#the finishing touches are finally put on the aether-dampening magitek!

[blackrose-ffxiv]

11/06

Luke Gravespast twiddled a spanner at Lebeaux as he started to crouch down and resume slowly chipping on the tile as he continued, right where he'd left off, laying in the lining and runners.  "We's jus' 'bout done with it.... y' feelin' up to testin' this at all, so you know what it'll be like?"  As he continued to lay the boundaries in, the next portion was apparently mimicking the inlays and work to hide what might have been an array of some kind.  the largest portion seemed to be a small pile of unaspected crystals.

Lebeaux Desrosiers smiled primly as the spanner was waved at him. Not particularly concerned, the jab about Luke’s appearance was essentially friendly, considering the sort of thing he could say to him. “That would be for the best. I would hate to be caught off guard as well the first time it’s switched on.” He stared down at the crystals. “Those are what the system runs off of?”

Luke paused, spreading the crystals out.  "Hrm... nau' exactly.  They're wha' the block powers on, aye?  So when the system is on, these end up holdin' the aether out and make sure the place is... a deadzone for as long as they can power.  If someone tries t' use their own aether, they'll drain tha' off too," he said as he tapped the crystals. "The relay?  An' tha boundaries, mean that it's contained."

Lebeaux smiled as he climbed off of the desk to pick one of them up, curious about the thing. “Amazing. What a clever idea. They soak up the aether like a sponge. Will there be a need to release the absorbed aether afterwards to ensure there isn’t any build up.” He’d heard tales from the Manufactory of workers forgetting to release the steam valves after their work.

Luke tapped the inlay that he was starting to lay in.  "Release fer tha' system... once tha' hold is off, it'll disperse it inta tha' stream.  Once y' shut it off, it automatically goes inta a slow release."  The man had built the system so that Lebeaux didn't need to be anticipated to have two braincells to rub together, because he didn't give the man that much credit.

Lebeaux turned the crystal to admire it before he set it back into place. “Automatic release. Very good.” Assuming it had been built for ease of use rather than factoring the user’s negligence and general lack of familiarity with magitek systems of any sort.

Luke would agree it was always better to assume that the client wasn't being made fun of.  In this case though, he was.  Luke hummed as he continued to work on the install, shifting across the floor before the inlays and tracks met.  "Jus' don't switch the crystals out fer more holdin', y's gau' ah time limit, depends on tha' caster, aye?"  Hick? Hick.

Lebeaux smiled primly as he settled himself back onto the desk’s edge. “Oh, how nice. You’re learning Hingan. I haven’t been studying, so perhaps you should repeat that in the common tongue.”

Lucien waggled the spanner in the air before repeating what he'd said in... Doman. Horribly accented, but actually correct, Doman.

Lebeaux Desrosiers smiiiiiiiled at the hyur. Well played. “How droll.” He noted flatly. “You’ve picked up new and exciting ways to be tiresome.” He slid down off of the desk. “I’m going to fetch myself a cup of tea. Will you be having one or will you simply sustain yourself on that joke for the next bell.”

Lucien coughed to hide his laughter about it as he headed back to his feet. "I'd love a cuppa, if y'd b' so kind?"  That joke was going to keep him grinning slyly at the man for at least the rest of the work, though.

Lebeaux nodded and skulked out of the room. He went to the sideboard to prepare cups of tea, but the sound of his boots moved away towards the clinic corner first. Sliding the door open and speaking quietly. Leaving Luke a few moments of peace before he returned to the table to retrieve the other two cups. He carried them in and held them both out, giving Luke his choice to prove there wasn’t anything funny going on with either of them. “Black tea, sugar and cream. There’s brandy or whiskey if you would like as well. You may add that yourself.”

Luke accepted the cup of tea when it was offered, and with little hesitation at all the blacksmith took a sip of the tea while he held it in a hand.  "-Jus' this way, works f'r me!  Don't put shit inta m' tea, unless y' make it bitter," he added after another sip to test the liquid.

“Ishgardian style is generally brewed as a milk tea. Light and sweet once the sugar is added.” He noted as he took the cup he had been given back to the sideboard to add a splash of brandy to his own. “Yet the local milk just doesn’t give the same flavor. So I have it brewed with water and add the cream after. Slightly more bitter, yet still decent.” He noted as he observed the other’s work. “So would you like to tell me what you were saying about ‘depending on the mage’ without chewing up your words this time.”

Luke continued to sip the tea though he headed over to the cream because if this was the bitter Coerthan leaves... and it hadn't been done with milk... "-get proper milk fer yer tea or grab another style an' embrace wha' they have here. There's a milk froth tea y' could try prolly-" The man looked up, clearing his throat pointedly before he started again as he stressed his words.  "Wha' about... a'ight, so tha' mage isself is what determines how long tha' will last." Luke waited, seeing - with a lifted brow - if Lebeaux was going to object.

Lebeaux bristled slightly as Lucien decided to instruct him on the proper manner of preparing and drinking Coerthan tealeaves. “My, you are in fine form today, aren’t you.” He mused flatly. A generous helping of sass to make up for lost time, it seemed. “Feeling your oats a bit as you near the conclusion of your projects?” Nonetheless he took a sip of his tea and smiled. “Very well, I assume there is a limit as to how much can be absorbed before the system shuts down.”

Luke lifted a brow at Lebeaux and saluted him with the tea before he headed for the desk, putting the crystals - in a rather nicely made box that could pass for a snuff or smoke box - on it.  The sass was there for the heaping out but with a wide smile he seemed to rein it in. "Aye - a very strong si-mage," he caught quickly, "-will hit tha' limits of the system.  Don't change t' crystals but if y' need an upgrade I c'n work that in later, this should handle a decent one for ah good measure."

Lebeaux smiled primly at the small slip. Another little oddity to be added to the pile of ‘a very strange little hyur’. “That will be fine. I suspect the panic of being unable to use their aether will be enough to fluster any mage who attempts to cast, even if it’s only initially. It will buy me the time I require to retaliate.” He agreed as he eyed up the box that was now resting on his desk. Considering it for a few moments before he gave a small nod. It was ‘nice enough’ to pass as his own. “What would happen if the crystals were changed.”

Luke continued to hold the tea like a near-sailor but drink and seem to thoroughly enjoy it.  "Usually wha' I see when y' deal with casters suddenly ain't able t' cast," he said with an agreeing nod to the man.  And the box had been designed - with understated flair - to try to fit in the way that the lofty man had decorated.  It was not ostentatcious, mercifully.  "All right, tha' way tha' it would go down, if y' get the wrong kind or sort? Backlash an eedback t' you an' anyone inside."

Lebeaux smiled and tilted his head in agreement. He himself was a healer, his sort of casting wasn’t meant to be used on the offensive. Hence he had found other ways to defend himself. But those who depended on magic to exert their will wouldn’t deal well when they were suddenly left powerless. “I see. These have been chosen to work precisely with the system. Adjustments will need to be made should I require a larger capacity. I may, once the presence of this device becomes known. I’ll contact you at that time.”

Luke put his hand on the box, a tap on the system before he gestured for the man to step his way back around the desk.  "If y' need a larger capacity I c'n adjust the system for it, an' can provide you.  I'll have t' file a permit but it's easy 'nough t' get that in.  Nau, y' want t' test this out so y' know what it feels like?"

Lebeaux wrinkled his nose in distaste. “Would that truly push it over to weapons grade.” He wondered aloud. Perhaps he would simply have to deal with it as it was. “Very well. That bridge can be crossed should we come to it.” The medic circled around the desk, standing behind it. “How do I turn it on, then more importantly, how do I turn it off again.”

Luke leaned over the desk - hopefully he didn't have the thing covered in important papers as the man tapped where he'd shaved off and recessed the secret switch. "On an' off there.  Flick it on an' le's make sure nothin' explodes." At the remark of weapons grade, though, he chuckled.  "Y' forget, have t' file permits for crystals... nau' weapons grade, jus' paperwork fer tha' Consortium."

Lebeaux quirked a brow at that. “I was not aware. That’s an interesting thing to know.” Perhaps with the quantity of stained crystal he had in his office as well as the crystals he was now having installed, he should perhaps keep a closer eye on that. Nonetheless he reached down to find the recessed switch, his other hand shooing Luke away before he could go rolling around on his desk to shuffle papers and spread his long-hair-grease on it. With a slow inhale he pressed the switch.

Luke backed off the desk, sitting on the chair and plopping down, tea still balanced expertly in hand as he watched the system come to life.  There was little he could tell at all, in fact, but the feeling of a block and wall that seemed to drain the aether out of the room got a lip-twitch from the kir.  Lebeaux would probably be feeling the far problematic version of being cut off from the connection that usually worked the lifestream all across the star.

Lebeaux blinked in surprise at the strange sensation, exhaling in a rush of air as he lifted his hands up and attempted to cast. Reaching for that magic that was always waiting for his beck and call to find it entirely unresponsive. Even his own internal aether refused to cooperate, being drained away just as quickly as he could bring it forwards. He gasped and then laughed, the sound sharp-edged and harsh. “Fury have mercy, it truly works. What terrible sensation.” He sighed as he reached for the switch to turn it back off again.

[23:52]Lucien Korbinius looked far, far less affected - if there was ever a doubt the blacksmith was trained in aether use that might've killed it, though he still looked uncomfortable before the device was switched off.  "Did you doubt?" The man's voice curled a moment, watching with an uncharacteristic gleam in his eye as if studying how it affected even Lebeaux.

@glowinggunmetal