Dimar: Lost Waters
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Table of Contents

Intro
Prolog

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33

Glossary
Dimar terms
Arrallin terms

Map

Lost Waters - Chapter 2

     Tara waited for the last of the inner circle to file in. Rakal, Tarrin, Mason, Tulera, Kimmer, and finally Marshal. "Mason, report." Tara barked with irritation.
      "It's a one-in-a-million find, sir. Class A, the right mix of nitrogen, oxygen and trace gasses, and a level of life teeming on the surface unlike anything I've had the pleasure of visiting yet. It's vibrant down there, and the plants are a classic carbon based set. Well evolved - possibly far past the level of earth. It's 75% the size of earth, meaning we'll have 75% gravity, but we're not planning on going back to earth after this run anyway." Cy Mason rattled out, getting slightly flushed as he called up chart after chart. "And, to top it off, despite the age and power on this planet, it has no intelligent life in residence. We went back about 3000 years, and at one point it did indeed have some form of builder, so there are ruins left, but we expect that some form of natural disaster did them in, or they abandoned the planet. They may have been space farers - the ruins show a high level of technology. We'll set the betas loose on it, and they'll go wild. Not only do we have a great place to start Arralla over, we've got new tech to keep the betas from going crazy. They can build all they want." Rakal rumbled with amusement at the comment. "The only problem I can foresee with a settlement is related to these large raptors, and two forms of ground based predators, and the fires that tend to sweep across the land when hydrocarbons release from the planet's crust in the dry season. The weather is very turbulent, and the ocean currents are strong, and there's no doubt that the indigenous life there may find us a tasty addition to the food chain. And then there's the matter of the bacteria and viral problems, parasites and radiation problems..." Mason stopped to catch his breath, smoothing back his unruly brown hair with one hand as he flipped through page after page of data.
      "Radiation? Microorganisms we can handle, but radiation would render this 'gemstone' of yours completely useless, Cy." Tara called up the radiation scans and started to peruse the data.
      "It's not radiation, it's just a strong and erratic magnetic field. This planet has a high iron content, good for building I might add, and the field spectrums that are strongest are, thankfully, harmless to embryo development for humans, and my research tells me also Arrallins. It's no big deal, we just get aurora borealis all over the planet, really. I look forward to lying in the treetops watching it, myself."
      Tara cocked an eyebrow at the man. "Okay, Mason...you're obviously moving to this place with or without the rest of us. Let's get an objective review, now, eh? Kimmer, what's you're take on Planet Gemstone?" Mason grinned wryly and plucked at his mustache absently, watching Kimmer hopefully. Tara turned to face the calico beta, who swiveled her ears forward and flexed her whiskers nervously.
      "Too good to be true, I'd say. Not to say that we shouldn't move in, but we should keep our guard up. I don't like the fact that a planet this far along doesn't already have some form of organized higher life. Something did them in, and it will get us if we dance into this. My recommendation - take the flagship down, and land it for a base camp. Leave the two transports in orbit, and unload one using the scout as a shuttle. We've got hydrocarbons galore down there to work with for refining, and plenty of oxygen ice in the rings around the fourth planet. With the resources down there, we could even go back to gas powered engines if we wanted to for years before we fried ourselves." Tara could see that despite her reservations, Kimmer was still itching to get on this rock and look around.
      "Okay... two thumbs up from the experts. Is this it? Votes? Concerns?" Tara surveyed the group.
      One by one, the vote counter registered green. "It's ulaminated, sir. We're going!" Kimmer's tail swept along the floor as she tried to keep from yipping with delight.
      Tara smiled, "Unanimous, Kim, and yes...we'll go."

     * * *Chapter 3