Log Title: This is SCienCe
Characters: Arachnae , Shockwave
Location: Shockwave's Lab - Undisclosed Location
Date: August 31, 2020
TP: Non-TP
Summary: Shockwave summons Arachnae to his lab to discuss Science.
As logged by Arachnae
tfu - Monday, August 31, 2020
Shockwave's Lab - Undisclosed Location[]
Shockwave is currently in one of his more heavily armoured and protected labs, the entrance offered to Arachnae making her travel a bit through a series of corridors pass a array of closed doors before opening up into the lab, a large table in the center with the massive Rock he had retrieved in the center, with a series of small discs floating around it and the light shimmer of a kind of shield glowing faintly to surround the rock. A large series of scopes, sensors and almost any kind one could think of arrayed to scan it.
Arachnae strides into the lab after having made her way through the veritable maze as instructed. And -exactly- as instructed. entering the lab proper. She pauses mid-stride, reaching up to unlock and shift her visor upwards, peering at the glowing rock with emerald optics slitting. Rotors give a rustle behind her, movement returning as she seeks her masters side. "By your order sir, I am here." Tucking visor back over optics, the amber tint darkening - a ripple of scan patterns showing across the surface.
Shockwave finishes another test just as one of the disk suddenly pops as it seems to melt a bit but is quickly replaceed. When he finishes he turns to face Arachnae and she can clearly see that the entire front of his body is lightly damaged, little bubbles along his armor showing the damage he recieved from the closness and points a hand downwards and indicates a circle around the floor. "That is the distance when the heat starts to effect our bodies. Always keep track of it."
He turns back around and crosses his arms, "So far I have found that the energy radiating from it can be used at a almost equal ratio to standard energon.. but it will cause damage that I have yet to clearly figure out. Closer one gets and it starts to effect more then our physical armor, it causes the energon already in us to boil." His hand drops and points at a red circle around the table, "THAT is a line even I cannot cross, not yet." He again turns, fully facing Arachnae, optic locking on her, "List me potential uses for this energon for when we master it."
Arachnae blinks once, studying Shockwave, wrist flicking to deploy one of her more 'traditional' looking scanners, "Sir, you are damaged." Listening as she scans him, attention sliding to the circles indicated, perhaps taking a cautious half step backwards. "I will maintain the safety distance, sir." Sidestepping, still scanning him while giving the rock another visor'd scan. "Harnessing the output generated or the material itself, sir? That would be two separate theorems to process."
Shockwave doesn't object to the scans as he knows its simply her habit, "We do not know if we can acquire more of this source, so all avenues must be considered to use it to our fullest advantage. I am awaiting approval for use of a starship before I attempt to backtrack it to it's hopeful source."
Arachnae reads the scanner's output, making mental notes, "Now that you've determined the damage radius, sir. Allow me to affect repair to your person while we discuss." She tucks the scanner away, "Firstly, while I can see that Cybertron has somehow entered a more youthful stage, old habits do die the hardest. Can it be harnessed for a time period to generate energon for stockpile, an emergency cache?" Rotors flex as she turns, sticking to outside the outer ring, circling, "Only then, perhaps a means to debilitate.. But affects at close range.. A 'dirty' pausing to bring hands up, air quoting with talon tipped fingers, "bomb.. But clean up to claim after the unwanted inhabitants are.. handled.. Hmmm."
Shockwave steps away and closer to the 'safe' zone, "For now, we need to focus on simply getting it under control. The effect on lesser Sparks has been.. rather severe." A pause, "One of Soundwave's Tapes appeared to try to lick it. I believe his optics ended up melting." His thoughts travel over a number of lines before he continues, "I do not wish to revert to a bomb if we can avoid it... though if it ends up being the only options it can be researched. As it is if we can control it it would mean the energy we could put out would enhance our forces across the board."
Arachnae mmhmms, attention on the damage. "What wavelengths? Harmonic possibilities to assist in enclosing it? Or a material that can be tuned opposite to block?" waiting patiently for him to get out of the rings o' doom. "Lick? Most of that frametype tend to have much more self preservation than such. But.. there is always the random element that skews the curve. I've recently had meeting with one that simply cowed and ran while I was repairing Cyclonus. Fell over a chair, jumped on a medical console... Rather poor behavior to reflect on Soundwave, I should think. I do think that one needs a full medical evaluation by our team." Turning to look at the rock again, "Have you tested it with another subject outside of yourself? You.. are rather much more stout of build than most.. and have your own unique defenses."
Shockwave waves towards a small mess on the opposite side of the table, "A Seeker that was volunteered due to failure of his duties. It ended.. badly." His damages are mostly superficial.. though there are a few deeper wounds that will not be easy to fix currently, none that truly effect his performance yet. "Soundwave's last few products have in general been rather.. odd."
Arachnae gives a shrug, "I think there should be an external medical review. It is highly improper to have un-reviewed science and creations happening outside of our division. The lack of proper oversight is how we end up with.. messes.. and.. explosions.. and uncontained techno-biomass liquidity events." She drops her own kit out of subspace, busying hands with tending the damage she can. "What was learned from the remains? Outside of 'boiled his energon away'?" perhaps an amused tone. "Was it an -actual- boil? That is.. difficult under the best lab conditions."
Shockwave shakes his head, "None of my drones have manages to get close enough, the heat boils their energy and destroys them shortly after enter the zone. And they literally melted, as if their energon had turned into boiling lava." A glance at one of his terminals and a small file is sent to Arachnae, showing the silver and white Seeker approaching.. then as he stops at just the edge a burst of energy pushes him against the rock. The meltdown happens so quickly that the recording would have to be played back and put into slow motion to show that the energon has literally boiled out of him and reduces him to the little puddle in a extremely short time.. thirty or fourty seconds at most.
Arachnae huhs... studying the file, "Energon tests in materials other than what we are usually made of? Perhaps silicates? Copper based? Is the energon itself boiling or is the material around causing electron displacements which in turn boils it, I wonder." Pause to flick talontip through the air, as if scribing on an invisible screen. Her visor glints, hue shifting, "Hmmm.."
Shockwave points to the little disks floating, "Those are a composition of my own design. They work well on their own but they do not last." He pauses as he looks at the shielding, "I had considered bringing Eclipse into this as her studies with armor may be of use in solving the protection issue. But the core problem is the reaction in the energon, if it keeps bubbling then new armoring will not matter much.. unless it provides a resistance to it somehow."
Arachnae huhs, "Well if your own designs are struggling, mine would as well." She ticks talontips on a forearm, "While she is quite vexed with you over the.. black hole.. thing." waving a hand, "Access to her prior labs and materials as well as research would go far. And apparently whatever her project was, she survived it and returned, wiser and with quite the lovely additions."
Shockwave simply... blinks his optics once. "They are still not available?" He actually seems to growl for a moment, "Those should of been restored when she returned to duty." Finally though the other words register a bit, "My own designs are solid but you have surprised me before with your own insight. You have not disappointed me before, I trust you will not do so on this either."
Arachnae nods, "I will follow up on her access then and note that it is by your order, sir." She re-runs her med scan, then finishes what she is able, neatening the armor with a certain fastidiousness. "If it boils energon then an intermediary series would be needed to transfer the energy output across without damaging the desired end product."
Shockwave simply nods, "I have a few test lines to follow, but more optics and minds on the problem will solve it quicker hopefully." He pauses as he glances at her again, "Are /you/ having any issues with your own lab access?"
Arachnae shakes her head, "My access to areas and information has been returned. Save for that altercation in medical over a body, nothing is amiss." She packs her field kit up, studying her work, and pointing, "This.. and this.. will need a full bay's equipment. Your systems will remain weaker here, thusly more susceptible to the rock you are studying." She flicks fingers, looking back at the table. "If I may observe these tests of yours? If only to be present to cross off my own line of thinking before time is ill spent on duplicate branches of study."
Shockwave moves over to one terminal, his hand moving in quick action as he access it and shifts some access to Arachnae, "I am giving you remote access to my test computers for this lab, they are of course heavily encrypted and routed. If you need direct acces, ping my comms and I will setup another access time for you. If you need to bring Eclipse in, do so under your watch, Arachnae."
Arachnae raises brows, optics widening. "The gesture and access are both appreciated, sir. And will make reviewing your own tests of this much swifter for when I am not able to be physically present." Blades flick behind her, "Such a thing, brining another here, would only be done with your express command or wish sir. this.." she waves a hand, "is your lab, sacrosanct to science. Others need not trespass."
Shockwave tilts his head, "Oh, you have access to /this/ lab. And I will be aware of you entering before you do so. But your skills, as well as her's, are needed to ensure the enhancement of tech and energy the Decepticons need." A brief pause before he states rather simply, "And I am sure you /both/ are aware of what happens if you try to test my limits on what you can do here."
Arachnae smiles behind her mask, "As you say sir. This is -your- lab. Anything is simply conjecture and unproven theories are oft a waste of time and effort." Then rotors flatten to her back and the petite scientist somehow look smaller, voice softening, "The.. transition from Scientist to Subject is oft reflected in a significant reduction in lifespan.. I am.. aware."
Shockwave gives one of his rare chuckles.. "Do you truly expect me to allow that to happen to you, Arachnae? I will not allow your life to go to waste or be shortened."
Arachnae shrinks more.. thats.. even worse. Very small and quiet voice, "Yes sir."
Shockwave 's one optic narrows just a bit as Arachnae shrinks back, he barks out sharply. "Straighten up! Your are my Hand, Arachnae. I expect you to hold your head high. You present /me/."
Arachnae remains small for another moment before slowly straightening herself, "My.. apologies, Commander. I do not.. enjoy disappointing your expectations."
Shockwave simply stares, "You will not disappoint me if you keep yourself to the standards you have showed me from before."
Arachnae nods once, "Yes Commander." Rotors flex and rustle again, lifting from where they were flat to her back.
<<Decepticon>> Ravage says, "Requesting status update on the ongoing events in the Uraya region"
Shockwave simply watches her for a very long time before he nods, "Do not fail in recruiting Eclipse to the project.. I do not believe we have a great amount of time."
<<Decepticon>> Comm Guy Soundwave says, "Unknown sending satellites."
Arachnae tips her head, "I will seek and speak to her immediately as well as insure her access is properly restored. And show her the preliminary scans as well as. incentive for interest. "
Shockwave simply nods his head as he turns back to look at the Rock again before stepping closer, stopping just outside the red line. "Then work your magic, Arachnae. Make a miracle happen." Though he does not outright say it, his dismissal is easily understood.
Arachnae allows herself another small smile, "As you command." She sketches a formal bow, then turns and departs, making her way out as per the instructions as given.