2025-09-17 - Veruk: Automatons 101

Christopher is dressed in a pair of faded jeans, some white running shoes, and a black T-shirt with a purple somewhat hollow Cheshire Cat on it that says: You may have noticed, but I'm not all there either. Over it, he has on a light grey hoodie and slung over one shoulder, a backpack with some notepads, pens, his phone, snacks, water, a flashlight, and a few other odds and ends.

Face nearly plastered to one of the windows, he watches the scenery go by as their ship approaches the dome that houses the University. Seated next to Elmo, he grins and shoulder-bumps him a little as they get closer. "This place is so cool."

The big man in the corner is quiet. There was a portal. Now there are submarines. Dressed in black jeans, a white tee, and a denim jacket, Lionel has been taking this all in, a state of serene 'well, this is happening' disbelief.

He finally pipes up when Christopher speaks.

"Yeah," he agrees in a warm baritone. "Cool isn't even the word for it. I don't think... I don't think there are words for it."

Dylan is psyched, and it shows a lot more readily than Elmo's. He's claimed a nearby window to be similarly (but not, thankfully, literally) glued to, and his little flying robot is currently balanced on his shoulder as if it were a familiar, as opposed to just a small construct busily recording everything it senses for future analysis. Today's colour is black: black jeans, black Docs, black hoodie, and a black t-shirt with a near-neon design of a number of science-y things in a circle and the text, "SCIENCE! When you're tired of being wrong". He too has a backpack. A black one, as it happens. Chances this is nearly exactly how he was dressed at his own universities are high.

"It's a-fucking-mazing, is what it is," he agrees, "I've been through this portal before and... I mean, look. No submarine the first time, though." Which is why he spent the first part of this trip trying to get a look at as much of the workings of the thing as he could get away with, before he finally headed back to his seat.

Veruk has been cleared for open travel. And Asher hasn't met the folks inhabiting it. But they're still wary to send a team in without medical, and since they don't have a scheduled shift, it seems like a good way to kill some time, even if they aren't into robotics much. They say hi to Kenneth, looking over the runes programmed into it, still kind of in awe they're finally legible. They're wearing a Scrantonicity tee shirt under a black hoodie, with jeans and their favorite embroidered purple canvas sneakers, a lilac backpack over one shoulder. They don't even flinch at the way stepping through the portal shivers every bone in the body any longer.

The submersible is cool af, though, and they spend a bit of time just checking everything out from their seat before they pull out a mini carrot from the pack now on their lap, apparently having random loose snacks in the front pocket. They lean across and hand it out to The Freakster, leaving Elmo to his contemplations. Christopher gets a nod of absolute agreement. This entire thing is one of the neatest things they've done in the other worlds. "It's no furry snail-bus. But. It's still fantastic."

Looking over to the face in the group that they don't know, Asher tells Lionel, "Hey. I don't think we've met. I'm Asher. I don't know anything about robotics, but, on the off chance there's a need for a medic, it's fun to tag along." They grin widely as they suggest, "And, if you're looking for words, might I suggest... Phenomenal, breath-taking, unimaginable, ridonkulous, or badassed? But don't use the most amazinng thing you've ever seen. Save that superlative for the furry snail-busses." After, they check with Dylan once he's settled down, "Dilly. My love. My friend. My affectionately tolerated procrastinator. Do we have a celebration destination in mind yet?"

Christopher grins at Elmo and at the lash-batting and leans against his shoulder for a moment before he glances over toward Lionel. "Wild, isn't it? It's never going to get old, being able to see entirely different worlds." He gives Asher an up-nod of greeting and a smile before chuckling at Dylan. "These ships are pretty cool. Imagine if we had some for the park. You could like go through the lake, or fly over the islands, or.. I dunno, could do a whole 20,000 leagues under the sea-esque thing with them."

Once they are docked, Christopher gets up from his seat, shifting his bag on his shoulder and waiting his turn to disembark along with the other passengers. He gives those that look at them a friendly grin and a little wave but doesn't try to approach. He figures they're the odd creatures to these people, may as well make I-don't-bite gestures of good will.

Lionel offers a hand to Asher. "Lionel," he says with a small smile. "Medic? Great. I was an EMT for ten years if you need a hand with anything, but I'm not gonna get in the way of you doing your job." A pause. "Let's hope you don't end up needing to do your job."

He mouths 'furry snail bus' and blinks a few times.

They arrive and he has to duck to get through the hatch. He's used to this. As they disembark, he asks the others quietly, "Is this really another world?"

"I mean, in fairness, if he hasn't seen the snails yet, 'most amazing thing he's ever seen' would work fine here even if he DOES end up thinking those are more so," Dylan notes to Asher, "...and honestly, Shelby is awesome, but: actual full-sized steampunk submarine public transit system. I dunno it's that cut and dried." A nod and point at Christopher, for the idea of having these in the park -- though yes, okay, the snails would also be appreciated there, for sure.

"And, Ashy, my dearest, my darling, my surprisingly pushy miniature medic, we have not yet poked nearly enough worlds to find the right one. We're," a little headtilt to Elmo and Christopher, "still working on figuring out how to make the runes define a thing for us. Do you want to accidentally party in puritan Salem? 'cause that's how we get burnt at the stake."

He flashes them a broad grin, and then turns it on Lionel. "Dylan," he notes, this being an important thing for the guy (and the rest of the worlds) to know, and the grin manages to expand a bit as he looks around at their surroundings. "Yup. Oh, niiice robosquid..." He watches that backpack go by, the little bot on his own shoulder unfolding a bit and taking off to hover just over and behind his shoulder, rather than resting on it itself. No waves from him, but people do get smiles and little upnods. He's with Christopher on this for now.

"Ok..." Asher has no shame, and it's not the only thing they share with Dylan. "If there is extra time on this field trip, or, on one of the next ones and someone sees that patch," they point to the robo-squid discretely, "in any gift shops or bookstores? I'd better end up with one. All the pie you can eat for the rest of forever." They get up and shrug their lilack backpack onto their shoulders. Their dark, shifting, oil-slick hair swaps colors along the strands as they shake it out from under the straps. Christopher gets a grin, and a return of that lifted chin. "I'd take one of these over a ferry any day."

Asher's hand, like Asher, is small. But their grip is firm and warm. "Nice to meet you." And, to hear he's a medic, "Oh, badass, what do you do now?" When he mentions no one wants them to do their job, though... They shoot a look almost like panic across their silvery eyes at Dylan, swallowing before Lionel gets their attention again. "We're trying to avoid that. Trust me. No one likes watching me work." Especially since whatever supplies they have are in a backpack with all their other stuff, including those loose animal snacks.

"Sure, it's fair," Asher tells Dyllan after. "But, how silly will he feel if we let him waste it on a submarine and don't warn him of the furry snail bus? This isn't a snipe hunt we're running, no one hazes the new kid. We let him know what's out there so he knows where to find it later." There is no debate for them. Shelby is cooler and it's not even in the same league. You might be able to hug the submersible, but, it doesn't have fur. When he tells them the MSD is still trying to figure out programming, though, they sigh. "Is it mechanical, or linguistic? Do we need another meeting?" They have no idea what the MSD gets up to unless the Decrypt Keepers have tagged them in.

As to parties in Puritan Salem, though... "'Tis the season for it." And they point out. "Some of us wouldn't feel the burn long enough to untie the rest, though. But..." Yeah. They admit it. "The aftermath of patching you up would suck. Fine. Keep figuring it out." They include Elmo in this, "But, seriously. On purpose is going to be worth the wait." And they watch the droid-bot, clearly fascinated. Then, they check on The Freak, looking to see how the rat likes being mechanically copied.

"Christopher," he introduces himself to Lionel, "Or just Chris is fine, too." He then laughs and says, "Drunken research is more interesting research," as they make their way out of the ship and onto the dock. Christopher studies the statues as they pass them, trying to read any plaques or inscriptions on them, but he doesn't understand the language at all and so he just sort of stares at the symbols more than anything else. "Learning the language of another world could be fun, but then I'd have to pick one to try and learn, and from which world?" He mostly muses this to himself.

"Fishies," he says as he leans over and peers into the fountain, then pulls out his phone and snaps a few pictures of the colorful fish for later. Then he glances up toward the building that Elmo points out and nods. "Big seems like a good place to start." And he falls right into step heading in that direction.

"Elmo. Asher. Chris. Dylan." Lionel says the names aloud, probably in an attempt to commit them to memory. Then, in an answer to Asher's question, "Tattoo artist. When I took the job, I thought the weirdest part was that it was a salaried tattoo job with benefits at a theme park, but I was not prepared."

He gazes at the sights as they move, eyes full of respectful, almost reverent wonder. More than almost. He does stop for a moment at the fountain, before declaring, "Oh snap, look at that one. It's like some kind of purple stripey eel?" That's when his phone comes out. Yessss. Art inspo for days.

As they approach the university, he asks gingerly, "They know we're coming, right?"

"Oh shit, the rest of forever? Good deal." Dylan is now officially working on the 'have no local money' issue somewhere in the back of his mind. Just in case. Who doesn't like pie? The glance Asher shoots him gets a tiny, possibly sympathetic little repositioning of the eyebrows, but it's brief, then gone. Much clearer is, "But my point is it wouldn't be wasted. There could still be something you'll think is even more amazing out there; that doesn't change what the most amazing thing you ever saw yet is."

He meets Elmo's look and the brows go up, in a bigger way. Yep, this has some potential. Put it on the docket along with their other Ideas, for sure. "Mechanical, linguistic, mechanolinguistic..." We're working on it, says the shrug. "When we hit the languagier bits we'll probably drag you in again." As likely appropriate given he just said 'languagier'. "And drunk research best research."

A hand dips into his pocket, pulling out his own phone, and he pokes and swipes a few things that appear to result in the little robot moving around and getting better shots of various things -- statues, plaques, fish, etc. -- as he saunters along with Elmo in the chosen direction. "There was kind of a standing invitation, I think," he answers Lionel, "So.... kinda, at least?"

It's not the first time that Asher has heard - or spoken - this language. They're so busy listening in on alien gossip that they don't really register what Elmo means, "You think they have patches in bars?" It's not until Christopher mentions drunken research that it dawns on them. "Oh," they laugh, and their hair flickers through its oil slicks again as they shake it. "I don't really drink." Dylan had all but about three very small sips of their pint at translation night. "I wonder if that kid would trade his patch for exam prep... Think we know anything he's studying?" That poor dude is not prepared.

It does mean, unles Asher is just pulling it all out of nothing, they might actually mean it when they offer, "I can teach you this one, Chris. Well... Maybe?" Their freckled nose wrinkles. "I can tell you what they're saying while we record it, then backtrack and try to crack the codes of what means what." Or, it might be easier... "Or, we can ask the folks who invited us if we can have some of their little kid early language learning primers..." They offer no input on where they should or shouldn't go, just following along. "The colors remind me of koi," about the fish, "Even if the shape is all wrong."

"That's a serious career change," Asher tells Lionel. But when he says he wasn't prepared, Asher's silver eyes get a little wide and they nod. "Yeah. I wasn't either." Honestly... It's been a long bit of time, "I'm still not always sure I'm super prepared about it, but. It doesn't seem to care if I want to get used to it or not." They're also smart enough to not remind Dylan he already has pie privileges. He can earn more if he wants to. They're not a fool. And the patch is fantastic. Especially since they still don't get to hear about anything cooler than just the languagier parts.

Chris slides his hands into his pockets, listening to the others talk around him with a bit of a grin, clearly just jazzed to be here and strolling around in a big glass bubble under the sea. He stares into the darkness of that water above and gets a little shiver. It's exciting and a little scary to know there's a whole lotta ocean up there.

When Asher offers to teach the language, Christopher looks a little surprised but he says, "Yeah? That could be cool.. " Though the logistics seems a little complicated. "Maybe something to think about for the future."

Smirking over at Elmo for a moment, he makes fish faces at him in return, "I'm going to choose to take that as a compliment."

"Robots, robots, robots," he chants under his breath as they approach the big building and then a robot does indeed appear. "Hi Porto," Chris greets with a grin. "We are here to learn about robots! Where's the best place in the university to learn more about them?"

"Stagnation is death," Lionel tells Asher simply.

But, like, we've got robots.

He lingers a step behind as Porto greets them, big frame turned toward the silvery automaton with a look that mixes awe and caution. "That’s…" He trails off, shakes his head slowly, then finishes, "That’s not like anything I’ve ever seen." The words come out low, almost reverent.

He tucks his phone away and adjusts the strap of his bag, then looks around at the others, checking their faces like he’s half-expecting someone else to explain what to do next.

Finally his attention comes back to Porto, posture straightening a little. He realizes that Porto might be a who rather than a that, and this requires manners. The big man inclines his head, respectful. "We’re honored to be here," he says. "I’ve never been to a university under the ocean. So… maybe you could start with showing us what you’re proudest of?"

As long as Dylan's getting pie at some point, that's the important thing here.

Well, that and robots. "Yessss!" he replies to Elmo, the grin bright again. And then, yes: a robot! Dylan attempts to eye it up without being super obvious, which... has the potential risk of making it look like he might be flirting with it. Which he isn't. As yet. Check again later. His own little companion returns to its base spot near his shoulder, now that he's more focused.

"Hey! Nice to meet you, Porto. I'm Dylan. This," a liittle gesture shoulderward, "is Flash. Thanks for having us." Christopher's covered his number one answer for the question, and Lionel's added another good one, so he leaves it at that.

"Yeah, of course," Asher tells Elmo, regarding the rune. "You know how to reach me, Momo, I'll help if I can." And tthen, when Porto comes by, Asher offers a grin along with a wave. Chris gets a nod about his yeah, "As soon as we figure out how. We can study it together." As for Lionel's comment on death, the surfer from Cali tells him, "Only if you're a shark." Asher doesn't mind a little standing still now and then. And when Dylan introduces Flash, Asher takes note of the name for future reference. They lean to ask Lionel, "Do robots snack on anything?" Baby carrots work for The Freak. But how do you bribe a friend's robot buddy?

"Oh, I'm Chris," Christopher introduces himself to Porto, supposing that's polite, even if it's a little bit of an afterthought. He does bump his shoulder against Elmo's a little and says, "You think I'm cuuu-uute," under his breath before he gets a little bit more serious about the task at hand. Learning!

Asher gets a thumbs-up about the potential language study. He falls into step behind Porto as they are lead toward Quorr tower, taking a moment to look at the statue as it's pointed out. He seems down for the tour, hands slipping into his pockets. There's a grin as he watches the students and then asides to Elmo, "Guess pride in your sports team is a common thing in this world, too." Then he asks Porto, "How does one play splash ball?"

There's no shortage of awe as Lionel follows Porto like a good little scout on a field trip. When he speaks up to ask a question, it's a bit hesitant.

"All the robots -- automatons, excuse me -- underwater... I'm surprised that I don't see rust everywhere. Is that something that's not really a worry here?"

This is tinged with a slight 'is this a dumb question' undercurrent. When Christopher asks about splashball, he nods once, enthusiastically. "Was just about to ask that, too."

Asher is mostly just here in case of emergencies, but, they're also incredibly curious about the technology of the world, and if any of it might be applicable back home with any of the MSD projects or the portals and their programming in the self-constructed Brass House. So as Porto offers tours of campus, of art, and of athletics and architecture, they simply follow along in wide-eyed, curious silence, taking in everything, but especially the snippets of background conversations they pick up from different students wandering by.

There's a soft laugh from Asher as Christopher teases Elmo, their silvery gaze glinting as they check in from time to time visually with the rest of the group. They try to share the interest in Splashball, but, no matter what world - Sportsball is Sportsball. In their mind, they're thinking Final Fantasy's BlitzBall, but they can't really muster up much excitement for the sports even though they do try. And when there is a lull in the conversations, Asher asks Porto in the native tongue of this world, <<"I know that you are able to understand us. But when we're speaking with those who don't share our tongue here, should we speak their language, or stick with ours and allow you to translate on our behalf?">>

"Sure, they like the occasional byte," Dylan cannot but immediately answer Asher, despite not being the one asked. Look, it was right there, okay?

When Porto repeats the little bot's name, the engineer elaborates, "Flexible Location/Action Scanning Hoverbot. He mostly records things for me. Also? Flies," there's just enough extra pause to suggest that an intensifier may have been substituted, "really fast, compared to the one before."

The way their guide handles turning around gets a look of definite interest, as does the indicated statue. Splash Ball is of some interest, but it's already been asked. And the school of robotics is ahead.

Christopher just grins at the shove and does not poke further. He knows to quit when he's ahead. "Huh," he says at the explanation of splash ball and then opines to the group at large. "I kinda wanna come see a match sometime. Sounds like fun." Then he's quiet to continue listening. That is, until Porto challenges Dylan and he laughs a little, "Yeah, Dylan? Does he SWIM?" It's very clear he's just teasing.

Porto might be heading for the elevator but Christopher is drawn like a moth to a flame toward that fish tank. He just drifts right on over to it to stare at it and look all the way up and as far as he can down to see what might be in it. Someone might need to tug him away.

"I absolutely want to go to a game. Just tell me what colors not to wear. Don't wanna rep the wrong team." Lionel dutifully goes over to admire the fish tank, and impressive as it is, something else is on his mind. He approaches Porto and asks quietly, "I don't mean to ask personal or offensive questions, but where I'm from, people are made of flesh. You're a person, I can tell that much, not just clever programming. How? How does that work?"

When Asher hears that pun from Dylan, they laugh warmly, flashing him a quick set of heart-hands. There's a nod as Porto answers their question about the language barrier they'll experience most likely with the non-robotic students and staff. And at some point their head turns. They bite their tongue before saying it loud enough to carry, but they murmur softly, "Gurl... What did Tartha do though?" The downside of snippets, all the curiosity, none of the actual tea spilled.

When Christopher stops to smell the roses see the feesh, Asher doesn't rush him or try to hurry him along. They do pause alongside, though, patiently waiting for both Chris and Lionel before the latter goes to talk existential philosophy with what they assume to be AI. They are ridiculously curious about where this might score on a Turing Test. They can keep an eye on the group ahead a lot more easily than they could on him left behind. And they're pretty sure after that hip bump that Elmo and Dylan will make sure the elevator gets held if for some reason Porto wouldn't.

"Nah," Dylan answers the (repeated) question, then grins, "Not yet, anyway. Bubbles does, but she doesn't fly. Also yet. Which. I would love to learn more about all that various water-resistance research." There are probably so many fascinating papers here somewhere that he can't read! Maybe if that language-learning thing happens. "The translation, too. That has to be amazingly useful." Depending, perhaps, on how many interdimensional travellers they get around these parts.

He's not getting any sort of bumps, but yes, he'd still aim to hold the elevator if any of the group were getting left behind. The fishtank is definitely worth a look, and he gives it a good one, but as fascinating as it is, he's in no danger of being too mesmerized by it to remember to continue on to the main robotics area. Well. Maybe if it turns out to contain a wide variety of robot fish.

Christopher is very much absorbed in the fish tank, but not so absorbed that he can't pay attention, and when Elmo tugs on him, he allows himself to be pulled away from the tank. "Did you see the one with the beak?" he asks even as he's falling into step with the others once more. He leans in and whispers, "Who's Tartha?" as they get on the elevator. Clearly he missed something.

Porto gets an appraising look and Christopher nods slowly, "I guess that's kind of how we socialize, too, in a way. Kind of absorb and learn from all of the encounters around us."

"Oooh, deep sea automatons," he breathes with excitement. "Okay.. I need to see those.." and off he goes again, heading in that direction to check out what he can see. Tartha is forgotten. Deep sea robots have his attention.

Yes, everything is gorgeous and grand, but Lionel is stuck on Porto. "So wait. Are you a person? Or are you simulating being a person?"

This is spoken with the air of someone who spent far too much time trying to figure out if ChatGPT was sentient when it first came out. The big man steps aside alongside the automaton, and asks, "I mean, what do you think you are?"

Ok. For real... What did Tartha do?!? The group eventually gets herded for the elevator, and Asher joins, answering Chris' question, "I don't know yet, but, it sounds like capital D Drama..." And they ask Porto about the tea, sort of. "I couldn't help overhear... Is there an election coming up here?" I am the sum of all those who have known me... It's incredibly deep, and Asher has to stop themself from deep diving into that philosophical debate instead of the robotics work they're here to observe. But when Lionel asks that question, with such blunt phrasing... Asher suggests softly, aiming for gentleness, "Our world has all kinds of intelligence, quite a bit of which rivals ours. I'm not sure personhood is an important factor here, all things considered?"

Dylan nods to Christopher at the idea that that is, essentially, what humans are generally doing too. It is also, very clearly, another thing he wants to look further into the guts of, which is going to be a huge and probably somewhat frustrating list by the time they're done here. None of his can really be said to have personalities beyond the ones he only half-seriously attributes to them. To be able to create something... someone like Porto? Well.

"Once in a while I'm not totally sure I'm not simulating being a person," he says, with another quick grin, and then they're being offered two projects to go investigate and while it's very unlikely the lack of immediate verbal response to that means he's managed to squee at a frequency inaudible to human ears, it's not entirely impossible. Miniature is tempting, but he has to go with Christopher on the final decision for now. "Absolutely," he agrees, heading along the same way.

Christopher's eyes widen as they move into the lab with the big aperatures and appendages coming out of the walls and ceiling. This is like, the ultimate playground. So many toys. He can't really figure out where to look first. He keeps his hands in his pockets and stays out of the way of any swiveling appendages, but he's watching closely what the woman is doing with the lobster claw. Then he tries to peer over some shoulders at what the others are doing. "Man, I could spend just.. forever in here.." he breathes.

He's sort of half-listening to the conversation still going on in the hall, but his focus for now is on all the wonderful machines. He tries to read whatever monitors, readouts, and displays he can, just to try and see if he can make heads or tails of any of it. "How deep can they go?" he asks one of the students, unable to hold back the questions any longer.

Lionel nods and reaches out to clap Porto on the shoulder if he permits it. "You're a person to me, brother. Why is that research restricted, though?"
Maybe someday, he'll regret not exploring the lab more, but there's robot philosophy. Gotta do the robot philosophy.

Asher peers into the lab through the doorway, but robotics is not a field with which they're familiar. They're far more interested in the political setup of both the university and the wider world around it, and in the philosophy of intellectual sentience with a regard to consciousness, autonomy, and self-determination, so they stick to the hallway with Porto and Lionel.

Letting that question about research restrictions be asked, Asher finds a spot between philosophical questions and answers to pose a political one, mentioning simply, "I'd love to hear more about the politics of your world, and how the students are prepared to join it as they get older with the ways it trickles down into campus leadership as well." Well... The MSD would probably love to hear more about it. Asher is willing to take one for their team by being the go between for it, though.

"I might just move in," Dylan murmurs in apparent agreement to Christopher. "Definitely I gotta either learn their language or get way better at doing it magically..." Earth languages only so far, as far as he can tell, and this is most definitely not Earth. "...That is the sexiest giant lobster claw I have ever seen." If it's the only one, that is entirely irrelevant.

He too is listening to what he can still catch of what the others are saying, or at least somewhat trying to, but there is a lot in here to look at. The computers, the automatons in process, even the tools in use; all of this needs taking in. Up close, if he can get away with it without getting in the way. He doesn't attempt to ask any questions just yet -- maybe once he sees whether anyone who isn't Porto here can understand them.

Christopher is not so much in physical danger as he just realized he asked the students a question in his own language and they responded in theirs, which means that somehow they understood him, or something translated for them. But he cannot receive the response! He looks a little bit alarmed, looking around the room. And then there's Porto stepping in to supply the answer and he breathes out a sigh of relief. "Oh, oh, that's cool. Can we watch it come back?" As for who thy are. He points to himself and says, "Christopher." Then he glances over toward Porto and says, "From Earth. A visitor. And very interested in their work. I'm ah, a programmer." He doesn't mention the part about being a performing pirate. That might be harder to explain and is definitely less relevant to what they're studying right now.

Asher glances into the lab as it's mentioned there's trouble, but laughs as they see it's not a physical issue. "A test automaton?" There is a shake of their head that sends their hair shifting through its dark, oil-slicked shades again with the movements. "I can help with translations, especially if you need to help with other things." Asher doesn't know the violence levels of which Chris may or may not be capable. But, "If I let Dilly and MoMo miss out on the discourse of a lifetime, I might get shanked." They wouldn't. But, they would owe a lot of apology rounds at Lucky's.

Heading back into the labs, Asher suggests to their guide, "Porto, if you can translate our language for the students, I can translate yours for my friends." Divide and conquer.

"Dylan," exactly who one would expect to say so says, with a similar gesture to himself. "Also visiting from Earth, also very interested in your work. I'm an engineer, and I build robots, but... nothing like the ones you build here. Yet." He's saying it to the students, but glances over to Porto -- and Asher -- hopefully, for their translations, before looking back to the students again. "What did you send the test automaton to test out? And what are you planning for them to do when they're complete?"

"Gotchu, Boo," Asher promises Dylan. And then they do what they do best when they're in an unfamiliar world and no one is injured. Asher steps back from actual conversation and simply facilitates the discourse for others, translating between the English and what they choose to designate as Verukian so that the students and the Park Engineers and robotics enthusiasts can exchange ideas smoothly. They pass along names and introductions, and tag team with Porto to make sure information is smoothly and carefully conveyed back and forth.

"Oh, awesome!" Dylan's completely sincere about that, and unusually accurate -- it's hard to regard depths like that without at least a little awe. "What's new about this alloy?" He has many questions. They're probably going to keep on coming until someone makes him stop. Some are about the trench itself, some about which new avenues those might be, but most are about the automata themselves and the processes they use to work on them.

The occasional joke may be difficult to translate in a way that works, but at least he's not making anyone translate flirtation right now. Maybe next trip.

One of his questions some ways in is for Porto, though: "Do you guys ever take part-time interdimensional students?"

Asher doesn't rush any of the conversation. And Dylan is lucky enough that they're fond enough of the other Decrypt Keepers (and linguistically capable enough) that at least the concepts of the humor translate, even if not all the puns are feasible. But they do what they can. At one point, a certain tool is mentioned, and Asher can't find the right way to fully describe it, if there is an Earth equivalent, they don't know what it might be. But they do what they're able. It's going well up until the emergency hits. Asher tells Porto, "If it turns out we can help, I'm sure everyone would try, but we'll get out of your way. Thank you so much for your time!"

And, when they head out and swing by the Campus Gift Shop, Asher literally squees out loud to spot the squid patches. They trade a chocolate bar and an energy drink from their backpack after translating barters for what anyone else might want to pick up, but for their snacks, they get two patches and absolutely count this as their second best portal win. It's better than the map of portal-Eisengard, but just below riding a fuzzy snail bus.