h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I concur with Lil- that's a dog fish if I ever saw one.

*puts on his snorkel and flops out into the water*

*having recovered from her crise de porpoise, continues to fly above the forest following the trail left by Zeppo as he heads towards the swimming hole*

*returns for the rocks*

Well she isn't there, but I did find some mussels.

*Ox finally makes it through the forest and to the beach*

*wearing a white linen djelleba and large straw hat*

*wanders onto the beach from the forest*

hello all

i brought some ice tea, does anyone want some?

*stumbles out of the forest, begrimed and bedraggled, carrying a large object in her arms*

I...*pant, pant*...found...*wheeze, wheeze*...something we can put on the fire.

*collapses in exhaustion and from the weight of the unknown object*

*emerges from the trees, slathered in sunblock with a white nose*

FG, you're here! But where's Zeppo? I thought he was with you. And what the heck is that thing?!

*Skirts the edge of the Magic Wood, calling and whistling for Zeppo*

And where's the securibot?

*hears something, flip-flops into forest - and vanishes*

/* Meanwhile, back at the Atelier... */

I guess I'll head down to the beach now.

/* Wipes hands, throws rib bones, corn husks, and clam shells into the trash, bottles into the recycling, and starts off into the forest. */

So no need for the combat suit now then.

*strips down to tankini, ready to sunbathe, after copious application of SF30 natch*

*almost noiselessly, the securibot slips out of the forest's edge and makes his way to the campfire. He is balancing a large hamper on his head, which he sets down next to the fire and begins to unpack. First comes a collapsible table, which the bot sets up, and then out come all manner of goodies for cooking around or in a fire, things which have obviously come from Matina*

Ah, I sense the hand of CLI here -- they always let me borrow the bots when I need them, but of course they must be aware of what the bots are doing...

Child, I assure you there are no man-eating sharks at the H2G2 Beach -- Bluebottle would never stand for it. No child-eating, ant-eating, thingy-eating, elf-eating, unau-eating or zeppo-eating sharks either!

And I will have some ice-tea in just a moment, thank you. Right now I am enjoying the waves and watching the dogfish...

*Removes her terry cloth cover-up and folds it into a small pillow shape. Lies down on her back on the warm sand, pillow beneath her head. Enjoys the sound of the waves and the lovely aromas.*

Let's not have any music, at least for a while. I just want to hear the waves and the wind and the gulls! *watches the bot burying foil wrapped potatoes and corn and pieces of meat in the base of the freshly built fire*

This is wonderful. Look, Sporky and the dogfish thing are swimming toward each other!

/* The "dogfish" thing snatches the stick-thing from the mouth of the manfish thing and swims away, wagging his tail. */

*lands next to the swimming hole* there is no sign of Zeppo*

[The watering hole is surrounded by tall, dignified trees with grey bark. The sun filters down through the leaves and casts rippling patterns on the surface of the water but the steel-coloured water looks cold. Strange plants with mottled leaves grow in the shallows.]

*the plants turn to look at Amy*

*returns to the gang on the beach with sticks in her hair and a rather grimy face*

Well, no sign of Zeppo. Maybe he went back to fetch d'E. I think I'll take a dip and get the grime off!

*runs full tilt for the water and dives in*

*snoozes in the sunshine*

*meanwhile, happily wandering among trees, in complete agreement with Ripley in which direction to go*

*both of them admire the majestic trees along the way, and the trees feel perfectly comfortable together with the two forest creatures*

*humming happily to herself, a song without words*

*sits down in the shallows with her parasol and enjoys the ambience*

*back at the swimming hole in the Magick Forest the water plants with the mottled leaves start to hum tunelessly as they stare at Amy*

*Amy sits down on a mossy tree root and joins in while staring back*