crystal;

[grindset]

FORM: sending crystal
SENDER: Viktor
RECIPIENT: all
NOTES: crowdsourcing ideas For Science. strongly encourage hijacking/chaos/making it weird.

Good afternoon. This is not an urgent message. If you're engaged in anything serious, please accept our apologies for the interruption... and... and be safe, wherever you are.

[This is not a common voice to hear over the crystals—nor does the speaker emerge from Research's rooms very often, at that. In fact, even after a year and a half, there may yet be some people he's never really spoken to. He sounds slightly nervous, somewhat less so as he goes on:]

But those who can spare a moment... you are invited to imagine, [softly clearing his throat,] to imagine a ship... only, unlike the ships you might have seen to date, this one was built to traverse the sky. And this flying ship, it is yours—and now, you must finish outfitting it. Add any contrivance or convenience you might wish, whether practical or extravagant, for personal comfort or professional efficiency. Cost is of trivial concern, and the laws of physics yield to your every whim. Whatever you imagine can be realized.

So... what do you add to it? What does it do?

Comments

[muckspout]

[A great deal of time has passed (but not as long as oh say exactly 17 days) as if a great deal of thought has gone into this response. Said in a hushed voice.]

a swimming pool.

[grindset]

[This brings a little smile to the surface; he tries to angle it away from those in the room around him.]

How big?

[muckspout]

Big enough to fit all of Riftwatch in it at the same time.

[He amends considering.]

Or at least half. Can you do that?

[grindset]

For the purposes of this exercise, anything is possible. Realistically speaking... it would be impractical, not to mention prohibitively expensive, but I believe it could be achieved, yes.

[muckspout]

[humph]

Why ask if you don't want to know?

[grindset]

I asked because I do want to know. Also, for fun.

[—which is a thing he does know how to have, despite all evidence to the contrary, including the way he spoke those words just now.]

[muckspout]

[For fun he says!]

Seemed like you wanted to tell me it was a bad idea. Do you think it's a bad idea?

[grindset]

Ehh, not out of hand—but even if I did, so what? This is your flight of fancy, not mine.

[muckspout]

So it's a flight of fancy and not a good idea.

Are you dismissing the other ideas or is it just me?

[He mutters and grumbles to himself "swimming pool is a great idea"]

[grindset]

I told you it's achievable. What more do you want?

[muckspout]

[He doesn't respond. Instead he sighs dramatically. He's probably pouting too.]

[extortionate]

Oh, it's plenty.

[muckspout]

[snapping]

What's plenty?

[extortionate]

Gets tossed out. But it's not only him making the picks - heard 'em saying there's more on the project. Oughta make your case directly.

[muckspout]

[Edgard's still not sure he isn't making fun of him.]

To who?

[extortionate]

De Fonce, and that other rifter - Jason? Jason Talents?

[grindset]

[A small choking sound makes its way through to air before he cuts it off—]