There are billions of stars, millions of planets, but there is only one man, Terrance McDoogal. Welcome to LIU Atlas.
LIU Atlas - Mus Cus
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, Mus Cus. Mus Cus is a temperate planet in the galaxy’s Mid Rim. Mus Cus' geography is varied, but it mostly consists of mountains, bogs, and peatlands. We’re interested in those peatlands, so let’s head down and check it out.”
Doog: “Well folks, Cam, my camera man, and I have landed in an industrial spaceport on Mus Cus.”
Cam: “We’re still doing the thing.”
Doog: “In case you missed the last two episodes, we’re letting the crew pick our next few destinations. Some reason, Cam picked this swampy bog planet. It literally smells like a week-old Oldie diaper out here. “
Cam: “I did, and it does smell pretty bad out here.”
Doog: “I expected some of the crew to purposely pick terrible planets, but you, Cam?”
Cam: “Mus Cus has a big plus.”
Doog: “What?”
Cam: “I can’t ruin the surprise. Besides, here comes our guide.”
Cam: “We’re still doing the thing.”
Doog: “In case you missed the last two episodes, we’re letting the crew pick our next few destinations. Some reason, Cam picked this swampy bog planet. It literally smells like a week-old Oldie diaper out here. “
Cam: “I did, and it does smell pretty bad out here.”
Doog: “I expected some of the crew to purposely pick terrible planets, but you, Cam?”
Cam: “Mus Cus has a big plus.”
Doog: “What?”
Cam: “I can’t ruin the surprise. Besides, here comes our guide.”
Russel: “Never in a million cycles did I think I’d get a communique requesting a tour of Mus Cus. It has to be one of the galaxy’s most unremarkable planets.”
Doog: “My pal will have to explain that one.”
Russel: “Hey, I’m not complaining – it’s putting a few extra credits in my pocket. Peat mining isn’t exactly the most lucrative profession. I’m Russel by the way.”
Doog: “Peat mining? What’s peat?”
Russel: “Peat is a special type of soil that’s full of non-decayed organic matter.”
Doog: “Of all the planets in this galaxy, you choose a mud mining planet, Cam?”
Cam: “It’s not mud, it’s peat. Listen to our guide.”
Doog: “Peat just sounds like a slightly fancier mud.”
Russel: “Perhaps it will make more sense out in the field. Follow me.”
Doog: “My pal will have to explain that one.”
Russel: “Hey, I’m not complaining – it’s putting a few extra credits in my pocket. Peat mining isn’t exactly the most lucrative profession. I’m Russel by the way.”
Doog: “Peat mining? What’s peat?”
Russel: “Peat is a special type of soil that’s full of non-decayed organic matter.”
Doog: “Of all the planets in this galaxy, you choose a mud mining planet, Cam?”
Cam: “It’s not mud, it’s peat. Listen to our guide.”
Doog: “Peat just sounds like a slightly fancier mud.”
Russel: “Perhaps it will make more sense out in the field. Follow me.”
Russel: “The peat bogs, or mining fields, used to cover all this land we’re passing. It’s all been harvested.”
Doog: “Are they making or planting more?”
Russel: “That’s not how peat works. Peat is formed naturally over numerous years. Once we harvest it, it’s gone for the next thousand or so years.”
Doog: “I’m not an expert, but that doesn’t sound good in the long term. What happens when you gather it all?”
Russel: “The peat economy ends. Mus Cus can either be abandoned or converted to another economy – like farming or factories.”
Doog: “Are they making or planting more?”
Russel: “That’s not how peat works. Peat is formed naturally over numerous years. Once we harvest it, it’s gone for the next thousand or so years.”
Doog: “I’m not an expert, but that doesn’t sound good in the long term. What happens when you gather it all?”
Russel: “The peat economy ends. Mus Cus can either be abandoned or converted to another economy – like farming or factories.”
Doog: “Folks, we’ve left the road and we’re in some sort of bog or swamp…”
Russel: “Peatlands, actually.”
Doog: “…or that. All I really know is that the smell has increased and my shoes are probably being ruined by this squishy soil.”
Cam: “The smell is probably coming from your shoes. The bog juice might be improving them.”
Russel: “Peatlands, actually.”
Doog: “…or that. All I really know is that the smell has increased and my shoes are probably being ruined by this squishy soil.”
Cam: “The smell is probably coming from your shoes. The bog juice might be improving them.”
Russel: “This is it. This is where the peat is mined.”
Doog: “There’s not a cool peat processing mecha or anything? This is just a bulldozer.”
Russel: “It’s all that really needed. Peat is essentially just soil.”
Doog: “How is this going to make a cool episode, Cam!?”
Russel: “There might be one cool thing. Hop down with me.”
Doog: “There’s not a cool peat processing mecha or anything? This is just a bulldozer.”
Russel: “It’s all that really needed. Peat is essentially just soil.”
Doog: “How is this going to make a cool episode, Cam!?”
Russel: “There might be one cool thing. Hop down with me.”
Russel: “The peat is only on the top part of the soil. You can see the split here. The dozers have to be precise. If they get to much normal soil, the peat might be ruined.”
Doog: “We have vastly differing definitions of cool”.
Doog: “We have vastly differing definitions of cool”.
Russel: “Ok, what about this? You said you we’re expecting a cool mecha.”
Doog: “This might be a bit better than the bulldozer. What does it do?”
Doog: “This might be a bit better than the bulldozer. What does it do?”
Russel: “It follows behind the bulldozer and rolls up the loose peat into cylinders. It then stacks them to dry in the sun.”
Doog: “A hardsuit for making and baking mud pies?”
Cam: “Mud rolls. Try to listen.”
Doog: “Amaya isn’t going to be happy when we come home with this footage. Our viewership might actually go into the negatives.”
Cam: “Relax. There’s still more.”
Doog: “A hardsuit for making and baking mud pies?”
Cam: “Mud rolls. Try to listen.”
Doog: “Amaya isn’t going to be happy when we come home with this footage. Our viewership might actually go into the negatives.”
Cam: “Relax. There’s still more.”
Doog: “Alright folks, Russel dropped us off back at the spaceport. We are now in the adjoining city of New Petta. Perhaps things will get more interesting here.”
Cam: “They will.”
Doog: “I mean, it smells better already. Less rotten swamp, more scooter exhaust.”
Cam: “They will.”
Doog: “I mean, it smells better already. Less rotten swamp, more scooter exhaust.”
Doog: “How does a city get this big on a mud mining planet – particularly one that is chewing its way through a nonrenewable resource?”
Cam: “First off, you’re underestimating the peat’s worth. Secondly, this is a big operation. There are thousands of farmers, mechanics, support services, and so on.”
Doog: “What is peat even used for?”
Cam: “Weren’t you listening to Russel on the way back?”
Doog: “Not really.”
Cam: “Peat has many uses, from a fuel source to metallurgy. It has a galactic demand.”
Cam: “First off, you’re underestimating the peat’s worth. Secondly, this is a big operation. There are thousands of farmers, mechanics, support services, and so on.”
Doog: “What is peat even used for?”
Cam: “Weren’t you listening to Russel on the way back?”
Doog: “Not really.”
Cam: “Peat has many uses, from a fuel source to metallurgy. It has a galactic demand.”
Doog: “Are we finally to the surprise? Is peat burned and inhaled? Is it a drug? You did pick a good planet!”
Cam: “What! No! This is the last stage of production. After being sun dried, it’s taken to slow ovens like this to extract all remaining moisture.”
Doog: “Mud, bulldozers, mud rollers, and dryers…I can hear our fans cheering already.”
Cam: “Quit being dramatic. Let’s head to the surprise.”
Cam: “What! No! This is the last stage of production. After being sun dried, it’s taken to slow ovens like this to extract all remaining moisture.”
Doog: “Mud, bulldozers, mud rollers, and dryers…I can hear our fans cheering already.”
Cam: “Quit being dramatic. Let’s head to the surprise.”
Doog: “This is the surprise? Outdoor dining on some shabby table in an alley?”
Cam: “You’ve been so busy bickering about this episode that you’re not using your senses, specifically your nose.”
Doog: *sniff “You’re right. What is that? It’s way, way better than the fields and exhaust.”
Cam: “This restaurant is outside because of the smokers. That smell you’re smelling is smoked meat falling off its bones.”
Cam: “You’ve been so busy bickering about this episode that you’re not using your senses, specifically your nose.”
Doog: *sniff “You’re right. What is that? It’s way, way better than the fields and exhaust.”
Cam: “This restaurant is outside because of the smokers. That smell you’re smelling is smoked meat falling off its bones.”
Cam: “One of peats’ best uses is smoking. The peat logs burn slowly, releasing their earthy smoke. It’s used to make smoke flavor across the galaxy. Of course, you’ll find the best stuff at its direct source, Mus Cus.”
Cam: “Sitting before you is one of the best meals you’ll ever eat – smoked Beemu with a local whisky, called Smoky Pete’s. Its barley is smoke dried with peat, giving it a savory, earthy flavor.”
Doog: “This is amazing. It might really be the best food I’ve ever had. This whiskey is good too.”
Cam: “Told you.”
Doog: “The episode might be boring for everyone else, but this sure was an awesome experience. Good pick, Cam.”
Cam: “Less talking, more eating.”
Doog: “This is amazing. It might really be the best food I’ve ever had. This whiskey is good too.”
Cam: “Told you.”
Doog: “The episode might be boring for everyone else, but this sure was an awesome experience. Good pick, Cam.”
Cam: “Less talking, more eating.”
Doog: “Well folks, that’s Mus Cus. This planet and its export appear pretty boring at first. It’s just a special kind of mud, after all. However, this ‘peat’ can be used in smokers, and it gives food an amazing taste. Let me follow Cam’s advice and start eating. See ya!”
Note: Peat’s regrowth is very slow, averaging about a millimeter per year. This means that peat extraction on Mus Cus will not be economically viable in about twenty years. Luckily, anaerobic peatlands can be found on several planets.
Note: Peat’s regrowth is very slow, averaging about a millimeter per year. This means that peat extraction on Mus Cus will not be economically viable in about twenty years. Luckily, anaerobic peatlands can be found on several planets.
