TEMPLE OF SCIENCE

[organ_pharming]

WHO: Pharma, Drift, Liege, anyone in Liege's temple that wants to poke Pharma.
WHERE: Pharma's lab or around the temple
WHEN: Now. Herp.
WHAT: Working on the cure, general shenanigans
WARNINGS: Medic snark?


Pharma instructed his acolyte to set the final vial in the test tube rack and sat back, staring at the mess that now occupied his desk. He hated a messy work station. The acolyte would just have to take care of that too. Speaking of the silent robed figure, it really needed a name... it was getting awkward just addressing it as 'acolyte'. The medic wondered briefly how it would react to being called 'First Aid'?

For now, he had nothing more to do until his test patient returned. Perhaps he'd go explore some more of the temple...

Comments

[organ_pharming]

Oh Primus, he was just going to throw it all on his desk. What had he done to deserve this? Other than... infecting everyone with a horrible plague, that is.

"In my profession it pays to be a little discerning. And if it's not junk, then what is it?" he asked, sounding quite terse.

[sword_redemption]

But you don't understand, Pharma. Drift is trying to cheer you up, because you always seem so grouchy.

"Salvage!" Aha. He's way ahead of you on that game, Pharma. So come look at his salvaged....junk.

"Look!" First up, check it out. Weird glowing crystal. Cool, huh?

[organ_pharming]

Come to think of it, this was probably his punishment for that whole thing. It was ironic enough to be, after all. Pharma steeled himself and scooted closer, waiting to be impressed.

"We aren't exactly wanting for anything around here," he felt the need to bring up, if just to make Drift feel stupid. But he obediently looked at the crystal anyway. It glowed.

"A luminescent rock. Well, that would be useful if we didn't have any lighting in here." Keep trying, lotus blossom boy.

[sword_redemption]

Drift feels guilty about the whole hands thing. First, that he wasn't there to stop it from happening, and second that somehow, someone had gotten his swords away from him to do it with.

He feels responsible.

Silly, huh?

So it's his job to make up for that by cheering Pharma up.

He looks a bit hurt at Pharma's assessment. Then again, maybe Pharma just doesn't see the potential.

"Not about light, really. Not that way. Just, you know, positive energy!"

You cannot get more positive energy than mystical glowing crystals, Pharma.

[organ_pharming]

"Positive energy..." the jet medic repeated, just to make sure he heard that right. This was going to be a long day.

"Yes, I see. Goodness knows we need more of that. I'll let you keep it."

[sword_redemption]

Why are you giving Drift that look? Clearly because you are in need of positive energy.

"I think it should be here in the lab. To cheer you up." Because, clearly, you need cheering up.

"But you'll really like this, though." He digs in the pile, and pulls up a pink twisty bit of plastic . He holds it out, beaming.

[organ_pharming]

Cheer him up? A glowing rock? The only thing that would cheer Pharma up was Drift cutting off his own hands, wrapping them in a nice box, and then jumping off a cliff.

He took the crystal instead and quietly set it on the shelf behind him. The next thing the swordsmech held up utterly bewildered him.

"It's...just a twisted piece of plastic."

[sword_redemption]

Drift would really be sad to hear that, Pharma. And wish Rung were here. Because that's like...displacement or something.

Especially the cutting his hands off THEN wrapping them in a box. How is that even...?

But what mattered right now was this:

"It's called a Krazy Straw. It's a human invention. You....," he frowned, and then headed to their small energon supply. "Here. Let me show you." He popped open the cube, and inserted the straw, placing it with a flourish in front of Pharma.

Then he nodded, eagerly. Go on. Try it!

[organ_pharming]

Pharma squinted at the cube with the plastic twirly thing sticking out of it for a long moment. There appeared to be a hole at the end facing him... and probably a reciprocal hole at the bottom. So that meant you just...

....just... sort of...

No. This was stupid. Pharma grimaced and leaned away from the contraption.

...But he hadn't refueled yet today and it wouldn't be long before he would need to get some energon into him. And after enduring the first few times Drift had hand fed him?

This couldn't be worse. He leaned back in and caught the straw between his lips.

Siiip.

[sword_redemption]

Drift will just beam.

No, wait. Before he does that he's going to point out the special feature of the straw to you. So you can appreciate it.

"Look. See how the energon follows the neat little bendy path of the straw? Isn't that kind of neat?"

It's pretty neat, admit it. And it's probably a lot better than Drift hand feeding you, Pharma.

[organ_pharming]

Yes, thank you Drift. Point out exactly just how silly Pharma looks with energon swirling up the straw. Still, it was a thousand times better than letting the swordsmech near him with a cube.

He took a few more swallows before releasing the ridiculous thing.

"It's more useful than I thought it would be," was all he would grant. "I hate to cut this short, but I need to talk to you about the cure I've been trying to produce."

[sword_redemption]

If Drift had hoped the straw might amuse Pharma, he was bound for disappointment-ville.

But still, no insult, so...tick! A kind of small one, but still a tick. He'll break through to you yet, Pharma!

"Cure. Already?" He can't hide his excitement very well.

[organ_pharming]

"Possibly. I've made up a vial of what I think might have a positive effect on the disease," Pharma replied, standing up and heading over to his test tube rack.

He gestured at one tube half filled with blue liquid. "Unfortunately, I can't be sure it works without testing it," he said, looking away and shaking his head.

[sword_redemption]

"Testing it." Drift blinks. Look, he's not a scientist, okay? More of the slicing type. "Oh. You mean like, test it on someone with it."

Well, process of elimination leaves.... "I could test it."

Because millions of years in the military, and he still hasn't learned that you never, ever volunteer for anything.

[organ_pharming]

Pharma hid his smile behind his shoulder, pleased to be correct in assuming Drift would volunteer. So trusting and eager to help out.

"Are you sure? There could be unforeseen side effects," he warned, knowing it wouldn't sway the noble swordsmech.

*cowering from that icon*

[sword_redemption]

Drift catches the corner of a smile, and takes it to mean that Pharma is proud of his work. He has been working here in the lab for days. It must feel good to have accomplished something.

"Well," he looks at the vial and then back to Pharma. "There's only the two of us infected right now. Process of elimination means me. Besides. I can handle it." This is the mech who stabbed himself, after all, to stop himself from attacking Optimus Prime.

YOU LOVE IT

[organ_pharming]

"Hn.... that's very brave of you," The jet medic replied, substituting brave with 'stupid' in his head.

"All right. Take this vial then," he reached for it before catching himself with a scowl.

It is the most trustworthy smile ever.

[sword_redemption]

Well, brave (and/or stupid) is what Drift does.

Also, modesty. He did modesty. "Someone has to test it. Besides, I have faith in you."

He picked up the vial, trying not to rub it in that, you know, he has hands and all, and holds it up to the light, studying it. "So, this is the cure, huh?"