There are billions of stars, millions of planets, but there is only one man, Terrance McDoogal. Welcome to LIU Atlas.
LIU Atlas - Volucris
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 Galaxy, 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 frozen world of Volucris. Volucris is bitterly cold, experiencing daytime temperatures of forty degrees below zero. At night, these temperatures plunge even further. I’ll definitely be forgoing my usual sleeveless attire on this planet.”
Doog: “Alright, I’ve been dropped off outside a facility on the planet’s surface. It’s cold. Real cold. It stings when I breathe, and I can already feel the blood leaving my extremities. All my extremities.”
Doog: “I’m told this facility is some type of science station. Honestly, I don’t care what it is; I just want to go inside. Let’s go.”
Doog: “Oh, thank the Emperor. It’s much better in here.”
Amundsen: “Indeed. Welcome to Station #2. I’m Dr. Amundsen. I’ll be your guide for today’s tour.”
Doog: “Station #2? Am I not good enough for Station #1?”
Amundsen: “Station #1 is a weather-monitoring post, three hundred miles north of here. There’s not too much to see there, unless you’re into weather patterns.”
Doog: “No, I’m good. I don’t need a fancy science post to tell me that it’s cold.”
Amundsen: “Very cold. But, despite the frigidness, Volucris is home to an abundance of life. How this life evolved to survive these conditions, is part of our research here in Station #2.”
Doog: “What kind of unfortunate life evolved here?”
Amundsen: “Advanced life. Some of it sentient. Follow me.”
Amundsen: “Indeed. Welcome to Station #2. I’m Dr. Amundsen. I’ll be your guide for today’s tour.”
Doog: “Station #2? Am I not good enough for Station #1?”
Amundsen: “Station #1 is a weather-monitoring post, three hundred miles north of here. There’s not too much to see there, unless you’re into weather patterns.”
Doog: “No, I’m good. I don’t need a fancy science post to tell me that it’s cold.”
Amundsen: “Very cold. But, despite the frigidness, Volucris is home to an abundance of life. How this life evolved to survive these conditions, is part of our research here in Station #2.”
Doog: “What kind of unfortunate life evolved here?”
Amundsen: “Advanced life. Some of it sentient. Follow me.”
Doog: “This is the life? Remarkable. They look human.”
Amundsen: “They are human. They’re my researchers, not the native life. They’re isolating antifreeze proteins called ISP’s, short for Ice Structuring Proteins. ISP’s are found in most species native to Volucris. They are the reason life was able to evolve here.”
Doog: “How do they work?”
Amundsen: “The proteins inhibit the crystallization of bodily fluids, allowing them to remain liquid despite the temperatures. Crystallization of fluids prohibits their flow and causes tissue damage.”
Doog: “So, no frostbite for the native life. Got it.”
Amundsen: “Precisely.”
Amundsen: “They are human. They’re my researchers, not the native life. They’re isolating antifreeze proteins called ISP’s, short for Ice Structuring Proteins. ISP’s are found in most species native to Volucris. They are the reason life was able to evolve here.”
Doog: “How do they work?”
Amundsen: “The proteins inhibit the crystallization of bodily fluids, allowing them to remain liquid despite the temperatures. Crystallization of fluids prohibits their flow and causes tissue damage.”
Doog: “So, no frostbite for the native life. Got it.”
Amundsen: “Precisely.”
Doog: “What’s the point of isolating this protein though?”
Amundsen: “If the protein can be properly mapped, it can be recreated artificially. The protein can then be used for lots of things, like food preservation and cryogenics. It might even be possible to manipulate this protein so it is biocompatible with other living beings, like humans. Imagine soldiers injecting some ISP’s before a battle on a frozen world. They’d have the upper hand.”
Doog: “I volunteer to be the guinea pig in that experiment, especially if we have to head outside again.”
Amundsen: “Ha. I bet you would. Unfortunately, the protein isn’t compatible with human biology just yet. We’ve run into some roadblocks.”
Amundsen: “If the protein can be properly mapped, it can be recreated artificially. The protein can then be used for lots of things, like food preservation and cryogenics. It might even be possible to manipulate this protein so it is biocompatible with other living beings, like humans. Imagine soldiers injecting some ISP’s before a battle on a frozen world. They’d have the upper hand.”
Doog: “I volunteer to be the guinea pig in that experiment, especially if we have to head outside again.”
Amundsen: “Ha. I bet you would. Unfortunately, the protein isn’t compatible with human biology just yet. We’ve run into some roadblocks.”
Amundsen: “The proteins collected from the species of Volucris are already damaged. The protein goes to work the minute it is created. We’re having difficulties isolating an undamaged protein.”
Doog: “What does that have to do with women, pregnant women, and babies?”
Amundsen: “It was thought that the protein could be gathered from babies or embryos prior to them being damaged. But, we’ve had limited success. The native sentient race is parthenogenetic, so many of the proteins are inherited from the mother.”
Doog: “They’re what?”
Amundsen: “Parthenogenetic. They reproduce asexually. The all-female population births genetic clones.”
Doog: “So, there’s no males?”
Amundsen: “Not a one.”
Doog: “Looks like I’m the big man on campus here on Volucris.”
Amundsen: “Uh, sure. Whatever you say.”
Doog: “What does that have to do with women, pregnant women, and babies?”
Amundsen: “It was thought that the protein could be gathered from babies or embryos prior to them being damaged. But, we’ve had limited success. The native sentient race is parthenogenetic, so many of the proteins are inherited from the mother.”
Doog: “They’re what?”
Amundsen: “Parthenogenetic. They reproduce asexually. The all-female population births genetic clones.”
Doog: “So, there’s no males?”
Amundsen: “Not a one.”
Doog: “Looks like I’m the big man on campus here on Volucris.”
Amundsen: “Uh, sure. Whatever you say.”
Amundsen: “Parthenogenesis is more common in populations with a scarcity of resources. Resources are not wasted on males, who cannot give birth.”
Doog: “We can be useless at times.”
Amundsen: “On a world like this, perhaps. However, not all species on Volucris reproduce in this manner. There’s still hope we can isolate an untarnished ISP from an embryo of another species. Unfortunately, that means we need to head out into the cold.”
Doog: “Oh joy…”
Doog: “We can be useless at times.”
Amundsen: “On a world like this, perhaps. However, not all species on Volucris reproduce in this manner. There’s still hope we can isolate an untarnished ISP from an embryo of another species. Unfortunately, that means we need to head out into the cold.”
Doog: “Oh joy…”
Amundsen: “Are you sure you can use one of these?”
Doog: “A snowmobile can’t be any harder than hoverbike. I should be alright.”
Amundsen: “Well, if you have any questions, be sure to ask.”
Doog: “There’s only one question I need to ask. Does this thing have a heater?”
Doog: “A snowmobile can’t be any harder than hoverbike. I should be alright.”
Amundsen: “Well, if you have any questions, be sure to ask.”
Doog: “There’s only one question I need to ask. Does this thing have a heater?”
Doog: “How is this possible? It almost looks like there's surface water here. Shouldn’t it be frozen?”
Amundsen: “Volucris is volcanically active. Areas near volcanic vents, like this, have some liquid water. It’s so cold though, the surface of the water, where it is exposed, is mostly a thick slush.”
Doog: “Yeah, I see that.”
Amundsen: “Volucris is volcanically active. Areas near volcanic vents, like this, have some liquid water. It’s so cold though, the surface of the water, where it is exposed, is mostly a thick slush.”
Doog: “Yeah, I see that.”
Amundsen: “All lifeforms here, from single-celled organisms to the sentient Volu, are dependent on these volcanoes. Obviously, the heat keeps the water liquid, but it also plays other roles. It drives the snowy weather. The Volu use it to cook food and dry leather. The greenhouse gases they release keep Volucris a bit warmer than it would be otherwise.”
Doog: “Hm. Who ever knew volcanoes could be so useful.”
Doog: “Hm. Who ever knew volcanoes could be so useful.”
Doog: “It looks like the natives are fishermen.”
Amundsen: “Fisherwomen, but yes. Their primary food source is Frost Char.”
Doog: “Can you get any of those ISP’s from them?”
Amundsen: “No. They don’t have any. They live in the warm springs. They freeze solid when removed from the water.”
Doog: “How do these chicks eat them if they’re frozen?”
Amundsen: “The Volu have tools, constructed from hardened ice, that are used to mash and cut the frozen fish into a mushy ice paste. It is eaten like that.”
Doog: “Fish slushies…gross.”
Amundsen: “Fisherwomen, but yes. Their primary food source is Frost Char.”
Doog: “Can you get any of those ISP’s from them?”
Amundsen: “No. They don’t have any. They live in the warm springs. They freeze solid when removed from the water.”
Doog: “How do these chicks eat them if they’re frozen?”
Amundsen: “The Volu have tools, constructed from hardened ice, that are used to mash and cut the frozen fish into a mushy ice paste. It is eaten like that.”
Doog: “Fish slushies…gross.”
Doog: “So, no ISP’s around here?”
Amundsen: “No. We’ll need to head further out. Let’s go.”
Amundsen: “No. We’ll need to head further out. Let’s go.”
Doog: “My mustache is so frozen. It’s literally pulling down my face. That, or I’m having a stroke. Hard to tell with all convulsing and trembling my body is doing right now. Am I talking a lot? I feel like I’m talking a lot. I talk when I’m cold. I think it is the only thing that is keeping me alive. Did I mention my mustache?”
Amundsen: “Perhaps you should keep quiet for a bit. I don’t want the inside of your mouth to freeze. Although, that might not be a bad thing.”
Amundsen: “Perhaps you should keep quiet for a bit. I don’t want the inside of your mouth to freeze. Although, that might not be a bad thing.”
Doog: “This just looks like another village. Why did we come here?”
Amundsen: “We’re not going to the village. We’re headed up the mountain.”
Doog: “Why did we leave the snowmobiles then?”
Amundsen: “Because we are going up the mountain. They don’t go up mountains.”
Doog: “I don’t go up mountains either. I better go back with the snowmobiles.”
Doog: “Why did we leave the snowmobiles then?”
Amundsen: “Because we are going up the mountain. They don’t go up mountains.”
Doog: “I don’t go up mountains either. I better go back with the snowmobiles.”
Amundsen: “It’s not too bad of climb. Look.”
Doog: “I am looking. It’s hard not to look. I think my eyelids are frozen in the open position.”
Amundsen: “I think you can manage it.”
Doog: “Your faith in me is misplaced. I assure you.”
Doog: “I am looking. It’s hard not to look. I think my eyelids are frozen in the open position.”
Amundsen: “I think you can manage it.”
Doog: “Your faith in me is misplaced. I assure you.”
Amundsen: “Look. This part of the mountain is almost like stairs. A small climb then it levels out. A small climb then it levels out again.”
Doog: “Comparing things to stairs is the worse way to convince me to do anything.”
Amundsen: “Well, I’m headed up. I guess you can hang out with the locals.”
Doog: “I think I will.”
Amundsen: “I hope you don’t freeze solid around them. You’ll end up as a Doog slushy.”
Doog: “Sigh. Mountain stairs it is.”
Doog: “Comparing things to stairs is the worse way to convince me to do anything.”
Amundsen: “Well, I’m headed up. I guess you can hang out with the locals.”
Doog: “I think I will.”
Amundsen: “I hope you don’t freeze solid around them. You’ll end up as a Doog slushy.”
Doog: “Sigh. Mountain stairs it is.”
Doog: “These steps are getting increasingly taller and steeper. I’m pretty sure this is actual mountain climbing. I’ve been misled.”
Amundsen: “We’re almost there.”
Doog: “Is it colder up here?”
Amundsen: “A bit.”
Doog: “Is there less oxygen too? I feel weak and exhausted.”
Amundsen: “No, we’re not nearly high enough. I believe the weakness might be due to the physical activities, if your labored breathing is any indication.”
Doog: “I am a bit out of shape.”
Amundsen: “We’re almost there.”
Doog: “Is it colder up here?”
Amundsen: “A bit.”
Doog: “Is there less oxygen too? I feel weak and exhausted.”
Amundsen: “No, we’re not nearly high enough. I believe the weakness might be due to the physical activities, if your labored breathing is any indication.”
Doog: “I am a bit out of shape.”
Amundsen: “Good news. We’re at the top.”
Doog: “That wasn’t so bad. The climb warmed me up a bit. I think I might be sweating…and I think said sweat might have frozen. I do believe my hair and my hood are a single entity now.”
Amundsen: “It’s not good to sweat out here.”
Doog: “It’s nice to know that now. So, why did we risk coming up here?”
Amundsen: “There’s a creature that nests up here in the mountains.”
Doog: “That wasn’t so bad. The climb warmed me up a bit. I think I might be sweating…and I think said sweat might have frozen. I do believe my hair and my hood are a single entity now.”
Amundsen: “It’s not good to sweat out here.”
Doog: “It’s nice to know that now. So, why did we risk coming up here?”
Amundsen: “There’s a creature that nests up here in the mountains.”
Doog: “What is that? Is that a penguin?”
Amundsen: “Not a penguin, but a similar creature. We call them, Frostfowls.”
Doog: “Frostfowls are huge.”
Amundsen: “They truly are. So big, in fact, that they lost the ability to fly.”
Doog: “How did it get way up here then?”
Amundsen: “It climbed up here. Look at its curved beak. It’s a useful tool for climbing. Think of it as sort of a natural icepick. Frostfowls come up here each year to nest. Their eggs are safer from predators, like the Volu.”
Amundsen: “Not a penguin, but a similar creature. We call them, Frostfowls.”
Doog: “Frostfowls are huge.”
Amundsen: “They truly are. So big, in fact, that they lost the ability to fly.”
Doog: “How did it get way up here then?”
Amundsen: “It climbed up here. Look at its curved beak. It’s a useful tool for climbing. Think of it as sort of a natural icepick. Frostfowls come up here each year to nest. Their eggs are safer from predators, like the Volu.”
Doog: “We came up here to steal some eggs, didn’t we?”
Amundsen: “Yes. Frostfowls reproduce sexually, so there’s chance the unborn embryo within an egg contains untarnished ISP’s.”
Doog: “What type of reaction are we expecting from the Frostfowl? Are we expecting a running situation?”
Amundsen: “I hope not. Frostfowls are quite agile despite their size, and that icepick of a beak can be used for more than climbing.”
Doog: ‘Uh…I better get a head start. I’ll scream up from the bottom of the mountain when it is safe for you to grab one.”
Amundsen: “Yes. Frostfowls reproduce sexually, so there’s chance the unborn embryo within an egg contains untarnished ISP’s.”
Doog: “What type of reaction are we expecting from the Frostfowl? Are we expecting a running situation?”
Amundsen: “I hope not. Frostfowls are quite agile despite their size, and that icepick of a beak can be used for more than climbing.”
Doog: ‘Uh…I better get a head start. I’ll scream up from the bottom of the mountain when it is safe for you to grab one.”
Doog: “Wait! What are you doing?!”
Amundsen: “Relax. I think if I just take one, we will be just fine. Just back away slowly.”
Doog: “Are you kidding me? You couldn’t have waited a few minutes? Look at her eyes. She’s giving us a death stare.”
Amundsen: “I think you were right before. This might be a running situation. GO!”
Amundsen: “Relax. I think if I just take one, we will be just fine. Just back away slowly.”
Doog: “Are you kidding me? You couldn’t have waited a few minutes? Look at her eyes. She’s giving us a death stare.”
Amundsen: “I think you were right before. This might be a running situation. GO!”
Doog: “Where…pant pant…are we…pant pant…going? Down…mountain….is…pant pant…other way…”
Amundsen: “There’s an emergency shelter up here. It’s closer. Let’s get inside.”
Amundsen: “There’s an emergency shelter up here. It’s closer. Let’s get inside.”
Doog: “I can’t believe you did that.”
Amundsen: “It might not have been wise with you in tow. For that, I apologize. At least we’re safe now.”
Doog: “And warm. I can feel my skin again.”
Amundsen: “Safe, warm, and we managed to get an egg. I’d say it was a good trip.”
Doog: “Speaking of eggs, what do you have to eat in here? All this running and climbing has me running on empty.”
Amundsen: “I think there’s a stash of dehydrated meat cylinders in that barrel over there. It might be a nice pick me up.”
Doog: “Heck no. Do you know how that stuff is made?”
Amundsen: “Well, your options are limited.”
Amundsen: “It might not have been wise with you in tow. For that, I apologize. At least we’re safe now.”
Doog: “And warm. I can feel my skin again.”
Amundsen: “Safe, warm, and we managed to get an egg. I’d say it was a good trip.”
Doog: “Speaking of eggs, what do you have to eat in here? All this running and climbing has me running on empty.”
Amundsen: “I think there’s a stash of dehydrated meat cylinders in that barrel over there. It might be a nice pick me up.”
Doog: “Heck no. Do you know how that stuff is made?”
Amundsen: “Well, your options are limited.”
Doog: “We do have an egg.”
Amundsen: “Hey! Put that down! We can’t eat the egg; we need it for science!”
Doog: “The nest wasn’t that far away. You could grab another one.”
Amundsen: “Well, run out there are grab one. This egg is mine! I stole it! Give it to me!”
Amundsen: “Hey! Put that down! We can’t eat the egg; we need it for science!”
Doog: “The nest wasn’t that far away. You could grab another one.”
Amundsen: “Well, run out there are grab one. This egg is mine! I stole it! Give it to me!”
Doog: “Uh…whoops.”
Amundsen: “What have you done?”
Doog: “Me? It was you temper tantrum that made it fall.”
Amundsen: “I can’t believe this. Now we have to go back out there.”
Doog: “Did I catch a ‘we’ in there? I think you mean ‘you”. I’m fine right here. I have a floor omelet to eat. But, hey, if you’re going out, grab a few more. I’ll whip us up something nice.”
Amundsen: “Sigh…”
Amundsen: “What have you done?”
Doog: “Me? It was you temper tantrum that made it fall.”
Amundsen: “I can’t believe this. Now we have to go back out there.”
Doog: “Did I catch a ‘we’ in there? I think you mean ‘you”. I’m fine right here. I have a floor omelet to eat. But, hey, if you’re going out, grab a few more. I’ll whip us up something nice.”
Amundsen: “Sigh…”
Doog: “Well folks, what can I say? Volucris is a cold wasteland, but it’s home to some essential research. The complex life that evolved here has developed unique proteins to combat frostbite. These proteins have huge potential in many industries if they can be properly mapped and recreated. Finding these proteins in their purest form is a challenge, but it looks like researchers, like Dr. Amundsen, are up to the task. Hey! Get your hands off my floor omelet! I have to go folks. See ya!”
Note: Frostbunnies are the most abundant land creatures on Volucris. They’ve been domesticated by the Volu to some degree and exhibit little fear around other beings. Given their tame nature and quick reproduction rate, they were the first creatures to be studied by the researchers. However, it was discovered that Frostbunnies do not manufacture significant amounts of ISPs on their own. They supplement their lack of ISPs by eating the feces of the Volu and Frostfowls. Volunteers are needed to test if this way of consumption is compatible with other biological entities.
Note: Frostbunnies are the most abundant land creatures on Volucris. They’ve been domesticated by the Volu to some degree and exhibit little fear around other beings. Given their tame nature and quick reproduction rate, they were the first creatures to be studied by the researchers. However, it was discovered that Frostbunnies do not manufacture significant amounts of ISPs on their own. They supplement their lack of ISPs by eating the feces of the Volu and Frostfowls. Volunteers are needed to test if this way of consumption is compatible with other biological entities.
