Season 2 - Episode 6 - Adiutrix

LIU Atlas - Adiutrix

There are billions of stars, millions of planets, but there is only one man, Terrance McDoogal. Welcome to LIU Atlas.

                                                                 LIU Atlas - Adiutrix

The Ludgonian Industrial Union's galaxy contains billions of stars and billions of planets. Unfortunately, most residents of the LIU could only name a handful of these worlds. In order to improve astronomy grades across the LIU, TV2 has started a new program called LIU Atlas. Follow our host, Terrance McDoogal, as he takes you on a tour across the LIU and some of its more obscure worlds.
 

Note: This episode is presented in full screen. The corresponding dialogue is underneath each photo.

Doog: “Welcome to another episode of LIU Atlas. I'm your host, Terrance "Doog" McDoogal. Today, we are here on the gas giant Adiutrix.  Gas giants are the most abundant planets in the LIU Galaxy, but very few of them are actually inhabited due to several environmental factors. Adiutrix, and its large quantity of resources, is one of the few exceptions."

Doog: "There are no habitable surfaces on gas giants like Adiutrix. This forces residents to live on large floating Arcologies like this one here. Unlike space stations, Arcologies are self-sufficient and require no outside assistance. The Adiutrix Arcology uses gravity lifts to float gently above the raging atmosphere below."

Doog: "The Adiutrix Arcology houses dorms and facilities for close to ten thousand residents. Its most notable feature, seen here, is its artificial biosphere. Invisible shields keep a habitable atmosphere enclosed. I have been told to meet my guide here."

Doog: "Alright folks, I've landed in the biosphere, and I'm eagerly awaiting my guide. For the first time on LIU Atlas, today's guide is a female. I'm half expecting to meet my future wife today. I mean, what woman could spend a few hours with me and not want to get married? Right? Right?"

Doog: "Ah, I see two beautiful candidates right here. Hello ladies, which one of you fine young individuals is my guide?"
Lady: "Get lost breeder!"
Doog: "I'm lost in your eyes baby."
Lady: "Seriously, do we need to notify security?"
Doog: "No, no, that's not necessary. Oh look, I see a man over there. If anyone around here knows what's going on, it's a man."

Doog: "Excuse me sir. Sir? Sir? Hello?"

Sheila: "Are you talking to me?"
Doog: "Ewww gross man. Why are you wearing lipstick?"
Sheila: "I'm not a man Doog. I'm your guide, Sheila. I'm Director of the Adiutrix Arcology."
Doog: "No. They wouldn't do that to me. Where's my real female guide?"
Sheila: "No really Doog. I'm your guide."
Doog: "No. I refuse to accept it. How can a man be my first female guide?"
Sheila: "I'm not a man Doog!"
Doog: "Are you sure?"

Sheila: "Yes I'm sure! All the residents here are female. Outside of a few days a month, it's the most peaceful place in the galaxy."
Doog: "All the residents are female, and I get stuck with the one that most closely resembles a man. I'm a lucky guy..."
Sheila: "I'm getting sick of this man talk Doog."
Doog: "Sorry sir...I mean, ma'am. Shall we get this over with? Where are we?"
Sheila: "We're in the Arcology's Biosphere. This particular section is more like a park and is used for recreation."

Sheila: "Some of the Biosphere's sections are devoted to reproducing actual environments. This one here has more of a tropical feel."
Doog: "Leave it to a bunch of women to make a space garden. I mean, seriously, what's the point?"
Sheila: "Well Doog, the biosphere allows residents to fulfill their natural drive to be connected with nature."

Doog: "Yes, of course. The LIU always strives to 'fulfill' its residents' needs, but really, why the biosphere?"
Sheila: "I guess you saw right through that one. The biosphere is actually an important part of this Arcology's life support system. The plants process carbon dioxide, filter water, use waste, and make food. It's basically a free way to keep this facility self-sufficient."
Doog: "That's more like it. Well, if I wanted to look at gardens all day, I would have stayed home instead of flying a billion miles. Shall we head inside?"

Sheila: "All the corridors in the Arcology have important routes inscribed into the floor. This insures that no one gets lost."
Doog: "Yeah, that's important, considering men like us don't ask for directions."
Sheila: "You're about one more man joke from getting punched in the head Doog."

Sheila: "Ah, we are finally here. This room houses Adiutrix's primary industry, gas mining."
Doog: "Gas mining?"
Sheila: "Yes Doog. We mine gas, specifically Helium-3, from the abundant reserves below. Helium-3 is an important element in fusion power. Let's head inside, and I'll show you how it works."

Doog: "Whoa, what's the deal with this thing? Do sleeping women release Helium-3 or something?"
Sheila: "Uh, no. This here is the Upload Mining Station. The reserves of Helium-3 on Adiutrix are deep within the planet's swirling atmosphere. Unfortunately, the atmosphere of a gas giant is extremely dangerous. The high air pressure, fast winds, dangerous radiation, and large scale electrical storms prevent any living beings from entering the mining areas."

Sheila: "Instead of risking the dangers, large automated gas collectors were lowered into the atmosphere. However, the stresses of mining within the atmosphere eventually cause the collectors to break down and fail. That's where we come in."

Sheila: "Due to the aforementioned factors, we couldn't just fly down there and fix them. Instead, we use upload machines like this. We simply transfer our consciousness to robots on the collectors' surface."
Doog: "Wait, you upload yourselves into machines miles down into the atmosphere? Why didn't you guys just pack a some autonomous repair robots on board?"
Sheila: "Well Doog, the repairs often require ingenuity that robots just can't recreate."

Sheila: "We've come to call this upload process Dream Working. While engaged in upload, you physical body rests like it is sleeping. After you complete your thirty hour shift, you are refreshed and have the rest of the twenty hour day to do as you please. This also helps conserve our limited resources."
Doog: "Wow, I wish I could Dream Work. Actually, with my job, it would be Nightmare Working, but at least I'd be able to devote all my time awake to more important activities. Is it safe?"
Sheila: "I hope so, because you're going in."

Sheila: "Take a deep breath. The upload process in engaging. I'll be joining you shortly."

Doog: "Whoa. This is weird."
Sheila: "Just stay still for a few minutes Doog. Let your mind get a feel for your robot. The use of these machines require fine motor skills and one hundred percent concentration. That's why we have an all female population on Adiutrix. Women possess the skills necessary to operate these machines. Men are clumsy and their minds wander too often."
Doog: "What are you talking about? My mind never...wait is my stomach growling? Can you get dream hunger? I could use a Kaadu Burger right about now."
Sheila: "Exactly."

Sheila: "Just give it a few more minutes Doog and then you should be ready to continue."
Doog: "I think the first thing I'm going to do is a slow motion jump kick where I pause in mid-air and the camera rotates around me. You know, like that one movie."
Sheila: "Uh Doog, you haven't been uploaded into a virtual world. Physics still apply."
Doog: "So I can't dodge bullets?"
Sheila: "No."
Doog: "Bummer."

Doog: "Alright here I go. One small step for a man."
Sheila: "Wait Doog! You're not ready! You almost stepped off the platform. You're a man, you need more time to adjust and get your mind right."
Doog: "Hey, you're a man and you're doing just fine."
Sheila: "That's it. You're getting a face punch when we get back."

Doog: "Ahhhh! I slipped!"
Sheila: "Doog! You idiot! Hold on!"
Doog: "What happens if I die during upload?"
Sheila: "If you die in the dream world...you die in real life!"
Doog: "Really?"

Doog: "Ahhhhhhhhh!"
Sheila: "No. Not really, but your going to wish you were dead when you get the bill for that ten million dollar machine you just walked off into the abyss. Stand by. I'm uploading you into something smaller and easier to control.

Sheila: "Ah. There we go."
Doog: "What! What's this? This isn't fair. You get a cool robot and all I get is a remote control car. Sigh. Let's move on."

Doog: "What's this?"
Sheila: "The collectors mine Helium-3 by drawing large amounts of the atmosphere into vents like this. Specifically tuned electronic barriers filter out the unwanted gasses insuring that Helium-3 is the only gas collected."

Sheila: "Once a significant amount of Helium-3 is stored, it is placed in a container. The containers are transported to the upper layers of Adiutrix's atmosphere with super-heated Helium balloons."

Sheila: "The balloons are then collected by even larger blimps. Stand by for upload Doog. I'm transferring us aboard one of the blimps."
Doog: "Finally. I'm sick of this stupid little car."

Doog: "Oh come on! Not another remote control car! I want to pilot the giant thing behind me!"
Sheila: "Only in your wildest dreams Doog."
Doog: "Technically, this is my wildest dream."
Sheila: "Good point, but no."

Doog: "So, what's going on here?"
Sheila: "Here, we use LIU Upload Crane Walkers and LIU Upload Arm Bots to catch and stack the mined Helium."

Sheila: "The Arm Bots use there long arms to snag balloons and pull them onto the blimp's deck. The Crane Walker does all the stacking. When the deck is full, the blimp transports the Helium back to the Arcology."
Doog: "Interesting. Anything else?"
Sheila: "Nope. That's it. Prepare to return to your body Doog."

Doog: "Well folks, that wraps up another episode of LIU Atlas. Adiutrix is a strange, complicated place, but its collection of Helium-3 helps to power the universe. I also want to reflect on the historic nature of this show as we had our first she-male guide."
Sheila: "Oh, that reminds me..."

Sheila: "...I owe you a face punch."

Doog: "Ouch! You certainly don't hit like a girl. Well folks, I'm about to get a serious beat down. See ya next time."
 

Note: Daydreaming while Dream Working is not recommended.


CLICK HER FOR NEXT EPISODE: Season 2 - Episode 7 - Demitto