progresscity | Beaker Is Trying To Be Useful

Entry tags:

Beaker Is Trying To Be Useful

Who: Beaker and whoever else joins him
What: trying to establish some sort of communication network in this place
Where: Ellen's lab, his apartment, or Joffrey's
When: throughout June
Warnings: none currently

[So, it's been a few months now. A lot has happened since everyone showed up in this place- a robot mayor fell to pieces, a evil dumbass became mayor in his place, unleashed an army of gremlins, and immediately got impeached. Also Beaker nearly killed a man in cold blood, but that's not important.

What is important is that it's been several months and they still don't even have, like, phones. Like they're barbarians.

Listen, don't get him wrong- Beaker's been around since before computers were even a thing. But he's still a very computer-oriented person, and by god if he doesn't get a hold of actual communicative technology soon he might go mad. As sad and pathetic as it sounds, he misses the internet. Even if he just got thousands of comments every week asking him invasive personal questions or telling him to die.

Which is why he's now hard at work in his spare time trying to like. Figure that out. He'll be spending even more time than usual at Ellen's Lab, trying out prototypes, testing out new ideas, and occasionally blowing himself up. God, he wishes Bunsen were here. It'd be really nice if Bunsen had like, somehow showed up here within the last few weeks and Beaker just hadn't noticed yet because Bunsen had found the other Beaker first.

During these next few weeks, you might find some posters around the city, with fairly simple messages[he's no graphic designer, that's for sure]. Most of them can be boiled down to: "Want to help establish communication in this town? Contact Beaker at Ellen's Lab!" The posters also list the apartment he lives in at Vista Way, so you can always drop in and visit. Though there's no guarantee he'll actually be there at any normal time.

On the rare occasions Beaker actually takes a break and not passed out from exhaustion in his apartment, he'll usually be found at Joffrey's Coffee Shop, trying to stave off exhaustion with around ten cups of coffee- the tried and true method to keeping him physically incapable of falling asleep [and also being absurdly gay in the process, but that's another story].

Of course, it also makes him even more danger prone, so maybe don't let him near anything flammable or combustable right now. He's already spilled three cups of coffee in the past 10 minutes.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[well frankly he wasn't expecting to get this far because Larry would have called him out already but. hey, he's willing to fake it if Beaker's gonna let him run with it.]

What'd I see that was wrong? Hell, what'd I see that was right?

[he wanders close enough to reach over and point at a specific bunch of wires, although he has no idea what they're even connecting to or what purpose they're serving or... well, anything.]

Uh... there.

[and then he takes a couple steps back to look at Beaker expectantly, like 'you know what you've done'.]

[Ouch, his ego. And here Beaker thought he was doing pretty good :(

He examines the wires, curious. He doesn't see anything odd, but- oh, wait! One of them isn't plugged in! This must be what the tiny cowboy meant. Beaker plugs it in before straightening back up, pleased.]

Meep-muh mi! ... Meemuhmeep mimuhmii?

[Thank you! ... What's your name, stranger?]

[maybe it's just because he's incredibly impressed that nothing actually blew up thanks to completely random guessing, but he looks decidedly smug as he leans back.]

Yep. Knew it.

[why does no one ever let him get away with overseeing things like this, he's clearly great at it

Beaker gets a bit of an odd look from him at the question, though. Jed squints at him for a second or two as if trying to determine if he's being serious but... he seems sincere enough, for some reason? which is slightly odd, but maybe he's just forgetful.]

Wha'd'ya mean? We just went over this, Laredo. [like. literally a week ago.] It's Jedediah. Remember? Musta fried your head a few times too many workin' on all'a that technical stuff.

[Beaker sighs.]

Muh-meepmimuhmii meep muhmeep. Mi muh-mimi muhminimuh meep mee-meemeep, muhmuhminuh mee-eep muh meep... Meep mi-muh meep mi muh meep mimimi-mee meep.

[He was worried about that. Ever since he came to this place, it feels like his memory keeps failing on him... People he's never met before say they've seen him around or had full conversations with him.

The last comment makes Beaker pause. Maybe it does have to do with the work he's been doing, but... Nah, he hasn't gotten a really bad shock or hit to the head since showing up here. Not yet, at least.]

Mee-muhmeep mi muh, muhmeep. Minimi muhmeep-mi meep?

[Nice to meet you again, anyway. Did you come because of the poster?]

[on one hand Jed can more or less relate to having complicated memory issues. on the other hand, he doesn't know how to deal with it without having an existential crisis, so he kind of just shrugs it off rather than offering any useful advice.]

That's just how memory is sometimes, Laredo. Easier not to think about it. That's how I manage.

[you're welcome :)

the question gets a nod in response, albeit an absent-minded one as Jed's currently looking more closely over whatever Beaker was working on (even if he has no idea what any of it is supposed to do).]

Sure did. Any sorta communication's easier than havin' to walk around to talk to anybody. Figured I'd take a look.

[You know what, fair enough. And that's what Beaker's gonna do for now- not think about it. He's gonna not think about it so hard you have no idea.]

Mee muh-meepmimuh-mee mimuh-meep, minimuhmeep mi muh meep-muhmi Muhmini-meep mimuh mee minimuh mee, mih-muh, mini-meep-muhmi muh meepmimuh-mineemuh meep.

[Beaker can definitely see how that'd be the case, considering how big everything must be to Jed. Maybe he should work on a better transport system, too, for the smaller ones around here- like that mouse Beaker's seen around.

His meeping grows more frantic and excited as he continues: the network is still pretty much in early draft stages, but he's hoping to have it set up as soon as possible. He's still having a lot of trouble working the kinks out, as he's usually worked on weirder devices like Shrinking Pills and Electric Nose Warmers and not. Practical stuff.

But he's making progress! He's begun designing communication devices that will at least be able to manage messaging and image/video sharing. Hopefully more features over time, but the sooner they've got something basic like that established, the better.]

[He may not really be able to follow any of the process, but Beaker's enthusiasm about the project is pretty contagious and he finds himself nodding along with all of it anyway. Whatever it involves, it seems like Beaker's figured out how to piece it all together pretty well.]

Hell, looks like you know where you're goin'. Sounds to me like you're coverin' all the bases. [Or at least the ones that matter? Which is pretty much just video, if you ask him, but.]

...How're you gonna pay for all of that? Handin' out devices and all. Whole lotta folks work here. [Well not a LOT a lot but. Still. Enough. Though he guesses not everyone might want one but, really, who wouldn't.] Unless you blackmail the mayor into payin' for it.

[or like. ask him. but Jed is use to mayors who don't actually do anything and leave him to run the exhibit instead so he's never had to actually go through any sort of process when dealing with the government.]

[If Beaker's weird little muppet mouth could grin at that, he would. Instead, he ducks his head into his shirt bashfully.]

Meep-muhmeep mi meep, mimuhmeep mi-meepmuh meep muh mineemuh meep-meemi-muh meep mi mi.

[He's been working. Very hard on this, so he's glad to hear he's on the right track from someone unbiased.

Beaker looks a little startled at the last bit, shaking his head.]

Muh-meep minimuh. Meep-muh mi-meep muh mimimeep muh mi mee, muhmeep mimuhmeep mi muhmeep minimuh. Mimuh-meep mimuh mee-meep-mimuhmi meep, muhmuhmi muh meep mini.

[No blackmail. He's got a lot of leeway with what he works on at the lab, and Rod seems pretty chill with most things people want to make or set up. And it's not like there's people clamoring for there to be no communication system set up, so it shouldn't be a hard decision.]

[Jed shrugs casually in response.]

Seemed like plain ol' common sense to me, puttin' something like this together. How long've you folks gone without it, anyhow?

[like. computers and phones would've been high priority if you asked just about anyone else but maybe the project just took a while to actually get started or something.]

And, y'know, it's just an option. The blackmail thing. Somethin' to keep in mind. [he has met. approximately two actually decent authority figures in his lifetime.] Guess he sounds better than most folks who get put in charge, though.

[Beaker taps his finger to his chin, thinking.]

Mee-meep.

[Two months? He thinks.]

Muh-meepmi muh-meep mi-meep-mimuh minimuh mee-mi-meep, meep-mimimi muhmee-muh meep minimuh.

[It was probably just that everyone assumed someone else would work on it, or that they'd all get home soon and not have to be stuck here for an indefinite amount of time.

At the last comment, he makes a noise of distaste.]

Muh-mi muhmi meep mi muh.

[He's better than Plankton.]

Least that ain't too long. Though I guess it might seem longer if they told you they were workin' to get you back home right quick.

[The makeshift orientation rundown he'd been given once he'd arrived was slightly less optimistic about getting the portals to work right.

He furrows his brows at that, not entirely sure who Beaker's talking about (Rod had certainly explained the previous mayor situation after it had come to a close but quite frankly Jed doesn't pay a lot of mind to Rod) although he knows enough to wager a guess.]

What, you mean the gremlin man? [He sure as hell doesn't care to know all the details but he'd been around for that little bit. The gremlin-fighting bit.] Well, it ain't like that's a very high bar.

[Beaker nods- it really has felt like longer, but maybe he's just getting homesick.

When he speaks again, his tone is. Very bitter.]

Mee, muhmeepmi minimuh. Mi meep muh-mi muhmee-meepmimi, meenimuh meep muh meepmi minuhmeep-muhmee mii muh-meepmi muh. Meep-mi muh mi-muhmi.

[Yeah, the gremlin man. He doesn't look much like the gremlins, but he made them and tried to take over the whole place with them. Deserves worse than just getting impeached.

... That might be a pretty big can of worms Jed's opened.]

Tried to take over? I thought he was already mayor. [He shakes his head.] Still, reckon that oughta earn him more than just a slap on the wrist.

[And boy does he have a solution for you!]

So tie him to the train tracks, then. [Jedediah, who has absolutely zero qualms with murder,] You want justice you gotta go out and get it yourself, Laredo.

Mee-muhmeep mi mimi-muh, minimuh meep-mi muhmi meep-muh-muh meenimuh meep muhmi, muh-mi-minimeepmuh mi muhmeep.

[He was mayor, but Beaker supposes he didn't feel like he had enough power, and wanted to forcibly take it all.]

... Meep.

[No.

He shakes his head. He may hate Plankton, but he's not sure if he can bring himself to do something like that.

Even if he did recently abandon Olaf to the gremlins and nearly kill him twice.]

Suit yourself. ['coward' is unspoken but strongly implied] But folks like that don't stop 'til they've got the whole damn city locked up, believe you me.

[Of course he has absolutely zero experience actually doing anything he's talking about, as is the case for most of his suggestions.]

Anyhow, if you need help with gettin' those fancy talking boxes workin' I'm more than happy to lend a hand. May not have the most technical know-how but plastic don't conduct electricity too well and I don't think you need anymore shocks than you've already got.

[Assuming his memory issues stem from. Electrical trauma. Of some kind. Though he guesses there's other options.]

Mi-muh mee, meep-mimimuhmeep minimuhmeep mii muh meep-meep muh meenuh-mi meep mi miip muh minimuhmeep.

[He knows, and he'll keep Jed's suggestion in mind for a last resort- Lord knows Plankton isn't gonna change for the better any time soon.

At the last comment, Beaker tilts his head- if he could grin, he would be now.]

Muhmeep mi muh mee minimuh meep-mi-mimi-mimuh meep minii mee-me-meep minimuh meep-mi muhmi meep-muhmii.

[He's been shocked plenty of times in his life- he wouldn't be surprised if they'd finally taken their toll on him.]

Don't you folks have a jail? There's an option. Forget voting in a new mayor, you gotta get yourselves a sheriff.

[His knowledge of justice systems may be just slightly lacking but it's fine.]

And I'd say it already has, if scrambling your memory counts for anything. [Jed holds up his hands a half-second later, though, because he at least remembers his advice concerning the matter from earlier.] But we ain't worryin' about that possibility.

[Or thinking about it in general. These things are best handled by ignoring it for half a century.]

Mineemi-meep-muhmi? Minimuhnimuh meep minimuhmi meep mi-muhmee meep muh-mimimi muhmeep mii meenimuh mee-mee-mi. Meepmuh mi mi!

[He doesn't... think... so? To be honest this town is short on a lot of things that should be high priority. There are security guards, though!]

Well that's why you had a gremlin crisis! Communication's the least of this city's problems! Nine times outta ten, a security guard ain't gonna be good for a single goddamn thing. Doesn't matter if you've gone one of 'em or thirty of 'em.

[He has. Opinions. On the matter. And though he's yet to meet a security guard here if he did encounter one he'd be 100% ready to throw down.]

Muh, mimimin-muhmeep mee-mi meep. Muhnimuh meep-mi-mi. Meep-muh-mi-mi meep meenimi mee-mi muh.

[Well, one of them's a panther. He hasn't met him, though. But that probably makes him better than most security guards.]

Panther? A big cat panther? An actual one?

[He seems to contemplate the concept for a moment or two before shrugging.]

Well, I reckon tearing folks' throats out is somewhat more effective than just handcuffing 'em. I'll give you that.

Meep mi-mimuh meep mi muhnimuh meep.

[Yep, a real one- not a superhero named after one.]

Mimuhmimi meep-mi muh, minimuh-meep-mi-muh meep, mi. Mee meep mi mimi.

[He's heard the panther is nice enough, and hasn't mauled anyone, but still. Good idea to be cautious.]

Nah, the lions don't much care enough to pay any mind to us back in New York. A panther ain't gonna be a problem either. Thanks for the word'a warning, though.

[translation: i will do everything in my power to get mauled by a panther]

Anyway, oughta let you get back to figuring this whole mess out. Just do me a favor and lemme know how it's comin' along once you really get things started. Or, y'know, just put up more fancy posters.

[cant wait for jed to piss off bagheera like the world's most talkative flea]

Meemi! Mi-meemi muh meep minimee, meepminimuh meep!

[Alright! Come back any time you like, and thanks for the help!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Beaker Is Trying To Be Useful

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

this thread is half just us talking about our other damn characters

I KNOW

no subject