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| Details |
| Author: | Athena |
| Summary: | Colson asks Jo for a favor to try to find the universe's least startling kitchen timer. 2k-ish words. |
| Rating: | T for Teen |
In World’s End Tavern.
Jo walks down to the usual corner, and spies the paladin she's here to meet. “Hi, Colson! I hope I'm not late.”
Colson stands momentarily, smiling faintly. "Captain, thank you for coming. May I get you anything?"
Jo climbs up into a chair far too large for her and sits with her legs dangling. “Oh, no, thanks, though.” Jo smiles at him “This is for a project, right? I should keep my wits about me!”
Colson sits gracefully, into the chairs not really meant for a human either. He inclines his head. "They do have some interesting beverages, but I understand. Yes, a project, or ah, a commission if you prefer to think of it as such."
“Certainly! Something not easy to locate in the shops, I gather. A… timer?”
Colson nods. "Yes, as one might use in a kitchen to mark a specific time. The trouble is, as you may know, Mordecai startles easily. I have been attempting to locate one that would not likely startle him severely each time it went off, with no success."
“Hm, I see the dilemma. Making those delicious eclairs without jumping a mile when they're finished.” Jo nods, thinking.
“At the moment, he either uses a clock, or counts off the time internally himself. That is not a terrible system, it simply requires attention. It would be desirable to have an option that does so automatically at times, but without the fear of a startle.”
Jo taps the table with one hand, as if ticking off options. "Is there a particular type of sound that wouldn't disturb him? Like… birds chirping? A meow?"
“Possibly? He finds things like the sounds the naaru make soothing, but I have no way of communicating what that sounds like, except similar to a wind chime, perhaps. Any sound will startle him, if he is not ready for it, it is simply a matter of degree.”
“Hmm..” Jo kicks her feet “If any sound startles, then what about something that isn't a sound? Have you considered a timer with a visual cue?”
Colson blinks once, his brows raising slightly. "Hm. No, I honestly had not. I am not certain that it would be enough if he were, ah, thinking particularly hard, but that might be a good place to start."
“Maybe if it started dark and turned some color after an interval? Perhaps in stages? Yellow could be halfway through the time, Green could mark the end… something like that? Or if it needs to be more attention-catching, perhaps it flashes that color at the end.”
“Hm, yes. At the very least it would need to be something that could get his attention. It still may startle him, but perhaps not as much, especially if the light flash could mimic the Light, perhaps. Something he recognizes as not something to worry about.”
“Okay, right, so maybe yellow would be end-time.” Jo taps her foot against the wood of the chair, and adds, "Or if that's still not enough… touch? A timer to put in one's pocket that vibrates or hums gently when the time is up?"
“Oh. Is that possible? That may be something less, ah, disruptive. Gentle enough and it should only cause a small startle. You must understand, he is very easy to startle. It is likely unavoidable entirely, but minimizing it would be already a significant change, and very welcome. A gentle hum might be far less worse than even a very gentle sounding alarm.”
Jo smiles. "Maybe it will feel more like the Naaru's voice. If I try to think of how A'dal comes across… Maybe a hum, and perhaps… warmth?"
Colson smiles faintly. "I think that might be an excellent place to start, yes."
Jo nods. "I think I can do that. I'll aim for pocket-sized, with a little dial for the time? And if it startles, well, we can always try something else!"
Colson smiles wider, his expression warm. "Thank you. I would be most grateful. Please do not hesitate to bill me the costs of materials. This is not for the Company. It is a personal gift."
“Oh I bet I have most of it in my workshop, anyway.” She taps one finger against the other, counting off. “A little oscillator for the clock and a faster one for the vibration, metal, some kind of resistance for the heating element… I should be good. I will let you know if I run into anything I need!”
Colson nods like those words mean anything to him. Mmhmm. Oscilerser. "Thank you. If there is anything you need that I may be able to make, I do hope you will not hesitate to ask."
“I won't hesitate.” Jo smiles “I do still wear a lot of gems you've cut.”
“The enchantments are holding?” Colson asks as though there is any chance they might not be. “I do try to ensure they will hold through anything, but mages in particular can be difficult to predict every situation. Extreme heat and cold, for example.”
“Of course! I mean, yes, there is a lot of fire and ice going on, but I haven't seen any fractures in the gems.”
Colson relaxes fractionally, nodding. "Good, I am glad to hear it. There are a few rings I cannot get to stay operational when exposed to extreme cold, which is unfortunate."
Jo bites her lip. "That might be a problem, whenever we do end up heading to Northrend. I expect it's a matter of time, and I hear its a frozen wasteland up there."
“Yes. There may be alloys that are better suited that can still conduct the enchantment, but I have yet to locate any.”
“Well, I'm no jeweler, but I'll try to keep an ear out. In case I hear of anything like that.”
Colson nods. "I would not be surprised if it was something a gnome ends up inventing, solving another problem entirely, like how to build a boat capable of surviving the trip north."
Jo grins. "We are resourceful, as a people. Well, time for me to head to the workshop! I'll let you know when I have a prototype ready."
==Time Passes==
Colson enters World's End Tavern as though he knows exactly what he's doing, and where he's going. It takes him a little bit to spot Jo in the crowd, but once he does he makes a direct line. "Captain. Good evening."
“Colson! I'm glad you could make it. I have something. I don't know if it'll be the thing, but it's a first attempt, for sure.”
Colson sits gracefully, so they're at least somewhat closer in height, his expression brightening. "Oh?"
Jo rummages in her bag, pulling out a stick of dynamite and a couple of fel iron bombs and setting them to the side on the table. Then she cups something in her hands and looks over at Colson. “Okay, so, don't laugh, but I may have gotten a little carried away on the design.”
Colson's expression goes even more neutral than usual, as he nods solemnly. "I will not laugh."
Jo sets the small device on the table. It appears to be made of two types of metal, one more copper in color and the other more silver. The two are fused together to form the shape of a little snail, with a whirl of a shell and a little head. On one side of its shell, there's a little dial in the center of a circle of tick marks with numbers painted on in black ink. The whole thing fits easily into a gnomish palm.
Colson continues to look very solemn as he proclaims in a very serious sounding voice better suited for proclamations of importance, "It is extraordinarily cute."
“I was making it, and I thought… what's kind of round and might fit in a pocket, you know?”
Colson nods seriously. "A pocket snail, yes."
Jo turns the dial, just a little bit, and holds it out to Colson. "Here, you can hold it in your hand and see how you like the, um, buzzer."
Colson stands to better reach across the table to collect the Pocket Snail Timer, and if his eyes look a little brighter like he's maybe holding in a delighted laugh, it may be difficult to tell given the :| of his face. He sits back down and sets the timer in his palm, closing his fingers around it gently.
There is no obvious ticking as the dial rotates slowly back around to zero. In the last 15 or so seconds, it begins to get hotter in his palm. Not to the point of hot, but just a gentle radiating warmth. When the timer reaches zero, the snail hums with a gentle vibration in three long pulses.
Jo watches Colson's face carefully for his reaction.
Colson's brows go up a little at the temperature change, but he doesn't startle. That is not unexpected. At the gentle vibration there's a hint of a smile around his face. "I cannot speak for what Mordecai might do, but that is remarkably inventive of you. Well done.” Colson opens his palm to investigate the snail. "Truly. I do not think there is anything quite like this anywhere else in both worlds."
“Well, I…” Jo blushes “I do have a tendency to want things to be little animals. And I hope it's not startling. If it is, we can try light, next?”
“I am already quite fond of it. I have always liked cute things.” Colson says with that same gravitas of his natural mild voice. “If it does not work as we hope, I would still very much like to keep it, if I may. And try another for Mordecai.”
“Oh absolutely, it was made for you, I wouldn't dream of asking for it back.” Jo smiles.
“I do believe though that this has a very good chance of being the least startling possible, while still being something that if he did forget to check, would signal him enough.”
“Well, just let me know how it goes! And, you know, if you ever need any more…”
Colson takes out a bit of soft mageweave from his Bright Orange Pumpkin bag, and carefully wraps the timer up. "Thank you very much, Captain. I do very much appreciate it." He pauses and makes a 'hm,' sound.
“Hm?”
“I did mean to pass along a compliment from a peer of yours, one of our Company members now, Lucille Moore. She was very impressed with your buzzbox, ah. From…that time. You do very good work, and I am most grateful for you lending your expertise.”
“Oh, I recall her from the interview!” Jo smiles again “Thank you, I really should find time to talk shop with her. And of course, I'm always happy to work on a new project.”
“And I do know that Lucy would be pleased to make a further acquaintance with you.” Colson smiles faintly, for some reason. “If you do find yourself in Ironforge, you could stop by her workshop with her mentor.”
“I'll make sure to look her up, next time I'm there. I do go by fairly often, to check in at HQ.”
Colson nods. "Thank you again. If you do see her, please give her my regards."
“I'll be sure to do so. Until next time, Colson!”
Colson sets the snail timer very gently into his bag, and rises to a stand. "Light be with you, Captain."