hadriel | 00:00:03

[Brennan is there as promised, looking like she's waiting to go get coffee with Angela. Since Marian is the only person she has agreed to meet here, as soon as she sees her, Brennan nods and goes up to her.]

I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan. [This time she decides to go with her title too, as proof that she does in fact possess more than a modicum of intellectual capacity.

Unfortunately, she does not possess much social intellect, so when she notices Marian covering her watch, Brennan interprets that as there being an injury there, one she can potentally help with.] Did something happen to your wrist?

Uh. No.

[Marian hurriedly takes her hand off, extending it for a quick, if somewhat anxious handshake. She's managed to, by and large, avoid too many questions, and would really prefer to keep it that way.]

Dr. Marian Tenebris. [And before anything else, she might just have to jump in on a tangential question, unprompted and out of the blue.] Did Zack get around to conferring with you on shared memories and any deviations between his recollection of events and your own?

[Good, another doctor, though Brennan doesn't get a chance to ask what of before Marian dives into another subject.]

Yes, he did. Our shared memories are identical, but I was abducted from around four years later than him. Also, my friend Dr. Sweets was abducted from two years later than me. Zack and I have been working on separate projects, however, so we have not discussed much beyond that.

[While she is quite capable of concentrating on work, she finds it equally easy to occasionally despair over not being home. This is all still quite new to her.]

You have been here for a long time, yes?

Hmm. Interesting. [It's a much broader timeframe, presumably all from the same dimensional path then... maybe she can come back to this at another time, and compare to Alphys' dimensional signature notes... oh, right, questions.]

A little under seven months. Why?

Then you are well aware of how dangerous the caves can be. [Brennan only knows this secondhand, but her introduction to Hadriel by way of mutant wasps has given her a good enough picture of what else is lurking in the dark.]

You said you need help watching over a few things, but the type of person you asked for would be better suited to helping protect you than whatever these things are. You know what to expect, and yet you are not afraid for yourself.

[It's very interesting.] If you are so concerned over these things, then they must be very important.

[Marian barks a sharp and humorless laugh. It's not that she's not afraid for herself... she's just very good at running away, when it comes right down to it.]

I don't want to spend another half year on cobbling together equipment out of salvage from whatever dimensions the parasites keep drawing in supplies from. I'm not planning on heading into the caves any time soon, but if I want to monitor the Colosseum at the moment new people are being dragged in, it's going to be difficult on my own.

[Oh. Well, that calls for a reassessment of the facts. Brennan nods, listening intently.]

I see. You will need to establish baseline conditions to compare and contrast to what will be observed on the day new abductees arrive. That is why you asked for help today, isn't it.

[Oooh she likes the way Marian thinks.]

I would like to join you in your study.

Good. In fact, we've already obtained some data, but the level of background noise makes things difficult, and neither myself not Alphys have really wanted to approach the Colloseum too closely up until this point. But I think with the issue of the conflict between this dimensions native entities beginning to involve all of us, we should take what steps we can. ......As futile as they might be.

[Marian's all for trying, but clearly isn't too optimistic about this expedition.]

Oh. I would like to see it. That way I will avoid repeating any work or analysis you and Alphys have already completed.

[Inefficiency is the enemy of........ efficiency.]

I believe it would be foolish to simply wait and see what becomes of this conflict. We are clearly meaningless in it, if this Door will continue to abduct people even if we all die. Furthermore, I refuse to remain idle when anything we find may enable us to go home if we so choose. And I would choose to. I will not leave my daughter without her mother.

[Brennan has lived that life. She hated it. If she has a choice in this at all, she will be with Christine for as long as physically possible.]

Oh, of course not. [There's a barely disguised hint of bitterness there before Marian moves to subjects she'd rather talk about in stead of any kind of 'family' nonsense... even is her response is a bit dismissive.] Although I'm not sure exactly what input an anthropologist might have, you're welcome to come with me back to the lab and take a look for yourself.

[That sliver of agreement is good enough for Brennan. The rest of what Marian says doesn't bother her in the slightest either, because it is a very rational thing to think.]

Yes, I agree I am ill suited to contribute as much as a physicist might, but although my training is primarily in forensic anthropology and kineseology, I am very thorough and versed in the scientific method, and I am fairly well read in other sciences.

[Enough to annoy nearly everyone she interacts with, certainly.]

In fact, Zack will be more valuable to your research than I will, but I will do what I can.

Hrm, yes. What's his background? We didn't didn't discuss it much during our inital meeting, but he seems to be familiar enough with electronics. He also seemed to rely on your judgment as far as most of his decision-making was concerned.

[She adds, giving Brennan a bit of an curious look.]

Forensic anthropology and applied engineering. He is competent in many related subjects. I am very comfortable trusting his work.

[Especially since she knows he gave up his twisted apprenticeship by giving up the location of Gormogon's home.

Ahaha about that.]

He is-- he responds best to logic. It made him the best choice for my intern and assistant some years ago. When he completed his doctorate, he was hired to remain with us full-time.

[And... she was the one to talk him out of Gormogon's supposed logic. So yes, perhaps he is inclined to trust her more since then.]

I'm glad to hear there are some halfway reliable and reasonable individuals here now.

[Marian approves of logic. Of course not knowing the circumstances before.... well.]

Logic seems hard to come by, considering the number of imbeciles that think they should be helping the parasites overseeing this place.

Yes, I am also glad that we are able to provide a much needed rational point of view. It must have been very frustrating for you to be one of the very few people here with any sense of the scientific.

[She feels you, Miriam.]

Parasites. That is what the Null called our abducters. [She says it with no emotion. It's a good term for them, both more accurate and more acceptable than "gods" is.] They may be correct, but that is in no way enough to prove they can be trusted over the so-called gods.

Of course not. [Marian agrees fully with that assessment, flatly. But she definitely and slowly becomes a bit more agitated as she continues on.] However, at least they have their focus on their own business, rather than dragging in people from other dimensions to serve as their own power source. Given that the parasites have made it abundantly clear they have no intention of stopping at any point in time, I think it's abundantly clear who the greater threat is.

Not just to the people brought in, but also in terms of spatiotemporal waveform stability. None of us are meant to be here. Nobody knows what's happening with our native dimensions, or how our absence is affecting them. For the few that are, how are months of the parasites' abuses going to affect their return?

Despite all of these factors, despite the persistant personal abuse heaped on us by these entities, there are still these subhuman idiots who keep talking about protecting their 'friends' instead of looking at the big picture!

[Okay it's basically a rant by this point, but Marian has really Had Enough of yahoos on the network and their excuses, and the least bit of agreement is enough to set her off.]

[Well that sure was a rant. Brennan just remains neutral as Marian carries on, glad that at least Marian's anger comes from a place of reason and logic. Quantum physics is not Brennan's area, but she can comprehend the gist of what Marian is saying. There are many variables at work here, and all of the captives brought in by the Door are now caught up in someone else's war.

After a few seconds of silence from Marian, Brennan decides that the rant is over and it is safe to speak.]

Emotional attachments tend to be irrational. If for whatever reason some of our fellow abductees have managed to form attachments to our abductors -- Stockholm syndrome, perhaps? -- then it makes sense that they would try to defend them. However, the only logical solution to all of this is to forge ahead independently of both the Null and our abductors. Neither of them can be trusted, since each of them has their own selfish aims.

Still, as an anthropologist, I must confess I am not in favor of exterminating either side. I would prefer to simply remove myself from this location and the war between the Null and the so-called gods, but I would still hope that genocide is avoided.

[Given her own point of view, Marian doesn't exactly want to be the one to point out that, supposedly, the 'gods' would die if they left. So instead she frowns, looking off at the buildings as she leads Brennan on towards the lab.]

I suppose you'd rather study what's left of the city, too. The parasites called the people that lived here before 'simple-minded', but haven't said much more than that. Of course, this is probably true given that the former inhabitants supposedly liked the parasites as well.

[She adds with some invective, not giving an inch on her own opinion.]

I would, if there were any bones to be found. There is not much I can tell about the city's prior inhabitants from the ruins.

[She really is at a disadvantage here without bones to look at, but that doesn't stop her looking around as she follows Marian.]

Although, if the temples were built by them, then they did like the supposed gods -- perhaps they even revered them as deities.

They'd like that.

[Marian grumbles, finally turning the corner to the lab and showing Brennan in. The place is cluttered - not exactly by Marian's choice - but clean enough, with piles of electronic salvage organized and stacked. There's a heater running in the corner and apparently Marian didn't turn off a single light before leaving, because they're all still on... and there are a lot of them, desk lamps and floor lamps to supplement the existing lighting.]

This is about what any researcher has to work with here. [She says, sourly. It's a long way from her old facility.] The people here before us leaned more towards the biological, but Alphys and I have made some changes since then. I also had one of their friends clear out the... things... they'd left in the refrigerator, thankfully.

Yes, especially given they feed off the electrical activity of the brain. [No emotions, only science.

The lab... is a disappointment, but she really shouldn't have expected better. The Jeffersonian has spoiled Brennan for every other lab in existence (she is exaggerating; it's entirely possible there are more advanced labs out there, even in her world), but this is even worse than the morgue she worked out of in Buenos Aires when identifying remains from the Dirty Wars.]

It is impressive if one considers there was nothing here when you began collecting pieces of equipment. [Spoilers: she does not look impressed.] What do you mean, leaned more towards the biological?

[If there was moldy food in the fridge, then it is good it was thrown out. No one needs food poisoning.]

[Marian isn't exactly impressed either, to be fair. Going from her own built-from-the-ground-up state of the art lab to this is a massive change.

She shudders at the thought of the... stuff... she'd found in the fridge.]

Parts left over from some... thing in the tunnels or coliseum, no doubt. I assume they were studying it. There's a microscope and some other items that neither Alphys nor myself needed stored in the back room.

Unfortunately this is the state of affairs here. I had speculated before that the parasites didn't like explicable technology, as a way of explaining why so many drawn here are fond of describing their abilities as 'magic'. Now with the Null's arrival, I think we can see why.

Parts? Were there bones?

[She's really, really been hoping for some remains, even those of some long-dead creature.]

A microscope would be useful to me, assuming there is anything I can examine.

[Forgive her a frown. Brennan is quite bored, if she's honest.]

I believe they are refusing to explain their technology to us. However, if it is the only tactical advantage they have against the Null... [She sighs, clearly displeased.] I cannot begrudge them that.

[That leaves them at a distinct loss here, but they will work with what they have.]

What have you and Alphys found? Relevant findings, of course, or anything that informs our situation here.

Yes... and other thing. If you're interested, Kate Galloway is the one who took their... specimen away. I believe she can usually be found at the clinic.

You're welcome to look through what we've gotten so far, although you may find Alphys' notes are a bit... harder to decipher. [Marian still doesn't 'get' magic, okay. Has just learned to deal with it. And besides, Alphys does her work in a systematic way, that's fine. It only bugs her when she tries to get into the details and has noooo idea.]

[Brennan nods. That is not much, but it stays her displeasure at the idea that remains may have been disposed of without a thorough examination.] I will ask her about the remains.

In what way are they harder to decipher? Are they in a different language?

[She knows that Alphys is a monster -- another species, and not the same kind of monster that Sans is. It is extremely unlikely that she does not know another language.

In any case, Brennan walks around the lab, looking closer at some things than others, clearly interested but not sure where to begin. It's hard without bones, but she will adjust. She will manage.]

There is enough to catch up on to keep me occupied. I will be able to assist better when I am not completely ignorant to what you and Alphys have already done.

[Which is to say, she is going to work with you both, whether you like it or not... unless you tell her very, very plainly that you do not want her around.]

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einselective - 2017-08-17 01:37 (UTC) - Expand

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notimpervious - 2017-08-17 18:55 (UTC) - Expand

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