(no subject)

[freedom_engineer]

Who: Colin Starfury, any meddling kids
Open: Open as the plains
When: Day 267, late morning and early afternoon.
Where: The Farmland
What: Doing another survey for more development
Format: Anything, can match
Warnings: Colin IS a warning

As far as plans went, this wasn't how Colin had wanted to spend this week. There were a lot of things that needed doing even before the plight of the Ura reared its head. But Colin was an engineer, and he knew well that the universe had plans of its own and it really didn't care one little bit of the plans of individual people.

The day before this had been spent doing research, and helping Rob build his new cart. That had taken a fair amount of time on its own, but it was work that needed to be done if they wanted to set up a supply line. Now that the transportation was done, it was time to set up the facilities that would give them the supplies down the line.

So here he was, setting out more stakes and flags, taking more measurements, and generally making it apparent that SOMETHING is going to be going up in this area soon. And if the layout of the flags and stakes are any indication, it's going to be something BIG.

Anyone care to bother the engineer at work?

Comments

[bakegarasu]

Otoha had been slowly exploring the area, mostly out of boredom. There was no radio, no TV, and not much to do for someone used to city life. That was why he crouched near one of the stakes, looking at it curiously and poking it with a finger. Anything new was worth checking out. Probably.

[freedom_engineer]

"If you shift that out of position, I will make you redo this entire survey with nothing more than a protractor and a calculator," Colin says loudly, from off in the distance.

[bakegarasu]

He looks up and raises an eyebrow. "I never got the hang of protractors." He stands and backs away, heading over towards Colin. "What are you making?"

[emissaries]

The Emissary had been keeping busy with research herself, though hers was of a more sociopolitical nature. At any rate, it was well time for a break, and the farms made a nice enough place to stretch her legs.

She noticed the flags first, and then the man working with them. She recognized him from the Core trip and the meeting the other day, but his name escaped her. Still, it was worth going over to say hello. If not in those words exactly.

"So what's all this?" she called to him, voice bright and genial, once she was within earshot.

[freedom_engineer]

Colin looks over at her, and he smiles warmly. "You recall the other day how I mentioned needing hydroponic farms?" he asks, gesturing out to the flags. "That's what I'm laying out here. I'm figuring out how I'm going to place them, and the best possible uses of the land I'm going to be developing on."

[emissaries]

"Ah, that's right! I do remember you suggesting that, yes," she replied. "I was a little surprised to hear it was an option, to be honest."

[hellpyre]

"What's it gonna be now?"

There was a voice Colin probably hadn't heard in a while. Rin had been keeping to herself even with all that was going on for a lot of different reasons; reasons that she wasn't willing to share with most people there.

In spite of that, she had been kept up to date thanks to Bon and Yukio, but so far little had spurred her in to spending time outside of anywhere that wasn't her apartment or the kitchen.

She was out now though, and hanging back behind Colin some feet, dressed in a baggy hoodie that was too big for her and tan capris, looking somewhat uncomfortable in spite of the temperate air of the Bastion.

[freedom_engineer]

Colin looks at her, and he nods in greeting to her. There's a gentle smile that follows, and he steps over to her to speak with her more openly. "New farms to go with what we've got here," he explains. "Advanced farming methods, so we can hopefully be able to feed the Ura in time, and more people as well. How are you doing? I haven't seen you in a while, and that's saying something."

[hellpyre]

"... right. Please tell me it's gonna be better than what Ibuki did recently."

Those damn jerky cows. Rin still can't get over that.

"I'm fine."

And that was a rather quick reply to what he asked.

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

Rob comes over with several sandwiches on a plate, unintentionally stealthily as he often is. He's been working pretty much non-stop, and after the cart was finished he moved straight on to building crates with the extra wood before realizing that he had no idea when the last time he'd eaten was. He can't even remember if he had breakfast today or not. The opportunity to stretch his legs after crouching and standing mostly in one place for hours is also being taken advantage of right now.

"Hydroponics? Or more fields?"

[freedom_engineer]

"Hydroponics," Colin confirms, giving Rob a nod of acknowledgement. "And mineral storage facilities to ensure that the farming can go on without much need for outside assistance for a while."

He eyes the sandwiches, and he smirks then. "Feeding an army?" he asks with a teasing voice. "Or just forget to eat breakfast?"

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

"I don't remember if I did or not. I doubt this would feed an army though, unless they're Lilliputians."

Excuse him while he takes a bite.

[headphoneactor]

"What insanity is the mad scientist concocting today? Should I even bother asking?"

Takane, arms folded over her chest, came forth toward the lands where Colin was doing his surveying. She hadn't seen him in a while, and while he annoyed the crap out of her he was still someone who took care of her and Haruka when they needed it most. She felt she owed it to him to go check in on him and make sure one of his inventions didn't explode in his face or something.

I-It's not like she liked him or anything!!

[freedom_engineer]

Colin laughs quietly and he grins over at Takane. "No mad science," Colin tells her. "That was Ibuki and her chocolate chip cows. I'm just getting ready to expand some farmland. How have you and Haruka been?"

He's always glad to see her. After the way he'd found them originally, seeing them up and about was always a reminder that things weren't all bad.

[headphoneactor]

"Chocolate chip cows exist? I'd better hide that information from Haruka."

Takane was somewhere between bewildered and surprised that she wasn't surprised at any of that. She moved a little closer, shrugging a bit at his question.

"Haruka's the same as ever. He eats everything in sight, he draws random things when he's not eating. He has one of those Pokemon now, too. Phantump." Except now there's the added whining for cuddles. Takane wasn't a very cuddly person by nature. She was working on it for him, though. And it was kinda nice. Kinda.

"I guess I'm okay," She added as an afterthought, because she knew he would emphasize knowing how she was doing as well, but she didn't really like to think much about her own well-being.

[scary_music]

"Colin-sama-chaaaaaaaan!"

Ibuki ran over to the work site, laughing happily. It was as if the engineer hadn't made her cry just earlier that day. She bounced back rather quickly.

"Whatcha doiiiiiiiing? Are you trying to top the jerky cows with hydroponies?"

[freedom_engineer]

Colin glances at Ibuki, and he smirks. "Not trying to top anything," Colin tells her. "Just trying to get the job done right the first time, is all. A mistake here is costly."

[twinked_witch]

As Megaera approached the stretch of farmlands Colin was working on, she looked at the measurements he was taking.

"Hrm. Fairly precise measurements for the scale. Am I correct that you're intentionally using a cubit-based geometric scaling pattern?", Megaera asked. "Never seen that scaling applied to farming, but it'd make sense for some irrigation techniques."

[freedom_engineer]

"Nothing so archaic or fore-reaching," Colin says, shaking his head as he continues his survey. "Just making sure everything will fit and have proper room for expansion. Operating to the monument's typical measured specifications. I don't feel like getting fancy and experimenting when time is of the essence. So... I've gotta make everything fit, and adjust the blueprints as I see how it's actually laying out."

He gestures out absently over the marked field. "Most of the system is going to be contained and reusable, trying to limit the waste and make the most efficient use of space," he continues. "Unfortunately, I'm not a farmer. I'm operating off of theory and text rather than experience. Fortunately, I have quite a bit of both of the former... And it's going to have to make up for the lack of the latter."

[dontyoujustwish]

"Well, this looks familiar." It's certainly not the first time she's observed Colin driving stakes into the ground. "What are you making this time?"

[freedom_engineer]

"This is the new farmland," Colin says, looking at Anya. "I figured... I made meat that we can have without animals, it's time to make plants we can grow without soil."

He smirks. "It seemed mad sciencey enough, and it will be useful once I get everything right," he tells her. "It will be able to grow lots of food."

[bastionpc]

Who's going to poke around? Zahi, of course! Resident Old Man can't keep his nose out of everyone's business.

"Whatever you're buildin', it's gonna be pretty big. What's it gonna be?"

[freedom_engineer]

"Hydroponic farms," Colin says, smiling over at Zahi. "Advanced farming techniques that enable food growth in even the worst of conditions. I figure this way, the world could die even more and we'd still get plenty of food. When the facility's complete, I'm going to need input from people with some idea of what we need to decide what we should grow."

He gives a wry grin. "I'm not much of a farmer, sadly," he adds.

[amnesiadragon]

Ryu wanders over to where Colin is, now that he's back from his daily walk on the Skyway. He contemplates picking up a flag, but figures that's not a good idea when Colin looks so intent on his work.

"Hey, Colin! What're you working on?"

[freedom_engineer]

"Ryu, hey," Colin says, smiling. "Getting ready to make more facilities. Those new farms I was talking about at the meeting."

He's very glad Ryu didn't touch the flags. Replacing it wouldn't have been hard, but it might have thrown off his calculations.