Yokohama - Research and Development
Tomes of digital information line the walls of the Research and Development Center, allowing any working in or visiting the station to delve into the history of Terra and all leading to the day of landing. A large screen on the far end of the room has been set before a long table provided for those that observe lectures or on assignment. To the left and right of this observation area are shatterproof windows alternating with bookshelves of files, texts and information. Apposing are a series of computers, lights flash from their screens, cast a faint glow to the walls or those before them as they continue the life changing research beneficial to Pern. On the right is a modestly sized testing facility whose windows are doubled panned not only for sound proofing but also to prevent impact into the Library.
Where has Kiley gone? Well, the woman has likely been in the research room for hours. Missing meals and the like, in fact, it is likely that she has only been seen once by any of the other candidates. She is settled at one of the computers in the research room, typing away at something or another for whatever research it does and going through the information. Information passes on the screen quickly, and just as quickly it is gone after the computer crafter reads whatever it is that happens to catch her fancy. The clicking of the keyboard continues as she types away. When something longer pops up, that is when she pauses and leans back to read what is along the screen and she breathes a sigh of bliss once again.
Karona seems to be just now working up the nerve to explore, as the lift opens to this level, and the smith candidate cautiously steps out. Her eyes go wide as she takes in the shelves of research material, though she's skipping over the windows as best she can. Space, shudder. Karona moves out away from the lift, at some tech's muttering, apologising sheepishly for getting in the way. Pern in the viewscreen? Bah, here's an ancient repository of knowledge, /way/ more interesting. She moves into the area, glancing this way and that. She spots Kiley, and moves over to join the computercraft candidate. "That's where you'd got to." Karona notes, though she's peering at the computer rather than the candidate. "Good stuff?" she queries.
Kiley perks at the sound of someone speaking to her, drawn from her reding as she looks at the smith candidate with bright eyes. "Yes. I've been here for a long time.. Oh." Pause, she looks around herself for a moment and then finds a pressed flower. "Look at this." She offers it towards the other candidate. "I'm going to use it in my journal. Since it was already off the plant, they didn't mind helping me press it. It is something they have growing in here from Terra.. Earth, or whatever. It was interesting to look at when it was.. Not flat." The woman beams a bright smile before looking back to the screen. "The technology on this ship is utterly amazing, I found so many records about how everything in the ship works, but I'm not even close to being done reading all about it. I've simply got the computers so far, but then there are so many categories of computers on this one ship alone that… Shells. I can't even wrap my head around it all yet. I want to make some of these things and then I have to go to Landing to find something to make the talking computer." The woman pauses there, simply to allow the other candidate to speak as she turns back to Karona with bright eyes.
Karona glances down at her calloused smith hands, then shakes her head slightly at the offered flower. "Oh, no, I wouldn't want to tear it." she says, stuffing her hand in her pockets, sheepishly. "It looks very nice, though." she says, tilting her head at the pressed flower. Though the tech stuff has her interest soon. "Mmm, find anything on how the ship was made?" she asks, hands coming out of her pocket so she can pull out a chair. "The metals, how they were made. I doubt Pern has the capability to reproduce this sort of thing, but I would like to know how they did it." she says, with a little shrug. Professional curiosity.
Kiley gives Karona a curious look but then nods at the woman's rejection. "It won't break that easily…" But she smiles and settles it gently beside the computer. "You should check out.. Ahh.. I think it is level two. I could pull it up.." But the trails off before shaking her head. "I didn't see anything about how it was made, yet. I doubt we could mimic it but there could be a substitute that we could use eventually to replace it to make something similar.. Maybe. Or, we'll just be stuck here. I wonder if anyone ever tried to follow them to see where they went? Maybe they forgot all about them because they weren't important anymore…" She trails off and glances down to the computer, quickly moving through a few files to attempt to find the one the smith requested. Once found, she moves from the seat and offers it to the other woman. "Here. I don't really know much about.. Smith stuff, but here it is."
Karona looks a bit embarrassed after her refusal to touch the flower, but she shakes her head. "No, really. I'm stronger than I look. Turns of beating metal into submission." she notes, with a grimace. "If I could do it over, I think I'd pick a different craft, but it's too late now." she notes, with a shrug. Though the eagerness with which she takes that seat betrays her fascination with the methods of her craft. "Ooh! Interesting. I've never even heard of /that/ ore…" she says, as she pores over the file. "Er, uh, how do I turn the page?" she asks, glancing up at Kiley. Never really used a computer? Likely she'd be worried about breaking them, if she was so concerned about that flower.
Kiley smiles, "it's okay, Karona." Kiley notes, before she considers the woman. I don't think you chose the wrong craft, you seem interested in it. The woman folds her hands behind her back and remains near the chair while the woman reads. Though when she asks about turning the page, the woman chuckles, "normally you just make it go down. It isn't much like a book unless printed out." She shows the woman how to move the page down and smiles a little wider as her hands fold behind her back once more. "Terra must have a lot of things we don't have.. But we also have things they don't."
Karona tilts her head slightly, and nods. "Oh, yeah, loads of thinks. Numbweed for one." though her brow furrows, perhaps wondering why that one sprang so readily to mind. "…also, klah, fellis, firelizards…" she shrugs slightly. Pern has lots of things. She frowns at the screen, hunching forward slightly, scrolling down tiny bit by tiny bit, squinting at the screen. "Hunh." She reaches the end of the document, and shakes her head slightly. "Bit over my head… can we get printouts?" she wonders, though she's already getting to her feet, stretching. "I don't think Pern's ever going out to space, myself. Seems like it requires a lot of materials, probably most of which don't even exist here. I know we'd be hard pressed to find enough metal for something like this, there just isn't that much of it." Said like a true smith. In short supply, meaning, 'can charge more'. Though, it's true, Pern isn't very mineral-rich.
Kiley mms softly, "right." She chuckles softly, "dragons, too." The woman leans in closer to the screen, thoughtful before she looks over towards the woman beside her. "I think so. We can ask and see? I'll ask in a bit because there's a few other files that I want to see about getting printed." The flower is picked up from beside the computer, considering it. "Well, it is an interesting idea, but there no reason for us to really go. I don't want to leave here. Especially with how long it took them to get here."
Karona takes a seat a short distance from the computer terminal, angled such that she's not facing any windows. "Mmm. Personally, I find this all fascinating, but I can't wait to get back to solid ground. I never /go/ anywhere, on my own, down there, but somehow… not having the /option/ to leave on my own… It's, I don't know, stifling?" she furrows her brow, and shakes her head. "No, that's not the right word, too severe. …But I can't think of a better one." she grimaces.
"It /is/ amazing. Fascinating.. But, I do miss the ground, too. I miss the air, I miss Pern." Kiley grins at the other and then nods understanding of the woman's words. "I get it. Well, I think I do understand." She smiles warmly and leans over the computer to make a small note on her journal there. "It can be stifling. I can't think of another word.. But hopefully we'll be going back down soon."
Karona nods slowly, glancing about the room, with a frown. "I don't envy the colonists… coming all this way. And for what? Thread?" she shudders, though thread is only a thing of the history books. "And they didn't even have dragons to fight it with." she grimaces. "Sounds positively barbaric!" But, that was all many many turns ago. "…still, they did good construction, /this/ thing is still flying. Or… floating. Whatever it's doing, it's… doing it."
Kiley considers, "I should read on why, exactly they came.. Maybe so I can understand. I figure they weren't expecting Thread, though.. They must have landed right before a Pass." Her head tilts slightly, "that is true. It must've been really.. Really hard." The woman shakes her head and moves to consider some other things of the room. "They really did do a good job. Everything floats in space, though.. The fact that it is still running is amazing."
Karona nods slightly. "Maybe there's something in their reason for coming that explains why no-one followed?" she suggest, brow furrowing. "Fleeing something dreadful, end of the world stuff?" she guesses. Because, honestly, why else would someone leave a perfectly good planet? It must have been dire. At least, Karona seems to think so. "Mm, yeah. Still running, still habitable. People /live/ up here. They actually live here. Rather than on Pern, like sensible people." A nearby tech overhears, and snorts, but Karona pays no heed.
"That's true. There has to be a reason why there were no followers and why the sent people out to settle here." Kiley furrows her own brows in thought before she nods agreement to the woman's assessment. "Sounds plausible, sensible, and a perfectly good reason why. There is no reason why anyone should abandon a planet." She walks around still, considering before the woman laughs. "Because it still needs people to take care of it and some are fascinated by the vast knowledge it holds. That is why people live at Landing, too. They are drawn by the existence of it and why it works the way it does. There's so much to learn."
Karona glances around, and shakes her head. "Take care of it? If anything broke, would we really be able to repair it?" she has to ask, though she clearly thinks the answer is no. "It's beyond us, I think. At least if someone breaks something at Landing, it doesn't risk killing everyone at Landing." Really? That's a bit… extreme. Is she still jumpy after the sirens the other day? Seems to be. "I wouldn't mind living at Landing, though. Studying metalworking, from AIVAS. That sounds… intriguing. Rediscovering ancient techniques…" she murmurs, shaking her head slightly. "Practical work is more immediately useful, however. Pern needs runner shoes." she shrugs it off, apparently content with making runner shoes. "…still, probably something at Landing about talking computers. Doesn't AIVAS talk?" she asks.
"Yes, to make sure there's still oxygen and to make sure the computers function still, there's a lot that occasionally needs maintenance, and a lot of it is what we can repair. That's why the take care to make sure that when something does break it is something we can replace… So they were telling me the other day." The smile Kiley gives next is sheepish as she makes her way back to the smith. "They're careful so that nothing will kill everyone on board." She assure, continuing onward in the conversation. "You're too worried about practicality, you should try to have fun. You seem to enjoy what you do, why not explore it more? You don't need to just settle down and have a family right away…" The look she gives the other woman is one of concern. "Yes, it talks. But I wouldn't be able to take it apart. I heard it used to.. Talk more. Like.. Freely. It was amazing. It was almost human, or that's how they make it sound.. But not anymore."
Karona blinks at Kiley. "Practical /is/ fun." she states, though even she seems to realise how ridiculous that sounds, and she shakes her head. "Well, not /fun/. But there's a certain satisfaction in knowing someone can visit a nearby hold, just because you made shoes for their runner." she says, defensively. "Studying theory doesn't fit my /plan/. There's no marks in it, it's a waste of time. Let people who don't care about marks do that stuff." she says, waving it off. There'd likely be marks if a viable technique was rediscovered, but the odds of that are slim at best. "AIVAS doesn't talk as much? Aw. I've only heard about it from my father, and he's never seen it for himself." she admits, with a furrowed brow. "Perhaps I ought to go, just /once/. For a visit." she ponders, frowning. A visit can't upset her plan too much, right?
Kiley gives Karona a wary eye, considering the woman with a very serious look coming to her face. Brows lift then, questioning her with looks alone before she relents with a sigh. "I guess that's true. The satisfaction that you made it possible for someone, somewhere, to go on with their life as well is nice…" In theory. The woman considers the other with a tilt of her head, arms folding as she listens. "Marks are important, too… If you're still wanting to retire so early." She tilts her head again, "no. He talks all the time, but he doesn't talk freely like a person. I want to make a computer where you can give it verbal commands. And maybe after that I'll try to make a new… Talking computer that talks freely or whatever it is called. I forget the term." However, it is the talk of visiting that has the woman brightening for the other. "Yes! Visit. It won't hurt."
Karona bobs her head slightly at Kiley, though the woman's questioning looks are avoided, as best she can. "Exactly. That satisfaction is all I ask. Really." she says, though she seems to protest a bit too much. "Finding some theory may grant fame, but fame doesn't put food on the table." No, the Weyr does that. "Or, uh… well, it's not marks." she finishes, lamely, with a grimace. "Ought to switch to sculptures though, I guess, if /marks/ are my aim." she says, though she seems … uncertain. "We'll see how my first is received, I suppose." She still hasn't finished that commission? The computer talk, that gets a nod. "I'd use that computer. If I could tell it to go to the next page, or ask it for the information I wanted. The input devices," she glances warily at one console, "they look… fragile."
"Well, as long as you're happy." This is an echo of earlier conversations, though a wary tone lingers in the computer crafter's voice. "Fame sometimes grants marks, y'know. Or.. Something. People want to buy the theory to test it, things like that." Kiley offers, tilting her head thoughtfully. "People like looking at sculptures, too. Some are just weird shapes called art and people think that it amazing and they want it. You'll certainly make more that way." Though the uncertain tone has her watching the other with that serious look again. "It'll be fine." She's reaching for the journal when the woman talks about what she'd use a voice activated computer for, she tucks the flower between the pages before she writes that down. "I would aim to make it as simple as possible for those who use it. If you could have it type stuff up by saying it, that would be great. But I imagine it would get words wrong like.. There, they're, and their. But, it could ask: would you like option one, two, or three.. Then you state which one and it picks it out for you." There's a soft hmm as she writes this down. "What else..?"
Karona tips her head slightly at Kiley. "Yeah… I went a weird shapey kind of place with the commission, should come by and see it when we get back to the Weyr, it's actually done, I just need to catch the rider to deliver it." she notes, with a shrug. "I was hoping to catch him the afternoon of the day before this trip, but…" she shakes her head. Nothing can be done about that now. "Hrm." she murmurs, as the paper comes out, ideas jotted down. "It would be nice if it talked back, I suppose? Those tiny screens, bit hard to read." Or, perhaps her eyesight is just bad. Could be. "Read the text on the screen back. Um, hmm. Accents are a problem too." she realises. "Need to talk to people in different areas."
Kiley chuckles at Karona's admission about the commission, "as long as the person who asked for it is happy?" She considers, tilting her head slightly and looking towards Karona again. "Well, there's always when we get back and then you can get the statue out and hear the results. Are you getting more marks for when you finish it or..?" Brows lift curiously for the process. Then she writes down the ideas, "yeah. You can talk to it and it can talk back when you make a command. Invalid command. Or.. Understood.. Things like that." Brows lift and then that goes down as well, "that is a good idea. Have it read it back so that you can make sure it is all accurate. But then there's the accents. That's right, I need to learn everyone's accent so the computer understands when things are said a certain way it means that they're saying whatever it is that they mean." The woman nods again, writing more things down with a cheerful grin.
Karona tips her head slightly, tugging the fat blue marks pouch from her pocket. Really? She brought that with her? She had no idea where they were going, but /still/. Does she sleep with that in her pocket? Probably. "Yeah, this is just the deposit. For supplies and such." she says, nodding at it. It doesn't look like it's been dipped into for any supplies, and yet, she claims she's done. She has another source of marks? "Hmm, yeah. Probably wouldn't have to cover every accent, if it's just for Xanadu, but then, looking at the candidate class…" They're kind of nabbed from all over, aren't they? Karona's accent is mild, but a strange mixture of Telgar, Ierne, Ista, with a faint touch of Fort. Mainly Telgar though, as that's the region the smithcraft hall is. "Can't really… think of anything else." she says, brow furrowing, as she attempts to think of something else for the voice computer. Likely she'll blurt out some idea, long after the subject has changed.
Kiley looks to Karona as she pulls out the pouch of marks again, making no comment and then hmms softly. "Must be a rather expensive project, then. That's a lot of marks." The woman breathes out softly. "Well, I intend to make it used everywhere. What's the point of one place benefiting from something while others may have use of it?" She asks with an upward lift of her brows. She closes the journal and stretches out, this causes her stomach to growl and the woman flushes a dark shade. "I… Haven't eaten yet. I think I should do that. I'll see about getting that stuff printed out for you while I'm gone and I'll give it to you when we're off for sleep." She waves her hand and then makes towards the lift so to get something to sate her growly tummy.
Karona blinks at Kiley's grumbly stomach, and shakes her head slightly. "I- I'm not hungry. You go do that, I'll be… up here. Maybe I'll find a tech to help me, look some things up. Since I'm /here/." she qualifies, clearing her throat slightly. No, really, theory stuff doesn't interest her at all. Honest! …liar. She gives a wave to Kiley, though. "Er. Right. Catch you later." she says, stuffing the marks pouch back in her pocket rather belatedly. And then, she's off to find a tech to pester. Er, to make enquiries with, like a good candidate. Right.