Vela's ability to discern what was going on would depend largely on her level of familiarity with the periodic table of elements. He was working on two problems simultaneously, one seemed to be an engineering problem the other one of chemistry. The entire blackboard a jumbled puzzle that, if one knew enough about both subjects, was all dedicated to the creation of a new fire suppression system that would pump a fire suppressing foam into a house when it was ablaze.

Edward doesn't even look at her when she addresses him but he doesn't ignore her. "Hello Miss Rosewine, what can I do for you?" The way he speaks makes it clear that his mind was only barely on her. He was staring at a drawn representation of a chemical compound that was only half complete.

Vela looked at the boards with curiosity.  "Looks like you are working on something to fight fire?"  She posed it as a question as she looked at drawings more than the math and chemical things.  "That will be good to have.  I've had to help put out kitchen fires a time or two.  Having something that would help would be great."

She gave him a look.  "I would like to say you have a great kitchen set up here.  I've been trying out for the job to work in there making meals for you.  In fact, since you are the one that it matters if it is of your taste, how about you try this?"  She still had the apple scented plate of chicken.

There was a slight shift and suddenly the man is looking at her intently. "Yes! Yes, that is the idea. I am sure you are aware but there are all kinds of different fires, you can see numerous sorts in a kitchen. Grease, coal, fire, oil. They all have the same basic properties and needs, yet the nature of the fuel being used changes the way you have to fight the fire. I am trying to see if I can resolve a way of putting out any kind of fire safely and instantly within a home."

He nods and then something catches his attention. "Oh, is that dinner? It looks good." He takes the plate from her and without sitting down he digs in with the fork she'd brought. His attention returning to the chalkboard as he begins to eat. His brother watching with wide eyes from the doorway.

"Indeed."  She agreed as he spoke of the kind of fire.  "Having been burnt a time or two as well, each of those types of fire can really make a problem."  She had seen some bad burns leaving scars in the kitchen, especially oil fires.  "If you can make something like that it will really help people everywhere."  She continued with a very positive and interesting tone.  It was not faked either.  She found she was interested in the idea and how it would help so many.

As Edward tried the food, Vela hid a smile but her eyes smiled as he seemed to like it.  She didn't interrupt him as he ate, letting him take as much as he would and focus on what he was thinking.   With a quick look at the brother nearby, she then gave a tilt of her head as if a question if this was approving.

"Yes, it is a rather tricky proposition. Obviously sprinkler systems are a good start, water tank at the top of the building feeding water to various heads, smoke is detected they trigger. But that doesn't work on every type of fire, causes quite a bit of damage to the home. I am thinking some kind of foam perhaps within the walls underneath pressure expanding..." He frowns lost in thought the plate set aside.

Ambrose gives Vela a look at the plate, then at his brother. He mouths the words, good start. But the message was clear, she had to keep at least some of his attention on the food.

Vela found his ideas were actually very interesting.  Safety in the kitchen was a big thing and most kitchens were not updated so often had fire dangers.  She caught the cue from Ambrose and nodded.  Moving closer to Edward, but not close enough to be in contact with him, she motioned to the plate. 

"After you finish that, I'd like to know about this foam idea?  Do you mean like soap bubbles or like a meringue on a pie?"  She was honestly curious and it would come out in her tone and expression.

"Finished with... Oh, yes, right dinner. Of course." Edward nods his head picking up the plate and taking another bite as he considers her question. "That is the inherent question. At its core a fire requires two things, fuel and oxygen. A heat source as well to get started but once it has, it provides its own heat. The goal then to douse a flame is to remove either its fuel or its oxygen. I am thinking of foam as a means of putting out the flame, essentially smothering it instantly, but if it isn't thick enough it could catch on fire itself and if its two thick it could smother people. It is rather a conundrum." He taps his force against his plate but doesn't eat anything.

She nodded thinking about what he said.   Looking at the plate, she smiled.  "Like you need fuel to let your brain work.  Have another bite, Sir, maybe something will come to you as you eat."  She suggested.  Thinking a bit, she thought of the time she put out a candle when making a mixture for her stomach. 

"I accidentally put out a candle when I had it near a glass where I was making a mixture of bicarbonate of soda and water.  It fuzzed up as was expected but the candle went out."  She paused to look at him with a light shrug.  "The electric had gone out and it was at night.  I had an upset stomach."  She explained the situation.  "I couldn't figure out why the candle went out, but could it have been the mixture I had made?"  She asked thinking about his foam.

"Hrmm?" Edward says as she draws his attention back to his food. That makes him blink in surprise but he saw some sense in her suggestion, we was rather peckish though he could have sworn he'd eaten recently. So he tucks into the meal as they standing contemplative silence for a moment until she makes a suggestion.

"Hrmmm, Bicarbonite and water. An interesting proposition. Would be a relatively simple thing to set up, would just need a system to dump the bicarbonate into water during heat. Would need to check the rate of expansion on the reaction as well as if it would be more effective than just regular water. Obviously, that caries the risk of water damage but that at least doesn't threaten the structural integrity of the house." He is ounce again tapping his fork against his plate but at least most of the meal was consumed now.

He was an interesting man.  His ideas could save lives and property if he could make it work.  As he ate, she smiled inwardly.  Looking at his setup there where he worked, she was already thinking of snacks of nutritional value that she could put on his workstation.  Things he could reach out and just eat without really thinking about it. 

Glancing over at Ambrose, she raised a brow as to ask his approval giving a slight nod toward the plate. As Edward spoke again, she nodded.  "That is true."  She agreed.