tushanshu | Ω joint post | video (backdated to before turtle dreams)

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Ω joint post | video (backdated to before turtle dreams)

[Annabeth’s sitting at a cafe in the Fire Sector, blonde hair its usual mess of curls when the console turns on; she glances at something off screen for a few seconds before coming back into focus. There's a tall, thin, somewhat scraggly looking but composed middle-aged man standing beside and a little behind her, letting her take center on the camera. You might recognize him as Bruce Banner, if he remembered to introduce himself.]

Unless you're new or living under a rock, the rationing's back in full swing with pretty unfortunate long term implications. We're fine now, whether you’re accustomed to a higher lifestyle or otherwise, but probably not for said long term if this keeps up. That's where hydroponics comes in. If you don't know - [Insert brief but simultaneously detailed enough explanation of hydroponics here.] We've already figured out the logistics and mechanics of developing such a garden, hopefully with a grand enough scale to actually be useful and successful. [Brief pause, and she points upward over her shoulder.] It was his idea.

[He nods on cue.] Uh, hi. I'm... Bruce Banner. [He does look kind of uncomfortable giving out his name, but forges on.] Usually I work in physics or biochemistry, but with some help I've managed to put together a feasible work proposal for the set up. [He starts to gain speed and smoothness as he gets into the technical aspect.] The critical point here is that with an isolated indoor filtration system for the water, and no use of soil, we can prevent the widespread sickness from affecting our crops. We'd just have to be careful about cross-contamination.

I put out some feelers, and... the kedan are pretty interested in working with us. So we'd have a lot of local support. We can't pay anyone, because we don't plan on making any money off of it. The food would be for everyone. [He glances over at Annabeth, handing it off again.]

[She picks up with ease.] It'll be run like a co-op - you work some, you'll get some. There's a lot to potentially do beyond just the set up, so don't feel like you're automatically excluded if you don't understand the more technical or scientific aspects. [It’s not like she gets them all herself either; Annabeth just sort of found herself taking the reins like she do and ordering people around.] Basically, we're looking for volunteers, from any interested party. To keep it functioning, it'll probably require a lot of upkeep - so there's not really a limit here either, since it'll need a fairly regular commitment. If we get enough people involved, the garden should essentially run itself. And I know over half the population is pressed over food shortages, so yes, should this expand, some of that will be quelled.

[Level and unhurried, Bruce wraps up with,] Right now we're just looking for a preliminary estimate of involvement. A place to start. So, let us know if you're interested. [A beat of silence, before he adds,] Thanks for listening?

[Annabeth glances up at him with a bit of a face, but that’s about all she does - no goodbyes from her before she cuts the feed.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

What kind of help can volunteers do that, um, don't get too close to the actual plants?

For starters, if more water is necessary, there's always what you and Percy did for the canals - though probably not to the same massive scale. I know there's the filtration system, but it's a good backup plan to keep in mind.

That could work, then we'll have very happy plants like we had very happy fish!

[ He wants to help, he just doesn't want to hurt any of the plants. ]

Though I'm sure anything that you guys build will work really well.

[She fights back an amused grin.] Would it hit plants the same way?

I'm pretty confident it'll work perfectly, with the people involved already. [Pls she's like 90% sure Leo alone could build it to perfection so.] How close is close enough to be concerned over? [For his whole freezing thing.]

I didn't think it would affect the fish, but Percy said it did.

It might be okay as long as I don't touch them or walk near them? I'm not as cold lately as I usually am, because of the weather.

They wouldn't shut up about it, apparently.

Because it's warmer. [Frowns.] Are you okay from that? [Suddenly suspicious because of that other post he made. She'll get back to the manner of him helping in a second.]

[ Jack scratches his head sheepishly when he hears that. ]

Well... hopefully they enjoyed it.

Yeah, I've got something figured out now.

[ for now. ]

They're alive. Pretty sure that counts for enjoyment.

I hope it doesn't depend on the availability of resources. [Because they keep dwindling.]

[ a gentle smile: ] Then I'm glad I could help. Percy was really worried about them.

Just electricity, at the moment.

[She glances elsewhere in the cafe for a moment.] He could hear them. So.

Metal's power is flickering with this illness, but the sector itself uses a lot more energy than the others in that regard, so I'm pretty sure it's the only one having that issue. [For now.]

Yeah... that must have been hard.

The building I'm using is in the Fire Sector so... fingers crossed.

It's ceased now, mostly. [Let us not discuss out loud how it affected him ok? ok.]

There's plenty of engineers here that could help I'm sure, if something did come up to hinder it.

Yeah, there really are a ton of brilliant people here. It's kind of intimidating, to be honest.

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sophos - 2013-05-21 01:28 (UTC) - Expand

Actually... Once we have something to harvest, you would be incredibly helpful. Frozen produce can be kept almost indefinitely if you keep it cold enough.

Like... an on-call refrigerator?

[ sounding most unsure right now ]

Uh, no, that would probably get... pretty annoying for you.

But if you wanted to spend your shifts flash freezing vegetables after they're harvested, I'm sure we can find our own long term freezer. You'd just be a lot faster than building something to do the initial step ourselves. It involves cryogenic temperatures, and sublimation...

Oh, okay. Sure, I don't mind doing that at all! It'll be nice to put the cold to good use, since I'm not much of a growing guy.

[ Jack is glad that Bruce understands that the former would have been a teeny bit galling. ]

[Yeah, he's not that bad. He has total respect for everyone here on default, by virtue of the fact that he has no idea what is going on at any time, and it's just easier that way.]

I'm not really either. [A wry, self-conscious smile.] We're more or less teaching ourselves, I just, know enough about mechanics to put it to work in this case.

It won't be for a while, but you don't have to put too much time in if you have other things to do. It's all voluntary.

[ dryly: ] It's all right, I'm pretty sure I've already exhausted my quota of snow days for this year, at least until the cold weather comes around again -- so my schedule is free and clear.

[There's the obvious question here of how he's doing with the warm weather, which Bruce has honestly been wondering about since their last conversation, but he isn't going to pry. He figures Jack doesn't need someone bringing up unfixable problems. He'd made his offer to help, and beyond that he won't press.

So he goes for the other route.] You made snow days? Is that... what you do at home?

Yeah, that was the best part of what I do at home! I mean there's the whole freezing things and painting frost and guiding Winter around so it doesn't get lost and hail in the Bahamas or something, but snow days, those are great. Especially on Fridays or Mondays, because hello long weekend!

[That worked even better than he thought it would. Bruce can't help a small smile.]

I haven't had a snow day in a long time. But if people usually can't see you, what do you do during them?

I'd offer you one, but I kind of got in trouble for the last one. Sorry, Bruce.

[ There's a hesitance at the question, and awkward shuffle in his seat on Jack's end of the feed. ]

Uh, well... watch other people enjoying them, usually. Which was okay! It's better than nothing, right? And I... kind of joined in. I made sure everyone had lots of snow ammo and things like that.

[ Yeah, it wasn't much better than it sounds. ]

No, uh, no, that's okay. I've seen plenty of snow, I just never get... a day off for it. Who did you get in trouble with? The Emperor? [Who else would tell off Jack Frost for making a snow day? Bruce can't even imagine.

He picks up on the undercurrent here and once again tries to divert it. Bruce isn't that great at not being a cynical pessimist, but he tries.]

But you can join in here, right? I've seen you around the network. You're pretty popular.

Oh, um, no. Some of the people here didn't like it. Foreigners, I mean.

[ Please don't ask why, Jack's practically squirming out of his seat. But the second part immediately relaxes him again, even leaning towards the console's screen ]

Yeah, being here is amazing! I can talk to almost anyone I want, and I like hanging out with the kids and telling stories, and I don't know about popular but I have friends here that like the same things I like and it's really interesting to learn about the places they're from even if sometimes their worlds seem a little strange. Everyone's been so... nice...

[ Help he's run out of words. ]

Edited 2013-05-21 00:53 (UTC)