A Certain Amperian Loop

[Zupponn]

Now this is where she becomes the hero in exile.

[SwedesInSpace]

this is very cool.

[BFenix]

I gotta say, these are being excellently executed. Good work, colette.

[Silent-sigfig]

AHA!

So they're not soup stains after all!

[cleanupcrew]

Soledad, Doctrinum System, Mer Rep of Trattoria


Dr. Mikoto: What in the entropy...
Dr. Yuan: Good afternoon doctor. Please remain calm—I am not here to sanction you. After all, I did order the deployment of TRF-42524 to ensure your safety.
Dr. Mikoto: You were the one?
Dr. Yuan: That is correct. I also handled all of your paperwork—you are free to return home and continue work tomorrow. If you notice anything unwonted, please feel free to contact me.

[cleanupcrew]

Soledad, Doctrinum System, Mer Rep of Trattoria






Dr. Mikoto: Hello there, what would bring you two to my lab?
???: I'm an enforcer for the Trattorian Legal Department.
???: And I'm with the Science Department's Ethics Committee.
Dr. Mikoto: We had an Ethics Committee?


???: You're coming with us.

[Silverdream]

Oh shit.

[Silent-sigfig]

*have an ethics committee.

[cleanupcrew]

Undisclosed location, ???


Legal Department Enforcer: As a Trattorian Citizen, you are entitled to certain rights and privileges. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be used against you in the proceedings of a court of law. You have the right to an attorney...
The Enforcer surveys the barren desert.
Legal Department Enforcer: ...oops, oh well. In any case, cooperate with us so we may settle this matter in a civil manner.
Dr. Mikoto: On what charges have you detained me and chosen to interrogate me in the middle of a desolate wasteland?
Legal Department Enforcer: Failure to report exposure to a controlled or hazardous substance. The Chief Attorney recently subpoenaed the Council of Scientists for documents on the Black Box Bureau...and we are not impressed with what you whitecoat-types have been up to.


Dr. Mikoto: Please, I was cleared by a Department Chair to return to work. Shouldn't that be enough evidence that my exposure no longer poses a—


Legal Department Enforcer: Look at me and see if I give one law clerk's ass about what your ego-tripping Council says. The Legal Department is the arbitrator and enforcer of Trattoria, a duty you whitecoats have treaded too far into. We are the law.


Legal Department Enforcer: Now, let's answer some questions, shall we? Report any suspicious activity that has occurred since your release from the hospital and tell us everything you know about this "Project Amperian Loop".
Dr. Mikoto: I don't know anything about Project Amperian Loop, although I did notice one unusual thing...


Dr. Mikoto: That I gained the ability to do this!




Dr. Yuan: Bravo, bravo!
Dr. Mikoto: What the hell? How are you here? Do you have anything to do with those two louts on the ground?


Dr. Yuan: To the contrary—I teleported here to clear up the misunderstanding, although I suppose this is no longer necessary. I must say, that skill you have gained represents quite an interesting development.
Dr. Mikoto: Well, uh...
Dr. Yuan: Do not worry, I will not allow the Black Box Bureau or the other Council members to harm you.


Dr. Yuan: Bearing this reassurance in mind, when did you begin to notice your anomalous ability to manipulate electromagnetism?
Dr. Mikoto: The first incident occurred a few days after I was released, while I was fixing a toaster. After that...I did experiment a bit, but I kept it discreet to avoid episodes like this or "disappearing" at the hands of the BBB.


Dr. Yuan: Excellent, we'll discuss more when we return to civilization. Just take my sleeve and we'll teleport back to Chemistry Sub-Department headquarters.

[Zupponn]

What a twist it would be, if they didn't end up there after the teleport.

[Tzan]

They end up in a car on a dark road in the forest, stalled at the side of the road.
He explains that his teleporter ran out of gas.
She totally believes him.
They start to make out.

[The Shadowscythe]

Oh my, what a shocking twist.

[IVhorseman]

They end up in a car on a dark road in the forest, stalled at the side of the road.
He explains that his teleporter ran out of gas.
She totally believes him.
They start to make out.

Yeah I'm gonna throw a fit if this doesn't happen.

But really, the fact that she didn't immediately clam up and demand a lawyer makes me wonder if she's really qualified for political office.

[cleanupcrew]

Soledad, Doctrinum System, Mer Rep of Trattoria


Dr. Yuan: Dr. Mikoto, this is Dr. Chowdhury. He's a surgeon at the BrikFaden Medical Research Hospital.
Dr. Chowdhury: A pleasure to meet you both, Department Chair Yuan and Director-General Mikoto.
Dr. Mikoto: Likewise.


Dr. Yuan: Guards, stay posted outside. Do not allow anyone or anything to interrupt us, and ensure the confidentiality of this gathering.


Dr. Mikoto: Well, what is it that you wanted to discuss with me and Dr. Chowdhury?
Dr. Yuan: Please settle yourself on the stretcher. A medical examination may be in order in light of your new abilities. Do not concern yourself, the BBB isn't involved with this.


Dr. Mikoto: Well, what now?
Dr. Yuan: Please recline on the stretcher.
Dr. Mikoto: Do you really need a surgeon for a simple—
Dr. Yuan: Please recline.


Dr. Yuan: This room is entirely coated in plastic or glass. Dr. Chowdhury is wearing insulated, non-conducting surgical scrubs and holding a ceramic scalpel. I, of course, have my shield. It's checkmate for you.
Dr. Mikoto: Checkmate for what?
A sneer crept on Dr. Yuan's lips.
Dr. Yuan: I do have to thank you though, for being such a useful guinea pig. Acquiring traditional test subjects leaves such a messy, easily-followed paper trail. You, on the other hand, presented me with a such a perfect opportunity...


Dr. Yuan: That vial didn't shatter from a stray bullet—that bullet was directed, on my orders. Your eagerness to play with the Black Box and Dr. Herndon's proposed compromise played right into my hands.


Dr. Yuan: Tell me, have you ever wondered what was behind those black bars and "data expunged" tags? The chemical BB-C-W-09982 requires a biological host to exhibit its miraculous energy-production properties, attributable to its origin in Yellow Electric Rats. The Magicians Alliance was using the Bavarian magical school we raided as a front to test data they stole on RARCom’s secret esper project, an attempt to create superpowered minifigs using substances such as BB-C-W-09982. It would appear I beat them both to the punch.
Dr. Mikoto: Are you telling me that you're consorting with magic?
Dr. Yuan: Of course I can't let the Council know that...so in the process of "terminating" you, I'll collect a few biopsies. Dr. Chowdhury will get an amnesiac and I'll expunge all the records, leaving no witnesses. A few months afterward, I'll publish a paper detailing a new, non-anomalous substance with promising energy productions similar to, but not quite, BB-C-W-09982. Then every TRF could have a Lancelot shield and relativistic railgun courtesy of the results of that study.


Dr. Chowdhury: What the entropy! Lie back down at once!
Dr. Mikoto: Dr. Yuan, as supposedly the best chemist in Trattoria...


Dr. Mikoto: ...I'm surprised you forgot one important source of metal still in this room...
Dr. Yuan: What?! The MA documents never indicated a rise in fine control this dramatic! You're bluffing!


Dr. Mikoto: The average minifig holds enough iron in their blood to condense to a sphere 4.95 millimeters in radius.


Dr. Yuan: You're laboring under a delusion if you think you could possibly harm me through this shield!
Dr. Mikoto: Of course, I won't aim at you.


Dr. Mikoto: On a side note, you mentioned powering railguns with this ability?


Dr. Mikoto: Let me tell you something: I am a railgun.


Dr. Yuan: ...


The supersonic iron ball shatters the floor, tripping Dr. Yuan.
Dr. Mikoto: It's just as I thought, your shield deactivates when you get knocked over.


Dr. Mikoto: Even though I'm a ranked scientist and a Nobel laureate, you still dared to treat me like a test subject?
Dr. Yuan: From the top, everyone below admittedly looks the same...
Dr. Mikoto: You're right...


Dr. Mikoto: ...because I'm looking down on you right now.

[Zupponn]

Who turned out the lights? Oh, the suspense!!!