|
Post by skybright on Nov 1, 2006 22:57:02 GMT -5
"There's six or seven cracks I could make there." Daws remarked brightly, "But we'll let it pass this time."
She raised an eyebrow at Caddy. "So how are you doin' that, anyway?"
Caddy grinned. "Powers of my mind, Daws, same as usual." He closed his eyes briefly and settled the equipment back on solid ground.
Then his eyes popped open and he nodded at the bottle of fluid in Hubert's hand. "We reverse-engineered that little gem outta the stuff you guys used to activate Hubert's X-Gene."
"Except that this solution doesn't trigger the X-Gene," Hubert added. "Merely . . . enhances it, as Caddy has so ably demonstrated."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 1, 2006 23:09:26 GMT -5
This time, Vance did look surprised--and extremely interested.
"Are you telling us this stuff works on any mutant?"
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 1, 2006 23:20:51 GMT -5
"Well, not precisely any mutant." Caddy replied, leaning back against the counter. "Hubert, for example . . ."
"There'd be little point." Hubert interjected, "Since my mutation is, so far as we've been able to determine, purely physical and entirely superficial." He nodded at Daws. "But with certain physical mutations -- Miss Dawson's advanced senses, for example -- the solution should be effective."
"And of course it's good on stuff like my teke -- energy-based stuff." Caddy grinned smugly. "Not too bad for a couplea mad scientists, huh Major?"
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 1, 2006 23:35:06 GMT -5
"I'll say," Vance murmured.
Still sitting on a stool in the corner, Handy winced slightly, not liking the covetous gleam in Vance's eyes as the Major eyed the mutation-enhancing concoction. The smaller man squirmed off his perch and moved closer to Caddy.
"But it wouldn't, you know, just make Jerod--or any mutant, I mean--it wouldn't make him just spend all his power and burn out faster, would it?"
Vance shot an ungrateful glare at his accomplice.
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 1, 2006 23:44:26 GMT -5
"Well, now, that one's hard to say for sure." Caddy said, sounding vaguely apologetic. "See, the thing about my telekineses -- and in point of fact it's sorta a unique trait, statistically speaking -- is that it doesn't run out. There's a limit t'how much I can lift, but not to how long I can lift it. That seems to hold true even with the enhancer."
"It seems very likely," Hubert added, "That whatever limitations or benefits exist in a mutation will be unaffected, fundamentally, by the solution.
"For example," He regarded Vance over the rims of his glasses, "A mutant whose power draws on a finite well of energy would most likely find himself drawing on that same source -- simply doing so in much, much larger doses." He shrugged. "Of course, it's difficult to say anything for certain -- our need for secrecy in testing being what it is."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 1, 2006 23:56:16 GMT -5
"Killjoy," Vance muttered under his breath at Handy, then sighed and rubbed his chin. "Well, it still oughta have its uses. Anyway, it'd be helpful to know what the limits are. If you're needing a guinea pig, boys... I don't have anything on my agenda for the next few days."
Handy made a faint whining noise of dismay and worry, but the Major ignored him.
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 2, 2006 0:09:02 GMT -5
Daws let out a short, surprised laugh. "How much of Queens you planning on exploding this year, anyway, Vance?"
Hubert rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "In point of fact, observing a subject besides Caddy . . ."
He held up his hand quickly in response to twin dismayed noises from Daws and Handy "Under very strictly controlled conditions, that is -- well, it could be useful."
Caddy held out his hands. "Wait, Hubert. Are we really talking about letting a supercharged Major Vance loose in my basement, here? 'Cause I know, know that my homeowner's insurance won't cover that."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 2, 2006 21:38:20 GMT -5
"I wasn't thinking about just sitting around down here," Vance retorted. Then he rounded on Daws. "And I don't necessarily have to blow anything up. You've seen me cushion the boomers telekinetically, so it's only a percussion blast."
He half-grinned at Caddy. "Not that you'd want a seismic event in your dungeon here, either, Doc--if that stuff's as good as you say."
"Jerod, you're gonna kill yourself," Handy protested. "If all the power you've got is--well, all you got--then it won't do you any good to use it all up at once."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 2, 2006 21:57:07 GMT -5
"And it'd be a pretty darn stupid way to get yourself killed, Vance." Daws crossed her arms, tail lashing. "Even considering some of the stuff we've pulled."
Caddy frowned. "Well, jeeze -- I mean, I'd sorta assume you know how much you're capable of, Vance, but . . ." he trailed off with a shrug and glanced at Hubert, who frowned.
"I suppose I can see the point of both sides in this particular argument -- but then," Hubert shrugged, "I'll admit my curiosity is bound to cloud my judgement in this matter."
He shook his head and turned to Vance. "I suppose you'll have to trust your own judgement, Major."
Daws let out an incredulous snort and shook her head.
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 2, 2006 22:06:53 GMT -5
Vance was looking at Daws with slight surprise, having not expected her to react so sharply. At last he grinned teasingly and leaned a little closer to her. "Well, I guess you care a little after all."
He looked over at Hubert. "I guess I won't be your guinea pig today, Doc--though I'm keeping the idea in mind. Any other suggestions?"
Handy sagged visibly and sighed in relief.
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 2, 2006 22:16:31 GMT -5
"I've got one." Daws interjected. "You guys said the stuff'd work on me." She shot Vance a pointed look. "And I won't kill myself trying it."
Caddy raised an eyebrow and glanced nervously between Vance and Daws for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I guess that's a good point. I suppose we could do some basic tests -- eye exam, hearing, that sorta thing. Might give us an idea of the exact order of amplification we're dealing with, anyhow."
Hubert cleared his throat. "We do have one other item to show off, if I might guide the conversation towards less . . ." he raised an eyebrow at Vance, "Explosive channels of discussion."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 2, 2006 22:28:17 GMT -5
Vance raised the eyebrow over his good eye. "Well, I'm glad to know the rest of the afternoon won't be as boring as watching eye exams. What have you got?"
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 2, 2006 22:37:18 GMT -5
Hubert smiled faintly and shook his head. "I'm afraid this particular item won't be quite as exciting to you, Major."
"They can't all be big winners." Caddy shrugged laconically and reached out, floating a slightly larger bottle -- this one containing a green fluid -- through the air to his waiting fingers. Then he grinned.
"Don't suppose you ever read Alice in Wonderland, didja Major?"
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 2, 2006 22:52:34 GMT -5
"Yeah, when I was a kid. It scared me." Vance suddenly blinked and frowned. "Please don't tell me you've invented a formula for shrinking people."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 2, 2006 22:58:09 GMT -5
"Nah." Caddy grinned and shook his head. "That's only possible in old B-grade sci-fi flicks."
"So are half the people I know." Daws muttered.
Hubert smiled. "In point of fact, there are very specific scientific models to explain why the human body -- structured as it is -- wouldn't be able to function on a miniaturized scale without massive metabolic changes."
Daws rolled her eyes. "Speaking of Alice in Wonderland, I get the feeling we're about to follow one serious rabbit trail. If it doesn't shrink people, then what does that stuff do?"
Caddy laughed. "I was thinkin' of the part with the eat-me-drink-me stuff. Y'know, one makes ya big and the other makes ya small." He held up the greenish fluid. "This is a corollary solution to the stuff we just showed you. That increases a mutation's power. This decreases it."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 2, 2006 23:03:25 GMT -5
"You two are dangerous," Vance murmured, but he looked interested. "I can see where that'd be useful... if we could use it on the enemy. Tell me the details. I'm sure there's a catch somewhere."
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 2, 2006 23:09:15 GMT -5
"Well, it's not permanent -- and if it were, I'd have destroyed it myself." Hubert said vehemently. "The effects seem to be somewhat sporadic, even when the same doses are used on the same subject."
"Sometimes it pushes my teke down to where I can just barely lift a coffee mug," Caddy added. "Other times, it cuts me down to about half of normal strength. There doesn't seem to be much of a pattern to how that happens, either."
"We've theorized that it may have something to do with blood chemistry -- the level of adrenaline or something to that effect." Hubert shrugged. "At any rate, it never completely does away with the mutation in question -- merely weakens it to varying degrees. Almost always by at least half."
"Almost always." Daws remarked dryly. "I love how many qualifiers you're using for this stuff."
Hubert smiled faintly and spread his hands. "Exact science, Miss Dawson, is not always an exact science."
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 2, 2006 23:15:52 GMT -5
"Still might be a neat trick to pull on the bat's people, next time we have to tangle with 'em," Vance observed. "How long does it take to work?"
|
|
|
Post by skybright on Nov 2, 2006 23:23:28 GMT -5
"That, at least, tends to be constant." Hubert replied. "The effect is relatively delayed -- the solution moves somewhat slowly through the bloodstream."
"A minute. Two at the absolute outside." Caddy shrugged. "Still pretty good time for an injection to take effect."
"But still an awful long time in a brawl." Daws observed.
|
|
|
Post by Jordanna on Nov 2, 2006 23:29:58 GMT -5
"And it's gotta be an injection, huh?" Vance frowned and shook his head. "That's a shame. If we could put it in their food or water, that kid Falco or even Proteus might have been able to do it. But I don't think the bad guys would just sit still for us to poke 'em with it before they try to kill us."
|
|