[Open] Rebuilding the Labs

[trustycrowbar]

Date & Time: October 2nd
Location: Lower Labs, upper tunnels.
Characters: Gordon, anyone who volunteered here and anyone else who wants to join
Summary: Mastering futuristic building techniques to give the lab a floor and the catacombs a ceiling again.
Warnings: Wear your hardhat.

There's a steady buzz of activity in the echoing chambers several floors below the Hold. The cave-in left a large hole in the floor of the lowest levels of the Labs and a large pile of rubble, metal, crushed computer parts and office equipment. Up above the echoed voices of scientists can be heard barking orders like "Nono, it has to be LEVEL!" And "Be careful over there!" like labcoated terriers, and receiving just about as much heed.

Volunteers can clean rubble and scavenge check out the ruined equipment, others might set stays and metal bars to form metal framework overhead, and others are handed these odd tubes that look like ordinary caulking tubes, but instead spray a huge cloud of foam that quickly turns into something light and harder than any rock. Careful not to get any on you. Still others may be set on refreshment duty or gofers, if there are enough people.

Gordon, for the record, is down in the rubble pile, suited up and lifting slabs of old stone and concrete the size of small cars. Not on his own, but lifting them with... some kind of weird gun-thing? What the hell is that?

Comments

clearing away rubble!

[ohmygodgreywardens]

So much had happened in the tunnels, and while Cailan was more of a fan of all the fighting that had taken place, he knew that there was some good work to be done helping them fix the labs. Not that he really knew what was going on there, but anything that could let him do some work with his hands, and take his mind off of other problems?

He was on board with that. Back breaking work, but it was pleasantly monotonous, getting some rocks, moving them away from where they once were, and going back. Water breaks were needed, though, and he would take one when he needed it, not when he wanted it.

[trustycrowbar]

[Gordon is a physicist, and physicists are remarkably lazy in that they let the laws of nature do the work for them. Although god only knows which bizarre natural law that were strong-armed into making that strange gun of his. After over a half-hour of consistent work, Gordon breaks the silence.]

By the way, I don't think I ever got your name. [He says as he lifts another crag of concrete with a quiet hum.]

[ohmygodgreywardens]

[Cailan looks up with surprise, hoisting up another rock with a smile.] My apologies, good sir! I guess I was lost in the work. I'm King Cailan Theirin, it is a pleasure and an honor to make your acquaintance. You are a very good man, to get us all together to help these kind folk.

1/2

[trustycrowbar]

Well... I wouldn't call getting a bunch of bored people together and putting them to task glory-worthy, but it's a good way to keep everyone busy and focused on what's really impo--

[trustycrowbar]

[...]

Hold on. King Theirin?

[ohmygodgreywardens]

It's close enough, for now. [He laughs, stopping and smiling, giving a nod of his head.]

Yes. I am king of Ferelden.

[crymoore]

Did someone say water breaks? Suddenly there's a glass bottle being held out towards him by a woman in purple and white.

"Here, it would do you good to have a sip more frequently."

[ohmygodgreywardens]

Cailan turned in surprise, his face relaxing into a bright smile as he took the glass.

"Thank you, my lady. Hydration is important, so they say, but I frequently forget it until it's too late!" He laughed, taking a hearty swig.

[crymoore]

"I suppose I have found my calling for the day then, haven't I?"

What better way to distract him than to carry on a conversation? While she does understand the importance of keeping up the work, it'd be easier to renew their strength if he took a small break in between.

"You can just call me Jaina. I hope you do not find it forward of me, but may I have your name in return?"

[ohmygodgreywardens]

"I think you may have," He chuckled, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He usually had manners, and it wasn't like he'd lost them. But there was no napkin available, all those kinds of excuses.

"Jaina. It's a lovely name, for such a lovely lady. I am King Cailan Theirin, it is very nice to meet you!"

[shoesfitperfectly]

The Doctor happens along, as he has a tendency to wander, and stops, watching.

Blinkblink.

He clambers over a few rocks to make his way toward Gordon.

Yet, all he can think to say is, "Is that zero point energy?"

[trustycrowbar]

Hm?

[The vending machine he'd been lifting lowers a bit and then lands with a dull crash, snack bags and candy bars bouncing out. Then Gordon shoulders the gun as he turns to him.]

...Actually yeah. Good eye, Doc. I haven't brought this thing out in a long time because it's kind of ungainly. And not very safe if you put it in the wrong hands.

[Or the RIGHT hands, really.]

[crymoore]

Jaina wouldn't really consider her a grunt or anything, but when it came to people needing to get their hands dirty to do what was right? She'd be alongside the people of Theramore (or anywhere in the world really) with her own sleeves rolled up. So for the most part she'll be there tossing away the smaller rocks, ones she can lift easily on her own and when presented with one she couldn't?

Blasting it with magic.

She's careful enough to not do it to cause any sort of rumbling, mostly aiming it at pieces too big for others to carry. When you come from a world where rocks scurry about and break into tinier shards upon damage, the first thought you'd have is to make them go BOOM. Plus, she's with a lot of pent up frustration at her situation. It does her some good to release some of that through magic.

Although, a little later she'll be trying to pass out refreshments to those who look it and especially to those who are too stubborn to take a break. It isn't much, just conjured water that tastes as fresh as any and warm cinnamon rolls. Eat up!

[trustycrowbar]

[Mister Scientist isn't really hiding the fact that he's observing Jaina when she's slinging those spells around; he'll stop and stare at various points on the rubble pile, gravity gun still in hand, probably with rock still levitating in front of it.]

[crymoore]

[ It doesn't take her long at all to notice she's being watched, so she'll pause in her to work to address him. ]

Are you worried I will make an error? I assure you I have done this plenty enough when Theramore was built.

[trustycrowbar]

...What? Oh. No, it's not that. [He snorts a laugh, and hefts the odd gun-thing with it's stone ammunition to aim at a larger piece, firing away the same way she just has. Gravel scatters everywhere.]

It's just that normally I'm the one throwing around things like that. That's a helluvan ability you've got there.

[crymoore]

Well, that serves as a relief. [ A nod. ] To be in good company, that is.

[ With a laugh herself, she relaxes. This has been a good source of releasing pent-up stress and with the subtle reminders of home, she can't help but feel at ease here. ]

Have you ever seen magic practiced before you?

[raisedbybirds]

A ruined lab was unfortunately a familiar sight for Samus, but this time there was a notable difference; all the bodies currently present were still alive, (andor not trying to kill her on sight). Samus had heard Gordon's message though she opted to simply show up to provide assistance instead of announcing she would. Typical.

After taking a few moments of observation she decided the best place to utilize her skills was along some of the decidedly less-scientist looking types, moving huge slabs of stone and rubble out of the way with relative ease and not saying a word. Every now and then she'd take a moment to stare at Gordon's weapon in his hand.

It was quite curious.

[trustycrowbar]

[In the midst of waving what looks like half a mainframe out of the way and dropping it in the "computer parts" pile, he finally sees her, and gives a nod as he rests the barrel of the device over his shoulder.]

Hey. Didn't expect to see you here.

[raisedbybirds]

You should probably learn to expect the unexpected with me by now.

[She puts a hand on her hip.]

How's progress coming?

[trustycrowbar]

[Yes, ma'am!]

Faster than I expected! I think everyone's a little wary of working with that foam substance and sticking to clearing rubble... However, the Hold supplied it because it's the easiest possible thing to work with.

/late realization that hey maybe i should have tagged in here too

[fe_male]

Hey, it's engineering. It's sort of civil engineering, which, not really his forte, but it's still more interesting than staying purely topside and thinking about how much he's not talking to certain people who shall not be named.

Besides, he gets to do heavy lifting, and sort of spelunking in the dangerous parts, and isn't that kind of funny because it was mining that he originally thought the suit might be the most effective in. Too bad he can't let anybody else actually ever have the designs.

There's also the scavenging to be done, totally. But, mostly heavy lifting.

[trustycrowbar]

[By that time he and Gordon had probably exchanged niceties about each other's suits, and it's only after an hour or so of focused work on clearing and bracing that the one in orange and grey sparks conversation with the one in red and gold again:]

So when did you get the idea to build that suit, anyway? It looks a little polished to be first-gen, so I figure there's some history to it.

[fe_male]

[ Niceties exchanged even before the salutations, yes, most likely. It's nice to always be inside a suit - the inherent mask means you don't have to lose too much focus from what you're actually working on to keep a plussed face. ]

It's not obvious? Come on. Robocop, Transformers, Star Trek, Star Wars - it's like a pre-plus-post-pubescent dream come true. Pretty basic too, I mean, literally walking around in a medieval ideal, hello.

[trustycrowbar]

[He gives a sidelong smirk. He could say he was above the impulse, that his suit was purely for protection and his situation had been far too grim to entertain a notion as facetious as superheroism.]

[But he would be lying, really.]

Medieval ideal? Last I checked, full plate mail didn't come with propulsion thrusters in the ass of it.