[ we auctioned off our memories in the absence of a breeze ]

[baelhat]

Who: Baelheit and Miriel (with bonus Milly!)
Where: Mintaka Industries
When: Immediately after his meeting with Megatron
What: Mintaka Industries is under threat by the Decepticon forces. Time to hide its most valuable asset: the synth-en formula.
Warnings: UNCOMFORTABLE AMOUNTS OF MATH, Baelheit family problems, THE USUAL

The moment that Megatron's avatar has left his office, Baelheit contacts Miriel. There is absolutely no time to waste. He may have bought himself a few hours, but he knows that Megatron was not convinced by his show of acquiescence. He is uninterested in giving Megatron and his troops the means to leave this planet, or worse, attack it...especially without receiving anything in return. Perhaps he would have accepted a trade, if only to cut their losses down to something acceptable, but Daimon's whispers in the back of his mind have urged him to take a different course.

They cannot be allowed to come to possess this information, Julius. You mustn't give it to them. The formula is yours by right, and no one else's. You need it, and you need the Cybertronians. Your work won't be complete without them.

What should he do, then? What would Daimon have him do?

Hide it in plain sight. Use the resources at your disposal. You have more than just tools and toys, Julius, you have so much more...

He doesn't bother with an email -- in an uncharacteristically urgent move, he pages Miriel over the building's PA system, his tone brisk and professional as ever. "Dr. Frost, please report to the head office immediately. I must speak with you on an urgent matter."

While he waits for her to arrive, he sends a text message to Milliarde. He and Daimon have already begun to formulate a plan -- as ingenious of one as they could on such short notice -- although Daimon seems more than ready to tackle the matter at hand. If he wants to keep the formula out of Megatron's possession, he'll just have to make it that much harder to find.

Comments

[sciencewizard]

Strange. Baelheit rarely uses the PA system. This must, indeed, be urgent, though Miriel can't imagine what it could be. She runs through a list of possibilities in her head. Ultimately, she decides there's no point, as she will be informed of the matter shortly. She leaves her work – tidy, of course – and hastens to the head office. It's not long before she's there, and she finds Baelheit waiting inside.

"Dr. Baelheit," she greets him, and moves to sit down. "What do you wish to discuss?" She notes that she is experiencing a small, subtle feeling of apprehension. Interesting. Whatever has happened, she already knows it isn't good news.

[baelhat]

Baelheit wastes no time. He is not a man who generally minces words, although he is usually diligent with his formalities. But here, with the grave, intent look on his face, it is clear he is uninterested in those.

"We had theorized that there were other Cybertronians on this planet by now, based on the energy readouts our scanners were picking up outside the city. It seems our suspicions were correct, and I have just had them confirmed." He leans forward, hands laced tightly together over his desk. "Starscream's direct superior just paid me a visit -- Megatron, he calls himself. He came demanding the completed formula, and he was not interested in bargaining. He was quite liberal with his threats -- I have no doubt that given ample opportunity, he would raze this building to the ground to get his hands on the formula. I have already enacted emergency defense protocols for the secure labs and our most valuable assets, but the formula -- that is his goal. We cannot let them simply take it, Dr. Frost. It must be protected, and I need your help -- your brilliance -- to do it. But it is likely to become dangerous very quickly." His eyes are alight with an intensity unlike any she has likely ever seen in him before. "Can I trust you with this, Dr. Frost?"

He has never asked her to undertake something of this magnitude before. She has always had his confidence when it comes to professional matters, but this is outside of her job description by a long shot. But even so, Daimon has made him confident that she will accept.

[sciencewizard]

Miriel listens intently. Given that this Megatron is as dangerous as Baelheit just described, he must not be allowed to get his hands on the formula. It's not a matter of Mintaka Industries no longer having the research – Miriel has everything about the formula and its completion process committed to memory, of course, and she doubts that Baelheit doesn't too – but a matter of Megatron, Starscream, and any others working for them not using it to further their agenda. Especially if their agenda involves destroying or conquering Earth; that would simply not do.

"Of course, Dr. Baelheit," she says, without hesitation. "The potential of danger will not pose a problem; I will be cautious." Perhaps it would for an ordinary super genius scientist, but Miriel isn't an ordinary super genius scientist. Her magic is her greatest secret, and, though she has no intention of outright telling Baelheit just how safe she and the formula will be, a little reassurance wouldn't hurt.

A thought occurs to her. This might be a good opportunity to put into practice an invention of hers which has been sitting on a shelf in her study for a couple years now. The concept always appealed to her, and none of the many whom she had tested with the problems had even come close. "In fact, I may already have a method of protecting the formula. Even if the Cybertronians manage to retrieve it, they will not be able to access it unless they are exceptionally proficient at levels of mathematics more difficult and complex than levels solvable by the greatest minds in mathematics today." Even her mother could not solve these; her frustrated notes are where Miriel got the framework for some of the problems, after all.

[baelhat]

Inwardly, Baelheit is immensely relieved that she accepts, all the more so for how readily she does. Not for the first time recently, he thinks that he is extraordinarily fortunate to have Miriel at Mintaka Industries. Over the last few years she has quite easily become his favorite colleague, and her willingness to put herself on the line for their shared interests is only enforcing that.

He looks intrigued by the suggestion, quickly turning it over in his head. It is a rather elaborate approach, but the situation calls for it. "Thank you for your dedication, Dr. Frost. I'm sure that with your help, we can keep this asset out of Megatron's hands. You are confident that you can develop such a device?" It's not a challenge of her conviction; it is merely a request for confirmation, perhaps even a hopeful one.

[sciencewizard]

"In truth, its development is nearly complete," Miriel says. "I have been working on this project in small stretches for an extended period of time, and it is fortunate that it suits this situation." There are just a few little details that need correcting before she can put it to use. For example, the spell protecting the invention from being smashed open must be strengthened, considering the damage the Cybertronians can likely do.

Of course, there's also the question of where she should hide it, if anywhere. She could always place it in an alternate dimension, but maybe that would be overkill. Putting it in her house might endanger her personal research – her spellbooks are priceless artifacts from beyond the physical plane, but they can still be damaged. It might be too large for a pocket, so perhaps she could stick it in her purse. These are the important questions.

[baelhat]

"You can put it into effective use immediately, then?" Baelheit looks faintly sanguine, Miriel's unhesitating confidence enough to bolster his own. It seems Daimon had been right to put his faith in her. "I would ask you to explain to me in greater detail how this device works, but I am afraid there is no time for that now. Besides, I feel it may be better if I know less, at least for the time being."

He rises from his chair, resting his palms on the surface of his desk, his face grave as he looks at Miriel. "But that in itself may not be enough, Dr. Frost. Even with as secure a measure as I am sure you've devised, hiding the formula in only one place strikes me as a foolish move. Rather, the data will be heavily encrypted and then split -- you will possess one half, and I will take measures to protect the other myself."

[sciencewizard]

Miriel nods when he asks the question, then nods again after he's done speaking. "I believe that is a wise course of action, Dr. Baelheit. Should one half of the formula fall into the Cybetronians' hands, they will not possess the completed formula." It stands to reason, though, that, should the Cybertronians get one part of the formula, they will focus their efforts on finding the other. That might increase the danger for whoever has that part of the formula. It's not a flaw in the plan itself, but merely an unfortunate aspect of the situation. They can handle it.

"Did Megatron reveal any information regarding the numbers he commands? I doubt he would be so foolish as to say anything outright, but even hints may be utilizable." It does very much make a difference if five Cybertronians come knocking on her door, as opposed to one or two. Of course, Megatron might consider them, being human pests, to be easy to deal with, and therefore not requiring large numbers.

[baelhat]

"He did not," Baelheit says, shaking his head. "I doubt it is more than a few, or else our scanners would have detected far more activity than they did...but even a handful of Cybertronians could pose a serious threat to Mintaka Industries. And Megatron himself is quite formidable. He has a clarity of purpose to him that makes him particularly dangerous. I do not doubt that he would go to extraordinary lengths to obtain the formula."

Baelheit would know, because Megatron...Megatron is not unlike himself, in that regard. He adjusts his glasses, his face grim. "He is not Starscream. He cannot be begged or bargained with; we cannot appeal to his ego to soften him. He says he would raze this building to the ground if he felt it necessary. I believe him."

[sciencewizard]

"As do I." Though Miriel hasn't met Megatron herself, she has complete faith in Baelheit's judgment. She's not much for grandiose, meaningful statements, but one thing is clear: Baelheit's judgment is what has gotten Mintaka Industries this far, and it's what's going to lead it into the future. "We must ensure that he does not have the opportunity to cause any damage to our endeavors or those working with us."

Of course, that's easier said than done when you're talking about a large, ruthless alien robot. In fact, Miriel doesn't know what would keep Megatron from destroying whatever he wanted to. Death, probably, but Cybertronians are likely more difficult to kill than organics. There would also be the possibility of further retaliation by Megatron's forces, which could be costly to not just Mintaka Industries. They are in quite a tricky situation.

"What will you tell him when he inevitably returns, Dr. Baelheit?" Miriel asks. "I doubt he would have chosen to leave without the formula, so, considering the circumstances, I imagine that you convinced him to give you time to decide."

[baelhat]

"No, I only convinced him to give me time to prepare," Baelheit says grimly, slowly lowering himself back into his chair. He breathes out a slow, steady sigh -- terse, tight. This has him as worried as Miriel's probably ever seen him. "He wasn't interested in giving me time, and I'm sure he saw through my gambit all the same. I won't tell him anything, Dr. Frost -- I will use every second I can to gird ourselves and our assets against an assault. To tell him I refuse would be to give away even the slightest advantage we might have now."

[sciencewizard]

Miriel considers this, as well as the worry evident in the man in front of her. It makes sense for him to be as concerned as he is, considering that a large, ruthless alien robot just made a series of serious threats against him and those around him. What Baelheit has chosen to do is in the best interests of Mintaka Industries, and possibly also humanity, but...what of him?

"Have you decided what you will do to ensure your own safety, Dr. Baelheit?" she asks, after several moments. There's an almost imperceptible change in the tone of her voice; it's the slightest bit softer, like a little part of the analytical edge has been rounded out for just a moment. "That is likely not at the forefront of your mind right now, but it is important to consider, if you have not already done so."

[baelhat]

There's a hint of mild surprise on Baelheit's face before he relaxes, leaning back into his chair. "I appreciate your concern, Dr. Frost. But there's no need to worry. I've worked hard for over ten years to build up Mintaka Industries; I have no intention of dying before I see my efforts come to fruition. I have taken measures to ensure my own personal safety. And if all else fails, the underground labs at Mintaka are the securest part of our firm. Even Megatron would have difficulty breaching their full defenses."