i_speak_softly | Forty-Seventh Theory [Voice]

We're almost done with ours. Just needs some paint, some touching up, and she's good to go.

[Ah yes. A good paint job does make all the difference.]

Will it carry the Shell Bell?

I think it could. You know, a few extra ropes, pulleys, and that kind of thing.... yeah. We could make it work.

[He is delighted by this.]

I need to figure out how to get it there.

I think it'll fit on the teleporter. We made it extra big for a reason.

... You helped with the teleporter?

Sort of, yeah? I did the casing, anyway. You know... just the shell. Moving bits. That kind of thing. All the teleporting is magic-alchemy stuff. Not really my umm... specialty, that.

... Why don't we have a Society of Inventors yet? It sounds like a lot of people have been working on things I didn't know about. If we all talked to each other we could get more done.

Probably because that's a pretty boring name. It needs to be something more exciting than that.

The Engi-- Techno-- Shell--

I'll work on it.

Probably a good idea. A good group needs a good name.

In the meantime, any suggestions of people we should invite?

Well... I guess it depends on how picky you are. Some of us inventors are kind of behind you other guys. [Like... he might suggest Hiccup, but the kid hasn't even had enough time in Luceti to study tech like Sokka has.]

Enthusiastic and willing to learn are enough for me. Not all of us have the advantage of an education. [Because you're talking about 'behind' in schooling, right?]

Or coming from a world with electricity, spaceships, and stuff. [Which is completely different. And a point worth clarifying.]

Oh. Right. ... What’s it like being from a world where so many things haven't already been invented by other people?

[Hard to tell if that should be insulting.]

I was friends with a guy who was inventing tons of stuff. Tanks, hot air balloons, ventilation systems, massive drills, trucks, submarines, and other stuff. I helped him with some of those, actually. It seemed like a pretty big deal there.

... not so much when I got here. Or at least, once electricity showed up here.

[A wistful sigh. He didn't mean any insult at all.]

I've built some of those. It must be so much more exciting to be figuring it out for the first time.

Edited 2011-07-19 01:23 (UTC)

A little. But it doesn't really count for much here.

I will -- I will do something extremely generous for anyone who can figure out how to build an engine here.

Engines... yeah. I tried it. Thought it would be nice to have it for my old boats. It... didn't start. Pretty unexciting.

I have a motorcycle I can't do anything with. I hate to say it, but I'm thinking about dismantling it. I can't stand to look at the thing...

You could always put it somewhere you don't have to look at it.

Are you volunteering storage space?

Not... really. I don't actually have any, sorry.

Guess I'll just have to put up with it, then.

Throw a sheet on it. You'll be fine.

[He'll still know it's there. 8| ]

I'll do that.

Someone's building a ship? An entire ship, not a boat?

[... Now he's confused. You make it sound like a boat is some component part of a ship.]

I think it depends what you mean by 'ship' and 'boat'.

Ships have three masts at least. It's a bit more work, and requires a bit more of a crew.

[He's sounding pretty deadpan. It is safe to assume this is an understatement.]

[Masts. Okay. Those are the things that stand up and hold the sails.]

I thought I heard that someone was building... something that floats.

Well, yes. Several. [The navy men have yet to get it together and build something, except anything they could reasonably build on their own just wouldn't be big enough to be satisfying after serving together on a 74.] Did you need one?

[Equivocally:] I have a use for one.

Do you know Rupert Giles?

Yes? [Please explain how this is relevant.]

[Don't be a know-it-all, kid.] I've been helping him with a boat that's coming along nicely. You should speak with him.

He never told me he was building a boat.

[But he is delighted to hear it.]

[There is a pause as Archie tries to determine if he just told someone he shouldn't have. He's pretty sure he was supposed to keep it mum from Jack and no one else, and now even Jack knows, so...]

Is he a friend of yours?

[Good question. He's pretty sure the answer is still -] Yes.

[He detected the hesitation. Or maybe he imagined it.]

What's your name, Mister-- [A glance at the picture. He freezes. It's one of those walking turtles. He is actually talking to one of the walking turtles. They talk. Oh wow.]

[They walk, they talk, they do any number of amazing things.]

Donatello. Just Donatello.

[And hey, they have names. Fancy, foreign ones. See, Archie can handle Kurt. At least Kurt is human-shaped. He could handle talking to Robert in this form because Robert was human deep down. But after six months of seeing these guys, here and there, he's still not sure what to say to them. Do they have interests? They don't wear clothes, so how civilized is their society? The wonderful 18th-century British thinking that would make him sound like a colossal jerk if spoken out loud is actually little more than a way to determine what is proper around this creature. But all comes out is the following:]

That's...very lovely, yes.

[Acting normal usually works well on both sides.]

Most people call me Don. What about you?

[When he acts normal, people often think he's either quaint or flirting, thanks to time differences. Give him credit: he's done well the last six months, adjusting, for a guy whose "weirdest place he's ever been to" before coming here was probably Samana Bay.]

...

.....

[Oh. He asked a question. What does he do?]

Erm.

[Is it safe to answer? Is the creature of human intelligence and disposition or is it going to fly into a rage and seek him out for revenge if some part of his name happens to be a deadly insult on his homeworld? He considers this for a moment, suppresses a chuckle, and coughs.]

Kennedy.

[Oh, like the president. Though it's just as likely this Kennedy is from a world with a totally different system of government.]

Nice to meet you, Kennedy.

You sound like you know a lot about boats.

Mister Kennedy, actually. Beg pardon. I'm in the navy. The--Royal Navy. In-in...my world.

[Ah, so it's a king. Or a queen. Don guesses it could be a queen.]

Are you familiar with diving bells, Mr. Kennedy?

[Hesitation. The term is familiarish, like he should know, but maybe he's thinking of something else.]

I'm afraid not.

They're big and heavy and meant to be used from a ship. Hence my question.

I see. Depending on how large and heavy they are, a boat might not be your best hope.

[He frowns.] But all the diagrams show them on boats...

It would depend on your boat, and how big your...your large, heavy thing is.

[That would get a snicker in any gunroom.]

Edited 2011-07-18 00:14 (UTC)

[The joke goes right over Don's head.]

I would guess about five-hundred pounds, and big enough for two people to stand in, if they're good friends.

Over the side of a boat with no cargo?

... Sorry?

[He slows down a tad.] How are you lowering it into the water?

[This is firmer ground.]

A winch. If no one has one yet, I'll build one.

When you lower it into the water on one side, you will have to balance the other side if it's a small boat.

[Does he really have to say this? Really?]

[He's used to working on solid ground okay.]

That's why I need to know how big the boats are.

[Mr. Kennedy will now see sketches and numbers appearing in the margins, as Don works out weight ratios.]

[Five hundred pounds with two people in.] Where would you secure the rig so it doesn't rip anything out?

[The arithmetic ends with a scribble.]

And this is why I need someone who understands boats.

Edited 2011-07-18 16:50 (UTC)

[A slight sigh.]

A schooner would be large enough for you, but I don't think anyone has anything of that size. Probably Jack Sparrow's Joanna Joyce would be the closest.

He's telling me about it. [Pause.] He's telling me lies about it, at least.

He's only trying to see what he can get away with.

I don't think it's very funny.

You don't have to. He'll do it anyway. I wouldn't worry about him.

I'm trying to ignore him, but - it sounds like he does have the best ship in Luceti right now.

If you give him some incentive, he might lend it to you.

[What does Don have to give Jack? His skin? No thanks.]

I'll think about it.

What need you with a ship, Smart Turtle?

I was just curious.

I'm not sure anything like a proper ship could be built, here. You'd need a shipyard. And a proper ropewalk. And sailmakers. And great thick straight trees for the masts, and some way of movin' all that timber down to the sea.

[You've lost him. He has very little idea how to build something as large and yet technologically-simple as a sailing ship.]

Why couldn't you build those things first?

You COULD, were there a proper lumber mill in this place. When I built my Joanna Joyce, I had to plane all the wood by hand. It took a very long time, mate.

[It vaguely occurs to him that most people don't build their own laboratories from scrap.]

Weren't you working on a ship a year ago?

Aye; a boat! The Joanna Joyce. She's moored out by the point, son. She might be small-ish but she carries a lot of sail. Fast.

[... He guesses that's useful if you need to transport sails?]

Why are you telling me you can't build a ship if you've already done it?

Well what sort of vessel were you WANTING? She's just a sailboat; she carries no cannon or anything like that. I could live on her if I chose, but it gets lonesome.

What do you need cannons for?

[Usually Don is in favor of weaponry, but he can't imagine what there is to shoot at on Luceti's newly-minted ocean.]

You don't. That's why I don't have them. There's not even any other ships out there, much less a port.

We need a port. And a pier.

... Where did you say your boat was docked?

She's not docked, mate. There IS no dock. She's on a mooring about a quarter mile from shore in the cove. We NEED a dock, is my humble opinion.

What's a mooring, then?

Big block of concrete, sunk to the bottom, with a rope attached. Very simple, a mooring, Smart Turtle.

[He considers this momentarily.] What is the rope attached to at the other end?

The boat.

Alternatively? A Floaty Thing. Buoy. Makes the mooring easy to find when you return.

And how do you get from the mooring back to the shore?

I swim! It's not so very far, quarter mile at most.

When you're going to the ship, how do you get out of the water and onto the boat?

[HE WILL ASK QUESTIONS UNTIL HE UNDERSTANDS.]

[The real answer to this is "a rope ladder," but---]

......Pixies. They hoist you, you know. By the seat of your trousers.

Captain.

A ladder, sir. Why is this so unfathomable to you? Are you not a marine-going creature?!

[A long silence, before he resigns himself to a little truth.]

I'm a pond turtle and I've never been to the ocean.

.......Smart Turtle. Never? Never ever?

I don't think I ever made it further than the Sound.

I trust you'll journey to our sea when you've a chance, eh? You and your.......not-wench. Lots of folks have come down for a bit of a holiday.

[Jack feels as though he has....completely misjudged you for a worldly-watery fellow, Donatello.]

I'm - hoping to get out there soon.

[He spent a lot of time last week sitting at the bottom of a lake. Does that count?]

[......No. That's just weird.]

Ah. A lark, is it? Or business?

What do you mean?

What I mean is, do you deep in your potentially-green little heart yearn for and or desire to see the wide yet enbarriered expanse of the Lucetian sea? Or are you plotting matters of business? Or do you not know?

Um... both, I guess.

[Testing a new invention counts as 'business', right?]

Mmmhmmm. Well, you'd best take care out on the wild ocean, lad. There's dangers out here and make no mistake.

[Oh, he can't resist.] Seen any giant octopuses, Captain?

Actually.............I have.

[And it's TRUE. One attacked Keimi and Hellboy like tore the thing open on the deck of the Joanna Joyce and bashed a big hole in it and there was blood and octopus guts and all kinds of TROUBLE.]

But it didn't fling me anyplace, this time.

[Too bad he doesn't believe you.]

Lucky break. I'll see you around, Captain.

Erm------right. See you, I suppose, should you ever make your way out here. Adieu, Sad and Smart Turtle.

[ That is a talking turtle. And he is wearing a mask... But this world's been strange enough already, Vorona barely spares the sight more than a blink. ]

I question the necessity to build a ship when barrier present, so I assume the seafaring is not for escape. What, then? Fishing, recreation, accessing locations enveloped from tidal wave of past shift...

Even if all of these, true possibilities, as a reptile of the order Testudines, do you not swim?

[He likes your critical thinking on the subject of ship availability, but then you had to go and make it personal.]

I beg your pardon?

[ ... She doesn't quite realize she's offended the turtle. :( Or maybe she got her facts mixed up?? ]

... Turtle? Identification, incorrect? ...Tortoise?

[He takes pity on this strange person. Sort of.]

Yes, I'm a turtle. What's your point?

[ She... doesn't want to bring up the swimming subject again. She's never conversed with a turtle before, and although she's curious... welp. ]

Acquiring ship, for what use? If inconvenient to answer, I will understand. It is my first time talking to a turtle. A little like starstruck.

[Don rubs his ear, then stretches his wings. Is the translation magic failing or what?]

Well, so I can swim further from shore than I could easily get to by myself.

[ It isn't, is the thing. ]

To get to desert? I heard of underwater ruins. Things of interest there? Please affirm.

I've heard of the ruins. I never saw them when they were - not underwater. I mean, I've never seen them at all. Maybe I could dive to them.

Perhaps not important. I decline curiosity as to the deserted area, only inquiring what you search for.

Half curiosity, half conversation topic. Gathering information about surrounding area and interesting individuals. There is too much to take in at once.

[Wait a minute.]

Are you new here?

... Affirmative. New to Luceti, new to wings, new to... turtles capable of speech. So much unknown, perhaps I am too inquisitive.

[Ah, okay.]

Sorry; can we start over? I'm Donatello. I'm not from a world full of turtles. I've been here a year and a half, almost. There wasn't an ocean when I got here but now that there is, I want to see it. It's easier to do it on a boat than by swimming. Does that make more sense?

[ Oh.............. well that answers everything, actually... ]

I affirm. Understanding, perfect. Exploration planned for the future, impressive endeavor. Much discovery to be made, gained knowledge can be used for referencing. I am in agreement.

Donatello. My name is Vorona. To be in your acquaintance, it is pleasure.

Um... yes. [And also it's fun.]

Welcome to Luceti, Vorona.

Kidnapped and subject to experimentation. Quite a welcome.

[ It's supposed to be a joke, but with her deadpan expression... ]

[He's mostly gotten past that, but he remembers what it's like to be a New Feather.]

It's not so bad, most of the time. A lot of the experiments are pretty harmless.

Harmless experiments, have read about. Gender switching, personality alterations. Odd and unnecessary. I must question need for the experiments, but there is no answer. Only frustration.

A lot of people have spent a lot of time thinking about it. We'd all love an answer.

... Understood. No use thinking, use time to discover and explore.

Much to do here. At least, not lacking.

What I've found out? If you think of it as a prison, it is one. If you think of it as an adventure, it's that. Mindset matters a lot here.

[ For a moment, her tone rises just a small step above neutral. Supposedly it indicates excitement; it's just her face that seems slow on the uptake. ]

I affirm. Many people, many characters. I am exhilarated. First impression, although kidnapped. Luceti, I like. Hope not to be disappointed. [ Even if her motives are less than innocent about it. ]

I'm glad. Good luck, Vorona.

[ The smallest smile. ]

And with your ships. Donatello, wish you best of fortune as guidance.

Giles and I are working hard. By then, it might be possible.

Ami, I didn't know you built boats.

I've been working on it with Giles. [Mostly as something to do together, though it certainly is interesting.] We're taking our time, since neither of us has done something like this before.

Everyone but me knew Giles was building a boat. Why didn't you guys invite me?

[He's teasing. Mostly.]

It was his project really... we decided to do a lot of it together... when the malnosso made us think he was my father... [Her voice trails off hesitantly. He's not upset, is he?]

[Oh. He hadn't known that.]

It's okay, Ami.

[He sounds a little sad - not because he was left out, but because he's never done anything like that with his own father.]

[Neither has she, not her real father. Her parents divorced when she was very young, and she hasn't really seen him since.

When she says it's alright, it's a lie.]

Anyway, do you need a ship for something?

Oh. Ah - I've been building a diving bell, but it doesn't really do anything without a ship to launch it from. I was hoping someone else would already have one...

Has someone else been able to volunteer theirs?

Well, yes, but... it's Captain Sparrow.

Ah! Then you're definitely in good hands.

[La la la going to ignore that implication because arguing would not be very productive or polite.]

[Ami come on you're not that dense. 8| ]

Sokka has a boat too but it's not quite finished yet.

He's working very hard on it. It should be finished soon at that rate.

[Dense? What? >_>]

[You mystify him, Ami, really. He thought he was good at deflecting, but you elevate it to a true art form.]

Thanks, Ami.

[It's a developed talent. Highly developed.]

You're welcome.

"People"?

Ships.

[Facepalms.]

Which people?

[An idea occurs.]

Hey, Smoker. How would you feel about arresting a pirate by the name of Jack Sparrow, repossessing his ship, and giving it to me?

Thrilled.

Although you realize once he gets back or free, or Blackbeard breaks him free, he's not going to let that slide.

I really just want to borrow it. I'd return it in better condition, I promise.

[If "plus one diving bell" counts as "better condition".]

[Now he's trying to work out the moral dilemmas of stealing from pirates. Does it still count as stealing? Do they even count as pirates here? He'd say Sparrow still deserves it, but the pirate usually does get punished. Still. Smoker hates pirates and pissing them off just seems like it should be done.]

All right. I'll see what I can do.

You're the best, Smoker.

[Bright fucking red.]

Stop that.

[Hm. Usually phrases like that encourage people to do more nice things for him.]

I mean - thanks.

It's fine... no trouble really. Dealing with pirates is what I do.

[This is the man who blushed over being told he wasn't hated. He cannot handle people actually approving of his views and actions for justice.]

Forty-Seventh Theory [Voice]

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