Album 2, Track 1: "Not Back on It, Joe, Still on It"

[Jessica Callaghan]

Dr. Sounder waits patiently for Jess to finish, then rummages through the collected index cards until they find hers. "Ah yes, Ms. Callaghan. I am glad to have your genuine interest and your welcome." This seems to have exhausted their reservoir of small talk, leading to an awkward pause.

Dr. Sounder’s intro gave Jess a pretty solid idea what they would be like one-on-one, and it’s not like she’s never had to interact with an engineering prof before. The awkward pause doesn’t bother her one bit. Her beaming smile returns, though she turns down the wattage so as not to overwhelm.

”I just had one question about the syllabus, Dr. Sounder, if you’ve got a minute?” It’s a question, but she doesn’t exactly wait for an answer before she tumbles on. ”I saw that we’d be talking a little bit about how to correct signal processing. Will that include corrections for interference? Like RF interference signals, for example? I do a lot of studio work and we’re always dealing with RF issues.”

[Kaigen]

”I just had one question about the syllabus, Dr. Sounder, if you’ve got a minute?” It’s a question, but she doesn’t exactly wait for an answer before she tumbles on. ”I saw that we’d be talking a little bit about how to correct signal processing. Will that include corrections for interference? Like RF interference signals, for example? I do a lot of studio work and we’re always dealing with RF issues.”

Dr. Sounder nods. "Yes, the subject of interference will come up, though I would say that most of the time, interference problems are the result of mechanical faults, such as improper grounding or insulation." The corner of their mouth turns up slightly. "Though given how tedious those problems are to track down, that's not what people generally want to hear."

[Jessica Callaghan]

Jess laughs with a sage nod. "That's what I keep saying! My non-techie friends keep saying that people cause RF interference but that's ridiculous. I mean, their phones maybe. Some weird medical device issue maybe, but people? Just people? No way," she says. She stops then, a small frown creasing her brow, pressing her lips together. "Right? That'd be crazy? I mean, you're the expert after all and I'm just a 2nd year EE major."

Long experience hiding her true thoughts and feelings from her parents gives Jess some confidence that she's able to keep a casual demeanor while watching Dr. Sounder for any hints of something they might not be saying. At the same time, Dr. Sounder doesn't seem to actually express emotions, so it's a little like trying to read a 13th century Finnish epic poem in the native language.

[Kaigen]

"Right," Dr. Sounder says, a slight frown on their face now, as though thinking deeply. Or maybe that's just their resting face. "It's helpful to remember that a signal is energy, and interference, at least as defined by the International Telecommunications Union, is unwanted energy. Certainly, people emit energy, but generally not in a part of the electromagnetic spectrum that matters for our purposes." Their hands start to get involved in the conversation, waving around a little as they continue. "Even when talking about devices, one has to consider scale. Consider the amount of power your studio setup draws, then ask yourself whether any portable consumer electronic device emits anywhere close to that level. This is why, although they instruct people to power down their devices when an airplane is taking off, it rarely causes issues when someone invariably ignores that instruction. Unless the receiver itself it particularly sensitive or idiosyncratic—" They tap the corner of their jaw under one ear. "—it's not going to be noticeable." They stop and blink at Jess. "Did I answer your question? If not, please tell me."

[Jessica Callaghan]

”I’m a 19-year old girl. I know plenty of people that qualify for ‘unwanted energy’ status,” Jess says with a wry slash of a smile. ”But I understand what you’re saying. That does answer my question, I think. Is there a way you could check to see if the receiver is… what did you say? Particularly idiosyncratic? Or, like, some sort of filter that could catch the interference somehow? To help figure out a way to compensate?” She lets her eyes go wide with excitement, like she’s warming to the question. That’s not entirely bullshit. She is interested, though not exactly for academic pursuit reasons.

She looks over her shoulder at the now-empty room. ”I’m… not keeping you from anything, am I? Another class? Office hours, something like that? I kinda… you know… tend to forget people have other things to do besides listen to me chatter.” She makes a chattering motion with one hand next to her ear, crossing her eyes like she’s zoning out.

[Kaigen]

”I’m a 19-year old girl. I know plenty of people that qualify for ‘unwanted energy’ status,” Jess says with a wry slash of a smile. ”But I understand what you’re saying. That does answer my question, I think. Is there a way you could check to see if the receiver is… what did you say? Particularly idiosyncratic? Or, like, some sort of filter that could catch the interference somehow? To help figure out a way to compensate?” She lets her eyes go wide with excitement, like she’s warming to the question. That’s not entirely bullshit. She is interested, though not exactly for academic pursuit reasons.

She looks over her shoulder at the now-empty room. ”I’m… not keeping you from anything, am I? Another class? Office hours, something like that? I kinda… you know… tend to forget people have other things to do besides listen to me chatter.” She makes a chattering motion with one hand next to her ear, crossing her eyes like she’s zoning out.

"A receiver is easy enough to test: replace it and see if the problem persists. If it does, well, you may have two receivers that have the same fault, but after a certain point you're either looking at a design flaw, or the problem lies elsewhere. If it's interference from energy emitted somewhere, definitionally, you've already detected it, and so can theoretically triangulate the source and remove, shield, or otherwise neutralize it."

At the reference to time, Dr. Sounder checks the wall clock in the classroom, then checks their wristwatch for a second opinion. "I don't have anywhere to be, but someone else will be along to use this room shortly, so we had better wrap things up. Was there anything else?"

[Nico Rivera-Park]

Nico mumbled incoherently to himself, drumming out a vague beat across the top of the steering wheel as he pulled up to the address in Vic's latest text. Immediately, his smile widened. Sure enough, he saw a small gathering of people, a mildly alarming hill of boxes, and hopping excitedly in the center of it all, pink hair attached to someone just out of view. A momentary issue, quickly remedied.

When Nico arrives with the trusty, rusty van, Vic is... well, Vic. Bubbly, pink and energetic, surrounded by cardboard boxes of varied and occasionally alarming size and a cadre of underpaid employees that look like they got roped in with fast talking and a few bribes tips. She's already waving with both hands, one still holding her phone, as the van pulls up.

"NICO NICO~!" she calls out excitedly, trotting up to him and throwing a hug around his waist as he gets out of the driver's seat.

"Princess Murderdeath herself, as I live and breathe!" Nico laughed, reaching out and pulling Vic into a hug. "I'd kneel and kiss the ring, but the weekend hasn't been kind to these knees. Gotta save my energy for.... well, whatever store you obviously cleared out the stock of." Releasing her, Nico blinked, taking a fresh look at the sizable collection of new lair paraphernalia.

"... Lairaphernalia." Completing his inside thoughts on the outside, he sighed and looked back down at the Vic with a begrudging sense of admiration. "Well Vic, the van's already mostly empty, and lucky for you I'm a god at Tetris. Let's pack her up folks."

Offering up high fives to the others present with varying degrees of enthusiasm in return, Nico threw open the rear doors and grabbed a box.

[Veronica Tucker]

"Princess Murderdeath herself, as I live and breathe!" Nico laughed, reaching out and pulling Vic into a hug. "I'd kneel and kiss the ring, but the weekend hasn't been kind to these knees. Gotta save my energy for.... well, whatever store you obviously cleared out the stock of." Releasing her, Nico blinked, taking a fresh look at the sizable collection of new lair paraphernalia.

"Oh no!" she exclaims at the knowledge of his poor, put-upon knees, though she still squeezes him tight when he pulls her in. The vague scent of something sugary and sweet wafts up from her as they embrace, which could either be some tacky body spray she drowned herself in simply to be a bit more sparkly, or the result of eating something that could only be considered breakfast by the barest stretch of the imagination. "Should I call Naomi to help? There's a lot of boxes. I don't want to shatter those precious kneecaps having you lug in our new stuff," she asks him, truly concerned but, as always, missing the point.

"No... wait. Most of the new stuff is pink, and I don't want her to destroy anything before she can see the full vision," she mutters, talking herself out of assistance immediately.

"... Lairaphernalia." Completing his inside thoughts on the outside, he sighed and looked back down at the Vic with a begrudging sense of admiration. "Well Vic, the van's already mostly empty, and lucky for you I'm a god at Tetris. Let's pack her up folks."

Offering up high fives to the others present with varying degrees of enthusiasm in return, Nico threw open the rear doors and grabbed a box.

Vic gasps excitedly at Nico's words, dropping the thankfully-not-fragile box she was holding and swinging her panda backpack around to grab her notebook, where she marks down Lairaphernalia as a potential song title... or maybe an album name. She'd decide later when inspiration struck. This, of course, leaves Nico and the others to focus on loading the van with her purchases.

Which is likely for the best, because a preoccupied Vic is a Vic who can't get in the way of actual progress being made.

[Nico Rivera-Park]

"Oh no!" she exclaims at the knowledge of his poor, put-upon knees, though she still squeezes him tight when he pulls her in. The vague scent of something sugary and sweet wafts up from her as they embrace, which could either be some tacky body spray she drowned herself in simply to be a bit more sparkly, or the result of eating something that could only be considered breakfast by the barest stretch of the imagination. "Should I call Naomi to help? There's a lot of boxes. I don't want to shatter those precious kneecaps having you lug in our new stuff," she asks him, truly concerned but, as always, missing the point.

"No... wait. Most of the new stuff is pink, and I don't want her to destroy anything before she can see the full vision," she mutters, talking herself out of assistance immediately.

"... Lairaphernalia." Completing his inside thoughts on the outside, he sighed and looked back down at the Vic with a begrudging sense of admiration. "Well Vic, the van's already mostly empty, and lucky for you I'm a god at Tetris. Let's pack her up folks."

Offering up high fives to the others present with varying degrees of enthusiasm in return, Nico threw open the rear doors and grabbed a box.

Vic gasps excitedly at Nico's words, dropping the thankfully-not-fragile box she was holding and swinging her panda backpack around to grab her notebook, where she marks down Lairaphernalia as a potential song title... or maybe an album name. She'd decide later when inspiration struck. This, of course, leaves Nico and the others to focus on loading the van with her purchases.

Which is likely for the best, because a preoccupied Vic is a Vic who can't get in the way of actual progress being made.

Nico chuckled as Vic suggested bringing in Naomi before immediately talking herself back out of it.

"Naomi'd probably be in class right about now anyway." It was the first day of classes so, naturally, Nico had already memorized everybody's schedules. He always made it a point to confirm them with everybody each semester. Part of band management was being able to schedule around everyone, so it just came with the territory. Most of the others were used to it by now (though Sophie had admittedly given Nico an odd look the first time he’d asked).

"Anyway, no worries. I can handle this. Just let me know where you're gonna... want..." Nico paused, realizing Vic wasn't next to him anymore. Turning, he saw her buried in her notebook, inspiration having struck. "... ah. Lost her." Shrugging, he slid the first long package along the wall of the van before turning back toward what remained of the pink dragon treasure hoard that would be going into their home base. It took some micro-managing and a few scraped knuckles, but before long, the ground was bare again, and the back of Nico's van was looking an awful lot like the closing shot of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Nico stood, hand carefully holding the final box in place as he slowly closed his fingers around the back door. In one quick motion, he pulled his hand away, slamming it shut before the box could tumble free. As the boy fell just shy of successfully concealing how out of breath he now was, he pumped his fist triumphantly into the air.

”Phase one… complete. To the Batcave!”