Radwa returns Hoa Seon's gesture of greeting, and showed her the sample vial of polish. "It goes. Do you know if anyone here has more of this polish?" they ask, opening the vial to allow Hoa Sen to better inspect the contents.

"I need much more of it because some of the synth shielding got damaged by sand and needs cleaning before I can use it in the cart, but I don't have nearly enough of the polish I need to do it," they explain before stopping themselves and giving Hoa Sen a chance to actually reply.

Hoa Sen frowns briefly at the proffered vial. It is a tube of...something. That is as much as she can tell. While she's got a mental catalogue of things it might be, she's no better at making the connections between that list and the substance in front of her than she was as an apprentice. "Polish. Yes. I am not certain who might have more, but I am happy to help you look. We will certainly need every asset we can arrange if we are to find these people a new home. Have you yet asked around?"

A pack of stray og-whirric snuffle past, stout beasts with six legs and thick scales, piggish noses on blunt faces.  They are generally harmless, if occasionally a nuisance.  A couple gobble up the stray magillin seeds that Radwa had discarded.  Another sniffs expectantly at their fingers before noticing it had been left behind and trotting to catch up with its companions.

"There are a few craftsmen over on the east side of town who might have this polish. Let us walk that way," Hoa Sen says, and, taking Radwa by the elbow, begins walking them in that direction. "Have you begun assembly yet, or have your efforts been consumed in gathering materials?"

Radwa is surprised at Hoa Sen taking their elbow, but doesn't resist. "I've started a little bit - I'm short a few parts and I need to buff the synth back into transparency so the cart has windows and can recharge itself properly, so there's still a ways to go yet, but I know I'll be able to finish it for whoever else is coming on the expedition," they explain as they walk together. "I mean, hopefully it's not too many - the design only has room for four passengers and a driver, so if we get more than that it might get a bit squishy..."

Sen sighs. "I worry that the answer to that question hangs too much on whether the other expeditions return. There are so few of us left with both the will and the skill to go beyond Canthus's fields." Hoa Sen's eyes drift toward the horizon, and she lowers her voice. "We are at the point in which necessity dictates our movements. We do what we must with what we have." She pulls her attention back to the wright. "Which, hopefully, includes the polish you need for this cart. Here we are. You will have to verify what it is you need, but I will help make sure that it is put to the greater good."

Hoa and Radwa have arrived at a small square bounded by the little shops of crafters.  The signs of a potter, a maker of reed furniture, a utensil-smith, and an armorer can be easily spotted.  Hand-painted signs of icons or Truth glint in the morning sun.

The shop that Hoa has indicated is a synth molder.  Objects of varying shapes, nearly all of transparent synth, are boldly displayed behind a perfect window.  The door, translucent synth in a woven pattern of blue and red, is propped open, allowing the low whirs of machinery to drift out.

"I hope so too," Radwa replied as they entered the shop, their feet clacking on the floor and gently pushing past the door.

"Hello?" they called, not quite moving past the door and instead peering around it so only their head was visible from the other side. "Is anyone in?"

The store has an amazing variety of synth objects displayed on the walls.  Some are clear, others in the translucent shades of the door.  Some have twisted patterns of some combination of the above.  Most of the items are everyday and utilitarian: bags, pots, windows, helmets, utensils, etc.  There are even a few pieces that look simply decorative, shapes that defy definition and function.

A muffled shout from the back room announces "I'll be with you in a minute!"  The whirring continues for a few more seconds, then subsides.  A younger man wearing a leather apron, gloves, and a synth face shield comes out.  He lifts the shield to reveal an eager face pocked with burns.  His arms show similar markings, a fresh glob of red synth sticking near his left elbow.  "What can I sell you?"

"A pleasant morning to you, sir," Hoa Sen says, making the same touch-the-throat-and bow gesture with which she'd greeted Radwa."We are seeking supplies to facilitate an expedition. Master Radwa requires at the least a certain polish." The arkus looks encouragingly over to the wright. "We'll see you recompensed, sir, one way or another."

A brief conversation and Radwa's remainder are enough to identify the product, and he does have some in stock.  "It's ten shins a tin.  'Sthe awnly stuff I knaw that'll work on the synth saw well.  Gets it right clear, perfect smooth."

"How much do you need?" Hoa Sen asked Radwa. Ten shins was...dear. If they needed more than a single tin, even Hoa Sen's persuasive powers were unlikely to prove sufficient.

The shopkeep waves to a small display, three tins in total.  "I can make what you need in synth, too, polishing included.  'Course, that depends on what you're looking for.  And that'll effect the cost, you knaw."  He smiles in what appears to be an attempt to be friendly.

Radwa studies the tins for a moment before replying. "I think one tin will be enough to finish what I need," they say, actively failing to make eye contact with anybody present.

"Though I don't have enough shins myself to cover the full price..." they aid, their voice trailing off as they show the five shins they do have to Hoa Sen. "What else do you accept, if anything?"

The man smiles.  "I do barter, of course.  Artifacts mainly.  Or machines.  Things that have a lasting impact."  He pauses a moment and chuckles wryly to himself.  "I alsaw accept genius.  I have a prawject ain't never been able to finish.  You build it working, you can have the polish and then some."  He chuckles again and his smile grows just a tiny bit cruel.  "But naw one has been able to figure it out since Pettilac passed on about ten years agaw."

"I also remind us, gently, that this contributes to the thin line of hope we walk for a future for the people of Canthus," Hoa Sen said, her tone measured. "We hardly expect you, sir, to make your civic duty into mere charity, but we should consider that duty as we work together to decide what is fair. Master Radwa, do you have the time to spare to look at the gentleman's machine?"

Radwa nods enthusiastically. "Certainly - I'd be happy to take the time to examine it!" they said, their expression brightening immediately.

"You break it, you replace it.  That gaws for all the pieces, too."  He motions you around the sales counter, taking a moment to lock the front door.  "Can't take naw chances with so many strangers about."

He leads you into the back, first through a store room of wares, some half-completed, and then into a workshop in back.  Two hulking machines take up most of the back wall.  The closest is a silvery contraption with a large turntable and open space in the center.  The shopkeep calls this the "synthshaper" and explains that it's worked perfectly for years.  Beyond that is another machine with valves and dials and nozzles and all manner of controls.  It seems to be made of a bronze-like metal and is conspicuously incomplete.

"This is what needs completing.  My pappy were sawld it as havin' four colors past the clear stuff.  Pettilac worked on it when he could, but after the clear was working, it just weren't a priority, since he was doin' it cheap.  After he died, Pappy tried to put the last one together.  It was a kit-like.  But he ain't figured it out before he died.  I couldn't figure it either.  Took apart the green to see if I could make it work, but then I couldn't even put that back together."  He waves at an irregular pile on the work bench before opening a latched case of battered black synth and pulling out an object.  "This is the real bugger that stumped me.  I can't figure out where it gaws and I can't see it in any of them."  He jerks his head back toward the functional pieces.  "But I knaw it's a part.  It comes with.  It has its awn slot in the case."

He hands Radwa a silvery disc, about 10 centimeters in diameter.  It is covered in odd symbols, bits of wire, and other colorful bits.  "Genius away."  He leans back against the wall and holds up the tin of polish, skeptical expression on his face.

Radwa pulls the hood of her cloak a little neater over their head as they started to examine the disc. They also examine the other parts - the "green" - and do a few laps of the device, carefully tracing their hands over each surface, their metal feet clacking on the floor as they paced.

"It certainly seems like a set... let me see..." they say to themselves as they examine the machine.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Will also apply one level of Effort, so difficulty is 1.
08:07, Today: Radwa rolled 1 using 1d20.  Crafting Numenera roll [Diff. 1

... are you Fucking Kidding me. Spending 1 XP for a re-roll!

08:19, Today: Radwa rolled 8 using 1d20.  Crafting Numenera roll [Diff. 1].

Much better.].

---

As they're around the other side of the machine, they spot something on the black disc - an odd, faint notch. They run their fingers along it and find more of them, practically unfeelable if you're running your fingers along any direction but one.

"Wait - this disc isn't a physical part of the machine," they explain as they come back around to the others. "It's the instruction manual - there's a set of really faint notches along here that indicate how to open it up and read it," they continue, excitedly indicating the relevant spots on the disc.

They trace their finger along the notches and a small projection of a page appears over it. "There - see? Now we should be able to get this device working again. If you'll give me a few hours with my tools and books I think I'll be able to get this device working for you again!" they exclaim, practically bouncing in place with excitement.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:30, Tue 18 June 2019.

The shop-keep's jaw practically hits the floor when he sees the projection appear.  He merely nods and waves toward the tool bench.

It takes Radwa less than half an hour to retrieve their tools and books.  There is a warm mug of lekva tea waiting for them when they return to the synth-maker's work room.

OOC: Hoa, you can exit this scene as you see fit, including adding to the conversation before or after Radwa retrieves their materials.

Hoa laughs in honest delight at Radwa's revelation. "So gracious of them to include a manual! I am certain you will both learn as much from that as from studying the machine." The arkus bowed to both Radwa and the synth stylist. "I will leave the technical work in your far more capable hands. Master Radwa, we will meet again before long, I expect."

"I'm sure we will - thank you!" Radwa replies as they set down their large box of tools, a book sticking out from a pocket to one side. They select a few tools of their own as well as some from the bench - making sure to separate them out enough so they don't end up in the wrong place - and start to read through the manual, working on reassembling the device.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
07:54, Today: Radwa rolled 3 using 1d20.  Crafting Numenera roll [Diff. 1, 1 roll for the whole task].

---

It took some time between flicking through various pages of the manual, banging, careful removal of panels, narrowly avoiding a toner blowout, and getting all the pieces exactly into place, but eventually the device was completely reassembled and Radwa was finishing up the diagnostics, watching the test print come through.

"There you go - all fixed now," they said proudly, tucking a stray lock of hair back under the hood of her cloak.

The shopkeep is overjoyed and starts pouring out green and black synth.  "This is wonderful.  I will be able to make so many more combinations now.  I am very impressed."  He adds some red and blue and clear synth to the mass he's created and moves it over to the shaping machine.  As it switches on, a high whirring noise fills the room and a few stray sparks launch from the ventilation gaps.  He quickly and expertly molds the material into an intricate and colorful pattern, and shaping it into a vase.

He proudly removes it from the device and hands it to Radwa, still warm.  "For you.  And the polish, of course."  This he hand to them, also, with a small bow.  His beaming smile continues.

Radwa accepts the vase and the tin of polish, a smile still on their face. "Thank you! I'm glad I could get it working for you again!" they replied chirpily as they left the shop, vase under one arm and tin of polish held in their other hand.

They make their way through the streets and back towards the stables where all of the parts, panels, and synth were, listening to the world around them along the way.

As Radwa builds and tinkers their way toward the evening, there is a small commotion in the scouts camp.  Just at sunset,tTwo loaded aneen, heavy with bulging bags and metal plates held in place by straps are led toward Radwa's workshop area by a human male and a lattimor female, both dusty and looking weary.  The lattimor offers a low rumble of greeting.  "Are you Radwa?  The regent said you should get first pick on this.  We picked it up in a small building we took shelter in on the way back from the east."  She sighs and blows out her lips.  "No hope in that direction."