"Ok so tell me what happened" Stanley asked as he looked at david's hand he had been studying the rate of gravity in this world when Andrew, Lance, and David came and found him messing with rocks and and some other odds and ends. Looking down at David's burnt and broken hand Lee felt a headache he couldn't shake the feeling that this was going to make his life more complicated.

"Well we were messing around making food like we were supposed to and David got this stuff on his hands" Lance said as he held up a plastic bottle full of some glowing red liquid.

"Alright so this thing fucked up his hand then is that what you're telling me" Stanley asked as he examined the bottle.

'is it some kind of acid that might prove useful latter but...'

"Oh no it kinda protected his hand... well till it didn't that is then it kinda just blew up." Lance interrupted his thoughts.

Stanley frowned as he took the bottle from Lance and slowly looked it over.

"It protected him?... how?" Stanley was starting to get a bit interested in this thing was it some kind of plastic or like a non newtonian fluid how could it offer protection and more importantly what the fuck were they doing to get David's hand that badly fucked up. 'They can't be that bad at cooking can they' Stanley had some worrying thoughts as he looked at the three idiots in front of him.

Andrew sighed as he saw Stanleys face and started to explain.

"Look what happened is that David got some of this on him at first we found out that it had the ability to protect his hand from heat but while we were testing it it exploded and well..." Andrew gestured to David's hand that now had a wrap of cloth covering it Stanley gave the wrap a once over before turning to look at Andrew.

"That doesn't make since you're say that it could take in heat energy and turn it into what elastic? is that even possible!" Stanley was sceptical this didn't sound like something that could be really though he guessed hed probably have to look at a lot of unreal things from now on.

"Look it easier just to show you what happens." Andrew said as he took the red liquid from him and set it down he then built a fire and set the red liquid inside. to Stanley's surprise the plastic didn't start to melt instead nothing happened which was actually stranger the fire burned brightly but even though he was close to it he couldn't feel its heat the normal smoke that would rise from the flame didn't happen either as no hot air rose from the flame and it quickly started to die down till all that was left were the perpetually glowing embers of the flame. Stanley new that a chemical reaction was still going on he could see it but it was like all the thermal energy that would have been realized wasn't.

Stanley felt a chill go up his spine it was like he was watching something that his body told him was unnatural. Well not realy Stanley knew that such a reaction was possible but it was a much more complicated procedure something that you'd see in an engine rather that in wood after a while Andrew took the bottle out of the 'fire' and put it in to Stanley's hand to his surprise it was the same temperature as it was when he first held it. Stanley was speechless as he tried to rationalise the reaction he just witnessed as he was thinking about what could have caused this Andrew grabbed the bottle from Stanleys hand and threw it. It sailed end over end till it hit the ground and exploded in a sudden but furious gout of flame.

"And that is what happened to David's hand." Andrew said like he was showing of a middle school presentation.

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"What do you think?" Andrew asked Stanley just stared with his mouth open this was beyond anything he had thought would be possible. "Fascinating" was the only thing he could whisper at the unexplainable event.

Stanley was shocked after the other three left he had gone back to his studies most of his group was busy checking local laws like light and gravity the were simple tests and ended up to be the same as they were used to which didn't surprise him if there were any major differences they would have felt them by now. After those tests they were trying to measure the rotation of the world and its general curvature not that exciting. Other than that a small group was helping the farming group test for dangerous chemicals and they were helping the builder group to test for metals all together Stanley was the one responsible for keeping it all organized and written down. Growing as he laid back into the grass the remains of his experiments were littered around him, he had been studying the strange red liquid trying to understand its principles he knew that it was stupid they had more important things to discover looking in to this didn't help them as much as finding copper or iron would but it was to interesting to give up on.

Seven he had counted and counted it again after he had done the test multiple times was he convinced that it was right he had found seven new elements that he didn't know he couldn't isolate them or really react with them in any way the only reason that he new they were there was because his math said they should be. It was definitely strange but there seemed to be more than one type of matter that existed that gave the fluid its strange properties maybe it would also explain the strange biology of the birds mabe...

"Hey Lee whats got you so down?" the slightly chiper voice of Maril asked followed by a nearby squawk. Stanley got up slowly as he looked at the girl and the infernal creature that followed her as the head farmer she was the one that got her hands on the captured birds and their eggs it had only been three hours now and the girl had already gotten one tamed to the point that it fallowed her around. Avoiding the most obvious question that brought up Stanley decided that he would instead focus on they why she was here problem after all Maril could be a scary person every once in awhile.

"How may I help you Maril is there some materials that you need for testing or is there a problem with the workers I sent you?" Lee dreaded the answer to his question since it would mean even more paperwork for him to do.

"Nah they're all doing fine I put some other people on taking care of all that busy work so I could play with this cutie here!" Maril caressed the things beak which it seemed to like as it nuzzled into the caress while warbling. "Don't look at him that way mister beaky beakerton is a perfectly kind and friendly animal." Maril said off handedly when she noticed Stanley's expression.

"Yes and mister... beaker...ton was trying to tear out my innards and feast on my liver not four hours ago so I think i'll refrain from judgment." Stanley said suspiciously eyeing the way to domestic bird that was fondly nuzzling Maril in the end he decided hed let the girl figure out alien psychology and he'd focuses on his projects. Dusting off his pants he quickly put his examples away while Maril continued to talk.

"Actually I came here to tell you that your team is getting ready to observe the sunset it should be happening in an hour." Maril explained her presence and reminded Stanley of what he had been planning to do to night.

"Crap that's right I need to get over there I need to get some things to help with the measurements." Stanley started to rush an hour might seem like a long time but it was actually very short as he struggled to get his instruments together Maril interrupted him.

"You're usually so punctual what's with all the disarray?" her question was spot on normally he'd have been at the meeting grounds all ready but he had been sidetracked by his new project he couldn't help grinning a bit as he answered her question.

"Don't worry you'll find out about it soon." Stanley answered before retorting "Besides your one to talk I thought you didn't like pets why do you like those big monsters?"

"Oh that simple it's because I like fried chicken I mean honestly who doesn't?" Maril said as she ruffled the birds feathers. Stanley was silent for a moment before he left thinking Maril was a scary individual.

When Lee had left Maril let out a sigh of relief Lee had said something pretty ominous before he left he was a really frightening person to be alone with. Shaking her head Maril started to head back with Beakerton in tow she hoped that Lee's little surprise wasn't anything dangerous.