[IC] Lost World: Antarctica

[Theyra]

Antarctica, the most frozen continent, the land of ice and snow. The last continent to be discovered and the least interesting of them. For what is there find then some ice and other wildlife like penguins? For the longest time since its discovery in the 19th century, it was just a small curiosity for a few thousand scientists and tourists.

That changed in 2023 in the McMurdo Sound when after glacier broke off and revealed an ancient stone temple of unknown architecture. As soon as it was discovered, many scientists, researchers, archeologists, and more people of the scholarly pursuits wanted to explore and study the structure. Which a good number were allowed to study it, and an expedition was mounted and based out of the nearby McMurdo Station. Though there was a delay in studying the interior of the temple as the entrance was blocked by ice, and so there had to be a team of excavators was brought on to safely excavate the site.

Currently, it is around midday at the McMurdo Sound and a few hours since the temple entrance was opened, and the expedition was allowed inside. There they found what looked like symbols and figures etched into the stone walls along with somewhat ornate statues of an unknown figure. As every inch of the temple was being studied, for Issac and some others. He was busy in what he thinks is the main chamber of the temple and in the middle of the chamber. Set on an ornate pedestal was a large blue orb of an unknown material.

Issac was busy writing down notes in his journal about the symbols and figures on the wall. To say he was excited was a understatement about studying what is now called the McMurdo temple. The first sign that sentient life had existed in Antarctica. Who were they, what was their culture, and what became of them? All of these questions and more were flowing around in his head. Stopping writing to turn around and to gaze at the large orb in the center of the chamber. Thinking out loud, "Now what is this beauty?" He wondered, and what was so special about this orb that it would sit in not just in the main chamber of the temple but on this pedestal?

[PrinceAlexus]

Nataza Beata Stepanova.

The Unkown Temple

Dr Natasza Beata Stepanova. Post marked London England.

Dear Dr Natasza Beata Stepanova.

We are pleased to confirm and invite you to join the expedition to the newly discovered Artic structure.

Please find details enclosed and make your way to McMurdo Sound by timelines enclosed. Accommodations at the American station are provided. Again all details will follow in a larger package sent alongside this letter.

Your payments are as agreed in the last meeting and all on contract. Please read carefully , sign and return using pre pre-paid envelope. Upon return your pre-payment for expenses will be paid within 3 working days.

Kind regards and good luck.

Professor L Croft.
Department of Antiquities.
University College London.

CC:
Professor D Jackson.
Egyptology Section.
US Air Force Strategic Command.

…

D -14 to D -5

Natasza only just caught her flight having to take a roundabout route. The new Temple in what was long considered a dead continent to human life and uninhabited was no longer the case. A stone temple of unknown age and origin drew every eye possible and any academic with more than a Masters seemed to be applying to join the expedition at the US run polar outpost.

Watching London vanish beneath as she caught the special flight provided by UK Military to Falklands then linking up with an convoy of ship's loaded heavily with station supplies and some of scientists on a research vessel , HMS Shackleton joining to study under sea regions, An modern Russian behemoth of an icebreaker the Pavlov, and fuel tanker for station. The direct flights were harder to get so Natasza was on a slow boat there taking the old fashioned route.

Their little convoy made a steady pace arriving 9 days later at the busy Artic station. It did give her a chance to brush up on her scrabble game with a French Geologist and an fun evening with their own mini Titanic themed grand ball of sorts aboard on the trip dancing into the night that you never get flying direct. She was not a people person but the atmosphere was infectious that evening and embraced it somewhat against her norm.

D -2

Settling into life on the busy station waiting for her chance into the structure so was studying some photos sent back from outside , they did not do the discovery justice though and was very much like a kid in a lego store waiting for a chance to see it firsthand. However the dramatic news had meant the media , though pretending to speak limited English and talking in deliberately accented Polish had put them off bothering her as she struggled to not laugh while doing it.

"Oh please… seriously? That quick? We barely know anything bar it exists yet."

Replying to an email rumour that said they had someone from one of the big tv channels doing a documentary already. Rumours were rife around the station. Pulling her ushanka hat and hood up for protection as despite global warming the area was not most hospitable, heading from her lodging to a dining area and a screening of Aliens… scientists really did have a sense of humour despite popular belief otherwise.

Keeping to herself somewhat with a glass of wine, Natasza was enjoying the quiet movies and smaller events. Not so much forced socialising as on other expeditions though from seeing a few held hands and whispering the base would probably end up with a few extra residents from biological reproduction experiments. If you put enough healthy adults in a place with no real place to go… well it happened.

D 0 (Dig day)

Packing the last of her kit for the 3rd time, SKS checked and readied for the 2nd fully oiled and cleaned, extra clips all tossed in the backpack. Leaving live ammo unattended was a bad idea. Everything had to be done in a certain order, the books and other reference stuff could be left behind. Ushanka secured, everything closed and zipped. It was a 10 minute walk to catch a short helicopter flight to the site of the temple. It was good to let you get a view overhead and that could be rather useful and important to understand the nature of people who created the Temple. Terrain for such sites was chosen extremely carefully.

Dressed in her practical gear, very glad for her new winter boots and sunglasses as the Polar sun shone low and brightly glaring at your eyes reflecting off all the lighter colours. It was not a fancy outfit nore particularly colourful but it was warm and would keep you safe from the various hazards on a dig site or odd errant tool or chip.

Ducking low and getting out the rotor wash of the helicopter with sks slung over shoulder and her backpack tightly strapped she could finally see the Temple for the first time and the advanced workmanship that covered the structure making some small talk but more drawn to the window.

The inside was very much almost like a Indiana Jones movie, deliberate unknown carving work and complicated forms, characters showed whoever made this placed great value upon this building. It was like Howard Carter opening his tomb only way Colder, an entirely unknown new thing. Placing her hat in backpack for now and sorting her short hair, walking the room and documenting to get some idea of what was there and general arrangement for a few hours to start with. The designs ran collectively across multiple walls and took a lot of work but one eventually stood out in particular as patterns began to slowly emerge and form. "Anyone got a dig kit? There's an interesting glyph set zere but iv needs cleaning?"

Her native accent coming pronounced in excitement, every culture often laid things out in certain understanding of symmetry. This was larger and often in a place regarded as important. In line with the main altar of sorts and sitting on what seemed to align with other carvings in supportive forms and architecture. Much as she could do some excavation, times like this required a pro. "Vi do not want to damage it, and much seems to centre on zis glyph set."
Scraping at dirt carefully with her glove it did not give much, requiring a little more persuasion to reveal the main body of carving.

The team was as varied as expected, more tuition fees round room to buy a mansion from all parts of the globe. Natasza had yet to get to know anyone that extensively yet and mostly knew everyone at least by professional basis.

Humming along to 40-1 Natasza waited studying her notes and rough initial drawings confirming her theory that whatever this was may be interesting. Definitely patterns and reason or deliberate intention to then but what they meant would take far longer to understand their meanings.

[mantou]

Sunny

---

_{interacting with: @Inertia@Theyra}

The landing!

Skidding atop the roughly-laden icy runways of the Williams' airfield, an aircraft finally came to a parked stop after a good ten minutes of slipping and sliding. This naturally brought with it a few mini-heart attacks and passengers clutching at their chest, but there was one flyer in particular who instead vibrated with such giddiness that it threatened to shoot her straight through the aisles of the crowded plane and into the field.

This was Dr. O'Connor, better known as Sunny, who looked at those vast fields of white with almost childlike excitement, going against the urge of wanting to break free of the constraints of her seatbelt right that instant. The urge to rush the undulating ebb and flow of the airplane disembarkation process grew from there. So the botanist hastily grabbed her hand-carry and sped out the runways to collect her baggage, readier than ever to venture out into this new world of frost. Being greeted with the biting winds of the cold air, the woman scrunched her tingling nose as she stepped out of the airfield with a high-pitched squeal and a celebratory twirl, complete with the wide-open V-pose and everything. Without being predisposed to normal human levels of shame, she proceeded to embarrass the McMurdo Sound's agent in charge of collecting her for the first (and definitely not the last) time. The agent's hand that rose up to wave immediately dropped, executing the swiftest facepalm to date.

Anyone would have been able to tell that this was her first visit here-- but the question of whether she was a field botanist on the job or a straight-up tourist was slightly blurred there. Faster than light, the collections agent ushered the woman to the car that brought her directly to their on-site accommodations.

---

Packed like a girl scout, Doctor O'Connor approached the temple in slow steps to admire it in all its magnificence. The woman was no architect, but she was willing to say it was worthy of an A+ in aesthetics. Very excitedly, she whipped out a camera and began circling the temple like a bird of prey, taking photos of it in every angle possible, hoping to write home about it and perhaps show her colleagues once she returned to the U.S. Naturally, her work here would not be as extensive as the next archeologist or paleontologist, but she was more than eager to begin her data collection on any floral specimen that seemed remotely predated. So, watch out, anything that wasn't Antarctic hair grass and pearlwort! Doctor O'Connor slowly brought up a finger gun, shot off at an imaginary target in the distance, and blew away the non-existent smoke from the barrel. This was going to be great.

After scouring the outside of the temple and collecting each new sign of flora, she then made towards the best part for the last. The giant backpack on the woman bounced with every step into the temple, but not before stopping abruptly just ten feet into the place.

"JOHN!" A restrained, yet undeniably loud, hushed exclamation sounded from within the poor temple. The botanist cupped her own mouth, shocked at her own excitement. On this particular expedition, she should not have felt surprised to see her friend, Dr. Ha-Kun, studying the material structure of the temple. Still, a familiar face in a new continent was nice to see. And it was no more of a surprise to her that he turned up earlier than she did! "So good to see ya again! Have ya met any of the other scientists onboard yet?"

"Doctor O'Connor." The Paleontologist turned his head towards Sunny, a greeting in his own way. "Not quite yet, I was simply enamored by this structure."

"Sure looked like it! The botanist beamed, glancing at John's point of interest. "I damn near bumped into y -- Ooh, this material's gorgeous, for sure. Now how's about we get some more lookin' done inside?

"Well, I can't keep the top scientific minds of this century waiting," He says, dusting himself off, "Shall we?"

"Sir yes, sir." Sunny clicked her tongue twice, nodding her head towards the halls further in.

"It is good there is a veritable expert in paleobotany in our midst, it is an area I'm... sorely lacking in." He continues, "Truly, our back-and-forth dialogue has helped further my research, Doctor O'Connor."

"It's no biggie!" The botanist shrugged. "I'm glad I could help! If anything, I'm only here because you got me into taking the initiative to learn more-- 'we've much to comprehend from the past', isn't that what you said?"

"Yeah..." John scratches his cheek, perhaps embarrassed at being quoted as such. He coughs awkwardly, "Ahem- indeed it is true, the past is rife with information. It is a pleasure and privilege that we are allowed such. There are many unknowns that we, as scientists, must uncover."

"Preach it, John, preach it." If she could whistle without potentially obstructing the rest of the team across the temple, she would've.

---

They chatted a little more until the conversation reached a lull, in which the two scientists took their time to keenly observe the interiors of the temple. In time, they found themselves in front of a massive open entrance that seemed to denote great importance to whatever the chambers within held. The botanist peered inside yet only to realize that they were in fact, not the first ones there. By now, it was for sure, this was the most responsible team she's come across thus far. According to her, McMurdo really did a fantastic job attracting the best of the best to this operation.

"Hello--." Sunny's voice echoed slightly from where she stood at the doorway before shutting up. Even though it was second nature for her to introduce herself as soon as she got to meet her team, this type of environment begged for some peace and quiet. If they were going to work together, then getting to know each other was an obvious step to take... but perhaps that could come later after everyone is finished. She nodded at John before turning away, heading towards the man standing with his back towards them. As the orb came into view, the botanist felt her jaw loosen and drop.

"Well, that looks like a giant ominous red button waiting to be pressed." She whispered.

[Theyra]

Isaac Vale

Interacting with @mantou

---

"Don't be so sure about this artifact being an ominous red button," Isaac whispered back to Sunny. "But it is important obviously or was important to the people that built this temple," Isaac said with a reassuring smile. Then focusing his attention back on the orb. "It is certainly a curiosity and it... it almost looks like it was made of some kind of resin or something else entirely. I can not really describe it."

Isaac took a moment to think before shaking his head and turning back to face Sunny. "Sorry, I should introduce myself, I am Isaac Vale, archaeologist." Who are you?" Asking kindly before turning his head to the orb. "This a find of a lifetime we have here and all thanks to global warming." Isaac chuckled to himself, what are the chances it would be good for once." He turned his head back to Sunny. "What do you think of the site so far might I ask?"

[PrinceAlexus]

Nataza Beata Stepanova.

The Unkown Temple

Her zen mode worked quietly and mostly unnoticed as everyone else was equally engrossed into the temple and who could blame them. The very first sign of native developed civilization on the continent, it was before this deemed a place no human life had set foot until the first polar exploration ventured into the unknown with risks of death, starvation, isolation and more price for being the first upon a Virgin continent to human kind.

An excited call soon shook her attention shouting for John and a woman who seemed to possess more energy than an energiser bunny with an inbuilt nuclear reactor. Seriously she could probably feel the energy coming off the woman. "Hello, welcome to level one Lady Croft.."

Scientists could be an eccentric bunch Natasza had to admit, and was one of those. John was definitely not his real name but it was easier and man seemed equally easy to work with, understanding having been Nat, Tasha, and Taz before by one particularly eccentric professor who was maybe not all quite there. John all in very limited exposure seemed an easy going man. Sometimes she wished was more outgoing and got to know the people more while waiting at the station but her own nature was not good at that.

Notebook in hand, rifle on shoulder and an ancient temple only would need some tight shorts and tank top for tomb raider look. While it might look intimidating, her slightly awkward nature around strangers was less imposing alongside the nerdy patches on gear. It was a rather less confrontational appearance for the silvery white haired Dr. "Natasza Stepanova, resident language geek" introducing herself but trying not to interrupt Issac social situations where not her strongest point, but she managed well enough and had muddled this far though and it all.

"I feel like I walked into a novel or video game, sorry to interrupt… just so… " Natasza was honest about her feelings. This place was unreal and beyond anything anyone had ever expected. This place had a certain impossibility about it and how it should by all counts and rational answers remain on paper or in code.

Glancing quickly Natasza hoped she had not already set a bad example with a new team.

Mentions.
@Theyra@Inertia@mantou