Silence

We all know what it’s like, having a good time with good company. A few pints, and someone makes a remark that starts a debate.
It’s no different in other dimensions, and certainly not unusual with the number of staff employed by CARMA. Because the Control Acquisition Recovery Magical Artifacts is what agents do, wherever it takes them.

I took a sip from my glass before saying.

“I’m telling you that the loudest pop group that actually damaged a building because they were so loud was Deep Purple in 1972. 117 decibels, a Guinness World Record.”
Alex a Centauride I had known ever since Epona decided I was a human accidentally turned into a Centaur and was worth saving, splutted.
“That’s horseshit, and believe me….”
Jackson her sibling, burst out laughing before saying. “He’s full of it.” Stealing the punchline.
I took a drink from my glass before saying. “Loudest sound ever heard on Earth, so loud three people at the concert were rendered unconscious.”

Now Fate has a sense of humor, particularly with those who make stupid statements and yes, I should have known better. Because out of the corner of my eye I saw at another table an anthropomorphic donkey signing to another, whatever the conversation it appeared intense because the other party got up and walked over to me.
“Excuse me, but my friend says you’re wrong.”
Jackson laughed, and Alex being Alex could not help herself. “Not for the first time.

I put my glass down. “Anyone ever tell you that it is rude to listen to others conversations.” My front hoof tapped the floor.
Jackson who had drunk as much as me said. “Don’t be an ass.” Which he then thought was hilarious, until Alex kicked him. I however was on a roll.
“Must be the large ears.”
Alex, gave me a, “Mare stare,” which my Stallion hind brain recognised and I suddenly found the ground more interesting.
“Please, ignore these idiots especially this draft whose manners appear to have escaped him.”
Ouch! “Mare slapped.” I’d forgotten that good manners were embedded in the herd structure. Suitably chastised I said.
“I apologise, please tell me why I am wrong.”
“Well my friend was assigned to a mission on Earth, and sound damaged her hearing as well as psychological damage.”
Alex being the ever-generous host. “Interesting, you and your friend please join us.”
As our mysterious ass turned to get his friend, I just looked at Alex who stared back with a, “this should be good,” grin.
“I’m Nimbus, and this is Scout….”
Jackson could not help himself with, “How original,” under his breath, which earned him another kick. Alex smiled. “Do carry on.”
“We’re both of the Cloverdale herd.”
“Well I’m Alexandria, but do call me Alex. My sibling is Jackson we’re both of the Hayes herd, that is Graham, also known as the, “Idiot draft.” Believe it or not he is Herd Registered, although how Izzy puts up with him, I don’t know.”
I did my best to look hurt by that remark, before adding. “Bloodworth, Taylor-Brooke herd.”
Scout began signing to Nimbus, who asked. “Not the one that destroyed the Security lobby?”
“The same, I’ll never live that down.”
Alex turned to Jackson. “Well don’t just stand there, get the drinks, on Graham’s tab.”
“Thanks for that.” Serves me right, I had enough good grace to smile.
In short order Jackson had the order and brought a tray of drinks back although I had to comment.
“Grief Alex how can you drink them?”
She liked a concoction called a, “Mare’s Leap,” apparently enough of them and you could clear anything.
Alex took a sip before asking. “Now Scout I understand you have a story to tell?”
Scout signed to Nimbus, who replied. “I take it none of you know, “Universal Sign Language?”
We shook our heads, but I was curious so asked. “How come Scout can’t use telepathy like other equines here?”
Nimbus must have been asked this many times so answered. “Scout was so traumatized she lost the ability, and magic will not work on her.”
“So what happened?” This from Alex, Nimbus paused. I noticed that he gave Scout’s hand a gentle squeeze.
“She was in Merak at the time….”
“The port in Indonesia?” I had heard of it.
“Back then it wasn’t a port, only a village. Naturally I cannot say what mission Scout was on, she was in her donkey equine form when it happened, a huge explosion. So loud it was severely painful, blood ran from her ears.”
Scout was starting to shake, as Nimbus recalled the story. Something clicked I and had to ask.
“When did it happen?”
“She will never forget the date, by the Earth calendar, the twenty sixth of August 1883.”
Why did that ring a bell? “OMG! You’re talking about Krakatoa, how in the Goddesses name did she escape?”
“She was stunned from the pressure wave, the silent screams of the humans around her, broken windows. As it happened, she managed to trigger the recall beacon just before the tsunami hit, A 120-foot wave swept her off her hooves and into the Portal chamber.”
By now tears were streaming down Scouts face, Alex hugged her before continuing.
“The technician hit the emergency Shutdown, and Scout shifted into her anthropomorphic form, but the debris and bodies swept in took some moving, we understand over 2,700 humans perished in Merak alone. You said about sound, she took an 180db hit, I understand that Krakatoa was around 310db at source.”
I now knew why the solid thick blast doors were always closed and locked before the portal operated. As for decibels, well 0db is silence. 10db the sound is ten times greater in intensity, 20db is one hundred times the intensity, 30db a thousand times greater and so on. If you have to shout to be heard that’s around 85db, a jet engine produces around 120db. I broke the stunned silence.
“She was lucky, above 185db the pressure wave kills as organs in the body collapse under the pressure, above 210db death is instantaneous.”
Scout was furiously signing to Nimbus, who motioned for her to slow down.
“She says. “Lucky? Lucky? You’re an insensitive arrogant prick!””
Alex stared daggers at me, but I continued.
“You survived, 36,000 or more didn’t. It was a natural disaster, and as a former human from Earth, survival matters to us. Not any of my family, or friends I left behind get the long lifespans that Epona grants some employees as a perk.”

Not to lose any sleep, at some point in the future, the world may get to hear the thunder that rang around the world again. The energy released by Krakatoa was equivalent to 200 megatons of TNT, enough ash and material blasted into the air to cause a blue Moon.

The Yellowstone volcanic caldera in America if it were to explode would register at around 315db.

Deep Purple didn’t actually damage the building it’s an urban myth, but the fact about three collapsing is true. It was Motorhead whose concert at 130db did cause plaster to fall from the ceiling. The Guinness book of world records no longer has a category for the loudest pop group for safety reasons.