[Open -- Communal] Science! Slumber! Party!

[maxicpolarity]

Who: Liege Maximo and ALL THE PEOPLE
What: Following the 'Second Wave,' Liege has collected a number of living (and dead) Monster samples to be studied. He has sent out the call: all scientists/medics or otherwise capable persons are welcome to attend his laboratory conference to look over the critters and find out what can be found!
When: Now-ish. Liege took a bit to set this up, so all new and old characters can come!
Where: Liege's Temple
Notes:

Bring any characters you want, scientists or not! Anyone who comes (IE posts or threads below) will get some samples of Sharkticons or other monster types to work with, and they will also receive a special LABORATORY KIT from an Acolyte, which features a few simple tools sized to your character so they can do their own experiments in the future!
Your character is welcome to learn the following:

-Monsters have superior strength/stamina to their non-lambda counterparts. (IE a Monster Sharkticon would be more brutal, spikier, and nastier than a standard Sharkticon.)
-Beyond the increased attributes there is no physical difference to their makeup. (IE a Sharkticon is still a Sharkticon, a dragon is still a dragon, DNA, scales, and all.)
-Particularly perceptive individuals may notice a trace of an energy signature on the creatures which matches the 'feel' of the badlands. There may be a link between the two...

Liege won't be able to interact with everyone, so this is your chance to MINGLE with others. Tag around, have fun, spend the night, and enjoy the Maximo's superior wash-racks! If you'd rather just explore the temple, you can do that too.



In the confusing, maze-like depths of Liege's temple, there were hundreds of rooms. Many had been hollowed out from the mountainside, curving inwards in some haphazardly specific pattern as if seeking out the greatest potential for heat. Others jutted out from the side with long, wide windows to let in the light, organized, carefully, for his pursuits. The laboratories, of course, were among these.

The many, many laboratories were among these.

He'd needed them all, of course. In the beginning, there had just been one, and one had been nice for allowing him to perform one type of experiment. He'd had a second built when Solus had given him that energon separator, and the third after he'd brought back organics from his first travels into space. After that, it had been somewhat of a collection, and there were laboratories shoved into corners of his temple like extra books shoved onto shelves. He liked it that way. It meant that his brothers and sisters didn't know about them.

Not all of them.

And it meant he could host parties like these on the few occasions when he deigned to socialize. He made sure each accessible laboratory was well-stocked, filled with tools and at least one experiment subject and also populated by an Acolyte to monitor his guests. There would be energon available, and some organic-favored snacks as well, because he had every intention of showing just how well he treated his aligned when he was paying attention to them.

It never hurt to make the others jealous.

He, himself, had work to do in his main laboratory, and for the most part he intended to stay there, drifting out amongst the others only to peruse their findings or to partake in the briefest of breaks. This was what he loved to do, after all...

...but science was useless without others to observe its happenings.

Having the Refugees around again was, in that way, a gift--one that he intended to open slowly, keeping the wrapping safe so he could use it again next time.

And who knew?

Perhaps, here, amongst those who would come, would be a few worth keeping for himself, or offering further incentives toward.

Comments

[organ_pharming]

Pharma was currently occupying one of those laboratories, standing in front of a slab and not stroking his chin, despite trying several times only to remember that he still did not have hands.

What he did have was an acolyte. An acolyte with several tools, one of them being an active welding torch. The sharkticon he'd caught was strapped to the slab and sedated, blissfully unaware of the experiments it would soon be part of.

"Now," Pharma said, gesturing to a piece of paper on the desk, "We'll start here, according to the diagram I've dra- you've drawn up for me. This incision first- be careful not to split the main wire- and then we move on to the left side."

[maxicpolarity]

There was one lab that Liege was certain he would not need to check up on, but found himself heading toward nevertheless. It's tenant had been busy lately, working on a cure for a disease that left terrible rust-stains across the floors. He'd already caught the samurai out on the hallway, once, carefully mopping up after himself, which was one of the few reasons Liege had tolerated the mech's presence at all.

Pharma, on the other hand, rarely left his lab, and kept it almost spotless.

Liege suspected this was why his green glyph glowed, now, on the medic's arm.

That, however, was not what he had come to talk about today. He entered the lab, glancing to the Acolyte that Pharma had 'claimed,' taking great pleasure as it bowed to him and stepped back when he approached, effectively stopping the other's work. "Your tenacity amongst such setbacks is admirable," he began, looking over the diagram that rested on the desk. "Can nothing stop you from your task?"

[organ_pharming]

His acolyte was just lowering the scalpel when Liege arrived, interrupting the delicate procedure and provoking the jet medic's ire. He scowled at the bowing fool and turned to regard his First Forged with a frown.

"Liege. How kind of you to drop by," he said, wing-tips twitching with irritation. His little display of disdain was quickly stored away though, the jet's proverbial feathers smoothed by the praise and the knowledge that he owed this mech quite a bit. Best not to piss him off.

Especially if he didn't want to start having recharge dreams about Tarn's foot pressing down on his back again.

"Nothing short of divine intervention, I'd say," Pharma answered with a wry smile.

[maxicpolarity]

"Please, don't stop on my account." Liege murmured, noting the wing's twitch, the glower, and even the careful hiding of each tell. Pharma was a mech well-accustomed to keeping himself controlled, and Liege found that interesting. Even so, it didn't take a genius of his intellect to understand what made Pharma aggravated, and Liege couldn't entirely blame him. Having one's work interrupted could throw off an entire line of thought, taking time from more important tasks, causing one to go back through their work again, and again, and again if the outside distraction was able to persist.

He didn't tolerate distractions, well, but, generally, that was because there were no such distractions that could actually benefit him. He wasn't likely to be approached by someone who could contribute, or even someone who could understand what work he did, but looking at Pharma's diagrams now he had the feeling that would change.

He'd been gifted with talented individuals from the Lambda.

This, he didn't mind.

Still, Pharma would be considerably more efficient with hands. Reaching out, he took the mech by the stump, looking over the clean-cut edges of the wound. "I notice you're no longer rusting," he commented, "but I can't imagine that even my acolyte could make as precise of cuts as you'll be needing for this dissection to work. Tell me, would you like a hand?"

[organ_pharming]

The medic flinched a little, not expecting the huge First Forged to touch him. The gentle appraisal of his wrists made him shiver and tug the appendage out of Leige's grasp. It reminded him too much of someone else.

"Yes, the experimental cure I developed seems to be working." Of course it was working- he knew exactly how to shut down the disease he had created.

"You're offering to assist me?" Another wing twitch for that awful pun, but mostly incredulity.

[maxicpolarity]

Liege was nothing if not observant. If Pharma's twitching had given one small tidbit away, his flinching gave away even more, especially combined with the interesting fluctuations of his spark when he said 'experimental cure.' A lie?

There was something to this.

There was something...but how to begin? Where could he best plant the first strike in the concrete exterior of Pharma, to learn what truly drove him?

That, he already knew from watching the refugee interacting with Drift.

"I have a few minutes, and I do enjoy seeing an expert at work." Flattery, first. This one responded well to that. "Perhaps there will be something to learn from you, or the other way around...even if it is a shame to not see your prowess firsthand."

He reached, easily, for the laser scalpel, and glanced toward the sharkticon.

"So tell me, how did you lose them again?"

[organ_pharming]

Flattery was definitely the best way to put Pharma at ease. The medic had the tendency to believe that whoever acknowledged his superiority was at least competent enough to talk to seriously.

...But you still get minus points for that pun, Liege.

"The situation will be resolved shortly. In the meantime, I can't say I wouldn't appreciate a trained assistant at my side for the procedure. The cuts are marked out neatly on my diagram."

Pharma contemplated the answer to that question as he watched Liege work, wondering if his standard response would be enough to satisfy this mech. ...Unfortunately, it wasn't likely- and he did owe him a bit more for the lab and the living quarters.

"I was attacked. By Drift."

[maxicpolarity]

"So they are," Liege remarked, glanced at the diagram, and began the first cut easily, noting the depth of the incision as it was indicated. Pharma was thorough.

He liked that.

He also liked the honesty, and as he worked he smiled a tight smile. "By Drift, yes. And here I was thinking I'd have to twist the gears with you for a while before you admitted it. May I venture a guess as to the effectiveness of your cure?" The first cut done, he lifted the scalpel and looked towards Pharma. "But you want him alive, don't you. For a little while longer."

Consulting the second cut, he dug in.

"So what did you do to him?"

[must_do_science]

Each lab that Wheeljack visited contained more unique and fascinating equipment than the last. The acolyte that had materialized soon after his entering Liege's grounds kept patiently attempting to steer the engineer to a particular alcove, to which Wheeljack kept responding that he would... as soon as he checked out the next room.

In this case, the next lab turned out to be the first one he'd found that had another actual mech in it. He didn't notice this at first.

"-just want to see what's in this one. Ah, mostly medical stuff. ...Oop." He stopped short, abruptly realizing he was intruding.

[organ_pharming]

"No! Not there, you idiot- Here!" The good doctor was in the middle of yelling at his acolyte when Wheeljack poked his head in, trying and failing to direct the mech's shaking scalpel without the use of his hands.

They both turned when they heard the newcomer's voice, Pharma's expression an exasperated glare and the acolyte's one of relief.

"Is there something you need?" he asked tersely.

[must_do_science]

"Oh, ah. Sorry. Just poking around the place, I didn't know this lab was taken." Wheeljack automatically took a step back, knowing an incoming medic lecture when he heard one. Then he spotted the sharkticon lying on the examination table and his curiosity swelled.

"Oh, so that's the kind of monster that invaded before I got here? Hunh. They don't look quite as, well, monstrous as I thought they would. It would still be a good idea to examine 'em anyway, in case they're linked to the Lambda at all, right?" His optics ran over the prone figure as he talked, before darting to Pharma's acolyte. "Oh and it looks like yer helper has a slightly miscalibrated auxiliary manipulation servo."

[organ_pharming]

Well. Someone certainly wasn't deterred by the tone of his voice. Pharma was about to up the curtness and insist that the stranger leave when out of the interested babble came a comment about his acolyte.

"Let me see that," he commanded and was shyly offered the offending hand. He peered at it for a couple of moments, asking the acolyte to turn his wrist this way and that.

"So he does," came the grudging response. Pharma's optics flicked back to the newcomer, reassessing his quick judgement. "You don't have the proper insignias for a medic. What branch of science did you study?"

[must_do_science]

With Pharma's attention diverted for a moment, Wheeljack peered over his shoulder at the insensate sharkticon again. He certainly didn't have the medic's insight into the inner workings of such a creature, but it did remind him that he had a subject of his own to look at, eventually.

"Hm? Nah, I never got the hang of anything medical. Applied engineering & theoretical physics. The name's Wheeljack." He started to extend his hand by way of greeting, then noticed that Pharma wouldn't really be able to return the gesture. He turned it into an awkward stretch, before pointing back to Pharma's helper.

"I just noticed the servo issue because ya need particularly precise calibrations when dealing with quantum issues. Otherwise you - or rather, he - is gonna keep pulling to the left. If ya want I can tweak it a bit, or swap out the one from mine." He gestured over his shoulder to where him own guide was waiting impatiently by the door.

[organ_pharming]

Pharma just stared at Wheeljack and his awkward hand motions, mouth set in a thin line. The name, surprisingly, was familiar- one of Autobot High Command's engineers who was said to be close with Optimus Prime. ...Interesting.

"Very kind of you to offer. I would fix it myself but.." the medic made a shrugging gesture. "But it is a relief to find out that some of his incompetence stems from a fixable issue."

Pharma stepped aside in order to allow Wheeljack to look at his acolyte, who shakily offered the engineer a tool.

"So. Wheeljack- I certainly didn't expect such a famous name to end up here. My designation is Pharma."

[automobile_enthusiast]

Knock Out, despite his particular Megatron's assertions to the contrary, was not much of a scientist. He certainly wasn't here tonight for science-- no, he was here to make a delivery. If he noticed how many others there were in the temple tonight, or how many of the labs contained specimens, it wasn't enough to give him pause.

Tucking the box he carried under one arm, he poked his head into Pharma's lab. "Anyone home~?"

[organ_pharming]

Pharma was in the middle of instructing his acolyte on the proper procedure for tieing off a main fuel line when he was interrupted for the third time that day. At this point he'd come to expect it though, so instead of scowling or angry questions he merely sighed and turned towards the door.

It was Knock Out. And he was holding a box. Excellent.

"Please come in! Don't mind the mess, we're in the middle of something here," he said with an eager smile.

[automobile_enthusiast]

"Literally," Knock Out remarked dryly, eying the vivisected creature on the surgical table as he entered the room. He didn't seem bothered by it, dismissing it with a shrug and strolling right on by.

"I suppose you know what I have here~." He hefted the box as he stopped in front of Pharma. A slow grin curled up the corners of his mouth. "Want to see?"

[organ_pharming]

"Absolutely fascinating work. A bit frustrating without the use of my hands- but it looks like you're here to remedy that," Pharma chuckled, leaning forward to peer at the box. "Yes, let's see your works of art. They are blue, like I specified, aren't they?"

[automobile_enthusiast]

Knock Out paused a moment to pin Pharma with an affronted look. "Of course they're blue!" Really, who did Pharma think he was?

His clawtips triggered the latches on the box, releasing the lid and sliding it aside. Inside lay the hands, cradled in a clean swatch of rough toweling. They were blue, as specified-- not only blue, in fact, but a blue specifically matched to the shade present elsewhere on his plating. Knock Out had made sure he got it right.

There was something else the hands were, besides blue, and that was clawed. Very distinctly clawed. Knock Out had been careful to make sure the technical specs would match the information he'd gotten off Pharma, but the aesthetic was, well, the only aesthetic he knew-- and in that aesthetic, jets had claws. Sharp ones.

"What do you think?" he asked, his optics lifting from his creations to his client.

[organ_pharming]

Sorry Knock Out, Pharma is used to dealing with minions under a lot of stress. He tends to assume things are going to be done wrong the first time.

The blue was perfect. The jet grinned at what a fine job KO had done at color matching- especially in a place where paint was a bit scarce. The joints looked very smooth, even just lying still like that, Pharma could tell they would roll with an easy glide.

But. Wait.

".....Claws?" was the only thing that came out of his mouth.

[my_own_trope]

Not for the first time, and certainly not the last time, Starscream was poking around the temple looking for Liege Maximo. Instead he found this guy.

Leaning prettily against the door frame, Starscream called, "I think you dropped something~"

[organ_pharming]

Pharma was busy instructing the acolytle on how to properly clean the tools when the latest interruption crowded up his doorway.

"Dropped what?" he grumbled at the skinny jet.

[my_own_trope]

Smiling, he wiggles his talons at Pharma. Then pushing off the door frame, lets himself into the little lab.

[organ_pharming]

Somehow, Pharma managed to frown even harder. He straightened up and walked over to stand in front of the offending jet.

"Is there something you need?" he inquired, an edge to his tone that meant this better not be annoying.

[my_own_trope]

Somehow, Starscream manages to slip past him with a saucy little smile until he's beside the Sharkticon on the table.

"Mmm, just here to watch a master of the craft at work~."

Sure he's here to ridicule, but at least he hasn't made a hand pun yet. You're welcome.