What's high-tech for you? Are we talking holographic screens? Advanced AI?

Oh, how about completely tech'd out rooms that changes the environment like it's the real deal?

Oh, well, I heard about that kind of stuff at the mission, the recent mission? I haven't seen it myself, but stuff like that, it probably exists with magic where I'm from. [ Who knows, he doesn't, more important: ] But we could-- maybe we could ask for some plans and study material to, you know-- we can practice it.

What if we got a bunch of study material?

[ This feels like they're becoming...study pals?! Is Gorgug getting a study pal (who isn't a weird awkward old guy)?! ]

I, I'm kinda always studying since, well, knowing how machines work seems really useful? We're surrounded by a lot of them. A lot of people know how to smash stuff.

[ Which is Gorgug's other area of expertise, but seems rather useless, honestly. ]

I'll ask Aurora what I can order? I also have these things-- um, they're called nanobots? I took them from the barrier. They seem pretty cool, except they eat a lot of electricity. All they do is eat electricity, actually.

[ More like he hasn't had the time to really study them further and get them to do more... ]

[ Ohhhhhh. ]

You wanna meet in person and you can tell me about it? My, uh, my parents are tinkerers, but I never really thought I would make anything until the last year. I'm really still learning a lot all the time.

[ What's it like to be addicted to it your whole life? What does that even look like, even (or especially) under the setting that Peter comes from? Gorgug can't help but to be curious. It sounds like it could be interesting.

He wants to see how much of a nerd Peter is. ]

The junkyard? Do you still wanna go there and see if there's anything good?

[ What if they find something cool while being nerds!! ]

[ !!!! ]

I'll win.

[ It's not really said any differently than how he usually speaks, but there's a little bit of conviction in there!! Also, it helps when you 1) have a van, and 2) live really close to the junkyard in the first place.

It's cheating, really. So unless you were nearby already, Peter, there's either going to be a blue van waiting at the junkyard!! ...or driving into the junkyard, if you're that quick.

But here Gorgug comes with his ride, beep beep!!! ]

[ Does Gorgug think? In his own special way. But does he even know where Peter started off at? No, other than Peter suggested the trip to the junkyard in the first place, and also tried to make a race out of it. Clearly, Peter didn't think about Gorgug's van or his close proximity!!!

But Gorgug isn't smiling when Peter shows up because he won this prize-less competition: it's because he's getting a nerd pal, and that's pretty cool. He's dressed himself in hoodie and jeans (his usual combo at all times), the van keys tucked away in his pocket, and the rest of him otherwise free, beyond the goggles on his head, the headphones he pulls down around his neck, and the fingerless gloves on the hand he waves back with. ]

I'm glad I got it before the layout switch up Aurora did everywhere. We got moved far out from everyone, and Fabian's dance studio. [ Hm. Does Peter know Fabian? Anyway- ] That's one of my teammates, I don't know if you met him.

Making vehicles go fast is cool. [ How can Gorgug decline on that truth alone? ] You think the speed's the problem, or the-- how many trams are there? I heard they go around all the islands...?

[ Maybe it's a routing problem and lack of trams...? ]

There's not a lot of people, but there's a lot of space with everything spread out. [ That seems to be a big problem. ] 200 miles per hour trains would be cool, but would it be a lot for just a hundred people?

[ No, what if, instead... ]

Teleporters would be cool. But not everyone likes them... [ ... ] But I would.

[ Mini teleporters are cool!!! ]

I don't know. Maybe if we asked nicely?

[ If he were to consider what Aurora might think about teleporters, though... ]

She might have picked the trams so people get stuck on them and she likes everyone socialising. [ ... ] I don't think you can socialise teleporting.

[ That's kind of a goal with her, usually. ]

[ Oh, is Peter lonely? That's what Gorgug takes from that--he can be perceptive, sometimes! Though he won't immediately jump on it, offering instead: ]

I don't know if it's the real reason she chose what she did, but, it could be a part of it... she left those Valentine cards around, and- they did something? People had to socialise with them, or they got funny in the head?

[ Gorgug so doesn't know...he avoided them like the plague! ]

Have you had that happen to you? Where you can't...control yourself. Something makes you act weird.

[ Gorgug's making a rather anxious expression... ]

Yeah. [ He sounds evidently glum even in that first word. ] Do you, have you heard about the Im'mari infection? Were you around? I got hit by that-- it was in me a long time.

[ Not a fun time... ]