abraxaslogs | [closed]

[ Cal raises his eyebrows at the indicated packages, the corner of his mouth twitching. His tone is wry. ]

Kinda seems like you have, if they gave you all this.

[ You know, for distribution. Unless Viktor was just going to... keep them? Give them back?? Hand them out weeks later, after remembering he still had them?? On second thought, any of that is possible. ]

What is this one supposed to do?

[All of that is possible. However, it's just as likely that Viktor accepted, knowing he could probably foist this off on one of his workshop assistants who is much better at walking around.]

Well, if we're so inclined, we can distribute them at the hospital.

[Because, apparently, this rando just wants to cheer up the people of Cadens, or something.]

I believe this serum in particular has minor restorative properties. Or it could be placebo. Who knows?

[ This workshop assistant, perhaps? It wouldn't even be that difficult to foist, since Cal likes to be Helpful. In fact, he thinks taking these restorative serums over to the hospital is a fantastic idea, since the people there could surely put them to good use.

While Viktor speaks, Cal is quietly focused on the vial, finally reaching out for that echo in the Force: a memory of the potion being bottled, the bottler humming to themselves while they work. Mundane and not very helpful, but hey—Cal is happy when a memory is this low stakes.

Finally: ] I'd be inclined. I'm sure a lot of people there could use something restorative.

[ He looks at Viktor expectantly, giving him a chance to join—or not. ]

[Perhaps...this very workshop assistant. And yes, it seems for a moment as though Viktor fully plans to foist this off on Cal, but the expectant look seems to do something, at least. He considers, for a moment, and then reaches for his crutch.]

All right.

[Maybe he just wants to see if the serum works or not.]

I could use some air.

[ Cal's expression brightens a little in response. ]

For what it's worth, this is definitely magickal. And I don't think whoever made it had bad intentions.

[ At least, he's judging based on the memory he saw, the brief touch of emotion he felt attached to it. Without ceremony, he hands the vial back to Viktor and hefts the packages containing the rest of the potions. ]

Whether it actually works— [ He shrugs to punctuate that sentence. ]

How can you tell?

[Viktor takes the vial, leaving it on his desk as he gathers up the rest of his things in preparations to leave. No objections to Cal taking the rest, though he does bring along a messenger bag, just in case. He sets the pace, though if Cal ends up a step or two ahead of him, he considers that the trade off for his doing the heavy lifting.]

I want to think it works, unless his goal was to make fools of us all.

[ Cal tucks the packages under his arm, doing his best to adjust to Viktor's comparatively slower pace—with Greez, he's had lots of practice—as they head towards the hospital. The navigation he leaves to Viktor, since he's still getting used to where everything is. ]

I can, uh, sense it. The magick.

[ If it comes out a little uneasy, well... he's still trying to figure out what's considered unusual here or not. Where he comes from, his Force sense would absolutely be unusual, but he's trying to take Jesper's words to heart about not hiding his powers. Who he is.

Easier said than done, though. ]

[That gets Viktor's attention, and it's fairly clear that he doesn't necessarily concern himself with what may or may not be rude, when it comes to asking people about their various abilities, especially magical ones.]

You described more than just the magic.

[Or, at least, he guessed about the intentions of the person who made it. That's a bit more than the properties of the serum itself. Viktor isn't judgmental--only curious.]

Is it an inborn ability, or something granted to you by the Singularity?

[ It's Viktor's obvious curiosity, not judgement, that encourages Cal to be more forthright than he normally would—or, maybe more accurately, overcome his habit for secrecy. He's probably going to have to break that habit sometime, after all.

Still, he keeps his gaze facing forward, avoiding eye contact. ]

Inborn. I, uh. I can see memories, feel emotions attached to objects.

[ Should he mention the Force? That'll probably open a can of worms, but it's the only explanation—and he already knows Viktor will probably ask. ]

It's an echo in the Force—the energy in all things. That's how I could feel the magick too.

[Viktor studies Cal for a moment, and it seems, briefly, that he might say something else--but settles, instead, on one word as they make their way through the streets, towards the Academy hospital.]

Useful.

[He does understand ambient energy, at least. Easy enough to contextualize. Fascinating, nonetheless, to be able to harness it without technological aid.]

We might call you a mage, where I'm from.

[ Useful. Somehow, that feels like a very characteristic reply, enough to make Cal smile to himself. ]

A lot of people where I'm from think of it as magick too.

[ The Force probably seems like magick, to someone who isn't sensitive to it. And even more so with the Order... gone. It's only been ten cycles since the Purge, but the Jedi, their Force abilities, all of it is already starting to become myth and legend to the galaxy at large.

Once they reach the hospital, Cal falls into step a little behind Viktor, since he's used to working with the Academy, right? Or something. ]

Does that mean you have a lot of mages, in your world?

[Viktor is perfectly content with setting the pace, and though he's not exactly speedy, he walks with purpose, having clearly traversed these routes many times before. When they get to the reception area of the hospital, he navigates it breezily, continuing the conversation as he gestures for Cal to place their goods on the counter.]

Mages are so rare as to be legendary, where I'm from.

[The receptionist looks at the basket of vials, then at Viktor and Cal, and back again, and then says something to the effect of you're going to have to pass these out yourselves, accompanied by a gesture past the entrance hall and towards one of the wards.]

I don't suppose you have magic for this.

[So that Viktor, like, doesn't have to interact with anyone else.]

Oh. It's like that where I'm from too. For mages and for people like me.

[ Without meaning to, there's a note of solemnity in his tone, of hoary melancholy—even before the Purge, Jedi were so rare as to be legendary. After the Purge, they're so rare that he might be the only one left, at his point in time.

Then he pushes the feeling aside—it's an old wound, and he's much better at compartmentalizing than he once was. The distraction of interacting with the receptionist helps—Cal gives them a polite smile and a thanks for pointing them in the right direction before he and Viktor continue on. ]

What, you don't want to talk to people? [ He's kidding. He knows Viktor does not. ]

Like you?

[Viktor assumes there must be a word for it, if Cal chooses to phrase it that way. Having determined that they will not be able to drop off the potions with the hospital staff, he resigns himself to continuing the conversation while they make their way down the hall, gifts in tow.]

I don't want to talk to people. [Well, most people.] Beyond the conversation we're having now.

Jedi.

[ He doesn't elaborate, mostly because he doesn't really know how. In his galaxy, unless they've been living under a rock, everyone knows who the Jedi are. What they can do with the Force. The story of their demise. In fact, he rarely ever has to even tell people he's a Jedi, since it's obvious the second he uses the Force.

The flat refusal drags a small laugh out of Cal. Should he feel honored that Viktor considers him an exception? ]

We're not that bad, are we?

[It's fine--Viktor is familiar with different terms for the same things, spread out across worlds, so in his mind he's already equating Jedi with mage. Someone with inborn magical ability, or the capacity to draw arcane power out of the environment and utilize it without any technological assistance.

That part isn't complicated. The rest, well.]

It's nothing personal.

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