3254/Ant-ennas for a Wasp Girl

Ant-ennas for a Wasp Girl
Date of Scene:	27 August 2020
Location:	Hank Pym's Laboratory
Synopsis:	Nadia ventures into Hanks lab wanting to learn more about her mother and receives the gift of hymenoptera communication!
Cast of Characters:	Nadia Pym-van Dyne, Hank Pym

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Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
It's been a little over a week since Jennifer Walters, aka the She-Hulk, informed Hank and Nadia about the Special Diplomatic Attache of the New York Russian Consulate showing up at Avengers Mansion. Its been a lot to take in and process for Nadia. All of these things about the mother she never knew other than a picture who may or may not still be alive, nevermind the affects it has had on her father both out of concern for her and anger at those who would tread on the beloved memories of his first wife, taken so young when they still had so much life ahead of them.

So it is, with more questions than could ever be answered about her mother swirling in her head, that Nadia has found her way into her father's laboratory.

The summer heat has been brutal and of late to stay cool she has taken to wearing black shorts and a sports bra around the house in order to stay cool, what would likely be a very surprising amount of toned muscle to anyone unfamiliar with her background, including 6pack abs. Seemingly out of place with the beat the heat exercise attire though, she also has a colorful silk scarf draped around her neck. The keepsake of her mother that she recently received from her father.

In turn she has also found her way to a part of the lab she previously never had much interest in, the insect communication machinery. The realization that this was all her mother's brainchild however has brought renewed interest from Nadia, even fascination. And now she she now stands before the huge wall installation studying its settings, dials, antennas, and readouts, trying to figure out just how this technology works.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym was working on a small device elsewhere. He did not hear the pad of little feet. He probably wouldn't hear a gun go off. But the door to the In-Comm gear opening? That he'd hear. It would wake him from a dead sleep. Hank never modernized the gear. Newer components from S.T.A.R. or Stark or Starrware could probably let him miniaturize it to fit in a suitcase. He won't. Part of it is nostalgia and part of it is making the gear nearly impossible to steal or transport or even understand for younger people. He makes no attempt to muffle his step as he sees his daughter standing in front of the bank of lights, monitors, and an old voice synthesizer. He notes the scarf and for a moment wonders if he is suffering from a cardiac event, his chest seeming ready to burst.

This is almost immediately overridden by his daughter's lack of clothing. He tables that for later discussion. Maybe Jan can say something? He clears his throat as steps up and puts an arm around her shoulders. You do not simply touch Nadia, take a chance on surprising her. He puts his face beside hers. For a moment despite, everything, he's hapoy. You can tell because he's keeping his mouth shut.

Hank talks a lot.

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
Nadia's attention is caught by the sound of Hank clearing his throat, it brings her back from whatever daydream she was lost in there. There is a brief moment when her muscles tense as her body starts reacting more quickly than her mind, though it's quickly overriden as visual data catches up to the trained reflexes and overrides what might otherwise not have been a very nice greeting. Instead Hank gets a hug.

"You said this was all her idea? How does it work?" she asks, resting her head on Hank's shoulder for a moment. Her father, since getting him back, has been one of the main constants in her life, a part of her identity not tied to the Red Room and due to that she is fiercely protective of him. But she has also now found herself wondering more and more about the mother she has never known as this new situation with Department X unfolds.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym gestures at the devices, "I started with an antenna array tuned for electromagnetic waves. Your mom... Mom came up with an idea to tweak the array to detect psion particle/waves as well. Insects use EL and Psi to communicate over long ranges. Pheromones as well but it seems those are for deeper context. I never got much into the pheromone side... it dealt with very non-mammalian matters it seemed. Anyway. Social insects have developed a complex system of communications. With this, I can give them fairly complex instructions to carry out. I taught them to hear and respond to my name for one thing. The array works best for ants, though I used it for termites a few times and once wasps. Spiders... don't listen to anyone it seems. At higher settings you can control ants directly... we don't do that. Ever. Okay? They are my little friends, not my slaves. They've saved my life twice when I was mind controlled, without my asking. One ant sacrificed himself to save me. We don't control, we ask politely."

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
Nadia releases the hug and straightens up again turning to face the machine once more, "Psion particles and waves? You mean like Psionics and telepathy and things?" she asks curiously as she studies it. She seems to be becoming even more interested in her mother's research now that she has discovered it delves into an area she has yet to actually explore deeply herself. To think there was a psionic element to insects.

"You know, when I built my first suit, I left this technology out. I guess maybe communicating with insects seemed a little strange to me." She admits, "But now, knowing this... I want to read her papers and I want to make use of this technology, carry her research forward. Maybe I can try and help wasps get a little happier, they always seem so angry."

Hank Pym has posed:
Yellowjacket whispers to Hank, "You need me to keep her. You can't do it by yourself. Give me a chance. I will murder the world for her. And you could blame it all on me. You deserve this wonderful child." Hank ponders a moment, "This /wonderful girl/ deserves a better father than you. You drunken, abusive traitor!"

Hank smiles and says of course you can. She never really published professionally. I only finished this device and proved she was right after..." Even a supersoldier assassin might find Hank squeezing a little too tight for comfort for a brief moment.

"Also... before you leave the house... have a word with Janet about this outfit. The amount of unwanted attention you receive is inversely proportionate to the amount you wear."

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
"Dad, I still need to breath." Comes Nadia's slightly constricted voice, but it's at least half joking and she hugs her father back all the same. She then blinks looking down at her attire, "What's wrong with training clothes?" Unwanted attention of that sort is still something she has yet to experience and with no frame of reference she is more confused than anything else.

"So... how does it work? What kind of send and receive mechanism do you use? I mean surely you don't lug this entire giant device around with you, even if you could easily make it smaller..." Still curious, still so many questions.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym goes over to a panel and slides it aside to reveal a large bulky helmet. "Oh, I've been making it more portable for... since you were born. This is my first helmet. I wired it into the main machine to get impressions directly to my brain. You can try it and say hello to the guys and gals. This big machine however, it can receive anything in the tri-state area. In fact I want you to use it. I already entered keywords like "Maria Trouvaya" ants are mute but they can hear. I had a few watching police stations and reporting any mention of Ant-Man. You can actually use them like tiny listening devices. The Ant-Man helmet has less range but even then... ants will gladly relay a message for me... and now you. This helmet was a test of concept. When I became Giant-Man, I fit everything under my cowl. I made a similar set for you now. You can reconfigure it if you want. I figured you have... mom's scarf. This is from me. Consider this a sweet sixteen present."

Hank takes a red and black plaid headband from his pocket. The inside gleams with circuitry. Two cutesy/silly antennae protrude from it. "It's cybernetic. The antennae will retract at a thought. I figured any bad guys would be less likely to tear this off your head right away. I also have... an ant for you. He's very special to me."

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
Nadia walks over to the large bulky helmet that is linked directly into the machine taking it and slowly sliding it over her head. It's a surreal experience, hearing the thoughts of other creatures directly in your mind for the first time, much less those of Ants. 'Hello, I am Nadia, a Happy Scientist.' She tentatively attempts to broadcast. The ants at least seem nice enough to the new human venturing into the realm of interspecies communication.

"This is really fascinating!" She informs her father after she has slipped the bulky helmet off again.

When Hank presents her with her own communications device, in her favorite coolors, and calls it a sweet sixteen present her expression positively lights up. Granted it does take her a few moments to figure out what sweet sixteen means, but she is sweet and knows her estimated age is about sixteen, even if nobody knows when were exact birthday actually is. "Wow, I think this is my very first birthday present! Thank you Dad!" She leaps forward wrapping him in another hug. Not only did she learn more about her mother, on some level she also feels like she became a bit closer to her father and his own legacy. It's been a good day.