Shulamit says, "Hoo hoo! Today I am here with Oipo to discuss this here fossil!"

Oipo grins and nods at Shulamit.

Shulamit holds up a small fossil in its tendrils, showing it off. "Pressed into sedimentary stone, the curling and hooked shape of a claw or fang of some kind has been immortalized in veins of shimmering milky opal and preserved chitin. Though its color is pale and its fire is muted, it nevertheless strikes a rather eye-catching contrast to the dull stone around the specimen."

Shulamit places the fossil onto the nearby table, allowing it to show off the reconstruction the museum currently has. "Armored plates bristling with protective spikes, this elongated crustacean crawls along the sea floor on four powerful pairs of segmented legs, or swims with surprising agility using a fat, fan-tipped tail to scoot backwards through the water. It has a dozen or so tiny spherical bumps scattered across an otherwise featureless shell in lieu of a face, with long and pinser-like mandibles"

Shulamit says, "Hoo, as you can see, we understand muchly more of the crustacean! That is is...a crustacean is one! It also has no eyeballs, and it goes bite bite. Maybe."

Shulamit points at the mandibles that keep wiggling in and out of existence on the visualization.

Shulamit says to Oipo, "Hoo, do you know current day Gunurash?"

Oipo nods.

Shulamit says, "So you know it is a desert. It does have water just...not a lot. And yet, this here, a crustacean! In an area that is very desert now!"

Shulamit acknowledges the point with a grave nod of its head.

Oipo says, "The Golpur desert is the digsite this was found at, right?"

Acknowledging Oipo's point to be true, Shulamit nods its head gravely at him.

Shulamit says, "Hoo yes."

Shulamit says to Oipo, "Do you know any species that do not have eyes? I mean. Most species have something that looks...eyeball like."

Oipo idly tugs at one of his chin tentacles as he ponders the question, "I think many insects may have simple eyes, that only pick up movement and the like.."

Shulamit says, "But they generally have eye like things, yes yes? These seem to be just bumps, unlike even the faceted bits insects have."

Shulamit ponders the situation.

Shulamit says, "Perhaps this is an *extremely* old crustacean."

Shulamit says, "We know it is old, but, hoo. You know. Old old old."

Oipo nods.

Shulamit waves a branch around, trying to indicate old to even Decheeran sensibilities somehow.

Shulamit says, "We already crushed up one of these fossils, so no crushing today, I think."

Oipo says, "The balkrab, in the current Gunurash has four eyes - four of everything actually - so it is strange to imagine that a creature without any eyes may have lived in the same place long ago."

Oipo nods at Shulamit.

Shulamit says to Oipo, "They do indeed have many eyes. It does have many bumps, so maybe all those bumps squish down into several eyes."

Shulamit ponders the situation.

Shulamit nods its head slowly, looking very wise.

Shulamit carefully pulls out a small scrapper, scraping a bit of dirt off the fossil. Shulamit turns to Oipo to offer it some dirt first. "Would you like a taste?"

Oipo looks taken aback for a moment before saying, "Would that not count as licking the fossil?"

Shulamit says, "Hoo no."

Shulamit says, "The fossil is fine, I promise. This is dirt from the dig site!"

Shulamit nods solemnly.

Oipo nods.

Oipo shrugs helplessly.

Oipo says, "Why not!"

Shulamit hands a crumble of dirt to Oipo before crushing up a bit itself, absorbing the dirt in its tendrils.

Shulamit says, "Hmm...very salty. But not quite as salty as the oceans they have there now."

Oipo eyes the crumbled dirt in his hands before gingerly tasting a bit.

Shulamit nods solemnly, dusting its tendrils off as it savors the taste.

Shulamit says to Oipo, "I think I prefer nutrisilt over Gunurash soil, but it is quite nice if you like it a bit dryer, yes?"

Oipo grimaces slightly, "Yes, I definitely taste salt, also it tastes very.. earthy."

Shulamit nods solemnly at Oipo.

Oipo says, "I'd defer to you on that."

Shulamit says, "It has the essence of Gunurash, with dryer hints, but also salt and deep sea minerals. I've only usually been able to get deep sea minerals like it from hoo...someplace like Delphi. They sell Decheeran bottles of deep sea soil. Some Decheeran find it wholesome."

Shulamit acknowledges the point with a grave nod of its head.

Oipo nods at Shulamit.

Shulamit says, "I do not think the planet was entirely water like Delphi. Well, even mostly water like Delphi. Perhaps it was? But where did the water...go?"

Shulamit says, "Do you think they're hiding the water inside the planet?"

Shulamit purses its lips together thoughtfully.

Shulamit says, "Something to ask them next I visit."

Shulamit acknowledges the point with a grave nod of its head.

Oipo grins at the idea, "Maybe. Or evaporation? It may have got so hot that the seas evaporated all away, and only desert remained." He peers at the fossil with renewed interest.

Shulamit says, "But if it evaporates, it goes...*somewhere*. Maybe there is a truly massive sea, elsewhere on the planet."

Shulamit scratches its head in confusion.

Shulamit says, "The water doesn't simply leave the planet. Unless it does? Maybe they sold all their water to Delphi?"

Shulamit scratches its head in confusion.

Shulamit tries to explain the water cycle using a very old poster, before giving up and shoving the poster back into the nearby footlocker. "It's...around. Or not."

Shulamit acknowledges the point with a grave nod of its head.

Oipo says, "Or it fell into cracks in the ground and the water is all inside the planet now.."

Oipo nods at Shulamit.

Shulamit says, "We will mount an expedition to the watery core. Eventually."

Shulamit nods solemnly.

Oipo grins and nods.

Shulamit ponders the fossil, picking it up with its tendrils. "I think we should put it away for the moment. Have I told you about the colonial cookpot and my hopes for holding an "Ancient Human Day" in the nearby park?"

Oipo shakes his head at Shulamit.

Shulamit says, "Then I shall!"