Season 8 - Episode 3 - Fluitantis

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


                                                            LIU Atlas - Fluitantis
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’re visiting the icy world of Fluitantis. Fluitantis orbits retrograde to the other planets in its system, indicating that it is a captured body. In fact, it was once much icier, but its new location in the system has warmed it considerably. Now, its ice is only situated near its poles. Some of this ice occasionally calves off the polar masses and forms relatively stable icebergs that float around the planet.”

Doog: “Several of these icebergs are inhabited, including this larger iceberg, called Cikuq. Cikuq is a LIU settlement. It acts as a liaison point between the LIU and the native race, the Ukiuk.”

Doog: “The iceberg, Cikuq, has been stable for over fifty years. It currently drifts on the Anyu East Current, which takes the iceberg on a circumpolar route around the planet.”

Doog: “Cikuq is home to a large spaceport that imports and exports cargo to and from the planet. That’s where we are headed.”

Tinny: “Hey, welcome to Fluitantis. I’m Export Specialist Theo Tinsdale. Everyone calls me Tinny.”
Doog: “Thanks, Tinny. It’s a little too cold here for my tastes, but I guess it could be worse.”
Tinny: “Actually, it could be a lot worse. Cikuq meanders north and south as it floats around the planet. We’re in a southern portion of this meander right now, so it’s a bit warmer. Of course, we wouldn’t want to stay down here too long, or we may experience some melting.”
Doog: “Yeah, I guess that wouldn’t be good. It must be strange living on an iceberg.”
Tinny: “It’s not all that strange. It’s pretty similar to living on any landmass, I suppose. This one is just made of ice.”

Doog: “Yeah, but I’ve never lived on a landmass that could melt at any moment.”
Tinny: “Cikuq won’t melt anytime soon. It’s pretty stable. We lose a few centimeters every year, but this thing is massive. It will be around several more centuries. The only true danger is striking another iceberg.”
Doog: “Well, that’s comforting.”
Tinny: “Relax, we’re monitoring everything closely. You’ll be in no danger while you’re here. I mean, the Ukiuk evolved on icebergs similar to this over a period of millions of years. That should lead some credence on the stability of these icebergs.”
Doog: “I suppose. So, when do I get to meet one of these Ucky Yucks? They sound gross.”
Tinny: “Looks like you’ll be meeting one soon. Here comes your guide.”
Doog: “Wait, you’re not my guide?”

Tinny: “No, this guy is.”
Agloolik: “HEEEEY!”
Doog: “What the @&%$! Run! Everyone run!”

Tinny: “I probably should have gave him a description first.”
Agloolik: “Yeah, typical human response. I guess it didn’t help when I screamed. I have to remember to clear my throat first.”
Tinny: “Should we stop him?”
Agloolik: “Nah, it looks like he’s about to pass out already. I don’t think he’s getting all that far.”

Agloolik: “Sorry if I frightened you.”
Doog: “What? That? I wasn’t scared. I just…uh…was exercising. Yeah, exercising. You know how important exercising is to me. So, uh…you’re a native, huh?”
Agloolik: “Yes. My name is Agloolik. I am a trade specialist for my tribe. I interact with Tinny, and trade my tribe’s goods to the LIU."
Doog: “Trade? Do you guys produce goods?”
Agloolik: “Lots of goods. Come on, follow me.”

Agloolik: “This is Cikuq City, a trade town. My people trade our wares to various stores in the city in return for various LIU goods.”
Doog: “Apparently, some of these goods are wieners.”
Agloolik: “What can I say, we’re are a food driven species.”

Doog: “Can’t fault you for that? So, what do you guys trade for wieners?
Agloolik: “Lots of things, but mostly animal products. Fluitantis is home to several unique species that we farm or harvest. If you’re up for a journey, I can show some of the operations to you.”
Doog: “It depends. How much a journey are we talking about? I blew most of my energy reserves running in fear earlier…I mean exercising.”

Agloolik: “Don’t worry, most of our operations are on other icebergs. We’ll be riding on a boat for most of the journey.”
Doog: “I can handle that. Wait, I’m not rowing, am I?”

Agloolik: “No, we used to row, which made traveling a bit more challenging, but we use portable motors now. Thanks, in part, to trades with the LIU.”

Agloolik: “ My people, the Ukiuk, were originally more detached and disconnected. Each tribe had settled its own iceberg. Interactions were rare. Under the LIU, things have changed. Communication and travel upgrades have united our people. We now have common grounds, like Cikuq, to interact. And, thanks to LIU policies, each tribe has become more specialized in its various industry. We are more productive then ever.”
Doog: “It’s refreshing to meet a race that actual welcomes the changes brought about by the LIU.”
Agloolik: “I’m not going to lie, those wieners play a large part in our happiness. Have you had one? Man, they’re like little cylinders of heaven.”

Doog: “Whoa! What’s that!?”
Agloolik: “It’s an Oogrooq. It’s more commonly known as the Fluitanten Walrus.”
Doog: “It’s huge!”
Agloolik: “Yes. The Oogrooq is one of the largest aquatic mammals in the galaxy.”
Doog: “You farm these?”

Agloolik: “No, we hunt them. The Oogrooq have not been tamed. It’s a dangerous business, but well worth the pay off.”

Doog: “What do you get from walruses?”
Agloolik: “Lots of stuff: meat, leather, blubber, and even bones. They are all used as food and building materials. The Oogrooq is a staple of life on Fluitantis.”
Doog: “The LIU trades for this stuff? I’ve never seen a restaurant with walrus meat on their menu.”
Agloolik: “No, most of the materials obtained from the Oogrooq are of no use to the LIU. We hunt them mostly for our own benefit, but there is one thing of interest to the LIU.”
Doog: “What’s that?”

Agloolik: “Ivory, from the Oogrooq’s tusk.”
Doog: “Ivory?”
Agloolik: “Yes. It’s used in many items, particularly jewelry. There are, of course, other sources of ivory in the galaxy, but we are one of the largest exporters. We hunt and kill almost twice the amount of Oogrooq these days, mostly for the ivory.”
Doog: “Are the populations sturdy enough for this type of production?”
Agloolik: “For now. We may need to slow down production in a few years.”
Doog: “Fun stuff. Who doesn’t like slaughtering animals for jewelry. So, what’s next?”

Agloolik: “This iceberg, Desna Kaskae, is my homeland.”

Doog: “It’s a beautiful iceberg, Agloolik. Lots of scenery…” 
Agloolik: “It may not be much to look at, but Desna Kaskae has been the home to my tribe for thousands of years. This iceberg is more stable due to its northern position. It actually grows a few inches each year.”

Doog: “I’ve definitely lived in worse places, but this place looks a little barren.”
Agloolik: “We don’t need much shelter to survive. Our thick fur keeps us protected. Towns like these serve more as communal gathering places, where we store and process goods. We also raise various native creatures here.”
Doog: “Raise?”
Agloolik: “Yes, many of the animals native to Fluitantis are raised and then sold to the LIU.”
Doog: “For food?”
Agloolik: “No, as working animals. For instance, the Amaguq over there. It is a large powerful creature that can easily survive in colder temperatures. We breed this species for sale to the LIU. It‘s a beast of burden.”
Doog: “Looks like some sort of wolf-deer.”
Agloolik: “Yes, I have heard that comparison before. The Amaguq are not similar to deer though. They are carnivorous; they too eat the meat of the Oogrooq.”
Doog: “Seems dangerous to have a beast of burden that could eat you at any moment.”
Agloolik: “It’s no more dangerous than owning dogs. The Amaguq are pack animals, and they’re very loyal and tame when raised correctly.”

Agloolik: “Besides the Amaguq, we also raise Denigii. They too are carnivores. They use the fleshy organ on their snout to smell out small rodents that burrow into the ice.”
Doog: “They look a little fragile to be beast of burden.”
Agloolik: “Yes. The Denigii are used differently. Their advanced olfactory sense make them a useful animal to the LIU. They can be trained to be detection animals.”
Doog: “You don’t mean…like…drug-sniffers, do you?”
Agloolik: “I suppose they could be used for that, if trained properly. However, the LIU puts more weight on their ability to sniff out hidden rodents. Denigii are often used to scan food exports before departure. That way, there’s no stowaway rodents.”
Doog: “They could probably use a few of those on Foetida.”
Agloolik: “Where?”
Doog: “Never mind.  So, do you guys raise anything else?”
Agloolik: “No, but we have a few more exports worth seeing. We need to head north.”

 Agloolik: “This is the northern iceberg, Kinguyakkii. It rests permanently at the planet’s north pole. It is fully stable and grows several feet each year. Kinguyakkii is sometimes referred to as the mother, as it gave birth to many of the icebergs via calving.”
Doog: “It’s certainly much colder and snowier.”
Agloolik: “Yes. Warmer, more humid air, from the equator, falls as snow when it cools over Kinguyakkii. It helps add to the iceberg’s mass.”
Doog: “What exactly do you produce here? Snowballs? Snowman?”
Agloolik: “No, with the help of the LIU, we produce various gases.”
Doog: “Gases?”

Agloolik: “Yes. The northern iceberg is made primarily of clathrate hydrates which trap valuable gases.”
Doog: “Made of what?”
Agloolik: “Clathrate hydrates. I know, it sounds fancy, but it’s a pretty simple concept. In laymen’s terms, the ice freezes into a lattice structure and traps various atoms of gas. Pretty much just means that there are gases trapped in the ice.”

Doog: “And you harvest this gas?”
Agloolik: “Yes. The majority of the gases collected are lighter, noble gases like Helium, Neon, and Argon. They usually escape a planet’s atmosphere after creation due to their light weight, but here, on Fluitantis, they were trapped in the rapidly formed ice.”

Agloolik: “We can climb to the top of the rig, if you want to see how the whole process works.”
Doog: “Pass.”
Agloolik: “Whew. Glad you said that. Well, if we’re not headed up, then we need to head down to reach our final industry.”
Doog: “Down?”

Agloolik: “Yes, down. The clathrate hydrate extraction leaves pockets and tunnels in the ice mass. They’re spread all throughout the iceberg. The extraction also leaves behind something else.”

Doog: “Crystals?”
Agloolik: “Sort of. Under the right conditions, clathrate hydrates can form a more exotic form of ice, called super-ionic ice. It is similar in structure to the basic hydrate, but much more energetic. In essence, the ices in the deepest regions of the iceberg are under enough pressures that the oxygen crystallizes, and the hydrogen atoms float freely within this oxygen lattice.”
Doog: “What?”

Agloolik: “It’s a solid hydrogen-based fuel. It remains relatively stable until disturbed. At that point, the oxygen lattice fails and super-ionic ice will instantly decompress and explode, releasing lots of energy.”
Doog: “Why would anyone want that?”
Agloolik: “It’s used primarily as an emergency fuel. If kept under sufficient temperatures or at proper pressures, the crystals are like little packets of energy.”
Doog: “Like an icy charcoal?”
Agloolik: “Err…sort of. Lot more energetic though. You don’t want to barbecue with this stuff. It’s often stored in emergency batteries inside large capital ships.”
Doog: “And this is the only planet where you can obtain these crystals?”
Agloolik: “Oh, no. It’s pretty abundant, but most super-ionic ice is located in the crushing depths of ice giant planets. Fluitantis is rare in that the super-ionic ice is located in a readily accessible area.”
Doog: “Fair enough.”

Doog: “Well folks, Fluitantis is an interesting place. All activity here takes place on large floating icebergs. The native Ukiuk race calls these icebergs home. They trade the natural goods of Fluitantis, like walrus ivory and beasts of burden, in return from various goods from the LIU. More importantly, they produce noble gases and solid fuels that are in high demand across the galaxy. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must go back to Cikuq and try one of those wieners. Apparently, they are quite delicious. See ya!”


Note: Fluitantis’ moon, Fluito, orbits retrograde to Fluitantis’ spin, meaning it was captured by Fluitantis around the same time Fluitantis was captured by its star. Fluito’s gravitational pull, increased by its retrograde motion, creates the strong ocean currents on Fluitantis that keeps the icebergs moving continuously. 

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