#carlstuff

It probably doesn't have much to do with the phone's age but its just really funny that the internet connection I get from a phone I've had since middle school than the ethernet connection I used to have at the house.

Anyway here's a cool pic I have on my computer tell me hwat you think

Prompt 29: Forest

On the world of Tuule many analogues to life on Earth. The existence of photosynthetic plant life itself is a marvel of convergent evolution. The structure of forests, however, is quite different from that of Earth. Being tidally locked, Tuulian photosynthesizers do not have the luxury to grow in any direction they please. And while you may think the uninterrupted stream of sunlight is more beneficial, Tuule’s atmosphere is subject to regular storms usually lasting 4-5 days at a time, as well as outlier storms that can last for even longer. Naturally, the plants of Tuule have evolved to live with these environmental aspects.

Prompt 26: Symbiosis

Symbiotic life is quite prevalent on Tuule. Here are some curated examples for your reading pleasure.

Sockwhales are, unlike what their name implies, a complex invertebrate lifeform that has developed symbiotic relationships with a species of microorganisms. Their name comes from their bodies bearing a general resemblance to that of wind socks with wings attached, as well as their main habitat being that of Tuule’s upper atmosphere. Their lives consist mainly of inhaling clouds of aeroplankton. Their symbiotic relationship is prevalent when you take a look at their wings, which are actually microorganism colonies that grows out into large mats. These microorganisms benefit by having their home be up in the sky, far away from most predators, as well as greater access to sunlight. The Sockwhales benefit by having a much larger lifting surface to keep themselves in the air perpetually, spending little energy keeping aloft themselves. 

Some animals have taken symbiosis to the next level, becoming ‘Composite Lifeforms’. The largest group of these organisms is a family classified as the ‘Pseudovertebrates”. At first animals from this family puzzled xenobiologists, as it seemed that they had somehow evolved a bone composition and structure completely different from that of Tuule vertebrates, despite being closely related in several other ways. It was discovered that the bones of Pseudovertebrates were a completely different species of heavy metal accreting microorganism which had integrated itself within Pseudovertebrate bodies long ago. The resulting combination is a variety of forms that have evolved into a wide spread of niches. Pseudovertebrate life cycles differ from that of Tuule Vertebrates in that they are born with a frail bone structure and go into a cocoon stage in which their much stronger symbiote bones form. These bones are made from a variety of heavy-metal blended materials, and can vary in composition between species and geological regions. Mutations in the microorganism affect Pseudovertebrates differently, allowing for a wider variety of forms than would be with a conventional skeleton. The animals themselves benefit from this by having an incredibly strong bone structure, an efficient way to sequester heavy metals from their own bodies, and greater evolutionary flexibility. The microorganisms benefit by having a steady nutrient flow provided by the animal and a secure home. 

Prompt 24: Tea

In Tekhnian culture there are many stimulant beverages that are parallel to Earth coffee and teas in both use and cultural significance. 

Sea-Coffee is the closest analogue to something you might find on Earth. The Sea-coffee itself is a photosynthetic intertidal plant native to the vast intertidal plains and flash-reefs of Tuule. It’s roots contain a pesticide-laced sap that acts similar to caffeine when ingested by Tekhnians. The roots are split open and pressed to extract the sap, which is then mixed with water and boiled to create sea-coffee. Boiling the mixture for longer will cause the consistency to change, making sea-coffee jelly another popular way to consume the substance. Because of the properties of the plant, the roots keep best non-refrigerated for long periods of time, allowing for ease of storage and transport. Many varieties of sea-coffee exist with varying strengths and flavors. While much of Tekhnian agriculture has changed due to many years of artificial genetic modification, the art of Sea-Coffee farming and brewing has gone relatively unchanged throughout history.

Hey look, I’m back on track! and I only missed most of the prompts so far. Anywhens...

Prompt 18: Ranger

With great oceans come great responsibility, and said responsibility often falls upon that of the undersea rangers. While many different professions involve ocean traversal to some extent, most only involve traversing the ocean floor during low tide when it is drained or very shallow. Rangers, however, use the rapid northern flow of the ocean to bring themselves out to sea, far away from civilization. To commute back and forth, they use domesticated ocean wildlife, portable undersea vehicles, or the power of their own bodies.

‘Undersea ranger’ is a broad term. Some are engineers who work at vast underwater mining complexes, extracting all manner of resources from the deep. Others work and patrol undersea farms located in shallower waters. Some are scientists who may live and work in underwater habitats similar to how Humans have scientific bases located in Antarctica. Another undersea ranger class are game wardens, who keep a close watch on wildlife populations and fishing habits.

Prompt 16: Aquatic

Ship: Kava Kalnis

Module: Tekh Obliqued Habitation Ring 1

Status: Tense

“The first step to making sea-coffee is to split open the plant’s roots. Now here I have some that I just cut off, uh... these came from our... our hydroponics on the ship. Chances are if you are making it at home on.. on Earth, you’ll get your roots dried ‘cause they’re imported, but it’s pretty much the same process. Now here, I have a pairing knife. I uh... you can also get these pre-peeled but I like to do it like this, ‘cause it’s.. it’s like a whole process.”

Moekuike flipped open the knife, notable because of the fact that it was not a standard root pairing knife but a pocket knife of Human design.

“Lets get started.” Moekuike cleared their throat. “Now the first step is to... You start at the tear point of the root... This little ring structure here... and go down like thi- God Damnit!”

Moekuike put the knife down, looking at the newfound gash in their palm where they were bleeding profusely. With their unwounded other hand, they reached over and turned off the recording device they were speaking into. Using both of their lower arms they clasped around their bleeding hand. They realized they were shaking. Moekuike was recommended to make video logs and the like to send to their friends and family back on Tuule, but it was clearly not working out for them.

“[Make a video. You’ll feel so great you made something that your friends can see!]” Moekuike said to themselves in their native Litritian tongue, with a not-so-subtle dose of mocking jeer added to it. “[The last thing I need is more dumb side-projects to work on.]” With a huff, they grabbed the camera and began their trip to the medical ward, leaving a pile of quickly desiccating sea-coffee roots and a splash of blood on their desk. 

Ship: Kava Kalnis

Module: Tekh Hydroponics Chamber B

Status: Humid

Moekuike looked at the slowly undulating leaves of a tank of sea-coffee plants. They liked it in the Hydroponics bay, with it’s directional lighting and consistent hot/cold cycling mimicking the perpetual sunset of Tuule’s horizon. Moekuike had lived most of their life near the equator, where the Tekhnian sun took on a dim red hue with beautiful clouds that splayed colors seen nowhere else in the world. In space, they only had the poor replication of the Hydroponics bay to comfort their woes of homesickness. It was a good room to meditate in.

Prompt 14: Magical