A First Test

Log Title: A First Test Characters: Backblast, Dust Devil, Scales Location: Iacon Medical Center Date: July 17, 2019 TP: Nucleosis TP Summary: Scales has a possible counter agent for Nucleosis, but it needs to be tested before it's used on a live subject. As logged by  Scales

Log session starting at 13:39:37 on Wednesday, 17 July 2019.

<> Dust Devil says, "Well...now that I've been chewed out...what can I do to help with the nucleosis issue."

<> Para-Droppable PITA Backblast says, "Chewed out?"

<> Para-Droppable PITA Backblast says, "Who done that? 's usually my job..."

<> Scales says, "I've got a batch of somethin' ready t'test today. Could be int'restin'."

<> Dust Devil says, "Creator's perogative..."

<> Para-Droppable PITA Backblast says, "Aha got it. I'm ready to help with the test when needed, Scales."

'''Scales is surrounding a small area with instruments in preparation for today's experiment. It's awkward for the little dragon- some of the things she's pushing into place are bigger than she is.'''

'''Backblast steps out of the decontamination room and looks over at Scales. "If you need a hand, just ask." He says.'''

'''Dust Devil slips into the room and watches for a moment before he moves to help Scales. "You guys are the docs....I can move stuff around."'''

'''Scales beams at Dust Devil and Backblast. "Once all the instruments are in place, we'll need a little quarantine area inside. I know we're all vaccinated an' everything, but I really wanna stay safe."'''

Backblast nods "We can do that. Do we have a test subject?"

'''Dust Devil grins a little and goes over and begins refilling the supplies for the pair. He pipes up. " NOt sure I can be a test subject. Bulwark apparently did something ta me ta make sure I was 'clean' to be in valvolux."'''

'''Scales huffs some smoke. "What is it with people an' wantin' t'test things on other people? No, we test on samples first. That way, if it burns or explodes, we're not killin' somebody."'''

'''Backblast nods, shrugs. "Didn't have to be somebody, coulda beensome/thing/..." He says, apparrently not seeing anything wrong with the idea. He does nod, though. "No harm in graduated testing, though, I'll follow your lead."'''

Dust Devil says, "Pretty sure half the bots think that scientific testing would at least be a good use of my frame. Target practice being the other...."

'''Scales shakes her head, though with a bit of a snicker. "Spike was askin' 'bout live testing, too.. I mean, I know this is urgent an' all, but you really can't rush some steps." She perks at Dust Devil. "So what were you bein' chewed out for?"'''

'''Backblast nods to Scales "Fair point." He says, sighing. "I guess I'm just tired of how long it's all taking."'''

Backblast adds "Not that I doubt your work, I know you're flat out on it."

Dust Devil says, "Snarkin off at Ratchet and them when I tried being helpful to offer computers and then runnin off to Vector Sigma when there's an emergency. He said he brought one of his own but 'ORION' needs ta be healed so he can access the wisdom of the matrix of somethin like that."

'''Scales sighs. "Okay, no pressure there, I guess." She starts setting up the small isolation chamber for the experiment. "I hafta keep telling myself that humans don't think it strange to spend years on workin' on a vaccine or cure fer a disease. Six months is so amazing t'them that they give out awards for doin' it that fast. But it's hard t'be patient."'''

'''Backblast nods softly "Ain't that the truth, you're doing great, Scales." He says, helping plug in the isolation chamber'''

Dust Devil says, "And nothin is wrong with live testin...if yer alive at the end of the testin."

'''Scales gives Dust Devil a dry look. "Jus' cause it worked doesn't mean it was ideal." She starts fiddling with connections, double-checking. "Honestly, I think we might have to use some of what finally worked on ya for this. The refined energon worked great t'strip out residue. Even if we managed to disarm th'nucleosis, I'd feel better if we used a similar medium t'clean out any leftovers."'''

'''Backblast looks thoughtful "How refined are we talking about?" He says, looking to Dusty. "Disarm it, then flush it out with engex?"'''

'''Dust Devil grins a litle, "Glad I was so useful as a test subject......." He glances at what Scales is working on and then over at Backblast's workstation, trying to see if the pair need any other items.'''

Backblast is mainly just helping Scales, but he's also got an analysis program booting up on a second terminal.

Over in the corner, his radio set quietly clicks and beeps to itself as it runs various cryptographic traces, trying to track down the intruder.

'''Scales hmms. "I don't think we'll need a full body flush. The nucleosis doesn't change the energon, it just lives in it. So, diff'rent problem. Not quite as difficult to clean out." She looks up at Dust Devil. "I think this part is all set. We need a couple of contaminated samples from diff'rent people, an' my counteragent. Prob'ly should test one atta time."'''

'''Backblast nods "Probably a good idea to have an uncontaminated control." He says, slicing open his thumb with his khukri to fill a sample cube with his own energon. He offers the cube to scales.'''

Dust Devil snerks, "Ya aughta spray Backblast with that disinfectant that Ratchet uses fer mechs that annoy him fer gettin a sample that way."

'''Scales sighs, accepting the cube. "He's already disinfected," she says with some resignation. "But the idea to test on some uninfected energon is right. Jus' in case there's side effects." She sets the little cube in the testing area and goes to get her stoppered flask. "All the reactions I got when making this tended to be pretty exothermic. Not a big deal to somebody like me, who breathes fire. But could be a problem t'others."'''

'''Backblast nos happily. "I have some liquid nitrogen if we need to do emergency cooling"'''

Dust Devil grins, "I do have a forcefield....but...yeah get yer drift, behind the blast Wheeljack shield...IF ya need some more samples, I'll gladly donate some of my own if ya need it. I have no clue what I'd test as since I was hangin around Soundwave and had that treatment done before and stuff after. But at least you have some various samples from me too."

'''Scales hums to herself at Dust Devil's mention of Wheeljack. He WAS one of her creators. Maybe the chances of an explosion are heritable. She really hopes not, though. The little dragon shakes herself and carefully unstoppers her counteragent, withdrawing a measure using a pipette before reclosing the flask and setting it somewhere where it won't get knocked over or spill.'''

'''Backblast listens and watches, nodding softly, taking a step back. He readies the coolant bottle, watching Scales. "Coolant, on standby."'''

'''Dust Devil raises his hands and his forcefield systems hum softly. Just in case.'''

Scales makes sure the instruments are recording, then carefully sets the pipette inside the isolation chamber, closes it up, and then uses the waldo controls to do the actual combination of the agent with the energon remotely.

'''Backblast watches intently, making sure to record the results on his monitor too, as a backup. He watches intently, waiting for signs of the reaction going out of control...'''

'''It really doesn't look like much. Scales blinks to switch to infrared after a few seconds and hmms, then checks one of the monitors. "There's heat, so -something- is reacting.. but it's not very energetic. We'll hafta check th'energon after, to see if any of it's messed up."'''

Backblast nods "Is this the control or a contaminated sample?"

Dust Devil tilts his head, "guess that's a better reaction than needin ta replace the room."

'''Scales nods. "This is Backblast's energon sample, so jus' the control. Any reaction at all is worth checkin'- it might be a future complication."'''

'''Backblast nods "Indeed." He says, watching the results on his screen.'''

'''Scales waits a bit, tapping her claws as she does. "Okay, it's cooling off again.. I think whatever was reacting is done." She opens up the chamber and retrieves the cube, offering it back to Backblast to hold onto.'''

Backblast takes it and draws off a small sample of it, feeding it into the spectrometer "Checking the residues."

'''Dust Devil stays out of the way and watches since, well that's what a nice lab tech should do. Especially when he's not contributing. He looks over at the supplies again and then starts stacking a few of the cubes out of boredom.'''

'''Backblast looks over to Dust. "Dusty, now that's loaded, and calibrated, keep an eye on it, and when Scales draws off fresh samples of contaminted energon, feed 'em into the spectrograph."'''

'''Scales runs to fetch some contaminated energon. She returns with a small sample that she places in the isolation chamber. "Next test! This is jus' reg'lar nucleosis. I figure we'll also test the stuff from Imager, see if the extra stuff in there makes a difference." She goes through the routine- getting a bit more of the counteragent, closing things up, getting ready to add the agent to the sample.'''

Backblast gets on standby on cooling...

'''Scales drips the agent into the infected energon... and this time, there's a visible bubbling almost immediately. "Oooh, that's much more energetic.."'''

Backblast nods "Oh yeah, Dusty take a look at this..."

Scales switches between watching the reaction taking place herself and checking the monitors.

'''Backblast also watches both, primarily keeping an eye on the temperature readings, incase he needs to cool the sample or the chamber. "How's it looking?"'''

'''Scales frowns. "It's running hot, like I expected. Not enough to blow up, but enough that we'll need to simultaneously cool anybody we try this on.."'''

Backblast nods quietly "How much by?"

'''Scales hmms. "A few degrees Celcius? This might actually be within tolerances fer Grimmy- he breathes fire jus' like I do, so prob'ly has the same heat resistance I do. I could pick that up with my bare hands and be okay. But internals are a li'l more sensitive."'''

Dust Devil says, "SOmeone like red alert and his wiring issues might be in trouble. I don't do particularly well gettin overheated either."

'''Backblast nods "So we can use non-cryogenics for it, that makes things a lot safer." he says, nodding to Dusty. "We'll need to cool, but..."'''

'''Scales nods. "Not so bad." She reaches in to cap the contaminated sample, still very warm, and remove it so she can set it aside for testing. Then she heads over to get the last sample to be checked today.'''

Backblast nods and makes sure that he can cool the new sample, just in case.

'''Scales returns with a sample that glows yellow-orange all by itself. She loads it in the chamber very carefully before getting a bit more of the counteragent and setting things up for the next trial.'''

Backblast peers at the colour of that sample and takes a step back

'''Scales gets it all locked up. "This is some of what I drew from Imager," she says. "So... it has some stuff in it that I guess the Decepticons made on top of the nucleosis."'''

'''Backblast nods "Lovely." He says, peering at it. "Be careful."'''

'''Scales hehs and waves at the blast shielding, the isolation, etc. "Not takin' any chances, here." She uses the waldo to add counteragent to the glowy sample.'''

'''There's bubbles, foam, then *BANG*. A chamber full of smoke.'''

'''Backblast flinches at the bang and then flushes the chamber with coolant. "Well then..." he says, blinking.'''

'''Dust Devil flinches also though his forcefield appears around him in response to the sound. He quickly checks to make sure that the place isn't on fire.'''

'''Scales freezes in place, then sighs. "O-kay... I guess more work is needed." She checks over the instruments to make sure they got everything.'''

Log session ending at 17:48:19 on Wednesday, 17 July 2019.