it's a planet mingle!

[evildetector]

Who: Everyone!
Broadcast: Nope!
Action: Yep!
When: For the duration of the planet Arslae stay!

[ woot woot! time to get your mingle on, folks. leave a top-level with your starters and tag around! ]

Comments

C!

[stefanged]

[Stefan didn't need any convincing to tag along - if anything, he might've suggested it at the same time. Bringing along two thermoses (of hot tea, natch) and several journals, he'd been wandering the temples with Clay.

Every so often, he stops to point out some architecture borrowed from a Byzantine mosque or a synagogue from Jerusalem, and the expression on his face grows more mystified by the second.] This is nowhere near Earth, so how come everything seems so... borrowed?

[He'd comment on it further, but his hearing can catch that throat clearing. Without any hesitation, Stef opens up that thermos and pours a hot cup of tea for Clay.] Here. I know it's getting a bit cold, but this should help.

[geonomy]

[And Clay has been paying attention, he really has, because these temples are ripe with culture and historical reverence, and the geography has to hold some kind of meaning too. But he still finds himself spacing out a bit, like when the cottony feeling gets a bit overwhelming, when the sun shining off of certain parts of the architecture just makes him shut down a bit. He does it a few times when Stefan talks, though he tries to snap himself out of it. It's just getting a bit harder as time goes on.

He feels like commenting on the Earth thing, and at the same time, he doesn't want to bother. But the offer of hot tea is definitely appreciated, and Clay takes it with both hands.]

Thanks. [He sips at the tea, shutting his eyes as it soothes him a bit. Would probably be better for him if there was honey in it, but he'll make do.]

Anyway, uh - The Earth thing? I actually asked Diamond about that when we were on the Marsiva. Apparently, we're following a terraforming path that connects back to Earth. It's really old, and the connection to Earth is really long, but it's there.

[stefanged]

[Sadly, honey is a rare sweetener in this galaxy. Stefan has sugar packets, which he'll offer up without a word - but beyond that, he's got nothing. The other thermos is Stefan's tea (tea with powdered milk), and he's long since learned that other people may not like his tea.]

Huh. [Stefan glances back at one of the altars he had pointed out earlier. An exact replica of a Catholic altar, kneelers and everything - a connection to Earth would explain it.] That explains a lot.

I wish I'd asked her something better, but at the time, I was way too focused on getting my Qur'an back.

[geonomy]

Oh, you got it back? That's... don't tell me, that's - the book of Islam, right? That's great, I'm happy for you.

[He gives a big smile, though he doesn't feel like raising his voice as much as he normally would.]

I've never actually read it myself. Never really had the time.

[stefanged]

I sure did. Diamond sent it "with her love," whatever that means.

[He figures, she can't taint a Qur'an, and he's memorized the whole thing. So he can tell when something's off. So far, nothing.]

I wouldn't expect that of you. It is a holy book. [A small laugh, though he does furrow his brow with concern, because man, a not-so-loud Clay is definitely a sick Clay] Hey, should we wrap this up early? I can always drop by tomorrow.

[geonomy]

Huh? Oh, no, I'm fine, I'm totally fine!

[He even grins and puts his hands on his hips. See? He's fine! He'll tilt his head towards the hallway that'll take them deeper into the temple.]

Let's keep going! There's still a lot more of this place we haven't checked out.

[stefanged]

Just one more room.

[For now, Stefan concedes, putting the thermos back in his trusty messenger bag before they head down that hallway. If the guy's as sick as Stefan thinks he is, that one room'll be the end of their tour.]

Maybe you're fine, but I'm Stefan Salva--Alesci, and I'm not gonna be fine if we stick around here much longer.

[geonomy]

[The name change makes him look at Stefan, eyebrow raised a bit. Salva-what now? Maybe he misheard, but... well, at the same time, he's sure he didn't. He'll have to ask him about that sometime later.]

Uh... right, just one more room. [Even though he wanted to do more..... :( ]

[stefanged]

One more, and then we'll backtrack here first thing in the morning, God willing.

[Stefan shrugs off the look for now. It's gotta be related to their exploration, not his surname slip. Some day, he'll get around to telling Clay the truth. Just... well, Stefan's not sure when that would be.]

Wish I could've asked Max to tag along. Some pictures for the road would've helped.

[geonomy]

[He brightens up a bit - Right, first thing in the morning. Hopefully this is just one of those 24 hour bugs and nothing serious.]

Yeah, she's got that old camera, right? This would've been nice to hang up, maybe have some descriptions on the side... Though nothing's stopping us from recording it with our devices, right?

[stefanged]

Well, no. [Stefan thinks about it for a sec, glancing down to where he keeps his communicator.] But knowing how to reply to people with video, versus recording something to send to myself....

["That's a bit beyond me." His cheeks grow a little red.]

I'll figure it out for next time.

[geonomy]

Hmmmm... [Well. He'll totally whip out his own communicator. He types in a few numbers, then holds out the device, record function on, to slowly pan over the walls of the temple.] I'm sending this to your inbox right now. Anything in particular you want me to record? And anything you want to note?

[stefanged]

[Stefan flashes him a grateful smile]

Thank you. Uh, nothing specific - the architecture here looks almost like the masjids in Jordan. The ceiling? [He gestures towards it, and the intricate tile pattern above their heads] The complete lack of kneelers or an altar at the front?

Most of this is trademark Islamic and Buddhist-style architecture, and if we're heading back to Earth, I guess.... they had a relationship with our planet at one point.