Continued from Sages post [For Random Xtras]

[mosaic_archive]

((Post for continuing here. :) ))

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[random_xtras]

"Yes." Ann nods to Plant, then notices how much she's carrying and starts to get up, but John's already over there offering to help the girl.

The seeds have a hard shell, then a good layer of protein rich oily meat, and then another shell that protects the innermost germ. Which is about the size of a common Earth carrot seed, though of different shape.

[talkstodaisies]

"Interesting," comments Gate, looking over the scan.

"I have been having very much a difficult time with the lichens. What are these being like, other than growing upon ice?" Plant smiles and lets him take the bowls and spoons. "Scarab suggested to be bringing some stew," she says, indicating the pot she's holding in her hands with a freed vine.

"I thought you might like to try it," says Scarab.

[random_xtras]

"What's interesting?" Tara decides that if Grace is near it's safe and scoots over to see if she can coax a peek at Gate's scanner.

"Well, the time I had some they were pretty good even without being soaked or mammoth chewed." John looks at the things he's carrying, then looks at the pot. "Oh... thank you...."

[historybug]

Plant blinks at this. "That is being unusual for lichens. Most are containing usnic acid, which is useful for being an antibiotic but if not removed would cause very bad cramps when eaten. And these are growing on top of the ice?"

"This is," Gate says, showing the scan. The screen is currently showing a simulated cross-section of a seed and a chemical analysis. "I take it you eat off the outer layer and the inner seed here still grows into one of these giant snow carrots?"

Plant blinks again. "Giant snow carrot?"

"You're welcome," says Scarab, going to help dish out the stew - and hand the carrot seeds to Plant to examine.

Plant stares at the sight of them. "These are being carrot seeds?"

[random_xtras]

"Yes. Just like normal lichens grow on the ground. But there isn't a lot of it because they don't like snow."

"Giant?" Tara nods at Gate's summery of the eating of a carrot seed. "Yeah. They have a hard middle. But they're not that big. The leaves are only like... well I guess during a warm the plant gets pretty tall."

And Ann nods too. "Those are carrot seeds. I've got some beans in the pouch, too, if you want to see those."

[random_xtras]

"Well, compared to the food from home...." John reaches into his pocket and offers another big seed to Scarab.

"Oh." Tara frowns at him with concern.

"You're welcome," says Ann, then takes a bowl and tastes stew for herself, her eyebrows shooting upward at the unusual and mild flavors.

[historybug]

Embarrassed Gate is embarrassed. "Well, there are other things to do. It's not like I would starve. I'm certain I'd remember to eat after a while."

".. But the best way to make sure is to wave food in between of his face and the datapad," comments Sheldon, tapping the edge of the nearly-everpresent device.

Scarab looks at the bean, and then tries a curious nibble...

[random_xtras]

Tara frowns up at him. "Eat, sleep, find food, maybe play a game... or listen to a story. What else is there?"

That is one very beany tasting bean.

[complex_design]

Gate forces away the thought that he'd go insane if that was all there was to do. "Well, usually I make things..."

Yes, yes it is. Scarab is still making a O.o face.

[random_xtras]

"Ah, no," says Ann. "She's worried he dropped it and lost it. Food's not easy to come by, so...." She shrugs, looking just a little embarrassed because she can see that things are different for these guys.

[talkstodaisies]

"Oh, no. I ate it," says Scarab.

"If it is no being too forward, perhaps we can be helping with that?" says Plant. "I know that there are being many of the others that are liking to hunt, but we are no needing to eat so much as humans. And it will be being garden season again soon also."

[random_xtras]

"No... that's alright. We have enough, if we're careful," says John.

"I'd be afraid to introduce anything that might offset the balance," says Ann.

[talkstodaisies]

Plant nods. "That is being very understandable. We are having to be very much careful in the planning for Mars for the same reason."

[random_xtras]

The poor thing spins out in his haste to get away, then leaps right over Sarah and vanishes into the Nexus.

"Crumbs." John looks after it with a worried scowl, but then looks for his wife. Seeing Ann laying still in a heap of snow, he leaps down to go to her.

[historybug]

Scarab stops, jumps up into a tree and from there to the top of the big snowball, and makes faces at the retreating feline.

Sheldon's more practical, immediately calling back to the warehouse and letting them know there is what looked to be a sabertooth tiger loose in the Nexus, headed away from his current position, 'north by northeast warehouse relative' - the front door with the metool was used by most there as a default 'north' to compensate for the Nexus lack of magnetic poles.

Gate, at the same time, has stored his armor again and retrieves his scanner to check on Ann's condition.

[random_xtras]

She's had three hundred pounds of cat step on her, so she's more than a little winded. That, plus hitting her head and having her leg run over by something have all conspired to knock her out.

John kneels beside her, gently pushing away Sarah's trunk, and then starts trying to start her breathing again without moving her.

Grace, for her part, is on guard, quietly talking to her family with subsonics as she scans the air for any trace of further danger.

And the baby is hiding her little face against Plant and making tiny scared sounds. She doesn't understand what just happened and just wants her mother, but her mother is telling her to stay put.

[talkstodaisies]

Gate isn't sure what to do, and wonders if he should call Rocinolle. He's fairly sure humans aren't supposed to stop breathing.

Sheldon is also checking the area, especially the portal, for any further danger. He suggests in a message to the warehouse that a guard be placed on it just in case, with tranquilizer guns for any woolly rhinos or sabertooth tigers that might wander through - and makes sure they remember to inform any possible guards that the mammoths of that universe are domesticated and may be carrying humans.

Plant dropped her shield once she knew the big cat was gone, and had already stored her armor. She didn't want to risk the baby being hurt on her thorns, or being stuck in the little mammoth's fur like some big burr.

[random_xtras]

Ann winces as the young reploid works, but makes no process, though her shivering is increasing. Part of it's shock, and part is just the natural effect of laying in a snow drift. John frowns with worry.

[ww_npcs]

There are a few thermal blankets - thin silvery things, but much more effective than they look - the kit. Rocinolle will hand those over to John as she gets the rings in place and activated.

[random_xtras]

"Is it safe to move her?" he asks as he carefully tucks them around his wife.

[ww_npcs]

With the last ring in place and activated Rocinolle nods. "It is now."

[random_xtras]

"Thank you." John takes them and looks at the pamphlet, finding that he can understand the printing if he concentrates.

Grace wants to go, she's calling softly and insistently.

[ww_npcs]

Rocinolle can see they want to leave, so she'll wish them luck and wave goodbye.

So will Plant, along with thanks for the seeds.

[random_xtras]

"You're welcome." John smiles as Tara waves from the edge of the other pouch. "Smooth snows."

He speaks softly to the mammoth, and she heaves a sigh and herds her family back through the portal, which begins to fade around the edges a little.

[ww_npcs]

The Repliforcers that arrive to guard the portal just in case notice the fading, and expect it won't be there for too long.