Mob No. 70: “Wow, professional pilots are amazing. Even in this heavy rain, wind, and thunder, they can fly so steadily. We amateurs could never do that. I guess they have some tricks up their sleeve?”
Planet Tosure.
From space, this planet looks beautiful – colored by the blue of the oceans, the green of the trees, and the white of the clouds.
The atmosphere is made up of components that allow humans to live here. Water is abundant and there is plenty of greenery. However, 100% of the land surface is solid bedrock. Only about 1% is flat areas. Other than those spots, you’d have to build bases out on the ocean or up in the air to secure adequate housing, since the rest is mountainous terrain.
I’m impressed by this planet’s plants that can take root on the hard bedrock.
While developing one of the few flat areas, ancient ruins were discovered, so development was halted. Now there’s a plan to make it a tourist planet focused around the ruins.
Right now they’re in the middle of excavation and investigation of the site.
At the same time, there’s lots of speculation about why there’s so little flat land on this planet – maybe it was like this originally, or the result of disasters, war, etc.
I wonder what the researchers’ reactions would be if it turns out the current environment was caused by a past privileged ruling class aesthetically terraforming all flat land except their vacation homes and military bases into mountain ranges?
The gateway to Planet Tosure is the massive artificial ocean city [Ocean Palace]. It’s situated offshore and attached to the seafloor 160 meters down on the continental shelf.
Seven 100-meter diameter, 20,000-meter long pillars are driven into the seafloor in a hexagonal pattern with one pillar at the center, leaving 310 meters above water (150m) and below (160m).
50 kilometers out from the surfaced pillars, a huge 50km diameter circular platform is fixed in place by passing through openings at 7 points along its edge.
Stacking platforms at 50 meter intervals up to 3 layers completes the megastructure.
At its center is a space elevator to orbit.
Originally built as a base for the few resort areas on the rare flat lands, it quickly became the excavation teams’ base and temporary research institute once ancient ruins were discovered around the planet.
So while it has well-stocked shops for excavation tools and parts, batteries, food, clothes, daily necessities, medical supplies, plus restaurants, baths, lodging, cleaning services, and coin laundries for the teams, it lacks other entertainment like bookstores, game centers, gyms, movie theaters, and casinos.
There’s a temporary library but it only has history resources.
I hear some people are playing casual baseball at the stadium, which seems extravagant.
For researchers, the ruins are activity enough, but it must be boring for the excavation laborers.
On this mega ocean city, university professors and individual research teams are allocated set areas on the top 3rd level to use as research bases.
Each team investigates one ruin site, brings finds back for measurements and analysis.
The team that hired me this time is Professor Florina Theez’s archaeology team from the Imperial University.
“Thanks for coming. We can pilot cargo ships well enough, but landing in rough conditions makes me nervous.”
Shaking my hand, Professor Theez looks to be in her mid 30s, tall and fit with a nice figure. Even in excavation gear and boots she doesn’t look much like a professor.
“So I’ll transport all of you to and from the site in this ship? And when I’m not needed for transport I can choose to stay on site or return here?”
The cargo ship I’m to pilot is a previous gen but highly reliable Sanfield Carryace III. It should handle well enough.
“Yes, but be ready to come quickly if we call. The site map is loaded into the ship. See you bright and early tomorrow.”
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First I should inspect the cargo ship thoroughly.
The next day’s work was peaceful.
Up at 6am, inspect the ship.
Eat breakfast after.
Take the professor’s excavation team to and from the site.
My job is basically just transport. No helping with digging.
Those not going to the site work on analyzing and restoring artifacts.
After dropping the team off, return to the ocean city.
Free time until pickup unless asked to deliver excavation equipment, batteries, etc. Sometimes they let me observe on site.
Back in the city I can wander around, read light novels I brought, or download more online – very relaxing.
Pick up the team around 5pm so we arrive before dark. Do post flight checks and refuel immediately after.
More free time until bed.
Once the professor invited me drinking with the researchers but the conversation was all jargon I didn’t understand, so since then I’ve declined using the next day’s flight as an excuse.
I’m put up in a hotel in the city.
Boring but without risk to life and limb, these are good days.
Today, three weeks into this peaceful job, the weather has looked ominous since morning.
My first cloudy day on this planet, with heavy rain seemingly imminent.
Soon as I got back to the ocean city after the usual site drop off, rain started falling.
Gusty winds too, maybe thanks to being offshore.
Just before lunch I got word they want an earlier pickup due to the worsening weather. Arriving at the site, it was raining hard there too.
I landed the ship near their break room and the team rushed on board.
“Wow, no matter how often I experience it, the rain here is intense.”
Having been here a while, the professor’s experienced these downpours before.
“It won’t rain for a month at a time, but when it starts it’s a ferocious deluge with powerful winds. Thankfully it usually stops after 3 days.”
The professor lectured me about the planet’s climate while they loaded artifacts.
“Loading complete!”
“Great. Let’s go.”
Once loading finished I closed up and took off.
With the winds and lightning, I decide to fly as low as safely possible to get away from the site.
Lightning is bad news even with precautions, so best avoid it.
Flying smoothly near sea level while carefully maintaining stability is tricky.
Yet the professor starts trying to chat.
“Amazing, professional pilots are impressive. Even in this rain, wind and thunder you’re flying so steadily. We amateurs could never do that. You must have some tricks up your sleeve?”
I really need to concentrate to fly this stable in these conditions. Having someone casually lean in to look at the instruments is very distracting mentally and operationally.
“Please don’t talk to me professor, I need to focus completely to fly smoothly and safely in this weather.”
“Oh, sorry about that.”
Thankfully one of his students admonished the professor so he left me alone.
Right then the ship was engulfed in a bright flash.
“Looks like lightning struck nearby.”
“Better than a direct hit. Still glad we’re over water.”
Apparently the ship was grazed by lightning. It should be fine with the precautions in place but better avoid them altogether.
“I’ll hurry back as fast as safely possible.”
Minding safety but moving swiftly, I pushed the throttle to return to the ocean city.
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