194 Chapter 191 Tinker Town (2/2)
Joseph looked around calmly, noting the large mech that was the source of the explosion, positioned in the corner, before turning back to the gnome that seemed to have frozen just like all of the other gnomes.
”Is this a common greeting for their race?” asked Stella, barely glancing at the mech and focusing on the little man who stood barely two feet tall.
”I believe it may be a side affect from lack of contact with those from outside the city. I wonder if the shock will linger for very long?”
At the sound of their words, the old gnome shook himself and held out the leather bag.
”I promised to pay ye, for saving me the pain of that hard knock, and I don't back down from my word.”
Joseph stepped forward and took the small bag, hefting it curiously, before opening it up and pouring a few coins out onto his open palm. They were made of a particular metal that he didn't recognize.
a.n.a.lYZE.
It seemed to be a material that should have been unstable in normal atmosphere, but a chemical overcoat seemed to keep it stable.
”Is that silver?” asked Stella, not able to get a good look.
”It's trit. In one of my other lives it was used as a material to build s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+ps with, but it was too unstable in the atmosphere of a planet to be used for anything else. They've coated it in a chemical to stabilize it.”
”Is that good?” she asked.
”It's fantastic,” he said, straightening up and replacing the coins in the leather bag. ”I'll have to run some experiments on it later to see just what it can do.”
She nodded in understanding. Anything new was always exciting for him.
”You know what it is, just from looking at it?” asked the gnome. His huge fluffy eyebrows wiggled in curiosity.
Stella stifled her groan as Joseph smiled.
”I can tell some things,” he said, moving over to the worktable and looking over the scattered objects.
She leaned against a stable section of the wall, glancing outside at the curious gnomes that were peeking in, as Joseph and the gnome quickly fell into a deep conversation on the various methods of tinkering. This was going to take a while; she could just tell.
<script>