un: trienemybest; video

[droptheious]

[The video feed opens in Varian's creepy basement lab where health and safety regulations go to die. The boy himself isn't looking that great, his skin has a grey-ish tinge to it and he looks more exhausted than usual. But that's fine, he's fine. He turns the camera around to take in some sapphires on his workbench. Some are soaking in various chemical substances, some are under a microscope, some are in various steampunk-y machines: it's clear some testing has been going on. ]

So, Flynn was kind enough to give me some of the crystals that grew on his corpse during...whatever weird new thing death is here. [He doesn't sound as excited about this as his usual projects and anyone who knows about his deeply unfortunate past will know why.] I have experience in creepy, magical death rocks -no...no I'm not going to elaborate on that- so I decided to study them. They seem to be crystalising the actual cells of the body- so not just a separate coating. I also found traces of warmblood within the crystals themselves, which I think is what Flynn is? A-anyway, it seems they're working on a cellular level, like they're what jumpstarts the reversal of the cell degeneration after death- so- so it's possible they're what reverses then entire process.

Anyway, moral of the story is, they're probably super important in resurrecting people so maybe don't mess with the process when it's happening? Of course, without having any other samples to compare this to, it's all conjecture right now.

[A beat, he turns the camera back to himself, grimacing.]

Sorry, I forgot who I was talking to. Please don't take that as encouragement to get yourselves killed in the name of science.

[Another beat, then he waves a hand airily.]

Thaaaaaat said, this is October, so statistically, there's a high chance that a not-insignificant portion of the population will be dead by the end of the month. So...if you wanna donate your death crystals for science then, that would be less...morally grey. Probably? Probably.

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[eugenesis]

[Scorponok cooly regards the prosthetic leg. Messy, a bit crude, but it's better than most of what he's seen on organic planets.]

Who designed that for you? I could do a bit of a...check-up, considering that I am-

[Wait. Autobot?! Ironhide?!]

You met Ironhide himself?! [That's way more important and possibly more dangerous for his social standing.] Which planet?!

[droptheious]

I did! I got some help with it, but I built it myself. I never say no to a little help improving it.

[Well, that sure is a reaction.]

This one? Or...rather, the nightmare world we were in before we woke up here. He hasn't been around for a long time. I'm taking that as a yes that you know him?

[eugenesis]

Who on Cybertron isn't aware of a high-ranking Autobot? [Has he mentioned anything about the Decepticons? Scorponok? That badge isn't something he can remove with ease, but he would rather not make enemies this quickly. He's not ready to break his previous record.] How long was he in that world you mentioned?

[droptheious]

Oh wow, really? He never talked about his Cybertron that much. He was always kinda grouchy about the whole thing. I didn't know he was so important!

[At least that...kind of answers the question.]

Uhhhh a few months? Five or so, I think? But it's been about six months since I saw him last, maybe a little longer?

[eugenesis]

I...see. [He's safe! Better not explain too much.] Well, that doesn't matter anymore. I'm dead and he's not here.

[But that's still quite recent, still something to be cautious of. Anyway, he should change the topic.]

What of the technology he shared? What do you know of Cybertronian medicine? Could you repair a limb of mine if I were to be harmed?

[droptheious]

Oh... I'm sorry. For the being dead thing. At- at least you have a second chance at life here, right?

[Varian huffs, clearly annoyed.]

God, I wish - he never shared anything with me, he was really weird about it. But I'm a fast learner and I'm really good with robotics! I'd be willing to give it a shot.

[eugenesis]

Thankfully, I have that chance. There are too many questions here: the crystals, the squid form, and I have heard that some of us are seeing animals approach us as omens. Whatever this second chance is, our bodies have been permanently altered to be able to accept it.

[A lot of stuff to think about! But Scorponok focuses on the "how" and not "why" or "what will happen next?". It's that he himself as never the subject of intense study.]

Some surgical tools came with me when I woke on the shores. If I do find myself injured, you are welcome to visit and see how I repair myself.

[droptheious]

Oh yeah, there's definitely omens. My raccoon from home can vanish into a puff of smoke and vanish away inside my chest, which is something he could never do before- not even in the dream.

[Which was a super fun thing to learn!]

Oh wow, thank you! That's so much cooler than Ironhide was already! I appreciate it, I always love a chance to learn something new.

[eugenesis]

Inside...of you? Do you have a chest cavity? [Some aliens do that. Scorponok knows better than to assume what organics can or cannot do.]

Well, one day I will see what my omen is. I've never been one for animals, it should be a surprise. [But he guesses it will be a scorpion. What else could be significant to him?]

[droptheious]

Wh- no no, I mean like. He turns into smoke and can sit there like... magically? I guess? Or maybe he mixes with my blood. I'm not sure how it works, honestly. Humans definitely don't have chest cavities.

[A beat.]

I mean, we do, but it's got stuff in it to keep us alive.

[eugenesis]

[He has to see this for himself - oh, right. He should have that ability.]

No, no, if he's in my blood, then I can see if I can summon it through any portion of my body. Can you record what happens from your perspective?

[droptheious]

Oh uh, sure thing, I can try and summon him. He's kind of a jerk, though, so he might not always come.

[He'll move to place his Omni on one of his workbenches, so he can be in shot, then concentrates. After a small delay, black smoke plumes out of his chest and pools onto a nearby stool- forming into a grouchy looking raccoon, who chitters up at Varian.]

Uh- sorry, I know I'm not in danger, but I needed a demonstration of the omen smoke thing- [more chittering and then Ruddiger looks at the Omni pointing two little raccoon fingers at his eyes, then at the -screen, before jumping off the stool and scurrying off, Varian laughing a little awkwardly, picking it up again] soooo yeah, that's how it happens.

[eugenesis]

Hm.

[Hm. It's not a very threatening Earth creature, but it could work when stealth is required. But if it's angry that it was unneeded, perhaps he should hold off summoning his until necessary.

Little does he know how terrifying the experience could be.]

This blood, our oceanic bodies, and now the smoke...how does it all fit together? Why can't I change my body at will? [At this point, he's murmuring to himself. If only he could find one of these dead bodies to experiment on-]

This didn't happen in the other world you were transported to, did it?

[droptheious]

[Raccoons are the worst, Scorponak. It's a horrible lesson to learn.]

Oh, you can't do that anymore? I...uh remember Ironhide could. That's interesting. I've noticed the blood give new powers- maybe it's stopped to being able to change?

[He waggles his hand in a so-so gesture. ]

It was different there. Some people had their powers dramatically lessened- there eventually came places they could meditate and get them back for a short time. But it never gave new powers to people like it did here. I definitely never had any sort of magic before coming here.

[eugenesis]

Oh, I'm not referring to my alt-mode. That works well.

I'm curious about the squid form. Rather than rearranging my frame, I was composed of fleshy parts that became metallic. It's unheard of! [He looks pretty happy about this.] Yet it seems to be involuntary - imagine if we could change our chemical compositions whenever we entered the water!

[droptheious]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

[Now he comes to think about it, that IS pretty weird. Wasn't that what happened to Fern? A fleshy squid and then a grass boy? How did that even work?]

You know, that's a good point, it seems involuntary. Though having the transformation happen with connection with water might make things like...showering and being in the rain messy.

[He lives with Luca, he's seen how easy it is for the guy to get wet and suddenly get scales.]

[eugenesis]

Doesn't ocean water have a high salt content? Perhaps it's a reaction to a specific type of water- [But...He pauses, going through the little information he has figured out so far.] What if it requires that we visit some location deep in the ocean?

[droptheious]

Hmmm, that's a good point. I'd have to get a bucket of the stuff to run some tests on it.

[Just to rule it out if nothing else. ]

You know, depth is a possibility I hadn't thought of. That would explain why we switch to our...for lack of a better word normal forms once we get close enough to the surface.

[eugenesis]

We could test that out, but I unfortunately do not have a marine alt-mode. What I can do is create a pressure chamber and fill it with ocean water in an attempt to simulate the environment where we originated.

[droptheious]

Ooooh!!!

[That's a genuinely excited ooooooh at that.]

That's even better! Then we can study it in a proper lab environment!! I could get so much data from something like that.

[eugenesis]

Exactly! [Work partners! He can believe it took such little time to find someone willing to go along with his brilliant if controversial ideas.] Though we do have a limited pool of subjects...

[But eh. If someone wants to sacrifice themselves for the greater good, so be it.]

[droptheious]

Yeeeaaah that's kind of a problem. Maybe I can work it with blood samples instead? See how that reacts without...actually drowning someone.

...Probably should avoid drowning someone.

[eugenesis]

[He's right. They'd die and come back to life angry. Scorponok doesn't want that.]

What if the blood only reacts when in contact with a living creature? Should we inject it into a fish?

[droptheious]

[He hums thoughtfully.]

Maybe I could try and create non-sentient organic matter? So we could test it out without uh... morally dubious areas?

[Probably. It feels like a thing he should probably be doing. ]

[eugenesis]

Fish aren't intelligent, sentient beings. I am not the same thing as a typical techno-scorpian.