Shanodin
Major
The Chamberlain, Her Chivalrous Immensity, Lady Botanica. The Unyielding Vanquisher of Weed Killer
This is NOT her field of dreams
Posts: 700
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Post by Shanodin on Apr 26, 2008 21:40:29 GMT -5
Botanica smiles, "Well, I would be quite surprised if you recognized my alternate form. It has some basis in an organic species, yes, but it is not a plant you fill find anywhere else, be it some organic world or my Cybertron."
First Aid is actually being quite courteous and careful, and his manner has gone quite the ways toward putting her at ease. She has visibly relaxed, and her tone is lighter.
"The dominate life forms on the planet my team and I landed landed on were carnivorous plants, not mammalian or reptilian species as with most land-covered organic planets. So we adopted our shape to suit. My own form is based off a lily variant that possessed both mobility and a rather wicked temper." A wry grin, "My crew seemed to think it suited."
"My primary mode before my reformatting followed the same basic designs as Rattrap or Airazor- but with a cellulose alt mode instead of fur, feathers, or skin. Not the same build mind you, but the mechanics would have been the similar. After my reformatting, I was as you've seen, blended."
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First Aid
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Posts: 239
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Post by First Aid on Apr 28, 2008 12:12:19 GMT -5
“Can you think of anything I should know about the reformatting itself? And, um.” There simply is no tactful way to ask if someone needs to spend several hours a day attempting to attract a sufficient number of moths to nourish herself adequately. Really. There just isn’t. “Does the local environment have enough nutrients for you, or…”
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Shanodin
Major
The Chamberlain, Her Chivalrous Immensity, Lady Botanica. The Unyielding Vanquisher of Weed Killer
This is NOT her field of dreams
Posts: 700
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Post by Shanodin on Apr 28, 2008 18:58:01 GMT -5
Botanica nibbles on her lower lip as she considers First Aid's questions. After a few minutes she says, "The reformatting is...difficult to explain. It wasn't a process in the standard sense, but more like...being stripped down to one's individual pieces, then having those pieces put back together in an entirely different way. The protective organic shells which protected us from energon surges were just that; they weren't integrated like this. The Oracle gave Primal the ability to access it and reformat others, but even he didn't understand the actual process."
"As for fuel, I actually require energon, and unlike Rattrap or Airazor, I cannot convert organic sources into fuel. Primal and the others discovered rather quickly that organic fuel corrupts our systems, blocking our higher functions and reverting us to the mentality of the baser creatures our alternate forms ape. I can however, go much longer on less fuel; not only does proper light help sustain me, but I draw strength from my- from the planet."
She shakes her head, "I'm sorry I can't explain it better. The reformatting did seem to endow each of us with higher power abilities in our robot modes. And some of us received even more...." She trails off. She told the Prime about having to bond with the planet to survive, about how she was bound to Cybertron, and he likely told Kup and Xaaron. But she has not made that information public.
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First Aid
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Posts: 239
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Post by First Aid on Apr 30, 2008 12:04:08 GMT -5
First Aid has never approved of the Matrix’s habit of reformatting people without their consent and absent medical supervision. There’s not a lot he can do about it, since what’s done is done and it’s not like you can discuss matters of ethics and safety with an artifact that’s been incorporated into a friend’s body – but he still disapproves. And in Botanica’s timeline it’s reformatting people into technology that no one actually understands? Oh, that is simply not appropriate. That’s outright irresponsible of it! You don’t get a free pass on basic ethical practices just because you’re an ancient semi-mystical artifact!
“It’s fine,” First Aid says, “What you don’t know you don’t know, after all. So! I’ll take a crowbar and pry up one of the slabs at the secondary station for you, just in case. But that reaction to organic fuel’s a little troubling. Do you know if it’s just food, or should I be particularly careful about treatment?”
If sunlight can maintain her energy levels that means that a proper ratio of surface area’s important too, so he’ll have to figure out something to deal with that. Maybe he can set up graft cultures and see if the intermingled plant cells and technology will grow with the right encouragement. “I think I’m going to need a skin sample – Well, a. A surface tissue sample? I’m sorry, I’ve not got a lot of experience with botany, like I said, I keep thinking of mammals.”
That trailing off was significant. “More?” he asks. Please let it be accelerated healing abilities. Please.
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Shanodin
Major
The Chamberlain, Her Chivalrous Immensity, Lady Botanica. The Unyielding Vanquisher of Weed Killer
This is NOT her field of dreams
Posts: 700
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Post by Shanodin on May 1, 2008 11:21:28 GMT -5
"As far as treatment is concerned, we've yet to find anything our bodies can't heal, given time and rest. It is possible to overextend our healing abilities, and if that happens, the best thing is to just let us sleep. It will take time, but we will recover."
So yes, advanced healing abilities compared to organics, though not so advanced compared to the average Transformer.
Botancia smiles, "However, anything you feel might be of help in treatment would be appreciated."
At his request for a tissue sample she merely nods. "Of course, though I can provide something I think might actually be more helpful, and allow you better insight into my makeup. Though...I would appreciate it if you would consult with me before making any conclusions available to anyone else."
With that she shifts back to plant mode, then reaches down and breaks off a short vine segment. There's a sharp spike on the wider end, and little sucker vines extend from around the spike, waving wildly about. A few adjustments made with her collar welders, and the dataspike is deactivated, sucker vines hanging limply.
"Here," she says, offering the spike to First Aid, "You should be able to get what you samples you need from this. I just ask that you not reactivate it; I would prefer not to deal with the feedback."
Her vines rustle, shift, and her nervousness has obviously returned, "There is something else that you need to know, and I must insist that it be kept on a need to know basis. Making it common knowledge would make me entirely too vulnerable for comfort."
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First Aid
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Posts: 239
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Post by First Aid on May 2, 2008 1:03:24 GMT -5
First Aid actually carries around two different medical kits (he’s had moments, when packing and unpacking and repacking them, of being glad he doesn’t have to juggle three, since the space issues would be totally exasperating, instead of just somewhat so). Now he pulls out the second one, which is filled to canvas plumpness with bandages and compresses and drugs and, in addition to many other things, a few glass vials with silicone seals for tops, because you never know when you’re going to need them.
“Thank you,” he says, as he carefully takes the bit of vine, “I’ll talk to you first, whatever I find out. Um. What should I not do so I don’t reactivate it?” He’s pretty sure he can avoid midnight thunderstorms with old castle towers, but he doesn’t want to blunder into anything less dramatic.
He nods at her request and says, all sincerity. “Yes, of course. It won’t go beyond me.”
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Shanodin
Major
The Chamberlain, Her Chivalrous Immensity, Lady Botanica. The Unyielding Vanquisher of Weed Killer
This is NOT her field of dreams
Posts: 700
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Post by Shanodin on May 3, 2008 0:18:10 GMT -5
"I appreciate that."
Botancia thinks a bit, then shrugs, "Don't stab the spike into an online mechanism. They wouldn't like it, and neither would I. Also," her tone grows serious, "don't keep it in the dark, don't water it, and don't plant it after midnight."
There's laughter in her eyes, and her lips quirk up ever so slightly, that belies the serious tone and expression. A small joke to break the tension before this next revelation,
Then her voice grows soft, a bit hesitant as she looks down at her hands, "When I was reformatted, I was... bound psychically to Cyberton's organic core. Bound to such an extent that having that connection cut almost killed me. There are jokes about me being Cybertron's gardner, but very few know exactly how true that is. I tend the planet, it in turn tends me. We feel each others joy and pain."
Botancia looks up, "In order to survive here, I...have had to bond in much the same way with this world. So when I take strength from the planet, I mean it in a literal sense, not in the sense of nourishment. And these plants are...much more fragile than the technorganic flora of my home."
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First Aid
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Posts: 239
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Post by First Aid on May 3, 2008 23:07:19 GMT -5
First Aid laughs softly as he taps the tube to encourage the data spike to slide in – it just barely fits. “Daylight work it is, then.” And he’s about as likely to just flat out stab something as he is to spontaneously develop wings, so that’s good.
First Aid is not, it has to be admitted, good with mysticism. Spirituality, despite his earnest efforts to appreciate and comprehend it (because something that means so much to so many people is important), is just something he doesn’t really get. So it’s probably lucky that he has a rather different experience to relate this to.
“Oh,” he says quietly, and tilts his head in concern. “Botanica, I’m sorry.” He can just about imagine having his connection to his team cut off like that, sharp and fast and unexpected, and the idea is horrifying – the reality’s undoubtedly worse.
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Shanodin
Major
The Chamberlain, Her Chivalrous Immensity, Lady Botanica. The Unyielding Vanquisher of Weed Killer
This is NOT her field of dreams
Posts: 700
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Post by Shanodin on May 4, 2008 16:27:21 GMT -5
She shrugs, "What's done is done, and I did not tell you so as to garner sympathy. But you needed to know, so that you would not make the mistake of placing in me a cryochamber, or some other form of stasis compartment."
"I can travel in a plane, or other air vehicle, so long as we don't leave the atmosphere or engage shields for overlong.1"
Botancia pauses, then asks, "Is there anything else, you can think of that you'd like to ask, or might cause you issue? I can drop off what schematics I've compiled to you later, if you like."
1 Why a "psychic" bond is blocked by shields, I don't know, but it apparently is. I content myself with the idea that what seems like a psychic bond is actually some sort of energy transfer or the like. ESOTERIC SCIENCE!
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First Aid
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Posts: 239
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Post by First Aid on May 5, 2008 9:32:50 GMT -5
Oh, bother. Touched a nerve somewhat. Or not a nerve, rather. “I know you only mentioned it for it’s medical relevance,” he says, “I didn’t intend to imply otherwise, I only – ” Miss the people I’m bound up in and reacted off of that. Ugh. He’s indulging defensive impulses and explaining himself – only a little defensive, fortunately, but it’s still just ego saving, and he hates it when he does it. “Well, I am sorry. I’ll keep it to myself, and make sure Skyfire doesn’t shuttle you via orbital hop while you’re unconscious.”
“Schematics would be fantastic, thanks!” He wasn’t expecting that offer after the explanation of the mysterious nature of the reformatting process. Score one! “I wouldn’t have expected the integration of your systems to favor the technological side that way in your power systems,” he says, “It’s something I’ve had problems with – most strong energy sources are poisonous to organic material in concentrations large enough to run Cybertonian technology. So, um, that’s a bit counter-intuitive,” particularly considering that she gains sustenance from sunlight, “Are there places where your systems strongly favor the organic? That you’ve noticed? It just helps figuring out what might work.”
He somehow feels this should be easier.
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Shanodin
Major
The Chamberlain, Her Chivalrous Immensity, Lady Botanica. The Unyielding Vanquisher of Weed Killer
This is NOT her field of dreams
Posts: 700
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Post by Shanodin on May 6, 2008 12:35:38 GMT -5
"I...perhaps schematics is not the proper word. I still have a tendency to fall back on technological terms. But I will give you what I have managed to compile regarding sensitivities and interactions."
Perhaps it should be easier. But this blended technology is still new to Botanica. Trying to explain things to another is difficult when she has only a surface understanding herself.
She nods almost eagerly, "Yes, exactly! That's what has made it so difficult in some ways. I am unique, even among the others; we've yet to come across another plant-former on Cybertron, and my team has not yet been recalled from their mission. It doesn't make sense that energon is my primary fuel but it is. I honestly feel sunlight merely supplements, acts...like a fuel additive almost? Increases efficiency."
Botanica balances her chin in one of her hands as she considers the other part of First Aid's question. "Well, I breathe, for one. Overheating is still a possibility, but my cooling systems seem to more closely resemble an organics. Sans sweat glands, of course. I don't have separate systems for different fluids; everything is carried through a veined network. Energon is broken down, converted into what is needed and fed through the body."
"Does that give you a start?"
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First Aid
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Posts: 239
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Post by First Aid on May 7, 2008 17:55:53 GMT -5
“I know what you mean – sometimes it’s really hard to keep track of which terminology goes where.”
He listens enthusiastically, and nods in the same fashion. “Yes! Thank you. It – Well, it’s suggestive of quite a bit. I might guess that because your alternate mode was originally a predator, and must have relied a lot on other organic life, your reformatting used that as the basis for integration. Gleaning energy from sunlight’s a different system, so –” He pauses, a little embarrassed. “That’s what I would have done, I think, if I were designing the new system set.”
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Shanodin
Major
The Chamberlain, Her Chivalrous Immensity, Lady Botanica. The Unyielding Vanquisher of Weed Killer
This is NOT her field of dreams
Posts: 700
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Post by Shanodin on May 8, 2008 23:03:46 GMT -5
Botanica finds her self smiling and nodding again. Oh my, have they finally gotten past the awkward doctor/patient stage to the technobabbling at each other stage? Woot! "No, please, that makes perfect sense!" So nice to have someone actually interested in the science of what she and her fellows had become, instead of simply accepting or fighting. "I've no desire to be a guinea pig, but maybe we can brainstorm a bit when we've more time." "Also, if you wouldn't mind, I could use a rundown on your systems," she smiles wryly, "not yours specifically. I mean your basic type, your reality's aesthetic. You don't have sparks, correct? And then there's Jazz's bunch...." OOC: Scientist's babble at each other! It could go on for eons, and still be fun! But considering the furball that is Fireblade, I think a fade out is in order. You?
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First Aid
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Posts: 239
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Post by First Aid on May 9, 2008 21:11:21 GMT -5
Huzzah for companionable technobabble!
“I’d enjoy that,” First Aid says happily. “I really would, when there’s time.”
“Certainly! No problem. We don’t have sparks – laser cores seem to be the rough equivalent, though they don’t have the same cultural significance, and I think they may be less… adaptable? Emirate Xaaron’s reality uses a very similar technology that they call brain modules, and they’re designed in much the same way we are, while everyone else seems to use sparks, and the engineering’s pretty widely varied across the realities with that in common.”
OOC: The big ball of timey wimey stuff should definitely take precedence, I agree!
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