08.23.3013: How To Alienate Friends and Influence Lords
Summary: Brigham receives a trio of visitors at his lab.
Date: 24 August 2013
Related: None
Ariana Brigham Percival Talayla 


Lord Brigham Peake's Secret Laboratory — Khar-Mordune, The Spine
The description for Brigham's lab is in the log!
24 August 3012

"…" Talayla looks hurt, crestfallen for a moment. She's expressive, and an apologetic look crosses her face. "Um. Sorry. I wasn't - sure how to get in touch, so I knocked. I apologize if I interrupted," She smiles to him. "Sure thing." She steps in after, following Brigham. She keeps the box held in front of her, trying not to wobble. She has just knocked, and gotten a response from Brigham, who is leading her into the lab. She's quietly awkward, before asking, "How are you? And thank you." Smile.
Talayla is following Brigham, through a door with "Science In Progress. I Will Kill Interlo-" on a sign taped to it, written in likely charcoal or dirt. The lab is deep under the mountain, far from the city. Those whacky Peakes. She's carrying a medium sized box in front of her, having briefly carried it with TK and deciding that scaring the crap out of Brigham would be rude. The door slid up to let them in.

The inside of the infamous laboratory of the infamous Brigham Peake does anything /but/ disappoint. It is CAVERNOUS, mostly because it's a cavern. The ceiling disappears into the deep dark distance, soft glowing bits here and there showing off it's true height but the light and shadow games make it hard to judge, and the floor space itself is more reminiscent of a massive warehouse then say a laboratory. It's floor space is divided into obvious sections of scientific study, most of which seem completely unrelated.
Nearest the door are a handful of Green House tables, nearly fifty feet long each seems to be growing exotic plants specimens, everything from bioluminecent species, to racks of oddly colored flowers, to one whole table of what appears to be carnivorous plant types. There is an automated watering system, more then adequate artificial sunlight for them, and for the most part it's clean, well maintained, and neatly done.
Beyond them is an electronics lab that would make most anyone from The Ring physically aroused. Banks of computers run along one wall, going from antique models to custom built super machines made from scrapped together parts, they're strung up in various networks with cables, hoses, tubes, and wires that hang from one to the next like a madhouse spiderweb of power and information, some flashing with the information of fiber optics while others simply hang appearing disarmingly lifeless. There are over a dozen large tables, each with it's own half completed project on it, each with full sets of tools, lights, and spare parts piled up haphazardly. A twenty foot high cooling tower filled with liquid 'something or other' has a continual flow of fog rolling off of it, and frosted over tubes pass from it to nearly every network of computer banks.
Beyond them in a darker corner are the skeletons, layered with dust and half tossed on drop clothes, of over two dozen various types of war robot. From giant goliath like monstrosities to smaller almost mini-tank like creations, they appear to be an old abandoned project that's not been touched in many years… Nothing the size of a coffee table should have that many guns on it. Ever.
There is a series of tables layered with a chemistry set the sort of which would make the Academ drool slightly, some of the bits archaic, others the latest and greatest (Ariana may recognize the high end centrifuge as something he saved from her wasteful hands upon their first meeting). Mass Specs, whirly gigs, tubes, beakers, burners, bubbley concoctions, colored and other wise, bowls, hanging poles, and gasses filling metal canisters it looks like a mad scientist's wet dream.
There are prototype rocket engines and rockets, set up in a large open space, their tips disappearing into the ceiling. There are models and mock ups of solar systems and planetoids, holograms of impact ratios playing out through various senarios around some of the rocket engine bases.
There is a fully functional forge in the back far corner, away from everything else, where embers glow bright and tools and aprons hang up, all obviously well used and loved. Close by is a chair with a music stand and what appears to be a fairly scratched up but equally loved and used cello, leaning against the chair as if having been just placed there.
And there, aaaaaaaaaaaaaall the way across the room, on the /far/ back wall Brigham is walking towards is an entire wall of chalk boards. There are holo boards everywhere as well, but they seem empty and unused, where as the thirty foot tall and fifty foot wide chalk board(s) wall has been absolutely /covered/ in some of the most complex and mind bending math one could imagine. There's a stand/chair assembly, obviously home made, that's strung up on a pulley/wire system designed to take a rider to any point on the boards, no matter how high or far, with only the direction of a small joystick. It's to this that Brigham now heads. "What can I do for you?" he asks, ignoring the potential reaction to his lab from Talayla. "Watch your step." he adds

"…" Well, Talayla is duly impressed. While she's a veritable oddity in her House, she can appreciate even what she doesn't fully understand. Scientific appreciation comes built in. Besides, her robocousin is just as much machine as cousin, so - machines. The plants definitely grab her attention. She doesn't seem to mind the clutter - her lab is an exercise in proving the second law of thermodynamics in and of itself. Huh. She can appreciate most of the stuff in here, including temperature regulation. Her dark blue eyes are a little wide. She follows, keeping her box in tow. "May I use a spell to hold this up? I brought you - some stuff," She hefts the box. Knowing that suddenly starting a spell might freak him out, but dangit, she's - in decent shape, not awesome. She smiles faintly, looking all over the boards and such. Neat! "I brought these things by, since I thought you could use them more. I also wanted to say hi. I remember you were after a generator of a particular type when we'd met. I believe I found one I was not using. I decided that I had enough projects, since - I cannot tend them when I get shot full of holes. This may be of use to you."

Brigham hops over a cable that's snaking across the floor for no apparent reason and he waves a hand, "Go nuts." his brother is some sort of Awakened wizard savant or something, Brig's used to 'magic'. "I was, and still am. I use a lot of different power sources here but always seem to be running short, extra is always good." If his lab blows up it may take half the damned mountain with it. He hops up on his little chair stand thingie and grips the joystick and pushes it, the stand shooting twenty feet up into the air and another thirty off to the side and then hanging there, bouncing lightly in the slack of the cables. He doesn't seem to notice as he leans forward with a large hunk of chalk and starts adding more squigglies and whirlies to some stupidly non-numerically written math equation, "You know how to stop that right?" he calls out, his voice raised so that it can reach her from his new position. "Don't get shot." he then adds happily, "I'm a problem solver."

Talayla nods, smiles, "Don't mind if I do!" Okay, so no Three Stooges routine, but she does set the box down, wave her hand a little and then STOP! … Aura time! Her eyes go white, and that strange aura of hers flares. It's a mingle of vibrant colors amidst darkness, flecks of light spattered amidst space's depths, amidst the ravening, hungering ocean depths. Darker than most, but at least she's not a fire flinger. The box hovers. "Ah. I suspect I'd gotten the last one in stock for awhile. Shortages due to -" She cuts herself off. "Well, it's yours then. I hope it serves you well. There's a few odds and ends I thought might be nice." She smiles, and watches him. Her eyes widen as he heads up. Then she giggles at his problem solving. Talayla definitely did apparently steal most of the humor in her House, grinning. "Yes, I've heard that is a good solution. I am glad to have it peer reviewed and verified. I seem to be getting a little better at not getting speared or hit with those sonic tentacles," Sigh. "But that's enough of that. How are you? Well, I hope?" She is a quieter person, with awkward and shyness clinging to her like beer on parties or hedgehogs on velcro. "Certainly productive. That looks like an intense equation."

Brigham's head tilts to the side as he stares at what he's done and with a yank of the joystick he floats backwards about twenty feet, giving him a better view of a large portion of the wall, "Avoiding combat always increases ones odds of not being laid up with medical people crawling all over you fixing what you allowed to be unfixed." he states, both doing the math and carrying on the conversation at the same time. "I'm well, my hearing it back, wasn't a permanent situation so that's always good news. Was distracting as can be imagined." he then nods and moves back the way he came, zipping across space to end up Over There now, rewriting a bit of the math after wiping it away with his shirt sleeve. Mostly he just cleans up what was obviously there and written in great haste as it was almost unreadable. "Should be. I invented it." he says, backing away again to stare at the complete massive wall or chalk drawn chaos, "Reevaluating space, time, gravity, velocity… Either I'm god or insane. I like the second explanation better, it's scientific." he then zips down closer to the ground to check out another bit of almost unreadable script before hopping off his stand and turning to face Talayla, though now he has chalk smeared across nearly half his face with no explanation of how it got there. He didn't smash his head into the board after all. "Sorry, had to fix some of that. Was driving me crazy."

Talayla is either incredibly loopy or very laid back. Possibly both. She listens, looking up. A shrug and a faint smile. "Well. I was needed at the time. I'm not really one for glory," She admits. She'd be happy hiding in her lab or out gathering specimens. "And I'm glad it wasn't permanent," She nods. She seems to understand, agreeing as she watches. She doesn't try to work the equation out now, as Talayla seems to work in private far better. She seems amused a moment, but lets it fade and nods. "That's okay, I understand. Loose ends can be bothersome," She concedes. "Where would you like me to set this?" Hoverbox, with the precious generator within. "As for being a deity or insane, I can't say. I believe I lack the proper protocol for evaluating that," She smiles faintly. "But it is good to see you."

It's the final day of Ariana's time spent at Khar-Mordune. With Sarah 113 of 158 being moved to the Academ, much of her research here is done. The triage is still up and running, but many of the patients have already fully healed and moved on. While the cavernous 'architecture' is not much to her liking, Ariana has been able to cope within the dark caves of House Peake's fortification by seeing her time here as merely a duty, which it truly was. Still dressed in her white scientist's coat, her hair done up in a bun, as is usual when she is at work, she decides to stop by Brigham's laboratory before she departs back to the Ring or Nubilus. Anywhere but here. When she approaches the lab, the voices within piques some of her curiosity, though she assumes that perhaps Brigham is speaking to Viannea or one of his other relations. So politely, she knocks on the door and waits for permission to enter, "Lord Brigham, I hope that I'm not interrupting anything?" He may be able to recognize her voice through the sliding door.

Brigham eyes the box, tilts his head to consider, then starts walking off, "This way. I'll need the extra power in the astro physics lab for the calculations I'm going to be crunching later, and since I pulled most of it's power for the computer lab last month…" he shrugs as if that explains everything. The lab /would/ be cluttered, if it wasn't in such a massive space, allowing for large open walk ways between 'labs'. Which is handy. When the knocking comes Brigham sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, "No one reads anymore." he mutters under his breath, "WRECKS!!" he bellows, and from across the lab comes a beep and a chirp and then the scraping-tinkle sound of a metal ball rolling over stone. Not loud, but constant, save for when it bumps it's way over a cable, hose, or tube, "Show the lady to the astro physics lab." he says to the sphere of metal that is scraped, scratched, dinged and dented… And also Brigham's 'pet dog' since he was eight. When the 'dog' doesn't move, he sighs again, "Wrecks: Astro lab. Slow." he says, there's a whirr sound and then it's off and rolling that direction at a walking pace, "Follow him, he'll take ya." he says before turning to head towards the door, "KEEP YOUR PANTS ON! I'M COMING!!" he bellows as he starts to job towards the entrance to the lab. Seriously, this place is like an aircraft hanger. He should look into golf cart transportation or something. When he gets in sight of the entrance he blinks, "Huh. Didn't expect to see you after I exploded all over you. How's science? Good?" he asks, a little out of breath after jogging all the way over to Ariana.

Talayla smiles and nods. "Sure thing." She and her hoverbox will follow. She tilts her head a bit, curious. "Sorry. Hello, Wrecks!" She looks apologetic. There's a blink at - Wrecks? She tilts her head. She nods. "Thanks," She beams at Brigham and follows Wrecks. Her box bobbles in front of her. She looks over her shoulder. "Oh, Lady Ariana," She murmurs. But for now, she's taking her box to the designated area.

Once the door is open and Brigham is there to greet Ariana personally, the Larent lifts a brow and simply states, "Let us both be glad that you did not literally explode." Moving her way inside, she takes up the entirety of the lab from her vantage point by the entrance. "I am impressed, Lord Brigham. But then, I suppose there are many things that one can hide beneath a mountain. One of them just happens to be a lab… that could take the place of 4 individuals labs clustered together." Ariana's own lab is quite neat, so the mess is noted as she carefully maneuvers her way across the room. Pausing for a moment to view the chalkboard, not being a mathematician herself, none of the scribbles makes any sense. Nor would they for an actual mathematician, maybe! "I decided to stop by and let you know that I've packed up my things and will be returning to the Ring now that Sarah One-One-Three has been moved." Oh, is that Talayla? Seeing Talayla in the distance, she favors the woman with a polite smile and a nod in greeting, though cannot help but view the robo-thing that leads her way.

Wrecks offers out a highly robotisized «Hewwoooo.» sound as it recognizes the greeting and responds in kind, the sound distorted by the shape of the 'dog' and it's motion making it echoy. Brigham nods at her, "Father told me I could have the entire cavern to myself, the price was I'm no longer allowed to do any experiments inside the Keep. There was an incident when I was younger." he clears his throat and toescuffs for a half second, "So yeah, it's all mine." he beams proudly, his chest puffing out slightly in pride. "What's the latest with the oh so well cared for prisoner of war? Has anyone cut it open yet to see what makes it tick? Cause I volunteer."

That is indeed, a wild Talayla! She's still shy and awkward as a sea horse doing interpretive dance for world peace, but at least she's still getting out and about. "Pleased to meet you," That to Wrecks. At least she seems to have her manners together. The place is impressive, and she smiles and waves to Ariana in passing. She follows Wrecks to the designated spot to deposit the happy new generator. She'll make her way over once she does.

"No one was allowed to do any harm to our prisoner. Though, some interesting information was learned in one of the interviews that I've viewed." Ariana continues on in her level, rather cold tone when she relays all of this. "Your Lord Brother spoke with Sarah One-One-Three about religion? Sir Victor Khournas learned a little more about their culture and history. The scans have shown that Sarah One-One-Three is 'human'. However disappointing that is. Other units, however, are less than human. Though they have all started out as such." Not being able to make heads or tales out of the writings on the board, Ariana begins to drift towards the table covered with various flowers and the like. She is much more used to this, having experimented on flowers to make them more beautiful, herself. "I'm also running tests on the poison that was used by the Hostile." This she says with more care, half-turning to regard Brigham with a wary look. "I'm hoping to try and identify it and see about creating an antidote for it." That said and with Talayla's eventual return, she then asks, "And what of yourself, Lord Brigham? What have you busied yourself with?"

After about exactly as much time as it takes for Ariana to arrive, be let in, and be led back into the lab by the robo-puppy, Bringham, or both… something sounds at the door again, a knock or maybe a buzz as appropriate. Because that's just how things work! When you don't want to be interrupted, interruptions become the order of the day, and they're always as inconvenient as possible. And today those interruptions seem to come in House Larent flavor. When someone (or something) comes to answer the door, a middle-aged gentleman in the standard Navy uniform - Lord Percival, head of House Larent - will be found on the other side, looking half-expectant, half lost. Not able to see his daughter from the door, and possibly faced with a strange robot, he simply demands, "Is this the lab?"

Once in the lab, which is the open space with all the rockets and what not, Wrecks stops and goes still, his orders apparently complete and leaving Talayla to put the box… wherever really. He stays there when she goes to join the others. Brigham walks with her as she goes from one end of the lab to the other and eventually ends up near the botany tables, far behind which in a shadowy corner she may make out the outline of a traditional surgical unit build into the wall in a sterile box. It's powered down for now, but one look shows it's functionality assuming it's as good as it looks that is. "I appreciate your efforts on that front. No one should die like that." he ignores the Hostile's culture and religion, he couldn't care less, nor could he care less about what species they start as. Kill them all. At least he's not rabidly crazy about that anymore, "I've been recreating math designed to expand our understanding of the fundamental forces of nature, namely… how in the stars the Way Gates actually function and then how to read and map them. Apparently no one's bothered to figure all this out before. I assume whoever started this madness was mentally deficient. Transportation on that scale without built in tracking or controls is moronic." he reaches over to pluck a couple of berries from a plant and toss one in his mouth. He munches, tilts his head as if checking, then nods and offers Ariana one, "Non poisonous." he says. He would know, he taste tested first. As Talayla joins he and Ari near the green house table, coincidentally the 'lab' nearest the door, he smiles at her before another knock sounds on his door. His left eye twitches involuntarily and his lips tighten into a line. "Seriously." he states deadpan. "OPEN!" he says, the massive iron and titanium door snapping upwards into the ceiling with a whoosh! Percival is asking the question to thin air, "YES!" Brigham calls out, though they're only a few dozen feet away, shouting really likely isn't necessary, "Who are you and why are you here and why should I not shoot you with an experimental microwave cannon?" he asks more sedately. See? He can be polite. If Percival can't see Ari, then he can't see Brigham yet either, and vice versa.

Talayla listens. "Yeah…" She quietly recalls Lord Isiah being kiiiiiiiiinda grumpy about it. "I am curious," She admits. "I wonder what she'd say to me about those dreams," She taps her chin. "And considering - I wonder if that explains the whole - er, it's a bit macabre." Handwave. But the whole dream. Hmm. Registering as human. Suddenly, it makes a cruel sort of sense. Talayla seems concerned, as if something just dawned on her. "Interesting," She tilts her head at Brigham. "Or it is possible they figured out the how without the why," She points out. But aw, she smiles as she returns. "You're popular today. I hope I didn't start a trend," Talayla bites her lower lip. "… also should've brought some candy." Dang. She goes quiet.

Ariana turns a curious eye to Brigham when he states that the flower which she is admiring is non-poisonous. "You know, there are better ways to test out poisons." Making her way around the table to view the various plants on display there, she continues on, "My thoughts exactly, My Lord. If it wasn't for this poison…" She stops, then leaves her statement as that. The how spiel that Brigham now goes on regarding math and waygates and stars is heard and she does find it all just as baffling as Brigham does. "That is odd. To be truthful, I've never really given much thought to waygates, but there are many who must have and to learn that they are still a mystery to us?" She shakes her head slowly. "Waygates have always been crucial to our livelihood and even now, our enemies work to try and possess them for their own cruel deeds." Her father's familiar voice captures her attention and quickly, she turns before taking several steps in that direction to greet him. Her eyes seem to brighten when she catches sight of him, "Lord Father, I didn't expect to see you here."

"First, because I am here on my daughter's invitation. Are you in here somewhere, dear? Oh, and second, because I might shoot back," Percival replies somewhat nonchalantly to Brigham's odd greeting, voice raised only to the volume necessary for communication across the large room. A blaster pistol is a standard Naval sidearm, and one is always worn on his hip in uniform. "Of course, I can't help but think that would all be fairly pointless, us shooting at each other, unless you've perfected shield-penetrating energy weapons like the hostiles use. If you have, that's something the brass should probably be informed about. But somehow I imagine we'd just to blow up large chunks of this lab." The man walks as he speaks, so somewhere in the midst of all of that, he does spot Ariana and offer her a smile. "Ah there you are. Oh, Lady Talayla. It has been some while, but it is always nice to see you." The last of the round of introductions is a nod toward Brigham.

Brigham blinks and mouths the word 'father' incredulously. He just assumed Ari had been spawned asexually from a petri dish as his Father continues to claim that Brigham himself was. He then shrugs, "Ariana's father is good enough reason to not be irradiated." he says as he comes to a decision and turns to follow her towards Percival, "And if you did start a trend," he informs Talayla, "I'm going to set Wrecks on you." now that's a joke… right? He grins up at Percival as he walks around the corner into view. He's small, and looking a bit odd with his shirt, his chalk face, and his nuts hair. "Oh I don't think you would Lord Larent, the beam causes metal on your body to super heat inexcess of four hundred degrees in under a second, and I'm betting you have /something/ in your that's cybernetic. Most everyone does these days." his tone is good natured and he chuckles a bit at the end of his own statement, "Least, it's supposed to. Right now it doesn't do much more then make really good burritos. Working on it still." then he shakes his head, "Nothing shield penetrating, but I am perfecting a shield dampener, making it impossible to have an active shield inside of a certain enclosed space, like say a room." he purses his lips at that, "Also still in production. All it does to mine is make everything fussy and wobbly. Frequency issues I think. Tricky…" now he seems lost in thought forgetting there are people in the lab as he stares really hard at a wall with sightless eyes. They lost him! Quick, someone poke him!

Talayla is quiet for a bit. She seems amused. "It looks like an interesting plant." He has the botany loving Tal's attention with it. "The way gates are interesting. I wonder if people knew how they worked and it got forgotten because… a lot of people don't mess with what works," She notes quietly. She has a certain long-view perspective. She shrugs. There's a smile and a polite, lowered nod to Percival. "Salutations," She greets him. "Um." Shooting, huh? She lifts her eyebrows. She watches Brigham with some amusement. Her eyes widen. "I would worry about people following trends I start," She admits. She follows Groucho's advice. Be wary of clubs that would have you as members! Talayla pauses, noticing him zoning. "Um. Are you —" Pause. Wait. "Ooooooh my gosh! Is that hypermath?" Distraction tactic! "I haven't seen good hypermath in awhile, since my cousin Cid got to work on his projects." She ponders. Maybe dangling something interesting will get his attention, asking about his math.

Ariana gives her father a fleeting sly look when he continues with this interaction with Brigham; just a quiet hint of a smirk touches her lips, before her features soften as she looks like Percival's little angel once more, "I wouldn't fire anything in this lab. It might set something off. And there are quite a lot of something to set off." Her words are light-hearted and mirthful. Moving even closer to her father now, she asks, "I wasn't expecting you until later, but…" With a light twirl on her feet, she gestures to the large room, "Welcome to Lord Brigham Peake's laboratory. He's a scientific genius in various fields. And currently, he seems to be working on something of great importance. Waygates." Moving further into the lab, but more towards the botany table than to Brigham, she asks, "Some of these look familiar, don't they? Like plants that I've created in my own lab." Now moving on towards where Talayla is trying to wake the Peak genius up from his trance, she decides to state, "I've heard about some of your dreams. This Hostile, continues to ask us to Release it."

Percival's posture is as rigid as one would expect of a navy officer and noble head of house, perhaps exaggerating that height difference between the two men. "Your efforts sound industrious, Lord Brigham," he remarks of the other man's many half-baked projects, although his tone is actually not judgmental in the least. He even turns his head, gaze sweeping slowly over what of the work happens to be in open view, including a survey of the boards in the back and whatever equations on them. "Experimental R&D is always important, especially for a high-tech branch like the Navy. Let us hope some of your efforts come to fruition in the future." That much said, he quickly moves on toward Ariana's side. "You know I do not like to dawdle," he points out. "So, you've completed your work on the Hostile, at least as much will be conducted here?" And then a quick glance back to Brigham. "What sort of Waygate work? That is one area where our research goals are a little more concrete, and hopefully, attainable."

Brigham blinks free of his trance at Talayla's prodding and shakes his head before muttering, "thanks." to her. Then he eyes Percival, "I'm working on building tracking and detection capabilities by better understanding the means by which they bend space-time around gravity wells while ignoring the laws of velocity and transferred momentum." he explains, staring at the navy man before offering aside to Ariana, "If you want some cuttings, feel free to take them back with you, I have all the genetic files in the system and there's some spare transport pots over there int hat cupboard." Then his attention falls back on her father. "You and I should talk sometime about other projects I've been considering." Given the Lord's understanding of Astrophysics, he likely understands the basics of what the math on the giant board implies, if not it's actual function.

Talayla smiles. "No problem," She nods. She seems to think of Brigham as a friend, in her own, quiet way. She listens for her part. For now, at the talk of astrophysics, she is more an audience for a moment. But at Ariana's words, she smiles sadly. "I try to keep mostly the relevant ones available to people. Some are unpleasant," Is all she offers. "I guess I can't blame her in a way."

"Yes, that is correct, Lord Father." Ariana says in response to Percival. Their demeanor towards one another remains professional in the public eye. And maybe in private too! "Sarah One-One-Three of One-Five-Eight has been relocated to the Academ, I believe, under the observation of one Professor Lorraine Figuero who specializes in Hostile Lore and psychology. It may still be possible for others to interrogate our prisoner, but as we've taken all of the necessary samples, our science team isn't particularly necessary. I'll be doing the rest of my research on the Ring as per usual from now on. Unless I am granted permission to continue work on Sarah One-One-Three at the Academ." A pause, "There may be some information that could prove useful." This is mostly said to Percival, "Or at the very least, interesting." The rest of the talk of astrophysics and the like are heard, but not addressed.

Astrophysics is one of those subjects they make you learn at the Naval Academy before they let you go gallivanting through the void of space in a giant metal coffin/battering ram. For some reason! Percival does nod back at the younger man's suggestion. "We should. The Navy is interested in miniaturizing Waygates and using them aboard our ships, to make sorties against the Hostiles viable at longer ranges. Conceptually, it shouldn't be difficult, as a ship flying through space is not much different than a planet following its orbit, yet there are obviously some restrictions and difficulties." Turning to his daughter again, he wonders, "Information you've gathered already, or will be able to deduce through your examinations? Or that would require further access? It seems premature if they are moving the subject, and moving the investigation from hard scientific analysis to psychology. I would hope they've not hindered our efforts."

Brigham waves a dismissive hand, "Mini-Gates are harder then you think, and likely less useful then you think too, since that would require you putting one out by them to receive a package, and if there's one out there then…" Gates are two-way transpo after all, not one way. "But that's all moot. I have another idea I would like to bounce off your brain at some point. You have a better understanding of the logistics I imagine." he then looks around the lab to all his company, "There are more people in my lab right now then have been in six months." he blinks, then quickly adds, "Don'ttouchanyredbuttons." he forgot to mention that when they walked in. Whew. He really needs to post a sign or something.

Talayla listens, quiet. "Academia is full of politics," She notes quietly. "And some are upset that many Hostile specimens have been taken to the Ring. I heard someone grumping about it, anyway," She shrugs. "I don't really know. I try to keep out of other people's way. But I am curious and wonder if anyone's asked her about dreams," She taps her chin. Talayla is clearly thinking. No smoke pours out of her ears though. She looks to Percival. And then to Brigham, "I suspect there would either be delivery systems or the fact it's novel and the Hostiles wouldn't know. I had my brother monitor data usage on his ship to make sure there was nothing odd going on." She is quiet. "The Academ is pretty okay about sharing though. I borrow books sometimes," She notes. "And I am sorry," She smiles to Brigham. "I just really wanted to get that generator to you before I forgot and it ended up powering my fish tanks or something. They seem to be in short supply now. I don't touch in other people's labs unless it's okay. I would be upset if someone messed with my stuff." She falls silent again, gazing off peacefully. She sometimes is a space case.

As an afterthought, Ariana graces Brigham with a friendly enough smile, "Thank you, Lord Brigham. I may very well take a few cuttings from your plants and study their altered genetic makeup." This is one thing she can understand at least. To her father, she ponders a moment, "Doctor Hadrian Orelle has done various scans and tests on Sarah One-One-Three. You may have heard that it is learned that this particular Hostile is considered human with 75% of its body being organic. There is more that was learned in a few of the interviews done with Sarah One-One-Three. This we can discuss at a later point. It's rather lengthy. I am currently working on researching a poison that was used by the Hostiles in the ambush in the Imperious Mountains. It's a deadly enough poison." She turns to Brigham when she says this, though does not bring up the casualty for now, "And if it is ever used again, I'm hoping to ensure that we are prepared for it." At Talayla now, she ponders this, "Having reviewed the video feeds, no. I do not think there was any mention of dreams. That could be an interesting discussion to hold with it."

"No, as in, miniature enough to put -inside- the ship, Lord Brigham. Secured by a total ship self-destruct in the case of the ship being boarded. The Navy would consider it useful, I can assure you on that account, that it is something we have discussed as a necessary prerequisite to more distant operations." Percival doesn't mince words on the subject. "But, if it is not a problem you are capable of addressing or interested in exploring, there will be others to work on the project." Listening to Talayla a moment, he glances about. "This is not the Ring. Do other houses have labs as extensive as this? I really don't know. I would be surprised if the Arboren did. Frankly, I'm a little surprised to find this, here. But, so long as the information is properly dispersed, most should have little cause to complain. And the Academ is well equipped to deal with the subject with it's own tools, so I do see value in that, as long as no important work is being disrupted in the process."

Brigham eyes the man, "A ship with a small waygate would… well," he waves a hand at the board behind him, "there would be many many issues. Besides, Gate tech is already a security issue of the highest nature, making them portable just sounds like one of the most irresponsible things ever. And this is /me/ saying that and I have a mostly functioning MOAB half disassembled over there in the corner." he jerks a thumb back towards one of the rocket lab areas. "Or I did. I think I used most of it for spare parts. Anyway, I'm not interested in spreading more of those damned things about the system. To many as it stands." he would know, he's spend the better part of the last month creating math that would allow him to count them. And he's found /HUNDREDS/ of them all over the place. In one city. So unsafe. "And there are no labs like mine, because that would require a mind like mine. There's only one of me." thank the stars, "But I'm working on cloning!" ohpleaseno. Then he flails a little bit, "But now you have me distracted. Where were we?" he rubs at his temple, trying to get his brain to work, "Oh!" he snap points at Ari, "Yes. The Hostile. Anyone know when we get to dissect her?" he looks around hopefully.

Talayla smiles and nods. "It is impressive. Like I said, I was just surprised. I believe people should study and do what they do." Politics are not her thing. "I would be abjectly terrible at sorting affairs." She shrugs. As for the Gates, Talayla notes, "Security is a concern, but the Way Gates can be shut down as needed, and I suspect no one would just make an open door. That's folly of the nth degree," She ponders. She looks to Percival, apologetic before hming softly at Ariana. "If I am not allowed, then I can give you notes on my dreams if they let you work with her," She smiles faintly. She seems uncertain, but willing to work with others. "I cannot judge the value of moving her, whether it is positive or negative. As for Arboren labs, I don't know. Lord Sir Declan liked the bonsai I brought by. I imagine any labs would be devoted to natural and ecological sciences. They seemed to like my genetic database. I take samples from any species before working on it to avoid loss," She explains. "But we'll see." Talayla's talk is balanced out with quiet. She seems quietly amused by the idea of cloning Brigham. "The trouble with clones… even if the genetic material is the same, I am uncertain. Even in plants, there is much epigenic -" Pause. "Are many factors in the environment, including life experiences. Should you overcome that, it would be most impressive," She admits. She says nothing about dissection. Talayla hasn't been terribly involved.

Something which her father brings out a question which she had not really thought of prior. "Yes, I do wonder what type of laboratories the Arborens have. I know they have some interest in clean technology and there must be some biological scientific lab somewhere in the deep dark forest." Ariana says this in a most unenthused way! "But yes, waygates aboard naval ships was a topic that was brought up in a meeting a few months back, I believe. But you are right, it may make things easier for naval officers to return home and not be trapped on their ship," she looks to Percival, "For how many months it does take to travel through space." A pause, and she brings up, "It took Sarah One-One-Three 9 months to reach Imperius. Imagine how long it took the Hostiles who arrived before her, when the Fifth World was still further out. Anyway, yes, waygates on naval ships can be shut down. Or I'm hoping that they will be able to make this happen so that if a ship is boarded, we do not have an influx of Hostile porting to a Waygate on Imperius or any of the moons." At Talayla's mention of Declan, the young Larent's lips purse gently, but she does not say anything in response regarding her betrothed.

"And without it, the idea of operating beyond the immediate vicinity of the Ring is essentially impossible. Our ships are not built with the logistics to support their troop compliments on trips that could take weeks or months. Nor with the medical facilities to handle casualties aboard ship after engagement, at such ranges. So, we require either gates, or we will have to tether our fleets to vulnerable supply barges, the latter not being a tactical situation most would prefer. Regardless, it is something the Navy will be pursuing, with or without your support or approval, Lord Brigham. I thought you might be interested in the opportunity." Percival? Sometimes a dick. And that seems doubly the case after the statement is made, for he seems to turn all attention away from the young scientist, and to his daughter. "The timescales are in the range of multiple months, yes, depending on exactly where we want to go. Actually assaulting their world would probably require the better part of a year, as you say." To both of the women, he nods, "I think security would be manageable. We would locate them on the interior of the structure, away from any potential boarding location, and have both individual destruct systems for the gate and for the ship as a whole. I would not estimate the risk being any greater than to outlying gates in, say, the more distant parts of the Spine." A hand gestures to the cave around them, presumably suggestive of the world beyond.

Brigham takes nothing the other man says as an insult, so dense is his sense of others emotional state that he just takes the spoke words as fact. Cause that's how he'd say them. "Oh I agree. My problem is more with the idea of needing to send ships laden down with people on long journeys to begin with. Seems a remarkable waste of resources, lives, and time all in all. Especially when you consider how easy it would be to just destroy the fifth world entirely." he shrugs, "But if you're looking to continue the war all sword to sword tooth and claw, then who am I to stop ya?" he asks. Then notes, "Of course, you're assuming they don't have a functioning gate of their own and can't simply use their gate to walk straight onto your ships." he points out. "Or that they won't capture one while you're sailing towards the goal…" he scritches his chin, "I suppose you're right, the risk isn't /to/ much worse then the gates at the edges of the Spine." though he thinks they should remove those gates as well, as opposed to building more. At least until a control system other then 'blow them up' can be built. This recent project has him fully understanding the sheer stupidity of the gates and the culture that surrounds them. How no one else has ever thought to do what he's been asked to, boggles his mind. To be fair… he was asked to do it, it's not like it occurred to him either. "I'll add it to the list of existing projects people want me to make." he actually calls up his HUD and makes a literal note of it on something the holodisplay calls 'To Invent List'.

Talayla is quiet for a moment. She smiles to Ariana. "I still owe you perfumery lessons anyway. I can send most of my equipment with you. It might be fun with all of those reagents there," She offers. Wait. What. Blink. An owlish blink at Ariana. Hmm. Pursed lips. That means something. But what? She looks baffled. There's a look to Percival, quiet. There's due respect for the fellow. He's one of her dad's vassals and head of a house. Talayla is … the oddball Orelle and in a house of Odd, that's definitely something. She looks to Brigham and tilts her head. She hms softly. "I believe that that would be the purpose of the self-destructs or fail safes," She notes. "You could potentially lock it to users on ships via biological signatures, or simply allow it to be detonated at will." She smiles faintly. "But these are your projects, and not mine. I would be amiss to comment much on either of them," This to Brigham and Percival. Talayla does seem hesitant to step forth, which seems to be one of her great flaws and strengths.

Ariana actually smiles a bit more when Brigham adds this naval waygte project to his list of inventions, though she does have to inquire, "How many waygates are there our in the Spine anyway? I know that Young Lord Declan mentioned them as a way to reassure me that anywhere one can be in the Spine, you will always still be close to civilization. Though, I'm sure that he has his wardens and rangers surveying the forests at all times." It shouldn't concern her at the moment, but it actually does. To Talayla's mention of her perfuming, this seems enough to bring that ghost of a smile back to the younger Larent's lips. "I would like that. Thank you. One of these days, I'll have the time to actually dabble in creating my own perfumes." She will leave much of the discussion of naval waygate security to the techs and naval officers, though she has some ideas of her own. "Have you been able to speak to your family after our last meeting, Lord Brigham?"

"Do not overvalue yourself, young man. If it were easy to destroy the fifth world, we've had thousands of years and hundreds of generations of people to work on the problem, to come up with whatever easy idea. Among them, there were many as smart as you. If it were truly that easy, it would have be done, and we would not be facing this invasion." Again, Percival's tone is stark and unforgiving as he lectures Brigham. "And if they were able to access our gates, they would have done so already, and we would very likely already all be dead. A very simple analysis of their tactics proves that they can neither do such a thing, and that they value our gates for the advantage they provide." He nods briefly at Talayla and then looks toward Ariana, "Are you ready to go, dear? This grows tedious."

Brigham's face screws up in annoyance at Ari's question, or more likely, at the answer to it, "There are hundreds just inside Primus-Val alone. Hundreds." he says with a sour look. Then he turns to eye Percival, "You've had thousands of years and hundreds of generations to invent that math." he says, pointing at the wall behind him, "No one has. Until me. Don't undervalue me either Lord Larent. You've no idea the things I'm capable of, because I don't know what I'm capable of and I'm much smarter then you." he really doesn't take insult to anything people say, not when pointed directly at him, but he does feel like corrections should be stated when he feels assumptions are made without evidence. "I should look into that. Wonder if there's a math for mapping potential…" he draws up his 'To Invent List' again.

Talayla is quiet. She looks apologetic. "I am sorry for my contribution to the tedium and off-topic discussion," She looks genuinely abashed. She rubs the back of her head. She smiles faintly to Ariana and nods. "Then I will be sure to box my equipment after a few trial runs in my lab and have them sent wherever you like. I should probably focus on my food stocks, brewing and … not getting hit with weapons," She looks sheepish. "But I won't stay and distract you. I'll try to have candy next time, or if you'd like, you can visit my lab. Though I suspect I'm a bit - different in terms of studies," She hms softly. "Still, you're welcome. Have a good evening and be well, alright?" She offers to Brigham. There's a polite lowering of her head to Ariana and Percival. "You two as well. It was a pleasure to see you all."

"Lord Brigham reminds me of Lord Cid Orelle." Ariana brings up to her father, "And I'm sure that there are others who would prefer to wipe the Hostile out of existence. That technology, however, would need to be invented." And just as an afterthought, she tacks on, "And it would be something of frightening capabilities. I have my doubts that the Crown Council would approve." To her father's question, she nods quickly, "Yes, I've gathered all of my things and I'm ready to depart." Her lips part for a moment, then close, deciding not to toss out a passing insult of these cavernous rooms and how much she is glad to be out of them! Instead, she offers a nod to both Brigham and Talayla, "Lord Brigham, I'm sure that we will find ourselves working together once more." Then to Talayla, "Lady Talayla, perhaps we will be able to work on some projects in the future." Turning now, she makes her way towards her father and the exit, offering some final words in passing, "I will return later for those plant cuttings."

Brigham beams at Ariana, "I would like that. You are bright and in no way boring as some of the people I've worked with. Tell Densoric I said hello should you see him agian. I like him. He's also never boring." which isn't entirely true, but it's close enough and Brig's being polite. "I actually am working on a plan to destroy their home world," he jerks with his thumb, "over there. It's remarkably simple, and it's why I was hoping to speak with you Lord Larent, another time when the plan is more complete. I would love the input of a Navy man, who could add realistic ideas to my theories." he says hopefully. He really wasn't trying to be insulting, just honest. He finds himself talking to Percival's back as the man simply walks away, and his smile falters slightly… He looks at Ari with a bewildered expression… "WhadIsay?" he asks curiously. One more mystery for him to solve.

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