oo2. ♕ [video]

[directorestheim]

[The video's panning in a darkened room filled with the slight glows and hums of electronics, none of which look like what can be found around the Port anymore. In fact, at the edge of the screen, rather than a computer and keyboard, there looks to be a completely holographic interface and screen displaying words that didn't look like English at all.

The camera is set firmly in front of what looked like a cleared desk.]

I'm looking for materials... minerals, ores, chemicals, and the such; that people might have brought with them to the Port either by accident or might now be trash to them.

Particularly, my search is for a specific ore that can do this--

[As a demonstration, a coin is tossed at the table. Rather than hitting the surface and clattering around, though, it bounces just the slightest in midair several inches off the surface of the desk, its decent slowing noticeably until it comes to a gentle rest on top of the table without so much as a sound.]

--without allowing the object to fall. [And in before someone suggests giant magnets.] Also without detrimental effect to devices that it may be used within.

I'm uncertain whether such a thing exists here, but... [But two months of being a busy bee and he's barely been able to recreate some computers, devices, and a prototype of a weak anti-grav safety net? Not good enough.] If there is anything that you have seen around the Port that seems strange or unusual technologically, please let me know.

Comments

[voice]

[gaveherwings]

Mm. I've never seen something that does that, but the Black Market down in the Mall might be the best place to go looking.

[voice]

[directorestheim]

[The Black Market. He had forgotten about that, or perhaps managed to conveniently misplace the thought since what he remembered was being told not to go there as a child. Or perhaps it was just the name.]

I was unaware that they dealt with trade in ores?

Re: [voice]

[gaveherwings]

Odd and Ends....but asking there about something unusual might point you in the right direction?

[voice]

[directorestheim]

Yes, that might help. Thank you.

[It's a start beyond the stores he's already frequented, but he's not entirely certain he wants to head in that direction. Still, an option.]

[voice]

[gaveherwings]

So it's a kind of...gravity-defying ore?

text

[reversing]

What do you plan to do with it?

[ Chemicals pinged her. Those can get... explosive, as she knows very well. ]

video.

[directorestheim]

[Whoops, the feed's not going to be focused on him, though. The NV remains on the desk, but he can read it from where he is.]

There is research I still need to continue that is important to my world. Being here does not mean I can stop.

[But he understands that worry. It's a question he used to ask anyone who seemed suspicious.]

What you just saw is a buffer. A smaller version would prevent someone falling to their death from a great height. A larger one cushions the collapse of a building as to prevent damage to surrounding areas from the impact.

text

[reversing]

[ Hey, she can respect a dude trying to keep people from dying in any way. Still -- ]

Did you discover this by yourself? It's impressive.

video.

[directorestheim]

It's an expansion of a technology from my home.

[One that negated his fear of heights as a child.]

One that I have been trying to develop in case of catastrophes. [Although the correct phrasing would probably be 'in light of'.]

text

[reversing]

[ She can relate, in a way. Preparing for a catastrophe -- making things to make sure she can fight against it. ]

Does it carry specific characteristics? Physically, at least. As said earlier, the Black Market might have it.

[Video]

[excellentviolet]

That is intriguing technology you have there... is this all independent research?

[Lee would seriously love to have such an impressive developer on his team. But he doesn't want to be that forward yet. And Violet Systems' affiliation with SERO may be off-putting, despite their plans to break off as a neutral corporation.]

[Video]

[directorestheim]

Continued research. The process is currently slow going. I'm lucky to have been previously acquainted with the technology here, but there are still quite a few... elements, that I seem to be lacking.

[And he actually means periodic table elements, but that's not something that can be solved that easily. Someone should have paid more attention to chemistry and bioengineering.]

[Video]

[excellentviolet]

You might be interested then in finding better access to research materials. But, I have to ask-- how do you feel about the dominant factions in the Port?

[Video]

[directorestheim]

I would be, yes.

[That certainly catches his attention.]

I advise children to stay away from them, why?

[Video - Private. Encryption: Very High]

[excellentviolet]

[Lee switches the feed to private, and raises the encryption level so as no one can hack into it-- including his own employees.]

I run a company supported by SERO. To be honest, it's an affiliation of convenience for me. But if that fact got out, I wouldn't be able to protect my company and employees.

Anyway, affiliation aside, I would like to support your research. But the best way I can help you is to allow you access to my facilities as an employee. This way, you will have me to cover you while you make use of all the resources you can get your hands on. You will not need to present anything to SERO. I will be the one to take care of that as an executive.

But in return, I would like your help with the projects my developers want to pursue. It's rare to find brilliant engineers from other worlds such as you. And I do not want your expertise to fall into the wrong hands.

If it is anything to help you trust me, I'm part of the Newcomer Political Party. My fellow party members can vouch for me.

[video]

[theshortestbird]

[He's checking that out. That looks awesome, and could possibly save his zoomer project from failing right off the bat.]

What's that material called?

[video]

[directorestheim]

Graviton Cores.

[There's a soft huff of breath.]

Or at least, it is in my world. I'm afraid I've never been able to access any.

[video]

[theshortestbird]

Gravitron cores. Is that something that can be replicated, or is it some kind of natural resource in your world?

[Man, that is so cool.]

[video]

[directorestheim]

It was a rare resource, and one I'm willing to look for if the Port carries an amalgamation of materials from different worlds.

The effects are easily duplicated on a minor scale, but with much more effort and a continuous energy drain. It becomes a more of a hassle than anything else when weights exceed...

[Here, he takes the moment for a breath to calculate that in his head.]

...Approximately two million metric tonnes.

[Which wouldn't even carry a city. Lame.]

[video]

[theshortestbird]

I've never really known the port to carry other materials from different worlds. But there are new monsters out in the darkness that are based off of people's worlds, if they show up, here.

Can it only be mined?

[hisoldgirl]

An anti-gravitational ore? I haven't seen anything, but that doesn't mean it's nonexistent. If nothing else, I'm sure we could build an anti-grav field ourselves.

[oops, she may have just volunteered herself for whatever Hope is doing]

[directorestheim]

The energy cost would be tremendous without a natural resource to keep objects afloat. Even if the field built could counter-act gravitational forces, to maintain it for a long period of time rather than in brief surges would make anyone question the expenditure of power.

[Whoops, auto geek talk. Which was pretty much a really quick acceptance of help.]

[hisoldgirl]

[auto geek talk is the best talk]

That depends entirely on the power source, wouldn't you agree? Energy created on an atomic level would be more than sufficient, though harnessing it would be the bigger problem. Of course, there are always black and white holes, though I admit their creation could be problematic without a proper containment field.

Hmm, maybe it would be best to find a natural source.

[directorestheim]

[There's a blink.]

I admit I hadn't thought... that far.

[Literally. Time gates, supercomputer AI systems, Oracle Drives, near unlimited power, and... his world had never tried to go to space. Derp. Talk about attached to their home.]

Atomic energy is powerful, but by itself unstable and dangerous with lasting effects that would be... unacceptable on my world. [The idea of clean energy is better maintained when there were supernatural deity-like beings ready to lay a smackdown to anyone who might so much as throw a coin in a pond.

There's a soft huff of a laugh, slightly caustic.] The energy usage of this world is very different. People hold little care for the consequences of what it might mean to harness energy from resources that may cause detriment to the world around them.

[hisoldgirl]

No? I always find it best to keep all possibilities in mind.

[she has to admit, he has a point, at least in regards to human technology and power sources. it still surprises her sometimes, how backwards and inefficient the energy here is]

These magnetic rocks you want ... are they what you used, then?