Somewhere beyond the sea...

[logdate]

Peridot has had this idea since her conversation with Ursula about the mysterious seismic readings. While she can appreciate that need for immediacy and getting used to their local surroundings, she's also one hundred percent sure that they're going to need to find out more about what's going on beyond their little sphere of influence. Knowledge is power and she intends to find out as much as she possibly can about this planet - and what might be coming their way from the wildlife (or anything else that lives on this stupid death trap of a world).  

To that end, she's set up camp in material storage so she has access to most of the salvage that's being brought in and she's doing her absolute best to repurpose it. Anyone who's volunteered to help her (or any passers-by) can find her amongst a bevy scattered materials, either directing the actions of her hapless "assistants" or going to work with a welding torch, hammer, screw-driver, or other tools. She's trying to make some autonomous drones and they're shaping up to be odd little things - tear drop shaped, with a built-in propulsion systems (and other bells and whistles, depending on what she and everyone else decide to add on). Pitch in! Or just make Peridot's life harder.

You know, which ever is more appealing. Or bother the other people who are working! It's not like they can avoid people. 

Comments

[bonomial]

Droids aren't Don's usual area of expertise, but he's a fast learner. The Turtle has been hard at work studying Peridot's and Dirk's preliminary robotics work, and now he's trying his hand at something of his own.

Donatello is arched over one of the piles of salvage, picking out pieces of the most useful components to repurpose into the motherboard of the eventual droid. His fingers hesitate on one of the flatter, more domelike pieces of resilient plastic.

Definitely tempted to make a Turtlebot with this one.

"Aquatic recon droid... this one's begging for some Turtle elements. You're sure I can't give it a shell?" He's half-joking. Sort of. He'll actually do it if you let him, Peridot.

[logdate]

"Why would it need a shell?" Peridot wrinkles her nose at Donatello, "The design already incorporates a semi-armored hull for protection. It doesn't need anything else."

There's a pause as Peridot considers Donatello for a moment, thinking, "What's a turtle, anyway?"

She's still not overly familiar with Earth wildlife.

[bonomial]

"Ah, but you'd be neglecting the possibilities of the drone being able to fold into a more-hydrodynamic configuration inside an external shell." Don smirks a little over his shoulder as he delicately threads two wires together - something that looks pretty difficult with his huge hands. "The teardrop shape is an excellent start, of course, but considering the damage those Reapers were able to do, the hull's armour shouldn't be too skimpy."

Peridot's question isn't particularly weird, but it's strange reminding himself that his body doesn't immediately answer this question for an alien. From the little he's gleaned of Peridot, he can tell she's definitely not from Earth, but she seems to have a little knowledge about the planet.

"Turtles are Earth animals. They're reptiles, from the order Testudines, that are characterized by bony or cartilaginous outgrowths of their rib bones that give them a protective covering that's not unlike the hull I'm considering." Don taps his own shell lightly with one of his wrenches. "Or what's on me, for that matter."

A beat, as he realizes he has to clarify: "... I'm kind of an unusual circumstance. Most turtles on Earth are a lot smaller than I am, and none of them are sapient."

[logdate]

Peridot squints for a moment, considering the proposal, "...Possibly. But we're also trying to conserve resources. We don't want to spend too much time on any particular drone - unless you think you can efficiently put together a shell. I suppose we can try it..."

It makes logical sense, so she's willing to give it a shot. She's personally a fan of simplicity in this regard, though.

"...I definitely don't remember anything like you on Earth," Peridot replies after a long moment, "So I have to agree with the 'unusual circumstance'."

[bonomial]

He nods at the first part. "You're right that the base of the drones needs to be made first. Back at home, I built my machinery pretty much on-demand, and I was using readily available human garbage - it's pretty crazy how much gets thrown out in New York City - so I didn't have that problem. Here... well, we're in the middle of the ocean. I can't just go down to Radio Shack and pick up parts." Not that he could normally do that anyway, but Don is getting used to the fact he can just... walk around the base. In the open.

Second part is a bit more of a touchy topic. "I think your Earth's like... the third or fourth version I've seen. My Earth definitely didn't have green crystal people."

[logdate]

"There aren't any shacks, but there's definitely tons of debris..." Whcih is what they're building everything out of. Salvage and broken bits and bobs, so maybe Don's experience isn't really that much of a detriment. She's working on hammering a bit of plating back into reasonable shape so that she can fit it onto one of the other drones-in-progress.

Don's comment earns him a slightly condescending look and a laugh, "Oh, I'm not from Earth. I'm a gem - Earth was supposed to become a gem colony, but there were... uh... difficulties."

[bonomial]

"Difficulties," Don repeats, in a slightly flat tone. "What kind of 'difficulties' are we talking about here?"

That condescending look does not go unnoticed. Were Peridot's gem-people going to take over the Earth? Because the Triceratons tried that back in Don's time, and then the Turtles screwed that plan over.

[logdate]

"There was a rebellion a few thousand years ago - I don't know that much about it," Peridot shrugs, "But the rebels - the Crystal Gems - won. The... uh... Diamonds left behind something called the Cluster that's supposed to destroy the planet soon and - well, I was trying to stop it before I cam here."

That's the very short version.

[bonomial]

Yep, definitely were. The fact Peridot was trying to stop it, and the mention of rebels, calms Don down a little bit. Even if it's not his Earth, he was defensive about the idea of it being taken over.

"Planet-destroying weaponry isn't to be taken lightly. I know from experience how that kind of power, even theoretically, can corrupt absolutely." Don picks up the droid he's been working on, rotating it to slot some of the wires through the beginning of a servo motor which is meant to power the machinery within. "I'm guessing that's why there was a rebellion in the first place."

[logdate]

"It was more concerned with the idea of utilizing the Earth's resources and potentially destroying its inhabitants," Peridot corrects, "But... I wasn't there when that happened, so I don't have first-hand experience."

Nope, she's a relative late-comer to the whole Earth thing.

[bonomial]

Huh, so his first guess was wrong. Don dwells on this a moment, using that time to study his droid's connection points some more. Hmmm... he'll have to tighten the screws on this side first, to get the wires aligned right...

After a few moments' pause, he speaks again. "So your species, gems, has to be pretty advanced." Probably more on par with Utroms than humans, if he's guessing right, but using a strategy the Utroms would've deplored. "At least, that's how it sounds."

[logdate]

"Well... we are," Peridot replied slowly, "We've colonized huge chunks of the known galaxy. Humans are... exceedingly primitive when compared to gems."

A pause as she considers her words, a frown creasing her features, "But... their planet is worth protecting."

[bonomial]

"What's the difference?" Don asks, his question inviting more questions themselves, his tone as non-judgmental as he can make it despite his bristling at the idea of Earth being taken over. "If humans are primitive, why not just take Earth from them?"

The Turtle can think of a lot of reasons, things that surprised aliens that had tried to take over Earth in his time: the resilience and tenacity of humans. Even outgunned and outnumbered, humans stood their ground. It's a trait that Don is glad to have inherited indirectly through Master Splinter's teachings.

[logdate]

"Well - there were some gems who disagreed with the idea of using Earth as a source of resources..." Peridot sounds a mite awkward about the whole thing. Especially since she is now one of those rebels. She's sort of accepted the idea by now, but it's still a bit stunning.

"So there was a rebellion and the gems who wanted to protect Earth won. Sort of."

[splinten]

"Give it a shell."

No hesitation. No restraint. Dirk is currently slipping some crash-powder bombs into the drone in his lap, and he doesn't even look up from it. Yet his voice is so very confident.

The drone needs a shell.

"You gotta name it, too. This lil lady is Crestfactor."

Temporary Interrupt

[logdate]

Peridot yells from across the room, "Drone Zero-Two!"

[splinten]

Dirk completely ignores this.

"So what noble designation of personal identity will you be bestowin' upon your firstborn drone? Caravaggio? Botticelli?"

[adaywithoutsandcakes]

Without looking up from his work, Stork makes a prediction:

"It's gonna be a turtle pun."

He's been around Don just long enough.

[bonomial]

Damn it, Stork. The sad thing is, he was right.

Don manages to look indignant anyway. "It was not going to be a turtle pun!"

There goes 'Turtlebot', 'Sewer Scout' and 'Terrapin Treader' as potential names. Stork, you ruined everything.

[splinten]

"If you have a turtle pun, you should make it. When you start a project like this you have to commit."

Commit to the absurd—the actual Strider family motto.

[adaywithoutsandcakes]

"Hey, don't let me stop you, man. 'What the shell,' right?"

The creator of the Storkmobile and Storkasaurus really can't judge you on this. Much.

[bonomial]

Never going to let him live that one down, huh, Stork? Despite himself, Don's beak quirks up into an awkward smile.

"Okay, fine. Which has more of a ring to it: Sewer Surfer or Terrapin Treader?" he asks. "Other turtle-related puns will be duly considered if they meet my exacting standards."

[splinten]

"I'll let you own the turtle puns, dude. My vote is down for Terrapin Treader." He likes the interplay of t's and r's, and he also thinks 'Terrapin' is a good word. It's just fun.

[adaywithoutsandcakes]

"Seconded, unless you're building a plumbing robot." Why would you name anything after a sewer, Don. Sewers are terrible, Don. "Or unless it's a commentary on where our lives are headed. I could get behind that."

Needs more doom, though.

[bonomial]

Don shrugs a little. "Terrapin Treader it is, then." Why does everyone hate sewers? Well they are kind of disgusting but he's used to that. "Though I don't think Peridot's going to like it."

She hasn't liked any of their names so far, though, so maybe that's just her loss.