14934/Paradox: One slide

Paradox: One slide
Date of Scene:	17 May 2023
Location:	Reed's Labs - Four Freedom Plaza
Synopsis:	Johnny stops by the lab and sees all of Reed's spinning plates. Then asked him for relationship advice (not really).
Cast of Characters:	Reed Richards, Johnny Storm

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Reed Richards has posed:
While the description of the lab does it absolutely no justice, it is actual fully functional by almost every standard known to man. With several prototype devices that defy logic, let alone scientific understanding for the time. This is, almost always, where someone might find Reed Richards. Standing at one of the stations leaning over an electron microscope with a, ironicaally enough, old model video recorder standing on a traditional stand pointed in his direction. "After seventy two hours, the cellular mitosis continues after being exposed to lethal doses of gamma radiation. At this time-" making a micro-adjustment to the magnification, "-the cell has regrown ninty percent of it's entire DNA structure with little to no external stimulation."

A small device in his hand pauses the recording as he straightens.

While few would think Reed Richards was already passed Sixty, his hair has begun to grey, though he physically resembles someone far younger by comparison. Due to the blast of Theta Rays the Fantastic Four were exposed to, their cellular regeneration continues long after most had begun to degrade.

Which isn't to say they don't age, it's obvious that they do, but they do so at a singificantly slower rate than normal humans. Yet another benefit of Reed's most well-known failure. "This is fascinating." Brow curling as he leans down to check his notes on a holographic tablet. Adding new observations to the database. Pressing the button to continue the recording, "Specimen seventy nine has become totally mutated by the exposure to brood embryotic stim cells."

Johnny Storm has posed:
Johnny Storm has a frown on his face today. There's something bugging him, and the solution isn't readily apparent. Perhaps the smartest person he knows can help him. After brushing down after helping out in Shop class, he's off to Four Freedom Plaza.

His trip to the lab was taken leisurely, which is to say a little hotdogging in his convertible, but nothing that needed to win a land-speed race. The wind in his hair was nice, and checkups in the rear-view mirror confirmed what he already knows. Still, one must still keep an eye on things.

Still, the issue, amongst other things. A sniff to the inside of her wrist, a cupping of the hand to his mouth. A sniff and...what in blazes is wrong with that cologne and mouthwash today. "Hey Reed."

Johnny ventures further into the lab, his figure distorting according to the beakers and other translucent chemistry equipment he passes behind on the way to Mr. Fantastic. Clucking his tongue, he chin-lifts as if the perfectly fine button-up collar is too tight. One of his fingers does the dust spot-test, dragging along the edge of a table as he catches some of the jargon. His possibly superficial peeves get slid to the side as he peers hawkishly at the high-tech and low-tech employed. "Uh oh, what's due tomorrow in Class? Is this...a good fascinating, or one that we need to be locking down the building?"

Reed Richards has posed:
While still looking through the microscope, Reed lifts a finger to forestall greetings from Johnny when his brother-in-law speaks up, "The 'new host' has developed specialized cytosis to consume biological material present in the native atmosphere. Converting the RNA code of toxins to change them the base sequence to nutrients despite the dangers to the original cell." His hand comes down, reaching for the device to pause the recording, and stands with a brief, tight smile on his face.

His beard, while groomed, has gotten away from him a bit. It makes him look older due to the white at the temples where it meets his hair. "Johnny." He says in greeting, offering his hand. As one would expect, he's in his typical lab attire: A lab coat over his unstable molecule costume. Worn specifically due to it's protective qualities in, what could be, a very dangerous environment given the suddenly grave expression on his face.

"No, not quite." He motions to a holographic display, inviting his young friend over to take a closer look. "You are familiar with the species known as The Brood? I recieved a dossier packet from then Avengers with relative research and declassified SHIELD intelligence on them. Including a a replicated embryotic sample."

Pointing to the microscope. "They represent a fairly dangerous threat to all of the galaxy if unchecked, but they are also bioligically exquisite." Hands on his hips, looking at the display showing one of the creatures in it's full, mutated bug-form. "They are a xenomorphic parasitic species that reproduce by laying eggs in hosts and mutating them at their cellular level until they become part of the collective." His brown eyes sparkle slightly blue in the display light. "Simply incredible."

Johnny Storm has posed:
Johnny freezes in mid-stride, about to lay in with more flippants remarks, his tongue still partly curled to enunciate. He holds, though the wrinkles at the edges of his eyes crinkle in a way that suggests effort. With a crooked, but good-natured grin, he closes the distance. The offered hand is grasped and shook.

The warmth and jocularity takes a hit when the B-word is dropped and a little data is shared. With some hesitation, he rakes his hair from his brow and side-eyes the holo display. The more is sees, the more his mouth develops into a deeper frown. "Woah. I can definitely believe these roaches are from out of town." he huffs out the breath in his lungs.

There is a pause. Johnny's keen eyes pull away from the display with difficulty, because those visuals are arresting in how terrible they are, coupled with the nasty reproductive habits. But what really helps to stop rubber-necking at the aliens, is he just caught sight of Reed's expression.

"What? No." Johnny gives his head a shake and squints at Reed. "Why on Earth would they send you a sample and not put on a heavy boot and jump hard? They look like...the woooorst. Egg laying parasites, hosts...and that means, what, hive minds and swarms? Hey, stop it! I know that look!" Now it's Johnny's turn to lift his index finger to forestall anything further. Holding it aloft like a crucifix before a vampire.

Reed Richards has posed:
Reed continues to stare up at the holo-image even once Johnny has turned away to regard Richards himself. The look on his face is one of scientific curiosity, certainly, and not a small bit of admiration. Though it's not out of hand, "They wouldn't have sent it to me if they weren't intent on containing, if not outright destroying, them." His face pulls into a frown, though it lacks any genuine sadness. Even as he is intrigued by them, he definitely understands the threat they represent.

"I simply mean that they are an evolutionary anomoly and, because of that, rather quite interesting. Even a single Brood Queen can reproduce their entire population in a matter of... hours.. given the right stimuli and advantageous environmental conditions."

That's all conjecture, however. And he waves his hand from off his hip with the frown becoming a loose grin. "Don't worry, I'm not thinking of combining them with human DNA to create a super soldier alien race or anything." Asked nobody.

"What I'm actually attempting, my specific intent, is to isolate a sequence of their DNA that I can monitor on a cellular level. Create a force-field specifically against fully mutated, and recently impregnanted, individuals." Which leads him back to his microscope. "Where I'm running into hiccups is determining at what point the embrotic mitosis begins. With the right application, and further research, we would not only be able to protect certain locations from their invasion, but remove the eggs before they begin to mutate the hsot."

He looks down to the small holographic display showing his data, casually, distractedly. "Was there something you needed or is this a social visit?" Glancing up with that same distracted look in his brown eyes. Like he's looking at Johnny, but seeing something he's thinking about.

Johnny Storm has posed:
Johnny's lips press together tightly. His eyeballs are threatening to dry out, and when the sting starts he makes up for lost blinks with a bunch of lash-fluttering. He's not going to let out a sigh of relief just yet. He's holding it in reserve, waiting for the other beaker to drop.

"If anyone can figure it out, it'll be you." he offers, though he's still a bit rattled. He takes in a deep breath and scratches at his neckline, giving the holographic horrors another glance. "For a minute there it almost sounding like you were trying come up with a birth control pill for E.T. Which, for the record, you have my full support."

Johnny hrmpfs and sniffs, turning on a heel back to regard Reed. "Nothing pressing, I've just finished a class. I, uh, met this woman through an acquaintance, mother of one of the really gifted students. I don't know if it's me, but, the smell of her perfume lingers. SHe's a nice gal. I swear it's mixing with my aftershave. Can't place it, can't pin it down, like when you're trying to remember something that used to be sharp and clear." he frowns, bemused. "Hey, maybe it's pheromones, like an Ant Queen. And she's snared another dumb drone." He laughs, but it's not full throated, past misadventures in love are rocky roads.

"Let's call it a social visit. You've definitely helped clear my head of some small things, and replaced it with others of a bigger scale."

Reed Richards has posed:
Despite Johnny's indication that, while he may approve, he's glad Reed wasn't coming up with a means to stop Brood reproduction, it is clear that as soon as he speaks it into the universe, Reed's mind immediately latches onto it. His head ticks to the side, a little clip, precisely when it is suggested. And one brow curls up thoughtfully. "Huh." He blows out a surprised sound, not so much that Johnny had suggested something he hadn't considered, but that it hadn't even occurred to him at all.

"You might be onto something." He steps up to his microscope, imediately forgetting that he'd asked Johnny to explain the circumstances that had brought his friend to the lab. He makes quiet sounds that suggest he's listening. "Mhm." here, "Certainly." There..

But when he glances back up at the blonde younger brother, it's with his brow furrowing considerably. It takes a minute, tumbling over what he'd heard, putting it into perspective that Johnny had said it, and then wrapping around to the fore-front of his thoughts. The furrow only grows deeper, "You're not quite old enough for new onset dementia." Said thoughtfully, now stepping over to Johnny with a pen-light.

He reaches out and pushes one of the man's eyelids open to shine the light directly in one blue eye eye. "No notable signs of demenished pupilary response." Unless stopped he'll duplicate it on the other side. After a moments worth of quiet, he shakes his head. "Perhaps you fancy her? Have you asked her to the schools Ice Cream social?" He is, at this point, teasing.

Only in Reed's usual deadpan tone.

Johnny Storm has posed:
Johnny's reaction to the suggestion he's old causses him to instinctively pull a face. It's an expression that's full denial of time's inescapable march, of any such withering of his senses or mental faculties, but also highlights just how many wrinkles he's earned thus far.

The impromptu checkup is endured as long as it's quick and efficient, and there's few that can try and measure up Reed Richards when he's inquisitive.

Johnny steps back after his second lid is released and the bright light isn't illuminating the back of his eyeballs any longer. More rapid blinks and then fingers and thumbs to massage them closed. "Good, that should take care of any upcoming physicals for my piloting licenses at least."

When his hand is removed and he can look at Reed again, Johnny's expression almost matches Reed's tone. He offers a low grunt and grown and raises a hand to swipe at the air to dimiss the friendly teasing. "Yeah yeah, not...quite...old enough, yet. Ice Cream Social, then a bit of the Lindy Hop if she's really swell at dancing. All you need is love, according to a couple songs."

Another thought, because he's sighting on the beard growth on Reed's face. "You've been working on your project for awhile. How long have you been enjoying all this recycled air?" Or spoken to another human being for that matter. "Fallen for the sweet siren song of Science."

Reed Richards has posed:
The penlight is clicked off and slipped back in the pocket of his lab coat once it has been used as a prop in his impromptu physical and teasing. Though Reed has never been known for his sense of humor, he still occationally parts with a moment of levity in these dark times. What with the holographic image of a Brood hovering meer feet away from them and the processor churning up test specimen another six behind him.

His grin, though not as expressive as some, is expressive enough for him.

"Then it's a blessing and a curse that I married into the family." Had time marched on without Reed, they might all be far worse off. While he rarely likes to harp upon his greatest success, which so happens to be one of his greatest failures... actually he loves harping on it.

Who are we kidding.

There are few things Reed is less eager to talk about than his science. With the exclusion of his children... possibly. "Perhaps you can go steady and have her wear your letterman jacket?" The grin only widens with his arms laid across his thin chest.

As for how long he's been here? Reed sucks his teeth and shakes his head, "I'll have you know that I left the lab only a few nights hence. I was requested by one of the Kryptonians to come investigate one of their cloaked ships.. truly remarkable technology, actually." He points off to another section of the lab where a small black object is hovering in a containment field.

"It all works by a material known as sunstone from their home planet of Krypton. Which, if my readings are correct, has the unique property to absorb the radiation to such a finite degree that it actually alters the structure." He stands with his hands on his hips, staring.

"They call it kryptonite, though shit is not a specimen. This is actually, black kryptonite. I'm hoping that I can isolate the trace radiative bleed from this rock to create a broad spectrum scanning device to detect any vessel with similar properties in or out of a cloak field."

Which is a long winded way of saying, as he turns to face Johnny. "I was in the Sahara Desert three nights ago."

Johnny Storm has posed:
When it comes to the interesting dynamics of the family, Johnny understands some, through thick and thin. And occasional sabbaticals in alternate dimenions. He gives Reed a wry grin.

Johnny cocks his hip and shoves his hands into the pockets of his pants. Following the gesture to the strange substance, another one, that's been entrusted into Mr. Fantastic's care. His eyebrows lifting with the mention of ships. Space. Ships. "Ah, well, now this is interesting." One might already know what parts he'd be most interested in about things that fly. "And less problematic."

Blowing upwards with a temporary underbite to get the best play of hair upon his brow, he squares his shoulders back like he was putting on a flight harness. "A whole three nights ago, huh?" His hands itch as he considers how interesting it would be to take Kryptonian bird for a spin. "So you've sort of been to the beach, in a way. Can't fault you for staying still in one place too long then. Hey wait a minute, isn't kryptonite, any kind, the thing that gives the Supes such an issue? It's like the taboo, big no-no. And incredibly rare. This sort of technology something that'll benefit the Team?"

Reed Richards has posed:
Reed shakes his head in good natured amusement at Johnny's blowing at his hair, with his own hands shoved down into the deep pockets of his imacculate white lab-coat. His own hair is short and, despite the jokes, groomed. Mostly that means slicked back with a few loose strands of auburn and grey, but he's put enough effort in to not look as though he just rolled out of bed. They are statesmen, after all. Someone might contact him and he may need to make an appearance. He doesn't want to look like a ragamuffin.

Who still calls people ragamuffin?

"It's unfortunate that you weren't here, I would have brought you along. She seemed interested in showing off the technology, so it is very likely she would have allowed you to fly it. If I suggested it might be beneficial in my developing a device to scan for a moving cloaked vessel." Obviously it wouldn't just be for Johnny's amusement.

Indirectly, however?

"Ah, yes. In a way.. This, however, is neither. In and of itself this did not seem to be determental to her as other exposure has been shown to." He points at the hovering black rock. "This was just a byproduct of an experiment we ran. I asked-" He did not ask, "-if I could have a sample. In hindsight, I wish I'd requested a sample of the undamaged sunstone." He muses, shaking his head.

"Regardless. I believe that it still puts off a great deal of energy despite being damaged... and it will certainly benefit the Kryptonian's if I'm able to isolate the signature for them to scan and track." His hand returns to his pocket, eyes upon the hovering black object.

"These crystals make up the entirety of their technology. Radiation loops alter it for their needs.. create anything you can imagine. Holographic terminals, exact data storage..." He nods, "And flying vessels capable of intergalactic space flight. Remarkable, right?"

Johnny Storm has posed:
"Hey, all those New Age Hippies were on to something?" Johnny quips with all the aplumb of a late night talk show Host.

There's a She involved, and his mental rolodex flip-flips to do some matching of faces with names, purely from a hearsay vantage. His mouth starts to form words of the ask he has, but with some self-control, he keeps that under wraps for now. Instead he takes a different tactic. "Well, if you need an excuse to see her again, let me fill in that position. You know I'm always the helpful sort. Maybe I get to take a spin, and you can have another crack at research materials. Win win. Winner winner chicken dinner." he winks.

Running his tongue over his teeth, he considers all the different applications that could come out of crystaline matrices. "You've got a lot on the go. Aliens, crystals and Kryptonians, oh my. Radiation...what can't it do." Another bit of joking from Johnny. "Remarkable, yeah, so long as it isn't giving off the bad kind of R's. Right? The good kind, the strange kind, the bad kind."

Reed Richards has posed:
Reed actually laughs. A clipped sound as he shakes his head and hits a key on the display where the black rock is hovering in a containment field that prevents any, potentially, harmful radiation from bleeding off. When he does, it is being bombarded with all forms of known isotopes, though that is not visually apparent. Just another experiment that just came to the genius.

"I'll certainly keep you in mind." He assures the blonde man with a nod, turning to walk back towards the microscope. "Which reminds me, very soon, within a week, I'll need the whole family for an experimental test run of the teleportation device." He leans over the lense, adjusting the magnification with his voice already taking on that distracted quality. The one where he's checking out socially and returning to his research.

While he is not at all dismissive, he in fact enjoys these interruptions, once his mind returns to work it's next to impossible to pull him away from it. "If you see Sue, please tell her that I will be a little late for dinner?" He says without glancing up. "Let me know how your ice cream social goes, hm?"