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[the_array_team]

- Yeahyeah, ya got it but til then this'll do.

[The video feed kicks in and sets to record mid-message. The closer of the two men turns to the screen, fixing the camera with an irritable look.]

Any a' ya Transports planning on missions anytime soon and likes all of yer limbs attached, report t'the Pad for a rescan.

[And in this moment, Lowell, the further of the two scientists (although really, he’s an engineer specifically) interjects.]

Transporter. Just say Transporter. I don’t want everyone calling it The Pad. That’s the worst name. And you didn’t explain why either.

[Lowell takes a few steps closer, in full Explanation Mode.]

We need to recalculate each of your individual weights and density, for the Temporal Programmers. Without it, you’ll wind up being transported mid-way through a large boulder or something. So we’re not just saying this for the sake of being difficult.

[And now that he’s done, he goes back to what he was doing, completely ignoring the video feed. Vennett rolls his eyes.]

Like he says: It's an outdated piece a shit.

[And with just that, the feed snaps off.]



[For those who do report, the transport pad sits, powered down at the moment, with several of the access panels behind the platform are opened or removed entirely. Vennett sits in a folding chair in front of one of the computer displays. At his feet is a box of tools, and in hand is a strange black device. He doesn't look all that pleased to see you.

Lowell sits at a computer desk in the same room, ready to get the right calculations of the Transports as they step onto the Transport Pad. And while he isn’t really enthused at the idea of being here, he’s also a lot less miserable looking than Vennett. Maybe that makes him more approachable? Good luck.]



((OOC: NOTE: This is an intro for two of the new NPC characters. Come meet them! Handwaving having either done the scan or declined offscreen is totally fine. THIS IS NOT A MANDATORY EVENT.))

Comments

[action]

[anotheryosuke]

[He's not planning on missions anytime soon... is what he wants to say, it really is, but first of all -- he did promise. It wasn't signed in blood or anything, but he'd like to keep his end of the deal. And while he could totally freeload or probably whine at somebody else for help...

That's the second thing, he'd just get stir-crazy if he stayed on-base all the time; he's sure there's plenty to see even where everything looks the same, because dude, people -- but to be perfectly honest, he's started wondering whether away would be safer (though the announcement is plenty alarming, thanks) considering who -- or what, rather -- else would be going stir-crazy with him. Not every mission is a high-level, life-or-death spy mission, surely?

Thirdly, and it's a dumb one and he knows it, but still: he'd never live it down if the folks from back home knew he'd been on a time-and-space-crossing adventure and been too afraid to time-travel more than once. That isn't his M.O. at all.

When he has three-or-more-reasons to do-or-die (hopefully not), Naoya knows he's been thinking too much.

So he doesn't bother responding to the post (even though he could've used better directions to The Pad or whatever), just gets the hell going. It takes a while to wander in the right direction (about an hour give or take), but he does get there eventually.

The welcoming committee is distinctly not welcoming.]

... Uh. What'm I supposed to be doing with the weird black box?

[He eyes the Pad a little nervously; he's not sure he should step on it just yet, given what they've said so far.]

[the_array_team]

[There is, without a doubt, a reason why the technical crews of the Initiative had never really been the FACE of it.]

Nothin' it's there t'gather data sos I can import inta my work too. You're here t'stand still an' look pretty.

[mathematician]

Step on the Transporter Pad. It's not online, so you don't have to worry about it kicking on and transporting you into a pit of molten lava.

[The corner of Lowell's lips twitch up, just once, and just for a second, before he gestures for the Transport to step onto the Pad.]

[anotheryosuke]

Ah, well, I guess that's easy enough...

[He's a little intimidated by the gruffness and the general SCIENCE! of the place; a lot of this stuff looks like it might zap him into a puddle on the floor or maybe a toad if it misfired.

So he's about to obey when what Lowell said registers and his foot screeches to a halt in midair--]

Dude. You're sure this thing's off, right?! [He doesn't really wait for an answer before taking off his shoe and... chucking it at the Pad.]

[the_array_team]

...

T'fuck was that supposed t'do?

[mathematician]

[And that... is a trigger for Lowell. Insult him, his work, his taste in music, his attitude, fine. But do anything to that machine, and he snaps. He's out of his chair, standing upright in seconds, hands slammed on the desk and glaring at Naoya.]

Get out. You want to fuck around? Throw yourself out a spacelock and save everyone the time. Do you know how many lives are fucked if you damage that piece of equipment?

We don't have time, and I don't have the patience for this bullshit you think you can pull.

[There is, without a doubt, a reason why the technical crews of the Initiative had never really been the face of it.]

[anotheryosuke]

[The slamming noise makes him jump about three feet and half out of his skin.]

J-Jeez! Sorry, sorry, calm down! If your time machine can get broken by dropping a shoe on it I don't wanna think about what else could happen! I mean, you drop people on there all the time.

[Scare him you might, but he can be a stubborn brat, too. Before you can throw him out or whatever though he's just going to quickly follow his shoe onto the platform and brace himself visibly. WILD HORSES.]

... I was just makin' sure it was off. [Talking to the now considerably less scary one seems like a good option. Yep.]

[the_array_team]

[There's a tone of voice, booming and stern, promising wrath from on high, that only comes when a father has weathered the battlefield of raising a two year old. It is certainly coming into play here.]

Lowell! Calm down!

Kid! Put yer damn shoe on right now and apologize properly! You know fuck well it aint damage sos much as whatcha mean by it.

[mathematician]

[And Lowell does calm down. Sort of. He doesn't end the death glare he's giving the Transport, but does slowly sit himself back down into his office chair. He doesn't say anything more, either.]

[anotheryosuke]

[Nope, now they're both equally as scary, though one in a much more familiar fashion than the other at least -- Naoya's already moving to obey the command before he's even registered the words, hopping on the platform on one foot now.

He keeps an eye on the shrieky one, though.]

I don't know what I mean by it! I swear--

[Everyone here is more touchy than every middle school girl I know put together, and that's saying something, but he bites his tongue (it's a very near thing) and instead:]

Okay, okay, sorry! I'm really sorry! Please forgive my crimes and don't teleport me into a volcano!!

[He tries to bow and put his foot down at the same time and promptly falls over. But remarkably, he stays stubbornly on the Pad anyway.]

[the_array_team]

...

[Vennett actually winces a bit at that. He simply pushes away from his desk and stands up before Lowell can go off about the sensitivity of the equipment- and possibly actually make good on the volcano threat.

He scruffs the kid, lifting him easily with one hand and sets him back on his feet.]

Stand. Still.

[mathematician]

[Observational silence.]