re_alignment_logs | There is no pain... I have become... comfortably numb.

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There is no pain... I have become... comfortably numb.

WHO: Don Dogoier and any of the inhabitants of the Solian Temple, but he's aiming for Solus and the acolytes.
WHAT: As a creepy weird sociopathic alien, Don is really excited about now being a creepy weird sociopathic alien. It's time to go to his First Forged and ask for a boon.
WHEN: Nowish
WHERE: Solian Temple

Don saunters vaguely into the temple, looking around for anything interesting going on. "Heyyyy!" He says, to no one in particular. "I need to talk to Solus! I have a favor to ask, where should I go?" He leans against the doorway. "It's kind of important."

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"How bout you show me where the workshop is, then? I promise I'll be super super quiet. She won't even know I'm there."

"Solus Prime's workshop is down the furthest corridor on the right, all the way down. I can show you the way if needed.

The acolyte gestured down the hall, it's blank visor flickering.

"However, you will not be able to enter without Solus Prime's permission."

He dashes down the hall immediately. "No probs, I'm sure she'll be happy to let me in. I've got a lot going for me!"

He runs to the aforementioned door and bangs on it. "Hey, Solus! You there?"

The drone goes quiet, forgotten back in the hall.

The massive door to Solus' domain remains silent as well, if you can completely call a sudden wave of almost palpable irritation silent. Did the temperature in the hall just spike? Possibly.

Last chance, Doctor Don.

He's well aware that what he's doing is not entirely wise. But in this form, he's pretty sure nothing can really hurt him. He's s strong as he once pretended to be. His loyalty to Solus is secondary to his loyalty to Marvelous in the first place. And at this point, he's unable to comprehend the feelings that formed that bond of loyalty to begin with.

He bangs on the door again. "Solus, I'm one of yours, and I have a favor to ask! It's pretty important!"

There is a brief rumble, like the sound of something heavy hitting the ground, before the doors finally part with a low rumble.

However big and powerful you might think you are, it is nothing compared to the giant of a Prime looming over you now, optics narrow with contained fury.

"...What cause is this, that is important enough to disturb my work?"

It's not like he's not worried, I mean... Solus is gigantic and worthy of his respect and all that. He jumps back and his expression flickers, quite literally. He gives a dutiful bow. "I just wanted to catch you before it went too far, ma'am."

He clears his throat, "By which I mean, I'm sure you are working on a solution to the whole body problem and everything, and I just wanted to come and tell you that when you happen upon one, I'd like to be left out of it... See, I feel like as a human, I was kind of wimpy and frightened all the time, but I'm pretty sure this body doesn't feel fear the way I used to? Things are pretty easy this way, and I was hoping it could continue. I think I'd be a better worker for you that way, you know?" He looks as hopeful as he can in his bulky armored form.

She watches him bow with laser-focused optics; too vexed to be swayed by humble gestures or respect now.

"'Too far'?" she quoted dryly. Despite the unabated rumbling, Solus snorted out a rough sound that resembled a dry laugh.

"You seem to misunderstand. It does not matter if you find this to be a positive change. All of the afflicted will be cured of this taint once the cure is fully prepared."

For the first time in... Well, since the switch happened, he looks dismayed. He shifts back to his human form. "Look! It's almost like I haven't changed at all! Are you sure you can't make an exception...?"

He can tell from her voice that he's out of luck, though. He sits on the floor, irritably. "But this form is totally much better than my original. I don't have to worry about being hurt as much, and I can take more chances with my builds, you know... I... I made the Galleon's engines six times more powerful..." Of course, six times more powerful came with a price, it was about twice as dangerous. Twice as dangerous for him was just about the same as regular danger for Marvelous, anyway.

"I could be a really great help. My human form... Well, it's not that great, to be honest." He levers up his small body and looks kind of irritably at himself.

Curious, that he is even able to switch like that at all. But her anger is not waning even in the face of such an unexpected irregularity.

No exceptions.

"Then that is something you will have to deal with. Productivity increase or not, your current form is tainted by the Lambda. Upgrade yourself. Build a protective suit. Reformat yourself into a techno-organic form for all I care, if you feel it would make you more useful. But next time?"

Solus reached to her side, pulling out a half-finished device - her current project. Sans casing and lacking anything resembling a sleek or polished appearance, it looks like a cross between a gun and a bottle rocket launcher. Solus leveled it at Don.

"Remember to actually keep some of that healthy fear."

He bunches his shoulders up and backs away. "Now... Solus... Do you really want to kill one of yours..." he asks, pretty sure she doesn't. But there's a strangled tone in his voice that he can't quite keep out.

"Er... I mean... I'm useful! I swear!" He puts up his hands, and if he's not feeling fear he's at least got the presence of mind to pretend he is in order to suit his purposes.

Solus pauses, giving Don a vaguely insulted look.

"I have no intentions of killing you. I am irritated, not murderous."

She shakes her head, and the device whines as it charges.

"Your only punishment is getting out of that ridiculous form, and changed back before everyone else."

She sees no reason to mention that it is a test-firing. The Prime does not doubt that it will work.

She fires.

He shields his face from the blast, but it doesn't help. He feels some strange sensations in the pit of his stomach, and though he doesn't look any different, he's aware that the armored form is now completely beyond him.

And then the emotions come flooding back, especially the fear and the embarrassment. "Oh... Oh no," he covers his face with his hands and falls to his knees. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Firstforged!!!"

She almost visibly brightens at the result, but hides it in favor remaining stern and focuses on scanning the little man in all spectrums.

...It seems to be a complete success, as expected. Good. They could return everyone else to normal soon.

Solus waves a hand, gun vanished back into storage.

"Hn. Accepted. Now cease your groveling. You should be fine now. So long as you do not repeat that foolishness again, my quarrel with you has ended."

Despite himself, the flash of the gun going into storage piques his interest. It's probably rude to ask where it went, though. He swallows and slowly stands up. "R-right. Okay. Ma'am. Um. If there's any way I can make it up to you... Just... Just let me know." He tenses up, pretty obviously interested in running away as fast as possible when it's polite enough to do so.

Solus simply nods. That could be useful.

"...I will keep that in mind."

She gestures him toward the door, already turning her back to him, mind on the cure and how to disperse it to the rest of the Haven.

Don is free to go.

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There is no pain... I have become... comfortably numb.

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