Protection (Ten Forward Lounge)

[morphitudinous]

There were two ways to gauge Billy's stress level: as he worked later and later into the night, the pages of discarded notes would build up around him, and his hair would start to stand on end. Considering his frizzy-haired and paper-surrounded appearance at the moment, he'd clearly been at whatever he was doing for a while.

What was he doing, exactly? At the moment, he was kneeling on the floor in front of a round table. There was a doll standing in the center, a stuffed bear wearing a belt with a button next to the buckle. He reached over and pressed the button, producing a blue bubble around the bear. Billy tried to pass his hand through the bubble, and he met solid resistance.

Excellent. He then picked up a screwdriver and tried to pierce the bubble at varying speeds---it blocked most of his hits with a solid bounce, but the light still broke too soon, sending the bear tumbling to the ground. Billy scooted to the other side of the table to pick it up, frowning. "All right, we'll need to prioritize upholding the integrity of the shield. Nothing I haven't done before."

He gave the bear a quick squeeze before removing the belt, picking up his screwdriver and wire cutters for another go. He was getting closer to producing an acceptable defense, surely? He hoped so.

Comments

[stark_spangled]

Billy's appearance could be likened to that of a few scientists Steve's known. The look is one he recognizes, and not to be rude, but the demonstration is too interesting to avoid watching from his own table. If what he was working on was top secret, Steve figures he'd be doing it in a more private place.

"Looks like you're getting close," he offers from a few feet away, trying to be encouraging. He smiles, and gives him a friendly nod of greeting. Billy's a nice kid. Steve really should make more of an effort to get to know him. "Those were some pretty solid hits for a soft teddy bear like this little guy to absorb."

[heirtothechair]

Marika leans in over her cup of (strong, black) tea.

Personal forcefields for protection? Yes please.

"When you get it working, I'll take two hundred and a manual the next time I can get at my credit accounts."

Not teasing, this is her polite captain's voice. Anything that keeps her crew in one piece is something to look at purchasing. Anything that should be impossible, doubly so.

[raavashing]

Wan wandered over with a tea cup and a teappot he'd managed to get off the City-Ship's replicators once he'd managed to get the City-Ship's Spirit to understand what he wanted. It really shouldn't have been that hard to get a simple stone teapot, but it was. At least that struggle was over.

He walked around the table to another that was close by and sat down on top of that second table, legs up and crossed under him, to watch, "How did you do that?"