Multipup EP, Burnout Edition

[vance_prime]

It has, apparently, been One Of Those Days across the multiverse. In its aftermath, we find several people in Milliways trying to unwind.

Alyx Vance is seated in a corner booth with a beer in one hand and a screwdriver in the other, taking apart a graphing calculator.

Twilight Sparkle is seated on the floor by the fireplace with a plate of cookies and a light historical novel.

And Vanellope von Schweetz has faceplanted on the couch and is snoring lightly.

They are all botherable, if you dare.

[tinytag: Ibani]

Comments

[last_kallig]

"This is a datapad," Ibani explains, tilting the device so that Twilight has a better view.

"Among other things, it can store and display texts and images." Ibani runs one finger down the screen and the images change, showing what looks very much like an illustrated page in a printed text.

[no_vampires_plz]

Twilight's eyes light up as she leans closer for a better view. "Ohmygosh--how does it work??"

[last_kallig]

"It's...wait, does your world have computers?" Not a question Ibani would have thought to ask before Milliways.

[no_vampires_plz]

"No, but I've heard of them..."

[last_kallig]

Ibani nods. "A datapad is a computer," she explains. "More advanced than the ones I've seen here, but still a computer."

[no_vampires_plz]

"Okay, but how does it work??" Twilight insists. "How do the mechanisms operate?"

[last_kallig]

"The information is written on a device inside the computer much like words are written in a book, but the AMOUNT of information that can be written on is stupendously larger than what can be written on a book."

Ibani smiles. "I suspect this datapad could hold all the texts in your library."

[no_vampires_plz]

"What's it written on? How is it written?"

[last_kallig]

"I'm not sure of the exact mechanism, to be honest," Ibani admits. "I know letters and symbols are represented with trinary codes, but beyond that...." She shrugs.

[no_vampires_plz]

"Okay then, what are trinary codes?"

[last_kallig]

"A trinary code looks something like this," Ibani replies. Purple light follows her finger as she traces a 1, a zero and a plus sign in the air.

The images hang in the air as she draws a series of ones, zeros and plus signs. "For instance, this combination could stand for aleph, the first letter in the alphabet."

[no_vampires_plz]

"Ohhh, so it's a three-symbol alphabet," says Twilight with an understanding nod. "But why not just use the regular alphabet?"

[last_kallig]

"It has something to do with the way information is stored. You can store a LOT of it, but you can't store it using more than three symbols. I'm not sure why."

[no_vampires_plz]

"Hm. Where might I find out more about it?"

[last_kallig]

"Bar might have something," Ibani replies. "Or I could see what I can turn up at home?"

[no_vampires_plz]

"Would there be anything in the library here?"

[last_kallig]

"There's a library here?" Ibani asks, surprised.

[no_vampires_plz]

"It's not organized very well, but yes," Twilight replies. "Down the hall, near the restrooms."

[last_kallig]

Ibani smiles broadly. "I will have to pay it a visit, then. Thank you."

"If there is a library here there might be something about the subject of computers in it, although I'm not sure how much computers differ between universes."

[no_vampires_plz]

"If I could find anything," Twilight remarks, a sour look on her face. "I don't think anyone's ever bothered to catalogue the books properly."

[last_kallig]

"Strange," Ibani remarks. "Perhaps there's no librarian to DO to the cataloging?"

Or the books are breeding and moving around faster than their caretaker can keep up with. This is MILLIWAYS, after all.

[no_vampires_plz]

"Well, that's just irresponsible."

[last_kallig]

Ibani can't help but grin a bit at that response. "Irresponsibility would depend on how the library came to be. It might have begun as books left behind by patrons and simply...grown over time."

[no_vampires_plz]

"That's no excuse!" Twilight insists. "Every library needs proper curation. Even a bedroom bookshelf should be alphabetized."

[last_kallig]

"You feel very strongly about that," Ibani remarks. "You are a librarian?"

Call it an educated guess.