Chapter 9: Degrees of Greatness

As the sun rose over the ocean, light began to shine over an island of the coast of Florida. This island was unlike any that have ever existed before. This was because, unknown to the majority of the world, this island was home to the world's only prehistoric animals. The sun had been almost like a wake-up call. As the park's keepers began their work, the animals began to start their day, almost activated by the first rays of light.

In the parks aquarium district, the parks first residents, the trilobite species Redilchia, swam throughout their small tank, peacefully grazing, whilst the tiny Haikouichthys were swarming around assorted fish guts that had been thrown out of their tanks. In a larger reef tank, Earth's first super predators, the shrimp-like Anomalocaris were feasting on fish guts that had been thrown into their tank by their keepers. The normally territorial animals had, after a few teething problems, come to an unsteady peace, but the keepers were still keeping an eye on them. In a larger tank, the larger trilobite Istoleus and the armoured primitive fish Astraspis were filtering food from the detritus at the bottom of their tanks. In another tank, the shoal of Cephalaspis were grazing algae that had been thrown in their tanks. Meanwhile, in the largest tank, the squid like Cameroceras were lurking in the abyss, only surfacing to feed on the chum that has been thrown in their tank.

In another building, the park's sea scorpion species were being fed. The partially terrestrial Brontoscorpio were coming out onto land to eat, whilst the more aquatic Megalograptus had their food put at the bottom of their tank, with a male, who the keepers had dubbed Grumpy, taking his portion to eat in a secluded grotto at the bottom of the tank. The largest of them, Pterygotus, were actually a lot more docile than their smaller, more aggressive relatives and rarely attacked the handlers.

The final building in the aquarium held the Devonian animals. The amphibians known as Hynerpeton were giving off a morning chorus, while the large Hyneria swam around their tank, waiting for their breakfast. In a saltwater tank, the placoderms Bothrioelpis were grazing algae off the rocks on their tanks. In an incomplete underwater tunnel dedicated to sharks, the Stehcanthus swam around in their tanks waiting to be fed. In one huge tank in the Hell's Oceans exhibit, the giant armoured fish Dunkleosteus were currently being fed a large amount of chum, each keeping to its own end of the tank.

In another building, an increased amount of oxygen allowed the giant insects of the Carboniferous to call it home. The giant dragonflies Meganeura flew all across the building (except for some of the predator exhibits), while animals like the scorpion Pulmonoscorpius retreated into the logs they called home until they would be fed. The large spiders Mesothelus were waiting in their burrows for whatever food they would be given. The large Arthropleura began their morning by grazing in the plants in their enclosure and the small reptiles Petrolacosaurus were scurrying all around their enclosure. In the pool, the two giant amphibian species were beginning their day; the Proterogyrinus were bellowing at each other, whilst in a deeper pond, the fish-like Crassigyrinus were swimming around, waiting to be fed.

In another section called Permian Plains, the reptiles and amphibians had all risen shorlty after sunrise and were beginning their day. A huge herd of Edaphosaurus began grazing on the plants in their enclosure, slow due to the early morning chill. Meanwhile, the primitive amphibians Seymouria were feeding off the meat they were given. As for the top predators, the baby dimetrodons were play fighting while the adults simply laid around, waiting for the air to warm up so they could start moving. In another section of the area, several diictodon popped their heads out of their holes, waiting for the keeper who would bring their food to arrive. In a large pool, the giant amphibian Rhinesuchus swam around. In a large paddock, the herbivorous Scutosaurus were browsing on plants in their enclosure and, in the last paddock, the Gorgonops, significantly more active than the others due to their faster metabolism, were drinking from their watering hole.

And in the final part of the park known as Triassic Shack, the park's newest residents were enjoying their new home. The Eucambersia had shrunk into their caves for the day, waiting till evening (or the day's first feeding time) to come out and the crocodile-like Proterosuchus were basking in the morning sun until they could warm up, whilst the Euparkeria, more active than the others, hunted for insects in their enclosure. The large lystrosaurus herd were currently occupied in eating the plants in their enclosure.

As many keepers worked to keep the animals under their care happy, the park's leader was trying to figure out his next move. Drew Luczynski was sitting in his office, pondering his next plans. The past seven months had been interesting ones.

The island was owned by a company called Novum. In fact, the very fact Drew was here is because he had impressed Theodore Richardson, Novum's fantastically wealthy and cherishably eccentric founder and CEO. Theodore had sent him an email merely consisting of a promise of "life-changing events". It was at a now-infamous meeting that the true purpose had been revealed; 99.9% of species that have ever existed were extinct. Many amazing animals that time had chose to leave behind. Theodore had pondered, however; what if we could bring them back? What if extinction never had to be forever? Theodore spent many years in secret building a machine that could make it possible. Against impossible odds, he had succeeded; the time portal was born. Drew had been posted to an island off the coast of Florida, with a small staff who had almost all been transferred from some part of the company; Theodore had hand picked all… the vast majority of them.

And so, it began; seven months of adventure to many different times, many new arrivals (both human and animal), some pleasure and many headaches (both from the animals and from the staff). He'd been trapped in a shark cage at the mercy of a giant armoured fish, whilst two of his crew were arguing. He'd withstood a sandstorm in the Late Permian. He'd ridden on the end of the shell of Earth's first giant creature.

What would this next phase bring?

Drew turned to see a man with raven black hair and brown eyes, who was lightly tanned and quite well muscled walk towards his office. Standing near him were a man with brown hair and eyes with Filipino skin with glasses and a tall woman with brown hair, hazel eyes and an average, slightly athletic build. Adrian Sky, Leon Gilbertson, and Alice Denham.

He, Adrian and Leon went back a long time; they 'd first met when they'd ended up partnered together in 8th grade biology, over 10 years ago. This initial encounter had led to a strong, enduring friendship; they'd changed over that period, change was, after all, the natural cause of life, but they were still very close friends and they trusted each other a lot. Drew had convinced Theodore to hire Leon and Adrian for the project alongside him. Alice, along with her younger brother, Jack, had been an animal handler on Novum projects before the opportunity for PE came up; they, tempted by the prospect of "new frontiers" (as well as the considerable paycheck), they'd taken the job.

Alice turned to look at Adrian, "He called you over, too?", to which Adrian nodded. Leon said, more to himself than anyone else, "Yeah, you said it was a mission for just the two of us. Wonder what it is." They all saw Drew looking at two different maps. He turned to see the arrival of his team and smiled, "Oh, you're here. Good."

"Boss, what's the reason for two separate missions?" Alice asked him, somewhat bluntly.

Drew gave a smile, "It's mainly so we can rescue two groups of reptiles. Alice, you and Leon will go to Switzerland and rescue the first marine reptiles, while Adrian and I will go to Arizona 220 MYA and rescue one of the first dinosaurs Coelophysis." "If I remember correctly, at that time, the land was plagued by seasonal droughts; the climactic changes led to the Triassic extinction event.", Leon told Drew.

"Exactly, which is why we may have to save the animals there from dehydration." Alice nodded in agreement; she had first-hand experience of this. On a mission to Late Permian Siberia, they had rescued a severely dehydrated female Gorgonops, who she had dubbed Rey (after the Star Wars character). She calmly hoped that there wouldn't be a repeat of this. A little while later, everyone was at the portal. The portal was calibrated, it opened and the Ancient Mariner sailed through. Sometime later (after the portal had been moved to the holding pens), it opened and Drew and Adrian stepped through into the beginning of the dinosaurs' reign.

To be continued.