you see me now, a veteran, of a thousand psychic wars [Open]

[thelatechrisfreeman]

Who: Chris Freeman & Anyone... perhaps even... YOU?
What: Did I hear you say that this is victory?
When: February and maybe March
Where: around town...
Warning: watch the comment titles

Thread starters in comments this time around. If you have an idea for Chris, feel free to top-level comment this entry with a wildcard :)

2/8: Reposted opener regarding Calloway's Curios for theresalwaystheview

2/12: Chris has a little breakdown, and Erik overhears lordoftheozarks

2/18: New prompt, open to all, regarding Chris being sick around the time of Merrymeet.

Comments

[thelatechrisfreeman]

"I wonder if it has the same... steampunk, clockwork look as First Aid and Vika. You know, on the inside," Chris muses, after hearing that explanation of building a seamoth from the available materials.

Lou is looking at the craft with wide, curious eyes. One wonders... if she understands what Bart is saying, maybe she's imagining exploring the ocean herself.

But Chris caught that calculating look on Calloway's face, and says, "Well, you said without the power source it wouldn't be able to work. What kind of power does it run on, Bart?"

(If it's something Calloway clearly hasn't heard about, then maybe Chris can haggle the price down. Bart doesn't seem well versed in how to get a good price in these situations, after all.)

[theresalwaystheview]

"It's possible... The power source is supposed to be a kind of lithium ion battery but something that runs on the same clockwork internals as the tech here would likely require something else entirely. I don't know what the changes to it are yet but at best... Something distilled like the liquor that First Aid uses as fuel, perhaps. I don't want to have to ask after something like coal, it would be terrible for the ecosystem to belch coal smoke straight into the water after all."

Lou, unaware of the fact that the thing is meant for water, is so incredibly interested in the little round craft. She herself tends to have extremely negative reactions to the water when submerged; Sam could attest to how badly her autotoxemic reaction would set in in the instances that he'd had to cross rivers on foot deep enough for her pod to dip under the water.

"Sir, how did you even get it back here? It's so unwieldy on land and it's not as if it has some kind of wheels to allow it to be moved across solid ground.

Calloway merely gestures to the spot where the vessel is propped. "It showed up here like the rest of the offworld merchandise does. It was a hassle to put up on blocks, I'll tell you. I'll knock the price down if you can move it out of my lot."

Which cues Bart to pout a little bit once again. How on earth was he supposed to do that?

[thelatechrisfreeman]

Chris leans over and says quietly into Bart's ear, "Erik and Angel are both much stronger than they look. I'm sure you could ask them for help."

[theresalwaystheview]

Bart nods distractedly. He doesn't know Erik, but he's on good terms with Angel, he could at least ask him. And then he knows that there are plenty of people around strong enough to at least be able to move the thing onto a cart to be able to take it down to the waterfront so even if he can't get more help, it isn't the end of the world.

"Deal," is all he says back to Calloway, and...he doesn't like the smile he gets in return. But then again maybe that's just the man's face.

[thelatechrisfreeman]

"And since you're here," Chris steps up and hands over the note they've been carrying. "These are notes about technology from Apokolips. I promise you, you do not want the New Gods sniffing around this island. They have a tendency to destroy everything they can't convert. You find anything that looks like this? Throw it back in the ocean or whatever it is you do to get rid of what you find."

Gil Calloway raises an eyebrow at that little speech, but either Chris's seriousness convinces him, or he knows that discretion is the better part of getting a crazy person out of one's shop. "If you insist."

To Bart, Gil says, "And when do you plan to get this out of my shop?"

[theresalwaystheview]

Bart steps aside to let Chris turn over the notes on Apokolips, occupying himself for the moment with looking around the seamoth where it sits, taking out one of his notebooks and flipping back through the more full of them and comparing what he's got on the page with what he's seeing of the ship in front of him.

"I can't make promises at this juncture but I promise you that I will move it the moment I can pay for it."

[thelatechrisfreeman]

Chris decides to assist in making Bart's interest seem more like a legitimate offer. "We know some folks who'd lend Bart a hand in moving the seamoth when he has the funds."

"Hmph. Well, when you pay for it, I hope they can move it quick." Gil waves one hand toward the craft and says grumpily, "You see how much space it's taking up on the sales floor! I could fit so much more stock in that space."

"Bart's not going to work himself to the bone for your convenience," Chris says, "but if he says he'll come buy it the moment he can pay, you can trust his word."

Lou picks this moment to blow a raspberry. "Phbttt!"

[theresalwaystheview]

"What she said," Bart mutters under his breath in concurrence with Lou's raspberry, huffing a soft sigh and looking back at Chris again, one hand resting on the domed top of the little craft.

"The sooner the better, honestly. I can't always take the Mipha's Grace out, I hate to inconvenience miss Zelda any more than I've already done. But you'll know the moment that I know when I can move it. Perhaps I should ask for one of the carts the postmen use..." Already he's going off on his own little tangent about what the next step in his plan should feasibly be. Sorry, Chris. He's doing the thing where he's trying to come up with all the answers himself again.

[thelatechrisfreeman]

"Sam, the courier, is a friend of mine too. We can ask him when the time comes." Chris pats Bart on the shoulder. "Did you still want to look around at stuff here? Lou and I can hang out for a bit."

[theresalwaystheview]

Bart nods absently, shooting a look back at the Seamoth again then at where Gil had disappeared.

"I think perhaps that I'm done for now. I came to find something I could use, and I have certainly done that."