milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Somewhere in the middle of the day, Quinn slipped out of the Bar- a little to think, a lot to work with the horse properly. His arm still throbs where the stallion bit it, a reminder that failing to take the animal's needs seriously has consequences. Fortunately, the work is done now, so Quinn is back. He's got a table near the entrance, well-lit (something's got to cast the shadows for all those dark corners, after all!), and he's got dinner. It's all good, really.

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"I found a few reference books on the Glass City; fortunately, there was a shop in the last town we passed through. There's a good deal of misinformation -- details I know wouldn't work -- but even that gives me a better idea of what I need to work toward."

She opens up one of the books and points to a diagram. Several passages on the opposite page have been scratched out, and she's already made a few notations.

"It's clear England prefers that their design details be kept secret, to keep anyone from building a rival city that might threaten their rule over the oceans. Like this pump -- it's an excellent concept, but this illustration adds in an additional feature that would flood the structure unexpectedly about a week after it had been activated. I'll need to review everything carefully to eliminate the 'modifications' that have been added. . . "

Quinn looks over the plans and whistles. "Not the sort of thing most would notice, I think," he says. "Review away, then. Considering what's at stake and all."

"Precisely. It's very subtle, and most would overlook it even as they were building the part. It's only to be expected; I can understand their reasoning, in a way. But even an overview of the structure gives me an immense advantage with the designs . . . I do believe this could really work."

She's beaming with pride, cheered at the thought of what might be.

"I can't wait to see the prototype," Quinn says. "I mean, once you've seen where we're going, of course."

"Right. The dome is straightforward enough, but the base design will need to be modified to fit the landscape it will be located on. Do you have access to any submersibles?"

It's a long shot, but it would be very helpful.

"Not that I know of," Quinn's forced to admit. "Might be something at anchor in Edinburgh, but there's no one left alive in Edinburgh to say."

"Damn. I'll have to manage with what resources we can find, then. With any luck, I can work something out . . ."

"Maybe building a submersible design first might be a good idea? Something that could work under water without too much human direction?" Quinn suggests.

One day he will learn to think before he speaks.

"Yes! I was a bit worried about conserving resources if there's a lack of suitable materials immediately available, but as you'll need one to transport the residents to and from the new Glass City anyway, it's an excellent place to start . . ."

Fresh notepaper is provided by one of her clanks. They know her well.

"It can be taught to automatically take the proper route once everything is set up, but more control is best when we're just mapping out the sea bed. Some weapons systems, nothing as major as will be needed for handling the dragons, but in case the local sea life doesn't care for the new neighbors. Without Doctor Vogol around, the whales might not have gained a taste for human flesh, but better safe than sorry."

"Pretty sure the whales won't be a problem," Quinn says. That voice is kind of freaky. "Though there's sharks, if that makes any difference at all."

She makes a note of it.

"If the outer hull is sturdy enough and doesn't come across as being the slightest bit edible, they'll more than likely lose interest. But a few weapons, just in case."

"Fair enough," Quinn says. "I know nothing at all about what you get under water. Closest I get is something that pinched my toes a couple of times the last chance I had at the seashore. I defer to the expert."

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