I'm trying to hold true to my remark earlier about getting the next two chapters out TODAY. I'm going hunting later, though, so I'm kinda crammed to get these done on time. I apologize if they are shorter than normal, but if they are, they will be rewritten.
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There is something missing from our world. The Amazing Creatures that time has left behind. But what if we could bring them back? What if extinction didn't have to be forever? We're going on a safari with a difference as wildlife adventurer Nigel Marvin plunges into Prehistory to rescue creatures on the brink of extinction. He plans to bring them back to the safety of the present and give them a second chance. This time, Nigel and his team go back 242 million years to Prehistoric Nevada, to rescue the first great carnivorous sea reptile. Welcome to the ultimate wildlife sanctuary. Welcome to Prehistoric Park.
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After many successful missions, Prehistoric Park has become a home for a huge variety of prehistoric life. Giant sauropods, pampatheres and caseids are only a few of the parks odder residents. Now, though, Nigel wants to go after a more familiar creature.
In his den, Nigel is examining a series of phots. All depict sea reptiles, but apparently, they're of two different types. One set appears to be of the fishlike ichthyosaurs, while another is of the serpentine mosasaurs.
"Oh, these creatures are amazing. These are ichthyosaurs, the first of the great sea reptiles. These creatures first appeared in the Triassic, where the absolutely dominated the ocean. You had ichthyosaurs ranging from the tiny Mixosaurus to the whale sized Shonisaurus. These reptiles ruled the ocean until the middle of the Jurassic, where they were slowly displaced by the plesiosaurs. Even then, they endured up until the middle of the Cretaceous, where the rapidly died out, for reasons we're not really sure about.
"Now," begins Nigel as he holds up a picture of a typical ichthyosaur, "These are the forms ichthyosaurs are most well know for, and indeed include both the biggest and the smallest ones, but they aren't my target."
Then, Nigel holds up a picture of what appears to be a mosasaur.
"This is Cymbospondylus, one of the big early Icthyosaurs. This one was a bit of problem back when I was in Triassic Europe, but he's nothing compared to this one" remarks Nigel, who quickly pulls out a picture of a giant ichthyosaur model. "This is Thalattoarchon, the soverign of the sea. This creature is the first great predatory sea reptile, and I would love to have one or two at Prehistoric Park."
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While Nigel readies the Mariner for rescuing the most dangerous of the ichthyosaurs, Suzanne is busy checking on one of the park's more aggressive residents.
Suzanne is in the park's tundra section, examining a piece of dung. Nearby, the park's Elasmotherium is grazing.
"It's amazing, but this guy has been doing spectacular since he first got here. He hasn't had any problems with the food we give him, and he hasn't showed signs of overheating either. Looking at his dung just proves our point: he's not having any problems passing it through and it isn't runny or dry. It still smells, but that's not really a problem."
The giant rhino looks up as Suzanne for a moment, before returning to grazing. He has no real reason to care what she thinks, for she is neither threat nor competitor to him.
To rescue the first killer sea reptile, Nigel must travel back 242 million years to what was once Nevada. At that time, the Earth only had one continent and one unending sea. Here, Thalattoarchon was able to rule with no challengers to its throne.
Let's hope he hasn't bitten off more than he can chew.
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Nigel arrives in the middle of the ocean. It is rather calm, with no land anywhere in-sight. Clouds are visible in the distance, but they are already blowing away. Uniquely, even though life has already taken to the skies, nothing is flying above him.
"We're in the middle of the Triassic Period, the furthest back we've gone in the Mesozoic. We're far enough back in time that the only true fliers are insects: pterosaurs haven't evolved yet and the first dinosaurs have only just evolved in Africa. On land, though, the archosaurs are already dominating: The last great none-mammalian synapsids around are the dicynodonts and the cynodonts, and they are already starting to fade. Rauisuchians are already the top predators, and dinosauriforms have already spread around the globe. In the seas, you'll sea all kind of reptiles, such as placodonts and pachypleurosaurs, fighting with fish for dominance. None of them, though, can compare to the power of the ichthyosaurs. So now, I'm going to see if we can go and catch one."
With that, Nigel heads out across the sea. This time around, Pterry isn't on the boat: he'd be a problem in a time with no large fliers around.
In the back, Tristan is getting prepped with Marcus and Lucas...
None of whom seem to enjoy the ride.
"Why does the sea have to churn so much?" asks Lucas.
"I don't know," answers Marcus, "but it's making my stomach do cartwheels."
"Just wait for us to get up to speed, then we'll be fine," replies Tristan. "I know from experience."
"Ok. So, we're after the first great killer sea reptile, correct?" asks Marcus.
"And it looks like a mosasaurs, but is actually a closer cousin of the fishlike ichthyosaurs?" continues Lucas.
"Yep."
"Ok," remarks the two boys, who's expressions convey how sick they are.
Which is to say, very.
"Well, what could possibly go wrong?" asks Lucas.
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AN: That's all for this segment, so onto the next!
