Stealing Fire (Worm SI)

[Vianca]

I think that speaking with the ABB could maybe be a change.
I mean, can you see anybody more willing to hit Coil and Thomas Calvert, at the same time, as a statement?
Main problem would be getting Dinah out.

Well, that and getting away from the ABB.
Mmm, are they robbing the place or just wrecking it?
If it is the first, then they must have some trucks nearby.

Think he might want to ask Tt to order a ToyBox dimensional pocket space bridge generator and a fusion reactor.
That would give them a hidout they can take with them.
Sphere his Moonbase would make a great place for a villian group.
Noticed how NO hero tinker could ever do better then Hero before being killed?
Yet villians can, because how else could Hero have had opponents that could have challenged him?
Dumb Eidolon, wait a moment, thats a key to take out Coil, inform the Travellers that Eidolon his powers HAS a couple of not yet used settings that could fix a certain wild grow problem one of them has.

Taylor gave herself a brain problem in canon, why the heck did she not ask Ami for a few mutated relay bugs?
All she needed was a couple that twisted the control signal just right.

Look up the BioCylons from nBSG, S-33 Booners from Bubblegum Crisis, the Artificial Bodies from Ghost in the Shell, Terminator T-800 from the Terminator movie serie and so on.
Starcraft Ghost, Mass Effect Biotic & X-com Psionic powes sounds nice to have, probably impossible, though.

I know Leet survived Bakuda, in canon, did Uber?
If so, hire them both, pronto.
If there is somebody who can out think Coil, it is Uber & Accord(?).
Best thing, Leet already has a workshop.

Heh, just realised, if they can get a subspace pocket generator from ToyBox, could they steal that PRT building for it's tinker supplies?
Yes, shifting it sll into the pocket by activating said generator inside the building itself.
Another option is to either hit Squeeler or Bakuda their workshops.

 

[Jack Stargazer]

Here we go again. Expect real time edits as I figure out what I've fucked up this time.

---

1.4 - Clandestine Crafting

We pull back behind the corner and I can hear Tattletale cursing under her breath. "So, what now?"

I stop a moment to think. If I remember the layout of the building, most of the actual drugs are stored in a clinic out front, where the ABB broke in. However the research lab and most of the equipment are in the back, and there is an employee entrance around the other side of the building which would allow direct access to the lab.

It really depends on why the ABB is here. If they are here to just steal the drugs, then they probably won't even enter the lab, but if they are some of Bakuda's conscripts, they might be here after the same equipment we are…

I turn back to Tattletale and start whispering. "There's a rear entrance, can you tell why they are here? Are there any indicators which might point to them being here for the equipment and not just as a smash and grab?"

Tattletale leans around the corner to get a view of the gang for a moment. "They have more cars than would be necessary for the people I've seen. One is scratching his neck - there's a recent scar - he's been implanted with a bomb by Bakuda. Another is… shit!" She curses and pulls back around the corner quickly, wincing. "Shit, I think he's coming this way!"

We scramble for a moment. We're in a very small alleyway, which curves away about 90 feet to the south, and judging by the look on Tattletale's face we aren't going to be able to make it to the end before we're spotted. I'm still in my stained clothing, although a bit cleaner on the inside, and Tattletale is in her costume with a dark coat over top to keep visibility down. Damn what are we…

Tattletale grabs my arm and pushes me towards a stinking dumpster about ten feet into the alley. I duck down behind it. Tattletale turns and crouches down behind her coat, so her costume isn't visible. I can see her palming a holdout pistol beneath it as she starts to make a fake sobbing sound, which just barely carries through the damp night air.

I can hear the crunching of shoes on gravel as whichever ABB goon is nearby approaches. As he enters the alley I can hear a zipper being undone and a splashing sound for a few seconds, when Tattletale lets out a louder sob and the sound stops. The crunching starts again, and I can hear some fumbling as a voice calls out in what I think is Korean.

"geogi nuguya?"

The steps move closer, and as I see the figure pass my location, still facing Tattletale, I flood my system with adrenaline and heavily dilate my pupils.

The world seems to slow down slightly, and I can tell that I'm putting outrageous stress on my body by doing this, but I can see the figure. He looks to be in his early 20's, and much fitter than I am, wearing some ripped jeans, a vest and wifebeater combination below an open rainjacket, and carrying what looks to be a submachinegun in one hand.

I also notice, to my dismay, that he hasn't bothered doing his fly back up.

I have a second of no thought, and then he starts raising his arm with the gun towards Tattletale, and I move without consciously intending it.

He's clearly stronger and better trained than me, and he's probably significantly tougher. I'm a bit out of shape, and I haven't been involved in martial arts in years, but I have something he doesn't have.

I get to add Intelligence to damage.

I take the first step and my body reading power seems to kick into overdrive. I'm reminded of a fight scene in a movie I watched once, and I start to plan out my attack.

First, distract the target.

"Hey, you forgot to zip up."

The ABB goon turns towards me in alarm, raising his gun as he moves. I move to the left to keep out of the line of fire.

Next, remove weapon, disable primary arm.

As he extends his arm fully, I take another step in. I am significantly taller, and I've got a much better reach than he does.

I can feel my muscles screaming at the motion, but I lock my right hand around his wrist, and dig my fingers directly into the nerve clusters that control the fingers. The gun drops as his hand spasms slightly, and he moves to catch it with his other hand. I pull his arm to full extension, and my left hand opens and strikes through his elbow joint, overextending it and popping it out of the socket.

I can see the effect rippling through his exposed arm as his mouth opens to scream and his arm begins to relax.

Muscles in left hip and thigh contracting. Will attempt left side roundhouse kick, step back.

As his arm falls limp, he pushes off with his rear leg and lances out at me. I stumble back one step and turn, narrowly dodging and now showing my back. I hear a gasping sound.

Inhaling, will attempt to scream, utilize momentum of turn.

Pulling my right arm in close, as I spin around I extend it outwards and tense my arm muscles as he returns to view. I plant my front foot and transfer my whole momentum into a strike on his solar plexus.

There is a crack, and then a sound like air escaping a balloon.

Diaphragm spasming, voluntary breathing impossible.

He pushes forwards, gasping as his left arm reaches for my throat.

Enraged, attempting to grapple. Step inside reach and strike jaw with elbow.

I step in and his arm extends over my right shoulder, as it bends to try to grab my shirt, my left elbow comes up to strike the greater auricular nerve on the right underside of his jaw.

Right arm dislocated, diaphragm spasming, weapon disarmed, jaw fractured, estimated loss of consciousness from fluid pressure of elbow strike on aural nerve in 0.3s. Estimated recovery time without parahuman assistance: four weeks.

The body slumps as the goon passes out, leaning forward onto me. I slowly lower him to the alleyway and let the adrenaline drain from my system.

Time resumes its normal pace. My head starts pounding, and my power must be overworked, because I don't seem to be able to negate it entirely, only with effort able to reduce it to a dull ache. The muscles in my arms and legs are similarly painful, and I turn to Tattletale who is looking a bit surprised.

"Huh. Wasn't expecting that. Combat thinker?"

I grit my teeth and reach down, picking up the gun dropped by the ABB thug. Looks like a standard one handed submachine gun, and if I had to use it, there's about a 0% chance it wouldn't be heard for a dozen blocks. Well, that's less than helpful, but at least he didn't get a shot off. I click the safety on. What kind of idiot keeps a loaded gun with the safety off in his pants?

I turn back to Tattletale. "Well, considering I about broke myself taking out one unpowered thug, not exactly a huge threat. I'm also pretty sure it only works on humans. It seems to be a part of my bio-radar power."

She waves a hand at me and starts going through my victim's pockets, coming up with a moneyclip and an extra magazine for the gun, as well as a switchblade. She grimaces as she looks down and I nudge the body with a foot so its face (and junk) down in the alley.

"Right, so, now what?"

I stand shakily and lean on the wall of the alleyway. I peek around the corner again, and it looks like they've mostly all gone inside. I motion, and Tattletale follows as we cross the street and approach the building from the rear.

After a few uneventful minutes of skulking, we reach the employee door. There is a card reader and alarm system guarding the entrance, but it's merely a conventional system and between Tattletale's detective magic and my own tinker skills, it's barely an obstacle.
Huh, it's funny. We tooled up for an infiltration mission and we are the most physically weak of the group, and of course it turns out that there's going to be combat.

I should have invited Taylor. Mental note, in future, always bring Escalation Queen.

…

On second thought, maybe it's for the best. I am going to work on biotinkering up something for her though. I can probably wire an insect brain into the control circuit of a drone…

I shake my head to clear the tinker fugue I can feel myself entering, and we press on.

The corridor is dark, and the only light is from an emergency light and the red EXIT above the door we've entered from. I close the door and dilate my pupils again to get a bit of night vision. I can hear the sounds of crashing from the front of the place, but the sound is dulled a bit - hopefully they haven't bothered coming through the isolation ward in between the shop and the research lab.

As we walk down the corridor I notice a janitor's closet. It's locked, but Tattletale pulls out a set of picks and has it opened in under a minute.

Inside I find the holy grail. A full toolbox. There's also a set of overalls with tool pouches and a few bottles of industrial strength cleaners. All useful. I put the bottles in the mop bucket, don the overalls, and move on.

After a few turns, we arrive at the main lab. I flick the switch and we blink the glare out of our eyes as they adjust to the lighting.

In the centre of the room is a beautiful set of medical equipment. Microscopes, electronic lab equipment, full chemical sets, computers and freezers for storage. I immediately move to the terminal in the centre of the room and plug in the USB stick I brought. The screen flickers for a moment as my worm subverts the system, and the records open up before me. I spend a moment going through the manifest.

"Hmm. That.. that could help significantly. Alright, so there are a few things I need to grab quickly. Tattletale, go to Freezer G-4 and bring out sample 889743-B12, and then Freezer G-3 and sample 768343-A99. I'm going to go reconfigure some of the equipment…"

Tattletale just stares at me for a moment, and then sighs and moves over to the freezers. "Sure, no problem. I'm a lab assistant now I guess…"

I ignore her, and for the first time I let my tinker power run wild. I reach one of the electric microscopes and begin to disassemble it, and rip apart a few bunsen burners to create a makeshift forge. I disassemble the gun I took off of the ABB goon and remove the trigger mechanism. I melt down the lead from the bullets and seperate the gunpowder to basic chemical components. KNO3 and KCLO4. Recombine, modify into crystal lattice structure. Expose to heat at 473 degrees, refine…

I lose myself for a time. Tattletale moves in and out of my vision, but I barely notice. Everything just seems so… clear.

I come out shaking my head as Tattletale is gripping on my shoulder. I turn to her. Adrenaline. Nervous response. Agitated.

"For fuck's sake listen to me! They are coming!"

My vision clears and I look around. The lab has been transformed. The machines are all in various states of disassembly, the electron microscope has been torn open and has a blue glow coming from its centre. On the table in front of me are three objects: a syringe filled with a grey liquid, a chip of some kind with a tear-off strip on the bottom, and a strange-looking gun.

I pick up the gun and hand it to Tattletale. "Alright, this is a bit of a problem but not unsurmountable. This is a neural disruptor. It fires a pulse of energy which interrupts and disables voluntary nerves. This blue glow is the charge indicator. It should be good for about 20 normal shots. The energy should penetrate just about any kind of non-powered armor - it would only be interrupted by actual electricity or about a foot of solid material."

At this point, Tattletale is looking at the thing slightly alarmed. She opens her mouth to say something, but I hold up a hand as I continue.

"At standard power, a chest shot should disable all voluntary movement below the eyes for about a half hour, depending on body mass. Limb shots should entirely disable the limb struck and headshots should knock a target out for several hours. At this level, it's perfectly non-lethal. This switch will change it to area fire. That will send out a pulse which hits everything in a forward arc out to about a hundred feet or so. Same effect and restrictions as the normal shot, only everyone hit should be knocked out, and there may be some spasming as the nerve endings randomly fire. Expect people holding guns to have them go off. One shot should use about a quarter of the whole charge, so use this sparingly."

She hefts the gun, and her trademark grin begins to creep across her face. She turns back to the table. "Alright, we've got like 2 minutes, what are these?"

I pick up the syringe. I roll up my left sleeve as I talk. "This is what I needed to start my tinkering, all of this was mostly to construct these two devices. I'm afraid this next part is not going to be pleasant. In this syringe is a general anesthetic and several thousand of what I'm calling 'nanocytes'. They aren't quite nanotechnology, but it's fairly close. In effect, they are artificial stem cells, which can take over for the function of any cell in the human body. However, they also have significant upgrades. Instead of mitochondria, they have microscopic power plants. For a nucleus they have solid state computing crystals, and they can function as molecular factories, printing off a variety of useful compounds on command. They contain a full backup of my genetic code, with a few modifications. They can also network together and work in tandem. I've stripped the coating from HIV to use as a defense mechanism - they are virtually invisible to a normal immune system's detection abilities. They also have injectors to allow them to interface with and manipulate normal cells. However, they are rather difficult to build, I could only create a few thousand, and I don't have the materials here to create more so I'll have to improvise."

I dull my pain receptors in my arm as I jab the needle forward slightly. The modified diamond-tip goes straight through my skin and makes a microscopic hole in my humerus, as I inject the payload.

Unnnh

I fall to one knee and drop the now empty syringe, grabbing the other device as I go.

Tattletale gets an alarmed look and moves over, grabbing my left arm. No blood is coming out of the hole. "What the hell did you just do?!"

I grit my teeth and smile. "I ugh… programmed them to -Ow - use my bone marrow as raw material. Should take about a half hour to convert 100% of my bone marrow to nanocytes. They should be able to take over that job. I estimate a 92% chance of success."

"And what happens if they don't work?!"

I grimace. "Well, it will destroy my entire immune and lymphatic systems, and I'll likely die of toxic shock. And if I wasn't in the middle of Brockton fucking Bay, that would concern me a lot more. This place is a deathtrap and I don't have time for risk-free."

I can feel my body relaxing from the anesthetic. Good. Should be fine for this. Man this is going to hurt.

I rip off the coating on the bottom of the implant and trigger the activator.

"What the heck is that?!"

I push up my hair and move my hand to the back of my head. As I do I smile at Tattletale.

"This? This is freedom. I trust you to protect me while I'm out. I'm sorry to do this, but I only have a few minute window to make sure this works - neither of these are designed to function externally. If I don't use it now, I lose it. If you have to, leave me and get out yourself. I should be able to find my way back, assuming I survive."

Tattletale stares at me for a moment and then curses as the sound of voices begins to echo down the hallway through the open door. She flips over a table, ducking behind it and aims the disruptor at the door. "Goddamn it, if you die I'm going to kill you. You said we'd be taking care of Coil. I'm holding you to that."

I nod. "Yeah, I get it. I'll do my best. Here goes nothing…"

I push the hissing device to the base of my skull. I can feel my skin disintegrating as it latches onto the skull and…

Darkness.

 

[Prince Charon]

Poor Lisa.

Also feel kind of sorry for the ABB thug, because almost no-one deserves Bakuda, and we don't know where that one is on the scale of 'career thug' to 'innocent recruited at gunpoint.'

EDIT: Was tired, and missed why his fly was undone. I don't feel sorry for him anymore.

 

[TotallyNotEvil]

Another!

 

[wornchalice8081]

more i demand it also good job

 

[Kolarthecool]

Poor Lisa.

Also feel kind of sorry for the ABB thug, because almost no-one deserves Bakuda, and we don't know where that one is on the scale of 'career thug' to 'innocent recruited at gunpoint.'

Click to shrink...

Walking towards a sobbing girl with his fly open, his junk out and a gun in hand. I don't think he's close to the innocent side of that scale.

 

[DarkSideBard]

Mhm, that's that good Sherlock Holmes combat-scanning shit.

I think this chapter is pretty well paced. The explanatory paragraphs are a little tedious, but completely in-character for a tinker.

I'm not sure I understand why they aren't leaving so he can do this in a safer place. Is the plan to have Lisa (hopefully) fight off the ABB during his nap so that they can take some stuff with them when they leave?

Spoiler: Corrections

I ignore her, and for the first time I let my tinker power run wild

Click to shrink...

components. KNO3 and KCLO4. Recombine,

Click to shrink...

On mobile this looks like a small section where the font changes. I don't know if it's on purpose or not.

"For fuck's sake listen to me! They are coming!"

Click to shrink...

On the table in front of me are three objects: a syringe filled with a grey liquid, a chip of some kind with a tear-off strip on the bottom, and a strange-looking gun.

Click to shrink...

That will send out a pulse which hits everything in a forward arc out to about a hundred feet or so.

Click to shrink...

For more general style concerns, I guess stuff like this:

I'm sorry to do this, but I only have a few minute window to do this

Click to shrink...

should in my opinion get resolved into either

I'm sorry, but I only have a few minute window to do this

Click to shrink...

Or

I'm sorry to do this, but I only have a few minute window

Click to shrink...

But that's all subjective when it comes to editing, obviously, so stick to whatever style of writing you identify with most.

 

[Jarrik32]

I'm not sure I understand why they aren't leaving so he can do this in a safer place. Is the plan to have Lisa (hopefully) fight off the ABB during his nap so that they can take some stuff with them when they leave?

Click to shrink...

I suspect given the stressful circumstances and the fact that 'their' base isn't secure means he hasn't considered the possibility, the only place he might have thought about using isn't safe.

Plus as the SI points out BB is a deathtrap and this gear is the first step towards ensuring his safety. What better time than now to get started?

Or maybe he is stressed and missing the obvious; it's easier than you might think even when people aren't trying to kill you.

 

[lostgamer64]

Now if he could combo that shit it will look fun.

 

[Jack Stargazer]

Mhm, that's that good Sherlock Holmes combat-scanning shit.

I think this chapter is pretty well paced. The explanatory paragraphs are a little tedious, but completely in-character for a tinker.

I'm not sure I understand why they aren't leaving so he can do this in a safer place. Is the plan to have Lisa (hopefully) fight off the ABB during his nap so that they can take some stuff with them when they leave?

Spoiler: Corrections

On mobile this looks like a small section where the font changes. I don't know if it's on purpose or not.







For more general style concerns, I guess stuff like this:

should in my opinion get resolved into either


Or


But that's all subjective when it comes to editing, obviously, so stick to whatever style of writing you identify with most.

Click to shrink...

Thank you, corrected.

 

[Jack Stargazer]

I suspect given the stressful circumstances and the fact that 'their' base isn't secure means he hasn't considered the possibility, the only place he might have thought about using isn't safe.

Plus as the SI points out BB is a deathtrap and this gear is the first step towards ensuring his safety. What better time than now to get started?

Or maybe he is stressed and missing the obvious; it's easier than you might think even when people aren't trying to kill you.

Click to shrink...

I tried to mention it in the chapter near the end, but basically the nanocytes and implant have a bit of a time limit. They are both part biological, and they can't really last long outside of a body. Even in the explanation time he probably lost about 10% of the existing nanocytes, that's why he injected those first.

 

[munchkinomatic]

Very good, but a minor nitpick: It's Kaiser, not Kaizer

 

[Vianca]

Well, lets hope he wakes up fast, then.
Because that would not only let them remove a few bombs, but also raid the lab of it's parts with help from some thankfull ABB Conscripts.
ABB Conscripts that then need a place to hid, else they are conscripted again.

The military (in WWII), had trucks with on the flatbed, thinks like milling nachines, drilling coloms and so on.
The sides and back-end could open up for ease of access.
Basically, mobile workshops.
What if he goes for something similar, using a small three axel truck with a 10 or 20 foot container?
I believe there where such trucks with their own off loading crane or other ways if removing the container off it's cargo bed, like metal legs.

You know, would laugh if his upgrade made it into her upgrade, by a simple change in his DNA profile and not noticing this.
It certainly is a conflict bringing change, for him, that is.
So yeah, that shard could go for it and the mayham it brings (her).
That could maybe teach the SI to be a little more carefull with crafting upgrades.

 

[Vox De Harlequin]

You know, would laugh if his upgrade made it into her upgrade, by a simple change in his DNA profile and not noticing this.
It certainly is a conflict bringing change, for him, that is.
So yeah, that shard could go for it and the mayham it brings (her).
That could maybe teach the SI to be a little more carefull with crafting upgrades.

Click to shrink...

Please no.
That kind of bullshit makes me almost immediately lose interest in a story, and I'd hate for it to happen in a story I'm enjoying as much as this one.

 

[Vianca]

Relax, I'm sure (s)he could fix it, but it might take some time, though, what with all the incoming trouble.

 

[Jack Stargazer]

Yeahhh, there won't be an accidental gender swap.

1. H+ Mayhem already did it, and I'm skirting close enough to that premise as is.
2. Part of his power is an instinctive knowledge of human biology. I don't have that, but I can still tell you that switching sex chromosomes is a bit more than a 'tiny mistake'. He's rushed, but not that rushed.
3. He's aware of shard conflict drives, and he's already got mondo conflict plans. No issue there for now.
4. I don't remember making a cross with Ranma 1/2.
5. What?
6. No.

 

[Vox De Harlequin]

Actually, here's hoping he'll have the forethought to have the nanocytes re-build his bone marrow.
That shit's important, yo, and it would be a pretty shitty way to die if hit by some sort of anti-tinker tech disabling weapon.
Also it'll free up the nanocytes that would be compensating for more different things.

 

[Prince Charon]

Walking towards a sobbing girl with his fly open, his junk out and a gun in hand. I don't think he's close to the innocent side of that scale.

Click to shrink...

Good point, was tired enough to have missed or forgotten that when replying.

 

[Subrosian_Smithy]

Yeahhh, there won't be an accidental gender swap.

1. H+ Mayhem already did it, and I'm skirting close enough to that premise as is.

Click to shrink...

Huh, I stopped reading that story some time ago, and I don't remember that. Maybe I should take another look at it, but I don't want to get hooked on a dead fic...

1. Part of his power is an instinctive knowledge of human biology. I don't have that, but I can still tell you that switching sex chromosomes is a bit more than a 'tiny mistake'. He's rushed, but not that rushed.
2. He's aware of shard conflict drives, and he's already got mondo conflict plans. No issue there for now.
3. I don't remember making a cross with Ranma 1/2.
4. What?
5. No.

Click to shrink...

It's actually really hard to Ranma around within the limitations of (Tinker-)technology. It's not the kind of thing that slips past your notice because OMG Shard conflict hands you the idiot ball.

You don't strictly need to swap a Y for an X, because the sex chromosomes mostly only cause the differentiation of the gonads during gestation. Everything else is caused by the influence of the sex hormones normally secreted by those gonads; you could have an XX-type phenotype even if you had an XY-genotype, and though you would be infertile, it would be close enough for government work.

But, the body is only meant to develop in one direction (from child to adult) and over a period of time (through puberty). Outright reversing the male development of the body and inducing a new female development in the short timescale of this Tinkering would require you to bypass normal development mechanisms and skip straight to some really absurd nanotechnology.

And frankly, if you had that kind of nanotechnology to waste on gender-bending, you'd either be in the position to Win the story through said nanotech, or so psychologically hampered by your Shard that you would have no hope.

TL;DR Not even comic book super-science can accidentally create the Spring of Drowned Girl. Not that I'm bitter or anything.

 

[Vox De Harlequin]

I just remembered a parahuman that might be useful to employ the services of:
Crane the Harmonious.
Just imagining the kind of glorious bullshit martial arts she might be able to create for someone with an instinctual knowledge of the human biology makes me tingle a little.
Of course, incentives would have to be employed so she doesn;t get up to ehr old shenanigans again.
And you'd need to get her out of the birdcage...


... And now I have another possible story idea about a reincarnated SI who was born near her training complex. Hmm... Xianxia powers would be both fitting, and awesome... Actually I could fuse it with that other idea I had...
*cough*
Sorry about that.

 

[Beyogi]

This seems an awfully quick ramp up. I mean you're at nanoconstructors within a few hours of tinkering.

 

[YuffieK]

This seems an awfully quick ramp up. I mean you're at nanoconstructors within a few hours of tinkering.

Click to shrink...

If you're stuck in the Wormverse as an SI with foreknowledge of the setting, there is no such thing as quick enough ramp up.

 

[Jack Stargazer]

This seems an awfully quick ramp up. I mean you're at nanoconstructors within a few hours of tinkering.

Click to shrink...

They aren't quite that general purpose. More like chemical labs and biomanipulators. They aren't magic pixie dust tier.

Panacea is in the same town and she is magic pixie tier.

If you're stuck in the Wormverse as an SI with foreknowledge of the setting, there is no such thing as quick enough ramp up.

Click to shrink...

This is basically the point, yeah.

 

[Beyogi]

If you're stuck in the Wormverse as an SI with foreknowledge of the setting, there is no such thing as quick enough ramp up.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, but there's such a thing as a non-credible fast rampup. I would have expected him to need to build the tools to build the tools after painstakingly aquiring the materials. Instead he does this easily with the materials and tools found in a shed.

 

[Lcpoketoon]

Yeah, but there's such a thing as a non-credible fast rampup. I would have expected him to need to build the tools to build the tools after painstakingly aquiring the materials. Instead he does this easily with the materials and tools found in a shed.

Click to shrink...

No he did it with the tools and gear in a fully stocked Medical lab.