[ audio ]

[airskate]

This is Shadow.

[ No description of his vehicle this time. ]

First, does anyone recognize any of the stars or constellations?

Second, does anyone know the best way to record the ones that aren't familiar?

If we're thorough enough, we might be able to use the stars to navigate.


( OOC: I asked the mods about the stars here if you'd like more info! )

Comments

[undyingcrow]

I don't understand how they got here, but I will find out.

[It's much too significant to overlook. What does this mean for the others?]

[faceguy]

I know, I get it.

Even if the constellations are different, maybe we can find something like the north star. If you can always find that, it will tell you which direction to go in.

[justiceobjects]

Well, uh... we'd have to have an idea of where we started on the planet first. And do we even know what direction we're driving in?

[Besides, Apollo has never been on a road trip before this one. He has no idea how long it would take to drive through an entire hemisphere - and wouldn't it depend on the size of the planet, too?]

I think any star charts would stay useful for quite a while. If we were on Earth, you could navigate in a couple of ways - it's either following the northern or southern pole stars, or watching to see if the stars are moving with you or against you as the planet turns.

[airskate]

What sort of supplies would you need?

[airskate]

What do they look like?

[ Shadow hasn't really bothered to investigate any of these messages for himself, but he can definitely keep an eye out for messages from other people. ]

[airskate]

[ Leo's dropped the joking pretty fast, and so Shadow's annoyance fades with the same speed. ]

That's what I was hoping for. Something like that, or the Big Dipper.

[airskate]

[ Even if Apollo can't give him a definitive answer, this all extremely useful to know. Shadow's actually taking physical notes at this point. ]

The thing about the stars turning—what would that indicate?

[ He already knows how someone can orient themself using the sun, but this information about the stars is new to him. ]

[constantvrunning]

A magnifying glass would have the right kind of lens, if we can find one. Very simple telescopes only require carefully folded and cut cardboard to manage the refracted light.

If we only find items like regular 'seeing' glasses, we would need to experiment.

[justiceobjects]

Well that's the direction the planet is turning. Using Earth as an example, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west because the planet is rotating in the opposite direction.

So that means the stars and constellations that move in the sky are also moving from east to west in the same way. If you see a star rising, or if you're walking opposite to the movement of the stars, you're going east. If you see a star setting or you're walking with the stars, you're going west.

So that means any stars that don't move are located at the poles, and that's how you can find north and south.

[undyingcrow]

In general, the messages are tied to balloons and kites near the power lines. The calling cards are more distinct, however, with their black and red coloration.

[Really, most messages wouldn't be made in such a fashion, so that's one way to keep an eye out for more.]

[faceguy]

We’ll just have to pay attention, then! Starting tonight!

[airskate]

Would you need something to try to grind the glasses lenses?

[airskate]

[ Okay, that all makes sense. The bit about the poles is something new, however. Shadow probably could have put it together eventually, but it's obviously more useful to have Apollo tell him directly. ]

Understood. So perfectly stationary stars would be most useful, right? What about ones that do move, but not as much?

[airskate]

[ Black and red. Got it. That should be easy enough to identify. ]

If I see any of them, I'll give them to you.

[undyingcrow]

Is there anything pertinent to you that I ought to look out for? If writing from our worlds may materialize, it's only fair.

[He's not one to enjoy owing a debt, after all. This keeps things reciprocal.]

[constantvrunning]

I may need to talk to - Waver is his name, I believe.

[As the most Science-Inclined person V has met here thus far.]

We may have to build one out of spare parts for the vehicles, short of us coming across an appropriate tool in an abandoned house.

[Which is not Ideal, but it's Something.]

[justiceobjects]

That's right. As long as the poles are the same here as they are on Earth, we should be traveling towards one of those stationary stars.

I'm pretty sure the ones that barely move are going to be between the cardinal directions. That would be your northeast or southwest, for instance.

[airskate]

Tonight.

[ There's a long, long pause before Shadow speaks again. Long enough that it would be totally reasonable to assume he was done entirely. But finally: ]

Do you want to look together?

[airskate]

[ Shadow gives that a moment of genuine thought, but in the end: ]

No. I don't think there's going to be any messages for me.

[airskate]

Waver Velvet? I've met him.

[ Though he's not who Shadow would call the most science-inclined among them. ]

There's someone else I can try asking, as well.

[constantvrunning]

[V really should talk to Jayce, one of these days.]

Probably a good idea to have more than one potential source of help, anyhow.

Thank you, Shadow.

[undyingcrow]

Ah, well... They might not necessarily be for you. The calling cards certainly weren't, but I suppose only you would know with certainty.

[Still, it's worth mentioning more distant possibilities, just in case.]

[airskate]

[ There is an actual sound of pen scratching over paper for a moment. ]

And if a star is brighter than all of the others, does that tell us anything helpful?

[airskate]

No, thank you. I like stars, but I don't know much about them.

[airskate]

[ Ah. That's a fair point that he hadn't considered. ]

In that case... if you find anything addressed to Maria, Sonic, or anyone with the last name 'Robotnik', I'd like those notes.