Averting the Apocalypse

[pridegoeth]

Continued from here (Alternate Link)...

"...You know, I could probably adapt the smaller actuators for surgical work, or build a new set geared towards that..." Only one thing could distract Dr. Octavius from catching up on eating, and that's thoughts of a new science project. His new co-worker has brought inspiration, and even though they're in the cafeteria now, it's clear the Doctor's mind is still back in the lab.

There is, among the cafeteria workers at the far end of the room, a subtle ripple of gossip from someone else who's just come in. Dr. Octavius is oblivious, lost in thoughts of designing new arms, but something's up. Nobody seems to see any reason to share that with the scientists, however, until the warning klaxon starts abruptly, loud enough to break through any train of thought.

Comments

[bprd_fishman]

"Oh, no." Abe was on his feet in moments, food forgotten, eyes wider in panic. "The shelters. They hadn't shown them to me, I got distracted--"

Fool, fool. You're near the ocean. The shelters are the first place you located.

[pridegoeth]

While Abe reacts with blind panic, Dr. Octavius actually shoves a last forkful of pasta into his mouth before he lumbers to his feet. Priorities.

As he chews and swallows, Dr. Octavius grips Abe's shoulders gently and turns him in the right direction. He's in time to glimpse the last of the cafeteria workers leaving, their own pace urgent, but not frantic. One hand still on Abe's shoulder, the doctor nudges him in the direction of the exit doors and keeps half a step behind. "This place is more heavily fortified than anything else around for miles, you know. It'd do no good if the jaeger got taken down before the pilots are even in it." He's heading for shelter, sure, but he's very calm about it.

[bprd_fishman]

Definitely, of course. No reason to worry. Abe lets himself be led, trying to feign calm. His experience lies in the aftereffects of a kaiju attack, not being the epicenter of one, and it's hard not to picture an oncoming creature more massive than a skyscraper.

"Very reasonable. Are there are other protocols or do we just hunker down?"

[pridegoeth]

If Dr. Octavius is only faking his own calm, then he's doing a very good job of it. His long legs make for a fairly quick pace, but he's not running. Around them there are varying reactions, from mild panic to a similar fast-paced calm, but as they turn down one hall and then another they're joined by other people all funneling toward shelter.

"Not much for you and I to do but hunker down, unless there's some malfunction and they call for my advice." He frowns mildly, taking on a slightly superior tone, "And my networks don't malfunction. Your work comes after, obviously."

[bprd_fishman]

"Everything needs a redundancy plan," Abe mutters, less distrustful of Otto's systems and more worried about the world itself conspiring to betray them. It's only strongly inbred courtesy that lets him pause to let Otto pass before him through the thick metal gateway surrounding the shelter doors.

[pridegoeth]

"There's redundancy plans built in. That's why they don't malfunction." Otto rolls his eyes. Ego, thy name is Doctor Octavius. He'll go in first, since Abe offered, but he also makes sure Abe is right behind and doesn't get crowded out.

The shelter is a vast cavernous space, with multiple tunnels and doors leading into it, and because of how close they are to the rocky coast, the walls are just a thin layer of metal surrounded by thick bedrock. The ceiling is the only weak point, and that's thick layers of iron and steel, a foundation on which part of the base itself sits. They are genuinely well protected here, at least from a direct physical attack. Corrosive acids aren't exactly out of the question, where Kaiju are concerned, but it would still take time for that to reach them.

"Anyways, if anything did happen with the neural interface," Otto continues, a little reluctantly since he's not willing to entertain the possibility, "They'd just call me up to the command center. You'd get to wait here."

[bprd_fishman]

"Well, as long as they have a plan." Abe shuffles in place and stares up at the ceiling, wishing he could see what was happening outside the walls. He's no Newton Geiszler but you can't work with kaiju remains and not feel the urge to watch the creations while they are alive, massive mountains of flesh and bone spur crashing through the waves with impossible power behind every step.

"I suppose it's nice to have work available so soon, right?" he asks, with a completely falsifed nervous laugh. He may have even used the word "Ha".

[pridegoeth]

"Enheheh." The chuckle is as fake as it gets, as is the brief smile.

"You're a worrier, aren't you." That's not really even a question. Otto sighs, and gives Abe a solid thump on the shoulder. "I'm sure they'll make sure it's dead before you get to look it over. We don't want another Dr. Connors incident, after all." He liked his last lab partner, truly, and already he sees some similarities between the other man and Abe, but reminding him how the other scientist ended up in the hospital is the very opposite of reassuring.

There's a distant rhythmic thud as the Jaeger moves out of the bay far above and heads off to meet the incoming kaiju.

i keep forgetting to come back to these

[bprd_fishman]

There's a part of Abe that desperately wants to run topside and see the battle for himself. To see a live kaiju, to see the way its muscles move beneath its skin and eyes flare with life, to see it before its blood is spilled instead of after. It must be beautiful, the way a hurricane is beautiful.

But then there's the part that remembers men like Dr. Connors, and his ambitions are quickly squashed. He looks upward, still huddling. "How long do these usually take?"

It's okay work keeps my replies erratic...

[pridegoeth]

"In my experience, it's usually over within half an hour. Unless it goes badly." His tone is cavalier, but also draws a number of dirty looks from other people huddled nearby. It's just possible Abe's new friend is not popular, here.

Dr. Octavius does notice the looks, and gives a sigh, finding a spot along the wall near Abe to slide down and sit. He rubs one aching knee. "Maybe if you're lucky it'll be near enough for the wall's cameras to catch some of the action. I know how you biologists love a close-up look at those monsters in action. And it's nice to see how the jaeger is functioning in battle..." They both have a definite interest in the combatants outside, they're just not focused on the same one.

[bprd_fishman]

The thought comforts Abe until the battle ceases and the all-clear alerts sound. The fight was shorter than usual, as the kaiju was a mere Category 2 against an experienced set of Jaeger partners.

"Time to go to work," says Abe, finally relaxing. A relieved grin is in his voice, though his face is unable to communicate it.

[pridegoeth]

Now that he's found a place to sit, Dr. Octavius settles in with a yawn, arms folded across his broad chest. He chats very little, and actually looks ready to doze off by the time the all-clear sounds. There's a palpable relief in the murmurs of people trapped waiting for that noise, and they begin to filter out in a hurry.

Dr. Octavius takes a little longer to get to his feet, knees stiff. "Is it so exciting, poking around a carcass? I'm afraid I've never been clear on what the appeal is..."

[bprd_fishman]

"Think of it as tinkering with a machine that is the only one of its kind. I want to find out how it works, how to limit the harm it causes, perhaps how to use the information we gather from it to enhance our own machines." No one understood the wonder of kidneys as large as houses...Newton Geiszler, perhaps, but Abe was not so far gone as to actually etch the monsters onto his flesh. (He had no idea how ink might show up in his skin, anyway.)

Abe waited for Otto out of courtesy, but he was clearly itching to get to the "machine" as fast as possible.

[pridegoeth]

"...Well that last part sounds interesting..." Of course Otto's focus remains on his wondrous machines. They're so much easier to deal with than living things, controllable and dissect-able and they never talk back. In the lab, with his actuators, he seemed at home. Here in the sea of people he stands out, and while the other residents seem to give him the right of way there's a definite air of 'keep away from him' rather than courtesy. Unfortunately Abe may have allied himself with somebody unpopular, and it may rub off. On the other hand, Abe is probably used to people being wary of him on looks alone, so maybe this is a better reason.

"How do you mean it though? What can we get from toxic lumps of flesh that would enhance my work?" He walks faster once he's gotten the kinks out of his knees, interrupted dinner forgotten, brain back on scientific research.

[bprd_fishman]

Abe had been using 'machine' as a metaphor, but he was excited enough to keep running with this as he heads out to the boat. "Imagine what kind of systems must keep something that huge moving--the blood, the nervous system, the brain, the musculature! The Blue itself is toxic but that does not mean it's without use either."

He's heading at the fastest walk his long legs can offer him, hands waving giddily. When they make it to the boats he starts rattling off orders of what equipment to move and what precautions to take, in between continuing to ramble about the medical applications of kaiju research.

[pridegoeth]

Looking at kaiju in the field is not Otto's department. He likes his lab. He likes his machines. He likes his coffee and and a quiet environment where he doesn't have to talk to anybody else.

Something about Abe's enthusiasm is contagious though, and despite how his last lab partner ended up, he finds himself curious against his better judgement. It's possible Abe is too wrapped up in talking about his own research to notice how everyone stares and whispers when Dr. Otto Octavius decides to come along on the boat with him. Certainly they're not about to stop him. He's an intimidating man even without the metal arms on him, and he follows Abe with the calm assurance of somebody who's sure that wherever he chooses to go is exactly where he's supposed to be. Abe might not notice the stares and whispers, Otto's just used to deliberately ignoring them.

"I thought a lot of those 'medicinal applications' were just black market scams and folklore bunk..."

[bprd_fishman]

Abe is in the nerd zone right now and far too excited to pay attention to social cues.

"Oh, you can't apply a slab of kaiju flesh to your arm to cure exczema, any more than tiger's blood will cure cancer. It doesn't work that way. But studying the structure, the biological processes, that is where the true value comes from. It's a delicate process, made even more precarious by how few specimens we can get our hands on." He leans over the side as they approach the kaiju's body, half-submurged in the shallows. It's a Category 2, not the largest Abe's dealt with, but all kaiju are their own level of impressive.

"And each specimen is unique!" he yells over the sound of the waves and the boat's motor. "It never gets boring!"