Everyone at the Institute of Interplanar Studies is a dragon. Other dragon-administered universities will host other species (usually kobolds), but this facility was built to be out-of-the-way. Zalan wonders if the administration's too paranoid about physical security. Maybe, maybe not. In either case, it isn't a decision he has a voice in.
Perhaps so... But he'd really be letting the department down.
On the other hand, if this oracle system does have safety implications, maybe they should've put more resources into it instead of putting it on Zalan's shoulders.
...but of course, eventually, that argument is just 'it's your fault for hiring me.'
Dragons can actually get pretty loud. During the mythic ages, this was a useful aspect of their powerful Breathing magicks. Now, it mostly means there's good soundproofing here.
...is that why he didn't hear whatever Kezey heard? Hmm.
Zalan quickly skims the unsummarized communication, but he didn't miss much.
{Zalan}: What kind of noise was it? Where was it located?
{Kezey}: Machinery sounds, like a turbine of pure tone. High in pitch, rising straight into ultrasonic, then nothing. It left me concerned there were dangerous audio levels outside my range of hearing, but it's actually silent now. I'm in the lab tower, of course.
There's certainly no way Zalan could've heard anything from here, then. The labs are built at a safe distance from the habitats.
{Zalan}: Sounds like normal equipment energetics. I assume you talked to someone about it?
{Kezey}: They said to let them know if I hear it again.
{Zalan}: Oh...
{Kezey}: So how's that script coming along?
{Zalan}: I'm working on it. I confess that I've never worked with oracular prognostication before. It makes data structures complicated.
{Kezey}: Well... I'm sure you can get it finished. Thanks for your hard work!
After speeding through the morning afternoon routine, Zalan pauses and considers this, before trying to look fierce instead. He pushes his fear down and his doubts aside.
Okay.
He is going to track down each source of deviation spoiling this system. He is going to exert his will on these autonomous processes. He is going to enforce desired behaviors so that they perform effectively and in accordance with their requirements, because he is a DRAGON and he is a CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF SOCIETY.
If the morning light made it easier, he'd have wrapped it up before he passed out. Still, his brain is working better now.
Zalan returns to his bedroom to examine the state he left his holographic terminal. Representations emerge, along with glyphs that allow secure synchronization with the terminal module of Zalan's chakratic Crown node. He communes.
The machine's data structures are an inelegant tangle of interdependencies. With some queasiness, Zalan considers the fact that he lacks the expertise to even be certain it should be refactored into something more elegant, or if this rat's nest is what elegance looks like.
Still. As his thoughts turn the problem over and over, he begins to hope that he might be on to something...
He heads to the workshop, where he has the tools to really get his claws dirty.
Zalan has a lot of decisions ahead of him, but one decision that informs all the others is what mental state to cultivate for the next several hours:
[] Flow - Draconic civilization offers easy access to elixirs once considered treasures. A sensible dosage can help him maintain his new sense of inspiration and push away distractions.
[] Pure Uncut Deadline - Potion seller, I'm going into battle and I need your strongest potion. Zalan is confident this is his best chance to get the job done tonight. He thinks it also might result in being able to taste numbers, but sometimes you just gotta know what numbers taste like...
[] Detox - On second thought, let's not take any powerful drugs today. How about some nice purification tea Zalan's mother got him?
(You can keep writing suggestions and questions as well as vote.
I try to take each suggestion into account even when I can't address them all directly.)
[X] Flow - Draconic civilization offers easy access to elixirs once considered treasures. A sensible dosage can help him maintain his new sense of inspiration and push away distractions.
[X] Pure Uncut Deadline - Potion seller, I'm going into battle and I need your strongest potion. Zalan is confident this is his best chance to get the job done tonight. He thinks it also might result in being able to taste numbers, but sometimes you just gotta know what numbers taste like...
Drugs are good.
Wait. Interplanar studies? Sword-and-cellphone?? Is this gonna be a 'dragon in our world' isekai??
[X] Pure Uncut Deadline - Potion seller, I'm going into battle and I need your strongest potion. Zalan is confident this is his best chance to get the job done tonight. He thinks it also might result in being able to taste numbers, but sometimes you just gotta know what numbers taste like...
[X] Flow - Draconic civilization offers easy access to elixirs once considered treasures. A sensible dosage can help him maintain his new sense of inspiration and push away distractions.
[X] Detox.
Surely caffeine- and magical elixir- withdrawal cannot be that lethal.
Skip the "it's not cocaine I swear" and the "it's not mushrooms I swear" mixtures and drink some green tea.
And also make peace with your god, just in case.
[X] Detox - On second thought, let's not take any powerful drugs today. How about some nice purification tea Zalan's mother got him?
[X] Consider if you have any examples on this kind of system you can review. Maybe you can find something quick that will help work out if your rats nest needs fixing or if you need to make it even worse looking. Not too long, you have a deadline after all.
The machine's data structures are an inelegant tangle of interdependencies. With some queasiness, Zalan considers the fact that he lacks the expertise to even be certain it should be refactored into something more elegant, or if this rat's nest is what elegance looks like.
Is there someone who knows this? If yes, maybe that someone should be asked about this and whether it is as it should be or is it a "it was a temporary fix to be fixed next week and has now stuck around for 10 years" thing.
[X] Flow - Draconic civilization offers easy access to elixirs once considered treasures. A sensible dosage can help him maintain his new sense of inspiration and push away distractions.
[X] Pure Uncut Deadline - Potion seller, I'm going into battle and I need your strongest potion. Zalan is confident this is his best chance to get the job done tonight. He thinks it also might result in being able to taste numbers, but sometimes you just gotta know what numbers taste like...
I cannot emphasize enough how much I want to see what Zalan looks like on the potion-seller's strongest potions.
[X] Pure Uncut Deadline - Potion seller, I'm going into battle and I need your strongest potion. Zalan is confident this is his best chance to get the job done tonight. He thinks it also might result in being able to taste numbers, but sometimes you just gotta know what numbers taste like...
[X] Pure Uncut Deadline - Potion seller, I'm going into battle and I need your strongest potion. Zalan is confident this is his best chance to get the job done tonight. He thinks it also might result in being able to taste numbers, but sometimes you just gotta know what numbers taste like...
[X] Pure Uncut Deadline - Potion seller, I'm going into battle and I need your strongest potion. Zalan is confident this is his best chance to get the job done tonight. He thinks it also might result in being able to taste numbers, but sometimes you just gotta know what numbers taste like...
Drugs are never okay... unless there's a deadline.