency and accuracy, its mechanical movements accompanied by a subtle hum. While focusing on the task at hand, it remained receptive to any further instructions or interactions from Briar or other crew members, ready to fulfill its role as an invaluable asset to the IRIS mission.

 

[Nougat]

Briar Mason​

Briar noticed Lyrik's approach long before he reached her, hovering around as she worked. He reminded her rather of the young anorung back home, who often flew circles around her as she slowly climbed her way towards their towns. Which was fine. She hadn't thought he would help, so she could hardly be angry if he did what she expected. As she often did when faced with similar personalities in the past, Briar maintained a pleasant expression and hummed an acknowledgement to his words.

Besides, K.A.R.A. appeared soon enough, unloading supplies and making suggestions with all the efficiency Briar had expected of it. "Thank you for all your help, K.A.R.A.," she said with a soft smile, dipping her head in acknowledgement.

In the meantime, Lyrik had found the suits. Briar could understand his distaste; they were certainly designed with function over form in mind. Still, she had to withhold a sigh at his words. She was glad, once again, for K.A.R.A.'s presence as it held out her crate. It gave Briar a moment to collect herself, which was always something she could appreciate.

She took the crate from the robot, setting it back onto the ground and digging through it until she had a sleek black respirator mask and the suit she had brought for Lyrik in hand. When she turned back to Lyrik – and Dr. Barnes, who held a box which Briar dearly hoped did not contain anything important – it was with a bright smile and chirrupy tone. "The environment seems fine right now, Lyrik, so you don't need to wear a suit! But I think it would be a good idea to take one just in case; besides hazards, it can also regulate your body temperature! And if we're doing anything a bit messy, it's great to throw over your clothes – your outfits are all so nice, I wouldn't want any of them to get dirty."

As she spoke, Briar bundled up the suit she held in her hands, setting it and the mask on a crate near Lyrik. There were countless features she could highlight, such as its self-healing, hydrophobic fabric, but she chose to end it there. Briar had learned over the years not to be too pushy; it was, more often than not, detrimental to her end goals.

"I also have a suit for you, Dr. Barnes," she said, looking up towards the doctor. "I can set it with your things." There was a neat pile of supplies nearby, on top of which was a medical kit. Considering K.A.R.A.'s remarkable organization, it seemed reasonable to assume that this stack contained the doctor's supplies.

 

[Diana]

With the Artificial Research Unit as part of her team, it definitely made unpacking their shuttle a million times easier. Doctor Barnes wasn't exactly in his prime, the musician was proving to be as useless as expected, and course Catherine herself had never been someone built for field research. It felt lucky that Briar seemed to not just have a smart head on her shoulders but physical capability as well. Between the K.A.R.A. unit and Briar, they would have the base camp set up in no time.

Yet, as Catherine took a moment to pause looking through the equipment manifest in her hands to glance around her, there was this eerie sensation that someone was watching. Everyone seemed to be accounted for in her immediate sight - expect for the Tessan, she assumed he'd done as instructed to begin searching the area and make sure the perimeter was safe.

'Human instinct is a funny thing,' she thought to herself. Eons of evolution and there were still certain base instincts that never went away. Giving the nearby treeline and the derelict city ruins a last wary stare, she chalked it up to the presence of natural fauna. No doubt there were many a curious species nearby that had never had the chance to set eyes on the Earth's lost children.

Putting her focus to the task at hand, Catherine searched through the unloaded crates to find the first of the pop out poles and construction panels that'd be used to built a mobile research shelter. The pieces were made of a fine, super light alloy - perfect for fast construction and easy dismantling - and provided all the shelter they'd need from the sun and the elements while they collected samples.

"You know what you could do, Mister Ion," Doctor Catherine called out, with the slightest hint of a tease in her voice as she setup a stack of panels. "Sing us a few songs to make time pass a little faster. That is, if you don't want to search the beach for signs of crabs and mollusks."

 

[Lyrikai]

Lyrik's shoulder bristled, startled as the doctor approached, slipping in to grab supplies and remark with his own comment to accompany the eerie feel that Lyrik had voiced aloud. He was right though. It really was like a graveyard. His emotions flowed between awe and inspired and terrified and depressed at the sight. It was so quiet, and so empty, so just plain as day devoid of life and color. There was no joy here, no bright and cheery welcome to a lost home they were returning to after far too long away from the place. No 'Welcome Home'. No parades, nor fireworks nor celebrations would be had. It felt more like the calm before the storm.

Something felt eerily wrong and off, but he didn't want to assume the worst just yet. He was still in a good mood and he wanted to keep spirits up: The others of the group, and especially his own.

His mood was only being bolstered back up by Briar's kind words anyway. "Oh-" He pressed a hand to his chest, "You think my outfits are nice? That's so kind of you. I picked them all out myself before joining this voyage because I so wanted to look my best for such a momentous occasion!" He couldn't bear to let his first steps on Earth have him out here looking like a street bum, could he! "Thank you so much for worrying about me. I'll be sure to make sure I'm all covered up and protected, dear, don't worry."

Still looking about the area for some more things that he could actually do that would neither break his spinal column nor get him filthy and horribly dirty, a suggestion from their team leader got his eyes all aglow, sparkling with even more renewed vigor. "You think so?" He took a curious glance around, giving an eager nod, "I'd be delighted to! Morale is very important among the troops and all that as well, right? Well.. Not that we're troops." He let out a nervous laugh, "At least I certainly am not."

Clearing his throat, he nestled atop a nearby crate, hoping that it wasn't going to be used any time soon. "Well alright... Hm... Let's see."

Fingers tapped on a thigh, playing along to a rhythm in his head that only he could hear. Voice soft and low, he started into a cheery tune that started out something like:

"From the highest of hills
And farthest mountain tops
Adventure's calling my name
Hope she never stops
I don't know how far we'll go
Or just how high we'll be"

"We've got a new song to sing
Every point of view
And the whole world to see
Nothing left to lose
Just let go of all your fear
One shot is all we need"

"And all they want is
Just a little more time to find
The strength they needed
To set the fear on fire
Make it look so easy"

He carried on, swaying and twirling a finger, clearly now lost in his own little world for the time being.

Lyrik's song of choice