PSYC Ward: Explorer

World 4: Gondwanaphilie

GENERAL LAB LOG #02583:

I cannot believe it. Not only did they accept our proposal, they're giving it the full backing of their Federal money. They are literally willing to foot the entire cost of the bill for our work as long as we show them results. This is fantastic! The project will get started right away, under the name HERCULES, and receive its own log.

PART A: The Society for Historical Exploration and Study

7:21. Exactly on time, like always. That's why Isidora liked the train. Reliable, fast and precise. She carried with her only a single brown suitcase - the rest of her luggage was on a trolley to go into the luggage car. The massive steam machine came to a shrieking halt, and a carman opened its doors. She quietly stepped up onto the blackened platform and into the carpeted interior of the train car. Brilliant red, with gold decor. The compartments of the train car were made of a rich, red wood that Isidora deduced was probably cherry. She counted down doors as she made her way to her lucky number. One, two, three, four, five on the left.

She slid open the compartment door, and saw it was already occupied. Preposterous! That was supposed to be hers! Within were two young ladies, one about 12 with red hair and pale skin, and one around 16 with blonde hair and sharp blue eyes. In between them was a game Isidora knew as Candyland. Children. She didn't enjoy children.

"Whoever came up with the using cards instead of dice?" The blonde wondered aloud.

Isidora narrowed her eyes as both children turned to look at her. On the one hand, children. There was a serious probability that they'd drive her crazy. On the other hand, not sitting on the fifth seat from the left of the entrance would drive her insane the entire train ride. She wouldn't have that.

She sat down, staring at the blonde right in the eyes as she did. She was surprised when she responded with a laugh.

"Don't worry, we won't bother you if you don't want us to. But if you'd like to join in our game, you're more than welcome." The blonde encouraged.

"Candyland is a game purely of luck with no value on the skill of the player what-so-ever. Why would I want to play such a thing?" Isidora responded.

She opened up her suitcase and took out a stack of paper littered with notes on that new thing she had found, some blank parchment, a bottle of ink and a quill. She removed the cap from the bottle and, after flattening the parchment, began writing, occasionally referencing her earlier notes.

"Because then nobody needs to cheat. No one's skill is on the line, no one's reputation. No one is 'better' than anyone else when somebody wins. So everybody can play and enjoy the fact that it's all just for fun."

So she was arguing it had value because it was worthless. Fascinating.

"A good defense. I will allow it." She said.

Isidora was never very good at making her 'jokes' clear, but the girl seemed to get it. The red one raised her eyebrows.

"Wha'cha writing?" She asked.

"Research paper. Found curious life forms on last journey, a fish able to breathe on land, though still live in the water. Trying to explain how it did that."

"Do you know how?"

"Of course I do." She said.

Her frustration was clear in her voice, if not in the furrowed brow. She looked through the notes and found a picture from when she had dissected the thing.

"This is a research paper for the Journal of Biology and Life Studies. You can't write such a thing without at least having some idea of what it is you're explaining."