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Location: Magician Alliance’s school, Bavarian space
Time: 10/15/G.R. 2014; 2:04 pm
Description: Retrieval Log of BB-C-W-09982


Hölzer: Jo and Sigmund, I want you both to stay back near the cauldron away from the hallway. You’ve barely learned to apply your magical abilities to combat and I want you both safe.
Magical students: Professor Hölzer, isn’t there anything we can do to help?
Hölzer: Just keep out of harm’s way and let me take care of them. I’ve handled situations like these before.


Hölzer: I will consider negotiating if you can guarantee the safe passage of my students. Consider this generous, as I’ve dealt with Trattorian Recovery Forces in the past without issue.


TRF Commander: All TRF-42524 operatives disregard communications from the reality-bender and proceed towards securing the objective.
TRFs: Affirmative, commander.


Hölzer: I see my offer fell on deaf ears. Well then—if you can’t assure the safety of my students, then I’ll have to do that myself.
TRF Commander: All operatives please be advised of imminent anomalous activity of an offensive nature.


The TRFs’ bullets embedded themselves against a magical barrier before clattering to the ground.
TRF Commander: Do not panic, operatives. Such ploys are guaranteed to arise when dealing with Type-M’s.


A gust of wind strikes a TRF operative in the mid-section, crushing his internal organs before he could scream.
TRF Operative: Commander, do we have any special strategy? We’ll all die proceeding like this.


TRF Commander: Our goal is to delay the Type-M for as long as needed until backup arrives. Casualties are acceptable and expected.


TRF Commander: What the hell?
The air swirls around the commander’s feet, picking him up and waving him around upside-down in the air.
Hölzer: You foolish Trattorians, thinking your guns and technology can stop our magic. Magic is by its definition impossible and unbounded—if you limit yourself, then of course we’ll always wi—


An explosion erupted from the mage’s torso, spraying blood and fragments of gut over the surroundings.
TRF Commander: Oof! Well, I’m glad that’s over.


TRF Commander: Took you long enough to get here, though.
TRF Operative: Sorry, but I have the feeling the engineers who designed the Quantum-Tunnel Cannon wrote the accompanying manual for physics Ph.D.’s. They made even something as simple as loading the ammunition convoluted and confusing.
TRF Commander: Well, we still have a mission to complete.


TRF Commander: First, let’s terminate all unauthorized witnesses and potential future reality-benders.


TRF Commander: And now, we secure our mission objective.
TRF Operative: Really, that little thing? Why would the Council possibly want some random magical teacher’s alchemy experiment contained?
TRF Commander: I don’t think I’ll ever understand the Council. A bunch of shut-in dysfunctional scientists on high with an ego-trip, they’re beyond the comprehension of a bunch of soldiers like us. In any case...


TRF Commander: This is TRF-42524 to command, confirming the retrieval of BB-C-W-09982.

This is a surprise. Nice use of clear pieces.

You can tell she is a serious reality bender because of the horrifying wooden expanse that you can see outside the windows.

Hölzer wrote:Magic is by its definition impossible and unbounded.

Even for pissed off Space Crusaders?

Spoiler

Show

@ Topic: That are some nice pics, you've got here. I'm already hyped to see more stuff.

All I could think of while reading is "geez kid has wall panels older than himself, judging by the yellowing".

The big gun was really cool.

I guess collecting pee samples from magical girls is a new fetish.

Tzan wrote:I guess collecting pee samples from magical girls is a new fetish.

Fucking hell Tzan, you had to go there didn't you?

I guess I'm only jelly I didn't go there first.

Location: Soledad
Time: 10/16/G.R. 2014, 4:44 pm
Description: Project Proposals Requiring Council of Scientists Approval


Dr. Herndon: Dr. Liang, have you not ever considered restructuring the Black Box Bureau into a semi-autonomous, independent agency? It expends much of the valuable time of the Council of Scientists to have to deal with these hogwash Black Box projects mixed in with legitimate scientific undertakings.
Dr. Liang: Dr. Kruszewski used to handle much of the bureaucratic work, but you know what happened with the Space Mafia. In any case...


Dr. Liang: Would the next presenter please come forth and commence?


???: Gladly.


Dr. Mikoto: I am Dr. Mikoto, Director-General of the Trattorian Energy Commission and 2007 Nobel laureate in Chemistry. Today I am here to propose a study into the practical applications of BB-C-W-09982.


Dr. Mikoto: The Trattorian Energy Commission is a semi-autonomous agency of the Science Department, dedicated to research initiatives developing better and more practical energy production and storage methods. Through increased access to power, we aim to achieve widespread enjoyment of Trattoria’s Tek Level 7 among the Citizenry.


Dr. Mikoto: Preliminary research into BB-C-W-09982 through computer modeling of its structure reveals incredible promise as a portable energy source.


Dr. Mikoto: Interestingly enough, the phenomenon predicted of BB-C-W-09982 resembles that studied in G.R. 2013 by a team of Akkadian physicists led by Professor Schneider. Via the inducement of a quantum lattice structure, BB-C-W-09982 may be able to attain an exotic negative temperature state of motional degrees of freedom and thus achieve greater than 100% efficiency in a Carnot heat engine. Central to this is a mathematical interpretation of the Boltzmann distribution, a full derivation of which may be found in the written proposal I submitted prior to this presentation. Obviously, this holds astonishing implications for the usage of BB-C-W-09982 as a portable power source and storage substance.


Dr. Mikoto: Despite its status as Tek Level 7, an uninformed glance at Trattoria might indicate otherwise. The primary cause for this is the confinement or limited spread of much of our most advanced technology to industrial or experimental use among the higher echelons of our society. In turn, much of our most advanced technology requires copious amounts of energy to function. Thusly, aligned with the TEC’s overarching guiding principle, this study would seek to rectify this impasse. We would also decrease our dependence on foreign Scythian antimatter, and increased portability would enable TRF units in engagements against other technologically-advanced factions of interest, such as RARCom.


Dr. Mikoto: I will assume you or an assistant reviewed the budgetary manifests, project timetables, and endorsements in the submitted written proposal. The TEC and the Sun Engineering Corporation will defray much of the cost of this enterprise, with the Council only needing to provide the Black Box itself.


Dr. Mikoto: Any further inquiries?


Dr. Liang: This proposal is preposterous. The TEC may have its own mission, but the Black Box Bureau is dedicated to the termination or research into the termination of all anomalies. If we tolerate research into the exploitation of anomalies, we might as well don pointy wizard hats and tattered robes and chant during experiments. This is what separates Trattorian science from Bavarian magic.


Dr. Herndon: Well, to refine the Chief Scientist’s sentiment, we do occasionally permit the use of a small handful of Lithium-class Black Boxes if they represent an essential enabler of other legitimate scientific research. The most famous example is probably BB-P-Li-00757, the cornerstone of neutrina production and Trattoria’s intergalactic program. However, a Wolfram-class designation is mostly hypothetical and lacks the impetus necessary for approval.


Dr. Ong: I object to this proposal with no reservations. Reckless research without necessary precautions or motivation is more often counterproductive—one need look no further than the Terminate Accords to see what that approach bought our counterparts in RARCom. Be it further resolved that research into anomalies represents condoning of magic, running counter to every principle for which the Trattorian Science Department stands.


Dr. Mikoto: Science aims to explain the universe around us—denying the existence of anomalies instead of attempting to explain or replicate them in the lab makes you no better than the Cuthulic Church in terms of dogmatism. We live in the same world and under the same physical laws as the magicians of Bavaria and Krakow—what distinguishes us from them is not our worldview and theoretical frameworks, but how we approached said frameworks. We employ an inductive method of experimentation to formulate general conclusions to apply to general cases and to understand the BrikVerse. Every time science has encountered something inexplicable—the celestial motions, the electromagnetic nature of light, the inconsistency of relativity and quantum mechanics—science did not die, it grew stronger and advanced. I merely ask of you to allow me to continue that scientific method you claim so strongly to uphold.


Dr. Yuan: I feel Dr. Mikoto may have a point. Would it not be a much more effective way of eliminating “anomalies” if we were to instead attempt to construct a rational explanation for their function or existence?


Dr. Ong: Dr. Yuan, have you gone mad? Such imprudence on our part would lead only to the ruin and desolation of our nation. Science may advance by explaining the unknown, but the, say, wave-particle duality never threatened to massacre and destroy us like many of these Black Boxes do.


Dr. Herndon: I propose a compromise. Let us authorize Dr. Mikoto’s project provided that all official involvement of the CoS is sealed. If anything goes awry, we will take necessary steps to cover it up. Dr. Mikoto, you will later receive the Black Box from Site 45 on Unicité and discreetly transport it to your lab on Soledad via a private shuttle. Is this proposition agreeable to you?


Dr. Mikoto: Yes, I am willing to accept these accommodations.


Dr. Liang: Very well then, let the Council take the matter up to vote. All members, please express your support or disapproval of Dr. Mikoto’s proposal.


Dr. Liang: By a 3-2 vote, the Council has agreed to permit you access to and use of BB-C-W-09982. Please avoid its mismanagement.


Dr. Mikoto: Thank you for this opportunity.

what? i do not understand.

I'm watching Ghostbusters right now and can't help but draw parallels.

It is strange how only the men accepted her idea, it is also strange how they can't be bothered to wash their clothes even on important days like this, or is camouflage?

motorhead fan wrote:It is strange how only the men accepted her idea, it is also strange how they can't be bothered to wash their clothes even on important days like this, or is camouflage?

It's called using your fucking brain to understand the limitations of working in the medium of lego. Back when I first started making Trattorian scientists, this torso was the only good labcoat design available to me, and now they've become kind of trademark so I can't change it. It's pretty obvious that they don't actually have acid stains on their coats, it's just a limitation of approximating them as minifigs.

EDIT: Sorry if I sound aggressive, it's just that I've gotten this comment too often and it bothers me now.

Don't worry Colette, I was only joking

Good opportunity to retkon a funny justification. Like, those aren't acid stains, they're the map of the Trattorian continents, so that the Council members always remember their responsibility to the glory of Trattoria. Or a graphic representation of a core scientific principle or something.



Alternately, you could just get some Brasso (or photoshop) and erase the blotches.