NationStates Jolt Archive

Message To: Mars and all nations thereof
Message Fr: The Dominion of Tsaraine
Message Re: Seeking Foreign Terraforming Expertise

As Tsaraine has now for several decades survived under it's own uniquely inimical environment, the Domina has decreed that the time has come to end the problem of the Obsidian Wastes.

The Martian skill in Terraforming is well known, and the Domina and the Terraforming Corps have decided that it would be most useful to have such skills applied to the Tsarainese problem.

To this end, the Dominion is interested in sending a student to study the Martian terraforming techniques at a suitable educational institution on Mars.

We are hopeful that many opportunities exist, and that the Martian nations are amenable to this plan.

~Kital ralVhari
Diplomat-Commandant
Tsarainese Diplomatic Corps


OOC: I'm hoping for this to become a character RP ... I suppose it could encompass multiple nations. Avoiding übercharacters, of course.

I would suggest that you contact the nation of Eniqcir directly for this request. Most of the terraforming done on Mars is being handled under their supervision with most of the other major contributors being of the monetary type. I will alert them to your request as well.

Science Chairperson Senator Graham,
Libertarian Paradise of Sunset

We would be happy to accept an international student of planetology at the University of Amaranth. Xenos are not a common sight here, but there's certainly no prohibiting them. An accelerated course can easily be designed to accomodate your needs, possibly including an internship at Coriolanus and/or Ankh or Argyre.

-Secretary to Lord Royen, under direction of the Kaseian Councils of Education, Planetology, and Diplomacy,
Flagstaff,
Eniqciri Imperial Province of Kasei,
Mars

OOC: Thanks for posting! The following may not be very inspired, as the temperature is thirty-four degrees and rising...


Message To: The Office of Lord Royen, Kaesian Councils of Education, Planetology, and Diplomacy
Message Fr: Kital ralVhari, Tsarainese Diplomatic Corps
Message Re: The Eniqciri Offer

After consultation with Division Seven (Research), Division Five (Command) and the Domina, it has been decided that the offer made by the Kaseian Councils of Education, Planetology, and Diplomacy is acceptable, and, unless problems occur in the intervening time, it shall be accepted.

Does the University of Aramanth have restrictions as regards the skin colour, gender et cetera of it's students? This can be accomodated, if necessary.

~Kital ralVhari
Diplomat-Commandant
Tsarainese Diplomatic Corps

While the opinions of other students cannot be assured, there is no restriction mandated by the administration. Generally, it is found that the students are fairly open-minded as well.

-Secretary to Lord Royen, under direction of the Kaseian Councils of Education and Diplomacy,
Flagstaff,
Eniqciri Imperial Province of Kasei,
Mars

(HAPPY NEW YEAR!)

OOC: Happy New Year's + 22 hours!


Message To: The Office of Lord Royen, Kaesian Councils of Education, Planetology, and Diplomacy
Message Fr: Kital ralVhari, Tsarainese Diplomatic Corps
Message Re: The Eniqciri Offer

Excellent. Once the usual passport arrangements have been made, we will arrange outbound transport on the Tsarainese freighter H-019 for the Tsarainese student, one Yseult tsaIngult.

~Kital ralVhari
Diplomat-Commandant
Tsarainese Diplomatic Corps


OOC: Urgh. Is now four degrees cooler but several hours later. I hate this weather.

We await your arrival at the Amaranth spaceport.
-Kraileneva, Administrator of the University of Amaranth

OOC: Sorry I've been so lax. This damn hot weather blights my inspiration. It's over 30 for the fourth day running!

People can walk unaided on the Martian surface now, can't they? If not I can edit this to include environment suits.

Amaranth Spaceport, Eniqciri Imperial Province of Kasei, Mars

The Tsarainese spaceplane O-21M hit the tarmac at Amaranth, and Yseult felt the unfamiliar lightness of Martian gravity under her for the first time.

This was, she realised, the first planetfall by a Tsarainese citizen, unless one counted the Domina's voyage to Burninatonian Io. Ought she to make some speech, like the first spacers?

What should I do? What would we do?

The Communion, the telepathic link she and her siblings shared, remained silent, as it had been since leaving Tsaraine. That silence, that sudden loss, remained frightening, despite the weeks she'd endured it en route to Mars.

Oh Domina, what were you thinking?

Rene Seingult, of course, could not have heard her even were they both in the familiar corridors of Deep Tsarai or Nova Reio.

Academically she understood the reasoning that had led the Domina to send one of the ea to Mars, as she understood many things. Yseult and her siblings learned faster than the mundanes, after all. But the constant silence of the Communion was a heavy load to bear.

"We've stopped, ea," the spaceplane's copilot told her. "The Eniqciri are waiting."

He, of course, wanted to be ready to depart by the time the H-013 rounded the planet again to collect them; a third orbit would put the H-013, carrying vital equipment for the Far Stone project, off schedule for it's arrival in the Belt.

She nodded regally (a trick she'd learned from the Domina), and stood, checking that the contacts were still in her eyes. The Eniqciri would likely be disconcerted if they knew there was a not-quite-human in their midst, after all.

Her luggage - one small case, restricted by the cost of bringing it up from groundside Earth - was stowed in the locker next to her seat. Yseult retrieved it, and waited for the airlock to cycle open to admit her into the Martian air.

That air, she immediately noticed, was somewhat thinner than the atmosphere of Earth, but breathable; a strange experience, for one accustomed to the regulated airs of the cities or ships.

But, as the copilot had said, there was an Eniqciri delegation waiting for her. Yseult put a smile on her face, and stepped down the short steps to meet them.

(OOC: Not breathable outside, but no one is allowed to park/disembark outside. They'd be taxied into a heated hangar first.)

Three personages waited near the doors into the city. In the center, a man dressed in blue slacks and a blue jacket with silver trim. He had slightly greying hair, and also wore a necklace bearing the trefoil of House Royen. On his right hand, a man in similar clothing, but brown and gold replacing the blue and silver. His necklace held a winged sword, and his eyes were disturbingly black and deep. T the left, a woman with long blonde hair in a white toga-style dress, with a golden rope belt forming a V at her waist, and a golden headband encrusted with mother-of-pearl and suspending a pearl in the center of her forehead. Her eyes, too, were somewhat unhumanlike, though not in any immediately obvious way, with steel-grey irises.

The man in the middle extended a visibly aged hand to Yseult. "Serik eksec, Yseult. You may call me Kraileneva."

Amaranth Spaceport, Eniqciri Imperial Province of Kasei, Mars

Yseult blinked, not understanding Kraileneva's speech. Was the gift of tongues also a function of the Communion?

Just my luck. What do I do now?

"Kharâ'dteh, Kraileneva," she replied in Sekhel, before switching to a language both of them understood. "It is a great honour to be here on Mars!"

OOC: Argh. My inspiration has run out again here. FYI, Yseult is tall, fair-skinned, and red-haired. She's wearing green contacts, and is dressed in a black Tsarainese flight suit.

"Good." Kraileneva opened his hands and motioed to the two persons stading with him. "These are Koinos", the woman, "and Idios", the man. "They will be your guides for as long as you need them. Come."

Kraileneva spun on his heels and made for the doors in the wall of the hangar. Large glass doors opened onto a waiting area reminiscent of an airport terminal, complete with information booth, vaulted cielings, etc. But the trio, with Yseult in tow, made in stead for a rather drab set of small steel doors to the left, leading into a short tunnel, and then a train platform. Wasting no time, Kraileneva led them onto a car, and motioned for them to take seats. The interior was entirely white, except for gold trim around doors and the edges of walls, with a line of benches down each side of the car.

Yseult sat down, flanked by Koinos and Idios, with her suitcase at her side.

She noted the gold trim in the carriage with carefully concealed Tsarainese cultural distaste for such; in the Dominion, the primary use for gold was industrial, and had been since the revolution four hundred years ago.

"I assume that this train takes us to the University?" she enquired of Koinos.

OOC: The shortness burns. Thank god for rain - it's down to 22 degrees now.

By the way, who do I approach about getting land on Mars? I've got my eye on Lowell crater.

*sneaks in*

tag

*sneaks out*

OOC: Taggety tag. Great work so far writers. :D

Thread Split at author's request.

Resi, Wohlstand, do not post here again, not even to state that you've seen this message. You were asked to leave, and didn't. If you want to argue with each other about what has or hasn't happened, take it to telegrams.

It's pretty damn sad that people have to use [Closed] tags to keep crap out of their RPs. It's even sadder that people can't respect those wishes.

PS- <tag>

"I assume that this train takes us to the University?" she enquired of Koinos.
"True enough. To the dormitory."

After only a few minutes, the train pulled to stop. Outside were the redish sandstone walls of Amaranth, covered with high-vaulted cielings. Tesserae on the floors of the city usually were arranged in seemingly random patterns, but occasionally resolved into a recognizable mozaic. The occasional Serik or Scyldr student passed by on the way to and from classes, and most of these took a glance at the four non-typicals.

Yseult's dorm was located at the end of a short side alley/hallway. Kraileneva opened the door for Yseult, and stood in the doorway after Koinos had followed her in. "May purpose is ended, for now. Koinos and Idios should be able to take care of getting you settled in from here on. Good day." And he left.

By the way, who do I approach about getting land on Mars? I've got my eye on Lowell crater.
That would be me. Might want to think up a few alternate locations, though.

OOC: Why's that? I want Lowell, it has water in it...

Yseult looked around the dormitory - alien to anything in her experience - with trepidation. Were this Tsaraine, she could consult with her siblings through the Communion. But the Communion was glaringly absent, as always.

There was, however, Koinos and Idios, a poor second but an option nonetheless.

"What do I do now?" she asked them, hating the sense of utter confusion she felt.

Yseult looked around the dormitory - alien to anything in her experience - with trepidation. Were this Tsaraine, she could consult with her siblings through the Communion. But the Communion was glaringly absent, as always.

There was, however, Koinos and Idios, a poor second but an option nonetheless.

"What do I do now?" she asked them, hating the sense of utter confusion she felt.
"Generally, one lies on the bed for a while being comfortable, and then goes through the process of unpacking anything that needs to be unpacked and arranging the room to their liking. But perhaps your time would be better spent eliminating confusion and any questions you might have. Depending on whether you happen to be more of introverted or extroverted tendencies, making friends might be a good idea, as well, but that's a rather long-term project."

OOC: Why's that? I want Lowell, it has water in it...
Lots of craters have water in them, it's just not marked on the political map. It's shown for Lowell because it lies below sea level. Anyway, the Ur-Quon incident ensured that Lacus Lowell won't be sold for a very long time.

Friends was not a word with which Yseult had had much experience; who needed them, when one had the Communion? But of course, she didn't have the Communion ...

Questions, she thought, marshalling her scattered thoughts.

"When do I start, and where?" she asked. "I must know such things, I think. And clothes, I require more clothes; fuel requirements meant I could bring only a small amount of equipment. It's all in that case."

She indicated the suitcase, and sat down heavily on the bed.


Lots of craters have water in them, it's just not marked on the political map. It's shown for Lowell because it lies below sea level. Anyway, the Ur-Quon incident ensured that Lacus Lowell won't be sold for a very long time.


Oh. I hadn't heard of that. Drat. I'd be happy with any small group of craters, then. Would be happier still if it was on the equator, but obviously that's all taken.

Idios swung around the doorframe into the dorm, and Koinos sat down next to Yseult.

"Koinos, have you forgotten something?"
"What?"
"Logo!"
An androgynous vice from no particular source said. "Yes, master Idios?"
"Logo is the MCP of the Logos network. Basically, the child of Eliza and TRON on steroids. White pages, yellow pages, encyclopedia, and just about every other bit of public information made readily available. Logo, log new user."
"Please clearly state your name, twice."

That done, Koinos spoke again. "Ah, just remembered, it might be a good idea to get you a wristband so you can access Logo when you're not here. And yes, you will definitely need clothes. Would you like to pick them out yourself, or just trust my judgement?"

Eliza and TRON were foreign names to Yseult, although the Logo seemed comparable to the public levels of Tsaraine's Plexus network.

The idea that clothes might come in different styles was alien to her; clothes turned up with the help of various assistants, back home in Tsaraine. Clearly many things were different, in the outland nations.

"I shall trust your judgement, Koinos," she said, "I fear my own would be poor. Where do I obtain this wristband you speak of?"

"Don't worry about the wristband. I'll pick one up for you from the magistrate. Well, I'll just leave to your own devices for a bit and see what I can get in the way of clothing."

Just before Idios and Koinos left, Idios pulled a folded peice of paper from his pocket and handed it to Yseult.

"This should keep you occupied while we're gone. If you need further course information, just ask Logo."

The paper:
[code:1:10fd7531be]Suggested Course List
Introductory Planetology
Introductory Gaialogy and Ecopoesis
Biome Engineering
Megascale Landscaping (Prerequisite: General Geology)[/code:1:10fd7531be]

Once Koinos and Idios had left, Yseult flopped back onto the bed, the sheaf of paper in her hands. Reading, at least, did not seem affected by the lack of the Communion.

Megascale landscaping, she thought. An ... interesting ... name for it. Is Tsarainese geological teaching equivalent, I wonder? It will have to be.

What's "Gaialogy and ecopoesis", I wonder?

Aloud, she said, "Logo! Define "Gaialogy and ecopoesis"."

"Gaialogy, noun. The study planetary self-regulation via the interaction of the planet's biosphere and abiotic components as a single organism. Also, the design and implementation of such an organism through ecopoesis."
"Ecopoesis, noun. The process of forming of a new ecology where one did not previously exist. Generally considered the final stage of terraformation."

Gaialogy makes no sense, Yseult decided. The boom-bust cycle of predator-prey populations proves that the environment does not regulate itself!*

*Not necessarily true, but it's the sort of thing the Tsarainese believe. Systems should be balanced!

The room was about 4 meters square, bed on the right from the door, a low shelf above it, and a closet in the wall at the foot. A table sat opposite the bed, holding a 3D projector. A short hallway led off to a full bathroom at the end, and a kitchen off to the side, sharing the back of the wall with the bedroom.

After a little over an hour and a half, Idios and Koinos returned with a sharp rap on the door, and the question "May we enter?"

Yseult fiddled with the 3D projector a little, intrigued by the technology; Tsaraine had nothing like this little device.

Then there was a knock on the door, and Koinos's voice asked "May we enter?".

"Certainly," Yseult replied; the door was not locked, and there was no reason to bar her advisers entry.

The projector itself was rather bland, little more than a thin white square on the tabletop with tiny holes in it, and on on/off switch. Not too much playing, however was required for it to start hissing as mist filled the air above it, and lasers began manipulating the droplets to form the equivalent of a bluescreen, in this case a grey sphere with neon stripes, while other lasers projected a red dvorak keyboard onto the table itself.

Koinos entered first. "Ah, I see you discovered the projector. Kind of an old model, but it does it's job. Great for three-dee Pong. Here, catch." Koinos tossed Yseult a small black elastic band holding a flexible green screen about 2 centimeters square. "That one's blank, but that's easy to fix. Just tap the screen to turn it on and ask Logo to activate it for you."
Idios then entered carrying a large paper bag with whisps of multicolored cloth poking out of the top. "Just got the basics for now. These should do for a few weeks, at least."