milliways_bar | (no subject)

(no subject)

Ray's shift in room 2342 is coming up later this evening, so he's put aside his reading material of earlier and is hard at work on... well, it involves a lot of screwdrivers and a small cold-heat tool and several boxes of components from Abra, at least one of which is labeled EVIL GENIUS (PK. 1). He's got the schematics projected in the air in front of him on the datapad he got for Christmas.

Wanna find out whether those tools burn when they hit a defenseless human? That's what'll happen if you startle him. On the other hand, he's usually pretty cool if people warn him before they get in range.

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There's another ghostbuster who just got relieved of his shift, but paused at the sight. Normally Peter didn't mind scaring the other guys when they were distracted at work, but he was tired, and that stuff looked mighty tricky. So he just waited there, swaying slightly where he stood.

The motion caught Ray's eye; he set down the tool and glanced up. "Hi, Peter," he said. "You okay? YOu look pretty hammered."

Peter started to yawn, only it turned into another sneeze. He grabbed a ratty-looking tissue out of his pocket just in time.

"Tired, been a long day. And I think I got a cold." You could even hear the congestion a little in his voice.

Ray's lips thinned out for a moment. "You look more like you could use the stuff I got from K than I could," he said. "Actually... no. Next time, I'll just take your shift. You don't need more of this if you're in this kind of condition."

Peter paused at that, considering the idea.

He then shook his head, "I can always get something from the infirmary if I have to. I'll live. Danny's a bigger concern right now. That what you working on now?"

"Yeah," Ray said, looking down at the plans. "Egon's helped me improve the plans I used from Danny's parents to the point where he won't even recognize it any more. This one's the Fenton Ghost Shield. I've already finished a couple of improved Specter Deflectors."

Peter thought for a moment, as he glanced at the plans.

"Thinking this might be good for the unit at home, too? Our version's pretty crowded again."

"At least as a supplement. I'm not sure you necessarily want this as a substitute, though." He taps the paper. "The living can get in, and some ghosts are apparently capable of passing through. Or at least they were, before Egon got to the plans."

"Was thinking more like an upgrade, or a booster to it."

Peter smirked a little at that, "Nice to see you boys having fun at your usual techie pow-wows."

"Oh, we always have fun," Ray says. "You just don't recognize it. Ask him about the Lesser Key of Solomon at some point- Lenny says he managed to pull something he really shouldn't."

Peter snorted, "Yeah, I know it breaks your heart that I didn't get into the geek thing. That's your and Spengs' idea of fun."

He added, "Oh yeah? What else was Lenny saying? You got the little guy with you now?" He found himself taking a liking to the imp.

For answer, Ray held up his right arm. The box was strapped to his wrist. "Egon lay out an entire shielding pattern out of the Key written in Hebrew on tape and managed to invoke an actual charge. Like, the real thing. Lenny confirmed that it had the same energy signature on it as him."

Peter blinked, "What, wait a minute, you saying Egon can do magic or something?"

And why did the idea seem so disturbing?

Egon comes down the stairs at this point. He spots his collegues and walks over, a large, old, leather-clad book under one arm.

"Good evening, gentlemen."

"I'm saying he did it all of once-"

Ray pulls up short. "Oh, hey, speak of the devil. Hi, Egon."

Egon pauses, and pats his hair. no horns, but the curl is back.

"What did I do all of once?"

Peter glanced over with some surprise, "Hey Egon. Uh, shoot. Who's up on shift? Or think Danny's ok for the time being?"

"Yeah, something about you doing magic or something like it recently?"

"... oh hell," Ray says. "I should, uh, it's my turn..."

He starts to get to his feet. "Unless you have someone on duty?"

"I just came down for something. Frankly, I was parched. I thought just a few moments would be all right." Egon glances curiously at Peter. "I performed an incantation that was supposed to contain spirits in a specially prepared area, and it appears to have worked. I haven't been able to properly check myself, however." He shrugs.

"Taking care of Daniel takes precedence. I'm going to head right back up, so you can take care of your business, Ray."

Peter got up, a little wobbly even as he said, "I could go back on for a few if you really need to talk and take a break."

"Peter, you look like you're about to collapse. For Fermi's sake, man, sit down."

"No, it'll be fine," Ray says. "Peter? Stay."

"Fine," Peter said with a mild whine as he sat back gratefully.

"Well, I remember hearing about how you inherited a dragon and stuff, so think this relates? Or it's the usual Milliways weirdness quotient acting up again?"

"I'm uncertain," Egon says, sitting down. An order is placed with a waitrat, and a glass of a familiar-looking green fluid is given to him.

"My current working hypothesis is that whatever set Daniel off is of a nature that the best way to deal with it requires us. So I was brought here. I'm thinking of doing a thaumic survey of the Bar, charting its 'hot spots'. And yes, an ancestor of mine did somehow tame a dragon; this may in some way be related. Still, it hasn't ever happened back home, which is why I lean more towards the location."

Ray nods. "Okay. I'm gonna get some parts and then head upstairs. I'll see you guys later, all right?"

Peter nodded, "Ok, Ray, see you later then."

He added to Egon, "Yeah, the place is kooky and creepy at times, too. Figures there'd be something more to it."

"Call if you need assistance, Ray." He takes a sip, then returns his attention to Peter.

"At any rate, it appears that I managed to utilize some of the local PKE to add another level of warding on Daniel's containment. I've also been reading through this." He gestures at the book. "The Lesser Key of Solomon. I asked the Bar if it could lend me a book that would help me with things related to spirits that was not Tobin's or Spates, and it gave me this."

Peter eyed the book, "Looks like something Jeeves would read."

He then said, "Ought to talk to Giles sometime, he's from this world, along with a couple other people around here, where they deal with vampires and demons on a regular basis. Apparently for some, it's their destiny or duty."

He added, "Was asking Ray if there was maybe a way to adapt it to the containment grid back home. Like an upgrade. I know ours isn't as fancy as yours."

"I'm still getting the lay of the land. I ran across an interesting fellow on Christmas Eve, and we had a pleasant discussion. I'll have to find more of the regulars and talk, although Ray was talking about introducing me to the Security staff, at least."

Egon nods. "I'd be more than happy to give you copies of my notes for your grid. I'm sure your Egon would have come up with it eventually. I may leave out the plans for the grid ingress suit, though - it was a risky and foolish endevor in the first place."

"Oh, who was that? And yeah, I know a couple of people on Security..." Peter then frowned. "Well, I did. Tim hasn't been on it in ages, and Faith just left. Think the only one left I know now is Barry. Ray would know more, he's been here longer than me."

He added, "Great, he probably would, but he and Ray at home have never complained about the info I've picked up from here or from you and Ray. And yeah, I'm not even mentioning the suit bit. They get enough ideas like that on their own."

"His name was Rod, he said. A writer and paranormal investigator. Very pleasant fellow." He nods at Peter's comments on Security. "I don't know any of them to speak to. I also noted a woman who, as Ray would put it, gave me the screaming heebie-jeebies. Alabaster skin, hair, and eyes, ridiculously pulchritudinous - almost your type." Another sip.

"If it wasn't such a dire situation, I would never have tried it. I think we can leave that safely out."

"Rod? Nope, haven't met him yet."

Peter eyed him, "Hah-hah... This is the Venkman's who taken himself off the market, remember? The one with a kid on the way?"

"Yeah, because that's always the best time for a crazy plan." But he was grinning as he said this. The man always liked the real nutty ones anyway.

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