Terran monitoring · Hood Canal sector · relay 7

Larch Station

A weather outpost, staffed, against the wishes of the staff
CHAPTER I

The view

Live · 17:00 · overcast night · 53°F
Bearing 1 of 7 · Structures A and B
The ship's camera. Arrows, the dots or the keyboard to look elsewhere; drag to scan.
53° FAHRENHEIT
Thermometer
high 56° · low 42°
30.12 IN HG
Barometer
falling
87% RELATIVE
Hygrometer
dew point 49°
0 MPH · N
Anemometer
gust 0 · Beaufort 0
0.00 IN TODAY
Rain gauge
0.02 in this week
CHAPTER II

Hypotheses

What the crew expect, and what the reference observers on the surface say. Graded afterwards, on the hypotheses page.

Thu 5
☀
56° / 47°
56% rain
sunny
Fri 6
☂
56° / 49°
58% rain
rainy
Sat 7
☂
60° / 48°
97% rain
rainy
Sun 8
☂
55° / 43°
35% rain
rainy

“For tomorrow: the reference observers say 56°/49°, 58% rain. Vell's model says 56°/50°, 94% rain. Orm's barometer says 54°/40°, 72% rain. The intern says 65°/41°, 0% rain. This has never happened before. We are frightened.”

CHAPTER III

Expeditions

Whether the bipeds should attempt the things they attempt. Advisory only. They never listen.

The path

Hike

Go. The canids have already decided and are waiting by the door.
Overcast night, 53°, gusts to 0 mph. The hill is dry enough. The crossing is always fine.
Closed for the season
The rectangular pond

Pool

Closed for the season. Reopens 29 May.
Open from the Saturday before Memorial Day to Labor Day. 205 days until the bipeds submerge themselves again, on purpose.
The shore

Beach

Go. The wide water is behaving, which it does twice a year. The flats are out at 8:38 pm.
The flats are out around 8:38 pm (1.4 ft). Wind calm, which the canal rarely is, the far shore is visible.
Open flame

Campfire

Yes. Conditions are perfect, which we will be logging as 'suspicious.'
No burn ban in effect (checked by hand). Humidity 87%, dry enough. No wind, so the smoke will sit in the yard and come indoors.
The wide water

Fishing

Yes. The fish are 'running,' which we assumed was a joke. It is not.
The salmon are back in the wide water and nosing up the creek. Overcast, pressure falling: the fish approve. Tide going out until 8:38 pm.
CHAPTER IV

Fauna census, today

The small flying ones, counted by the microphones. The full census, with recordings, is on the bird site.

1Great Horned OwlBubo virginianus532
2Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostra197
3Common RavenCorvus corax188
4Spotted TowheePipilo maculatus123
5Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis108
6Northern FlickerColaptes auratus102
7Pacific chorus frogPseudacris regilla96
8Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus60
9Song SparrowMelospiza melodia47
10Bewick's WrenThryomanes bewickii46
CHAPTER V

Observer's log

17:00
Day 447. Morale: adequate. Weather: see above. Snacks: see nothing, because there are none.
15:00
Supply drop: still unscheduled. We asked. We were told to 'keep observing.' We are observing the word 'keep.'
12:00
Grey. The Great Horned Owl doesn't care (532 calls before noon). We are learning not to care. Slowly.
08:00
Overcast, 53°. This is the territory's face when nobody is looking.
CHAPTER VI

From the files

Fungal activity, autumn. The bipeds photograph them and do not eat them. Correct.
The crossing. A plank. The whole territory is held together by planks.
The crossing. A plank. The whole territory is held together by planks.
Structure B. Lit at all hours. We think it's a shrine. To what, we are not cleared to know.
Structure B. Lit at all hours. We think it's a shrine. To what, we are not cleared to know.