2368/Stage Congelation

Stage Congelation
Date of Scene:	02 June 2015
Location:	Danbur <DB>
Synopsis:	Staren and Pius have a talk, both gaining insight in their own way.
Cast of Characters:	Staren, 741
Tinyplot:	The Great Work

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Pius Athanor (741) has posed:
    Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYNH1baA_7k

    Finally all the five reagents have been gathered, though it appears that Pius has seen better days as Diane helps him up the front steps to the Athanor mansion. Luckily she is strong enough to support his weight and carry the backpack, and once they are at the front door she unlocks it and heads inside, opening it further for Pius as he heaves for breath and steps in. "Ah, never again...!" he coughs, then looks over his shoulder at Staren. "Thank you for seeing us home, young man. Do you want something to eat and drink while we discuss matters?" It sound like the man is still winded though, and he is already on his way to the nearby living room.

    Diane on the other hand heads off to the workshop to set down the backpack there, and she calls back to them. "I will get some soup and toast if that's okay!"

Staren has posed:
    Staren looks around curiously. So this is the alchemist's gome... He nods, "Iced tea if you've got it. Sweetened. If not... juice, soda, water, whatever you usually drink around here. I don't drink alchohol, though." At the mention of toast and soup he adds, "None for me thanks, I'm not that hungry."

    Staren begins to pace around the living room. "So. I've wanted to talk to you ever since I heard of your endeavor. It is unfortunate that it has taken this long to talk to you... perhaps I could have helped you more. But I am happy to hear your work is nearly complete! And I am still curious as to your story, and what exactly you're doing here." He smiles. "If you're really up to talking..." he looks at the state Pius is in. "Although, I suppose, this close to your goal, sleep is the last thing you want to do, hmm."

Pius Athanor (741) has posed:
    As he gets settled in the living room Pius nods, nearly flopping into a chair and putting his feet up on the coffee table. The room is old, clearly in need for some restoration work as the floorboards are old. Portraits from what is possibly generations of family back line the faded walls, and the curtains that hang by the large windows might have been pretty several years back. At least the house is clean. Soon enough Diane can be heard as she hurries into one of the nearby rooms and begins rummaging through the kitchen for something to serve to Pius and Staren.

    "I do not drink alcohol either, I believe it dulls the mind. And a mind is a terrible thing to waste," Pius agrees with a tired nod, pressing a hand against his forehead as he closes his eyes.

    Soon enough Diane enters the living room with a tray, stopping in front of Staren to give him a large glass of cold iced tea. "Here you go, Sir." She then heads over to Pius to give him a glass as well, and he nods in appreciation before he takes a large sip. Her own glass she sets on the table before she retreats back to the kitchen, obviously in a hurry to prepare food.

    "Perhaps you could have, but what done is done, and I see no point in dwelling on that. Not when we can look forward to the work that lies ahead," Pius muses for himself where he sits, looking a bit better now that he is allowed to rest. "I do not have much need for sleep, despite what Diane thinks," he asides in a hushed tone as he glances towards the direction of the kitchen. Back to what matters... "I think I have stated my intentions clearly, or... ? If not, ask away. My story is not very interesting, I am afraid. Diane and I grew up in this house, it has been in our family for generations."

Staren has posed:
    Staren stops pacing, and nods in agreement at Pius's evaluation of alchohol. He smiles as the tea is brought to him, "Thank you. But you can just call me Staren." If it's not in an insulated cup, he levitates it in front og him -- a tendril of blue-white energy connects the amulet around his neck to the glass.

    At 'what is done is done' he shrugs and nods slightly, then smiles at the mention of what lies ahead. Then shrugs again at the lack of need for sleep.

    "I know you wish to revive someone from the dead. Although, with what you mentioned earlier, about essence passing... perhaps I do not know what I think. You've been gathering ingredients for this rit...procedure, I mean /no/ offense by that, in my homeworld magic is just another branch of science." Well, many might not view it that way, but when you live in the city with the best magic university on the continent...

    Staren begins pacing again. "So what exactly is your situation, who do you want to revive, and how will you do it?"

Pius Athanor (741) has posed:
    "Staren it is, then," Pius nods. If he wishes to forego formalities, then so be it.

    Perhaps it's because he is so tired, maybe it's because Staren corrects himself and clearly wishes to not offend him, but the alchemist lets him speak. "In this world alchemy is a science and art, possessing qualities of both branches. It is a state issued profession that requires rigorous testing, and it's a protected title." The questions are straight to the point, and Pius looks at the empty fireplace in front of him, rubbing idly at his forehead as he sighs softly. "Due to the work we do, alchemists have always been sickly. It's a dangerous profession, and most of us suffer from poisoning. As a result, our parents died several years ago. My father had been an alchemist for nearly twenty years..."

    Several seconds passes by before he speaks up again, his tone far more subdued and quiet than it has been before when Pius has spoken out on the radio or with those inquiring about his work.

    "In February my youngest sister Nat died after a long period of sickness."

    The man takes another sip of his iced tea, then clears his throat before he resumes. "For my Magnum Opus I will recreate her body and restore her essence to it."

Staren has posed:
    Staren looks like there's something to say, but he bites back his other questions and offers for now. The question at hand: "This 'essence'... um... how do I ask this... On most worlds, 'dead' functionally means 'beyond the current capability of medicine to revive'. So... there is no middle state of 'dead but revivable' different from 'dead and stays that way'. Can you explain how it works here?"

Pius Athanor (741) has posed:
    Amidst the sounds of cooking from the kitchen there's also a nice and delicate smell as Diane makes supper for herself and Pius.

    "I have heard that it's a problem most places in the multiverse," Pius responds, then pulls on the string around his neck, and the amphora tied to the end of it slips out from the safety of his shirt. A small glass container that shines softly and lets out a soft hum for a brief moment. "It is possible to store essences of the departed within magical containers. Though they are rare and often break down over a time. It took me weeks to find a used one, and... it is breaking down fast," he reveals with a choke catching in his throat. "It is growing dimmer by the day..."

Staren has posed:
    Staren stops and gives the container an idly curious look, but when Pius explains what it is, his eyes widen and he leans in closer. "Amazing." He then stands up straight again. "You've come this far. You'll save her." Beat. "...If the procedure does not work, I may be able to find a way to buy you time. This... is it the container breaking down, or the essence?" His eyes flicker between Pius and the shining light. "If it is a faulty container... Perhaps I... Perhaps /we/ can find a better one. But hopefully it will not come to that."

    He looks at Pius for a moment. Then begins pacing around the room again. "I am an only child. I have not... I have not had to race against time as you have. When I realized death could possibly be conquered by me... /days/ later a solution fell into my lap, which I spent weeks checking and rechecking, analyzing every piece to be sure it was real. Then I implemented it in myself," he taps the back of his neck, "and I offered it to my allies." He shakes his head. "None try it. Noone thinks about it until too late. Of course, in the multiverse... you never know for sure what will work on who. But people could at least /try/..." he shakes his head. "I've given up on being able to save them all. At least my family and closest friends are now safe. I can only imagine how I would feel in your situation. But I..."

    The catboy stops and looks at Pius. "I sympathize with your efforts. And I want to encourage them, because the Multiverse needs more people who don't... who don't /give up/ because of some stupid limits nature gave them. You heard that /monster/ today, saying that you were going against the world and the world would strike you down for it! The Multiverse is under an, an /epidemic/" he makes a sweeping gesture with his hand, "of people with this diseased way of thinking, and they don't even realize it because it's /normal/ to them! So, it's true that it isn't only for your own sake or my scientific curiousity that I'm interested. I hope that you will prove an inspiring example to some people in the Multiverse, who might not try otherwise."

    Staren sips his tea -- he touches it with his hand to do so, afterward placing it in the air as if on a table -- and then pulls a pair of glasses from his bag, trying to keep emotionally neutral as he puts them on and looks at Pius.

    The glasses Arthur alchemized and gave him for Christmas, to save him pointless agonizing and drama. For when Pius explained that alchemists were so sickly, Staren immediately began considering if the technolog of Rebecca's world -- or perhaps that's Rory's world now -- could save them. And these glasses allow him to see in an instant whether an ego bridge will work on someone.

Pius Athanor (741) has posed:
    When Staren leans in for a closer look Pius indulges him and pulls the amphora up a bit more so he can see it better. It's a delicate little thing, looking as if it could be easily shattered if struck or thrown against a hard surface. There's a soft look in Pius' eyes as Staren offers his reassuring words, and he even smiles somewhat. "Yes, I will. And the procedure will work, I have done my research for months. Though I doubt I would have been able to do it without the aid I have received so far..."

    His rough and calloused fingers are surprisingly gentle as he strokes the glass, eyeing the soft glow within it. "No matter how magical this container is, it's nothing compared to the magic of a human life. The essence is as strong as it was as she drew her last breath, of that I'm sure. I can still hear her whisper if I listen real closely..."

    His attention shifts to Staren when he begins pacing however, and he nods. The details he shares seems to catch the man's interest, and he blinks, watching the cat boy intently and with great curiosity. "Really... you're immortal?" Is such a thing truly possible? Why, Pius looks quite invigorated when Staren clearly expresses his support and begins discussing something that he takes great interest in, and Pius sits up in his chair, his hands holding carefully onto the amphora. "Yes! Exactly!" Is this really the same tired man from before. "Small minded people like him have no idea what limits they impose on themselves! If it were up to them, we would still be living in caves and suffer from common diseases that we can easily treat nowadays! It's only natural that the sciences progress, right? And yes, my work will take it a step further! Why should young people die and be forgotten when we can give them a second chance at life?"

    Sickly he might be, but there's life in Pius yet. Through the glasses, Staren will get his answer as there is nothing to prevent an ego bridge working on the alchemist.

Staren has posed:
    Staren nods as Pius speaks of the magic of a human life.

    Some say that making them all immortal would cheapen human lives.

    It is because Staren values life so highly, that he thinks it should last forever...

    Staren tilts his head when Pius asks if he's immortal. Didn't he say that before, in the forest? He nods in confirmation, though, then smiles and nods more as Pius launches into a rant about small-minded people.

    Staren grins /wide/ when Pius speaks of giving a second chance, nodding emphatically. But his expression calms and hardens as he puts on the glasses as he steels himself for disappointment.

    Staren gives a small gasp and his eyes widen. He strides briskly to the kitchen to check Diane as well. When he returns, he's grinning. "I don't know about the others of your world, but the process that made me immortal should work for you and Diane too." Anticipating one of the obvious questions, he takes the glasses off his face. "These were a gift from the god of space, Arthur Lowell. According to him, they will allow me to see who I can save by the same process, so that I don't... so that I don't go nuts trying to save people I can't." He folds them and tucks them back in his bag. "While I have not had chance to verify this with 100% certainty, I trust Arthur and do not believe he would make such a claim unless he could be certain."

    The smile stays on his face. This is the first time he's ever had the chance to give such news to someone he expects to be a receptive audience!

Pius Athanor (741) has posed:
    Pardon Pius for looking rather confused by Staren's sudden reaction. "Is something the matter?" he asks quite directly, then looks even more surprised when he heads to the kitchen. In the large and rather empty kitchen Diane is standing by the stove, stirring a pot carefully at first, though she becomes aware of Staren and looks over at him, half expecting him to say something. When he doesn't she merely shrugs and returns to finishing the soup.

    The news that Staren gives him comes as a surprise to Pius, though his interest is clearly sparked yet again. "Really? You mean immortality is possible for us? Tell me what it entails," he urges, his eyes wide with scientific curiosity. Who cares about small details like the glasses? They are hardly what matter here! "Could you ensure that my sisters would be alive and well once this is over? I would very much like to learn more, and... dear, this is unheard of and quite novel!" Oh yes, Pius is clearly quite receptive to such an offer. Then again, he is a scientist of sorts. Not to mention one that seems to place high value on life if he is going through so much work to revive his youngest sister.

Staren has posed:
    It's not that Staren expected glasses would be the /only/ question, just the /first/. Staren takes another sip of his tea, then swallows. He begins walking around the room. "On Rory's world, people have developed many uses for tiny, microscopic machines. One of them is to read out every detail of how your brain... of how the neurons in your brain are connected. According to their scientists, everything you are is in the brain. As best I can figure, when souls enter the mix, a sufficiently-detailed copy of your brain serves as a container that may call your soul back to it... but I'm getting ahead of myself. These tiny machines... the data they take can be used to run an emulation of your brain on a computer, or used to program an artificial device called a 'cyberbrain' into a copy of, well, you. Since the brain is everything you are... no, the /connections/ are, the pattern, the data, the program, whatever you want to call it -- you're a continuously-executing, self-changing algorithm, see?" He looks at Pius.

    "But this doesn't /only/ allow you to swap bodies or put yourself in a machine. See, if you make a copy of yourself, and then you die... we can wake the copy up, and you're back, except that you lose your memories of everything that happened since the copy was made. Of course, then you're out a body... but depending on how you died, it may be possible to repair your body and put you back in. Otherwise... well, you can always come back as a robot." Staren shrugs. "Or find a new body. Or clone yourself ahead of time -- their medical technology allows a clone to be fast-aged to adulthood in only two years! I now have a few spares, just in case. So do my parents."

    Staren takes a deep breath. "A tiny device the size of a grape, called a cortical stack, is implanted at the base of my skull." Staren taps the back of his neck. "The tiny machines continuously update it as my brainstate changes. It contains a dormant copy of me. So if my body's retrieved," Staren grimaces, "or at least my head, I don't even lose any memories!"

    Staren takes another deep breath. "So there you have it. That's my immortality. It's weaker than most kinds in the multiverse, and there are a lot of catches..." he holds his hands up in a sort of shrugging-questioning gesture, "...but it's infinitely better than one chance and then that's it, right?"

Pius Athanor (741) has posed:
    There's silence as Pius listens to Staren go into details.

    This is beyond what he had imagined.

    To think that there are such possibilities out there in the multiverse!

    "You mean computers, do you not? I have heard of them, yet I am not familiar with how they work," the alchemist admits. His own world is far more simple, even electricity is rare here. "Machines can copy your essence? What makes you YOU? And restore you?" Right now Pius is far more energetic, with no signs of his earlier fatigue that plagued him so.

    "This is truly the pinnacle of mechanical research. Imagine. Imagine what we could do should we work together. Your engineering. My alchemy. Two years? I spit on such a notion! I can create a body within weeks!" Unless stopped he will step forward and place his hands on Staren's shoulders, looking down at him with a smile on his features. "Once my Magnum Opus is complete, I insist that you bring me and my sisters to your workshop."

Staren has posed:
    Staren nods at the question about computers, then shrugs at the follow-up, though it's an optimistic shrug, more like a 'seems so' than an 'i dunno'. He smiles when Pius demands to combine their work. "I know it can be done faster. I once saw a body cloned in the space of a day or so... but I know it was at great cost, and I can't do it myself." Staren folds his hands behind him. "In truth, my original specialty was in combat robotics. That is, automatons used for fighting. I've branched out into potions, magical automatons, nanotechnology, and Abstractum since coming out into the Multiverse... However, when it comes to manipulating flesh and bone, beyond healing potions, all I have are automatic tools another gave me. I'm not a doctor. But," he smirks up at Pius, "I'll help with what I can! Getting around the cloning time would mean better quality of life for those who are saved by this technology, after all."

Pius Athanor (741) has posed:
    "We can save them," Pius says, repeating Staren's earlier words with a glimmer in his eyes. His fingers tighten their grip on his shoulders slightly before he nods once, firmly. "This is what learned people do. We save people, and we make the world a better place. And then we aim to make the multiverse itself a better place. For family, for friends... despite what the narrow-minded fools believe. No matter the limitations they impose on themselves for the sake of petty notions that block them from seeing the big picture."

    This is when Diane returns from the kitchen, carrying a tray with soup bowls and plate of toast on it. "I made your soup extra spicy, Pius!" she says, not having heard the details of what her brother and the guest were discussing. "You should eat some toast at least, Staren." Can he resist the pleading look she gives him. "As thanks for today, and for helping us back home. Pius does need to take care of himself..."

    The brother lets out an annoyed huff as he moves away from Staren, then takes his soup bowl and blows on it before walking back to his chair. "Do not badger him, Diane. Thank you, the soup smells lovely."

Staren has posed:
    Staren smiles, then smiles wider. Staren's never met someone who can... who can share his enthusiasm about this! He nods. When Diane enters the room, he turns to her, then nods at the offer of toast, "Yeah sure." He's not particularly hungry, but he's not stuffed full, either. He reaches out his hand and a second tendril snaps out, grabs the toast, and brings it to his hand. Isn't magic great? "She's not badgering me." He takes a bite, and one of his ears flicks. "Shoh, hoouh do youh shink?" he asks around a mouthful of toast.

Pius Athanor (741) has posed:
    Magic is indeed a wonderful thing, and Pius looks quite pleased where he sits. Diane too takes her soup bowl and sits down on the couch, though she passes a piece of toast to Pius before she takes one of her own.

    The question is left unanswered for a few seconds, and after Pius has blown on a spoonful of hot soup, he simply smiles, looking rather content. "I think this is simply marvellous," he responds calmly, as if a huge weight has just been lifted off of his shoulders.