Swindle
Major
This space for rent.
Posts: 571
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Post by Swindle on Apr 22, 2010 20:41:55 GMT -5
"Well, if everyone knew how all their systems worked we wouldn't need medics." All the touching without actually doing anything is starting to make Swindle (more) nervous. Granted, Shockwave has a very convex chestplate, but Swindle's tastes lie elsewhere. "Er, transwarp technology, yeah. Basically the drawer is a tiny space bridge terminal, only instead of connecting to another point in this dimension, it connects to my private storage dimension." There's a pause. "You know, I suppose if someone had equipment sensitive enough to detect the signal from it, they could actually access it and use it as a space bridge. Hah! Can you imagine? That'd just be ridiculous." The merchant trails off into silence, reluctant to meet that staring optic.
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Post by Victoria Raines on Apr 22, 2010 22:51:42 GMT -5
Shockwave listens to Swindle's babbling (for babbling it is, even if it is answering the question) without comment, his head tilted slightly to one side as he considers the conman. At the words "space bridge", however, one headfin tilts slowly up.
When Swindle is finished, Shockwave says, "You ramble about sensitive topics when you are nervous . I suggest you work on that."
The gunformer turns away and heads down to the rows of cabinets and drawers and begins. He had expected some sort of expanded subspace capability, something highly specialized yes, but still based in subspace technology. The conman's explanation adds context to some of the oddities Shockwave noticed in Swindle's schematics. And now- now Shockwave needs a different set of sensors and tools than originally prepped.
When he returns tableside, Shockwave takes some time to rearrange his station, and then he reaches over and taps Swindle's chest.
"Open it."
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Swindle
Major
This space for rent.
Posts: 571
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Post by Swindle on Apr 22, 2010 23:10:20 GMT -5
Swindle laughs. "I prefer to think of it as anticipating your questions. You would've gotten to thinking along those lines eventually." He watches nervously as Shockwave goes to get his tools, then obediently slides open the drawer in his chest. The inside looks . . . like an empty drawer. It's the same tan color as Swindle's exterior.
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Post by Victoria Raines on Apr 23, 2010 15:11:31 GMT -5
"Hmmm."
Shockwave examines the drawer itself first, taking readings to confirm that it is of the same material as the rest of Swindle's form, testing the material strength, density, etc, etc.*
All and all, Swindle is getting thoroughly felt up.
Once done with all the rote stuff, Shockwave clips a small device to the inside edge of the drawer, to record readings, energy usage, and the like. He turns back to the wall of monitors and its terminals and makes a few adjustments and notes.
He returns to Swindle's side, studying the conman for a few moments.
Then Shockwave attempts to plunge his hand into Swindle's chest.
*I completely fail at technobabble, so please forgive my lack of nitty gritty descriptions. You're welcome and encouraged to extrapolate upon what types of data Shockwave does and does not get from his readings. Also, Shockwave (and I, for that matter) isn't sure that he can even access Swindle's private storage dimension or if it only works for Swindle.
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Swindle
Major
This space for rent.
Posts: 571
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Post by Swindle on Apr 23, 2010 17:19:24 GMT -5
The exterior of the drawer and the interior sides are nothing special. They're made of the same alloys as the rest of Swindle's chassis. The floor of the drawer, though, is coated in a layer of a Destronium alloy a single molecule thick. If Shockwave bothers to investigate further it'll turn out this alloy is a near-perfect superconductor at room temperature.
Swindle doesn't resist as Shockwave reaches into his drawer. He knew this was coming, after all. There's a clink of metal on metal as the gunformer's fingers contact the bottom of the drawer, with unspectacular results. The con looks down his chest to observe. "Well that's never happened before. Then again, no-one's ever tried it but me."
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Post by Victoria Raines on Apr 23, 2010 21:43:27 GMT -5
Shockwave does not seem surprised as his hand hits metal. He merely withdraws his hand, makes a few notes, adjusts the fine tuning on the device clamped just inside Swindle's chest, and returns to exploring the drawer.
"It would not make sense if just anyone could access your holding area. If one could, it would open you up for all manner of exploitations."
Idly, he runs his fingers over the drawer's floor once more as he looks at his datapad. The readings from that material are quite interesting. At some point, he will take a sample.
Just not right now. So far, the whole encounter has been non-invasive, and Swindle has been very cooperative.
He removes his hand once more. "Activate it, but do not withdraw your hand. I'm curious to see if someone could access it while you were doing so, of if there is a mechanism which blocks all foreign access regardless."
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Swindle
Major
This space for rent.
Posts: 571
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Post by Swindle on Apr 24, 2010 23:34:48 GMT -5
"You're the boss," Swindle says, as he sticks his hand down into his drawer. As his fingers contact the metal, something odd happens. The space inside the drawer warps somehow, in a non-Euclidean fashion that confuses the optics. It's almost painful to look at, and Swindle isn't looking. His hand, however, has disappeared up to the wrist.
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Post by Victoria Raines on Apr 25, 2010 9:18:12 GMT -5
Shockwave, however, is looking and so he sees every non-logical, brain-breaking detail.
It does not phase him.
"Hmm, an impressive bit of technology," he says as he examines his readings, "It seems very similar to the unstable transwarp from my timeline-though obviously much more successful."
Shockwave again tries to reach into Swindle's chest.
"I shall want to do a closer examination of the materials in your hands before we're through, I believe."
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Swindle
Major
This space for rent.
Posts: 571
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Post by Swindle on Apr 25, 2010 22:55:31 GMT -5
Shockwave's second attempt to access Narnia is much more successful than his first, though the sensations in his hand may not be entirely pleasant. The anomaly at the bottom of the drawer feels odd, like an electric shock. Once his hand is through the interface, there's nothing. No tactile stimulus whatsoever, as if his hand is in a vacuum. "As far as I know, my hands are made of the same alloys as the rest of my superstructure."
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Post by Victoria Raines on Apr 26, 2010 11:59:46 GMT -5
"Hrm."
The sensation is decidedly odd, yes, and Shockwave, ever protective of his one delicate hand, actually pauses at that initial small shock. Science is a cruel mistress, however, and she demands he press forward. So he does, until he is elbow deep in Swindle's chest.
Oh, the comments Hook would make, if the Constructicon could see this!
Experimentally, Shockwave fishes around. He does not expect to actually locate any of Swindle's swag; Shockwave imagines that it takes intent to actually summons something from the dimensional pocket. Still, he must test that theory, of course.
Running through Shockwave's mind is also the thought of what would happen to a shot or energy blast were it to make it through the portal. Would it make contact with some other stored item, giving Swindle a horrible case of sparkburn and destroying the conman's supplies, or simply be stored, to possibly be directed at another target upon Swindle's whim?
So many possibilities. At some point, Shockwave plans to test them all.
"Perhaps it is the same, and your schematics indicate that is the case. Still, there is something about your specific makeup that allows only you to access activates the transwarp. It could be a slight variation in your material makeup. The trigger could be keyed to your body's specific biorhythms. It could be a psychic trigger or perhaps it is just that only your particular genetic material can open it."
Yes, Shockwave is applying genetics to Transformers. He does that, some times.
"Have you ever tried to touch the drawer bottom without activating the portal?"
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Swindle
Major
This space for rent.
Posts: 571
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Post by Swindle on Apr 26, 2010 12:23:30 GMT -5
Shockwave's hand does brush up against a few things. One of them is Swindle's hand, the others are presumably swag. It may take intent to summon specific items, but the items are there nonetheless.
"I hope it's a psychic trigger. I'd hate to think someone could fake my hands and get at my inventory without my permission." Someone could steal something from him that way! It would cut into his bottom line! The horror! "No, I've never tried to do that. I've never really experimented with my storage dimension. As long as it works, it's an academic question to me. I've always been more concerned with practical questions. Questions along the lines of 'How much money do I need to buy my own resort planet?' "
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Post by Victoria Raines on Apr 26, 2010 23:21:04 GMT -5
The problem is that Shockwave is still thinking of Swindle's chest as a sort of subspace pocket of extra-large proportions. Yes, he's looked at the schematics and listened to Swindle's explanations, but the science makes Shockwave twitch a bit. Mainly because it surpasses Shockwave's own attempts at transwarp technology.
That just will not do.
So it is with a bit of surprise that Shockwave's hand closes around a spherical object. He pulls the object out and looks at it.
"Knowing the why behind how it opens is actually quite important. You would not imagine what I might traps I might set with an Autobot with a similar ability. Close the portal, and then touch the drawer bottom with the intent of not activating the portal."
He hefts the sphere in his hand. "What is this, by the way?"
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Swindle
Major
This space for rent.
Posts: 571
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Post by Swindle on Apr 27, 2010 20:29:54 GMT -5
Swindle withdraws his hand from his drawer, the portal closing smoothly as he does so.
"Ah, I see you've found the Sonic Jammer 3000! Wonderful device! Completely nullifies sound in a large radius, not to mention it can emit a stasis suspension ray. Got it in a trade with the Quintessons. Wonderful beings. I don't know how they picked up the reputation they seem to have in some of these realities."
The merchant inserts his hand into his chest again, and this time the metal clinks against the bottom of the drawer. "Huh. Well would you look at that."
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Post by Victoria Raines on Apr 27, 2010 23:05:47 GMT -5
"Hmm, interesting toy," Shockwave says of the Sonic Jammer 3000. He carries it over to a different table and sets it down.
Swindle probably shouldn't expect it back.
The mention of Quintessons does make Shockwave's headfin tilt up slightly. Those beings, in yet another reality? Hrm.
"Now, see," Shockwave comments, "Now you know you can turn it off so to speak, if you so desire."
"I am going to take a small sample from the drawer's bottom, as it is of a different material that has interesting properties. I will endeavor to be gentle in doing so." Then Shockwave attempts to do just as he said.
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Swindle
Major
This space for rent.
Posts: 571
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Post by Swindle on Apr 28, 2010 23:20:28 GMT -5
Swindle watches Shockwave walk off with the Sonic Jammer 3000 without paying for it. "I'm going to get that back when you're done with it, right?"
He shifts a bit on the table. "I suppose a small sample wouldn't hurt." The merchant lies still on the table, hoping Shockwave's ministrations don't cause some sort of malfunction. He's seen transwarp explosions before, (mostly because he's sold things that cause them) and he has no desire to experience one firsthand.
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