LG and the Bug

LG	pops into existence in front of Reaper Colosseum and starts heading towards the front. He's hoping to find someone official looking to get Feelers so that this could be a short trip.
	Blitz|GM	There's a few guards strolling around, but none seem overly concerned about a child appearing out of thin air.
	LG	is happy about this. It means that they aren't likely to throw him out. He attempts to grab the attention of a guard. "Hey. I did a thing for Feelers. I need to talk to him."
	Blitz|GM	The guard looks down at LG. "Did you now." There's a flash of green flame, revealing the guard to be none other than Feelers himself. "I do have to keep myself entertained between fights. What did you wish to tell me?"
	Blitz|GM	The other guard seems unnerved that he was working with Feelers
	LG	smirks. Well, that was easy. "Hey, we cleared the nest like you asked. We also totally got one alive."
	LG	shrugs. "Wanna see it?
	Blitz|GM	Feelers looks impressed. "How many were there?"
	LG	tilts his head, as if he was trying to remember something. "A couple. Rime killed one, I saw around three. So around four or so."
	Blitz|GM	Feelers nods, "What were they doing with their captives?"
	LG	thinks on it. "I think they're leeching them for their love of something. They're storing it for their queen."
	Blitz|GM	Feelers frowns. "Did you have any idea as to why their Queen needed so many captives? So much energy?"
	LG	shrugs. "I couldn't pry that out of it's mind. You could ask personally, if you want."
	Blitz|GM	Feelers blinks, "How might I do that?"
	LG	pff's. "I'm Logic Gates. Greatest hacker in Hoofington. I can teleport you there."
	Blitz|GM	Feelers tilts his head, "One has nothign to do with the other."
	LG	gets a look on his face as if he hadn't really considered that. "To be honest, I just say that automatically now. Grab your stuff."
	Blitz|GM	Feelers shakes his head, "I carry no posessions."
	LG	nods. "Awesome. That was your warning." Poof. And then they were back at the Collegiate. "So, here's where I work, and you're gonna have to follow me. Also, Razor's a filly now and very upset about it."
	Blitz|GM	Feelers blinks. "How...?"
	LG	simply gives a "that's not my department" kind of shrug, and begins walking towards what he can tell him about.
	Blitz|GM	Feelers follows LG, shifting into the form of a lab-coated Unicorn.
	LG	heads on in towards where the bug would be, or at least, where he saw it last after depositing it into the Collegiate's care. "So, this is the break room, those be some nerds, more nerds, more nerds and we take a right here and do you have any questions before we meet the thing?"
	Blitz|GM	Feelers nods. "Tell me everything you were able to glean so far."
	LG	sighs. "That pretty much is what I was able to glean so far. They have a queen, and seem to have no sense of individual will. Tried explaining it, it couldn't understand. This particular bug was to find out why we wiped out the nest and report back. Very loud until we put a ball gag in it's mouth. It has made no attempts to escape."
	Blitz|GM	Feelers nods. "I have seen them only in passing. Their Queen was once my Queen, but in an expansion of our hive, we came across a dumping ground for toxins. She was doused in them and became what she is now. A monster that knows only to consume. As if she needed any real reason."
	LG	frowns and continues. "The inference was that she was storing love for some reason, to be honest. I don't know why.
	Blitz|GM	Feelers frowns. "I have no idea why she would need to store energy rather than just consume it."
	LG	lets an awkward moment pass by. "Who /was/ the queen before the mutation happened?"
	Blitz|GM	Feelers frowns. "Her name was Queen Gloriana. She was magnificent, beautiful, and love every one of her children, nieces, nephews... all of us. All Four hundred sixty-three of her kin."
	Blitz|GM	*loved
	LG	shakes his head. "Perhaps I should be more clear. Is there any of her motives that she had beforehoof that would explain what she's doing now?"
	Blitz|GM	Feelers shakes his head in return. "She only wanted to keep her hive safe. Our hive. All of us. She wanted us to survive and be happy."
	=-=	Blitz|GM is now known as TenMihara|GM
	LG	frowns. He hopefully arrives at where they're keeping the bug.
	TenMihara|GM	The bio-chemistry lab is open. The mareinside looks up. "Hello?" She has a tissue sample on the table in front of her, and there is a dissected manticore tail hanging on the wall.
	LG	coughs. "I'm Logic Gates. I wanna see my bug."
	TenMihara|GM	The mare blinks. "Oh, you're Logic? I thought you'd be older." She gestures to a tank nearby that holds the suspended form of the taintling. "We've kept him in suspended animation while we perform some tests. You did say he was dangerous, yes?"
	LG	nods. "Yes. Extremely." He looks at the bug. And then back at feelers. "As you can see, we are able to handle ourselves against them."
	TenMihara|GM	Feelers shifts back into his natural form. "Greetings." The doctor eeps and jumps back.
	LG	raises his hoof. "He's with me." He looks at Feelers. "I'm not a barterer, so I won't negotiate. But if I am to continue field research on these things, I need to be able to fund this project. What can we work out?"
	TenMihara|GM	Feelers nods. "I have a vested interest in what these things really are, and what they want. They used to be my kin before they were tainted." The mare nods, "Yes, we did detect traces of the taint mutagen in its genetic structure."
	LG	looks at the mare. "What else did you find out?"
	TenMihara|GM	The mare looks to Logic, "Taint acts in unpredictable ways where non-ponies are concerned. The taintlings, physically, are similar to the mutation seen in Hellhounds. Increased physical size, strength, stamina, and aggression compared to their base species. Mentally however, we really have no way of telling just yet."
	LG	puts his hoof on his chin. "What are you seeking to find out about it's mental state?"
	TenMihara|GM	The mare shrugs. "Everything we can really. Unfortunately, in order to perform a brain scan, we would need to be able to get it into a specialized piece of equipment."
	LG	scratches his chin. "I believe I've told ponies here what I found out on my little expedition through it's mind."
	TenMihara|GM	The mare nods, "We're not looking for contents though, we're looking for function. Patterns and brainwaves. Tangible connections between it's physical brain and what you experienced inside its mind."
	LG	sighs. This is going to end in him going on more st. "What is the equipment and where can I find it?"
	LG	(walks.)
	TenMihara|GM	The mare blinks. "Um... the machine is called the CAT scanner. We only have the one here and it is very sensative, so we can't move it."
	LG	sighs. "So what can we do to put that bug into that CAT scanner?"
	TenMihara|GM	The mare looks at him. "Well, we would need to keep it unconscious in order to keep it from doing any potential harm, like the danger you said it poses."
	LG	puts his hoof back down. Okay, now things were starting to take shape. "And in order to do that, you would need to know what chemicals to treat it with to keep it unconscious, and in order to do that, you would need to run a bunch of bloodwork and chemical testing on it. Which is what you're doing now."
	TenMihara|GM	The mare nods, "Exactly. I've also taken a few tissue samples, which is where I was able to observe the effect of taint on its physical form. Their carapace is likewise toughened, so it was a bit tricky to do without causing permanent harm, which is why it was slow going."
	LG	turns towards Feelers. "Any suggestions?"
	TenMihara|GM	Feelers shakes his head. "I can give you only insight into unmutated changelings. However, given our insectoid traints, perhaps if you used a dilute pesticide. Ethyl-chloride perhaps. Mix that with painkillers and an anesthetic of your choice and it could keep him subdued."
	TenMihara|GM	Feelers notes, "It would almost certainly be painful to have that pesticide used, hence the suggestion of painkillers."
	TenMihara|GM	The mare looks to LG, "Your thoughts on his plan? You did want us not to harm him."
	TenMihara|GM	Feelers snorts, "You want this sorted or not? This ceretin barely has any right to call itself a life form anymore. He may have once been my brother or my son or perhaps my father. Now he is nothing more than a beast. It is a disgrace for him to even exist in this form."
	TenMihara|GM	*cretin
	LG	raises an eyebrow. "It's a 'him'?" He shook his head. "Look, okay. I'll leave that to you, I'm not a medical doctor. Although, I know one, and I'll leave my decision to him. As for you-" He points at Feelers. "I am trying to reset his mind from before the polluting event. If I can't do that, I prefer the ability to start that off brand new. I don't kill what I choose to work on, at worst, I...
	LG	...reprogram it."
	TenMihara|GM	Feelers looks to LG, "You have no idea what I went through watching my beloved Queen turn my kin into these monsters. I cannot undo what was done to them, but I know they would not want to exist in such a sorry state. I know because I would not wish it either."
	TenMihara|GM	The mare goes about mixing up the cocktail Feelers suggested, but doesn't do anything with it yet.
	LG	groans a little in thought. "That's the thing. You don't know. There is a possibility that we could restore their default settings and that they would choose to remain alive. Or, hell, that they'd want to die by their own hoof. Try to see this openly, and do try not to imprint your answer on a matter that is best not answered immediately."
	TenMihara|GM	Feelers frowns. "You really think you can restore their minds?"
	LG	smirks, eyes hallow but smile confident. "I'm the best fucking hacker in Hoofington. If I can't do it, it can't be done."
	TenMihara|GM	Feelers compound eyes can't really be rolled, but he raises a brow. "How is hacking in any way related to an equine mind?"
	LG	just smiles. "More than you'd think."