(no subject)

[cityship]

Planet Designation: Agrestic
Status: Terrestrial, Q-class.
Non-sentient life: Extensive agricultural flora and livestock. Natural habitats have been entirely eliminated
Semi-Sentient Life: None.
Sentient Life: Population 18 billion. Variety of races due to history of heavy immigration from neighboring universes. Dominant race Kanil, although representatives claim no species-based discrimination exists on planet.
Water: 80% of the planet's surface.
Climate: Varied. Current location is warm and moderately humid, average temperature 60 degrees Farenheit. Regular rain seasons.
Landscape: Mountains, plains and oceans. No deserts. All terrain has been terraformed for maximum productivity.
Air: Type I (breathable)
Sky: Red.
Warnings: Daligig not permitted within Agrestican territory.
Mission: Shore leave and refueling.




As Stacy's shuttles bring the crew down, they're treated to the sights of massive mountains to dwarf even the mightiest Earth mountain range and golden, green and purple grain fields that take up more space than some entire civilizations have managed to colonize. The shuttles finally settle at the primary port city, Rura, which is ideally situated near and equidistant to a sprawling ocean, the base of a mountain range and a swath of farmland.

The people of Agrestic, including humans, Helians, Kanil, and plenty of other races, are for the most part hard at work and rushing from place to place. Very few pay much attention to Stacy's shuttles, as travelers stopping at this city and incredibly commonplace. Those that aren't working are relaxing, unencumbered by technological gadgets - while the technology here is very advanced, it seems primarily used to aid workers in their duties, and not for leisure. Fresh produce brought into the market is scanned by tiny mechanical beetles that inspect each piece for defects, but the children are more likely to be playing with sticks and rocks than anything else.

The crew exits the shuttles to find themselves at a large air-port like building, which opens up to a farmer's market and a strip of restaurants. As they exit the shuttles, some of the human port workers apologize for any inconvenience.

"We're sorry you couldn't bring the whole ship down, but the Truce specifically forbids Daligig to enter our airspace. You're lucky we managed to get clearance for shuttles of Daligig make to come in!" they say, before rushing off to help the next arrivals.

To return to the ship, a crew member may enter a shuttle and the autopilot will zip them back up to Stacy's underbelly. The crew may make as many trips back and forth as they like.

[OOC: This post itself will be for interactions with NPCs. Please do not set up subthreads in this post unless you are an NPCer. If you would like to create a new location on Agrestic, or do an open/closed log on the shore leave, please set up your own log. This will make it easier for our NPCers to know where they're needed.]

Comments

BASIL BUSTON

[meat_mooks]

One of the people the crew might run into is a fellow named Basil Buston. He runs a restaurant on the strip, one with an Agrestican name that translates loosely to 'Good Eats and Amazing Feats'. The restaurant's gimmick is that is doubles as a library, and waiters maneuver their way through aisles and aisles of books of all sort to deliver freshly-made food to the customers. A history section, as well as a 'recipe fiction' section, are displayed at the front window, along with the slogan 'food for the soul and the stomach'.

Basil appears to be a seven foot-tall obese tabbycat, identical to the type from Earth except for the eight-fingered humanoid hands and the brilliant yellow and black fur that more resembles caution tape than a natural color. His original name was a series of purrs and hisses but, for the sake of good business, he changed it to a more human convention to ease introductions. If you are seated at any of the tables or big lounge chairs for a meal, he will approach you with his jovial attitude and a few snacks straight from the kitchen.

[morphitudinous]

Billy has always been the sort of person to prefer productive meals. Eating food would be too large of a waste of time if he didn't have a book to read or notes to take! He liked to rationalize it by saying the multi-tasking helped him digest better.

With that in mind, the library-themed exterior and promise of intellectual satisfaction drive him straight to this restaurant between supply runs. Power cores for handcuffs, trinkets, wrenches, fresh tools...hauling all that gear's worn him out.

He flops down in a lounge chair, promptly pulling out one of his new books. It's a discussion of teleportation technology, something he's promised to work on very soon. They'll need it later.

Soon enough, he sets it aside to accommodate the large cat approaching him. "Good afternoon, sir."

[meat_mooks]

"Good afternoon!" Basil waddles over with a tray filled with tiny cups of shrimp with a light cheese sauce and garnish, on a fluffy bed of brown rice. "Our waiters will be with you shortly. While you're at it, feel free to have one of our lovely appetizers. I'm on a very strict diet but I can't resist whenever the chef makes these shrimp-cups. Did you find exactly the book you're looking for?"

Basil built this restaurant from the ground up two decades ago, and as such knows every book in the library from the cover. "Ah, teleportation. You must be a scientist, then, or an invention hobbyist."

[not_the_philistine]

Once Goliath found out that the books in the restaurant weren't all food-centric, he stationed himself firmly in the history section. It wasn't long before he was so deeply absorbed in a tome of Agrestican history that he'd forgotten (almost) completely about eating.

[meat_mooks]

What Goliath finds in the book might be interesting - originally, Agrestic was entirely unpopulated except for a few plant-like creatures, which subsisted off of eating each other once they'd weaned themselves from eating the soil. It was originally claimed in the name of the Daligig and the GIA, intended as a storehouse for any weapons that couldn't cross customs into certain universes. The people the Daligig left in charge, the Kanil, were so efficient with their work that, without anything else to do, they began a civilization. And in a hundred years Agrestic was a thriving gem among the multiverse, a testament to the hard work of the Kanil and a safe harbor for immigrants of all types, as long as they possessed strong work ethics.

Basil Buston trundles over, noticing that the large winged man at once of his window tables isn't eating anything, which is poor for business. It's not uncommon for customers to be absorbed in their studies, but Basil would much rather a ravenous horde be guzzling down his food up front. For appearances' sake!

"I trust everything is to your satisfaction, sir. I take it from your literature that you're not native to this planet?"

[catoutofwater]

It was the enticing smell wafting from the restaurant that initially drew Ranulf in; the smell of food, real food, not slop that he had to eat in a magical room that made it appear appetizing. And it was the smell of good food, at that. Quickly coming to the decision that he couldn't possibly set out to explore these new surroundings on an empty stomach, he made it one of his very first stops.

He hadn't taken more than three steps inside, though, before he was sidetracked by the rows of books. While he didn't generally do a whole lot of reading, a minute later he could be found relaxing in one of the lounge chairs with a book of 'recipe fiction' that his curiosity simply hadn't allowed him to ignore (because how did those two things even go together?), the tip of his tail twitching slowly back and forth as he flipped through its pages.

[meat_mooks]

The recipe fiction is, in fact, long purple-prosey descriptions of fantastic meals the authors have eaten. Not to be confused with 'fiction by recipe', which are a strange genre of books by number that are designed to, despite the different stories, be so similar in content as to be interchangeable.

Basil walks over on his hind legs. His tail sticks up in the air and twists just at the very tip into a little hook. He carries a platter of beef strips in a warm, buttery sauce, wrapped in fried dough. He sets it down on the table to the side of Ranulf's chair.

"Do you mind if I nuzzle? You smell of fellow cat and I find hand-shaking so impersonal." He has at least learned to ask about boundaries first.

[governorkang]

Kang was more interested in the books than he was in getting something to eat at that moment. He had a suspicion about the Daligig and the war with the Ohm, one that had formed after remembering something Eva had told him about the war between the Yeerks and the Andalites. What if the Daligig had had a hand in the Ohm's attacks on the multiverse? What if, like the Andalites, they felt the need to cover this fact up, whether it be out of shame or some form of propaganda?

So far, he hadn't had any luck with finding any information on the Daligig that wasn't entirely neutral. There wasn't even anything in a wholly positive light, as if the authors didn't even want to talk about them. He hadn't found anything on the Ohm yet that wasn't already known.

The three books he'd already gone through were set to the side, and he had four more to go. He'd covered two pieces of paper with notes in Nerakese that were jumbled, and barely legible. He closed his eyes briefly and rubbed at his temple, starting to get annoyed. Hopefully the next one would give him something.

[meat_mooks]

"You look as if you're having trouble." Basil wobbles his way over on his hind legs with a tray of pork and snakemeat skewers. "Have our waiters been keeping you waiting? If they aren't getting to you in a timely fashion, I could whip them back into shape."

Basil's threats are always in vain. He's blessed with good employees, or he'd have gone under by now - he's a hard worker, but not a disciplinarian by any means.

[bonnypiperlad]

Food is always a sure draw for Jamie, and the smells drifting his way were more than enough to lure him over. By the time he stepped foot in the restaurant, he was famished, and even though the theme wasn't exactly something that would draw him in, he decided to stay anyway.

A quick glance around showed no empty lounge chairs to be had at the moment, only a table nearby. It was a wee bit bigger than he needed, meant to sit three or four people, but he supposed if someone else came along he could always share. A second glance showed most of the occupants did seem to be reading, so he grabbed a book at random from the shelf and brought it over with him. Settling into one of the seats, he idly started flipping through the book's pages. If nothing else, reading would give him something to do until he could order some food.

[bequiet_hescreamed]

Clef was initially attracted to the shelves of books seen through the window, but when he saw that this library also served food (no, he hadn't read the sign) he experienced a moment of concern that he would never leave. He browsed the shelves first, selecting tomes on history and local flora and fauna, as well as several cultural studies - including non-Agrestican cultures. One of the best ways to find out about a people is to see how they write about other people, and Clef wanted to know this world intimately.

Once he had found enough reading material to last a while, he settled into a lounge chair and ordered something from the herbivore section of the menu from a passing waiter. He might look like a human, but the dietary restrictions of his species were a bit complex and things could get awkward if someone tried to offer him something with too much meat or dairy in it. It would be better to head that off at the pass.

[night_shift]

The restaurant was impressive, but it wasn't just the wide array of books that had attracted Elisa's attention. In the past, she'd enjoyed shore leave because it provided the crew with a break from the ship and a respite from the war they'd found themselves fighting. Now, however, everyone seemed to be on high alert.

She was intrigued to find herself on a planet that didn't even allow the Daligig into their airspace. And she wanted to know why.

The bustling restaurant seemed a reasonable place to start. And the menu looked good.

[lastgallifreyan]

"Oh, this place is brilliant!" exclaimed the Doctor. He'd always liked libraries. And a library that was also a restaurant? On a strange planet that he'd never visited before? With a mystery just waiting to be solved and a war just waiting to be averted?

He couldn't think of a better way to spend an afternoon.

LILY M.

[meat_mooks]

A waifish-looking woman swathed in fashionable white clothes and a pair of shades sat on a park bench, a novel on her lap. Occasionally, she'd reach into the paper bag beside her and toss some feed onto the ground for the fat pigeons waddling about her feet.

They were well-fed enough that they only waddled awkwardly out of the way as people passed by, rather than attempting to fly.

Re: LILY M.

[kaya_waterwave]

There was a lot to see, and while Kaya was all about doing that 9not to mention hopefully finding out more about this planet being out of the grip of the Daligig) she couldn't help, passing by, wondering about the woman feeding those birds.

"Hello," she greeted, sitting next to her. "We just got here on the ship. is the book any good?"

Re: LILY M.

[monster_san]

Fuu had been browsing in the farmer's market, buying some seed packets and honey, but she had decided to pause in her shopping for now to do more exploration. She was intrigued by this planet--the red sky and its minimal use of its advanced technology, and the ban on the Daligig. Fuu was hoping to get a change to talk to one of the citizens about that last point.

She didn't know whether the woman on the park bench lived here, but she seemed like a good starting point. "Hello," Fuu said, approaching with a smile, glancing at the amiable pigeons. That was a rather familiar sight. "May I sit here?"

[thewunderkind]

Lash took time out from her busy schedule to run amongst the pigeons, because this was completely important and she totally needed to do this. Watching them flapping their wings inefficiently was pretty hilarious.

"Tee hee hee they're so fat!"

Obb's Coffee

[meat_mooks]

Visitors with a taste for late-night thinking might be interested in Obb's Coffee, an almost perfectly round hut in a tucked-away section of Rura. From the moment the door opens, nostalgic scents waft through the air. Want your coffee custom-made? Try it here.

The beverages include traditional Earth coffee with any number of additions (peppermint? honey? cream? cinnamon? chocolate? protein powder?) and that's just the beginning. One coffee variety from the Fezur bean tastes something like cardboard brewed in vinegar, a popular kick for the worker types. Another, the Ulama bean, bears the taste of lemon leaves and barbecue sauce. Somehow, the combination works.

All visitors are greeted by Coffee Obb, a rather frightening-looking fellow. He's a bipedal creature with black skin, glowing orange markings, rather large fangs, and giant horns. Heat seems to radiate from his position behind the bar, creating the warm atmosphere the visitors love so well.

Any visitors are greeted with one of Obb's favorite tricks. He slams his staff into the ground, causing a little lamp right by an open seat at the bar to light. That's your invitation!

"What might you be drinking tonight?" The menu's behind the bar, order a sample shot if you're not sure."

Re: Obb's Coffee

[soulinherfists]

Allenby tried not to be too surprised by the way alien species looked anymore. It was a big multiverse, right? Some of them probably looked at humans and thought wow, who designs a species without fangs or venom glands and flat ears? So it was kind of pointless to think that anyone else looked weird.

But that was hard to maintain when you walked into a coffeehouse with a giant two-legged space heater for a barista. A magician kind of space heater, even. "Uh..." Allenby looked past his shoulder at the menu. Okay, maybe the flavor list was weirder than Coffee Obb was. Barbecue sauce?

Hey, maybe Starfire would like that one.

"How 'bout... egg coffee?" she said, brightening when she spotted that one. "Wow, I didn't know that kind made it all the way out here!"

Re: Obb's Coffee

[prodigalfirelord]

"I don't know."

But he likes the smell and the warmth of this place, and somewhere his uncle's heart is already breaking.

"What's good?"

[night_shift]

Elisa had loved working the night shift back in New York. That particular city had never slept and it looked as if Rura was no different. The scent of coffee - she'd really missed proper coffee - drew her in through the door, but that wasn't the only reason for her visit. She wanted to learn more about Agrestic and their relationship with the Daligig. If possible, she wanted to learn more about the Daligig themselves.

The owner of a small coffee shop was bound to meet a lot of people and hear a lot of interesting things.

She greeted him with a smile, taking in his strange appearance but not alarmed by it.

"Just a normal coffee for me, thanks. Milk, no sugar."

SUNFLORA FACESON

[meat_mooks]

Sunny is a large, heavyset Kanil woman in charge of customs out of the planet. Anyone exporting food goods will have to pass by either her or one of her coworkers. While a bit tetchy, she's quite chatty, and does know a good deal about the Daligig and interplanetary relation.

[17thangel]

Food, real food, Maria had spent her allowance on fruits and vegetables to dry and a few other things of the more mundane and flour types, but she understood she had to have it looked over, hopefully they were making sure it was actually all vegetable materials. With a bored expression on her face she waited for her turn.

Re: SUNFLORA FACESON

[tetsuwan_atom]

Atom looked incredibly suspicious with his bulging bags of purchases. They were all over the place, too; bags of seeds and bulbs, some for ornamental plants, some for crops. Candies, a cake, licorice, cream bread.

"Hi!" he said, beaming at Sunny.

[lastgallifreyan]

The Doctor was more interested in talking people on the planet than bringing food back to the ship, but he hadn't been able to resist buying a few boxes of little cakes. They were lovely. They were even decorated with something that looked a little bit like edible glitter.

"I love edible glitter," he said, popping one of the cakes into his mouth and grinning at Sunflora. He'd eaten the majority of one box while waiting to be seen, but he still had another unopened package to get through. "Not as good as edible ball bearings, but I've not seen them since I left Earth."