[Network] - [Video]

[deal_me_in]

So! Good news! No more creepy things with mouth-faces running around.

Bad news, we're all out of drinks. Looks like someone went and had a party while we were being invaded and though I don't frown upon being resourceful in ways to burn things up, that does make for a problem when you run a bar.

Now, slightly better news? I may have a few bottles of my secret stash so we're not completely dry here, but we're still limited, so if you're looking to get sloshed, just do everyone a favor and stick to the red juice, should get you there in one, maybe two glasses.

Comments

[Audio]

[work_wife]

Honestly? They were more effective than fireworks, so I regret nothing.

Just make more with that replicator thing I guess.

[deal_me_in]

Fireworks are meant for boom and sparkle, that is true.

-you can't just replicate that stuff! They were carefully selected and personally brought back from the handful of worlds we were set loose on! Less than a handful, even!

[work_wife]

They were all we had at the time, and come on, you saw the monsters, right? We had to do something back then.

The fire bombs were more effective. Less good than gas, but we don't exactly have that here.

[Yes, she sounds nothing remotely resembling concerned for his carefully curated alcohol collection.]

We're all alive. It went to good cause.

[deal_me_in]

Can I quote you on that? I'm writing it and putting a sign on my bar as a disclaimer.

[work_wife]

Sure, if it really seems like it would help you out, then feel free to quote it.

[deal_me_in]

I wouldn't say it's motivational poster-worthy inspiration but if anyone feels they have been robbed a valuable commodity then they have something to chew on. ...or someone to blame, I don't know.

[work_wife]

Blame the mindflayers. Or whichever alien group managed to do this to us.

[Video]

[doubled_speed]

Sooooo time for me to experiment with a still then? Do you have one, or do I have to figure out how to build it? Could be fun.

[Though he does snicker and whisper to himself but why is the rum gone in the background as he waits for a response]

[Video]

[deal_me_in]

I still have one. Haha, get it- still, but yeah, I think the last thing I tried was cyananas? Didn't turn out so great.

[doubled_speed]

Oh, that's obvious. You need things with good sugar content and-

[Hold on. Tommy's taking a moment o pause and consider. Holy fuck.]

Okay, this is annoying. Apparently while the datapoints and my neurochemistry don't fully mesh and I don't get all the cooking skills, I not only got preservation stuff which I've been using, but distillation. What the fuck? I mean, I knew the red fruit drink, because we'd seen it before. But fuck, I think I can whip up an interesting vodka-variant from the Tigertubers and I know how.

Dude, WTF?

[deal_me_in]

Beats me, I've never touched those things.

[doubled_speed]

Yeah, that's fair. Okay, I'm going to figure this out now. Where's the still?

[deal_me_in]

In the back room of the bar. Colonel has thankfully not decided to make it a nest.

[doubled_speed]

Awesome. I'll bring some stuff by tonight. Because apparently this is something I can do.

[deal_me_in]

Great! Have at it.

[doubled_speed]

You got it man. And more red fruit alcohol of course. It's about all I can promise.

[deal_me_in]

Hey, at this point all we can do is gain. Go wild.

[doubled_speed]

Alright then. I'll let you know about progress.

[text]

[in_extremis]

I have some ideas on how to radically increase your output.

If you're into that kind of thing.

Maybe if you told me about your secret stash I could help distribute it more effectively, in the meantime.

[text]

[deal_me_in]

more is always better right?

anyway im all ears

[And then there's an image attachment of the city map and an X marked...on the flaming bug hole.]

[in_extremis]

Nothing ever goes wrong with more.

Jon said it was stupid so maybe

I don't know, maybe this is stupid

But if we help out the Barrys to be more efficient, then maybe they could gather food for us again

So then you'd have more to work with

[deal_me_in]

What
asking our neighbors for help? dont see anything wrong with that

they know how things work here better than we do

so a little you scratch my back ill scratch yours sounds pretty reasonable

[in_extremis]

No, I mean, the stupid part is I think the best way to do this is to automate their process a little bit

with cars

I don't know why it's stupid, it does kind of sound stupid when I write it down

[deal_me_in]

Cars?

you mean like making little toy cars for them to drive

i can see how thatd be useful
people might get jealous when we dont even have any method other than walking to get around town
and youd have to teach the tinykins how to drive

just the barrys?

not the funny fronds too?

[in_extremis]

Kind of. Unless we start with a full infrastructure overhaul, they couldn't be vehicles that relied on roadways. Something that hovers, at the least, highly reactive to the kind of growth in Sh'Ka.

Nothing complicated.

When someone can deliver the resources to scale something like that up for something heavier than a ball bearing, we'll consider it. For now, just the Barrys. They're clever, use tools, not something I've seen the Funfronds do, and their language is more logical. They'll have more luck teaching the Funfronds themselves if they want to share.

[deal_me_in]

i think im getting ahead of myself
i was already thinking of mini traffic jams

so maybe not like
entire car lines for the whole barry populace but
utility vehicles of a sort
just enough
something everyone can use

leaving them to do the interplantpeople explaining sounds like the best way

[in_extremis]

Exactly. Something to carry more at once, further, faster. They do better, and there's more to go around.

[deal_me_in]

How are they being powered?

[in_extremis]

They've got to understand solar power. That's like photosynthesis for sexy people. Can't be hard to explain so they're not relying on me for maintenance. I don't want to give them something that makes them dependent like that.

[deal_me_in]

You could be an honorary barry

wear a cute little cap

but no that makes sense

they can make good use of solar power given how long daylight is around here

[in_extremis]

Where were you if you weren't at the bar?

[deal_me_in]

shooting things

[in_extremis]

Sure, great, no further questions.

[deal_me_in]

there were a lot of things to shoot