Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Gavin Stacey (Chief Medical Officer) in Main Sim - Blob Science - Biology Lab

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade V’alura Belmont (Chief Science Officer) in Main Sim - Blob Science - Biology Lab

Posted by Lieutenant Marlaa (Chief Counseling Officer) in Main Sim - Blob Science - Biology Lab
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻
[snip]

V’alura swore like a sailor when the ship shuddered. “Okay. Here’s what we’ll do. We determine if the blobs can understand the data we give them or if they are simply mimicking it like a reflection in the mirror.” V’alura suddenly dashed off to the other side of the lab, then returned with data chip and a small energy source. It was a little battery intended for powering equipment for experiments without having a direct connection to the ship’s power. V’alura brought the battery to a replicator then had the computer create a box around it and a somewhat complex locking system. “The blob should be able to sense the energy within this battery but it won’t be able to access it because of the lock.”

She grinned as she brought the newly locked up battery over and turned so that her back was to the blob. “Computer, begin video recording of me.” V’alura pressed a specific sequence into the four buttons at the top of the lock box. “Computer, end recording. Now add that recording onto this data chip.” V’alura set both the locked battery and her data chip onto the table. “Next, we transport both inside of the blob’s containment. If this experiment succeeds then we’ll do the same again except in the second experiment there will be only text instructions describing the buttons and the sequence.”

Lt JG Belmont, CSO

The computer beeped its compliance with the setup and recording, and soon the data chip and the locked battery were inside the blob’s containment area. The blob’s first reaction seemed almost confused like, it clearly sensed probably the energy of the transport, and the shift in its surroundings of things arriving near it. In turn it probably also sensed the locked up battery.

The blob seemed to extend two separate tentacles into the air near where the residual transporter field had been, then lowered them each to the chip and then battery box. The second limb around the battery box engulfed it suddenly but from scans it was not yet able to get into the battery. The first limb seemed to almost ‘feel/sniff’ out the isolinear chip, before it too was engulfed. This time the reaction was different, the chip was shown to light up from internal energy from the blob, which powered the chip, some kind of transference was picked up which could indicate data being sent from and/or too the chip. After this brief 2 second transfer the blob then seemed to turn it’s first appendage acidic and ‘ate’ the chip dissolving it in another three point two seconds. The second appendage meanwhile seemed to then poke and prod the box given the box was made of higher resistant material then the chip its attempt to dissolve the box simply to get to the energy battery met with some failure given enough time it could probably have just ate through the box, but the addition of the chip and as it soon revealed data absorbed, showed smaller tendrils within the second appendage work the box as Belmont had a bit before, the box soon clicked open and the battery was soon engulfed and also dissolved and absorbed, in turn the box too was then broken up bit by bit.

The result was quickly obvious, the blob which up till recently had been about the size of a small tennis ball, grew to about the size of a small grapefruit. The other result was the blob was far more energetic, several tendrils lashed out to the containment field, and this time minute drops in the fields integrity could be seen, but the computer soon compensated to ensure its safety.

But they had also found something interesting, the material, and energy it absorbed reflected growth. By using this ratio they could see that for a single blob to grow at this rate and based on the amount of material could be used to extrapolate how the organism or others like it would grow. In short the more material whether organic or technological it absorbed, coupled with the energy output of either material made it grow and expand its capabilities. As they could see now the blob was pretty much back to its original energetic self from the Synthesis, and it was only by their more advanced tech that it was not yet able to phase through the field. The blob also showed signs of greater activity that could be interpreted as higher ‘brain’ functionality.

GM CockRoach

“Well, the goods news is it can probably understand enough for us to be able to communicate with it.” Doctor Stacey stated as he eyed the blob with curiosity, “Though I don’t suggest we feed it.” Gavin laughed, trying to make light of their situation. The Doctor did his best to ignore the space battle that was continuing outside their ship. “I wonder if it can initiate a conversation with us, while it’s within the containment?”

Doctor Stacey Medical

Oh. V’alura was gonna be sick after seeing how easily that blob dissolved the battery and chip. If that thing got hold of someone’s hand or hair. She shuddered because she knew what burning flesh and hair smelled like and they were not pleasant smells at all. “That or these blobs are scavengers with animal-like intelligence. Smart enough to problem solve and avoid capture but with no real brain power beyond that.” She also did not like how the blob grew in size after eating up that little battery. If one of those things got into a ship core. . .

As they were again debating on how to proceed a more series impact struck the ship from outside jostling everyone about on their feet, a few of the consoles flickered then stabilized. There was then a series of return fire from the Ark Angel to their enemies felt. Followed by another jostle as if in the result of some explosion.

GM CockRoach

Marlaa had watched in equal fascination as the blob devoured the knowledge, then its prize. The growth concerned her but was glad when others agreed not to feed it any longer.

As the ship shuddered and the nearby console flickered, a small look of terror and concern came over Mar. “Ummm… Not to be a kill joy, but is there a power supply separate from the ship, here, that we can connect the containment field to? If the ship loses power, we don’t want our new friend to eat a console or data PaDD and become the size of a typical pet.”

The idea if a German Shepard sized blob rolling around the ship and devouring data to grow, was a bit off putting.

Marlaa
Counselor

“Good thinking, counselor.” V’alura nodded to a near-by scientist who began work on another console in creating a back-up power-source for the blob’s containment. One separate from main ship power. Meanwhile, V’alura created a separate lock box, with no battery inside, and another chip with written descriptions of the buttons and the instructions for the opening sequence. “I suppose this will double as a test to see if it can sense energy or if they really are scavengers sent out to stumble upon energy sources. Or if these things simply test and eat everything. . . like sharks on Earth. I’m not sure if I like that analogy though.” Sharks weren’t mindless killers but they were still predators.

“We should also consider if we’re devoting our energies in the wrong place.” V’alura said as she transported the second locked box and chip into the blob’s containment. “Perhaps we should be asking if the giant organism we’re in now is sentient or fully intelligent.” The AA could be ants examining the area of a human child’s shoe, or flies that wandered into the mouth of a venus fly trap. “If we can we should try various scans of the nebula. Look for anything that might be strange or out of the ordinary.”

Lt JG Belmont, CSO

“I don’t know about you Belmont, but I’ve been known to squash a few ants in my lifetime.” Gavin replied. The doctor was curious to know if the Captain had planned to get them out of this the first chance they got, or if she planned to do a little investigating first. Ensign Stacey walked back over to the blob and just stared at it. He had hoped the CSO’s next test would give them more info on whether or not it had animal instincts or higher-level intelligence.

Doctor Stacey
Medical

Mar watched the others and laughed at the analogies. She tended not to discourage but always liked learning how folks’ minds worked. It gave her insight into the crew when she was able to see different reactions to the same situation.

“I’m sure we’re recording all this. But we also need to be sure we follow a pattern. This one is good because it’s a written word with the puzzle, where last time was video. We need to be thinking what we ultimately want to achieve so we aren’t heading down one path when the other was what we wanted.”

She wasn’t exactly sure what they were looking for, but she knew the finding out if it could read was just the first step.

Marlaa
CNS