[Viva La] - Inbox

[purplexing]

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Comments

[text]

[upupatomway]

Hey Donnie, it's Atom! I was just assigned a place to stay at The Vault! What area are you located in? I've got a bunk near the armor workshop. I guess it was easier to run a power cord to my quarters that way.

[purplexing]

Hey Atom. My place is closer to the library side. It's not that much quieter but it still makes a difference.

Did you need something? There's got to be a better option for you than putting a cable between the armory and your place.

[upupatomway]

I don't mind the sound. I can force sleep mode when needed.

I'm more concerned about the charging process. Do you know if there is any information in the library about ether's relationship to electricity?

[purplexing]

Convenient. I can't really do that.

I can't say I've looked that up specifically. It's a little hard for me to get through material still, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were something. There are a LOT of books in the library, it's amazing.

Does it have to be electricity specifically? Ether can light a lamp just the same as a generator, the energy is what's powering it, not the method.

[upupatomway]

I can only guess what exact cause is- I'd need to learn more about ether itself- but the process of charging my power and my system's use of power is less efficient than normal. Not enough that I'm in danger of powering down, but seeing as every minute counts in this revolution, I don't want to be stuck attached to a power cable for longer than necessary.

I thought at first it was the bare bones way I've been charging, but after running diagnostics on my system and noticing the energy efficiency drop, I'm wondering if it's an energy compatibility problem.

[purplexing]

That you're still running after everything must mean you have an impressive power reserve in general!

I think in order to make the most efficient conversion of energy we'd need to understand how your system works. Or at least what level of electricity output is best suited for you, and then to see if there are stones that can match that.

The only problem I can see is that it might require putting together a completely different charger for you to plug into, and how complicated that would be will only be better determined with numbers.

[upupatomway]

I could tell you the electricity output I'm best suited for, but I don't know how the units from my world compare to yours. Do you have access to a measuring device for electricity that I could hook up to? I could run a few currents at numbers I know, and we can compare to your world's scale.

[purplexing]

That is an excellent point.

I do have a meter to test output, so that is something we can definitely do.

[upupatomway]

Let me know what a good time is to meet up for that. I don't want to interrupt your responsibilities around here.

I should be asking- what do you normally work on at the Vault?

[purplexing]

You're not interrupting things. I've been taking a break from my workload for a little. Too hard to concentrate with explosions going off above, you know?

[And explosions still fresh in his memory. Maybe he should just go for a swim.]

Mechanical repair and development. I usually help out in the armory.

[upupatomway]

[ Were the explosions above louder or more frequent than normal? He wonders but he doesn't ask. ]

Do you work on the armors then? If that's the case, you might be the closest thing to a robotics expert in this world.

[purplexing]

Yeah, I've worked on them. I've helped repair the ones we got from Hesaeth during the initial fight. One day I want to try piloting one myself.

[upupatomway]

[ It seems they have landed on a subject Donnie is passionate about. ]

Have you ever flown one for practice?

[purplexing]

Negative. But I was hoping maybe they'd allow me to since I've been helping with the maintenance for these. I have to see if there were any damages to the ones used during Flotsam's attack.

[upupatomway]

[ Atom wonders if how much damage armors typically took in a battle. The recent battle was especially intense based on the way people were talking about it. If the armors could be damaged by that kind of experience, then surely without his full strength and durability he might be at risk of some damage too. ]

You'll have to show me if you start modifying one for yourself. Maybe we could go for a fly together.

Actually, I think it would be good if you showed me some of the repairs you do to the armors and other things the Corsairs need. I need to learn more about this world's machinery and tools to lend a hand, and to understand what's available if I need repairs myself.

[purplexing]

I'll definitely show you. But it wouldn't be hard showing you the repair process either.

Is there a way you can teach me what you'd need too? Maybe I can help you figure out what would be best suited for you if you ever did need repairs. In the case of an extreme emergency of course.

[upupatomway]

I think I can recreate the blueprints for my body design to start. I'd prefer they stay a secret between us, if possible.

How familiar are you with the way this network works? It's the one thing in this world that I have encountered that could count as a basic computer.

That said, I'm not entirely sure how much of a comparison there is between the network and programming from my world. This will require my own education about the network too.

Hopefully any necessary repairs will be strictly mechanical and that won't be relevant.

[purplexing]

I won't tell or show anyone else if that's what you think is best.

The network? I have a general idea of how it operates. I'm not sure what you mean by computer and programming though.

[upupatomway]

I'd rather get to know more of the people here before I share it with them.

[ There's also the whole technically he could be used as a deadly weapon detail, but one thing at a time. Donnie only just now read the word computer. ]

I can explain in more detail later if you're curious, but basically all of the immaterial things that make me who I am- my personality, my decision making and free will, they all depend on a computer built inside of me. You could say it's my brain. Hopefully there won't be any problems involving that- I'm not sure how it could be fixed with the tools here. But if I find something that does work, I will tell you.

Who knows! Maybe there's some kind of magic that can do it.

[ He doesn't understand what the limits are to the magic here. They could be miraculous. ]

[purplexing]

That sounds amazing and complicated... I guess it would be difficult to show me what you mean.

Well, please keep me updated on your findings. You'd know better than I would as to what you need.

Magic is very flexible, sometimes frustratingly so! Perhaps you'll find something similar to work with.

[upupatomway]

I will.

I heard The Vault has all kinds of rare books and research documents. They also have books for beginners, right? Are there any books you'd recommend that explain ether and magic basics?

Who taught you your magic? I want to know more about your magic abilities too. I still can't believe you built a ladder on the spot!

[purplexing]

I can point you out to the right section. I've only managed to get through a few. A lot of the wording is difficult and I'm still learning. I only started learning how to read when the Corsairs picked me up. The Imperials wouldn't let me touch any of their books. They

got mad.

I mostly taught myself. I didn't even know I was able to use any magic, I think it might have been an accident. None of the basic books mention any sort of magic like mine, but I think I just applied it into something I understood.

[upupatomway]

I didn't realize. Just checking- is my writing clear? I'm new to this language so I have things to learn too. Would it be better to message by voice? We seem to be doing okay so far.

I heard the Imperials were strict about books and who gets educated. I hope when the Corsairs win the war they will make public education something everyone can get.

If you're the only one who uses that kind of magic, does that mean you invented a new kind of magic all on your own by instinct?

[purplexing]

It makes sense enough. Sorry my responses have been a little slow, but I think I'm getting better at it. Voice is fine but this is good practice.

Strict doesn't begin to cover it. That's the first time I found out what a suppression band does.



I guess? I think there are lots of different kinds of magic, or at least the potential. What they teach are basics, but in my case I think it helped that I didn't have anything to go off of, or even know exactly what I was doing. So yes, in that way it was more like going by instinct.

[upupatomway]

I wouldn't have guessed you were new to reading and writing. I don't think you've been particularly slow. Please don't worry about it.

[ On the other hand, his own replies are very quick, written with an arm that doesn't tire from fast notes.

He wonders how long Donnie had been held by the Empire, but he doesn't want to demand a detailed explanation for a painful memory. Maybe if they knew each other a little better. ]

As a mechanic your instinct is to build and adjust, right? So it's fitting you can build a ladder with your magic! Maybe your understanding of how things work helped to make it a success?

I'd love to try magic myself to understand it even more, but I kind of doubt a robot can do that. Sorry if I end up bugging you with a bunch of questions about what it's like.