Main Campfire | Wednesday Night | 6.2.2010

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

Peter was technically tempting fate, lying down near the campfire. He made sure his feet were far enough from the fire that he wasn't in danger of accidentally setting himself on fire.

He was humming 'Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds' to himself, looking up at the stars. This totally beat random TV in a common room.

[ooc: Open!]

Comments

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

"How big are you building this thing, anyway?" Peter asked. "I ask mainly because of wondering what you plan to use as ammunition in case of one of these invasions I keep hearing about."

[notmyownage]

"I think livestock might be traditional. Or flaming balls of flaminess. I was thinking maybe giant water balloons, to start off with."

Look, she was having fun with this idea, okay?

"You know, for test runs. We can save the fireballs for actual invasions requiring fire."

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

"I'm not sure giant water balloons are exactly aerodynamic," Peter said. "I mean, getting something that can handle being flung at a great velocity and hold that much volume, but still breaks on impact? You've got your work cut out for you."

[notmyownage]

"True. But that just makes it more interesting."

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

"Could always try Jell-o," Peter said. "Just as non-lethal, and a little more solid."

[notmyownage]

"Plus it comes in bunches of different flavors. It would probably liquify before impact, so you'd get some good splatter." She tilted her head. "I should look up what paint ball shells are made of."

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

"Those hurt," Peter pointed out. "But I suppose you could bundle a bunch of them together, like scattershot."

[notmyownage]

"But they're at least non-lethal. Unless you're a hemophiliac." Claudia shrugged. "Really, the whole thing is more about just building it because than for serious defense."

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

"Didn't mean to ruin your exercise with practicality questions," Peter said, chuckling. "Do you need any help with that, though. The building, I mean."

[notmyownage]

"Sure! The more the merrier, right? I'd love to get your input on it."

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

"And after we finish the trebuchet, we can start on the ballista," Peter deadpanned. "Maybe we need to start a siegecraft club instead of mere science."

[notmyownage]

"Well, it is the easiest stuff to build out of random parts. Though I admit, I might get twitchy if I don't get to work with electrical equipment."

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

"Well, we can always up the ante," Peter said. "AI guided sentry guns?"

[notmyownage]

"The minute you attach AI to it, it's like begging for them to go rogue. And have to get taken out by the trebuchet."

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

"No one said we were going all out Arthur Clarke here," Peter said. "Just smart enough for target recognition. No singing 'Daisy Bell'."

[notmyownage]

"Yeah, but see, now you've jinxed it. We're probably better off just trying to build Tesla's particle gun."

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

"Now that is an idea I can get behind," Peter said. "Just for the challenge, if nothing else."

[notmyownage]

"It'd definitely be pretty sweet. Plus? We could totally make it non-lethal."

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

"Name the time and place," Peter said. "And I'll be there with metaphorical bells on. I've tried literal ones, you end up feeling like a court jester, and that's not fun."

[notmyownage]

"Huh. I would have guessed a reindeer." Claudia shrugged. "I've got something else I'm working on right now, but I think I'm getting close on that one, so we can get right on that soon."

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

"This is in addition to the trebuchet?" Peter asked. "Because now you're piqued my interest. You seem to have your fingers in a lot of pies."

[notmyownage]

"That would get sticky." Claudia shrugged. "I've actually had them in this pie for awhile now. But I think I'm getting close to a break through."

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

It impressed Peter that she was playing coy about actually mentioning the details of the project.

"Must be a pretty good pie," he said. "Okay, carried that metaphor way too far. Possibly Three-point-one-four seconds too long."

[notmyownage]

"And now we're into the math jokes." Claudia shook her head, grinning. "Should I pretend you didn't just make that one?"

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

"It was an easy one," Peter admitted. "But at least we're not into anything involving algebraic formulas."