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[rowancrowned]

 

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[propulsion]

I don't presume to know your hopes and dreams for a Research division? So feel free to stop me, [ is all deeply cavalier in affectation, the hand not guarding his tea occasionally fluttering to emphasise -- but not indifferent. Making himself comfortable in conversation because Thranduil has something of an Uncomfortable Affect. Not that Tony's complaining. ] Broadly I know your people are interested in native artifacts and rift objects, cateloguing, lots of. Reporting. And-- I guess, presumably synthesising that information into something actionable. War effort.

You also have rifters. Some of them are engineers, inventors, magic users, coming from places where stuff works differently, with untapped potential to create, in partnership with natives who know how things are meant to work. They work for you but they work alone. Having a development team, with your support, would synchronise efforts into something more productive. And by support I mean money. But also support -- like, representation, recognition, access to other people's money.

It could work in tandem with the project that collects and labels elf magic stuff but I get there's some [ seesaw hand ] sensitivity, there.

[rowancrowned]

And you have considered the possible effects of releasing... advanced technology into this world?

( he stands, and wanders over to a bookshelf, selecting a book without a title. he brings it back to the desk, and sets it down, but does not open it. there are additional papers stuck between the pages.

(the microscope is tucked safely away in the library.) )

What was your trade where you came from?

[propulsion]

[ Unlike the item being taken down from the shelves, Tony is not a closed book, easily read on a good day. The corner of his mouth twists up -- not surprised by the question, so much as he appreciates its asking. ]

I don't know that there's anything we can bring into this world that couldn't theoretically already exist, but. Yeah. I've considered it.

[ Taking up his tea, finally, to drink from, Tony glances to the book when Thranduil returns with it, attention drawing back to the other man on a fraction of a delay. ]

I ran a company that built and sold weapons of war. Inherited it. Turned it into some'n else when it came to light we could and should do better. Me personally, I build stuff, stuff I believed could solve problems. And not just by being the guy with the biggest stick.

Also I turned over all operational control to my girlfriend so I'm a little rusty when it comes to [ a gesture, indicating them both ] this part.

[rowancrowned]

No weapons. ( he says, near instantly. ) Nothing that could fall into the hands of the enemy and be turned against us.

( that's easy.

he puts the book on his desk, and opens it. it is the entirety of cosima's notes- mostly on the illness, but he'd gathered up everything she'd written while with research, and put it between the pages of the book. some of it isn't even hers, the legacy of the other rifter she'd spoken to about things beyond thranduil's knowledge, but there's a great many pages on germ theory, at least. )

Ways to produce more food. To heal the ill. To make improvements to our ships and our transport. These are what would help us.

[propulsion]

[ In spite of lessons learned and his own quick clarification as to where his interests lie, Tony's fixed attention on Thranduil seems like he might have an argument prepared for this first part. None comes. Thought ticks over.

His eyes flick down to the book opened between them. ]

Refrigeration, soap, and a coal-based industrial revolution. What else you got?

[ This is rhetorical, judging by the start of half-smile, and Tony puts out his hands -- may I? -- and pivots the book around enough for him to glance over. Hmm. Contemporary Earthling Woz Here. He takes one of the loose pages by the corner to pull it closer even as he adds; ]

Would you say no to defense tech? Sabotage, surveillance? 'Cause you shouldn't.

[rowancrowned]

( his nose wrinkles at 'coal'. sounds awfully sauron-y of you, buddy. )

None. None of the last. The others- yes.

( he watches tony carefully with the compilation of cosima's legacy. which is how he thinks of it, even when she wasn't the only one to contribute to it. there have been too many rifters for him to start getting sentimental with more than a few. )

Those are categories, not examples. Be specific.

[propulsion]

[ It is a Surprise that Thranduil has opinions of any strength around coal-based industrial revolutions, which shows on Tony's face -- manifested more as a curiousity than confusion, but, you know. Seems like a touchy topic. More wine time than tea time.

Not that the tea time isn't great, drinking from it now once he leans back away from the rifter notes before him. ]

Specific, [ he repeats. ] You want my blue sky list of hopes and dreams? Because that's where the specifics live. Forcefields for defense at home and abroad, small-scale for individual use, large-scale to protect units, camps. Flight capability for scouting, messengers, deployment of special agents. [ He ticks these off on his fingers. Don't say magic gun, don't say magic gun-- ] Video capture and transmission. Like, how we can transmit voices, but visual. Light sources that aren't fire, oil, or magic.

Cooler armor.

I mean.

You think of something, [ a gesture with tea cup ] and then you invent the thing that does it.