| No One Mentioned Physicals |
| Summary: | Black Lightning and Doctor Mid-Nite go over the technology that was retrieved from the factor, following which Outsiders meet and talk randomly in the kitchen |
| Date: | (2014-09-30) |
| Related: | The reason Black Lightning and Doctor Mid-Nite have the technology: http://ageofheroesmux.wikidot.com/plot:soul-harvest briefly discussed between Black Lightning and Nitro: http://ageofheroesmux.wikidot.com/plot:league-of-villains |
| NPCs: | None |
| Scene Runner: | NA |
| Social/Plot: | Social |
| Players: |
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There was no structure to who came and went, so when Black Lightning returned from an investigation with Topaz and needed some technical assistance, he was at the mercy of Doctor Mid-Nite being at the base and, as well, available, at the same time. Thus, while carrying around a couple of hand held objects that he had no clue about, he had stalked the base. His biggest hope was the Lab, but he'd checked other areas, minus any personal room that Mid-Nite would of claimed.
Inside the heart of the base here, there was no night or day, it was all darkness and artificial lighting, thus stepping into the dark lab, he was hoping that was a good sign that the doctor was about. Entering at the doorway, he called into the darkness, "Doc Mid-Nite, you in there?" He had to rely on his voice in such darkness and didn't want to flip on the lights if it might hinder anything the doctor was about.
"Where else would I be?" comes a voice from further inside the darkened room. Occasionally there is the sound of muted footsteps, moving about. "If you have those bio-samples I mentioned, just set them down on the table to your left."
There is a pause.
"Aha, one moment while I put my… goggles on. There. Turn the lights on, Mr. Pierce. If you're not here with my samples, what may I do for you?" The sound of footsteps grows a little louder as the doctor approaches Black Lightning across floor.
About to say its not the samples when the Doctor realizes it might of been hopeful and gives a change to his returned inquery. Lifting a hand, he flips on just enough for himself to see after the other man puts on his goggles and gives the clearance to do so.
Looking around a moment, he comes in holding up two pod devices, most likely about the size of a regular external hard drive, no shell, mostly internal tech component meant to be housed in or with another device. "Topaz and I brought something back that I thought you might want to look at. This is the base product those cultist were using to combine technology and magic."
Holding them up to look at, he does offer one over to the Doctor to take a closer look.
Mid-Nite tucks in his chin and stares at Lightning in surprise. "Technology and magic?" he asks as if seeking further clarification, and he lifts a hand to his jaw - pausing instead of just reaching for the components. He is not in costume at present, and would likely resemble a business-man (or doctor) in some sort of funky welding-goggles.
He shifts his attention to the devices, frowning.
Reaching for both of them, he remarks: "Very well. I'll clear the holo-table and see what we can come up with." Upon reaching the center table, he waves an arm over it - clearing any data from previous research - and sets the devices down in the middle. "I should warn you, Mr. Pierce - I can see in most 'other' spectra of light, but /magical/ energy… I am still working on the adjustments to my goggles to compensate. I suppose this will double as 'practice' for me."
He activates the holo-display and watches the electromagnetic and photonic energy it generates coalesce into a holographic representation of the two components. "Beginning analysis. Tell me where and how you came across these."
"When Captain Atom fought Griffin, Pluto was supplying him energy to trigger his metagenic enhancements. There was a drone helping to give Pluto access to our world from his prison realm. We took the drone and traced it to the factory it was built at," he explains as the device is set down on the table. It probably shows a skewed EMF field of some sort beyond normal human vision, with waves bordering into infrared/sub sectrum and also ultraviolet/high end.
Black Lightning continues, leaning his backside against a counter nearby, holding the second device. "Topaz is willing to help with the magic side, but it comes with the warning. Around certain things, she can fritz them. Its why we grabbed two of these pods before leaving, in case you wanted to monitor her reacting with the devices to better help get to the bottom of how they're doing this."
"'Fritzing' the equipment, eh?" Mid-Nite queries with a fleeting half-smile on his lips. Most of his attention is on the display as he moves about the holo-table, adjusting the scanners - but he listens to Black Lightning's every word.
"Strange…" he murmurs while watching the holo-image, one arm across his chest, the other resting the elbow on it while he taps at his lips with a finger. "A common suggestion amongst the scientific community is that 'magic' is simply another form of energy - one, as yet unquantified (at least by us). Still… the synthesis of magic and technology here is… fascinating. If I did not know any better, I might suggest that these… anomalies bear some similarities with /bio/ energy - and the notion that 'magic' may have some 'life' of its own is not unheard of…"
He reaches to the console to enlarge one portion of the two devices, possibly a power-source. "I can only speculate at this point, Mr. Pierce. The holo-table is partly based on the same technology as the bio-sensors in my visor. They're /both/ picking up… something. The computer is having difficulty identifying it, and /I/ am having trouble /seeing/ it. Whatever this peculiar energy-signature is, the devices have managed to tap into it, and use it…but I cannot tell you what the purpose of either device is. Simple power converters, perhaps? Theoretically, if magic is 'just another form of energy' all we need to do is properly calibrate the scanning tech here, and we would have our answers. I suppose I have homework, now."
He smiles.
Returning a grin to the Doc's smile, Jefferson nods as he listens. Most of that was right over his head, but the basics of unidentified spectrum of energy with bio-elements. It sounds like while two worlds apart, if Mid-Nite and Topaz tapped into this idea, they could figure it all out.
Pushing off from sitting on the desk, "That is hopeful … and exactly the hope I was looking for Doctor. I'd say your a genius, but I think you already know." He does mean it though, "The purpose isn't quite as important as what you're after in this, that element of the spectrums that cross and combine the two. It not only gives you a technological advantage if we encounter more of these, but it gives Topaz the advantage to learn how to stop these devices, or the magic stemming from them."
Cross looks up from the display over at Pierce and smirks. "Well, I appreciate the vote of confidence. I don't need to tell you the advantages of being able to incorporate something as… unknown and unpredictable as 'magic' into our existing technology… I can think of a number of potential applications off the top of my head."
He frowns, and turns back to eye the display with a measure of apprehension - suspicion, even. "Of course… we are talking 'magic' here. I would advise caution. At the very least, you've brought me a puzzle, Mr. Pierce - and I have a penchant for puzzles. Tell me, while we research this, what plans are there (if any) to bring more of this 'arcanotech' back with us? Hmm. You said earlier that a 'drone' assisted in maintaining the portal between our plane of reality and this 'Prison Realm', and these devices came from the factory at which the drones were being built? …"
Cross stares intently at the devices.
"I'm no physicist, but we may well have brought a pair of 'dimension-keys' back to our home base. Again, speculating. I would hate to think we brought a 'back door' to the Prison Realm straight into our basement…"
That thought haden't quite occured to Jefferson just yet and he was feeling warm and fuzzy. Instead he folds his arms in thought and moves closer to where Cross is working to start his analysis of the device. "Presently there are no more intentions to bring something back here. We have a lead on who has been ordering these, we presume they work for, or employ, those cultists we encountered at the cemetery." Pausing, keeping a 6' gap around the doctor and the device though, now that the devices as potential other portals has been raised. "I'm not sure if these go to the portal devices or the magic boosting devices the cultist were using actually. It seemed like a base product used at the core of other devices and applications."
A hand comes up, rubs at his face hair for half a second, "I'm second guessing, I should of asked you along with us to look at the factory …"
Cross holds up a staying hand.
"Don't worry about it, Mr. Pierce. It is statistically impossible to 'cover every base' - and for now, we can make do with the security fields we already have around this lab." He motions to various shield-emitters on the walls and ceiling. "I imported the same facilities I used back in Portsmouth - they're perfectly capable of containing a viral outbreak, and I /think/ we also have a scrambler-field to prevent unwanted teleports… I should check with Captain Atom about that."
The doctor offers his team-mate a reassuring smile. "We have not had this base set up for long - we'll manage." He draws in a breath and slowly releases it as he takes a step away from the table. Hitting a series of buttons on another console, a force-field surrounds the just the table, encasing both devices within. Cross comes to stand over by Pierce.
"I'll wait to confer with Topaz before continuing my analysis, for now. Have you eaten?"
He relaxes more as Cross reassures him, and when he takes the breath and releases, Jefferson seems even more at ease with the situation. The hand falls from his face back into the folds of his arms with that coming ease and he is about to figure out what's next on his agenda.
Of course, that's when the doctor mentions eating and it dawns on him as if it should of been a part of that agenda but hadn't crossed his mind until it came into the conversation. "I haven't yet, actually, but now that you mentioned it. A bite sounds good about now." Offering a hand up so they can both leave the lab in its contained state for the moment and go to the kitchen, or the club, to get some food, he continues, "There have been a few changes to who is coming and going, I don't know how fast word is spreading, I'm trying to use e-mail." Or some on line resource they might use to stay in touch, "But I don't know who's getting what, do you need to know who all we have now, or might have - there is a potential still hanging out there." A pause, as they turn out into the hall towards food, "Just so you're not surprised by any unfamiliar faces around here?"
Walking along beside Pierce, Cross purses his lips in thought. "I could use an update," he admits as they near the kitchen. "I've spent most of my time, of late, in the lab. Nite-Watch - my assistant, Camilla Marlowe - is still in Portsmouth overseeing the last of the equipment transfers here. I don't think you've met her yet - or anyone else from my 'network' back home."
He frowns, considering options.
"I'm sure we can come up with a means of communication that won't out us as superheroes whenever there is an emergency - sub-dermal implants for one thing… hmm, no. The Captain wouldn't be able to use something like that. We'll think of something. Ah, you were telling me of our latest roster; please, continue." And he motions toward the kitchen.
Considering the sub-dermal implants, Jefferson grins along with the Captain Atom sentiment, adding, "Some might not trust that. Not that you're good at what you do, but the potential for others to hack into them." Just a thought, he's sure while Lillian might have a hard time like Atom, she might not trust the idea in itself.
Entering said kitchen, he simply goes to fridge to grab sandwich stuff. If left alone, he'll produce two well groomed sandwiches even. "You met Topaz, she's not official yet, but working more directly with us, we've had her to the base here. We have Lillian Crawley, tough skin, redirects it into what she's doing. She's stopped by a few times, threwing her cards in with us. Kyani, or Nitro, helped Atom and I a few times, was here when we started, just don't know if you ran into him yet." He has knife out and is spreading toppings by this point.
"Lastly, we have Wanda Maximoff, the same - Genoshan Ambassador, meta-magic is what she seems to do, I can't explain that one, as much as I can explain Topaz and her mystical abilities. I met another man, similar to me, electricity based, but he has control of mangetism as well." He is topping the sandwiches with meet/cheese and cutting some fresh veggies.
Cross nods to Pierce regarding the sandwiches, and makes his way towards the espresso machine - listening to his team-mate's account of their current roster. Pulling two mugs out of a cabinet, he holds one up to Pierce with a questioning expression on his features.
"I've heard the name 'Wanda Maximoff' - actually I'm more than a little familiar on metahuman genetics (or 'mutants' as they tend to say, in Genosha at least). I should like to meet her - well, all of them. I promise I'll try /not/ to 'lurk' too long in the labs here, in future. Besides…"
He puts the mugs down and preps the espresso machine. "They'll all need physicals sooner or later. I'm still trying to figure out /how/ to manage that with Captain Atom… I'll forego the usual obligatory pun about 'doing my work in the dark' with regards to lack of information. Coffee?"
Giving a nod as the other man finishes, "Ya, I could use a coffee now I think." Grinning, he puts the finishing pieces on the sandwiches. Everything is in order, his level of OCD, but it ends there. Clean space, clean home, its not all catalogued and marked or remembered. He slides over a plate while moving the utensils and cutting board to the sink as he moves.
"They'll all comply as much as they can, some of the less trusting might be an issue, but if you explain its so we can provide adequate medical attention should the need arise, they might give in a little." He comes over, cuts his sandwich in half to eat one half at a time even. "I'm curious what you can tell me about myself Doc. When I started, I used a belt that a good friend made me, sort of like a mini-turbine, generated the electricity, but now, I can just do it. I don't know if something changed in me, or it was always there but the belt just brought it out."
Cross is quiet for a few minutes while he finishes the coffees, and he walks over to the table and sets the down. He gives Pierce a grateful nod regarding the sandwich, and takes a seat.
He even pauses to say grace, quietly.
"It is possible…" he finally replies to the other man's question. "There is ample evidence to indicate the presence of /latent/ meta-genes in mankind, going back… I suppose as far as medical research can." He pauses to eat some of his sandwich, and sip his coffee.
"For myself, I was injected with a particularly nasty drug - a derivative of something known on the street as 'Venom'. Bane's 'Venom', if you're familiar with him." He lets out a breath and leans back in his chair. "It should have killed me - but instead it 'altered' my eyesight, and made some other changes: activating latent metahuman genes I had no idea I had."
He turns his visored gaze toward Pierce. "It is entirely possible the belt you were given did the same to you - activated that which already lay dormant in your DNA. Or it could just as easily have /created/ the change itself. Tell me, do your powers ever fluctuate? Or require recharging?"
Getting his cup of coffee when its down, Pierce puts it all in front of a stool and finally sits down. Not familiar with Bane or this Venom of his, he shakes his head, taking a bite. As it turns to his own alterations, he puts the half eaten sandwich half back on his plate.
"No, it doesn't fluctuate. It recharges naturally, but I can spend enough to drain it from me if I do something high-end performance wise. But its usually telling that I'm throwing out so much electricity, its like it just needs that slow build up. Even if I'm drained, I can still pull from another source to keep going though. So, sort of limitless."
Cross sets down his sandwich after a few more mouthfuls. "It sounds organic," he tells Pierce. "A part of you, like any other bodily function. When the lab is free once more - and if you're willing - we'll run some tests and get you some answers, if only to confirm details for your own sake. I monitor my own bio-rhythms constantly - " he taps the side of his visor/goggles. " - as you can imagine, it comes in particularly handy during a crisis. I can already scan something of your vitals, but not enough to trace the origins of your powers."
He picks up the last of his sandwich and takes some time to finish it off. "If I may ask," he adds after a while. "What made you take up the role of 'superhero', Mr. Pierce?"
"I was an athlete, I would like to learn how to monitor this," returns Pierce to Cross. "I would like to know when I'm performing at peak, when I'm not and what I can do to improve myself." Simple enough, he has finished half his sandwich, takes a sip of the coffee as it cools.
"I started when I finally returned to Metropolis and saw how the kids were still living. I saw my friends doing nothing for themselves and the neighborhood unchanged, I started teaching at the local high school there. I stood up to some drug pushers, moved them out of the school physically. It cost me, but my foster-father thought I stood up for something and it gave people some hope. I stuck to it when he made that belt for me."
Cross settles back in his chair at the table, near-empty mug of steaming hot coffee in one hand while he idly drums his fingers on the tabletop next to his now-empty plate. His visored-eyes hardly leave Pierce's face as he listens to the other man's story. Then he drains the mug, and slowly rises to his feet to head back across the kitchen to the espresso machine on the bench.
To Pierce, he remarks: "A noble beginning, Mr. Pierce. I appreciate your sharing with me. As to your earlier comments, I can build you a similar bio-scanner to work into your costume - uniform, etc - it wouldn't be difficult. My own feeds data directly into my visor. The sensors themselves… excuse me."
The doctor pauses to finish making his second latte, and turns his head to quickly glance at the clock. "The analysis of those devices downstairs in the lab should be nearly complete… But with the quarantine field up, it can wait. So much on my mind right now…"
Quietly he returns to the table in the centre of the kitchen and sits back down. "As I was saying, the bio-sensors themselves would need to be injected into your bloodstream - perfectly safe. They're immune to EMP, which should alleviate any potential risk of interference from your abilities."
Is sitting as well at the table to eat a sandwich, he is in his hero suit, but visor off as if he needs a break for the moment. He eats the remainder of his sandwich while listening to Cross, mostly finishing it even. Its a nice looking sandwich stacked with toppings, just all the sandwich stuffing is put away, dishes in the sink.
"Do I have to have a live feed, or can it be fed back to base here. I don't think I could make adjusts in the field, but it would be good to analyze the data when I have time after operations or workouts even?" Taking another drink, blowing at the top of his cup, Black Lightning throws out one more question, "How long are the sensors good for, do I need regular injections?" Ie, do the pass from his system, or is there some metallo-organic chemistry that keeps them in the body with a long shelf life.
Walking into the lab, Kyani comes. Dressed in civvies, and looking a bit tired with a messenger bag slung about his right shoulder, he looks around. "I better start getting accainted with this place." he says more ot himself then to anyone else. He finds a chair and plops down into one, leaning back yawning. "So whats going on?" he asks.
Moments later, Captain Atom steps into the room wearing what he always wears (his super suit which is his skin and bonded stuff) and states, "Excuse the interruption, fellas, doc. I am being sent to China for a day or two. Is there anything any of you need before I head out?"
Cross looks like he is about to answer Pierce's questions, when his attention is drawn toward Kohana and the Captain. He offers them both a nod of his head. "Captain - Mr. Kohana, I presume - or do you prefer to be called Nitro?" He glances briefly at Atom.
"I've begun an analysis of the two devices retrieved from that 'Prison Realm' - they're in the lab in a containment field for the time being. I… would like to update the security fields we already have installed, but I think that will require your assistance, and Topaz' as well. I cannot compensate for any /magical/ (potential) interference, yet. I will be in the lab for the next few days, regardless."
To Pierce he replies: "The sensors are self-sustaining; if one malfunctions, it breaks down harmlessly - and the data will record it. I can set it to only transmit to the lab here - rather than a live feed."
There is a gathering in the kitchen, Black Lighting, Doc Mid-Nite, Nitro and Captain Atom present. Bl and Doc seem to be eating or have finished sandwiches. "We were also discussing physicals, out of necessity that the Doctor here can assure we have adequate facilities should any of us need that." He further explains as Atom and Kyani both pondered what was going on in here.
To the topic at hand, Black Lightning looks to Doc Mid-Nite, drinking from his half finished coffee cup, "Great, I think that will be beneficial. I can see if I can get in touch with Topaz for you as well, phones aren't her strong suite, cause of the gremlins. That way you can learn mroe about the interference from her and how it works in those pods we got for you."
Lillian Crawley makes her way into the secret entrance, her hood dropped back, brunette hair in a tight ponytail. She can hear people in the kitchen, even if she doesn't see them, and calls out, "Yo, yo, Outties, Lil's in the house. So some motherfucker better be bringin' me a beer," she says in her gruff way. She makes her way in and sees the people there, "Wow, everybody I know an' another on top. Lightning, Speedo, Captain Silverbod…you must be the doc, then, I'm guessin'."
Captain Atom seems to be standing just inside the doorway with his back to the hallway/exit. His broad silver shoulders potentially blocking passage. He doesn't wish to interrupt further, but is curious about the experiments that are going on. He won't pry since it's none of his business.
As Lil moves past him into the kitchen and introduces herself in an upbeat fashion he smirks. He will acknowledge her with a nod as he is himself greeted.
Cross - Doctor Mid-Nite - sips more of his latte, and nods politely to Lillian. "Indeed, Ms. Crawley," he says with a smile - the flesh around his eyes, and the goggles covering them, crinkling with sincerity. "Pieter Cross, at your service." He glances between Atom and Pierce.
"Mr. Pierce is right about the physical examinations - the more I know of each of you, the better I will be able to help, when it is necessary." To Atom he adds with a wry smile: "Honestly, Captain, I'm not sure what to do about you in that regard." And the doctor stands to his feet, draining his mug.
"I should return to the lab. It has been a pleasure meeting all of you - and I hope to get to know you all better, soon. Feel free to call in on me at any time."
Captain Atom sees that things are not needed and he states before departing, "Good luck and I will return in a few days." That that gesture, Atom turns and departs the room in route to China.
"Honestly." Kyani starts, "We've been doing well together I wfeel we can start trusting one another with who we really are. When I'm not in my gear, just call me by my real name. I'm Kyani." he tells them all that are gathered. "So whats going on here?" he asks as he pulls out a soda from his pack and starts drinking.
"Rest assured, beer is in the fridge, I prefer IPA's but I got a selections," grins Black Lightning, in his hero suit minus the visor goggles thing. "Doc was discussing needing physicals, or seeing if he can get them. He wasn't sure about taking samples from Captain Atom. Lillian, you might be in that same boat. I also told the Doc not everyone will be comfortable giving up samples, its at everyone's discretion." About the physicals that is. Picking up his plate, where he sits at the table, he moves to put in in the sink, startig to wash the dishes. Not bothering to use the dish water, he starts to fill one side with soapy water to do it by hand. "The other part was a couple of pods that Topaz and I recovered from the factory that supplied the cultists I ran into with Doc Mid-Nite. Its somehow fusing technology and magic, he's going to see if he can figure out the reality of how its working."
Kyani sits there listening and he laughs about the beer, he is probably the only one who doesn't drink. Well not often anyways. But when talks come about physicals, he shrugs, "Look I trust you, so go for it. That makes three people will know me like that." he states. "But if this is to make sure we have information on us and to help make sure no one else gets it, thats fine." Kyani looks over to Lillian and well for thos who don't have a beer somehow finds a cold one sitting in front of them. When Black Lightning tells them about what he and Topaz been up to, he nods. "I see, well that would be pretty interesting somehow fusing tech and magic together. But I figure seeing how it's fused is also a way to see how to defeat it."
Not noticing the beer or movement so much, Black Lightning nods to Kyani as the room seems to clear out as the talk progresses. "Exactly, I like to think that Cross is at the top of his game with technology and Topaz is an expert in the mystical realm and this is new to them. There are lots of benefits, but it seems its being used to benefit few at the detriment of the many. Topaz is curious who its been done so that she can prevent any more tamperings from Pluto in our world."
Looking thougtfully, Kyani leans back in his seat after seeing Lillian depart along with the others. "I see. Well is there anything Topaz needs?" he asks. "If she is our resident mage, I would like for her to have a room of her own that has whatever she needs to help her in her investigations." he states.
Shaking his head, Black Lightning returns, "She's not yet committed to the Outsiders. Officially I would classify the relationship as a trusted consultant. Even should she join, she might not stay her. In her words, her relationship with magic tends to distrub technology around her. She doens't have a cell phone simply because the eletronics inside it completely flatline. We'll provide what we can, she has full access to our gardens and labs as needed."
"Ah ok." understanding why she hasn't been around much. "Well at least thats something and teh fact she helps when she can is very beneficial." he states. Kyani downs his soda then takes another one out of his backpack. "Oh, before I forget, Wanda is willing to come with me to the prison to interview Angle-Mans sister." he smiles a bit, "We will be talking more about it soon. I figure we study up on why Major Disaster's sister is in prison. And see if she can help us. I will also check out teh prison Angle-Man and teh others escaped from and see what we can find out. All of this may tie into one another."
"The disasters were caused to raise money to pay for her medical expenses, I'm not sure she does anything," offers over Black Lightning on the topic. "Then again, she could be too sick to care to do anything if she does have powers. I'm glad Wanda is willing to work with you on that, it would be good to get a lead on those villain before they show up again."
"Yeah, she seems alright so far." Kyani leans back in his chair, "So hows school going?" he changes up the subject a bit. They could talk about work until they are all blue in the face.
"Its going well," returns Black Lightning, "I love the kids, but I'm seriously giving the thought of transering up here more serious consideration." He finishes those dishes he started after Lillian had left and moves to sit down and finish his coffee. Leaning elbows onto the table, he continues, "I don't mind the communite, its not more than a few minutes, I figured out the best lines between here and Metropolis, but closer to base here is closer to making a bigger impact I think. How's your work going?" Regular deliveries and the Stark ones.