Video

[fullmetalbrat]

[The video feed cuts in to show a desk piled high with books and notepads filled with a scratchy looking scrawl—the one or two pages close enough to the camera to be read are filled with what look like journal entries about someone's sightseeing experiences. The screen jitters briefly while someone adjusts the camera, and then Edward steps into view, dropping smoothly into the desk's chair.

For a moment he squints at the camera suspiciously.] ...This thing better be on.

[He huffs sharply and settles back in the chair, apparently deciding to assume that it's working for now.]

So I think Mustang asked how many people here are scientists a while ago, but I've got some more specific questions for you. How many of people here have done work in neuroscience? Specifically the way memories are formed and recalled. I've become really interested in it since arriving here, but I can only do so much research by myself.

I'm also pretty curious about wormholes and...teleportation I guess. I've heard that some people have technology that can do that at home, so if there's anyone here who knows about how things like that work I'd love a chance to talk with you.

And... [He pauses here and clenches his right hand, frowning down at it for a moment before turning his attention back to the camera.] This is a question for anyone. Has there been anyone who had a power sealed away at home that they got back here? If there is then what... What was it like for you?

Comments

voice forever

[arkproject]

[ Catherine has a no-nonsense but affable sort of tone and wastes no time with introductions before getting right into it. ]

I'm not a neuroscientist exactly, but I do have a way of storing and recalling memories in digital form, if that's close to what you're looking for.

Video forever on Ed's end

[fullmetalbrat]

[Ed perks up immediately, already reaching for a notepad with a bit of free space on an exposed page.]

You mean you have it here? Right now? Or do you just understand the tech behind it?

[arkproject]

Understanding it is having it in my case. I'm a systems engineer. As long as I have enough processing power, [ she tacks on with some annoyance. ]

Everything is a little slow for me, but I could rig something up to work, probably.

[fullmetalbrat]

Processing power...? [Another thing he's going to have to investigate now.]

Whatever you need, I'll help you get it. Any tech that replicates memory storage is worth studying. Whoever invented it had to know more about it than even this world does.

[arkproject]

Well, you're in luck, because I invented it, [ she says cheerfully. ]

But I should warn you, it's not what you're thinking. I suppose I could try to isolate select memories and just scan those, but it'd take time to come up with the process.

What I do is scan the whole person.

[fullmetalbrat]

[Ed stops in the middle of whatever note he was just jotting down.]

You mean...you make a copy? Of the complete memory of someone?

[arkproject]

That's right.

You're speaking to one. [ And she doesn't sound bothered by it, either. ]

[fullmetalbrat]

Holy shit!

But you're—if you're digital— Aren't you still forming new memories right now? That's amazing!!

voice; network id: dr. h. gottlieb

[mathemagier]

Teleportation in this world is very different than how it works - or doesn't - in others. It's all very science fiction in function, and far too simple in terms of the mathematics. A bit like it's been pre-programmed and all I need to do is activate it with a suitable equation and defined parameters.

[What a fun theory. But more time to ponder that one later.]

But that applies to abilities in general, I believe. The Porter has much to answer for in that regard.

Wormholes however.. Much as I studied one for some years, I haven't yet had the time to compile my research and look at it in-depth. The technological advancements involved in its creation were far beyond human capabilities and very much rooted in biomechanics. We managed to destroy it, but in regard to its creation..

[Frustrated sigh]

Well if I had all my research, there would be a wonderful place to start. Not that I'm certain such a thing should be replicated- at least in my world. Even in this one, our existence is a contentious issue. We may not be invaders, but it wouldn't be difficult for such technology to be used in such a fashion, particularly when the theory of the multiverse has been proven.

[Sorry Ed, none of that was helpful probably, but Hermann's good at muttering and ranting all on his own]

Perma-video on Ed's end

[fullmetalbrat]

[Luckily Ed is pretty okay with letting a fellow scientist ramble away—at least initially. He props his chin in his hand and scribbles a note or two down while Hermann goes on, waiting until it seems like he's finished before speaking up himself.]

Biomechanics, huh... What does that mean, exactly? Was it a portal created by a living being? Or some other kind of organic reaction that was causing it?

probably perma-voice who knows shy nerd

[mathemagier]

Yes, beings known as.. well, the Precursors constructed it. It was created utilizing the energy generated by tectonic activity at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Challenger's Deep to be precise.

It also only allowed passage to the Kaiju- monstrous beings- through an interesting genetic lock mechanism. Fascinating and repulsive in turn, really.

[fullmetalbrat]

[Something in Ed's expression sharpens, a light of excitement flaring up in his eyes as he leans forward rather abruptly.]

Constructed—what, exactly? Was it an array? A—I guess it might look like a magic circle if you don't know what else to call it.

[mathemagier]

[Magic circle. Hm. He struggles through an explanation]

..No, I don't believe so. The dimensional rift itself was sort of.. an electromagnetic wave. The locks, such as they are, opened on different levels in the form of a six-sided polygon if memory serves.

[fullmetalbrat]

It could be a more complex...hm. [He frowns down at his own hand for a moment. It was a real long shot to think this might have anything to do with alchemy, but...at the very least it was some sort of starting point.]

...Do you think you could make a sketch of what it looked like?

[mathemagier]

Yes, give me a few moments..

[fullmetalbrat]

Take your time.

video now yay

[mathemagier]

[Because it's just easier this way. Grumpy faced mathematician is no artist, but he's made attempts at simple diagrams. The one featuring the wormhole looks best, with little arrows pointing to the 'throat' as it's labelled and 'locks' in a few different places between.

The locks are simply drawn shapes in an expanded view off the side, and may not get the depth across nearly as well, but they're there.]

And then this is.. a crude representation of what the rift looked like from our side, at the bottom of the ocean. A burning crevice.. churning with electromagnetic activity.

[It's a craggy line above the hastily drawn crevice in the ocean floor with bubbles and little representations of lightning crackling around it]

Private Video

[fullmetalbrat]

[Edward's leaning in toward the screen again, squinting a little at the locks in the sketch. More than one—just how complex was this thing? What really catches his attention though are the representations of lightning around the crevice.

He flips to a fresh page and sketches a quick, very simple array, a circle with a plain triangle in the center, and places his hand on it to activate the circle. A burst of electric blue energy sparks around it—quite a bit like tiny bolts of lightning—and the table's surface beneath the array rises up to form a sculpted representation of the wormhole.]

Did the energy look anything like this?

video

[superposition]

[Teleportation u say. Well, that's one way to get this guy's attention.]

I invented teleportation. What are you trying to find out?

[fullmetalbrat]

That's a pretty bold claim.

I'm working on figuring out how we're brought here and sent home.

[superposition]

[Raising an eyebrow] Aren't we all. And it's not a claim, just a fact. I can show you if you like.

[You'll have to pardon the curtness; it always annoys him when people doubt his accomplishments.]

[fullmetalbrat]

A demonstration would be perfect.

[Ed sure doesn't seem to mind the curtness, especially not if it's going to end with him getting a real example of teleportation.]

[superposition]

All right. Where are you located?

[fullmetalbrat]

In my office in De Chima. [He follows up with the address to make sure it's specific enough.]

[superposition]

On my way. [And...]