Can we fix it? YES WE CAN!

[sparkofgenius]

Log Deputy: Ax, Plurk @ AxiomaticGrue
Participating Characters: Lucca, Gilgamesh, Banzu, Taki, and Haruka
Plot Description: SCIENCE OF COURSE! AT HIGH SPEEDS! That is to say: Creating Rotomcycles, testing them out, and all that sort of stuff.
Warnings/Notes: Science, Shenanigans, and probably general silliness. Don't think there's any warning to give but I'll add them as needed.

Comments

The Drawing Board

[sparkofgenius]

[sparkofgenius]

The drawing board was just that, an enormous whiteboard covered in sketches and bits of design theory. There were measurements, schematics, and various other bits and bobs that were probably like some sort of arcane language to anyone that wasn't Lucca, since they were literally her own language and all.

From one corner of it, she frowns and looks to whoever else is in the room.

"Am I making any sense? I mean, we've got to figure out a way to make sure the brakes work on these things. But the usual methods are gonna heat up way too much. Thoughts on how to make that particular problem go away?"

[outtahere]

Banzu nods and leans back against a worktable. He has no idea what half of that "writing" is even supposed to mean, but he's been paying attention enough that he has a good idea where she's going.

"Yeah, with this thing that much heat wouldn't dissipate fast enough and the tire'd blow off the rim. Might be able to solve that by adding Ice-typing, but that'd jump the complexity so high this could never be mass-produced. Hm. The problem's the heat transferring into the tires, though the rims're gonna wear down a lot faster too..."

He walks up and grabs a marker, sketching as he talks.

"So we wanna get the heat away from the tires. Means we can't break at the rim. What if... we put a steel disc at the hub... and move the brakes there? Like adding an extra rim just to break against. ...Though at the speeds we're looking at the brakes'll prolly need to be more powerful. What'cha think?"

[Thank you, Wikipedia.]

[sparkofgenius]

"Yes, that would be a poor choice. And it'd have trouble in the summertime...but..."

She stops thinking about what he says next...

"Wait, steel, extra rims. Yes. Though...they'd wear out pretty fast with all the gas..." she stops and starts furiously drawing now, small metal discs with tiny holes in them. The kind that's meant to help with airflow and that sort of thing.

"Nevermind. We just need some place for built up gas to go. Since we're converting kinetic energy into heat. Holes will help with that."

[outtahere]

"Remember we can use the airflow for some of the cooling while it's moving, assuming we leave the brakes uncovered. Holes'll add additional weak points. How much speed and harsh conditions are we expecting this thing to function at? If it's not too much the weak points won't be too much of an issue, but if we're looking at extreme speeds and heavy use we'll need to worry about durability of components more."

Construction

[sparkofgenius]

[schmott_guy]

A project like this is not going to get done in one sitting, but Gil seems to be giving it a shot. Aside from the occasional break to eat or deal with other bodily functions, he has by now been working on constructing the prototype rotomcycle for twelve hours and shows no sign of slowing down. He's got an unhealthy looking light in his eyes, and when he asks for assistance with anything his voice has a strange harmonic to it that makes it difficult to ignore him.

It wasn't until past sundown that he looked outside.

"Huh, when did it get dark?"

[sparkofgenius]

Lucca looks up from her own workstation, turning a part over in her hands and raising an eyebrow. He hadn't taken a break yet, and he looked...bad...

"About two hours ago. You know, when the rest of us took a break to eat, Gil. You know, that thing that living, breathing people do?"

[schmott_guy]

"I ate."

He had grabbed a sandwich and eaten it with one hand while poking at the gear box with his other. Now he was on to the brakes.

"Anyways I think I can get this thing ready in just, like, six or seven more hours."

[sparkofgenius]

"When was the last time you slept?"

It's a legit question, Gil.

"Because you don't look like you've got six or seven more hours in you."

Testing

[sparkofgenius]

[schmott_guy]

"Now remember, it's going to be a lot faster than a bicycle, so you'll need to keep your head down low or the wind resistance could get strong enough to fling you right off the rotomcycle."

Gil passed a safety helmet to the test driver as he spoke.

"But as long as you keep calm and don't get distracted it should be safe. The theory is perfectly sound."

Which is why he was going to be watching from a distance behind a barricade while wearing safety goggles.

[actsmagnificent]

Of course. All very sensible. And yet - Haruka wouldn't be here if it weren't risky. She at least has experience with riding unpredictable objects.

"Just back up and watch," she replies, not trying to be dismissive so much as calmly confident. (She does, however, buckle that helmet securely, and came outfitted with her most-padded racing jumpsuit). "How long do you need me to drive it?"

She's not quite sure what the inventors will be doing while she tests the machine, but she supposes that's their issue. All she has to do is keep it going long enough for them to observe....whatever they're observing, and offer her own impressions of the ride when they're done.

[schmott_guy]

"How long?"

He paused to consider this.

"For now just do a few laps. Just get a feel for it. Stop if it explodes."

[actsmagnificent]

Sound advice. Haruka nods, getting an initial "feel" for the machine while stationary. She shifts her weight from one foot to the other, tests her grip on the handlebars, checks to see if she can tell how the Rotom's doing. She's heard they like possessing machinery in the past, so she's guessing it's happy...

"All right." The last thing she adjusts is her helmet, making sure it's snug. She's ready whenever her audience is.

[leadingspirit]

He was late to the party, but when wasn't he. Taki was so completely and utterly ready to try out these bad boys. He plunked a helmet on his head and situated himself, drumming his fingers on the handles of the bike with a positively manic grin on his face. He waited with it running for a go-ahead, looking the machine over as he did.

[sparkofgenius]

"Just like old times, huh Taki?" Lucca asked as she walked over, running a hand along the bike. "Only less guns and explosions." Hopefully...

[leadingspirit]

He flipped the visor up on his helmet and grinned broadly at her.

"We can hope," he said. "I mean, less guns, but we can hope for less explosions."

[outtahere]

[So with something that's in the ballpark of the final configuration now available and a few test runs having been done, someone else is interested in taking this thing for a spin.

After stuffing his Rotom into it, Banzu mounts up and uses Iron Defense. The bits of black metal on his body begin to flow, mostly covered by his clothes, but the striking surfaces on his knuckles can be seen expanding to cover his hands and the metal on his cheeks merges with the metal coming out from under his collar, forming a helmet and completing his armor. It seems almost too much though since, knowing Banzu, this test will be a calm and entirely practical one.

And of course it is, Banzu making a circuit of the testing area at an ordinary bicycle speed, with only a couple minor incidences of operator non-proficiency to make this even remotely interesting to those watching. He circles around to where he started from, obviously to... pop a wheelie and accelerate like mad? Yeah this next circuit is anything but calm as he puts the rotomcycle through its paces, weaving around obstacles and making sharp high-speed turns, at one point making one so sharp the rotomcycle begins to tip over, requiring him to put a hand down against the ground to keep from falling over before he can regain control, sparks flying as the metal on his palm scrapes against the pavement. He doesn't crash though, despite driving so recklessly that it seems a foregone conclusion that he would.]

[sparkofgenius]

[When finishes up after he almost sets down, Lucca's quick to race over, her feet thudding on the pavement.]

Are you okay?!

[outtahere]

[An unseen blink inside his armor, because he'd have assumed that she'd be more worried about the prototype than him.]

Yeah, I'm fine. Thought I could do a tighter turn than I could.

[He holds up his palm to show how scraped up it is.]

Wouldn't recommend trying that move barehanded though.

[The metal flows again and retracts the armor, revealing his undamaged hand, followed by the rest of his Iron Defense disappearing into his body.]

Break Time/PokeMingle

[sparkofgenius]

[outtahere]

"So here's a question," Banzu says, setting down his glass. "Do land vehicles like this get individual names? From what I've read most water vehicles do - that's why Pathfinder has a name - but I haven't seen anything about land vehicles like what we brought up from the Old City or this thing in anything I've read."

[sparkofgenius]

"Maybe just the prototypes. They aren't boats, and we do want to mass produce this thing," Lucca answers, rubbing her chin in thought. "But we could make exceptions?"

[outtahere]

"Naw, no point in being inconsistent with naming. Was just wondering. Makes me wonder why boats are special and get names though."