Delightfully Strange

[magictechsupport]

At the end of the universe,

A man steps into a bar and looks around. "Huh, nobody told me they installed a break room here."

With Slayer Juliet.

With Kappa's Dagna.

With Eclipse!Bell.

Comments

[magictechsupport]

"I wouldn't want to have caused a diplomatic incident, is all."

[all_the_thoughts]

"It'll be fine!" she assures him.

Back at the top of these stairs, down the short hall, and through a door into... yep, that's a throne, and this is a throne room. The throne is currently empty, however, as is the rest of the room.

Huge stained glass windows behind the throne paint its surface in coloured lights. Banners hung from the high ceiling depict unfamiliar heraldry. There is an interior balcony at the opposite end of the room, overhanging the entrance, and the chandeliers glimmer with lyrium-based light-stones. It's all very medieval, but still gorgeous.

Dagna shuts the door they came in, off to one side of the imposingly large throne, and beams proudly at the chandeliers.

[magictechsupport]

He takes pictures, and recordings of the thaumoscope's output. "It's a less technological aesthetic than I'm used to, you can see how much effort went into it all. The lights, I bet they'll keep shining just about forever, right?"

[all_the_thoughts]

"If I made them right, they should!"

[magictechsupport]

"Built to last. I like when people do that. So much neater."

[all_the_thoughts]

"It's more satisfying than making something that's going to break."

[magictechsupport]

"Not as profitable, though. I detest the concept of planned obsolescence. It's a giant scam that accounts for fully a quarter of my work."

[all_the_thoughts]

"Planned obsolescence?"

[magictechsupport]

"They design things so that they will almost definitely break in however many years. So whoever bought it has to buy a new one, and the company makes more money. Especially if it's something relatively cheap, and not a fancy expensive tool like thaumoscopes. I'm not actually sure how extensive this strategy is, but I'm pretty sure it happens at least a little."

[all_the_thoughts]

"That's terrible," she says indignantly.

[magictechsupport]

"I know. The Higher Ups are much more willing to do terrible things if non-terrible things aren't making enough money. And then they get yelled at and boycotted for doing terrible things and shape up. And then they decide they aren't making enough money again. It's sort of cyclic."