trans_9 | Legion Found? [closed]

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Legion Found? [closed]

The mission had been...interesting. That version of Earth had been somewhat similar to the Earth of Brainy's time and universe (though still not nearly as technologically advanced as the UP), but socially, it had been backwards. Crime and poverty had run rampant, and the citizens that the United Planets would have at least tried to care for, had been ignored and left to fend for themselves.

Oh, to have a sensible universe, where the homeless had extensive shelters dedicated to the task of reintegrating them in as useful members of society, where healthcare was universal and free, and where the Science Police kept crime under tight control (and if they couldn't, the Legion stepped in). The Legion's timeline was hardly utopian, and they had definitely done some good on that planet, but seeing a world like that still brought on the sting of homesickness. (Admittedly, he'd deny it as usual). Furthermore, with the native holidays' emphasis on togetherness, it had left him acutely aware of the fact that the two Legionnaires on the ship were the lone representatives of their team. The thought that the rest were locked away asleep in their pods was disheartening, and the fear that some of them might not have been saved from the void was completely unthinkable, but still ever-present.

Not that I miss anyone, of course, he reflects as he floats down to the Special Weapons Labs, but having the others to talk to does pass the time. Shikari is acceptable company, as is Spark and Kid Quantum, Gates can be amusing, at times...

His mouth quirking with amusement, he thinks, And, of course, while he certainly isn't the superior scientific mind, Norg's intellectual creativity and input is sometimes useful, especially with more complex problems and projects--

Wait, what is this?

Someone is in his (yes, he sees it as his) lab, and there is confidential information on several screens. His first thought is that it's possibly Batman again, especially since he has likely finally found a way around the security measures Brainy has in place, but on the computers there, there are a few measures that should be beyond anyone without a working knowledge of 31st century programming and a solid lexicon of Interlac. He's so perturbed by this that he doesn't check his omnicom when it silently has a notice pop up on his screen identifying that a Legion ring has been detected in the area...

Brainy floats around a piece of equipment and snags the chair of the individual sitting at one of the lab computers to turn it around.

"Whoever you are, cease and desist your covert activities immediately--"

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Lyle blinks for a moment, hands still raised in a typing position. He had been deep in thought (Brainy's work wasn't exactly easy to understand) and it takes him a moment to snap out of it.

When he does see Brainy (and Brainy's current expression,) he breaks out into a wide grin.

"Did you forget what my job is, Brainy? I might as well ask you to become a Luddite."

There's a funny thing about those flight rings--they react to thought and will, to decide how fast you fly. That means, say, if someone's first inclination is to fly at someone to tackle them, the ring might just run with that, even if the person is the type to try to vociferously deny that they have such inclinations to hurl themselves at people to hug them.

Most people who know Brainiac 5 think he can't stand physical contact, and has very little fondness for other people. Those that know him well, however, know he's fond enough of some individuals to completely forget his Coluan stoicism for just a moment on rare, rare occasion.

This is one of those occasions.

There's about a nanosecond's pause. Then:

"Lyle!"

Brainy tackles one of the rare few people he internally considers a best friend (but refuses to acknowledge as one, of course) right out of the chair in a crushing hug. (And in about 5.2 seconds, he will be mortally embarrassed by it).

Lyle lets out what is almost a squawk. It's partially from surprise, but mostly from Brainy forcing the air right out of his lungs. If he were more prepared he might not have been bowled over quite so much, but Brainy's surprise shows of affection usually aren't this enthusiastic.

Lyle laughs and gives Brainy a quick squeeze. "Good to see you, Brainy."

No, they usually aren't, but you know, there are sometimes extenuating circumstances. Having team-mates run into boom tubes and not knowing if they'd survive long enough for you to find them, for instance.

Finding out your friend isn't lost in the nothing-space between dimensions and is awake and around counts as extenuating circumstances.

Of course, he'd never admit that. After realizing what exactly he's done, Brainy gets up, dusting himself off and clearing his throat.

"I really must run a diagnostic on my flight ring. It keeps causing random bursts of acceleration, and others are sometimes knocked over in the process," he sniffs. "It's highly inconvenient."

It's a testament to Lyle's self control that he doesn't laugh or smirk at Brainy's statement. He's still smiling slightly in a fond way, though. Brainy doesn't show affection often, and Lyle is openly pleased to be one of the people he'll hug.

Lyle can't help himself from teasing just the slightest bit, though, since no one is around.

"Would you like me to do it? I'm sure you have better things to do."

"There's no need for you to waste time on such a trifling matter, Norg, and I have other projects that would perhaps benefit from your attention that are far more consequential."

Lyle's smile gets something of a sly Look back, one that says volumes. The main thing that expression seems to be saying is 'I see what you did there, and I know it's because you saw what I did there. Stop being a smartass and tell no one, but boy, am I ever glad to see you.'

...It's something of a 'wordy' expression but Brainiac 5 is a very wordy individual in general.

"Have you been apprised of our situation?" Brainy asks, holding out a hand to help Lyle to his feet.

Brainy's Look just gets him a bigger grin in return. Being able to tease Brainy without causing offense is a sign that Brainy knows Lyle's always on his side, so Lyle is never going to stop entirely. But he won't push him too often or too hard, either.

Lyle takes Brainy's hand and helps himself up. "A bit, but not the important parts. Still no idea what's really happened or what I should focus on. I've been guessing what you're trying to accomplish from your work."

Oh, Lyle, that sounds like an opening for an explanation. You know that Brainy loves explaining things.

"Our situation is as follows: we have all been abducted to this ship from a variety of dimensions and timelines. The aliens that are responsible for that abduction, a species known as the Daligig, claim that it's because our timelines were destroyed by am omnicidal, interdimensional, insectoid threat of dubious motive known as the Ohm. They claim that this sentient ship is an ark, meant to save soldiers, superheroes, scientists, and other notable individuals, as well as their families, from the destruction of their timelines. We were woken from podsleep after the original crew was apparently killed or forced to abandon ship by a group of space pirates that had hijacked the ship for the purposes of selling it and its contents for a tremendous profit to slavers and other unsavory individuals. We managed to oust them from the bridge--although it was...at great cost."

Here, his expression grows a little darker, but he shakes it off.

"The Daligig also claim, rather conveniently, that this ship is a refitted prison ship, and that damage from the space pirates' commandeering the ship has caused problems with the core AI's judgment, that our actions must not anger Stacy--making prying into their story rather difficult. They claim that some of our memories of our 'rescues' can be restored, but there's a distinct possibility we would only receive fabricated memories."

He's not going to let anyone meddle with his mind, that's for certain.

"I imagine you've looked over my plans for my most recent project at length. What have you discerned?"

Brainy likes to see if Lyle can figure things out for himself, rather than just telling him everything. Usually, unlike most people, he surprises him rather pleasantly by figuring things out on his own, to the point where it's not much of a surprise anymore.

Lyle approves of Brainy's skepticism. He had asked the question partially to find out what Brainy's opinion was as well as to find out facts. Brainy would probably argue that everything he's stating is fact, but it's fact as Brainy sees it.

"You're trying to verify their story. We can't make any major plans until we know if they're rescuers or kidnappers, so that'd be top priority."

Is that a smirk? Might be.

Brainy pulls up a section of plans, and they appear in a holographic projection over the computer. He takes components apart in this holographic representation, laying the different systems bare, so Lyle has a better chance of understanding them, part by part.

"We lack the resources for me to construct a sufficiently powerful interdimensional portal. A dimensional viewer on the other hand..."

Lyle watches the demonstration with intense focus. He falls easily into work mode; it's puttering around with no goal that makes him nervous.

After some consideration, Lyle nods, satisfied.

"If we divide up the work, it shouldn't take too long."

"Can that be divided by three or is this a 'science nerds' only party?"

Brenda's leaning on the doorframe, a cheeky smirk on her face and a box held in one hand behind her back. She waves a little at Brainy, then her eyes pop as she notices the Legion buckle at Lyle's waist.

"Oh man, you're Legion... are you... I'm sorry I can go. I didn't think I was interrupting a reunion."

"It's all right, come in," says Lyle, "We're just talking business."

Lyle needs to meet more people anyway. He's a social person, and it'll keep him happy.

"I'm Invisible Kid." Smiling, he takes an obviously look towards the arm behind her back and raises his eyebrows at her. "You're a friend of ours?"

Lyle might notice the way Brainy stiffens up and how his attention is immediately on Brenda. It's not unlike his attention used to be on a certain blonde team-mate of theirs.

"Brenda, this is my team-mate Lyle Norg, codename Invisible Kid. Norg, this is Brenda, a...a friendly acquaintance. She's a sidekick to a hero from the 21st century of our earth, the third Blue Beetle, who's currently on board the ship."

Brenda almost laughs at Brainy, stepping into the lab, arm still behind her back.

"Am I supposed to be happy about being upgraded to the illustrious title of sidekick of mad that I'm downgraded to aquaintance?" she asked, chuckling and holding out a hand to Lyle to shake.

"It's so good to meet you. Brainy's always telling me about the Legion."

She stuck her other hand out toward Brainy, a smallish rectangular box in her palm. "And THIS is for you. I know you're not much for holidays but I couldn't resist."

Lyle hadn't noticed too much of Brainy's posture. He's focused on Brenda for now.

Lyle shakes her hand. "We're not as bad as he says, I promise."

And with Brenda's gift-giving gesture, Lyle is the one who may be trespassing on a moment. The corner of Lyle's lip quirks up. How long did Sensor say Brainy had been here? Three months? More than that. He seemed to have been busy.

"Ah, you really needn't have--"

But she kinda shoves it into his hands, so he really has no choice.

The gift is carefully opened, which is fortunate, considering the contents, revealing...

"...Coryphantha gracilis, if I'm not mistaken?"

Then he sees the label on the pot. 'Brainy Jr,' it reads.

Brainy looks over at her and narrows his eyes, but looks more amused than anything. "Named such because it's green and prickly, I assume--how positively jocose, Brenda."

She grins, giving him an arched brow and a little laugh.

"And because it's adorable, and can only be seen for all it's good facets once you take the time to give it the right attention."

She looks over to Lyle then. "And he doesn't say a bad word about any of you. At least not any moreso than he does all of us here on Stacy."

Oh, Lyle likes Brenda now. Not just because of the open affection for his friend, but for daring to call him adorable to his face.

"It is cute." Lyle agrees. "Does well in harsh environments and flowers despite it."

Lyle gives a wry grin. "If that's true, then he's been away from us for too long."

Is that a blush on his face? He looks a little greener, though looks also as if he'd deny the hell out of it if it was pointed out. 'Adorable' is not often a word used in reference to him.

"I...need to find a place to put it that has an adequate light source. Excuse me for a moment."

It could be that he's just doing that. It also could be that he's on the verge of displaying an actual emotional reaction. Either way, Brenda and Lyle are free to talk for a few minutes alone.

Brenda grins as Brainy sets about finding a nice spot and a lamp, folding her hands a little awkardly in front of her as she turns to Lyle.

"So, invisibility huh? That must be kind of awesome."

"It is, especially when you get it as a kid." He raises a hand, and it turns partially see-through, revealing the bones. "I think I spent about a month as a skeleton."

He turns his hand back to normal and adds, "You'd be surprised how many people will try to pretend they didn't just see a skeleton walk by."

Brenda shrugged, tilting her head thoughtfully.

"I dunno, you'd be surprised how many people accept 'I disappeared into a column of light into the sky for a year and then came back' as an excuse for being a year behind in school."

She nodded at Brainy.

"So did you come from the same time as Brainy? If so you must be glad to see each other."

"Stranger things have happened. To me personally." There's a pause. "Actually, it's usually Brainy who disappears."

Lyle sits down on the desk and relaxes. "Yeah. And yeah, it was a relief. I can't imagine being here alone. You've got your Blue Beetle?"

Brenda finds a work table to lean on, herself.

"Yep, and my fellow sidekick Stick Boy. We've all been friends since kindergarten so I was ridiculously glad to see them when I crashed the Stacy party."

"Please tell me he's not actually called Stick Boy? Not that we don't have some ridiculous names..."

Lyle jerks his thumb at the machine behind him. "Are you a scientist?"

It's the obvious reason for her to know Brainy well.

She laughs. "No, his name is Paco. We have this joke that he's Stick Boy and I'm Anger Girl because we fought aliens with nothing but sticks and rage once."

"Not unless good grades in AP bio count." Brenda brushes her hair behind her ears. "I'm just your regular high school girl with a temper and some very heroic friends. Brainy keeps me around because I sort things alphabetically without screwing up too much."

"That's impressive. We usually try for at least a board with a nail in it." Truth be told, it seemed like they were lucky to have that sometimes.

"He must like you." Lyle gives her a contemplative look. "You do seem friendly and sensible. Those can feel like rare qualities sometimes."

He smirks. "To Brainy, maybe most of the time."

"Eh, we have more common ground than we thought when we met." She admits, shrugging a little. "He's fascinating when you can get him talking and I get to try to explain 'stupid' human social customs to him a lot so it's a nice little symbiosis."

"You seem friendly and sensible yourself, is that why he keeps YOU around?"

"I guess that makes sense. Everyone's always trying to get him to stop talking, and none of us seem to remember having normal lives." He gives the ceiling a look for a moment as he says it. They were married to the Legion, and that was that.

He smirks. "He doesn't so much keep me around as he can't get rid of me. I think he's accepted it now. Some kind of Stockholm syndrome."

"More like a fungal growth with no remedy," Brainy submits helpfully, as he rejoins the conversation. "You are, however, occasionally very insightful for a member of the family Eumycota."

He's teasing, though.

Brenda raises a brow.

"Brainy I hope you realize that it's ALL your fault that I actually understood that word just now"

"So you're saying I've grown on you? How sweet." Lyle doesn't miss the compliment, though.

"Careful, Brenda. Soon he'll have you dreaming in calculus."

"If you're both quite finished with amusing yourselves at my expense, Lyle, you and I do have work to complete, and time is of the essence."

He looks to Brenda, somewhat sheepish.

"The gift was unnecessary, but it's...appreciated. It's a fascinating specimen."

"Your unnecessary is my essential." Brenda says with a smile. "But I get the hint, I'll let you get back to it. It was nice to meet you Lyle."

She steps over and gives Brainy a quick kiss on the cheek. "Don't blow anything up, okay? I'll see you later."

"A pleasure."

Oh dear. Has anyone ever kissed Brainy on the cheek before? Maybe he should be taking holos?

He definitely needs to find out if Brenda's dating anyone, at least.

"..."

And she left the lab. Alright.

Brainy stares for a good few seconds, his hand briefly reaching up to touch the place on his cheek where Brenda kissed it, before remembering Lyle is there.

Right.

He clears his throat.

"Where were we? I believe I was in the middle of explaining the plans for the interdimensional viewer, correct?" Maybe if he makes a quick enough segue into work-talk, Lyle won't have noticed that whole...thing.

Right. ...Because someone trained in covert ops that was a professional spy is completely unobservant by nature.

"Our greatest hurdle is our limited resources. We have to cannibalize other existing technologies for components and materials in most instances for what we need."

He walks back towards his desk--where "Brainy, Jr." is now rigged with a little automatic timed (because cacti need water only every so often) irrigation system (yes, he rigged something up that fast) with a little lamp...and he compulsively adjusts the spacing of the cacti and the lamp so it's juuust perfect, as he talks.

Lyle is a little disappointed that Brainy recovered before he could decide whether to snap a picture. He had a feeling there would be other opportunities, though. Assuming he didn't have enough shots from when Brainy was falling all over Andromeda.

Lyle has been checking Brainy out from the side of his eye, so it's not so obvious he's been staring. He nods at Brainy, turning back to the data.

"Do we have a full resource list? Sensor said Stacy was blocking access to parts of the ship."

And right back to work.

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Legion Found? [closed]

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I'm gonna go with Paranoia for $500, Alex

This device, made from a common household product, is thought to keep out alien mind-rays.

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Multiple friendship get?

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