[D8 MA, expecting] Unlimited Power

[Agasha Sorato]

Sorato really has taken a liking to the old-fashioned Kappa's Pond. Maybe it's a deep Phoenix traditionalist streak at work. Or maybe it's just because most of the non-exclusive tea spots in the fashionable lower city present their teas in various sweetened and flavored concoctions, while the Kappa's Pond serves local tea leaves in a format that actually lets him taste the terroir. Or it could be the view.

Anyway, on the lowest foothills of Mount Nakahama, where the slope meets the city, seems like a good place to pick some Kuni brains about the volcano.

He orders some tea and pastries while waiting!

[Kaiu Ryosei]

Sorato really has taken a liking to the old-fashioned Kappa's Pond. Maybe it's a deep Phoenix traditionalist streak at work. Or maybe it's just because most of the non-exclusive tea spots in the fashionable lower city present their teas in various sweetened and flavored concoctions, while the Kappa's Pond serves local tea leaves in a format that actually lets him taste the terroir. Or it could be the view.

Anyway, on the lowest foothills of Mount Nakahama, where the slope meets the city, seems like a good place to pick some Kuni brains about the volcano.

He orders some tea and pastries while waiting!

Ryosei had been a little surprised to get the invitation but it seemed the Phoenix had some type of engineering questions and well Ryosei couldn't argue that he was one of the brightest engineering minds in the province.

He smiled and bowed politely at the phoenix as he approached. "Agasha-san, a pleasure to see you today. How have you been? Enjoying your time on Green Carp?"

[Agasha Sorato]

Sorato rises from his seat and bows "Yes, very," he says with apparent sincerity, lips quirking. "It's been more like a holiday than I really expected."

Admittedly this is, in part, due to the fact he'd concluded early on that if the family was really serious about landing the Tango investment deal, it would have sent someone different, and that therefore he was simply going to do what he was capable of doing rather than break his head trying to fake the work of one or more actual experienced courtiers. However! That didn't mean he was going to slack off when he did see an opportunity to be useful.

"Thank you for meeting me, Kaiu-san. Hope the Fortunes have been kind to you since we last saw each other up on the mountain." He smiles and indicates the waiting table. "There's something I wanted to ask a local engineer about, and, well, you're the one I've met."

[Kaiu Ryosei]

"well enough, that hunt earlier this day was thrilling. I heard you did really well there too. Besides that just enjoying the festivities."

Ryosei nodded along and chuckled taking a seat at the table "well I suppose I do fit that criteria. What is it I can help you with?"

[Agasha Sorato]

"I had an exciting hour roaming the jungles, even if didn't come in with a full brace of sharks," Sorato says with a grin. He lifts the small iron kettle off its heating element and begins preparing the tea, warming the pot before adding leaves and fresh water.

"Actually, this is about something I noticed on our hike the other day, and exploring the wild areas since," he explains. "Mount Nakahama is an active volcano, obviously. Yasuki Umiko-sama mentioned that Tango Province has shugenja monitoring the mountain to keep its activity down to a safe level, along with the weather-workers moderating the storms." As Sorato puts the kettle back down, a few drops of water from the spout run down onto the surface of the heating plate, disappearing with a chatter of steam. "As far as I can tell, though, Shiawase Island isn't using the volcano for energy generation. You're still firing Spirit Furnaces for all your power. Those are clean compared to burning biomass, but firestone isn't free, and of course they're never totally stable. There was that really bad criticality incident just five-six years ago on the World of Dreams." He pours the first cup of tea and slides it across the table to Ryosei, asking with an eager look, "The island seems like a perfect fit for a volcano power station. Do you think it'd be feasible? Technically, politically?"

((Sorry, family visit for Thanksgiving ate all my posting time. Getting back on the horse now!))

[Kaiu Ryosei]

Ping

Ryo listened thoughtfully and then reached a hand up to his chin. He thought for a for long moments before answering. He pushed the tea aside and pulled out a folded holoslate and pen from his pocket.

He set it on the table and equations began to manifest on the slate. Equations and sketches. This continues for another couple of seconds maybe a minute before he leans back chewing on the pen.

"Maybe.... Certainly the energy is there. But harnessing it would take time and money. It's theoretically possible I'm sure. Geothermal heat is nothing new. Also there's the people to think about. They might not take kindly to setting up a power station on the mountain, but that's a question for leadership to solve if we think it's viable."

He stopped chewing on the pen "is this the business you're in Agasha-san? The energy business?"

((No worries! Life get busy ))

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D8 fluff engineering roll +2k0 from Kaiu 2 | 10k4 ⇒ 45

[Agasha Sorato]

"Not exactly," Sorato admits, setting his cup down and spreading his hands. "I'm supposed to be looking for any kind of opportunities for the Agasha and the Phoenix while I'm here, though, and this really looks like one to me. That is... I don't think my Clan expected to win the top bid at this investment summit, or they would have sent more of us." And more experienced courtiers, too. "We still expect to make some moderate investments, though. Anything I recommend upward will have some weight, and I'd want it to be positive for the province, right?"

"My Family has a history with volcanoes from before the first spaceflight, you know," he adds, lips quirking. "My close kin are from the Atsumaru branch of our family. Agriculture, biotech, medicine--I'm a botanical surveyor, most of the time. But the fire's still in our blood. And in our basic theological curriculum, too." He'd watched Ryosei sketch with at least an appearance of comprehension, true.

"Agasha geothermal installations are the most advanced and efficient in the Empire," Sorato explains matter-of-factly. "We use volcanic heat to power nearly all the big factory forges for the clan, so we're always refining the designs and incantations. If Tango Province wanted to expand its grid, it couldn't do better than to do it with Phoenix support."

[Kaiu Ryosei]

He leaned back looking thoughtful "Well it is true Phoenix are known for their energy technology. I mean I'm not in any position to make these kinds of decisions but I can lend my support for it. I've been here a short time but I have built a decent name for myself and my family ties still hold some weight."

He thought a bit longer "I actually have a question for you as well. Maybe we could help each other out a bit. I can help with this make the presentation make sense do the numbers behind it but I have a...personal project that I could use Phoenix input on. Seem like something you might be interested in?"

[Agasha Sorato]

"It might be." Sorato leans in, picking up his cup. "I appreciate your insight about this power idea, as someone who knows more about the local priorities and connections--and a favor for a favor is only right, if it's the kind of thing I can help with."

[Kaiu Ryosei]

"well as we discussed the Phoenix know a lot about kami power and other forms of energy generation. Do you think you have any connections that could get me with someone to help with miniaturizing a power source? I need something with a lot of output but small, small and light enough to be carried. Anything you think you can do for me there?"

[Agasha Sorato]

"Hmm. It's possible. If anyone's making progress on that, it'll be an Agasha." Sorato's brows draw together as he ticks through lists of people and shugenja circles in his mind. "Ah, how much power are we talking about, and what's the application? More than a radiant gun energy pack or a drone battery, I take it." Those are already relatively compact and high-powered for their size, especially the former

[Kaiu Ryosei]

Ryosei considered a moment "power consumption would be somewhere between ten kilowatts to power passively but theoretically between sixty and eighty five kilowatts when under heavy load. So something similar to a high end sports car in power output." He was still zeroing in on the numbers but wouldn't have more of an idea until he finished a prototype. "The smaller the better weight is one of the biggest considerations at the moment."

"As for application...." He waffled a bit "It's personal defense related. I'll get more specific if we make anything of it." He says with a little chuckle.

[Agasha Sorato]

"Huh. That's enough to be a challenge, yes." Sorato drinks some of his tea while he considers this. "It would have to be either really dense energy storage, or something self-fueling. If you could get a spirit-reactor that small, it still might not be stable without a priest to tend it." On cue, like an attendant on his own tiny steam power factory, he presses the button to bring the kettle up to temperature for the next steeping of tea.

"I doubt it's impossible, though. There are even some wearables that draw power from the user's internal elemental makeup. It sounds like you'd need a lot more than the inner Fire of one ordinary person, but if that could help stabilize...?" He trails off, smiling sheepishly at himself. "I'm not even a furnace master, and yet listen to me. I did say it's in the family."

A bit more soberly, he adds, "If it's for a martial use, collaboration could be more complicated, though. You'd need to share more of your plans, I expect." One couldn't just ask the Agasha elders to hand off cutting-edge spiritual technology to another clan to build an unknown weapon. Or rather, one could, but even the nicer elders were likely to laugh before slamming the door in one's face.

[Kaiu Ryosei]

He smiled and nodded "Nothing to be ashamed of Agasha-san I often get lost in such things when I think of a new project." His smile and tone were intended to be reassuring.

"I would understand your concern. I understand that these things can get messy, clan secrets and developing technology. I do promise it is personal defense" he said emphasizing the word l. He was reflective for a moment "I was on Hida Segunda, if you know what that was, it was fairly big news even outside of Crab space from what I understand. I saw....a lot there and more over I saw the aftermath. I want to develop technology that makes my job less necessary. Obviously if there could be no war that would be preferable but if there must be than I want as many Crab as possible to return home and return home whole."