Wearing Power Armor to a Magic School (59/?) WiP 1 (Patreon)

Hey everyone! Here is the Work in Progress for Chapter 59 I hope you guys enjoy! :D

The cultural exchange database was vast, expansive, and most importantly of all… it was dynamic. It was designed to be that way, such that the information conveyed within could be tailored and trimmed to fit the socio-cultural particularities of whatever entity, polity, or civilization existed on the other side of the portal.

I, along with the EVI’s very-specifically coded subroutines for this very eventuality, could effectively pick and choose from the compendium of all human knowledge, the cumulative sum total of all that had ever existed; barring of course a good chunk of specifics and details that would’ve otherwise taken up too much drive space.

Still, the condensed cumulative sum of all human experience was nothing to scoff at. What’s more, it was way more than what I needed for the purposes of this little demo.

I needed to be selective, gradual, and conservative in my approach in information dissemination after all. Because if Thacea’s experience was anything to go by, Fundamental Systemic Incongruity was something that I’d need to consistently consider; lest I show Earth Ring in the first five seconds of my demo, and the whole thing just ends up flying over everyone’s heads, killing not just the whole vibe and mood of the reveal but actively sabotaging one of the core tenets of my mission altogether. Ruining any meaningful capacity to understand by outright overloading them with knowledge they would have zero reference points for.

I needed to start simply.

Or more specifically, in-line with SIOP’s recommendations and backed by the sample size that was Thacea, I’d have to start off with something they could relate to. Something that was topical in-the-moment. A jumping off point that the group could easily comprehend. A subject matter that was close to home for them, before eventually slowly zooming out, expanding outwards, and building brick by brick the progress humanity had made on matters they were familiar with.

It was metal foundries and forges in Thacea’s case, given how the conversation topic at the time trended towards my armor and the material sciences behind it, and even then I halted it at around the 21st to 22nd century Earth-bound forges.

“Alright then! It’s decided, I shall be going first.” Thalmin began with a wide eyed look of excitement, his tail that had formerly been in control of its emotions seemingly couldn’t help but to begin swishing from side to side in a rare display of emotive telegraphy.

“Well let's hear it!” I responded with an equal measure of excitement as the lupinor, my legs beginning their jittery shakes of anticipation that the suit couldn’t help but to cancel out, dulling that bit of physical expression too.

“Not just yet, Emma.” Thalmin responded cryptically, standing up to full height. “For I doubt mere words will be sufficient to convey the beauty and majesty that is Havenbrock. It would be far, far too common of me to simply resolve to oral descriptions to illustrate my home, my people, and my heritage. Not especially to an audience of peers.” He spoke with a certain swagger that matched his pace. A beam of excitement continued through each and every one of his steps as he marched his way towards his apartment.

This prompted me to begin preempting various topics whilst Thalmin was away.

My eyes continued to scroll across topic after topic, the seemingly endless library of information being more than familiar to me given the sociology department and diplomatic corps’ methodical lessons and constant drilling.

There was just so much to pick and choose from, and part of me simply wanted to just go for a complete timelapse of civilization, but I’d hold off on that for now.

At least until Thalmin comes back with the accompanying equipment he needed to start his own demo off with.

And return he did, now with an eclectic collection of objects cradled in his arms. Objects ranging from a book that looked more akin to a massive party-sized ancient tome that could literally be used as a bludgeoning weapon in a pinch, a metal bracket that looked like the love child between an ancient bear-trap and an archaic dentistry apparatus, along with a mysterious satin sack that rattled with each and every step he took.

The lupinor promptly, and proudly, placed this random assortment of items on the coffee table in front of us, and within the span of the next few minutes got to work assembling it all.

First by opening the book with a dull, table-rattling THUD, flipping the book several pages in. Then by attaching the gnarly metal bracket up and along the spine of the book, before clamping it down with a hair-raising clank! The clamp extended outward to reveal several ‘sockets’ extended on spindly arms clearly intended for something. The whole thing currently looked like an orrery had been fused into a book, with the different ‘sockets’ empty and awaiting some final addition. That something soon turned out to be the contents of the red and white velvety sack, which consisted of an array of crystals, rocks, and strangest of all - a small vial of iridescent liquid.

Thalmin soon began the careful and meticulous process of placing crystal after crystal in each of the sockets, before grabbing a few glass lenses, and pouring the mysterious liquid over them, causing them to glow a bright pink hue.

The whole process took about ten minutes. But not once through that whole process could I gauge whether or not the man was closer or further away from completion, as the device looked about as alien as it was when he’d first started.

The ‘completed’ product turned out to literally just be a book caged in a metal clamp, with various crystals, rocks, and a vial of glowing liquid all suspended above it within the ‘jaws’ of the clamp. Again, like an orrery pulled straight from a heavy metal album cover.

“If you’ll excuse my ignorance, Thalmin… what the heck am I supposed to be looking at here?”

“Heh, now you know how it feels when you bring out another reality-defying artifice out of your pocket, Emma.” Thalmin replied with a cocky jab, complemented by a smile that more or less confirmed his friendly and facetious intent. “Right then, this here is-”