[video] RE: The Labs

[googledox]

[Here's that green guy Kid Quantum had introduced. Apparently, he has more to say himself about what he specifically has to offer them. His expression is almost long-suffering, as if he's annoyed at yet one more interruption to his work. Or maybe it's their sheer existence that bothers him -- because now he has to worry about safely getting them home.]

My name is Brainiac 5. Kid Quantum has elected to inform me that I should make it clear that you can avail yourself of certain resources on the ship.

To that end, I want to apprise you all of the fact that you are welcome in my -- [he pauses and inhales deeply through his nose, as if the next words are very hard to say] -- in the Science Labs if you're technologically inclined and would like a space to work on whatever projects you want to...fiddle around with.

Those who are not technologically-inclined should steer clear because there is very delicate and vital equipment that could potentially decohere every molecule in your bodies until you're a fine atmospheric mist.

[And on that pleasant note...]

For those of you that come from such primitive worlds that you don't know what a molecule is because no one's developed a body of knowledge on particle physics -- and for those of you that can't seem to manage the very basic motor functions of turning a vidscreen on -- I will be offering regular lessons on basic scientific principles and on pushing buttons in sequential order.

For those of you that are engineers, I will also be providing tutoring on how to engineer and manipulate technology in this era in a way that's actually effectual.

[He doesn't really seem to be trying to be offensive. There's definitely no malice in how he says these things. But offensiveness is just kind of just happening anyway.]

As the UP government is currently suffering from a surplus of incompetence at the moment, I will be the primary individual responsible for the research and development of technologies that can possibly get you home or to the dimension of your choosing. If any of you have particular expertise in the many sciences that are involved in interdimensional travel and quantum tethering, please contact me so that we can collaborate.

That is all.

[Charming, isn't he?]

Comments

[nerdninja]

[It's a lot of information to take in at once - and he devours it, running over all of that in his head and commiting every detail to memory. The last thing he wants to do is slow down a perfectly good scientific discussion by needing to hear things repeated.

Although, man, is now a time to feel a little stupid, because -]

I had the coordinates for my dimension a few weeks ago but not memorized and not here. [His expression scrunches up a little - it'd be kind of like wrinkling his nose, if he had a nose.] The transporter we were working with - we were only aiming for intradimensional use. Landing in another dimension entirely was an anomaly, so I didn't do much with the interdimensional data once we got back.

[In his defense, it was kind of an emergency and all.]

Tracking the energy signatures back got us the coordinates to get back, but those degraded quickly; a few days was all we had. We didn't run into the quantum issue, though - I'd guess it's the same principle you've described, and it was a close enough universe not to...snap the rubber band, so to speak.

[In short, getting back from the Ghostbusters crossover was probably easy mode compared to getting home from this one.]

[googledox]

It's understandable that you wouldn't still have the coordinates.

[He says it graciously. He is actually trying to reassure Donatello slightly. He doesn't want anyone to feel as if any part of what's happened to them is their fault, even with how annoyed he is that he has to worry about getting them home on top of everything else.]

You're...whatever species you are, not a Coluan like myself. Most species are incapable of such eidetic memorization.

[Not every species could memorize things like his own could. Not every member of his own species could memorize things like he could, either.]

Your expertise alone should be sufficient in rendering some aid and I do want to allow those of you that are capable of it to be able to exert some control over your situation. I've been displaced in time and space several times myself. I know how...trying it can be.

[He doesn't really like the idea of sharing the lab with anyone other than Lyle, who...well, isn't there anymore. But he's perfectly capable of cooperating with other scientists and so far Donnie seems amicable enough. And he knows what it's like to be trapped somewhere alien like the displacees are. Both times -- the time he was stuck on 21st century Earth and the time he was stuck with a handful of the others in the Second Galaxy -- had been miserable, and one of the things that'd made both bearable was that he was one of the only ones among his friends able to come up with possible solutions and exert control over their fate. He wants to present that opportunity to others if they're capable of it.]

[nerdninja]

Turtle.

[The species question doesn't really require a lengthy explanation, he figures, but he likes to get it out of the way before people start trying to call him a frog or something. The fact that turtles aren't known for sentience, let alone their memories, isn't worth clarifying unless it actually becomes an issue, though.]

I appreciate it. Not being able to solve a problem is annoying, but not being able to even start working on it is worse.

[Easier on the ego, maybe, since it prevents one from facing the possibility that they're just not smart enough for something, but when it comes down to it, a blow to the ego is easier to take than the idea that he could do something and was just being kept from it.]

[googledox]

Ah. A species mutation?

[He doesn't sound that surprised. Mutations aren't unheard of. Even his teammate Monstress--rest her soul--had had a vastly different form from what she'd been born with after all.]

I had assumed you were of a similar species to the Chelions.

[He sends a little image of beings not unlike Donnie. They're a much stockier, thicker-limbed, and look far less agile, but they're distinctly humanoid turtles. They look as if their bodies lean more turtle than humanoid, however.]

In any case, you're welcome in the labs anytime. I already have a designated workspace for technologies and experiments dedicated to the purposes of sending you all home. [Yes, he's already started working on it.] You may also have your own workspace for any of your own independent projects.

Just don't interfere with any of my ongoing experiments.

Or I'll ban you from the labs.

[Seriously. Don't touch his stuff.]

[nerdninja]

Yeah, it's kind of a long story, but "mutation" is the short of it.

[He leans forward a little at the image of the Chelions, though. There's a bit of a novelty to seeing an entire race that's like him but that's normal and not a bizarre twist of fate.

He's pretty sure he could run circles around them, though.]

I'm used to sharing lab space with the highly territorial, so keeping to my own space shouldn't be a problem.

[googledox]

I look forward to collaborating with you.

[He's not lying. Donnie seems agreeable and conscientious enough, and he's worked with people in his lab that were far more prone to pranks and annoying him and...and his face falls slightly as he realizes this really will be the first time he's sharing the lab in a year.]

There's a -- a section of the lab that's not my own. Mostly comprised of chemistry equipment.

[He'd turned off and cleaned out the ongoing experiments and tucked away the most dangerous chemicals, but he'd left so much of exactly the way it'd been, experiments waiting to be restarted, half finished chemical equations written on note tablets. But they need the workspace now. He just...wants to tuck some things away before it's used. To leave them stored and...and untouched. Waiting for their owner to return.]

Please don't touch it until I reorganize it. My...friend left his work there and I haven't -- I've left it. For the last year. I need to pack it somewhere for him.

[He says this as if he's coming back. Because they're not dead. He knows they're not. They can't be.]

[nerdninja]

[Ah.

That's...yeah, that's understandable.

It's not the kind of loss he has much experience with himself, but it's not really hard to get why Brainiac wouldn't just want someone else waltzing in and messing with it.]

I won't.

[Saying anything more than that feels like an intrusion, though. He just met this guy. He didn't know the other guy.]

[googledox]

Beyond that, feel free to start customizing a workspace for yourself.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some work to attend to.

[He disconnects the communication after that, because now he has a space to clear out and -- and he just needs a moment.]