[color=00AEFF]”Yes captain, it’s the druid.”[/color] Vigdis confirmed to Zey when she mentioned shapeshifting, glad the translator wasn’t líinked to incoming comms. [color=00AEFF]”He says he wants to talk to him, I’m assuming he means theoretical knowledge, though if Dr. Feng or his staff wouldn’t object, I’m sure he’d love to observe a medical procedure or two.”[/color] She looked to Kerchak for confirmation or corrections.

Once that was handled, unless Zey had more to say, Vigdis turned back to Nellara. [color=00AEFF]”I will happily explain the detailed function and provide the math useful for development once my conditions for discussing such topics I’ve outlined four days ago are met.”[/color] Vigdis replied politely when Nellara asked about batteries, [color=00AEFF]”But in general, a chemical reaction is used to create electric potential difference between two points, called ‘cathode’ and ‘anode’. We induce the oxidation of the anode and reduction of the cathode to cause the flow of electric current. Our most advanced batteries are so called ‘Lithium-Air’ batt-”[/color] Vigdis stopped mid-word when she realized the translator said ‘lithium’ in English. [color=00AEFF]”And either we missed a word, or you haven’t discovered that metal yet. Lithium?“[/color] She tried again in case the translator simply suffered a brief hiccup, [color=00AEFF]”I knew we would run into this problem, but I didn’t expect it to happen this fast. The metal with an atomic number- I don’t suppose you’re familiar with atoms and their structure, so that’s not going to work either, explaining ‘electrons’ is going to be interesting too and you have no idea about redox reactions.”[/color] In hindsight, Vigdis wouldn’t be surprised if the translator translated ‘oxidation’ as ‘corrosion’ either. She’ll have to ask Dr. Lambert if the electron microscope survived the crash and the captain to get permission to run it for a few minutes, getting the locals to understand that everything was made up of tiny particles would be a lot easier if they could show them the particles. [color=00AEFF]”Explaining this alone will require a few hours of chemistry lessons.”[/color] She summed up her ramblings.

[color=00AEFF]”Hello mr. Barberio.”[/color] She greeted the machinist when he arrived in a casual tone as if the radio interaction never happened, catching the awkward handshake situation out of the corner of her eye and seizing the opportunity to explain some customs to the locals. [color=00AEFF]”Humans shake each others’ right hands as a formal greeting or as a symbolic gesture when agreeing to a deal.”[/color] She extended her hand to Arancini to demonstrate. It also served as a better explanation than two crudely drawn pictures. [color=00AEFF]”Now you know.”[/color] She added to Nellara.

Then another figure came into view. A figure she wanted present at the meetings since the start, yet a figure she was increasingly wary of. [color=00AEFF]”Then talk. We’ve heard the castigator’s side. What are you here for?”[/color] She wanted to hear it from the horse's mou- goddamnit.

Vigdis had Nellara repeat the experiment four or five times - a single measurement is no measurement - and did some simple math. A ‘standard’ lightning on Earth measured up to 300 MV and 30 kA. What Nellara conjured up was around 25% of that, which would be usable with some effort, but at the same time apparently wasn’t their peak. Assuming a lightning mage could influence the voltage of their discharge, the ‘charger’ so to speak - essentially just a transformer and some support elements - wouldn’t even have to be that sturdy or complex. If they could either go balls to the wall or nothing, that would necessitate a bigger transformer to handle the excess heat. Either way, they’d need more lightning mages if they wanted to get the reactor going within the scope of… a week? At least lightning was already direct - well, pulsating - current, eliminating the need for an inverter. [color=00AEFF]”Yes! This can work!”[/color] She cheered. It was just the start, but she would take any good news they could get. [color=00AEFF]”If you could go a bit higher and sustain it for a longer time, the labor of lightning mages might be another tradable commodity you have.”[/color] She said in the assembled locals’ direction. While she’d technically accomplished her objective, she saw no harm in letting them show what they could do, checking to make sure the fuse protecting the device from damage was in place and retreating to the indicated safe distance.