Tour Cars, Tyrannosaurus Paddock
The two Explorers drive along a high ridge and stop at the edge of the large, open plain that is separated from the road by a fifteen-foot fence, clearly marked with "DANGER!" signs and ominous-looking electrical post.
In the Front Car Alleyne, Ethan, Nowa, and Irma are pressed forward against the windows, eyes wide, waiting for the Tyrannosaur.
The voice of the radio drones on in the rear car, But Grant, Leina, Shizuka, Tomoe, and Eilin are not listening anymore. They where dying for a Glimpse of the Tyrannosaur.
"The mighty tyrannosaurus arose late in the dinosaur history. Dinosaurs ruled the earth for hundred and fifty million years, but it wasn't until the last 10 million years…"
"Can you shut that off Leina?" Grant Asked.
Leina nodded and turned off the Radio.
Everyone waited in Silence as they watched the Fence, Everyone but Eilin, thinking aloud.
"God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs."
Everyone then just stared at Eilin.
Then they hear Ymir's Voice over the P.A.
"Hold on, we'll try to tempt the rex, she is a Little bit shy."
A shy Tyrannosaur? Grant thought, now I have heard everything.
On the Other side of the Fence there was a low HUMMING sound. Out in the middle of the field, a small cage rises up into view, lifted on hydraulics from underground. The cage bars slide down, leaving the cage's occupant standing alone in the middle of the field.
It's a goat, one leg chained to a stake. It looks around, confused, and Bleats plaintively.
In the Front Car Nowa and Ethan look at the goat with widely different reactions.
"What's going to happen to the goat? She's going to eat the goat?!" Nowa Said.
"Excellent." Ethan said.
"What the Matter kid? Never had Lamb chops?" Irma asked.
"We happen to Be Vegetarians" Alleyne said.
In the Rear car Grant just shakes his head.
"T-rex doesn't want to be fed, she wants to hunt. You can't just suppress sixty-five million years of gut instinct."
The Goat just waits. And waits. From the Explorers, nine faces watch it expectantly. The goat tugs on its chain. It walks back and forth, nervous. It Bleats.
In the Rear Car Everyone was waiting expectantly.
In the Front Car Ethan, Nowa, and Alleyne cant tear there eyes from the Fence. Irma just sits in her seat, waiting to move on.
The Goat then just lies down.
Everyone in the cars Sit back in there Seats, Disappointed.
Eilin then Looks at the Camera in the Tour Car.
Control Room
Vance was watching the Screen when Eilin stood up in the Car and said,
"Now, eventually you do plan to have dinosaurs on your dinosaur tour, right?"
"Hello? H-hello?" Eilin breaths on the Camera "Yes?"
Vance just shakes his head. "I really hate that Dwarf."
Tour Cars
Grant just looks out the Rear Window. Tomoe and Shizuka just sit and wait for the Next Dinosaur.
Eilin just sits down and starts talking.
"You see? The tyrannosaur doesn't obey set patterns or park schedules. It's the essence of Chaos."
Leina turns around and Starts talking to Eilin.
"I'm still not clear on Chaos."
"It simply deals with unpredictability in complex systems. Its only principle is the Butterfly Effect. A butterfly can flap its wings in The Iron Mountains and in Ganios you get rain instead of sunshine."
Leina gestures with her hand to show this information has gone right over her head.
Eilin Smiles, "I made a fly by, I go too fast."
Looking out of the opposite window, Grant sees movement at the far end of a field. He sits bolt upright, trying to get a better look.
"Here give me your glass of water." Eilin Tells Leina.
Eilin dips her hand into the glass of water. She takes Ellie's hand in her own.
"Make like hieroglyphics. Now watch the way the drop of water falls on your hand."
She flicks her fingers and a drop falls on the back of Ellie's hand.
"Ready? Freeze your hand. Now I'm going to do the same thing from the exact same place. Which way is the drop going to roll off?" Eilin Asks.
"The same way." Leina said
"It changed. Why? Because and here is the principle of tiny variations…"
"The orientations of the hairs …"
"Alan Look at this!" Leina Said.
"…on your hand, the amount of blood distending in your vessels, imperfections in the skin…"
"Imperfections of the Skin?" Leina, Shizuka, and Tomoe asked.
"Microscopic… never repeat, and vastly affect the outcome. That's what?" Eilin asked.
"Unpredictability..." Leina Answered.
Just then Grant Opened the Door, Jumping out of the Tour Car.
"There, there see?! I'm right again!" Eilin said.
"Alan?" Leina said.
"No one could have predicted Dr. Grant would suddenly jump out of a moving vehicle!" Eilin continued.
"Alan!" Leina screamed as she jumped out of the Car.
"There's another example! See? Here I am now here by myself, talking to myself th-that's Chaos Theory!" Eilin said to herself.
Control Room
Vance, Ymir, and Claudette stare at the video monitor incredulously as everyone now pouts out of the cars and follows Grant down the hill. The Tour cars slowly move on.
"Stop the Program! Stop the Program!" Vance said.
"How many times have I told you! We needed locking mechanisms on the vehicle doors!" Claudette Said.
Risty sneaks a peek at the video monitor. It shows an image of the steel door, plainly marked… "EMBRYONIC COLD STORAGE. RESTRICTED!"
She looks to another monitor, which is labeled "EAST DOCK." The monitor shows a supply ship, moored at the dock. Its cargo is being uploaded and a large group of Workers is filing aboard.
Risty has something in the counter, where no one can see it. It's a can of shaving cream.
Out in the Park
Grant, Leina, Shizuka, Tomoe, Alleyne, Nowa, Ethan, and Irma are out in the open field, heading towards a small stand of trees. For the first time, they don't notice the sky is darkening rather early in the day. Ethan dogs Grant's footsteps, so excited he can hardly keep his feet on the ground.
"So like I was saying, there's this other book by a guy named Bakker? And he said dinosaurs died of a bunch of diseases? He definitely didn't say they turned into birds." Ethan said.
Grant ignored him and kept walking. Irma is scared as hell, following the others, but her head darting left and right.
"Alan? Where are we going? You see something?" Leina asked.
"Uh, anybody else think we shouldn't be out here?" Irma said, Terrified.
"And his book was a lot fatter than yours." Ethan said.
"Really?" Grant said, not really interested.
"Yours was fully illustrated, honey." Leina said.
"Anybody at all. Feel free to speak up." Irma continued.
Nowa stumbles and Grant takes her hand, to stop her from falling. She looks up at him and smiles.
Grant smiles back and tries to recover his hand, but Nowa holds tight. He's massively uncomfortable. Leina notices.
Suddenly they all stop in their tracks. A huge smile spreads across the faces of both Ethan and Grant. Grant walks forward. Ethan follows.
"Ethan!" Leina said trying to stop him
Fearless, Ethan walks forward behind Grant.
A new voice comes from the Clearing, "Hi everybody, don't be scared. Claudette tranquilized her for me, She's Sick."
Ethan reaches the clearing and sees:
A Triceratops, a big one, lying on its side, blocking the light at the end of the path. It has an enormous curved shell that flanks its head, two big horns over its eyes, and a third on the end of its nose. It doesn't move, just breathes, loud and raspy, blowing up a little clouds of dust with every exhalation.
Grant Stands next to a man in Kakis, a Hawaiian shirt, and a Straw hat.
"Beautiful. Is it okay? Can I touch it?"
"Sure." The Vet said.
Grant walks next to the animal and strokes its head. Leina moves forward to the animal.
"It was my favorite when I was a Kid and now that she is here it's the most beautiful thing I ever saw." Grant said smiling. Leina just smiles and laughs.
They both kneel, checking the animal.
Grant furrows his bow, noticing something, all professional curiosity now. The animal's tongue, dark purple, droops limply from its mouth.
"Leina, take a look at this."
"Yeah, baby girl, it's okay." Leina said, walking toward Grant.
Leina scratched the Trikes tongue and a clear liquid leaks from the broken blisters.
"Micro vesicles. That's interesting." Leina said. Grant just Nodded.
Grant, fascinated, wanders all the way around to the back of the animal. The Vet joins Leina and hands her his penlight.
"What are her symptoms?" Leina asks.
"Imbalance, disorientation, labored breathing. Seems to happen about every six weeks or so." The Vet Answers.
"Six weeks?" Leina asks.
The Vet Nodded.
Leina took the Penlight from the Vet and shined the light in the trikes eye.
"Are there papillary effects from the tranquilizer?"Leina asked.
"Yes, mitotic, pupils should be constricted." The vet said.
"These are dilated. Take a look." Leina said.
"They are?" the vet asks. The Vet then goes over to Leina to check the Eyes.
"I'll be damned." He says.
"That's pharmacological. From local plant life." Leina said.
She then turns and studies the surrounding landscape. Her mind's really at work, puzzling over each piece of foliage.
"Is that West Indian lilac?" Leina asks.
"Yes. We know they're toxic, but the animals don't eat them." The Vet answers.
"Are you sure?" Leina asks
"Pretty sure." The Vet said.
"There's only one way to be positive. I have to see the dinosaur's droppings." Leina said.
"Wont be hard to miss them." The Vet said, walking back towards the Trike.
Eilin walks up to Leina
"Dino Dropping- Droppings?"
Leina Nodded.
Control Room
Vance and Ymir are watching the video monitors, displeased about something. Ymir is looking at one that gives them a view from the beach, looking out at the ocean. The clouds beyond are almost black with a tropical storm.
"That storm center hasn't dissipated or changed course. We're going to have to cut the tour short, I'm afraid. Pick it up again tomorrow where we left off." Claudette says as she is on the phone.
"You're sure we have to?" Vance said.
"It's not worth taking the chance, Vance." Ymir said.
"Sustained winds of 45 knots." Claudette said into the Phone.
"Tell them when they get back to the cars." Vance said.
"Thanks, Steve." Claudette said before hanging up the Phone.
"Ladies and gentlemen, last shuttle to the dock leaves in approximately five minutes. Drop what you are doing and leave now." Ymir announces to the workers over the P.A. system.
"Damn!" Vance says, slamming his fist into the Desk.
Risty stares at her video monitor, watching the boat. She's on the phone with the Mate, whose images he can see on the monitor. The seas around the dock are much rougher now.
"There's nothing we can do! When the captain says we got to go, we got to go!"
"Just give me fifteen Minutes, I did a test run on this it took me twenty Minutes but I thought I could squeeze It down to eighteen, but at least give me fifteen Minutes!" Risty said.
"No Promises."
Out in the Park
As the weather grows darker, Leina, Grant, The Vet, and Eilin are grouped around an enormous spoor of triceratops excreta that stands at least waist high and is covered with Buzzing flies.
"That's one Big Pile of Shit." Eilin Says.
Leina has plastic gloves on the reach up to her elbows, and is just withdrawing her hand from the middle of the dung.
"You're right. There's no trace of lilac berries. That's so weird, though. She shows all the classic signs of Meliatoxicity," Leina said to The vet.
Then she thought aloud "Every six weeks."
She turns and walks out into the open field a few paces, thinking. Eilin watches her, and looks back at the dung.
"She's, uh… tenacious."Eilin said to Grant.
"You have no Idea." Grant said, following Leina.
"You will remember to wash your hands before you eat anything?" Eilin said to Leina.
Control Room
Risty is busily and surreptitiously typing a series of commands into his console. On her screen, a cartoon hand winds up a cartoon clock, moving its second hand up to the twelve. The clock rotates around to face her.
t has a large green dollar sign in the middle. A big word appears on screen, an option surrounded by forbidding red box. "EXECUTE," it says.
Out in the Park
The skies are really foreboding now, and there's a sense of growing urgency. Leina is by the animal, a short distance away from the group. Grant is near her, thinking.
Thunder rumbles as the storm overhead is about to bust loose.
Irma, scared of more than one thing now, puts her foot down.
"Doctors, if you please… I have to insist we get moving."
"Oh, you know, if it's alright, I'd like to stay with Dr…"
"Marcus" The Vet said.
"…Dr. Marcus and finish with the trike. Is that okay?"
"Sure, I've got a gas powered jeep. I can drop her at the visitor's center before I make the boat with the others." Dr. Marcus said.
"I'll catch up with you. You can go with the others." Leina said to Grant.
"Are you sure?" Grant asked.
"Yeah, I want to finish." Leina said.
"Ill stay Too. I have never seen anything like this." Alleyne said. "Nowa, stay with Irma"
Nowa nodded, disappointed.
There is a lightning flash now, with a tooth-rattling Thunderclap right on its heels.
"Now" Irma Urges.
Grant turns and follows the others, Nowa right in his tracks. Leina and Marcus go back to the triceratops, which is starting to come back to life.
As the reflections of the Group approach, the first raindrops fall on the windshields of the tour vehicles. They're big, fat drops, and they kick up little clouds of dust as they Smack into the glass.
This was going to be a Hell of a Storm.
It's going to be a hell of a storm.