Greatness From Small Things

Transformers: 2005 - Fortress Maximus - Saturday, November 20, 2010, 4:21 PM

An Autobot zero-G research station floats in orbit around one of Cybertron's moons, it is contained within the rocky surfaces of a hollowed out asteroid. It is here that the Autobots study work on special research projects that requires the properties of space in order to make progress. From time to time, shuttles covertly transports personnel and materials to and from this space station and back onto Cybertron.

Today the space station finds new visitors and a new interesting project to sate the curiousity of the scientists serving on board this space station. Fortress Maximus can be seen walking out of the shuttle docking bay, behind him are large quantities of the mysterious space minerals that they had recovered from the region near theDemasculous Anomaly being carted by large transport vehicles. Their destination is the spectrum analysis chamber, where they can hopefully determine the exact nature of this mysterious substance!

Decibel isn't much the guy that usually plays with dirt and other soil type investigations as he tends to be the go to Bot for electronics and other pure science related stuff. But ever eager to learn a new trick or put some book reading to work here he is at the secret lab that is floating above Cybertron. Having arrived earlier by way of shuttle he is waiting in the landing bay as the latest shuttle arrives, the shuttle carrying the cargo to be examined. Scanner in hand he pauses to greet Fortress Maximus and any others departing the craft before stepping up to make sure the mineral is safe to bring further into the facility.

Brainstorm is talking to a scientest about a project, "Well, I do understand the problem. I have noticed the same fluxuation in my own practice with Sub-system B, But I can't discover how." he pauses as he looks at a large datapad, "I'm starting to think we have Techno-rats again. Perhaps they have chewed through the cables at the back. Could you please ask maintenance to see if they can disable B and start up D to take the slack. With the new speciemins will be arriving soon and perhaps we'll be able to find out what they can do... if anything." he laughs as he walks away from the scientist as he reads a note in his datapad.

Spindrift tumbles out of the shuttle in his usual means of locomotion, being careful to not get underfoot or anything, and finally coming to a stop at Maximus' ankles where he unrolls. Far from a scientist, the tape was actually asked along as a means of extra saftey instead. If the mineral does something weird like it did to the ship it was found on, he'd be able to protect the scientists with his forcefields. Or so that's the idea. But being helpful was more important if it was actually something he was good at, so it didn't really matter to him. "Iffen all goes well y'all won't -need- me, but better t'be safe than sorry and all that, right?"

Sit-Com is a Scientist too, in a Junkion sort of way. "Chewing gum! Rubber bands! Duct Tape!" he calls out, as he follows along. The theme to Dr. Who plays on his mini-wristwatch-TV.

Fortress Maximus pauses in his steps as he gives a quick nod to Decibel, "I know this usually isn't your field, Decibel, but I'm glad you can lend a hand on this. With Jetfire out on assignment, we don't have enough scientists to put onto this project." He gives a side glance to Sit-Com before looking back to the Intel CO, "I've brought any other interested parties who may be of benefit to our studies and in case things goes wrong" he then waves a hand over to Spindrift to make his point. The Headmaster leader then replies to Spindrift, "That is true, Spindrift. I prefer the extra insurance that you can bring. I hate to sound pessimestic, but we do we to have our share of bad luck lately."

The minerals should read as safe enough on Decibel's scanners to pass through into the rest of the research facility. Once inside, the science crews begins loading a large chunk of the blue mineral onto a multi-sensor table where it is accessible to various means of examination.

Letting the scanner do it's thing Decibel steps back and gives a nod. "Looks clear. I believe that Brainstorm has set aside lab area 3 for use in the testing." Ushering the cargo pod that way he slows falling in step with Fortress Maximus. "Always happy to help Maximus. Especially with this rock you've found here. I read the reports on the rescue and recovery, I just hope we don't end up making Swiss cheese out of the station here." Turning he gives a grin towards Spindrift, "Better safe than sorry. At least we'll be safe if things head south in a hurry." AS the unloading begins he busies himself getting set to aid in the testing. First a decontamination spray then a quick grounding and energy wave check on his systems.

"Yup. I'll leave the thinkin' to y'all and worry 'bout makin' sure your heads stay there to do it." Spindrift pauses as he peers in Brainstorm's direction for a moment, then back to Maximus. "Well, 'cept for the heads that are suppose to come off."

Brainstorm sits in the flashy lab and grins as he taps a console and watches as the gravitaional array flashes into life. He smiles as he selects a test object then with the beam crushes the sample the size of a tin can to the size of a grain of sand. "Excellent, that should be entertaining to use... I wonder if i could attach that to a weapionise it..." he laughs to himself as he taps the console and notices the shuttle has landed and the speciemes have arrived. His expression changes as he taps on the console, "All Scientists and staff, Stage 3 Alert. Volitile samples in transit, For the next few cycles please keep in your current locations."

Eventually Fortress Maximus finds his way into the specified laboratory where the Autobots are working on getting the lab equipments ready to start the probing of the mysterious mineral, and there he greets the first and foremost scientific authority on the space station, "Brainstorm! Thank the maker you are the one leading this project. We saw some very unique properties that this mineral exhibited, I hope with your help, we can find some way to benefit from this discovery."

Sit-Com stands near Fortress Maximus and Brainstorm. "I am ready to serve, master," he says in an Igor-esque voice. He looks around at all the equipment. "Oooh, shiny!" The Junkion gets out something that looks like the Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver, but what is merely a prop and does nothing but make cool sounds. He points it in various directions, making it light up and spin the head.

Decibel is cool with most things about science field work like this, but the prep to clear him of possible contaminants always bothers him. Mostly because they tend to feedback over his communications equipment leaving his audio's ringing for a few moments afterwards. Finally cleared he re-enters the lab area via a different door and gives the already waiting Brainstorm a wave. "Hello Brainstorm. Look Maximus has brought us a rock, and here I thought we had been good this year and wouldn't get coal." Trying his best to ignore the palying going on by the Junkion he steps over to the table ready to assist Brainstorm as needed.

Brainstorm points at Sit-Com and says, "No unstable divices..." He looks worried, "Hmmm, Commander..." he nods to Decibel and says, "Commander..." he then looks at the rocks and sighs, how can something so small be so dangerious. Brainstorm looks up and says, "Hmmm, Commanders, Did you also get readings from the location these rocks were taken. If they are in a dormant state hopefully there will be some information in some scans to keep them that way. Unknown samples like this with unknown properties are beyond dangerous. I won't take any action unless we are aware what can and will happen..." he then notices the small Armordillo mech and smiles behind his faceplate. Greetings, I don't think We've met. I'm brainstorm..." he smiles but then his smile is wiped away once again as he looks at the rocks.

There's a slight hum that emits from the base of the multi-sensor table where the blue mineral is seated on. Shortly afterwards an Autobot technician announces to the gathered occupants in the room, "The lab equipments' ready, chief!" Soon the various gumby technicians begins to clear away and man their computer terminals as they await instructions.

Meanwhile, Fortress Maximus raises an optical ridge at Sit-Com, their eccentrics has always been a point of curiousity for the Headmaster leader but these allies have proven time and time again their resourcefulness to not make him question their means as long as he gets favourable end results, "I look forward to your insights on this matter, Sit-Com."

"Just imagine, a potential infinite resources for us to tap. This alone could end wars on countless worlds!" Fortress Maximus speaks with unrestrained enthusiasm, most likely a result of Galen's influence in their shared mindlink before producing a data crystal from one of his storage compartments and shows it to Brainstorm before handing it off to a nearby technician, "Here are all the sensor readings we were able to gather from the anomaly, Brainstorm. The gravitation distortion limited the amount of information of we were able to collect, hopefully what's in here will be usable."

Loadout has arrived.

"Welp, best we get started then ain't it?" .. Not that he's doing much unless something goes wrong, but he's standing there ready in hopes that it stays that way and he doesn't have to do anything. "So its some sorta crystal battery then?" It takes a few moments but he manages to make sense of what Maximus is saying in the end

Turning to a console and pulls up the information on the main screen once the technician fits the data crystal into the computer. "Not much to go on but at least it's something. I really wish those gravametric fields had allowed us to get a more thorough scan of localized radiation patterns. Or at least find out where the wormhole led. That's going to bother me until we send a probe through to catalogue that." Looking over the display he does a few calculations but doesn't seem overly thrilled with the results. "Lot of variables we're left with, hard to filter out the field enough to retrieve much from the field scans."

Sit-Com nods sagely. "Time to scan funny rocks?" he wonders. All this talk of anomalies intrigues him. "So we might get our own Twilight Zone?" he says, "Or The Outer Limits?"

Loadout is more the technician/engineer type and not exactly hard core sciency. Nonetheless, he lends a hand where he can with his own technical abilities, though his presence here on the station is more for convenience as a 'stopover' before the next leg of his journey. One that he fully expects is going to be the last journey he ever makes in what little time he has left.

All things considered, he isn't letting it get him down in the slightest. Though he walks with some difficulty, carrying a long metal pole with him that almost looks like an uprooted lamp post so it can serve as a 'walking' stick, he makes his way into the chamber where the other Autobots are gathered, pausing here and there to glance at a console as he tries to 'catch up' on the situation.

Fortress Maximus frowns as he listens to Brainstorm's reports, "The pirates mentioned that their accident occurred when they attempted to scan the minerals. That's when it started multiplying." Fortress Maximus rubs the bottom of his chin in contemplation as he thinks about the current situation, finally he says, "We can't expect to get everything, considering the circumstances, but the least we can do is figure out how to make this mineral replicate itself as well as the means to stop it."

The Headmaster leader notices a technician struggling with getting a scanning apparatus into position, and he looks over to Spindrift, "Hey, can you see if you can give that a technician over there a hand?" Afterwards he looks over to Sit-Com, "We'll need to make sure we don't make the same mistake that the alien miners did first, that means taking the necessary precautious beforehand."

Sit-Com's optic brow quirks. "So if we look at it for too long, it'll double in bulk?" Sure, eyes aren't technically 'scanners', but this is a Junkion making a fairly lame joke.

"Sure thing Max," Spindrift replies as he trudges over to the indicated piece of machinery. Now one may be left to wonder just how an aniform with no hands is going to help move something. The answer being that the robodillo's tail makes up for it, grabbing onto the device with a loop or two and helping the gumbie pull it into position.

Decibel sits down at a terminal to start entering the scanning parameters that Brainstorm is sure to request once the machines are all in place. Typing away he spots Loadout as he enters and smiles a greeting. "Evening Loadout, hope the trip up wasn't that bad with the fancy flying they do to avoid detection getting here." Finishing up he nods to the others. 'Standard algorithms all loaded and ready."

Loadout peers up from one of the monitors towards Decibel's greeting, giving a quick nod in return. "It was...a curious trip, to put it lightly. But I appear to have made it in one piece." He tries his best to offer something akin to a smirk, though it's more forced than anything as he shifts his weight to his other leg and half leans against the console nearby for some relief. "This place is my last stop before I return to the ruins of my lab and...well, pick through the remains."

Not to mention his last stop -ever-, by his intentions. Though he doesn't voice that part.

The sound of Loadout's metal pole tapping against the ground catches Fortress Maximus' attention. At first the Headmaster leader has his own reservations on whether or not to permit the terminally ill Autobot to be up and running in his current condition, but a quick mental discourse with his binary bonded partner pursuades him to ignore the subject of Loadout's health and welcome him with open arms, "Hello Loadout, if you'd like I can have a technician provide you with a detailed report to help bring you up to speed. This may not be your field of expertise, but" he waves his hand around to the major egg head figures of authority in the room, "neither are most of us here either. We could always use a hand if you can spare the time." Fortress Maximus comments and makes a pained smile.

Thanks to Spindrift's assistance, the first of the scientific apparatus is in position and soon a yellow beam bombards the blue mineral. Wait... is the mineral actually shrinking?!

That player has not yet been approved.

"And... thare. All done." Spindrift unwinds his tail when the device is in place, turning back to the others and noticing Loadout. "Howdy Loadout. Nice seenin' ya up and about again." He totally misses the machinery activating behind him, only turning to look when the gumbie he was helping gasps in surprise. ".. Huh. Well, now I guess it ain't such a big problem, now is it... kinda wish we'd known that one before, woulda made it easier to carry in."

Decibel looks from the monitor to the mineral and back again as the scanning begins. "Well that's unexpected." Typing something into his data pad as an additional log he moves to get a better look. Unsure why others are on eggshells with Loadout about he pays it no mind and shall treat him as always for as much time as he has left. Nearing the table he notices that Brainstorm seems to have stepped out which elicits a slight sigh. Stepping past Loadout he asks, "Could you keep an optic on the power readings, I would hate for this thing to start reflecting energy and cause a feedback loop that will fry the equipment." Intriged by the suddenly shrinking mineral he adjusts the frequency. "Fascinating mineral you found Maximus, though I'm curious as to where it's shunting mass. I wonder if it is in some way linked to subspace."

Loadout muses as the offer is made to him to get caught up on the situation overall. "Well perhaps I have a little extra time to spare before I head down to the surface again..." Though he does trail off as he watches the machinery coming to life, the yellow beam stabbing downwards and the mineral starting to...shrink? "Well now, this is most curious." He reaches up to tap the side of his head, just where his optic visor begins, and a blue scanning wave emits outwards, playing over the mineral for a moment. It's handy when you're your own built-in toolbox, so to speak. "Well, power levels appear normal so far. I think. Assuming there isn't some different set of paramaters we're using here."

"Welcome," Sit-Com says to Loadout, nodding at the other Medic. If Loadout needs emergency medical assistance, Sit-Com is there. Like a good neighbor, Galactic Farm is there. "Iiiiiit's shriiiiiiiiiinkiiiiiiiiing!" he says, pointing at the mineral now. "Is that supposed to happen?"

The sight of the mineral shrinking causes Fortress Maximus' optics to widen in surprise before responding to Decibel, "Well I'm just as curious in finding on whatever is the reason behind this change. Fascinating..." He then points a finger at the apparatus that had caused the change in the minerals, "What kind of beam did we try to use to analyze that thing?" He looks over to Sit-Com, "All of this is unexpected, Sit-Com. Can you run some structural scans on that thing to see what's happening to its atomic structure?"

Sit-Com gets out a device that looks suspiciously like a Generation One Tricorder. It actually works, though. He passes it over the rocks and hmms. "Molecular structure compaction," he says.

Decibel scratches his head as he watches the mineral shrink. "Normal as they can be Loadout, which makes this all the more unusual." Doing some quick calculations in his head Decibel smiles and enters some alterations into the control terminal. "Lets see what happens if we reverse the frequency of the scanning beam. Perhaps the high end signals will get us a different result or at least stop the mass reduction before we have nothing left of this sample." Looking over towards Fortress Maximus he replies to the inquiry, "Standard low frequency sub-atomic resonance scan. We started low to avoid any possible explosive results as witnessed on the mining craft."

Spindrift shuffles out of the way, returning to sit at Maximus' heels and look up at the -much- larger Headmaster. "Did the miners say what they zapped it with that made it grow? Y'all must of zapped it with something opposite.

"Interesting. I can see why there's great curiosity about this mineral now." Loadout muses, watching from the side and still watching the power readouts now and then as he leans on his 'walking stick' in order to rest. Seems like every single action lately drains him of strength.

Fortress Maximus looks down at Spindrift and shrugs, "They did mention that they were trying to figure out its structural make up but they didn't say what device they used to scan it." The Headmaster leader nods at Sit-Com, "Well, that eliminates the unlikely scenario of subspace mass shunting." Having heard Decibel's suggestion, Fortress Maximus nods in agreement but makes an addenum to the orders, "Let's break the minerals down to a significantly smaller piece and then apply the new scanning frequency just to be on the safe side."

Brainstorm was called away by a diffrent experement in another lab, He walks back covered in green slime as he says, "Mental note, Don't inject florine into sample fifty six ten." he laughs as he looks over, "So sorry, I didnt mean to leave you. But science waits for no mech." he emits a laugh and walks carefully to the decomtamination chamber and walks in and activates the shower and quickly cleans himself down. He drys quickly then walks out walking towards a console and says, "Shrinkage, Has anyone done the classic human joke about ambient temperature causing the effect?"

"No, cuz Repugnus ain't here to be rude," Spindrift replies to Brainstorm. "Hey Max, gimme a lift up. I oughta be able to chop a piece off that thin' for ya with my claws."

Fortress Maximus nods in agreement at Spindrift before kneeling down to pick up the animorphic Autobot in his hands. Soon Spindrift is lifted up towards the multi-sensor table by Fortress Maximus' steady hands, "It's amazing how multi-purpose Blaster's latest tapes have become."

Decibel nods, "Excellent idea, would be unwise to attempt exponential growth on the full sample. We only have limited space to work with."

"We don't want it to eat us out of house and home, and we don't want it to disappear," Sit-Com says.

Spindrift chuckles as he's lifted. "Some of us just like to be useful, that's all." Held up in position by the larger Autobot (heck he can pretty much sit right in one of Maximus' hands likely) the dillo-tape reachs over to cut a smaller sized portion off the mineral with his sharpened burrowing claws.

Loadout hasn't got anything to really add as he's really more of a curious observer at this point. Though all the talk of the piece potentially growing out of control does cause him to fall silent in thought.

And then, with his 'walking stick' tapping on the floor a few times, shuffling a little further away from the sample. Just in case.

Decibel thankfully remembered to turn off the scanning equipment as Fortress Maximus lifted Spindrift towards the sample for the removal of a small portion. "Lets hope there is no explosive energy release upon cutting." Thinking on this he quickly repositions himself behind the blast shield just in case.

Spindrift's work on the chunk of mineral results in a significantly smaller piece of the mysterious mineral dropping to the surface of the multi-sensor table! Soon the technicians hauls away the remaining large chunk while others shares Loadout's sense of caution by backing away as well.

It is then that Fortress Maximus notices Brainstorm's return and he turns around to look at him, "We're just about to reverse the frequency of the beam that cause the minerals to shrink." The Headmaster leader shuffles a bit to the side, offering the main controls over to Brainstorm, "I'd be more at ease if you oversaw this procedure."

Brainstorm checks the readings and takes a seat, "Did anyone check the exotic partical flows from the sample?" he presses a few buttons quickly as he looks up and says, "Hmmm, What was the exact size of the inital sample?" Brainstorm is extremely worried. Exotic particals mean something unexpected is taking place, and as they are exotic he can't think what would happen to the graviton beam or anything else in the lab or the station itself... "Commander, I think there might be a problem here. The Sample is emiting some unstable radiation."

Spindrift notices people backing up, once he's set down he starts warming up his field projectors -- just in case. A faint blue glow becomes visible as the panels of his shell slide open just enough to be ready to deploy at a moments notice.

Sit-Com is awestruck. Hopefully the more smarter sciency-types can keep a handle on this growth-shrinkage phenomenon.

Decibel starts checking the data feeds before he answers. "Brainstorm the initial sample we started with, according to the initial scans, was of a magnitude of 2.75 times the current sample size." Looking at the other screens he shakes his head and reaches around the blast shield with a scanner, "I'm not picking up any of this anomalous radiation from here, either the shield is blocking it or it's not strong enough to reach this far from the source material. I would therefore suggest moving a bit further away until we determine the nature of said energy being released. No telling how it would effect a Cybertronian let alone what it might do to Arcana and Galen."

Fortress Maximus raises an optical groove underneath his visored optics at Brainstorm, "Unstable radiation? Can you clarify what this may mean, Brainstorm?"

Encore has arrived.

Secret Autobot Research Facility(#9825Ten)

The Autobot research facility is comproised of several modular stations all connected to each other by corridor tubes. Many projects that requires the environment of deep space are conducted here.

Contents:

Encore

Loadout

Sit-Com

Spindrift

Decibel

Brainstorm

Brainstorm doesn't quite listen, the radiation flow from the sample seems to be focused, he shakes his head as he say while looking at the screem, "Hmmm, Mr Armadillo, Could you please errect your forcefield infront of Yourself, Commander Maximus, Commander Decibel and Sit-Com. I'll be ok here for a while i think." He nods to the size that Decibel suggested and says, "The core of the sample might be a crystaline... It's reflecting the glow back towards the gravation emitter. It's going to be comples to stop the flow without some unforseen problems." Brainstorm would transform and get Arcana into the shielded area but he's refused as Brainstorm slows the gravitaional flow towards the sample.

"You a poke-a the neutrons too hard, it'll fly-a apart," Sit-Com says with a straight face.

"Sure thin'.. an' m'names Spindrift," replies the armadillo. The slots in his shell glow more brightly as he more or less divides the room in half, putting the shield between Autobots and the sample that's doing whatever weird thing big crystal rocks from space must do.

Making a dismissive hand gesture Decibel comments, "Don't worry bout me Spindrift, save your energy. This blast shield should protect me from anything that my hide doesn't stop on it's own. Fully EM tested and approved." As the field appears to simply divide the room he grins, "That of course works too." Dropping his gaze to the screens he watches the readings as Brainstorm does his thing calling out any variations in the readings to keep the headmaster updated.

For an engineer like Fortress Maximus, such technobabble treads well within the territory held by scientists and as such he has as much trouble completely understanding what the heck Brainstorm just said but whatever it is, it doesn't sound good. He watches as Spindrift erects the forcefield within the room, and pretty much pieces the situation together by intuition, "Is there anyway you can stop the process before it gets any bigger, Brainstorm?"

Sit-Com circles the sample, pondering. "One side will make me grow larger, and the other side will make me grow smaller."

Encore 's heavy tread is audible on the metal floor as he clomps into the room, a mug of energon-tea in one hand, and a cigar clasped betwene the fingers of the other. He blins, just catching what Sit-com says. He takes several steps back. "...I fought dat was 'sposed ta be physically impossible. Conservation of mass or somefing along those lines."

The propellers folded against his engine nacelles change position. It's an unconscious reaction- similar to a flinch of surprise.

Brainstorm's fingers fly accross the the control panel and says almost quietly, "Bigger isn't really the problem at the moment commander. I'm afraid if it gets smaller. Matter can't get too small... The atoms in the meterial may fuse... and as the humans have learnt, Nucler Fusion is a very bad thing." he checks the readouts and nods to Decibel, "Thank you commander... Yes. The power levels are decreasing and the sample is getting larger... Slightly." Brainstorm looks up and sees the forcefield and says, "Excellent. It should contain anything that..." Looking back at the console he punches a large red button on the console. Red Flashing lights drop down from the ceiling and a message is emitted, "ALERT! ALERT! Stage 1 ALERT! Explosive Decompression Warning! Alert!" Brainstorm says, "Full power to that shie." With a massive flash of light the sample of rock explands, For a moment it's a sphere around 1 foot in width then expands again 5 foot then after a second it expands and crushes the graviton emitter then expands once again. It keeps expanding, Brainstorm breaks into a sprint and runs for the decomtamination chamber and closes the door as the rock gets bigger and bigger. It reaches the forceshield and as it hits the expansion slows as it touches the forcefield.

"Uh-oh. Something got shrinked too much," Sit-Com says nervously, "Captain! Ye cannae change the laws of physics!"

Spindrift uhs. "Oh that ain't good.... Err, wait, if he said decompression, why is it gettin' bigger?" Nevermind the questioning, he cranks all the energy he's got into the forcefield as the expansion starts pressing against it. "Well now y'know what happened to that mining ship!"

Decibel tends to be a calm bot but when the mineral sample suddenly begins to grow in exponential leaps and bounds he gets a bit nervous. Hitting a button he downloads the latest findings to his data tracks and quickly retreats to a safer location. "Ok, everyone remain calm. Nice and orderly lets prepare for possible emergency evacuation on the station. The shuttle is on standby as are the escape pods. All research has been sent to the Debris base computer just in case of a loss here."

Encore 's props adjust and shift again. The blades flap slightly, and they begin to turn slowly. It seems to be linked into his fight-or-flight hardwiring. "Um." He comments, stepping back slowly, sipping his energon tea. He nods in agreement, looking to see which of those present he's got the physical strength to pick up and carry, if he needs to...

"Duly noted, Brainstorm, but the question remains on whether or not we can stop it?" Fortress Maximus responds with visible concern on his face as he looks at Brainstorm. Before long though he gets his answer in the form of an unexpected disaster!

Dun dun duuuuun.

Fortress Maximus begins pointing to the nearest exit for the Autobot scientists and technicians to escape through, "Decibel's right, stay calm and keep your wits about you. Panic will only result in further problems." Of course, when the Headmaster leader looks behind him at the growing chunk of minerals, he can't but frown as well at the situation. Once all the gumbies have evacuated, Fortress Maximus hollers out to the other relevant (as in being controlled by players) Autobots in the vicinity, "Time to evacuate too, worst comes to worst, we eject this module from the rest of the space station!" Before the Headmaster leader can say anymore though, he finds himself shoved forward. That small chunk of mineral has -really- grown large and it's shoving Fortress Maximus towards the direction of the exit as well!

Encore says, "I fought 'e' said 'possible', sir..."

Spindrift urfs. "Hurry up guys, it's gettin' bigger than I can keep contained here." The forcefield goes down for a moment, then comes back up as Spindrift changes it to just be a 'bubble' around the exit and the other Autobots as they're instructed towards the exit. "Go'on, get already!" See this is exactly the sort of emergency he was hoping wouldn't happen, but its a good thing he came along all the same.

The now Giant rock has stopped growing, But it's almost completely filled the lab. Brainstorm managed to get into the decontamination chamber and closed the door. He watched as the rock buckles the door as it slowed. Brainstorm sighs and takes out a datapad and links it to the main computer and sends a radio transmission into the lab, "Is everyone Ok? The growth has stopped, The energy that caused the growth should have cause the rock to expand to twice the size of the station... It seems there is a finite limit to the size that the rock can grow." he pauses as he checks his readings and continues, "Commanders, There was a brief moment where the feedback of the gravaton beam cancelled out the beam itself. When the flow wasn't getting to the sample itself it expanded. Once the emitter was crushed the sample the energy flow stopped but my calculations suggest that it should have expanded even more then this." he then taps a few more buttons and says, "And on a side note, Could someone please deactivate the decompression warning. And secondly. I seem to be very trapped." he sighs and takes a seat in the chamber and works on the datapad.

Between his position in the hallway and the giant rock blocking most ways into the lad Decibel lets out a low sigh then a slight chuckle. "Consider the warning taken care of." Stopping he seems to focus his attention elsewhere a few moments before the warning cuts out. "Nothing like remote hacking the system." Flickering his optics he tries to find a way to let Brainstorm out.

Encore grabs sit-com and hauls him out the door into the corridor, his hands gripping the back of the Junkion's torso and hauling him out - by the collar, so to speak. Then he steps from the room himself, peering around the doorframe just before the rock stops its growth. "I don't like rocks that do fings like that."

By now Fortress Maximus is standing just outside of the lab's entrance looking inside. He looks up at the nearby intercom where Brainstorm's voice is patched through to before pressing down on the button, "I believe everyone evacuated from the room successfully, Brainstorm." The Headmaster leader leaves the task of freeing Brainstorm to security experts like Decibel, instead he gives Spindrift a nod of approval, "Good work in there, Spindrift. I never thought I'd see the day where an infinite resource would've been very bad for us." He presses the intercom's button once more, "Let's try to get this thing back to a more manageable size, shall we?" Having said that, Fortress Maximus lets go of the button and sees Encore appearing with Sit-Com, "I'd say we all share that sentiment, at least within the confines of this space station anyways. Is everyone alright?"

Sit-Com is suddenly rescued, not really minding being hauled suddenly by his collar. It was almost as if the growing rock was mesmerizing to the Junkion. "Another second and I'd have been Junkion Pancake," he says, "Thanks."

Spindrift drops his forcefield when the space rock stops expanding, peeking back out the doorway at it. "Guess it was a good thing we used a smaller piece eh?" Looks around a bit, then turns partway to look back to the others. "Y'want me to go dig Brainstorm outta there?"

Brainstorm taps his datapad and emits over the channels, "Excellent, But the problem at the moment is the gravaton beam has been destroyed, and i don't really want to test another emitter, I need to go through the readings to make sure the feedback effect isn't replicated." he ponders for a moment then continues, "Commander Decibel, can you emit a sonic wave of fifteen point six megahurtz at a rate of two thousand decibels... Omni directional. That should be able to cut through the rock in it's current state and convert it back to sand..."

Decibel gives up and lets Spindrift past to go about digging Brainstorm out as he hears the request for a specific sonic blast to be directed at the rock. "Can do Brainstorm, just give me a moment to clear myself some working room here." Shooing folks away from the doorway he braces himself as best he can in the distorted frame and opens the gap even wider. Stepping back he nods at his handiwork, "That should do." Transforming he backs up close to the gap sets his signal strength and frequency to the desired state and cuts loose bombarding the mineral with the sonicwave.

Dropping forward as parts shift Decibel transforms into his satellite truck mode.

"Or that works too." Spindrift scoots out of Decibel's way, not that he takes up much room in the first place. The sonic vibrations don't bother him in the least though. "This stuff's dangerous though. M'be we oughta be lookin' for ways to use it against the Decepticons instead."

Fortress Maximus rubs the bottom of his chin, he's at loathe to think about weaponizing this mysterious mineral but he holds his pacifist views to himself for the time being and says what a responsible commander ought to say, "We'll forward the results up to Ultra Magnus and Rodimus Prime once we have them." The Headmaster leader shuffles backwards again to make room for Decibel before going back to contemplation, "We'll need to come up with name for this mineral though." Having said that, he looks over to the Autobots present, "I hope the lot of you can come up with some fitting names for submission."

Encore ponders thoughtfully, smoking his cigar. "Might be possible ta use it... structurally." The autobot observes after several minutes contemplation. "If we can figure out a means o' controlling its shrink/grow thingy with any reliability, it'd enable people ta be MUCH smaller or bigger in different modes. I vote we call it Expandium."

"That's better than calling it Unobtainium," Sit-Com quips.

Spindrift idly flicks away one of the bits as Decibel sonic-thooms is way through the crystals. "Don't look at me none, I ain't' very good with namin' stuff."

Brainstorm has taken off his head and wrapped it in some of the decomtamination equpiment to dampen the sound from Decibel. Arcana's head would explode, He uses his datapad to watch as the rock melts away from the door. He walks over and presses the access button and nothing happens. The door tries to move but is so buckled from the impact from the rock. He listens as Decibels sonic blast stops he sighs and unwraps Arcana and puts him back on his shoulders and takes out a large Photon blaster. He changes to flow and starts to cut the side of the door where the hinges would be. He smiles as he finishs his little task and swiftly kicks the door. Nothing happens, he looks puzzled for a moment then chuckles as he cuts the locks off the other side of the door. A good design but in the repairs he will suggest an emergancy evacuation button. Brainstorm smiles as he kicks the door as it falls to the ground. He then walks through the ankle deep sand and says, "Wasn't that entertaining." he smiles behind his faceplate. He then turns to Fortress Maximus and says, "Commander I'll complete my analysis of the material as soon as I can and i will make sure that we will have a methold that will allow us to use the samples safely." he taps his datapad and turns to the satallite truck and smiles, "Excellent, Thank you very much commander."

The sonic wave cuts out as soon as the rock returns to a more manageable size. Returning to his robot mode Decibel gives Encore an almost disgusted look. "We're in a lab here Encore, with an unstable mineral reacting to and giving off strange radiation. Smoking a cigar is not the smartest of things to be doing." Moving without another word to help Brainstorm he runs a quick scan of the room and the station to make sure all are holding and are in no jeopardy of venting them all into space.

Encore blinks and shrugs, giving Decibel a flat look in return. "An' I'm not the smartest of the autobots, guv. Everywhere else it's not safe to smoke 'as a sign up, so there should be one 'ere, too."

That said, he does put the cigar in an airtight tube and stows it somewhere on his persons.

Sit-Com pats Encore on the shoulder, taking on the voice of Alan Hale (the Skipper). "Don't worry, little buddy. We'll get you to a place where you can smoke all the cigars you want!"

Fortress Maximus listens to the suggestions of the people that had made a suggestion and keys in a few things into a datapad before sliding it back into his storage compartment, "Keep the ideas coming, submit any further ideas that you might have to me via mail when you have the time." Now that the Autobots have learned some of the properties of the mineral, at the cost of nearly rupturing their space research station in the process, Fortress Maximus can leave the rest of the studies up to Brainstorm and his esteemed colleagues, "Alright, I think I've seen enough for one day."

Fortress Maximus then looks over to Brainstorm, "I'll leave the rest to you, Brainstorm. If this thing is finite, then what we have certainly won't be enough to fuel our war efforts but perhaps..." Fortress Maximus' voice trails off as he pauses for to think for a moment, "I'll have to discuss what I have in mind with Ultra Magnus first. Do whatever you can to learn as much as you can about this thing as possible, Brainstorm." He then shifts his attention to Spindrift, "And you, I think I owe you a drink for keeping our lab intact there, Spindrift. Let me know when you wish to collect on that." Having said that, the Headmaster leader disappears out the nearest exit.