Maker of Fire

(continued from installment 2.86 - Aylem, Aybhas, Planting Season, 6th rot., 1st day)

"Aylem, I have another question for you," Emily leaned forward with a speculative look. "Can someone like you or Lisaykos or Kaseo, with the ability to magically see fine detail down to the molecular level, identify harmful viruses and bacteria as they infect someone?" Emily used the English words since there were no equivalents in Fosk. "I know that the gems from Well of Mugash prevent infectious diseases, so you don't run into infections often. But here's the problem I see coming. I expect Foskan Coyn will be getting rid of the gems embedded in their hands and will not trust a gem for some time afterward. So, there may be epidemics that spread through the Coyn population. You should prepare for this."

"Merciful Mugash, Emily," I lost my good humor instantly. "What a terrible thought." I had to think, "I don't know how to identify a good versus a bad virus or bacteria. It's not been something we worry about in Foskos. Your wound fever was the first time in years that I had to treat an infection. Usruldes, Lisaykos, and I took turns to treat the symptoms, not the underlying infection. I never even thought of trying to find the bacteria that caused the fever."

"Maybe the different communities in Foskos could require anyone coming through a city gate to have a gem on them that had been in the Well of Mugash," Emily suggested. "Make it enforceable like vaccination mandates back on Earth. But that won't be a perfect fix." Again, Emily had to use the English word for vaccine. She continued, "I think education of the enslaved Coyn would be a good thing before we destroy the great crystal at the White Shrine of Landa. But with this many Coyn about to lose the charm gems from their hands, an epidemic or two is inevitable. So consider how you might selectively kill a bacteria or virus behind an infectious disease. You should be able to do this with all your incredible magical power.

"How would I even identify such a thing, Em?" I asked. I wouldn't know what an infectious bacteria or virus looked like.

"I'm the wrong person to ask about microbiology," Emily used an English word for a third time. "Maybe a microscope would help. I should talk with Raoleer if she ever finished the glass lenses I asked her to make. I want them for both a microscope and the camera project. Those endeavors were forgotten, I think, when I went off with Galt and Erhonsay on that excursion last year."

"No," I was more than pleased to be able to tease Emily this way, "Raoleer did not forget. You did. She has your lens glass ready and waiting for you because your friend Lord Irhessa haup Gunndit wouldn't let her forget. He really wants that camera. The lens is ready for it."

Emily was gobsmacked, which was such a good look for her. I loved seeing her flattened and making a fish face. Her reaction made me smile.

She saw my smile. "You could have told me," she accused. "If I had known, I could have taken pictures at Kayseo's wedding, you overgrown excuse of a...a..."

"But, Emily, dear heart," sugar syrup dripped off every word I uttered, "you should have asked. Irhessa and Raoleer already made the box, fitted the lens, plated silver on a copper plate and polished it, made the iodine-bromine lamp you designed, and made the mercury fumer you designed. The images they made—"

"Wait! They already tried to take pictures?" Emily's jaw dropped and threatened to bounce off the floor.

"If you would be soooooo kind to let me finish, love," I purred. Teasing Emily was too much fun. "The images they made would fade after several bells. By the next day, they would be ruined. They were at a loss on how to fix the problem."

Emily rolled her eyes, "Fixing the problem is to add a fixer, namely sodium thiosulfate, in a solution to soak the plate in. It stops the photosensitivity," another English word. "Those two should have waited for me." She shook her head, and then she noticed the motion of the magic pen on one of the side tables. "Kamagishi, do you have that damn scroll thing going? You insufferable, overgrown excuse of a mastodon. I should figure out a way to clog that magic pen!"

Kamagishi chuckled, "The only thing that would stop that pen would be a fire, Emily, dear heart. What's a mastodon?"

"Blarg," Emily grumped and shook her head.

"What is sodium thio-whatsit?" I asked. "Is it hard to make?"

"It's simple, Aylem. It's easier to make than almost everything else I've created. All you do is boil sulfur in a lye solution and filter out the excess solids. What you have left is a solution of sodium thiosulfate, ready to use for photography. We already have lye from the soap project, and Huhoti has crocks full of sulfur ready to use."

"Well, then, Emily dear," I purred, "I'll have Raoleer and Huhoti bring some, along with the rest of the photography equipment. You and Irhessa can play at the wedding in Truvos. You might even be able to take some wedding pictures. Shall I contact the Building Shrine for you?" I smiled as sweetly as I could. If Emily had been born with magic, the Shrine would have exploded right then.