A Growing Concern

[Natalie Denisov]

While Tosh was retrieving his parts, Natalie took the opportunity to suit up. The suit seemed to be in decent enough shape, all things considered. She took the container of nanites down to the computer room with her, adjusting some things while she waited for Tosh to arrive and set up the containment.

[Toshiro Narumi]

It was Bruce that carried in the parts, hefting several large clear panels and putting them against one wall before leaving again and bringing in a large container. He reached into it and brought what he needed to first patch the hole in the ceiling. His height made the menial task simple. Nodding in satisfaction, moved on to building the basic framework of the containment chamber.

[Hank McCoy]

The doctor makes his way in, a bit more dignified than during the emergency. He nods to Natalie and Tosh.

"So walk me through what you've got so far, here."

[Natalie Denisov]

"The nanites are programmed to consume materials from the cave to replicate the chemical and physical structure of the crystals," Natalie says, putting her helmet on. "The concept is to have them add on to the now-dormant initial crystal to build out its structure, since it's the most likely location for where we can find Ashlie. Tosh has been working on containment," she says, gesturing to Tosh for him to continue.

[Acala]

The nanite's meanwhile have formed a vague ball around the lens of the hardlight emitter and are otherwise inactive.

[Toshiro Narumi]

The sharkman paused his labor and turned back into Tosh.

"The idea is a narrow energy field that should inhibit growth and keep the nanites at bay, at least enough for the alarm to get our attention before the physical barrier is breached or they reach the facility above."

[Hank McCoy]

"And Miss Denisov's powers can penetrate this field without risk?"

[Toshiro Narumi]

"It's untested, but I don't see why they wouldn't."

[Natalie Denisov]

"I should be able to maintain enough of a proximity that signal interference shouldn't be an issue," she says, her voice a little modulated over the suit's speaker.

[Hank McCoy]

"Once you're ready then, I don't see a reason not to proceed."

[Natalie Denisov]

Natalie picks up the container of nanites. "Let me know when you're ready, Tosh."

[Toshiro Narumi]

It took about half an hour of Tosh, Bruce, and Ennio alternating jobs before he gave the go-ahead.

[Natalie Denisov]

Natalie pushes the container into the containment zone slowly, testing her ability to sense the nanites as she goes. She makes contact with the crystal with the container, giving the nanites a path as she opens the container and gives them the instruction to start rebuilding the crystals.

[Acala]

The nanites slowly crawl out of their container and onto the crystal, leaving the hard-light emitter behind. They sit there as a thin silver coat before sending thin tendrils out into the surrounding bedrock to begin withdrawing minerals. It is an excruciatingly slow process and one might almost think they're not doing anything. But a very close inspection of the silvery coating and tendrils shows the 'impurities' of mined materials being transported and implemented.

[Natalie Denisov]

"I'll have to see if I can increase their efficiency, but so far, it seems to proceeding, if remarkably slowly."