In honor of the prize, then:When Tetrapous was freshly born from its sieyhnttc sunwomb, the acidic seas were diligently supplied by the denizens with all the nutrients necessary to feed the planet and thus sustain both the atmosphere and the life-enabling it gases kept sealed within. As civilization ran its course, however, the Star Gods either moved on to new and distant systems or became simple Star Queens, and then, eventually and irrevocably, mundane royalty upon the planet their ancestors had bred. The myriad sentient races they had populated it with to fulfill a variety of functions began to change in ways their long-since devolved creators had not envisioned, and wars began to spread across the fleshy, porous continents even as new technology eclipsed the forgotten lore that created the planet. Now, even as an amphibious race of burgeoning astronauts take to the stars, an alliance between the royal family and the intelligent species they most resemble-â??save for being bipedal and lacking furâ??-strive to restore order by descending beneath the surface and locating the brain hidden at the planetâ??s core. With the proper surgery, the scientists claim, the planet itself could be easily controlledâ??-meaning balmy climes for the faithful, tidal waves and tempests for the rebellious. But the world has suffered much already, its mountain-bones mined to the marrow and its vein-canals choked with toxic refuse, and the bruising, sickened planet screams its hurt out to the stars in hopes its mothers may yet hear its cry and return to heal itâ?¦Sorry it was so long, looking forward to OYE in any event. Thanks for the word-vomit invitation!

by Morishita 12:35:37 PM 2012.05.13