There are billions of stars, millions of planets, but there is only one man, Terrance McDoogal. Welcome to LIU Atlas.
LIU Atlas - Hirsutus
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.
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’re visiting the planet, Hirsutus. Hirsutus is a temperate planet in the galaxy’s inner-rim. The majority of the planet consists of grasslands, but it does have some other features, like mountains, deserts, and tundras. We’ll be mainly focusing on Hirsutus’ grasslands – that’s where the action is. Let’s head down and check it out.”
Doog: “Alright folks, I’ve been dropped off in the city of Tonsio, the planet’s only major settlement. Tonsio is the export hub for all of Hirsutus. Everything produced, manufactured, or grown on this planet flows through Tonsio.”
Doog: “It looks like a pretty standard city. There are shops, restaurants, and apartment complexes. It isn’t as crowded as some of the other cities I’ve visited, but I’m not complaining.”
Caitlin: “Stop here.”
Taxi-Bot: “Sure.”
Caitlin: “I’ll be back, so don’t go anywhere.”
Taxi-Bot: “The meters running.”
Caitlin: “That’s fine.”
Taxi-Bot: “It’s your credits.”
Taxi-Bot: “Sure.”
Caitlin: “I’ll be back, so don’t go anywhere.”
Taxi-Bot: “The meters running.”
Caitlin: “That’s fine.”
Taxi-Bot: “It’s your credits.”
Caitlin: “You’re Doog, right?”
Doog: “What gave it away? My looks? My uncanny sense of fashion?”
Caitlin: “Actually, it’s the hovercam following your every move.”
Doog: “Or that.”
Caitlin: “Either way, welcome to Hirsutus. I’m Caitlin, your planetary guide.”
Doog: “Nice to meet you, Caitlin.”
Caitlin: “Let’s keep the pleasantries short, we’re on the meter.”
Doog: “We get to take a taxi instead of walking? I think I’m in love with you.”
Caitlin: “Don’t make this weird.”
Doog: “What gave it away? My looks? My uncanny sense of fashion?”
Caitlin: “Actually, it’s the hovercam following your every move.”
Doog: “Or that.”
Caitlin: “Either way, welcome to Hirsutus. I’m Caitlin, your planetary guide.”
Doog: “Nice to meet you, Caitlin.”
Caitlin: “Let’s keep the pleasantries short, we’re on the meter.”
Doog: “We get to take a taxi instead of walking? I think I’m in love with you.”
Caitlin: “Don’t make this weird.”
Doog: “So, what can you tell us about Tonsio?”
Caitlin: “Tonsio is port-town, most of our economy revolves around exporting Hirsutus’ goods. Companies, like D&H Shipping and Hirtus Freight, are some of our biggest employers.”
Doog: “What goods are they exporting?”
Caitlin: “Fur, mostly.”
Doog: “Fur?!”
Caitlin: “Yes, of course. Hirsutus is home to the Villosus, large grazing beasts with thick fur. This fur is collected and sent to Tonsio. Here, it is either shipped raw, processed into fabrics, or turned into garments.”
Doog: “So, there are factories here as well.”
Caitlin: “A few.”
Caitlin: “Tonsio is port-town, most of our economy revolves around exporting Hirsutus’ goods. Companies, like D&H Shipping and Hirtus Freight, are some of our biggest employers.”
Doog: “What goods are they exporting?”
Caitlin: “Fur, mostly.”
Doog: “Fur?!”
Caitlin: “Yes, of course. Hirsutus is home to the Villosus, large grazing beasts with thick fur. This fur is collected and sent to Tonsio. Here, it is either shipped raw, processed into fabrics, or turned into garments.”
Doog: “So, there are factories here as well.”
Caitlin: “A few.”
Caitlin: “These large companies brought several hundred people here to work. Others followed – mostly in service roles.”
Doog: “Like the restaurants and stores.”
Caitlin: “Yes. And, believe it or not, we actually have a decent tourism industry. People like to come here to see the Villosus.”
Doog: “Speaking of which, I haven’t seen a single fur-beast-thingy. Where are they hiding? Do I have to pay to see them?”
Caitlin: “They are called Villosus, and no, we’re not hiding them. They just aren’t in the city.”
Doog: “Well, what are we waiting for?”
Doog: “Like the restaurants and stores.”
Caitlin: “Yes. And, believe it or not, we actually have a decent tourism industry. People like to come here to see the Villosus.”
Doog: “Speaking of which, I haven’t seen a single fur-beast-thingy. Where are they hiding? Do I have to pay to see them?”
Caitlin: “They are called Villosus, and no, we’re not hiding them. They just aren’t in the city.”
Doog: “Well, what are we waiting for?”
Caitlin: “The Villosus are voracious eaters; they’re practically insatiable. They eat all the time. They can only survive in large, uninterrupted grasslands. That’s why you won’t see them near the city.”
Doog: “How far out do we need to go?”
Caitlin: “Not too much further. We’re approaching their feeding range.”
Doog: “They need this much food?”
Caitlin: “They’re close to the size of a bus, if that means anything to you.”
Doog: “Geez.”
Doog: “How far out do we need to go?”
Caitlin: “Not too much further. We’re approaching their feeding range.”
Doog: “They need this much food?”
Caitlin: “They’re close to the size of a bus, if that means anything to you.”
Doog: “Geez.”
Doog: “What’s this?”
Caitlin: “These are the only buildings you’ll find outside of Tonsio. They’re called Shearing Shacks. The natives herd the Villosus here on occasion to be sheared or trimmed.”
Doog: “I don’t see any bus-sized animals.”
Caitlin: “Bad timing, I guess.”
Doog: “I usually attract large unruly beasts, if my dating record is any indication.”
Caitlin: “Uh…moving on. There’s a few thousand ‘Shearing Shacks’ positioned around Hirsutus. Some are a few miles away. Others are hundreds of miles away, but they all operate pretty similarly.”
Doog: “Hundreds of miles?”
Caitlin: “Yes, the feeding pastures of the Villosus are massive. They cover a large percentage of the planet.”
Doog: “Why not have multiple cities then?”
Caitlin: “And take up more pasture space? I think not. Fur is non-perishable good. The Villosus can be sheared thousands of miles away, and their fur delivered to Tonsio weeks after.”
Caitlin: “These are the only buildings you’ll find outside of Tonsio. They’re called Shearing Shacks. The natives herd the Villosus here on occasion to be sheared or trimmed.”
Doog: “I don’t see any bus-sized animals.”
Caitlin: “Bad timing, I guess.”
Doog: “I usually attract large unruly beasts, if my dating record is any indication.”
Caitlin: “Uh…moving on. There’s a few thousand ‘Shearing Shacks’ positioned around Hirsutus. Some are a few miles away. Others are hundreds of miles away, but they all operate pretty similarly.”
Doog: “Hundreds of miles?”
Caitlin: “Yes, the feeding pastures of the Villosus are massive. They cover a large percentage of the planet.”
Doog: “Why not have multiple cities then?”
Caitlin: “And take up more pasture space? I think not. Fur is non-perishable good. The Villosus can be sheared thousands of miles away, and their fur delivered to Tonsio weeks after.”
Caitlin: “It looks like a Villosus has been recently trimmed. This shack has a lot of fur sitting around.”
Doog: “It reminds me of my ship’s shower drain.”
Caitlin: “Ugh. Thanks for that image.”
Doog: “It reminds me of my ship’s shower drain.”
Caitlin: “Ugh. Thanks for that image.”
Caitlin: “Most of the shearing shacks are equipped to process Villosus fur at the basic level.”
Doog: “Like what?”
Caitlin: “Like combing machines. Simply put, they comb the fur for impurities, like dirt and waste. The raw fur textiles are shipped to Tonsio for more advanced processing.”
Doog: “Like what?”
Caitlin: “Like combing machines. Simply put, they comb the fur for impurities, like dirt and waste. The raw fur textiles are shipped to Tonsio for more advanced processing.”
Caitlin: “The combed fur is weighed and shipped in bundles of a hundred pounds. Those hundred pounds translates loosely into a thousand miles of yarn. Of course, that process takes place in Tonsio, not the shack.”
Doog: “Let’s talk less about fabric math, and more about giant creatures.”
Caitlin: “You have zero patience, don’t you?”
Doog: “I just want to skip to the fun part.”
Caitlin: “Alright, let’s go find us a Villosus.”
Doog: “Let’s talk less about fabric math, and more about giant creatures.”
Caitlin: “You have zero patience, don’t you?”
Doog: “I just want to skip to the fun part.”
Caitlin: “Alright, let’s go find us a Villosus.”
Doog: “Holy Emperor…you weren’t kidding. These things are huge.”
Caitlin: “They’re roughly 5 meters tall at the shoulder, and they weigh about 7 tons.”
Doog: “That’s some of my ex-girlfriend’s stats right there.”
Caitlin: “I doubt it.”
Doog: “I’m obviously kidding, she’s way shorter.”
Caitlin: “They’re roughly 5 meters tall at the shoulder, and they weigh about 7 tons.”
Doog: “That’s some of my ex-girlfriend’s stats right there.”
Caitlin: “I doubt it.”
Doog: “I’m obviously kidding, she’s way shorter.”
Doog: “I guess it makes sense that they need to eat a lot.”
Caitlin: “It does, especially when you consider the lack of nutrition in these grasses. They need to consume 150 kilograms of grass a day to maintain their massive bodies.”
Doog: “That’s a lot.”
Caitlin: “It is. This food requirement limits the amount of Villosus in any given area. It also forces the Villosus to be migratory. They need to keep moving to new areas if they want to continue grazing.”
Caitlin: “It does, especially when you consider the lack of nutrition in these grasses. They need to consume 150 kilograms of grass a day to maintain their massive bodies.”
Doog: “That’s a lot.”
Caitlin: “It is. This food requirement limits the amount of Villosus in any given area. It also forces the Villosus to be migratory. They need to keep moving to new areas if they want to continue grazing.”
Doog: “What about these guys with the spears?”
Caitlin: “They are this planet’s native race.”
Doog: “Hirsutus has native sentient life?”
Caitlin: “Yes. They are called the Vanofamba, which loosely translates to – the travelers.”
Doog: “The travelers? That’s an odd name.”
Caitlin: “Not when you consider their nomadic lifestyle. The Vanofamba follow the Villosus across the planet.”
Doog: “Why?”
Caitlin: “The Villosus are the natives’ only source of food.”
Doog: “The natives eat these huge beasts?!”
Caitlin: “They are this planet’s native race.”
Doog: “Hirsutus has native sentient life?”
Caitlin: “Yes. They are called the Vanofamba, which loosely translates to – the travelers.”
Doog: “The travelers? That’s an odd name.”
Caitlin: “Not when you consider their nomadic lifestyle. The Vanofamba follow the Villosus across the planet.”
Doog: “Why?”
Caitlin: “The Villosus are the natives’ only source of food.”
Doog: “The natives eat these huge beasts?!”
Caitlin: “They don’t eat their meat; they drink their milk.”
Doog: “Milk?”
Caitlin: “Yes, female Villosus produce a rich milk to feed their young. It’s practically fifty percent fat.”
Doog: “Gross. You guys don’t collect that too, do you?”
Caitlin: “No, there’s no market for milk that fattening. Besides, it’s the sole source of nutrition for the Vanofamba.”
Doog: “Gotcha. So, are the Fambojamos in on the fur trade?”
Caitlin: “Vanofamba, and yes – in a way. They are responsible for herding the Villosus towards the shearing shacks.”
Doog: “Are they paid for this duty?”
Caitlin: “Not with credits, no. They do get a benefit though. Sheared Villosus are less susceptible to disease. If they stay healthier, the natives get healthier milk.”
Doog: “I don’t think I’d work for milk, even if it was healthier. Well, Caitlin, anything else to add?”
Caitlin: “I think we’ve covered everything.”
Doog: “Milk?”
Caitlin: “Yes, female Villosus produce a rich milk to feed their young. It’s practically fifty percent fat.”
Doog: “Gross. You guys don’t collect that too, do you?”
Caitlin: “No, there’s no market for milk that fattening. Besides, it’s the sole source of nutrition for the Vanofamba.”
Doog: “Gotcha. So, are the Fambojamos in on the fur trade?”
Caitlin: “Vanofamba, and yes – in a way. They are responsible for herding the Villosus towards the shearing shacks.”
Doog: “Are they paid for this duty?”
Caitlin: “Not with credits, no. They do get a benefit though. Sheared Villosus are less susceptible to disease. If they stay healthier, the natives get healthier milk.”
Doog: “I don’t think I’d work for milk, even if it was healthier. Well, Caitlin, anything else to add?”
Caitlin: “I think we’ve covered everything.”
Doog: “Well folks, Hirsutus is an interesting place. It’s home to these huge animals that wander the grasslands feeding. A race of sentient beings has coevolved with them. Both the natives and the creatures travel these grasslands together. It sounds like a whole lot of walking – not really my thing. Anyways, these beasts happen to have a lot of hair or fur that can be turned into textiles. Off-world workers shear and process this fur so it can be turned into yarn, fabric, and garments. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to get away from this massive hairball. It’s getting a little too close. Oh well, see ya!”
Note: Villosus fur is a great insulator and is extremely water resistant. This fibrous textile is often used for outerwear, like jackets, blazers, and cardigans.
Note: Villosus fur is a great insulator and is extremely water resistant. This fibrous textile is often used for outerwear, like jackets, blazers, and cardigans.
