#baronyofthesilverwolf

"Good, wouldn't want Artemis hurt" And hee means that. Just because he finds her creepy doesn't mean she should be destroyed, "Thanks, Lydia." Then he gets to work. He's no crafter, but he does have ideas. He looks about for string, rope, or twine. If not that, cords. he wants to layer this place with trip wires to catch the nocker when he arrives.

Plenty of both! Fine silver and copper wires, twine for maintenance tasks, spools of cables.

And he laces them carefully, memorizing the lay out for at least ten minutes so HE will know where to step

His hands are nimble enough to do this easily, but he wonders if he got it sorted right. Oh well, too late now

He veils himself, and hides.

Best to combined magic AND Stealth...

as he turns on the device.

(Bunk for the veil) "I see nuzing... I know nuzing" In a german accent

Just like that, the trap is set.

As time passes, the lab grows quieter, the ambient hum of the building fading into the background.

Madern sits silently in the dark, his form veiled by Glamour, blending into the shadows like a ghost. The Phase-Halt Excluder hums softly, creating a field that prevents any phase-shifting within its range. The wires are nearly invisible in the dim light, blending seamlessly with the surroundings.

He repeats the bunk in a German accent, infusing the words with just enough whimsy to complete his magic. The room seems to hold its breath, waiting for what comes next.

Patience. Patience.

It's like a blink - like turning a switch! One moment the room is empty, and the next, just at the edge of the area that the PHE encompasses, a Nocker flicks into view. Madern didn't even feel him coming, so smooth was the Nocker's phase shifting.

Now, however? He's there, clear as crystal, his device humming with glamour.

(DD incoming)

Dario comes into view, emerging from the ether like a ghost materializing from thin air. He’s clad in a sleek, high-tech suit that interfaces with an intricate device strapped to his back—a phase shifter that resembles a futuristic backpack. The pack is adorned with glowing indicators and screens displaying otherworldly data, while articulated arms extend from it, each ending in emitters that manipulate the phase of matter around him. A soft, ethereal light pulses from the crystalline power source at its core, giving the entire setup an air of advanced chimerical technology.

This is an odd dissonance from his mortal clothing, which is worn and patched.

Large, somewhat comical goggles with thick lenses give him an almost bug-eyed look. A step into the aura of the PHE., and he mutters, "What the..." A gloved hand comes up and flips the lenses, camera one, camera two? Clearly confused by what he sees.

But before Dario can react, his foot catches on one of Madern’s carefully laid wires. With a yelp, he stumbles, the phase shifter emitting a series of frantic clicks and whirs as it tries to recalibrate itself after the sudden disruption.

Dario crashes to the ground, his phase shifter sputtering and the articulated arms twitching as they try to stabilize. He scrambles, attempting to regain his footing, but the combination of the trip wires have him thoroughly entangled.

He tries to grab a connecting wire or some other part or connector on the back pack and remove it to keep it from sending him back, as he does so, he says "We need to talk. I know a cop. If you don't want her to break in here and arresting you for mortal thefts, you might want to chat. No promises, but trust me, she's not always nice"

Dario tries desperately to activate his phase shifter, cranking a knob into the red...

But before he can fiddle further, Madern leaps into action, his fingers deftly reaching for a critical connector on the phase shifter’s backpack. He grasps a thick, coiled wire that seems to be one of the primary links between the power source and the rest of the device. With a quick yank, he pulls it free, and the pack sputters as the glowing indicators flicker and dim.

BEEEoooooop...zzzt...ztt.

"Hi there, want to talk or no?"

The threat of a cop and the very real possibility of his device malfunctioning sends Dario into a panic attack. He’s torn between the instinct to flee and the realization that Madern might actually be his best shot at avoiding a more serious consequence. "Okay, okay! I’ll talk!" he blurts out, his hands freezing in place, showing he's willing to cooperate..

As the critical wire is yanked from the phase shifter, the device emits a final sputtering sound, its glowing indicators dimming to nothing. The equipment’s once erratic whirring fades into a low hum before stopping altogether, leaving Dario disoriented and momentarily powerless.

Dario looks up at Madern, his eyes wide with both fear and surrender. “Just… just don’t let me get caught by that cop you mentioned,” he pleads.

"What you're doing could destabilize the flux coupling and trigger a dimensional resonance cascade" he says hoping he got that right

Dario’s eyes widen further as Madern drops the technical bombshell. He stutters, “A—A resonance cascade? Look, I didn’t mean to—”

He starts to fidgeting nervously, he would be pacing if he wasn't tangled in wires, as he tries to explain. “Alright, alright! I admit it. I was trying to develop a more stable phase-shifter for my own research. The stuff I’ve been taking—well, it’s for testing, okay? I didn’t think it would cause such trouble. It was supposed to be secure!”

He glances around frantically, clearly frightened by the prospect of a cop getting involved. “I’ll cooperate. Just please don’t call anyone. I didn’t want to make a mess, I just needed more data. just—just don’t let this go any further.”

"No such thing as 'they'll never notice' it's gone. BELIEVE me" he says ruefully, "As for the rest. You have to return the stuff you stole from here, Lydia might be reasonable about that. And... if you want me not to tell my cop friend, you need to also give up the stuff you stole from your work place. Actually, if I were you? I'd ask Lydia if she needed a new employee. She might be interested and you could do a lot more with a fellow kithian"

"Oh I shoudl clarify, the stuff stolen from your work place? The SHS? that's going with ME, not back to your company"

The Nocker's hands shake, and his voice trembles. “I’m so close to perfecting it! I’ve been working for days, tweaking and fine-tuning, but the more I adjust, the more unstable it becomes. I’m on the brink of a breakthrough, but I need to fix it now or everything will be ruined!”

"So close... so close.." He buries his head in his hands.

Madern can feel the glamour emanating from the poor fellow. Perhaps it's from the shifting, or just from spending too much time immersed in this project, but Dario teeters dangerously close to Bedlam.

Something seems to click, however, and he looks up at Madern, pushing the goggles off his face, showing teary eyes. "She... might be.. reasonable?"

"Of course she can, look, you don't want to endanger the right of ignorance, and you SURE don't want to rupture the dreaming do you? Hard to do research when you've opened the seventh seal to Feldark doom" He says gently "YOu don't see it, but you're spending way too much time betwixt and between. It can led to Bedlam... a scattered mind strikes me as a nocker's worst fate."

Soft clapping fills the room, drawing both Madern's and Dario’s attention. Lydia's presence brings an immediate shift in the atmosphere, the tension momentarily broken by her calm demeanor.

“Bravo—well done,” Lydia says with a genuine smile, her gaze shifting to Dario. “So, this is the fellow who so desperately needed the Quantum Flux Stabilizer and Tantalum coupler?”

She steps closer, her expression a mix of curiosity and amusement as she regards the disheveled Nocker. “I must say, Madern, your method of handling this situation has been quite effective. And you,” she adds, addressing Dario, “seem to be in quite a state. Perhaps it’s time to have a more thorough discussion about what’s been going on, don’t you think?”

Her eyes flick over Dario with a mixture of concern and interest - her gaze DOES linger on his resonance pack.

"Lydia" he says cautiously, "I handled this.. and certain goods are going with me because that was necessary to make this happen. But go easy on this guy. He's near bedlam, and I am not sure he was fully in his right mind. IF I might suggest? Maybe a community service week working for you, then ... if you two get along, hire him? "

Lydia listens attentively as Madern speaks, her expression thoughtful. She nods in agreement with his suggestion, understanding the gravity of the situation.

A slight pout, but finally she agrees, "Of course, Madern. I would never dream of letting such talent go to waste or fall into the hands of a competitor - or languish in a jail cell. If Dario is indeed close to Bedlam, it’s crucial we approach this with care and compassion.”

"Good, because I'll be checking up on that" he says "No disrespect meant, but you wanted involvement, you got it, and that means a follow up to make sure no one is being cheated "

With regret, she moves in to help detangle Dario and detach his equipment. "Clever move, pulling the power conduit. It's a shame, I could do so much with this tech... but no, it's too unstable. Take the phase shifter back to Grimwald. He’ll ensure that what's mine is returned and that the rest doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. He's a gloomy old grumpus, but honest.”

“For this fellow? Feel free to check in anytime. I value transparency and accountability, and I’ll ensure that’s maintained throughout.”

She turns to Dario with a reassuring smile. “Let’s focus on getting you back to a healthier state of mind first. As Madern suggested, perhaps a week of community service could be beneficial. It will give you a chance to stabilize and show us that your skills are worth nurturing. If you prove yourself, we’ll be more than happy to discuss potential employment opportunities.”

"To start, a couple of hours of listening to ARTEMIS recite business tax codes might do him well. That, and perhaps a hot meal. It seems he hasn’t been taking proper care of himself during this... inspiration bender.”

He looks to Dario "That includes you by the way. I find out you're robbing her again, then I'll HAVE to involve a cop" He removes the guy's gear

She is already ahead of it, but he has the list of what WASN'T taken from her and he gathers that.

"Tax codes?" Dario squeaks in horror" A solemn nod from Lydia. "And then, the HR pamphlets, AND... look, you crossed your resolnator flux with the stabilizer! THEN the OSHA safety packet."

Dario’s eyes widen with a mixture of fear and disbelief. “Tax codes?” he repeats, his voice trembling. “And… and HR pamphlets? OSHA safety packet? This is torture!”

Lydia gives him a sympathetic but firm look. “Yes, and you’ll need to go through all of it. Understanding these things is part of reintegrating into a responsible work environment. It’s not just about your brilliant inventions; it’s also about ensuring they don’t lead to disaster.”

She gives Madern a slight smile. "Tell the Sergeant that I'll be dropping any charges, contingent on the rehabilitation path you recommended."

Dario slumps, looking resigned but also slightly relieved. "Alright, alright. I’ll do it. Just… let me have a moment to catch my breath and get some food first."

"I'll pass it on to her" He says, feeling sympathy for Dario.

And SOME for Artemis, he's not sure tax codes are fun for the computer either.

Lydia turns off and hands the Phase-Halt Excluder back to Madern, giving him a nod of approval. “Here you go. Thanks for handling this so efficiently. And tell that old Grump that if he ever gets off his keister, he's welcome to come work with us any time."

As ARTEMIS’s soft hum fills the room, she adds, “Ordering Chinese,” with a hint of mechanical cheerfulness in her voice.

"Old grump?" he takes the extender "You'll understand if I don't claim to know who you're talking about?"

Not sure Dario needs to know either yet.

A pause, and Lydia asks, changing the subject, "Would YOU be interested? You showed some ingenuity and foresight. I have internship positions available."

"And ARTEMIS likes you." She adds.

He manages to stop a shudder, "Little over supervised here for my liking, Lydia. I appreciate the offer, but I just don't think I'm cut out for..." A thought occurs, "Actually, I know someone you might want to pinch from that big company if you can find her on a first name alone"

"She's a daughter of Eve mind, but she didn't seem too banal"

"Mortals are important here," Lydia nods, "It's our responsibility to foster dreams of ingenuity as much as live our own." A soft poke to Dario, who has the decency to look a bit guilty.

"Her name is Tabi, she's only worked two weeks there so may not be too attached. She might say no and you might think she's a bit trusting, but I liked her attitude" He describes her as best he recalls, without using the term 'hot' or even 'cutie'

A sly grin, "I get the feeling that SHS may be doing some cutbacks. After all, THEY lost integral components, and MINE were returned. I'm going to run laps around them with my next product release." The Sidhe looks like the cat that ate the canary.

"I'll do what I can to sweep her up with a tempting job offer. Heck, our internships are PAID, which is more than most can say."