[PG-13]Eartia: The Landing

[Edynol]

(Rated PG-13 for mild violence, language, and adult themes.)


Space. The vastness of the universe, which despite the advances in technology, is still far beyond what anyone could possibly imagine. Each time we think we have even the slightest idea of how big it is, it turns out we have still yet to even scratch the surface of it. Ten or so planets in a solar system, millions of solar systems in a galaxy and as far as we know, googols of zillions of trillions of billions of galaxies in what may not even be the only universe in existence. If anyone ever figured out how big the whole of creation was, their head would probably implode from the realization of how insignificant everything they know really is. Even in this day in time, the planet Earth dead now for hundreds of years, when the laws of physics as we understood them have been crushed and redesigned numerous times, we still can't even fathom the random number of possibilities that to us may seem impossible.

For the people on the ship Hope, this has become the doctrine. Their ancestors had long ago learned not to label any theory as impossible, as improbable as one may seem. Even the ones who built Hope had no idea what those on the ship would encounter. They weren't expected to reach Eartia-E701C for over six hundred years, but in a pleasant turn of events, the solar sails became supercharged when the ship passed just a few billion kilometers from a pulsar. When the immense energy from the small star's X-rays hit the sails, it pushed them faster than they ever thought they'd go, cutting the journey in half. They even discovered forms of life on planets they passed that everyone was sure couldn't possibly support any kind of life, like the freezing planetoid Kuper-G11B, whose atmospheric temperatures never exceeded minus five hundred degrees, they spotted strange flying creatures the size of whales when they looked through the telescopes.

Long ago we learned that Earth wasn't the only planet to support life, and they knew we wouldn't be alone on the planet of Eartia. The probes orbiting the planet could only tell us so much, and the one that went down to the surface landed in water, so aside from a few species of sea life, the crew had no idea what other forms of life to expect. And to the crew, that was both the scary part, and the most exciting part.
__________________________________________________ ____________________________


Captain Scott McAnders, the leader of the crew on the ship, had a huge grin on his face as the planet Eartia became larger and larger in his sight. But despite the grin, he was nervous to the point where the slightest noise made him jump. As he gazed out, a look of worried anticipation in his eyes, the door to the main bridge opened and he gave a start, almost jumping into the air as he turned around to see Lieutenant Misha Gvostanski, a young looking woman of Russian descent who despite being almost fifty looked closer to her mid twenties. Scott sighed as he ran a hand through his bright red hair before speaking. "Geez, Misha. Don't be scaring me like that," he said in a light Irish accent. Over the years, with people from various nationalities living together, accents had all but vanished. But there were still a few, like Scott, who still managed to carry a little twinge of their heretical accents.

Misha smiled, holding in a laugh. "You called me up here, remember," she responded, her amusement evident in her tone.

"Since when did you start deciding to come when I ask ye too?" Scott scowled, but it was forced and his heart wasn't in it, so finally he chuckled himself. "Well, I guess I can't blame ya. You ready to take the helm?"

Misha suddenly looked a little nervous, but excited at the same time. She had been practicing on the simulator almost everyday for the past fifteen years to prepare for what was about to happen. But even with that, she still worried something might go wrong. This was the real thing, now. Not just some computer screen in front of a vibrating, dancing chair. Finally, she let out a sigh. "I have been waiting for this almost my whole life. Of course I'm ready."

Scott chuckled again. "You aren't scared, are ye," he said with a grin.

Misha shot him a scowl that made him blink. "Of course I'm not scared, you fiery-haired buffoon," she said as she took a seat at the helm. She then stared at the controls and swallowed. "I'm bloody terrified to my damn boots."

Scott laughed as he shook his head, glad that he wasn't alone in that, before turning on the ship's com to address the crew. "Alright everyone, get to your stations. We're doin' it for real this time! Retract solar sails.....now!" The ship noticeably slowed as the solar sails folded and retracted into the ship. As they approached the planet, the ship shook as the Eartia's gravity took its hold. "Reverse main thrusters fifty percent, revert power from all non-essential compartments. Increase thruster output ten percent per kilometer then prepare to bring back up thrusters online. Misha?"

"Velocity has decreased by ten percent, hull integrity is still at full," Misha said, her voice a little shaky, perhaps from the shaking of the ship. "Estimated five minutes til atmospheric contact. We're going to fast, we need to decrease speed by another sixty percent before we reach the exosphere or we risk tearing the hull apart."

Scott nodded then turned to the bridge engineering officer. "Well?" was all he said. The man pondered for just a brief moment before calling down to engineering. "Revert all fuel from the life support generators to thrusters, move all nonessential personnel to Hydroponics. Have the landing crew dawn air masks."

"Bring thrusters to absolute maximum," the captain said into the com. "Bring Back up thruster online and run them at seventy five percent." As they entered the atmosphere, the ship started shaking violently. "Misha?"

"Hull integrity at eighty nine percent," she yelled out. "Adjusting trajectory and increasing latitude to compensate. We need slow down more before we can deploy the chutes."

"Okay," Scott yelled as he scratched his head. "Alright, I'm disengaging the probes! We can search for them later!" After releasing the remaining probes, which weighed a few tons each, the ship slowed at little more. "Misha?"

The woman actually smiled. "I think that did it, captain!" She actually giggled! "Turn back up thrusters to full and we should be able to deploy chutes in under a minute!"

Scott almost cheered. "Alright! Back up thrusters to full!" Once they were slow enough and the violent shaking started to subside, he ordered to deploy the chutes. "Okay, bring thrusters to ten percent, how are we looking Misha?"

"Looking good, Scott," she said with wide eyes. "Looking wonderful. Look! Land! I am landing there! Right there! Next to that...um...water...thing. Lake!"

Scott was speechless as he looked out. But after a few moments of bliss, he finally regained his composure. "Alright, take us down. Thrusters to fifty percent. Landing crew, job well done. James, you lucky bastard, get out there and take a step."

Doctor James Williams cheered as he sprinted from Hydroponics and ran to the closest exit, radio and other instruments in hand. "I'm on my way! On my way on my way on my way!" The twenty seven year old felt like a child now. It was like everyone had a birthday on Christmas and he got to open all the presents and play with them first before sharing them with the others. That was they only way he could explain it.

As he reached the exit, his air mask still on his face, he pulled the latch and the first door opened. Once through, it closed behind him. Then when the second door opened, a rush of cool air flowed through, knocking him back a few steps against the other door. He then fell on his bottom as the gravity yanked him down. "Ahh!" he grunted, his bones and muscles suddenly aching. After taking a few breaths to compose himself, he finally took the mask off. He suddenly started coughing, able to only take a few short gasps of air between coughs. "Gack!" he managed to sputter before forcing himself to take a deep breath.

After a few minutes of hacking and coughing, he finally picked up the radio. "I...Ohhh...I...I'm...out...side. Brea-huhhh. Breathing...diff...icult...but...manageable!" He tried to stand up, but only got about half way before having to sit back down. He then decided to get on his knees and crawl out. When he finally reached the ground, he reached out and touched it as if making sure it was real and not a dream. The ground was moist and cool to the touch, but firm. "Hard...ugh. Hard to walk. Hahah. I...am crawling like...a baby." Though he was still coughing a good deal, his breathing seemed to ease a little. "Humidity is...ahem...at 87.6%, temperature...ack! is at 43.4 Fah...Frick! Fahrenheit. Wind speeds at...mmm...approximately seven and...a half KPH." He coughed a few more times to ease the tingling in his throat. "But it's safe to...ahem...come out. Just don't bring any, um, heavy equipment out and when you breath, force yourself to take a few...deep breaths and it gets a little better."

As he crawled towards the lake, he came upon a tree with low limbs. He drops he bag of equipment and grabbed on to a branch and slowly pulled himself up and propped himself up against the tree. His legs ached. "It's hard to walk, but if you can prop yourself up against something, the ship perhaps, standing should help everyone adjust a little. Of course yall know me, I'm a wimp. So you'll probably have a better time at it than my lazy ass." He chuckled. "Come on out, yall. Once you get past all the coughing and wheezing, it actually smells great out here. I'm going to go check the water."

After puting away the radio, he squatted down a little and picked up his bag before taking a few steps. He walked with his legs half bent as he tried to exercise his muscles, but after a few yards he went back to crawling. When he finally reached the water and tested it, he smiled and brought the radio back out. "Water is good. Sodium levels are well within tolerable levels and no hostile organism." He then scooped his hand down and took a drink. "Oh god, this is the best water I ever had," he said to himself before continuing to drink from the lake.

[Jonas Garland]

For the fourth time that day, and perhaps the fiftieth time that month, she watched as the nanites rebuilt her plans for one of the first settlements on Eartia. This particular settlement, nicknamed “Pioneer Camp One”, had been designed by Kathy and then automatically generated onto the table in front of her. There were several other architects working on their own camps on their own tables around her. There were more in the other suites, although Kathy didn’t know what they were working on. They hadn’t had much contact in the past few weeks. She figured they were working on infrastructure, civil or otherwise.

Like most of the other architects, she had rebuilt her settlement several times. She had to design the camp for quite a lot of people, to be built in a relatively short time. As she watched the building process, which was simulated also, she signed. She was tired, and she ached. She’d lost track of how many hours she’d been doing her work now. After she rubbed her eyes for a moment, and grabbing a stimulant, she went back to work.

By now, several buildings, had been constructed (be it in miniature form). The manager’s quarters, possibly the captains, was built at the centre of the square camp. The walls around the camp were also built. It was quite an ancient defence, however without knowing what kind of life was outside of the camp, a wall was just as good. Homes, if you could call them that, were also in the process of being built, along with several inner city infrastructures, such as a medical wing, and a security block. Kathy looked over at her resource pile; it was running low, unfortunately. Each had been given limited resources in the simulation and told to build the most efficient camps possible. It was a hard task balancing resources, efficiency and space.

She took another sip of the stimulant before adding the last touches to the settlement. Once the settlement had finished construction, she finalized the plans, sending them into the database for the construction teams.

“All done,” she said, causing a struggling architect to give her a sort of glare. She caught it with an apologetic glance and got up out of her chair. By now many of the others in the suite had finished too, having disappeared out of the suite. She gave a stretch and then wandered towards the remaining architect, who looked up at her in warning. Kathy gave a slight nod, realising that she shouldn’t interfere and then turned and walked out.

She had been on her way to her quarters, when the captain announced their arrival on the planet, to which she gave a baffled expression. “Already-wait, have I been working on those plans for so long?!” She mentally cursed herself before heading off to the passenger rooms to be strapped in for entry into the atmosphere. Once she was strapped in, she braced herself for what was to come. What came was turbulence that shook everyone aboard like a baby’s rattle. Several minutes or moments passed, Kathy wasn’t sure which, and finally they were on the surface. For the first time in her whole life, the engines were being powered down and they were about to step foot on their new home. Kathy sighed happily as she the seatbelts released her and she got up. She waited for a few people to pass her out of the door and then she headed out with them, and back to her quarters.

She sighed heavily as she got inside, everything was a mess, all her belongings were thrown about the place, and many of them were broken. This was one of the downsides of being focused on her job. She slowly stepped over the wreckage and then grabbed a bag from the side. She didn’t exactly know what she was going to put inside of it, she just assumed she’d need it. She didn’t plan on going far from the ship, so she placed the empty bag on her shoulder and then headed out of her room and made her way to the outer doors.

The cool planet air was already filtering it’s way throughout the vessel as she got to the open door that lead out into the planet. She could already tell the air was thick, like a sort of smog. It didn’t feel pleasant at all. She attempted to take a deep breath, but it felt like soup in her throat, causing her to gag just slightly. Closing her eyes, she took short, quick breaths and then took her first step. Just like her colonial ancestors stepping from the boat and into American soil, she took that step. Unfortunately for her another unpleasant experience gripped her bones and forced her to stand as a Neanderthal. “I bet she…. never went… through this…” she rasped, taking her first step. Gravity forced her into an even more primordial stance.

Though she was in pain and tired, she then realised that she was standing in sunlight. For the first time in her life she was basking in the sunlight. She was also one of the first humans, in a couple of centuries, to experience it too. What’s more is that she could feel the wind’s chill, and it made her shiver. The wind blew her hair in every direction. There was no hum of the engines under her feet. She chuckled for a second, then she laughed and finally she giggled. As her knees gave way to gravity, and she fell into the cold dirt, she giggled harder. “Is there… Is there… more to life… than this?” She asked.

[lain]

Elena, the shuttle's doctor, had just finished her shift and was on her way to relax in her small quarters and read an old, musty smelling, book. She looked down at her feet and clutched a clipboard against her large, but hidden, bosom, with a small smile, imagining escaping this existence in a book. She began to smile and closed her eyes while she was still walking... not exactly a smart thing to do.

"ALL UNITS PREPARE FOR LANDING ON EARTIA."

"Huh?" Elena lifted her head up in shock, and her glasses flung off her face and onto the floor, cracking them, "Shoot... I'm not ready for this. This is ridiculous..." She muttered, now on all fours on the floor. She thought she saw her colleague, Dr. Williams, run by her excitedly. Apparently he thought this was going to be all rainbows and butterflies-- not that she could fully comprehend what that expression even entailed.

She sighed as alarms went off and people ran past her as she reached desperately for her glasses. She would rather die than wear those darn contacts... and that might happen, it seemed. Why was the captain and everyone else so hasty about getting onto this planet they didn't know anything about except through pictures and unreliable data? More time, more time... they needed more time! Did they really want the human race to go extinct so quickly? One false step and it could all be over.

Crunch. There went her glasses. Under a giant booted foot. She cursed in her head and stood up, the scenery now a bit blurry. But, she managed to her quarters, buckling herself in and bracing for impact. Her books and papers flew everywhere as they descended, a couple knocking her in the head and sides. This was not starting off the way she wanted it to... not at all.

"Oh-- what is--?" Her arms, legs, and clothes suddenly felt like they weighed a million tons a piece and she had to lay her head back against the wall. "I guess we landed..." Everything went silent except for faint noises of the local life outside-- and she could only assume that. Her breathing labored, she stood up and kept her hand on the wall to support herself. "Dear lord..." She slowly slid one foot after the other towards her a closet. She opened it manually and out fell a suit, one that she might use to treat patients with highly contagious diseases, though it had been a while since such a case had occurred thanks to the nanites. Painstakingly, she took her clothes off and changed them for the suit and then pressed a button on the wrist that extracted all the air from it except for what it would regulate coming in the helmet. Through the glass front of the helmet, one could see two large, blue, and very angry eyes. No one would tell it was her unless they looked inside the reinforces glass on the helmet, for the suit was extremely tight and form fitting-- not looking like the mass of baggy sweater and skirt she normally did. Of course, she was not the one who designed this suit.

Finally, she opened her door again and peered out in the the hallway, squinting her eyes since she didn't have her glasses. Had everyone really just happily strolled onto this planet?

"James... you are probably getting killed by something right now." She grumbled, remembered how her colleague had always been a bit excitable and presumptuous when-- well... when anything new happened.

She crawled through the hallway and overheard voice transmissions. It sounded like the captain and James. "He-- he's drinking the water?!" her voice echoed inside her helmet, "You stupid man! I didn't study so hard just to have you get killed before anyone could find you on some random planet!" She crawled faster, now finding that the door to the outside had already been opened, "We are doomed... doomed... doomed..." she muttered, crawling to the door's edge. There was light coming in now. Organic light was now reflecting off her helmet. When she looked outside, it was like her breath has escaped her.

Green... there was so much green! Plant life! And the clear water! Marine life! But no, she couldn't get excited. Cautious testing should be done before... wait... someone was moving in the distance. Elena squinted, "James... you..." she sighed and stayed at the doorway. She supposed everyone had gotten off before her. This was both a magnificent and horrible idea.

[deamonstalker]

When the Captain gave the order to get to the harnesses, he was testing out one of his own designs of a plasma rifle. The thing worked buitivly, but he put it away, nonthe less, and walked calmly over to the harnesses, and strapped himself into one. When the vibrations began, he just smiled, and rid it out.

By the time he got to the air-lock, he figured that the air was clean, and that, based on the reactions over the radio, the gravity was higher. He shrugged, and opened the door, letting the air in, and letting the gravity take full effect. Due to his physique, he was able to stay standing, but just. He used the railing on the side of the room to get to the outdoors, and as his eyes had been replaced, there was minimal disorientation to be had from the transfer of florescent lighting, to all natural lighting, but it was still disorienting. He was afraid to let go of the rail, but he did so because if he didn't than someone else would just push him out. He did not want that. He walked a few steps on his own, and then fell flat on his face, his arms barely catching him in time to prevent injury. He just rolled over, and lay still, on his back, taking the deepest breaths that he could manage, coughing the entire time.

After a while, He levered himself up onto his butt, and looked around, properly, for the first time. There was grass on the ground, a few trees nearby, and a lake, that a fool was drinking from. He levered himself into a knelling position, and struggled to get onto his feet, muttering, "Damn, this is harder than I thought it would be. By the time that he got onto his feet, and started to walk, slowly, and unsurely, walked to the lake, hoping to get rid of the taste of dust that entered his mouth. He fell only a few times, thanks to his physique, and even then, it was quite the workout.

[Edynol]

As his breathing got easier and the coughing started to subside, the water actually helping to relax his throat a little, James slowly got back on his feet, but just barely, in a squatting position. He then mad his way back to the tree near by and propped himself on the lower branch as he had done before and looked at everyone coming off the ship. Seeing everyone stumbling and falling and coughing just like he had done made him laugh a little. He was so caught up with taking readings, actually being on real ground, breathing actual air, and drinking actual water that hadn't been recycled from who knows what over hundreds of years that he didn't stop to just look around. It was indeed a beautiful place. Green grass, trees, mountains in the distance, it was all breath taking. Though everything looked similar to the pictures and videos he had watched, there were a lot of differences.

The grass was a darker shade of green, the sky was a darker shade of blue, and the dirt itself had a greenish tint to it. Most of the trees seemed to be a lot bigger as well, not so much as in height, but definitely in girth, the smallest tree he had seen so far having about a six foot diameter, the average having about a ten foot diameter. A lot of the trees, now that he actually looked at them, were also different in a variety of ways. While some looked like traditional trees, they had different leaves or strange fruit. A large tree not too far away had what looked like a cross between a coconut and a banana, large and football shaped with yellow rinds. Other trees, he noticed, were just tall columns covered in leaves and berries and had no branches. A few others also had no branches, in the traditional sense, but rather large thorns covered with smaller thorn covered with yet smaller thorns and looked to be covered with grass instead of leaves.

"Look up!" James heard someone yell as they lay on their back on the ground. When he looked up, his eyes opened wide as he saw the first living beings other than humans he had seen with his own eyes. Large birds that resembled eagles but with different shades of blue and green feathers that were almost as big as humans, not counting their wings. Some of them looked down at them, but for the most part flew on as if they weren't even there. But as beautiful as they were, James hoped that was as close as they got. The last thing they needed was a flock of large, hostile birds attacking them while they could barely even stand, much less fight anything. And with that thought, James yelled out to everyone. "Hey! Be sure not to wonder off. Everyone stay close to the ship until I say otherwise. No telling what all may inhabit this world and last thing we need right now is some hostile lifeform getting a taste for our blood."

Just then, having finally regained his ability to speak, the captain, who was leaning against the hull of the ship, made an announcement of his own. "He's right," Scott said as he raised an arm up. "As soon as we find our legs, we can get the rovers out and use them to carry some of the heavier equipment. And until most of us can carry weapons, we will continue to live near or on the ship. Now I want surveillance cameras placed in an eighty yard radius around the ship. No one is to go more then fifty yards from the ship once it gets dark. Once we are able to establish a solid perimeter, we have some shelter tents we can set up." He then looked at James. "Doc?"

James nodded. "Yes," he said. "While Scott directs setting up the perimeter, I will need help collecting samples from the plants and trees around here. I will be setting up a lab right here at this tree. We will all go in groups and no one is to leave their group for any reason, no matter what. This is very important. Even if you suddenly have to use the bathroom, either overcome your modesty or go in your pants. Also, it is very important not to eat anything you find, no matter how good it might smell or how hungry you might get. Each group is to take a camera to catalog which vegetation comes which plant or tree. This is so we determine what is safe to eat, cook, medicate, etc."

James then saw Elena and smirked when he saw her still in a full bio suit. When he decided to go check on her, he let go of his tree branch and forced his legs to stay straight. It still hurt, but not as much as before. He could tell the nanites were doing their job. He was able to walk, but just barely. Hopefully in a few days they would all be running and jumping like normal. When he made his way to the younger doctor, he sighed in relief as he sat down on the ground next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "You okay?" he said in a low tone. "I know this is a lot of change all of a sudden, so don't be afraid to take it easy for a while until you get your bearings. But you really should take the helmet off and breath the air. It sucks at first, but after a few minutes you'll never want to wear one again. It won't kill you and we need to save the oxygen tanks in case we need them in the future."

James took a deep breath to show her it was safe. "You should try some of that water. I already tested before taking a drink and it's safe. But aside from that, and tasting good, it will help to relax your throat and relieve the coughing a little. I also will need your help. After I set up the lab, while I am leading one of the groups, I will need someone to stay behind and test what other bring back. Or, if you want, you can lead a team and I'll stay behind. Remember, they need us both. We are the most important people here right now and we both need to be on our A-game." He then gave her a friendly smile. "Can ya do that for me?"

[lain]

Elena listened to the captains orders while she looked at everyone else pretty much laying flat on their backs and struggling to get a grip. She herself was still sitting in the doorway, leaning holding onto the side. After Scott finished giving orders, James spat out some himself and then she felt his hand on her shoulder. Her eyebrow twitched, "Don't patronize me. I know full well my duties." She flicked his hand away and struggled to stand up and finally did, though still leaning her back on the ship, "Fine, I'll take off the helmet. But someone stepped on my glasses in the chaos of landing too quickly so I can't see very well unless something is right in my face." She reached behind her head and unlocked the helmet, letting out a hissing noise. When it stopped, she was obviously holding her breath. She wanted to at least attempt to see some things before she collapsed on the ground coughing. It took about twenty seconds and she too was coughing on the ground, her shiny raven locks covering her face in a tangled mess as she coughed her brains out. With a shaky hand, she reached around to her side and took out a vial that had been hidden in the belt. She flicked off the top to reveal a needle and she stuck herself in the neck, ceasing to cough due to the pain and then adjustment from the injection of nanites. "Ow..." She whimpered for a brief moment and then passed out on the greenish dirt. Twenty more seconds passed and she opened her eyes and inhaled deeply, rolling onto her back and looking at the sky. Now she looked like the others... she figured she ought to let go of every little ounce of pride she had. She would just work and forget about everything else.

"Well I'm glad that's over with." She said normally, standing up and feeling her muscles strengthen, but she put a hand over the injection site of the needle. "Actually," She stepped up close to Dr. Williams so she could see him, "It's just beginning... let's get to work." She began to walk, a bit wobbly, but walking. Just when she was getting the hang of it, she tripped on someone, "Ah!" She let out a scream as she fell again onto the ground. When she squinted, she saw she had fallen over top of Kathy. She couldn't say she knew the woman well, but nevertheless, an apology was in order, "Sorry. I lost my glasses earlier... you seem happy." She stated, still a bit confused about how everyone could be so very happy on an unknown planet. There was probably a weird tribe of natives watching them or a giant predator ready to sniff them out and eat them...

Elena definitely had mixed feelings about everything.

[deamonstalker]

Johns stood up, abit shakily, but that is all, hearing the main doctor say that he needed people to help collect sample, he volunteered, saying, "I would like to see how hard some of these substances are... After all, I am a weapons junky..." And thought to himself, 'I wonder how well some of the plants and animals burn...' He walked, stumbled, really, over to the doctor, and offered his hand.

[Imp]

I find myself assimilated by the crew's actions as I now adorn my air-mask even though I need not of it. Is there some hidden program or is it just my need to keep the crew at sufficient levels of comfort? After all, I know I am the on board outcast due to my bio-engineered conception and design.

Understanding the basis of feelings comes with experience, not something one is simply born with as that train of thought is vestigial in comparison to the former. With that philosophy I have constructed, I will continue attempts in befriending the crew and become something more to them than just the ship's android. But I digress on the matters at hand as I must accompany the others in exploration.

Making my way through the halls of the ship, I warmly greet the plethora of staff maintaining the sanctity of Hope. Perhaps if this planet proves worthy by the exploration team, I can take on the many chores of the ship while they spread out into the light like they once did on a planet which is a ghost of its former self. I honestly enjoy the solitude whilst busying myself with projects as it keeps me out of the way of others who still aren't comfortable around me.

--------------

"I will advise that you all receive bio-scans after this terra survey. Just to ensure there are no abnormalities affecting us that our scanners can't pick up." I informed the team as it was a necessity in my programming to do so. A life, who I've been in the lengthy presence of, lost to medical issues would be put against me. For that, I cannot allow any casualties unless brought on by aggressive means to which I have no control over.

I continued to observe everyone's reactions to the strange new world so abundant with familiarities to Earth. Eartia seemed so pure that I'd hate for it to become nothing more than a poisonous world; polluted by those expressing nihil concerns for life. How disgraceful to hold such reverence among the populous that you only destroy their world for self gain.

"While Scott directs setting up the perimeter, I will need help collecting samples from the plants and trees around here. I will be setting up a lab right here at this tree. We will all go in groups and no one is to leave their group for any reason, no matter what. This is very important. Even if you suddenly have to use the bathroom, either overcome your modesty or go in your pants. Also, it is very important not to eat anything you find, no matter how good it might smell or how hungry you might get. Each group is to take a camera to catalog which vegetation comes which plant or tree. This is so we determine what is safe to eat, cook, medicate, etc."

"Understood. I will carry whatever equipment we will bring with us... not just due to my strength but as a kind gesture as you work more diligently with a helping hand at your side." I gave a comforting smile, an expression I learned to imitate along with a hundred others to keep the crew at ease. Hopefully my assistance will be accepted without incident. As my programmed thoughts read every bit around me, I took note of Elena's loss due to her unfortunate eyesight.

"I feel I could assist Elena at best if no one minds. It is part of my safeguard duties that all teams remain in a healthy sta-" As my head turned towards her position, she suddenly dropped in a coughing fit. Before I could attend to her, she was already managing the issue. Commendable work but I will again advise the survey team to have a bio-scan once we return inside the ship. The fluctuation of their lungs should be monitored just to be safe.

"By your command, Captain." I stood in a gentleman's manner with hands held behind my back, awaiting further orders as to who will be teamed up. Although I was made for nearly everything including tactics and logistics, it was the Captain's word that was to be respected over all.

[Edynol]

James nodded at John's request, glad to have someone capable of protecting them in case they encountered a hostile life form. "Yes! Your company would be very much welcome, John. Actually, you just gave me an idea. You're a genius!" James patted John on the back and rubbed his shoulder. He then walked--staggered--out to the center of the area and spoke. "Before we send out our groups, I think it would be best if each group had a guard or two, just in case we run into anything hostile." He then turned back to John. "If you decide to kill anything, can you be sure to make it clean? It would make it easier to study."

His attention was then drawn to Max, the android, overhearing his question to the captain. "Max! Yes, Elena lost her glasses, so your eyes would be of great help cataloging everything that comes in." He then grabbed his bag and pulled out a few small stacks of folders. "Okay, poisonous samples go into the red folders, edibles go into the green, and medicables go into the white." He then grabbed the android's face with his hands, opening his mouth with his fingers then spreading his eyes open, examining him. "How is your main processor doing? The humidity is a lot higher here than on the ship, so I'm hoping the nano-polymer synthetic coating is working as intended, especially on your neural net." Maxwell was one of James' favorite people. He didn't understand the reservation some of the other crew members had about him.

Hearing James, the captain nodded. "Very well, Maxwell. Do as James asks." He then turned to Misha, who was squatting down beside them. "Misha, I'm going to go with one of the research teams. Keep order here till I return aye?"

Misha smiled and nodded at him. "Sure thing, Scott. Just don't go getting into any trouble or your grounded for a week," she said with a smirk. Scott gave a grunt and smiled back at her. "I'll have some of the crew get the rovers out and gather some of that water. If what James says is true, I bet my father's tea recipe would go great with it!" She then started directing a few others to get started.

"Awesome," James said before turning to Max. "Hey Max, could you grab that fold up table leaning against the wall in my lab? Well, it's probably on the floor now. Heheheh. I would get it myself, but until our muscles are developed more on this world, I can't lift too much. Even this small bag of mine with a camera notepad is gonna be a bit of a load to carry around at the moment."

[deamonstalker]

"uhh, thanks?" Johns said, as the doctor turned away, and sat down, trying to allow the nanites to reconfigure his muscles so that he could walk better for when the first group went out to collect samples. He just sat there, looking at his hands, wondering what the dirt felt like, after all, after that accident... He couldn't feel things with his hands, These ones where metal and wire, not flesh and blood...

[Setsa]

Ana was still in her ship quarters after the rough landing, well least they only had to do that once. Talk about an attempt to jarr the life out of you. Unlike the rest she had opted to adjust to the new gravity in a more relaxed, non- giggly school girl manner. Having made it to her bed she sat there with legs dangling by their own weight over the edge with her back against the window to still hear what their progress was.

Slow and steady breaths, her ample chest rising and falling while lungs were expanding more and more each minute. No denying that the urge to join some of the crew members outside was tempting, however as she saw them all struggle the thought to least be one that may not be completely exhausted at night. Whenever that would be, was more of a rewarding factor, that and she could shoot any threatening invading beast just as good here as anywhere else.

Straightening her legs at the knee and back down was certainly challenging, mentally chaulking off her workout out later today as this seemed to more than suffice. Along with her usual 5 mile run, yea that wasn't going to happen either for a little while. Catching a sight out of the corner of her eyes of some colorful, flightfull animal taking off reminded herself as to why her family was chosen for the epic journey in the first place. Knowledge was a very powerful tool and great weapon in the end. Always will be no matter the situation, picking up some books that she had brought into the quarters from her office days prior. Ana worked to tidy up her room while trying to figure out what would be the best way to get a great overlying view of the surrounding area for any dwellings or civilizations past or current nearby. Her room was near the bottom floors of the ship as was deemed by the design of the ship on blueprints. However the observation deck was at the very top...and that...would be a great place to see more of Eartia.

Taking a bottle of water in her own good time, the Dr. at a self-set pace made her way to one of the highest points of the ship. Yes everyone was ordered to start taking samples of this and that...and she wasn't disobeying them either. Merely instead of cataloging specimens which she was rather good at, the short tempered woman would take it one step in a different direction to see what else was waiting for them... Or who else may have noticed their arrival...

[lain]

"Thank you." Elena took John's mechanical hand to steady herself again and then let go once she felt secure. She turned and watched as James barked out ideas that were seemingly automatically backed up by the captain. She sighed, going to push up her glasses on her nose, but just poking herself in the face since there were none.

"I've a better task for you, Maxwell. Go make me some new frames. My specifications are in the system in my personal file. It won't be difficult to access. I say that before we do anything, we all just adjust to this change. None of us will be able to think straight and get work done until we do." She turned from Maxwell to James, shooting him a somewhat spiteful glare, "Try to be a little more serious and cautious about this..." She took her helmet off and shook her long raven colored locks, taking in deep breaths. "I'm going to do breathing exercises." She said, sitting down and doing just that. Each breath was like breathing in a rock and then shooting it out again. But it eased ever so slightly every time.

'"Why do men have to be to audacious about everything...?"' she thought, taking another deep breath in, '"They rush to die... thinking it as bravery... They are forward with women, keeping 'score'... men are really awful. And yet..."' She looked up at James inquisitively as she continued to think, '"We still care about them. It must be a bug in our DNA..."'

She shook her head, "Don't mind me." She said, "Go on and do whatever. I'll be sitting here until my glasses are finished."