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[controlledvariable]

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[controlledvariable]

You would, huh?

[There's something a little playful in it, but her smile is warm.]

Any particular year?

[She wouldn't mind visiting Paris, even though she knows they'd both be ridiculous about it.]

[5055034455]

Whenever, so long as there's no revolution going on.

[No thanks.]

I think they hosted the Olympics sometime in the twenties...

[controlledvariable]

Seconded.

[That would not be fun at all, even if she might like to punch some aristocrats.]

That could be fun, and I'd look cute in those dresses.

[Which is clearly the important factor.]

[5055034455]

You so would.

[And he'd look... something in whatever they wore in Paris back then...]

Wanna go?

[controlledvariable]

Yeah, it'll be fun.

[Paris. On a date.

This is ridiculous.]

[5055034455]

Then we'll go.

[A date...]

What could we bring back from 1920s Paris that'd be of use up here?

[controlledvariable]

What's the water situation like at the moment?

[She knows plenty of people are grabbing food, but they might be running low on water.]

[5055034455]

We're not in danger of dehydration, but...

[The water situation is tricky; he still hasn't thought of a decent solution.]

I really don't want anyone bringing a bunch of plastic bottles and containers up here unless there's some way to reuse it, and as of right now, I don't think there is.

[controlledvariable]

[That's a good point.]

What about bigger containers, something we can keep up here for storage in the future?

[They're not going to stay up here forever, but they still want to be able to use it.]

[5055034455]

Like extra tanks? That could work. But how would we refill them? A really long hose?

[Perhaps he's not thinking about this the right way.

Shh.]

[controlledvariable]

Saul...

[Saul pls.]

For starters, how many people do we have here with powers that could help?

[5055034455]

[Please hold while he consults his tablet and looks to this post.]

A few, maybe. This isn't everyone, but...

[Hum hum hum, scroll scroll scroll.]

[controlledvariable]

[Look at her, peering over his shoulder.]

The TK would work. Atlas can manipulate water, too.

[She's still not sure where Donny stands on the secret ID, so it's better to be safe than sorry.]

[5055034455]

I know someone else who can create ice.

[Which is ideal, really.

But Saul doesn't want to abuse anyone's power like that.

gasp]

I can talk to her about helping out. I wonder if we could —

[This is going to sound so stupid.]

Uh. I'm picturing a very large iceberg kept just off-base, like a permanent source of fresh water. Since we're basically in a giant freezer...

[controlledvariable]

[It sounds kind of weird, but not necessarily stupid. She has a few suggestions, but one thing first:]

She can create ice out thin air?

[Sounding just a little skeptical, there.]

[5055034455]

Yeah. But she can't form it into anything without a chainsaw, apparently.

[He still doesn't understand that part.]

[controlledvariable]

That doesn't make sense.

[Not the chainsaw bit, the ice out of thin air.

Unless she's turning the water molecules from the air into ice.

Steph sighs.]

Anyway. I don't think it'd need to be off base, that seems kinda unnecessarily complicated.

[5055034455]

Yeah, but it's not like we can fit something like that in here. I'd rather not take up freezer space we could be using for food just to store ice.

[A little absently, he starts playing with her hair.]

I don't actually know how the water system works in here. Do you?

[controlledvariable]

But then why leave it as ice? Water works just as well and takes up less space.

[It can start as ice, they can just let it melt.]

I know it's recycled, but I haven't really gone digging for information.

[5055034455]

I dunno. Just spit-balling ideas.

[Brainstorming, yay!

He hums and twists a few locks around his fingers.]

We should find out more about that.

[controlledvariable]

The AI probably has schematics, they shouldn't be too hard to get.

[5055034455]

Would you get them for me?

[controlledvariable]

You can't get 'em yourself?

[Not that she minds, really, she's just wondering if there's a reason.]

[5055034455]

[Because he has weird feelings about talking to the AI and also she works for him now except that hasn't happened yet gdi timelines

He kisses her temple.]

I guess I could...

[controlledvariable]

[the most overdramatic sigh]

You know the AI doesn't have cooties, right?