Searching Far and Wide

[intricate_engineer]

Glen was creating a prototype for a new gate design. It was meant to be affordable and provide quick transport between individual homes. She tests several objects and a rat and everything seems to be working.

She steps through. Instead of finding herself in the room next door, she finds herself standing on a sidewalk in an empty city. The buildings are tall and perfect, colorless with doorways far too tall for any human. The roads have no straight lines and twist in on themselves. There is no life or sound.
Glen tries to stay calm. She begins to walk along the road, randomly opening doors and exploring buildings that are as silent as the rest of the world.

She opens a door that she hopes will lead onto a roof and is instead met with warmth, and soft noise, and color.

Comments

[intricate_engineer]

"I think the problem isn't that it happens, it's that it all happens at once."

[the_very_best]

"Release it piecemeal, then? Although I think we could probably already automate shopkeeping, it's just not popular."

[intricate_engineer]

"I think that's the idea, and why releasing it all publicly could be a problem. Also, there's the potential to mess up. People might be tempted to try stuff before they actually understand it, especially with medicine."

[the_very_best]

"It's an understandable temptation. And unless humans work exactly the same here as everywhere else there'd be an experimental phase anyway..."

[intricate_engineer]

"Are medicines regulated?"

[the_very_best]

"Some? What do you mean specifically?"

[intricate_engineer]

"New medicines in our worlds have to go through an strictly regulated process before they can be sold to the public."

[the_very_best]

"I don't think our process is very 'strictly'. You're not allowed to lie about what's in a medicine or why you think it works, and there's review institutions that do independent checks and you're not allowed to forge their approval."

[intricate_engineer]

"That sounds safe enough, as long as no one tries to skip the process."

[the_very_best]

"Eh, you get people trying to do all kinds of things but I don't think we have a major problem there?"

[intricate_engineer]

"So I think unemployment, hasty usage, and violence are the largest problems, and it seems like most of those are covered here. I can send the government the information? I'll need some sort of introduction."

[the_very_best]

"I am afraid I do not know the government on a personal basis. Closest thing is my dad's a cop."

[intricate_engineer]

"Would you say corruption is a problem?"

[the_very_best]

"Not that I know of?"

[intricate_engineer]

"Alright, good. Do you think your father could pass it on?"

[the_very_best]

"I'm... not sure people will believe him, honestly."

[intricate_engineer]

"Hmm. I'm not sure I want to make the portals public, but I don't know how else to make it convincing. It would be easier if you were less technologically advanced."

[the_very_best]

"I bet it would be. Uh, I'm sure there's something else unprecedented you could demonstrate..."

[intricate_engineer]

"Given some time yes, but I'm not sure if I have anything else flashy enough to get someone important to talk to me."

[the_very_best]

"What're some candidates?"

[intricate_engineer]

"The stun gun I showed you. I have some medicines you probably don't have. I have a cream that closes wounds, but I don't know if anyone is going to wait around for me to cut myself. I have a translation device. Actually, maybe this'll work-"
Glen drops her bag on the ground and rummages around inside of it.
She pulls out an object that looks like a mix between a water purifier and a paper shredder. Glen pulls on the top and a large, thin sheet unfurls.

[the_very_best]

"A translation device'd be impressive.... what is that?"

[intricate_engineer]

"It's a little slow, it requires time to learn a new language. It might not be enough to get an initial audience. This is a food processor. It can turn almost any organic material into usable calories. This is a solar panel-"
Glen points to unfurled sheet.
"The results are disgusting, and you still need vitamins to survive, but it's saved my life before."

[the_very_best]

"Anything people have to ingest to see it working is gonna be a hard sell, but if you teach your translator a couple local languages that'd be impressive. The solar panel's fancy-looking too."

[intricate_engineer]

"Will a translator speaking a familiar language be unusual enough to catch someone's attention? This one is special because it can learn, but if it already knows the language it won't be that remarkable."