smarterthandad: (i'm not doing anything why do you ask)
Valeria Richards ([personal profile] smarterthandad) wrote in [community profile] robothell2015-01-12 11:34 pm

[open] Brainstorm has competition

Who: Valeria and visitors
Where: Her under-construction lab
When: Anytime from about a week after arrival on
What: Tiny supergenius for hire and/or underhanded plotting
Warnings: Val's Prowl-level ethics, idk

Based on what she acknowledged was her incomplete understanding of the Cybertronians' factions and the balance of power as it stood after their war, Val had decided that Optimus Prime asking for her scientific expertise counted as carte blanche to do what she wanted--not that she wouldn't have anyway, but the imprimatur of authority never hurt--which had at first mostly involved browbeating Drift into helping her scout locations, and then move heavy objects even an adult human wouldn't have been able to budge. Now, though, things were finally coming together to the point where she could get some useful work done.

She was rapidly filling up the floor space with remote-controlled equipment to let her manipulate enormous Cybertronian technology without needing to call for help every time, but much of it was still half-built. The spacious catwalk around the edge of the room at convenient Transformer eye height was quite finished, however. Val was used to having to look up at people, but 20 feet or more was a bit much, thanks. She should probably add some antigrav scooters when she got a chance; a room large enough to host even Optimus or Megatron comfortably made for a lot of walking when you were three feet tall. As with so many other things on her to-do list, that would have to wait until more pressing concerns were out of the way.

Like the fact that it didn't seem as though their war was quite as over as they said it was, so in true Cybertronian fashion, she'd focused on weapons. Her own Earth had something to say on that front, and after throwing together a few basic EMP grenades and an x-ray laser (you know, just in case) Val had switched to more interesting designs. Duplicating Iron Man's repulsors with Cybertronian tech had been a snap, though an adequate portable power source was taking time. Obviously it should run on energon, but she didn't fully understand that delightful concoction yet, and for the moment, her new toys were hooked up to a smallish fusion reactor that hummed in the corner behind a symbolic barricade of hazard tape.

The sharp zap of a repulsor blast and the metallic clatter of the makeshift target Val was practicing on were audible from the street, though hearing her giggling about the minor havoc she was causing would require being inside the lab. Not much of a feat--the door was unlocked and she had rigged an enormous "come in, we're open" sign of the sort that hung in the windows of stores on Earth. She found it funny, even if no one else was going to get the joke.
towardspeace: (hmm)

[personal profile] towardspeace 2015-01-25 09:12 pm (UTC)(link)
He laughs humourlessly. "It may already be too late for that – but you're right, I'd like to get this straightened out before anything worse happens."

I don't know what I look like to you but it sure as hell isn't someone who's good at bullshitting science, so I am just going to handwave him setting out to tell her as much about energon as he can – he's not an expert, but he knows enough, and Val is presumably smart enough to ask the right questions when something she needs to know isn't something that would have occurred to him. He explains the fool's energon in a little more detail, too, although he hasn't been given the precise ins and outs of that one – "Wouldn't want me figuring out a way around it, after all."
sparkwhisperer: (Default)

[personal profile] sparkwhisperer 2015-01-26 04:20 am (UTC)(link)
Tarn gives Val a skeptical look from beneath his mask. The equipment in this lab is so large, it is impossible for such a tiny creature to have command over it.

"But you are so, very...miniscule."
towardspeace: (hmm)

[personal profile] towardspeace 2015-01-26 09:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Megatron has little grasp of the concept of 'cute', but Val comes close here, honestly.

"Hm," he says, a little impressed. She really does think of everything. "That could be helpful, yes. Do you have the means to extract the sample yourself?"
sparkwhisperer: (Default)

[personal profile] sparkwhisperer 2015-01-27 02:28 am (UTC)(link)
"Impressive."

Tarn doesn't know much about organics but from what he does know this creature appears to be human. Upon further consideration someone with this much knowledge and experience with weaponry and Cybertronian technology could come in handy...

"Very impressive, for a human." He sets her in the palm of his hand looking at her with less disgust and more veiled interest.
towardspeace: (hmmmmmmm)

[personal profile] towardspeace 2015-01-27 03:57 am (UTC)(link)
He retrieves it without complaint, setting it down on the catwalk next to her. He doesn't seem particularly concerned about the plasma torch.

"It's probably easiest for you to take it from here," he says, indicating a spot on his lower arm – it's probably not the best place overall, but it'll certainly be the easiest for her to reach.
sparkwhisperer: (Default)

[personal profile] sparkwhisperer 2015-01-28 12:58 am (UTC)(link)
"Yes, I'm afraid my line of work does not lend well to interacting with organics. I know only what I have read about humans, and what I have heard from mechs who have visited Earth."

There is no point in lying about it. And to be honest Tarn's opinion on humans, from the information that he has gathered, is not the best. This one seems to be particularly intelligent at least.

"Although I will admit, I did expect Humans to be slightly larger."
sparkwhisperer: (pic#8026473)

[personal profile] sparkwhisperer 2015-01-28 04:42 am (UTC)(link)
"I see." Tarn nods in understanding, placing her atop the elevated walkway. an adolescent with the abilities to build and maintain a lab of this caliber? Very impressive. And if one thing is for certain, it is that Tarn could use someone like this as an ally.

"Apologies, how very rude of me! I never properly introduced myself." He bows his head slightly, "They call me Tarn."



towardspeace: (hmmmmmmm)

[personal profile] towardspeace 2015-01-30 07:44 am (UTC)(link)
He eyes the gloves and mask thoughtfully. "That ought to be enough," he says. "Energon isn't very good for humans, but as long as you don't ingest it you should be alright."

Despite his previous assertions, he is a little wary, and he doesn't fully trust her. But it doesn't show.
sparkwhisperer: (Default)

[personal profile] sparkwhisperer 2015-01-31 01:42 am (UTC)(link)
"A pleasure to meet you Valeria." So polite. He respects how quickly she accepts her position.

"As it happens, I am Commander of the Decepticon Justice Division. But such formalities are unnecessary; you may address me as simply Tarn." He takes a sweeping look around the lab before continuing. "Would you mind showing me around? I am curious about some of these projects that I see laying about."
sparkwhisperer: (Default)

[personal profile] sparkwhisperer 2015-02-01 05:04 pm (UTC)(link)
"Very intriguing. Is this the sort of work you did back on Earth?"

Tarn leans forward slightly in feigned interest. Really what he's looking at is the repulsor strapped to her hand. Was that what caused the blast? It looks so small and unassuming.
towardspeace: (hmmmmmmm)

[personal profile] towardspeace 2015-02-01 10:03 pm (UTC)(link)
He barely feels it – or if he does, he certainly doesn't react.

"It doesn't taste good, either," he replies drily, watching the tainted fluid drip into Val's tiny vial with faint curiosity. "Are you sure that will be enough?"
towardspeace: (hmmmmmmm)

[personal profile] towardspeace 2015-02-02 08:29 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hm," he says, considering, lifting up his arm to take a look. "No, I think that will do. I don't expect anyone will notice something so small."

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