[Congratulations, Gadriel, you're telling this to the one person weird enough to overlook the fact that you were eating plates and instead jump right over social niceties and into technological possibilities.]
Ceramic is a crystalline material. I can produce as much as you need. I've actually been experimenting with crystals recently. [Hey, that crystallokinesis ability is about to come in real handy!]
If ordinary plates provide what you need then the mineral composition of kaolinite or even feldspar should be about right.
I can isolate some for you. No problem. In the long term I can leave it in the cave where you've been leaving venom samples. This is actually timely, I've been thinking over coming up with a material for underwater armor, something lighter than chain metal, and I don't think ordinary ceramic is quite the thing, but it's a good starting point.
[He knew the Archmagos would understand what's really important here.]
It is normally added to our rations. But we were designed to get nutrition from a variety of sources, so I do not think they would choose a particularly exotic or expensive form.
i could give you a sample of bone if that would help.
That makes practical sense, yes. Although it doesn't necessarily follow that the elements that are plentiful where you come from would be plentiful here.
Fortunately, that's not an issue, if you're able to get what you need from plates. How, uh...how did that go for you? I can't imagine having shards of porcelain in your mouth is pleasant.
[Wait.] Whose plates were they?
[The offer of bone is also concerning, but in a different way.] Sergeant, while I'm sure I could learn a great deal from a sample of your bone, I wouldn't want to put you through unnecessary risk or pain.
I had not thought of that. [But the Imperium is big so maybe there was enough overlap? Who knows. He's not a scientist. He's just a big slab of muscle.]
Archmagos. My teeth are ceramite as well. I can digest anything. Except poison. That I isolate and expel. [Depending on the action that would be his praeomnor or his special space marine kidney. ] In this way, if ever stranded, we would not die of starvation.
[Malnourished, yes. Dead, no.]
the plates belonged to
Astarion. Who was not pleased. [Hence Gadriel's plan A for ceramic: eat plates ended in failure so here he is with plan B.]
If I happen to lose some bone I will provide you a sample. But it would not be difficult to acquire if it would help your research. [Just. Uh. Don't ask.]
Well, clearly. But you could get little cuts on your gums or tongue, I thought. I'll take your word for it that that isn't an issue.
[He allows himself a brief moment of whimsy, wondering if he could make little ceramic soup dumplings to include in mushroom soup for Gadriel.]
You ate Astarion's plates. At the winery? [It's a shame they're not on voice right now, Barcus is having the most wholehearted laugh he's had in weeks. Oh, gods, if he could go back in time just to see the expression on the vampire's face...!]
I'm sure that was awkward but I love absolutely everything about it. Well done.
Please, don't acquire any bone samples for me. If something happens that causes you to lose a tooth or something, by all means, I'll take it for analysis but I don't want to hear you've cut off a piece of your toe or anything of the kind.
[Barcus has carefully avoided mentioning The Thing because he doesn't fully understand what happened, although he can see several hundred different ways in which Gadriel's lack of familiarity with the social graces common to at least three-fourths of the Visitors could cause friction.
He wasn't there, he didn't see it, it's over now, and as far as he's concerned it doesn't have to be his business. Clean slate.]
I'd offer to talk to him but I doubt I have any sway at all. Lioriley will handle it, I'm sure.
Well, I don't want to draw songbirds to the window so she can kill them. I try to discourage her from that. But she does get to go outside regularly and she's fairly consistent about bringing me rodents and large insects. And I play with her, as well.
[Gadriel still wasn't entirely sure how that had all happened himself. But it was just the first and most public of his continuing string of errors. An all too familiar thread.]
It is all settled. I understand not to eat people's plates now.
as long as she gets to kill something that probably does it. [He's got to advocate for other predators.]
Have you considered getting a pet yourself? For while you're here, I mean?
I admit, I was afraid of how you and Satchel might interact at first, only because she's not aware how delicate she is and you're a wall of muscle and adamant. But you seemed to understand that at once.
It might be good for you to have an animal friend.
Not especially, no. Satchel just walked up to me on the street and insisted I pet her. But there are also shelters where domestic animals without a person to care for them are kept, so they don't get hurt on the street.
If you'd like to just go look sometime, I'll come with you.
[That sounds like Satchel, at least the one he knew for 5 minutes. She had given hints that she had wanted some fish, and her body language suggested she would have been impatient with an incorrect answer.]
I will consider that. I am better at killing things than
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2025-02-06 02:39 pm (UTC)Ceramic is a crystalline material. I can produce as much as you need. I've actually been experimenting with crystals recently. [Hey, that crystallokinesis ability is about to come in real handy!]
If ordinary plates provide what you need then the mineral composition of kaolinite or even feldspar should be about right.
I can isolate some for you. No problem. In the long term I can leave it in the cave where you've been leaving venom samples. This is actually timely, I've been thinking over coming up with a material for underwater armor, something lighter than chain metal, and I don't think ordinary ceramic is quite the thing, but it's a good starting point.
[This is why you like Barcus, right, Sergeant?]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-07 01:55 am (UTC)It is normally added to our rations. But we were designed to get nutrition from a variety of sources,
so I do not think they would choose a
particularly exotic
or expensive
form.
i could give you a sample
of
bone
if that would help.
no subject
Date: 2025-02-07 05:23 pm (UTC)Fortunately, that's not an issue, if you're able to get what you need from plates. How, uh...how did that go for you? I can't imagine having shards of porcelain in your mouth is pleasant.
[Wait.] Whose plates were they?
[The offer of bone is also concerning, but in a different way.] Sergeant, while I'm sure I could learn a great deal from a sample of your bone, I wouldn't want to put you through unnecessary risk or pain.
no subject
Date: 2025-02-07 05:47 pm (UTC)Archmagos. My teeth are ceramite as well.
I can digest anything.
Except poison. That I isolate and expel. [Depending on the action that would be his praeomnor or his special space marine kidney. ] In this way, if ever stranded, we would not die of starvation.
[Malnourished, yes. Dead, no.]
the plates belonged to
Astarion.
Who was not pleased. [Hence Gadriel's plan A for ceramic: eat plates ended in failure so here he is with plan B.]
If I happen to
lose some bone
I will provide you a sample.
But it would not be difficult to acquire if it would help your research. [Just. Uh. Don't ask.]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-09 05:43 am (UTC)[He allows himself a brief moment of whimsy, wondering if he could make little ceramic soup dumplings to include in mushroom soup for Gadriel.]
You ate Astarion's plates. At the winery? [It's a shame they're not on voice right now, Barcus is having the most wholehearted laugh he's had in weeks. Oh, gods, if he could go back in time just to see the expression on the vampire's face...!]
I'm sure that was awkward but I love absolutely everything about it. Well done.
Please, don't acquire any bone samples for me. If something happens that causes you to lose a tooth or something, by all means, I'll take it for analysis but I don't want to hear you've cut off a piece of your toe or anything of the kind.
no subject
Date: 2025-02-10 07:01 pm (UTC)He was
not
pleased.
He did not believe me when I said I did not know
they were not for eating.
[Probably signage going up at the winery right now, everything labeled "gadriel:DO NOT EAT"]
I...could? [Just saying he's not ruling that out. ]
How is Satchel? [The REAL priority here.]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-11 04:31 pm (UTC)Oh dear. I'm sorry, he's a bit...acerbic if you get him going, I know. I traveled with Astarion for a while back in our own world, and he is.
[Is...? There's a long pause as he searches for diplomatic wording.]
Uniquely challenging. I would never wish him harm but imagining the look on his face as someone devours his dishware has made my entire day.
Oh! Satchel is quite well. I put a birdfeeder in the windowbox and she's having the time of her life watching them.
no subject
Date: 2025-02-12 12:52 am (UTC)not
very understanding. [Understatement.]
I suspect he has not
yet
gotten over last month's
thing. [The thing? You know the thing. The thing that had Gadriel bleeding out in the streets murmuring a prayer of consecration.]
does she get to catch anything? An unrewarded prey drive is...unpleasant.
no subject
Date: 2025-02-12 01:06 am (UTC)He wasn't there, he didn't see it, it's over now, and as far as he's concerned it doesn't have to be his business. Clean slate.]
I'd offer to talk to him but I doubt I have any sway at all. Lioriley will handle it, I'm sure.
Well, I don't want to draw songbirds to the window so she can kill them. I try to discourage her from that. But she does get to go outside regularly and she's fairly consistent about bringing me rodents and large insects. And I play with her, as well.
no subject
Date: 2025-02-12 04:45 pm (UTC)It is all settled.
I understand not to eat people's plates
now.
as long as she gets to
kill
something
that probably does it. [He's got to advocate for other predators.]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-12 10:31 pm (UTC)Did you have animal companions of any kind, where you come from? Or working animals?
no subject
Date: 2025-02-12 11:03 pm (UTC)that was an option.
[If so please feel free to have Satchel write up a contract and send it to him. He will sign.]
Only on agriworlds, I believe.
but I do
understand
a prey drive.
no subject
Date: 2025-02-15 08:26 pm (UTC)I admit, I was afraid of how you and Satchel might interact at first, only because she's not aware how delicate she is and you're a wall of muscle and adamant. But you seemed to understand that at once.
It might be good for you to have an animal friend.
no subject
Date: 2025-02-15 09:28 pm (UTC)I had not [But honestly, he is thinking he might enjoy a cat. If Satchel is any indication, that is. ]
Are they difficult to acquire?
no subject
Date: 2025-02-17 11:45 pm (UTC)If you'd like to just go look sometime, I'll come with you.
no subject
Date: 2025-02-18 12:41 am (UTC)I will consider that. I am
better at
killing things than
keeping anything alive
however.
[Including himself.]
no subject
Date: 2025-02-19 05:32 am (UTC)Keep it in mind, there's no rush to decide.