24 ⊗ video ⊗ might've liked to know this earlier

[professorlionface]

[Hank is huddled over his worktable, playing with a small camera.]

I've always been something of a tinker, even since I was a child. [He gives the lens a momentary smirk.] But you'll know this already, you've seen it.

Even with having some sort of block this past month, wondering if I was doing something wrong when all the pieces seemed like they were in place. I know that because I checked, double-checked, ran diagnostics, tried alternatives. Took the every prototype apart and rebuilt it numerous times, trying my best to isolate and work out any kinks.

And even then, we never detected a single Skrull until they revealed themselves. But see, there was still one thing I'd never gotten to tinkering with. Funnily enough, the first thing I noticed when I returned.

[He points to the camera.] I keep this remote camera for Network interface when I prefer to work hands-free. It shorted out while I was gone, and I hadn't had time to repair it. Doing so would require familiarizing myself with the circuitry of the new communicators, in order to copy it.

So, tell me. How many of you had your communicators in Times Square last night? [He holds up a small silicone tube to the camera, almost buried in his large fingers.] And who can tell me what this is?

Comments

permatext

[webline]

sounds like we've been played like donkey kong.

permavid

[professorlionface]

Pretty well from the beginning, looks like.

text;

[futureleader]

Huh.

permavid

[professorlionface]

I can supply blueprints, since I somehow doubt you'll trust me to handle your own communicator.

[hackeralastair]

Oh, well, shit.

Does this mean the 'porter's compromised, too?

[professorlionface]

That's the part I'm still working out. Was this technology inserted by an outside source, or could she be working with them for whatever reason?

action.

[engineers]

[ walking from another room with two mugs of coffee, he places one on the table right next to hank, hopping onto a nearby stool with his in hand. glancing at the communicator, he flattens his lips in thought. ]

D'you have that little thingy figured out yet? [ of course, he sounds a little bit hopeless. ] New developments?

action.

[professorlionface]

[He's turning it around in his fingers, poking at it with a pair of tweezers.]

Well, I had to put my communicator back together in a hurry. [He gets a tray, and places the module on top, handing it over to Madison.] Tell me what you can get out of this.

[borntobewildcat]

They got those into all of the new communicators?

[professorlionface]

I somehow doubt that I was individually targeted. It's at least worth the look.

video

[hellionated]

Crap. But the comms came from the Porter. [ They're all screwed, aren't they. ]

video

[professorlionface]

Yes, I'm afraid the broader implications aren't exactly promising.

voice;

[incywincyhero]

Man, you couldn't have figured that out before I left, could you?

voice;

[professorlionface]

Or a week ago, for that matter.

voice;

[trickshot]

You're kidding. _{( he doesn't sound all that surprised, just angry. )}

voice;

[professorlionface]

All this mistrust floating about, and we still took some very basic things for granted!

voice, encrypted

[bests]

[ after she looks at the other replies ]

Oh, thank god. There's a jammer.

voice, encrypted

[professorlionface]

Not the response one might typically expect, but yes, there's nothing wrong with you or your powers.

[voice; Batcomm]

[batmantled]

Fantastic.

permavid

[professorlionface]

It may have been useful earlier, but hopefully now we can at least avoid any complications on the subject in the future.

voice;

[futurebatwoman]

Can I grab those blueprints?

voice;

[professorlionface]

Take them, distribute them, extract the things for as many people as you can! Really, do be my guest, I can't do it all on my own!

[Attaches file blueprint.doc]

Voice;

[themisfit]

Good God. Then... Then the 'Porter-machine is a part of it? A tool of Vulcanus?

Voice;

[professorlionface]

Well, her hands couldn't be clean of this. She's either compromised, or she's allied herself against those very individuals she brought here. Why she'd do that, I'm uncertain.

A control experiment, perhaps? We've strayed from the path she had in mind, so instead of ridding herself of us and bringing in a new crop, she's creating circumstances to guide us back on track?

[video]

[cosmic_ring_hero]

[Curtis squints at the screen.]

No clue what that is but I'm guessing we should be getting them out of these things, huh? Can you give me a picture or something of where it is in these communicators? Gonna see if I can cosmic it out of mine.

[video]

[professorlionface]

I do have blueprints, Freedom Ring, but I doubt you'll have much success on that front. It's a power jammer, it's entire purpose is to interfere with your abilities from interacting with certain things, itself included.

Why do you think none of our many resident technopaths noticed it's presence?