[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

[noparachutes]

By function he was a scientist, however that part of him only emerged from time to time - when the situation called for it. When his size and skills extended to making him one of the best at killing, it was no question as to which got used more during a war. Not that he ever minded. Killing was something he enjoyed.

But killing here was a bit more. Complicated. Shockwave was no idiot, and as much as eradicating Autobots would keep him busy, it wasn't an option at the present time. Soon perhaps, if he planned correctly. Logically.

So a party of sorts for science? It seemed like a suitable use of his time.

Shockwave had claimed one of the laboratories for his own, silently working away at the samples provided. Although Shockwave may have been silent, the room certainly wasn't; tentacles broken through the ground and waving about, holding onto Shockwave's tools... Prodding the poor Acolyte trying to stop any further destruction of the flooring.

[maxicpolarity]

Liege hadn't believed it, when he'd heard.

He hadn't believed that anyone would have the audacity to ruin one of his labs that he so graciously allowed to be used. He hadn't believed someone would continue using it, even after the initial affront.

He hadn't believed it, at all, even when he stood, glowering in the doorway, his countenance dark.

"You were supposed to experiment on your Monster, not let it loose to rip my laboratory to shreds," he hissed, and looked to the strange, purple, spiked mech who appeared to be the offender. This was not going to go well, at all.

[noparachutes]

The fact that he's upset the host does little to move Shockwave away from what he's working on. It mattered little to him if others viewed the Driller as an issue. The creature was always like this, and keeping it away from him for extended periods of time was difficult to say the least.

"The Driller is not a monster." Why everyone thought it was he'd never understand. The creature was magnificent, and so few seemed to realize that.

"I'm certain your laboratory can be fixed."

[maxicpolarity]

It is always at times like these that Liege wishes his powers were more flashy, and immediate. Prima's intense light, for instance, would have been incredibly useful in getting his point across, or even Nexus's energon manipulation.

However, he does possess something far greater than Nexus could ever comprehend, and he wields that now with an icy air of coolness.

His tact.

"This creature belongs to you, then," he confirmed, letting his optics drift over a single tentacle. "Which means either you will be the one to apologize and make reparations, or it will assuage my displeasure with its cries. Certainly you'll not do me the disservice to imagine that destruction of my property would be taken lightly?"

[noparachutes]

Shockwave doesn't bother turning, he can speak about this and work on the sample he'd been given at the same time. The conversation was hardly one worth his full attention anyway, and he was being complained to about apologizing. Even less of a reason to attempt to care.

"I do not apologize," he rumbles, making a minor change to his work. If this resulted in a fight then so be it, a lack of war was getting to him. Shockwave had never done well outside of one.

The tentacles recoil back into the ground, but all is not well as soon the Driller is pushing its large head out of the ground, breaking even more of the lab's once perfect floor. It didn't quite understand all that had been said, but it did understand the threat, and it's sure to try and make itself look large. Puffing out the plating on its head and hissing. It's clear that it's not some normal monster, aside from Shockwave claiming ownership of it, as there on the top of its head is a glowing symbol. Megatronus' if looked at correctly, matching the one on its master's arm.

"It does not enjoy being left alone. A part of its natural instinct that I was not able to... Improve."

Shockwave waves his hand dismissively, wanting to get back to fully focusing on his work. "Was there a point to this, or did you simply come to complain?"

[maxicpolarity]

So this was a stubborn one, was it. Capable of doing science, yet incapable of respecting private property.

This was the last time Liege was going to have an open party. Ever.

It was too bad that the pair belonged to Megatronus Prime, though. Of all his brethren's refugees, Liege did at least try not to hurt Megatronus's, even if his oft tended toward rebellion like this. They'd had an arrangement, of sorts...

One that it seemed he'd have to break early this time.

"I prefer to solve conflicts in a civilized manner." He spoke, coldly. "But when one cannot even recognize the offense, there are other means of resolution." Reaching behind him, he gently took hold of one spear, releasing the mechanism to make it extend. "Forgive me. I don't have much patience with interruptions."

The driller was going to make this interesting.

Too interesting; he didn't want to further damage his home.

"Consider this a formal challenge." He growled. "You may stay for the time being, but I will meet you in Megatronus's arena, and I will take out every foot of my temple's destruction out on your plating." He slammed the base of the spear down on the floor. "Primus help you if this creature damages more."

[noparachutes]

A civilized manner? Was he not civilized? The Driller... no, likely not, but him? Yes, he would think so.

The Driller hisses as the weapon is drawn, the creature's next screech getting enough of Shockwave's attention to get the mech to turn and face Liege. One of the smaller Firstforged that was certain, as he reached the other mech's shoulders. Size difference would not be a concern for Shockwave here.

What could simply pass for Shockwave's brow, raises, mandibles flicking in though as the other mech speaks.

"I do hope you fight well. Your complaining does not inspire confidence, and it has been so long since I have had a good fight."

It would be. Preferable if Liege had the skill to back up his mouth.

[maxicpolarity]

"And I hope that you can fight better than you can control your creature." It wasn't as if fighting would have been his first preference. He wasn't Megatronus, and didn't find such primal pleasure in simply proving his strength...

But this mech belonged to his brother. It belonged to his brother, and thus must have had some aptitude in battle and in sciences, to be here. That was...interesting.

It would have been more interesting if it weren't also a nuisance. His fingers tightened on his staff, and he turned to go. There was still work to be done, today.

Later, he could prove to this refugee why it was best not to get on a First-Forged's bad side.

[my_own_trope]

Do you know what happens when you have a huge monster burrowing in through the floor? Well, among other things, vibrations happen. And do you know what kind of robots are especially sensitive to vibrations in the flooring? The kind of robots that are heavy on the top, spindly on the bottom, and also balanced precariously on what might as well be stilletos.

Sometimes you had to wonder what evolution had in mind when it made Starscream -- and then you have to remember that it wasn't really evolution so much as 100% human error. (Where the human error is in fact Cybertronian error and oh, I guess everything makes sense now.)

Anyway, as Driller happily tore through the ground tiles, from outside the lab came an indignant little squawk, the sound of something metal hitting a wall, and then Starscream gripping the edge of the door. It looks like he might have been in the midst of falling. Instead, wide eyed, he points at the giant slug thing and with something akin to terror demands: "What IS that?"