Daily Logs 7-24-15

I. Joe and Morgan go fishing
II. Rorin and Kelsey discover some very clingy orange roots





I.
Joe: *on a boat near one of the bases, helping Morgan take some scans of the water's surface* *sooo yeah his last outing to the planet didn't go so great, but they did manage to get some good scans before the apex predator showed up and they had to scram* *also they're on a boat this time, not swimming in the ocean, so much safer, right?*
Morgan: *leaning precariously over the side of the boat, taking samples of the water and scanning stuff with a tricorder held in her other hand* Man the readings for the water around the local plankton we found are really high in nitrogen. I wonder if they release it somehow into the water? *lifting up and looking at her readings again* This is fascinating.
Joe: *not too worried about Morgan's leaning, she hasn't fallen in yet* *also this time he remembered sunscreen!* It could be part of their waste product. That's what it seems like, at least.
Morgan: *excitedly* That's so interesting! That makes them almost more like Earth's plants, rather than our usual plankton species. *sits back in the boat, taking a deep breath of the sea air* This is nice. It's fun to just do explorative science again.
Joe: *water plants, heh* *smiles* As opposed to our usual panic-attacks?
Morgan: *laughs* Yeah, on the Legacy I usually get to do more with anomalies. They're always causing us problems, but I don't get to do all that much biology stuff nowadays.
Joe: Seems like we don't do a lot that doesn't involve anomalies, alien viruses, or anything that doesn't involve a life-threatening situation. The reprieve's been nice. *reeeally hoping it lasts*
Morgan: *nods* I'm not a huge fan of the whole nearly dying on a weekly basis thing, but it keeps you on your toes. *shrug* Not that this place doesn't have its dangers.
Joe: Like apex predators. But you find those anywhere. *at least this time he didn't nearly get eaten, so that was an improvement* *still, large animals...no thanks* But the not dying part is nice.
Morgan: *cheerfully* Well neither of us have died from the other stuff either, so we're doing pretty well. It's not all that bad. *starts labeling bottles of water*
Joe: Ehh, true, we /do/ still have pulses. *helps with the labeling* But...the nearly dying part is stressful. Really stressful.
Morgan: You just can't let it get to you. I mean yeah, it's stressful, but you just have to... not think about it. We're still alive, that's what matters, y'know? And what we do is important, so.
Joe: *heh* Exploring strange new worlds...and other universes, apparently.
Morgan: *grins* All part of the adventure! *finishes labeling bottles and packs them up before leaning over to run some more scans* What made you wanna join the Legacy anyhow? Or Starfleet in general?
Joe: Well...*dammit that's always a hard question* ...I was curious. *shrugs sheepishly, that was a lame answer*
Morgan: Wanted to see the stars?
Joe: Yeah. And...well, I wanted to not be useless. Heh.... *self-deprecating smirk* Great job I've done there.
Morgan: *firmly* Hey, no one is useless. Everyone does their part. You try, that's what matters. The only people that are useless here are the ones that put forth no effort.
Joe: Mnh. Still, it seems like I spend nearly as much time in Sickbay as a patient as a doctor, some days.
Morgan: *snorts* Well, that's all of us. We have a pretty high risk job.
Joe: High-risk may not be the word...more like "completely insane".
Morgan: *laughs* Maybe. Depends on perspective, I guess.
Joe: Well, so far my perspective is this is a crazy ship. *small smile* Could be worse, though. We could be stuck with a captain who plays it safe all the time.
Morgan: Wouldn't that just be the /worst/.
Joe: We'd never get to do any actual exploring.
Morgan: I choose to defy death at every turn rather than never get to do anything fun.
Joe: *chuckles* Well, we get a lot of chances at that, which is a good thing...I guess.
Morgan: I'd say it is. If we had no chance to explore we'd be pretty pointless officers.
Joe: *makes a "blergh" face* It'd be the most boring ship out there. That's worse than near-death experiences. *at least to him*
[And the two of them chatted about things, took some more readings and samples, before heading back to the base.]



II.
Kelsey: *in a launch bay on the base, in diving equipment with other equipment like a disruptor and a small scanner on a belt* *just waiting on Rorin*
Rorin: *in the same launch bay, wearing a diving suit and other gear (like a “tricorder”, future!diver's watch, sonic weapon, knife,...), after finishing checks, gets up and stretches exhaling, small smile* All right, I'm ready now.
Kelsey: You are done? We can go?
Rorin: Yes. *^^°* We can go. Sorry for the wait. *nods and heads for the control, presses a button and a hole in the floor opens through which they can get into the water*
Kelsey: I could have explored half the planet by now, at least. Half! *it was, like, two minutes max*
Rorin: *small grin* I am very sorry for holding you back. I'll make up for it on our way. Perhaps we can befriend a shark after all. *walks towards the hole*
Kelsey: Hm, /you/ may. *double-checks everything she has strapped on her* I will be far ahead. Yes.
Rorin: That poor shark might think you want nothing to do with it, though. *sits, starts climbing down the ladder into the water* *the diving suit felt a little odd at first, but he's got more or less used to it by now*
Kelsey: The shark would be /right/. *adjusts her breathing apparatus over her face and waits for Rorin to get into the water* *and out of the way* *she's just going to jump in who needs ladders*
Rorin: *puts his breathing apparatus into place, takes a few breathes to test it again and lets go of the ladder, swims backwards to make space for Kelsey, assuming she'll take the ladder as well* Ahh, a pity.
Kelsey: *NOPE* *tests that her apparatus is still okay, then holds it in place, checks to make sure that he's out of the way, and then jumps in, feet first* *bloosh*
Rorin: *...OO* *didn't expect that, is out of the way but quickly swims back even further, it's a reflex*
Kelsey: *takes a few breaths to make sure she can still, and then swims in a circle, looking for where Rorin went* *^^* Ready?
Rorin: *looks around for Kelsey with a small grin* Heh, yes I'm ready. Of course I am. *also, for the record, he didn't startle at all*
Rorin: *is still with his head above water, but submerges, looking for Kelsey with a small grin* Heh, yes I'm ready. Of course I am. *also, for the record, he didn't startle at all*
Kelsey: Yes, good. *dives further down and swims a little farther out* *there's /water/* Let us go find fish?
Rorin: *grins* Sharks? *follows her farther out, glancing at his future!diver's watch to check on their course and depth and stuff*
Kelsey: *flips around to face him* No. Smaller fish. Friendlier fish. Pretty ones. *makes a face at him*
Rorin: Heh. Well, as for the size of the fish, I agree. Do you know of what size piranhas are? *this is no teasing and no revenge for startling him, it's a legit question >.>°* *swims faster to catch up with her*
Kelsey: They are /huuuge/. Nearly as big as whales. *holds her arms out to demonstrate* And they have teeth like those creatures that tried to eat us on Nublar V. *grin, nodnod*
Rorin: Ahhh, heh. *^^°* Those. The ones with the eerily friendly smile who stalked and chased us up a tree. Yes, I remember them. Good times.
Kelsey: *nods* Yes, those, Our favorite ones.
Rorin: Friendlier, pretty fish you said, hm? Let's go for those, this time. *^^°* *they're approaching a wide area, mostly covered with what looks like orange grass, about 4 inches/10cm high; the area has some flat spots, but also smooth stone formations with arches*
Kelsey: Yes. Happy fish. Piranhas are happy fish, too, but I doubt that they live here. Why did you ask about those? *surprised he didn't comment on the lie she told him about their size but assumes he was only teasing about asking?* *maybe?*
Rorin: *small grin* Because they'd make dangerous friends, like sharks. But I was sure they're much smaller than them. *except he isn't all that sure, they're terran fish*
Kelsey: They are only so dangerous if you starve them. Then they will eat you in two bites. A whole swarm of them, each about as big as your hand. *^^*
Rorin: *as they swim further, they reach the area with the orange grass; it's like an orange meadow moving from a small breeze, just underwater* *glances at his hand when Kelsey mentions the size of a piranha* Ahh, so you did tell me the wrong size earlier and I do know /something/ about terran fish, after all.
Kelsey: *giggles* They are a river fish, of course they are not as big as whales. Could you not tell there was a lie in there? *stops swimming, floating upright above the orange grass, but staring down at it* *wants to go touch it*
Rorin: Heh. Ahh, I felt like there was a lie, yes, but on the other hand I trusted you not to lie to me. You see my struggle. *but it's fine, they were teasing each other, he can still be a bit dramatic about it* *stops and watches her, but isn't suspicious* *the orange grass waves slowly and slightly back and forth, back and forth, with the mild currents*
Kelsey: *shakes her head* Still so trusting after all this time. You are sure it is not your empathy at fault? *pulls out her scanner and checks it* *maybe the grass is deadly but surely not, right?* *oh but he'd make fun of her if she went to touch it without checking*
Rorin: *he might, but it also works the other way around* *small grin, watching her with the scanner* I'm quite certain, yes. However, you seem to mistrust it-- and those nice looking, peaceful plants. It is a nice orange, if you ask me. *but he approves of taking scans before touching anything that colorful, in a foreign environment you never know* *the scanner shows mostly readings comparable to Izem's plants, but there are some unknown components*
Kelsey: It is /pretty/ and I want to touch it. But maybe it wants me to do that. *frowns* Pretty things are not to be trusted. *slight grin* Maybe I should apply that to you.
Rorin: *chuckles* I'll take it as a compliment. *coughs* You're right, though. It's a nice orange and in nature, nice colors are often meant to attract attention. *tilts his head* So does the scanner indicate that we found a pretty, sly predator?
Kelsey: It indicates that we found a pretty thing with strange things. A pretty, mysterious thing.
Rorin: Would you still like to touch it? *looking at the slowly and peacefully waving grass, thinking about it and unconsciously lays a hand on the knife at his belt*
Kelsey: Yessssss. It looks harmless enough. You will carry me back if it kills me?
Rorin: And avenge you, yes. *nods* Go ahead.
Kelsey: *!* *swims down to touch the orange grass* *it feels like normal underwater grass* This is not as thrilling as I anticipated in my imagination.
Rorin: *watches her, still not suspicious but alert, just in case, he doesn't really want to avenge her and bring her dead body back...* Heh, a pity. *looks around, but sees nothing unusual; there are several groups of smaller fish in the distance but neither of them seems interested in the two strangers* We could still take a sample. The scientists may find it more exciting.
Kelsey: They will understand the mystery better than I. *plucks a blade and stows it somewhere on her belt, then swims back up higher* But at least you will not have to avenge me.
Rorin: Heh, no. I'd call that a success. Also, we collected mysterious grass. *tilts his head* Now, perhaps we can find some pretty fish. *points around* There are plenty.
Kelsey: *:>* Yes, I see them. So many pretty fish. I am happy with this.
Rorin: *takes out his scanner* I'm glad to hear that. *starts swimming, meanwhile taking scans of the surroundings*
Kelsey: *oh right scanning* *pulls out her scanner too, and holds it in her hand while swimming, but mostly focuses on looking around*
Rorin: *swims, scanning and looking around as well* *underneath them, the grass suddenly starts getting thicker, as if something was bloating it and some stalks start to grow and waggle around; the fish in the near distance may or may not withdraw because of it, the ones further away don't seem to bother* ...! *looks down, scanning*
Kelsey: *mostly paying attention to the fish they're just so pretty look at them all* *okay the grass is different but look at the /fish/*
Rorin: *looks at Kelsey, wondering why she hasn't commented on the grass yet, it's mystery grass after all* *not sensing any hostility, decides to go on, attentively observing fish and grass* *the fish closest to them start swimming away*
Kelsey: *because she fails as a guard dog when there are pretty things* *but catches Rorin's glance, and looks around, then glances at her scanner, then looks around again* This is different. Rorin, do you see?
Rorin: *ahhh, there's her comment, that's much better* *nods* Yes. And our fish friends seem to back off, but it might be because of us. *instead of the changing grass* *some blades keep growing, though, slowly turning into roots or tentacle-like things, as thick as a finger* Perhaps we better gain some distance. *starts swimming up*
Kelsey: *follows, looking down, though* That is an odd thing for grass to do, and all in that spot, not interspersed. Maybe just a subspecies? *partially talking to herself* Why are /you/ suddenly being the sensible one?
Rorin: Heh. Actually, I was waiting for you to hold me back. *small grin, watching the grass and scanner in turns: the scanner doesn't show any clear indication of a life form, but since the grass started changing, so did the readings*
Kelsey: *shakes her head* No, I am distracted. Sorry. *^^'* I like pretty things, and animals too much.
Rorin: *is about to reply, but there's a brief sudden peak on the scanners and at the same time the many orange thickened grass roots shoot up towards them, out to get them and pull them down or entangle them*
Kelsey: *squeals and draws her feet up, because that'll totally help, paddling upwards with her arms*
Rorin: *clenches his teeth and moves his feet after in a swimming-motion* *but the roots are fast and swift and reach them in no time, some wrap themselves around Rorin's legs and others try the same with Kelsey, whatever they can get*
Kelsey: *the plant things wrap around her ankles and calves and even thighs, since she did very little to actually get away from them* *squeals again more out of surprise than anything else, and hastily puts away her scanner to pull out her disruptor instead*
Rorin: *wherever the roots can, they wrap themselves tightly around both officers* Ah, get away if you can or fight it off. *through clenched teeth while getting the knife off his belt, or at least he tries, the roots climb higher and entangle his arms and try the same with Kelsey*
Kelsey: Do not you think I am trying? *psh grammar* *her arms are grabbed too, but not before she gets her disruptor out and aimed down* *pulls away, but fires down at the ground while wriggling about*
Rorin: I am! But still. *a bit breathless, struggling with the roots* *gets his knife out and manages to cut a few roots, but more are already trying to grab him and he's being pulled down, though he keeps swimming up* *Kelsey's shot hits several roots and they just get destroyed, but more try to get her and more grass starts to bloat*
Kelsey: *stretches out her legs to give herself more kicking power, and keeps shooting down at the roots of the things that are grabbing her, shaking off the ones with destroyed roots*
Rorin: *keeps cutting roots, grudgingly realizing how much slower he is with the knife underwater* *the bloating grass starts growing more roots, most of them focus on getting Kelsey*
Kelsey: *gee thanks* *fires maniacally, getting more and more freaked out by the growing grass and its increasing size and stubborn refusal to leave her alone* *stops shooting for about thirty seconds to see if it's reacting to her firing or if it's just doing that anyway* *doesn't matter in the long run she's probably going to be stuck forever what's thirty seconds*
Rorin: Kelsey! *pulled down more and stops trying to swim up, the roots pull stronger than he can swim up, instead focuses on cutting as many roots as quickly as he can* *when Kelsey stops firing, the roots that are already on her don't let go and keep pulling, but for now no new ones reach out for her*
Kelsey: *okay that's a little better* I am here. How do you fare? *no longer firing, pulls against the roots holding onto her arms, working to unwind them*
Rorin: *strained voice, struggling* It keeps pulling me down but I'm getting rid of it! *more or less, new roots keep attacking him but he tries to be faster* You? *unwinding the roots isn't easy, they want to keep Kelsey and pull her down to the ground, but they're also hurt and weakening*
Kelsey: The shooting made them angry...I have few other options. *kicks her legs to try to keep from being pulled down but keeps working at her arms, trying to get them free*
Rorin: Ah, they don't like the cutting, either...!*struggling, thinking, but until he gets a new idea, just keeps cutting the roots* *eventually Kelsey can free her arms, but the roots won't let go of her feet*
Kelsey: *that's okay she just wants to be able to move her hands* *gets one arm free, and reaches to her belt, feeling for the knife she thinks she put there* Do you make progress?
Rorin: I-- *struggles with a root* suppose, yes. *keeps cutting while all the shot roots keep getting weaker*
Kelsey: *fumbles with returning her disruptor to her belt and pulling out her knife* *pulls at the roots attached to her legs, trying to get them off of her, and cuts at them if they won't budge* You suppose?
Rorin: Yes. Yes, looks like it. *gasping though, this is getting exhausting* *some of Kelsey's roots budge, some don't, but eventually all of them can be removed*
Kelsey: I lied. This is very not pretty. *cuts through the ones that don't budge, and pulls off the ones that do, getting one leg free* When we are done I want to go back.
Rorin: I agree... *still cutting roots, but also starts pulling them off with his hands if he can* *until he gets one leg free and after a moment, his second one*
Kelsey: Hhn. To which? *still working on her second leg*
Rorin: To all of it. *when he's free, starts swimming towards Kelsey, trying to watch out for new roots out to get him, but they don't attack and the ones holding Kelsey become weaker and weaker*
Kelsey: I like how you think. *finally frees her leg and immediately kicks away, swimming upwards out of reach*
Rorin: *when Kelsey's free, changes direction and swims upwards as well, away from the nice orange grass* *but no roots follow them* Nice. Let's go back. Are you all right? *gasping
Kelsey: *nods* I think maybe my blood pressure is not. And you?
Rorin: Sour muscles. I'm going to have sour muscles tomorrow. *keeps swimming*
Kelsey: You do not exercise enough. That is clearly the lesson to be learned here. *swimming along*
Rorin: But I do exercise. *takes a deep breath, exhaling slowly to release some tension*
Kelsey: It was a joke. *haha release tension that's funny* Normally your exercise does not include being tied up.
Rorin: *resists wording his first thought* In most cases, yes. What I'd like now, though, is my couch.
Kelsey: I need a shower and mounds of pillows. Mountains. And a book. Soon. *and as soon as they got back, they both went and found just those things that they wanted after turning in their findings* *because getting grabbed by plants is stressful*