((And now for the "official" version to commence...))

[prankster_femme]

((This takes place as roughly the same time as this arc*Wingblade fumbles as she inputs the access code Steadfast gave her. She's shaking and the air is hitching in her cycling systems, though she's physically undamaged. Once the door slides open she throws herself in and onto the berth, then opens a comm to Steadfast, her voice breaking

Comments

[strataseeker]

Answering Wingblade's earlier comment, Photon moves towards a likely looking work surface.

"Well, first, I need to take a small tissue sample to run a genetic analysis to determine, primarily, if this is a mutated specimine of an Earth rodent as I suspect, or if this is like Squirmy, a transplanted species. Once that is completed, a full dissection of the specimen to map and catalogue its body structures is in order. If this is a mutated Earth rodent, only a complete catalogue of its physiological structures can help determine the percentage and type of mutagenic changes. That will, in turn, potentially assist in directing the examination of the potentially damaged equipment in the base's power plant, as well as the further risk to local native flora and fauna."

As she is explaining these steps, Photon is busilly looking through the equipment available to her, setting out the implements and tools she requires as she locates them. A pleased murmur escapes her vocalizer as she locates the required DNA sequencer tucked away in a storage compartment near her chosen work area.

"Ideally, a normal, unmodified rat would assist as a control for comparison of DNA markers," she continues, turning to glance at the younger Seeker and the creature that seems to have adopted her for the moment.

"Wingblade, do you think that you could ask Squirmy to collect an appropriate specimen? It's unclear just yet how much he understands, although he's clearly quite intelligent."

[prankster_femme]

*Wingblade blinks blankly at Photon's explanation of the steps. She's able to pick out different ideas in what Photon said, but the complexity and speed at which Photon delivered the speech has Wingblade a bit overwhelmed.

When she asks about Squirmy, Wingblade's CPU finally catches up to what Photon's saying and she comes out of the dazed stupor.*

Uh, I can try... Don't know if he'll understand, though...

*Wingblade raises the arm with Squirmy on it up so that she can look the skitterfluff in the eye.* Can you get us a normal rat, Squirmy? One from a different part of the base?

[skitterfluff]

Squirmy yawns, then tilts his head slightly and looks at the pastel Seeker. "Neek?"

[prankster_femme]

*Wingblade looks up between Photon and Steadfast.* Do we have a holoprojector or something that I can show him a picture with? He doesn't seem to understand us talking.

[lavender_wings]

Steadfast has noticed Wingblade's blinking. //I think you're using too big words for her,// she tells Photon, using private comm as to not hurt Wingblade's pride.

Then, there's the matter of instructing Squirmy to get them a rat (hopefully one already dead, Steadfast can't help thinking). "We should have one, let me look..."

[strataseeker]

// Ah. My apologies, // Photon observes.

"I believe I may have seen one in one of the lower compartments while I was locating the DNA sequencer," Photon adds, aloud.

A few moments later, she has a small vial with the sample for the sequencer in hand, which she holds up for Wingblade to see.

"This is the sample that the sequencer," she explains, nodding towards the given equipment beside her, "will read to tell us how this creature was designed. Much like a deep diagnostics scanner can piece through our own core programming."

[prankster_femme]

*Wingblade nods.* 'Kay, got that. *She then carefully searches around the area Photon indicated, only using one hand so that she can keep a hold of Squirmy, and pulls one out.*

...Um, does anyone have a picture of a rat we can put in this thing...? *Wingblade gives the other two a sheepish smile.*

[lavender_wings]

"I don't," Steadfast replies. She's not in the habit of collecting rat pictures, for obvious reasons. "If you don't have one, Photon... I could maybe draw one." Her face shows that she doesn't like the idea, but one has to make do with what's there.

[strataseeker]

"Hmm," Photon murmurs as she loads the sample in the sequencer. "The best I can offer is a download of Squirmy with the original specimen that he caught in your quarters, Steadfast. That might be a bit confusing for him," she adds apologetically.

[prankster_femme]

*Pouts a little.* Then how can we communicate what we want to him? *continues to scritch behind his ear, the holoprojector on a convenient nearby flat surface*

[lavender_wings]

"I will draw something, then," Steadfast says. She switches on the holoprojector, setting it to display what she's drawing, fingers and stylus moving nimbly in the recording field. A few shudders run through her as she forces herself to imagine a rat in order to draw it, but she manages to create a reasonable likeness of an average, healthy Rattus norvegicus.

[prankster_femme]

*Wingblade brings Squirmy over to the holoprojector. She moves Squirmy until she can look him in the eye, making sure she has his attention, then shifts him so he's looking at the holoprojector. She points to it.* Rat. Rat. *Then she kneels down and taps the floor, making sure Squirmy can see.* Here. *She then shifts him so he's looking her eye-to-optic again.* Rat. Here. Understand?

[skitterfluff]

Squirmy gives Wingblade a quizzical look. "Neek?"

Eight legs bunch, and the skitterfluff springs from Wingblade's arm to the floor, darts across the room in a flash of yellow, and disappears behind the floor-level ventilation grill.

[prankster_femme]

*Wingblade blinks at Squirmy's quick deptarture.* ...Well, either he did or he didn't... Guess we'll have to wait to find out...

[strataseeker]

Photon glances over at their efforts periodically as she performs a, for her, rapid dissection of the mutated creature. Given the massive number of abnormalities in the internal structures of this creature, Photon is privately amazed that the life form remained viable.

As she works, she compiles a file of all the various structural and physiological changes in the creature, organizing it by system for Strata's perusal later.

"Good work, Wingblade. Whether he comprehended or not, you approached the attempt to communicate with him in a logical and comprehensive manner," Photon observes.

[prankster_femme]

*Wingblade beams at Photon's praise. Then she moves over to watch what Photon's doing to the dead mutated rat.*